The North Face Single Track 2 Review

After a doing a nice job at introducing the Single Track a few years back, The North Face had a challenge ahead of themselves when they came up with the Single Track 2 to stay consistent for current users and still innovate to keep on pushing forward.

Upper and Fit

The upper in the North Face Single Track 2 is snug and fits similar to a road running shoe.  Sometimes trail running shoes have more of a boxy fit, but the Single Track 2 has a good wrap around the foot keeping you secure in the shoe.  This is done through a combination of mesh and synthetic leather that give the upper form and breathability.  While it is important to have a snug fit, it is also important that the upper is durable enough to take the side to side and backward and forward motions of trail running.  As trail running has a lot more side to side and stop and go motions, the upper of the shoe becomes more important.  If you don’t have a tight secure upper, it is much easier to roll or twist an ankle.  The upper in the mesh has a super tight weave which keeps smaller rocks and dust out of the shoe, allowing you to focus on the trail and not what getting into your shoes.  This tighter weaved mesh is becoming more and more present in trail running shoes.

Midsole and Outsole

The midsole in the North Face Single Track 2 goes from 22 mm in the heel to 10 mm in the toe.  So if you are looking for this shoe to fit the mold of a minimalist shoe, you might be better off looking elsewhere.  On the other-hand, if you are looking for a shoe that will provide a little more padding and protection, the Single Track 2 will be in the right category.  The midsole is composed of a condensed EVA which provides plenty of cushion on both long and short trail runs.

The outsole of the North Face Single Track 2 is less impressive in my mind.  I feel that the outsole is not aggressive enough for technical trail running.  To better this, I would like to see a little bigger lugs in future models to allow the shoe to handle almost any terrain and climate.  After all, this is The North Face one of the top outdoor brands.  If you end up running more mild and less technical trails, the outsole shouldn’t be much of an issue.

My overall opinion of the North Face Single Track 2 is that it is a solid trail running shoe for those using the shoe on less technical trails.  If you end up looking for a shoe for more technical terrain with lots of rocks, roots, etc, you might be better off getting a shoe with more traction.

MSRP $110