The North Face’s New Fully Loaded Hiking Boot Should Put Every Footwear Brand on Notice

Has the North Face finally reached its footwear summit?

Published January 29, 2025

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Updated January 30, 2025

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There can be no doubt: the North Face is one of the most trusted names in the outdoors, and it has been that way since 1966.

Iconic pieces like the Himalayan Suit and Base Camp Duffel have long set the industry standards for their respective categories; others, like the Nuptse Jacket and Borealis Backpack, have even transcended their outdoorsy roots to become stalwarts of urban life.

a woman standing on a snowy mountain wearing an orange snowsuit — The North Face first released the Himalayan Suit (pictured) in 1994. In 2023, it designed a version specifically for women.

But if there’s ever been a knock against the 59-year-old manufacturer, it’s that it just doesn’t take footwear all that seriously.

Its limited lineup of shoes and boots have never really threatened the dominance Salomon, Merrell and, more recently, Hoka, which has rapidly expanded beyond running with all-terrain boots like the popular Kaha and Anacapa.

However, a brand-new, fully loaded hiking boot called the Offtrail Hike LT Mid should put more than one footwear brand on notice.

Summit fever

To be fair to the North Face, the new boot isn’t the first indication of an aggressive attempt to reach the peak of the footwear mountain.

Just last year, Katie Schide crushed the UTMB (Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc) course record in a pair of Summit Vectiv Pro 2, finishing the world’s most prestigious trail race in a time of 22:09:31.

Shortly thereafter, the brand followed up with the launch of the Summit Series Offtrail TR. Easily its most ambitious shoe to date, the trail runner boasts a cornucopia of technical features, including an integrated gaiter, Kevlar-reinforced forefoot wrap and Boa’s top-of-the-line Li2 dials, which control three straps that fully envelop the wearer’s foot.

The North Face Summit Series Offtrail TR Shoes reverse angle — Last year’s Summit Series Offtrail TR (pictured) is easily the brand’s most ambitious footwear option to date.

While the new Offtrail Hike LT Mid may lack the gaiter and Boa dials, it adopts a similar overall profile to the Summit Series Offtrail TR, as well as a few of its less sexy (albeit no less impressive) features. Importantly, it also brings some of its own choice ingredients to the table.

All-terrain, all the time

For starters, the Offtrail Hike LT Mid offers its own form of ankle protections in the form of a midcut upper reinforced with a PFAS-free Gore-Tex membrane for responsible water resistance. Cordura, too, adds a layer of ruggedness and protection to the forefoot.

As with the Summit Series Offtrail TR, a hard-wearing Surface Ctrl outsole promises reliable, long-lasting grip, while the Skycore rock guard acts as a shield against sharp objects and errant rocks underfoot.

Around the heel and forefoot, rubber wraps increase lateral stability, while the padded collar and tongue promote all-day comfort, even on ragged terrain.

At the very least, the specs of the Offtrail Hike LT Mid should appeal to any hiker in need of a technical boot for demanding terrain. But as is often the case with Hoka, a suite of street-savvy colorways could entice one or two sneakerheads to pick up a pair, too.