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Since its inception in 2019 the Phantom has become one of Topo Athletic’s top-selling road trainers. The Phantom 4 looks to be enough of an update to lure in curious new runners, while not so much an overhaul that it will turn away dedicated fans of the shoe.
The Phantom 4 is a high stack daily trainer with the ability to go long. Its foot-shaped toe box and softer midsole also make it a capable recovery run option.
With the Specter 2 becoming Topo’s tempo trainer and the introduction of the max cushioned Atmos, the Phantom 4 has moved away from a firmer feel to more of a comfort-oriented one, while still maintaining the ability to let you run efficiently at moderate paces.
- Wide Feet: Absolutely, unless you’re overly bothered by a more structured arch support
- Heavier Runners: The soft midsole could pose problems for those with stability needs when running at slower paces
- Long Runs: If you’re after comfortable long miles with the option to turn up the dial just a bit, yes!
- Front of the Pack: This could be a good recovery day option for front of the pack runners
