Behind the Design of Black Diamond & Norda's New Mountain Running Shoe

A Shared Approach to Design

Ultrarunner Joe Grant is responsible for linking the decades-old Salt Lake climbing brand with the Montreal running upstart. A longtime Black Diamond athlete, Grant got a pair of Norda 002s ahead of a 400-mile circumambulation of southwest Colorado's San Juan Mountains. His route linked sections of the Continental Divide and the Colorado Trail while traveling across 14,000-foot peaks. He was impressed by how they handled the wide variety of terrain the route presented, and afterwards forged a relationship with the Norda team. Then he connected the two brands with one another.

"It felt natural, as we realized we shared the same values in our pursuit of the finest," Norda co-founder Nick Martire told Field Mag. "It was quickly established that the two design teams respected each other's approach to product," said Dan Rowe, Black Diamond's senior designer of technical softgoods. "This naturally led to collaborating."

Grant's particular style of mountain exploration—trail running mixed with scrambling and light climbing over long distances—became a frame for what the teams would make together. A new shoe would be a key component.

A New Type of Trail Running Shoe

"What you need as a tool is completely different," said Louis Martin Tremblay, head of design at Norda. "If you're going to do some edging, if you're going to be on a traverse, you're going to need a lot more stability, a lot more ground control on your foot to feel secure. But then if you're going down and you decide to hit a trail, you want to have fun, you want to be able to have speed, to have some rebound."

Norda had already been working on a design that matched those needs, and the partnership presented the opportunity to finish it. Those familiar with the brand might assume the 000 is a cross between the existing 001 and 002, and while the new shoe does borrow elements from them, it isn't a simple midpoint.

With protection and stability a must, the 000's upper is made of bio-circular Dyneema, a super-strong and lightweight material, with a rubberized toe bumper and wraparound overlay that almost calls to mind approach shoes. And in a more overt nod to hiking footwear, there's a loop on the back (the lines of stitching that attach it, a subtle wink at the design of BD's quickdraws). The shoe also has a structured heel for stability on technical ground like scree fields and trailless ridges.

Stability was also a guiding factor in choosing the midsole material. Norda's relationship with Vibram goes back to its beginnings. The 000 uses the same Vibram Megagrip outsole as other shoes in Norda's line, utilizing Vibram's Litebase tech to keep weight down while allowing for repairability and serious traction. For the new shoe, the Italian company also provided exclusive first use of its new midsole technology, Vibram Stream Flow, which balances lightweight cushioning with durability and long-term consistent performance.

Stream Flow is an EVA-based foam, but here, Vibram adjusted the formula to provide big improvements in compression set resistance, energy return, and cushioning. And according to Vibram, it does this while maintaining the weight of supercritical midsole foams.

"In practical terms, this means the material is better at retaining its original properties throughout the life of the shoe, delivering a more consistent experience mile after mile," explained Carlo Zumerle, Vibram's global brand manager. "At the same time, it achieves these gains while maintaining a low density, resulting in a lightweight feel underfoot."

According to Tremblay, the foam has a firm, stable feel, ideal for rocky environments, and maintains it for a longer period—about 100k—before breaking in a little and becoming more responsive.

Gates has been impressed with the character of the new shoe, too. "I’d use it on anything from the WURL to a multi-day adventure on the Colorado Trail," he told us.

Deeper Than the Typical Collab

The collection includes versions of Black Diamond's Mission Duffel and Distance 15 backpack, a design Grant also had a hand in developing before its release in 2019. Both are updated with 100d Challenge Sailcloth Ultra, a light, tear-resistant material. To validate it, Grant tested a Distance 15 proto made with the material for over a year, according to Rowe. There's also a collab version of the ultralight Distance Carbon Z FKT trekking poles, graphic tees, a cap, and, of course, a carabiner. The idea, as Tremblay put it, was "to create the ultimate kit for the alpine."

It was clear from conversations with both brands that developing the collection didn't follow the typical collab process. The product teams worked together closely, flying between Salt Lake City and Montreal. "It was less a traditional collaboration and more a true product development process, with both teams deeply involved throughout," Rowe said. "Both teams were willing to push each other and learn from different points of view."

That might be the key ingredient to a great collaboration. (Awesome gear to start with surely helps.) Good news is, there's more to come. According to Rowe, "This first capsule is just the beginning."

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