Lastly! Every little thing I like in regards to the Topo Phantom 4 is now out there in a water-resistant design. The sneakers aren’t notably jazzy, however they’re simply what they should be: completely snug and practical.
After over a decade in enterprise, Topo simply launched their first-ever waterproof shoe. That is additionally the primary waterproof shoe of its sort. The Topo Phantom WP fills an essential want for runners who desire a low (however not zero) heel drop and full toe splay with some springy cushioning and safety from the weather.
As an individual who loves operating within the rain and snow, however often sucks it up and offers with chilly and moist toes, I’m thrilled to lastly have a shoe that retains me heat and dry. In moist climate, I often put on outdated sneakers and faucet into my ballet routes.
Each puddle prompts me to skip to the aspect or jeté throughout. I used to be a bit skeptical of how properly a shoe may truly defend my toes from the rain. (Can’t the water get in from the highest?) However I used to be pleasantly stunned that my toes stayed dry even when gleefully splashing via puddles on a 12-mile run.
I felt like a child once more and didn’t find yourself with soggy sneakers.
Who’s the Topo Phantom 4 WP a great match for? Let’s break it down with some widespread classes:
- Large Ft: Sure! That is the place Topo actually shines, and the Phantom 4 WP is not any exception.
- Heavier Runners: Some query how properly the ZipFoamTM midsole cushioning holds up, which can concern heavier runners.
- Lengthy Runs: Lengthy coaching run or marathon race day overlap with moist climate? No stress. These sneakers preserve your toes heat and dry in your hardest endurance efforts.
- Entrance of the Pack: The Phantom 4 WP is a high quality rain or snow day shoe for any runner, however front-of-the-pack racers could miss the umph they get from flashier sneakers.
If you wish to get pleasure from your runs whatever the climate, look no additional than the Topo Phantom 4 WP.
Topo Phantom 4 WP Overview
I acquired the Phantom 4 WP on a sunny day, however couldn’t wait to learn the way they carried out within the rain. I took my kiddo to a close-by splash pad and put the sneakers to work.
They really feel similar to the common Phantom 4 we reviewedhowever with barely thicker cloth. Water beads up on the floor and rolls proper off. Astonishingly, the uncovered areas of my socks didn’t get very moist, and fewer surprisingly, the lined areas of my socks have been dry too.
The Phantom WP 4s have all of the important options of the Phantom 4 plus specialty waterproof cloth (extra on that know-how under). After the preliminary splash pad check, I used to be capable of soar right into a long term in these sneakers with none want to interrupt them in first.
The toe field, laces, midfoot, arch, heel, and grip all really feel the identical because the Phantom 4’s. For me, a water-resistant shoe that I save for wet-weather days should not require any adjustment time or particular conditioning.
The sneakers are decently insulated, so I don’t assume I’ll put on them on dry and heat and even reasonable temperature days. Nonetheless, I think about I’ll put on them on dry, very chilly days to make the most of the heat.
Topo Phantom 4 WP Specs
- Weight: 10.3 oz Males’s, 8.5 oz Ladies’s
- Stack: 35mm heel
- Very licorice: 5 mm
- Out there in Gray/Blue Ladies’s, Black/Charcoal Males’s
- Not out there in vast
- Out there on REI.com for $165
Fast Take
- No break in interval
- Roomy toebox
- Waterproof
- Very heat
- Would really like extra shade choices
I get pleasure from my shiny rainbow Topo Specters, however I’m additionally a giant fan of the stormy gray and sky blue Phantom 4 WPs. The colorway matches the vibe of the wet and snowy days I put on the sneakers. Plus, I can see myself choosing these over different informal sneakers like Blundstones when it’s moist or snowy.
Topo Phantom 4 WP Match
For me, the Phantom 4 WP are true to measurement and per what I put on in different Topos and Altra. They supply the identical roominess and really feel as the remainder of the Topo lineup. There may be loads of house to wiggle my toes and splay them out as vast as I please! Even with the house, my toes nonetheless really feel safe. Fortunately, I don’t fear about blisters in these sneakers.
The consolation extends to the midfoot, arch, and heel. All of those areas match good: comfortable however not too tight; supportive, however not overbearing. Lacing is easy, too. I’m relieved Topo has a lot better laces than Altra as a result of these all the time come untied. I can placed on these sneakers, run out the door, and never assume twice.
The shoe match is steady and by no means inflexible. All Topos really feel like a delicate however not constricting hug for my toes. I don’t like mushy foam, and I don’t need my toes to really feel like they’re floating on clouds. I additionally don’t wish to run in stiff sneakers or barefoot. The cushioning strikes the appropriate stability.
Topo’s ZipFoam™ is a proprietary mixture of the basic, bouncy Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) and newer, extra sturdy Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). It’s elastic, snug, and dependable.
The shoe’s tongue is evenly padded, hooked up on the base and across the midfoot, and unattached on the high. The tongue design feels applicable and isn’t actually one thing I’ve to consider (who desires to consider the tongue of their shoe?).
Nonetheless, I used to be a bit involved at first that water may discover a strategy to seep in across the edges or by the laces. Fortunately, that doesn’t appear to be a difficulty.
I’m beginning to assume the Phantom 4 WPs have been made for my toes.
I can slip the sneakers on, tie the laces, and get proper to operating. The heel matches securely however not too tightly. There’s no rubbing or pinching. As a typically heel striker, I can transfer via my stride comfortably and with out considering an excessive amount of in regards to the shoe.
My thoughts is on the run, and that’s exactly the way in which I would like it to be.
Topo Phantom 4 WP Really feel
A 12 months or so in the past, I went via base constructing, marathon coaching, and racing with Different climbers, Expertise Wildand Expertise Movement. I beloved the pure and free feeling of the Escalantes, however I couldn’t deal with the zero drop for all my miles.
I favored the spacious toe field of the Kind and Movement, however the sneakers’ exaggerated rocker and stiff really feel stored me from shopping for extra as soon as I maxed out their mileage. On a whim, I made a decision to attempt Topos. I first landed on the Phantom 4s as a result of that’s what was out there at my native REI, they usually felt nice once I tried them on.
They’ve the pure really feel and zing I like in regards to the Altra Escalantes, a 5mm drop which is way simpler on my calves, and loads of house for my toes. I shortly went on a mission to attempt on extra sneakers within the Topo household.
Now, I additionally often run within the Specter 2 and Cyclone 3.
The Phantom 4 WP feels extra strong than the opposite Topos in my rotation. The material is notably thicker and hotter as a result of eVent® stormST know-how, which is definitely fairly attention-grabbing. It’s a PFAS-free, plant-based cloth that’s waterproof, windproof, and breathable.
On my first run, I made the error of carrying my good Darn Robust wool socks. It was 70 levels exterior and wet. Water didn’t get into my sneakers from the skin, however my toes began sweating fairly shortly.
I really feel prefer it was my very own fault that I missed out on the “breathable” high quality of the material, and I gained’t make that mistake once more. I used to be way more snug once I switched to my thinner Injinji socks.
That being mentioned, I look ahead to operating in these sneakers with my winter wool socks when the temperature drops. Perhaps I’ll be capable of ditch the toe heaters. Perhaps, simply perhaps, I’ll even be capable of run on the times when the snow is beginning to soften and switch into gross, large gray puddles at each crosswalk.
Related Footwear to the Topo Phantom 4 WP
We’ve examined just a few that really feel related, however completely different primarily based on the model match:
- Altra Torin 8 GTX – Identical roomy toe field and related waterproofing, however lighter weight and 0mm drop
- Altra Expertise Movement – Related roomy toe field and heel drop at 4mm, a definite rocker form, and no waterproofing
- Cltxon 9 GTX – Identical 5mm drop and impartial assist, with GORE-TEX waterproofing, and a tapered toe field
Whereas it’s too quickly to say how lengthy the Phantom 4 WP sneakers will final, they’re probably similar to the remainder of the Topo lineup, which persistently holds up for 400+ miles. If you happen to solely put on these on wet, snowy, or extra-cold days and take care to correctly air dry them after put on, they could very properly find yourself because the longest-reigning shoe in your assortment.
96%
They’ve a rugged, outdoorsy vibe, however they’re beloved by metropolis people. The Topo Phantom 4 WP is sort of a Subaru. If you’d like a shoe that’s well-made by an organization that makes a number of the finest path sneakers, however is constructed for city and residential sidewalks, that is your shoe.
Who Tried It?
Hello, I’m Katie, an artist and author primarily based in NYC. Working is my all-time favourite technique of transportation, decompression, and journey. There’s something actually particular and liberating about traversing the world with my very own two toes. I like operating my native NYRR marathon and 9+1 races, however my favourite runs are with my kiddo, first in a jogging stroller and now on a motorcycle. After 15 years of street operating and path climbing, I’m lastly combining these loves and exploring path operating. Cheers to many extra miles! Discover me on Instagram @LightShapeShadowForm.
