REASONS TO BUY
Premium materials
Responsive midsole
Excellent fit
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Lightweight design more likely to cause fatigue
Norda 002 Review
With exceptional materials and craftsmanship, this shoe provides excellent traction and performance - but its high price is harder to justify to less serious runners
The Norda 002 proprietary Vibram-blend outsole with 4.8 mm deep lugs combine for some of the best traction we've experienced to date.
Credit: Matthew Richardson
RELATED: Best Trail Running Shoes for Men
Our Verdict
The Norda 002 is built for those who appreciate excellent materials and craftsmanship. While simple in action, no detail is overlooked from the upper to the outsole. Notable uses of Dyneema paired with a one-of-a-kind Vibram midsole create an exceedingly expensive shoe. This is one of the most refined shoes in our lineup, and its overall performance, excluding price, tops the chart. While traction, foothold, and midsole foam are all excellent it's hard to justify the price gap from competing models with similar performance.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Norda 002 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Overall Trail Running Shoe for Men |  Best Trail Running Shoe with Ultralight Cushioning | Best for Long Distance Trail Runs |  Best Value Men's Trail Runners | |
| Price | $295.00 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $190 List $189.95 at Backcountry | $195 List $195.00 at Backcountry | $130.00 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $109.99 at Dick's Sporting Goods Compare at 4 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | The high price will dissuade most users who could find similar options for a cheaper price | A perfectly fitting, comfortable, and very protective shoe that just begs to be worn on long run days | With each step you are picking up less than the competition, and for advanced runners the precision and speed are unmatched | This version's upper fit is narrower, which adds more technical performance but may feel tighter than some like | While great in moderate terrain those in technical or loose may opt for something more rugged |
| Rating Categories | Norda 002 | Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3 | Nnormal Kjerag | Hoka Torrent 4 | Brooks Divide 5 |
| Foot Protection (25%) | |||||
| Traction (20%) | |||||
| Sensitivity (15%) | |||||
| Stability (15%) | |||||
| Comfort and Fit (15%) | |||||
| Weight (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Norda 002 | Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3 | Nnormal Kjerag | Hoka Torrent 4 | Brooks Divide 5 |
| Sizes Available | 7 - 14 US regular |
4 - 13 US regular |
4.5 - 13.5 US regular |
7 - 15 US regular |
7 - 15 US regular |
| Measured Heel Stack Height | 29 mm | 31 mm | 25 mm | 31 mm | 38 mm |
| Measured Heel-to-Toe Drop | 7 mm | 8 mm | 8 mm | 5 mm | 11 mm |
| Rock Plate | No | No | No | No | No |
| Measured Lug Depth | 4.81 mm | 3.5 mm | 3.0 mm | 4.32 mm | 2.79 mm |
| Measured Weight | 9.87 oz | 10.64 oz | 8.05 oz | 9.40 oz | 10.55 oz |
| Upper | Dyneema | Matryx Jacquard | Matryx Jacquard | Single layer mesh upper | Mesh |
| Midsole | norda™ x Vibram® SLE | Energy Save PU foam with Profeel Film rock protection | EExpure midsole | Foam | Foam |
| Outsole | Vibram Megagrip with Litebase | Salomon Contagrip MA | Vibram Litebase Megagrip | Rubber | Rubber |
| Heel Tab Type | None | None | None | Finger Loop | None |
| Claimed Heel-to-Toe Drop | 4 mm | 8 mm | 6 mm | 5 mm | 8 mm |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Norda 002 is designed for runners who value premium materials and meticulous craftsmanship. It features a Dyneema upper and a unique Vibram-Norda collab midsole. With 4.8 mm deep lugs and weighing 9.87 ounces (per men's US 10.5 shoe), this is one of the most refined shoes in its class, delivering top-tier performance across traction, foothold, and cushioning — at a shockingly steep price.
Performance Comparison
There's not much we don't like about the Norda 002 - other than their exceptionally high price tag.
Credit: Matthew Richardson
Foot Protection
Most of the protection coming from the Norda 002s is underfoot. Its firm midsole provides a great level of protection without the shoe feeling overbuilt. The platform feels well-planted and has a nice balance of width without feeling too wide. The exclusive Vibram midsole compound is our favorite in the lineup and offers good comfort without sacrificing energy return or agility. Its low stack offers great performance in technical terrain, especially when it's off-camber. The excellent Dyneema upper is thin, and while it doesn't provide much impact protection, it does a great job of preventing sand or debris from entering the shoe.
The 002s are incredibly simple and while they protect against impact their minimal design will cause fatigue quicker than max cushion models.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Traction
Norda has a signature compound with a Vibram blend of Litebase and Megagrip that they used to make the 002 midsole. With 4.8 mm lugs, this is one of the best-tractioned models we've tested yet. The Norda directional L pattern offers a great ground feel in all terrain types and is the main reason why we'd consider it a shoe that needs no alternative pair in your closet. Without a doubt, this is our favorite rubber compound and tread design we've tested.
The exclusive Vibram Litebase Megagrip blend offers some of the best traction out of any shoe in our test lineup.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Sensitivity
The Norda 002s receive most of their sensitivity from a low stack and a harder midsole, which gives great feedback to the runner. Excelling in technical terrain, we were impressed with how sure-footed the model felt. There isn't much rocker to speak of, so the shoe feels simple and natural and is a joy to run in. We tested it in snow, mud, hardpack, and technical ridgelines, and it performed flawlessly. Sandwiched in between the Nnormal Kjerag and Nnormal Tomir 2.0, the Norda 002 hits that sweet spot of feeling agile and effortless without being so light that it becomes fatiguing quickly. Ultimately the shoe is light however and this sensitivity does make it more fatiguing than others, we'd recommend it most for around the sub-50k race distance.
The Norda 002s are light agile and a joy to run in across a variety of different terrain types.
Credit: Matthew Richardson
Stability
While Norda advertises the 002 with a heel-toe drop of 4 mm, our in-house lab team used World Athletic standards to measure these shoes with an actual drop of 7 mm. With a forefoot stack of 22 mm and heel stack of 29 mm, this is one of the more grounded shoes in our lineup. These stats, along with a wider fit and harder midsole, make this one of the most stable shoes in our lineup. We are big fans of this more natural feeling of stability that is aided more by ground contact than added structural support. This closeness to the ground, however, does make the shoe more fatiguing over longer distances, so we'd opt for something more plush if you are a beginner or are looking to do long ultra distances. Determining your leg strength and fitness will help you decide how light to go.
Their wider platform makes the 002s one of the most stable shoes to run in. This is done without making the shoe feel overly stiff or rigid.
Credit: Matthew Richardson
Comfort
Excellent fit and comfort make this shoe an easy recommendation from our team. The upper provides the best combination of a snug fit without feeling restricted. It's great for hiking or technical terrain at speed. While the upper is looser than some other models, the lace lockdown is excellent, providing the best of both worlds. The Dyneema upper is light and comfortable but less breathable than other materials, so if you are planning on using this in hot conditions, you may opt for something else. The heel cup provided great lockdown, and we felt minimal movement. There aren't many shoes that provide this level of craftsmanship blended with premium materials — it's hard to think you'd be dissatisfied with your purchase purely for its comfort alone.
Dyneema is less breathable than other materials so if you plan on running in hot environments you may opt for something that will allow for more airflow.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Weight
At 9.87 oz per size 10.5 the 002s feel freeing and simple. They provide great agility and comfort, plus provide support in a wide variety of terrain types. There is a case to be made that some of the features of the model could fall under diminishing returns. We're not sure there is a case to be made that Dyneema is worth the cost over Matryx, but it's clear a lot of thought and passion went into these Nordas. From the stitching to the laces, the premium footbed, and the great midsole and outsole, the Nordas surprised us. Not everyone wants or needs multiple pairs of shoes, and if you like keeping things simple and desire high quality, it's clear the Nordas are built for you. We are excited to see what else the brand offers in the future.
One of the lightest in our test group the Norda 002s archive such a ultralight weight by using premium materials.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Should You Buy the Norda 002?
Price is the greatest factor when recommending the Norda 002. We'd recommend the Norda 002 most to trail running enthusiasts who want a single shoe to do everything in. There is no other shoe in our lineup that has as much versatility. Considering this, the price may be justifiable as you can get away with just a single pair of shoes for any sort of trail run. Ultimately, this shoe scores higher than any of the competition, and its blend of comfort, design, and performance makes it an easy recommendation from our team if its price-performance combo is worthwhile to you.
The Norda 002s are one of our favorite shoes, and if they fit within your budget, they make an excellent quiver-of-one for their versatility and comfort.
Credit: Matthew Richardson
What Other Men's Trail Running Shoes Should You Consider?
The most similar shoe in our lineup is the Nnormal Tomir 2.0 or the lighter Nnormal Kjerag. We'd recommend either option for those who like the idea of the Norda 002 but not the price. They both have great midsoles and excellent construction and should last just as long as the Nordas. Each of these shoes feels simple and provides a great level of joy and connection with the trail.
Other cheaper options on the market are similar to the performance of the Norda 002s but if you want the best then it's worth checking them out.
Credit: Matthew Richardson
—Matthew Richardson
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