Article by Jeff Valliere and Sam Winebaum
NNormal Kjerag ($195)
Introduction
Sam: The Kjerag is Kilian Jornet's signature shoe from his new brand NNormal. He sought a very light shoe he could do everything in from record setting at UTMB and Hardrock, and in the same pair, to road running and hiking and more. Versatility and durability were the product goals as a more versatile single shoe with durable materials is a more sustainable one.
Not content to just be durable, the Kjerag features a state of the art supercritical EVA foam midsole, a Matryx Jacquard mesh upper with Kevlar fibers and a Vibram MegaGrip LiteBase outsole. By the stats (and tech) NNormal succeeds as we have an incredibly light shoe at 7.59 oz / 215g US8.5 sample (given fit equivalent to a US9) on a relatively broad and stable if low stack platform. The question we seek to answer here is this marvel for the rest of us? Jeff Valliere in Colorado and Sam in New Hampshire and during a trek in Italy set out to find out.
Pros:
Jeff V/Sam: fit, comfort, versatility, cushion and protection for such light weight, fast, agile, responsive, secure, sustainably made, quality.
Sam: One shoe to do it all: the ultimate in lightweight, any terrain (even road and trekking) versatility.
Sam: Stunningly light weight for the shoe’s substance
Sam: Great ground feel, flexibiity and stability with just enough protection.
Sam: The Kilian shoe for the rest of us
Cons:
Jeff V/Sam: a minor complaint, but traction on loose terrain could be better, we wish the lugs were a little deeper/more pronounced.
Sam: A bit more stack height of foam would extend its distance range yet further for "average" runners.
Stats
Weight: men's 7.59 oz / 215g US8.5 given fit equivalent US9
Samples: men’s 8.1 oz / 230g US 9.5, 7.59 oz / 215g US8.5
Stack Height: men’s 23.5 mm heel / 17.5 mm forefoot (6mm drop spec)
$195 Available now.
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
Jeff V: I was exceptionally excited to be able to test the Kjerag, albeit a bit late in the game. Of course, I have been intrigued because NNormal was launched by Kilian Jornet, who few would argue is the greatest mountain runner of all time and all around amazing human being, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, as well as of course versatility and performance.
Out of the box, there is clearly some S-Lab influence, with some similarities to the S-Lab Pulsar SG. They are light, low profile, minimal in stature and look race ready.
Sliding my feet into them is pure joy, as they feel like I am sliding into my favorite house slippers, with a very soft, light, flexible, yet enveloping and secure feel.
The Matryx Jacquard mesh upper feels exceptionally thin, flexible and breathable, but at the same time tough, durable and reasonably protective, at least for a shoe that is this lightweight (just 8.1 oz. in my US Men’s 9.5). It is woven from individually coated polyamide and Kevlar® yarns. Produced in Ardèche, France, the dyeing process uses between 50-95% less water than other methods.
Breathability is excellent. I ran them in temps in the 80’s. They felt very airy and well vented and dry quickly if they get wet.
The toe bumper is thin and flexible, but gets the job done.
The Kjerag for sure runs big and even after sizing down from my normal US Men’s 10 to a size 9.5, I still have at least a thumbs width room from my toe to the tip of the shoe, a bit more room than I would have in most size 10 shoes (I think I could even pull off a size 9 if I needed to). That said, I have had no issues with fit or security, as the lacing is very snug and secure, a soft, warm embrace with no pressure points or hot spots. The room in the toe box, while not necessarily voluminous, is for my foot, a perfect balance of comfort for longer days, with a very good foothold no matter how technical the terrain, how steep, off camber, or how fast I am running.
The tongue is gusseted and thin, but I never feel any lace bite or pressure. Included with the Kjerag, is an extra set of orange laces in case you do not like the white or just to have an extra pair if they break at some point down the road (I traded out the white laces for the orange and like the little bit of extra color/contrast on the all white shoe).
The heel counter is flexible and somewhat minimal, but very well held and protected, with just enough padding around the collar.
Sam: One fine upper here. The Jacquard Matryx is pliable and foot conforming with clearly seen Kevlar fabrics concentrated at midfoot for support.
The tongue is a broad, quite thick leatherette with a thin grid mesh lining.
The tongue gusset is quite thick and, unlike many, not particularly stretchy. The whole midfoot construction wraps the foot very well.
The laces grip the eyelets and require some effort to pull through. A good thing, as once in place I have never had to retie on the go.
The rear collars and heel counter are in no way minimal and do their job holding the rear with comfort and security but with enough give to help the foot contour to terrain,
The toe box is quite broad, especially at the metatarsals and very pliable. Even in my half size too long pair I am well held, surprisingly so and very comfortably. Some credit must be given to the big rubbery, thin and pliable front toe covering which helps lock down the front without any pressures.
Finally a low layer of the same material extends at the rand (where midsole ends) up the sides and around the heel to protect the upper and the feet with the same material, doubled on the inside creating the laces eyestay.
Bottom line: A truly superb upper whose seemingly over pliable construction works brilliantly front to back deliver great support and comfort to my narrow to medium feet.
Broader feet will do better here than in the S/Lab Sense and Pulsar series shoes. My sample was at my usual US men’s 8.5 and are long even though this was never a bother I would size down half a size in a next pair.
Midsole
Sam: The EExpure midsole is a supercritical EVA foam which is expanded from a smaller form with gasses to create resilient voids which also reduce weight and we assume density.
It is similar to Brooks Catamount’s DNA Flash, Skechers Hyperburst and Puma Nitro. It is not an expanded beads PEBA as the full midsole of the Saucony Rift and the core of Xodus Ultra are. NNormal told us they did not go with a PEBA compound due to the lower abrasion resistance of PEBA.
Embedded in the midsole is a TPU/Nylon woven "ground filter" or rock protection which sounds similar to Saucony's protection but is clearly more flexible. In fact until NNormal told us this filter was in the mix I puzzled on how the shoe delivered truly excellent rock protection on such a low quite flexible and soft platform. The plate is seamless in feel with the rest of the shoe’s undercarriage. It even provides a tiny touch of propulsion along with the outsole.
While not deep in depth, the cushioning is deep in feel. While the ride is not that soft in feel due to the low stack height, this midsole is energetic and reactive in a highly measured and predictable way with excellent shock reducing capabilities.
It is more modern and fun that older foams such as Salomon Energy Cell+ and compared to Energy Surge as in say the Pulsar it is somewhat firmer but more easily contained and direct in rebound feel.
Trail feel is excellent and is enhanced by the fact there is no sockliner with the foot sitting directly on the a slightly rubbery texture lasting board.
Obviously eliminating the sock liner also eliminates weight, 15-20 grams my best estimate.
Jeff V: The supercritical EExpure EVA midsole is soft, flexible and compliant, with an amazing blend of a plush, cushioned feel, predictable stability, protection and propulsion. It helps a lot that the Kjerag is very light, but the midsole here really enhances the lightning fast feel of the Kjerag, be it on uphills, the flats, rollers and downhills. I find the cushioning to be ample for my several hour runs and likely enough for a full or long day on the trails, but being able to run these for 100 mile races, such as Kilian and Dakota have done I think will be a rare outlier.
Protection underfoot is very good for the weight and along with the midsole foam features a woven nylon/TPU “ground filter” type of plate, adequate for technical terrain in shorter doses, but if I were planning a longer day on rocky talus or rock garden type of trails, I would personally choose a shoe with a bit more underfoot. This said for such a light, fast and nimble shoe, the Kjerag is hard to match and provides a very good balance of ground feel and protection.
Outsole
Jeff V: The VIBRAM Megagrip Litebase outsole is grippy and versatile on a wide range of terrain, with confidence inspiring traction on wet rocks, dry rock, most trails and trail surfaces, dirt roads, roads, etc I did however find that in loose trail conditions and off trail, the 3.5mm lugs could use a bit more bite, but everywhere outside of steep, loose terrain, the outsole is excellent.
Durability is very good thus far, with very little, if any visible wear after around 50 miles.
Sam: To go with its state of the art midsole and upper we have a state of the art outsole. The VIBRAM® Litebase outsole drastically reduces 30% of the overall sole weight, through a reduction of the sole thickness by 50%.
The broad contact 3.5mm lugs prioritize towards a smooth ride on firm terrain and deliver just that and are a big part of why the Kjerag can easily cross over to road, if with a bit of noise and slapping. I have found grip excellent everywhere but agree with Jeff that slightly deeper lugs with Vibram's Traction Lug would help the Kjerag cross over to softer ground uses.
Ride, Conclusions and Recommendations
Jeff V: The ride of the Kjerag is quick, light, nimble and energetic. This is a fast and fun shoe that is race ready for, in my opinion, middle distances or less on all but the most loose/slick terrain, (50k might be the most for me), but others have proven they can comfortably run further in them. I appreciate the attention to detail, quality, purpose driven construction, sustainable materials, quality and performance. While this is for sure a top tier race shoe, I think it is well cushioned and protective enough to double as an uptempo daily trainer.
Jeff V’s Score: 9.4/10
Ride - 9.5 - The ride is fast, well cushioned and protective, especially for the weight
Fit - 9.5 - While they run big and you need to size down at least a half size, once you dial the correct size, fit is excellent, secure, yet comfy and not confined.
Value - 9.5 - A pricey shoe, but certainly not an outlier and you get a very highly performing and high quality shoe.
Style - 9.5 - I like the subtle, race ready look and if Kilian wears them, that makes them so much more cool by default.
Traction - 9 - Traction is excellent over a wide variety of terrain, but struggles then the trail surface gets loose
Rock Protection - 9 - very good and especially for the lightweight minimal nature of the shoe
Smiles: 😊😊😊😊😊
Sam: Kilian’s preference for as light as possible nimble trail shoes is clearly at the heart of the Kjerag. Its design, from upper to midsole to outsole is true to that ethos. It is more energetically and deeply cushioned, broader, more stable in platform and fit and far more versatile as to distances than his previous fav S/Lab Sense and Pulsar. We come in at an only very slightly higher weight than the Pulsar SG, a remarkable 7.59 oz / 215g US8.5. Given fit, 8.5 is equivalent to a US9.
So much shoe for so little weight. One might say the stack height at 23/17 is quite low by today’s standards. Not to worry, the supercritical super resilient and dense if forgiving feeling midsole foam, broad enough platform, ground filter, and outsole provide plenty of protective cushion and stability if not of the max variety. This said, one cannot say it is a max cushion type shoe so the distances one might run them too depend on the runner but gram for gram it will go further than any other trail shoe available that I am sure of.
I might wish for a touch more stack height, a few more mm of EXpure foam and/or a bit more lug depth as the weight starting point is so low that an ounce or so more would hardly be noticed with a slightly deeper outsole improving soft ground traction and adding to cushion.
I expect them to be durable, very durable as the foam with its supercritical processing should say “fresh” far longer than more standard EVA’s, the aramid reinforced Matyrx upper is proven long lasting as is the Vibram LiteBase outsole. On our call with NNormal and Kilian the sustainability focus here is on durability and versatility. Kilian and the brand’s pool of testers (data to be published soon) are seeing 800 km plus longevity with the Vibram outsole replaceable (in Europe for now). So durable that Kilian, albeit light and light on his feet, won both Hardrock 100 and UTMB in record time in the same pair of shoes and trained in them as well. He run retires his after 800km and hikes them to 1300 km.
The Jacquard Matryx upper is superb in hold and comfort with a toe box roomy, secure midfoot and given the rear collars impeccable rear hold. The broad leatherette tongue with gusset and quite sticky through the eyelets laces really locks the foot and stays that way. About as fine a trail shoe upper as I have ever experienced with no compromises, even carrying a heavy pack.
I have found Kjerag to be the most versatile trail shoe I have ever run and especially so as they are so light. I have run trails, roads and even trekked 2 days with a 8 kg plus pack in Tuscany on easy terrain and lots of pavement in far greater comfort than in my trekking boots which ended up in the pack. And when I did wear my Kjerag after the day’s hike, instant comfort in them including for a run on the Lucca city walls.
Next trek I am lightening the pack with just a Kjerag for everything. And what trek ready shoe can also serve as a trail racer and road race flat? And of course as a single travel shoe I can’t think of any better. As such I think it is likely the best single shoe in a quiver created to date for the trail runner who leans light and fast. Even at $195 given versatility and expected durability value is excellent.
Sam’s Score: 9.57 /10
Ride: 9.7 big weighting for.. the low low weight for the amount of shoe, for its agility, and for its more than adequate stable and forgiving if low stack height cushion
Fit: 9.7 Superb even if sizing is off as they run half size larger than my normal
Value: 9.7 Very high value, even at high pricing for their versatility and expected durability
Style: 9 Kind of plain with a plus considerably less water used to dye the upper
Traction: 9.2 Just fine but a bit deeper lug pattern same broad contact could extend range to looser surfaces
Rock Protection: 9.5: remarkably good for such a low stack land ow weight shoe that also remains flexible and has trail feel. The “ground filter” is special.
😊😊😊😊
8 Comparisons
Index to all RTR reviews: HERE
S/Lab Puslar SG (RTR Review)
Sam's RTR Video Comparison Review Pulsar SG to Kjerag
Sam: Heel height 24 mm for Kjerag and about 4-5 mm more for Pulsar SG, both 6mm drop. Due to the Kjerag’s foam being more resilient and protective and its wider on the ground geometry than the Salomon’s Energy Surge foam for me Kjerag actually is more stable for sure and more cushioned and forgiving.
Both have Matryx upper but Kjerag’s is a softer, less foot binding Jacquard with clearly a more ultra roomy toe box. Despite its softer more comfortable feel, the Kjerag upper is equally as secure and far more accommodating to a wider forefoot and foot swelling
Platform geometry is similar but Kjerag is 10mm wider up front and at the heel This leads to the Kjerag being more stable at the heel by a long margin.
Kjerag is about 0.4 oz / 11g heavier at a mere 7.57 oz / 215g US 8.5 sample but given the sizing of Kjerag being large the difference is cut at least in half.
4.5 mm Contagrip vs 3.5mm Vibram Megagrip LiteBase. The Salomon has an advantage in looser softer terrain traction while the Kjerag runs smoother due to its broader lug shapes everywhere else.
The bottom line is that while the SG may be a faster rough any terrain racer for quicker runners at moderate distances (10-15K max for me), the Kjerag is far more versatile as to distances and uses and is more accessible/practical for a wider range of runners.
Jeff V: Both size 9.5 for me, the Pulsar SG is more true to size with a more snug bootie style fit (a bit of real work to get into them vs the Kjerag that is more “normal”). The Pulsar SG is lighter and because of that, maybe a bit faster on the up, but if doing an up/down, running a longer distance or on terrain where you need more cushion and protection, then the Kjerag is a much better choice. In rocky technical terrain, I find the Kjerag is way more protective underfoot, where the Pulsar SG I have to dance. I also find the Pulsar SG to be so narrow in the heel, I am always aware of that and find it to be a liability, whereas the Kjerag is more stable. The Pulsar SG has a more aggressive outsole and better traction in looser terrain.
NNormal Tomir (RTR Review soon)
Sam: The Tomir is the other NNormal launch shoe. It is 287g / 10.12 oz in my sample US8.5 so and clearly is yet bigger than the Kjerag due to its less foot conforming super rugged ripstop upper. Here again size down half a size. It has an EVA midsole with some of the same feel as the Kjerag on a higher stack height of 31mm/23mm. It features a far more aggressive black Vibram outsole with deeper lugs. I am still puzzling over it as my first test was a hike and it sure felt like more of a hiker than trail runner, albeit a very light one. Extremely well planted on wet slippery rocks it felt a bit tippy. It is considerably more rigid than Kjerag and for sure will require more break in than Kjerag due to its stiffer upper and not only glued but stitched sock liner which is intended to increase durability and prevent upper ripping at the front flex point.
Norda 002 (RTR Review)
Jeff V: The Norda 002 weighs close to 2 oz more and might not be quite as snappy, but has more protection underfoot, a more protective upper and far superior traction.
Sam: Agree with Jeff although I found the underfoot protection of the 002 only marginally better from its 3mm more front stack but without any plate/protection. If your trail runs (and for that matter road runs) run less technical the faster lighter Kjerag with the Norda 002 leaning more technical trails. Battle of the uppers: both are superb and at the tech summit in terms of materials and fit. I do think the almost as equally broad Kjerag toe area is a bit more dialed in. The Kjerag at $195 is a more versatile value than the $295 Norda.
VJ Ultra 2 (RTR Review)
Jeff V: The VJ Ultra 2, while not as light, has more protection all around, a more secure upper, comparable cushioning underfoot and far superior traction.
Saucony Sinister (RTR Review)
Sam: What a road race flat in the comparisons? Yes indeed as for certain purposes such as short fast trail races (I did one and so did my fellow tester Adam in his) and of course on road, the Sinister is actually a direct competitor for me. It has a livelier supercritical foam midsole, a very, very secure upper if not one I expect as trail durable and for sure a light trails worthy outsole that, as in Kjerag, also provides stability and with a similar front flex point. At 5.45oz / 55 g (US9), it is almost 2 oz lighter for its similar to Kjerag 25mm heel / 19mm stack height. You won’t get 800 km out of them but for race day on easier non tech trail terrain and of course shorter road races there is nothing quite like them.
Nike Terra Kiger 8 (RTR Review)
Jeff V: The TK 9 is heavier, not as secure, not as responsive, more of a day to day trainer for less technical terrain, where the Kjerag is much faster and performance oriented.
Hoka Zinal 2 (RTR Review)
Jeff V: The Zinal 2 is a bit lighter, more secure, equally responsive and I love the booty style design and heel collar that is effective at keeping out trail debris. For fast running in technical terrain over shorter distances where traction is important, the Zinal 2 is a clear favorite. The Kjerag though feels more plush and cushy underfoot with better protection and I think would be better for longer distances.
Sam: I thought the Zinal 2 comparatively quite harsh and firm with its midsole lacking the resilient feel and plusher cushion of the Kjerag. It is a far less versatile shoe for me.
Salomon Pulsar Pro 2 (RTR Review)
Jeff V: The Pulsar Pro 2 is a quick shoe, but like the Pulsar SG, the heel is distractingly narrow and can feel tippy in technical rocky terrain, nor are they as flexible in the forefoot as the Kjerag. The Kjerag is much more stable, comparatively more plush in cushion and overall more versatile and my pick over the Pulsar Pro SG for just about everything.
Sam: Totally agree with Jeff. The Pulsar Pro is overly rigid and requires a consistent mid to forefoot strike to work well while the Kjerag doesn’t care where you strike. I also much prefer the Kjerag’s front climbing flexibility
Brooks Catamount 2 (RTR Review)
Jeff V: The Kjerag is lighter, faster and more fun to run in, both are comparably fast though, with the Catamount 2 have more protection and better traction, perhaps a better choice for more rugged terrain.
adidas Terrex Speed Ultra (RTR Review)
A very close comparison with almost the same stack height and about the same lug height. The big difference is in weight as US9 Speed Ultra weighs 9.15 oz / 259g and Kjerag 7.59 oz / 215g due to the comparatively heavier Boost. The Speed Ultra's upper overall and especially up front is not as broad. In terms of ride about equal protection with the adidas with its Torsion plate a bit more propulsive and Kjerag foam and feel more all of a piece and reactive.
The Kjerag is available now at NNormal and at our partner below
Tester Profiles
Sam is the Editor and Founder of Road Trail Run. He is 66 with a 2018 3:40 Boston qualifier. 2022 was Sam’s 50th year of running. He has a decades old 2:28 marathon PR. These days he runs halves in the just sub 1:40 range if he gets lucky.. training 30-40 miles per week mostly at moderate paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Utah be it on the run or nordic skis. He is 5’9” tall and weighs about 164 lbs, if he is not enjoying too many fine New England IPA’s.
Jeff ‘s sample was provided at no charge for review purposes. Sam’s was a personal purchase. RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased via shopping links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'.
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21 comments:
I somehow doubt this test, sorry to say. On the other hand, few will be going to a boutique to pay extra for a commissional shoe of an unknown manufacturer living through the big name of a running legend who could probably run even better in about every generic trailrunning shoe?
The NNormal shoes seem to be manufactured by Spanish/Mallorquian manufacturer "Camper". Under their own label they don't make running shoes.
That is correct. Camper has over 100 years of shoe making experience we were told. What kind not sure Sam Editor
@anoymous doubt if you wish but Jeff and I have decades of running and shoe testing experience. Hundreds if not thousands of pairs of all makes. I actually bought my pair and we are never paid to review. Only free or bought samples. Part of why Kilian is a legend is he has always carefully had a very close hand in designing and testing all his shoes and gear. At Salomon and now here. Sam Editor
I like the Kjerag fine, but I had higher hopes in some ways. For me, it's limited to 3 hours or so at which point my feet are pretty worn out. The main thing for me is that even going down half a size, I can't get the heel to lock down properly on technical trails, and with the thin tongue, I get lace bite. I wish shoe companies would start putting some padding back in the tongue. Sure, a thin tongue saves weight, but the last three shoes I've tried all have a lace bite problem because of it. Still, fun and fast. To my mind, the best comp is that it's an updated New Balance MT110, with a bit more cushion and better traction.
This shoe sounds very similar to the Base Trail from Atreyu . Do you have a comparison you can give?
I love mine and have found them to be light and speedy enough for short distances while also delivering enough cushioning for longer efforts. The only issues that I have are the toebox seems shallow which causes me problems with my toenails when running longer than ~6hrs and I also find the exposed stitching / lack of footbed to be a source of hot spots - if these points were fixed then I can honestly say they would be my trail shoe of choce for 5km through to 50 miles.
Thank you for the (long awaited) review. I took a leap of faith with the Kjerag and haven't regretted it. It is the most versatile shoe in my collection. The shoe that could comfortably substitute any other shoe from 5K to 50M if needed for all road or trail efforst, be it training or racing. Absolutely phenomenal shoe-and I'm not a Killian fan, rather indifferent.
So, I went ahead and bought two pairs of this shoe and decided to stick with my true to size. My foot is wider at the toeline, low arch, low volume, and not super narrow at the midfoot. The shape of the Kjerag is baffling to me. Clearly, it was made after Killian's foot, and that's it. The midfoot is astoundingly narrow, even if it opens out into a nice wide and roomy toebox. The other odd thing about the severity of the narrow midfoot is it cause my foot to angulate in the shoe, so that my toes point toward the pinky toe side of the toebox, thereby negating the width-wise room up front.
If it weren't for the very odd and extremely Killian-specific fit of this shoe, I would call it perfect. It's so light and airy you feel like nothing is on your foot, and to someone who appreciates minimal yet responsive padding for fast and long distance trail running, it hits all the boxes. Sad that the fit is as idiosyncratic as it is, because I would love to wear something other than Hoka.
In a nutshell, this shoe feels much more like a prototype than a finished product...
Can you pleased compare with the Adidas Terrex Speed Ultra as this seems, even If an older model, a quite similar shoe ?
For the Anon above that thinks the shoe is a Kilian only last, I would strongly disagree. I think advice given that everyone needs to size down a half size is spot on. I wear a size 13EE in New Balance, 13 in Altra and Brooks, and a 12.5 in the Kjerag fits me better than any other shoe in memory over 20 years. Wider at the ball of the foot, narrower at the heal. Protective enough, but still have ground feel, and oh how light they are while still being durable! Somehow lockdown is incredible, but also there is still room for foot swelling. I wore them for the San Juan Solstice 50 and will be wearing them for Hardrock next week. Absolutely amazing shoe!
@anon comparison to Speed Ultra. Indeed very close comparison with almost the same stack height and about the same lug height. The big difference is in weight as US9 Speed Ultra weighs 9.15 oz / 259g and Kjerag 7.59 oz / 215g due to the comparatively heavier Boost. The Speed Ultra's upper overall and especially up front is not as broad. In terms of ride about equal protection with the adidas with its Torsion plate a bit more propulsive and Kjerag foam and feel more all of a piece and reactive. Sam, Editor
@Sam: Thank you, much appreciated, sounds even more interesting as the Adidas-fit is indeed very right in the forefoot
I love my Kjerags. I have about 300 miles on them and they're the most versatile shoes I've ever worn, they're fast on the road and competent on fourth class scrambling. I wore them for Scout Mountain 100 (it was rocky and my feet were a bit sore, but far better than a lot of feet I saw at the finish line!). I discovered after my first long run in them, for anything over 30 miles I need to wear super thin insoles in these shoes, otherwise the friction of the grippy footbed causes hotspots.
I have the Adidas Speed Ultras and live them too, but they have a very different character. . . The speed ultra has less volume inside, much less bounce, slightly more protection. It's a brilliant smooth trail shoe but there's a lot of places where the Kjerag excels that I wouldn't consider wearing the Speed Ultra.
@Zak: Thank you for taking the time to explain the differences, now I will order a pair of Kjerags for sure, shoe sounds like the perfect companion for more or less all my runs...
Just commenting to say that I've just picked up my third pair of these shoes (which I love) and this I purchased the green version and noticed they have reinforced the toe bumper, it is not as pliable as before and seems ever so slightly higher. Not noticing any other changes, if there are any they are very subtle. But interesting to notice that they quietly updated the shoe. I am guessing newer black and white version will also see this change but my other pairs were purchased before this green one was released.
Hello. Great review as allways. Just keep on. Can you compare Kjerag with Inov8 Trailfly g270 v2? I like them for versatillity, grip, robustnes and protectin and not so much zero drop and bad foot hold in very technical terrain. I live in alpine region in Slovenia and our trail running is more muntain running, very technical, with a lot of steep ascents and descents. Thx
Great review as always!
However, despite all the advice to size down, I found this not to be true. I have fairly narrow feet and Salomon slab sense in 45.5 fits perfectly. I sized down to 44/45 in the Kjerag and they are way too small, whereas 45.5/46 would fit well.
Hi Jeff --
Any thoughts on comparison with the Sense Pro 4?
Thanks!
Hey there, just wondering how a size 12 guy runs 50 miles in them. I weigh around 190 lbs and after like 50 miles the midsole has some weird creases and feels kind of dead. Any other experiences, what is your opinion to midsole durabiltiy for heavier runners?
Could they be compared to the inov8 trailfly 270 v2?
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