Topo Athletic Specter 3 Review: The Super Trainer That Genuinely Surprised Me
A Shoe That Caught Me Off Guard
Every now and then a running shoe genuinely surprises me, and the Topo Athletic Specter 3 is one of those shoes. I went in with fairly modest expectations and came out thinking this could be one of the sleeper hits of the year.
I'm calling the Specter 3 a super trainer, and that's because it has a full-length slab of ATPU foam under foot. That's the same family of super foam we're seeing in some of the top-end racing shoes right now, so it's great to see it trickling down into everyday trainers. That said, I'd encourage you to think of this one more as a daily trainer with a bit of extra spark than an out-and-out super trainer.
If Topo is a new name to you, they're the brand known for their anatomical toe box. Rather than squeezing your toes into a point, the front of the shoe is shaped like an actual foot, so your toes can sit naturally and spread out. If you've got wider feet, I'll say it right now: this shoe is well worth a look, because there's loads of room up front.
Specs and What's New
The Specter 3 is on sale here in the UK for £165. It's an unplated super trainer, with the ATPU midsole doing all the heavy lifting rather than a carbon plate.
This is a completely new shoe compared with the previous model. The stack height has gone up by 2 mm, and it has shed a good chunk of weight, much of which comes from the new foam. I've seen a 17 g drop quoted against the last version, though I can't confirm that figure myself. Just as importantly, the new foam brings a big step up in energy return.
My pair is a UK 9.5, which fits true to size, and it weighs 240 g on my scales. The stack height is 39 mm at the heel and 34 mm at the forefoot, giving a 5 mm drop. Alongside the anatomical toe box, you get an ATPU insole, a single-layer supportive mesh upper and generous rubber coverage on the outsole.
Design and Fit
The headline feature is that wide, foot-shaped forefoot, which lets your toes splay out naturally. The single-layer mesh upper is really nice, and it's breathable too.
Flip the shoe over and the rubber coverage is an absolute beast. Topo could easily have shaved off more weight by trimming the outsole, but they've chosen durability instead, and I have to commend them for that. The rubber is grippy as well.
The laces are the one slightly odd part. I think the shoe would have benefited from sawtooth-style laces. There's an extra lacing loop that genuinely helps with lockdown, and it's needed because the tongue isn't gusseted. Round the back, there's a decent amount of padding in the heel, which makes it very comfortable and reinforces that it's more daily trainer than racy super trainer.
Performance and Ride
This is where the Specter 3 really surprised me. It has a lovely rocker, it feels a lot lighter than its 240 g, and you can genuinely pop along in it. I know every brand talks up energy return in its marketing, but there's a real springiness coming off this foam. It's light, it's bouncy, and it's simply good foam under foot.
The wide platform helps too. You get a really nice bounce off the toe, and as someone who lands more towards the forefoot, that's worked brilliantly for me. Combined with the breathable upper and the natural way your foot sits in the shoe, it's just a really nice place to be.
I've taken it across a good range of paces. I've done marathon-pace work in it and a little quicker, though I'm in a taper so I haven't pushed it too hard. My longest run so far has been a 10-miler, with a mix of paces, and it was absolutely fine. I've also used it on a day when I was completely wrecked, plodding along at 9:30 to 10:00 per mile on an easy recovery run, and it felt nice and stable throughout. That's a real compliment for a shoe with this much bounce.
The obvious rival is the ASICS Novablast 6, and to be frank, I think the Specter 3 is better. I like the Novablast 6 a lot, but the ATPU foam here feels more responsive than the FF Blast Max in the ASICS. The Specter 3 feels that little bit quicker and, well, a bit more super. Topo has done a very good job with both the foam and the geometry, and the shoe rolls through beautifully.
What Could Be Better
There are a few tweaks I'd make, though I'm being picky here. The laces and the lockdown in general could be dialled in better. A gusseted tongue would let Topo remove some of the extra lacing hardware they've added to compensate, which would improve the lockdown and shed even more weight. A slimmer, racier tongue would help on that front too.
The heel is fine and felt stable for me, but some runners may want a touch more width at the back of the shoe to match the generous forefoot.
The bigger point is price. £165 is a lot of money, and I think the Specter 3 would land better at around £140, where it could match or even undercut the Novablast 6. I understand why it sits where it does, with the ATPU foam and the more premium positioning, but a slightly lower price would make it a much easier recommendation.
The Verdict
Nitpicks aside, the Topo Specter 3 is a very good shoe, and it has genuinely surprised me. It's a fun, light, peppy and versatile daily trainer, and I like that it goes against the norm. Do I notice the 5 mm drop? No. Do I notice the anatomical toe box? Honestly, not really. But my toes aren't crunched up either, so it's clearly doing its job.
If you're in the market for a new daily trainer, especially if you've got wider feet or you're a bit fed up with your Novablast 6, the Specter 3 is definitely worth a look. You get a lively ride, real versatility and an outsole that should last. There's also an Elite version on the way, which looks like a really fun shoe, although it apparently won't reach the UK for a while. Either way, Topo are heading in the right direction, and the Specter 3 could well be one of this year's sleeper hits.
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