The Fli-Lyte 6 now sits as Topo’s basic low stack day by day coach for the minimalist runners on the market who felt betrayed by different manufacturers fattening up their basic low stack trainers in latest iterations. Merely put it’s a easy, no nonsense operating shoe that may deal with a lot of what you throw at it.
It started as a flexible light-weight day by day coach with the flexibility to tear by means of quick intervals. Over time the Topo Fli-Lyte has advanced as wants modified throughout the model.
We’ve reviewed plenty of Topo trainers this 12 months and whereas we’ve raved about many, we additionally know they aren’t but the profitable shoe for each runner. Let’s discuss this shoe that appears to be bucking the developments.
Who’s the Topo Fli-Lyte 6 match for? Let’s break it down with some frequent classes:
- Huge Ft: For essentially the most half. The midfoot on this mannequin felt extra cosy than different Topo fashions and won’t work for very broad ft.
- Heavier Runners: In case you’re on the lookout for one thing with a pure journey and floor really feel that can preserve you targeted in your type, sure.
- Lengthy Runs: Except you’re very mild or very mild in your ft I don’t see this being a lot of an possibility over 9 miles.
- Entrance of the Pack: Gentle sufficient for some very mild intervals and protecting sufficient for day by day use, most likely not a racing shoe.
Purchase Topo Fli-Lyte 6
Topo Fli-Lyte 6 Overview
I used to be intrigued on the alternative to do this shoe. Since I began taking note of shoe stats akin to stack heights, midsole supplies, and different tech I’m unsure I’ve run in such a modestly-stacked shoe. I’ve come shut, however I’ve by no means been this low to the bottom.
I wasn’t positive what to make of my first run, which was a fast introductory two miles with strides. It may have been the heaviness in my legs from that morning’s weight lifting session or it may have been adjusting to such a low stack top, however that run felt barely higher than terrible. Regardless of the case I used to be decided to place this shoe by means of the ringer.
I’ve since achieved a long term with some marathon tempo and threshold tempo, a couple of straightforward runs, and a few intervals. A number of miles later I can report the shoe opened up properly as soon as I hit round 15 miles and has been rather more satisfying to run in.
The Fli-Lyte 6’s ZipFoam midsole, as you may anticipate from such a diminutive shoe, is on the firmer aspect, presumably to keep away from bottoming out. There’s only a trace of softness so the journey just isn’t harsh when operating at straightforward paces, I additionally discovered that firmness helps with faster leg turnover.
The forefoot flexibility is nice, permitting pure foot motion by means of your stride. In case you’re a heel striker you may expertise what I felt was a clunky journey, however for those who land in your mid or forefoot the journey is significantly better.
As I discussed earlier, the primary few variations of the Fli-Lyte have been typically touted as velocity coaching sneakers so I wished to see how they stacked up towards Topo’s newer velocity coach, the Cyclone. I ran an interval exercise with 2 units of 6 x 200 meter intervals with 200m restoration jogs. The primary set of 6 was within the Fli-Lyte.
I timed it nearly completely to finish up again at my automotive so I may pause and placed on my pair of Cyclone 2s for the subsequent set. My effort degree was noticeably simpler within the Cyclones. This isn’t to say the Fli-Lyte 6 is a nasty shoe, it simply doesn’t do speedwork in addition to an analogous shoe with a high-tech foam underfoot.
The introduction of stated Pebax powered Cyclone a pair years in the past has seen Topo reposition the Fli-Lyte 6 of their lineup alongside the ST sequence as a shoe that may deal with operating and weight lifting.
With it’s thicker midsole the Fli-Lyte has extra utility as a cross coach than the ST, in my humble opinion. The elevated stack makes it a greater possibility for individuals who prefer to run to and from the gymnasium. I can affirm the shoe is steady sufficient to deal with single leg lifts, field jumps, lateral hops, and cooldown miles on the treadmill.
Topo Fly-lyte 6 Specs
- Weight: 6.3 ounces Ladies’s 7 / 7.8 ounces Males’s 9
- Stack Top: 23 mm
- Alcoholic: 3 mm drop
- Not obtainable in broad
- Obtainable in 2 colours
- Obtainable at runningwarehouse.com or REI for $130
Fast Take
- Forefoot flexibility for pure foot motion
- Simple to go from operating to energy coaching
- Very breathable higher
- Not for longer runs
- Comfortable midfoot
- Higher just a little dishevelled
Purchase Topo Fli-Lyte 6
I used to be by no means a fan of white trainers, however a latest splurge buy of a competitor model’s all white shoe with 3 black stripes could have modified my perspective. White sneakers simply look fairly, and that’s no completely different with the white and navy blue colorway I acquired. The off-white accents on the heel aren’t simply there to make the navy blue look good, they add some construction to the versatile inside heel counter as nicely.
Topo Fli-Lyte 6 Match & Really feel
Till additional discover it’s protected to imagine the toe field is fantastic in absolutely anything Topo is providing up. Their signature match is a little more dialed in than in different fashions however the width and top of the toe field are good.
The midfoot, whereas often cosy and supportive, felt extra cosy than what I’ve skilled earlier than. It didn’t pose any points for me however that’s one thing to concentrate to you probably have a large midfoot.
The heel maintain was fantastic, with the aforementioned off-white molded overlays providing some structural help to the pliable inside heel counter. The midsole extends up over the bottom of the heel so as to add some extra stability and steering for heel strikers.
Better of all, the higher could be very breathable, which is able to come in useful within the coming summer time months and past. The higher was just a little dishevelled within the forefoot but it surely didn’t trigger any blisters for me. I needed to mess around with the lacing on the primary two rows to completely get locked in up entrance. Regardless of the dishevelled match that resembled my denims within the 90’s, Topo continued to stay the touchdown with their uppers, even when there are a couple of that may get a bit steamy.
The plush padding across the tongue and ankle are lacking within the Fli-Lyte 6, however that’s probably not anticipated in such a light-weight shoe. The tongue, whereas thinner than anticipated, has sufficient padding for consolation. I did discover the tongue to be fairly lengthy, it might probably stand to have a centimeter or so shaved off and nonetheless serve its function.
The outsole grip was good, however I didn’t have an opportunity to run over any moist terrain, not even previous any operating sprinklers, oddly sufficient. Such is life. There may be some uncovered foam within the mid foot and a few within the forefoot, however the surrounding outsole rubber did really feel good and sticky once I ran over sandy elements of the seaside path I frequent.
Skinny flex grooves run horizontally alongside the strips of rubber within the forefoot, giving the shoe extra freedom to flex with the foot. The uncovered foam and rubber nonetheless look model new after testing so I’d anticipate first rate sturdiness from this shoe.
Comparable Footwear to the Topo Fli-Lyte
In case you love the minimal to your runs, you may need guessed we’re superb with it…however don’t like it for distance coaching. So listed below are another sneakers that may slot in that cross coaching, gymnasium shoe really feel.
- One other excalant – One other low-stack shoe for quicker efforts, and so they share related toe field shapes.
- Rad One V2 – A not too long ago gymnasium shoe we examined with mild cushion, that we actually love.
- Lululemon Chargefeel – Greater drop at 6mm, however we LOVE the stick and you are able to do a tad extra operating in it.
Purchase Topo Fli-Lyte 6
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It’s not a shoe for each runner and in reality based mostly on updates to the Topo line we now really feel it’s extra of a shoe for cross coaching and gymnasium days. it from that lens retains our ranking increased, however as a operating shoe the naked minimal received’t suffice for many.
