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Topo Athletic 2026 Previews: Specter 3, Ultraventure 5, and new minimal Connect shoe
Dec 4, 2025
Featuring Specter 3, Ultraventure 5, and new minimal Connect shoe
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0:00
Okay, we're with Russ, product director
0:02
at Toppo Athletic, longtime friend,
0:05
Roadt Trail Run. He's got some goodies
0:06
to show us for next year. Go ahead,
0:09
Russ. This one really caught her.
0:11
Yeah, thanks, Sam. So, we're we're
0:12
really excited with some of the products
0:14
that we have coming for fall 26. On the
0:16
road side, uh, a big update is going to
0:19
be the Spectre 3. The Spectre 3 is going
0:22
to continue to be positioned as the high
0:24
cushion uptempo trainer within the Toppo
0:26
athletic line. And this is a pretty
0:27
major update. We've gone up in stack
0:29
height to a 41 to 36 millimeter midsole.
0:33
So increasing the stack height by 3
0:34
millimeters. And then I've also fully
0:36
updated the midsole foam,
0:38
moving to an ATPU based foam that we're
0:40
calling Rev foam.
0:42
In addition to that, uh we've also
0:45
changed the rocker geometry of the shoe,
0:47
moving the rocker that pivot point just
0:49
earlier in the gate cycle. So when you
0:50
land in the shoe, you move very quickly
0:52
through the gate cycle.
0:53
I like it. The rocker move back. Yes.
0:55
Good. Good. So in addition to that um we
0:59
now are also using an ATPUbased midsole.
1:02
Sorry not midsole but insole that you
1:04
can see here and then a new lightweight
1:08
engineered mesh that helps to wrap and
1:10
secure the foot over the platform while
1:11
maintaining that signature topo athletic
1:13
fit of a roomy toe box and a secure fit
1:15
through the midfoot and heel.
1:17
Now with that ATPU I bet the weight's
1:19
very very low. So what what are we
1:21
coming in at?
1:22
The weight is really competitive. So,
1:23
it's coming in right around 8 oz in a
1:25
men's size 9.
1:27
Uh, I've had the opportunity to run in
1:29
this shoe a bit, including on
1:30
Thanksgiving Day for the Manchester Road
1:32
race, and have absolutely been loving
1:34
it.
1:35
Um, PR PR is an adult. I can't really I
1:38
can't run with my college times anymore.
1:40
No, but seriously.
1:41
But, it's uh it's a really fast and
1:45
really fun shoe.
1:46
Excellent. What else you got, Russ?
1:48
So, moving over onto the trail, we have
1:50
a nice update to our Ultra Venture. So
1:53
this is the new Ultra Venture 5. Ultra
1:55
Venture 5 is going to continue to be
1:57
positioned as the high cushion option
1:59
for use on mild to moderate terrain and
2:00
road to trail. This is a very popular
2:03
shoe in our line. So we wanted to make
2:04
more evol re sorry evolutionary change
2:07
making some mild updates to improve the
2:09
product experience versus making a
2:11
radical shift. So, the product is going
2:13
to maintain the same outsole platform as
2:15
the current version using excess trek
2:18
and a more um softly lug sole really
2:21
designed for use on mild to moderate
2:22
train or roadto surfaces. The midsole
2:26
gets a nice aesthetic improvement and a
2:29
uh slightly softer higher rebound
2:31
version of zip foam.
2:32
Is it similar to the zip foam and the
2:34
Atomos?
2:35
It's very similar to the Zipo.
2:37
That's a great update.
2:38
Yeah. So, we've been kind of shifting
2:39
starting with the um
2:41
Phantom 4 where we started to evolve
2:43
that zip foam compound into something
2:45
that's a little softer and offering a
2:46
little higher rebound.
2:48
Um but while maintaining the stack
2:50
height of 35 in the heel and 30 in the
2:52
forefoot
2:53
because this is designed more for road
2:55
to trail use. Um we're also going to be
2:58
maintaining our Ortholite insole here.
3:00
Okay.
3:00
And then have a new upper design that
3:03
uses engineered mesh. It's a little bit
3:05
thicker um than the current upper along
3:07
with strategically placed PU overlays to
3:10
improve the durability and just make
3:12
sure the foot stays really nice and
3:13
locked in over the platform.
3:15
And you got a gator gator velcro.
3:18
And we're also moving to what we should
3:20
probably call hook and loop. Not
3:22
proprietary. Right. Right. Okay.
3:24
Not proprietary velcro.
3:25
I can't I have a hard time anyway.
3:27
But yes, a more universal gator
3:28
attachment system. Exactly. And then of
3:31
course the D-ring at the base of the
3:32
tongue serves as that second attachment.
3:34
So do you see this the door to trail a
3:36
good hiking option also for
3:38
definitely west?
3:39
Yeah, definitely on more mild to
3:41
moderate terrain. That's that's where we
3:42
would want to see that used like you
3:43
were saying out west kind of those nice
3:45
like flat packed out dirt single track
3:48
fire roads things of that nature.
3:50
That's where the shoe really excels.
3:51
Excellent. Okay, you got do you have one
3:54
more?
3:54
Uh we've got one to show you. Yeah. So,
3:58
sticking within the Ultra Venture line,
3:59
we're also going to be introducing the
4:01
Ultra Venture GTX for the first time.
4:04
So, the first time we're using Gore
4:05
within the Topo line.
4:07
This will be launching a little bit
4:08
after the Ultra Venture 5 and is going
4:11
to be using Goreex invisible fit. So,
4:13
the invisible fit system is bonded
4:16
directly onto the upper uh versus a
4:19
traditional booty construction that
4:20
takes up more space. What this means is
4:22
that the uh waterproofing system is a
4:24
bit more lightweight and also the fit
4:26
maintains a consistency between the
4:28
waterproof and non-waterproof products.
4:31
So, you shouldn't need to go up a house
4:32
size when going into the waterproof
4:34
Ultra Venture. This shoe we expect to be
4:37
used um off-road of course and some some
4:40
trail conditions and with it being
4:41
designed for use in wet conditions,
4:43
we're also going to be using the mega
4:44
grip compound.
4:45
So, you're going mega grip instead of
4:47
Evo.
4:48
Exactly. So the nonwaterproof is still
4:51
going to use excess trek.
4:52
Waterproof is going to be using mega
4:54
grip because this is designed for use on
4:55
the trail.
4:56
Excellent. Excellent.
4:58
So that is Venture and Ultra Venture
5:01
GTX. Finally,
5:03
and this is actually a spring 26
5:05
introduction, but isn't on the market
5:07
just yet. Well, actually this colorway
5:08
is fall 26, but it's all right. Okay.
5:11
The the model itself is going to be the
5:13
Connect. Connect is the most minimal
5:15
product we've ever put out from Toppo
5:17
Athletic. It's a V-bram outsole, excess
5:20
track outsole bonded directly onto the
5:21
upper.
5:22
Wow.
5:22
So, it's a 10 12 mm zero drop stack
5:25
height, maintaining that signature to
5:27
topo athletic fit, of course, would
5:28
bring you even close to the ground.
5:30
So, what do you see this shoe for?
5:32
We think it's really for that minimal
5:33
enthusiast or natural enthusiast who
5:35
wants a shoe to do it all. They may use
5:37
this shoe as a running option,
5:39
something to use on mild to moderate
5:41
terrain. You can see it has light
5:42
braking,
5:43
right?
5:43
And then, of course, um in the gym or
5:45
for lifestyle wear as well. a great
5:48
travel idea.
5:49
Yeah, really, really packs down nicely.
5:51
Something that's cool about the shoe too
5:52
with the orthoid insole in the shoe,
5:55
it's a 10 and 12 mm stack height,
5:57
but it can be removed and you can see
5:59
we've actually finished the strobal
6:01
board in the shoe.
6:03
So, not only does that give you an
6:05
additional kind of width option if you
6:06
want a bit more volume in the product,
6:08
but up against the strobal board, it's a
6:10
5 1/2 mm stack height. So, just about as
6:13
natural as you can get with this shoe.
6:15
Now, to be clear, we're not abandoning
6:17
our position within our max cushion
6:19
models. As you saw with the Spectre, we
6:21
still think that that's a really
6:22
substantial category, but we felt like
6:24
this was a nice opportunity to continue
6:26
to kind of build out the assortment of
6:28
topo and be even more of a full solution
6:31
brand for people.
6:32
It sort of returns to some of your
6:33
earliest roots because you were quite
6:36
very minimal back way back. I forget the
6:39
models, but
6:40
yeah. Yeah, definitely kind of brings us
6:42
back to our roots. The reception we've
6:43
seen from uh retail to this product has
6:45
been really positive. So, we're excited
6:46
to get it on the market.
6:48
Excellent. Thanks, Russ. Great year for
6:50
2026. Here we go.
6:52
Yeah. Fun to see you as always. kind.