Review: Lems Primal 3 Shoe

Can shoes change your life? Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz might say so, and I daresay a few dancers, runners, and cowboys would agree. One thing's for certain: when it comes to outdoor activities, footwear matters—especially when you want maximal performance with minimal impact on your feet. Which is where a company like Lems comes in. They make a whole suite of minimalist, wide-toebox shoes, several of which I've purchased to confront my own issues, namely plantar fasciitis. Nothing was working, and my existing, narrow-toebox shoes only seemed to make matters worse. After a few months in their Trailhead shoe as my all-terrain daily-driver and the Outlander boot for steeper hikes with a backpack, my feet finally stopped hurting.

Now that the pain is gone, I'm determined to keep it that way. And so the latest addition to my growing library of Lems is the Primal 3, a low-tread shoe that's great for bike rides, gym workouts, and vigorous walks on flat town trails. The zero-drop design is both lightweight and comfortable, with balanced weight distribution for optimal foot movement. The Primal 3 flexes in all directions, allowing more natural movement—which, of course, is what's best for the feet. A microfiber mesh means fast drying time from water and sweat, and the recycled cork insole is both cool and comfortable.

Will the Primal 3 change my life? That remains to be seen. But after two and a half years of foot pain, gone after a change of footwear, I can say with certainty that my Lems have made life better. I can hike farther, faster, longer, and—best of all—with a much better attitude. And that's a change that everyone can appreciate.

$125; lemsshoes.com.