The North Face Altamesa 300. All pictures: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Having beloved The North Face path sneakers over the previous few years, I used to be excited to check The North Face Altamesa 300 ($130). This was particularly the case after having fun with the shoe’s extra cushioned sibling, The North Face Altamesa 500 (evaluate), far more than anticipated. As a sleeker and lighter shoe, in principle, the Altamesa 300 appeared nearer to my superb shoe.
In some ways, this can be a middle-ground shoe. Its precise weight is 10.3 ounces (293 grams) for a U.S. males’s dimension 9, and it has a reasonable 6-millimeter drop with full stack heights of 36 millimeters on the heel and 30 millimeters on the toe.
Whereas it’s proved to be an appropriate day by day coach on smoother trails, it didn’t fairly stay as much as the lofty expectations I’d positioned on it when issues obtained extra technical. Finally, the shoe simply doesn’t make the lower when issues get steeper and rougher. However, given its value level and skill to excel on sure forms of terrain, it’s properly price a glance. Learn on to search out out why you continue to would possibly discover the shoe an excellent worth for its meant use.
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The North Face Altamesa 300 Higher
A lateral view of The North Face Altamesa 300.
The North Face Altamesa 300 higher is each sturdy and cozy. The toe cap gives further safety in opposition to rocks and will increase the higher’s longevity. Regardless of the cheaper price level, the shoe is made with extremely high-quality and lightweight supplies. The seamless engineered mesh consists of 53% recycled supplies. This reduces its environmental impression with out compromising on the shoe’s breathability. The higher materials saved my ft cool and dry, even throughout prolonged put on.
The padded collar and heel cup present plush cushioning, minimizing the danger of chafing or discomfort and securing the heel for a comfortable match. Whereas the shoe is designed with elevated area for the massive and pinky toes, I discovered the toebox to be noticeably narrower than that of the Altamesa 500. It wasn’t an issue for me, however notable if you happen to’re somebody who needs extra space up entrance.
The laces didn’t like to remain tied, and I like to recommend double knotting them to maintain them in place. With TPU-reinforced lace guides, you possibly can tighten the laces confidently, however I nonetheless struggled to really feel safe in these sneakers. I didn’t discover the interior stability wings on the third eyelet significantly efficient for midfoot lockdown. Throughout runs on technical trails, I skilled some instability, with my ft feeling a bit wobbly within the sneakers.
The North Face Altamesa 300 Midsole
A medial view of The North Face Altamesa 300.
The North Face Altamesa 300 midsole presents a compelling mix of options to ship consolation, stability, and sturdiness on the path. Opposite to its counterpart, the Altamesa 500, this shoe doesn’t incorporate The North Face’s Dream midsole foam. Nonetheless, it nonetheless performs. The heel boasts 25 millimeters of plush foam. The cushioning is certainly comfy, and it presents fairly a little bit of rebound. Mixed with the slight rocker, I felt just like the shoe was responsive given its 36- and 30-millimeter stack heights on the heel and toe. The 6-millimeter drop is pretty middle-of-the-road for a path shoe.
The shoe has a dynamic stability zone on the forefoot and a strengthened inside heel counter for higher efficiency on technical trails, however I discovered that it didn’t fairly ship as anticipated. I skilled some instability throughout testing as I took the shoe on more and more technical trails. I’ll say that the broader footprint of the shoe presents a extra steady platform, albeit with a slight enhance in bulkiness.
The North Face Altamesa 300 Outsole
The outsole of The North Face Altamesa 300.
The North Face Altamesa 300 has the model’s Skycore rock guard on the forefoot. This know-how presents mild and versatile safety from the bottom and creates a smoother experience. The rock guard, mixed with the 25 millimeters of froth plushness on the heel, gives ample cushioning and safety in opposition to rocks. I didn’t expertise any foot soreness or ache from missteps on stabby rocks.
The outsole is engineered to deal with the various challenges of path terrain with confidence and grip. That includes the model’s Floor Ctrl rubber, it presents distinctive traction on quite a lot of surfaces, from rocky trails to muddy paths. The grippy 4-millimeter lugs are strategically positioned to optimize traction and supply stability and management with each step. I ran on many forms of surfaces whereas testing this shoe, together with muddy and grassy trails, roads, bike paths, slickrock, and dusty and dry trails. The shoe punches above its value level in its potential to carry out on many several types of terrain. I used to be significantly impressed with how little mud caught to the underside of the shoe, although, to be honest, I wasn’t in deep peanut butter mud — however it did a fantastic job at shedding what I went by way of.
The North Face Altamesa 300 Total Impressions
A high view of The North Face Altamesa 300.
I received’t sugarcoat it, I’ve blended emotions about The North Face Altamesa 300, which is stunning. I believed this may be my new go-to day by day coach. However, let me clarify. At $130, this shoe seems like a cut price. The North Face did a fantastic job investing in sure vital areas of this shoe to maintain the standard excessive and the value comparatively low. For me, the highlights of the shoe are the midsole cushion, the Floor Ctrl outsole rubber, and the general weight.
The large disadvantage is how unstable the shoe felt on actually technical trails. I ended up strolling trails I usually run as a result of I used to be so anxious about twisting an ankle, which is an issue for path trainers. That stated, this shoe is nice for easy flowy trails, dust roads, gravel paths, and different non-technical surfaces. In these circumstances, its efficiency is phenomenal. I used to be significantly impressed by the shoe’s high quality and the midsole’s responsive rebound, which significantly enhanced my total expertise.
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