Topo Athletic Ultraventure 3 Review

The Topo Athletic Ultraventure 3 stands out for its remarkable comfort and performance. Its wide, foot-shaped upper offers plenty of wiggle room without feeling excessively spacious, making it a great choice for long runs. The shoe features a springy midsole paired with durable Vibram rubber, ensuring comfort and stability on technical trails. With a more pronounced toe rocker, it's worth considering your personal preference before committing. If you're seeking the upper comfort of Altra shoes combined with the technical precision of narrower designs, this model strikes an excellent balance. It's an ideal option for those who appreciate a foot-shaped upper but aren't ready to transition to a zero-drop shoe.

Performance Comparison

Foot Protection

With a bouncy feel underfoot, there is the sensation of less foot protection than some other models, but ultimately, the stack and higher cushioning reduce any impact. The Ultraventure 3 worked well for a large variety of trail types, and other than the more noticeable toe rocker, the model feels more basic than the competition. The basic design, however, is clearly what people love so much about Topo shoes and the Ultraventure in particular. The only terrain where we felt limited was technical off-camber terrain, where the ample cushioning and rocker feel were unnecessary. This comfort provided great resistance to fatigue and made us think this could be a great option for long ultras.

Traction

The traction design of the Ultraventure 3 is well thought out and matches the style of the model well. Large rectangular Vibram squares provide a great surface area, which creates a good ground feel on smoother surfaces. This traction design is more sparsely spaced than some of the competition but should lead to better durability. There is less directionality with these on the midfoot, but the toe has ample traction to aid in the rocker roll off of the shoe. The exposed has the potential to wear faster than other shoes with a full rubber outsole but aids in the reduction of weight. For those who plan on being in rocky terrain or mountainous ridgelines, you may want to opt for a shoe that's fully rubber on the bottom. Overall, the model has good traction and offers great versatility across many different terrain types.

Sensitivity

With a measured heel stack of 37 mm and measured heel stack of 7 mm, there is ample foam between you and the ground. This creates less sensitivity than other low-stack models, but some sensitivity is regained by the softer foam. In our testing, the model came across as incredibly comfortable but slightly more vague-feeling underfoot than we prefer. This was fine for walking, hiking, and when fatigued, but when racing hard, we'd prefer a slightly stiffer model to provide more rigidity and technical spots. However, this comfort and lack of sensitivity provide better long-distance reduction against fatigue and, therefore, is a great option for those who plan to go over the marathon distance.

Stability

Our in-house lab team found the claimed 5 mm drop to be an actual 7 mm drop when measured using World Athletic standards. While the more natural foot-shaped design does help spread your weight better than a narrow shoe, this model's stack did feel more tippy than some others in our lineup. If you prioritize stability we'd recommend something with either a lower stack or a firmer midsole. This will provide the best support possible to your ankles, knees, and hips. The pronounced rocker also prevents the shoe from feeling very stable on takeoff in technical terrain when running quickly. The shoe, however, is incredibly comfortable thanks to these features — as with all shoes, there is a tradeoff to be had when blending sensitivity and support. We'd recommend the Ultraventure 3 most for moderate terrain and long distances. That said, some users' skill levels will allow them to operate successfully outside of this general recommendation.

Comfort

Standing out for its comfort, the Ultraventure 3 is an excellent natural-foot-shaped option for those tackling long distances or thru-hike style outings. The midsole blends comfort and reactivity, while the upper is spacious yet supportive. This combination will work for a wide range of users on many different terrain types. It's a great quiver of one for its overall comfort and versatility. The upper features many classic, durable materials and has comfortable laces that provide good lockdown. The toe rocker aids in smooth, comfortable strides and helps propel you forward. A minimal break-in period is necessary — these felt impressively comfortable right out of the box.

Weight

At 10.70 oz per shoe in size 10.5 men's, we are impressed with Topo's ability to provide this amount of comfort and performance in a reasonably lightweight package. The swing weight of the model feels light and agile, and the toe-off rocker does a good job of creating a smooth stride on moderate and buffed terrain.

Should You Buy the Topo Athletic Ultraventure 3?

If you've been looking for a wider, “foot-shaped” shoe but don't quite want to convert to zero drop, then this is an excellent option. We'd recommend it, especially for those who want long-distance comfort for thru-hikes or high ultras. The upper is comfortable and breathable, and the shoe feels classic and well-made. If that sounds like you, we solidly recommend the Topo Ultraventure 3. We'll send a word of caution to those who don't like the feeling of a strong rocker (our lead tester personally could have gone without it).

What Other Men's Trail Running Shoes Should You Consider?

Our best other natural-foot-shaped option would be the Altra Lone Peak 8. This provides great all-day comfort — but it should be noted that it's a zero drop shoe. For larger drop options that share a similar comfort to the Ultraventure 3 check out the Hoka Torrent 4 for easy, rolling runs and the Nnormal Tomir 2.0 for more technical terrain.