Waterproof but, durability & sole construction = LAME.

By charlieg81 Ranked #1485 - Men's Trail Run Shoes November 28, 2008

Waterproof and great cushioning. HOWEVER, that is the full extent of anything positive I can say about this shoe.

Durability is another thing (and equally, if not more, important). Unfortunately, within 3 weeks of standard use (running/disc golf/day hiking), the soles are falling off BOTH shoes and the rubber toe guard is coming UNGLUED on the right shoe. At this rate, I can only imagine what another month might do...

Initially, I was impressed at keeping dry running through shallow puddles, HOWEVER, having worn them for ONLY 3 weeks now, I can honestly say that North Face should be ashamed for putting this poorly constructed product on the market. 'Good-looking but un-functional' has no place in the outdoors (but, this seems the new standard for North Face). From other users reviews, my experience with the 103 GTX XCR is becoming a common trend with their shoes... buyer beware. Maybe NF will go back to producing durable and functional products some day, but reputations are hard to rebuild so it's likely a long uphill climb (in my opinion).

Lucky for me, backcountry has a great return policy so, after return, I will purchase either the Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra GTX or the Vasque Velocity VST GTX XCR. From my research, these seem much more durable/functional (I will update this review if not).

View Details: The North Face Ultra 103 XCR Trail Running Shoe - Men's

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