Topo Athletic Phantom 4 WP Review: All Muddied Up

Introduction to the Topo Athletic Phantom 4 WP

ALLISON: I was genuinely excited to finally get my hands on a pair of Topo Athletic shoes for this review, specifically the Phantom 4 WP. Despite hearing about the brand for years, I’d never actually run in Topo shoes before, since most of the local running stores near me don’t carry them. Still, my running friends couldn’t stop talking about how comfortable they are, especially for longer miles. That hype alone had me curious.

Before these arrived, I did my homework and read through reviews of the regular Phantom 4. Everything I found painted a picture of a shoe that blends cushioning, stability, and a more natural ride, a balance that can be tricky to nail. Knowing the “WP” version adds waterproofing only made me more eager to see how it held up in real conditions, especially with fall and winter weather rolling in.

When the box finally showed up, I was ready. The moment I pulled them out, I could tell Topo does things a little differently, from the shape of the toe box to the feel of the upper. I couldn’t wait to see how those first impressions translated once I hit the roads and trails.

REESE: Like Allison, I’m also new to the Topo Athletic brand. I started reviewing one of their trail shoes over the summer, but midway through my testing miles, I injured myself enough that running was out of the question for a minute. I had mixed feelings about that shoe, so I had some skepticism about testing out the Topo Phantom 4 WP; however, I do love a good waterproof shoe, especially as Colorado heads into winter, a season that tends to include plenty of slushy road runs.

I think after reading Allison’s take, it’s clear that both of us offer different perspectives on the shoe, based on our personal preferences and foot shapes. I’m someone who tends to prefer a fairly narrow shoe, and a narrow, minimal padded heel is welcomed. I also appreciate a snug toe box. I attribute those preferences to my foot shape (flatter arch, low volume, narrow heel) and my experience with trail running; it’s pretty unfun to have a shoe that is unstable or too loose.

MICHAEL: Whilst my fellow reviewers mentioned their lack of experience in Topo shoes, I’d like to think of myself as somewhat of a seasoned Topo fanatic. Words like “Goldilocks,” “dialed,” and “stalwart” flow from my brain to the page almost instinctively during my reviews of these shoes, as now-older models such as the Pursuit 2 and Terraventure 4 continue to accumulate miles faster than any of the other shoes in my rotation. Needless to say, Topo has garnered quite the reputation in my mind for simple, dependable, and thoughtful footwear. Let’s see if that reputation holds up on the wet and rainy roads.

What we like about the Topo Athletic Phandom 4 WP

ALLISON: There’s definitely a lot to like about the Topo Phantom 4 WP, and several features stood out right away. First and foremost, holy toe box. Topo’s signature roomy forefoot truly delivers, giving your toes space to splay naturally without feeling sloppy or unstable. After spending the past few months testing shoes with narrower fits, slipping into the Phantom 4 WP felt like a breath of fresh air. It’s comfortable, accommodating, and exactly what I’d hoped for from my first Topo experience.

People weren’t kidding when they said the Phantom 4 (or at least the non-WP version) has a Brooks Ghost feel to it. That familiar, balanced comfort immediately reminded me of the Ghost 10, one of my all-time favorite daily trainers. The outsole pattern and overall design evoke that classic feel, making the Phantom 4 WP a nostalgic yet refreshing option for runners who appreciate a traditional, cushioned ride.

I also want to highlight some thoughtful details: the plush tongue adds an extra layer of comfort, and the laces stay in place through long miles without loosening, a small but meaningful touch.

REESE: I’ll come right out and say it. This isn’t my favorite shoe for several reasons (see below), but I’m trying to think positively about it.

For me, the best thing about this shoe is its waterproofing. It’s really quite incredible. I wanted to gauge just how much water I could throw at this shoe, so I put it under the faucet in my bathtub and let the water rip. It was like watching water bead off a duck. The inside of the shoe stayed bone dry. The water just rolled off the upper. I kept it under the water, which was at almost max flow, for a few minutes before I turned it off, still with a dry shoe. To me, that is pretty awesome to have. And on the run, in dry conditions, I didn’t feel like my feet were in a sauna.

MICHAEL: Like all Topo shoes, the Phantom 4 WP stays true to what we might call a standard silhouette, or perhaps more appropriately, a perfected recipe for awesome. The Phantom 4 WP features a comfortable heel counter, a snug midfoot, and an anatomical toe box, all atop a sturdy slab of their tried-and-true ZipFoam midsole. All of these things are great, and I enjoyed them just as much here as in any other Topo shoe.

The ride was sublime. As for the features more specific to the WP version, I found the waterproofing of the shoe (accomplished here using eVent materials, as opposed to the more common Gore-Tex in other models) to be more than satisfactory. One particularly cold and rainy evening, I splashed in every puddle I could find and finished the run without a drop of water in the shoe. My only real complaint here is that the choice of eVent means showing off your new shoes to your friends just isn’t as much fun when you can’t say, “It’s Gore-Tex,” like George Costanza.

Additionally, it should be noted that the Phantom 4 WP is the only waterproof road running shoe to my knowledge that features both a wide, anatomical toebox, while also not being zero drop. The Altra Torin 8 GTX is probably the closest competitor here, but it’s a zero-drop shoe. Other competitors in this space, such as the Brooks Ghost 17 GTX and the Hoka Clifton 9 GTX, don’t have the anatomical footbox. Just some food for thought, I guess.

What we don’t like about the Topo Athletic Phantom 4 WP

ALLISON: After logging several runs in the Topo Phantom 4 WP, I have to admit I came away disappointed. While I really wanted to like this shoe, especially given the strong reputation of Topo’s other models, the Phantom 4 WP fell short in a few key areas. The most noticeable issue is the firmness of the midsole. Instead of the smooth, energetic cushioning I expected, the ride feels flat and unresponsive, especially when trying to pick up the pace. There’s little sense of rebound or propulsion, which makes tempo runs or even moderate uptempo efforts feel sluggish.

The outsole also underdelivers. For a waterproof shoe, one that’s supposed to inspire confidence in wet or variable conditions, the grip just isn’t there. I expected something closer to Vibram-level traction, particularly from a brand like Topo, which often emphasizes functionality and trail readiness. On damp pavement or light trails, the Phantom 4 WP can feel unstable, forcing you to hold back rather than trust your footing.

REESE: It’s strange to think that after years of running, sometimes pretty competitively, a shoe could make me question whether I’m even an experienced runner. But hear me out.

There are certain shoes that, when you lace them up (especially paired with the right outfit and sunglasses), make you feel like a runner. Getting ready feels almost ceremonial, like putting on a uniform I actually love wearing. Honestly, I feel more at home in running gear than in a dress. Some shoes just look fast.

The Topo Phantom 4 WP is… not one of those shoes. In fact, every time I wore them, I couldn’t shake this feeling of self-consciousness. I caught myself wanting to tell strangers, “I swear, I run a lot, this isn’t my first jog ever.” It’s wild that a shoe’s shape or aesthetic could make me that insecure. Also, why do I care so much? I thought I was past caring about that kind of thing. I mean, I recently ran around in a fuzzy neon-green Satisfy shirt and didn’t feel the least bit embarrassed (even though I definitely looked like the Grinch). But in the Topos? I felt like Eugene Levy in Best in Show, two left feet in clownish shoes. IYKYK.

I realize that form is sometimes not indicative of function, but it does matter. Confidence is important. Now, the shoe functions better than it looks, but I wouldn’t say it is going to be my go-to shoe for road running.

My feet just don’t conform to the shape of this shoe. I don’t need anywhere near the amount of toebox room that the shoe offers, so I found that pushing off during each stride wasn’t as natural as I would have liked. I felt like each push-off lingered slightly too long, if that makes sense, rather than being a fluid, rolling push-off. While the midsole was plusher than I’m used to in my road shoes, the combination of the shoe’s shape and the softer ride made it feel like it had no pop.

Also, despite the wide toebox, my toes kept hitting the slightly stiffer material around the toe of the shoe, which started to annoy me later in each run.

Minor detail, but the laces did not stay tied, unless double-knotted.

MICHAEL: Since Reese put it rather elegantly, I’ll just go out and say it – this shoe is UGLY. Sure, the colorways are meant to be taken through the slosh and snow, but I would think by now we’d have all come to agree that a dirtied-up shoe looks way cooler than a shoe that was boring from the get-go. Beausage (Beauty through usage, to borrow a term from the awesome alt-cycling website The Radavist) is a real thing, and the choice of such a dull colorway here robs the user of ever making beausage happen.

In my mind, if I bought a pair of waterproof shoes to thrash through all the winter training miles and sub-freezing temperatures, I would actually want them to look worn and muddy by the end of their life, like a monument to all the work I put in dragging myself out the door all winter. Maybe that’s too romantic an argument, but we can all agree that, at the very least, even if these shoes were trashed the very first run in the slushiest of winter conditions, a nice dark blue or green colorway would give them at least some visual appeal on the running store shelf. Anyways, moving on.

Waterproofing a shoe is, of course, a two-way street… or roadblock, depending on how you look at it. Gore-Tex, eVent, and other technologies can claim breathability all they want, but they seem to be no match for the swamp-like humidity of the American South, and thereby, the sweatiness of my feet. Even during my cold, rainy runs in the shoe (around 40 degrees) my feet felt noticeably warm.

While this is, of course, a testament to how great I anticipate the shoes to perform in sub-freezing temperatures, the added sweatiness outweighs the benefits for most conditions for me. Again, this is no argument against the Phantom 4 WP in particular, but rather a reminder that waterproof shoes in general only really shine in snowy, slushy, or sub-freezing temperatures.

As Allison said, I found the outsole to be notably lacking for a shoe destined for the wet and cold. Vibram for the roads would be a welcome addition here, if that’s even a thing (I hope it is!). Lastly, I did notice the ounce of extra weight in the shoe. Pivoting back to my earlier point, this weight is worthwhile when considering the insulation and warmth it provides, but for rainy runs in warmer weather, I’d likely prefer the unadorned Phantom 4.

Final thoughts on the Topo Athletic Phantom 4 WP

ALLISON: If Topo can fine-tune the midsole with a touch more responsive cushioning and boost the outsole grip, the Phantom 4 WP could easily be a standout in their lineup, especially as those colder months approach.

REESE: I won’t be grabbing this shoe on all my upcoming road runs, but it does have a place in the lineup. This might sound harsh, but this might be my sacrificial shoe. The shoe that I don’t mind getting wet and dirty (well, because it’s ugly, but it’s also waterproof). A shoe that saves my other nicer road shoes. It’s the shoe that I can run in and put away wet, so to speak. So, it has an important job, just maybe not the one it initially applied for.

MICHAEL: Despite my uncharacteristically long list of grievances for a Topo Athletic shoe, the Phantom 4 WP does exactly what it’s designed to do: get you out the door on the nastiest days of the year, while everyone else turns to the treadmill. At least, you should probably hope no one else is outside, lest they see you wearing such ugly shoes.

Jokes aside, the Phantom 4 WP is a great waterproof alternative to an already great platform in the Phantom 4, which I’m already considering picking up for myself. If you plan on frequenting the streets during these fast-approaching winter months, this one is certainly worth checking out.

You can pick up the Topo Athletic Phantom 4 WP for $165 from Topo Athletic by using the buttons below.