Survival is Brown

Stem Survival Origins

As previously stated, the only perceivable difference between the Primal Origins and the Survival Origins is the color. While the upper of the Primal Origins are slate grey colored, the Survival Origins’ upper is a nice dark brown. Though dark brown and slate grey are not the most common colors, I think they provide a good selection for wearers who either want a dark-colored or a light-colored shoe.

I will be the first to admit that I was not totally sold on the slate grey color of the Primal Origins when I first received it, namely because it would show dirt and other signs of use faster. However, after using the Primal Origins for the past 3 months, the color has grown on me and I quite like them now– except that I still shudder at the thought of how they’ll look after a hike on one of our muddy trails.

Compared to the contrast of the Primal Origins’ grey fabric and white stitching, the Survival Origins are very uniform in appearance. The stitching on the Survival Origins is the same brown color as the fabric so the it blends right in, which looks great. I really like the dark brown color of the Survival Origins because they will be at home on or off the trail.

Stiching same color as fabric

Build Quality

Stem noted that a manufacturing issue was responsible for the threads coming loose and that the issue had since been resolved. I will note that the seam where the threads came loose on my original pair of shoes does appear to be tighter on the Survival Origins. Aside from that, the shoe looks nearly identical to the Primal Origins. It appears to be well put together and I do hope that no other manufacturing issues will rear their head for the Survival Origins.

Comfort

Though both the Primal Origins and the Survival Origins are the same size, the newer Survival Origins feel noticeably more confined. Over the past 3 months, the Primal Origins have been able to stretch out into what is a very comfortable pair of shoes, and I expect the Survival Origins to become more comfortable as they are broken in as well. Aside from that, the Survival Origins benefit from the same light and flexible outsole as the Primal Origins, not to mention an insole that feels great on bare feet.

That being said, even though they are not yet broken in, the Survival Origins are pretty comfy right out of the box.

A great start for a new shoe company

Stem has really done a lot of things right with their first offering. First and foremost, they are very comfortable (for both walking and running) thanks in large part to Stem’s thin and flexible sole. Secondly, they look like normal shoes. I won’t name names, but the fact that Stem’s shoes don’t look like gorilla feet and are not neon colored is a big departure from the offerings from other minimalist shoe makers. Now, with first-hand experience of their great customer service, I am confident that Stem is off to a great start as a new shoe company.

Stem's flexible outsole

Stem’s shoes have become my go-to footwear whenever I head out of the house. Some may say that Stem has made the perfect minimalist casual shoe, but I would have to disagree. I would contend that the Stem Survival Origins are the perfect casual shoe, period and would be a great option for cubicle dwellers, weekend walkers, and barefoot advocates alike.

Stem Survival Origins: First Impressions was originally published on Archetyped on January 9, 2012 04:00pm

The Good

Right from the start, the Primal Origins are great for skating because the outsole, while minimal, protect your feet from the ground rushing by as well as from the rough grip tape on the board.  Also, the shoes are light and don’t feel the slightest bit clunky like some skating shoes can be.

In addition, the thin and flexible nature of the Primal Origins adds something that makes skating with them an entirely new experience– ground feel.  The contours of the deck are clearly felt and you can even feel the texture of the asphalt during the brief moments when pushing off the ground.  Even cooler is that you can curl your toes over the edge of the board for better grip when carving left or right.

It’s the best of both worlds; the connectedness of skating barefoot on an old fishtail board and the protection necessary for doing tricks on a modern board.

Why not the best?

There’s no question that the Primal Origins feel great while skating, but the problem is that if you do any amount of tricks, they will not look good for very long at all.

I made a small hole in my shoe after a couple of ollies:

Hole from ollies

To be fair, all shoes suffer from this problem to some extent.  Though some skate shoes may reinforce the high-abrasion areas with additional padding or stronger material, pretty much all shoes will require a dose of Shoe Goo sooner or later due to the inherent roughness of the grip tape on the deck.

What would be great though is if Stem created a shoe specifically for skating with reinforced material in specific areas of the vamp/upper to stave off the need for Shoe Goo for as long as possible.  The larger stitching style used on the Primal Origins may also need to be modified as the grip tape would likely make short work of the exposed thread.

Large stiching may need to go

I love what Stem Footwear has done with their take on casual shoes, so I’m very interested to see what they could do for a skate shoe.

How about you? Would you be interested in a Stem shoe made specifically for skateboarding?

Stem Primal Origins: Best Skateboard Shoe Ever! (almost) was originally published on Archetyped on January 5, 2012 08:00am

This evening after washing off the dried paint and grime, we went out for a bit.  Upon putting on the Stem Primal Origins, I immediately noticed a difference compared the normal shoes I had worn all day.

It was like night and day!

Instead of being confined in a structured shape, I was enveloped in light and airy fabric.

After a full day of clomping around in normal shoes, putting on the Primal Origins were incredibly comfortable.  I felt even more relaxed after putting them on!

I initially compared the Stem Primal Origins to my only other pair of shoes, the Vibram KSO.  While the Primal Origins may be less flexible and have less ground feel than the KSO, the Stem Primal Origins are far and away better than normal shoes.

If you’re coming from normal shoes, the Primal Origins would be a great transition to more minimal footwear.

Stem Primal Origins: A Respite from Normal Shoes was originally published on Archetyped on October 22, 2011 09:00pm