Arc’teryx Norvan LD 4 Review: Tradition Mixed With Traction

Introduction to the Arc’teryx Norvan LD 4

TAYLOR: I’m a whistler, something my wife’s eye rolls would confirm. Often, when I’m performing simple tasks or busy work, a simple tune just falls out of my pursed lips. Maybe I lived a past life as a dwarf in Snow White’s service. My wife can also confirm that I get distracted quite easily, especially when working outdoors. My mind wanders from the task at hand to the natural environment. Somehow, a musical selection remains a constant as my attention bounces. In these particular outdoor moments, whether I’m chopping wood, pulling rock, whatever, I Love the Mountains has almost become a theme song that echoes through the trees and over the hills. I do love the mountains.

Arc’teryx is a brand that shares the same passion. They’ve set a standard of quality for the purpose of mountain adventures. And, even though their prices are lofty (as I know we’ll get comments about), Arc’teryx often justifies it with rock solid gear. I mean, any of our most recent reviews of their apparel and footwear like the Arc’teryx Sylan Pro surprisingly confirm this.

So when a shoe like the Arc’teryx Norvan LD 4 comes around, I get pretty excited. Now, this is my first Norvan experience. I’ve long been curious about this shoe because of its modest specs and sleek design. There’s gotta be a reason its their most popular selling shoe too.

The Norvan LD 4 is slated to be a long-distance trail shoe. The updates seek to boost confidence and comfort for runners. Even alterations like a lower stack height (which is so counter to the trend), adjusted upper materials, and modified lug pattern are all bold moves. 

Those adjustments are needed to set this shoe apart from its new racing counterpart, the Arc’teryx Sylan Pro. I appreciate those distinctions. My question is: Is its experience distinct enough to justify its continuation? Does it perform to the same new-found standard I have for Arc’teryx footwear?

MELISSA:  After recently reviewing the Arc’teryx Norvan LD 3, I was eager to see how the updated LD 4 would compare. My takeaway from the LD 3 was that it’s a no-frills, reliable everyday trail trainer—straightforward and effective. I expected the LD 4 to follow suit, perhaps with a few fun updates. Let’s dive in.

What we like about the Arc’teryx Norvan LD 4

TAYLOR: I don’t often comment on looks, but Arc’teryx nailed aesthetics with this one. With a unique styling that falls somewhere between Salomon and Norda, the Norvan LD 4 has to be their best looking trail shoe yet. They also have a fun variety of colorways that boosts the Norvan’s versatility beyond the trail. 

While modern in its design, it feels a little old school from a functional perspective. I mean that in a positive way. Overall, the Arc’teryx Norvan LD 4 build was quite simple and that’s typically what I want out of a trail shoe. There’s a straightforward upper, uncomplicated midsole, and solid grip. That’s it. It reminded me a lot of a revamped version of the Salomon Sense Ride, which was my ride-or-die for a few years! I loved that shoe.

Most of the character will come from the midsole. While Arc’teryx designed it with a dual-density foam (firmer outer cage, softer inner), I didn’t really get a mixed sensation underfoot. It was, again, a simple compression molded EVA that did its job in terms of providing moderate amounts of protection and decent ground feel. This is that “old school” aspect I mentioned before. There’s not too much between runner and ground. I felt like I had a very healthy trail sense in the Norvan LD 4.

If I were to give a ratio, the protection to ground feel would be somewhere in the  60/40 . There’s enough of each that it’s noticeable and the ride allows for versatile application. At 25/19 stack height and a 45C foam durometer (medium feel), I felt confident hitting a variety of terrain and conditions. Other comparable shoes are the Merrell MTL Long Sky 2 Matryx, Altra Lone Peak, and Topo Athletic Terraventure 4. 

Because this package is closer to the ground, has an “average” width, and a simple midsole, the Arc’teryx Norvan LD 4 ends up with both stable and nimble qualities which is so appreciated as the trail turns it up a notch.

The formula used in the upper is fairly similar to underfoot, actually. Two materials were used to provide a fit that also gets my “versatile” stamp of approval. The width was fairly average (once you find the correct length, see next section) which made for a nice fit with the ingredients used. A light knit booty-like tongue with an integrated lace pocket helped to comfortably secure the foot to the footbed. A more technical engineered mesh upper with strategic overlays ensures a moderately protective, fairly secure, breathable and comfortable environment. 

It’s always a breath of fresh air when a trail shoe rounds things off with a Vibram Megagrip Litebase outsole. It’s notably tacky, durable, and lighter than many outsoles out there. The four millimeter lugs were – you guessed it – a nice versatile option for the Norvan LD 4. I had no qualms about the outsole except for soft snow and deeper mud patches that almost no outsole design can save you from. 

At the end of the day, I loved how the Arc’teryx Norvan LD 4 took a familiar blast-from-the-past overall feel and upped the performance through quality materials and a lighter package.

MELISSA: I have to agree with Taylor—Arc’teryx nailed the aesthetics on the LD 4. This is a seriously good-looking shoe with a sleek colorway. I tested the khaki model, and I might just have to start a new scoring system based on my mother-in-law’s reactions to the shoes I test.

For context, my mother-in-law lives in our neighborhood and spends most evenings at our house, especially since we had our daughter—she’s all about maximizing toddler time. She also happens to wear my shoe size and runs on our local trails, so she’s always curious about my testing lineup (and occasionally tries to snag a pair for herself). I can usually tell a shoe is a winner by her reaction when she peeks in the box.

When she saw the Arc’teryx LD 4, her eyes lit up, and she immediately declared that she’d love a pair. She tried them on, then casually suggested that I have too many shoes and should just hand these over when I’m done testing. So, based on my unofficial “mother-in-law rating,” these score a solid 5/5.

Beyond aesthetics, the LD 4’s upper strikes a great balance between durability, comfort, and breathability. I appreciate the built-in lace pocket on the tongue—a small but thoughtful detail. It’s also a plus that this shoe is made with PFA-free materials. Like its predecessor, the upper is easy to clean, which is always a bonus for trail shoes.

Durability is where the LD 4 really shines. Not only is the upper built to last, but the midsole and outsole feel equally tough. The midsole has a firm, protective feel that shields against sharp rocks while maintaining a stable ride. The outsole design works well across both technical and non-technical terrain, making this a versatile choice for long-term wear.

What we don’t like about the Arc’teryx Norvan LD 4

TAYLOR: As with the Arc’teryx Sylan Pro, fit was an issue. Luckily I knew the size that worked for me from before and went for it. My Norvan LD 4 was a full size smaller than my typical. I wear a US men’s 10.5 and went with a 9.5 with both the Norvan and Sylan Pro.

After solving for size, there were just a couple of small issues I had. First is the tongue. Even though I really enjoyed the light fairly secure fit, it ended up being a little too supple in my opinion. Every time I put my shoe on, the tongue bunched into the toebox. Then, I’d have to spend time pulling it back up and in the correct position.

Just from this experience, I knew how this would play out on the trails. Again, it’s such a soft material that was given a big task in this case. Downhills revealed this. My foot slid forward into the toe box on steeper or more technical descents. The thin laces didn’t help much in terms of further securing my foot. I do wish there was a better lockdown for such a shoe. 

A question I had many times on Instagram was whether this shoe was “ultra ready.” I know that everyone has a different preference for trail shoes and what is considered “adequate” in terms of cushion, protection, etc. If this were 2017, I think the Arc’teryx Norvan LD 4 would certainly be a candidate for an ultra trail event. The current landscape of trail running footwear does offer some better options, though. With that being said, I’d gladly take this on daily runs or shorter excursions.

MELISSA: I ran into some fit and lockdown issues with the LD 4, which may be due to the firmer midsole. This version feels noticeably stiffer than its predecessor, and I think adding more cushioning in the insole and tongue would have helped balance out the update. Additionally, the LD 4 has a lower stack height than the previous version, which likely contributed to the discomfort I felt. With less underfoot cushioning, I experienced some soreness along the top of my foot and found the overall ride to be more unforgiving than I expected.

As a result, I’m not sure how comfortable this shoe would be for longer efforts. Overall, I preferred the LD 3, as it had a more forgiving feel. If Arc’teryx softened the midsole slightly or added strategic cushioning to offset the lower stack height, this version could be a stronger contender.

Final thoughts on the Arc’teryx Norvan LD 4

TAYLOR: Having never run in the Norvan lineup, I found myself feeling nostalgic in a good sense. The Arc’teryx Norvan LD 4 has a classic feel that very few trail shoes have these days. I appreciated the light feeling, high quality build, and ratio of underfoot protection to ground feel. Honestly, there’s nothing too special about it, but maybe that’s what makes it so?

This would be a very solid day-to-day trail runner for those running anything from smooth to fairly technical trails. I do warn against the soft lockdown once the trails get steeper or technical. This could certainly be improved but it can roll with the punches as needed.

MELISSA: The Arc’teryx LD 4 is a sleek, durable trail shoe with a well-built upper and a firm, stable ride. While the aesthetics and durability are standout features, the firmer midsole and lower stack height made this version feel less forgiving than its previous version. The reduced stack height may offer more stability, which could be beneficial for runners who seek more ground feel and control. However, for me, it came at the cost of comfort —especially on longer runs, where I found the ride to be too unforgiving.

Overall, while the LD 4 has some great qualities, I personally preferred the LD 3 for its more cushioned and versatile feel. If Arc’teryx can strike a better balance between stability and comfort in future iterations, this shoe could be a top contender for a wider range of trail runners.

You can pick up the Arc’teryx Norvan LD 4 for $170 at arcteryx.com by using the shop link below.