Resident trail running nerd Tim unpacks what makes this chunky white ultramarathon weapon so impressive.

On my desk in front of me sits a dirty, off white piece of ‘Dream’ foam. It’s 37mm thick on the heel side, and 31mm down near the toes. Attached to its top is a piece of engineered mesh with holes so big that I can see inside. The laces are serrated to help them stay tight and the gusseted tongue looks straight off the marathon circuit. Inside the foam there are two rigid plates, and I can see one poking through.

They’ve called it the Vectiv Pro 3. I think it looks like a spaceship.

 

I abducted them into the bush, instead of vice versa

 

Seriously, if you’d shown me this shoe five years ago my jaw would have hit the floor. I know it would have, because it did when I tried out the first version back in 2021, the Flight Vectiv. Back then it was the first trail running shoe to feature a carbon plate.

Fast forward a few years, and The North Face have been putting in serious work. Unlike many running shoe brands who’ve (somewhat lazily) ported their tech over to trail shoes with a ‘she’ll be right’ attitude, The North Face, who don’t make road runners, have gone all in on trail-specific tech on the Vectiv Pro 3.

The shoe in front of me today has gone through some big evolutions and has some subtle improvements on the much-loved Vectiv Pro 2. When a pair came my way a few weeks ago, it took precisely one test run to ditch my planned race shoe and use these for the Buffalo Stampede Marathon down in Bright.

So what’s so good about them?

Dream Foam

Imagine cooking up a foam in the lab and being like ‘This is it, Dream foam!’ *manic cackle*. At least I assume that’s how it happens. Anyway, the full-length midsole of this shoe (the big foamy bit) is made of Dream foam which features blended PEBA and EVA foam.

In English? Well PEBA is known for being fast and springy, while EVA is known for being cushioned and flexible.

 

Closest I’ll get to running on (responsive) clouds

 

While many brands are putting in layers of each into their shoes, The North Face have cracked the code with this recipe, resulting in a responsive-yet-cushioned ride.

They’ve also chucked in heaps. 37mm is high for a trail shoe (and 4mm higher than the previous model) but the way it flexes around rocks and trail features whilst still returning energy with every step is impressive. But it couldn’t do it without a little help from its friends…

The Two Plates

Unlike road running shoes, trail running shoes are allowed* to have more than one ‘rigid plate or blade’ in official races. Thank god, because it seems to be the solution. One issue that the original Flight Vectiv had, and other trail runners with a single carbon plate still have today, is that it makes the shoe too stiff and likely to aggressively tip over when you inadvertently put a foot wrong.

The Vectiv Pro 3 solves this by splitting the plate’s duties. Plate one sits on top of the midsole, and is all about that front to back propulsion. It’s pretty simple, it’s carbon fibre and has a few slits near the toes to allow for some flexibility.

On top of this is an insert of more Dream foam to level up the comfort, and then, the 3D Vectiv plate. This top plate is all about stability and it’s the one you see cupping the sides of the foot, and wrapping around the midsole in the pics. It’s made of TPU and is a little bit more flexible too. Effectively, it gives the shoe a skeleton that ensures all of the elements work together.

*In official races, if you’re a pro. If you’re slower, the shoe rules don’t really matter.

 

The black stability plate is very visible

 

All of this, combined with a pretty wide base, results in a shoe that subtly guides your foot back to centre on technical terrain, yet allows you to open up and make the most of your training on fire trails and nicely-groomed single track.

Rock-er On

Good rocker is fast becoming a non-negotiable for me, and I don’t care how fussy that makes me sound. Rocker is essentially a curve in the midsole that helps propel the foot forward. But it’s a bastard to get right in trail shoes.

Done well, it feels like a rolling motion that saves you energy and doesn’t get in the way on rougher terrain. Luckily, The North Face have a huge stable of athletes and the geometry on this rocker is very dialled.

Surface CTRL Grip

There are precious-few brands that can avoid the lure of Vibram for the grip on their trail shoes, but The North Face is one of them. Their singular focus on trail shoes and their huge R&D budget means that the Surface CTRL rubber is comparably high-performance, both in grip and durability. The chevron pattern tackles all kinds of terrain, but the 3.5mm lugs are definitely race-focused. That being said, it’s more grip than I’ve seen on other race-focused trail shoes recently.

 

Grip wasn’t an issue, even in the wet

Minimalist Comfort

Two things that race shoes are bad at are comfort and durability. On the durability side, I’m pretty impressed, having run 100km total in them I’d have expected them to look more beat up than they do. On the comfort side, the foam heel cup is plush and made to avoid rub, but the tongue is a matter of taste and some people might find it hard to get the perfect ‘lock down’ depending on their foot shape.

The width is where they really shine, with a roomy toebox and more secure upper. This is the perfect combo for running steep downhills as your toes have room to move naturally and the force holding your foot in place is spread through the entire top of the foot, not just the top knot. I’ve been using the second eyelet holes to counter heel lift (thick foam and two plates doth not bend easily).

 

Did I mention that they’re absolutely gorgeous?

Who are they for?

The Vectiv Pro 3 was designed for the elites and is already making its way onto podiums, but the impressive array of tech makes them perfect for Australia’s varied, often technical trails. If you like to run fast or long off road then they’re definitely worth a look.

They will set you back around $400, which is pretty standard for tough carbon shoes with heaps of fancy foam, but could be too much if you’re not a trail tragic. Luckily the Vectiv Enduris 4 carries much of the same DNA for around $270, and it’d double as a great hiking shoe.

 

Vectiv Enduris 4, comparatively looking like Darth Vader | @eandrewsphoto

 

Keep an eye out for an in-depth review in the coming months after I’ve had more trail time with the Vectiv Pro 3.

 

Photos by Sam Heaton

At We Are Explorers we take great pride in presenting content that is fact checked, well-researched, and based on both real world experience and reliable sources. As a B-Corp we uphold high ethical standards and strive to create content that is inclusive, with an an increased focus on underserved communities, Indigenous Australians, and threats to our environment. You can read all about it in our Editorial Standards.