Arc'teryx  Norvan LD 4 Trail-Running Shoes - Women's

Perhaps my favourite trail shoe. I use it for long trail runs but also for most of my hiking. It's lightweight and It's an all round very comfortable shoe. I love the colour 😍

A trail runner that can handle it all. The Norvan LD 4 has become my daily adventure driver from dog walks to day hikes, to short runs, long days on shoots and even my backpacking partner. I'm blown away by the versatility of this shoe to show up in all environments, pack loads, trail conditions and the amount of days I've already stacked on them. A quality designed supportive weapon of a shoe.

I use trail runners for everything - hike, run, walk, work - I was excited to try out the Arc'teryx Norvan as it checks a lot of the boxes in what I look for in a trail shoe. I did listen to the review and tried on a size down from what I normally wear and that proved true - they do run a bit big - I normally wear a 8 and in the Norvan I tested out a 7.5. My first test was to take it on a run down by my river trail, loose sand/dirt, mild elevation change and roots galore. I was pleasantly surprised - first reaction was that it was so light and nimble. It did take an initial 2-3 wear break-in period as there was some pressure around the ankle but after two wears that was gone and it was extremely comfortable. Next test was to go for a hike with sandy rocky granite up at Folsom Lake - great grip, nice snug feel and kept dust/dirt out of the inside of the shoe while being breathable. Easy to rock-hop and keep up with my dog! As for fit It had a wider than expected toe-box and no heal slipping- things I get from others I have worn. It is really light and airy on your foot. Solid traction and grip on all surfaces. The Vibram lightbase with 4mm really gives it traction. Definitely noticed it on the wetter raiy day conditions. One of the last challenges was to wear it on an 8 hour shift at work, selling footwear at REI. This really surprised me as my feet were comfortable all day. No fatigue or aches - things that happen if I don’t wear solid supportive shoes. I did get a lot of questions while wearing it and it was so nice to be able to give honest feedback and on the shoe Other than the initial break in the only thing to get used to was when putting it on the stretchy tongue can gather at the instep if you don’t loosen - easily resolved by loosening the laces and pulling it up firmly. Once on and adjusted the sock-like tongue/midfoot really felt secure and custom. As far as aesthetics I expected it to be narrower than it was due to the color variation on the toe box, optical illusion as it fits really nice and roomy in the toe box. I have an average width foot and have worn everything from Hokas, Altras and Topos so I know toe boxes. (I currently wear the Hoka Speedgoat but have also worn Topo Terraventure, Brooks Cascadia and Altra Timp) I really would have loved to take this out on a backpacking trip but due to time of year that wasn’t an option but I could see it being a strong contender - I am curious on how it would do with extra weight. I took it on loose dirt trail runs, hikes on rocky granite and a rainy day walk with wet muddy conditions and really felt like it tackled all those ventures with ease. The Norvan proved to be nimble, light and grippy on all various terrain. “I received this product for free in exchange for my honest review”

Great lightweight design and fit! Worn on concrete, steep rocky trails, wet grass, and tide-pooling. The midsole cushion feels airy yet supportive, firm enough to not produce that sinking-in feeling many trail runners have these days. Fit is comfortable and roomy, especially in the toe-box. Love the lace stash pocket in the tongue. The Vibram soles were nimble and grippy on very steep, rocky and dusty trails; no slips or sliding even while jogging downhill. I especially like that the soles’ lugs aren’t too toothy to use on urban surfaces. Only discomfort I felt was from the lip of the ankle cuff while stepping downhill but that improved as material stretched with more wears.

I hoped these would be a comfortable, casual walking shoe for me, but for my feet they're missing the mark. I am highly sensitive to pressure across the top of my feet, and after wearing these for a while, I feel the elastic that holds the tongue to the bottom of the shoe is too tight and squeezes my foot uncomfortably no matter how much I loosen the laces. The tongue is also strangely long -- it digs into my ankles and bunches up awkwardly where it's forced to bend, as if it wasn't meant to bend at all but was designed to fit a 2" ankle. There's also no arch support at all, and adding arch support inserts makes them even tighter across the top.

I'm glad I checked some reviews before getting my pair so that I sized down, but the sizing was still a little large. I typically trail run on everything from packed dirt to root-filled, rocky trails and the sole on these shoes was fantastic. Very stable and great traction. The structure of shoes leaves a bit to be desired for my feet. I over pronate and the uppers were not supportive enough to help keep my feet feeling stable. Also, the tongue of both shoes really wound up irritating the top of my foot and ankle. While these shoes were not the right fit for my feet in particular, they are well made and good looking shoes. Just gotta find the right feet.

If La Sportiva Prodigios and Altra Timp 5’s had a very sleek and stylish baby, it’d be these guys. Right out of the box they felt quite fitted and narrow, but once I got them loosened and laced up right, I discovered the suspiciously roomy toe box and flexibility of that hugging, supportive upper. Like a comfy, rugged slipper! From feedback from coworkers and the general public, I think many would say they need some time to mold to your feet and get lacing just right, and they might feel big/long to many, but I loved ‘em overall and will continue to keep them in my trail run/race rotation! Wet/muddy runs were particularly fun in these as the rugged lugs ditched the dirt and mud quickly and I felt decently confident in them even on slick rock. The vibram outsole gave enough cushion and durability to feel supported. Also the quick-drying upper was breathable enough that I didn’t have to worry about romping through some puddles here and there. Like a well-written song or a show where the lights and sound are done expertly, I rarely think about wearing them while I’m wearing them. Aesthetically I LOVE THESE SHOES; the color looks so great, especially juxtaposed against the dreariness and muted fall colors. Overall they’ve broken in and formed to my foot nicely. I can’t say I feel too much in terms of rocks/roots/gravel probably due to the vibram outsole and shock absorption. These feel very comfortable on trail and even decent on paved paths. I would absolutely wear these for my next trail race with full confidence that they’d perform well. I would say they’re more comfortable running/hiking/something more intense than casual wear like at work for an REI shift. I ‘feel’ them more during casual wear whereas running I don’t feel them and they seem to settle into all the right places. I received this product for free in exchange for my honest review.

Out of the box the shoes felt comfortable but ran large. My feet measure at 9.5 and I wear a size 10 for all my running shoes and hiking boots, I wore a 9.5 and recommend sizing down a half size. I have narrow feet with a high instep and high arch. Even though I have narrow feet, I prefer a shoe with a wider toe box because my feet swell. I often struggle to find shoes with a narrow heel and wider toe box that prevent my feet from slipping forward when going downhill. The Norvans took a little time to break in around the heel and over the top of my foot, but I didn’t experience any pain points during the break-in process. Once broken in, they fit more snuggly around my heel and over my instep. I also played around with the lacing to get the shoes to lock my heel in the heel cup when going downhill. After finding the right lacing, I think it took a few wears for the laces to stretch out, my feet stayed securely in the heel cup when going downhill and I didn’t have issues with sliding forward. I appreciated the pocket on the tongue for the laces! I wore the Norvans mostly for hiking on high alpine trails in the Rockies. The terrain was mixed and included loose gravel, soft dirt, and hard rock on various pitches / level of steepness. The Norvans had solid grip across most terrain types, but performed best on loose gravel and rocky terrain for hiking. I did do some trail running, but tend to prefer a lighter weight shoe for alpine trail runs. However, I did appreciate the added protection for my heel with the slightly thicker stack height. Overall a really solid shoe that is versatile for light, moderate, and most strenuous activities. Great for hiking and also good for trail running if you like a thicker shoe that offers good heel protection. Give it some time to break in and play around with lacing to find a secure fit. They look great and broke in well in terms of durability and style. I received this product for free in exchange for my honest review

Overall great pair of runners for the trail or all day around town! I’ve had these for two weeks now, and started wearing them immediately. Out of the box, they were a little stiff, but wearing them at work where I’m on my feet all day long softened them up after a couple days and made a huge difference. If they’re not immediately comfortable, give them a little longer, it’s worth it! On the trail they’re great, lightweight, and have great traction from the lugs on the sole. These shoes run a tad big, I usually wear a women’s 10.5 or 11 in trail runners, but in these I’m a 10. For me, I have very high arches and they don’t have a ton of built in support, so I added an insert which made a huge difference. On days where I’ll be on my feet a lot or trying to break into a run during lunch, I’ll definitely be reaching for these.

I bought these shoes for trail running and they quickly became my go to shoe. They feel amazing on my feet and have great traction for the trails, but are so comfortable that I got another pair for work (healthcare), dog walks, weekends, and everything in between. They do run a half size big for me so order accordingly!