Craft Xplor 2 Review: Go-To Gravel Gobbler

Introduction to the Craft Xplor 2

SAM: The Craft Xplor Hybrid was a true surprise of a shoe. It was an entirely new model of road-to-trail shoe from the Scandinavian brand, and it featured a curious (and also brand new) partnership between Craft and Vittoria, a company famous for its bike tires.

The release colorways were either black or a garish pink/orange that earned me no small number of “whoa, bright shoes” comments until I was able to get them properly dirty. That iridescent upper was also notoriously floppy. It lacked structure, protection, and lockdown, and it was so baggy that the sides of the lacing chain nearly touched when I tightened the shoe to my foot. Honestly, I was unimpressed, and I was actually pretty disappointed in it at first.

But I just kept reaching for it. Run after run, I kept coming back to the Xplor. There was something special about the beaded TPE blend that made up the PX Foam midsole that combined perfectly with the Vittoria outsole. The platform was stable, responsive, and so comfortable. Ticking off miles felt smooth, and there was little degradation in the structure of the foam as those miles went on.

Sure, the upper lacked, well, basically everything, but the underfoot sensation was peerless, especially in road-to-trail shoes. I kept going back to the shoe between reviews. This midsole/outsole combination was sufficient to propel the Xplor Hybrid to win Best Road-to-Trail Shoe in our Best in Gear awards last year.

Three hundred miles and a broken toe (the protection really isn’t good) later, they’re still in my rotation. The midsole still has plenty of life. The upper is still lackluster and sports plenty of dirt, as well as a fair amount of dried blood, but it’s whole — no rips, no tears. All in all, the Xplor Hybrid is a pretty impressive shoe, and one I was happy to hold onto. That is, until the Craft Xplor 2 showed up at my door.

The Xplor 2 retains everything good about the midsole/outsole combination that we loved in the original Xplor Hybrid, but it features an entirely new upper. This one is made from 50% recycled, double-layer mesh. If it’s anything like some of the other new uppers Craft has featured on shoes this year, the Xplor 2 is poised to make waves.

TAYLOR: Craft is still relatively new to the running footwear game. I need to remember that because it’s both a tough and beautiful spot to be. It’s a good time to swing big and act accordingly to the result. If it’s a hit, run those bases, baby! If it’s a miss, figure out exactly what needs to be done to connect next time.

That’s the story with the Craft Xplor 2. It’s a little bit of both where they went for it, but it was a hard line drive to right field. While it wasn’t a homer, some great things came out of the original Craft Xplor. We love the uniquely designed Vittoria rubber outsole and the thick stack of steamed TPE beads, which make for a luscious underfoot experience.

The upper was nowhere near the same grade, though, and the shoe was punished heavily because of it. Thankfully, that’s where Craft put all of its attention this time around. Really, that’s all that has changed in this new iteration — a new last (mold that the shoe is built around) and upper construction.

Updates like this are exactly what we reviewers want to see and what we dread at the same time. I say the first because it addresses the problems directly. The second reason is that the original shoe is nearly two years old already. It’s a risky move to come back two years later with only an upper swap.

Bold, Craft!

What we like about the Craft Xplor 2

SAM: Mark another one down for Craft’s design team with the Craft Xplor 2, because hell yeah. The fundamental layout of the upper is not much different from the Xpolr Hybrid, but the dual-layer mesh has an attractive texture, and the available colorways either offer bright, contrasting colors or muted complementary ones. There’s a little something here for everyone, and it’s all good. And yet, what we’re really interested in here is the fit and performance of the new upper, not necessarily just the looks.

That double-layer mesh is made with 50% recycled materials, as I mentioned above, and it is sturdy, with a solid lockdown, but also offers a comfortable amount of room for a diverse range of foot shapes. While it’s not excessively roomy in the toe box, it’s far from restrictive. If we’re talking in comparisons to another Craft shoe, the Xplor 2 has more room than the Nordlite Tempo, even while sporting a similarly stiff upper (although the two have fundamentally different constructions -both in last and in materials).

The Xplor Hybrid had almost no protection around the toes, and I still can’t bend the joint on my big toe after slamming it into a crack protruding from a darkened sidewalk in that shoe. Fortunately, Craft has deployed a bit more protection around the toe box in the Xplor 2. No read as of yet on how well it protects against kicking concrete, but I don’t plan on giving that a thorough test. It is, however, plenty of protection for undulating light-duty trails woven through with tree roots.

One element of the upper from the Xplor Hybrid that was retained in the Xplor 2 was the tongue, and I’m glad it stayed. This tongue is made of an open honeycombed foam covered in an open-woven mesh. It reminds me of a strap from a hiking daypack, and I’m a big fan of the light cushion it provides with minimal bulk, as well as how well it breathes.

But the tongue isn’t the only element carried over from the Xplor Hybrid. As I mentioned earlier, the midsole and outsole are identical from one model to the next. Really, though, no complaints here. The grip is still great on all surfaces, and it feels at home on the roads, thanks to the Vittoria outsole. The steamed beaded TPE midsole is soft but with just enough fun response.

The whole combination is stable and wide, really making for a confident and relaxed stride, no matter where or on what you might be running. This tried-and-true success, combined with the new upper, makes for a solid high-stack trail shoe and a comfortable daily road trainer, all wrapped in the same package. This might be the first road-to-trail shoe I’ve tested that doesn’t feel like it’s really sacrificing performance on either roads or trails to be able to be used on both.

TAYLOR: I’m going to echo a lot of what Sam has already mentioned. The Craft Xplor 2 really works, thankfully. We have had these types of updates in the past, but too much time had passed between iterations, so the technology of then simply didn’t hold the same weight.

I’m glad to say that Craft’s beaded TPE midsole and Vittoria outsole recipe is still a winner. It is exactly the same as the previous version.

Runners will love the true sense of high-stack cushion (38.5/32.5 mm stack, 6 mm drop), bouncy and smooth ride. It’s a fun and very comfortable sensation that can actually take a beating.. I put more than 100 miles in my previous pair with very little degradation. There’s also an inherent sense of stability because of the wider base and foam density. It reminds me of the Salomon Aero Glide 3 GRVL, but with more stability.

There’s added structure and stability thanks to the robust Vittoria outsole. I’d say the grip is fantastic on all surfaces. Even though the lugs themselves aren’t that deep, the broader base and unique fat-tire-like outsole design allowed for surface tension in virtually every condition. It’s certainly a combo to be confident in whether you’re running roads, trails, or surfing in between.

A revamped upper made all the difference in the Craft Xplor 2. While the first version focused on comfort, it provided no structure for functional running on any surface other than roads. IMO, the new mesh upper matches the comfort of the first and skyrockets function because of its structure and fit. My foot was actually cradled nicely for a decent amount of lockdown. There were zero issues with any hot spots or weird folding of the upper, and I simply relished in a comfortable fit.

If you want an even more secure fit, I think there’s enough space that most runners could go down a half size. The other option is to check out the Craft Xplor Pro, which has an even more technical upper.

What we don’t like about the Craft Xplor 2

SAM: While this shoe has some actual trail bona fides, it’s not made to cut it on overly technical trails. The lockdown is solid, but there is a little shifting front to back that I couldn’t squash with lacing fixes. But even on a typical East Coast single track, the Xplor 2 can hold its own, so the shifting isn’t a huge gripe.

As with the Xplor Hybrid, the outside lugs on the Vittoria outsole can still wear unevenly if you’re using these for regular pavement miles.

I also found that the top of the heel collar hit my ankle a little high, and the material is rough. Make sure not to wear low socks.

TAYLOR: For its designed purpose, there’s really not much to knock on the Craft Xplor 2.

While the upper is in another league than before, it is still on the more supple end of the spectrum. I was really happy with the foothold until I started going down steeper descents. My foot would slide forward into the light toe bumper. It was nothing extreme, just noticeable. This was also true about hard turns. My foot would have a slight lateral slide in the forefoot and midfoot.

Weight also might be a deterrent for some. Even though the Craft Xplor 2 feels fine on foot, it is still on the heavier end of this growing category. Take this on for size. My US M10.5 weighed in at 11.6 ounces. Shoes like the Mount to Coast H1 (9.1 oz), Hoka Challenger 8 (10.3 oz), Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4 (10.9 oz), Merrell ProMorph (10.3 oz), and the Salomon Aergo Glide 3 GRVL (10.5 oz) all weigh under 11 ounces in my size.

Of course, other solid offerings weigh closer to the Xplor 2, like the North Face Altamesa 500 (11.8oz), Icebug Järv (12.6oz), and the Hoka Mafate X (12.6oz).

Final thoughts on the Craft Xplor 2

SAM: Outside of its intended door-to-trail purpose, the Craft Xplor 2 is a legitimately good high-stack trail shoe. You’re not going to take it anywhere super technical, but it’s far more than the gravel shoe it’s marketed as. Just for this, it needs the credit that it’s due. The majority of shoes in this class make annoying compromises to straddle both worlds (or both surfaces). The Xplor 2 doesn’t feel like it compromises on either trail performance or road comfort.

This is a perfect car shoe — that pair you keep in the trunk that you can throw on for whatever run you end up on. It’s also a great option for low-investment runners who want to simplify their gear and wardrobe. You should get plenty of miles of comfort out of it.

TAYLOR: On paper, the Craft Xplor 2 looks to be an almost identical shoe compared to the first. A new, multi-layered mesh maintained comfort while enhancing performance tenfold. This adjustment gave the Craft Xplor 2 the life it deserved in the first iteration. The steamed TPE beaded midsole and highly versatile Vittoria outsole were never in question, though.

While I will still say this shoe is best suited for gravel/light trail scenarios, it will be able to handle much more technical terrain than before. If you want this same underfoot experience with an even sturdier upper, check out the Craft Xplor Pro.

I love that this shoe still holds up. The Craft Xplor 2 will be a go-to gravel grinder.

You can pick up the Craft Xplor 2 for $150 from Craft Sportswear by using the buttons below.