Lems Trail Blazer Hiking Shoe Review

Back in the heart of the minimal shoe craze of the early 2010s, Boulder-based Lems made some waves in the market with really comfortable, foot-friendly minimal boots. I tested a pair, which my wife promptly stole and loved into oblivion over a few years.

A decade later, a very modernized Lems Trail Blazer shoe hugged my foot as I scampered over trails in the Rocky Mountain foothills near Denver. I hadn’t seen a pair of Lems in years, but when the brand approached me about testing one of its bestselling hiking shoes, I was stoked.

My enthusiasm for the Lems Trail Blazer has only grown as I’ve worn it for several months, hiking kitty-litter–strewn rock trails, jogging through airports, and dog-walking through slushy parks. The Trail Blazer is a grippy, zero-drop shoe that feels like an old-school minimal shoe, all grown up.

It’s one of my favorite hiking shoes today, and it comes from a small, locally owned business that’s been gradually refining its products since 2008. Here’s why I love it.

In short: The Lems Trail Blazer ($145) is an evolved minimalist hiking shoe with zero heel-to-toe drop, robust upper construction, and good traction. It feels very grounded underfoot, with minimal springiness. Yet the midsole is protective and responsive enough for efficient hiking. It’s a great choice for hikers who yearn for the benefits of minimal shoes coupled with modest protection against rocks and rough trails. It’s also a great everyday wear shoe for travel and more.

Compare the Trail Blazer with those on GearJunkie’s guide to the Best Hiking Shoes.

Lems Trail Blazer Hiking Shoe Review

Scrambling over gravel-covered rocks, I hop down 3-foot drops one after another. The trail is dry but slick, with small pebbles on hard and rocky soil. But on my feet, the Lems Trail Blazer feels right at home, gripping with ease and giving me precise feedback from each step.

As I hike, I’m reminded of all the places I’ve worn these Lems over the last 4 months of testing. As a do-anything, go-anywhere shoe, they’ve been to California and Colorado. I wore them to the office many days, coupled with jeans or canvas pants. I’ve worn them driving to the grocery store and walking my dog. And really, I’ve never wished I were wearing a different pair of shoes. But back to hiking, because that’s where the Lems Trail Blazer shines.

Lems Trail Blazer: Hiking Shoe First

Hiking in the Trail Blazer is a joy, if you like a zero-drop platform. That means there is no heel-to-toe drop, which most running and hiking boots have in spades. For the uninitiated, a zero-drop shoe allows your foot to move in a more natural motion, but comes at the cost of extra force on the Achilles and calf muscles. It won’t propel you forward into motion as much as a shoe with a significant drop.

But it can also feel great if you have well-trained legs. I’m a runner, and tend to run in shoes with a significant drop. Even famously low-drop shoes like Altras have added more drop in recent years, as they do reduce fatigue and tend to help you move faster and with less effort.

But as the pendulum has swung from zero to lots of drop over the last decade, I still find a lot of comfort in the zero-drop platform. And with Lems’ significant padding and a supportive midsole, it just works in the Trail Blazer.

Footing is confident and stable. The shoes are intuitive underfoot, making it easy to navigate tricky terrain. And when walking many miles, the Trail Blazer is both comfortable and agile.

It’s not the lightest shoe by far, but it’s definitely much more airy on the foot than a typical hiking boot.

Since I’ve done most of my testing so far in winter, I haven’t yet done any hiking with a heavy pack. But I plan to update this review with more hiking impressions and durability notes in early summer.

Sturdy, Light Everyday Shoes

While the Trail Blazer is first a hiking shoe, it also makes an excellent everyday shoe. As I noted, I’ve worn this shoe in just about every scenario except formal dress. No, it’s not a formal shoe. While attractive, it has an outdoorsy, casual vibe. Pair it accordingly.

But for travel and most scenarios when casual footwear is appropriate, it’s fantastic. I’ve spent long days on my feet on concrete and tile, walking around cities, and never felt fatigue. The shoes are versatile enough to go with most outfits, making them an ideal “one-and-done” travel shoe.

If they have a downside, it’s that they are not responsive enough for running. Sure, you could dash a few blocks to catch a bus with no problem. But if you plan to go for a training run, choose a great pair of running shoes.

For many other situations, though, the Lems Trail Blazer is awesome. Beyond it being a great shoe, I enjoy the fact that Lems is still a small, privately owned company. When buying these, you’re supporting a locally owned company based in Boulder, Colo. The brand is still owned by its founder, Andrew Rademacher, who started the company in 2008.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of a supportive, yet natural-feeling shoe, give Lems a try. And while the brand has a lot of sweet shoes (and I’m trying out a newer version of the boot my wife swiped from me years ago), give them a shot. They’re versatile, comfortable, and let your foot move naturally. Lems may be lesser-known now, but given the quality of these shoes, they deserve a spot by your door.