Nnormal Tomir 2.0 Review: EExpure Mountain Fun

What You Need To Know

Introduction to the Nnormal Tomir 2.0

TAYLOR: Here’s the skinny on a modern brand you may or may not have heard of. Many know Nnormal as “Kilian’s brand.” That’s a compliment worth putting on a plaque; however, Nnormal also wants to be known for its high-performance products that step the industry forward in sustainability. Though this brand is young and niche, it’s vivacious with a great band of hand-selected athletes like Allie Ostrander, Dakota Jones, Elhousine Elazzaoui, Emily Forseburg, and our favorite former Believe in the Run Trail reviewer, Alex Elizabeth.

From what we have experienced, their quality of performance and persona match. Trail reviewer Matt Kucharski vouches for the low-stack, speedy Nnormal Kjerag. Their other offering is the Tomir, which has drawn positive remarks in the durability department with its ability to age like fine wine. And they have an ever-expanding line as they look to bring a very customizable running experience to consumers via the Nnormal Kboix.

The shoe we are dissecting today is Nnormal’s first true update. The Tomir 2.0 looks nearly identical from a visual standpoint. That’s far from actuality. There are a couple of small tweaks to the Tomir 2.0, but the big one is that the firm EVA midsole has been swapped with a modern EExpure supercritical foam. On paper, this is incremental. On the run, this is huge. Such a swap has the potential to change… well, everything! Let’s hope that’s the case.

What we like about the Nnormal Tomir 2.0

TAYLOR: My appreciation for the Nnormal Tomir 2.0 starts with step-in. It’s immediately obvious that there’s something different, yet equally noticeable that they kept the best parts of the original, too. These are my favorite types of updates.

Nnormal kept the silhouette largely intact from the first Tomir with a much better fit all the way around, so it fits true to size for me, perhaps just a touch long, but that’s okay in this case as it keeps me from slamming the toe cap. Width-wise, the Tomir 2.0 is slightly more fitted too. It ends up as a slimmer profile for the average foot. This, again, is fine in this case because of how nicely mapped the Ripstop TPE upper is. This is very much like a Dyneema upper (found in the Speedland SL:PDX, Norda 001, and Norda 002) that gives both proper structure and incredible durability while being modest in the breathability department.

It’s not often that the lacing chain sticks out as a difference maker, but it does in the Tomir 2.0. Instead of the traditional lacing that runs directly up the middle of the foot, this one runs from the medial side and follows the crest of the foot. Everything about the upper seems to be optimally placed because of this. The topographically modeled overlays, padded gusseted tongue, and strongly structured, well-padded heel collar all aided with the overall fit, too. It all helped the engineered upper contour the foot from top to bottom.

I typically throw the laces through the upper eyelet. I did that with the NNormal Tomir 2.0’s no-slip serrated-edged laces as well to really lock down that heel to match the midfoot and forefoot security. The overall fit really worked for my foot on all sorts of terrain and conditions, including some very technical stuff.

Comparable fitting shoes are the La Sportiva Prodigio, Merrell Long Sky 2, Brooks Catamount 3, and Norda 002. A common thread between all of these is strong security with a mildly accommodating fit.

In my book, once the fit is settled, then the rest of the shoe can have a chance to shine. So, let’s talk about that new midsole.

Supercritical foams have been hit or miss in the trail running world. Though comfortable and energetic, they often pose issues of durability and instability on trails. Thankfully, I did not have either of those issues with the EExpure supercritical foam in the Tomir 2.0. This was absolutely the change needed to bring the Tomir series into the broader trail-running public.

Like the first version, the Tomir 2.0’s needed a slight break in period, however, it was much much shorter and worth the wait in this edition. Once I hit 20-ish miles in the Nnormal Tomir 2.0, the midsole took on a medium density, much like that of the La Sportiva Prodigio with notes of a Norda 001, Dynafit Ultra DNA, Salomon Genesis or The North Face Altamesa 300. Though all of these have divergent feelings underfoot, the leading characteristics of the ride are protective, cushioned, and slightly energetic on certain terrain.

Though this shoe is neutral, the moderately broad footprint provided some positive natural stability.

If I was going to give a closest comparison it would be the first two shoes. It’s a sturdy foam that doesn’t resemble a 2-by-4… at all. A light squish but mostly stable foam gains a lot of trail cred for the Tomir 2.0. Over time, it will surely soften, but I feel the EExpure midsole foam will stick around for many miles. I’ll need a few more miles to truly tell if rumors are true that this shoe feels even better at the 100, 200, 300, and even 400-mile marks than it does in the early runs. We may have to pull a Marty McFly and check back in for that.

Vibram is always a top-notch ingredient and they seem to be showing up on most of the trail shoes I test. The Nnormal Tomir 2.0 employs a Megagrip Litebase rubber with 33 five-millimeter lugs. I love the attention to detail with various lug shapes and little nodules on every side of the lugs for micro-traction. Spring in the Rockies is the ultimate testing ground for outsoles, and the Tomir 2.0 was confidence-boosting. Mud, snow, stream crossings, dry singletrack, granite, and whatever the heck else I ran over didn’t stand a chance.

I would be remiss not to tip my hat toward Nnormal’s efforts of sustainability. Their take is that if you can wear a shoe for longer, that’s the ultimate sustainability and will add up over time. They take that idea a step further here with a stitched-on midsole and easy-to-resole outsole design. Even though neither of these should need replacement until well after the typical shoe’s life cycle, the possibility is there. That’s cool.

What we don’t like about the Nnormal Tomir 2.0

TAYLOR: Honestly, this section is hardest when a shoe ticks a lot of the boxes it already claims.

What I think will likely get the most negative rap is the upper. Even though the fit is so well mapped, it’s on the slimmer end of the spectrum. I have a foot that borders the average and wide width. Though I was comfortable, the TPE Ripstop upper will not budge much either. Some runners will bet on the upper stretching a little bit. Don’t count on that with the Tomir 2.0. If you’re a wider-footed fella or felita, this shoe will not be very accommodating in the forefoot.

I did get one warmer run in the Nnormal Tomir 2.0. It was fairly warm inside the shoe. The technical fabric dried quickly, sure, but the weave is so tight in this fabric that it’s hard to get much air through leaving it to be a potentially steamy situation.

Final thoughts on the Nnormal Tomir 2.0

TAYLOR: I’m impressed! This is an amazing update from its first version. Though I don’t think it will last as long as their first tank, the Nnormal Tomir 2.0 will be a longer-lasting shoe that runners will enjoy to a much greater degree.

Their new EExpure supercritical midsole will literally be the moneymaker for Nnormal. It transforms the Tomir series from a glorified hiker into a truly viable trail running shoe that can compete with any other shoe in this category.

Performance-wise, this is a very solid all-around trail runner. The overall fit and technical specs allow the Tomir 2.0 to shine in the moderate to technical terrain where most higher-stacked trail runners should never be. I would easily reach for the Nnormal Tomir 2.0 for many-a-mountain adventures, whether they’re pre-work morning pursuits or all-day endeavors.

You can pick up the Nnormal Tomir 2.0 for $170 at Running Warehouse (featuring free 2-day shipping and 90-day returns) using the buttons below.