Men’s Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4 Review

Bottom Line

If you’re on the hunt for stylish trail shoes with a huge toe box, best-in-class comfort, and good ventilation, the Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4s hit the sweet spot. We like them so much, they land on both our best trail running shoes for men guide and best hiking shoes for men guide. Senior Content Editor Ian Krammer’s run three half marathons on trail and road in the Ultraventure 4s, but he’s also tackled hundreds of miles on backcountry trails and tall ridges in the Colorado Rockies.

The Ultraventure 4s finally get an update – their first since 2023 – but not much has changed. The uppers are a bit more tightly woven and a new overlay design gives slightly improved security at the ankle. The heel cup and cuff were tweaked for a tighter lockdown than the prior version.

But, a dramatic overhaul this is not – if you loved the 3’s, you’ll love the 4’s. The tread pattern, chassis, and midsole look and feel the same. The wide toe box and plush cushioning still give a natural feel and comfy ride for miles of running and hiking. Breathable mesh uppers guarantee comfort in hot conditions, and a sensitive lacing system helps dial in the fit.

The downside of minimal changes? The same issues from the 3 remain in the 4. They’re a bit on the heavy side and aren’t the most durable. The lacing system is impressively sensitive, but adjusting it can feel cumbersome. Also, the lug pattern is best for moderate trails, although it does decently well off-trail in a pinch.

Folks who want solid all-around trail runners with a huge toe box, though, will love the Ultraventure 4. Their spacious interior is why this Topo model stays permanently in our rotation. When it comes to comfort, speed, and plenty of room for your piggies, these are the ones for you.

Comfort

Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4s lead the pack for comfort. These are your golden ticket if a large toe box is important to you – it has one of the widest and most generous forefoot designs in the game. Our testers love the natural toe splay as we ran and hiked. On trail, this leads to less foot fatigue and discomfort over time since our feet aren’t packed into a narrow shoe, fighting for flexion.

Combined with a gently rockered sole and cushy foam, Ultraventure 4s expertly walk the middle ground between cushioning and ground feel. Combined with a slightly springy feel and good insoles with moderate arch support, these shoes are hard not to love.

The Ultraventure 4s’ lacing system is highly sensitive, too, which is awesome for dialing in the exact amount of pressure you want across your foot. Topo designed the eyelets closer than comparable trail runners, and the shoelaces run through double loops on the tongue. This unique threading gives an extremely nuanced fit across the foot, and is awesome for achieving different lacing formats.

The downside? Adjusting laces can be slow and tedious. Each section needs to be pulled through one at a time. It usually takes us a couple of tries before it’s just right, which can be a bit annoying and time-consuming when we need to stop and tweak the system during an activity.

Our other issue is the softer heel cuff lacks more robust structural support. The 4’s fit tighter and feel more locked in through the heel than the 3’s thanks to a slightly deeper design. Still, this area folds and mashes over time, ultimately breakoing down faster than we’d like.

Overall, though these are small complaints. The Ultraventure 4 is one of the comfiest models on our list, and we highly recommend it for most foot shapes.

Traction

When it comes to traction, Topo didn’t change a thing from the prior version. For moderate trails, that’s a good thing – the widely spaced, square lugs with Vibram rubber offer good ground contact. The tread pattern extends to the edge of the heel and the tip of the toes, so it still offers top-tier braking on descents and good grip on moderate climbs. That’s exactly what we want out of a versatile trail shoe.

However, these shoes lack the tread depth for more technical sections – and there’s no midfoot lugs. This combination makes them feel less reliable and more slippy on rocky, root-filled trails and steep ascents.

That didn’t stop us from visiting extreme landscapes with the Ultraventures, though. Ian scrambled a class 4+ ridge in Colorado – but this adventure required very careful stepping. He found the rubber composite was still sticky and tacky enough to feel fast, light, and confident, but the shallower depth demands more caution and focus than shoes with a busier outsole design.

That said, if you’re sticking to flats, moderate uphills and downhills, or you love long days on maintained trails, the Ultraventure 4 perform admirably.

Weight

The Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4s are objectively light, landing at about 10 ounces per shoe. In the field, we find this weight makes us feel light and fairly fast, with a good balance of agility and stability.

However, we rated them lower for weight compared to the other trail running shoes we tested. In this category, we generally prefer lighter shoes, and at over a pound, the Ultraventures rank on the bottom half of our list overall.

But don’t let our scoring turn you off – the Ultraventures feel impressively light on our feet, and they certainly don’t weigh us down on any runs. Mesh uppers are breathable and dry fast, and foam construction further keeps weight down. If you want a speedy and relatively spry shoe, you can’t go wrong with these.

Durability

The all-mesh uppers and soft foam soles of the Ultraventure 4 give these shoes excellent performance up to the 400-mile mark. We find the outsoles stand up well to thousands of steps, and the redesigned TPU overlays offer additional support along the laces and heel cuff.

But, the Ultraventure 4 score lower for durability compared to the rest of the pack. They don’t have heavier rubber protection on the outsoles, so we don’t recommend these for extended use on rugged terrain. Ian’s seen the foam outsoles and traction take a major hit after miles of running and hiking off-trail, although they last longer if you’re sticking to established routes.

As mentioned above, the ankle cuff is a bit soft. Despite the new overlays in this area, the cuff begins to fold and squish after hundreds of times putting on and taking off, compromising the shoe’s fit and comfort over time. However, if your top priority is a fast, comfy, and agile shoe for long miles in summer conditions, this trade-off won’t matter much – 400 miles is decent mileage for any shoe.

Weather Resistance

The Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4 thrives in summer conditions. The mesh uppers are nice and breathable. This design keeps our feet cool on hot days with ample airflow, wicking away moisture quickly. With a pair of quality, sweat-wicking socks, we’ve avoided chafing and blisters in the 4’s even after sizzling July runs in the sands of Utah.

This mesh design dries quickly, too. We highly recommend them for routes with water, like creek crossings, puddle-filled trails, and hikes in afternoon summer storms. Our testing finds they dry in only 1.5 hours even after being fully submerged.

Where they fall a bit short, though, is in cool and wet conditions. The mesh uppers take on water very quickly, which can be uncomfortable on chilly, overcast days. Luckily, these things are gaiter-compatible. Snag a pair of Topo’s performance gaiter (sold separately) to attach at the heel and front of the Ultraventure 4 to keep puddle splashes and debris out of your shoes.

Should You Buy the Topo Ultraventure 4?

The Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4 is an awesome choice for runners, hikers, and backpackers who want breathable footwear with a ton of toe space. If you’re looking for one of our top recommendations when it comes to cushioning and breathability, the Ultraventures are a home run, offering a comfy ride and a sensitive lacing system that works for most foot shapes. These shoes dominate in warm conditions with their breathable mesh uppers and quick-drying properties, and it offers nearly unrivaled stability and a natural ground-feel experience for versatility from pavement to dirt.

However, if you’re looking for the most durable footwear to tackle rugged, extended routes, these are not the shoes for you. The traction thrives on mixed terrain and moderate angles, but hikers headed into rocky, challenging, and complex terrain will likely find the lug depth and wide spacing underwhelming. The softer ankle cuff and sensitive lacing system can be a bit of a drag, too. Despite these limitations, the Ultraventure 4 is perfect for day hikes and thru-hikes where cushy comfort and a roomy fit are crucial.

What Other Hiking Shoes Should You Consider?

Run, don’t walk, to see how the Ultraventure 4’s stack up on our best hiking shoes and best trail running shoes guides. And if this Topo model caught your eye, check out some of our other faves:

HOKA Speedgoat 6 Review: The HOKA Speedgoat 6 offers comparable durability and weight, but it’s more cushy and still offer a decently wide toe box. It isn’t as weather resistant and don’t have the same ground feel as the Ultraventure 4s, but that’s exactly what we like about them.

Altra Lone Peak 9 Review: For a huge, roomy toe box, the Lone Peak 9 is an awesome alternative. It offers a zero-drop platform instead of the much higher heel-to-toe drop of the Ultraventures. These shoes aren’t as weather resistant, but it’s a better choice when a more natural step is priority.

Saucony Peregrine 15 Review: The Peregrine 15 is also super versatile and comfortable for running and hiking. The Peregrines are lightweight and breathable as well, but offer an improved lug pattern for better traction on varied terrain when covering long distances in warm weather.