Meet norda, the Latest Canadian Running Shoe Brand to Arrive at BlackToe

What happens when you’re an avid athlete who spends years running through snow, slush and trails, but never quite find the perfect shoe? You create it yourself.

Or at least that’s what happened with Willa and Nick Martire, the founding duo behind the world’s most durable and versatile running shoe ever: norda. Hailing from Montreal, Willa and Nick spent years trying to find a shoe that could meet their needs as passionate runners, not to mention the constantly changing demands of Canadian weather and terrain. After years of dreaming and planning, they built an expert team of athletes, engineers, designers and consultants, and the first norda trail shoe was born.

“We couldn’t find a trail shoe that was tough enough, light enough or fast enough to take us where we wanted to go. So we created it.” - Willa and Nick Martire, norda founders

The World Doesn’t Need Another Trail Shoe. It Needs a Better One.

The innovative new norda 001 trail shoe is built by runners, for runners, using some of the most advanced materials on the planet. It can handle mud, gravel, snow and dry conditions seamlessly, while providing all of the support, cushion and style that runners demand. We test a lot of running shoes here at BlackToe, so trust us when we say: we were impressed. Let’s take a closer look at what makes norda stand out from the competition!

• The norda 001 is the first ever shoe to feature an upper constructed from Dyneema, which is a sustainably-sourced, high-performance material that is waterproof, astoundingly lightweight and virtually indestructible.
• A norda x Vibram sole is inspired by the Canadian Shield: the bedrock of Canada. It provides exceptional front to back and lateral grip, superior durability, enhanced energy return, and the strongest grip possible on both wet and dry terrain.
• The midsole is constructed from Vibram SLE, delivering a lightweight, high-cushion and ultra-responsive ride.
• norda 001 is a versatile trail shoe that can switch between trail and road without missing a beat. It will also make an exceptional shoe for winter running, hiking or walking.
• At the heart of norda’s mission is a commitment to marrying innovation with environmental stewardship. All of their products meet the highest standards for sustainability possible.
• As the cherry on top, norda 001 is one stylish shoe! They’ve partnered with some popular brands who have a reputation for their fashionable x functional athletics gear, but our lips are sealed for now!

“From the very beginning the norda™️ mission has been about helping every runner love every run. We do this by empowering them to push their individual performance further than they thought possible. But we also do this by ensuring we can all live up to our collective responsibility to protect exactly what makes trail-running so spectacular: the natural world we run through.” - norda

BlackToe is Excited to Welcome norda into the Shop

So how did BlackToe become one of the first key retailers in all of Canada to carry norda running shoes? We were introduced to norda through Ciele, another Montreal-based athletics brand that we’ve carried here at BlackToe since their earliest launches. Our relationship with Ciele is one that we truly value, so when they suggested we meet with the founders of norda, we were all ears.

Our team torture tested the norda 001 in some of Southern Ontario’s toughest terrain, giving their seal of approval that just about any runner in Canada would benefit from owning a pair. With so much confidence behind the brand, we decided to add norda’s first ever product lineup to our shoe table!

Our mission is to partner with brands who align with our values and passion for running, so that we can bring the absolute best running products to our customers. We are excited about our new partnership with norda, and can’t wait for our customers to take a pair of premium norda 001 trail shoes out for a spin.

BlackToe Running is proud to be among just a few early key retailers to carry the norda brand. Come try on a pair at BlackToe HQ, or place an order online, and be among the first to sport a pair of Canadian-made norda’s on your next run!