Is The North Face a good shoe?
I am asking because a local hiking store has them on sale for over half price. I was just wondering if anyone else has tried their shoes.
I'm happy with the Ultra 109.
Which North Face shoe?
I have the NF Ultra Fastback (women's), recommended to me after a lengthy fitting by Outdoor 76 in Franklin on my 2015 southbound section hike, and I've been very happy with them. They are lightweight, and the soles grip really well. But what works for my feet may not work for yours.
I saw a lot of hikers being upgraded to a blue-colored North Face trail runner at Outdoor 76.
If they fit well, don't have rub points, and the toe box is right, then they are good shoes. If any one of these are in question, they aren't.
One time when I was looking at some shoes at Dick's, someone walked up to the guy next to me and asked him if he liked the NF shoes that he was wearing. The guy immediately said, No, these are terrible. That's why I'm here looking for new shoes.
I wore a pair for two weeks during my AT thru south of Shenandoah NP. They started falling apart and I knew they wouldn't stand up to the rocks in PA so I bought a pair of hiking shoes in Waynesboro, VA.
More walking, less talking.
I have not been impressed by the quality of TNF hiking shoes that my hiking buddy and I have tried. I didn't buy the ones I looked at, my buddy returned his after a week on the trail.
Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.
Is The North Face a good shoe?
Most shoe companies makes some pretty good shoes, and a few pretty bad shoes.
But, NF isnt really a shoe company either.
They may make some OK shoes. So might Columbia, and Patagonia.
If they do, it will probably be by accident though
Bottom line, judge each shoe individually, no matter who its from
And make sure it fits and works for your foot.
The only sweeping generalization you can make about shoes, is that you cant make one.
Most are made in china, taiwan, vietnam, etc.
Many companies just give a foreign shoe factory specs, and purchase the shoes, and apply a bunch of marketing gimmicks and buzzwords to confuse buyers.
This is the way of the world today.
Last edited by MuddyWaters; 06-13-2016 at 19:40.
The first part of "hiking" shoes I purchased were a North Face mid cut GoreTex boot. I still have them and they are still holding strong. I purchased them in 2007 when I lived in MO and used them all over Arkansas. They have held up well to the rocks here in PA so far. I now mainly use a trail runner for the weight/breathability, but the boots are still there when I need them.
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