My son could be the poster child for ZEMgear. ZEM, meaning Zone of Endless Motion, seems to be his daily motto. While inside, we are often gently reminding him to slow down. Outside is a different story - full speed ahead. The ZEM Terras have kept up with his endless motion and have given him a new excitement for adventure. There is something about wearing ninja shoes that makes spying, rolling, jumping, climbing, and imagining all sorts of adventure more fun.
As I pulled the HI-REZ out of the shipping bag, I was instantly excited about how light, flexible and fun the shoes looked. A key feature of the HI-REZ is it's unique outsole. Instead of having a continuous rubber/foam/plastic outsole like most running shoes, the HI-REZ outsole consists of fabric base with individual rubberized pods that move independently allowing the entire shoe to flex incredibly well. The HI-REZ folds more like a thick sock than a shoe.
This story is full of beautiful word pictures, charming illustrations, and an entertaining lesson about being barefoot. John McClung’s story is witty, delightful, and fun. I have thoroughly enjoyed learning more about this lovely tale and more about McClung through his blog and this interview.
As barefoot/minimalist shoe companies have continued to expand their markets beyond running and casual shoes, hikers have become the next target. The selection of hiking boot options has increased considerably over the past couple years. First there was Feelmax with the Kuuva, then there was VIVOBAREFOOT with the Aqueous (now replaced by the the Off-Road Hi and Synth Hiker), and this year we saw the introduction of the Merrell Proterra line, and the Lems Boulder boot.
VIVOBAREFOOT released a few interesting new models this spring. One of them is the men’s Saddle. The Saddle is a classically designed Oxford shoe. The most notable detail about this shoe is the saddle-shaped piece of leather in a contrast colour over the midfoot. But the Saddle has a few more interesting details as well...
