Arc’teryx announced the launch of its first trail runner, the Norvan VT and Norvan VT GTX, available in both men’s and women’s version. The Norvan VT shoes are built for alpinists and climbers who use trail running to increase their primary sport performance and dedicated trail runners looking for new territory to explore, said the company, which also announced that the Norvan VT is the first of many Arc’teryx trail running shoes to come.
Built to allow the trail runner to adapt quickly to varying terrain, the Norvan VT employs a patent pending 360⁰ Support System made of internal and external component. The shoe can be easily tightened and secured to pull a runner onto the ball of her foot for a precise, supportive fit while scrambling, then disengaged to restore the higher internal-volume needed while running, explained the company. The system wraps the forefoot for evenly-distributed, reliable support while edging and scrambling.
“Runners, climbers and athletes are continuously pushing themselves further and higher,” said Greg Grenzke, Arc’teryx’s design manager for Ascent & Footwear categories, “We wanted the Norvan to be an extremely high-performance trail runner that had no compromises while running with the added benefits of approach footwear when steep and technical terrain came into play.”
Other highlights of the line include strategically mapped outsole compounds and lug geometries, an EVA/polyolefin blend midsole lasts 36% longer than standard EVA; non-stretch, PU-coated and durable synthetic material that wraps both the midsole and upper, and a 0.4mm TPU film overlays used in all high-abrasion areas for extra protection.
While inspired by athletes and alpinists, the Norvan VT is also an option for anyone looking to spend time moving fast in the mountains, says Arc’teryx.
An advanced Vibram rubber sole combines a sticky Idrogrip forefoot for traction on slickrock and wet trails with a Megagrip compound for durability and sure-footedness. The Norvan VT is the only running shoe on the market that utilizes this sticky rubber compound in its forefoot.
“Climbers and alpinists are drawn to the mountains, even when training, and this is something we believe in supporting with the addition of the Norvan VT shoe, “continues Grenzke, “We’ve made a long-term commitment to the trail running market and to creating shoes with attributes of comfort, light weight and excellent traction that allow people to go further and faster in technical mountain terrain.”
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