There are but a few brands in the world of trail running that have popped onto the scene in the last 3 years and made such an impact as Norda. A wholly Canadian shoe company, the 001 appeared in 2022 and not long after that came the 002 and 003. There are a few distinct things that make Norda different, so I will do my best to spell those out here.
The shoe I am testing for this article is the 002 in Sage. My typical shoe size is 9.5, but Norda recommends upsizing by 1 for this shoe, so my test pair is a 10.5. Immediate takeaways are weight (8.78 oz for men’s 8.5), and toe to heel drop of 4mm, with a 19mm/15mm stack.
And while the stats are well and good, there are a couple other things worth pointing out. The upper is made of Dyneema, which is bio-based, and is considered to be the world’s strongest and lightest fiber. This is rather notable when considering the abuse we put our shoes through on the trails, especially when our shoes come in contact with the ground, rocks, roots, and even pavement. The Dyneema is a rather impressive fabric that more than holds up.
Another note is the width of the outsole, mainly the total square footage of area that comes in contact with the ground. When you put these shoes on it can feel a little like having extra big feet. Partially from upsizing, but also because Norda built their outsole to truly handle the most rugged terrain. Their Vibram X sole is rugged, and designed for any surface, wet or dry. And if you know me, you know I’ll test that theory.
My first run was a hilly but short venture, amassing 7.5 miles and 1.220′ of gain. I threw in some strides for good measure and hopped around the trails for an hour in my new kicks. The trails were dry so I did not get a chance to test out wet conditions, but the 002s were solidly grippy in all the right places, cornered well, descended decently, and climbed admirably.
I took them right back out the next day for a long run of 35 miles and 3,500′ of vert. I expected a little discomfort given the lack of break-in period, but they managed well. The trails were still dry, but all the cornering I did gave me the impression these would race well too. The big plus was the smooth ride and cushion of this shoe. Through 35 miles my feet felt great, and remained comfortable the entire time. I did have a bit of rubbing on the top of one of my little toes, but I chalk that up to having weird feet. Definitely a solid test.
I got back out again a few days later for a hill workout. I tested the hard push of the downhill in this run, by really pushing myself fast on the descents to see how my toes would react to the pounding. After 2 repeats, for a total of 6 downhill miles, I didn’t notice any toe discomfort at all and instead enjoyed another solid outing. I also got a little rain and mud on this adventure and while these shoes are new and therefore still have fresh lugs, the 002 handled very well in wet conditions, both uphill and down.
Final thoughts are this…these shoes are definitely among the pricier options out there but they are also built to last. Norda swears their shoes will last at least twice as long as your typical shoes (although there is no guarantee). Outside of that slight rubbing I experienced on my long run, I really don’t have anything bad to say about these shoes. The ride is solid, the grip is exceptional, the fit is right on (they obviously know what they’re talking about when they say to size up by 1), and they even look good!
The Norda 002 is a top-notch trail running shoe that is lightweight, comfortable, and even stylish. I’m looking forward to many more miles in these!
