North Face have switched back to Gore-Tex in their Hedgehog approach shoes. They were Gore-Tex then they switched to eVent. At this time reports of poorer build quality and worse endurance started to appear about Hedgehogs. The switch back to Gore-Tex will have some real reason. It’s nice to think it’s for quality reasons. Well it could be !
If you haven’t tried Hedgehogs then you should. I have had several pairs for dog walking and outdoor activities below what you would need boots for. Gore-Tex lined and Vibram soles. They’re exceptionally comfortable. I reckon I got 1500-2000km on mixed surfaces walking the dog in 4 years. At the end, the tread was worn away on the heels but they were still 100% watertight.
All mine came from a North Face Outlet Shop. As there is lots of fashion in TNF outdoor gear nowadays, the Outlet Shops sell last years colours/shapes etc. for 33-60% of the new price. I don’t care I’m out of fashion for that kind of saving!
Hedgehogs have massively outlasted Keen Targhee III and Scarpa Gore-Tex approach shoe . I’m currently “dogging” in some Tog24 Mesa 200 waterproof approach shoes. A friend has some which have worn well and were still waterproof for him after a year. Mine were waterproof for 3 months but now are as waterproof as a sponge But they are very comfortable.
The only waterproof shoe that has come anywhere near Hedgehogs in durability were some Gore-Tex Merrell approach shoes I had 20 years ago. But they were painfully expensive, £115 in 2008? but lasted a good 7-8 years.
…I’ll keep those in mind and try them on when I get the chance to see if they fit.
I don’t know why, but I’m pretty hard on shoes—I tend to destroy them.
On August 3, 2023, I came down from DM/TH-663 with a loose sole… That afternoon, I quickly bought a pair of Hanwag Makra Trek GTX boots in Fulda so I could head to the next summit the following day.
I recently replaced them—after about 650 activations—with the exact same model. They fit well and held up nicely. I have no idea how many kilometers I put on them… but they were completely worn out. — While it is possible to have shoes resoled, it’s not worth it if you can find a good deal on a new pair.
For more alpine terrain, I’ve now picked up a pair of Hanwag Makra Pro on sale. — Hopefully, I’m all set for a while now!
Still using the 200gm Berghaus reversible fleece with Pertex lining bought from the Survival shop in Kendal 1995. Weight was 700gm and cost was £60. It had to have a new zip runner and wear destroyed the rear seam which I fixed with stitching and an iron-on strip. Three pockets still work - no holes. Doesn’t look ultra tatty and still does a good job so Yorkshireman says, ‘No need for replacement’ despite being 5 years older than my car.
I have a pair of ‘Ultimate Equipment ‘goretex over trousers I got when I worked in an outdoor centre around 1984. Theres the odd tear around one ankle. A small leak on one knee but they still serve for walking the dog when it’s raining heavy.
Come to think of it most my equipment i bought when i was a poor student at uni 2002-2006. Macpac ascent 50L rucksack, macpac hemisphere 2 man tent(swapped my 1 man macpac and £60 to get it), scarpa SL boots £125 christmas sale in Gayners Ambleside i think. oh to be that poor again
But they are very comfortable.