Norda 001 Encounters Two New Colorways for Fall 2023

What You Need To Know

Close Encounters

It’s been almost two years since Montreal-based Norda released its original trail model, the ever-versatile Norda 001, that has slow-burned its way into becoming one of my favorite overall shoes of the last few years. 

Combining both performance and style, both of which blend seamlessly with each other, the 001 is just as at home on the trails as it is on a New York City sidewalk. One reason for that is the seemingly unending well of color and design combinations that seem to hit harder every time. We’re always surprised yet unsurprised by the fresh takes on the 001, which acts as a canvas on which their design team can live their dreams. So it’s surprising yet unsurprising that they dropped another duo of colorways for fall/winter 2023, named for terra firma both terrestrial and extraterrestrial– Regolith and Mars.

The idea behind the two naming conventions of the colorways is the “inexplicable sense of awe and wonderment that transcends earthly experience, where the terrestrial feels celestial,” hence, both earth (Regolith) and space (Mars).

Both colorways (or “encounters” as Norda would call them) feature uppers made with the indestructible bio-based Dyneema, a material that’s 15 times stronger than steel, as well as a Vibram midsole and outsole, featuring the ultra grippy combo of Litebase with MegaGrip. Additionally, both colorways come with hand painted midsoles– Regolith with a speckled finish and the Mars with a “bespoke ombre patina.”

Art-school speak aside, the Norda 001 really is the shoe that keeps on giving. I just wore it for days of hiking and running in Rocky Mountain National Park and it’s routinely my go-to travel shoe for everything outdoors. It looks incredible and seems to only get better as time goes on, with zero signs of wear. If you’re gonna go wild on the wallet with a pair of shoes, you may as well do it on a pair that will last.

The first encounter, Norda 001 Regolith, is available now on norda.com (shop links below) for $285. The second encounter, Mars, will follow shortly after.