If you destroy trail midsoles, the Nnormal Cadi might finally keep up

Introduction to the Nnormal Cadi

RENEE: The Cadi, as compared to its Nnormal counterparts, is meant for less technical terrain. I guess you could say it’s a Nnormal shoe for “normal” trail runners. Wait, that sounds like a paradoxical statement. Are any trail runners normal? I mean, aren’t we all a bit weird?

In a world of gravel, road-to-trail, and hybrid shoes, the Cadi fits within Nnormal’s foundation. This is Kilian’s brand after all, and Kilian’s definition of runnable terrain and my definition of runnable terrain are in no way the same. Fittingly, the Cadi is a true trail shoe in comparison to other shoes in the “non-technical” realm.

Also fitting of the brand’s quality, the Cadi offers what seems to be an indestructible midsole. Remember that Tootsie Roll commercial asking how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop? (YouTube it, kids). The answer: The world may never know. Same here. How many miles does it take to wear out the Cadi midsole? We may never know.

What we like about the Nnormal Cadi

RENEE: How many miles with the midsole last? I don’t know, maybe a billion?

Within just a few strides, I knew I’d need at least 50 miles in the Cadi to figure out the ride. Those 50 miles took a bit longer than I anticipated because this wasn’t a shoe I could wear day after day — more on that later.

For runners who wear out midsoles quickly, this shoe might be a major cost savings. Consider it a challenge to wear out the Cadi. In addition to the durability, the midsole is protective. The shoe has a relatively high stack height of 35/29mm, yet it offers a good connection to the ground with a stable platform.

The upper is a comfortable, plush engineered mesh with a roomy (not sloppy) toebox/forefoot. The white colorway is a good-looking shoe, even after collecting mud and dirt. The Cadi is offered in women-specific sizing, which I tested. I think it might be important to note the differences. The women’s version has a narrower heel, a lower instep, and reduced upper volume.

The heel fit was great, and as someone with low-volume feet, I had good security and comfort. Couple that with the roomy toebox, and the Cadi fit is a winner. If you like the Topo Ultraventure but don’t need that much width in the toe box, the Cadi offers a similar narrow heel hold, albeit with a less forgiving underfoot ride.

I consider the midsole protective and solid rather than soft or cushioned. The midsole feels softer while walking than while running, though I’m confident that the bigger the runner, the softer the feel of the midsole. For technical trails, the Cadi has an advantage over similar shoes, such as the Topo Ultraventure v5 and the TNF Altramesa 500 v2. The Vibram outsole is basically full coverage, and the exposed parts aren’t large, just a few slits here and there. The 4mm lug depth is well-suited to the shoe’s preference for casual terrain.

All those positives aside, in comparison to other shoes in the road-to-trail category, the Cadi isn’t as comfortable or forgiving underfoot. And that segways nicely into what I didn’t like about the Cadi.

What we don’t like about the Nnormal Cadi

RENEE: This is one of the more difficult reviews of a shoe I have written in the past six years. I’ve reviewed hundreds of shoes and run thousands of miles, yet mile after mile in the Cadi I couldn’t figure out exactly why it wasn’t working for me. I’ve heard some runners say the midsole is cushioned and responsive. I’ve heard other runners say it feels like a brick underfoot. I’m in the second camp.

In the first miles, I could tell the ride of this shoe wasn’t going to work for me. The fit and feel are great, initially. Some midsoles break in and soften after a few miles, so my goal was to see whether the underfoot ride would become more flexible at 50 miles. Of course, that didn’t happen because the midsole is indestructible. While advertised as soft and supercritical, the midsole feels a bit firm for me. There is some give, but not enough to flex naturally with my foot, particularly under the arch.

While I like the women-specific heel fit, the medial side felt too narrow, and, coupled with a huge stack height and a firm midsole, my arches hurt in this shoe. There’s just no flex under my midfoot while running. On runnable terrain, the Cadi falls short of the flexible yet cushioned responsiveness of the Altramesa 500 v2, or even the Topo Ultraventure. The shoe does not feel nimble on switchbacks, and taking short, little steps on steep downhills became taxing on my knees. The shoe then falls into no man’s land: not nimble for single track and not comfortable on smooth terrain.

I applaud the women’s fit, though I wonder whether the narrower heel creates a narrower medial sidewall. I don’t have wide feet, yet a few shoes with a women-specific fit cause a similar issue to the Cadi, usually trail shoes with a midfoot rocker.

To reaffirm: Midsole does not feel supercritical to me. For a shoe meant for moderate road-to-trail terrain, a more forgiving or more flexible midsole would be nice. The shoe is not lightweight either, so faster paces became impossible.

Final thoughts on the Nnormal Cadi

RENEE: The Cadi might be one shoe quiver for runners who need protection underfoot and a durable midsole. Do you wear out midsoles easily? Then the Cadi might be a good option. The price is a bit higher than the competition, but the durability of the midsole helps justify the cost. The men’s version might offer a less-constricting medial side, thus providing some needed flex under the midfoot that the women’s version did not.

Nnormal has something right about the purpose of the Cadi: a more casual option as compared to its other shoes. I’d like to see a midsole with either a softer touch or a more flexible underfoot feel. The midsole is supercritical; they just need to figure out how to make it actually feel supercritical.

You can pick up the Nnormal Cadi for $175 from Running Warehouse (featuring free shipping and 90-day returns) by using the buttons below.