Lastly! Every thing I really like in regards to the Topo Phantom 4 is now out there in a water-proof design. The footwear aren’t significantly 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 form. The Topo Phantom WP fills an essential want for runners who need 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 normally 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 normally put on previous 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 effectively 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 shocked 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 footwear.
- Broad Toes: Sure! That is the place Topo actually shines, and the Phantom 4 WP isn’t any exception.
- Heavier Runners: Some query how effectively 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 footwear maintain your toes heat and dry on 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 footwear.
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 received the Phantom 4 WP on a sunny day, however couldn’t wait to learn how they carried out within the rain. I took my kiddo to a close-by splash pad and put the footwear to work.
They really feel similar to the common Phantom 4 we reviewed, however 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 coated 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 beneath). After the preliminary splash pad take a look at, I used to be in a position to leap right into a future in these footwear 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-proof shoe that I save for wet-weather days should not require any adjustment time or particular conditioning.
The footwear 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 Girls’s
- Stack: 35mm heel
- Heel Drop: 5 mm
- Out there in Gray/Blue Girls’s, Black/Charcoal Males’s
- Not out there in huge
- Out there on REI.com for $165
Fast Take
- No break in interval
- Roomy toebox
- Waterproof
- Very heat
- Would love extra shade choices
I get pleasure from my shiny rainbow Topo Specters, however I’m additionally an enormous 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 footwear. Plus, I can see myself choosing these over different informal footwear like Blundstones when it’s moist or snowy.
Topo Phantom 4 WP Match
For me, the Phantom 4 WP are true to measurement and in keeping with 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’s loads of area to wiggle my toes and splay them out as huge as I please! Even with the area, my toes nonetheless really feel safe. Fortunately, I don’t fear about blisters in these footwear.
The consolation extends to the midfoot, arch, and heel. All of those areas match good: cosy however not too tight; supportive, however not overbearing. Lacing is simple, 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 footwear, run out the door, and never assume twice.
The shoe match is secure and in no way inflexible. All Topos really feel like a mild 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 need to run in stiff footwear or barefoot. The cushioning strikes the best steadiness.
Topo’s ZipFoam™ is a proprietary mixture of the traditional, bouncy Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) and newer, extra sturdy Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). It’s elastic, snug, and dependable.
The shoe’s tongue is frivolously padded, connected 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 footwear 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 need 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 Altra Escalantes, Expertise Wild, and Expertise Movement. I cherished the pure and free feeling of the Escalantes, however I couldn’t deal with the zero drop for all my miles.
I preferred the spacious toe field of the Kind and Movement, however the footwear’ 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 strive 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 really like in regards to the Altra Escalantes, a 5mm drop which is far simpler on my calves, and loads of area for my toes. I rapidly went on a mission to strive on extra footwear within the Topo household.
Now, I additionally commonly run within the Specter 2 and Cyclone 3.
The Phantom 4 WP feels extra sturdy than the opposite Topos in my rotation. The material is notably thicker and hotter because of the 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 sporting my good Darn Robust wool socks. It was 70 levels outdoors and wet. Water didn’t get into my footwear from the skin, however my toes began sweating fairly rapidly.
I really feel prefer it was my very own fault that I missed out on the “breathable” high quality of the material, and I received’t make that mistake once more. I used to be far more snug once I switched to my thinner Injinji socks.
That being stated, I look ahead to operating in these footwear with my winter wool socks when the temperature drops. Perhaps I’ll be capable of ditch the toe heaters. Perhaps, simply possibly, 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.
Comparable Footwear to the Topo Phantom 4 WP
We’ve examined just a few that really feel comparable, however completely different primarily based on the model match:
- Altra Torin 8 GTX – Identical roomy toe field and comparable waterproofing, however lighter weight and 0mm drop
- Altra Expertise Movement – Comparable roomy toe field and heel drop at 4mm, a definite rocker form, and no waterproofing
- Hoka Clifton 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 footwear will final, they’re doubtless akin to the remainder of the Topo lineup, which persistently holds up for 400+ miles. When you solely put on these on wet, snowy, or extra-cold days and take care to correctly air dry them after put on, they may very effectively 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 among the finest path footwear, 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. Operating 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 really 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 motorbike. After 15 years of street operating and path mountain climbing, I’m lastly combining these loves and exploring path operating. Cheers to many extra miles! Discover me on Instagram @LightShapeShadowForm.