Authors
Hi fans, We created STEM Footwear as a solution for most of humankind, and we begin to share our stories here.
Another Review from Bdayshoes
If you don't know Justin Owings, he's the owner of Birthdayshoes.com. He's the one that gets all the future VFF styles before everyone else. Read what he thinks of Stem Footwear: "Recently, Tim reviewed the men's Stem Footwear Primal Origins shoe. Tim's take was pretty positive and for good reason: Stem Footwear is manufacturing an exciting product that has been making waves in the "barefoot" or minimalist shoes movement for its comfort and overall foot friendliness. That they fit a niche of a foot-healthy shoe for casual wear (and even running for some), makes them all the more attractive for consideration as an addition to your min-shod closet...Stem is getting a good bit of press here on BirthdayShoes and while I've pointed out a few nits above in this review, my overall take on these shoes is glowingly positive: if you're looking for a casual mono-toed barefoot/minimalist shoe, the Stems are worth serious consideration."
Review: BirthdayShoes.com
I've been in touch with Justin Owings, founder of birthdayshoes.com since January 2011. His site arguably has the largest minimalist shoe follower base of the entire inter-webs. Back in May he did a review and youtube video of our prototypes. It was responsible for gathering much of our initial steam. About two months ago I sent Tim, one of his colleagues, one of our final production shoes. After several weeks of testing he released his impressions. Read it here birthdayshoes.com
Levi's Review of STEM Primal Origins
Today we have the darkhorse of this review series: a shoe called “Primal Origins” from a
brand new company (these shoes don’t even exist yet but are available for pre-order now)
STEM Footwear.
I had never heard of these shoes, nor had I heard of the company “Stem” before. However, as I started to research them, everything I could find I liked and decided to give it a shot. My assumption was that I would review a concept shoe and provide feedback for a ton of tweaks and that maybe in a year or 2, after several revisions, they might be someone putting out a decent shoe, who knows. I was wrong. Dead wrong.
So I tried these shoes expecting nothing from them, the sock-liner was baby pink (“lavender” as the box said), and they were a size to a size and ½ too big for me, and yet they are a “best of” in this review series already, hands down. My shoes, er hat, off to the guys at Stem… this sample that they sent me, not even a production shoe yet, is absolutely superb. Well done, A+
- Levi
Author of "Second Wind: the running coach you never had but always needed"
http://secondwindbook.blogspot.com/
On amazon On Barnes and Noble On Books a Million
http://seizeabundantlife.blogspot.com
I had never heard of these shoes, nor had I heard of the company “Stem” before. However, as I started to research them, everything I could find I liked and decided to give it a shot. My assumption was that I would review a concept shoe and provide feedback for a ton of tweaks and that maybe in a year or 2, after several revisions, they might be someone putting out a decent shoe, who knows. I was wrong. Dead wrong.
First impressions weren’t good, they weren’t great, they were “oh my gosh what am I holding and how did I get this” kind of great. The shoes had a pink sock liner (yes, I said pink) and were about a size to a size and ½ too big, and yet I Loved them.
The look fantastic, like a really nice pair of casual dock shoes that you would buy at any nice retailer. Then you pick them up and they weigh virtually nothing (6 oz) and feel like they have no solid substance at all. Here’s a summary of what I found and my conclusions at the end of testing.
The look fantastic, like a really nice pair of casual dock shoes that you would buy at any nice retailer. Then you pick them up and they weigh virtually nothing (6 oz) and feel like they have no solid substance at all. Here’s a summary of what I found and my conclusions at the end of testing.
- As stated, the shoes look great – best looking (obviously opinion based here) minimalist shoe I’ve seen.
- Very light weight (coming in at a stated 6 oz)
- The lace system is wide and non-binding and ends in a zip cord type “cinch” (like on a rucksack) instead of tying. This was actually one thing I wasn’t a big fan of (preference) and I actually cut the cinch off and just converted them into a traditional tie lace. To me it hung down too far (dangled) but I would imagine that part of that was from the shoes being so big on me.
- The shoes are cool (temperature wise), vented well, and didn’t cause undue sweat. I did not get them wet, now that I think about it, so can’t emphatically comment on that but the fact that the upper is vented and there is no insole tells me they would be at home pretty well with water.
- Flexibility, flexibility, flexibility. The flexibility was honestly second to none. Though the sole feels solid and showed no sign of wear during my testing, it moves like a sock – not a single spot of solidity to be found
- Great toebox: the shoes are wide throughout with great room in the toebox for toe splay (completely rounded front end – no point).
- These shoes had a ground feel that, for me, was second to none in a shoe. Let’s face it, all of the above is great, but ground feel is what sells me and most minimalist minded shoe patrons. The ground feel is simply superb, by the far the best I’ve had in a shoe.
So I tried these shoes expecting nothing from them, the sock-liner was baby pink (“lavender” as the box said), and they were a size to a size and ½ too big for me, and yet they are a “best of” in this review series already, hands down. My shoes, er hat, off to the guys at Stem… this sample that they sent me, not even a production shoe yet, is absolutely superb. Well done, A+
- Levi
Author of "Second Wind: the running coach you never had but always needed"
http://secondwindbook.blogspot.com/
On amazon On Barnes and Noble On Books a Million
http://seizeabundantlife.blogspot.com
Birthdayshoes.com Review of STEM Footwear
Justin Owings of Birthdayshoes.com did a nice review of his sample pair of Stems.
Click Here for the full review.
Have you heard about Stem Footwear? They are a new minimalist footwear
company birthed out of a need for more foot friendly shoes — a.k.a. shoes that have a good
sized toe-box, are neutral from heel to toe, and aren't so heavily cushioned that all feeling
of the ground is lost. These are, at minimal, some of the main, most important criteria.
Shoes that let your feet be feet. - Justin Owings www.birthdayshoes.com
RunBARE with STEM Interview Video
Salt Lake City, UT- Michael Sandler, author of Barefoot Running Book, interviews the creator of STEM Footwear.
The video was taken at the Outdoor Retailer Tradeshow Jan. 22, 2011.
Sneak Peek by Tina on Living Barefoot Radio
Tina Dubois, a writer for the Living Barefoot Radio Show got the opportunity to try out STEM's and gave her opinion on their site www.Livingbarefoot.info. Here are some of her words. To read the full article click Sneak Peek:
"STEM Footwear, a new company on the minimalist footwear block, was extremely generous with us by providing two pairs of their pre-production samples of the STEM Primal Origins line: one women’s and one men’s. My first impression was undoubtedly WOW!"
"STEM Footwear, a new company on the minimalist footwear block, was extremely generous with us by providing two pairs of their pre-production samples of the STEM Primal Origins line: one women’s and one men’s. My first impression was undoubtedly WOW!"
"I was told to expect this shoe to be ‘light’ but after handling it, I was blown away. The shoe, in a men’s size 9.5 weighs 5 ¾ ounces on my scale (the company reports them at 6.3 ounces but I weigh all received review shoes on this scale so it’s an acceptable comparison for me). Usually I weigh shoes that are much smaller than this at a comparable weight, so I can’t wait to see what the shoe in my size weighs, that being women’s size 8."
"The sole is absolutely the most flexible of the full-uppered minimalist shoes to date. It easily folds in every direction, even upside down and twisted around, with very little effort. Although it is 6 mm thick, it feels much thinner because of its extreme malleability. It also feels uniform in height across the length."
"The upper is simply amazing. It is so soft against skin this shoe could easily be worn without socks. The vamp is made with breathable mesh so there should be no worry about overly sweaty feet. The upper is made with no stiff construction and yet reforms to its original shape after twisting the shoe in every direction conceivable. This shoe is so comfortable it feels a lot more like a slipper than it does a lifestyle shoe." quotes by Tina Dubois
Check out The Living Barefoot Show and listen to one of their interviews of the some of the intriguing players in the Barefoot and Minimalist Movement. www.livingbarefoot.info
Check out The Living Barefoot Show and listen to one of their interviews of the some of the intriguing players in the Barefoot and Minimalist Movement. www.livingbarefoot.info
STEM Booth at OR Show
Wow.
Our first OR Show was an incredible trip and overwhelming success we
will never forget. The booth was so busy we had to wait until after
show hours to be able to take a picture. Over the fours days and 36
hours of showtime the Booth looked more like the picture below this one.
We
shared our story with everyone we could: clients, consumers and even
competitors. Our philosophy is to educate people about living an more
natural and healthy lifestyle by starting with the understanding "it all
STEM's from the ground up" and so we did not exclude anyone from
hearing our story. We had such great conversations about shoes, bare
feet, our evolution, foot pain, and so many others topics and that's
what made it such a touching experience for us.
We
had all types of people try on STEM's: people that wear Fivefingers,
people that never would, people that sometimes like to go barefoot, and
people that their doctors told them never to go without shoes. Everyone
was first shocked how lightweight they are (6.3oz.) and then how comfy
they felt. One guy was so excited that he offered to pay as much as he
had to, in order to get a pair. It was the first pair of shoes that he
EVER put on that didn't hurt his bunion joint. We cut a deal with him
so he walked out with the first pair of STEM's ever sold.
Another
guy tried on STEM's and said it was the first pair of shoes that he
wanted that were made by "someone other than himself." He is a
professional shoe tailor and has made all his own shoes for 40 years.
He stopped by the booth all four days of the Show asking if he could buy
a pair yet.
Our old friends, Micheal and Jessica Sandler, authors of Barefoot Running and RunBARE,
paid us a visit. Also in the picture is Mike (world's greatest
salesperson) and David getting their 15 minutes of fame next to the
stars. We are so thankful to have had the chance to work along side
David, or should I say Dr. Lesher, he takes Natural and Ancestral Health
to new heights in his lifestyle and just like Michael and Jessica
inspires us. Check out his blog
I
had to show this, check out Jessica's TOES. She's gained back the
dexterity so much that she can pick up a baseball with her feet, like
it's her hand. Absolutely incredible.
To
wrap up the end of the Show, it was such a hit that none of us could
have ever prepared for it. Now we look forward to continuing the
conversation, changing people's lives and spreading STEM seeds
everywhere. Look for some taking root in your area. That's me in the
center, my fiance and our Marketing VP, Allie, and my father John.
Thanks to everyone who worked to make the Show happen from our booth
builder to our print designer, sales team and logistics planners.
written by Andrew
written by Andrew
Review by MinimalistRunningShoes.org
I first ran across STEM Footwear last year after I read the “The World is Flat… if You Are a Foot” by Dr. Mark Cucuzzella of Two Rivers Treads and Andrew Rademacher
of STEM. I had been in touch with Andrew since then and they finally
delivered their first Origins samples at the Winter Outdoor Retailer
Show last month. And I’m very fortunate to receive a STEM Primal Origins
in my shoe size to wear test last week.
The first impression I have is: the shoe is so light, soft, and super-flexible! I have never worn a pair of shoes like this ever.
It feels like a hybrid of a glove, slipper (as in ballet), and martial
arts shoe, with the best of each rolled into one. And it became an
instant recovery and wellness shoe for me.
The
shoe is completely collapsible so I had to test it out. I rolled the
shoe up from toe to heel in addition to twisting it left and right
along the heel-to-toe axis – amazing flexibility. And it unrolled back to it normal shape flawlessly – no visible wrinkles or permanent folds remained.
The shoe weighed in at 6.2 ounces on my digital scales. But it sure feels lighter than that.
The
outsole is a thin 6mm and allows even better ground feel than my VFF
KSO! The air injection rubber used replicates skin elasticity
(replicates the physical properties of human skin) and this technology
is new and unique – I’m sure Andrew is patenting it
The
uppers is made of a breathable air mesh and the shoe is designed to be
worn without socks. No worries about sweaty feet. Worried about the
toe box? The soft uppers and wide toe box accommodated my 2E wide feet
with compression recovery socks – it has room to spare! The natural
foot shape fit with a wide toe box makes the shoe complete.
The
lacing system is comprised of a quick-release draw chord so you can
put on or take off your shoes quickly and easily. This is actually
better the easy slip-on like those on the New Balance Minimus Wellness
or Zoot Ultra Speed because with the chord, you can get a better midfoot
wrap and support. Tighten or loosen the laces depending on the
activity you are performing.
There
are no inserts and the stitching is seamless for barefoot wear. After
walking for over 10 miles in the first two in these shoes, they do feel
like an extension of your feet! I’ve since put in a lot more miles
There is no noticeable toe spring visible and if there is, the shoe is so soft and flexible that your toes have nothing to fight against. Your toes will splay and flex without restrictions.
There is no noticeable toe spring visible and if there is, the shoe is so soft and flexible that your toes have nothing to fight against. Your toes will splay and flex without restrictions.
Some closeups on the attention to details in the heel and uppers.
Here’s a video giving you a better view of the shoe than flat photographs. I took it while un-boxing the shoes.
STEM
shoes also proudly incorporate the 3 R’s (Reduce, Recycle, Reuse) when
it comes to being green and eco-conscious. And they started
decreasing their eco-footprint with reducing –
less wasted material, less excess scrap, and elimination of
unnecessary material altogether. They don’t use any leather (go vegan!)
but only natural grown fibers.
Who are these shoes for?
It’s for everyone who wants to get back to their roots and feel the ground again. We have weakened our feet over time with traditional shoes and thus losing touch with one of our vital senses – proprioception, the outsole-to-insole-to brain sensory feedback system. STEM believes that by strengthening the muscles in your feet, you are inadvertently strengthening your entire body.
If you need a casual or recovery shoe and you’re ready to feel the ground, then the STEM Origins line of shoes is for you. Ground feel is much better in my Primal Origins than in my VFF KSO. And walking with VFF KSO is not comfortable at all for long distances especially hilly asphalt and concrete – it’s more of a joyful feeling when I walk with my Primal Origins. For those who are not used to walking barefoot, you will feel the ground more than you will ever feel. By increasing sensation to all 200,000 nerve endings in your feet, you enhance sensory perception and improve circulation.
The STEM Origins has definitely proven itself to be an ultra-minimalist shoe. STEM Origins line has 5 colorways models planned for Fall 2011 with a August 1 delivery date. For Women’s (sizes EU36-41), the Primal Origins in Frost Grey, and Survival Origins in Earth Brown and Lavender. For Men’s (size EU41-47), the Primal Origins in Slate Grey, Survival Origins in Earth Brown and Khaki, and Natural Origins in Moss Green. They are already taking pre-orders so you might get your order in early!
You can also find STEM Origins in a store in the future – it will be displayed with other sandals and casual shoes in a hook on an end cap or on a wall.
For those with super-wide feet or those with toes that are linear (many toes line up horizontally), you might want to size up by a half size. Notice the tip of the shoe curves in a little.
Who are these shoes for?
It’s for everyone who wants to get back to their roots and feel the ground again. We have weakened our feet over time with traditional shoes and thus losing touch with one of our vital senses – proprioception, the outsole-to-insole-to brain sensory feedback system. STEM believes that by strengthening the muscles in your feet, you are inadvertently strengthening your entire body.
If you need a casual or recovery shoe and you’re ready to feel the ground, then the STEM Origins line of shoes is for you. Ground feel is much better in my Primal Origins than in my VFF KSO. And walking with VFF KSO is not comfortable at all for long distances especially hilly asphalt and concrete – it’s more of a joyful feeling when I walk with my Primal Origins. For those who are not used to walking barefoot, you will feel the ground more than you will ever feel. By increasing sensation to all 200,000 nerve endings in your feet, you enhance sensory perception and improve circulation.
The STEM Origins has definitely proven itself to be an ultra-minimalist shoe. STEM Origins line has 5 colorways models planned for Fall 2011 with a August 1 delivery date. For Women’s (sizes EU36-41), the Primal Origins in Frost Grey, and Survival Origins in Earth Brown and Lavender. For Men’s (size EU41-47), the Primal Origins in Slate Grey, Survival Origins in Earth Brown and Khaki, and Natural Origins in Moss Green. They are already taking pre-orders so you might get your order in early!
You can also find STEM Origins in a store in the future – it will be displayed with other sandals and casual shoes in a hook on an end cap or on a wall.
For those with super-wide feet or those with toes that are linear (many toes line up horizontally), you might want to size up by a half size. Notice the tip of the shoe curves in a little.
http://www.stemfootwear.com
*Product provided by STEM Footwear (MSRP $85).
If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@minimalistrunningshoes.org
Fan Mail
Hi Andrew,
"My name is Chris Mello and when I found out you were a pole vaulter I just had to write to you. I love what you're doing with Stem Footwear. I was a pole vaulter in high school for two seasons and for a year and a half in college. I haven't vaulted very high. my PR was 14 feet in high school and I never bettered it in college. Like you, I suffered from a host of injuries; heel bursitis, plantar fasciitis, posterior tibilias tendonitis, patella tendonitis, and the worst of all for me: compartment syndrome. I saw a number of orthopedists and other doctors and none of them had answers (some suggested it was in my head!). Needless to say, I was very frustrated. In college, I finally quit athletics all together because I grew to hate running so much as it was very painful. Well, after that I started hiking a lot more and found out that I could run on the trails without pain. Without knowing, it was because I shortened my stride and started landing more towards the midfoot. This year I started out running completely barefoot, and it has been wonderful so far. I wanted to do to much to soon, so I've had to back off a bit. I don't know why I didn't realize this earlier, but when I was younger and through high school I was always as fast as the fastest kids when I was barefoot, but throw on a pair of sneakers and it slowed me down."
regards,
chris
"My name is Chris Mello and when I found out you were a pole vaulter I just had to write to you. I love what you're doing with Stem Footwear. I was a pole vaulter in high school for two seasons and for a year and a half in college. I haven't vaulted very high. my PR was 14 feet in high school and I never bettered it in college. Like you, I suffered from a host of injuries; heel bursitis, plantar fasciitis, posterior tibilias tendonitis, patella tendonitis, and the worst of all for me: compartment syndrome. I saw a number of orthopedists and other doctors and none of them had answers (some suggested it was in my head!). Needless to say, I was very frustrated. In college, I finally quit athletics all together because I grew to hate running so much as it was very painful. Well, after that I started hiking a lot more and found out that I could run on the trails without pain. Without knowing, it was because I shortened my stride and started landing more towards the midfoot. This year I started out running completely barefoot, and it has been wonderful so far. I wanted to do to much to soon, so I've had to back off a bit. I don't know why I didn't realize this earlier, but when I was younger and through high school I was always as fast as the fastest kids when I was barefoot, but throw on a pair of sneakers and it slowed me down."
regards,
chris
"Great Toe" positioning
The Great Toe, otherwise know as the Big Toe, is the centerpiece in so many foot functions. Simply correcting the positioning of the Great Toe and giving the other toes space to splay can cure pain from plantar fasciitis to bunions, and neuropathology (numbness). There is a great product designed by a podiatrist at NW Foot & Ankle, Dr. Ray McClanahan. His product called Correct Toes can be worn barefoot or with shoes with a wide toebox such as STEMs. Correct Toes will undo and un-deform what years of wearing poorly designed shoes has done to our toes. It's truly miraculous.
Stem Footwear Status: Product Development
I've had many fans message me asking when our shoe is going to be
available. To answer your question: our expected release date is August
2011, however we will be releasing spy photos and be sending out
testing samples in the next 3 months. Currently, our shoes are being
developed with our manufacturers. Look for press on our Shoe line over
the next several months.
I have some great news about the development of our shoes: they will be like nothing else currently out there. We cannot share all the details but I will tell you that the sole compound is specially developed for Stem Footwear to be remarkably flexible, lightweight, and ideal firmness and is not yet being used by any other shoe manufacturers in the market. Also, the FIT (Last) of the shoe has been developed from the ground up specifically for Stem Footwear so it will fit unlike anything else out there, with a naturally W I D E toebox and closeness around the heel. If you can't wait to see this shoe and try it on for yourself, then send me a message on our comment form and I will add you to our newsletter so you're the first to hear about Stem Footwear Status.
I have some great news about the development of our shoes: they will be like nothing else currently out there. We cannot share all the details but I will tell you that the sole compound is specially developed for Stem Footwear to be remarkably flexible, lightweight, and ideal firmness and is not yet being used by any other shoe manufacturers in the market. Also, the FIT (Last) of the shoe has been developed from the ground up specifically for Stem Footwear so it will fit unlike anything else out there, with a naturally W I D E toebox and closeness around the heel. If you can't wait to see this shoe and try it on for yourself, then send me a message on our comment form and I will add you to our newsletter so you're the first to hear about Stem Footwear Status.
American Children Off on the Wrong Foot
When working as a shoe salesperson nothing is more emotionally raging than when a parent walks in and asks, "I want a supportive shoe for my child because I want him/her to have a healthy back and knees when he/she gets older." This request comes up in every concerned parent. They think they are taking care of their child's future, when in fact, they are doing just the opposite. Concerned parents are so determined to get the most supportive and cushioned shoe for their child that there is absolutely no stopping them. They are adamant that their children wear the "best shoe" with complete disregard for the realistic negative effects on development of their child's feet. I've gotten into many heated debates with such parents but they are so brainwashed, there is no chance of talking sense into them. And so as a result I, as the shoe salesperson, am forced to sell what the parent thinks is best for the child instead of what is best in reality.
Parents are under the false belief that children need just as much cushioning in the sole as adults. What you don't realize is that putting the average one inch of cushioning under the heel in a child's shoe is like wearing high heels for a child. The sad part is that the major shoe companies not only making these high heel shoes for children, but actually prescribing them as the best thing for them. One inch under the heel in a child's shoe is actually a "modest amount" in the shoe market. On a such a short shoe this heel cushioning results in a downward slope from the heel to the ball of the foot of more than 20 degrees and as much as 30 degrees in smaller sizes. This means in order to stand upright the child has to slope their pelvis downward and arch their lower back. More weight is bearing on the front of the knees and the spine is no longer in natural alignment but is drastically curved. The more parents require their children to wear these shoes, the more this sloped pelvis position and back curvature permanently take hold. As our children develop into teenagers and then into adults they begin to feel the painful effects of this unnatural positioning in their knees, back, and neck.
A life of joint and spine pain all because as children their parents wanted them to wear the "best shoes." A word to all the parents out there "When shoes are necessary put the least amount of a shoe on your children's feet, a shoe with nothing to it."
Parents are under the false belief that children need just as much cushioning in the sole as adults. What you don't realize is that putting the average one inch of cushioning under the heel in a child's shoe is like wearing high heels for a child. The sad part is that the major shoe companies not only making these high heel shoes for children, but actually prescribing them as the best thing for them. One inch under the heel in a child's shoe is actually a "modest amount" in the shoe market. On a such a short shoe this heel cushioning results in a downward slope from the heel to the ball of the foot of more than 20 degrees and as much as 30 degrees in smaller sizes. This means in order to stand upright the child has to slope their pelvis downward and arch their lower back. More weight is bearing on the front of the knees and the spine is no longer in natural alignment but is drastically curved. The more parents require their children to wear these shoes, the more this sloped pelvis position and back curvature permanently take hold. As our children develop into teenagers and then into adults they begin to feel the painful effects of this unnatural positioning in their knees, back, and neck.
A life of joint and spine pain all because as children their parents wanted them to wear the "best shoes." A word to all the parents out there "When shoes are necessary put the least amount of a shoe on your children's feet, a shoe with nothing to it."
