That's right, Topo apparently do not last very long also in my wife's experience. However, did you use the trial model with "Vibram" sole or the running model?
However, I want to add how to recognise a ‘good’ seller of hiking or running shoes. Not easy, but this is my experience.
I bought my first running shoes in London. Super-luxury shop. A slender, athletic salesman like ‘I just ran the Boston marathon in less than 3 hours’.
Result: A DISASTER. Soles too thin and unsuitable for my less than graceful weight and a lumbar back pain that lasted me several months.
So I turned to an Italian running forum where I had some friends. They told me to go to a shop for runners near San Giovanni in Rome, my town.
I got there and there was a rather old and haggard guy standing at the door, with a belly and a cigarette in his mouth. Not very convinced, I asked him if he could recommend me some good running shoes (I don't exactly have a champion's physique, especially without a deforming mirror... in the right direction). He looked at me from head to toe with a slightly disgusted air, looked in another direction, turned around and went to get a box. Now it is not possible to imitate the typical Roman slang but without taking the cigarette out of his mouth he said to me ‘try these. Go for a walk and come back'. I was less and less convinced and beginning to think I got in the wrong shop, but anyway I wore them and went for a walk. I ran along the Aurelian Walls and they actually looked pretty good, but I am not very sensitive so I came back and shyly asked to try some more... who knows... just to be sure.
The fat guy told me ‘No, no. These are good for you.' Intimidated by Big Belly, I was a bit surprised by the harsh reply, but he said, ‘Look: I'll write the date and my signature on the box and I'll tell you that if they don't suit you, you can come back within 15 days and I'll give you your money back, understood?"
He really did it. But I never returned. And I've never changed running shoes model since then!!!
Even here where I live now I found through friends a similar guy who found me perfect trail shoes.
Moral of the story (at least in my experience): the less athletic they are, the more expert seller they are!