I went out for my first (albeit short) run this evening wearing the Stem Primal Origins this evening.

Details

• Distance: 2.75mi
• Time: 26:55
• Average Speed: 6.15mi/hr
• Socks: No

Observations

Starting Out

Initially, I had the pretty much the same opinions about the Primal Origins as I did on my first day with them:

• Ground feel is not as “transparent” as the Vibram KSOs
• My toes feel confined when in a standard shoe form-factor (as they always have)
• I’m not totally in love with the level of flexibility the Primal Origins offer

On the 2nd Mile

After a bit of warm up though, the Stem Primal Origins came into their own.  I noticed how incredibly light they felt.  Traction over wet ground was good (whereas the Vibram KSOs turn into a personal slip and slide at the slightest hint of water on the ground) and I’m looking forward to trying them out on more demanding terrain.

Toe confinement was not an issue after I warmed up a bit.  As with most things, it was no longer a problem once I stopped paying attention to it.  Even when I did take a moment to observe my comfort, I found that while running, toe confinement was a non-issue because I am constantly adjusting the splay of my toes as I run.

Ground feel is not as good as the Vibram KSOs, but to be clear, it’s still quite good.  The most important thing while running is that I can feel the ground enough to make moment-by-moment adjustments to my weight distribution and gait based on the feedback from my feet.  The Stem Primal Origins provided good feedback on this short run.  I’m looking forward to trying them on a longer run.

Here’s the thing

Stem is marketing the Primal Origins as casual shoes as opposed to running shoes.  In that respect, they are quite nice.  Even still, I think they are a good shoe for running and though I may prefer the Vibram KSOs for regular running, I would not hesitate to grab the Primal Origins for a run.

Breakdown (Short Run)

• No hot spots
• No shifting/chaffing
• Very lightweight
• Good flexibility
• Good ground feedback