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Super Speedy Summary Review

This is the most cushioned shoe in Topo Athletics Range so its built for long distance trail cruising and those that want to reduce fatigue on their feet or legs. The Ultraventure has a decent wide toebox that means your toes don’t get squished so those with normal or wider fitting feet will enjoy the extra space. The undersides use an aggressive lugged vibram sole for grip in lots of different conditions and the upper mesh has drain holes too to dry your feet off fast when you’ve run through streams. There is 30mm/25mm of cushioning which places this shoe in the same company as Hoka and Altra but those that suffer from tighter achilles or calves or squished toes will prefer the 5mm heel to drop of this shoe.

If you want maximum cushioning but dont get on with the narrow fit for Hoka or the zero drop of Altra ( or the prices) then the Topo Athletic Ultraventure trounces its closest competitors on price, fit, durability and heel to toe drop.

In Depth Review

I took these Ultraventures straight out of the box and ran a 61 mile Fastest Known Time on the Mattabesset Trail in Connecticut. I figured there was no better place to test them than over a variety of rocky, muddy and wet terrain.

Fit

Over shorter distances the fit of your running shoes isn’t actually that important but as you reach distances that put you ‘on your feet’ for more than a few hours the shortfalls of some brands begin to show very quickly. If you’ve suffered from the feeling that your toes are being squashed a bit or the sides of your feet on the outside are pushing hard against the fabric then the chances are you don’t have narrow feet. Most people don’t have narrow feet. Topo have made the shoe to be a much more normal fit at the front which means you get more space for your toes and a more comfortable shoe. As you increase distance on trail running or hiking you will find that feet have a tendency to swell slightly over time, which puts increased pressure on your feet in a tighter shoe. These shoes give your feet the space they need to swell a bit so that you aren’t prone to blisters.

Sizing

I would recommend staying true to size when ordering. So if you are a size 9 USA in most shoes buy the same in these. If you intend to use these over longer runs beyond marathon distance you may want to opt to go a half size up to accommodate foot swelling. Any slack can easily be taken up at the heel end with some heel lock lacing.

Uppers

The mesh uppers are nice and breathable. Topo have avoided the idea of trying to repel water with coatings ( which can slightly compromise the breathability) and instead accepted that longer distances mean an inevitable soaking in a stream or rain. The mesh allows easy moisture wicking and the shoe also comes with additional drain ports to help force the water out of the shoe to dry quicker. On my test run I deliberately ran through streams to try and get my feet wet and was surprised how quickly my feet felt touch dry even in high humidity.

Back and Sides

The Ultraventure has mounting points on it for their gaiter system which means you can help to keep dirt and small stones out. The shoe also comes with a drop of 5mm between the heel and the toe. This means your heel is 5mm higher than your toe if you view from the side. Most shoes have a drop of 8mm or more which has a tendency to smash your toes forward over longer distances and leave them black and brusied. By having a 5mm drop you still get relief on your achilles but your toes get less of a pounding. I actually think 5mm is the absolute sweet spot for any long distance trail shoe.

Inserts

The shoes have a very comfortable Ortholite insole that adds extra cushioning and also has an antibacterial anti odor treatment to stop your shoes smelling bad over time.

Get a Grip

The grip underneath is provided by the guys at Vibram in the form of their XS Trek Vibram sole. It does a good job of grip over a variety of terrains and conditions. Its important to note that the longer the distance you plan to cover the more you will be looking for this kind of ‘all rounder’ grip as you are more likely to encounter a wider variety of terrain and challenges underfoot. The addition of the Vibram soles seems a strange one to me because Topo do such a good job themselves with all their other shoes.

No Rock Plate

The shoe doesn’t have a rock plate. I now run on trails with rocks of all sizes in New England so normally I would say this is essential to avoid your feet getting hammered by the rocks as they push through the soles. With the Ultraventure I think it has sufficient cushioning to avoid the need for a rock plate along your arch because the thickness of the soles absorb even the most determined sharp rocks, but I still found I got a pounding across the balls of my feet after distances of 40 miles or more so I may look to augment the shoe with a kevlar rockplate insert when doing longer distances on rock. Im aware that most people wont do this kind of distance so its simply an observation for those ‘Binge Runners’ like me that spend days rather than hours on a trail.

Wear and Tear

I’ve put a few hundred miles on these now with no signs of tearing or fraying where the upper mesh meets the more rigid sole. The soles have worn as expected for a shoe that should last your a quality 400 to 600 miles and possibly beyond if you don’t do excessive mileage in one go.

So who is this shoe for ?

This shoe is for trail runners looking to blast well past marathon distance who need more foot comfort and space for tired feet. It will also suit anyone that feels their current trainers feel too stiff. People that get squished toes and blisters at the sides will love the extra space these normal foot shaped trainers give you and people that have found Altra trainers with their zero drop give you achilles tightness will love the 5mm drop.

Closest competitors

The two closest competitors would be the Altra Lone Peak or the Hoka Stinson. Both are more expensive and the Hoka will be of dubious build quality and a very narrow fit (even with 1 to 1.5 sizes up people still report blisters). I have a huge range of shoes for running at home and I would say if i was going out the door for a 30 mile trail run or more I’d grab the Ultraventure every time.

Verdict

This is the most cushioned shoe in Topo Athletics Range so its built for long distance trail cruising and those that want to reduce fatigue on their feet or legs. The Ultraventure has a decent wide toebox that means your toes don’t get squished so those with normal or wider fitting feet will enjoy the extra space. The undersides use an aggressive lugged vibram sole for grip in lots of different conditions and the upper mesh has drain holes too to dry your feet off fast when you’ve run through streams. There is 30mm/25mm of cushioning which places this shoe in the same company as Hoka and Altra but those that suffer from tighter achilles or calves or squished toes will prefer the 5mm heel to drop of this shoe.

If you want maximum cushioning but dont get on with the narrow fit for Hoka or the zero drop of Altra ( or the prices) then the Topo Athletic Ultraventure trounces its closest competitors on price, fit, durability and heel to toe drop.

About Topo Athletic

Topo Athletic was founded in 2013 by Tony Post. Born and raised in Colorado, Tony headed to Tulsa, OK for college and walked onto the D1 track and cross country teams, eventually becoming the team captain. More importantly, Tony fell in love with running.

With ambitions to train harder and get faster, Tony moved to Massachusetts and started training with a few top runners on Boston’s north shore. Unfortunately, his goals were often thwarted by injury, over-training, or ill-fitting shoes. Like many runners, he began working in the shoe industry where he learned everything he could about making footwear.

After 35 years in the industry, Tony knew there was still something missing from the market—a shoe that allowed runners to access the important benefits of natural running while maintaining some of their favorite features found in traditional running shoes. Intent on delivering the best natural running shoes in the world, Tony set out to establish his own footwear company in 2013.