Shoe Review: The North Face Ultra Cardiac

First off, let’s dissuade any fears you may have – The North Face Ultra Cardiac are just a name – wearing these shoes WILL NOT cause you to have an ultra cardiac episode (although on one run my heart did feel a little funny).  All joking aside, the Ultra Cardiac are a great running shoe that I’m thoroughly enjoying wearing on my treks into the great outdoors.

 

I’ve been running exclusively in the Ultra Cardiacs the past four months (350+ km’s) and they are a great shoe.  I’ve used them in all different weather conditions (sun, rain, snow) and on all different types of running surfaces (road, trail, gravel, dirt, snow), and they’ve responded perfectly in every situation.  Despite running on snow, ice and wet surfaces, I’ve never once slipped or lost my balance.  The soles also don’t pick up any stones or pebbles, which I’ve had issues with with other shoes in the past.  Despite all the running I’ve done in them, the soles also look practically new – no noticeable wear and tear on them.  They are also light and breathable.

 

Here’s some technical info on them, straight from North Face’s site:

• This lightweight yet protective trail runner delivers a smooth ride on any surface
• Designed for neutral pronators
• The Ultra Series provides critical impact and element protection while eliminating excess weight for unrivaled performance on any terrain
• Ultra Airmesh and FlashDry™ upper keeps you cool and dry
• Zonal protection only where you need it in the heel and toe
• Pebax® heel CRADLE™ for proper heel positioning and support

• Luxurious cushioning in the collar lining and tongue for an incredibly comfortable upper fit
• 20 mm/12 mm heel/forefoot EVA underfoot
• Plush and smooth, single-density, compression-molded EVA for a nice, consistent ride
• Wide platform and built-up medial sidewall to accommodate a wider variety of foot types
• Vibram® full-length outsole engineered for optimal traction and balance
• 8 mm offset

 

Not much else to say here – I love the shoes and wouldn’t hesitate to get another pair of North Face’s in the future.

 

Pros:

– great price (can get them for $76.90-$118 on Amazon – see link below)
– extremely durable – have run 350+km’s in them with no noticeable wear and tear
– versatile – great on all different types of surfaces
– ran in them with a preexisting toe injury and they didn’t aggravate it

 

 

Cons:

– caused a few blisters the few couple of my long runs in them
– laces have come undone quite often as of late (probably user error though)

 

Grab a pair here:

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