The North Face Flight Vectiv was the first carbon plate trail shoe I tried, and while it impressed in certain conditions I wasn’t convinced by the benefits of the technology on the trails. Compared with the best carbon plate running shoes for the road, trail super-shoes are yet to prove as revolutionary, though they’re an increasingly common sight on the podiums at major ultra-marathons.
With the Summit Vectiv Pro, The North Face has taken instruction from road racers to produce a high-stack shoe with a softer midsole than the original. The changes have made the shoe better at its purpose—protecting the legs and providing extra pop for long runs on harder trails—but it is now more expensive than the Flight Vectiv, and I had problems with the fit around the forefoot.
