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Is The North Face’s New Approach Shoe Actually the Perfect Everyday Sneaker?

The stylish, quietly technical Clyffe can take you from city streets to mountain crags without breaking stride.

tnf x mellow clyffeThe North Face

By Steve Mazzucchi

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Pineapple on pizza. Grilled cheese and pickles. Chocolate-covered pretzels. And now, climbing shoe and everyday sneaker? 

“Dynamic contrast” specifically applies to a crunchy outer shell housing something soft or creamy — think Oreos, Combos, Nutty Buddies — but the Clyffe’s hybrid appeal extends far beyond this tortured comparison.

That’s the unlikely pairing The North Face is pushing with its latest shoe, the Clyffe. The product of a collaboration with Mellow, a collective of world-class climbers and boulderers, it may seem like a longshot.

But just like the above combos can be surprisingly tasty, this bold experiment look awfully promising. Here’s why.

The TNF x Mellow Clyffe

In food science, there is actually a term for blending different sensations into one bite: “dynamic contrast.”

It more specifically applies to a crunchy outer shell housing something soft or creamy — think Oreos, Combos, Nutty Buddies — but what we might call hybrid appeal extends far beyond this tortured comparison.

tnf-x-mellow-clyffe-action
A lugged Vibram outsole will keep your steps steady on the rocks.
The North Face

Which brings us to the Clyffe, which boasts that rare combination of casual good looks and technical superiority. (As long as we are getting all semantic, we should note that it is most fittingly described as an approach shoe — you’ll have to change into yet more technical climbing shoes before attacking the crag.)

Encased within the Clyffe’s unassuming old-school sneaker silhouette are more rugged qualities. Those traits enable it to pass muster with Mellow’s hard-climbing founders — Daniel Woods, Shawn Raboutou, Jimmy Webb and Giuliano Cameroni — whose YouTube channel’s visceral videos regularly garner hundreds of thousands of views.

tnf-x-mellow-clyffe-beauty
With a focus on performance, the shoes feature relatively minimal TNF and Mellow branding.
The North Face

Toward that end, the shoe boasts a tough Cordura and suede upper, a non-marking Vibram outsole with 3-millimeter lugs and a grippy rubber toe. The result, TNF says, is footwear that’s comfortable, durable and primed to carry you from bouldering to bar-hopping with both performance and style. 

Which certainly sounds preferable to the hassle of having to change shoes three times in the course of an active day — especially if you’re hustling to hit the bar before they run out of Hawaiian pizza.

Availability and pricing

The Clyffe is available now in a wide range of sizes for $129.

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