The North Face
Summit Vectiv Pro 3
The North Face's carbon-plated trail racer now has more Dream foam and a second, stabilising plate. It rolls fast and stays steady on gravel and smooth singletrack, but it's stiff and less sure of itself on technical ground.
What's new: About 4 mm more Dream foam, the carbon plate moved below the foam with a second wishbone-shaped plate added for stability, and a new upper with a lighter tongue.
About the Summit Vectiv Pro 3
The North Face calls the Summit VECTIV Pro 3 "our ultimate ultra-distance trail-racing shoe", built for pushing the pace over long races. It sits at the top of the brand's VECTIV range: the Summit Vectiv Sky 2 is the lighter option for short-distance racing, while the Vectiv Enduris 4 is the cushioned all-rounder for training.
The defining feature is a dual-stacked VECTIV carbon plate system, which the brand says gives more rebound for less weight, combined with two layers of nitrogen-infused DREAM foam and rocker midsole geometry. On this version the main plate sits below the foam, with a second wishbone-shaped plate added for stability. A SURFACE CTRL rubber outsole with 3.5 mm lugs is designed for grip on loose terrain. The shoe weighs 294 g in a men's US 9 and has a 6 mm drop.
Specs and features from thenorthface.com and our own spec data. A factual overview, not a review.
Video reviews
What the critics say
84/100 review score
- Road Trail Run 8.7/10
The reviews in briefRoad Trail Run's Jen Schmidt found The North Face Summit Vectiv Pro 3 bouncy on gravel but too stiff for technical trails, and its plate wings rubbed her forefoot. Believe in the Run's Taylor Bodin liked its stability and grip yet felt the foam fade quickly, while Michael Loutzenheiser found it firm and lifeless.
- Positive: Smooth, rolling ride that flies on gravel and smooth trails
- Positive: Stable for its height thanks to the wide base and twin plates
- Positive: Grippy, hard-wearing outsole on dry ground
- Mixed: Foam can feel firm, and one tester found its bounce faded quickly
- Negative: Plate wings can rub the inside of the forefoot on long runs
- Negative: Stiff, with little flex for technical terrain
Paraphrased from published reviews. Read them in full:
The numbers
- Trail
- Type
- 294 g
- Weight
- 37 mm
- Heel stack
- 6 mm
- Drop
- Carbon plate
- Plate
- Inherently stable
- Support
Weight for a men's US 9 / UK 8.5.
What it feels like
Fit
True to size
True to size with a roomy toe box, but the plate's wings can rub the inside of the forefoot on long runs, so try them on if you can.
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On TikTok
Summit Vectiv Pro 3 on TikTokShort reviews and wear tests from runnersWhere to buy the Summit Vectiv Pro 3
RRP around £225. Tap through for today's price.
The North Face Summit Vectiv Pro 3
In short
Worth a look if you race long trail events on smooth, runnable ground and want a stable carbon-plated shoe. Try it on first, as the plate can rub, and pick something nimbler for rocky trails.
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