For the barefoot enthusiast who prefers a little more than a sock with paper plate stuck to it. - Lems Nine2five Casual Shoe - Mens

Let me start by saying that I am just starting in the zero drop, barefoot shoe market. I mean, I thought zero drop was only good for running right? Until I started noticing that my knee and back pain was not caused by running, it was the only time I felt relief (I started running in Altras in 2015).

While I like to walk around all summer barefoot as much as I can, I don't like "minimalist" shoes that have a thin piece of rubber and basically a sock around your foot. There is no protection and while there is certainly a strong following for as close to the ground feel as possible, I am not one of them. (Xeroshoes and Vivobarefoot offer interesting options but are too minimal for me). Then I discovered Lems. Now they are thin to be sure, certainly not a stacked maximus running shoe like Altra, but they are robust enough to make me feel like my feet have protection. And man are they comfortable.

The removable insert (which helps with stack height that I prefer) has this sort of bubbled texture that massages my feet (hard to describe) and feels great with or without socks. They are totally anatomically shaped for your foot, very roomy (width) toe box without too much room (height) to look like a clown shoe or buckle funny over the toes when you bend the foot (all that extra material from a high volume shoe must fold and go somewhere).

The rubber sole is soft enough to provide some cushion although I think that it is meant to give a better "feel" to the ground rather than any shock absorption (your legs are meant to do that), but these are suitable for hard surfaces such as concrete and other hard floors typically found in a business environment.

Overall these are my new favorite shoes. I think you could wear them with literally everything, and with a little water and polish, could wear them in a full business suit or formal wear. Other than physical fitness activities, I think these shoes are comfortable enough and suitable for any activity.

Pull the trigger, you wont be disappointed, unless you are the diehard barefoot enthusiast who likes the feel of a sock with a paper plate stuck to it.

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.