NNormal Tomir: first impressions
The NNormal Tomir is the first all-rounder trail running shoe from elite skyrunner and record breaker Kílian Jornet’s new brand. They are big into environmental protection and sustainability so one of the first things you notice about the Tomir is that it feels extremely durable. The shoe is also made from as few different pieces of material as possible to make it easier to repair and recycle, which is brilliant.
• List price: $165 (USA) / £140 (UK)
• Weight (pair UK 6.5): 480g / 16.9oz
• Colors: White & Gray / White & Purple / White & Sand
• Drop: 8mm
• Compatibility: Grippy, cushioned and durable for all road, trail and mountain running
The grip is more beefy than the other current NNormal offering (the Kjerag), with 5mm deep lugs that bite into muddier ground with a very hardwearing rubber compound made from high-quality Vibram Megagrip Litebase. There’s also more cushioning and support from the EVA midsole than the Kjerag, bringing the feel more in line with the mainstream trail and ultra running shoes on the market – enough padding for hard sections like road, yet still very light at 480g / 16.9oz.
The 8mm drop is more common too, and the toe box is wide enough for regular feet. The polyester and TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer) uppers are highly abrasion-resistant and the asymmetric lacing is an interesting touch that seems to work just fine for keeping the foot snug in the shoe.
NNormal Tomir: on the trails
We think the Tomir will suit a lot more trail and ultra runners than the other NNormal shoe, the Kjerag, because its features are a lot more mainstream. As soon as we put them on they felt very light and comfortable – the 8mm drop and padding gives a firm yet propulsive ride over all types of terrain and the grip can tackle any surface from gritty, muddy Rutland Water trails to deeper Lake District mud and bog, which will get these white shoes nice and brown. Having said that, they’ve deflected much of it so far and still remain amazingly quite white.
The fit is slightly different to any shoe we’ve worn before, in that it feels slightly narrow around the midfoot area just before the toes start. The toe box itself is roomy, however, so the Tomir might best fit a long, narrow foot-shape. The asymmetric lacing is an interesting aspect – you can get a good, snug fit with it – but not noticeably more so than with regular laces.
Although comfy enough straight from the box, the shoe does take a few miles to break in, and we assume that’s because of the extreme durability of the shoes; NNormal is striving to make them as environmentally friendly as possible – which is fine with us.
