Are you tired of sacrificing style for comfort when it comes to shoes? Look no further than Lems, a minimalist footwear company with a goal of finding the perfect balance of form versus function in the world of feet biodynamics and natural movement.
“The idea with Lems is it should feel like you’re wearing nothing at all. Your foot should feel free, unrestricted, no constriction in the ball of the foot, no constriction in your toes, and your foot should just be as it is.” Andrew Rademacher, Company Founder
The company creates a range of styles, from dress shoes to trail running sneakers, in addition to waterproof shoes and a vegan line. Their unique, retro design look cool, while still allowing your feet to move and flex naturally.
This blog post, we’ll look at features of several popular models like the Primal 2, Boulder Boot, Nine2Five and Chillum.
Key Takeaways
- Lems specializes in minimalist footwear, with features like wide toe box and zero or reduced drop heel elevation (the height between your toes and heel).
- The Chillum and Primal 2 model is lightweight, ultra-flexible shoe that’s great for the gym or casual wear around town.
- The Boulder Boot is designed for people looking for a tough, but comfortable, mid-height boot that works well in the office or hiking up a mountainside.
- The Nine2Five are lightweight dress shoes customized for professionals who spend all day standing or walking, with a microfiber upper, open weave mesh fabric and wide toe box.
What are Lems?
Lems are a minimalist shoes and boots maker that creates footwear optimized to allow you to naturally move and flex, without the supports and gimmicks found in traditional shoe wear.
The company’s mission is to help wearers get back in touch with their natural gait, while still keeping comfort and style at the forefront. What truly makes them unique are their wide toe box and heel toe alignment.
Wide Toe Box
These shoes give your toes maximum space to wiggle around. The shape of the toe box is rectangular with rounded edges, instead of a pointy triangular shape. This creates a natural toe splay, which gives you more flexibility of movement.
As explained in our review of the Lems Trailhead V2, I love these shoes because they are great for bunions and fallen arches. Your bunion and toes both have more space, which allows you to move naturally, with much less interference than a traditional sneaker.
Heel Drop
Traditional shoes usually have a narrow toe box and elevate heel 11mm or more above the toes. This design squishes your toes together in a point and places the foot in a downward slope.
Lems, on the other hand, places the heel anywhere from 0mm to 4mm above the toes. This design allows your toes to splay apart as they naturally would of barefoot, and places you in a natural, flat position. The goal is to promote better posture and reduce pain.
Another of my favorite aspects of Lems is that in spite of the zero-drop heel, their soles still have a cushiony, air-injected rubber. This gives the foot protection while still allowing you to move more naturally. This also what sets Lems apart from other minimalist footwear company like Vivo Barefoot, which have a thinner outsoles that allow you to feel the ground more.
Lightweight materials
Constructed using lightweight materials, like mesh upper fabrics and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) soles, these shoes are crafted to deliver maximum comfort, especially for people who’ve never worn minimalist shoes before.
They key features of minimalist shoes are:
- Reduced heel drop: This is the elevation of your heel above your toes.
- Less stack height: This is the distance between you and the ground. Lems stack height ranges between 9 to 21mm. The less the stack height, the more you will feel the ground.
- Lightweight: Because of the construction and materials, barefoot and minimalist shoes are more lightweight, usually weighing between 6 to 10 ounces. The average pair of sneakers weighs between 2 and 2.5 pounds.
Company History
Lems is a family-owned company founded in Boulder, Colorado in 2011 by Andrew Rademacher, a former decathlete from Purdue University. After suffering from various track injuries and realizing that conventional foot wear was designed all wrong for his needs,
Andrew took matters into his own hands. Inspired by the concept of minimalism and the need for natural footwear, Lems shoes was started with the purpose of creating minimalist shoes that provide a healthier fit and better performance.
Competition
Some of the top competitors of Lem’s Shoes include Vivo Barefoot, Xero Shoes, Merrell, and Altra. Each of these companies offers minimalist footwear options.
Popular Lems Shoes Models
Primal 2
The Primal 2 is made of 100% vegan materials and designed to fit the natural contour of the human foot. It’s a true zero-drop, with much more of a barefoot-sensation, so you’ll get a lot of ground feel and flexibility.
- Weight: 6.9 ounces
- Heel Drop: 0mm
- Stack Height: 9mm
- Ground Feel: Maximum
- What are they best for? Casual Wear, Gym Workouts, Running, Walking
Primal Pursuit
The Primal Pursuit shoe is a hybrid of the Primal 2 and Trailhead/Mesa shoes, with extra cushion and a unique rubber outsole design for more comfort and traction.
- Weight: 8.2ounces
- Heel Drop: 0mm
- Stack Height: 11mm
- Ground Feel: Maximum
- What is they best for? Hiking, Trail Running, Casual Wear, Walking
Primal Pursuit Mid
The Primal Pursuit Mid Waterproof is a waterproof, mid-height version of the Primal Pursuit shoe, designed to handle the slippery surfaces and unpredictable terrain.
- Weight: 11.8ounces
- Heel Drop: 0mm
- Stack Height: 14mm
- Ground Feel: Medium
- What is they best for? Hiking, Wet Weather, Casual Wear, Walking
Trailhead
The Trailhead V2 has a full-length rubber outsole that makes it great for trail running.
- Weight: 11.7ounces
- Heel Drop: 4mm
- Stack Height: 17mm / 21mm
- Ground Feel: Minimum
- What are they best for? Trail Running, Hiking, Wet Weather, Casual Wear, Walking
Boulder Boot
The waterproof Boulder Boot is designed for the great outdoors, showcased by its synthetic outsole and fully waterproof construction make it strong against harsh conditions.
- Weight: 9.9ounces
- Heel Drop: 0mm
- Stack Height: 10mm
- Ground Feel: Maximum
- What are they best for? Backpacking, Hiking, Wet Weather, Snow, Casual Wear, Walking
Nine2five
Nine2Five are the perfect casual shoes for professionals who spend all day either standing or walking. The flexible sole allows you to move naturally without feeling any strain on the foot. It also provides ample support to keep it from becoming sore after long hours of use.
- Weight: 8.6ounces
- Heel Drop: 0mm
- Stack Height: 10mm
- Ground Feel: Maximum
- What are they best for? Office, Casual Wear, Walking, Travel
Outlander Waterproof Boot
An excellent choice for the outdoors, the Outlander has a fully weatherproof upper, while still being breathable enough to keep your feet feeling cool in hot temps.
Additionally, the sole have a thick, aggressive tread that provides excellent traction on various surfaces such as wet stone or grassy hillsides. Many users report positive reviews for these boots due to their waterproof capabilities.
- Weight: 14.7ounces
- Heel Drop: Zero-Drop
- Stack Height: 16mm / 14mm
- Ground Feel: Medium
- What are they best for? Backpacking, Hiking, Wet Weather, Snow
Mesa
The Mesa are great for hiking, walking, and as travel shoes. Featuring a “Mountain-to-Town” full-rubber outsole similar to that of the Trailhead hiking shoe, the Mesa is one of more cushiony models in the product line.
- Weight: 9.8ounces
- Heel Drop: 4mm
- Stack Height: 15mm / 19mm
- Ground Feel: Minimum
- What are they best for? Casual, Hiking, Walking, Trail Running
Vegan Boulder Boot
The Lems Vegan Boulder Boot is a cruelty-free shoe with plenty of features like wide toe box for natural splay, synthetic upper, mid-level lace-up, and maximum amount of ground feeling. Its also unique foldable which makes it packable and easy to store in luggage.
- Weight: 9.9ounces
- Heel Drop: 0mm
- Stack Height: 10mm
- Ground Feel: Maximum
- What are they best for? Backpacking, Hiking, Wet Weather, Snow, Walking
Chillum
The Lems Chillum model is a popular kick-around sneaker that’s designed to provide a high level of ground feel and freedom of movement.
- Weight: 8.0ounces
- Heel Drop: 0mm
- Stack Height: 10mm
- Ground Feel: Maximum
- What are they best for? Casual, Travel, Walking
Benefits of Wearing Lems Shoes
In this video, Dr. Ray McClanahan, a podiatrist at Northwest Foot and Ankle, explains how Lems footwear is designed with natural foot health in mind.
He cites the work of Dr. William Rossi and his desire for a shoe that does not have arch support, heel elevation, or toe spring. Lems has delivered on this shoe with a completely flat, zero drop design that promotes natural forefoot shape and spreading of toes. Dr. McClanahan is not a paid consultant for Lems but simply a fan of their footwear.
Caring for Your Lems Shoes
Cleaning and Maintenance Tips
To keep your Lems shoes looking and smelling fresh, it’s important to clean them regularly. Follow the care instructions provided on the website for best results.
Lems can be washed by hand with lukewarm water and soap. For cleaning the nylon on the Boulder Boot and the Primal 2, it is recommended to use a product such as Otter Wax.
Maximizing Durability and Longevity
In the event that your shoes become damaged or worn out, Lems offers repair and replacement services. Contact Lems customer service by phone at (844) 859-5367 or by their website live chat for more information.
Warranty
Lems shoes come with a one-year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship, ensuring that customers receive a high-quality product.
Expert Reviews and User Experiences
- Lems are well-reviewed by their customers, with hundreds of positive reviews across their website.
- Run/Repeat rates Lems Shoes 91 out of 100
- Ruin Your Knees – 4.8 out of 5 stars
- Natural Footgear – 4.6 out of 5 stars
- That Fit Friend – 4.4 out of 5 stars
- Running experts have also compared Lems shoes to other minimalist shoe brands such as VivoBarefoot, and consider Lems to be beginner-friendly with decent ground feel through the thicker outsoles.
- The Lems Primal 2, is one of their most popular brands and has 4.4 out of 5 stars on Google shopping.
- RunRepeat gives the Trailhead an overall rating of 87/100 and describes it as a “doozy jack of all trades” because of its versatility in being both a great running and everyday shoe.
Medical & Scientific Studies Related to Minimalist Footwear
- “Understanding Injury Prevention & Foot Health” – Lems
- “Treatment of Forefoot Problems in Older People: A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Podiatric Treatment With Standardized Shoe Advice” – Research Gate
- “Clinical guidance for podiatrists in the management of foot problems in rheumatic disorders” – National Institute of Health
Other Resources
- Birthday Shoes: Birthday Shoes is a blog dedicated to minimalist footwear, and they often review various minimalist shoe brands, including Lems Shoes.
- Believe in the Run: Another website that focuses on running shoes.
- YouTube Reviewers: Some popular channels you can search for in-depth reviews and opinions on various shoe brands, including Lems Shoes are “TheGingerRunner“, “Kofuzi“, and “Jamison Michael.”
What does Lems shoes stand for?
Lems stands for “live easy and minimal”, a philosophy also reflected in the minimalist design of the shoes.
Are Lems good for trail running?
Yes, they are a great option for trail running – the Trailhead v2 is the company’s flagship trail running shoe and provide excellent traction and grip on trails.
Conclusion: Are Lems Shoes Worth the Hype?
After reviewing the different Lems shoe models and assessing user reviews, I believe that Lems shoes are worth the hype. They boast great features and comfort to suit the needs of an active lifestyle or simply casual wear.
In particular, their wide toe box and zero-drop sole provides maximum flexibility and improves foot health while providing cushion for impact absorption. Furthermore, these shoes come with attractive designs combined with top notch quality materials making them a worthwhile investment compared to other minimalist footwear brands out there in terms of pricing as well as longevity.
For all these reasons I think it’s safe to say Lems shoes are definitely worth considering if you’re looking for comfortable barefoot-style footwear options that will last you long into the future.
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