The North Face Ultra Fastpack Mid GTX
Your job as a product reviewer is to be neutral-to let the product speak for itself, rather than to let your biases and preconceptions run wild about the place. Still, I have to admit to harboring doubts when I opened the box these boots came in. For starters, the North Face’s Ultra Fastpack Mid GTX don’t exactly look like boots. They look more like a pair of overgrown trail runners. Out in the dirt, however, they proved to be much more than that.
The Ultra Fastpack Mid GTX is, as the name suggest, a mid-height boot designed for the light-and-fast set. Covering lots of ground without lots of weight strapped to your feet. Not surprisingly, the boots are comfortable right out of the box-there’s no real break-in period with these things at all. The shoe’s lightweight, flexible uppers are paired with Pebax polymer shanks, which, according to the the North Face, provide torsional stability, impact protection, and energy return. Dual-durometer EVA midsoles add the necessary cushioning. The end result is a shoe that feels light and supple, but also-to my surprise-very stable, even when you’re hiking uneven, rocky terrain with a mid-weight pack. I tend to roll and twist ankles with annoying frequency. That, however, hasn’t happened a single time with the Ultra Fastpack Mid GTXs.
The North Face equips this shoe with a Vibram outsole that offers excellent traction on wet rocks and roots. Speaking of wet, we opted for the waterproof versions of the boot, which sport Gore-Tex waterproof/breathable membranes. As long as you keep the water level at ankle height, these things stay watertight. They also offer decent breathability on long, hotter hikes, so you don’t peel off your boots only to discover that your feet have turned into lathered prunes.
Let me cut to the chase: I flat-out like these boots. I’ve hiked in them. I’ve worn them around town. Hell, I’ve even trail run in them a few times. Yes, they are light and lively enough to actually accommodate shorter trail runs. On the flipside, if you’re all about logging long miles with serious loads, you’re going to want a more substantial boot. But, hell, for a whole lot of outings, these things get the job done and then some.
Will this shoe hold up to years and years of day-in-and-day-out abuse? There’s always a give and take in design-when the focus is on lightweight and comfort, you’re ultimately going to sacrifice some things such as abrasion resistance. Normally, that’d bum me out a bit. I’m not a fan of replacing products every season or two. Then again, these shoes are so comfortable and offer such excellent feel and grip of loose and slippery terrain, that I’m actually willing to pony up the cash to buy another pair a couple seasons from now.
Surprising…in a good way.
$150 BUY
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