Topo Athletic MTN Racer 3

Name: Topo Athletic MTN Racer 3
Brand: Topo Athletic

Trail · Neutral · 10.1 oz · 5mm drop · 34/29mm stack

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Topo Athletic MTN Racer 4 replaced it

How it ranks

The Topo Athletic MTN Racer 3 sits about average for trail shoes in our data. Durability and value are its strongest sub-ratings. The rating rests on 6 runner reviews and 3 other rated shoes in the MTN Racer product line. Another 6 reviews would set the confidence on this shoe's own reviews.

Decent

75/100

Overall

Decent 75

Durability

Very good 91

Value

Good 81

Appearance

Decent 71

Comfort

Below average 68

Cushioning

Below average 68

Confidence

How settled the rating is against every other rated shoe. A shoe can rate high on confidence with relatively few reviews of its own when its product line has a long record and external ratings from retailer sites agree. Confidence will score low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

See the product line's history

Confidence

36/100

Very low 36

What runners say

“Combines cushion and firm sole that feels stable and is tough enough for rocky, single track terrain”

4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a marathon came from the Nike ZoomX Zegama Trail

“Good overall cushioning without the heaviness or bulk”

5/5 Full review 15 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike ZoomX Zegama Trail

“Holds up to high mileage and variable terrain without breaking down the structure”

4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a marathon came from the Nike ZoomX Zegama Trail

“Fast, responsive, stable and low to the ground trail shoe”

5/5 Full review 15 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike ZoomX Zegama Trail

“Falls apart from use, not from failing construction”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Brooks Cascadia 17

“Will last longer than most other trail shoes”

4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a marathon came from the Nike ZoomX Zegama Trail

“Won't slip around hopping from log to log or rock to rock”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Brooks Cascadia 17

“Love the traction and aggressive outsole”

5/5 Full review 15 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike ZoomX Zegama Trail

“Excellent on durability, toe space, and comfort”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Brooks Cascadia 17

“A little wide on the fit”

5/5 Full review 15 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike ZoomX Zegama Trail

Prefer this shoe over another

100% 3/3

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.

Pros

Reviewers say it outlasts other trail shoes, holding up over high mileage.
Reviewers with bunions or broader feet single out the wide toe box.
Reviewers describe a stable, low-to-the-ground feel at faster paces.

Cons

One reviewer wants a rock plate, finding stones bruise the feet on fast downhills.
Appearance is its lowest-rated dimension, and one reviewer calls the color choices boring, though the best yet in the 2023 version.

MTN Racer 3 rates 75. This shoe has very low certainty. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Topo Athletic MTN Racer

Each dot is one version of the MTN Racer, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.

Rating

40 60 80 100

72 2019 71 2021 75 2023 68 2025

Release year

We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating. See why.

MTN Racer 4

2025 · 0 reviews

68 Below average

22 Confidence
MTN Racer 3 This shoe

2023 · 6 reviews

75 Decent

36 Confidence
MTN Racer 2

2021 · 2 reviews

71 Decent

7 Confidence
MTN Racer

2019 · 0 reviews

72 Decent

1 Confidence

Reader Ratings

6 ratings

5/5 3

4/5 3

3/5 0

2/5 0

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 10.1 oz
Release: 2023 Q2
Stack Height: 34mm heel - 29mm toe
Drop Height: 5mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Good for fast running on moderate trails

5/5

Overall

Fast, responsive, stable and low to the ground trail shoe. Keeps me up on my toes. A little wide on the fit but then again I have a narrow foot. Love the traction and the look of the aggressive outsole. Good overall cushioning without the heaviness or bulk. Love this shoe except for one thing: it could use a rock plate. I run on gravel roads and the stones and pebbles bruise my feet but only while running fast on the downhills. I realize that this may make the shoe stiffer and add a bit more weight so I understand that there is a trade off. Overall, when I run and train on trails; it is shorter distances and mostly on flat dirt trails at a faster pace so I am pretty much okay with this shoe.

Anonymous runner · Oct 29, 2024

15 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike ZoomX Zegama Trail

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 5/5

Best shoes iv ran in, no problems

5/5

Overall

I have gotten these shoes whenever I can. Durability means a lot, as well as toe space, comfort. On these three points they are excellent! I have never had a problem with them. When they do start to fall apart, they are falling apart from use; not from shady/failing construction materials/methods one week of daily use. Traction isn't super crazy like some other shoes iv used where if a spot touches a bolder your shoe will stick. Take that with a grain of salt, I dont like extra grippy shoes as I have better balance than most. But if your hopping from log to log or rock to rock you're not going to slip around like in street trainers.

Mike · Nov 29, 2023

50 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Brooks Cascadia 17

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 3/5
Durability: 5/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 5/5

If you live, train and race in the mountains, this is the closest thing to a perfect shoe!

4/5

Overall

Great shoe if you have typical runner bunions, thanks to the wide toe box. I like that the mountain racer is not a zero drop shoe, but a little more minimal than other popular trail shoes. They are the best mountain running shoe to combine cushion, and a firm sole that feels stable and is tough enough for rocky, single track terrain. The mountain racer can hold up to high mileage and variable terrain, without breaking down the structure of the shoe, or wearing out the materials around the forefoot. This is a true shoe for heavy trail use as it combines comfort, function and durability. The price is competitive and honest. The mountain racer will last longer than most other trail shoes I've tried.

The only real downside to these shoes has been the color choices. However, having said that, the 2023 version has had the two best color options yet. In the past they've seemed to be on the boring side, but that is more of a personal choice that others might not care about.

psprockett · Jul 29, 2023

55 mpw training for a marathon came from the Nike ZoomX Zegama Trail