Customer Reviews Arc'teryx Norvan SL 2

Been thinking about buying a pair of Arcteryx trail shoes for a while and glad I finally did. I had heard they were similar in last/foot mold to Salomon shoes, so thought they would work out well for me. Ran/hiked about 40 miles in these and am definitely an initial fan. The fit is similar to the Salomon S-Lab Sense line, but perhaps lighter and a little stiffer. I love my S-Lab Sense shoes but try to reserve them for races. The Norvan SL will be my go to short hike/trail run on more technical terrain as they fit snug and feel secure in technical areas. Some people have complained about the fit of the shoes, but I would say these are in line with Salomon shoes, if not a little more wide similar to the S-Lab molds. I don't have any pressure spots with my tall running socks. Overall I would highly recommend these for a fast, light trail running shoe.

crazy light, crazy comfortable. just wish there was a bit more arch support. perfect for travelling ... I wear them for running, workouts, and on casual days...

Bought them a week ago. Best shoes ever!! Perfect grip around my feet. Asphalt or trekking

I got on them like 100km with 5000 elevation in very rocky and technical terrains ,still no sigh of damage.Light, very breathable, fits rig in last 6 months. Right size, laces are bit long, almost touching the ground, but if you tight them strong , they don't move and touch anywhere. Till now very very satisfied.

Such a lite & versatile shoe, very comfortable, breathes well

I bought the baby blue's last summer and have since put about 200 miles on them. Still holding up well with no signs of eminent failure. These shoes are some of the most lightweight in class, and serve exceptionally well as a minimalist trail runner. No room for inserts, but that was expected. The tongue is placed well for a very secure fit that keeps debris out too. Extremely grippy moreso than the Norvan LDs. Great shoe. When I retire them for the trail they'll become a river runner for rafting and kayaking. Baby blue color with yellow is rad.

I loved the shoes I got...they are elegant and well designed but the best part is comfort...I go for long walks/ evening outings and sometimes even for a run in these and they are always comfortable

I just crossed the 100km mark on my pair and felt compelled to leave a review. The Norvan LD2 (down to my last pair) has been my workhorse for running on technical East Coast trails but I grabbed a pair of these to try something more minimalist and lightweight. Right out of the box I took them on a 30km/1500m run almost entirely on techy single track. Bit of a risky choice but thankfully they performed spectacularly. While the lack of a protective upper may seem worrisome, they are so darn light that it's easy to stay out of trouble. Thankfully they did include a toe cap which has come in handy for me late into some longer runs. The lugs are bit smaller than I was used to but after an adjustment period, I don't find the grip to be an issue even on the often wet, rooty, rocky trails. I still use some very cushioned Hoka's for plodding along on the roads but it's gotten to the point where I reach for these on almost every trail run. The two use-cases I still have for the LDs are routes with loose rocky descents where I want a protective upper, and runs lasting longer than 8 hours where I want the extra cushioning. This is a fantastic shoe and I hope it doesn't get completely re-designed like the LD series.

Full transparency - I don't trail run much beyond a few miles. I use these for everyday use, for runs of 3-5 miles, and for fast-and-light approaches and alpine slogs. Not running per se, but lots of use at a conversational-breath pace or slightly higher. Moving quickly, but not running for the sake of running. These shoes are something else. They've replaced the TX2 as my choice for most approaches to mulitpitch climbs, and I wear them most every day in the summer because they're so light. The thin sole gives a nice connection to the earth. Some have mentioned going a size down, but I purchased in my street shoe size and it was perfect.

I got these today and had a trail race tonight so these are initial impressions, but I definitely put them through their paces in a technical race. Weight: super light, as light or lighter than any race shoes I've had before Tread: nice grip on the outsole, plenty of lug for most situations Upper: comfortable, very breathable, shed mud and drained water really quickly. More room than the new salomon shoes for rocks to get in around the ankles Midsole: firm but stable, very good for technical racing Lacing system: laces stayed in place and were comfy, no hot spots or constrictions. Tied the laces very tight as they were a bit slippery. Fit: yes they do fit like Salmon race shoes. I am usually 8.5 in those and 8.5 in these is perfect. Durability: don't know yet but materials feel very solid for such a light shoe.

I got these today and had a trail race tonight so these are initial impressions, but I definitely put them through their paces in a technical race. Weight: super light, as light or lighter than any race shoes I've had before Tread: nice grip on the outsole, plenty of lug for most situations Upper: comfortable, very breathable, shed mud and drained water really quickly. More room than the new salomon shoes for rocks to get in around the ankles Midsole: firm but stable, very good for technical racing Lacing system: laces stayed in place and were comfy, no hot spots or constrictions. Tied the laces very tight as they were a bit slippery. Fit: yes they do fit like Salmon race shoes. I am usually 8.5 in those and 8.5 in these is perfect. Durability: don't know yet but materials feel very solid for such a light shoe.

I started running in Nike Pegasus and then evolved into Adidas Terrex which I though were the best trail running shoes ever. That was until I bought these. Super light. Super comfy. Incredibly responsive. Zero cushioning grounds you to the trail. Feel every nuance of the trail you're running and smash those PB while doing it. I love these.

Love these shoes, comfortable, incredibly light. Great support and traction.

Very pleased with my purchase. Great lightweight, well fit shoe very useful for many activities.

Bought them a week ago. Best shoes ever!! Perfect grip around my feet. Asphalt or trekking

Having burned through a few pairs of the original SL I was eager to try out the 2n generation with its promised improvement of addressing minor issues like the rock-and-debris-catching extra collar material. However I was disappointed to find they are a step backwards overall. The fit is dramatically different, much tighter in the forefoot which causes discomfort after a few miles (I have a wide foot); and while I can't peg more than an anecdotal 'feeling' the new vibrate compound feels much less sticky than the original, I would scramble up to 5.8 terrain in my old SLs and am very hesitant to engage 5th class at all in the SL2. The SL are still my go to as the best, lightest approach shoe out there when you won't be in rugged terrain where upper protection is necessary. But I've found myself favoring my old, busted originals over the discomfort and unease of the SL2. Hopefully they address this in the next iteration.

Having burned through a few pairs of the original SL I was eager to try out the 2n generation with its promised improvement of addressing minor issues like the rock-and-debris-catching extra collar material. However I was disappointed to find they are a step backwards overall. The fit is dramatically different, much tighter in the forefoot which causes discomfort after a few miles (I have a wide foot); and while I can't peg more than an anecdotal 'feeling' the new vibrate compound feels much less sticky than the original, I would scramble up to 5.8 terrain in my old SLs and am very hesitant to engage 5th class at all in the SL2. The SL are still my go to as the best, lightest approach shoe out there when you won't be in rugged terrain where upper protection is necessary. But I've found myself favoring my old, busted originals over the discomfort and unease of the SL2. Hopefully they address this in the next iteration.

Everyone complained about these but I found once I put a pair of my vans insole inside they are very comfortable. The toe area let's wind circulate so it's a warmer climate show. The laces are not normal like too skinny and long but they stay tied. I love the fact that I could carabiner clip them to my bag to air dry.

why do you change from norvan sl gtx which is better then this? why holes in design thats nonsense!! return gtx! membrane with holes easy to break, i can imagine soon damage!

I bought these last year for travelling, walking and the occasional light trail run. They held up well until I actually used them. The first time I took them on a run on a light trail rhubarb, the midsole was getting chewed up like it was made from lightweight packing foam. It's possible that I have an older version that has been updated since. I've contacted Arc'teryx support about this. I really like how lightweight they are but not at the expense of fragility.

I bought these last year for travelling, walking and the occasional light trail run. They held up well until I actually used them. The first time I took them on a run on a light trail rhubarb, the midsole was getting chewed up like it was made from lightweight packing foam. It's possible that I have an older version that has been updated since. I've contacted Arc'teryx support about this. I really like how lightweight they are but not at the expense of fragility.

As others have pointed out, those are very very light shoes. I'm a newbie at running and the moment, the shoe feels unpractical and hard for me. The back of the shoe is scrapping my feet. The tip of the shoe also hurts my toes when bending. This is still a good shoe, but if you're a beginner, maybe you should look up another one.

Very light sneaker. you can even see through the mesh, so it's almost like wearing nothing. I have a wide foot and the sneaker seems rather small & narrow. The 10.5 seems a little small (length) and I should have ordered a size 11. Please note that these are really just trail running sneakers (distances where weight really counts), as I would never use them general around town use or to play tennis.