Trail-Running Shoes Buying Guide

With waterproof protection and mud-releasing outsoles, the men's Arc'teryx Norvan LD 4 GTX Trail-Running Shoes adapt to your long runs—no matter the forecast.
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Imported.
View the Arc'teryx Norvan Product LineView all Arc'teryx Men's Trail-Running ShoesBest Use | Trail Running |
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Trail-Running Shoe Type | Rugged-Trail |
Running Shoe Cushioning | Moderate Cushion |
Heel-to-Toe Drop (mm) | 6 |
Heel Stack Height (mm) | 25 |
Forefoot Stack Height (mm) | 19 |
Footwear Height | Ankle |
Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
Waterproof | Yes |
Upper | PFAS-free woven polyester |
Midsole | EVA |
Outsole | Vibram Megagrip rubber |
Rock Plate | No |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 3.7 oz. |
Gender | Men's |
Type of Waterproofing | Full GORE-TEX liner with Invisible Fit Technology |
6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | 26.5 Mondo | 27.5 Mondo | 28.5 Mondo | 29.5 Mondo | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. Men's | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.5 |
U.S. Women's | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.5 | ||||||
UK | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13.5 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
EU | 39.33 | 40 | 40.6 | 41 | 42 | 42.6 | 43.3 | 44 | 44.6 | 45.3 | 46 | 46.6 | 47.3 | 48 | 49.3 | 42 | 43.3 | 44.6 | 45 |
Mondo | 24.5 | 25 | 25.5 | 26 | 26.5 | 27 | 27.5 | 28 | 28.5 | 29 | 29.5 | 30 | 30.5 | 31 | 32 | 26.5 | 27.5 | 28.5 | 29.5 |
Foot Length (in.) | 9.6 | 9.84 | 10.04 | 10.24 | 10.47 | 10.63 | 10.83 | 11.02 | 11.22 | 11.42 | 11.61 | 11.81 | 12.01 | 12.20 | 10.47 | 10.83 | 11.22 | 11.61 |
Calculate your own foot measurements, then select your product size. Use a ruler or tape measurer to measure your foot from the heel to the tip of your longest toe. Find the closest measurement that is equal to or greater than the length of your foot.
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“I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. I’m all about trail running shoes, and was excited to try my first pair of Norvans. Very stiff out of the box. Seems to run just a tad big? It’s not a lot, but it’s just enough To open a small gap near the ankle. But for a long run as the foot swells, this may be OK. I needed about five runs for it to fill broken in. I like the Vibram sole. It’s a stiff shoe. The toe is stiff. This will help with the tree roots and rocks. It seems to breathe pretty well. Haven’t had the opportunity to test the waterproof as of yet. With minor water it seems to hold up fairly well. It does grip pretty well. I’m debating if I will wear Them for the Pikes Peak Marathon? They are a touch heavier than my La Sportivas. Not as grippy. I think the shoe will hold up fairly well with non-technical runs. My only complaint is and less than a month it is wrinkling at the front of the shoe? I’ve grown to like these shoes the more I wear them. The styling is not my type. To me, it looks more like an old person‘s walking shoe. I think the black color hides us a little bit more than the tan. But at the end of the day, performance matters more than looks.
These are my first norvan's and they're running pretty great out of the box. I've put quite a few kms on this on some crunchy terrain around Banff and throughout the river valley up in Edmonton. The drop is great and not too aggressive and I find it supportive for the running I do. I'm normally a 9US, 42EU and I found that I was tossing up between the 8.5US. I would recommend playing with the sizes as I feel I wouldn't hit it right on the spot with my normal US 9. What I really like is the sole - it's super grippy on the snow and rough ice - compared to the sole on the vertex alpine last year. It has given me a lot more confidence to do my spring and winter runs this year.
I was pretty skeptical at first. I've been a lifelong runner in Brooks, Mizuno, and Hoka, and honestly didn't even know Arc'teryx made running shoes. But I was curious enough to give them a try. Right out of the box, I noticed a few things: they're incredibly lightweight, the color is a bit unusual but grew on me quickly, and the tread pattern looked just right... aggressive without being overkill. Fit is where they lose a point. I typically wear around a US size 10 in running shoes, but these run a bit big. If I ordered again, I’d definitely consider trying a 9.5, maybe even a 9. Still, I was able to make them work with a thicker pair of socks and tightened laces. Once I hit the trail & wow! These are some of the best-gripping trail shoes I’ve ever worn. I run in an area with a lot of wet, mossy rocks, and these handled it with no problem. Traction is outstanding. The Gore-Tex waterproofing performs exactly as expected. Step in deep water and you’ll get wet, but otherwise, it keeps your feet dry and even adds a bit of warmth (noticeable but not overwhelming, even on warmer days). Overall, despite the sizing issue, these shoes really delivered. Excellent trail performance, solid waterproofing, and great grip. Definitely worth a try if you’re looking for something new.
I got to break these in for their maiden voyage hiking the back way up the Stawamus Chief in Squamish a few weeks ago. We were pretty much going vertical the entire way and the shoes had great traction on both the dirt and granite. The cushion was great, but I still got a sense of what I was feeling underfoot. I didn't need the waterproof for this venture, but thankfully didn't overheat in them either. I haven't liked a pair of trail runners this much since my Brooks Cascadia 14s.
A comfortable and very durable outdoor shoe (5 stars). DEFINITELY NOT WATERPROOF (0 stars). This shoe exhibited some slight water resistance initially, but is not waterproof at all. My definition of waterproof is that I can walk in the rain for 2 hours and my feet/socks will not get wet at all. This is not the case with this shoe. In fact, just walking in wet grass gets your feet wet. Don't even think about stepping in a puddle or you'll get completely soaked feet. I'm not sure why shoe/apparel makers keep using Gore-Tex and marketing it as waterproof as it is NOT WATERPROOF. I own 2 Pais of these shoes because of the comfort/durability and neither are waterproof.
Hi Mece, thank you for sharing your experience with your shoes. We truly appreciate your insight and understand how differing expectations around waterproofing can be frustrating. GORE-TEX footwear technology is designed to provide water resistance by repelling moisture and allowing breathability, but it does have limitations. While it helps bead off water, it is not intended to keep feet dry if fully submerged or exposed to extended wet conditions such as walking through puddles or soaking rain. That said, if you’ve noticed that water is not beading off at all, we’d be happy to take a closer look. We encourage you to submit a Product Service Request form, and our After-Sales team would be glad to assist further to ensure the shoes are performing as expected. https://arcteryx.com/ca/en/help/product-service/service-request. We truly value your feedback and will be sharing your comments with our design team for future consideration.
A great looking trail runner with good tread and nice (though firmer) cushioning. However, the shoes have some fit issues and might not fit everyone. First, the heel are is thin without anything to really keep your heel locked down. If you have remotely narrow ankles/small heels like I do you will need to put aftermarket heel grip in. Second, the sizing is strange (this plays into the heel issue). While normally an 11.5, I bought an 11 in these because of how long they are. Third, they are a bit too narrow. I would appreciate some extra room in the toebox.
Man oh man what a rad shoe!!! Currently sitting around 300 miles in my current pair and they are still feeling fast. I’ve done most of my current training block in the LD 4 and let me just say the changes from the LD 3 are awesome. Lowering the stack height, widening the toe box, and the updated foam breaks in so nicely. Couldn’t be happier with how they updated what was a classic into something new and fresh for the LD 4
After running in these trail shoes for a couple of months, I can say they really suit my lifestyle. They're perfect on everything from tarmac to trail, excellent off-road, providing the support and performance I need on all surfaces. Plus, they're surprisingly fashionable... at least before they're covered in mud! 😂
I am a big fan of these shoes, this is my second pair. My first pair has unfortunately started to show some abrasion wear and tear, so after two years of wearing them I decided I wanted a new pair. I am a satisfied customer and love the fit, comfort, GoreTex waterproof protection and the design aesthetics.
Very comfort and durable shoes. The color is sleek but obvious when a scratch happens. Took it for about 10 hours of hiking and it holds well, giving me a lot of confidence, and surprisingly, I don't want to get rid of it instantly after a hike (like I normally do with some other more rigid hiking shoes).