The North Face Hedgehog III GTX XCR Shoe - Women's

This was my third pair of Hedgehogs over several years, used mainly for trail hiking in the woods. I have been in love with them for their lightweight performance, awesome "sticky" tread on loose terrain, and all around comfort. Since my last pair North Face seems to have done a complete redesign, and I was completely disappointed. To start with, they are heavier and made of a stiffer material. Your heel slips out as you walk unless you use the higher eyelet and lace up tight. They also are true to length in size but feel much narrower than my other two pairs. I tried them out on a five mile hike and by the time I was done I had blisters along the top knuckles of both big toes. You know how when you walk and lift your heel a shoe creases across the toe portion? Well the material used in the shoe is so stiff that it creased right into my toes, leaving the aforementioned blisters before my hike was complete. Additionally me feet were HOT, something that only happens to me when I am wearing insulated hunting boots. Needless to say the shoes are going back and I'll be looking on ebay for the older model. Backcountry was awesome with a no-hassle return, something that is wonderful especially since I already wore them once.

I've had these shoes for approximately 3 years now and they've held up nicely. I use them as an everyday shoe and they've kept my feet dry throughout the harsh winters here in Chicago & Milwaukee, provided me with good footing when hiking in Utah's Zion Canyon and a lifesaver when met with a big puddle with no way around it when crossing streets. It is a very comfortable shoe. The sole has great traction whether you're walking on ice, snow, slippery rain soaked surfaces, sand swept rocky terrain, and more. As a person with extremely narrow, flat feet, the standard width works fine for me. Highly recommended.

When I first got these shoes, I was afraid I would have to send them back because the sides kept digging into my ankles but I decided to give it some time and I'm glad I did. After wearing them a few times, the sides loosened up and now they fit just fine. They have a great grip on loose, rocky terrain and just about everywhere else EXCEPT wet rocks (personal experiance talking here). They have plenty of support and I would definitely recommend them.

The shoes are fantastic. They run normal sizing (i.e. you don't have to order a half size "too big" or "too small"), as are they a normal width (neither wide nor narrow). I owned an older version of these, and have to agree with the previous reviewer: this version is remarkably even better than before. The patented North Face insoles are the notable improvement. These really provide a lot of support and cushioning (i have a high arch), all the while without going overboard. I haven't had a chance to thoroughly test the waterproof ability, though the shoes have an odd "crinkle" sound to them right out of the box. (the GTX, i assume?) I'll go ahead and give the benefit of the doubt, though, since i trekked through an Appalachian blizzard in the last Hedgehogs and maintained dry feet :) I'll update, only if these fail to perform similarly. The laces, too, are a nice update such that the new construction helps them stay tied better. I tried similar styles by both Merrell and Keen, but none held a light to these 'hogs.
Bottom line: get these shoes.

Ok..these have been my favorite shoes for the past 7 years. I buy the same thing every 9 to 10 months. Well the improvements are the best...and I wasn't even sure they needed to be improved on. The toe box is a bit more rounded (a good thing) and the innersole is the best. For an all around waterproof lite hiker - these can't be beat. And Backcountry is the best for offering discounts and the arrive quickly.