Are These Shoes or Hiking? I Don’t Care Because I Love Them
Lems makes a great shoe for hiking, going out, and just about everything in between.
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Scouted/Huckberry
Scouting Report: Perfect for hiking, walking down the street, traveling, and more, these stylish shoes have great grip, water-resistance, and even pack down easily.
I generally despise unitaskers, whether that’s in the kitchen or in the closet. Finding clothing, especially in the summer, should be about getting longevity out of it. This is why I was so excited to test out a pair of Lems, shoes that look like they can go practically anywhere, from the trail to the office.
Lems Mesa
The first thing I noticed about the Lems Mesa is how lightweight they were. Putting them on felt like I was just in my bare feet—well, with much more traction. Unlike your average sneaker, Lems come with a treaded rubber outsole that works wonders on pavement as well as on dirt trails. But are they hiking shoes? I’m not sure, although they did an excellent job on a hike I used them on. While they don’t offer much ankle support, the construction is sturdy despite being lightweight, and the tight knit upper conformed to my feet very well. And with that all said I didn’t slip once. In fact, I was scrambling up rocks as if I was wearing a pair of sturdy boots. Beyond that, they are extremely waterproof—I stepped in a puddle and within minutes they were bone dry again.
And yet, while these proved to be excellent on a hike, that’s not why I fell in love. Instead, what I found most impressive was how stylish they are too. Whenever I slip them on, I feel like I’m wearing chic sneakers, not something I took upstate to hike a rugged trail in. And beyond their style, they have one more impressive feature, too. They are bendable and can easily pack away in a backpack or be crammed into a suitcase. They’re certainly the perfect travel shoe, but putting them in that box would be limiting: they’re the perfect every-shoe, and I love them for it.
Scouted selects products independently and prices reflect what was available at the time of publish. Check out our coupon site for more deals. If you buy something from our posts, we may earn a small commission.
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.