The North Face Back to Berkeley Boot SE

review of The North Face Back-to-Berkeley SE Boot, Blister Gear Review
The North Face Back-to-Berkeley SE

The North Face Back-to-Berkeley Boot SE

Size: Mens 8.5

Weight per Pair (size 9): 908 grams

Features:

·      Felted wool upper

·      Waterproof suede mudguard

·      100g Primaloft Eco insulation

·      Gusseted tongue

·      OrthoLite sockliner

·      Die-cut EVA midsole

·      Durable TNF WinterGrip outsole with IcePick temperature-sensitive lugs

Locations Tested: Verbier, Switzerland; St. Anton, Austria; Summit County, Colorado

Days worn: 40+

The North Face Back-to-Berkeley Boot SE has an awesome (and unique) felted wool upper that gives the boot a great vintage look while still benefitting from modern materials and construction. It’s a really nice balance of tech and style, and I really dig it.

Materials / Design

The Back-to-Berkeley SE is light. That’s the first thing I noticed when I took it out of the box. Most “retro” or vintage-style boots are pretty heavy, thanks to welted construction and heavy materials. This boot is like a feather by comparison.

One of the primary places TNF saved weight is in the sole. The sole of the boot is thin and rather flexible, while still offering a decent amount of support.

The felted wool upper is soft but durable. It is not what most people would imagine when they think of a wool fabric. The fabric itself is much thinner than that found on a wool jacket that has a similar look.

review of The North Face Back-to-Berkeley SE Boot, Blister Gear Review
The North Face Back-to-Berkeley Boot SE

The look and feel of the thickness in the fabric comes primarily from the insulation in the boot. The wool is treated with a DWR to keep your feet dry and the boots clean. Yep, DWR wool—lookout for it.

The Back-to-Berkeley SE does not have a waterproof / breathable laminate.

The BBB was not designed to be a serious hiking or mountaineering boot; it is lightweight and very flexible. It has rather thick Primaloft insulation which makes the boot quite warm, too warm for summertime hiking.

Fit / Sizing

Length-wise, my Back-to-Berkeley 8.5 feels pretty true to size. It is definitely a bit wider than I was expecting, given the slim look of the boot from the exterior.

review of The North Face Back-to-Berkeley SE Boot, Blister Gear Review
The North Face Back-to-Berkeley Boot SE

I have a narrow foot, and the BBB is definitely wider than I need. That being said, I can still wear it quite comfortably all day.

The only qualm I have with the generic fit of this boot is the lack of arch support. (Of course, there are people who prefer a flatter insole, so if you’re into more minimalist footwear this might be a positive rather than a negative.)

The insole of the boot is just about perfectly flat, there is no arch support provided with the stock insole. I plan on putting in an aftermarket insole that will provide more arch support at some point, and I’ll update this review if there are any changes that results … other than the improved arch support, of course.

Traction

The primary features of the Back-to-Berkeley make it very conducive for casual activities in the winter. The IcePick patterned sole of the boot provides amazing traction in compact snow; it’s like having snow tires for your feet.

review of The North Face Back-to-Berkeley SE Boot, Blister Gear Review
Lugs of The North Face Back-to-Berkeley SE

The lugs easily bite into hard and compact snow. The only place where they don’t greatly improve traction is on solid ice.

1 comment on “The North Face Back to Berkeley Boot SE”

  1. These are by no means waterproof. After the third use, in light rain, my toes were wet. Super disappointed. Otherwise, I love them. Great for dry, cool/warm weather.

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