Lately, we've seen a trend of running shoes being designed more specifically. 5-10 years ago, most volume training shoes came with an outsole that could be used on forest trails and asphalt - a bit everywhere. But now, most manufacturers want to keep the weight down on road shoes, thus saving rubber on the outsole, or providing extra grip in the forest, which offers a different experience on the road.
In a time when running shoes are becoming increasingly specialized to do one thing very well, it's refreshing that some choose to do things differently. And it seems that Craft has found its niche. They are creating a type of hybrid shoe meant to handle a bit of everything, however, with the focus that they all should be good for long-distance running!
In this article, I will review two of the latest models from Craft, Nordlite Ultra, and Nordlite Speed.
Craft Nordlite Ultra – A reliable ultra shoe!
Craft Nordlite Ultra, as the name suggests, is designed for the longest distances. It's a shoe made to last and last and last. There's plenty of foam in the midsole, but it's not an insanely soft and forgiving material. Craft's CR-Foam is more taut, so it doesn't get flattened when you've run in the shoe for a while. It provides a different and firmer experience than we typically got from racing shoes in recent years, but it's not a classic racing shoe.
There's a whole 40mm of foam in the heel and 34mm under the forefoot, so there's plenty of material to cushion the impacts, but as mentioned, it doesn't quite give that soft feel we've become accustomed to. Where I think the shoe truly shines is on its outsole. As mentioned earlier, it's a hybrid shoe, and it performs really well on the road, but I've also taken it to the forest on a rainy day, where there was quite a bit of mud on the track.
I was actually surprised at how well it really gripped in the slightly challenging terrain - even though it's not strictly a trail shoe, it performed very well. In my eyes, the shoe has a minor challenge with its fit. It feels a bit narrow at the front. I would have preferred a bit more room for the toes, especially as it's an ultra-running shoe, where one might expect the feet to swell a bit (or a lot) along the way.
Otherwise, it's an excellent shoe for those who want to run long distances and prefer a shoe that doesn't feel too soft.
Craft Nordlite Speed – A fast ultra shoe!
Actually, Craft Nordlite Speed is an attempt to create a really fast competition shoe with a bit more grip than usual. However, I believe its features make it more suitable for longer-distance races. Like the Nordlite Ultra, the CR-Foam (foam in the midsole) is tauter than typically seen in faster shoes, which is why I think it suits the really long distances.
However, I've noticed that the shoe softens and livens up when I push a little harder, making it ideal for those chasing faster times. In the Nordlite Speed, there's a carbon plate, which also helps provide propulsion and ensures the shoe is springy and responsive. However, it's a bit on the heavy side (270 grams in US 9) to be a pure racing shoe for road running, partly due to the relatively large amount of rubber on the outsole.
Yet, the rubber serves a purpose, giving the shoe better grip on various surfaces and ensuring it's durable. In terms of fit, the Nordlite Speed has the same challenges as the Nordlite Ultra. It's also a bit narrow at the front. The length is actually fine, but there should've been a bit more room to wiggle the toes. Unlike the Nordlite Ultra, the Nordlite Speed's outsole doesn't have an aggressive pattern that provides good grip in mud, but I think the shoe stands very firmly on all other surfaces.
This makes it ideal for those who want to compete on longer distances with varying surfaces, or want a carbon shoe that can withstand many miles!
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