The North Face Vectiv Pro: First Run Impressions of a Comfortable, Road-Smooth Trail Shoe

Introduction

The North Face Vectiv Pro has arrived, and after nearly nine miles split between firm riverside trails, Richmond Park, and tarmac, this first run left a strong impression. Priced at £225 in the UK and $250 in the US, it sits firmly in the premium trail shoe bracket, and the spec sheet makes the ambition clear: a 32mm heel stack with a 6mm drop, a full-length 3D carbon plate, proprietary foam, and 3.5mm Surface Control lugs.

What stood out most was how road-like the ride feels, with just enough grip underneath to make the trail sections genuinely confidence-inspiring. Here is how it performed.

Who This Shoe Is For

The Vectiv Pro makes the most sense for runners who spend long hours on mixed terrain: rolling trails that link up with villages and towns, compacted paths, and plenty of tarmac in between. If you are thinking about an ultra where firm ground dominates, this shoe slots neatly into that picture. The comfortable fit, generous toe box, and plush midsole all point toward longer days out rather than short, aggressive trail sessions.

Main Strengths

Comfort arrived instantly. From the moment they went on, the shoes felt good: a wide toe box with plenty of room, a secure lace hold across the top of the foot without constriction, and no heel slip. The padding around the collar is ample without being overdone, and the structured mesh upper holds the foot well.

The midsole is the headline. A big stack of proprietary PBA-blend super foam, which is claimed to be softer and more responsive than the midsole material in the Flight Vectiv from two years earlier, works in combination with the Vectiv 2.0 3D carbon plate. The plate has a forefoot wings shape, and the whole midsole unit carries an exaggerated rocker. The result is a wide, soft-but-springy platform under the mid-to-forefoot that soaks up impact and then returns energy right when you want it. It is lively and poppy without feeling overdone, which is exactly the balance you want on the trail.

Grip also impressed on firm ground. The 3.5mm Surface Control rubber lugs feel noticeably stickier than other road-to-trail shoes, and a grassy descent with patches of soft mud was handled without drama. On the road, they ran well enough to compare favourably with some dedicated road shoes, which is rare for a shoe with this lug depth.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Two things are worth weighing up. First, the wide forefoot platform is a real strength on straight, rolling terrain, but on narrow, twisty trails with roots, rocks, and steeper gradients, there is a question about whether the width might catch on obstacles. That is untested at this stage and worth considering if your routes are technical.

Second, the lugs are a compromise. At 3.5mm they handle firm trails, grass, and moderate mud well, but when conditions turn truly sloppy and deep, they will not cope the way a deeper-lugged trail shoe would.

How It Handled Steeper Ground

A short section of climbing and steep downhill through light mud and slippery patches added some variety to the test. The shoes coped well on the descents, and there was no sense that the foam-plus-carbon-plate combination was overkill going downhill or interfering with footstrike on the climbs. Sometimes plated shoes can feel intrusive when your landing pattern changes on ascents; that never happened here.

Buying Advice

If your running is dominated by long, rolling ultras, mixed trails that blend into tarmac, and firm ground for most of the year, the Vectiv Pro is a genuinely compelling option. The effortless, comfortable ride, the balanced feel, and the grip that exceeds expectations for a road-to-trail shoe all combine into something that felt easy mile after mile, including an hour and a half of continuous running.

If you regularly run narrow, rocky, or very muddy trails, it may be worth waiting to see how the wide platform and shallow lugs fare in those conditions before committing.

Conclusion

As first run impressions go, the Vectiv Pro makes a strong case. It is comfortable from the first step, balanced and responsive on the road and trail alike, and grippy enough on everything short of deep mud. The wide platform and shallow lugs leave some questions for steeper, more technical ground, but for long, rolling mixed-terrain days, this is a shoe with a lot to commend it.