New path working model NNormal has two flagship footwear however which one is best for you? Tim’s been working in each and breaks down the variations on this comparability.
When the world’s finest path runner, Killian Jornet, began his personal shoe model with an enormous deal with sturdiness and sustainability, folks took discover. Killian left his sponsor Salomon after a few years as a result of he was beginning to see the influence of local weather change within the mountains he explores, and reckoned there was a greater manner.
The end result was Nnormal, whose identify combines Norway, the place Killian lives together with his household, and Mallorca, the Spanish island he’s from, and the place supporting model Camper are primarily based.
The double N? Effectively other than making it a bastard to look, it’s a reference to Camper’s outdated model ‘Runner’, which had a stylised double N. It’s additionally a little bit of a reference to New Regular, which is among the key targets of the model.
Kjerag vs Tomir
NNormal has two principal footwear. The Kjerag is what you’d name its ‘race’ shoe and was the primary launch by NNormal. It’s named after an 1100m tall mountain in Norway that may be reached by trails of all types of issue, however all the time rewards folks with a mega view on the summit.
To check this versatility Killian famously competed in 4 iconic races in 2022 utilizing the identical pair of Kjerags. There’s an ideal movie about it on YouTube. From the crimson sizzling 31km Sierre-Zinal to the gruelling 171km UTMB. He received three of them, set course information, and put 1200km on the footwear.
The second shoe was named the Tomir, after Puig Tomir, an 1103m (consistency a lot?) mountain on Mallorca. And that is the place it will get complicated. The Tomir is additionally marketed as made for everybody, and all the pieces. But it’s heavier, with a thicker sole, deeper lugs, and extra sturdy options. Oh and it truly has an interior sole. So what’s the deal?
The NNormal Kjerag in white and the Tomir in a barely extra trail-friendly colourway
However first, why am I the one to put in writing this comparability?
There’s loads of out of doors gear content material on the market lately that’s written by individuals who’ve by no means taken the product past the pavement, in the event that they even had it of their fingers in any respect.
That’s not how we do it at We Are Explorers. I’m a diehard path runner who’s written lots of the path runner critiques on the location. I run all the pieces from moist technical trails round Sydney to fireplace trails and *gulp* highway runs, and I repeatedly compete in races. I’ve obtained a 65km race on the Larapinta Path in 9 days time and I’m taking the Tomirs alongside for the journey.
Tim grimacing by means of the tip of UTA50 in 2022
NNormal Kjerag
The Kjerag is tremendous gentle at 200g. It has no fussy options actually. Suppose regular laces, and a Vibram sole with a reasonably customary lug sample. It’s aggressively minimal for a path shoe and doesn’t have an interior sole. My white ones even did away with dye!
Key Specs
Weight: 200g (US males’s dimension 9)
Stack top: 23.5/17.5mm
Heel to toe drop: 6mm
Really helpful retail value: $320
Intercourse: Unisex
Kjerag – quick, gentle, horny
NNormal Tomir
The Tomir can be unisex and in addition fairly low fuss, but it’s burlier in virtually each side and has an offset lacing system. If the Kjerag began with a highway working shoe and made it right into a path runner, the Tomir feels prefer it began with a mountain climbing shoe and turned it right into a path runner.
It’s price noting that I’ve been working within the Tomir 1.0 and the Tomir 2.0 has simply come out with a thicker sole, extra rocker, and softer lighter foam. It additionally is available in a dope waterproof boot, that’s admittedly fairly ineffective in Australia.
Key Specs
Weight: 240 (US males’s dimension 9)
Stack top: 31/23mm
Heel to toe drop: 8mm
Really helpful retail value: $270
Intercourse: Unisex
Tomir – Heavier, sturdy, nonetheless horny
NNormal Kjerag vs NNormal Tomir Options Comparability
The NNormal Kjerag relies round their new EExpure midsole, whose foam is outwardly a supercritical EVA (supercritcial means they use fuel to create tiny bubbles, cut back weight, and enhance cushioning). To me it feels just like the delicate, springy PEBA foam utilized in loads of highway working supershoes lately. The shortage of an interior sole is a function, not a bug, designed to supply the ‘best-possible propulsion and compression, less slippage, and way fewer blisters’.
There’s additionally a Matryx® Jacquard higher that (other than reminding me of the king in Shrek) makes use of a kevlar-polyamide weave for tremendous excessive sturdiness, and the dyeing course of makes use of 50-95% much less water than regular.
What concerning the Tomir? Surprisingly its higher is kind of completely different, and makes use of a mix of polyester and TPE to create a tricky higher. There’s robust ‘craft’ stitching to the midsole beneath the TPE to maintain the shoe collectively and a placing asymmetrical lacing sample – extra on that later. The Tomir makes use of a extra customary EVA foam that’s not as delicate or springy because the Kjerag.
Each footwear use VIBRAM® Megagrip and Litebase tech that’s identified for its excessive efficiency grip and weight saving, because of a 50% thinner sole.
The Kjerag and Tomir are each designed to be resoled too, which is a large step ahead for longevity in path runners because it’s normally the very first thing to go. This system, which is a collaboration with Vibram, doesn’t look like accessible in Australia but, however hopefully will probably be quickly.
Each footwear have unbelievable grip, however Tomir has 1.5mm deeper lugs
Efficiency
The Nnormal Kjerag is a little bit of a contradiction as a do-anything race shoe. Possibly if you happen to’re the GOAT of extremely path working it truly is, however for me the Kjerag is a devoted race and tempo path shoe. It’s springy, insanely gentle, and feels sensible at velocity, however at slower paces the 23.5mm stack top doesn’t fairly really feel like sufficient. Even at velocity I used to be generally caught off guard by simply how a lot an errant rock pushed by means of the midsole and in a 20k path race with a heap of fireplace path I discovered it a bit minimal on the descents.
The Tomir however is totally at dwelling simply plodding alongside, and even mountain climbing, and I didn’t have the identical issues with an excessive amount of path really feel. They work properly while you choose up the tempo too, however there’s not fairly the identical additional gear of the Kjerags from the combo of lightness and springiness. The Tomir 2.0 has added a supercritical EVA sole just like the Kjerag and elevated stack top to 33/25mm, which could clear up these issues.
Grip
The Kjerags have 3.5mm lugs in an aggressive angled sample not in contrast to a Salomon. The rubber sticks prefer it’s getting paid and I solely had issues within the muddiest of circumstances. The skinny midsole helps the shoe flex to search out grip on uneven terrain too.
Vibram Megagrip + Litebase goes onerous
The Tomir’s grip is a burly 5mm that copes a bit higher in actually adversarial circumstances, and the lugs really feel like they push by means of soil and discover buy on rocks simply that bit higher. So far as path runners go nevertheless, each footwear are distinctive.
Climbing shoe vibes are a bit of stronger on the Tomir
Sturdiness
The VIBRAM® Megagrip compound on each footwear is made to be very sturdy and my footwear are barely exhibiting indicators of damage (the Tomirs have over 100km on them to date). I’ll come again if one thing modifications as I’m hoping to check NNormal’s declare that the footwear final for over 1000km – a whole bunch of kilometres greater than the trade customary.
Likewise the uppers haven’t proven any indicators of damage past some scratching, and have held as much as getting soaked very properly. All this is sensible for a shoe aiming to get itself resoled, however it’s nice to see in particular person.
Safety surrounds Kjerag to forestall delamination
Consolation
Match
The Kjerags have an ample toebox and vast lacing throughout the tongue, giving heaps of room for adjustment. The match is fairly common to be trustworthy, true to dimension and width so far as I can inform.
The Kjerag has a light-weight, easy tongue that works
The Tomirs surprisingly really feel barely narrower, although not sufficient to trigger any issues. I truly ran with blisters from one other shoe and had no issues within the Tomir, however price excited about when you’ve got a wider foot. The offset lacing wasn’t as lifechanging as anticipated and I believe is extra of an answer to assist tighten the much less versatile supplies used within the higher with out the fabric folding.
The Tomir tongue is nearly equivalent, no notes
Cushioning
As talked about, the Kjerags are fairly gentle on cushioning, and this extends to different elements of the shoe just like the collar and tongue. The shortage of an interior sole is genuinely WEIRD at first, however I obtained used to it and might’t say it’s inflicting any points. However I reckon it’d really feel extra comfy on longer runs if it had one.
The Tomir feels a bit stiff total, from the firmer sole to the robust higher. It’s brought on zero points, but when having your foot really feel cosy and pampered is vital it won’t be the shoe for you.
Design
Simply have a look at the pics! For my part the Kjerag and Tomir are each objectively horny path runners with cool colors, elegant branding, and clear strains. However I’m a bit biased, Killian is cool and I’m a path working nerd – I’m positive some folks assume they’re ugly.
As for the opposite features of the design, I like the Kjerag’s higher and foam, whereas the Tomir has higher safety and grip. It looks like the Tomir 2.0 is heading towards a shoe that mixes these design strengths and I can’t wait to check it out.
The footwear share loads of DNA
Sustainability
Gosh, it’s good to have one thing to say on this part. NNormal’s motto is ‘Your path, no trace’ and so they’re each a B Corp and 1% for the planet member. I’ve already talked concerning the radical method to sturdiness, however there’s additionally circularity baked into the corporate (nevertheless the No Trac Program isn’t accessible in Aus but). NNormal additionally transparently shares their CO2 emissions and has targets to convey these to zero, sharing precisely the place their merchandise are made.
It’s all great things. NNormal actually seems like an organization getting down to clear up an issue and alter the trade, moderately than simply including a little bit of recycled materials to their footwear and calling it a day.
Each footwear are listed as producing 8.25kg of CO2 per merchandise lifecycle, which is loopy while you assume {that a} pair can weigh as little as 400g.
The CO2 per lifecycle is 20 instances better than the burden of the shoe, and it’s most likely one of many higher ones
Value
The Kjerag is available in at $320, which is unquestionably a bit of spicy however fairly customary for the race shoe market. Given Killian’s identify and a few of the applied sciences within the shoe they most likely might have charged nearer to $420 just like the Norda 002 I reviewed and bought heaps. However they didn’t and I like that. For those who get the marketed 1200km out of them then they successfully value $160 in comparison with loads of path runners in the marketplace.
The Tomir 1.0 retails at $270 however you would possibly get it for a lot much less in the meanwhile because the Tomir 2.0 hits the market. I reckon that’s a steal for the standard of this shoe. It will possibly genuinely do all the pieces from multi-day mountain climbing to a path race and I’m positive it’s going to final for years, maybe even get resoled, which may’t be mentioned for lots of its rivals.
Assymetrical lacing, not the gamechanger I’d hoped it might be
Which NNormal shoe is for me?
Each shoe producer desires to say that their shoe can do all of it however it typically results in confusion. In NNormal’s case, the Kjerag is a good shoe for quick path runs, races, and individuals who like a wider toe field and plenty of path really feel. It’ll undoubtedly offer you an edge and it’s bloody enjoyable to run in. The Tomir however is the true Norwegian/Mallorcan Military Knife – it’s additional sturdy, comfy at any velocity and in principally any circumstances. If I had to decide on one, it’d be the Tomir, I belief it sufficient that I’ll be utilizing it for the 65km Standley Monster ultramarathon on Larapinta, however watch me crack out the Kjerags for a quick one as soon as my legs have recovered.
Nnormal Kjerag and Nnormal Tomir FAQs
What’s the drop of the Nnormal Kjerag?
The Kjerag has a 6mm heel to toe drop. The stack top is 23.5mm on the again and 17.5mm on the entrance.
What’s the drop of the Nnormal Tomir 1.0?
The Tomir 1.0 has an 8mm heel to toe drop, which is a bit simpler on the calves. The stack top is 31mm on the again and 8mm on the entrance.
What’s the drop of the Regular Tomir 2.0?
The Tomir 2.0 has an 8mm heel to toe drop however a 2mm greater stack top for extra cushion. The stack top is 33mm on the again and 25mm on the entrance. The midsole additionally makes use of EExpure 45C supercritical foam just like that on the Nnormal Kjerag and provides rocker.
Who based NNormal?
Extremely path runner Killian Jornet based Nnormal with the assistance of Camper.
Which NNormal shoe is healthier for racing?
The Nnormal Kjerag is a lighter, sooner shoe and higher for racing, nevertheless in longer races (marathon or better) the Nnormal Tomir could possibly be the higher alternative relying on how a lot cushion you want.
Which NNormal shoe is extra sturdy?
The Tomir is heavier and has extra sturdy options and deeper lugs, so is prone to last more than the Kjerag. Each the Kjerag and the Tomir declare to final over 1000km of path working and we will probably be doing our greatest to check this.
