I ordered the very reliable Lems Waterptoof Boulder Boots back in August, and it took about a month to arrive in Romania, and one more week to pass the customs. Shipping was $25 and custom fees some $30 more. That was a surprise to me but boy, are they worth it! (I also used the 10% first time purchase discount.)
I will just start by saying they have been my go to boots this late fall and all winter - slushy snow and muddy puddles. I kept them on rotation alongside Belenka Winter Boots, because of style reasons, and they’ve kept my feet warm and dry and happy.
Here is a comparison with BeLenka Winter Boots and Feelgrounds Patrol.
A few tips below, as per my experience with them.
Sizing: this is a tricky subject, as they recommend going up half a size but the size chart measurements said I should go up one and a half sizes. My regular US size is 9 (even 8 in Xero sandals). I ended up buying 10.5 (recommended for 25.2cm foot length), as my longest foot is 25cm. They are very very roomy, in both length and width. BUT, and there’s a big but: as I wore them in the coldest days (and nights), I always chose my thickest wool socks, so this extra room was right on point.
Sole: this is another subject of debate, as the sole is a bit thicker (9mm) than what it is expected from barefoot shoes/ boots. So I should admit that I don’t mind it like this, as their injection blown rubber outsole makes them incredibly lightweight and flexible. And that is more important for me, when talking about winter boots. I also believe that my feet have been this toasty wearing them thanks to the sole, too. My husband was shocked to see how light they are, despite looking pretty much like regular boots.
Oh, and another star goes to their gusseted tongue, as you never know with puddles in Romania how deep they are. As last year was pretty low in terms of traveling, I haven’t had the chance to try them in foreign puddles as well. Also, that means that I didn’t get the chance to test their traction properly, but they did a great job keeping me standing on city snow/ ice and whatever elements I have encountered.
(Please excuse the portrait framing.)
Do I recommend them? 100% yes. Actually, I’m planning to buy the black version for next winter :), now that I have discovered the lovely German shop Go Free Concepts. I already bought Xero Jessie sandals from this e-shop and everything was smooth and fast. Less hassle for quite a few US based brands.
Technical details:
Waterproofing: 100% - breathable waterproof membrane
Tongue Construction: gusseted
Last: Lems Natural-Shape™ Last
Upper: Full-grain oiled leather
Lining: Full-grain leather + moisture wicking
Outsole: 9.0mm LemsRubber™ (air-injection rubber)
Footbed: 3.5mm removable PU insole
Stack Height: 10.0mm (not including 3.0mm insole)
Drop: 0.0mm (Zero-Drop)
Weight: 12.9oz (Women's size 7.5)
Laces Provided: 2
Care & Treatment: Otter Wax or Nikwax
And no, I haven’t treated them with anything. But I will in a couple of weeks when I let them rest until next autumn. Until then, I will wear them as much as I can, for different activities. Including this one :D
Comments