Trail Blazing Triumph: Topo Athletic Terraventure 4

My go-to road shoe is a Topo; they are lightweight, have a wide toebox without looking clown-ish, and just generally feel really great for me. After my favorite trail shoes made a few changes with their latest iteration, I figured it was a great time to find the trail-equivalent of my favorite road shoes and ended up in Terraventure 4.

See all our Topo reviews here!

It’s a good option for those longer trail runs with the wider forefoot (surely it’s not only me whose feet swell, right!?) and a rock plate for protection. Paired with the Vibram outsole for grip and traction, these are a great option for both technical and buttery trails with a nice, durable lug on the bottom.

The overlays and the toe bumper add the intended stability and protection and Topo has opted for quite a monochrome look with this version, only contrasting the logo and brand, so those features are blended well into the rest of the shoe.

The stack height is 25mm (heel) and 22mm (forefoot), giving it a 3mm drop with medium cushion. The upper is a dual mesh and has plenty of room, height-wish, without feeling sloppy. The back of the shoe is constructed to be compatible with Topo’s own gaiter system (with slide-in bars) and has a nicely cushioned heel collar.

Although these are not as lightweight and flexible as my road shoe counterpart, these felt very stable and ready to go straight out of the box. As with any trail shoe that’s not completely minimalist, these have a bit of stiffness but that’s the tradeoff for a rock plate and rugged outsole.

True to my prior experience with Topos, I have to go up an entire shoe size on these. They also have a waterproof version, if you’re inclined to lean in that direction, but I’ve been enjoying the springtime trails in these and will look forward to their durability in the mountains come summertime.