The North Face Women’s Hedgehog Fastpack GTX Hiker Shoes Review

If you’ve been looking for a pair of ladies hiking shoes that are completely waterproof while still allowing air to caress your toes and keep them fresh, then you are in luck. The North Face Women’s Hedgehog Fastpack GTX Hiker Shoes are exactly that,  Waterproof with a breathable membrane.

Choosing the proper footwear for your hike can mean the difference between a hellish day, plagued with foot problems or a glorious day filled with hiking adventure never once thinking about your feet.

A great hiking shoe offers you with an efficient waterproof system, good traction, support, and more. The research in this article comprises of my personal findings, discussions with the ladies in my local hiking club and researching dozens of real user reviews.

In this article, we review every aspect that makes up a great hiking shoe. We will do a deep dive into the pros and cons of the
The North Face Women’s Hedgehog Fastpack GTX Hiker Shoes, hopefully giving you enough solid information for you to decide if they are for you or not![toc]

First off: What The Customers Say

Many reviewers agree that these shoes offer great support on light to fairly rough terrain. They also have an efficient mesh lining that actually allows air to penetrate the shoes and keep your toes nice and fresh. This combination makes these shoes perfect for hiking. You’ll have great support and stability while not tiring yourself any more than necessary.

Customers also reported that the shoes take a little while to break-in, but besides that, these shoes are lightweight and made of high-quality material. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t last you for years.

Performance Analysis (The North Face Women’s Hedgehog Fastpack GTX Hiker Shoes )

Comfort

Because of the break-in period required, it may take a while for you to fall in love with these shoes. Now, once you do, you really are going to love them. The material takes a while to adjust, but they get really comfortable after that.

Another contributing factor to the comfort of these shoes is the upper mesh. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to keep your toes fresh if you’re going on a hike, especially on a hot day.

Weight

Again, these are lightweight shoes. The surprise here is that it does have a short break-in period. Apart from that, the shoes are very lightweight which is perfect for people that are going to wear them for long periods throughout the day. If your shoes are even slightly heavy fatigue sets in much much quicker.

The other impressive thing about these shoes is that even though they are light, they score incredibly well for support. Usually, lightweight shoes don’t offer great support, which isn’t the case with The North Face Women’s Hedgehog Fastpack GTX Hiker shoes.

Support

These shoes have really good traction and support for being very lightweight. You can find shoes with even better support, but they will definitely be heavier. Again, they offer great decent in rough terrain and feel effortless over smooth terrain.

The EVA midsole, which offers more quality and improves support, is present in this model. So, if you need good shoes for hiking or backpacking, then The North Face Women’s Hedgehog Fastpack GTX Hiker shoes are a great option.

Traction

These shoes are perfect for dry terrains. Here is where their traction stands out. It bites well into the ground, giving you great stability. You’re not going to have problems going in trails full of rocks, branches, and the other usual obstacles.

Now, if we’re talking about muddy hikes on rainy days, the performance will not be as impressive. I found the performance average in muddy trails. These shoes don’t dig in as well as other models.

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Water Resistance

I was pleasantly surprised by these shoes when it came to the waterproof system. I thought since the upper mesh works so well letting the air get to my toes that the water would end up finding its way in, but that was not the case.

It doesn’t soak in the water or let small rocks penetrate the shoes. The Hedgehog Fastpack GTX Hiker Shoes will keep your feet dry through the whole day. With time, you’re going to realize this feature not only keeps your feet dry but also ensures durability.

Durability

There were some concerns about durability. Some were unfounded bias due to the shoes being so lightweight and others made sense like the upper mesh lining. When shoes allow too much air to come in, with that, over time, small pieces of grit can make its way in occasionally.  It’s a minor bugbear and should not put you off too much as this is the problem with most shoes.

Based on my experience so far, and the majority of reviews from people who have had these shoes for a long time, this problem is far from a deal breaker. These shoes have great durability and functionality and the potential to last you for years to come.

Mesh Lining

For hiking, trail, or just running, I value the mesh lining a lot. I know, from experience, that your feet need the air for these activities so you can get more comfort out of it. If the shoes don’t have that system working well for them, I just won’t recommend them. It’s that important to me.

With the The North Face Women’s Hedgehog Fastpack GTX Hiker shoes, the mesh is 100% efficient. Your toes will be able to breathe, and your hiking trips will be more fun and comfortable. If you get “hot foot” while hiking then these are probably the shoes for you.

Out-of-the-box wear

As mentioned before, these shoes do require a break-in period. Still, even though they aren’t ready to be worn out-of-the-box, the break-in period is short. Once they’re ready, they’re very comfortable.

What’s in the box

With no surprise, you’re going to get a beautiful pair of The North Face Women’s Hedgehog Fastpack GTX Hiker shoes and the laces. These shoes have two upper eyelets instead of only one, which is proven to give you more options for ankle support since it changes the position of the laces.

Verdict

I found these shoes to be almost perfect. They are right for you if you want good support while still being lightweight.  They will give you all the main features like water resistance, breathability, traction, durability, and everything else without having to be heavy.

I found these shoes excellent for rough terrain which makes for an excellent days hiking. It was great to not have to constantly think about how my feet were hurting or how hot they were inside the shoes. I also found myself not as tired in the end. Just those little things made all the difference for me.

Pros:

• Waterproof
• Breathable
• Flexible
• Effective tongue and lace system
• Arch support
• Good toe protection
• Excellent traction
• Consistent shoe sizing

Cons:

• Short Break-in period required.

Specific sections

Can I wear these shoes for heavy trails?

These shoes are perfect for light backpacking on a sunny day. They are lightweight with great breathability. Now, if you’re used to going to heavier trails, you may want shoes with better traction and support like the Merrell Women’s Siren Edge Hiker shoes. They are slightly heavier shoes but more fitted to much heavier trails.

Conclusion

If your looking for a pro pair of woman’s hiking shoes, which look great and tick most boxes, then most definitely you will not be disappointed. The North Face Women’s Hedgehog Fastpack GTX Hiker shoes are also great for walking your dog, and many more outdoor activities. A fantastic choice.

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Happy hiking!

Ps.  If you would like to read our full review on top 5 best hiking shoes for women, please Click Here.