Topo Athletic Terraventure 4 WP Review

Struggling in the drizzle? This week we have our Topo Terraventure 4 WP review! The Topo Terraventure 4 WP is a grippy, cushioned but nimble waterproof trail running shoe. Waterproof uppers on running shoes are a bit like Marmite–you either love them or hate them. The downside is often that they are a touch too warm in milder weather and when the water gets into the shoes it can’t get out. It can slosh around, soften the skin and lead to rubbing and blisters. However, waterproof running shoes do have their place in your running shoe rotation. When the temperature drops below 10 degrees the super breathable mesh upper running shoes can leave feet feeling really cold. The uppers of running shoes are getting more and more breathable and they are often just an open mesh on a trail running shoe, designed to let water escape so they don’t gain weight. That is great on a mild day but these shoes are very cold to run in during the winter. Even with your best merino socks the wind whistles through the shoes and I find my feet don’t warm up. A waterproof upper is also windproof and keeps your feet nice and snug in these conditions.

For this reason, the Topo Terraventure 4 WP has been a blessing. Not only do they protect my feet from the wind but they also keep the wet and the mud out too. As the powers that be decided to surface the disused railway line that I often run on in the winter, the rain water doesn’t drain and the lines are often coated an inch or so of water for a few miles. The Terraventure 4 WP have helped me avoid cold feet and wet, muddy socks on these runs.

Upper – eVent

A lot of waterproof uppers are thick and bulky and take away the flexibility and lightness from the running shoes. This can’t be said for the waterproof upper used on the Terraventure 4 WP. The upper is made from an eVent bootie with a woven dirt repellent mesh over the top. The upper is soft, light, flexible and comfortable. Crucially it also doesn’t affect the ride of the shoes. They haven’t become boot-like in feel they are still nimble and flexible just like the mesh upper version.

The heel cup has no plastic in it so it can take the shape of your heel more easily and give you a nice snug fit. The padding around the heel and cuff is adequate enough to make the shoe comfortable but not too padded to prevent it from acting like a sponge and absorbing water pulling it into the shoes. The tongue is gusseted to prevent grit and other trail debris from getting into the shoe. There is an extra lace loop so if you feel the need to make the heel fit snugger you can lace the laces through the extra hole or butterfly lace the shoes.

Roomy Toe Box

Topo shoes generally have a snug fit at the heel and through the midfoot of the shoe. Then the shoe opens our into broad rounded toe box. This is to give your feet the room to spread on impact. When your feet are able to spread on impact them they absorb shock, stabilise and then spring you into your next stride. This shape of toe box also helps improve your balance on the trails allowing you to be more nimble on broken ground or single track. In a lot of waterproof trail shoe the volume in the toe box is lost as a waterproof bootie or liner is put inside the mesh upper. This isn’t the case with the Topo Terraventure 4 WP. I feel that there is almost as much volume in the forefoot of the waterproof version as there is in the mesh version. My toes do feel like they have more wiggle room in the mesh upper but this is because the mesh is so thin and therefore more flexible.

BROWSE TOPO ATHLETIC TERRAVENTURE

The upper is designed to take a Topo Athletic gaiter. There is the attachment on the outside of the heel cup and a D ring at the bottom of the laces.

The outsole pattern and rubber is the same as that used on the Topo Pursuit and Topo MTN Racer. This consists of 5mm deep lugs that are well spaced out and made from Vibram MegaGrip. This outsole has been proven to give a good level of traction on a variety of trail terrain. MegaGrip is designed to stick to wet slippery surfaces which it does well and yet it is still durable enough to be used on hard packed tracks and trails. The 5mm long lugs bite into soft ground well enough to be used on sections of muddy trail. They aren’t designed for cross country racing and don’t have the same traction as you would get from a shoe with an 8mm lug. However, the outsole pattern and lug depth makes the sole unit versatile enough to be used on harder packed trails or short sections of tarmac on the way to your trails. Making the Terraventure a very versatile trail shoe.

The midsole is made from Topo’s new Zip Foam which is a little softer and more flexible than the previous version. Which makes the ride a little bit more forgiving but doesn’t take away any ground feel. There is a rockplate in the forefoot to protect your feet from any thorns of sharp stones that might pierce the shoe.

The stack height is 25/22 giving the Terraventure 4 a 3mm heel to forefoot drop. In comparison to Topo’s other grippy trail shoes this makes it the least cushioned with the most ground feel as both the Topo Pursuit (zero drop) and the MTN Racer 3 (5mm drop) have a forefoot stack height of 28mm. This gives the Terraventure a more nimble, stable and grounded feel to the ride. The shoes aren’t really flexible which gives your foot some support.

Shoes with a waterproof liner are always a bit heavier than their mesh upper alternative. The Terraventure 4 WP weights 340 grams in the Men’s UK 8 and 286 grams in the Women’s UK 5. Which is light for a waterproof trail shoe with a durable upper.

I find that running shoes that have too much midsole are difficult to walk in. It’s like walking a long on a bouncy castle you get sprung in all directions. For this reason I find that the Terraventure is the best shoe in Topo’s trail range to walk in. The cushioning isn’t too soft and I have some feel for the ground. This is probably why it is becoming a rival shoe to Altra’s Lone Peak. The midsole thicknesses and feel to the cushioning is very similar as is the broad rounded toe box. Where they differ is that the Lone Peak is more flexible and has a looser more minimal feel to the fit in comparison to the Terraventure which is stiffer and has a snugger fit through the midfoot which gives it a more supportive feel and reduces some of the foot function.

In summary the Topo Terraventure 4 WP is a versatile trail shoe that is nicely cushioned and protective but doesn’t lose the feel for the trail. The waterproof upper makes it ideal for winter use on those wet, snowy, windy, cold days.

Other Considerations

Altra Lone Peak 8: These have a broad rounded toe box like the Topo shoes. They are zero drop and a bit more flexible so they have a more natural feel and allow more foot function. Whether this is a better option for you depends on the use you have for the shoes and your foot strength and posture. They are available in a weatherproof upper. This isn’t waterproof like the eVent upper on the Terraventure 4 but does keep your feet warm and snug on colder days. https://www.northernrunner.com/altra-m86/lone-peak-8-t110

Brooks Cascadia 17 GTX: A less spacious and less rounded toe box. 10mm heel to forefoot drop makes them more suited to the heel strikers than the midfoot striker. The upper is waterproof and made from Gore-Tex’s invisible fit which is soft and flexible. Fitting like a mesh upper. The Cascadia doesn’t have the same feel for the floor as the Terraventure 4 which makes the Cascadia a lot less nimble in feel. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/brooks-cascadia-17-cascadia-17-gtx-review/

NNormal Tomir Waterproof: The grip is of a similar level. The toe box is straight but the shoes aren’t as flexible and don’t have the same feel for the floor initially. They do get more flexible as they break in but still remain a plodding shoe in comparison to the nimble feel of the Terraventure 4 WP. The waterproof membrane is as waterproof and as comfortable to wear. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/nnormal-tomir-review/

Hoka Speedgoat 5 GTX: A lot softer feel to the cushioning which takes away the feel for the ground. The big toe line is getting straighter with each new version of the Speedgoat but it doesn’t have the same amount of space or encourage foot function in the same way as the Terraventure 4 WP. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/hoka-speedgoat-5-gtx-review/

La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX: Longer lugs gives the Cyklon a better grip in the mud. The shoe has a Gore-Tex liner and then has a gaiter that comes over the shoe and goes to above the ankles. Bridging the gap between your running leggings and the shoes. This makes them a lot more protective on cold days and stops snow or mud from getting into the shoes. They ar less versatile in that the cushioning is best on softer ground to hard packed trails. They feel quite hard and unforgiving on tarmac. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/la-sportiva-cyklon-cross-gtx-review/

Scarpa Ribelle Run Kalibra G: Similar to the Cyklon Cross GTX these have a gaiter that is built into the shoe and goes bridges the gap between your running leggings and the shoe. They aren’t waterproof but offer a high level of water repellancy and are warm. Designed to keep your feet snug on trails in winter conditions. They offer good grip on soft ground and are best on soft ground to hard packed trails. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/scarpa-ribelle-run-kalibra-g-review/