Topo UltraVenture Pro Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.ย. 2024
- We give you the rundown on one of Topo's newest models, the Ultraventure Pro. Topo? Yup, a brand that's made more brand share gain than any other in our shop in 2020, and which we're pretty stoked about. Can the Pro version top our best seller, the Ultraventure? We provide the specs, rundown on materials and design, and with each, our opening take on feel and performance. There's a couple comparisons in the mix, and we close out in pinning down who we think this shoe is a great fit for. Thanks for tuning in!
:33:30 - Specs
1:55 - Outsole
4:45 - Midsole
8:15 - Upper
15:15 - Topo Alternatives
16:05 - Who's this shoe a good fit for?
My boyfriend and I bought these for rock scrambling/hiking and absolutely love them!! With the vibram, they stick like glue on the boulders and they are super comfortable for hiking as well. I love them so much I bought another pair!!
Good review. I got these for hiking, as I’m not a runner. I love the big toe box and my heel really feels locked in. I’m a bigger guy (6’4” 250) who wears a 13 and I’ve not had the stability issues that you mentioned. Hurray for fat feet. I do most of my hiking in the hills of Southern Indiana and these shoes have great traction, feel great, and I’ve yet to get any thing close to a blister. Not sure about running in them but if you’re someone who is wanting to hike, but don’t want to wear a traditional boot, then I would highly recommend these.
Amazing and complete review, so far the best. Thanks a lot. Double thumb ups
Thanks Gilson! I have about 60 miles in the Ultraventure V2 now which, for my use, is a much better match than the Pro. Hoping to have that review out in a week or so.
Working on getting the North Face Vectiv Infinite up this week which I have about 60 miles into as well.
Great review, much appreciated.
Fantastic review really great info thank you!
13:00 to 13:30 I have the same problem with my regular UltraVenture (not Pro). The tongue is thin so when I tighten laces for secure fit, the laces at top dig into my tendon.
Congrats on a 1k subscribers!!!
Thanks for heads up as I honestly haven't looked at subscriber numbers at all. Just doing what I can to generate what is hopefully useful media. Glad that there's at least 1k others who find value in it so far! Thanks again!
glad for this review. i don't know much about shoes and i just bought a pair of these, as my first trail runners for backpacking. they were the first shoes i tried on in the store, and i'm coming back to them. they're far more comfortable than the peregrine 11's i bought at a different store that i now plan to return, as, despite sizing up, they are too tight and my foot feels tingley after being in them a bit.
Great review. Thank you.
Superb, detailed review! I wonder if, given the "hybrid" focus, that the shoe might also designed be for use with thicker socks to fill in some of the overly generous volume?
I'm guessing not as it seems it's more just a not quite well enough conceived and tested upper, with ineffective vamp inlays / support. But it's for sure possible though and would sync with that crossover use and many wearing thicker socks.
excellent review. thank you.
Excellent, thank you. As a running retailer with a Topo account here in England (The Complete Runner) your video was extremely informative. With the hydroventure seemingly being "dropped" the initial logical thought that the Pro was an update and similarly water resistant which it appears not; the one main difference being the rockplate? . Not sure I would stock this. Our sales show that a lot of runners who run both road and light trail want a trail shoe for less than £/$ 100 . So for me Topo could look to that. But with a 5mm drop. I won't stock any zero drop shoes. Look forward to more reviews. Check out new adidas! All the best.
Man, this was a serious review. Great detail.
I'm looking for a very grippy trail running shoe for heavy guy with wide foot. Would you recommend this one, or another. Thanks so much. Subbed.
Sorry, I missed this reply earlier. If still in the hunt, and you like the concept of Topo, maybe consider, if not already, the Mtn Racer. For petite individuals the underfoot feel is a bit stiff. I'm pretty small and didn't have that issue. If you're a "heavy guy", it may feel a bit firmer than some other brands, but I think it'll be just fine under your frame. The ripstop upper is a bit crinkly out of the box, but runs just fine. It doesn't have the heel cup fit issue that I had in the UV Pro, and to a degree the UV2. And it uses Vibram Megagrip vs the XS Trek / Evo used in the UV's.
@@TrailsCollective Thanks so much. Agree, I do like a stiffer feel underneath. At my weight, with my "tender" type feet, the thing I hate most is a shoe that feels like a slipper. I'm liking my Topo Ultraventure. I'm gonna try out the Mnt Racer. Just for the heck of it. Thanks for the heads up. (I've tried out about 20 trail runners in the last few months. Fave so far is the Salomon XA Pro 3D. Bit narrow for me, but man what a shoe.)
@@Frip36 Oy, 20 shoes in the last few months....you need to be in the shoe biz / gear testing pipeline for companies!
Great review. I had a pair of Terraventure 2 for light hiking and the fabric around the heel cup almost immediately shredded - seemed like a defect in design. They sent me a second pair so great customer service but happened again. Have you had similar issues?
Like to see a review on the Runventure line. I have the RV2's. Like to see a RV3 review. Excellent review the UV-Pro. I just bought these and after 10 miles notice the sloppiness in the mid shoe and am concerned because the height of shoe may cause me to turn my ankle inward (injury). Very comfy compare to the RV2, but don't feel the ground like I am familiar with.
The Ultraventure Pro tries to be a Scarpa Rush.
Scarpa has implemented several Elements to keep the foot Guided.
There are siderails at the midfoot and the lacing has two layers. TPU-structure on the upper and additional Cords.
The inventor of Footshape toebox German company Bär (Baer) - Toefreedom since Mid of the 80's - with it's Brand Joe Nimble does have a solution without all those Gimicks. Just have a Look at the Joe Nimble nimbleToes Addict Trail or the Joe Nimble wanderToes 2.0 (leather upper) or wanderToes 2.0 Lite (synthetic upper).
On Road the Joe Nimble Ultreya Currently Knocks Out any other shoe in Terms of Natural Propulsion improvements.
Great video
Thanks Ginlah!
Awesome review! I'm trying to decide between Hoka Speed Goats or one of the Top Ultraventrure models. Any advice between the two? Backpacking and hiking, like cushion, arch support, and wide foot
Have you owned a model from either brand yet? Do you have a fully wide foot or just forefoot / toeline? And are you looking at the wide version of the Speedgoat? The SG doesn't have a wide toebox, but Topo also doesn't feel super cushy. Based on which of those is paramount between the two might be where your decision lies.
Another possibility could be the Salomon Ultra Glide. Still not as wide in the toebox as Topo, but a bit more breadth than Hoka. Midsole isn't quite as soft as Hoka but closer to the SG than Topo.
For me personally I'm not a fan of the SG. I don't love that high a stack height, the aggressive toe spring / rocker feels a bit awkward, and it doesn't have the width in the forfoot that I like if not need.
@@TrailsCollective Thank you for your response. You’ve given me a lot to think about. Yes I have a fully wide foot. I’ve always shied away from Solomons bc I knew they didn’t come in wides and look so narrow. They Sounds good’s do come in wides at least in the Women’s size. I’m also considering the Altra Olympus.
@@tarawilliams6041 I don't believe the UltraGlides will be available in a wide. Olympus would be an option. I've personally never liked it much so I hesitate to offer a personal recommendation. To me it feels too high, too clunky. Although I'm not big on either, I'd go with the Speedgoat in a wide over the Olympus. With that said, I'm on my second pair of UltraVenture's and I've really liked the model. It just doesn't have quite the cush of Hoka, and outsole rubber isn't quite as tacky as the Speedgoat (or Olympus') Megagrip.
Did Topo get rid of that vertical seam they had in the heel cup on a few of last year's models (odd thing to have for ultrarunning, ensuring hotspots/blisters!)? Thanks!
I'm not seeing a vertical seem in the heel cup / padding of any of the: Ultraventure Pro, Ultraventure 1 or 2, Terraventure, or MT3. All but one of those were 2019-20 models. Which did you have that had a visible seam?
Great review. I've been running a lot in the MTN racers this year, and have thought about trying the new Ultraventure Pros. After watching this, I don't think this shoe would be a good buy for me. Didn't realize they plan to bring back the regular Ultraventure, and will probably wait for that. Being a size 14 has given me limited choices with Topo, and the available ones in my size go quickly. I do 95% of my runs on trails, quite technical at times, and have mainly used my MTN racer, Salomon wildcross, or Salomon speedcross. Sometimes I use my Altra Olympus's when I need more cushion. Do you have a go to insole replacement to recommend for the MTN Racers? Did a solo 50 miler 2 weeks ago, and had to switch out of my MTN racers after 25 miles - not enough cushion for an old guy!
I've been rotating through so many shoes I haven't had to use the Topos in long efforts with water crossing elements, so I haven't swapped the insoles out to have a preference there. I've never been a big fan of needing alternate insoles. We just started carrying Aetrex which have some good cushion, but I haven't tried them, or in water. A company Form I think makes a model with a wider toebox.
Based on what you're describing, yeah, I'd hold off for the UV update. I haven't received a pair early so I don't know what it'll feel like yet, but should be softer than the MTN Racer (which I like, but that is firm).
And yeah, Topo kinda stinks on big sizes. A big weakness is not having 12.5's in some colors, and underproducing what is there. I'm sure they're basing it in projections but it's kinda weird.
@@TrailsCollective Thanks for the feedback. When I spoke with Topo in the summer, their intentions were to produce and keep in stock more of the larger sizes. Keep up the good reviews.
What else do you recommend that is comparable with a similar (5mm) drop and a rock plate for a backpacking thru hiker?
I can’t get to zero drop yet and don’t want to go back to a 10-12 mm shoe. I like the large toe box. Thanks
There may be something out there from a casual or hiking brand that I'm not aware of, but options are limited if really after a more oblique toebox. If not yet, even though I didn't love them, trying these on might be worth a shot based on what you're after. Or, do you think you really need the plate? And sorry for the delay on catching your comment!
@@TrailsCollective I like the plate when carrying backpack with multi days of food over the northeast rocks and roots. I ultimately bought these and like them though. Thanks for the review.
Thanks for your thoughts. I'm going to do an 800 mile hike next month that will be 75 percent pavement 25 percent steep trails. Could you recommend a shoe for this scenario? I have the Altra lp7 and they seem OK but I always like to have other options to try. Any response would be appreciated.
The tread on the ultraventure 3 is not deep enough, it's good as comfortable off road shoe for easy terrain, the mtn-racer 3 has a lot more grip but lets the foot move a little on steep decents, the Ultraventure pro is the same shoe but slightly narrower and better on steep technical trails.
I have all 3 and the difficulty and steepness of the route decides which shoe I use.
If I had to choose one for everything it would be the pro.
Shame about the color... hopefully they fix that in the next version!!
13:40 Can you explain what you mean by "popping in the heel"? Do you feel it doesn't lock the heel down enough?
Yup. I think when they moved to the exterior thermoplastic heel counter, it lost some of the lock on heel. It's magnified when the more rigid chassis leverages the shoe more with a resulting lift of the heel out of the pocket. I feel the play a bit in the Ultraventure 2 which switched to that heel design, but not the same amount of slip / pop as the UV2 has a more flexible chassis.
@@TrailsCollective Thanks for the always thoughtful replies. Agree. The Pro is just fitting funky all over the place. Heel isn't locking down. Etc.
what insole would you suggest to avoid water buildup but still give some cushion ?
I'd pull a set from another pair of shoes you already have and see if they seat well in there. I think most other trail shoes I've had are better in this regard. Otherwise, if you have a local run shop, stop in and try some in there that look closed cell / not open foam, or even a local drug store. We also have a few brands in the trails Collective Shop and can run you through those brands if desired.
15:10 which of the three offer the most stability?
By "stability" are you wanting the one with the most rigid base / foundation? If so, proabably the Pro followed by the Mtn Racer followed by the UltraVenture, and that on account of stone guard and midsole foams used. If by the traditional use of "stability" as it's been used with running shoes to refer to amount of pronation control, maybe still the Pro as it has increased rigidity, but with them all having triblend midsole configurations, unsure that it would be remarkably different. Sometimes a more rigid shank and platform will just make torsional motion more slappy and therefore the result of overpronation (that's not necessarily a good or a bad thing) more abrubt. In which case, the smoother transition of the UV might be more advantageous.
which shoe is the blue-yellow top left in the background
Inov8 G270
@@TrailsCollective ty
Will a foot with a high arch make it more snug in the middle?
Sina, There isn't much medial or lateral reinforcement in the material of the upper, so it is malleable, but, based on the miles I put in it, and feel on my foot, no, I don't think significantly. The model has a decent amount of width and depth in the upper. While I was able to secure the midfoot and reduce both torsion and spilling over the sides by cranking down the laces more than I typically would, I still seemed to have a bit of play in the midfoot. You having a higher arch may take in some of the volume in the upper, but I'm guessing that would leave a bit of gap beneath your arch as a tradeoff.
@@TrailsCollective Thanks for the quick reply, I have a wide foot I used to be able to run many miles without stopping , I want hitting the trails to be one of the things I do to get back in shape after I saw someone desert running I Like very cushioned shoes but I also expect a trail shoe to be somewhat more sturdy as well I was looking at Altra Olympus but I don't think it has a plate.
@@SeenaTabatabai Do you have a wide foot from heel to toe, or mostly just the forefoot / toebox? Often individuals with higher arches / insteps which you mentioned in your earlier post, just have wider forefeet.
In my experience, and I've lived / run in quite a few places, I think rock plates are over-rated. Most trail shoes with any amount of midsole cushion do a fine job of absorbing hits from rocks or sticks. A model like the olympus has such a thick midsole stack that it for sure wouldn't need one. Where do you live, what's the climate like, and what type of trails would you be using them on?
@@TrailsCollective I don't have huge feet my toe box I would say is wide they tell me I'm 2e .
@@TrailsCollective I also have a high arch and my foot is mostly wide in just the forefoot/toebox. For this reason (and a related injury) my podiatrist recommended Hoka One Ones due to the rocker design, which has alleviated the injury but Hoka is to narrow (even in a wide) for my forefoot/toebox. How does the shape of the platform compare to Hoka? Does it offer more of a rocker design or is it more akin to a traditional shoe in that aspect?
The Ortholite that Topo uses is absolute rubbish (never seen a worse insole). Replace it with the inov8 Boomerang and the/any running shoe comes alive!
Sounds like the Topo Pro is meant for me. A more leisure hiker who's heavier.
CS, yeah, sounds like it might be a good one to consider. If you don't think you really need a stone guard (I don't think most people do), see if you can find a current UltraVenture regular...we've really liked it and I think it's a bit more comfy underfoot. I think the Pro looks cooler though. Maybe a bit more volume as well if your foot is wider throughout.
@@TrailsCollective Geez, thanks for the quick response. I ordered both. Seems the Pro doesn't come out till February. Really appreciate the review, and look forward to watching your other vids.
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