Our last few experiences with Craft shoes have been less than stellar, especially when it came to fit, and so when we had the chance to test out the new Nordlite Ultra, we were hopeful for a different result. The good news is we got just that and then some, plus it’s a cool looking shoe to boot. The Nordlite Ultra makes for a great road to trail hybrid that is both light and fast, but cushioned enough to add on a bit of distance. It probably won’t have the upper support most everyday runners are looking for, but if you’ve got the legs they deliver the goods.
Quick Details, Specs, and Availability
- Weight – 9.3oz or 264g for a US Men’s 9, 8.1oz or 230g for a US Women’s 7
- Cushion – 40mm of cushion and a 6mm heel/toe drop
- Pricing – $159.99 USD
- Colors – 1 colors
Performance Review
Our complaints with the prior iterations of Craft running shoes we have reviewed has always been centered around two key areas, the upper and the width of the shoe. The uppers on other models, including the CTM Ultra and Endurance Trail were too voluminous. You could just never get a really secure feeling up top and even someone with a regular width foot found themselves with too much extra material and way too long of laces. In run, those other shoes also felt too narrow so you were spilling over the top and then the platform felt like it needed more width. So while the shoes looked great, they weren’t necessarily amazing to run in unless you had a very specific foot shape. It definitely skewed towards more of a European style design where shoes tend to be narrower overall.
We were very pleased to see that the Craft Nordlite Ultra had changed things a bit. From the get-go, we could tell the toe box was a bit wider, and the upper had a more secure fit overall with no real gather of material. It does not have a lot of structural elements for lateral stability, but that one piece upper at least hold you well and is highly breathable which does make it comfortable. That one piece mesh design feels like a lot of the sock style fits wer are seeing out there. There isn’t a lot of padding or achilles protection, so again performance oriented.
As we get down to the midsole, things really liven up. The supercritical foam used on the Nordlite Ultra delivers a highly responsive ride that even most road runners would appreciate. I think one of the real strength of this shoe is the fact that it is so multipurpose, almost a Swiss Army knife. By that we mean, it runs a bit like a performance oriented road shoe, but then it has an outsole that grips like a nimble racing trail shoe. So while we are typically a proponent of one shoe for varying types of terrain, this really breaks the mold. We could see someone trail racing with these one day while also wearing them out on the roads the next.
The big take away here should be that the Nordlite Ultra is a great shoe and a fantastic choice for performance oriented runners who want to tackle both road and trail. The shoe is nimble, responsive, and dare we say good looking to boot. Definitely happy with the direction Craft has taken things.
Construction and Materials
Upper
The Craft Nordlite Ultra showcases an upper made of a single-layer engineered mesh, which not only contributes to its lightweight nature but also offers exceptional comfort and durability. The design of the mesh ensures a breathable and flexible fit, making it an ideal choice for runners seeking a high-performance and long-lasting shoe.
Midsole
The Craft Nordlite Ultra showcases a full Cr Foam™ midsole, offering a winning combination of cushioning and stability while maintaining a lightweight feel and delivering explosive rebound. The utilization of a supercritical process in creating the foam ensures not only enhanced performance attributes but also an environmentally conscious approach, as it is a non-toxic and reusable material, making it a sustainable choice for runners seeking both high performance and eco-friendliness.
Outsole
The Craft Nordlite Ultra features a three-piece lugged traction rubber outsole that is designed to excel on both road and light trail surfaces, ensuring reliable grip and traction in various climate conditions. Whether you’re running on paved roads or venturing onto milder trails, this outsole provides the necessary traction and stability to keep you confident and secure in your stride.
Overall Conclusion
Craft has definitely delivered with the Nordlite Ultra, this shoe is vastly improved from our perspective from some prior models we have run in. The upper has a much more performance fit, and the mold delivers a compelling and fast ride across both road and hardback trail. This shoe is made for multipurpose running, and can be nimble when necessary, but has enough stack height to deliver distance as well. it does lack a bit of support and stability in the upper, so the shoe skews better towards more performance oriented running. They are really nice to look on top of it, definitely the best Craft shoe we have looked at honestly… ever.
Learn more on the Craft website
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Check Out Other Reviewers Thoughts
As always, we gather together some of our favorite reviewers so you can get a well-rounded view of the shoe. Here are our favorites.
