Article by Jeff Beck and Renee Krusemark
Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4 ($150, available now)
Introduction
Jeff: The Ultraventure 3 was a massive step forward from the previous version, with a higher and wider stack of new midsole material making the biggest shift to create a truly great non-technical trail cruiser. Two years later, the Ultraventure 4 is still a great non-technical trail cruiser, with seemingly only a minor change to the upper, keeping the midsole and outsole unchanged. Have the years been kind to Topo’s biggest trail shoe? Please read on.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Foot-shaped toe boxes are always appreciated: Jeff
Didn’t change what wasn’t broken while improving the upper: Jeff
Still comfortable and versatile for non-technical trails: Jeff/Renee
Cons:
Upper has changed, but not objectively improved.
No other changes.
3-4 most comparable shoes
Ultraventure 3
Brooks Caldera 7
New Balance Hierro 8
Scarpa Golden Gate ATR2
Please find the testers full run bios at the end of the article after Comparisons.
Stats
Spec Weight: men's 10.4 oz / 295g US9
Prior Version Weight: men’s 10.9oz / 309g US 10.5
Sample Weight: men’s 10.83oz / 307g US10.5
women’s 8.34oz / 236g US7.5
Stack Height: men’s 35mm heel / 30mm forefoot ( 5mm drop spec)
Platform Width:91mm heel / 87mm midfoot / 120mm forefoot
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
Jeff: The Ultraventure 4 is unmistakably a Topo trail shoe, sporting a relatively low 5mm drop and an anatomically shaped toebox. And while the UV3 was a big step up from the 2, the change to the 4 is much more subtle. And I do mean change, because the only thing that’s changed is the upper, the midsole and outsole are identical to the previous model.
The upper is now made of a recycled engineered mesh with a polyurethane reinforced toe bumper and eyelet reinforcement. Similar to the previous model, there isn’t much in the way of overlays giving extra support, but considering the shoe’s purpose, that’s not a big issue. The mesh is a much tighter weave in the UV4, creating a very slightly tighter fit, but it’s still a fairly relaxed fit with plenty of forefoot and midfoot room.
The heel counter is stiff, but flexible, and like so many other Topo trail shoes has anchor points for gaiters (along with an anchor point at the bottom of the laces), which is a nice touch.
The gusseted tongue isn’t going anywhere, and is in that “thick enough” range that prevents lace bite but isn’t super cushioned and heavy. Breathability is fine, I found no issues running in warm or cool conditions.
Fit is true-to-size for length and width. One colorway is available in wide, and considering the slightly more dialed in fit of the upper, I’d imagine runners with truly wide feet would want to take advantage of that sizing.
Renee: Jeff has the details. I agree that wide footed runners might need the wide version. The shoe is not narrow by any means, rather it’s secure as most Topo shoes are around the heel and midfoot. I don’t always like a broad toe box shape, and perhaps because of the toe bumper, the UV4 feels more dialed in on my low volume feet as compared to other Topos (Pursuit or MTN Racer).
Midsole & Platform
Jeff: And this is where the adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” really comes into play. The Ultraventure 4 sports 30mm/35mm of ZipFoam, which is a PEBA/EVA combination foam. It’s a soft landing material with a decent amount of bounce to it while remaining a very stable platform for off-center landings. Because it’s a Topo, it's got a wide forefoot and midfoot, and continues to have a decent amount of toespring.
The shoe doesn’t have a rock plate, but there’s enough midsole foam and outsole to adequately protect the foot from harsh landings for even slow fat guys like myself, more svelte runners will likely find the rock protection even better. The platform is thick enough that there’s a little bit of flexibility, but not much, 30-35mm of forefoot stack doesn’t have much give to it.
Same as in the last model, it’s a great midsole, especially for runners who prefer an anatomical shape, and favor comfort and stability over outright performance.
Renee: Again, what Jeff wrote. The midsole has a good amount of responsiveness and comfort. The low drop and relatively low stack offer a nimble enough ride. The shoe is capable of a mix of paces. At longer distances, I think the terrain would be a factor. For runnable terrain, I’d elect for more comfort underfoot at an ultra distance, but at a mix of terrain (walking or power hiking paces for us average runners), the UV4 can be an all day shoe.
Outsole
Jeff: Another holdover from the previous shoe, the outsole is a segmented Vibram rubber with some exposed midsole portions. The lugs aren’t very aggressive, with plenty of space in between lugs which helps shed accumulated mud. This tread pattern means that it’s also a very solid road shoe, or road-to-trail shoe for runners who like to run to the trailhead. The flipside of that is the lugs aren’t ideal for technical terrain, but the high stack and relaxed fit upper aren’t designed for that kind of running either.
Renee: I enjoyed the small lugs as compared to the Pursuit or MTNRacer. Like Jeff wrote, the lugs aren’t enough for serious traction although that does make the underfoot ride more comfortable on mellow surfaces.
Ride, Conclusions and Recommendations
Jeff: Many shoes get retooled every iteration, making runners constantly guess if their favorite shoe just got better or worse. In this case, almost nothing changed, but what did, was a nice improvement. The upper of the previous model was fine, but the Ultraventure 4’s upper tightens things up, giving a little more platform security than the previous iteration.
Otherwise, a great shoe remains great. The fit and shape is one of the most accommodating in the Topo line, the midsole is firmly in the Goldilocks zone of “soft, but not too soft, responsive, but still stable” that makes for a great long distance, easy terrain trail shoe. The outsole isn’t overbuilt, nor is the upper, making for a great shoe that just about any runner could wear for hours on mild-to-moderate technicality trails - or even on the road.
Ultimately, it’s an incredibly subtle update to a shoe that didn’t get much wrong. And while that might seem like a backhanded compliment, it isn’t intended to be - I’d much rather shoe iterations fix issues rather than introduce change for change. And there’s an easy answer to the question of “should I give the Ultraventure 4 a shot?” Did you like the UV3? There’s not going to be many runners who change their mind from the 3 to the 4. If you didn’t try the 3 and would like an all day trail cruiser, this is one of the best options around.
Score: 9.15/10
Ride (30%): 9 Fit (30%): 10 Value (10%): 10 Style (5%): 9 Traction (15%): 8 Rock Protection (10%): 8
Renee: The UV4 is a can-do-most-terrain shoe. For easy paces, it has enough comfort and for faster efforts, the midsole has enough pop. Despite the small lugs, its low stack and relatively nimble ride make it manageable for uneven terrain. Clearly, the outsole is not meant for surfaces needing serious traction, but that’s not a fault. The shoe feels great on gravel roads for that reason. If you like Topo but found the MTNRacer to be too much of a shoe, or if you want a lighter shoe than the Pursuit (and can’t do zero drop), the UV4 is a good pick. For its purpose, the shoe has no negatives. For its stack height and lug size, I wish the shoe was a bit lighter in weight. For hybrid or road to trail shoes, a comparison can always be to a road shoe, which are often lighter in weight and faster underfoot.
Renee’s Score: 9.1/10
😊😊😊
4 Comparisons
Topo Ultraventure 3 (RTR Review)
Renee: Numerous comparisons above, but they are nearly identical shoes. Slight upper revision in the 4 gives it a slightly more dialed in fit. Otherwise, it’s the same midsole and outsole, with the weight virtually unchanged.
Brooks Caldera 7 (RTR Review)
Renee: Brooks DNA Loft v3 equipped easy trail shoe has a higher stack and bouncier ride than the Topo, along with a more aggressive outsole pattern. The Topo has a wider toebox and more stable platform. Caldera is better for faster trail runs, Ultraventure is better for longer and easier runs.
New Balance Hierro v8 (RTR Review)
Renee: New Balance’s well cushioned (but not max cushioned) trail shoe slots in very similarly to the Ultraventure in regards to stack height and intention. The Fresh Foam X midsole is softer, but not nearly as rock resistant as Topo” ZipFoam, and while the New Balance also has a Vibram rubber outsole, it doesn’t have as much dirt traction. I’d favor the Topo for the better fit and lockdown, as well as the better trail and road performance.
Scarpa Golden Gate ATR2 (RTR Review)
Renee: Both shoes have an outsole best for mellow terrain. The upper of the ATR2 is more performance while the UV4 has more comfort (slight differences). The ATR2 midsole has a more performance focus and it’s a lot of fun. The UV4 has more comfort. Sizing is comparable with the Topo having more room in the toe box (stating the obvious, but the ATR2 toe box has a slant).
Index to all RTR reviews: HERE
Tester Profiles
Renee is a former U.S. Marine journalist, which is when her enjoyment of running and writing started. She isn’t that awesome of a runner, but she tries really hard. Most of her weekly 50-60 miles take place on rural country roads in Nebraska, meaning mud, gravel, dirt, hills, and the occasional field. She has PR’s of 1:30:59 for the half marathon and 3:26:45 for the marathon.
Jeff Beck is the token slow runner of the RTR lineup, and as such his viewpoints on shoe and gear can differ from those who routinely finish marathons in three hours or less. Jeff runs 20 miles per week on roads and trails around Denver, CO (and sometimes on the treadmill when the weather gets too much for a Phoenix native). Jeff only got into running in his 30s, as a result his career PR's are 4:07 for the marathon and 5K at 23:39. Jeff has finished several ultra marathons, from 50K up to 50 miles, and is still debating if he wants to go down that road again.
Europe only: use RTR code RTR5ALL for 5% off all products, even sale products
7 comments:
Enjoy the review, only comment I have is that the variant of Zipfoam in the UV4 is much different(& better) than UV3. I think Topo has finally found a good iteration of their midsole material as prior versions have been lacking compared to other manufacturers midsole materials
Hello! Thanks for the review.
Are you sure Zipfoam is EVA/PEBA?
I thought it was EVA/TPU 🤔
How hard is it for a company to put the foam from their road shoes into their trail shoes.
It's hardly like anyone is running in the Specter and thinking "God, this is unstable".
You could literally just whack a Vibram litebase outer on the specter and the cyclone and be done with it.
I’d love to see a Topo road to trail or straight trail shoe with the Pebax midsole & lite base outsole, those would be very nice
Good trail shoe is much more than just road shoe with litebase outsole.
Personally, I actually don't trail run or even hike much, but I prefer trail shoes for daily city life just because they are less slippery in wet weather.
>Good trail shoe is much more than just road shoe with litebase outsole.
No, actually it isn't that far off. I've run the Specter on hardpack trails. People race trail ultras in alphaflys and adios pro 3s. Andrzej Witek, the pro ultra runner for Asics used to just run in a Metaspeed Sky resoled in litebase before they had a decent trail shoe.
I mean maybe if your ankles are made of cheese or you've only been running trails for 3 weeks.
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