The North Face Women's Vectiv Exploris Mid Futurelight Hiking

Not quite as good as other North face shoes, for a coupla reasons:1. All my other North face shoes have non-captive lace hooks for the top two lace holes - which is *brilliant* design choice. On this pair, only the very top ones are non-captive hooks; below that are all captive eyelets. This just makes it quite a bit slower to open the shoe up to get your foot in.2. On my other North face pairs, you just wave the lace in the direction of the hook and it snaps into the hook and stays there. On this pair I actually have to focus on snapping the lace into the hook. I don't know why they changed the formula here. What are you doing NF?? Your lace hooks were amazing!3. This is the first time I've ever had issues with NF giving me a blister, BUT it normally takes me ... MoreNot quite as good as other North face shoes, for a coupla reasons:1. All my other North face shoes have non-captive lace hooks for the top two lace holes - which is *brilliant* design choice. On this pair, only the very top ones are non-captive hooks; below that are all captive eyelets. This just makes it quite a bit slower to open the shoe up to get your foot in.2. On my other North face pairs, you just wave the lace in the direction of the hook and it snaps into the hook and stays there. On this pair I actually have to focus on snapping the lace into the hook. I don't know why they changed the formula here. What are you doing NF?? Your lace hooks were amazing!3. This is the first time I've ever had issues with NF giving me a blister, BUT it normally takes me a month to break these sorts of shoes in, and I'm not there yet.On the upside:1. They have a rocker sole, which I think will suit walking really well.2. They provide GREAT support for my ankle, which I need3. They are super light.Ever since completely rupturing my ATFL I have needed mid hiking boots. North Face shoes saved my butt (or my ankle) and I have always loved their stuff. It is a bit too early for me to tell with this particular pair and I think they'll be fabulous as always once I've broken them in. The lace hook stuff is mildly inconvenient but it only mild.

Comfiest hiking shoes I've had

I bought this for a hiking trip in Mendocino in the Russian Gulch National Park. It kept me nice and clean because there was some muddy parts of the trail. Climbing up and down the trail was a breeze especially since I'm clumsy when going down a trail with ragged rocks and sand but this boot kept me really stabilized.Because I heard that these boots run small it would be best to get half or one whole size bigger. I'm usually a 6.5 and/or 7 but with this boot I went with 7 1/2. It fits perfectly with room to spare and it didn't squish my top foot!

High-quality vegan-friendly hiking boots on a budget

Very happy with these boots! Though it felt counterintuitive, I pulled them right out of the box and put them on for a day long, muddy, dusty hike (even trekked through a little creek) and they kept up with me every step of the way. I wore tall wool blend socks with them and my feet stayed dry all day, no blisters, no rubbing. I ordered true to size and they were snug but not tight. Super comfy, definitely recommend!

I love these hiking shoes !!

I absolutely love these hiking shoes. They are so lightweight and comfortable yet sturdy. It's like walking on a cloud without feeling any rocks underneath! I never tried them on and went up half a size per reviews and they fit great. I am usually an 8.5 and ordered a size 9. I used them in mud and had to walk through rocks and they were sturdy and durable ! Highly recommend!

I would buy this product again and again.

These shoes are just what I was looking for. A true rocker sole and lots of cushioning as recommended by podiatrists for arthritis in the foot. They are very comfortable and enable me to hike longer distances. The medium width works with my narrow feet with thick socks. The light color is beautiful when new, but may not look as good after hiking on dusty trails. I am happy with these shoes; please do not change them.

Less boot, more shoe. Disappointing, hardly a mid boot.

Bought these to replace some Ultra Fastpack Mids. I've worn various North Face mid hiking boots as my daily footwear for over ten years now and these are the first pair I've actively been disappointed by. North face used to be fantastic for their ankle support, which I'm not experiencing in this boot. Compared to the previous fastpacks or the hedgehogs, the shaft which rises above the ankle is shorter by anywhere from a good half inch to an inch all around, and hardly encases the back or the sides. It feels like I could more easily twist my ankle if I fall out of balance in these compared to their more rigid, encasing cousins. With the previous gens, I could always catch my balance while falling--with these, I don't feel the same support that enabled me to do ... MoreBought these to replace some Ultra Fastpack Mids. I've worn various North Face mid hiking boots as my daily footwear for over ten years now and these are the first pair I've actively been disappointed by. North face used to be fantastic for their ankle support, which I'm not experiencing in this boot. Compared to the previous fastpacks or the hedgehogs, the shaft which rises above the ankle is shorter by anywhere from a good half inch to an inch all around, and hardly encases the back or the sides. It feels like I could more easily twist my ankle if I fall out of balance in these compared to their more rigid, encasing cousins. With the previous gens, I could always catch my balance while falling--with these, I don't feel the same support that enabled me to do that.Even just standing in them, it feels like I might fall out of balance. The back sole sits lower and the toes are higher than the previous hedgehogs or fastpacks. It's more like an athletic shoe than a sturdy boot. If this is the direction that North Face is going to continue to go in for their mids, then I'm going to start testing out other brands.

Loving them!

I live in the northeast and was looking for a hybrid hiking & walking sneaker that provides ankle support and water resistance for fall and winter. Found a pair of these in a local store, tried them on and fell in love. Color was too light for winter weather messyness so I ordered the black online, which arrived very quickly. I wear a medium width size 9, with a slightly wide toe bed, narrow heal and bunions, making it hard to find a comfortable shoe without a time-consuming search. I'm thrilled to find these. Have put in about 40 miles in the past 2 weeks and love how 'springy' they feel. They also look really cute on!

Nice boots, but with questionable quality

These are incredibly lightweight and comfortable hiking boots, that don't look like boots at all. They do have a fore-aft rocking motion which feels very stable and you'll appreciate if you're a fast hiker.As for quality issues - I did have to return my first pair as the eyelet popped out as I was lacing up the boots. Awaiting on a replacement, so we'll see if those hold up. There is a possible issue with the back of the boot rubbing against the ankles, but for me, this was alleviated by careful lacing (looser on the top) and wearing quality socks. I can see how they might not work for everyone. They do have a snug, but true to size fit. If you want extra room for bulky socks or just out of preference, order a half size up. I did not and am happy with them (aside ... MoreThese are incredibly lightweight and comfortable hiking boots, that don't look like boots at all. They do have a fore-aft rocking motion which feels very stable and you'll appreciate if you're a fast hiker.As for quality issues - I did have to return my first pair as the eyelet popped out as I was lacing up the boots. Awaiting on a replacement, so we'll see if those hold up. There is a possible issue with the back of the boot rubbing against the ankles, but for me, this was alleviated by careful lacing (looser on the top) and wearing quality socks. I can see how they might not work for everyone. They do have a snug, but true to size fit. If you want extra room for bulky socks or just out of preference, order a half size up. I did not and am happy with them (aside from the eyelet issue).

Not worth it

I was so excited for these for so many reasons. I am trekking in Nepal for a few months so I was hoping these would be the ones. I took them on one 12 mile hike and I have never been so let down before with a purchase. I typically love most products from The North Face. But this time not so much, I feel like I spent a lot of money. And I will absolutely never be wearing these boots again. And I am apparently not able to get a refund so I am out a lot of money. Save your time and money choose a different pair of hiking boots.

Perfect shoe for problem feet

I have really problem feet - Achilles tendonosis, plantar fasciitis & mortons neuroma - so really suffer from heel through to toe. I ordered these shoes as I needed a shoe that was firm enough support, yet comfortable enough for extended wear. After much research, I found a rocker foot shoe in the Vectiv with a higher ankle that doesn't press on my Achilles'. The rocker design, despite it's intention to provide forward propulsion, is actually perfect for me as I now do not actually push off the ball of my foot with an accentuated stretching of my Achilles, but can walk very comfortably just letting the rocker sole do the work. ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT SHOES thank you thank you!