GearTop pickTopo Athletic Ultrafly 6
Topo Athletic
My take
“My absolute favourite road shoe: room for your toes, a low drop and just enough support.”
NiklasUpdated 18 Oct 2026
Love it
- Anatomical toe box gives your toes room to spread
- Light stability from a medial post that now wraps the heel
- Low 5 mm drop on a multi-density ZipFoam midsole
- Extra outsole rubber for durability and grip
Fair warning
- ZipFoam rides fairly firm and flat, with little bounce
- Only modest shock absorption for a high-cushion shoe
- Toe-box mesh scored low in lab durability tests
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The longer story
Topo Athletic Ultrafly 6
The Ultrafly 6 is Topo Athletic's light-stability road shoe: a foot-shaped toe box, a low 5 mm drop and a medial post that now wraps the heel, all on a multi-density ZipFoam midsole.
Why I Recommend It
This is one of my two absolute favourite running shoes (the other one is the Altra Lone Peak 9+). It nails a combo few shoes get right: real room for your toes, a low drop and a little guidance underfoot, without going full motion control.
Topo shapes its shoes like actual feet: wide at the toes, snug through the midfoot and heel. For version 6 they added even more cushioning, a lighter upper and more rubber on the outsole.
The key insight: a shoe shaped like your foot beats a foot squeezed into the shape of a shoe.
Key Takeaways
- Anatomical toe box with a secure midfoot and heel, in standard and wide fits
- 32 mm heel, 27 mm forefoot, 5 mm drop
- Multi-density ZipFoam: softer against your foot, firmer and more responsive against the ground
- Redesigned medial post wraps the heel for smooth, light stability
- 272 g in a men's US 9, with an OrthoLite insole
Who It's For
Road runners who want a roomy, natural fit and a bit of support for daily training and easy miles, especially if you overpronate a little or have low arches. It works for walking, too. If you're after a bouncy, high-rebound foam for tempo days and races, look elsewhere.
