Apologies for the subpar audio and video quality for this one. The original file got corrupted, but fortunately we had a cloud backup and were able to save this conversation! What do you all think of the 001 and/or 002? Is one of these more suited to your running style? Let us know if there's anything we missed!

This was a great review and a great discussion. I have both of these shoes, and I also have the 001 G+ Spike which I obviously use for winter running. I struggled mightily with the heel lockdown on the 001 on my smaller foot. I tried different lacing, different socks, different insoles, no insoles, padding on my heel - and various combinations of the aforementioned. What finally made the shoe click for me though, was as you discussed - it just needed to break in. Once you get to that point, everything you have heard about the Norda 001s becomes reality. Durable. Comfortable. Maybe a little warm. Drainage is only ok. But they fit and feel great. These shoes will last a long long time. I am very happy to see you make such an emphasis of the dollars/km aspect of the price of these shoes. That's a component that many reviewers don't really focus on. They just opine about the high price, but don't really discuss the value. So thank you for that. This is a little bit rambling, but I wanted to thank you for the wonderful and objective review. Great stuff.

I feel so lucky that I put the 001s on and the only issue I had was lockdown. A runners loop solved that and 80 miles later I’m in love. Supporting the little dudes making cool shit for whatever you’re into is important because they’ve got all their chips in on it. I also love that a shoe that lasts twice as long is 1/2 the trash down the line. 1/2 the emissions of shipping and all the other bad shit from manufacturing. It’s less shoe boxes which my kids will be bummed about. Keep up the great work CP! I pulled the trigger on the topo pursuits based on your review and am very pleased with 250 miles in them and at least as many ahead of them!

I just found your channel, new subscriber. I can’t believe how great your impeccably complete reviews are! As an avid road/trail runner with function first, but do like something fashionable and lover of all things detailed, you guys cover every angle! Super stoked, as I am considering the 001, thanks so much

Great hearing your guys perspective on these, I love both these shoes.

Thanks for doing this long-awaited comparison! I have been running in both models since their inception and have a half dozen of the 001s, including the waterproof version and the ice spikes edition. The 001 is maybe the best overall ultramarathon trainer ever made, despite the heel counter (which requires a lot of break-in, 100 miles at least). Raced a 50 miler in the 001 on a technical mountain course here in Colorado and it was superb throughout. Ideally Norda will take the 002 heel counter and use that on a 003 using the excellent 001 platform. The 002 is for me a 15 mile or less racer on softer ground, or a speed work shoe. Both drain surprisingly well! Highly recommend especially the 001.

These shoes wash really well. I spray with any typical laundry spot remover and throw in the wash. I have a white pair. They come out shinny and new. The material is bullet proof so no worries about how often to wash even. Your review is spot on as far as performance. I have moved to these as my go to shoes now for any activity.

Great review!

Thanks for finally reviewing these. The 2 brand new VJ shoes look awesome… and the Merrel Long Sky 2 Matryx… and the Brooks Catamount 3. These would be my top pick since I don’t run ultras…

Great comparison, and definitely didn't see the comparison of the 002 to the Catamount. That's really intriguing. For the next reviews I'd love to see more Scarpa and some Merrell

Great review guys! It’s funny how shoes fit so differently for everyone. I have a couple of pairs of 001’s and have had zero issues with the heel. They are my favourite trail shoe. And the midsole just gets better and better as you put in the miles. Something magic happens at around the 150-200km mark!! The only downside for me is that the shoe gets heavy running in wet conditions.

Fun and informative review, gents! Agree on the value of the TPE/TPU insoles that some companies are using. I find myself slipping my Saucony Pwwrun+ insoles into almost any shoe for trail/road when I want some extra comfort. TOPO is now also incorporating a TPU insole (you can also purchase separately) and that makes a difference too. But it's a cheap, underrated way to completely change the fit, feel, and comfort of a shoe. Great stuff. (also *cough* Xodus Ultra 2 - even a quick one - before the 3 comes out in May/June '24).

Great review 🇨🇦 The 002 is a comfy shoe out of the box. Loved them on my local soft trails but the lack of heel support gave me issues on steep technical downhills. The laces are also the same material and a bit slippery and had to use a runners knot to keep them from coming loose. Really like the Vibram foam 🇨🇦outsole but could use a rock plate to be honest as I found out a few times.

Great reviews, very informative and great to see both points of view. Brands in the space are certainly going to be taking cues from Norma in their aesthetic, exciting to see what Norda comes up with next. I would be interested to know if you would even be willing to review the Vivobarefoot Primus Trail? My assumption is that you are not running in barefoot your feet might not be strong enough and would need to adapt your running style, maybe you don't want to take the risk. I could see alternatively that you bring in a guest who does run in them to review them.

Feel free to make them even longer it’s all in the name of aerobic development - nothing better watching you two talk shoes and chilling on zwift 😄 Wishlist: La Sportiva Prodigio Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra Terrex Agravic Speed Terrex Agravic 3 (For a 90min 3 shoes video haha) Zegama 2 Tomir 2 Thanks guys!❤

Seriously underrated show. Subscribed.

Good review. Requesting On Cloudsurfer Trail

Before I watch this - I tried hard to wait for your review on this shoe (001) after seeing the comments in your 2023 year in review.. I broke this weekend and see this today.. still happy 😂

Thank for review. Feel great the more you wear them. It’s like an old Jean’s. Go up 1/2 size for 001 and 1 full size for 002. I lace my 001 with the second eyelet lockdown technic and it’s fantastic. These shoe are very stable and so confortable with complete gusset tongue on 001. I hope a model with the 001 midsole with 002 upper 🤞

Cool review guys. Not easy shoes to come by in New Zealand (I think one store in the whole country carries them, and they're $500), but they look cool. And I love the peba insole in my Saucony Xodus Ultras; such a great idea.

Nice compare and contrast. Shoes I'd like to see you review, La Sportiva Prodigio, Adidas Agravic Speed, Nike Zegama 2

Thanks for the in-depth review! Recently spotted a good deal on Norda 001 (47% off), so I grabbed a pair. I'm sorta inbetween 2 sizes - US9 (Novablast 2 & 3, Hierro v7) and US9.5 (SpeedCross 4, Pulsar Trail GTX). Decided to order US10 anticipating there'd be some extra room for self-adhesive heel pads. It turns out to work quite well. Just did 10K yesterday. The material in the heel is indeed hard and abrasive and the stick-on heel pads definitely helped. The outsole performed pretty well. The midsole didn't feel as comfy as Hierro v7 or Pulsar Trail. I guess it still needs some breaking-in. The laces were a bit disappointing though. I had to retie them half way. The loosy heel collar was also a problem. After the run, the upper of the shoe was still clean, but the insole got dirty because of all the dirt let in by the loosy heel collar. I guess I'll have to wear gaiters next time...

Salomon Slab genesis… curious if anyone can compare it to the norda 001 or have other recommendations for a mid stack shoe that can accommodate a narrow heel but wider toe box for moderate to technical terrain. It sounds like speedland has been developing a new shoe in this segment but I haven’t seen any recent launch updates

I'd love to hear you review the norda 005. 👀🙏

I like the 001 better for running. It’s a lot of extra shoe for only +.5 oz. The way the 001 heel cup becomes ultra secure while going up hill is awesome. One thing you didn’t mention is the full gusset in the 001 which wraps all the way from the forefoot to the toe cap (Makes the upper significantly more protective off trail). The 002 on the other hand has a single layer upper over the toe box.

Thanks for that really informative review. Would you have any thoughts on the Norda 001 compared to the NNormal Tomir 1.0 or Tomir 2.0, and which may be better with a custom orthotic?

I wear Saucony Exodus Ultra size 10. Should I go with the same size of Norda as well?

How would you compare Nnormal kjerag to these 2? AND! If you could Only get an 001, 002, or Kjerag.. you’d pick? Thank you for this one!

For my foot shape the 001 has always been fine out the box and i'm on my 3rd pair with 1000+km on the prior 2.

I tried the 001 a hundred different ways over 170km and still get blisters. Whoever decided a seam in the middle of the heel cup was a good idea obviously doesn't have bony heels. Impossible to lock down without squishing my arches into oblivion. Gaping around the ankles letting all sorts of debris in the shoe. Worst $300 I've ever spent!

Would be very interesting to see what you guys think of the evadict shoes from decathlon models race light and mt cushion 2.... both with matryx uppers... have the race light myself and they are great and have lasted quite long.... it would be good to see how budget shoes compared the more premium brands.

Definitely on thru hikers minds. It's what I thought of when I first heard of Norda and I'm sure others to because same material as my tent and pack, just a little different. The thru hiking community is all about "cottage brands". The only thing and like you mentioned is drainability. My tent, pack are completely waterproof and the PCT is super sloppy and wet when the hikers are hitting the mountains and you don't want to put on wet shoes in the morning after crossing rivers the day prior

I've got the 001's in all black and wasn't sure at first, but after breaking in the upper, they are now a fantastic shoe. Have you seen the slip on Norda?

I have the 001s and really like the feel but get chafing under my ankle bone from heel collar that rubs off skin. Have also had blisters on heel. So disappointing given the price point and these have just been sitting on the shelf. Has anyone else had that issue with chafing? Any ways to solve?

I would like to see the merrell agility peak 5. Could that be an option?

Love my 001s as a general trail/road/travel shoe. They are super stylish and also can handle most surfaces for running so they are my go to whenever I need to get miles in while traveling. If y'all are wanting to review another "indie" trail shoe, I'd check out the 4T2 Get Lost. It's in a very similar vein as the Norda 001 and Nnormal Tomir

That 001 midsole is absolutely addicting. Long long very break in period, but once you can get past that 50 mile mark….it just gets better and better. Owner was quoting saying the upper is like a leather jacket…break in time is part of the experience. Once it molds….just amazing going forward. I equate this to Reeb bikes.(CO bike brand) Saucony xodus 3

Just an fyi, I took the Stoneguards that came with my Altra Superiors out and they fit right in my 002’s. Gives you a little more extra protection.

Would love to see a review of something in the North Face line, especially the Summit Pro, Vectiv Sky, or one of the new Alta Mesa line.

Do a review on the Genesis lineup and probably a comparison video also.

I'm a sneaker tech lover, I would say that I currently have 4 shoes in my rotation for hiking and running my local trails (Alpes du Sud France), Hoka Speedgoat 3 (stiill the best version for me), Evadict MT Cushion 2 (incredible value for 100€), Nnormal Tomir WP and the 001 I absolutely love them all for different reason, I can wait to get the Tomir 2 with more plushness under feet btw. But the look of the 001 got me, they are beautiful on and off trails

I had a dog bite me on my foot in my Norda 001 it bruised my toe but didn't even pierce the fabric. I love both the 001 and 002 I feel the 002 is a lot quicker but the 001 always feels like a tank on my foot in a good way. I have been able to take on the wet muddy UK winter in both of them with no trouble. They are both great shoes can't choose one over the other though?

can you guys tell about the sizing situation? compare to Nike, Salomon...

150miles in - I’ll say that I tried tying the shoe 99 different ways before adding some padding to the thin tongue. Other than that the shoe is phenomenal. I love how stable and grippy it is, and I’ll say the midsole really does start to change for me around 120-130miles in. Love the heel style - reminds me of my climbing shoes in a way. Will be racing at least 50miles of my first 100 in the shoe in 5 weeks

I have the 001, I call it my zone 2 shoe, easy miles and I use them on my canal path commute about 10miles each way.I wouldn’t race in it for sure. I would love to hear you thoughts on the Merrell Agility Peak 5…..

Sounds like the 002 is a worse kjerag, heavier, and you feel all the rocks, 001 with the 002 heel collar seems like itd be pretty great! Poke some holes in the dyneema and breathability issues would probably be solved, i doubt the uppers durability would be bothered by that lol Would love to see the inov-8 g270 reviewed, la sportiva prodigio, tomir 2, and the new xodus altras Would love to start seeing more tpu/peba insoles, i really like swapping my peregrine insoles over to some other shoes (even put them in my kjerags sometimes, helps me go longer in them but they do take away some stability) but they have to much arch support to put in all my shoes, itd be great to see them come stock more Also could you start doing a weigh in for the shoes when brand new and then another with dirt? I think it would be good to know how much weight the upper holds and it would standardize things more

I saw ONE person hiking SOBO on the PCT who was wearing Norda's last summer during a section hike in WA. That crowd is pretty committed to the Altra Lone Peak/Olympus, Topo, and a few Hoka models. The 001 very well could be a "cheaper" option for the distance hiking community. No comparison between uppers.

Do either of these shoes have a rock plate?

Babe wake up, a new Conversational Pace review just dropped. There’s a new S Lab Ultra FDH that Salomon came out with that I’ve only seen 1 English review on. Other shoes for when they come out would be the Tormir 2.0, Xodus Ultra 3s, and the S Lab Pulsar 3s.

When I initially got the 001, I also couldn’t run in it, the heel counter was killing me. $300 sitting in the shelf, and I watched a video on lacing the back eyelet differently and bam, the heel was fixed and the 001 has become my workhorse trainer, I have 500km+ and barley shows any wear, I expect to get another 1-2 years of training, $300 is a big initial investment, but durability is unquestionable.

I prefer a shoe, the less not longer, but less time and be cheaper because I like to just try out different shoes. You have to shoot services at purpose, like to look for something else but then again, every once, while I still run my fingers which lasts me forever so maybe I’m lying. But my book that’s a lot of money to have a shoot that’s not perfect would take the Nnormal over it. And $100 for race entry

1st we needed a voice over. 😂 .Second the only thing that can break this shoe down is a one way trip on a rocket ship to the sun.

I’d say get the 001 at 1/2 size up. Run 500 miles in it and you will now have a 002 on your hands

with the advent of gorpcore and its price... as much as they appear capable, this will be relegated to a lifestyle use. reminds me of salomons.

I’m so tired of running shoe companies sacrificing the durability of the shoes to make them a tiny bit lighter!! I’m always looking for a trail to road shoe that o can get more than 800 kilometers of use out of, normally I try to get 1200 kilometers of use but what I’ve being finding is it’s getting harder and harder to find that shoe!! I’m a big Speedgoat fan and I was able to get that usage from the Speedgoat 4’s bit not the Speedgoat 5’s!! What’s happening now with the Hoka is the upper is going before the sole and midsole?? Same with Saucony trail shoe the XU2 and the Endorphin edge trail!! The upper is wearing out and busting open while there is still a good bit of like left in the sole and midsole !! I’ve been looking at the Norda now for over a year now but couldn’t take that kind of financial risk on the shoe, but finally today I found a pair of Nora 001 on sale for €180 and looking forward to finally trying 👍 if this shoe is as good as the reviews and works for my foot and the running I do which covers all terrain plus training for and completing ultras up to 200 kilometers then I’ll make this shoe my forever shoe 😄 if I can spend €280 on one pair that feels good and out lasts the 3 pairs of hoka or saucony well then it starts to make more sense financially 🤓👍 here in Ireland loving your KZfaq channel 🤟😎☘️

budget option 🤣🤣

Norda 001 is the worst shoe I have ever purchased. They run awful. Poor response. Poor flexibility, even after break in. The toe box is too wide. I think they are a heel striker's shoe, from what I can tell -- not a midfoot strikers shoe -- as I feel beat up running in them on long runs. They are durable, no doubt, but if they aren't fun to run in they aren't worth $300. Consider this, for the cost of a Norda you can get the following: 2 pairs of Speedgoats, a Speedland shoe, the upcoming Tecton x 3 (that Walmsley wears), and (if you get a sale) almost two pairs of Nike Zegama 2s. They are $80 more than the Adidas Speed Ultra. These simply are not serious running shoes -- i.e. they aren't racing shoes. I'm not a thru hiker -- I want to run -- and thus I have no real use for the Nordas (and how sad that I spent money on something to "wear around town"!! Ha!).