Article by Jeff Valliere, Adam Glueck, and Sam Winebaum
Topo Athletic Rekovr 2 ($115)
Jeff V: The Topo Athletic Rekovr 2 is the ultimate recovery shoe. With a blended antimicrobial wool upper that is warm, but not at all stuffy, an Ortholite 3D Wave Sense footbed that gently massages and stimulates the soles of your feet, as well as Vibram XS Trek EVO outsole that offers excellent traction and protection when used outside, the Rekovr 2 is one versatile “slipper”. I wear them around the house all day and all evening as I would my normal house slippers, but with such a sturdy outsole and aggressive lugs, a 23/20 stack height and secure enough upper (while being easy on/off), they easily handle snowy and cold trips to the mailbox, taking out the trash, running errands, walking the dog or even would suffice in a pinch for a hike or mellow run if you forgot your running shoes.
The blended wool upper, while it does not have any laces, overlays, or ways to secure and is purely a slip on, has enough structure and hold to it that I have never once felt it waver or roll when moving quickly about the house or yard, as I have experienced in other recovery shoes. The upper is welcome in it’s warmth when cold, but regulates well and never feels hot, even in temps in the 70’s.
The midsole is cushy, yet offers adequate structure and support that one would not find in a house slipper or the more flexible Oofos type of recovery shoe/slide, so can easily handle the rigors of walking and outdoor use.
The outsole lugs are deep and aggressive, actually identical in shape/size/depth to those in the Topo line of trail shoes, such as the Ultraventure, MTN Racer and Runventure models.
Quality is outstanding and after several months of near constant use working from home and being at home more because of the pandemic, I have not noticed any wear or hardly any signs of use, even though I do wear them outside around the yard and all the usual mailbox, garbage, grill trips in all weather. They also elicit a lot of slipper envy from family members and neighbors.
While some might contest that $115 is a lot for a "slipper", I am confident that the Rekovr 2 will last for many many years and is a bargain when you consider all that you get, the quality, comfort, versatility and protection.
Adam:
The Rekovr 2 is the finest recovery shoe I’ve ever used. I love wearing recovery sandals all year, especially after my long runs. This becomes a problem in winter, when my feet freeze in open toed sandals, and the exposed foam outsoles have no grip. The Rekovr 2 combines the comfortable slip on sandal style with an actual trail shoe outsole.
The upper of the Rekovr 2 is a blended wool upper that is incredibly comfortable. It reminds me of merino wool socks, as they are warm in the winter or outside, but breathable and wicking in warmer conditions. This is also the only closed toed shoe I’m aware of that doesn’t stink when worn sockless. I may consider sizing up half a size from what you wear normally in Topo, but for me the M11 feels true to size.
Most of the Rekovr 2’s comfort is from a soft Ortholite 3D Wave Sense insole/footbed. The wavy pattern on this footbed helps your feet breathe and feels like it gently massages them while sore. Additionally, the shoe has decent arch support and doesn’t feel totally mushy.
The outsole of the Rekovr 2 is straight off of a Topo trail shoe. It’s got Vibram rubber and deep aggressive tread lugs. I haven’t walked into a bunch of mud with them, but in dirt, grass, and snow/ice, they grip just as well as some of the best trail shoes I’ve tested.
I’ve been wearing the Rekovr 2 almost every day for months when I’m not running. My mother tried my pair on and liked them so much that I was only able to get them back when I bought her a pair in her size.
The other day, I was going to do a short winter hike with some friends, and foolishly forgot my running shoes. However I had my Topo Rekovr 2s and Microspikes. I hiked up a small mountain in the snow and ice, without slipping the entire way up.
Even when I got snow in the upper, they still felt warm. On the way down, I stuck microspikes on the slipper, and they still worked extremely well. The outsole protected the bottom of my feet from the chains/spikes on the bottom. They’re surprisingly good for winter hiking, with excellent grip, reasonable protection, and microspike compatibility. The knit wool slip on upper is reasonably snow proof and very comfortable and even held up to some running on the descent. Obviously this is far outside of the intended use of these, but it’s cool to see what they platform is capable of.
Build quality is excellent and the Rekovr 2s feel as good as new after months of wear.
The Topo Rekovr 2 is very expensive for a recovery shoe at $115 but considering that the lower half is a trail shoe, it’s a good value. For just wearing around the house, it does a good job, but is complete overkill and cheaper options will work fine. If you live in a cold or snowy environment and still want comfortable slip on recovery sandals that can also hike up an icy mountain if necessary, these are the shoes you’re looking for.
Sam: The Rekovr 2 follows last year’s model with a more comfortable velcro stretch strap free fit over the instep which makes a big difference in comfort. Jeff and Adam describe it well and I would only add that the recovery feel here is more stimulating than pillow soft from the texture of the felt like upper to the soothing tingle of the 3D Wave footbed.
And of course they are warm, but not too warm even in late summer temps when I first received them and they have plenty of traction and support from essentially a run shoe undercarriage.
The Vibram XS Trek outsole of course grips everywhere outside and in my several months of wear both inside and outside shows no wear.
In combination with the trail runner midsole it is the most stable (along with its close sibling Topo Vibe) recovery shoe I have ever tested, very important for recovery but also for practical use as I have no issues walking anywhere in the Rekovr 2. As such they make an ideal travel, after long hike or ski shoe, or backpacking companion.
I most often wear them without socks and after more than 2 months of practically daily wear indoors they remain “fresh” and stink free, truly remarkable. I rate them 10/10 as they are not only so comfortable for "recovery" but for their incredible versatility and subtle classy looks that will take you to the store, work dinner out without changing out of your slippers. The Rekovr 2 is the hut shoe super modernized, the recovery shoe that is more than a pillow, and one of the most practical shoes I have ever tested.
Comparisons
Topo Vibe
Want yet more support and a bit firmer “ride” consider the Topo Vibe. It shares the massaging 3D Wave footbed with the Rekovr 2. It is a bit snugger, a bit firmer, a bit more stable which makes them not only a great recovery shoe but a wonderful everyday travel shoe. Heck you could even run a few miles in them!
Oofos Shoe
Jeff V - I have the Oofos Oomg Low Shoe, Sport Slide and Clog, which are easily as comfortable as the Rekovr 2, but are more geared toward being an indoor and around the house sort of recovery shoe/slipper. Instead of a proper outsole, the Oofos have just a continuous foam mid sole and no real outsole to speak of, at least not rubber and is only grooved instead of having actual tread. For indoor use, this is mostly a non issue and even suffices for trips to the garage, the BBQ grill, taking out the trash, the mailbox, but only when dry and certainly not when snowy/icy, as with no real traction, can be flat out dicey. Additionally, the non outsole “outsole” of the Oofos, while it lasts well inside the house, degrades quickly if you use them outside with regularity. I also have picked up some sharp unwanted items underfoot that penetrated almost all the way through the Oofos when over stretching their bounds around the yard and fortunately noticed before my foot was seriously cut open. This is where the Rekovr 2 shines, having such a durable and trail run shoe tread/outsole and more substantial upper, I feel confident negotiating icy decks, driveways and sidewalks in them and transition easily between a durable and protective outdoor shoe and a comfy indoor slipper.
Sam: I concur with Jeff. While marvelously soft and pillowy the OOFOS is not nearly as practical or stable for any kind of walking or much use outside the house.
Adam - I have the Oofos sport slide, and love the foam. It’s super soft and cushy, but much more of a wear around the house slipper. The Oofos has less arch support and the outsole is just exposed foam. For warm temperatures and around the house wear, the sport slide is great, but whenever the ground is wet or snowy, their grip is terrible, and they wear down pretty fast from walking on pavement. For only walking around the house, the Oofos is cheaper, but the durability and protection/warmth of the Rekovr 2 is an order of magnitude better.
Hoka Ora Sandal
Adam - Before I got the Rekovr 2, the Hoka Ora sandal was my go to recovery shoe. It’s a firmer foam than the Oofos, but thicker, and I find it has better arch support even if it’s not quite as pillowy. For the summer, the Hoka is durable, affordable, and very comfortable, and the outsole grip/durability is ok. For the wet, winter, and mountains as necessary, the Rekovr 2 is far better has an outsole of a trail shoe and the insulation of a wool slipper.
Sam: Sam: The 100% Vegan Ora brings wide Hoka support and the trademark Meta Rocker to a recovery shoe. It’s light mesh upper holds the foot well and the cushion is deeper and a bit softer than the Rekovr of Vibe. Very light in weight, they fold making them a great travel or after a long day on the trail option for backpackers and trekkers as well as of course recovery shoe and everyday shoe. This said the Rekovr is more comfortable, has an easier less stretchy fit and is more versatile in all seasons for me
Jeff V. runs mostly on very steep technical terrain above Boulder often challenging well known local FKT's.
Adam is a cross country ski racer from New Hampshire.
Along with skiing, he’s a big fan of endurance sports in general and does a lot of running. He’s much faster at skiing, recently participating in the curtailed NCAA’s skiing for Dartmouth College, but can run a 4:43 mile (in trail shoes), 16:59 5k and has won a few small trail races you’ve never heard of. His mileage varies depending on how much snow is on the ground, but he trains about 700 hours a year including 1200 miles of running and 4000 miles of skiing and roller skiing. You can follow him at his IG: @real_nordic_skier, his blog: https://adamglueck.wordpress.com, & on Strava https://www.strava.com/athletes/9267222
Sam is the Editor and Founder of Road Trail Run. He is 63 with a 2018 3:40 Boston qualifier. Sam has been running for over 45 years and has a 2:28 marathon PR. These days he runs halves in the just sub 1:40 range training 30-40 miles per week mostly at moderate paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Utah. He is 5’9” tall and weighs about 164 lbs.
The Rekovr 2 available now
Topo Athletic HERE
CampSaver HERE
Products reviewed were provided at no charge for testing. The opinions herein are the authors'
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1 comment:
I'm definitely picking these up. Question of size: Do you wear the same size as your running shoes? Or do you size down at all? Thanks.
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