The North Face’s Latest Do-It-All Shoe Is a Quiet Style Stunner

The North Face just revealed an updated version of its Verto Approach shoe — and it arrives in two distinct variations: a standard model and a Gore-Tex waterproof version.

Together, the pair comes in four color options split across the two styles, giving outdoor enthusiasts and sneaker fans alike plenty to consider.

Both shoes are purpose-built for technical mountain terrain and via ferrata approaches, but what makes this new Verto Approach so compelling is how good it looks doing it.

Clean and capable

The North Face

The Verto Approach line has been part of The North Face’s technical footwear catalog for years. An earlier iteration — the Verto Approach III, reviewed by Climbing magazine back in 2017 — was praised for its blend of trail-running comfort and climbing-shoe precision, with testers calling out its Vibram outsole, low-profile ankle cuff, and lightweight construction as standout traits for long approaches and scrambling alike. It was a capable, if utilitarian, shoe.

Backcountry

What makes this new generation notable is how much the design ambition has expanded — the performance DNA is still very much intact, but the silhouette has been reworked into something that looks as considered as it performs.

The North Face

Developed in partnership with The North Face athlete team, both new versions of the Verto Approach are built for the same demanding multi-sport performance missions as their ancestors, including technical mountain terrain, long approaches, and via ferrata.

The standard Verto Approach ($190) features a suede upper — available in Desert Stone/TNF Blue and Smoked Pearl/TNF Black — with a Vibram Megagrip outsole that delivers traction and durability on both wet and dry surfaces.

A stability midfoot shank adds structure underfoot for confident movement on uneven terrain.

The North Face

The Gore-Tex version adds a waterproof membrane to the same platform at a price premium, making it a worthy upgrade for shoulder-season missions or wet-weather approaches. Color-wise, it offers in White Ash/TNF Red and TNF Black/TNF Black.

Aesthetically, the Verto Approach represents the next step in The North Face’s evolving design language around what outdoor footwear can look like.

The silhouette sits low and clean, with subtle nods to classic hiking boot DNA — a protective toe cap, structured heel, reflective paracord-style laces, and a lug sole — all reinterpreted in a sneaker profile that reads more streetwear-adjacent than trail-worn.

The North Face

It’s part of a broader push by the brand to close the gap between technical performance and contemporary style, a trajectory that includes releases like the Clyffe, the Clyffe Hairy Suede, and the Casentino Wool Pack.

The Verto Approach pushes that conversation further, offering a shoe that wouldn’t look out of place on a granite scramble or a city block.

Pricing and availability

The Verto Approach is now available directly from The North Face. The standard version retails for $190, while the Gore-Tex model runs $230.

Both shoes are available in men’s sizing across a full range. If you’re after a trail-ready shoe that doesn’t sacrifice style, either version is worth a serious look.

The North Face

The North Face Verto Approach

• $190 at The North Face (Desert Stone / TNF Blue)
• $190.25 at The North Face (Smoked Pearl/TNF Black))

The North Face

The North Face Verto Approach Gore-Tex

• $230 at The North Face (White Ash/TNF Red)
• $230 at The North Face (TNF Black/TNF Black)

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