written by Keith Payne - Tech Kahuna, Running and Team Sports Lead, New Employee Wrangler at Sports Basement Campbell
 

Let's talk about trail running. Ok, Ok, a new favorite has emerged. I liked it so much, I bought it. Let's talk NNormal Tomir...

First, allow me to introduce you to Kilien Jornet, one of the best mountain athletes in the World, who has partnered with family-owned footwear company Camper to launch NNormal.
 

"Sharing the same values was a strong motivation to start this project. We agreed that we need a new way of thinking and acting in relation to our environment and Outdoor activities,” explains Kilian Jornet. “We want to be very honest on how we produce the equipment and on the role the company wants to play for the society and the environment. This means transparency and working to avoid overconsumption by building products that are durable. To have a minor impact on the environment, we need to work with various materials and explore different designs. It’s a long and difficult path but that’s what motivates me and the team to start this project.”

 
NNormal’s products reflect the partnership’s shared philosophy: authenticity and utility that inspire people to enjoy and respect nature—a mission which is expressed through timeless gear that’s functional, performance-oriented, and built to last. All the Outdoor equipment was designed in Mallorca and tested in Norway as hinted in the name of the brand (Nor-way + Mal-lorca).

This shoe has been a revelation.
 

Here are some important deets:

• Drop: 8 mm (Not out of range for a trail runner)
• Heel Stack: 36 mm
• Forefoot stack: 28 mm (36-28=8. math again)
• Weight: 9.9 oz
• Price: $170.00 (Sounds pricey for a trail runner, but wait, theres more!)
   

Upper:

According to NNormal, the upper is a blend of monofilament polyester and TPE. (Thermoplastic Elastomer, a type of plastic that has a rubbery feel and is used in many products) The thought is that this makes it resistant to wear, tearing, and snagging. It is also craft-stitched to the midsole. Think about that. Do we have any other shoe in our arsenal that has that feature? Nope.

There is also an asymmetrical lacing, which NNormal says reduces pressure points and increases support. I don't know if that's true, but in my 100+ miles in them so far, they are super comfortable.
 

Midsole:

EExpure SuperCritical foam. This has been specifically designed by NNormal for the trail run experience. To review, Supercritical foam is created using a supercritical foaming process that injects a nontoxic gas like carbon dioxide or nitrogen into a melted polymer. The gas expands into bubbles, which makes the foam lighter and softer, and improves its energy return.

This particular midsole took me about 20 miles to break in, and now it's peppy, energetic, and has an awesome ground feel. I have had no slippage, and not 1 blister.
 

Outsole:

The deep 5 mm lugs and grippy Vibram LiteBase outsole are a perfect pairing, offering exceptional traction that doesn't slow you down. Sporting one of the more unique lug patterns, they provide great ground feel on hardpack and in technical terrain. The EExpure midsole does a great job deforming around different terrain features, providing confidence-boosting traction. The Vibram LiteBase outsole also does a great job of shedding mud due to the hardness of the material. The hard perpendicular lugs do a spectacular job in softer conditions like grass.
 

Final Thoughts:

Tomir is a 1,103m (3,619ft) mountain in the north-east of Serra de Tramuntana, on the Spanish isle of Mallorca. Offering stunning 360-degree views – from the island’s northern coast to lush western plains to southern mountain summits – Tomir attracts a huge range of outdoor enthusiasts. Like the mountain, this shoe is going to attract real outdoor enthusiasts.

Since the beginning,  NNormal has been guided by a clear principle to make their environmental footprint as small as possible. That commitment can not only be seen in their products, but also in their packaging.

The Tomir is probably the toughest trail runner we have, and I think that this show will have 2 times the life of  Hoka, Altra, and On.
 

Who is this shoe for?

Anyone who wants a super aggressive trail ride, max comfort, energetic toe off, sure-footedness, long life, and the best, lightest environmental footprints in the industry.