This article is based on an interview with Brian Ratay, Norda’s Director of Sales for the U.S. and our own experience fitting and testing the Norda 001 and 002 shoes.
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Norda is a new shoe company (only 12 employees!) with an ambitious vision, to create a shoe that focuses on performance and durability above all else. In chasing those goals, they’ve managed to create something that might just align with your values: A sustainable running shoe. Believe it or not, they didn’t set out to do this! Sure, they selected Bio-Dyneema for the shoes upper material, a textile that uses renewable energy in its manufacturing, but their sustainability story emerged organically thanks to their focus on durability. Fortunately, our question is pretty straightforward: If a running shoe lasts two to three times as long as other shoes, is it the most sustainable trail running shoe you can buy?
Our article will also flirt with another question: If the shoe lasts two to three times as long as others, is it okay to be twice as expensive?
Keep reading to see where we land.
Sustainability by way of durability
Both the Norda 001 and Norda 002 are engineered to withstand up to 1,000 miles of rigorous trail running. This significantly exceeds the average lifespan of most trail shoes, which typically range from 300 to 500 miles. This impressive durability is attributed to the use of premium materials and novel construction techniques in the midsole, outsole, and upper of both shoes.
As religious runners, who also sell shoes for a living, we WISH that ALL shoes were more durable. Norda’s longer lifespan means that, over time, you will spend less than others and send fewer shoes to the landfill.
For instance, if a typical trail running shoe needs to be replaced after 400 miles, you would need to buy approximately 2.5 pairs to match the Norda’s 1,000-mile lifespan. 2.5 pairs of shoes averaging $150 totals $375, exceeding both the cost and the environmental footprint of a single Norda shoe.
Let’s learn how they managed to make a shoe that lasts so long.
A bombproof Dyneema upper
Norda shoes are made with a one-piece upper. This means the upper is one continuous piece of material, eliminating the dozens of seams and folds that are the most common failure point in other shoes. The Norda 001 and 002 are the first shoes engineered with a seamless Bio-Dyneema® upper. Dyneema is, simply put, the lightest and strongest textile in the world. Importantly, Bio-Dyneema is a sustainably sourced, ISCC certified, and a BlueSign® approved material. Of all the high-performance fibres, Dyneema® delivers the lowest carbon footprint per unit of strength. 75% of the energy used to manufacture Dyneema Fibre® comes from renewable energy sources saving C02 emissions equivalent to 13,000 vehicles.
With an over-engineered upper in both shoes, Norda has reduced the risk of the upper tearing prematurely, a common failure in trail running shoes. As big fans of durable uppers like Salomon's Matryx, we're excited to see how the Bio-Dyneema® holds up. After trying on these shoes ourselves, and fitting customers, we experienced another reason why this upper is so special: it is proving to fit both wide and narrow feet well.
Norda’s Norda-lock system is the reason this shoe fits so many people well. The laces do not simply cinch down the top of the shoe. The laces connect to two "wings," lateral and medial, that perfectly hug your mid-foot. Lacing up the Norda-lock system secures your midfoot while leaving your toes free to wiggle. Brian indicates that the lock system and Dyneema upper do require 50-100 miles of “learning” (adapting to where your foot bends and breaks) before the shoe reaches its maximum comfort. Who’s Brian? He’s one of the people the developed the unique midsole of the shoe.
Exclusive Vibram midsole
Four years ago, Brian Ratay was working at Vibram and hearing, for the first time, the bold vision of the founders of Norda. Brian managed the Norda project for four more 4 years and got more and more inspired along the way; he joined Norda full time in Feb.
Through this partnership, Norda created an all-in-one midsole, outsole, and laminate. Vibram and Norda worked together to craft a lower that is delivered in one piece to Norda and bonded to the upper. This midsole-outsole combo is what really differentiates the shoe from others and delivers the durability and sustainability promises.
The midsole material is always our main focus for durability as it’s the midsole that typically determines the lifespan of a shoe. The midsole is an exclusive norda™ x Vibram® collaboration featuring their SLE (Superior Light Engineered) foam. This is not a supercritical foam or “super foam” like we’re used to seeing in other expensive shoes. It’s a durable and light EVA foam tuned for energy return and longevity. The midsole is able to be tuned for durability because Norda includes an ETPU insole in all of their shoes.
Expanded thermoplastic polyurethane (ETPU) is a soft, elastic foam that is often used in footwear, bicycle saddles, and even running tracks. ETPU can withstand repeated compression without permanent deformation. It's an exceptionally premium material to be used in an insole!
I’ve been telling customers for years that the insole in most shoes cost 3-5 cents to produce. They’re mostly a throwaway product. I was shocked to hear that Norda's insole would retail for a whopping $50. The ETPU insole delivers out of the box comfort and works together with the midsole to deliver cushioning and rebound.
Mega-Grip and Litebase outsole
Bonded to the chassis is the Formation sole with 5mm lugs and featuring Vibram Litebase® and Mega-Grip®. Mega-Grip is Vibram's premier trail compound, dialed for grip, especially in wet conditions. We are big fans of Mega-Grip and consistently see this rubber perform well and maintain grip in all conditions.
Litebase is a technology that allows you to make a shoe that requires much less rubber without sacrificing durability. The outsole is the heaviest part of any shoe, so Litebase uses a combination of nylon and rubber to span the sole of the shoe and save lots of weight. A Mega-Grip compound and Litebase construction is a killer combo that is tuned to last the full 1,000 miles.
The Norda-exclusive Vibram® midsole and outsole demonstrate Norda’s attempts at pushing the boundaries of performance footwear. We’re excited to see how the custom-formulated Vibram SLE midsole holds up to abuse. As for the outsole, we're quite accustomed to Litebase and Mega-Grip outsoles and do expect them to remain grippy for the life of the shoe. We will update this article with our findings as we continue to wear test the shoes. I recently calculated how long it will take each of our staff athletes to run through one pair of Norda shoes. Don’t hold your breath.
Luke: 40/50 miles a week. 60/70 miles at peak. Luke will take 6.5 months to exhaust the shoe at maintenance and 3.5 months at peak. **Luke immediate rebutted that he only runs at peak for 3 weeks max.
Janice: 25 mile maintenance. 40-60 peak. Janice will get a full 10 months at maintenance and 4.1 months at peak.
Jeff: 40 to 60 miles per week at the high end. 4.1 to 6.5 months.
Jeff estimates that the average casual training load is probably around 25-40 miles per week. That means our average customer could get as many 10 months out of their next pair of Norda shoes. That’s just $29.50 a week in running shoes. Pretty good!
A counterpoint
As usual, our colleague Stefanie has the most salient counterpoint: This “shoe math” only works if our customers actually replace their shoes at their wear point. Stef thinks that very few folks do! Somewhere out there, there’s a Speedgoat clocking it’s thousandth mile.
In an imaginary shower debate many hours later, I finally found the perfect rebuttal: SINCE our customers don’t usually replace their shoes, it’s *our responsibility* to get folks into shoes that they can run for months and months without risking injury. I hope I’m doing a good job!
How to choose between the Norda 001 and 002
While both shoes have the same upper and outsole with 5mm lugs, there are three key differences between the Norda 001 and 002: Cushioning, padding, and fit. The 001 has a maximum cushion midsole with a 26/21mm stack height and 5mm drop. The 002, on the other hand, prioritizes groundfeel with a traditional 19/15mm stack height and 4mm drop.
The 001 is for all day comfort on your biggest missions. It's your 50-100 mile shoe and it yearns for adventure. The 001 has an innovative heel counter design that has no padding at all. Norda claims that this provides "uniquely adaptable" heel lockdown. It's cool to see folks who are pushing the boundaries of shoe design.
The 002 has a more traditional heel design with padding, because the 002 is designed for a different use. The low stack height, light weight, and padded heel make this your technical race day shoe. Imagine doing a VK (Vertical Kilometer) race. When climbing steep and fast, you’ll be pressed deeper into the back of the shoe, hence the additional padding. I find this a bit aggressive but you can think of the 001 as a tool and the 002 as a weapon.
Core colors vs limited colors
The men's and women's 001 LTD is a limed edition color, never to return! The limited "launch color" is called "Axoloti. "This color carries a $10 premium compared to the 001 core colors like black and cinder at $285. The 002 is only available in cinder and costs $295.
Fit notes
According to Norda's website, folks should order ½ size larger than your normal (US) shoe size. All our staff have fit-tested the new shoes and many have run in the Norda 001 and 002. Here are our fit notes:
Luke : Wide foot. Sized up a full size.
Cooper : Wide foot. Sized up a half size
Jeff : Wide foot. Sized up a half size.
Max : Narrow foot. Sized up a half size
Janice: Wide forefoot and narrow heel: Sized up a half size.
Stef: Narrow Foot. Sized up a half size.
Don't forget performance
The last thing we value here at Alpenglow Sports is performance. Only by adding performance to the durability and sustainability story do you gain a full appreciation for these shoes. Norda set out to make a shoe that performed twice as well as others and maintains peak performance for 3-4 times longer than others. We think they've done it.
Alpenglow Sports is often the first stop for customers that have audacious goals. Our community looks to us to carry the gear and deliver the advice that they need to make their performance objectives become a reality. I am stoked to have the new Norda shoes as an option for those that need the utmost performance and maximum durability. Having the 001 and 002 in stock means we have a shoe for you on race day and beyond.
Long term value and long term values
The Norda shoes match our values here at Alpenglow Sports. Their durability means that they will protect you for longer and you can enjoy running with less concern about the mileage of your shoes. Their high-quality materials result in a sustainable shoe that leads to far fewer shoes in the landfill and better long-term value. Their performance benefit means you can confidently step up to races and alpine objectives knowing your footwear will not be holding you back. We're excited to get you in a pair so you can see how it feels when a shoe matches your values.
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