Last updated at 04/17/2025 13:42:39
originally posted on arcteryx.com
Extremely happy with those shoes! Very comfortable and stable. The sole has an excellent grip on most terrain, even a little mud. I also find then to be breathable so my feet stay dry and/or dry quickly if water penetrated. And thank you for having a size 12.5 available, which is not always the case in other brands. Love them!
originally posted on arcteryx.com
I bought these shoes for endurance riding and running down hill when dismounted. They are very grippy, very comfortable and HOT. They are the only tennies I own where my feet sweat, regardless of the socks I'm wearing. They provide enough support and cusion though that I can overlook sweaty feet this winter. I likely won't be able to use them in the summer though. I hope the next version is more breathable and still offered in black. That would be the perfect shoe.For reference; I'm between an 8.5 and 9 depending on the manufacturer. I bought both sizes to try and kept the 8.5. I agree with other reviews that these run long.
originally posted on arcteryx.com
I’m doing a Camino de Santiago and I tried several shoes from Merrell and Hoka before I found the Norvan LD 3. After using them for several months, while doing several hundred miles, with pack weight, I love these shoes. I like them so much that I now own three pairs. The only thing I might caution one about is that the shoe is so inherently bouncy, I find that paved, flat surfaces require slightly more attention. On unpaved surfaces, these shoes feel very comfy and super stable. They are made for “trail running” so I guess this makes sense.
Extremely happy with those shoes! Very comfortable and stable. The sole has an excellent grip on most terrain, even a little mud. I also find then to be breathable so my feet stay dry and/or dry quickly if water penetrated. And thank you for having a size 12.5 available, which is not always the case in other brands. Love them!
I bought these shoes for endurance riding and running down hill when dismounted. They are very grippy, very comfortable and HOT. They are the only tennies I own where my feet sweat, regardless of the socks I'm wearing. They provide enough support and cusion though that I can overlook sweaty feet this winter. I likely won't be able to use them in the summer though. I hope the next version is more breathable and still offered in black. That would be the perfect shoe.For reference; I'm between an 8.5 and 9 depending on the manufacturer. I bought both sizes to try and kept the 8.5. I agree with other reviews that these run long.
I’m doing a Camino de Santiago and I tried several shoes from Merrell and Hoka before I found the Norvan LD 3. After using them for several months, while doing several hundred miles, with pack weight, I love these shoes. I like them so much that I now own three pairs. The only thing I might caution one about is that the shoe is so inherently bouncy, I find that paved, flat surfaces require slightly more attention. On unpaved surfaces, these shoes feel very comfy and super stable. They are made for “trail running” so I guess this makes sense.
Bought 2 months ago for Morocco trip. Overall excellent comfort, grip and durability. Would have been five stars but for one annoying thing — footbed’s are of poor quality. They formed up around my heel exposing my toes and any amount of re-positioning would not solve. Would of expected more given high quality brand…love all of my Arc’teryx gear!
Last Spring, I purchased my first pair of the Norman LD 3. They fit my foot perfectly and I like them so much, I ordered another pair. I have a narrow arch and heel but I like a little wider toe box. This shoe keeps my foot snug but gives my forefoot plenty of room. And, just the right amount of cushion but not too high off the ground. I'm not a high mileage runner and these shoes have held up great. And, for me, they seem to run a little generous. I wear insoles and typically wear a 7.5. I sized down to 7 in these and they're perfect.
After a year of these on trail, through rivers, I LOVE them. These are the best trail runners I have ever owned. I was hesitant to got back to laces after boa and speed laces, but honestly these are cheaper without Boa laces. And 1000 times better than speed laces. Actually, these laces are so good that they are a pain to untie after hard miles of hot desert. Mine had never came untied. I will never go back to GTX for a shoe. These dump water fast and dry enough that it’s barely noticeable. I will 100 buy another pair before they stop making this model.
I take gear reviews with a grain of salt and that all depends on how hard people use their shoes in certain types of terrain and foot shape anatomy.Recently had a pair of Norda 001 stolen but did not want to spend the premium price on another pair because it's $100 more. Decided to give the Norvan LD 3 a try. True to size with my foot shape, compared to going half size up to the 001. The cushion is on par with the 001 and feels better than most max cushion shoes out there even though the LD 3 is not max cushion. Toe box is generous, but Altra and Topo Athletic wins the game in that category. I usually get heel slippage but this shoe keeps my heel sucked in and secured without having to use the extra eyelets. Nice gusseted tongue although but it does get hot. It is ... MoreI take gear reviews with a grain of salt and that all depends on how hard people use their shoes in certain types of terrain and foot shape anatomy.Recently had a pair of Norda 001 stolen but did not want to spend the premium price on another pair because it's $100 more. Decided to give the Norvan LD 3 a try. True to size with my foot shape, compared to going half size up to the 001. The cushion is on par with the 001 and feels better than most max cushion shoes out there even though the LD 3 is not max cushion. Toe box is generous, but Altra and Topo Athletic wins the game in that category. I usually get heel slippage but this shoe keeps my heel sucked in and secured without having to use the extra eyelets. Nice gusseted tongue although but it does get hot. It is more road friendly due to the moderate traction and the lugs are good for most terrain and I can get away with the traction in high alpine terrain, scree and other rough stuff. Look elsewhere if you prefer aggressive tread. Great for the long haul with a smooth stride. You can certainly go fast and hard although I prefer the SL for that purpose. The LD 3 hits the sweet spot for me and it's a great looking shoe for casual wear. Please make an all white with green laces please! It'll be a banger! I do wish there was a similar shoe that is more breathable and drainage for the hot and wet days.
I really love these shoes, they have pretty much replaced every other in-town, running or light hiking shoe. The lugs on the bottom of the shoes are great for trail running in loose, muddy, or snowy terrain; anything that needs a little extra dig to them. I've had other snow running shoes before, with really tall lugs, and wearing them felt like I was on a hundred tiny rubber stilts. The ground contact was very malleable and mushy on solid surfaces. These shoes are NOT like that! They are great, with just enough lug.They are way more comfortable than I expected, sacrificing no cushion because of their lightness. There is a lot of cushion, giving nicely on heel strikes when running on hard roads.I've never had issues with breathability of shoes, and these seem ... MoreI really love these shoes, they have pretty much replaced every other in-town, running or light hiking shoe. The lugs on the bottom of the shoes are great for trail running in loose, muddy, or snowy terrain; anything that needs a little extra dig to them. I've had other snow running shoes before, with really tall lugs, and wearing them felt like I was on a hundred tiny rubber stilts. The ground contact was very malleable and mushy on solid surfaces. These shoes are NOT like that! They are great, with just enough lug.They are way more comfortable than I expected, sacrificing no cushion because of their lightness. There is a lot of cushion, giving nicely on heel strikes when running on hard roads.I've never had issues with breathability of shoes, and these seem great too. Although I've wanted waterproof shoes for a while, like the Konseal, (again, I think my feet don't sweat), these have stood up to downpour in Hawai'i, and light walking through the snow, very well. If you are planning on very wet hiking, these will do the job!The colors are fantastic too, I've gotten a lot of compliments.I normally wear a size 38 or 6.5, but I wear the 6 or 37.333 in these.
The title summarizes my many toughts about these shoes - they perform at 90% in 90% of situations, and that's an amazing achievement that I can't gift to many other trail runners that I've gone through over the years. It's hard to be impartial about a pair of kicks that have treated me as well as these have, but I'll try and elaborate down below..Pros: incredibly lightweight, properly stiff, super grippy and stable in a variety of conditions (wet rocks & roots, snow, dry and loose trails, steep 4th & 5th class scrambles), comfortable, secure fit, very durable, cushioning doesn't compress too much over time, unpretentious, minimalist, and clever design (the lace pocket rocks!) that looks as great as it performs.Cons: fits slightly big so had to size down for a ... MoreThe title summarizes my many toughts about these shoes - they perform at 90% in 90% of situations, and that's an amazing achievement that I can't gift to many other trail runners that I've gone through over the years. It's hard to be impartial about a pair of kicks that have treated me as well as these have, but I'll try and elaborate down below..Pros: incredibly lightweight, properly stiff, super grippy and stable in a variety of conditions (wet rocks & roots, snow, dry and loose trails, steep 4th & 5th class scrambles), comfortable, secure fit, very durable, cushioning doesn't compress too much over time, unpretentious, minimalist, and clever design (the lace pocket rocks!) that looks as great as it performs.Cons: fits slightly big so had to size down for a secure fit. Will develop hot spots in long runs in the heat. Doesn't purge water super quickly. The small piece of flat cord for opening the lace pocket snapped about 250 km in. That's about it! I've been sleeping on Arc'teryx running shoes for a while - perhaps in silent anticipation of a shoe as remarkable as this one - but no more!
This review is not based on use, but on looks, because I have had a few pairs of Arcteryx shoes before that I liked very much.I hate the look of the chunky outer heels on these. I returned them... this is not Balenciaga. I want a minimalist look without the overly "fashionable" aspect of what's in style right now. These are still shoes that I want to buy for hiking first, and then style.
