North Face Sentinel with Boa System

Remember when you were a kid and your mom bought you Velcro shoes so she did not have to worry about the laces coming untied? Well the North Face Sentinel Boa is the “cool kids” version of a velcro trail running shoes (if Velcro trail running shoes existed). The Sentinal Boa uses an alternative lacing system that provides a secure, glove-like fit via a dial setup and very fine steel strands. This is a shoe you are either going to fall in love with after trying it on or look at it and say “who needs this new system when laces have worked fine for years”. Yes there are traditionalists out there that will never conform to new technology, but for those of you who are interested in new performance enhancing gear and gadgets, North Face and Boa have a shoe for you! BOA Technology: While the Boa system may not be for everyone, there’s no question of the simplicity, ability to customize the fit and ease-of-use provided by this little dial. Quick on/off, glove like fit and even pressure on the foot are great features of the Boa lacing system. Release the dial, slip in your foot and turn the dial to perfection. You’ll never have to touch it for the remainder of your run. The nice thing about the Boa is that it leaves no pressure points on the foot, and the tension is even across the upper portion of the shoe. I will mention that on the first two runs we did have to make adjustments for shoe break in and stretching. The laces in the Boa System do not stretch, but most materials in the shoe will. We found the BOA to be nothing but great for us; lightweight, reliable, clean looking (in my opinion) and it performed great on the trail. One of the nice features is when your shoes are all muddy, just a click of the dial loosens the lacing system and you can kick them right off. You’ll see what I mean. I would suggest all running shoe manufacturers look into this technology. For the first few days I wore these around the office and such before hitting the trail, and they did get caught on my jeans. This is a high-end shoe designed for the trail so most of the time you won’t be wearing them around town. Besides after one good day on the trail you might not want to wear your shoes for casual again. Boa uses their system in select running shoes, cycling shoes, ski and snowboard gear and a few other outdoors related items. BOA Lacing System Provides: • A GLOVELIKE FIT-Boa provides custom comfort with smooth, even closure and no pressure points. • MICRO-ADJUSTABILITY-Boa reels offer precision fit tuning. • ON-THE-FLY TUNING-Get easy, one-handed adjustment with a quick turn of the Boa dial. • LIGHTWEIGHT-Boa closures shed water, mud and ice, shaving precious weight. • FAST-Quick on. Quick off. Boa saves time when seconds count. • SECURE-Once locked into place, Boa reels and laces stay that way. • DURABLE-Boa guarantees its reels and laces for the lifetime of the Key Features of the BOA Construction (NC119 lace): • Seven strands of aircraft-grade, stainless steel wire are woven together into a small bundle. • This bundle is then surrounded by 12 additional strands of stainless steel to create a strong and flexible cable. • The completed cable is jacketed with a specially formulated polymer to provide a smooth, abrasion-resistant and low-friction surface. The North Face Sentinel: We all know I love the BOA Lacing System, but what about the rest of the shoe? I have been very impressed with just about every aspect of the North Face Sentinel. The mesh upper provides excellent breathability while offering ample support when stepping on and over rocks and roots and all the uncertainty that a trail has to offer. As warm weather approaches the breathability has been great and helps keep the feet dry and blister free. Just be careful on that stream crossing. I think they nailed it with the Sentinel’s midsole and protective plate as it offers just the right amount of trail feel yet still providing solid protection and support for the foot. The exoskeleton heel-cage provides excellent support in the heal area while also helping to prevent breaking down on the upper heal area. This is pretty critical in my opinion since the Boa system wraps around to the heel of the shoe. If you are looking for a shoe to give you that “barefoot” running feel that is all the rage lately, you won’t find that here. What you will find is a running shoe you can put miles on. The semi-curved last provides a true-to-size fit for me. I’m typically a size 11.5 and these fit perfectly. In the cushioning department, the heel of the Sentinel is a little on the harsh side on hard packed surfaces or pavement. Now I know this is a trail shoe and someone is going to say “it is designed for trails”, but you are always going to encounter some roads at some point on your run. With the extra softness of the trail everything was good. Forefoot striking seemed like there was ample cushioning here. The Sole of the Sentinel is what I like to call a “West Coast design” with minimal tread on them. This is perfect for tacky, dry, hard packed and even loose conditions: the kind of terrain in the San Francisco Bay area, which is right down the road from the North Face offices. If it was muddy out on the trails I think I would pick from a different shoe in the arsenal. North Face does offer several GoreTex Shoes with lots of tread for the muddy days, just not with the BOA System for now. After this product review, this is definitely a shoe I would buy again. This is personally my first experience with North Face shoes and it was a great one. They are definitely a player in the trail shoe market! Technical Features: • Mapped, multiple-weave engineered mesh for combined support and breathability • C-Delta metatarsal fit system • TPU midfoot support welding • Micro-adjustable Boa® lacing system • Dual-density Ortholite® Northotic™ footbed • Semi-curve lasted; 22.5 mm/11 mm heel/forefoot heights • ultrATAC™ all-terrain carbon rubber outsole Sentinel Boa Feel and Peformance • Boa System supports and cradles the foot well • Lightweight • Exceptional breathability • Excellent trail traction despite a low-profile lug pattern except in wet conditions • Good balance between forefoot protection and trail feel • Very stable feel on the trail Approx Weight:* ½ pair 12.2 oz (345 g), pair: 1 lb 8 oz (690 g) *based on Mens' 9