Males’s Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4 Evaluate

Backside Line

In case you’re on the hunt for fashionable path sneakers with an enormous toe field, best-in-class consolation, and good air flow, the Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4s hit the candy spot. We like them a lot, they land on each our greatest path trainers for males information and greatest mountaineering sneakers for males information. Senior Content material Editor Ian Krammer’s run three half marathons on path and street within the Ultraventure 4s, however he’s additionally tackled a whole bunch of miles on backcountry trails and tall ridges within the Colorado Rockies.

The Ultraventure 4s lastly get an replace – their first since 2023 – however not a lot has modified. The uppers are a bit extra tightly woven and a brand new overlay design offers barely improved safety on the ankle. The heel cup and cuff have been tweaked for a tighter lockdown than the prior model.

However, a dramatic overhaul this isn’t – should you beloved the three’s, you’ll love the 4’s. The tread sample, chassis, and midsole appear and feel the identical. The large toe field and plush cushioning nonetheless give a pure really feel and comfortable journey for miles of operating and mountaineering. Breathable mesh uppers assure consolation in scorching circumstances, and a delicate lacing system helps dial within the match.

The draw back of minimal adjustments? The identical points from the three stay within the 4. They’re a bit on the heavy aspect and aren’t essentially the most sturdy. The lacing system is impressively delicate, however adjusting it might probably really feel cumbersome. Additionally, the lug sample is greatest for average trails, though it does decently effectively off-trail in a pinch.

People who need strong all-around path runners with an enormous toe field, although, will love the Ultraventure 4. Their spacious inside is why this Topo mannequin stays completely in our rotation. In relation to consolation, velocity, and loads of room to your piggies, these are those for you.

Consolation

Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4s lead the pack for consolation. These are your golden ticket if a big toe field is essential to you – it has one of many widest and most beneficiant forefoot designs within the recreation. Our testers love the pure toe splay as we ran and hiked. On path, this results in much less foot fatigue and discomfort over time since our toes aren’t packed right into a slim shoe, preventing for flexion.

Mixed with a gently rockered sole and comfortable foam, Ultraventure 4s expertly stroll the center floor between cushioning and floor really feel. Mixed with a barely springy really feel and good insoles with average arch help, these sneakers are arduous to not love.

The Ultraventure 4s’ lacing system is very delicate, too, which is superior for dialing within the actual quantity of strain you need throughout your foot. Topo designed the eyelets nearer than comparable path runners, and the shoelaces run by way of double loops on the tongue. This distinctive threading offers an especially nuanced match throughout the foot, and is superior for attaining completely different lacing codecs.

The draw back? Adjusting laces could be gradual and tedious. Every part must be pulled by way of one by one. It often takes us a few tries earlier than it’s good, which generally is a bit annoying and time-consuming when we have to cease and tweak the system throughout an exercise.

Our different difficulty is the softer heel cuff lacks extra sturdy structural help. The 4’s match tighter and really feel extra locked in by way of the heel than the three’s because of a barely deeper design. Nonetheless, this space folds and mashes over time, in the end breakoing down sooner than we’d like.

General, although these are small complaints. The Ultraventure 4 is likely one of the comfiest fashions on our record, and we extremely suggest it for many foot shapes.

Traction

In relation to traction, Topo didn’t change a factor from the prior model. For average trails, that’s a very good factor – the broadly spaced, sq. lugs with Vibram rubber supply good floor contact. The tread sample extends to the sting of the heel and the tip of the toes, so it nonetheless provides top-tier braking on descents and good grip on average climbs. That’s precisely what we wish out of a flexible path shoe.

Nonetheless, these sneakers lack the tread depth for extra technical sections – and there’s no midfoot lugs. This mix makes them really feel much less dependable and extra slippy on rocky, root-filled trails and steep ascents.

That didn’t cease us from visiting excessive landscapes with the Ultraventures, although. Ian scrambled a category 4+ ridge in Colorado – however this journey required very cautious stepping. He discovered the rubber composite was nonetheless sticky and cheesy sufficient to really feel quick, gentle, and assured, however the shallower depth calls for extra warning and focus than sneakers with a busier outsole design.

That stated, should you’re sticking to flats, average uphills and downhills, otherwise you love lengthy days on maintained trails, the Ultraventure 4 carry out admirably.

Weight

The Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4s are objectively gentle, touchdown at about 10 ounces per shoe. Within the subject, we discover this weight makes us really feel gentle and pretty quick, with a very good steadiness of agility and stability.

Nonetheless, we rated them decrease for weight in comparison with the opposite path trainers we examined. On this class, we typically desire lighter sneakers, and at over a pound, the Ultraventures rank on the underside half of our record total.

However don’t let our scoring flip you off – the Ultraventures really feel impressively gentle on our toes, they usually actually don’t weigh us down on any runs. Mesh uppers are breathable and dry quick, and foam building additional retains weight down. In order for you a speedy and comparatively spry shoe, you possibly can’t go fallacious with these.

Sturdiness

The all-mesh uppers and delicate foam soles of the Ultraventure 4 give these sneakers wonderful efficiency as much as the 400-mile mark. We discover the outsoles arise effectively to hundreds of steps, and the redesigned TPU overlays supply further help alongside the laces and heel cuff.

However, the Ultraventure 4 rating decrease for sturdiness in comparison with the remainder of the pack. They don’t have heavier rubber safety on the outsoles, so we don’t suggest these for prolonged use on rugged terrain. Ian’s seen the froth outsoles and traction take a significant hit after miles of operating and mountaineering off-trail, though they last more should you’re sticking to established routes.

As talked about above, the ankle cuff is a bit delicate. Regardless of the brand new overlays on this space, the cuff begins to fold and squish after a whole bunch of instances placing on and taking off, compromising the shoe’s match and luxury over time. Nonetheless, in case your high precedence is a quick, comfortable, and agile shoe for lengthy miles in summer time circumstances, this trade-off received’t matter a lot – 400 miles is respectable mileage for any shoe.

Climate Resistance

The Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4 thrives in summer time circumstances. The mesh uppers are good and breathable. This design retains our toes cool on scorching days with ample airflow, wicking away moisture rapidly. With a pair of high quality, sweat-wicking socks, we’ve prevented chafing and blisters within the 4’s even after scorching July runs within the sands of Utah.

This mesh design dries rapidly, too. We extremely suggest them for routes with water, like creek crossings, puddle-filled trails, and hikes in afternoon summer time storms. Our testing finds they dry in only one.5 hours even after being totally submerged.

The place they fall a bit quick, although, is in cool and moist circumstances. The mesh uppers tackle water in a short time, which could be uncomfortable on chilly, overcast days. Fortunately, these items are gaiter-compatible. Snag a pair of Topo’s efficiency gaiter (bought individually) to connect on the heel and entrance of the Ultraventure 4 to maintain puddle splashes and particles out of your sneakers.

Ought to You Purchase the Topo Ultraventure 4?

The Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4 is an superior selection for runners, hikers, and backpackers who need breathable footwear with a ton of toe area. In case you’re in search of one in every of our high suggestions in the case of cushioning and breathability, the Ultraventures are a house run, providing a comfortable journey and a delicate lacing system that works for many foot shapes. These sneakers dominate in heat circumstances with their breathable mesh uppers and quick-drying properties, and it provides almost unequalled stability and a pure ground-feel expertise for versatility from pavement to grime.

Nonetheless, should you’re in search of essentially the most sturdy footwear to sort out rugged, prolonged routes, these are usually not the sneakers for you. The traction thrives on combined terrain and average angles, however hikers headed into rocky, difficult, and complicated terrain will seemingly discover the lug depth and large spacing underwhelming. The softer ankle cuff and delicate lacing system generally is a little bit of a drag, too. Regardless of these limitations, the Ultraventure 4 is ideal for day hikes and thru-hikes the place comfortable consolation and a roomy match are essential.

What Different Mountaineering Sneakers Ought to You Take into account?

Run, don’t stroll, to see how the Ultraventure 4’s stack up on our greatest mountaineering sneakers and greatest path trainers guides. And if this Topo mannequin caught your eye, try a few of our different faves:

HOKA Speedgoat 6 Evaluate: The HOKA Speedgoat 6 provides comparable sturdiness and weight, however it’s extra comfortable and nonetheless supply a decently large toe field. It isn’t as climate resistant and don’t have the identical floor really feel because the Ultraventure 4s, however that’s precisely what we like about them.

Altra Lone Peak 9 Evaluate: For an enormous, roomy toe field, the Lone Peak 9 is an superior different. It provides a zero-drop platform as an alternative of the a lot increased heel-to-toe drop of the Ultraventures. These sneakers aren’t as climate resistant, however it’s a more sensible choice when a extra pure step is precedence.

Saucony Peregrine 15 Evaluate: The Peregrine 15 can be tremendous versatile and cozy for operating and mountaineering. The Peregrines are light-weight and breathable as effectively, however supply an improved lug sample for higher traction on diverse terrain when protecting lengthy distances in heat climate.