Topo Athletic Aura Review
By David Salas and Matthew Klein
Topo Athletic AuraPrice: $165 at Topo Athletic
Weight: 10.9 oz, 309g (men's size 9), 9.1 oz, 258g (women's size 7)
Stack Height: 38 mm heel / 33 mm forefoot
Drop: 5 mm
Shoe Purpose: Stability Training Shoe
Pros: Roomy toe box with good anatomic fit, Gentle guidance for those that need mild to moderate stability, Great for standing and walking
Cons: Still on the heavier side. Though foam is good for easy efforts, it still less compliant or bouncy as shoes at similar price point
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Topo Athletic Aura is a stability training shoe that uses a gradual rocker and relatively firm profile. The platform uses guidance as its main form of stability, by using what they call a Y-Frame. This is a firmed up material that extends from the lateral and medial heel to the medial midfoot. The other elements that people love from Topo Athletic, such as the anatomic fit, is still present.
SIMILAR SHOES: HOKA Bondi 9, Hoka Gaviota 5, ASICS Gel-Kayano 31
PAST MODEL: new model
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The Topo Athletic Aura fits me slightly big in my normal men's US size 10. The fit is anatomic and quite wide throughout the length of the shoe. It is a tiny bit long but not enough that I would size down. Those between sizes may need to double check which fits better before committing. The forefoot and toe box fit very wide and anatomic. The volume is normal with a little stretch from the upper. The midfoot also fits wider with a normal instep. The tongue is not gusseted and on the thinner side. I had to really tighten down the midfoot to get a secure fit and to stop heel slippage. I still experienced some mild sliding forward and the instep height dramatically decreased with how tight I had to lock down the laces. I did not lace lock the shoe, although some may need to consider it. The heel fits normal to slightly wider with mild to moderate heel collar cushioning and a moderately stiff heel counter. There is not much padding on the counter and I noticed it immediately. Those who are sensitive to counters will not do well here but those who like them will enjoy this shoe. The inner liner of the upper is actually decent but the larger size of the shoe made socks a necessity to take up the extra room. Those with wider feet who want an anatomic will do best in this shoe. Those also who want an all day walking shoe that can handle some foot swelling will also do well in the Aura
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: Saucony Guide 17, ASICS Kayano 30, Hoka Gaviota 5, Saucony Endorphin Elite, Nike Ultrafly
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Saucony Kinvara 14
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Altra Timp 5
David: The Topo Athletic Aura fits true to size in my men's 9.5. Topo Athletic normally follows an anatomic fit, meaning a streamlined heel and midfoot with a much wider forefoot. That fit pattern is consistent with the Aura. The mesh upper is decently comfortable and feels good for both running and walking. It is a softer mesh that is not overly plush. The Aura does seem to have a little more volume than I am used to seeing in the Aura, but I do not mind. Those that like having a little more space for foot swelling will like this offering. The heel has a decently stiff heel counter with mild padding. I had no irritation with that region. The tongue is on the shorter side, as most Topo Athletic shoes are. The instep seemed oddly long on this model though. The general lockdown was good, but I did find I would get some heel slippage if I did not lock the laces down a little bit tighter. The midfoot dimensions are really nice and you can feel the mesh hug your foot without being encroaching. The forefoot is very spacious without feeling like your foot is swimming. I feel Topo Athletic normally does a pretty good job in the fit category. Outside of the instep length I noticed, this is a nice daily training upper.
David's Typical Size: Men's US Size 9.5
Shoes that have fit David well: Nike Vomero 17, Saucony Ride 16, Puma Velocity Nitro 3
Shoes that have fit snug: HOKA Arahi 7
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon Aero Glide
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Yes
Is the Forefoot Flexible: Mild
How Flexible is the Shoe: Mild
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Yes
Recommended for Haglunds: Yes
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: Average
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The Topo Athletic Aura is a mild-to-moderate stability daily training shoe. The Aura is one of the rare shoes to feature a medial post and it runs all the way from both sides of the heel into the beginning of the medial forefoot. This adds some firmness to an already firmer but cushioned ride. There is plenty of foam underfoot and the stack height feels taller than the listed 38mm. The 5mm is noticeable but it does not feel super low. There is a good posterolateral heel bevel that makes the heel transitions mostly smooth. The lateral extension of the post adds some stiffness that does break in after 10-15 miles and then the heel transition really smooths out. The forefoot is still firm but slightly softer than the heel. There is an early forefoot rocker that makes for a smooth transition combined with with mild flexibility. Those with toe mobility issues will not have enough stiffness here but those wanting a touch of flexibility with an early rocker will do well. There is mild toe spring that was not really noticeable. The relaxed rocker and firmer but higher stack ride make the Aura best suited for easier running. The foam is not responsive and the slightly longer fit makes this shoe feel clunky when trying to run faster. Fortunately it does not feel as heavy as the almost 11 oz weight but it is best for plodding along. The thick pieces of outsole rubber provide decent traction on road surfaces where it is really meant to be. The durability is the best of any recent Topo shoe I have tried. The thick outsole rubber has held up well and I don't have any wear outside of some mild abrasion on the exposed midsole after 30 miles. I therefore expect these to last an above average number of miles for a trainer.
David: The Topo Athletic Aura was a pleasant surprise for me. The Aura is meant to be a stability shoe, but those mechanisms are a little more subtle. Because of that I did find that the shoe would still work for those with neutral mechanics. The shoe maintains a balanced rocker profile, with more rounding in the heel than in the forefoot. The heel does have a posterior lateral bevel which does make for a smooth initial contact. The heel and forefoot both have a central crash pad, which I think does soften the ride some. The Zipfoam certainly leans on the firmer side of foams, but 38mm of it make for plenty of foam and cushion underneath for training. The midsole feels pretty durable underfoot, but does not have the most responsiveness to it. This shoe relies on limiting the impact on the ground and its geometry. Because of this I find it used best with easier efforts. There is a firmed up piece of foam that extends from the medial and lateral heel and into the midfoot, acting as the stability mechanism. This does create less foam deformation through those regions and does feel like it gives you a touch of guidance. I think the guidance is probably coming more from the larger posterior lateral heel bevel, but they integrate pretty well together. The forefoot has a gradual forefoot rocker. The platform is on the stiffer side throughout, but has a small amount of flexibility through the forefoot when loaded.
Outsole traction underfoot is pretty decent and should serve most of your uses. Compared with other stability shoes in the $160-170, I do think the Aura performs pretty well throughout. Because it is in the premium pricing tier, I would still like to see some efforts on either a more plush foam or a lighter package, but I do think the shoe runs with a smooth and stable rocker. I will also note that this shoe is very nice for standing and walking. It handles swelling throughout the day better than most and could easily serve as a walking shoe for those wanting a bit firmer of a package.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: The Topo Aura is a moderate stability shoe with several additional guidance features. It is one of the few shoes that still feature a post, although it is unique in that the "Y" shape has extensions into both the medial and lateral heel into the medial midfoot. The post is quite long and reaches almost the full length of the foot. This is noticeable and despite how well integrated it is, provides a moderate amount of stability from the heel all the way into the posterior forefoot. On top of this, the sole is quite wide with a large amoutn of sole flare in the heel and forefoot and a wider midfoot. There are no sidewalls here for those that are sensitive to them, but there are plenty of other features that make this shoe stable throughout the length of the sole. Those with mild stability needs in the forefoot mild to moderate stability needs in the midfoot and moderate stability needs in the heel will do well in the Topo Aura.
David: The Topo Athletic Aura is marketed as a stability shoe and I do feel it runs pretty stable throughout. I feel the shoe probably falls in the moderate stability category. There is no major posting, but there is a subtle post equivalent foam that runs from the lateral heel diagonally into the medial forefoot. There is also a conjoined piece of it along the medial heel, making the "Y" shape. It is not very thick, but just firm enough to notice a stiffening of the platform through that region. There is also good sole flaring through the forefoot and in the heel. The midfoot is pretty neutral and the platform underfoot is very normal width. There is not much usage of sidewalls either. The firmer midsole and subtle components still provide a pretty stable experience throughout, but not enough for me to classify it as max stability.
Thoughts as a DPT: Heel Stability
By David Salas
When we look at our feet from an anatomic perspective, we normally divide it into 3 major sections. The rearfoot/hindfoot/heel, the midfoot, and the forefoot. For many years, stability was really only looked at through the midfoot. People thought that if you could limit pronation, that would decrease the impacts of movements and forces up the kinetic chain. Pronation is a movement of the subtalar joint, but really is a combination of movements through your foot. Pronation is a combination of calcaneal eversion and dorsiflexion through your foot. This creates a much more loose packed position for the foot and allows for the bones to splay and for your arch to allow some give. We normally go through pronation through the loading response and mid stance phases of the gait cycle. As you transition forward into the forefoot, you then move into supination. This is the product of inversion and plantarflexion and creates a much more rigid lever for you to push off from.
Some people may struggle with stability in any phase of these movements across different regions of the foot. For some its the heel, others the midfoot, and sometimes even the forefoot. The Topo Athletic Aura does a good job of providing heel stability. The Y-Frame looks like a lower case "y." The forked portion is in the medial and lateral aspect of your heel as it extends medially into the midfoot for the lower swooping part of the letter. The shoe tries to create an environment that gives you subtle but noticeable cues for guidance down the midline, without making anything too rigid. The goal is to facilitate movement, not stop it from happening. I do feel like they do a good job of that in this model by allowing some play of the stability mechanism in the heel. The decoupling allows for a more dynamic relationship with the shoe, rather than having a really firm block across the entire heel. This coupled with the posterior lateral bevel provides a nice fluid heel for initial contact and loading response.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: I was excited to test the Aura as it greatly improves on the Ultrafly 5's durability and heel transition issues I had while still maintaining the use of a medial post for those who need the rare combination of an anatomic posted shoe. The wider fit is something I think should be maintained even though I had to lock down the laces as it makes it an excellent walking and running shoe for those who have wider feet or experience swelling. My biggest area for improvement is the midsole. While boring can be good, I would like to see a little more responsiveness out of this. This shoe runs lighter than its listed weight but I would like a slightly softer and bouncier ride for efficiency over longer efforts. The firmness can be a bit much on longer runs and given the lack of versatility into faster efforts, I'd like to see more comfort over increasing miles. I can't suggest a major weight change as that would create too much overlap with the Ultrafly, so I suggest pushing the midsole more.
David: I enjoyed my time in the Topo Aura, but I would like to see a couple of modifications. The first would be the instep. I enjoyed the roomy fit of the Aura, but I did feel that the instep length (from the back of the heel counter to the tongue) was a little long. This did cause me to have some heel slippage initially and made me lock the shoe down more. The second would be for the shoe to either invest in having a more plush foam to lock it into that premium category, or just work on reducing the weight. I think the shoe runs pretty smooth as is, but does feel a bit heavy. If it lost some weight I think that would make a large enough change to negate a midsole foam change.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The Topo Aura is a higher stack height moderate stability shoe for those who want both a medial post and central guidance in a gently rockered sole with a wider anatomic fit. The fit will work best for those with wider feet and those who want a wide anatomic toe box. The midsole will work best for those who want a firmer but cushioned ride that works well for easier runs, walking and standing. The design of this shoe is excellent from an orthopedic standpoint given the wider/anatomic fit, firmer ride, lower drop and medial stability. This is rare and something that only Topo does really well, making it a unique option within the market that will likely see additional success outside of the running market.
David: The Topo Athletic Aura is a stability shoe for those looking for subtle guidance in a rockered shoe with good rearfoot stability. The shoe uses an anatomic fit with a normal fitting heel and midfoot and a much more spacious forefoot. The foam is on the firmer side and the rocker is more gradual. There is a little bit of weight to the shoe, which takes some appeal away from uptempo efforts. With 38mm of stack height, this is a nicely done rockered shoe for easy day running and walking.
GRADES
Matt
Fit: A- (Slightly long, anatomic fit with tons of room. Additional lockdown required to secure heel and midfoot)
Performance: B/B+ (Firmer, gently rockered ride that is best for easier efforts. Runs lighter than listed weight)
Stability: A [Moderate Stability] (Medial post that runs on the medial and lateral sides of the heel and into the medial forefoot combined with wider fit and sidewalls makes for a solidly stable but not overbearing shoe)
Value: A- (Solid durability with a unique ride that will work well for running, walking and standing. Competes extremely well with similar ASICS and HOKA shoes)
Personal: B+ (I really appreciate this shoe and it is comfortable. However, I prefer lighter and more responsive shoes and it is heavier than I normally. For walking and standing it is excellent)
Overall Design: B+/A-
David
Fit: A- (Classic Topo Athletic fit with a streamlined heel and midfoot and spacious forefoot. Instep length is a bit long though and further lockdown is required to avoid any heel slippage.)
Performance: A- (Smooth rocker and balanced ride, weight does show itself some, better for daily training and walking)
Stability: B+/A- (A little more subtle but it is done well, could use a little more sidewall usage or rigidity as it transitions into the medial midfoot.)
Value: B+ (Especially as a walking shoe I think this will give great value, and for running to the right runner. I just think there are some shoes out there with nicer foams at similar price points. For the firm lovers it should last you a normal life.)
Personal: B+ (The shoe runs a little heavier than I normally like, but the rocker profile and ride is smooth. I really like it as a walking and clinic shoe.)
Overall Design: B+/A-
SHOP | SUPPORT DORTopo Athletic AuraPrice: $165 at Running Warehouse
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