Thank you very much, you are here chopping boots in half while I have no boots in this cold winter!, just joking😂, please continue with the great videos, ( at least I can watch)
Just an fyi. I have 4 pairs of lems and I needed to get 1 size larger than I wear a sneaker for all of them. I’m a 12.5 brannock and wear a 14 in all my lems.
@@andrewh3909 I’m sure those are super nice and no offense meant to anyone who likes them, but to me personally they look like something you could buy at Gap Kids.
I would definitely buy a higher quality boot from Lems even if it was 2-3x the price. But honestly the quality of the boulder summit has been fine for me after 2 years owning it. The toe of the right boot has started to separate and I had to re glue it, but that’s not a huge deal to me. I wear these because they are the only boot that helps my chronic foot pain from a Morton’s neuroma. Even if I had to replace them every year I would still buy them.
Had the Boulder Boot and about a month into winter, the waterproof lining gave up. Not too impressed. With the African Ranger barefoot, my search for rugged barefoot boots is over. A big thank you for making that one come into existence!
Without a doubt. The African Ranger is built from a lot better materials and resolvable. A different league for me. Those are real boots. I bought the Lems for the water proofness. The Lems are more of sneaker like construction. I found the sole to be rather long lasting but once the tread is gone, they are heading for the bin. @@doorbox788
I got the Boulder Summit, thinking it would be a great winter city boot, but the lining gave up after maybe 2 weeks. Also, the cemented construction began to seperate from the uppers, which is probably what lead to the failure of the lining.
@@doorbox788I have the barefoot ranger as well. I’m perfectly satisfied with my barefoot shoe range now: bedrocks for the spring/summer and rangers for fall/winter/hiking. I put some sno seal on and haven’t had any leaks yet. I’m really excited to resole them and put on a vibram sierra or kletterlift sole.
I think the third boot would be great for gardening and landscaping. You don't want deep grooves for mountain climbing full of a bunch of dirt & mulch going in and out of the house (or even the garage) when you're working in the garden all day. Thanks for the info! 👍👍👍
i have them both. the grip tread will prob give your more problems actually. The smaller treads trap more debris. It fills up with mud and especially little bits of rock and gravel. And it wont come out without taking a knife and plucking it out. Where the summit version you can stomp your feet and get most everything out.
I do mattress deliveries and that’s something nice with my regular boulder boots is that the don’t hold dirt and stuff so I pretty much never have to worry about my shoes going into peoples homes compared to when I wore trail type regular shoes.
I've been wearing minimal footwear for several years now, and it's really helped me out. Shoes, sandals, VFFs, love all of it. These in particular are my go-to work boots. Been wearing the standard Boulder Boot for about two years now, it's starting to wear out so I might replace it with a new one. I actually prefer the nylon simply because it makes them easy to clean, I can throw them in the washing machine every week. I really wish Lems would make a steel toe version, I feel like the Boulder Boot with a steel plate would be an amazing safety work boot.
The Summit is one of my all-time favorite boots. I wore it nonstop on a 10-day road trip around Ireland, despite bringing a second pair of shoes as a precaution. The Summit did everything well, from hiking to all-day city walking, and even pairing with jeans and a button down or sweater for dinner.
Summit may be too thick and not actually ZERO drop to be a "barefoot" shoe... but the level of protection it provides doing actual hiking is just great. It's THE best wide toebox hiking boot and I'll fight anyone's dad who says otherwise.
@@DuridPidyeah it’s definitely not a minimalist show like other lems. But that’s why I like it. I want more cushion when I’m walking for a long time. I just want the wide toes and almost zero drop with normal thick soles.
I have the Summit. Agree with everything said here about them: nice leather, extremely comfortable, good for outdoors and very quick to wear through the lining at the heel. I stole the insoles to put in my African Ranger Barefoot.
I am curious of your opinion of the waterproofness of the African Ranger Barefoots? I own the boulder waterproof boots and have put about 150 miles of walking and hiking. Very comfortable, but not waterproof. I haven’t worn them down much at all
@@wildchild795 Weston discovered that some pairs of Boulders have flaws in the waterproof lining that lets water in. Mine appear to be waterproof. My AR Barefoots are water resistant, but if you wear them wet it will seep through. I think you could prolong this with dubbin depending on what leather you pick and if you mind changing the colour of it.
I got the Summit's during their sale. $135 for the brown pair. I've only had them a little over a week, but the comfort level in them is insane. I do not notice I'm walking on concrete. I can't wait to take them for some hikes.
They are great except if you step on a thorn it'll go though, ouch. Also you can repair the sole for a new one. it's not ment to be used a life time but what you use it in its life span is comfortable. You sacrifice durability for comfort and agility, for a years worth of heavy use it's fine , maybe 2 years.
I bought the Grips for winter and i went up a full size to fit thick work socks. I found they were still too tight and wanted to exchange them for another 1/2 size up but they were sold out. Cool East Market (in Toronto On) did have the Summit in brown available in 11 1/2 so i got them. I laced them with Xpand Quick Release laces up to the second from the top eyelet. They go on without undoing the laces! Perfect. They're very comfortable with the 20 mm stack height and will keep my feet above the slush. So far they've been comfortable down to -10 Celsius with the wind chill. I'd recommend them. I wore Xero Denver leathers last winter. The Denvers are more of a spring and fall boot unless you live in California. My feet prefer Lem's 20 mm stack height over Xero's 5 mm stack height. The Summit's eyelet construction works better with the Xpand Quick Release laces versus the Grips with the top two speed hooks(?) .
I’m near Toronto. If you ever do get cold consider getting a woollen insert. I take out the regular insole and replace it with a wool one for winter time. Made a big difference for me. With that change I can be out in -15 for several hours
I have a pair of summit boots. I have used them as my work boots for about 8 months now. I work as a land surveyor in northeast florida so they experience lots of water and lots of walking. They have held up great and are fairly comfordable. The couple gripes i have with them is that the cemented contruction is staring to pull away from the leather, the water proof lining finally gave out, and using a shovel with these boots is not fun. Overall though its a great boot but not necessarily the best thing to work in.
Yeah. There’s not enough material under foot for real work. I tried using a shovel in summits once and it was not fun. I think of these boots as a comfortable waterproof sneaker that looks like a boot. Even in my use of mainly just walking and day to day stuff the toe has started to separate from the sole. Catch it early with shoe glue and it holds up.
Been using the Summits now since April. Worn them about 20-30 times between hikes and rainy days. Now that we're in winter I'm starting to wear them more. Pros: - Roomy - Warm - Upper really hugs your ankle - Flexible (including outsole) - Nearly zero drop Cons: - Gets hot to wear in NC, USA in and around summer - The foam midsole bottoms out and I think should be just a hair stiffer - Takes a bit to put on with a full gusset and narrow ankle - Less slip resistant than expected
I've had the canvas sided Lems Bolder Boots for about three years. I wear them a lot... but... they are essentially slippers that you can wear outside or in the workshop. They have no support and they definitely won't protect you if you step on a nail. But they keep the sawdust out and they weigh next to nothing. I wish they were easier and faster to take on and off. Speed laces would be really great. Because I don't walk on concrete very much and I don't really hike in them I imagine they will last another 5 or 6 years. When they finally wear out I'll probably get another pair. I like rugged slippers.
I have the summits and love them! I do a lot of hiking and photography in the wilderness and they’re fantastic. I’m definitely getting another pair when needed. Super comfortable and grippy. Plus they look great
LEMS are great for my foot / arch problems. So I use their boots and gym shoes. They do wear out in under two seasons. I wear 11 LEMS and 11 3E Allen Edmund and Ascis 11.5 2e
I almost pulled the trigger on the Boulder Summit. I use exclusively wide toe box footwear now except for the occasional formal footwear. I wanted a wide toe box boot but have also been getting into traditional stitched and re-soleable footwear. Unfortunately theres almost no traditional footwear makers who make wide toe box shoes. But then I saw your videos on Jim Greed footwear. For some extra money i got them to make a custom boot, basically a Baobab boot upper with their barefoot sole construction, external toe cap and counter cover. Ive been wearing them now for a few weeks and im so glad i was able to get these instead of the lems boots. I have two pairs of lems shoes I love but I wanted a real boot that accommodates my foot, not these glued lightweight things.
So the science, the extra surface area on the sole doesn't help with grip in the water like a gecko. The way it actually works in dry conditions is like a gecko, more surface area and more grip like a gecko. But in water the more cuts on the sole allow the water to escape as you move and apply pressure which then allows you to have more of the sole in contact with the surface in wet conditions. Slightly different to what's described in the vide but the same outcome. This is why wet weather tires have more grooves or cuts to funnel water away allowing the rubber to contact the road. BTW Great videos bro big fan of what you do and the style of your videos, thanks!!!
I have the Boulder and Boulder Summit boots. Love ‘em both. The Boulder is good for summer yard work. But it is not waterproof. The Summit is more rugged, waterproof and has a grippy sole. Better for winter yard work and hiking. Good value at their respective price points.
a really good presentation on this brand...will test the grip boots just cuz the presentation is great👍very informative! why cldn't others present it this way is beyond me - congrats👍
I've been wearing Palladium Pampa boots for years and years, but have also been getting into the whole barefoot stuff over the past few years. I ordered a new pair of my regular ones in the same size as usual, instant foot cramp and pain when pulling the first one on... and back they go. Time to find a new go-to brand I guess and hopefully Lems is it. Just ordered a pair of the Grip ones, since Finnish winter has a lot of snow, ice, wet ice, etc. I like that they're not padded, since it usually doesn't get *that* cold here and when it does you can just use warmer socks.
Jim Green really knocked it out of the park with their decision to make a barefoot zero drop minimal version of their boots !!!! Hands down my favorite boots !!!!!!
I have the Boulder Summit and I love how comfortable it is. It looks pretty good too. But it is the most slippery boot I have ever worn on wet surfaces. I hike a lot and my friends do too. I have actually fallen once and one of my friends fell who wears the same boots. Don’t know what’s wrong with the rubber but that’s probably why they made the third Boulder Grip. The Summit is dangerously slippery.
I’ve been wearing my summits for 2 winters now. I agree they are not as grippy as a traditional hiking boot like Lowa or Keen. But here in the wet PNW I don’t feel like they’re too slippery for me. We don’t get a lot of ice though so I haven’t tried it much on that. The rubber definitely doesn’t feel as grippy as it could be though.
i do occasionally slip on wet leaves and smooth tiles in my regular boulder boots. so, i might need these. i just wish a western made brand made something equivalent.
I would love to see you cut a pair of boots from the Canadian brand called ROOTS. I'd love to see how their quality stacks up to their promises and prices
I have a pair of Boulder boots but I don't wear them very often. Right now I'm wearing the trailhead shoes which I've had for a few years and I love them. About a month or two ago I got a pair of kourts and those are the most comf shoes I've ever worn. My new balance were hurting my feet, and after wearing them for a couple days my foot pain was completely gone. My next pair will be the kourt grip. Lems shoes are the best
I would love to see some of the lems sneakers cut in half and reviewed. Had my eye on them for years but keep going back to my cheaper new balances because of the price point. They usually last me a while so idk.
Love your channel. Not a big moctoe fan. I like a rounder simpler service boot, like a navy boondocker. Any chance of doing a "service-tember" Or "marching March?" Those Golden Fox overlords really peaked my interest.
I still think golden fox should be at the bottom of the list. I am wearing a pair right now and I am not impressed at all. My big toe is hurting and the sole is like wearing out so fast. I compared the sole to my red wing that has 10 times the amount of miles and these golden fox look more warn out. I mean the golden fox maybe have 20 miles on them and the red wings have over 200 and the golden fox look far more warn out.
I love my Summit boots. They were the second boot I ordered after I started watching your channel awhile back. They are incredible comfortable, they are my go to boot for when I don't need my Nicks or JK boots, and just want something lighter to go about in. The waterproofing is great in Florida rains (though if its still actively raining yeah some gets in from the top, but in walking through the average puddle etc. its fine). I'd consider getting the Grip when these wear out but I'd also have to weigh that against the Jim Green Barefoot, or whatever else I come across by the time these eventually do wear out.
I think the Boulder Grips would be great for winter boating. Assuming the waterproof barrier doesn't break down. But I'm down south so I just stay inside for the tree weeks it's too cold to get in the boat. The Rancourt Read Boat Shoes delivered today are perfect.
The summits are the best for me. I’m rough with my boots and they hold up pretty well. I’m not construction level tough on them but I go through the woods and hike in them. My one complaint is that my feet sweat. If they made a boulder that was breathable, it would be the best of both worlds for me. I’ve also gotten a lot of comments from people asking about them, kind of surprised me to be honest.
I've had the canvas bolder boot for just about three years now and they're just about worn out in the soles. It's a shame it's not really the kind of boot you can resole. The uppers have held up amazingly well, and I've put em through hell.
@@Smattyy I have not noticed this. I will watch for it now that you mentioned it. I live in a relatively dry climate and I wonder if humidity factors in.
I have a lot of their shoes actually and I can say after two years I am very happy with the quality. Not bullshitting - they’ve been very good shoes. I can’t blow the money right now but I would order the half size smaller on these because I do like them quite a bit.
My buddy at work has them and he likes them quite a bit - all things being equal - I like the Boulder Boot Grip better (especially if I got the right size). But my favorite of all their boots are the Outlanders. The styling is amazing and they have held up very well. For the shoes, my favorites are the Trailhead.
I bought some of the Lem’s Mesa shoe for my first zero drop shoe and I’m not sure how they make their shoes so comfy. They have to have some mad scientists working over there
great boots, i first saw them on your channel a while ago when i was looking into barefoot shoes looking for a leather version, so thanks for that. they have got me walking again which is good, can't say enough good things about them and their insole makes the shoe even with how thin they are. they are discontinuing a number of their boots so i hope they will bring out other versions to replace them and that those will not be narrower as can happen sometimes with companies. it would be nice if they could make a wider and more squared off toe box version as for me they can taper in a little too much but no way near as much as a regular shoe.
Anytime the outsole is separate sections molded into the midsole.. those fall out after moderate wear. I wanted the grips, but that's a no-go for me. Those little islands of rubber are going to be falling out. Every shoe I've ever had that is built like that did the same thing.
I got the Summit and they look nice and are comfortable but the right toe stitch ripped the first week then got way worse. I understand they aren't really made for hiking but if you want to walk to a coffee shop and look cool to impress other uninteresting do-nothings then they are great.
Im older and work part time in retail n a concrete floor. Im having problems finding a comfortable shoe/boot. My knees and feet begin to hurt after a couple hours on my feet. I'm not interested in the super spongy running type shoes. Im thinking the Lens boots might be a good option.
hey, really nice video, i was searching for a more comfortable option to my timbs and this video appeared..so thank you. Have you ever considered cut in half Camper Peu shoes, they said they're the best in terms of comfort and durability but maybe it's just a legend. it would be really nice to see them on this channel, hopre you're gonna consider them. :)
Speaking to the fit. If you have a 4E foot maybe these won't work out. Or maybe it is just my foot shape. My Boulder Boot Grip is super tight in the arch, almost like I am standing on the side of the boot even if I take out the inserts. This isn't unique to Lems though. I find a lot of boot lasts to be narrow in that area even those listed as wide (such as Thorogood, super narrow for my foot). More often than not I can go with a 9.5 4E or 10 2E and be fine but some boots, nope. Anyway, I'm rambling. The fit on these is odd. It is like a 2E toe box, E ball, D heel and C arch. But I knew going in that these might not work out. For length an 11 feels identical to my 9.5 4E New Balance. Just for reference I wear a 9-9.5 4E in New Balance depending on the model. I can squeak into a Rebok Nano in 10 but don't love it. Iron Rangers are 9.5 EE but if a 9 EEE existed they would probably be perfect. 10 EE in Danner Bull Run and they are glove like after break in. 10 Wide in anything Thursday. I might need to start wearing the boxes that all of my boots come in, lol.
Hey man, i have a beat up pair of Blundstones that have been through boot hell. melted soles from a fire, dry and cracked leather from working with hydrochloric acid, months worth of time in muck holes. The list is pretty extensive! I think it would be really cool if you did a durability review of them and react to their condition and how they held up compared to prior expectations! I'd love to send em in to you if you like this idea!!
Hi RA, I find your videos very interesting. I have worn barefoot shoes for about 3 years now and my feat have changed quite a bit. I can't fit my feet into normal hiking or combat boots and I don't trust Lems to fit the hiking/combat boot role where you're really depending on a boot. The stiching around the toe box looks like it's made to burst open under heavy use and the sole is not grippy in the wet, boggy, muddy climate of the UK, though I do own a pair of Lems. I ended up with a pair of Melindle wide hiking boots but they're completely rigid, high heeled and heavy. There are a pair of Belviles your reviewed which I have and they're great for summer. However I would definitely buy a pair of full leather winter boots if any came up. The sole of AKU TCS boots is great because it has deep lugs but they're all sloped and spread out allowing mud to fall of and stopping stones getting stuck in them. The construction of a pair of Altberg combats with the full leather and minimal connection points, then the wide toe box, Zero drop and a semi flexible sole somewhere in between a barefoot boot and hiking boot. That would be perfect.
The Boulder Summit is on a different last than the regular Boulder or the grip. Summit is the “WIDEST natural-shape”where the others are a “WIDE natural-shape.” I have both and the summits are too wide for my liking, the regular Boulder is just perfect.
its weird because when the Summits came out, Lems had them listed in the "wide" column of their site and then eventually moved them to the "widest" column. I think wide is more accurate. I have the Waterproof Boulder Boots as well and the Summits feel the same, maybe even a smidge more narrow
It’s a little off topic but over the last 6 years I’ve had 3 pairs of Carolina 28 series 8” composite toe waterproof insulated work boots $214 per pair and they have been great boots. I’d love to see your take on them If you are look for any ideas on boots to review. I’m also considering one of their cheaper boots the surveyor 8” steel toe insulated waterproof boot at $135 and it would be great to see a review like this before buying them, It would be nice to see some more work boots in general if not those ones specifically ... anyway love the videos and keep up the good work.
One thing just hit me after watching your videos for quite a while... why do you throw also the laces to the bin? Couldn't you save those at least and reduce part of the waste? Genuine and well intentioned question.
Im a size 10 male in adidas, sperry, puma. 10 1/2 for Nike, most boots, and dress shoes. I got lems Primal Zens in 10. Perfect fit. Also highly recommend them. I got lems Boulder waterproof grips(without hooks though somehow idk how) i got them in 10.5 and theyre perfect fit. I also got the Summit. Theyre in size 10 and also fit me perfectly! I know its weird. But hope that helps someone. I wear my Grips for 12+hrs on concrete warehouse floor. Theyre so comfortable i dont even change out of them once home. I went to school at Appalachian State, and the Summit is the PERFECT boot for the Boonies and Mountaineers. Comfortable for all day wear. Flexible for hikes on the AT. Can handle tons of snow. But also wont leave you trenchfoot from the buildings overdoing heat and it being like 90° in the classroom while its 10° outside. And yes App State. Lems should be sold IN STORE, at Mountain Running Company, on King Street. Also might be able to find em at footsloggers by black Cat but i didnt see that on lems website. I have no lems, Mountain running Co, Rose Anvil or any affiliations cept i went to AppState and enjoyed Boone NC.
Looking got a new summer boot to replace keen roswell, I liked those but now tried lems Chelsea and am hooked on the zero drop and lems fit. I was curious if the nylon might be cooler, will be up to 100*F and in the rocks.
Have any of you had the "Outlanders" by lems? So far i like them a lot. Some of the most comfortable shoes i have ever worn period, let alone boots. Haven't really tested yhe water proof... Nor have i gad em long enough to comment on durability. .. but the style and comfort are both too notch.
Can you do one on the Belgian ABL military boot ? They were used from the 1960's to the 1990's, I was issued 3 pairs in 1996. They are full leather you can still get them for around 180 ish USD and I'm very curious to what's on the inside.
what ever you do never machine wash ur lems . ( i always machine wash my shoes at 30degrees celcius and have them in a washing bag, done this for 30+ years around 3times a year ish ) 1 wash and the material in the heel is completely runied and feels like a knife now and shoes are trash . ( mine was Lems Chillum in Hemp ) The Cork sole can also not be machinewashed , it expands and does not fit the shoe anymore .
Would you recommend the Boulder Grip in an automotive type enviroment as far as "grip" or "non slip" goes? I have the summits currently and when I wore those to the shop it was like and ice skating rink.
The "waterproof" lining inside is basically trash. If you take the insole out to get a barefoot feel the liner will disintegrate with mild usage. Get a pair of the Ranger's first.
can anyone point me to the right direction for work boots that has safety toe, preferably leather shank/if not none, and as a bonus it has met guard. I’m look for a variant that can fit my wide foot problem, FF(4E)-6E width. I’m a hazmat driver
