Have been looking for good approach shoes for a while. These things are great. The first trip I was real careful on them because I didn't know how much to trust them. But after a good class 4 slab or two, all trust issues are gone.

If you have been looking for a hiker that can do it all, then look no further. The North Face Smedge approach shoe is a work horse. After 3 straight days of scrambling up Class IV rock and hiking across canyons, the Smedge didn't let up. It's Smearacle Rubber out sole was so grippy I caught myself going up cliffs I normally wouldn't look at without dedicated rock shoes, but they held on tight. Their also comfortable enough to kick around town in and still get off the beaten path when you feel like it. So if you are looking for a do all shoe that is comfortable and able to hang on like a three toed sloth , then The North Face Smedge is it.

These shoes are reminiscent of the Montrail CTC. The fit is narrow and long in the toe for the size. They would've been too tight if I'd of down sized for the toe length. If you have a narrow foot this might not be a bad choice.
The rubber is not very sticky! I like sticky rubber when I'm talus hopping or climbing or doing techy approachs. As such they will be long wearing with this harder rubber. They will make good hikers more than good scramblers above 3rd or 4th class. The "smedge" platform is anvil like in its profile making it jut out too far for it to be a decent edger and the rubber is too hard to make it smear well in compensation for it's edging shortfall.
Again if it fits your narrow foot and you don't need it to climb 4th or 5th class. It looks like a well built shoe with climbing shoe styling and hiking shoe manners. I've returned them for some La Sportiva EXUM pro's which I'v had luck with before in a similarly lasted shoe for my Med wide foot.

I've got a lot of use out these durable and comfortable approach shoes. They look smart and have good rubber, and they're definitely all day shoes. Now - I guess 'smedge' is a combination of smear and edge, and I would say they have no feel through the thick soles for smearing and with their fat rubber soles not at all incut under the base of your foot - they really edge poorly. I climb a lot at the Gunks and these will help you hit the 5.5s, but a tricky 5.7 might just hose you down! All in all though, they've definitely got their place and unlike my other approach shoes, they are built to last.

Yikes - I can't believe the reviews here got me to buy this shoe. I wear a 13-14 narrow, and there are NO manufacturers of sticky rubber approach (canyoneering) shoes that are long enough for me. I have bought three of the best brands, they are all too short, and 13 is the largest size ANYONE offers. Smearing up is O.K. but coming down KILLs my toes. O trusted that the reviewers were accurate - saying that this shoe is lobger than it says. IT IS !!!!!

So - I just finished 9 days of super climbling all over arches and canyonlands with friends, the shoe performed THE BEST - as soon as I figured out how to get it to fit. Tips: yes, it is long, but like many shoe designs, this one laces down to the tip of your toes. Stupid. Feet do not go to a point. So - lace the first three lace crossovers as usual - loosely. Then tie a double knot - so that your toes won't get squeezed more than that. Lace the rest of the shoe to fit, tighter for a lot of downhill smearing or edging. Also, If you use a toe jam into a wide crack, there is no rand on the outside edge of the shoe to protect you. Cut off a strip of 1/8" moleskin about 3" long x 1" high and apply it to the inside of the shoe where you need padding. If you get into a lot of soft sand, plan on emptying the sand out occasionally, the mesh fabric of the shoe is a sieve for the sand - which eventually fills the footbed and starts wearing your skin off.
This is the best shoe for a 13 narrow foot - but like all products - you have to figure out how to get it to work for you. Almost as sticky as 5-10 or mad rock - after three days of skuffing the soles on sandstone, they got more sticky and I knew exactly what I could do with them!

I got these shoes as a replacement for Merrell Edge approach shoes and these have a far superior fit, performance, and construction. I would say they have an average fit for the size and didn't need any breaking in for me. I've been wearing them for about 1 month almost daily. The breathable upper is heavier and more durable than I expected (which is a good thing) and protects my feet well when I snag on a branch or wedge it in a crack. The lacing system allows for excellent adjustment, but its not easy to quickly change from a loose to tight fit when you move from trail to scramble. The heel loops are a bit small to get a finger through to pull the shoe on, but work well to clip them on a carabiner.

The rubber seems to be a good mix of stick and durability. After a month of mixed trail, rock and concrete, I detect some tread wear in the toe and heel, but not but not what I would consider excessive for a street shoe (certainly more wear than I expect from a hiking boot).

The last is torsionally stiff, but retains flexibility on the ball of the foot. This provides a good mix of performance on both trail and scrambling rock. The inside toe edge is farther away from my foot than I'd like, but edges far better than my previous approach shoe and any sneaker/sandal I've tried climbing in. I'm able to climb featured 5.9 routes in these shoes, but keep in mind that they are an approach shoe, so don't have the performance you need in a true climbing shoe. Edging in these shoes requires substantial foot strength. The tread is not very extreme, so slips easily on loose steep trails, while has decent stick smearing on slabby rock.

No arch support at all. I have several pairs of Keens and Birks. I have what I have always thought was a normal arch, but these felt like walking on wood, with no support in the arch at all. Cool looking shoe and wanted to like them but couldn't make them work for me. If you are a bit flatter footed, this is likely the shoe for you. I went and tried ona bunch of hikers and landed on a Keen again.

These our my first approach shoes. Grippy!!!! I hope NF still makes them when these wear out.

I got into these shoes to replace another pair of NorthFace approach shoes I had gotten a while ago, and couldn't find. Like most "rock" shoes, I really love the metal shank in the arch of the shoe (which hlep when walking over angled rocks). They are a little less flexible than the last pair I had, BUT...I have taken them up with me rock climbing a couple times and I am not at all disappointed in how they grip the rocks on scrambles.

I took the shoes out of the box and immediately set out to climb one of Colorado's 14ers. Without any pre-climb breaking in I found them to be as comfortable as running shoes, weigh about as much, but have a torsional stiffness that really makes them perform on talus and crossing boulder fields. The soles have been cleverly designed: the forefoot has minimal lugs and mold themselves to whatever rocky incline you face. The heel lugs grab loose dirt and gravel on steep trail declines. The best aspect of the shoe is the smearicle sole material. While my girlfriend was struggling up cliff sections in her hiking boots, my new shoes gave me solid foot holds and let me climb with ease. After returning from the trip I ordered a second pair for the lady.

I've put a few more trips on the shoes climbing 13ers. They are wearing faster than I would have liked, but I think they will last long enough to merit the price paid. Moreover, the material isn't as breathable as I would have hoped. My feet tend to get hot in the shoes, and if made wet by a misstep in a creek your feet will stay wet most of the day.

Overall, a fantastic shoe an a lot of fun on rocky trails. I would definitely buy again at this price!

Nice approach shoe that is also a great hiker. Stiff but sticky sole gives great traction scrambling rocks and hiking around. The upper is very breathable and the to-the-toe lacing makes for a great fit. Id suggest sizing down a half size if your on the fence between sizes.

These are solid shoes. The mid-sole is nice and stiff and provides excellent support and protects your feet well. My longest day on these was 15 miles so far and they worked great. They have excellent grip on rock and work quite well for dirt/sand trails. These shoes are well vented also. All in all a solid shoe. Will work well for approach and if you are just looking for a solid hiker these will be great. My foot is 11.5 and I have a wide forefoot. The 11.5 fit great right out of the box.

I bought these shoes for my husband to take to the desert. I got tired of watching him slip on the slick rock in his skate shoes. These Smedge shoes not only stick great to rock, but they also look pretty cool