- Hey, it's Nathan from Pack Hacker here.
And in this review, we're going to be taking a look
at the Boulder Boot.
A compressible and ultra-lightweight boot
from Colorado shoe specialists Lems.
Here at Pack Hacker we do travel gear reviews
like this all the time.
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We've been testing these things for just over a month now.
So, let's find out how well they performed
and dive into this review.
[upbeat music playing]
The Lems Boulder Boot looks like your average boot
and we like that.
The aesthetic is clean, minimal
and honestly, hard not to like.
However, this is just our opinion.
So we polled our Instagram audience
to get their take on it too.
And here are the results.
Not too great, and to be honest
we expected it to poll a bit better.
And make sure you're following @packhacker on Instagram
so you can take part in all of our future polls.
At the time of this review, the Lems Boulder Boot
is available in five colors.
Black, Brown, Timber, Buckeye and Navy Stout.
We went with the Timber. But honestly,
we had a hard time choosing
because they all look like solid options.
And while the Boulder Boot
will look most at home climbing over rocks
or wandering through the forest in a national park,
we found this shoe looks just as good
in urban environments too.
Which gives this boot a big check in the versatility column.
And just a quick note on the colors and material options.
The black is vegan friendly
and doesn't have any leather accents.
While on the flip side of that,
Lems also makes the Boulder Boot leather
in a black and brown,
which is completely made out of leather.
And moving on to the branding,
Lems has kept it fairly minimal
just like the rest of the shoe.
You'll find a logo on the sole,
a little tab around the collar
and a 'Live Easy & Minimal' mantra on the tongue.
And now moving into the materials.
The upper is 1200D nylon with Nubuck leather accents
around the heel, toe and collar.
Both materials are hard wearing and high quality,
and it's clear to see
that Lems hasn't scrimped out here whatsoever.
These things really are built to last.
Next, the outsole is LemsRubber and made by Lems themselves;
or at least we assume so
otherwise the name is an incredible coincidence.
Lems doesn't give too much away
on their site about this special rubber,
but we do know that it's air injected.
And apparently, that's what makes this boot so light
compared to others on the market.
To date after one month of use,
the outsole is showing no signs of wear
and it gets a big thumbs up from us.
Finally, the lining of the shoe is 100% cotton -
which is soft, strong and provides
a nice and comfortable fit.
Cotton is also insulating because it traps air
between the fabric and fibers.
Plus, the tartan pattern isn't too shabby either.
Now, it's important to know
that there is no weatherproofing on this shoe whatsoever.
Now, the nylon and the leather
are somewhat weather resistant anyway naturally,
so you'll be fine if you're caught in a shower.
But if you're going to be standing around
in a torrential downpour, water will find its way through.
This hasn't been an issue in our testing,
but it's something to be aware of
if you're in a particularly rainy climate.
As you can probably tell already,
the Lems Boulder Boot isn't any old boot,
and there are a fair few benefits going on here
over your traditional shoe.
At 9.9 ounces or 280 grams for a men's size 10 US
(which is a UK 9 or an EU 43),
these things are remarkably lightweight.
And our size 13 US still weighed in at a mere 13.5 ounces.
Now, this can take a little while to get used to,
especially if you're a traditional bulky boot wearer,
and at first it can feel like you're wearing nothing at all.
But it's really great when you get accustomed to it.
Additionally, this is of course beneficial
if you need to put these boots in your bag
or hang them on the outside,
as lightweight is always better.
And speaking of putting these boots inside of your pack,
these things are also compressible.
We know what you're thinking,
how can a boot be compressible?
And honestly, we're not entirely sure either,
but it's really quite impressive.
It's important to note that there are
shoes that compress smaller, like the VivoBareFoot Kannas
or the Lems Primal Two.
But the Boulder Boot gets pretty small
for what is essentially a boot.
And while we haven't needed to pack these away,
instead opting to wear them in transit,
it's really nice to have the option.
These boots also feature a wide toe box,
which allows your toes to rest as nature intended.
Compared to traditional shoes
that can squish your toes together.
At first we were a little bit worried
that this was going to make the shoe look a bit odd,
but it looks just fine
and our toes are a lot happier because of it.
Finally, unlike most shoes,
there is no elevation from heel to toe.
And supposedly, this zero-drop design
aligns your spine and corrects your posture,
alleviating lower-back pain.
At this point we'd like to make it clear
that we are not scientists,
but we have noticed the benefit with this zero-drop design.
Now, this doesn't mean that every other shoe on the market
is necessarily bad for you,
and we certainly don't expect shoes like the Nike Air Max
to go away anytime soon.
We'd recommend giving the zero-drop design a try
to see how it works for you.
It's important to note though,
that if you're used to traditional footwear
and have never tried a barefoot-style shoe before,
they can take a little while to get used to.
So, instead of getting a brand new pair of these
and going out for a six-hour hike,
we'd recommend easing yourself in slowly.
At the time of this review,
we've been putting the Lems Boulder Boots to the test
for just over a month now
in the cold, frosty and rainy English winter.
When it comes to durability, Lems gives these boots
a 3-to-6-hundred mile life expectancy,
and they're looking pretty good for it so far.
There is a spot in the cotton lining around the collar
that looks a tad susceptible to wear and tear.
But for now, it's okay.
And just a small note,
we found that the leather around the collar here
can take a week or so to break in,
so wear them in gently.
And finally, in testing,
the Lems Boulder Boots performed well in most terrains.
There's enough grip for a slice of adventure
and they remain perfectly usable in urban environments too.
And we think they look pretty good at the same time.
Moving into the pros and cons.
These boots are made with
high quality and durable materials.
They feature a wide toe box with a zero-drop design.
And they're one of the lightest
and most compressible boots on the market.
Now on to the cons.
There is no weatherproofing.
The minimal design can take
a little while to get used to.
And the cotton lining around the collar
looks a tad susceptible to wear and tear.
The Lems Boulder Boots are some of the lightest,
most compressible and minimal boots that you can buy.
Better yet, they're made with top notch
and highly durable materials.
We've been impressed with their versatility
across different environments.
And while there's no specific weather proofing,
the natural weather resistance of the materials
is enough for most use cases.
The minimal design can take a bit of getting used to,
but the Lems Boulder Boots are a fantastic pair of shoes
if you're interested in joining the barefoot movement
or just want a good pair of boots to travel with.
Thanks for taking a look at our review
of the Lems Boulder Boots.
As ever, we'd love to hear your thoughts
down in the comments - what you think of these things.
And we'll see you in the next one.