The Lems Switchback Sandal has been updated with a new kit upper that dries quickly for a softer and more comfortable fit.

Details

• Engineered knit upper
• Full rubber outsole
• Anatomically contoured footbed
• Stack Height: 14-17mm
• Drop: 3.0mm
• Weight: 8.8 oz (Men's 10)
• Vegan
• Whole sizes only

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Fit and Function

The Lems Switchback Sandal Knit has a minimalist look and feel.  I am technically a women’s size 8 in sandals, but tend to wear an 8.5 in lifestyle shoe or a 9 in running shoes.  As the Switchback sandals are only available in whole sizes, I went with a size 8.  These shoes fit perfectly and I was glad that I went with the smaller size. 

The Lems’ shoe description places these in the Widest Natural-Shape™ footbed.  I have pretty narrow feet and found that the footbed fits fairly precisely around my feet, allowing for for apprxoximately ¼ inch of footbed that extends past the outline of my foot. 

Dialing in the fit of the knit straps is easy.  There’s a single pull tab on next to the exterior of the ankle.  You extend the strap to make it looser and tighten the strap to make it tighter.  Af first, I found that I was having to fiddle with the strap each time I was placing the shoes in my feet.  Then I discovered the trick: you insert your foot fully into the sandal (so the toe strap fits sungly) and then the heel strap slides easily into place. This makes the shoes fuss-free, which is a HUGE plus.

The findings of the shoes are very well made - it’s clear that Lems wants this shoe to last a long time.  The strap connections and adjustment points are all made from metal and are engineered to easily guide the shoe webbing for the perfect fit.  The webbing guides are called SWITCHBACK SLYDRs™, placed on each side of the ankle, allowing the wearer to customize the fit for a variety of foot volumes. Once you get the fit dialed, the webbing stays in place, as a “set and forget” function. 

The Barefoot Footbed™ is very comfortable.  The shoe has a total drop of 3 mm, which is a nice happy medium to accommodate a variety of preferences while still giving a neutral feel.  The footbed of the Lems Switchback Sandal Knit has contour lines, which mimic the features and natural shape of a foot.  This texture is intended to give sensory feedback to your toes and bottom of your foot, to help keep foot-to-shoe traction as you walk. The footbed is also lightly cushioned, made from a flexible EVA midsole.

The outsole is fully rubber with a flexible tread pattern. This tread pattern helps to keep the shoe feeling nimble and flexible across a variety of surfaces.

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Performance

I have been wearing the Lems Switchback Sandal Knit almost non-stop since I received them.  I’ve been wearing them as daily sandals, while camping, and even on a short technical hike. 

What first struck me about the Lems Switchback Sandal Knit is how comfortable they feel straight out of the box. Sometimes buckles or the webbing between your toes or at your heel feels uncomfortable until you break the shoe in or your feet get used to them. This was not the case with the Lems sandals, even after hiking. My feet have shown zero signs of discomfort or wear (no sore spots or blisters).

I’m also really impressed with how these performed as a hiking shoe.  We went on an exploratory hike above our campsite (no trail, fairly steep, and a lot of treefall, pine needles, and rocks).  I had stable footing hiking both up and down, without slipping or having my toes creep beyond the front of the footbed.  Any debris that may have been picked up and sandwiched between my foot and the sandal easily worked its way out as I walked, without stopping to shake my foot or take the sandal off.  They were also pretty darn comfortable.

The shoes are also really lightweight, coming in a 8.8 oz for a men’s size 10.  Between the comfort, stability, and weight, the Lems Switchback Sandal Knit are likely going to be my camp shoes that I bring along on future bikepacking trips. 

Closing Thoughts

The Lems Switchback Sandals are available for both men and women (whole sizes) and come in both a lighter knit upper and more robust leather or knit upper (original version).  There are several colorways available across the models and genders.