Altra Torin 8 vs Topo Phantom 4

The Altra Torin 8 and Topo Phantom 4 are running shoes that appeal to runners who dislike tapered toe boxes and want space for their toes to spread, but they get there with different paths. The Torin 8 leans into Altra’s zero-drop approach, keeping your foot level and encouraging a flatter, more natural stance that can feel closer to a minimalist shoe. The Phantom 4 keeps the same roomy forefoot idea but pairs it with a moderate 5 mm drop, so it feels more like a conventional daily trainer in how it rolls through transitions, just with a more accommodating front end.