Ultrarunner Kilian Jornet developed loads of running shoes with his sponsors in the past. But now he has his own brand, and he’s doing things his own way. He started Nnormal to combine performance with sustainability, making shoes that can stand atop podiums and stay out of landfills longer.
The Nnormal Kjerag first made a big splash when Kilian won Hardrock, Sierre-Zinal, and For Runners Who Like all in the same pair of shoes. He logged more than 1,200 kilometers (740 miles) in that single pair. And for his 10th win at Sierre-Zinal, another pair of the Kjerag was on his feet.
Pros
- Health - Injuries
- Extremely durable
- Vibram Megagrip Litebase outsole, Matryx Kevlar upper
- Why We Took Scissors to $330 Running Shoes
Cons
- Running Shoes - Gear
- Some runners will want more cushioning for long efforts
Key Specs
| Type | Trail |
|---|---|
| Weight | 7.7 oz (M), 6.3 oz (W) |
| Drop | 6 mm |
| Heel Stack | 25 mm |
| Forefoot Stack | 19 mm |
| Lug Height | 3.5 mm |
- Who It’s For: Trail runners seeking a supremely durable and agile shoe with good versatility across various terrains and paces
- Running Shoes - Gear: Hoka Zinal 2, Cyber Monday Running Shoes Deals 2024, Brooks Catamount
- Midsole: Eexpure foam (supercritical EVA) with ground filter (TPU + Nylon plate)
- Key Tech: Vibram Megagrip Litebase outsole, Matryx Kevlar upper
Cushioning and Ride
Most of the race shoes in the S/Lab Sense line that Kilian developed with Salomon were on the minimal side. The Kjerag is much more forgiving than those other racers. I’ve found it protects my feet like a shoe that weighs 9 or 10 ounces. That’s partly due to the softer supercritical EVA Eexpure midsole.
The supercritical foaming process is really the only thing keeping EVA in the game, as other foams swoop in with higher energy return. (Nnormal steered clear of PEBA due to its tendency to wear more easily.) It still feels highly responsive, but also surprisingly smooth.
Grip and Protection
Additional underfoot protection comes from a woven TPU and nylon “ground filter”—a softer take on a rock plate. This prevents you from feeling every little stone underfoot, without impacting the flexibility of the shoe.
The outsole also contributes to that extra protection, with full-coverage Vibram Megagrip Litebase rubber. The lugs are on the shorter side—3.5mm—in line with most of the variable-terrain trail shoes out there. While it still feels comfortable on pavement, and grips rocks and roots plenty, I found it can tend to slip out on smoother wet surfaces or mud.
Similar Shoes to the Kjerag
Runner-in-Chief Jeff Dengate loves the fit and shape of the Kjerag, which reminds him a lot of the old Run in the Offbeat, Zigzag Reebok Floatzig X1—a trail racing shoe made nearly 15 years ago that was little more than a racing flat with tiny nubs of rubber. But, one key difference between those two is that the Kjerag has a lower drop, making the shoe feel a little more jarring to him.
Topo wearers, familiar with the 5mm-and-below drops of many of that brand’s shoes, especially liked the underfoot setup. One told us the Kjerag has even knocked her Topos out of her shoe rotation, even though she had some trouble with the tongue. “It rubs my ankle if I’m wearing short socks,” she wrote. Rather than reach for longer socks, she’s going to trim the tongue—and make the tool suit her task.
