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NNormal Kjerag 02 vs 01 A/B Run Comparison, Test Notes, and Initial Review
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Jul 12, 2025
In the video, Sam closely compares the NNormal Kjerag 02 to Kjerag O1 and shares some comparisons to Salomon S/Lab Pulsar 4 and La Sportiva Prodigio Pro. Full review soon. The Kjerag 02 was a personal purchase. The 01 a sample for review.
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0:00
In the video, I'm going to give you my
0:01
first impressions of the Normal Kasurag
0:04
2. So, it gains 2.5 millimeters in stack
0:08
height while only gaining 5 g in weight.
0:11
I will take them out on an AB run with
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the version one in the forest of New
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Hampshire. Hello everybody, Sam from
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Road Trail Run. Today we're going to
0:20
take a look at the NN Normal Kasurak 2
0:24
and compare in an AB test run to version
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one of the Killian uh shoe and also the
0:31
Elusine shoe which has already proven
0:34
itself in 2025. So what are the big
0:37
changes? Well, the uh 2 gets 2.5 mm more
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stack height of a of a brand new TPE uh
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superc critical foam. yet. It only gains
0:49
5 grams over version one. We also have a
0:53
new matrix upper that is uh lighter,
0:58
softer than the old version which is
1:01
here. Um, we get considerably more
1:05
padding around the collars and we get a
1:10
stretchknit tongue here that connects as
1:14
a gusset down below versus the
1:17
leatherrett here. So, uh you can see
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right away
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uh in terms of the toe box and both of
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these are my 8.5
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that version one appears to be kind of
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uh more form fitting than the broader uh
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version uh version two uh versus version
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one. I you'll see as I uh comment on the
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fit that these ran very long. um I could
1:46
have sized down half a size whereas here
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they fit truer to size. Although I think
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if you have a very a broad to very broad
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foot you might size up half here but I'm
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truer to size now in version uh two than
2:00
one. Terms of the outsoles,
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uh, identical as far as I can tell. And
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you can see both with 3.5 mm lugs and
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kind of a broad pattern for uh,
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multi-uses.
2:18
Platform stays exactly the same uh, in
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terms of width at 80 mm heel, 55 mm uh,
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midfoot, 105 4 foot. Going to take them
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out now for a jaunt here on these
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trails, which are, I would say, a
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combination of fairly easy and
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moderately technical. So, a pretty good
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test. Not a lot of uh vertical here, but
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uh sharp, steep hills. So, I'll be
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giving you some commentary from the run
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as I go along. Stay tuned, please.
2:51
So, our version one has quite a bit of
2:57
length. You can see more more than a
3:00
thumb. Whereas here we are at about a
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thumb. So lengthwise
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the uh version two is true size whereas
3:09
the version one little broader fitting
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up front. Uh well held that big toe
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bumper helps but it's generally a bit
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more relaxed fit in version one than
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version two. So I'm on the smooth. I'm
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going to give you some first thoughts
3:27
about the ride
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comparatively speaking.
3:32
So, version one with less 2.5 mm less
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stack height
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and barely five grams less weight. We're
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at 220 g 7.8 O in my US8.5 and the two
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is less shoe. Uh the new foam in version
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two is more reactive,
3:59
more cushioned,
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in no way mushy or soft.
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This definitely
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extends the range of the Turag as
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Killian proved with his magnificent
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third place at Western States.
4:17
The uh version one
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feels a little closer to the ground,
4:23
maybe a bit more agile and quick, but
4:27
not really by much. Version
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two, bit more shoe,
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very comfortable,
4:36
more comfortable than version one where
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the mesh is kind of stiff.
4:42
that knit tongue. We'll see when things
4:45
get rocky, but allows your foot to fold
4:49
forward nicely on the uphills. I found
4:51
that in some other runs.
4:53
Clearly, some attention was definitely
4:57
made to how the shoe flexes going uphill
5:00
or the whole shoe. That means the upper
5:04
as well. with a knit tongue here. Can
5:07
really feel my foot driving forward very
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nicely as I go up this little hill.
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Well, the grip I'm sure is fine, but we
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don't have deep deep lugs.
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This is a very kind of flexible any
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surface outsole.
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So, some comparisons.
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Obviously, the Solomon SL Lab Pulsar 4,
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which is a has, I would say, a more
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stable heel, a bit more cushion there.
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Uh, a very supportive rear of the shoe
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given its really high tongue and the
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construction back there. It has a dual
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foam construction, super critical under
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foot, and then, you know, denser EVA
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below. maybe a bit more protective.
6:00
Uh, this one is more kind of consistent
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and smoother feeling underfoot and
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um with the upper lighter
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in the US 8.5 EU42 the pulsar is 20 gram
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or
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7 oz heavier.
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Go. I would say Pulsar sort of has the
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rear feel of a solid ultra shoe and then
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a very protective front for technical
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terrain. Whereas here we're kind of
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smooth and consistent all the way
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through. The Pulsar 4 has a very similar
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fit, maybe a bit more dialed in overall
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uh compared to this. Uh, another
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energetic ride. The Prodig Pro from
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I prefer the upper here.
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Prodiga upper is kind of stiff although
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it's very uh supportive.
7:00
Um, the Prodiga I think will go a bit
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further from most than our new Kasurag.
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Though in kind of thinking about it
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here, the Kasurag is a great choice if
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you for most of us if you you know have
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runs between 10 and 30 kilometers on
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just about any terrain uh including
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smooth stuff technical. It's a very very
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versatile platform and so light at that
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8 o um or 8 oz uh 7.8 o 220 gram in a US
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uh 8.5. The only shoe that that's gets
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close, I think, is a bit more cushioned
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and stable is the is the incredible Nord
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O5.
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Almost exactly the same weight on a
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broader platform.
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Really, really shines. Although its
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upper is also a very light reinforced.
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It's daineea. Here we have matrix, the
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kevlar fibers. This one, the the rear
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hold is a little bit better. I think the
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uh Norda will go for most of us a bit
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further, although it's pricier. It's uh
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$325,
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I think, versus $195 here. Full uh
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review real soon, but I think this is a
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worthy upgrade with more cushion, a more
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dynamic midsole, only 5 g heavier for 2
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1/2 mm more stack, and with the same
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outsole, a more comfortable kind of
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smoother, very elegant upper here. Uh
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they've done a good job. Thank you very
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much for watching.