Norda x Black Diamond 000 Review: A Superlative Mountain Shoe
Norda’s designs are niche by nature, but they fill real gaps that more typical hiking and running footwear leave open. Designed in collaboration with Black Diamond, the 000 ($295) sits at the center of a Venn diagram of trail runner, approach shoe, and hiking shoe, offering the best of all three for anyone who spends most of their time moving quickly up high and off trail. I’ve played in a fair share of mountains in many different shoes, and the 000 might just handle that terrain better than any of them: It’s featherlight and nimble without sacrificing stability or protection, its upper is nearly indestructible, and it’s about as grippy as it gets. It lacks the cushioning for sustained trail running, but for fast-and-light mountain missions that run the gamut from hiking and jogging to plunge-stepping, boulder hopping, snow travel, and scree surfing, it’s hard to beat.
Comfort
Support and Stability
Traction
Durability
Foot Protection
Sustainability
Weight
1 lb. 1.8 oz.
Waterproof
No
Upper
Dyneema
Outsole
Vibram Megagrip Litebase (5mm)
Pros
Cons
Norda x Black Diamond 000
For this season's top models, see our guide to the Best Hiking Shoes.
The Norda 000 all but disappears on your feet while hiking, scrambling, and traveling cross-country, but its firm, approach-shoe-like cushioning makes it uncomfortable for running. I first wore it on a 20-mile day that included hiking on-trail, scrambling across boulder fields and talus, climbing a peak covered in early-season snow, and finishing with flat and downhill trail running. It felt great on the technical terrain and less so during the running miles. The underfoot cushioning does little to absorb impact, which I noticed most on heel strikes, and by the end of the 8-mile descent, I'd developed blisters on the tops of four toes.
Since that first outing, I've logged over 65 miles and about 38,000 feet of gain in the Norda x Black Diamond 000 in total, a ratio that reflects far more off-trail travel than trail miles. When I slow down to hike, hop, or plunge step, I have no complaints. The shoe's light feel and cushioned collar make it easy to wear all day. If I expect to be mostly hiking on technical terrain, this shoe is a home run. But if I expect to spend even 30% of my time in the mountains running, I'll reach for a true trail running shoe. For what it’s worth, Norda claims the 000’s midsole will break in around 100 kilometers (62 miles) of wear, which I just surpassed. I haven’t noticed any softening, but am curious to see if the shoe gets more comfortable to run in over time.
Thus, the shoe’s comfort rating depends on what you compare it to. Against trail running shoes, I'd score the Norda 000 around 2 out of 5, as it’s nowhere near the max-cushioned comfort of shoes like the Brooks Cascadia Elite or La Sportiva Prodigio Pro. But ranked among hiking shoes—and kept predominantly to the act of hiking (or scrambling, plunge stepping, boulder hopping, scree skiing, etc.)—it’s a 4 out of 5, similar to the Scarpa Rush 2 Pro and Salomon X Ultra 5.
Norda may be best known for trail running shoes, but the 000 is as stiff and stable as many hiking shoes. Its platform provided a solid foundation for the boulder hopping, scree surfing, and tricky talus I put it through. Its firm cushioning sends each step directly to the ground instead of muffling it in soft foam, a precision I appreciated while edging and smearing on slab or jumping between boulders. Not once did it flex underfoot in a way that shook my confidence on steep, off-camber terrain.
The upper is a slightly different story, with less structure than a lot of hiking shoes we’ve tested. The Dyneema is relatively thin and flexible, the collar sits fairly low, and the heel cup is only stiff up to the top of the rubber bumper before softening above it. That said, it’s noticeably more structured and reinforced than the Dyneema upper on the Norda 005 trail runner, and a rubber toe bumper adds protection up front. I like the upper for its low weight and comfort, but hikers who want more protection or support around the foot may find it lacking.
The Norda 000 is built for fast and light missions with minimal loads, and that's exactly where it shone in my testing. On a three-day, almost entirely off-trail traverse of the Chelan Sawtooth range with a 14-pound overnight load, it felt right at home. Even with a 55-liter pack weighing about 35 pounds, the heaviest load I carried in it, the shoe stayed stable and supportive. I’d be comfortable taking it up to about 45 pounds, but that’s around where many hikers will want to switch to a boot.
The Norda 000 has some of the best traction I’ve tested in a hiking shoe, with a grippy, aggressive outsole that held on everything I threw at it—smooth granite, wet logs, slab covered in kitty-litter gravel, you name it. It uses a Vibram Megagrip outsole—widely considered one of the grippiest outsole rubbers in trail and mountain footwear—with 5-millimeter lugs that might just be the shoe’s secret sauce. Chevron-shaped lugs pair with microspike-like nodes that cut aggressively into soft terrain. The design is similar to the one on the 055 trail running shoe. On the 055, the nodes felt like overkill on trail, but they were right at home on the rugged, off-trail terrain I covered in the 000.
The rubber is built with Vibram’s Litebase technology, which cuts weight while staying firm and sticky. The trade-off is durability, and I expect the outsole to be the first thing to go. After just 66 miles (over five big days in the mountains), the nodes are already wearing down noticeably, and the sides of the outsole show significant wear. I’m hoping the shoe ages like a fine wine and keeps performing as it wears, but experience tells me the Megagrip outsole will give out well before the Dyneema upper does.
The Norda 000’s Dyneema upper is close to indestructible, and while the outsole shows noticeable wear after just 66 miles (and 38,000 feet of vert), the shoe’s overall build gives me plenty of faith in its longevity. I’ve twisted my feet into cracks, plunge-stepped down thousands of feet of kitty-litter sand and sharp talus, and worn microspikes. Through all of that, the upper is still in immaculate condition, even if it no longer resembles the color pink. Over the last year, I’ve logged more than 500 miles in Norda shoes (across the 005, 055, and 000), mostly on rough off-trail terrain that wreaks havoc on most uppers. None of their Dyneema uppers have shown signs of giving out, and the 000 is no exception.
The outsole is a different story. As I mentioned in the traction section, the Vibram Megagrip is already wearing down, and it’s a softer compound known to wear faster than firmer options like the Vibram TC5+ used in Merrell hiking shoes such as the Moab Speed 2. The nodes are a shadow of their former selves, nearly level with the rest of the outsole, and the rubber that wraps up the sides like a bumper shows significant wear. Still, I’m far less worried here than I was with the 005, which came out of similar abuse badly beaten up: its Arnitel midsole chipped away to the point that the shoe’s cushioning and underfoot stability were compromised. The 000 uses a much more durable midsole, so while the rubber wrapped over it may wear, I expect the shoe to keep performing well for a long time.
I’ve been skeptical of some of Norda’s durability claims, mainly because of that Arnitel midsole, but the 000’s design has won me over. It’s also worth noting that many people report successfully resoling the Norda 001 and 002, and I expect the 000 could get a second life the same way.
The Norda x Black Diamond 000 protects more like an approach shoe or hiking shoe than a trail runner. Wherever the rubber reaches, my feet are well shielded. A generous toe bumper, the kind you won’t find on a trail running shoe, guards the front of the foot, and the outsole wraps halfway up the heel. Underfoot, the rubber and midsole are firm enough that I didn’t feel much of the ground beneath me, in a good way.
The 000’s Dyneema upper is thicker than on a lightweight trail runner like the Norda 005, but it’s not as structured or protective as a leather or heavily reinforced hiking shoe. Some hikers might feel vulnerable in it, but since I mostly wear trail running shoes in the mountains, it felt like a step up in protection to me. Not once did I stub a toe or take a painful knock to the side of my foot, even on sharp terrain. While descending sandy couloirs, my group started calling the odd patches of firm, sharp rock “sharks,” and even the sharks didn’t make lunchmeat of my feet.
If you’re planning to run in the 000, all that armor comes with a trade-off. I suspect the rubber toe bumper caused the blisters I got on top of four toes during an 8-mile running descent, and the firm outsole lacks the cushy landing most runners want. For hiking and scrambling, though, I’ll gladly take the extra protection.
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At 1 pound 1.8 ounces for my women’s pair, the Norda 000 is impressively light for a shoe this durable, protective, and stable underfoot. That’s 1.6 ounces lighter than the women’s versions of the Merrell Moab Speed 2 GTX (1 pound 3.4 ounces) and 5.4 ounces lighter than the Scarpa Rush 2 Pro GTX (1 pound 7.2 ounces), both popular lightweight hiking shoes. And compared to the La Sportiva TX4 Evo approach shoe (1 lb. 12.4 oz.), the 000 is a featherweight. The low weight is one of the shoe’s biggest highlights and a major reason I reach for it over a clunky, heavy approach shoe. It’s also a big part of what you’re paying for with Dyneema, which delivers serious toughness without the bulk.
The Norda x Black Diamond 000 isn’t waterproof, but it dries incredibly quickly. I submerged it in plenty of stream crossings during testing, and it dried faster than most shoes I’ve worn, thanks to a build with very few materials that soak up water. Not only did the upper dry in a flash, but I never got the squishy, waterlogged-foam feel many trail running shoes have after a dunk. That makes it an excellent choice for summer adventures: I rarely wear waterproof footwear in warm months and prefer shoes that dry fast, which is exactly where the 000 excels. Given its mountain-focused (rather than trail running) design, I’m curious whether Norda will release a waterproof version down the road.
The Norda 000 runs small, and Norda recommends sizing up a full size. I typically wear a size 8.5 and sometimes go up to a 9 in trail running shoes, especially ones I’ll wear for long distances, since my feet tend to swell. In the 000, I went with a 9.5, and it fits perfectly.
The fit balances room up front with security everywhere else. Like all Norda footwear, the 000 has an anatomical toe box, and it’s wide enough for my wider-than-average forefoot to splay naturally. I still get a solid lockdown through the midfoot and heel. It isn’t classified as a wide shoe, but between the roomy toe box and the secure midfoot, it should work for both wider and narrower feet.
I have one minor gripe: the laces. Norda says they’re made with Dyneema, but you could have fooled me, since they feel as thick and clunky as your average shoelace. They also come untied easily unless I use a special lacing technique. They get the job done, but I fiddled with my laces much more than my running partners did in their shoes with speed laces.
Norda 001A ($295): More Run, Less Armor
The 001A is Norda’s workhorse ultra-distance trail runner, and it shares a lot of DNA with the 000: a Dyneema upper and a Vibram Megagrip Litebase outsole with 5-millimeter lugs. But the 001A uses a more cushioned, responsive Arnitel TPEE midsole built for long runs and races, while the 000 trades some of that bounce for a firmer, more stable platform, a beefier toe bumper, and rubber that wraps up the heel. It’s also a lot more durable. The 001A is the better pick for high-mileage trail running, but I’ll always reach for the 000 instead for off-trail travel. To learn more, read our Norda 001A review.
La Sportiva TX4 Evo ($189): The Classic Approach Shoe
The TX4 Evo is built for the same rocky, technical terrain as the 000, but it comes at it from the lens of a traditional approach shoe rather than a trail running shoe. Its thick nubuck leather upper, full rubber rand, and toe cap protect the top and sides of the foot better than the 000’s Dyneema, and a smooth climbing zone at the toe of its Megagrip outsole allows precise edging on small holds. But all that armor comes at a cost: The TX4 Evo is more than 10 ounces heavier per pair than the 000, and you won’t want to be caught running in it. It’s too stiff and clunky to move at much of a clip, and its shallow 3-millimeter lugs don’t bite into soft snow and dirt like the 000’s 5-millimeter lugs. If your days are mostly technical scrambling with minimal trail time, the TX4 Evo is the better buy, as long as you’re okay with its stiffness. But if you want to feel faster and lighter across mixed mountain terrain with a little running mixed in, go with the 000. For a deeper dive, read our review of the La Sportiva TX4 Evo.
Norda’s alpine-minded 000 lands at the center of a trail runner–approach shoe–hiker Venn diagram. Its lightweight yet durable, stable, and protective build is ideal for moving fast up high and off trail—just don’t expect much cushion for long runs.
Comfort
Support and Stability
Traction
Durability
Foot Protection
Sustainability
A premium all-terrain trail runner that also excels at hiking and backpacking, the Norda 001A blends a locked-in fit and impressive stability with unusually high durability. The sticker shock is real, and it's only moderately cushioned and protective, but it's hard to deny the shoe's weight-to-performance ratio.
Comfort
Support and Stability
Traction
Durability
Foot Protection
Sustainability
An approach shoe by design, the TX4 is protective, stable, and durable, and it offers particularly good traction on rock. The roomy toe box boosts comfort. However, the stiff design is not a great pairing for high-mileage days on established trails.
Comfort
Support and Stability
Traction
Durability
Foot Protection
Sustainability
Is the Norda x BD 000 for You?
The Norda x Black Diamond 000 will appeal most to two camps: mountain runners who use the term “running” liberally, and gear-savvy hikers who want the durability of Dyneema. The first is the athlete linking ridgelines, bagging peaks, and spending most of her time off-trail on snow, rock, and scree. If this is you, you’re probably tired of wearing through trail runner after trail runner and wish you could find a trail running shoe that also offered a bit more stability and protection. (Or maybe you’ve always worn approach shoes and want something more comfortable and runnable.) The second is the modern hiker who wants all the benefits of a hiking shoe but in a lighter and more performance-oriented design. Few hiking shoes use Dyneema, and the 000 fills that gap with a versatile option for everyone from on-trail hikers to off-trail wanderers, though its sticky Megagrip outsole is best put to use on rocky terrain.
Personally, I reach for the 000 on mountain missions that involve less than 30% running. It’s supremely comfortable at a walk, trot, plunge-step, or hop, but I haven’t loved running in it.
Go for it if you want a lightweight, stable, and durable shoe for scrambling, peak bagging, and off-trail travel with some running mixed in.
Pass on it if you spend most of your time running, need waterproofing, want a cushioned ride, or are shopping on a budget.
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