Topo Athletic Ultraventure 5 Review

One of the lesser known keys to the comfort of the Topo Athletic Ultraventure 5 is its excellent fit around the rear of the foot. While the front half is wide and flexy, the rear is trimmer and snugger, providing support for your heel without too much pressure or slip. The result is a shoe that feels flexible yet predictable.

Comfort

The latest iteration of the Topo Athletic Ultraventure 5 introduces a few tweaks to the formula while retaining a fit and feel that is quite similar to the previous generation Ultraventure 4. The ZipFoam midsole is softer with a bit better shock absorption, but the overall feel is similar.

The padding around the heel collar and tongue is thinner but more springy, so it feels better overall. The heel notch where the collar meets your Achilles tendon is much improved with extra softness and a slight flair to the rear.

The new tongue is thinner but more springy than the previous version.   Credit: Chris Maxcer

The heel notch is gentler on the Achilles tendon.   Credit: Chris Maxcer

The wide toe box is freakishly comfortable. We just wish the design didn't look so bulbous. We imagine these are the shoes clowns would wear when they're trying to fly under the radar.   Credit: Chris Maxcer

Check out all that ZipFoamy cushion!   Credit: Chris Maxcer

Previous Next

The roomy toe box is ridiculously comfortable. Lots of hiking shoes and boots have extra big toe boxes, too, but they usually fail because the entire foot has too much room to roam, leading to interior toe-banging and slop. The Ultraventure 5 avoids the issues of excess space by providing a foot-hugging rear that cradles the heel and keeps your foot snug to the footbed so your feet don't slide forward and back inside the shoe. It's quite nice.

Support

The Topo Athletic Ultraventure 5 provides good forward/rear lockdown, but it absolutely sucks on any side-hill angles on steep ground: The meshy upper can flex and stretch, letting our feet shift out over the sides of the sole. That does not feel stable and it can change the force angles on the sole, reducing traction.

On most trails the lack of support isn't much of an issue — which is why we love this shoe for long trail-based hikes. However, if you have to step off the trail or navigate rugged terrain, this isn't a shoe we would count on for secure footing on any sort of steep side-hill traversing. The upper is just too flexible.

Traction

Again, the trail-tuned theme extends to the sole. The Topo Athletic Ultraventure 5 provides good, easy-striding, predictable traction on trails. The Vibram XS Trek rubber compound and tread pattern was sticky on bare rock, decent on gravel, and excellent on packed dirt.

Unfortunately, the lugs are relatively shallow and rounded, so they don't bite into soft forest duff or loose material. They don't clog in muddy conditions, but they don't bite into mud either, sometimes skidding out where more aggressive tread would stick.

Water Resistance

The Topo Athletic Ultraventure 5 is not a waterproof shoe, so it doesn't fair well on dewey morning hikes through grassy meadows. The upper easily absorbs water. On one hike in Idaho, our socks were soaked in just a few minutes from wet trail brush and overhanging grasses.

Fortunately, the synthetic upper dries quickly, so when we did get these shoes wet, we could often keep hiking and let the shoes dry out on the way. As long as you wear a good merino wool or synthetic blend hiking sock this strategy might also work for you.

Durability

The new synthetic upper on the Ultraventure 5 has a slightly thicker upper with some extra synthetic overlays for abrasion resistance. The fabric around the heel collar has a denser weave that may also resist fraying more than the previous version. However, this is a not an ultra-rugged hiking shoe.

For on-trail use, we're happy with the durability, but this is not a shoe designed to handle many miles of brushy off-trail action with sharp, nasty rocks and poky sticks protruding from deadfalls.

Weight

The Topo Athletic Ultraventure 5 isn't the lightest trail shoe we've tested, but it's one of the lightest. Lifting this shoe step after step, mile after mile, is simply a joy.

Because the forefoot is so roomy and flexible, these shoes actually feel lighter on our feet than some competitors with stiffer uppers and smaller toe boxes. We think the extra toe box space reduces our mental awareness of the upper on our toes, while the flexible upper reduces the impression of resistance with each step.

Should You Buy the Topo Athletic Ultraventure 5?

If you want a lightweight, ultra comfortable shoe for hiking long distances on maintained trails in dry weather, the Topo Athletic Ultraventure 5 is an awesome shoe. If you've suffered blisters around your toes, this also might be the shoe for you. Most people's feet swell after long miles on the trail, and the Ultraventure 5 is one of the best at giving our feet space all day long. In our opinion and experience, it's not great for steeply angled ground in rough terrain.

What Other Hiking Shoes Should You Consider?

If you want an ultralight option that is more supportive off trail and excels at speedy day hikes, the Hoka Speedgoat 7 features a springy sole with good traction. Its toe box is much smaller, though, and many people will need to size up for the right fit.