It's A Hiking Scrambling Thang

We've mentioned it before, but with warner, drier weather forecast - ahem, that'll put the kaibosh on it - The North Face's new Buildering shoe looks like an attractive option for walking, scrambling or just mooching around in the sun...

TNF say that the Buildering ' incorporates the essential performance features of an approach shoe, with the comfort and stability of a hiking shoe' and well-known outdoor experts, The Independent agree, listing the shoe in their 'Top 50 Sports Products of 2005'.

Put the hype on one side and what you're getting is a trainer-styled shoe, but with a rock boot-type, deep lacing system running down to the toe for a close, secure fit and exclusive Vibram sticky rubber on the inside of the forward part of the sole, 'the edging zone'. The lacing can, they say, be adjusted for a tight climbing fit or made looser for hiking comfort.

Further back on the sole, substantial lugs are intended to give good hiking grip for trail-walking use. TNF says that 'augmented heel thickness' - whatever that is - increases durability and a fat toe rand should stop the toe area from being ravaged by scree abrasion.

We've had our paws on a pair and the other nice touch is a properly stiffened sole, which should make the shoe a viable option for scrambling and edging in particular, where a lot of running shoe-type footwear is lacking.

Finally an anti-bacterial insole and lining should keep the shoe sweet smelling and happy no matter how hot and sweaty your feet get on that grip-factor ten grade 3S *** scramble of doom.

Proper test coming soon.

More details and stockist information from www.thenorthface.com