I can’t imagine there’s a trail runner alive who hasn’t heard of Kilian Jornet. He’s the goat when it comes to mountains. 6 years ago my kids brilliantly reached out to him and John Kelly to see if they could get an autograph or something to mark my 50th birthday. Kilian sent a very cool signed card and John, the legend, sent me a video, which I’ll never forget.
So the whole NNormal thing obviously caught my attention. I like the idea of running gear that isn’t disposable. I finally had to throw out a pair of old Salomon running shorts after the gusset tore completely this week. But only after I tried sewing in some new lycra myself. It did not go well!
The durability of the NNormal shoes really appeals but the reviews of the first round of shoes were mixed. They sounded like the midsoles were harsh and I don’t like harsh, I like comfort. A few months later and inital reports on the updated Tomir 2.0 were completely positive, so I decided to put my money where my mouth is and buy a pair.
I wasn’t convinced when I first put them on and wore them around the house. They seemed long and narrow and the Matryx material seemed very stiff and harsh. The outsole looked great tho. Decent lugs.
A short 3 mile off-road run went well with some slight concern about foot slippage but nothing major.
Then I did a 13 mile run on part of the Kerry Way from Kenmare to Lord Brandon’s Cottage and back. It’s an ideal testing mix of tarmac, muck, rocks, roots, grass and gravel with 2200ft of elevation gain.
And they shone! Every surface felt good. Not a single slip or slide. And that midsole material seems to have the exact balance I like of squish and responsiveness. With the laces done properly, I had no issues with my feet slipping either.
The run ended up being my fastest trail run in over a year, after non-stop injuries. I don’t know if it was all down to the Tomirs but I’m giving them some credit.
I expect the uppers to loosen up a bit with usage but they are fine even now despite the stiffness. And the Matryx should ensure they last a very long time.
If you are a Speedgoat fan, I think you’ll like these a lot. And they should go for hundreds of kms longer than the Hokas.
Worth a look for sure.
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