Topo - Phantom 4

I have wide feet (10.7cm wide, 26cm length, 25.7cm girth). I just tried Altra FWD Via 2 and Experience Flow 2 in US 9 this morning, as well as Topo Phantom 4 in US 9, which felt better for me. But honestly they were pretty comparable and I think I'd be happy with either Altra or Topo. I think I liked the Phantom 4 better because it felt like it cushioned my feet more? I have very high volume and high arches. I definitely need it in Wide, though—as my feet swell on long runs, my feet will appreciate the extra room that the Wide offers. Since the FWD Via 2 and Phantom 4 felt similar for me, I'm curious if you have any thoughts, insights, comparisons between FWD Via vs. R1?

I’m gonna recommend the Topo Phantom 4. Seriously underrated shoe

The Topo Phantom 4 or Atmos. I have been a huge fan of Topo for a while now and now have all of their shoes. They are so overlooked but have great foams, great fits . . . I just did my long run this morning in the Atmos and it was a dream—I actually added on a 1/2 mile to my workout!

Try out Topo’s. They have a wide toe box and a snug midfoot. The Phantom 4 is a great daily trainer

Topo has a whole line of wide toebox shoes. The Atmos is great for easy, long miles, the Phamtom is the daily trainer, the Cyclone for speed work and the Specter for longer speed efforts

They actually narrowed the toe box in the Bondi this year so you may have to go with a wide width. It’s a lot firmer than I remember, but that may make it feel more nimble while running, enabling to go at different paces. I second the Topo recommendation. They have the Phantom for daily training, the Cyclone for speed work, the Atmos for recovery runs and the Specter for longer marathon training runs.

I have super high arches. I tried the Phantom 4 but they were almost too cushy for me and I found my toes started to go numb around mile 4. They are great shoes though. The R1 are a completely different beast. They have an 8mm drop, which is generally too high for me (the person at the running store mistakenly told me 6mm & I didn't think to check). I like them for my super long runs. They use a toggle system for the half of the laces near the forefoot, so they are adjustable. But they are definitely more narrow than Altras or the Topo toe box (midfoot and heel are similar though). Not sure what their wides fit like.

I have severely high arches and use Topo & Altra with Currex insoles. I need the insoles for extra arch support. Everyone's feet are totally different though. Brooks are good for a lot of folks with high arches as well (they just don't work for me). I never got foot cramping in any shoes though, just calf tightness due to ankle instability/weakness and forefoot striking.

Saucony Echelon 10 in wide is a very good place to start. It’s wide in the width and volume. It’s the shoe that I was finally able to use to break back into running properly with fallen arches and wide feet. I wore them for years. I think you need to also look into building up your foot and lower leg strength though, that was key to finally getting rid of a lot of the pain that I had going back for many years. Now I have a lot more freedom in the running shoes that I can wear and feel good about. However, if it’s really the toe box that is causing you the most grief, I can definitely advocate for Topo Athletic. I’ve more or less converted to them because of the roomy toe box. You could start with their daily trainer, the Phantom 4, and see how that feels. Phantoms come in regular and wide fit as well.

I’m actually very pleased with the Topo Phantom 4. I was a longtime Phantom 2 fan and didn’t like the Phantom 3. I feel like Topo got it right with this update. I’m mostly looking for something with a wide toe box that I can use for daily training and long runs up to 13 miles. So far, the Phantom 4 checks those boxes. I don’t feel it’s a particularly “fast” shoe, but it’s not really intended to be. I have run pretty quickly in it and feel like it’s fairly responsive for a cushier shoe. I would say to take folks’ suggestions with a grain of salt. Go to your local specialty run store (bonus points if it’s not a Fleet Feet) and talk with the runners that work there. Try some shoes on. Take something home. You’ll know on the first run whether they’re right for you. The trial-and-error of it all can feel frustrating. But finding your new favorite pair of shoes makes it all worth it. EDITED TO ADD: You do not have to pay $200+ for a good pair of running shoes. They won’t make you faster (but consistent and quality training will). Around $130-$170 is pretty standard right now.

Same boat as you, friend. The Tempus is the best shoe ever. And nowhere to be found. I also tried the Evo SL and ended up selling them at 140km after I got Achilles issues. - For intervals I am now using the new balance rebel v5 and it works due to the medial support. - For longs I am using the superblast 2 (if there are pace segments) or the topo phantom 4 (if all slow). Both work.  But I upped my strength training as well, with a lot of hip mobility work, and this helped a lot.

easy day I would go for ultrafly or phantom!

The ultrafly has a TPU heel counter to limit pronation, yet it's so comfortable and doesn't weigh you down. If you don't need pronation support, just a daily runner with high cushion then I think you'll like phantom

My Topos (phantom series) completely eliminated my shin splints and the wide toe box got ride of all the blister issues I had alongside the big toes. If you don't have access to a running store to get a fit assessment, I've often heard of brooks ghosts referred to as the Toyota camry of running shows in that they work well enough for most people's needs. They also have incredible customer service if you run into issues and will help triage the best shoe for you.

Loved this review - thank you! Wondering if you have a post somewhere of the daily trainers you’ve been loving. I’ve been running in Mach 6 for long runs and Topo phantom for tempo. My asics novablasts have been another long run shoe but I’m in the market for a replacement! Prefer lower drop and less cushion (harder and harder to find)