The North Face Summit Series Offtrail TR Review: Yellow, But Not Mellow

What You Need To Know

Introduction to The North Face Summit Series Offtrail TR

TAYLOR: Modern day running is a fun business to be in. How you define fun, of course, falls on a spectrum. I’m not just talking about nerding out over the data and specs of running. For me, it’s closer to the experience at a theme park or Uncle Rico’s backyard hootenanny — pure, unbridled joy. This is especially true with brands that have placed themselves at the crossroads of scientific innovation and speculative creativity.

The North Face is one of those. It’s been inching closer and closer to finding that sweet spot, and all you have to do is check the podium at basically top-tier trail race across the globe. Also, check out the reviews our Dirt Division has chalked up. There’s a lot of excitement around this brand thanks to shoes like the Summit Vectiv Pro 2, Altamesa 500, and Enduris 3.

(Reviewer hint: stay hungry with anticipation for updates across the board in 2025)

All those shoes are great, but why not add one more? There’s now another shoe that we can add to that boundary-pushing resumé in The North Face’s Summit Series Offtrail TR. Much like the Altamesa 500 is a bridge from road to trail, the Offtrail TR is a connector on the other end of the running spectrum, where “fun” becomes synonymous with gnarly terrain and creative route finding. There are very few running shoes in this category for a couple of reasons: it’s incredibly niche and it’s hard to do well. The most recent competitor would be something like the La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX.

The North Face Offtrail TR (as I will now shorten the name) is a shoe that I would fully expect Jean-Claude Van Damme to wear in the event of a zombie apocalypse — it’s just that aggressive. It has a technically oriented silhouette that’s reminiscent of the Vectiv Sky (trail reviewer Reese Ruland’s ride-or-die) but is built up like a Humvee.

We’ve seen designs like this before, but pulling together all of the latest and greatest materials on the market doesn’t always equal success. The Offtrail TR has the Matryx forefoot wrap, the integrated mesh booty, the 7 mm lugs with full Surface Cttrl rubber coverage, and Boa’s Fit System with Li2 dials. What does that mean on the run, though? A lot of things…

What we like about The North Face Summit Series Offtrail TR

TAYLOR: I was reminded on a recent podcast conversation with Josh of Borderlands that aesthetics are one of the foremost reasons a customer will choose a shoe. I have a hunch that this shoe would mostly attract athletes who are seeking rugged terrain performance over visual pleasantries. However, the North Face Summit Series Offtrail TR is precipitously unique and clean. Just looking at it makes me daydream of tromping through thick forest and above treeline. I won’t judge if aesthetics are your sole reason for purchase… Please, please, PLEASE, at least let it live its life well in the dirt.

Since I’m (apparently) hyper-focused on performance, this shoe needs to do more than look the part. It does! Let’s start with the glaringly obvious. The outsole has deeper ridges than an entire bag of Ruffles. There are oodles of seven-freakin-millimeter-long lugs of multiple sizes and directionality. It has full coverage (and then some) of Surface Ctrl rubber. It would be a shocker if this shoe had any less grip than a hedgehog in a pair of crampons.

We’ve experienced Surface Ctrl rubber on shoes like the Vectiv Pro 2, Altamesa 300, and Altamesa 500, and the typical consensus is that it’s tacky but shaves off quite quickly. That is NOT the case with the Offtrail TR. This rubber is much thicker and has a (seemingly) different formula that’s more durable. I put these lugs into some serious terrain and hosed them off, and I cannot note any wear and tear.

Durability is a common theme throughout the rest of the Offtrail TR, too. The midsole is a good example of this. Even though we’re in a day and age of fantastic foams, a more traditional EVA midsole is utilized. I’m a fan, actually! It’s the right choice to create a longer-lasting, consistent feel throughout the life of the shoe. The Offtrail Tr is neither cushioned nor responsive, but I wouldn’t really want it to be for the terrain this shoe thrives on.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of underfoot protection because of the Skycore rock plate involved. Add it up: 18 mm worth of midsole foam in the heel plus 7mm of rubber plus a few more millimeters when the insole is considered. It still rounds out to a moderately stacked shoe.

Even so, there was a trace amount of ground feel that kept the underfoot experience “grounded” enough for truly technical romps.

Have you ever seen a Matryx-wrapped forefoot? Not many pieces of footwear have gone this route. One recent example is the Salomon S/Lab Pulsar 3, and the purpose of such a wrap is twofold: durability and structure.

Matryx uppers provide a level of grit that only a few materials known to footwear can give. I appreciated how the forefoot is completely wrapped over the midsole for both of the aforementioned reasons. I’ve had chunks of foam ripped from shoes in the type of terrain I frequented in the Offtrail TR. That will not even be on the menu of possibilities here.

This material is also on the most wanted list for being lightweight, breathable, and able to map the foot well, along with its fabled durability. All these qualities are on full display in the North Face Summit Series Offtrail TR.

Because of the Matryx wrap, the boot has something of the essence of a mountaineering boot. At the same time, the running shoe profile is most forward. It proved dependable, as I experienced very little play in the forefoot because of the structure. With that comes technical assurance and protection. The overall shape of the midsole allowed for a decently smooth transition while running or hiking.

From the midfoot upward is a High-Tenacity-Ripstop over top of a stretchy mesh booty. The duo pairs really well. I had zero debris make its way into the shoe even when going through the thick and muddy, dry and gravely, and pine-crusted forest floors. A dual purpose is that it keeps the Boa Fit System free and clear of debris to do its job, too.

If you haven’t experienced Boa lacing on a shoe, know that there is some real science that warrants its place on high-performance footwear. Besides that, it’s the overall fit/feel that induces confidence in runners. That is exactly the storyline with the North Face Summit Series Offtrail TR.

Lacing aside, I would dare to say that this shoe is darn near snug enough in all areas to be a laceless shoe. There’s a lot of material that wraps the foot in such a succinct way. I totally had to utilize the heel tab to make my way past the secure-fitting upper. The extra few percentage points of fit, the ones that really set something apart, are owed to the Boa Fit System. True lockdown is very much an option.

Even better is the option for incremental adjustments made possible by the Li2 dials. All of the Speedland shoes and Scarpa Ribelle Run Kalibre HT shoes use the same Boa Li2 setup. It’s one thing to achieve lockdown, but it’s another to quickly cinch down or loosen up the fit on the fly with a simple turn forward and back. My uphill preferences are not my downhill preferences. It’s quick, simple, and easy to adjust between the two.

On a price note, for the build quality and ingredient list involved in this shoe, $200 really seems quite fair.

What we don’t like about The North Face Summit Series Offtrail TR

TAYLOR: From my first run to the most recent in the North Face Summit Series Offroad Tr, I noticed a couple of things. First and foremost, it’s heavy. There are a lot of ingredients in this shoe that add value but also add up in weight (13.4 oz for my US M10.5). It’s easy to feel that it’s bottom-heavy and has the predisposition of being clunky at faster paces or on smoother terrain.

As a package, the Offtrail Tr is also a firm shoe. The inflexibility does simmer as miles are put in, but only slightly, which makes this shoe less appealing for day-to-day runs. Yes, it does carry the Vectiv shaping, the geometries can only go so far with all the materials here. I’m not saying any of this is inherently bad. Just don’t expect the “on-the-run” experience to be smooth as butter like you could expect in the other running-centric shoes from The North Face.

Fit will mostly concern those with wider feet. The Offtrail Tr has a slimmer profile from heel to toe. It was accommodating enough for my “wide average” forefoot to fit comfortably. As time in the woods ticked on, I did accumulate some discomfort simply because of the profile and firmer forefoot wrap.

I also noticed some high Achilles blisters after my first few runs. The North Face designed the Offtrail TR well for a very solid locked-in fit in the heel — ample strategic padding, well-structured, and the booty adds subtle support. The issue, for me, was right above the heel collar, where the heel tab sits. The seam rubbed through my quarter-length socks. Though these seem nit-picky, I’d hate to be up on a ridge and be distracted by my rubbed-raw Achilles instead of the technical route ahead.

My last note is simply on the design. I received a decent amount of messages wondering if the North Face Summit Series Offtrail Tr is waterproof or not. The answer is no, sadly. The Offtrail Tr Gore-Tex is their waterproof option, but it does not have the integrated booty or Boa dials. I want it all! Give me the Gore-Tex in this package to make the ultimate carefree adventure-calling shoe. IMO, if the rest of the shoe can handle the fallout of mankind, it should be able to hold out water, too.

Final thoughts on The North Face Summit Series Offtrail TR

TAYLOR: Perhaps one of the greatest accomplishments of the North Face Summit Series Offtrail TR is that it matched aesthetics to performance. It performs just like it looks. It’s as aggressive as a ticked-off velociraptor… at least, I imagine it is. The running shoe profile is integral to this design, giving one the option to bust out quicker miles when desired. The makeup of this shoe allows for doing just about anything else on the adventure agenda, too.

Sure, there’s some very specific application to this shoe. I will reserve this shoe for technical terrain, the chossy conditions, and quite literally the “off the beaten path” kind of stuff. What I appreciate most about this shoe is that it truly is a running shoe that bridges a gap that very few other pieces of footwear have been able to.

Even though there are some comfort concerns for those with wider feet and soft Achilles, if you’re frequently in treacherous terrain where foot security, protection, and durability matter, The North Face Summit Series Offtrail TR is definitely worth a look.

You can pick up The North Face Summit Series Offtrail TR for $200 at The North Face by using the buttons below.