Need New Hiking Shoes? The North Face Hedgehog GTX Reviewed

This is a product review for FitnessFootwear. I received the North Face Hedgehog GTX to test and have given the shoe my full review below.

The North Face Hedgehog GTX: Understated and technically superior

Upon opening the box, the pair of Hedgehog GTXs before me didn’t scream excitement and adventure. As you can see in the pictures below, they are grey and quite plain looking (officially ‘foil grey and citronelle green’. It wasn’t until I got up close and personal with this shoe that I knew it had something more to offer.

As I pulled the shoe from the box, I was impressed by how lightweight it was given the promise of a sturdy hiking shoe!

Impressive Specification

Again, in an understated way, the shoe lets you know you are handling a quality piece of kit. Subtle markings reveal the Vibram® moulded sole, the Gore-Tex® lining and spongy X-202™ air-pod heel cushioning, which as I found combine to give you a unique ‘Northotic’ ™ experience in this shoe.

The official specification from fitnessfootwear states:

The Hedgehog GTX XCR is a streamlined, ultra lightweight, waterproof, breathable, Gore-Tex® XCR® low-cut with exclusive Vibram® outsole, designed for fast-paced outdoor activities.

• Waterproof and breathable Gore-Tex® XCR® membrane
• Abrasion-resistant, bomber synthetic nubuck and breathable sandwich-mesh upper
• Gusseted tongue
• Northotic™ ergonomic footbed
• Lightweight, compression-molded EVA midsole
• Heel X-2 O2™ air pod
• Injection-molded TPU shank plate
• Exclusive, lightweight Vibram® rubber outsole

Hedgehog’s Under Foot

The first thing I felt when I slipped into the Hedgehogs was…smooth. The inside of the shoe has a Gore-tex lining throughout which makes the shoe extremely comfortable on your foot. Unlike other hiking shoes, you are protected from the rougher feel of the breathable exterior mesh.

The second feeling to hit me was…sponginess. You can tell that great thought has gone into the design of the sole. The heel in particular is a soft sweet spot which can be put down to the Heel X-202 air pod which the North Face has built in.

What happened when I really put these Hedgehogs through their paces? Well, they survived and better than that, they improved the quality of my hike. I took them out on a 4 miles trail covering various terrain and undulating ground. When I was on hard and dry ground, the spongy footbed absorbed well, relieving the pressure from my ankles. When I was on wetter more unstable ground, the Vibram rubber outsole gripped aggressively and I felt like there was no great risk of falling on descents. The thing that impressed me most was the versatility of this lightweight shoe to handle these various conditions and keep my feet dry. Given how robust they are, they don’t add much weight at all and feel a bit more like a trail trainer than a sturdy hiking shoe! As you can see from the picture above, the ankle is quite low-cut, which I like but this may not suite everybody’s foot shape. I normally take a UK size 11, and the Hedgehog size 11 fitted fine. I have a wide foot and felt that the shoe provided sufficient room.

These shoes retail for £76.45 on FitnessFootwear. Initially I thought that sounded like quite a lot but after experiencing the in-built quality, I can see that they would be a worthwhile investment. I haven’t had my pair that long but I would expect them to last over many miles and conditions! These hedgehogs may look quite plain but they seem to be built to do the job as promised.

If you are in need of a hiking or general walking shoe, I would strongly consider the Hedgehogs. You can visit the FitnessFootwear Blog for all the latest sports and outdoor shoes news, reviews and previews.

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