Topo Athletic Fli-Lyte 4 Review

The Fli-lyte has been a popular shoe in Topo’s range since the brands inception. Each version has been different to the last as Topo like all brands look to make the shoe better for its intended use. All Topo shoes are designed with a broad rounded toe box. This is so that your toes have the room to spread on impact and there to absorb shock, stablise you and spring you into your next stride. For the same reason the midfoot doesn’t have the same shaping as you get in a lot of brands. This allows the arch to compress and reshape as it is meant to do. Although Topo’s tend to have a snugger fitting heel and a bit more shaping through the arch than Altra, who also make shoes with a broad rounded toe box designed to allow your feet to function.

The Fli-Lyte 4 is quite different to the previous version. The upper is a lot lighter and more open so the shoes feels broader and your toes feel very free to wiggle and spread As there is no noticeable structure in the upper to restrain the natural movement of the foot. The heel fit is nice and snug. There is no plastic heel cup in the heel but, the overlay that forms the heel of the shoe comes forward into the laces. This means that when you lace the shoe the upper is pulled into the heel. The tongue and inside of the heel cup is lightly padded. Which gives a comfortable fit but, doesn’t take away from the light feel of the shoes.

The midsole is now made from Zipfoam which is more durable than the EVA used in the Fli-lyte 3 and offers more energy return. There is also more outsole rubber to make the shoe more durable than the previous version.

The Fli-Lyte is a shoe designed for quicker running. It is very light (235 grams Men’s UK 8, 195 grams Women’s UK 5). The shoe feels initially quite stiff and noticeably firmer than the previous version. This didn’t cause any issues for me. My cadence felt like it increased and this was backed up by the data on my Stryd Power Meter. After about 50 miles the feel to the cushioning has got slightly softer and the forefoot has become noticeably more flexible. This has made the shoes even better and I now don’t notice that I have them on. I feel that my feet are free to move and my natural style isn’t being controlled by the shoes. So, I can flow along.

The heel to forefoot drop is 3mm. This is noticeable when you are standing in the shoe. Partly due to the snug heel fit and partly because the drop from 3mm to zero in the midsole happens just behind your midfoot. This makes the shoe feel like it has some structure in the arch which it doesn’t. By putting the drop in this position your toes are encouraged to spread on impact. When running in the shoes I was unaware of the heel and my feet felt free.

The Fli-Lyte 4 is a faster feeling than the Fli-lyte 3 the firmer midsole and stiffer feel to the shoe make it easier to generate the power to run quickly. However, I don’t think it is as versatile. The Fli-Lyte 4 was great for intervals, hill reps or races. Including the warm up and down. However, I found them a little too firm for long steady runs or long tempo runs. The Topo Cyclone has a softer feel to the cushioning and is a more comfortable shoe to wear for these longer session in my opinion (northernrunner.com/blog/topo-athletic-cyclone-review).
I found that the Fli-Lyte 4 was also really good for slower recovery runs. The firmer feel to the shoe made it easier to maintain a good posture and a quick cadence when running at a slow pace.

In summary the Fli-lyte 4 is the fastest of the Fli-Lyte’s so far. Not quite the shoe for everything that the Fli-Lyte 3 could be but, this is what makes it a better shoe for running quickly in. I now have over 100 miles on them and there is no sign of wear on the outsole. The midsole also feels like there is still plenty underfoot.

Charlie @ Northern Runner Newcastle

Other Considerations

Hoka Rincon 3: A much softer shoe with a more pointed toe box. Available in a wide width. Here is our review:
https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/hoka-rincon-3-review/

Topo Cyclone: A softer ride makes the Cyclone a better choice for longer runs. Same broad rounded toe box with a 5mm heel to forefoot drop

https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/topo-athletic-cyclone-review/

Altra Escalante 2.5: These have a similarly firm feel in comparison to previous models. A broad rounded toe box and zero drop. Here is our review:

https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-escalante-2-5-review-zero-drop-road-running-shoes/