The primary time I wore the NNormal Kjerag 2.0, I hiked straight into the Holy Cross Wilderness on a mission to achieve a string of alpine lakes with no path main the best way. Inside minutes, I used to be crawling over downed bushes, clawing up rock ledges, and thrashing by brush so dense it snagged my legs and arms. I figured the footwear didn’t stand an opportunity.
However once I stopped hours later and regarded down, the uppers regarded untouched. No tears. No snags. Not even a free thread. For a shoe this mild, that sturdiness shocked me. Most path trainers would’ve shredded below that form of abuse.
Since then, we’ve logged round 50 miles collectively, together with a number of extra burly hikes and the remainder of the path runs across the Roaring Fork Valley outdoors Aspen, Colo. The Kjerag 2.0 has confirmed itself throughout terrain. The
footwear are mild and snappy if you run, sturdy sufficient to shrug off severe alpine abuse, and grippy on every thing from gritty slabs to packed dust. The match is minimal and exact, which makes them much less forgiving however extremely responsive you probably have the chops to deal with them.
In brief: The NNormal Kjerag 2.0 ($195) is a troublesome, responsive path shoe that eats alpine abuse for breakfast. It’s not low cost, and it’s not beginner-friendly, however for knowledgeable mountain runners, it’s one of many burliest speedy footwear I’ve worn this 12 months.
See how the Nnormal Kjerag 2.0 stacks up in opposition to the competitors in our purchaser’s information for the Finest Path Operating Sneakers for Girls.
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Light-weight but sturdy -
Grippy and sturdy traction -
Fairly agile with loads of floor really feel
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Minimal cushioning -
No insole
Nnormal Kjerag 2.0 Path Operating Shoe Assessment
The Kjerag 2.0 is the second model of NNormal’s flagship path working shoe. The unique launched in 2022 because the debut shoe from the model based by ultrarunner Kilian Jornet. (Sure, that Kilian who’s arguably the best mountain runner of all time.) His imaginative and prescient for NNormal blends efficiency and sustainability, with a give attention to constructing gear that lasts longer and performs on the highest degree.
This replace retains the shoe’s featherweight really feel and race-ready precision however makes key modifications to enhance consolation. Most notably, the higher is now a single-layer building, which makes it extra breathable and versatile with out sacrificing sturdiness. I spent over 2 months bopping round Colorado within the Kjerag 2.0 and walked away (pun supposed) impressed with these trainers. Listed here are my ideas.
Responsive But Supportive Foam
The Kjerag 2.0 rides on NNormal’s EExpure+ midsole, a brand new supercritical foam that’s created below excessive warmth and strain to be lighter, springier, and extra sturdy than customary EVA. With no insole sitting on prime, your foot is in direct contact with that foam, like proper on prime. This setup took a minute for me to get used to, however as soon as I did, I grew to become a fan.
It delivers fast rebound and constant compression over time since there may be actually nothing between you and the shoe. It’s additionally the rationale the Kjerag feels so minimal if you first slip it on; it’s like a unadorned shoe with no padding between you and the midsole. However I feel it additionally helps the shoe really feel snappier and livelier underfoot.
On climbs across the Roaring Fork Valley, the froth felt prefer it was springing me uphill. Lengthy descents highlighted the steadiness: sufficient cushion to maintain my quads from blowing up, however not a lot that I misplaced observe of the bottom beneath me. After about 50 miles, the froth hasn’t packed out or turned mushy. It’s retained that very same snappy rebound I seen immediately.
That direct-to-foam setup additionally contributes to the precision. A lot of in the present day’s max-cushion path footwear can really feel wobbly or clunky, such as you’re perched on prime of a block of froth. However the Kjerag 2.0 retains you near the bottom though there may be nonetheless a fairly hefty 26mm stack peak beneath your heel.
I by no means felt unstable scrambling throughout talus or edging alongside gritty rock slabs. As an alternative, the shoe gave me simply sufficient softness to uninteresting repetitive impacts with out stealing suggestions from the path. It’s a experience that rewards expertise for environment friendly runners who can make the most of the fast turnover. Tradeoff: These kicks will most likely really feel unforgiving for those who’re simply beginning out.
Sturdiness That Eats Mountains for Breakfast
Sturdiness is the class the place the Kjerag 2.0 blew me away. As I discussed earlier, I threw them into off-trail punishment that will have shredded most path footwear. Within the Holy Cross Wilderness, I climbed over jagged logs, dragged them by moist brush, scrambled up rock ledges, and even tiptoed by a scree subject after a too-close-for-comfort bear sighting.
In any case of that (plus my working miles), I anticipated to drag off footwear that regarded like they’d been by a warfare. As an alternative, they emerged unscathed.
A second large take a look at — one other off-trail hike alongside Richmond Ridge above Aspen — produced the identical end result. Sharp rocks, brush, and a rough-and-tumble excessive alpine meadow left my legs drained, however the footwear nonetheless regarded recent.
I credit score a variety of this to the burly higher supplies. Dubbed Matryx, this single-layer higher makes use of a mix of artificial layers (like polyamide and polyurethane) combined with a small proportion of Kevlar, the identical stuff utilized in bulletproof vests. Whereas the Kjerag 2.0 footwear aren’t fairly as rugged as physique armor, the higher did a implausible job of shrugging off extra particles and abrasion that the majority trainers will.
Grippy, Light-weight Traction
A shoe could be mild and difficult, however it’s nugatory for those who’re slip-sliding down the mountain. Fortunately, traction is one other robust swimsuit in our evaluation of the Nnormal Kjerag 2.0 footwear.
To begin, Nnormal went with Vibram Megagrip rubber, which is arguably the stickiest rubber compound in the marketplace (and a private favourite of mine). However as an alternative of choosing the usual, they use Megagrip Litebase. It has the identical cheesy traction of conventional Megagrip, however it’s about half as thick. This doesn’t have an effect on the efficiency, however it does slash a variety of weight from the footwear — to the tune of 30% when in comparison with customary Megagrip.
That’s a variety of numbers, however you discover the distinction on the path. On packed dust, the three.5mm lugs bit into every thing I ran. Over uncovered rock, the rubber gripped like glue. Atop gritty sand-covered slabs, I by no means as soon as slipped. All through packed dust, I scrambled round as fleet-footed as a billy goat. I’ve zero complaints in regards to the traction.
However really, the spotlight was the slashed weight. At simply 16.2 ounces per pair, the Kjerag 2.0 by no means left my legs feeling slowed down, even after lengthy alpine climbs. That meant I nonetheless had the vitality to make the most of the cheesy outsole as an alternative of simply surviving every step. Mild footwear with mediocre traction really feel sketchy quick, however mild footwear with bombproof grip? That’s when the miles begin to really feel enjoyable.
Constructed to Final: Sustainability
Sustainability isn’t an afterthought for NNormal; it’s one of many model’s guiding ideas. The Kjerag 2.0 displays that from the bottom up. The higher undergoes a dope-dye course of that locks in coloration whereas utilizing 50-95% much less water than conventional dyeing strategies.
The shoe can be designed for longevity, with large-scale testing exhibiting that the Kjerag can final 1,000 km or extra earlier than breaking down. We don’t have direct comparative knowledge, however anecdotally, that is far longer than most light-weight path footwear in the marketplace. By making a shoe that lasts longer, we’re dumping much less into landfills.
That sturdiness is only one piece of the model’s greater sustainability image. NNormal operates as an authorized B Corp, donates 1% of gross annual gross sales to environmental causes by 1% for the Planet, and helps environmental preservation by the Kilian Jornet Basis. The model additionally runs a Take Again Program that encourages runners to return used footwear for recycling or repurposing, maintaining gear out of landfills.
NNormal’s motto is: “All the time much less. By no means extra.” And the model appears to comply with that in its design course of, too. The corporate solely makes a number of fashions and updates its footwear solely when higher supplies or lower-impact processes are discovered. (For this reason the Kjerag 2.0 got here 3 years after the primary launch.)
It’s additionally why the Kjerag 2.0 is obtainable in unisex sizing, lowering the necessity for separate males’s and ladies’s runs. Whereas that doesn’t all the time account for variations in foot form (see Room for Enchancment), it does align with the model’s effort to streamline manufacturing and reduce environmental affect.
Room for Enchancment
Probably the most notable quirk of the Kjerag 2.0 is its unisex sizing. On one hand, this streamlines manufacturing and helps NNormal cut back its environmental footprint with fewer separate product runs, much less waste, and a smaller total assortment.
On the opposite, girls’s toes are sometimes formed otherwise than males’s, and the one match choice might not work for each girl. For me, the footwear match superb, however girls with narrower heels or larger arches may battle to search out the identical locked-in really feel.
Worth is one other sticking level. At $195, the Kjerag 2.0 is the most costly shoe we reviewed this 12 months. That’s quite a bit to swallow when the price of residing frequently rises, too. However it’s price recognizing that accountable supplies, honest enterprise practices, and prolonged sturdiness come at a price. I haven’t examined these footwear lengthy sufficient to say for certain, however I do know I’d be keen to pay extra if I knew I’d get an additional 12 months out of them.
Last Ideas
The NNormal Kjerag 2.0 is a mountain runner’s shoe constructed for knowledgeable toes. It’s mild, snappy, and extremely sturdy, making a uncommon mixture that makes it stand out in a crowded market.
However it’s additionally unapologetically minimal. No insole, minimal padding on the within, unisex sizing, and a premium worth imply it received’t be for everybody. When you’re new to path working or crave plush cushion, this isn’t your shoe. However for seasoned path runners, alpine scramblers, and anybody who values precision and longevity in a light-weight package deal, the Nnormal Kjerag 2.0 is without doubt one of the greatest mountain instruments I’ve examined this season.
