Topo Aura Performance Review

The Topo Aura is Topo’s new maximum-cushioned stability shoe built to compete with the likes of the Asics Gel-Kayano and similar stability cruisers from other brands. Topo’s anatomical toebox provides extra space up front that most stability shoe wearers likely aren’t accustomed to but will likely enjoy (if they’re anything like Annie and I). 

But does the Topo Aura measure up to other high-cushioned stability shoes on the market? Let’s find out.

What is the Topo Aura?

According to Topo, the Aura is “the stability shoe you’ve been waiting for. Aura effortlessly combines our signature fit with pronation support and max-cushioning, so you get the best of it all. Our unique Y-Frame Guidance System offers a smooth and stable ride, while plush cushioning is paired with our responsive ZipFoam™ midsole for comfort you’ll feel all the way through.”

What you’ve just read is basically the same spiel every company ever gives its stability shoes: “It’s the best of all worlds. Totally stable. We promise!” So we’re not going to get too excited over the description, as we’ve seen similar ones before. Getting a shoe out on the road is the only way to tell if it truly offers a “smooth and stable ride”.

Cushion

Drew: The Topo Aura features two layers of cushioning and a medial posting system that’s also made of foam. There’s a soft-to-the-touch top layer, a firmer, more stable foam making up the majority of the midsole, and an even denser foam in a Y-configuration under the medial heel, medial midfoot, and the lateral heel. 

They all fall under the ZipFoam family name which isn’t confusing at all… While annoying, that’s becoming standard practice in the shoe industry. Companies don’t want to trademark various names for all the densities of foam they use when, largely, the major foam properties are the same. The average person probably doesn’t care [Editor’s Note: accurate], but nobody thinks about the shoe reviewers. Sigh. [Editor’s Note: EYEROLL. What a hard life you lead.]

Enough of the pity party, let’s dig into how this midsole feels. It’s a lot like the Topo Atmos, but the heel and forefoot are way more consistent. The geometry, the foams, and the guidance system all work in concert so that the ride is smooth without any of the slappiness I get from other stability shoes. The Y-Frame recedes into the background when not needed so the midsole can do its work.

The midsole is firmer than most max-cushioned shoes on the market; but that’s to be expected, as the Aura is optimized to reduce side-to-side motion. That means it’s not the best midsole if your goal is to maximize squish, but it’s perfectly capable of stacking up double-digit mileage days…even if you’re over 200 pounds like myself.

Annie: While our foot-and-a-half height disparity means we sometimes experience shoes in significantly different ways, I found the Topo Aura’s midsole, with its various densities of ZipFoam, to feel pretty much as Drew described.

The top layer Topo used here is definitely the softest ZipFoam I’ve felt underfoot. But immediately following that initial sensation is the stable, denser feel of the rest of the setup. It’s not a jarring transition from softness to firmness; in fact, the firmness kicks in at just the right moment to catch the wave of the rocker geometry and roll you right into your next stride.

It’s not unusual for a stability shoe to feel stilted and/or cumbersome to my gait, but Topo has created a surprisingly smooth ride in the Aura. I think the 5mm drop may also be partly to thank for keeping most of the potential “stability shoe clompiness” at bay.

That’s not to say it doesn’t feel at all like a stability shoe. But it definitely stays out of the way of a neutral stride better than most, and it offers its stability in such a manner that you don’t feel forced into a rigid point of view.

Support

Drew: The Topo Aura’s support system is the Y-Frame of dense foam under the heel and midfoot, alongside a heel guiderail located atop the midsole. It’s pretty standard stuff for a stability shoe and will combat excessive pronation nicely.

For those that don’t excessively overpronate, the support features stay out of the way and don’t move my foot in annoying or painful ways.

And that, I think, is the key to a good stability shoe. Each wearer’s gait is different, including how much they overpronate. Heck, it can change based on how tired the runner is. Stability shoes that do the job but get out of the way when the runner is in a groove are the cream of the crop.

Annie: I’m with Drew here. As someone who doesn’t necessarily respond favorably to a ton of structure and support, I’m always pleased to see a company execute a stability shoe in the way Topo does.

While the Aura’s stability is more noticeable when compared with the Ultrafly 5’s moderate cushioning and more flexible build, it still manages to avoid the overly controlling and/or blocky feel of so many other high-cushioned stability models.

Yet it is stable. It is supportive. It’s difficult to feel anything other than well-planted when striking the ground in the Aura.

There is also some extra structure built into the mesh at the base of the lateral and medial sides of the upper (the darker purple portions on my women’s colorway). It has a substantial but not too restrictive feel, and the upper’s lockdown kept me securely centered on the footbed.

Traction

Drew: I found the traction to be good as long as the ground was dry. But wet, snow, and other wintry conditions seemed to make my footing unreliable and put a slight bit of slippage into each footfall. There are no nubs or lugs on the bottom of the shoe, so that’s fairly normal behavior for a running shoe that’s saving weight with the rubber pattern.

As long as you keep the Topo Aura on dry ground or the treadmill, you’ll have a good experience.

Annie: As Drew said, dry roads were totally fine, but the traction wasn’t great in messy conditions, regardless of the temperature. I experienced some slipping on rainy and snow-covered pavement, and damp boardwalks got especially dicey.

While I appreciate that Topo didn’t make an overbearing outsole that would have further stiffened up the ride of a shoe already built for stability, the lack of reliable grip ends up being my only real gripe with the Aura. [Editor’s Note: I can’t tell whether she meant to do that or not…]

Upper

Drew: The anatomical fit in the toebox is always appreciated, but the rest of the Topo Aura’s upper is standard Topo. The engineered mesh upper is comfortable and accommodating without any hotspots. There’s nothing to worry about but also nothing to brag about.

Annie: Indeed, the anatomical fit of the toebox is usually the main story when it comes to a Topo upper, and that probably means the company is doing something right.

While I’m of the (maniacal) ilk that would love to see something resembling the ultra-flexible, ultra-lightweight, and still-very-comfortable upper of the Topo Cyclone 3 on just about any shoe, the mesh on the Aura’s upper does its job without presenting any problems.

I also appreciate that Topo opted for a different heel construction compared to that found on the Atmos. The Aura’s heel shaping is less rigid and doesn’t angle slightly toward the Achilles in the way the Atmos’ did. The build here just feels more refined overall.

Is the Topo Aura wide foot friendly?

Drew: Yes, the Topo Aura is wide-foot friendly. Those that are widest in the forefoot will find the foot-shaped forefoot to be luxurious compared to most running shoes.

Annie: What he said.

As for sizing in general, the Topo Aura fits the tiniest bit long; but even so, I’d probably still recommend most runners stick with their typical size – except, perhaps, for those who are both frequently between sizes and also have narrow feet.

Since I’m often between sizes but have wider feet, I was grateful that Topo kindly gave me the opportunity to test both my “smaller” size (a women’s 6) and my “larger” size (a women’s 6.5).

While the size 6 felt like it aligned more precisely with the contours of my feet when standing and walking around and gave me a full thumb’s width of space at the end, I still ended up favoring the 6.5 for running.

As it would happen, I found the opposite to be true with the Topo Cyclone 3 (in which I preferred my “smaller” size). But the Cyclone 3 has a far more flexible build; whereas the Aura is of course geared toward stability and support. Given the difference in both use case and amount of structure, my feet simply felt more comfortable in my “larger” size in the Aura.

[Editor’s Note: See our Topo Cyclone 3 review for a more detailed size comparison on that shoe.]

Is the Topo Aura worth $165?

Drew: The Topo Aura is priced correctly against other max-cushioned stability shoes as they all tend to sit right around that $165 price point. There’s no extra value here, but you’ll get what you pay for.

Annie: While I’d love to see a bit better outsole performance from the Topo Aura, it nevertheless holds its own with its competitors and is a worthy buy at $165 – especially since its anatomical fit offers something most other stability shoes don’t.

How to use the Topo Aura

The Topo Aura is built for runners that need stability to correct excessive pronation but still want a large stack of foam underfoot.

Topo Aura Summary

Drew: The Topo Aura is a solid max-cushioned stability shoe and should be on the radar of all wide-footers seeking a supportive, stable shoe. While it’s not meant to pick up the pace, it’s a cruiser that can soak up a ton of miles while mildly correcting errant footfalls.

Annie: The Topo Aura takes the brand’s signature anatomical fit and adds plenty of cushioning and well-tempered stability. The top layer of the midsole boasts the softest ZipFoam to date, and the firmer midlayer and Y-Frame work well with the rocker geometry. The result is a smooth but highly supportive ride that’s tuned for daily miles and relaxed long runs.

How does the Author Run?

Drew Whitcomb (age 43, 6’6″ 200lbs): Runs daily with a once a week rest day. Runs a lot of miles due to testing needs and a growing affinity for long-distance races. Regularly competes in marathons, half-marathons, 10k, and 5k races.

Annie Keris (age 39, 5’0” 117lbs): Typically follows a “two days on, one day off” running routine. “On” days include daily miles, speed work, and long runs. An “off” day usually involves yoga and mobility/recovery work. Enjoys occasional racing but perhaps enjoys the training process even more. Gravitates most toward the half marathon distance, but ventures into the 10k and 5k as well. The marathon is thus far uncharted territory…

Disclosure

While Topo did provide a pair of the Aura to facilitate this review, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.