Norda 005 Review: Ready to Grip and Rip

Introduction to the Norda 005

ROBBE: Once upon a time, there were trail shoes and they were clunky. It seemed like everything was a kissing cousin of a small family of footwear, consisting of shoes like the Brooks Cascadia on one hand and the Salomon Speedcross on the other. Were these hiking shoes or running shoes? Nobody ever really knew. Things changed when Hoka came along, creating lighter shoes with more cushion, eventually setting an ultra running standard with the Speedgoat line.

As the sport grew beyond a band of merry weirdos running even weirder races, it began to attract more attention, more runners, and more dollars. Investments, if you will. By this time, road footwear had taken off at hyperspeed as Nike catapulted running into the next century with the Vaporfly. Suddenly, everyone was scrambling for a plate and a purpose to put into their shoes. Road came first and trail was soon to follow. Kind of.

As trail moved into the world of bouncier foams and faster performance, things got a little squirrelly. Plates were tried, with mixed results. Foams were softened, with mixed results. Turns out that trail is a finicky beast; on roads you have a single surface that goes for 26 miles. On dirt, you have a thousand variations on terrain, from dirt to sand to mud to rocky to soft to hard. Uneven terrain that demanded a firmer foam. Softer foams that felt every bit of the trail. Higher stacks and lower stacks and high drops and zero drops. Throw in distances ranging from a vertical kilometer in Colorado to 250 miles across the Arizona desert, and it all becomes a bit overwhelming.

Then there’s the issue of durability. Outsoles need to balance a fine line between sticky and durable. Make it stickier, it becomes softer, and by nature, more susceptible to wear. Make it harder and you’ll get more miles, but you’re sacrificing grip. Uppers had overlays and support systems, but depending on the model, blowouts and tears were common from the sheer amount of pounding in the shoe, toes and feet slamming into the upper on downhills and moving side to side on uneven terrain. You can only put so much into a shoe and keep the price point low, so sacrifices were made.

It’s almost enough for any product line manager to ask: “What the hell are we even doing here?”

Which is exactly what Norda asked sometime in the mid-2010’s, when husband and wife co-founders Nick and Willa Martire started dreaming of designing footwear that made them want to run on trails every time they headed out the door. Over and over again, for hundreds of miles, utilizing the best components they could find. They wanted to make a shoe that utilized the best materials with a focus on durability and performance. Coming from a lifetime of experience in the world of footwear (Nick’s father was in the shoe business as well), the expertise was there. The vision was there. Now, they just had to make a shoe.

Soon after, they did just that, releasing the Norda 001 in summer of 2021. When we first got that shoe for review, we were skeptical– a $285 trail running shoe? It was almost unheard of at the time. Sure, the golden ceiling was broken a few months earlier with the $375 Speedland SL:PDX, but did we really need another car payment disguised as footwear? Turns out, we did.

Because the Norda 001 was a very capable shoe. Its full Dyneema upper– while warm– was virtually indestructible. Its fit was fantastic from midfoot to forefoot. The Vibram outsole was sticky, grippy, and durable, while the Vibram midsole provided the right amount of cushion and performance. I didn’t know it at the time, but the 001 would go on to become one of my most favorite shoes… ever. Others felt the same. In the years since, we’ve seen athletes take them to the 1,000-mile mark and beyond. At The Running Event in December, Max Joliffe (winner of last year’s Moab 240) showed me a pair with nearly 1,500 miles on it. The upper was fully intact, but the Vibram Megagrip rubber had worn the whole way down to the midsole. 

On a dollars-and-cents-per-mile basis, the 001 destroyed the competition. The design didn’t hurt either– its simple, timeless aesthetic lent itself to a seemingly endless array of color combinations that worked well in both trail and lifestyle. Slowly but surely, the word got out and Norda began to establish a cult following within the trail space and beyond.

In that time, Norda released the 001 G+ Spike (a spiked version of the 001 for icy conditions), the 002 (a quicker, more technical oriented shoe), the 003 (basically a slip-on version of the 001), and now: the 005. Next in line is the 008 (Norda uses the Fibonacci sequence to number their shoes, Mathnet fans unite), but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. 

Norda 002 // Cinder

However, let’s get into some details. The Norda 005 combines everything Norda has learned in the past four years, while harnessing the most current materials and midsoles. The goal? To create “the lightest, fastest, and most stable trail running super shoe ever made.” 

The upper is made from a bio-based Dyneema, a lightweight mesh that looks to bring breathability that was lacking in earlier versions of their uppers, without sacrificing durability. Dyneema laces look to provide a secure lockdown over the midfoot in conjunction with a perforated microsuede tongue. Past versions of Norda shoe lacked heel support, and while the ankle collar itself is a bit unstructured, pillows on both the lateral and medial walls of the collar are meant for a more secure heel fit. The midsole is a new one for Norda, using Arnitel TPEE, a lightweight compound that combines cushion, rebound, stability, and durability. Finally, an all-new Vibram rubber compound– Vibram Megagrip Elite– looks to take the 005 into the highest levels of grip and durability. The total stack height is 32.5 in the heel and 25.5 in the forefoot, including 4 mm lugs.

All of this comes together in a shockingly light package: a mere 7.5 ounces (214 grams) for a US M8.5, making it the lightest trail racing shoe on the market designed for longer races. 

I just gave you a lot of information. I could probably give you more, but I won’t, because this actual review needs to start. So let’s go (right after Taylor).

TAYLOR: Running is in a unique heyday where both human potential and performance gear are on a rocket to infinity and beyond. The road side has been cooking for some time now, but over the past couple years, the arms race has made its way to the trail side as the sport grows and course records fall. Almost every brand has skin in the game now, from trail mainstays like Salomon and Brooks to niche newcomers like Speedland and Norda. Greater innovation leads to more democratization, meaning anyone with some experience, a pocketbook, and a dream has a shot at making something great.

For awhile, it seemed like the combination of carbon plates and super foams were making the jump from road to trail, looking to harness the same performance benefits that their road counterparts delivered on race day. But as Robbe said, the results have been mixed. In the end, do we really need plates on the trail?

After all, what is the true DNA of a trail “super shoe?” Is it propulsion? Ultimate comfort? Next-to-skin fit? We’re still trying to figure out, and each brand is approaching the issue in a fairly unique way. Hoka has parallel carbon fiber plates in the Tecton X 3, Nike has a carbon fiber plate in ZoomX foam sitting inside of a full, cordura-like midsole wrapper. Different approaches to the same problem of how to get fast while staying upright.

In the 005, Norda is taking the “simple is better” approach. Stick to the basics. No plate? No problem. Yes, a few other brands have done this as well, namely the Salomon S/Lab Ultra Glide and La Sportiva Progdigio Pro. But none of them are close to being as light as the 005.

In that way, the Norda 005 is almost in a league of its own. An ultralight shoe designed to be an ultimate performer at any distance while combining the most premium ingredients into an understated design. This approach is consistent with Norda’s “build what we want” mentality – to make, what is in their minds, the best trail running shoe on earth.

We know from experience that when you have passionate people with deep experience making thoughtful footwear, you usually end up with some top shelf stuff.

What we like about the Norda 005

ROBBE: There’s a lot to cover in this section (don’t worry, I’ll leave a few things for the “bad” section), but let’s start with the most obvious: the weight. For a trail shoe, this shoe is shockingly light. In fact, it’s nearly two ounces lighter than the speedy and squirrely Adidas Agravic Terrex Speed Ultra, one of the best trail racing shoes on the market. It’s roughly the same weight as the Brooks Catamount Agil, one of the lightest trail shoes meant for purely shorter distances (and only a 16 mm stack height). 

Getting this shoe below 8 ounces while still rolling out a full Vibram outsole, 32 mm of stack height in the heel, and Dyneema laces and upper– I mean, I’m not even sure how it’s possible. So yes, it’s light. And– as a result– fast.

But first, let’s talk about the upper. The Dyneema is certainly lighter and far more breathable than the version used in the 001. While I never was able to take it above 55F for any run, I can tell you that my feet felt fine, temperature wise. The lockdown and fit is similar to past versions of Norda shoes, existing somewhere between the 001 and 002. Not as snug and form-fitting as the 001, but it’s close. I do appreciate the design of the heel collar and the addition of pillows to aid in a more secure fit. Overall, I thought it worked fairly well.

Moving onto the midsole, Norda has moved on from the proprietary Vibram midsole found in the 001 and jumped up a few levels up to Arnitel TPEE for the 005, which is exactly the right match for this shoe. It retains the right level of bounce without sacrificing stability, which is a must in a trail shoe. The stack height is perfect. Any more and it would be unstable, any less and it would be too harsh.

I’ll be real, the midsole feel is nearly identical to the Lightstrike Pro midsole in the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra (minus the aggressive rocker). I kept coming back to this in my mind, and then I found out that both midsoles are made in the same factory, and– oh yeah– Lightstrike Pro is also a TPEE, so … you can probably connect the dots.

On the run, it’s smooth and bouncy with great ground feel (more on that later). It feels fast, nimble, and light with a quick turnover. Half of my mileage in this shoe was on roads and it felt equally great on roads as it did on trails. There’s a reason Matt Seidel only wore this shoe from start to finish for his podium finish at the 2024 JFK 50 Mile Race. Most athletes change into racing shoes when they hit the towpath; he rode this horse the whole way, from the rocky and rooty AT to the smooth dirt of the C&O.

And then there’s the Vibram Megagrip Elite, a brand new Vibram rubber compound. Currently, the 005 is the only shoe in the world to have this outsole. And what an outsole it is. I did a run in the pouring rain just barely above freezing here in Baltimore and purposefully tried to slip on a metal construction plate, one of the more notorious surfaces for wiping out. The shoe just stuck to the metal, no slippage whatsoever. It was shocking. 

While the 4 mm lugs are spaced pretty far apart, I felt like they still gripped and held onto everything. I didn’t take them through any deep mud but I did hit up some downhill fire roads in North Carolina that had been rutted out from the recent floods, with spring snow melt coming down, and had no problems with grip. 

The shoe is $325. Not gonna pretend that’s not a lot of dough. But TPEE doesn’t die, Dyneema doesn’t blow out, and Norda has a rock steady reputation for durability. Say this shoe lasts you 1,000 miles, which isn’t unheard of. You’re getting 2-3 times the value of say, the Nike Pegasus Trail. Or the Hoka Tecton X. Certainly any Altra shoe these days, which will see a blowout well before 300 miles. In that way, the shoe is far more sustainable than any other shoe out there. And it looks fantastic, so you got that going for you as well.

TAYLOR: If you boil down the Norda 005 build, it reveals a premium midsole foam, a new upper weave boasting the strongest fiber known to man (Dyneema), and an advanced version of a tried-and-true outsole to finish it all off. All of this sounds a bit risky for a first version of a race model, but I’m here to tell you that it is all good. Very good.

For starters, I mean… just look at it! The 005 has a sleekness that almost transcends the running experience itself. The new colorway is subtle and bold, all at once. The natural earthy essence and no frills design is simply beautiful.

If you don’t agree with that, here’s something more objective to chew on: In a world where most racers aim for the sky, Norda purposefully shot the middle (total stack of 32.5/25.5) to allow for foam performance, enough protection, and a practical amount of ground feel for control. To achieve all of that in a high-performance manner, a very unique foam is needed. Again, there are no plates or other mechanisms to carry out the functional load. Norda’s new Arnitel foam is full of character and it all equals performance. 

This pure blend of TPEE was plush, energetic, and durable. Honestly, it’s kind of hard to believe that each of these descriptors can all come from a single foam, but it’s true. It’s kind of weird. There are very few foams that can fill those slots, with the most notable example being Adidas’ Lightstrike Pro. 

Even with a moderate stack, I felt like I had more protection than I should have felt.  As the softer foam compressed, it allowed for ground feel, but never bottomed out. Like the Vibram midsole in the Norda 001, it seemed to disperse intense pounding of firmer surfaces and technical terrain quite well. So, moderate levels of protection are achieved.

At the same time, every toe-off produced a smooth and consistent level of energy. It’s neither the softest nor the most energetic ride I have ever felt, but when considering a pound-for-pound comparison, or millimeter-for-millimeter for that matter, it might actually be!

A broader forefoot paired with the softer foam and moderate stack allowed for a surprisingly stable ride. There’s confidence in control, and this sense of control felt natural. There are no stability mechanisms messing with the flow. It provides a similar sense of control founds in shoes like the La Sportiva Prodigio, Norda 002, and Speedland GL:SVT. 

An issue we have come across with race day options is midsole longevity. It’s a fickle balancing act. Based on the consistent underfoot feel and minimal visual disturbance to the midsole foam, I feel comfortable deeming this foam as durable for the category. The experience you get out of the box will be the experience you get for many many miles of trail running. 

Equally impactful is the weight of the Norda 005. It’s a next-gen move as this shoe has a high-end performance underfoot at a racing flat’s weight. Some shoes may find themselves achieving one of those at a high-level but can’t quite compare in the other. Even one of our new all-time favorites, The North Face Vectiv Sky 2, is more than half an ounce heavier. The only shoe that’s boasts a lighter weight is the Salmon S/Lab Pulsar Pro 3, but again, it can’t compete in underfoot performance. Having both on lock is a game changer. 

Part of the weight savings come from the brand new Vibram Megagrip Elite outsole. This too is a potentially risky move; however, our tests show that it’s a worth it one. This outsole a softer formulation of Megagrip which lends itself to being very tacky on a variety of surfaces. The 3.5 mm lugs were versatile enough for most dry trail conditions and pavement. The only fault came with deeper, softer segments. 

My worry was that this softer lighter outsole rubber would mean less durability. I have no evidence that this is the case. Even after 50+ miles that span pavement, gravel, and technical trail, there is no visible degradation. 

On the other hand, there was no doubt in my mind that the Bio-Dyneema upper would hold up through war and famine. It is an extremely tough fiber and I’ve never punctured it. Even though this particular weave is a little broader, lighter, and more breathable than the 001 and 002, durability will continue to be its main descriptor in the 005.

As for sizing, I personally go up a half size and find the best fit for length. That did give me a little extra volume throughout the foot. Even so, Norda purposefully adds in a little extra wiggle room in the midfoot and forefoot. For the most part, I do really like this thoughtfulness, especially when going the distance. The North Face Vectiv Pro 3, Hoka Tecton X 3, and Topo Athletic MTN Racer 3 all had slightly more broad forefoot and midfoot fits that are somewhat comparable here.

What we don’t like about the Norda 005

ROBBE: I’m sure there will be athletes who will take this for 100-mile races. Their feet will probably hurt. While this is a light and fast shoe with a nice amount of cushion, you kind of feel everything underfoot. The softer foam, sans plate, allows for plenty of smush. So if you are slamming trails or frozen dirt or rocks and roots, you will know it.

In that way, I don’t think Norda yet has a true long-haul shoe, though the 001 can manage if called upon. In regards to the overall lineup, Taylor thinks the 002 still has a place, but I think the 005 largely replaces that shoe, or at least features a significant overlap. 

While I generally love the fit of Norda, I have a pretty narrow foot and felt like the lockdown wasn’t perfect, especially in the midfoot. It felt snug and secure upon initial lace-up, but on the run it felt like there was a little bit of movement on more technical sections of trail. It wasn’t sloppy, it just wasn’t totally locked in. The toe box ceiling is a bit low as well, but if you’ve worn Norda before then you already know that.

Despite adding some pillows on the ankle collar that help keep the heel in place, I’d like to see a touch more structure in the heel area, even if it means a bit more weight. Also, I hate that they removed the heel tab in this shoe. Namely because I feel like it gave the 001 an iconic look, but also because the shoe requires some effort to get on– in that scenario, a little tab goes a long way.

None of these things are dealbreakers, and I get that some sacrifices need to be made when creating an ultralight racing shoe. But I gotta nitpick something.

TAYLOR: By the sheer volume of words thrown up in the first section, one could probably guess that I don’t have much to say here. But for the sake of the tiniest details in which Norda pores over, I’ll gladly be pickier than Billy Strings on the mandolin.

Both potential “issues” are centered around fit and performance on the more iffy stuff. This shoe is not necessarily designed for the technical terrain; that alone puts a sizable dent in the versatility of this shoe, something that the 001 has in spades. 

Norda employs a more generous midfoot and forefoot through their models. That’s one thing that I personally love– most of the time. I found myself wanting a little more security through the midfoot on fast semi-techy trail segments. Regarding the lacing, it did take some intentional effort to find an optimal fit that rolled with the punches without thinking too much about it. This could be an issue for those who have a generally low volume foot or skinny midfoot. 

The second “issue” came in the heel. In general, I do really enjoy the light feeling and strategic bulges of padding. The shape itself and volume throughout the heel construction is pleasant as well. However, I found myself wanting a little more structure, maybe something closer to the 002. I think this is often a risk that high-performance trail shoes are willing to take, especially when looking for places to cut weight, but it can be a little sketchy in the foot security department.

Final thoughts on the Norda 005

ROBBE: I’m predicting that the Norda 005 will be one of the most talked about trail racing shoes in 2025. It’s an ultralight shoe that can absolutely rip at faster paces while harnessing some of the best tech and materials in running right now. And its already been proven on race day, with a multitude of podium finishes at legit trail races around the world. For sure, this will be the one that puts Norda on the map, not just as a gorpcore street-to-trail shoe, but as a bonafide race day option that easily outcompetes almost every model currently on the market.

What’s wild is that every big brand had the chance to do this shoe, but they didn’t. None of them found it profitable to make a low production run shoe with the best materials available, so they just didn’t. Instead, it’s coming from a small husband-and-wife start-up operating out of their parents’ barn in Montreal. 

We’re living in the golden age of footwear and the Norda 005 is a true treasure. What a time to be alive, and to run.

TAYLOR: Fairly recently, Norda athlete, Matt Seidel, had a stellar performance at the classic JFK 50. He took third place which was under the course record (previously held by Hayden Hawks and Jim Walmsley) with some super stout competition on his heels. The course boasts a mix of smooth and fast trails, roads, and some quite technical Appalachian Trail segments. His performance painted a good picture of this shoe’s ideal use-case scenario, and the Norda 005 brings all the brushes with its combination of the highest quality ingredients made for a fresh feel and high performance over a wide variety of terrain. Ideally, this is a shoe that I would reserve for race days, daily runs that require confidence and speed, or days that I want a simply fun running experience. 

As for race day scenarios, the Norda 005 would be optimal anywhere from the shortest distances to a full work day… maybe even add some overtime in there if the terrain is mostly moderate technicality or less. 

I personally love that even with all the new tech, it is still a distinctly Norda shoe. Quality, character and performance will set the Norda 005 apart from many other shoes in this category. 

You can pick up the Norda 005 for $325 on March 13, 2025, from norda.com and select global retailers.