The North Face Vectiv Fastpack Futurelight Review

The Vectiv Fastpack Futurelight from The North Face offer a great combination of low weight, water resistance, breathability and comfort, making them an attractive option for hiking and trail running.

Great news: This shoe is also available in a women’s fit.

Pros / Reasons to Buy

Very comfortable
Low weight

Cons / Reasons to Avoid

Limited choice of colors
Potential long-term durability issues

Editor’s note: This article is part of our guide to the best hiking shoes, be sure to check out the rest of this guide for our top buying tips:

28 Best Hiking Shoes
How to Choose The Right Hiking Shoes
How We Tested Hiking Shoes
Compare Hiking Shoes
Related content: How to Re-lace Your Hiking Shoes for Better Comfort
Also in this series: 20 Best Waterproof Hiking Shoes

The North Face are a well-respected brand in the outdoor scene. In recent years they’ve branched into fashion, but the Vectiv Fastpack Futurelight shoes are still, first and foremost, hiking shoes. These shoes pack a lot of The Nort Face’s technology into their design including their in-house Futurelight water-repellent but breathable membrane and their distinctive Vectiv rocker-style soles. Combined with the comfort The North Face’s footwear is renowned for, these shoes are an attractive choice. However, there are some concerns with their long-term durability that potential buyers should keep in mind.

Compare to Similar Products:

	Salomon Men’s X Ultra 4 GTX Hiking	Columbia Facet 75 Outdry	Adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2 GTX	KEEN Targhee 3 Waterproof	Hoka Men’s Anacapa Aero Low	La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX Hiking Boots	Nike Pegasus Trail 3	Danner Panorama Mid	Black Diamond Mens Mission Leather Low Waterproof Approach Shoes	Lowa Renegade GTX LO	Regatta Vendeavour Pro	Merrell Moab 3 Waterproof Hiking Shoe	La Sportiva Mens TX Hike GTX Hiking Shoes	The North Face Men’s Vectiv Fastpack Futurelight Track Shoe	Vasque Men’s Juxt Hiking Shoe

Buying Options
Our Ratings	Best Overall Men’s	Best Budget	Most Versatile	Most Comfortable	Best for Summer	Best for Technical Trails	Best Appearance
Pros	Robust whilst feeling light and aerodynamic, excellent traction	Great value. Breathable and water resistant	Striking Design. Makes use of recycled material	Comfortable. Very durable	Light weight. Extremely comfortable and quick to bed in	Relatively lightweight. Good support	Very lightweight. Very comfortable	Rugged build. Clean, minimal sytling	Very low weight. They look great!	short break in, comofrtable, tread grip is substantial	Bargain price. Well made	Reputaton for comfort. Resaonably priced	Relatively light weight. They Look Good	Very comfortable. Low weight	Durable build. Extremely comfortable
Cons	Fast lacing system won’t be for everyone	Not the lightest. They might look a little plain for some	Pricey. Sole material can look tatty with time	Dated design. Pricey	Not as water resistant as some competitors. Divisive Styling	Styling may not be to eveyone’s taste. Pricey	Not as durable as some competitors. Not suitable for very cold or wet conditions	Took a little while to break in. We wish there was a little more ankle support	Pricey. Soft rubber sole may wear quickly	Limited range of colors. Long term durability concerns	Limited Color choices. Not the Lightest	No the lightest design and color choices may seem dated to some	Slightly vague sustainability credentials. Sizing guidance is confusing	Limited choice of colors. Potential long-term durability issues	No waterproofing. Limited color choice
Traction	Very good	Good	Continental outsole with medium/deep thread pattern	Full rubber outsole with deep thread pattern	Very Good	Full rubber outsole with medium/deep thread pattern	Very Good	Full rubber sole with medium/deep thread pattern	Rubber outsole with deep thread pattern. Uses ‘Black Label’ Sticky rubber for better grip.	Vibram outsole with medium/deep thread pattern.	Full rubber outsole with medium/deep thread pattern	Vibram outsole with medium/deep thread pattern.	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good
Breathability	Very good	Good	Fine mesh upper with Gore-Tex membrane	Mesh sections on upper backed with waterproof membrane	Very Good	Breathable mesh upper with Gore-Tex	Very good	Minimal use of mesh, and unvented leather in main body of shoe but there is a Gore-tex membrane the boot is not insulated.	Breathable ‘BD.dry’ waterproof lining with some mesh sections. However unperforated leather will limit breathability.	Mesh lining backed with Gore Tex membrande	Breathable mesh upper with ‘Isotex’ waterproof membrane.	Breathable mesh upper with waterproof membrane	Good	Good	Very Good
Ankle Support	Minimal but feels supported	Minimal	Medium – Mid height boot. Support can be adjusted via lacing	Minimal – Low top shoe with minimal ankle support	Minimal	Good – Mid height design with adjustable tensioning via laces	Minimal	Medium – Mid height boot. Support can be adjusted via lacing	Minimal – Low top shoe with minimal ankle support	Minimal – Low top shoe with minimal ankle support	Good – Mid-height design with ankle collar adjustment via laces.	Minimal – Low top shoe with minimal ankle support	Minimal	Minimal	Minimal
Arch support	Regular	Regular	Gently moulded arch support in insoles	Subtle arch support	Very good	Subtle arch support	Regular	Subtly shaped inner section offers gentle arch support		Subtle arch support	Subtle arch support	Moulded nylon arch shank	Regular	Regular, but rocker-style sole may help comfort for some wearers	Regular
Fit	Fits true to size – regular	Regular – can run slightly large	Available in sizes from US 6/UK 5.5/ EU 38.6 up to US 15/UK 14.5/EU 50.6. Suitable for normal to wide feet. Runs small, so recommended to buy a slightly larger than normal size.	Meant to be very comfortable for a slighhtly wider foot – with lots of toe room. Available in sizes from US 7/uk 6/EU 39.5 up to US 16/UK 16/EU 49	Regular	Availalble in standard and wide versions. Available in sizes from US 5.5/UK 5 /EU 38 up to US 14/UK 13.5/ EU 49.5	Regular	Available in standard and wide fit. Standard is good for narrow/normal width feet. Available in sizes from US 7/ UK 6.5/EU 40 up to US 15/UK 14.5/ EU 50.6	Typically suitable for normal width feet. Some reports indicate it’s wise to size up a little. Availalble in sizes from US 6/UK 5/EU 38 to US 14/ UK 13/ EU 48.5	Santadard – nothing to note, can be good for wide feet and standard feet may be a bit wide for narrow feet. Available in sizes from US7.5/UK 6.5/EU40 to US 16/UK 15/ EU 51	Suitable for normal to wide feet. Available in sizes from US6.5/UK 6/EU 39.3 to US 12.5/UK 12/EU 48	Suitable for normal width feet – have a reputation for out-of-the-box comfort. Also available in a wide version. Available in sizes from US 7/UK 6.5/ EU 40 up to US 16/ UK 15/EU 51	Regular – can run a little small	Regular to narrow fit	Regular and Wide versions available
Materials	Synthetic	Fully synthetic	Fully synthetic with Gore-Tex membrane. Minimum of 50% recycled material used in upper. High density foam sole can degrade with time.	Nubuck Leather and synthetic upper with Waterproof Membrane	Synthetic and nubuck leather	Fully synthetic with Gore-Tex membrane	Fully synthetic	Suede and synthetic with Gore-Tex membrane	Nubuck leather and synthetic	Nubuck Leather and synthetic upper with Gore-Tex Membrane	Fully synthetic with waterproof Isotex membrane	Pig suede and synthetic. Mesh lining, laces and webbing are made from 100% recycled materials.	Fully synthetic	Fully Synthetic	Suede leather and synthetic
Appearance	Modern, grippy hiking shoe	Modern hiking shoe	Ultra-contemporary style with a wide range of colour ways – many are quite vivid	Slightly dated styling compared some newer designs	Modern hiking shoe with oversized sole	Contemporary styling. Available in a number of colour ways ranging from neutral to very striking.	Modern running shoe	The sytling is reminiscent of a hi-top basketball boot, but with with a clear modern interpretation.	Contemporary styling referencing classic sports shoe. Available in two colour ways	Design inspired by traditional hiking shoes. Limited color choices	Unintrusive styling. Available in a range of colours – some with vivid colour accents.	Unintrusive styling. Available in a range of colour options – mostly muted, ‘earthy’ colours.	Modern hiking shoe	Modern hiking shoe with oversized sole	Modern hiking shoe in earthy colors
Durability	Very good	Good	Medium to high	High	Good	Medium to high	Good	High	High	Medium to high	Medium to high	Medium to high	Very good	Good	Excellent
Weight (pair)	800g/1lb 11.2oz (pair)	833g/1lb 14oz (pair)	910g/2lb	861g/1lb.14.8oz	706g/1lb 9oz (pair)	940g/2lb 1oz	642.8g/1lb 7oz (pair)	1048g/2lb 5oz	666g/1lb 7oz	950g/2lb 1.5oz	1080g/2lb 6oz	900g/2lb	790g/1lb 12oz (pair)	646g/1lb 7oz	822g/1lb 13oz (pair)
Insoles	Padded removable insole	Padded removable insole	Removable insoles	Removable, dual-density EVA footbeds cushion your stride	Padded removable insole	Removable insoles	Padded removable insole	Removable three-layer cushioned insoles	Removable insoles	Removable insoles	Removable foam insoles	Removable insoles	Padded removable insole	Padded removable insole	Padded removable insole
Break-in Period	Minimal	Minimal	Minimal	Straight away	Minimal	Minimal	Minimal	Medium	Minimal	Meant to be able to wear straight out the box	Minimal to medium	Minimal	Minimal	Minimal	Minimal
Lacing system	Quick lacing system	Regular laces	Standard laces	Standard laces	Regular laces	Multizone lacing system allows control over fit	Regular laces	Standard laces	Standard laces	Standard laces	Multizone lacing system allows for precise fit control	Standard Laces	Regular laces	Regular laces	Regular laces
Toe Protection	Reinforced rubber rand on toe	Reinforced rubber cap on toe	Hardened rubber toe cap and thin but full boot rand.	Hardened rubber toe cap	Reinforced rubber cap on toe	Hardened rubber toe cap	Reinforced rubber cap on toe	Hardened rubber toe cap and full boot rand.	Hardened rubber toe cap	Hardened rubber toe cap	Hardened rubber toe cap and rand on front section	Hardened rubber toe cap and rand on front section	Reinforced rubber rand at front	Reinforced rubber cap on toe	Reinforced rubber rand and toe cap

Table of Contents

Traction
Breathability
Ankle Support
Arch Support
Fit
Materials
Appearance
Durability
Sustainability
Water Resistance
Weight
Insoles
Break-in Period
Lacing System
Toe Protection

Analysis and Test Results

The North Face have a tremendous reputation in the outdoor community and not without justification. For a very long time, their Hedgehog hiking shoes were our personal favorites and the shoe we would always recommend. However, time moves on, technology improves and the Vectiv family is now The North Face’s flagship hiking and trail running shoes. These shoes pack a lot of technological innovation into their design, and for many hikers they will be an absolutely perfect choice, combining a great combination of ventilation, water resistance and excellent comfort – helped by their innovative Vectiv sole design.

Performance Comparison

Traction

These shoes feature a sole made from a soft rubber compound with deep lugs. This combination gives great traction – even in less than ideal weather conditions (though very wet rocks or grass, mud and ice will still thwart the grip of these shoes). However, there is a trade-off involved in this and it’s worth bearing in mind that softer rubber soles like these are not as durable as the harder rubber soles found on some competitor’s shoes. This means you can expect the thread on these to wear down quicker than on some other shoes – especially if you spend a lot of time walking on hard surfaces.

Breathability

The North Face Vectiv Fastpack Futurelight feature a mesh upper section that offers excellent breathability. They are not as well ventilated as some of the other shoes we have assessed, and the Futurelight membrane surely does compromise the breathability further. If you are only hiking in very warm and dry environments, a shoe without a waterproof membrane may be a better choice, but, if you encounter rain in your hikes, the performance here, coupled with the water resistance offered by the Futurelight membrane is generally excellent.

Ankle Support

These are hiking shoes and, as such, they don’t offer any direct ankle support. It used to be a given that you’d wear boots for hiking, but that logic has been truly upended and, whilst boots are still the preferred choice for technical hiking and mountaineering, hiking shoes like this are a great option for general hiking, walking and trail running. For those who would rather have the extra ankle support, these Vectiv Fastpack Futurelights are also offered as mid-high boots.

Arch Support

The first thing you’ll notice about these shoes – and indeed all the shoes in The North Face’s Vectiv family – is the distinct, curved, oversized sole. This is a type of ‘rocker sole’. Rocker soles have been around for a very long time, but they were popularized in mainstream footwear by the brand MBT in the early 2000s. There are many positive claims associated with this type of sole, including that they encourage good posture in the wearer, can alleviate pressure spots and even improve moving efficiency. It’s difficult to quantify a lot of these claims, and different wearers will have very different experiences, but it’s worth bearing in mind that rocker-style soles are claimed to provide increased comfort for people who generally need extra arch support. If the arch support they offer still isn’t enough, the neutral insoles provided with these shoes can easily be swapped out for a more heavily shaped insole to increase arch support as needed.

Fit

These Vectiv Fastpack Futurelight shoes are offered in a single width and are generally true to size (in keeping with the rest of The North Face’s footwear range). These shoes are offered in sizes ranging from US 7/UK 6/EU 39 through to US 14/UK 13/EU48, going in half size increments. These shoes are generally considered better for people with regular to slightly narrow feet and they can pinch somewhat on wider feet.

Materials

The North Face Vectiv Fastpack Futurelight are fully synthetic shoes. The use of synthetic materials helps these shoes hit their impressive low weight whilst still maintaining their water resistance.

Appearance

These are basically modern synthetic hiking shoes – and they certainly look the part, with the design making a feature of the contrasts in texture between the different materials used in the shoe. They are offered in a number of color ways – all dark, neutral and earthy. Whilst the shoes are absolutely modern in their styling they also are not too over the top or in your face and we think that many prospective buyers will appreciate this. We also can’t talk about these shoes without mentioning the oversized, distinctively curved sole – the Vectiv part of the shoe’s name refers to the sole. The appearance of the sole may not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s not just there for looks and the shape and thickness of it are integral to the ergonomics of these shoes.

Durability

Generally, footwear from The North Face has a great reputation for durability. However, if you read online reviews, there’s plenty of reports that the latest footwear from the brand – including these Vectiv Fastpack Futurelight shoes – is not as durable as their products used to be, with the mesh upper fraying and the soft rubber in the sole wearing down relatively quickly. But let’s put this into perspective: Our reviewer previously had a pair of Fastpack Futurelight shoes without the Vectiv sole and did experience all of these wear issues, however they took well over a year of very regular use to begin to manifest and, even then, were purely cosmetic. These shoes still provided several years of good use before they eventually wore out and given the similarities between those shoes and these one, we see no reason why they shouldn’t be equally durable.

Sustainability

Like all major manufacturers, The North Face is dedicated to improving their sustainability credentials. They are committed to reducing waste during production, moving towards using more recycled material and also reduce the environmental footprint of their suppliers and retailers. This all sounds great, but the information they’ve published on this topic is, sadly, vague on details and it’s difficult to find breakdowns of recycled materials used in specific products, for instance. Given the size and market influence of this brand, it would have been great to see more progress here.

Water Resistance

These shoes feature a Futurelight membrane. Futurelight is The North Face’s in-house waterproof, breathable membrane that has replaced Gore-Tex in many of their products (though it’s worth noting that the two materials have slightly different properties, and The North Face still offers plenty of products that use Gore-Tex). The Futurelight membrane does a great job of keeping your feet dry in wet conditions, though it’s still possible to flood the shoes if water gets in over the heel cuff or around the tongue.

Weight

The North Face Vectiv Fastpack Futurelights weigh in at an impressive 646g per pair – putting them at the lighter end of shoes we’ve assessed. This will certainly make these shoes appeal to hikers who value light weight gear and, even if this isn’t your main priority, it’s worth bearing in mind that weight carried on your feet causes disproportionate fatigue on longer hikes: put simply, you’ll feel more benefit from wearing a lighter pair of shoes than you will from reducing the weight of, for instance, your backpack by the same amount.

Insoles

These shoes come with a fairly generic pair of padded insoles. These are in line with what most manufacturers offer and for most hikers, these will be absolutely fine. However, if you want to fine-tune the fit of your shoes or add extra arch support, then swapping out your insoles is a great and inexpensive way to achieve just this.

Break-in Period

The North Face’s footwear is well known for its comfort straight from the box and these Vectiv Fastpack Futurelight shoes are no exception. No shoes are completely free from a breaking-in period, but we’d say these come very close and for most people, they’ll be good to wear out on a long hike after a few shorter local walks or a day spent wearing them around your home.

Lacing System

These shoes use regular, old-fashioned laces. It may not seem like there’s much to write about laces, but many hikers and walkers don’t realize how much flexibility they give in terms of being able to fine-tune the fit of your shoes. You can also change your lacing pattern to further refine the fit.

Toe Protection

In common with most other hiking shoes, these Vectiv shoes have a reinforced rubber toe cap formed by the extension of the thread pattern. On these shoes, this is backed up by a rubber rand around the toes. This won’t provide the same level of toe protection as you’d find on more heavy-duty hiking boots, but it’s still enough to absorb and deflect many of the sort of knocks you’ll likely encounter on the trail.

Conclusion

There’s a lot to like about The North Face’s Vectiv Fastpack Futurelight. They pack in a lot of cutting-edge footwear technology to deliver a lightweight, comfortable hiking shoe that’s still breathable and water-proof. On top of all of this, these shoes are often also available at a very attractive price point. However, it’s not all positive and the shoes may not be comfortable for those with wider feet and there are also some concerns about the long-term durability of some of the materials used. None the less, these are impressive hiking shoes, and we think that many hikers and trail runners would be very happy with these.

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