Review of Men’s Boulder Boot
I took the Boulder Boots along for a springtime trip to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, and spent a few days tromping along the damp trails through mountain streams and up to the base of some spectacular waterfalls. After the hiking, running, walking, climbing, jumping around in the woods, I got to know these boots pretty well.
Functionality: 4 Stars
The traction on these boots is far better than most. I intentionally put them to the test on a patch of wet rock that multiple people in my group slipped on, and was able to keep my footing with ease. At 9.9oz, these boots feel weightless. The laces are strong, and the water resistance was even better than expected. They live up to their expectation as the “world’s most pack-able boot”, but with the flexibility you do lose a bit of ankle stability.
Aesthetic: 4 Stars
The boots look great, and the buckeye color goes well with just about any color of pants aside from khaki. The toe box is looks a little goofy, it’s much wider than your typical boot, but we’re starting to see that more often with the zero-drop, minimalistic shoes and boots. The wider toe box allows for your toes to move freely, and better feel the trail under your feet.
Durability: 5 Stars
These boots can hold up! The boots can be folded down to the size of a softball and stuffed into a bag, then spring back to form as if they were Tempurpedic. The rubber soles are great on any surface—I’m not bashful when I see an opportunity to climb a tree, scale a waterfall, balance on a log, bounce through a creek, or sprint down a trail. Regardless of the adventure, I felt well equipped with the Boulder Boots.
Value: 5 Stars
Hiking boots as an industry have become more and more technical, and with the new technology, comes a much higher price. Lems does things at a different pace. Live Easy & Minimal Shoes (aka Lems) strips it back down to basics with this light-weight zero-drop design. The simplicity of the design also reduces their costs, which leads to a great boot for only $125, and for that, they receive 5 stars for value.
Own a piece of gear that you're dying to review? Read our submissions page and let's get it up on the interwebz!
