Photograph: Kieran Alger
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Rating: 8/10
WIRED
Stable underfoot protection with good ground feel. Excellent grip. Reliable waterproofing. Built solid to absorb big mileage. Nails the style brief.
TIRED
Very expensive. Uncomfortable heel cup. At 11.4 ounces (US men’s size 10), it’s bulky.
Running is supposed to be an affordable hobby. But we are in the era of ultra-premium running kit, where boutique brands and fashion-running collabs tout high-spec, high-tech gear with high prices to match. From Satisfy’s $140 mothtech tees to SOAR x Altra’s $285 trail shorts, there are some eye-watering, pricey kit on the shelves. That goes for shoes, too.
Road racing shoes like the Adidas Adizero Pro Evo 2 now tip the $500 mark. On the trails, brands like Speedland and Canadian shoemaker Norda are pushing the prices. Norda’s shoes start at $295. The new 001A G+ that we tested costs $325. That’s not far off the price of an Apple Watch Series 11. It’s also a step up on the already-pricey top-tier trail super shoes from brands like Hoka, Asics, and Adidas.
Is it really worth it? As a full-time shoe tester, I’ve run in dozens of trail shoes right across the price range. But this is my first time lacing up a Norda. I put 50 miles into the 001A G+ to see if you can really justify spending more than $300 on a trail shoe...
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