Trail running has spent the past few years locked in a bit of an escalation problem. Carbon plates migrated from the marathon all the way to the mountains. This meant stack heights ballooned, and suddenly every flagship trail shoe felt like a road racer wearing hiking boots.
The North Face played that game too, strapping dual carbon plates into its Summit Vectiv Pro racer. Which is exactly why the brand’s newest release caught our attention, because the Offtrail Ultra runs confidently in the opposite direction.
No Plate, No Problem
There’s no carbon plate here. No rock plate, no exaggerated rocker, and no skyscraper midsole either. Instead, the Offtrail Ultra keeps things refreshingly grounded with a 29mm heel stack, a 6mm drop, and a featherweight 9.3-ounce build.
It’s a deliberate bet that when the trail turns to loose rock and scree, you want to feel the mountain under your feet rather than float three stories above it.
One Mold, Two Foams
The midsole is where TNF spent its engineering budget. The new Dreambound midsole is a nitrogen-infused superfoam with two densities, a firmer outer layer for durability and protection wrapped around a softer core tuned for rebound.
Here’s the clever part. Both densities get formed in a single molding operation, which eliminates the adhesives normally required to glue two foams together and shaves weight in the process.
Built for the Scramble
Underfoot, the Surface Ctrl outsole uses Thinweb construction to cut weight while 5mm lugs handle the rowdy stuff. And in a detail we love, there’s a dedicated scrambling zone at the toe, added specifically because TNF’s athletes asked for it.
Those athletes put prototypes through the wringer on five continents, with ultrarunner Zach Miller praising how naturally it climbs, corners, and scrambles. Up top, an integrated ScreeGuard stretch gaiter keeps debris out of your socks, while the Papaya colorway nods to the brand’s 1990 Trans-Antarctica Expedition gear.
Spec Sheet
Brand: The North Face
Model: Offtrail Ultra
Weight: 9.3 oz (264 g, ½ pair)
Heel Stack Height: 29mm
Drop: 6mm
Midsole: Dual-density Dreambound nitrogen-infused superfoam
Outsole: Surface Ctrl with Thinweb, 5mm lugs
Upper: Seamless dual-wrap forefoot, hydrophobic ripstop rear, ScreeGuard gaiter
Plate: None
Colors: 2x (White Ash/TNF Black or Papaya/Canal Blue)
MSRP: $190
Pricing & Availability
The Offtrail Ultra is available now in two colorways for $190, slotting comfortably below the brand’s plated Summit Series racers. Head over to The North Face’s website or select specialty retailers to grab a pair.
Recap
The North Face Offtrail Ultra
The North Face skips the plates and mega stacks entirely with the Offtrail Ultra, a 9.3-ounce mountain runner packing a built-in gaiter and a scrambling zone at the toe.
