Lems Boulder Boots are not exactly new — the stylish, minimalist, zero drop boots are a staple for the popular shoe brand, and already come in three distinct styles: Waterproof, Nylon, and Leather. In fact, we reviewed and highly recommend the Boulder Boot Nylon, which is a mix of nylon and leather upper.
But the Boulder Boot Vegan, with a new colorway, makes for a splash. Boots are often made with leather, and while leather does have excellent properties for outdoor use, the high quality nylon used by Lems packs a serious punch, weighs significantly less, and of course uses no animals.
The Lems Boulder Boot Vegan. Stylish, rugged, ready to hike.
The Boulder Boot Vegan weighs just under 10 ounces, which is ridiculously light, uses 1200 Denier nylon for impressive durability and flexibility, and has a stylish, comfortable cotton lining. These boots will accompany you well on any hike and to the socially distanced brewery afterward.
The interior lining of the Boulder Boot Vegan.
The Lems Boulder Boot Vegan now come in two colorways, Black and Pinecon, for men and women.
See the Men’s Lems Boulder Boot Vegan
See the Women’s Lems Boulder Boot Vegan
Unique Features of the Lems Boulder Boot Vegan
The first, and most obvious unique feature, is the vegan-ness of this Lems Boulder Boot. Lems took it upon themselves to create a more ecological friendly version of their wildly popular boot, as cows take up a significant chunk of resources to produce (for leather, milk, meat, etc.). The company also wanted to offer an animal-free version of the boot, as many consumers are moving away from animal products in clothing and footwear.
The nylon exterior is free of leather, yet maintains a rugged durability while looking good.
Next up: the zero drop. All of Lems footwear are zero drop, and it is a defining characteristic of the brand. Zero drop means there is no height difference between the heel and toe of the Boulder Boot — it is flat, just like your foot.
Your more typical hiking boots include heel-toe drop, often raising your heel 5-10 millimeters above your toes. While this does provide some extra support, it doesn’t allow your foot to strike naturally, and can create problems down the road while also generally weakening foot strength.
Zero drop vegan boots means there is no difference in cushion between the heel and toe. That said, the boots do provide a uniform 9 millimeters of cushion via the LemsRubber outsole, and 3.5 millimeters of cushion with the removable insole.
The zero drop nature of these Boulder Boots does take some getting used to if you have never tried it before, so be prepared for that.
Foldable Boots with Style
One of the surprising features of the Lems Boulder Boot Vegan is its foldability. It is astounding that a supportive, protective, durable boot can be crunched into the palm of your hand.
Fold up the Lems Boulder Boot Vegan, easily.
This allows you to stuff the Boulder Boot into a corner of a backpack or suitcase, effectively carrying the pair anywhere. We’re not 100 percent sure how Lems achieved this, given the burly 1200 Denier nylon material, 9 millimeter air-injection rubber sole, and thick 3.5 millimeter insole, but it does fold up quite nicely.
Excellent flex.
That’s coupled with heaps of style. The new boots drip with urban swag that will also blend nicely on the trail, making for a versatile boot that walks over just about anything.
See the Men’s Lems Boulder Boot Vegan
See the Women’s Lems Boulder Boot Vegan
Who is Lems Shoes?
Lems Shoes produces high-quality footwear for use in cities, on trails, and during travel. The company prides itself on Zero Drop construction, a wide toe box for maximum splay, unique materials, and shoes that fold up to the size of a soda can. Best known for light hikers and boots that go pretty much anywhere.
See the Boulder Boot Vegan for men and women, and learn more about Lems Shoes.
This article is sponsored by Lems Shoes.
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