North Face VECTIV Enduris 4 Performance Review

As The North Face [Editor’s Note: which we’ll be calling “North Face” from here forward simply to avoid the cumbersome “the The” in print] sharpens up its VECTIV trail line, the North Face VECTIV Enduris 4 will make waves this year as a comfortable trainer that could end up on some podiums. Little tweaks to the tech on this model make it higher-performance than your typical shoe with a similar range.

Let’s dig into the performance review.

What is the North Face VECTIV Enduris 4?

Running Warehouse says, “The North Face VECTIV Enduris 4 is a high-performance trail running shoe designed for runners seeking long-distance comfort, stability, and superior traction on rugged terrain, perfect for both everyday training and racing.”

Honestly, that’s a pretty good description. Kudos to the copywriters at Running Warehouse for nailing that one. Now let’s find out why they’re right.

Cushion

Sam: The North Face VECTIV Enduris 4 (hereafter Enduris 4) uses a full-length DREAM foam that’s made up of a nitrogen-injected TPU (which varies from the prior version’s use of EVA). TPU foams are known for providing a balance between comfort and bounce, generally used in shoes that will serve you day in, day out. The nitrogen-infused foam provides more bounce that allows for more responsiveness than traditional TPU. 

The Enduris 4 also adds 2mm of stack height from the prior version, making for a little more cushion under your feet. The foam is comfortable and slightly peppy; I wouldn’t categorize this shoe as “responsive” necessarily, but the midsole is comfortable and great for long days. A rockered design also means that this midsole will naturally propel you forward with each step.

Set in the midsole is a full-length VECTIV 3.0 TPU plate, designed to provide more stability than a carbon plate, while still adding some propulsive properties to your ride. The VECTIV 3.0 plate features a wing-like construction, meant to provide stability and help hold your foot in place. As you can see on the outside of the forefoot midsole, the TPU wings out as your foot sits down into it. 

The plate adds a propulsive element that the midsole foam lacks, and I’ve felt the shoe to be a stable and secure ride. With TPU, I find the plate to be less in your way – you really only notice it when you try to, which is different from a carbon plate that will have you bouncing forward no matter what. This is a versatile midsole that’s been fun on all types of days for me.

Drew: I’m glad Sam dove feet first [Editor’s Note: Bad jokes are a consistent bonus around here] into the technology used in the midsole so I can just focus on the effect this midsole had on my admittedly novice style of trail running. It’s stable yet bouncy and propulsive in a way that few trail shoes are. Most times, the firmer the foam, the more stable and secure a trail running shoe feels. Not so here. 

The Enduris 4 and its VECTIV TPU plate brings a ton of stability to the table and doesn’t sacrifice midsole plushness to do it. It feels like modern, uptempo road trainers (think Hoka Mach X 2) that also use TPU plates. But the shape of this one makes the difference, delivering support where a trail shoe needs it. Because of that, I felt supremely confident picking up speed on downhills…something my 6’6”, 200-pound frame does not always allow in high-end, poppy trail shoes.

I appreciated the bounciness. I felt an extra oomph on flat and uphill sections which does lead me to believe that this midsole will handle itself quite well in race-day situations.

Upper

Sam: The upper on the Enduris 4 is a seamless mesh weave that is made with 57% recycled material. Venting areas on the sides and top of your forefoot make for a very breathable shoe while also decreasing weight. I’ve run in mostly cold temps with this shoe and can feel the colder air seeping through the venting areas. This isn’t a negative but rather a testament to how well the shoe will breathe in warmer climates.

An integrated tongue construction wraps around your foot, and I’ve found no issue locking down into the shoe, especially when using the top eyelets. For what it’s worth, the texture of the laces also leads to less lace slippage, which is a plus for those who hate retying shoes mid-run. The heel is comfortable and padded. Overall, it’s a lightweight and soft upper. It’s almost too lightweight for the winter, but I’ll be excited for the breathability come warmer months. I’ve found a slight issue with water drainage that I’ll touch on below.

Drew: The Enduris 4 packs a gusseted, comfortable tongue, lots of breathability, barbed laces, and protection in all the right places. I’m having trouble thinking of a better upper for dry-climate, summer running. It’s kind of perfect for the type of running you’ll often do in the mountains in western parts of the United States.

Even in the edge season temperatures I ran in, the airflow kept my merino socks dry so that my feet didn’t get soaked and thus colder than desired. The toe cap and various other overlays were well-placed and not obtrusive. I didn’t feel them while running trails, but they took a beating from rocks and roots while making sure my toes and heel didn’t. I may not be a highly technical trail runner, but I appreciate a comfortable upper due to all the miles I’m putting in between roads and trails.

Traction

Sam: The outsole on the Enduris 4 is good… It’s not particularly mind-blowing, but after using a few different North Face shoes, I can attest that the brand’s SURFACE CTRL outsoles are generally rugged and sticky. The 4mm lug pattern is good enough to provide depth to your grip. I’ve taken these shoes on dirt and snow and was surprised by how well they did on snow in particular. The outsole is super light and flexible which works well with the rest of the propulsive components of the shoe.

Drew: The Enduris 4 outsole’s 4mm, multidirectional lugs did a great job. They gripped fairly well on rocks, dirt, leaves, and snow. And they weren’t horrible on ice – a surface where I don’t expect any trail shoe to do well, just survive (that’s when microspikes are a necessity). While it’s not a top-tier outsole, it does the job well enough that you won’t be constantly thinking about traction on your local trails.

More Detail on the Cons

Sam: I found a couple of drawbacks to the Enduris 4. I have a wider forefoot, especially at the balls of my feet. With the VECTIV TPU plate wings roughly parallel to the balls of my feet, I’ve found that at times I experience some pain on the outsides of my forefoot as they press into the wings. Ironically, this would indicate that the wings are doing their job and keeping my foot over the midsole.

It’s usually not an issue, unless it’s a long day out and the repeated pressure adds up [Editor’s Note: Most current or former basketball players will be used to this type of construction working to keep the foot on the footbed but occasionally causing annoyance or pain].

As mentioned, I’ve put this shoe through a lot of snow use. I haven’t seen the shoe drain water as well as I’d expect with such a lightweight and breathable upper. It seems to gather down in the midsole and takes a bit to release. Granted, this shoe probably wasn’t designed to be out in snow, but that’s something worth consideration [Editor’s Note: The company’s name is The North Face. That’s the snowier, more difficult side of every mountain, so I think this observation is fair game].

Is the North Face VECTIV Enduris 4 wide foot friendly?

Sam: Yes, the Enduris 4 has surprisingly ample space up front in the forefoot.

Drew: Though the Enduris 4 does narrow some at the heel, I think it’s built nicely to accommodate a large variety of foot types. The upper is also flexible enough – while maintaining rigidity for support – to not overly compress the sides of wide feet.

Is the North Face VECTIV Enduris 4 worth $160?

Sam: I’m actually shocked by the $160 price tag on the Enduris 4. I would’ve suspected around the $180 range, on par with something like the Hoka Mafate Speed 4. The Enduris 4 is definitely worth the money.

Drew: Sam’s right. The Enduris 4 is a good value for a $160 trail running shoe. The versatility of its use cases easily justifies the price.

How to use the North Face VECTIV Enduris 4

The North Face VECTIV Enduris 4 is a great all-around trail shoe for most people. It’s one you can beat up or race in confidently.

North Face VECTIV Enduris 4 Summary

Sam: The Enduris 4 is a leap ahead for everyday trail shoes. The innovative midsole design likely nods to the future of trail shoes, where propulsion and responsiveness are prioritized for even the most rounded of shoes, and where plate technology evolves towards stability as well as speed. I like the versatility of use cases for the Enduris 4, which can range from a burly all-day shoe to tempo runs.

Drew: Sam and I are on the same page, the North Face VECTIV Enduris 4 is the future of versatile trail shoes that can do everything from hiking to races. It’s the kind of shoe a modern trail athlete needs in his or her closet. The old reliable [Editor’s Note: except in this case, brand-new] that can handle almost all trails and training modalities.

How does the Author Run?

Drew Whitcomb (age 42, 6’6″ 195lbs): Runs daily with a once a week rest day. Runs a lot of miles due to testing needs and a growing affinity for long-distance races. Regularly competes in marathons, half-marathons, 10k, and 5k races.

Sam Lohse (age 28, 6’0″, 170 lbs): Runs daily, sometimes morning/night doubles, with one rest day a week (typically). Hangs right around 40-50 miles a week in general unless in race-specific training. Races distances from 50K to 100 miles, almost always on the trails. 

Disclosure

While North Face did provide pairs of the North Face VECTIV Enduris 4 to facilitate this review, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.