Nnormal Kjerag
Your weekly hit of NZ trail running news
The Nnormal Kjerag
Nnormal is a new brand to the trail running world, launched as a joint venture between the one and only Kilian Jornet and Mallorcan fashion shoe brand, Camper.
The Kjerag is their max-performance shoe designed for racing over any distance and terrain. The brand's ethos is to be more environmental by building durable high-performance shoes with top-class “ingredients” that last longer than average and reduce landfill.
Straight out of the box, these shoes are extremely lightweight, and the quality of the components is immediately clear. I was lucky to get a couple of pairs of these near the release date in October 2022 because I was in Europe at the time. As of a week or two ago, there is now distribution within New Zealand.
Facts & Figures
⚖️My 11.5 US clocked in at 254g
🥾Vibram litebase outsole with 3.5mm lugs
🧪Eexpure foam - Nnormal’s own compound
👠Heel stack height of 23mm and 17mm in the toe for 6mm drop
❌👻No insole, your foot sits on top of the foam
❌🍽️No carbon plate
Upper & fit
I have found the fit and upper generally to be great. The shoes are wide enough for my relatively wide feet, and the material has some stretch while keeping my feet securely locked in with no slippage. If you run in Salomon’s Slab Pulsars for example, which would be considered a direct competitor, these are wider and more comfortable for longer events (at least for me).
They are not that protective when it comes to overlays over the toes and sides. There are some there, but they are quite flimsy, so on the odd occasion when I have kicked a rock, I’ve felt it!
New shoe, who dis?
Midsole & ride
The midsole is made of Eexpure, Nnormals own proprietary compound. It’s a supercritical foam designed to provide responsiveness and a fast feel while crucially also lasting a long time. Due to the lower stack, the sensation is definitely one that will suit runners who prefer ground feel over the plush cushion.
I’ve found it does exactly that. The shoes feel really quick, and they are protective enough for me (75kg on a good day) on almost any terrain and distance. After 700km+ they still have plenty of life in them too.
If I again compare them to a Salomon Slab Pulsar - they are firmer and wider, and the foam lasts longer. There’s less of that bouncy sensation that most super foams provide, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as they are purely designed for trails, and the ground feel adds to their quality when things get technical.
Outsole & grip
Vibram litebase megagrip - it sets the standard for trail shoes at the moment, and that’s what you’ve got underfoot here. In short, it’s fantastic!
The rubber is sticky, and the 3.5mm lugs are great for almost all terrain. In terms of an allrounder, this outsole is about as good as it gets. More detail on where I’ve used these shoes later.
The only area where you could find a more specific purpose outsole (deeper lugs) would be in thick mud. I should caveat here that Kyle Malone spent 34 hours in the Kjerags in the Tararuas on a vision quest and had no complaints about performance, so they certainly can do it… there might be better options for deep muddy conditions though.
Summary & best use
The Nnormal Kjerag’s are my favourite trail shoes of 2022/23. They are quick, nimble and versatile and have been my shoe of choice for all of my recent races;
-Kepler Challenge
-Tarawera 102km Xterra
-Wellington Festival 15km
They do exactly what they set out to - provide a fast and durable shoe with top-class components that can be used for a variety of terrains. They are wide enough to be comfortable over the long run, and the lockdown is excellent, so they also perform well on short and fast runs. I have enjoyed them so much I was tending to grab them for pretty much every run including recovery runs.
Likes
⚡Light & fast
💪Durable
🥾Excellent grip
🏎️Pretend you’re Kilian while trudging around the Waikanae river on a rainy Tuesday
Dislikes
🤕The overlays could be more protective
😞The tongue can bunch and crease, but this is easy enough to adjust and solve.
😡Price in New Zealand - see below.
Right here’s the thing, they are expensive. In today’s market, it’s expected to pay north of $300 NZD for this type of shoe. In addition, Nnormal is essentially a start-up, and that is another reason why it might cost more…
We now have a New Zealand distributor, which is great, but the cost to us here is outrageous. I paid £170 when I was in the UK, which is around $340 NZD, yet they cost $475 in New Zealand! Perhaps there is an obvious reason for this I don’t understand, but on the face of it, that seems like a crazy markup.
Again, my favourite running shoes I own and my shoe of choice for all my recent races, but I can’t recommend them to anyone at $475 unless money really isn’t an issue for you. At the price I paid in Europe, I would recommend them because they last well and perform exceptionally.