Photo Credit:Runner’s World
This second version of Topo Athletic’s road shoe is even lighter than the previous.
Trevor Raab
Good Traction
On wet pavement, the shoe didn’t slip, or slide on tough corners. Over shale, gravel, and even brick the shoes were found to be stable; wear testers reported running without issue.
The shoe was satisfyingly durable over the testing cycle, yet we recommend that you keep this road shoe on the, no surprise, road. One tester took to the trail on a 5K race and had a rock that “punctured through the bottom of the shoe and insole.” The Fli-Lyte is a hardy shoe, but we wouldn’t classify it as a hybrid.
Test Impressions
I have a soft spot for lightweight shoes, and the Fli-Lyte has that familiar racy feel I used to strictly wear for all runs. The top of the heel collar felt snug and my foot was secure, signs that point to a dependable trainer.
Sadly, this match wasn’t meant to be.
On my first 6-mile run wearing the Fli-Lyte, I felt tenderness on both sides of my ankles by mile 3.
Then, there was that fearsome rawness at mile 5. I was marked with gnarly blisters. I tried again on a third run with technical socks and Aquaphor slathered on my feet. Again, my 6-mile run was cut short with the quiet, growing intensity of those bubbly monstrosities.
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And yet, I seem to be an outlier. Our testers deemed the shoe super comfortable and marathon-approved. “I was surprised at the lack of blisters or signs of irritation on my feet after the race,” said one of our testers who wore the shoes while running the Red Pocono Marathon.
Maybe my feet aren’t as rugged as I originally thought. Or maybe it’s a case of the shoes choosing the runner. Whatever the reason may be, the Fli-Lytes were beloved by our zero-drop, wide-toe-box, lightweight-shoe wear-testing crowd. They just didn’t love me.
Trevor Raab
For More Details : Runner’s World
