Males’s Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4 Evaluate

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In the event you’re on the hunt for fashionable path footwear 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 mountain climbing footwear for males information. Senior Content material Editor Ian Krammer’s run three half marathons on path and highway within the Ultraventure 4s, however he’s additionally tackled tons of 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 had been tweaked for a tighter lockdown than the prior model.

However, a dramatic overhaul this isn’t – when you liked the three’s, you’ll love the 4’s. The tread sample, chassis, and midsole feel and look the identical. The vast toe field and plush cushioning nonetheless give a pure really feel and cozy trip for miles of working and mountain climbing. Breathable mesh uppers assure consolation in scorching situations, 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 probably the most sturdy. The lacing system is impressively delicate, however adjusting it will probably really feel cumbersome. Additionally, the lug sample is greatest for average trails, though it does decently nicely off-trail in a pinch.

Of us who need stable 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. With regards to consolation, pace, 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 vital 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 ft aren’t packed right into a slender 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 footwear are arduous to not love.

The Ultraventure 4s’ lacing system is very delicate, too, which is superior for dialing within the precise quantity of stress 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 a particularly nuanced match throughout the foot, and is superior for reaching completely different lacing codecs.

The draw back? Adjusting laces may be sluggish 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 situation is the softer heel cuff lacks extra strong structural help. The 4’s match tighter and really feel extra locked in by way of the heel than the three’s due to a barely deeper design. Nonetheless, this space folds and mashes over time, finally breakoing down sooner than we’d like.

Total, although these are small complaints. The Ultraventure 4 is without doubt one of the comfiest fashions on our listing, and we extremely suggest it for many foot shapes.

Traction

With regards to traction, Topo didn’t change a factor from the prior model. For average trails, that’s a great 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 footwear 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 footwear with a busier outsole design.

That mentioned, when 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 discipline, we discover this weight makes us really feel gentle and pretty quick, with a great 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 choose lighter footwear, and at over a pound, the Ultraventures rank on the underside half of our listing total.

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

Sturdiness

The all-mesh uppers and mushy foam soles of the Ultraventure 4 give these footwear wonderful efficiency as much as the 400-mile mark. We discover the outsoles get up nicely to hundreds of steps, and the redesigned TPU overlays supply extra 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 serious hit after miles of working and mountain climbing off-trail, though they last more when you’re sticking to established routes.

As talked about above, the ankle cuff is a bit mushy. Regardless of the brand new overlays on this space, the cuff begins to fold and squish after tons of 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 season situations, 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 season situations. The mesh uppers are good and breathable. This design retains our ft cool on scorching days with ample airflow, wicking away moisture shortly. With a pair of high quality, sweat-wicking socks, we’ve averted chafing and blisters within the 4’s even after scorching July runs within the sands of Utah.

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

The place they fall a bit brief, although, is in cool and moist situations. The mesh uppers tackle water in a short time, which may 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 footwear.

Ought to You Purchase the Topo Ultraventure 4?

The Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4 is an superior alternative for runners, hikers, and backpackers who need breathable footwear with a ton of toe area. In the event you’re on the lookout for one in all our high suggestions relating to cushioning and breathability, the Ultraventures are a house run, providing a comfortable trip and a delicate lacing system that works for many foot shapes. These footwear dominate in heat situations with their breathable mesh uppers and quick-drying properties, and it provides practically unmatched stability and a pure ground-feel expertise for versatility from pavement to grime.

Nonetheless, when you’re on the lookout for probably the most sturdy footwear to deal with rugged, prolonged routes, these should not the footwear for you. The traction thrives on combined terrain and average angles, however hikers headed into rocky, difficult, and complicated terrain will probably discover the lug depth and vast 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 Climbing Footwear Ought to You Think about?

Run, don’t stroll, to see how the Ultraventure 4’s stack up on our greatest mountain climbing footwear and greatest path trainers guides. And if this Topo mannequin caught your eye, take a look at 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 vast 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 various. It provides a zero-drop platform as an alternative of the a lot increased heel-to-toe drop of the Ultraventures. These footwear 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 also be tremendous versatile and comfy for working and mountain climbing. The Peregrines are light-weight and breathable as nicely, however supply an improved lug sample for higher traction on diverse terrain when masking lengthy distances in heat climate.