This is my first pair of hiking/trail running shoes. I chose these based on two factors: style and tread. I saw the The North Face Prophecy's at Cabela's in Glendale, AZ and liked the overall feel of the shoe. I went with the Hedgehog's because of the Gore-tex lining. These are much more comfortable in the Las Vegas and Arizona heat. I climbed up at Red Rock Canyon and these shoes were like glue on the rocks! 5 hours of use in 90+ degree heat and my feet were not aching. I also invested in some synthetic socks by Under Armor which also helped (regular cotton socks created too much friction inside the shoe.) If you don't need the waterproofing abilities of this shoe go with the lesser priced Prophecy model. I'd wear these shoes everyday but I don't want to wear out the bottoms. ;)

definitely a great shoe -- comfortable right out the box -- but if i order another will go with a wide-- shoe is everything as described-- I would recommend this shoe

My girlfriend bought these for me for my birthday. I must say, i love them. I have worn them a lot, and they are SO comfortable. I didn't have to break them in at all! They fit true to size. Also, they truly are waterproof. I filled a bowl up at my house and stood in it...nothing! They have incredible grip at the bottom, walking on ice the other day, not one slip. They look awesome, which is always a plus. The only thing i can say about these guys is, make sure you have socks that match the heigth of the back of the shoe. They will rub, but it's very easily preventable! It's a fantastic buy...i promise!

There are several variants of the North Face XCR "trail running" shoe. Some are a bit lighter than others, and some are a bit too gaudy for my conservative taste. I have had 5 pairs so far, and my only complaint is that they are not as durable as I would like, though they have given decent service considering how I treat them in Colorado, Korea, and in Patagonia. (Colorado seems to have perpetual mud/wet seasons). I am pleased with the waterproof/Gore-tex characteristic. I find that the standard insert is good enough (for support) that I don't have to use my custom inserts. The sole gives quite good traction on most surfaces and has fair durability (better than many trail running shoes). I plan to continue using this series of XCR shoe.

The TNF Hedgehog is the perfect shoe for day trail hikes. They are the perfect blend of comfort and durability. As a former Army Ranger I know the importance of keeping you feet in top condition and this shoe fits the bill perfectly. These shoes will keep your feet warm and dry - as long as you don't step in water over the ankles - and provide outstanding traction and support, even on the longer hikes and tougher terrain. TNF got it right with these shoes and I hope they continue to offer them as is.

I work in a town that gets over 13ft of rain a year, and these are the shoes I wear to work. Last year, these shoes kept my feet dry during a very wet Ketchikan, AK summer. Would definitely recommend to anyone that spends time in the rain like I do.

This is an excellent shoe. I hike mostly 1/2 day moderate to difficult hikes around Phoenix, AZ and this shoe has held up great. Good support for such a light shoe. Breathes well too. Never had a problem with the metal shoelace loop rivets hurting my feet.

I can't add much that hasn't already been said. I bought the Hedgehogs because I needed something with good grip on wet and slippery surfaces that would keep my feet dry through year round bush conditions. After over a month of heavy use, three to five times a week, the shoe performs as advertised.

The North Face last fits my foot particularly well. After a full 8 hours hard walking in the shoe off paved surfaces, my feet don't get soreness or hot spots and foot fatigue is minimal.

My pair has yet to show any signs of premature wear. A friend of mine had the same shoe, and after a full season of hard use the laces failed in a couple places where they are stressed by the eyelets. On the other hand, about the same time I got my Hedgehogs he replaced his with a pair of Gore-Tex Salomons, which are already starting to have the stitching fail where the uppers flex at the forefoot.

Not the lightest shoe around, but considering it's very waterproof, and the soles grip most surfaces like crazy, it's a great compromise. I'd buy another pair when my current ones wear out.

The shoe is decent. They have good grip, and very waterproof. On the down side, the shoe strings don't feel all that strong. It feels like if you pull them tightly they could snap. Thats not good considering I have had shoes with strings that seemed to be a 100 lbs test. Also with these shoes, if tied tightly, the rivets on the inside of the shoe dig into your foot. Its really uncomfortable. To avoid this I laced the shoe strings every over hole. Overall, the shoe is ok, I'm sure there is better out there.

I bought these for hiking and light backpacking, and I love them. Super light, comfy and good looking. The Vibram soles and Gore-Tex are the icing on the cake. The Vibram soles look a little more beefy in the picture, but I highly recommend.

These shoes are perfect for daily winter wear. It you're tromping around in wet conditions you can't go wrong. They're comfortable and make a great everyday casual shoe. I think they fit true to size.

all in all this is a great shoe. I've used mine for day hiking and trail running and they held up just fine. just make sure you get your correct size because if you have to lace up too tight the metal inserts on the lacing might bother you a bit

The North Face XCR shoes are the most comfortable and durable shoes that I have purchased. They are worth every cent. I would pay double for the shoes. Currently I have three pair and when they get the other colors that I like in my size I will probably purchase another pair. My father was looking for a good pair of shoes, so I recommended the North Face Hedgehog XCR and he too is very happy. The shoes are water proof, durable, light weight, and most importantly comfortable. Anyone would be happy with these shoes.

Waterproof and comfortable, cool-looking shoes with aggressive tread. I used these for trekking in Italy, everywhere from hiking trails in Tuscany to urban streets in Rome. I agree with another reviewer, however, that if tied too tight, they get uncomfortable on top. To be waterproof, the tongue has to be all one piece and attached to the inside of the shoe, so it tends to bunch up if you tie it too tight. Overall, however, I'm very pleased.

Recently took these on a 17 mile hike and they performed awesome. No particular sore spots on my feet after 12+ hrs. of hiking. Grip was excellent over all terrain encountered. Debated these over a pair of trail-running due to weight, but weight never became an issue. These are my first pair of North Face shoes and I definitely would look to this brand for another pair.

All in all these are a great shoe. They do an excellent job of wicking moisture, and the \Vibram soles are sticky as glue. The only complaint is that if you lace them tightly the spot in between the first two eyelets closest to the toes bunches up and tends to rub. Choose size wisely. Don’t go bigger to fit thicker socks.

The shoes have been excellent as far as performance, mostly used for trail running/speed hiking. Extremely light, supportive. The only issue is the top of the shoe on the metal lace-ups dig into the top of foot causing pain if tied to tight.

I wore this shoe exclusively for 2 weeks in New Zealand. It is waterproof, comfortable, and durable. Very highly recommend.

I have to say that I do love these shoes for a light hiker. I typically wear a 12 or 13, depending on the brand, but the 12's are what fit me the best. With that, if you are on the edge of a shoe size, I would recommend going with the smaller size. These are very comfortable shoes for day hikes and so on. I've tried them out for 9 days in a Utah canyon with a very heavy backpack and they worked ok. It's certainly not what they are made for though, and showed it towards the end. They have always stayed water proof, and the support has been consistent. The reason I rated the shoes as 4 stars is for two reasons. First the tongues on the shoes take a while to get used to when you try to really tighten up the shoe. Second, my pair seems to eat shoe laces, which could be a problem if they fail on trail. I would recommend them to anyone.

Good shoe but if you don't get the tongue in correctly it will be uncomfortable. Otherwise sturdy waterproof shoe.

Great Shoes! Good Design, It feels comfortable and lightweight.
At first I thought i was wearing a shoe with shock absorbers, and it has a good traction for slippery roads and trails...

I needed a waterproof hiking shoe for my trip to Ireland. They were very comfortable and had great traction out there. I will probably be wearing these shoes a very long time.

On a trip to the Adirondacks, I found myself in more snow than my party was accustomed to on a certain side of one of the mountains. We were post holing all over the place. I say all this to vouch it truly IS waterproof. I have worn these on approximately 10 trips, and wear them any time I'm on my feet for long durations of time. I'm amazed at the support that they offer, and the back issues that I don't have when wearing these shoes. Only issue I have found is sometimes if I don't get the tongues positioned just right they put pressure on the front part of my foot and my foot aches against the pressure. This issue was resolved after working them in completely.

I bought these shoes one week before a week-long trip to Patagonia in Argentina. I bought them without trying them on so, really I just used the other reviews on the site to help.
THEY WERE PERFECT.
The Vibram soles made me feel like I was Spiderman at times the way these shoes gripped boulders and rocks on the trails.
The fit was great (slightly big, I'm a tad above a 11.5 but not quite a 12) and I went with the 12 which were perfect with Smartwool socks. But not so much with casual socks (for my urban hiking adventures around NYC.)
This was the first The North Face product I bought from a non-TNF distributor. I'll be a return customer!

I would have to agree with the other reviewers, top can get uncomfortable if its too tight.... but what shoe can't? I wear them with superfeet and love them!

I've been using The North Face shoes for a month now. Living in Seoul, Korea, I do a lot of walking. The Hedgehogs are holding up great. The tongue needs adjusting every now and then, but it is a very comfortable shoe all around. I got a chance to go play in the snow the other day and I stayed dry and warm. The shoes slip off and on real easy but once they are on, it is a comfortable, tight fit.

I purchased this shoe for disc golf in all seasons. Aggressive tread and waterproofing are more critical for this that what I would need in a hiking shoe. The Hedgehog XCR low fit the bill in both categories while still not being unreasonably heavy and bulky. So far the shoe has held up well through soggy, muddy and sloppy conditions and the tread provides the necessary grip to keep from slipping when performing a throw. The shoe has also stayed dry inside despite being plunged halfway into the occasional running water and walking through waist high wet grass. I have also used these shoes hiking on both well maintained and poorly maintained trails. After a full 8 hour day of walking off-pavement my feet have very little soreness or fatigue and never any hot spots. I would expect soreness after using this shoe a full day on paved surfaces.
My pair is showing no signs of wear after almost daily use and it's been over a month since I've started using them. A friend had the same shoe, and after a full season's hard use on the disc golf course, the lacing had broken in a couple spots where it wore against the eyelet.
Overall I would probably buy another pair of these when my current pair wears out. The North Face last fits my foot well and the shoes perform as advertised.

Great shoes, wear them everyday can't go wrong with these shoes for the price.

Great shoes, hold up good and their comfy.

Yes, I used these on a 3 day pack trip while carrying over 30lbs. By the end of the trip it was apparent that they were not made for that. These shoes are a sweet DAY hiking shoe. Waterproof, very comfortable and they hold up pretty well. The tongue is a bit weird. If you have bone spurs on the top of your foot you might have some pain until you get the tongue to sit in the right way. Plus they look pretty sweet.