Lastly! The whole lot I like concerning the Topo Phantom 4 is now out there in a water-proof design. The sneakers aren’t notably jazzy, however they’re simply what they have to be: completely comfy and useful.
After over a decade in enterprise, Topo simply launched their first-ever waterproof shoe. That is additionally the primary waterproof shoe of its type. The Topo Phantom WP fills an necessary 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 ft, 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 In moist climate, I often put on outdated sneakers and faucet into my ballet routes.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 effectively a shoe might really shield my ft from the rain. (Can’t the water get in from the highest?) However I used to be pleasantly stunned that my ft stayed dry even when gleefully splashing by puddles on a 12-mile run.
I felt like a child once more and didn’t find yourself with soggy sneakers.
- Broad Ft: Sure! That is the place Topo actually shines, and the Phantom 4 WP is not 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 sneakers hold your ft 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 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 bought 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 identical 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 had 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 take a look at, I used to be in a position to soar right into a future 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-proof 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 suppose I’ll put on them on dry and heat and even average temperature days. Nonetheless, I think about I’ll put on them on dry, very chilly days to reap the benefits 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 large
- Out there on REI.com for $165
Fast Take
- No break in interval
- Roomy toebox
- Waterproof
- Very heat
- Would love extra colour choices
I get pleasure from my brilliant rainbow Topo Specters, however I’m additionally an enormous fan of the stormy gray and sky blue Phantom 4 WPs. The colorway suits 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 dimension 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 may be loads of house to wiggle my toes and splay them out as large 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 excellent: 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 at all times come untied. I can placed on these sneakers, run out the door, and never suppose twice.
The shoe match is secure and in no way inflexible. All Topos really feel like a delicate however not constricting hug for my ft. I don’t like mushy foam, and I don’t need my ft 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, comfy, and dependable.
The shoe’s tongue is flippantly padded, hooked up on the base and across the midfoot, and unattached on the prime. 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 might discover a strategy to seep in across the edges or by the laces. Fortunately, that doesn’t appear to be a problem.
I’m beginning to suppose the Phantom 4 WPs had been made for my ft.
I can slip the sneakers on, tie the laces, and get proper to operating. The heel suits securely however not too tightly. There’s no rubbing or pinching. As a typically heel striker, I can transfer by my stride comfortably and with out pondering an excessive amount of concerning the shoe.
My thoughts is on the run, and that’s exactly the best way I would like it to be.
Topo Phantom 4 WP Really feel
A yr or so in the past, I went by base constructing, marathon coaching, and racing with Altra Escalantes, Expertise Wild, and Expertise Circulate. I cherished 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 Circulate, 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, and so they felt nice once I tried them on.
They’ve the pure really feel and zing I like concerning the Altra Escalantes, a 5mm drop which is far simpler on my calves, and loads of house for my toes. I rapidly went on a mission to attempt on extra sneakers within the Topo household.
Now, I additionally usually 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 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 sporting my good Darn Powerful wool socks. It was 70 levels outdoors and wet. Water didn’t get into my sneakers from the skin, however my ft 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 comfy once I switched to my thinner Injinji socks.
That being mentioned, I stay up for operating in these sneakers with my winter wool socks when the temperature drops. Possibly I’ll be capable to ditch the toe heaters. Possibly, simply perhaps, I’ll even be capable to run on the times when the snow is beginning to soften and switch into gross, big gray puddles at each crosswalk.
Comparable Sneakers to the Topo Phantom 4 WP
We’ve examined a couple of that really feel comparable, however totally different based mostly on the model match:
- Altra Torin 8 GTX – Similar roomy toe field and comparable waterproofing, however lighter weight and 0mm drop
- Altra Expertise Circulate – Comparable roomy toe field and heel drop at 4mm, a definite rocker form, and no waterproofing
- Hoka Clifton 9 GTX – Similar 5mm drop and impartial help, 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 akin to the remainder of the Topo lineup, which constantly holds up for 400+ miles. Should you 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 effectively find yourself because the longest-reigning shoe in your assortment.
96%
They’ve a rugged, outdoorsy vibe, however they’re beloved by metropolis of us. 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 greatest 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 based mostly 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 ft. 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 mountaineering, I’m lastly combining these loves and exploring path operating. Cheers to many extra miles! Discover me on Instagram @LightShapeShadowForm.