NNormal Kjerag Review: The Most Precise Trail Shoe We've Run

Most trail shoes are compromises aimed at the middle of the market. The Kjerag is aimed at steep, rocky, consequential ground, and on that ground it is the best shoe I have run in.

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Our verdict

NNormal Kjerag

For technical mountain terrain there is nothing better right now. It is a specialist, and it does not pretend otherwise.

$195

Check price at Amazon· $195

What worked

• Best-in-class ground feel and precision
• Vibram Litebase outsole still looks new at 150 miles
• 7.9 oz with a genuinely durable upper

What didn't

• Firm ride punishes road sections
• Narrow through the midfoot

Weight

7.9 oz (US M9)

Stack

23.5 / 17.5 mm

Drop

6 mm

Outsole

Vibram Litebase Megagrip, 3.5 mm

Precision

Low stack, a stiff-enough rock plate, and an upper that actually holds the foot over the platform. On off-camber slab and scree you place a foot exactly where you intend to, which is a feeling most cushioned trail shoes have traded away entirely.

Grip and durability

Vibram Litebase Megagrip is the current benchmark on wet rock, and the thinner base saves weight without wearing out. At 150 miles the lugs are barely rounded and the upper has no blowouts — remarkable for a sub-eight-ounce shoe.

The catch

It is firm. A four-mile road approach at the start of a run is genuinely unpleasant, and long, smooth fire-road descents beat up your legs in a way a cushioned shoe would not. The midfoot is also narrow; wide feet should try before buying.

Verdict

A specialist that is close to flawless inside its specialty. Own it alongside something soft.