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

Topo should fit the bill. I like the Phantom 4

I just got my first pair of Topos (Phantom 4). They are wonderful shoes. I had 3 pairs of Brooks Ghost and 3 pairs of Asics (Contend, and 1 other I'm forgetting) previously. My toes can spread out really well in the Topos. And I prefer the low drop. It feels more natural.

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 makes a great stability shoe, the Aura. All of their shoes have low heel drop and not crazy stack heights. I run in the Phamtom 4’s for my easy, mid-long runs and love them!

Topo Specter 2 or Phantom 4. I’m not sure how it’ll work with your insoles since they have a pretty prominent arch, but the comfort under foot is there and the anatomical toebox is the best!

Topos have anatomical toe boxes and also have wides in some of their shoes. They have shoes for comfort and cushion and the shoes that are more speed oriented. The phantom 4 and Atmos 2 are their cushioned, comfort shoes and the Cyclone 3 and Specter 2 are their speedier shoes

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.

**Hi everyone,** I'm pretty new to running — started earlier this year. I'm 183 cm, 92 kg and currently run at least 3 times a week. My current goal is to get under **30 minutes for 5K**. I'm definitely not a speedster and my long runs are usually around **10–12 km**, though I'd love to try a **half marathon next year**. I used to run in Mizuno Wave Rider, but they felt uncomfortable because of the high drop. I'm a fore/mid-foot striker with wide feet (I normally walk in barefoot/minimal shoes), so I switched to **Altra Torins**. I like them, especially the wide anatomic toebox, but the zero drop puts quite a lot of strain on my feet since I'm not fully used to it yet — so I’m looking for something to *complement* them. So right now I’m looking for a **daily trainer suitable for a wide-foot, heavier, slower runner**. Ideally something not zero-drop, but still friendly for midfoot strike. I’ve tried the **Topo Phantom 4**, but the arch support felt a bit intrusive for me. Are all Topos like that, or are there other models/brands that might fit someone like me? Thanks in advance for any tips! 🙌

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.