Original Post Date: July 10, 2023
Updated: December 19, 2023 (Health Update), January 9th, 2024 (Lems Outlander Boots), and November 26th, 2025 (Lems Insulated Breck Boots)
Lems Shoes Review Foot Health Update
In my Lems Shoes Review (see below), I mention my reasoning for getting into barefoot shoes. And, in short, I am not going back to “normal shoes” after these. I have worn my Lems Shoes exclusively for the past (almost) 6 months and the change has been incredible.
Knee Pain is Gone:
The knee pain that I mentioned experiencing in my initial review below is gone. I was a bit curious if it was the shoes that made the difference…So, I grudgingly put on a pair of non-minimalist shoes for 1 day and the pain came back. So, I can say with confidence that these Lems Shoes have made a substantial difference.
Freedom!
The freedom I have felt in the toe-box of my Lems Shoes has been incredible. I cannot imagine going back to constrictive footwear ever again. I have had some very long days on my feet, and sure, I have gotten tired at a normal level. But, I have not experienced the “I cannot wait to get these shoes off of my feet” reaction about Lems Shoes.
Lems Breck Boot Insulated Review
(EXCITING UPDATE!) November 26th, 2025: I have not been this excited about a barefoot/minimalist shoe since I got into Lems back in 2023. And here’s why – We have desperately needed a barefoot insulated boot for a long time! I have gone through 2 winter seasons with cold feet…But that changes this year!
Here are a few of my main review points for the Lems Insulated Breck Boots:
- Insulated: As I already mentioned, I’ve gone through 2 full winter seasons with cold feet. But, thankfully, I now have a pair of insulated, zero-drop, wide-toe-box, “barefoot shoes” for this upcoming season!
- Side-zip: This is my first pair of side-zip boots, and I am LOVING them. It makes getting in and out of your boots with heavy layers a lot easier.
- Leather: As I’ve mentioned throughout this Lems Shoes Review article, I love leather. Particularly, I love how leather ages over time.
- Waterproof: I have tromped through some wet lands and creeks with these boots on (especially while hunting), and the Lems Breck Boots have kept my feet nice & dry every single time.
- There’s nothing else like these on the “barefoot” market: Again, I have looked high & low for a solid winter boot that has a zero-drop, wide-toe-box platform, and nothing has worked out besides these. The Lems Insulated Breck Boots are 110% a must-have if you’re serious about wearing minimalist/barefoot shoes year-round.
Switching to Barefoot Shoes:
Against the advice of most people, I jumped head first into barefoot shoes and put my other shoes in the closet…And, honestly, it wasn’t that hard on me. It took 1-2 weeks to get used to the lack of padding and zero-drop platform, but I quickly adjusted and it wasn’t anywhere near as painful as I thought it might be. So, if this fear is holding you back, don’t sweat it.
Foot Shape Changes:
Yes, my feet have changed shape since I started wearing barefoot shoes. They’ve also grown a little bit, mainly in the way that my toes splay out more naturally now.
10 out of 10, would recommend!
In short, before you read the rest of my review, I have loved my Lems Shoes and I am sold on Barefoot/Minimalist Shoes now! I’ve loved this journey so much that I’ve gotten my wife into wearing Lems Shoes now as well. And I’m already eyeballing a new pair of Lems Boulder Summit Waterproof Boots or Outlander Boots for this coming winter.
I am never going back to constrictive, unnaturally shaped footwear.
Get some Lems Shoes for yourself
Lems Outlander Review
January 2024 Update: The response and interest in Lems Shoes has been incredible to see across my social media accounts and various other places. So, here is, yet another, update for you about my journey with Lems 🙂
- I bought a pair of Lems Outlander Boots as soon as I finished my “Lems Shoes Review” update in December 2023. I have been incredibly happy with these boots and they’re exactly what I’ve been needing for the wet, cold weather that we’ve been experiencing so far this Winter.
- Lems Outlander Review / First Impressions:
– These boots have great “ground feel”, even though they have a more rugged outsole than the Boulder Boots or Primal 2’s (mentioned below).
– These boots are warmer in my experience than the Boulder Boots, which is what I needed, in addition to a gripper sole.
– The toe box is more narrow than the Boulder Boots, so I have to be careful when wearing super thick socks.
– I went with a 1/2 size larger and I’m glad I did. This helps remedy the slightly more narrow toe box (in comparison to the Boulder Boots).
– If I had to nitpick anything, I’d like to see these with Lems “widest” toe box and slightly longer laces. - At this point, if I had to pick only 1 pair of Lems Shoes it would be a hard choice. But, I love my Outlander Boots and I’d stick with these. The Outlander’s are rugged for hiking, outdoors-use in any kind of weather, and they have a great look that matches a lot of other clothing.
Pictured Above: Men’s Boulder Waterproof Boots (left) and Women’s Boulder Waterproof Boots (right)
Lems Shoes Review
Thanks for clicking on my Lems Shoes Review! I have been searching high & low for the best barefoot shoes that provide a good zero-drop platform and wide toe-box, in a style that actually matches mine. So, as you can imagine, I am really excited to have found Lems Shoes! If you’re unfamiliar with who they are, Lems Shoes is based out of Boulder, Colorado and they make minimalist shoes that work great for people who lead adventurous and active lifestyles.
A few things that I picked up on right away about Lems is that they are invested in what they do, they’re personal, and helpful. And that’s really important to me. If I’m going to integrate a company’s gear into my daily life and recommend it to you all, I want to make sure good people are behind the products. And Lems Shoes has certainly given me a good feeling during my interactions with them. This positive experience with Lems, along with their quality footwear makes me excited to share more about their shoes down below!
Why Barefoot Shoes?
People’s reasoning for wanting to wear barefoot shoes may vary based on their own lifestyles & personal health. So, the question “Why barefoot shoes?” is a good one to ask and it’s something that I want to answer before we dive much deeper into my Lems Shoes Review.
My reasons for wanting to go with barefoot shoes arose out of needing to address some issues that I had going on. I saw that barefoot/minimalist shoes help with these issues and I gladly swapped over to give them a try…
Wide Toe Box (stop cramming your toes):
I, honestly, didn’t know that shoes with a wide-toe box even existed until I started looking into Barefoot/Minimalist Shoes. I just figured that I was doomed to live with narrow shoes that my toes were uncomfortably crammed into for the rest of my life. But, now that I have found my Lems Shoes, I know that wide toes boxes are what our feet should be in, as they better mimic our natural foot shape & toe splay. (Read More)
Pictured Above: Women’s Lems Boulder Waterproof Boots
Zero Drop & Minimalism (addressing balancing issues):
Before I started wearing barefoot shoes (Lems Shoes specifically), I was wearing highly cushioned shoes on a regular basis. I started to notice that my balance was terrible as a result. The more I looked into the modern, cushioned shoes that I was wearing, I quickly realized that they promote comfort and “style” over actual foot health.
Zero-Drop minimalist shoes, however, don’t rely on thick padding and they leave your entire foot level with the ground. This natural design will, over time, help with feet/ankle/leg strength, improved balance, and alignment. I am already noticing that my feet feel stronger and my balance has improved. (Read More)
Connection with the ground:
When I am outdoors, I want to connect as much as I can with the natural world around me. As an example: I prefer to camp in the open air, instead of inside a camper. The same is true with my clothing choices. I don’t want to feel separated from nature with a huge shoe between me and the earth. And that is something that I really enjoy about my Lems Shoes. They bring me closer to the ground and I feel more of the environment that I’m walking in, while still having protection for my feet.
Lems Waterproof Boulder Boot Review
My Lems Waterproof Boulder Boot review is currently a work in progress. I am working on spending 90 Days in nothing but Lems Shoes. So, tune back into this article and follow me on Instagram to keep up with this journey.
In the meantime, here are some things that I really enjoy about the Lems Waterproof Boulder Boots:
- Beautiful full-grain leather that gets better looking every time I wear them.
- Extremely comfortable, while still giving you the zero drop platform.
- Plenty of padding and protection for hiking.
- Stylish for outdoor and casual/social wear.
- Incredibly lightweight & waterproof.
Buy Lems Waterproof Boulder Boot
Lems Primal 2 Review
My Lems Primal 2 review is also a work in progress. I am working on spending 90 Days in nothing but Lems Shoes. So, tune back into this article and follow me on Instagram to keep up with this journey.
Until then, here are some things that I am really enjoying about the Lems Primal 2 Shoes:
- This is Lems most minimal sneaker/shoe. And I am really enjoying the minimalism.
- Incredible ground-feel.
- The design of these shoes is very simplistic and they match very well with a pair of jeans.
- Very lightweight.
- A great travel shoe.
Injinji Toe Socks
Something else I would highly recommend if you’re getting into the Barefoot Shoes journey would be Injinji Socks. Injinji Toe Socks are some of the nicest socks I have worn (and I’m a self-proclaimed sock enthusiast). I really appreciate the toe separation, which helps to keep blisters away while hiking, and it perfectly compliments barefoot shoes. During my 90 days of wearing nothing but Lems Shoes, I will also be wearing nothing but toe socks (with Injinji’s being my first pick).
Buy Injinji Socks at LemsShoes.com
Buy Injinji Socks at Injinji.com
Lems Shoes Review
If you’ve been looking for a great pair of barefoot shoes or minimalist shoes, I would highly recommend checking out Lems Shoes, based on my initial testing of them. The 2 pairs that I have linked to above are my favorites – But they have several other great styles to choose from at LemsShoes.com.
And, please, make sure to tune back into my 90-day update about wearing nothing but Lems (this ended up being a 6-month update at the top of this article). I will keep you posted on how they work out during this time period through my email list (sign up at the end of this article)! Also, be sure to give me a follow on Instagram where I’ll post more regular updates about Lems and other great gear.
