The North Face Trail Running Shoes 2026: Four New Releases Worth Watching

Introduction

The North Face has a busy 2026 planned for trail running. Four new shoes are on the way: two updates in the versatile Ultima line, the first Gore-Tex version of that line, and a lighter, more performance-focused Offtrail for technical mountain running. Here is what each one offers and who it makes sense for.

The North Face Ultima 500 V2

The Ultima 500 V2 lands in January 2026 and is the headline update of the Ultima line. The first version helped define the hybrid or door-to-trail category, and this second version keeps that identity while trimming weight and adding a much more breathable upper. The foam is new as well: higher rebound and lighter than before. Stack height stays the same at 30 mm in the heel and 24 mm in the forefoot, with 4 mm lugs on top of the midsole.

The big material story is a new surface control outsole compound, which brings a claimed 20% higher wet traction and over 20% improved abrasion durability. The ride sensation stays familiar to fans of the V1, and the roomier 4-foot fit that defines the Ultima line carries over unchanged. One small but welcome detail: the race lace from the Vective line now comes to the entire Ultima family. At a claimed 277 g, it is over 25 g lighter than its predecessor. Pricing is set at $170, described as post-tariff pricing.

This is the shoe for runners who want one versatile trainer for easy days, doubles, dog runs, and rolling mixed terrain, inspired by Front Range trails like Mesa Trail and Davidson Mesa where a little road connects to mostly rolling trail.

The North Face Ultima 300

The Ultima 300 arrives in the same January 2026 window and is built for a similar terrain profile, but at a lower price point and with a different foam story. Instead of the V2’s foam, it uses a new super high rebound EVA that the brand describes as the best EVA it has produced, a reminder that super foams have pushed EVA development forward too. It shares the surface control compound and 4 mm lugs with its sibling.

At a claimed 267 g, it is over 20 g lighter than before, and it targets runners who simply prefer a low-to-mid-stack shoe. The use case is easy to picture: a comfortable recovery-day or out-the-door trainer for people who do not want everything in their quiver to be high stack. It runs $150 and uses a last closer to a standard modern running profile rather than the more race-rockered Vective last.

The North Face Ultima 500 V2 Gore-Tex

Coming in August 2026, the Ultima 500 V2 Gore-Tex is the first shoe to use Gore-Tex Invisible Fit. It takes the underfoot experience of the Ultima 500 V2 and wraps it in a more protective upper, aimed at runners training through winter in places like the Northeast or the Rockies who want more warmth and protection while still valuing breathability in their everyday shoe.

There is a thoughtful winter-specific detail here too: lace tips pick up snow and ball up badly in cold conditions, so the design team added a small lace pocket at the front to tuck the laces away. That keeps them from collecting snow, flopping around, or making the shoe hard to untie. The race lace carries over here as well, along with the same surface control outsole and the line’s maximum-versatility positioning.

The North Face Offtrail Ultra

The Offtrail Ultra is the most exciting of the four and arrives in August 2026 at $190 in the US. The Offtrail franchise debuted in fall 2024 with the burly Offtrail TR, a shoe that could handle anything but was not the lightest or most performance-oriented. The Ultra pulls toward the mountain-running end of the spectrum: lighter weight, more performance, and still highly capable. Its last is a derivative of the Ultima last.

The upper uses the dual warp hydrophobic construction from the Vective line, with no dust liner for maximum drainability and breathability, internal reinforcements for structure, and strategic tongue padding. The standout feature is the Screen Guard gaiter, built with a supplier chosen from five candidates for maximum stretch and recovery so the shoe stays easy to get on. A prototype refinement from athlete Zach Miller, used heavily in his Hardrock training, moved the rear seam up into the medial pocket to eliminate rubbing. The race lace tucks into a small stretch goring band.

Underfoot is where this shoe really breaks new ground. It is the first to use dual-density Dreambound foam, the next evolution of Dream foam that will roll out across the highest-performing foams from fall 2026 onward. A firmer outer shell acts like a bathtub, protecting the midsole and the foot and adding inherent stability on technical terrain, while a softer inner foam provides rebound and comfort directly below the foot. No adhesive joins the two densities, which keeps weight down and leaves nothing to delaminate. Stack height with midsole plus outsole is 29 mm heel and 23 mm forefoot, deliberately mid-stack for all-day mountain running without losing ground feel. The outsole has 5 mm lugs, full rubber coverage, hash marks indicating where ice spikes can be placed, and a scrambling zone at the toe for the moments when technical mountain running turns into scrambling.

Buying Advice

If you want one do-everything trail trainer, the Ultima 500 V2 is the most versatile pick. If you prefer a lower stack and want to spend less, the Ultima 300 covers easy and recovery days at $150. Winter runners who need warmth and protection should wait for the August Gore-Tex release. And for runners who spend their time in genuine technical mountain terrain, the Offtrail Ultra looks like the most capable and most innovative shoe of the group.

Conclusion

The North Face’s 2026 trail lineup is a well-paced story: refinement in the Ultima line, a smart winterized variant, and a genuinely new dual-density foam platform in the Offtrail Ultra. Whether you are looking for a versatile daily trail shoe or a serious mountain companion, there is something in this group worth putting on your shortlist.