Lems ZENSPEED+ review

In our opinion, the Lems ZENSPEED+ is an interesting option for:

• Fans of casual/hiking Lems shoes who have been waiting for the brand's first dedicated running shoe.
• Runners seeking a versatile daily trainer that feels comfortable for easy runs while also fitting naturally into everyday wear with jeans.
• Those who dislike maximalist, super-wide running shoes and want a more classic, grounded feel without going too minimalist.

The biggest issue with the Lems ZENSPEED+ is its lack of energy return. If that really matters to you, the Altra Escalante 5 is a much better (and cheaper) alternative.

We also found that the toebox can work well for many runners with broad feet, but it doesn't have the ultra-wide design we expected from Lems. If you really need a toebox that's as wide as possible, take a look at the Altra Torin 9.

Lems is a brand well known in the minimalist shoe world for offering a wide range of models with low stack heights, but the ZENSPEED+ changes that formula a bit.

We would say its stack height is moderate rather than low (more on that in a minute), and that's well reflected in its shock absorption, with 110 SA in the heel and 93 SA in the forefoot.

Lems states that the ZENCELL midsole is made from highly-responsive EVA mixed with 10% PEBA. However, we found almost the opposite of a highly-responsive result. 

With just 41.6% energy return in the forefoot and 39.8% in the heel, it seems to us that Lems still needs to fine-tune the foam. This is their first running shoe, so we can expect some areas to need improvement, and it looks like the foam will be near the top of that list.

As we said before, we consider this more of a moderate-stack shoe than a truly low-stack design, as 30.2 mm is actually very similar to what most running shoes had a decade ago.

Think of it as good protection with less height than a modern daily trainer.

The forefoot also sits below the current average, measuring 24.6 mm. This follows the same design philosophy we found in the heel, offering a good amount of foam without going overboard.

To create the ZENSPEED+, we think that Lems tried to blend its usual casual-shoe design with a road running shoe. Therefore, we found a medium drop of 5.6 mm, far from the usual 8-10 mm found in mainstream brands but also quite different from Lems' usual zero-drop geometry.

For some, this could be a problem. We can see how many Lems fans may have expected a 0 mm drop, but the brand probably wanted to avoid making a shoe that would appeal to such a niche market.

The shoe looks like it has a firm midsole from the outside, and that's also how we perceived the foam during our runs. After cutting the ZENSPEED+ in half, we measured the foam with our Asker C durometer. The result was 43.7 AC, confirming that it's better suited to runners who prefer a firm ride.

We also checked how it handles cold temperatures and were pleased with the outcome. It only became 10% firmer after 20 minutes sitting next to our ice creams.

The Lems ZENSPEED+ keeps things classic here, avoiding an overly curved midsole and, therefore, offering a ride that matches the shoe's character.

On the flip side, heel strikers looking for some extra help with turnovers simply won't find it here. Lems promotes it as a shoe that brings you closer to a more natural running feel, and while that comes with some advantages, it also has its drawbacks.

Lems is also known for doing foot-shaped shoes, and the brand claims that the ZENSPEED+ follows this approach with its TrueFit design. However, when trying the ZENSPEED+, we never found it incredibly wide, so it will be interesting to put this claim to the test with our gel-based method.

In our first measurement, we found a width of 95.9 mm. That's consistent with an average design for a running shoe and should work well for most feet.

A foot-shaped toebox usually shows up in this measurement, and the Lems ZENSPEED+ lands somewhere in the middle.

At 75.8 mm, it's wider than a regular running shoe, but still narrower than the broadest shoes we've tested in the lab.

Finally, we checked the toebox height.

At 28.7 mm, it offers plenty of room for the toes, making it a great match for a shoe designed for everyday use and a few runs per week.

Traction is one area where the Lems ZENSPEED+ performs really well. With a 0.73 coefficient of friction on wet concrete, you can forget about rainy days... just turn the door handle and head out for a run.

Some brands are really pushing the boundaries of exposed foam, but Lems shows that it's committed to old-school vibes across the entire shoe. That includes the increasingly rare full-length rubber coverage that protects the whole shoe.

This outsole design goes hand in hand with high stiffness, as does the firmer-than-usual foam. In our test, the Lems ZENSPEED+ scored above average despite its moderate stack height, recording 16.8N.

The Lems ZENSPEED+ looks heavier than it actually is, and that's always good news. Expectations matter, and we were pleasantly surprised by its 9.1 oz (258g) weight, which we consider a very positive result.

One of the biggest strengths of the ZENSPEED+ is its stability. We noticed how stable it felt from the very first run, and that feeling never went away.

Several factors contribute to this stable ride, but the two main ones are the firm ZENCELL foam, which is a huge contributor, and the moderate stack height instead of a taller design.

Torsional rigidity also scored above average at 16.3 Nm. Again, this isn't a surprise, as it contributes significantly to the planted feel, and the shoe never felt easy to twist.

The heel also gets a small boost in support from its stiff, 4-out-of-5 heel counter. It may feel a bit intrusive if you want a shoe that completely disappears on your feet, but based on our previous tests, it's clear that this isn't that kind of shoe anyway.

Lems is totally right when it claims that this shoe doesn't want to feel artificial or assisted, but rather the opposite.

The 112.4-mm forefoot width further reinforces this feel, as it avoids being overly broad and clunky while also making the shoe more manageable for everyday life.

We found the same design idea in the heel, as its 88.2 mm width also sits a few millimeters below the average for road running shoes.

Our first durability test focuses on the toebox, and it started on a positive note, with the ZENSPEED+ earning a solid 3/5 from us.

Unlike most shoes, we found that the heel padding scored lower than the toebox. It's usually the other way around, and this 1/5 score isn't very promising for runners who tend to experience rubbing in this area.

The outsole didn't deliver an impressive performance either. With 1.5 mm of damage, it's slightly more than the usual result, pointing to a somewhat less durable rubber compound than those found on other shoes.

To compensate for the far-from-impressive outsole durability, Lems added a slightly thicker 3.4 mm layer of rubber than usual and, as we showed earlier, provides rubber coverage from heel to toe.

With less coverage and a thinner rubber layer, things could be much worse.

We measured the insole and found a thickness of 4.1 mm, which is more or less in line with most other rivals in the daily trainer category.

One of the ZENSPEED+'s unique features compared to regular running shoes is its cork insole, which isn't the best material for energy return and likely contributes to the poor result we found earlier. That said, the good news is that it's super easy to swap it for a regular insole.

We always prefer reflective elements over having none at all. Here, Lems added a reflective version of its logo, which is a nice detail that enhances both the branding and the runner's visibility at night.

The easiest way to create a lacing system that works well is to use punched eyelets with a reinforced cage and flat laces. That's exactly what Lems did here, following the KISS approach to shoe design.

As for the tongue, we found it perfectly padded for long hours, with 6.6 mm of thickness. It's a sweet spot that balances comfort while avoiding unnecessary weight, something we clearly noticed when we weighed the shoe earlier.

The tongue features a semi-gusseted design that keeps it securely in place, and we found it absolutely flawless.

The heel features a simple, streamlined design without any kind of heel tab.

For performance-obsessed runners, the Lems ZENSPEED+ isn't a good investment. It costs as much as a premium daily trainer but delivers significantly less energy return. However, if you value other aspects of a running shoe, such as build quality, and you're drawn to Lems' aesthetics, it could still be worthy of your wallet.