Overview
Ten years since the launch of the Primal 2, we have the Primal 3!
The Lems Primal 3 is a versatile minimalist shoe designed for those seeking both comfort and durability. With a wide toe box and an 8mm LemsRubber™ sole, it provides a perfect blend of barefoot-like sensitivity and protection, making it suitable for everyday wear. Its breathable vegan microfiber upper ensures excellent ventilation, while subtle design improvements add stability without compromising flexibility.
From Lems
With a wider footprint for improved stability and ground contact, plus new half sizes available, the Primal 3 is the ultimate companion for your next adventures!
Sole
The Primal 3 sports an 8mm LemsRubber™ sole, which strikes the perfect balance between durability, flexibility, and barefoot-like ground feel. Despite its thickness, the sole remains incredibly lightweight and easy to bend, offering just enough protection while allowing you to feel subtle textures beneath your feet. You’ll notice minimal wear even after extended use, which speaks to its exceptional durability.
Lems uses Injection Blown Rubber (IBR), a blend of air and rubber, to create a lightweight and flexible sole. Though Lems suggests that IBR may wear faster than full rubber soles, my experience over the years shows otherwise. Lems shoes, including the Primal series, have consistently stood up to both urban and natural environments with little sign of wear and tear. The combination of lightness and durability sets Lems apart from other brands like Feelgrounds and Xeroshoes.
The 8mm sole offers a soft give when pressed, making it comfortable for daily activities or casual runs. If you’re working on running form, this added cushioning provides ample protection while still offering a good barefoot feel.
The design of the sole incorporates car tire-like grooves, small rock textures, and a cross-hatch pattern for decent traction on casual terrain. While the smooth lug design contributes to durability, it also allows dirt to gather in the grooves, so keep that in mind for dirtier adventures. For more aggressive traction, Lems offers full rubber soles with sharper lugs.
One new feature of the Primal 3’s sole is the wider footprint, which enhances weight distribution and stability. This design change results in higher sidewalls that surround the foot, offering a snugger fit and more support compared to the Primal 2. The heel area feels wider, and though the shoe remains zero drop, it guides your foot into a more naturally flat position.
While this makes the Primal 3 slightly heavier than its predecessor (from 6.9 oz to 8.6 oz in a men’s size 10), this added weight is balanced by greater stability. Some may find the extra weight noticeable, but it’s worth it for the enhanced support.
Aesthetics
With a vegan microfiber upper and open-weave mesh along the sides and toe box, the Primal 3 maintains top-tier breathability. The craftsmanship is excellent, as is typical of Lems shoes. Even on casual strolls, you’ll feel the breeze through the toe box, making them a great option for sock-free wear.
The Primal 3’s roomy toe box ensures your feet can move freely, which enhances comfort, especially during longer walks or runs. These shoes perform well across a variety of activities—whether you’re hiking, jogging, or just going about your day. Their versatility truly makes them a jack-of-all-trades shoe.
Visually, the Primal 3 pairs seamlessly with jeans, making them an understated but stylish option for casual outings. Unlike the Primal 2, they don’t scream “barefoot shoe,” so they fly under the radar a bit more for those who prefer a subtler aesthetic.
Future Improvements
The Primal 3 continues to build on the success of the Primal 2, remaining a versatile, all-around shoe. That said, I hope Lems doesn’t add weight to all their models in the future. My personal favorite is the Drifter, and I would love to see a Primal moccasin slip-on version with the same upper design but without the laces. Experimenting with different materials like hemp could also be a great evolution for the brand.
Summary
The Lems Primal 3 has been eagerly anticipated, and it doesn’t disappoint! This versatile shoe offers true sizing with a wide toe box, giving your toes plenty of space to spread comfortably. Its 8mm LemsRubber™ sole is impressively lightweight, flexible, and durable, striking an ideal balance between barefoot-like sensitivity and protection. Featuring Lems’ Injection Blown Rubber (IBR) technology, the Primal 3 enhances both comfort and durability, though it’s a bit heavier than its predecessor due to a wider footprint and thicker sole walls that improve stability. Aesthetically, the breathable vegan microfiber upper and mesh design keep the shoe sleek and comfortable for various activities without screaming “barefoot shoe.” While the Primal 3 remains a solid all-purpose option, its heavier build means it’s no longer the ultimate jack-of-all-trades it once was. However, with so many models in the Lems lineup, the Primal now can evolve into something unique, taking on a slightly different role than before.
