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Long-term review of The North Face Hedgehog GTX XCR III hiking shoe

THE NORTH FACE HEDGEHOG GTX XCR III Recently I switched to a lighter boot / shoe for backpacking since most of my hiking is geared toward ultralight. My first hiking shoe was a Merrill brand. It was light with a Vibram sole with Gore-Tex outer waterproof shell. I liked the shoe. Besides backpacking in it, I wore it daily and went on 4 mile trail runs a few times a week. Eventually, the shoe wore out and I went on the search for a replacement. I  basically wanted the same features, but I decided to try another brand so I could compare performance for future purchases. I decided on The North Face  Hedgehog GTX XCR III. This shoe is superior to my Merrill in terms of insole padding, aggressive Vibram sole and lacing eyes. It provides better support and the fit size is accurate. I wore it a daily for a few weeks, then went on a vacation and hiked 13 miles in the Smoky Mountains. No blisters, not issues. The Gore-Tex served me well due to the many wet areas I had to cross....