Topo Athletic  Ultraventure 5 Trail-Running Shoes - Men's

About 50 miles logged on the Ultraventure 5 so far and it’s they’ve been great. I the same great natural foot shape that keeps me coming back to Topo ( previously owned terraventure and aptos) and the new edition of the ultraventure feels more agile. Been running them in moderate trails and no complaints.

The 4s were my go-to hiking shoes, so I was excited to give these a try - I needed to replace my last pair before a big trip later this summer. Took them out on a weekend trip as a trial run, and WOW! They kept all the good parts of the 4 while making noticeable improvements, like the slightly more plush midsoles (my knees thank you) and whatever they did to make the heel lock-in more stable. I’m already excited for my next pair when these wear out.

This was a miss for me, I’d call it subtraction by addition. What I mean is the brand made the upper material less breathable, added rubber overlays on the lacing chain (which for me has created pressure) and the upper feels lower volume than UV4. Topo also didn’t include its FKT insole, which is in its other trail offerings such as the Vista & MTN Racer. It’s a fantastic insole and it doesn’t fit in this model due to the lower volume upper & thicker mesh utilized. I’m assuming the logic for this update was to make the shoe more durable but it came at the expense of comfort.

The Ultraventure 5 is a disappointing update. Upper material is thicker than the previous version, causing the shoe to be very warm. The heel cup has changed, doesn’t provide a secure fit , even using runners loop. Experienced heel slipping on the run. Highly recommend trying on prior to purchase, it doesn’t fit the same as the previous version of the Ultraventure.