Think outside the shoe box in versatile footwear designed to frame your feet for whatever they choose. While other brands dictate the activity, overcrowding closets with a sole for every occasion, SOM Footwear empowers feet to steer the action. Work, walk, run, bike, hike, lift, and relax without ever looking down to change shoes. As the only made in Colorado sneaker company, SOM packs seven shoes in one, like a Swiss Army knife of footwear.
Work
Behind a desk or on your feet, from the daily commute to the office retreat, our wide toe-box design removes the workweek crunch with space for toes to spread and breathe. While other shoe companies taper their toe-boxes, forcing your feet into unnatural positions, SOM believes in space. Happy toes are free from tight, suffocating surroundings, and when your toes are happy, your feet are happy. When your feet are happy, your body is happy, and your mind can concentrate on the tasks of the day.
Walk
Through the park or around the neighborhood, from walking the dog to enjoying the nightlife, when your feet move in SOM’s barefoot-feel, zero drop soles, they strengthen under their own pace. Traditional sneakers stuff enough padding, insulation, and cushion to feel like you’re walking on pillows, dulling your steps and putting your feet to sleep. By actively engaging muscles and blood flow through barefoot-inspired motion, SOM shoes create stronger, healthier feet by simply taking a walk.
Run
Around a track or along a sidewalk, minimalist running puts the momentum of your steps under the natural spring of your feet. While traditional running shoes taper their toe-boxes with artificial bounce and pack their heels with excess rubber to ease the shock from heel-striking, SOM shoes shift focus to the barefoot power we were born with. Forefront running propels bodies forward, allowing strides to land on the toes or the balls of the foot without putting excess force on the heel. This is how our bodies took their first running steps, and by transitioning away from heel-striking to this healthier, front-focused way of running, your feet, knees and back will continue cheering you on.
Hike
Beneath a forest canopy or up a mountainside trail, from bending over roots to scaling shifting rocks, the closer your feet are to the ever-changing terrain, the easier your steps can adapt, adjust, and advance. Traditional hiking shoes use rigid, thick-treaded soles that block your senses from the elements below, but, just as over-engineered padding insulates your movement, unbending tread impedes your ability to flex over nature. SOM’s durable materials and 8mm thick, polyurethane cup soles protect your feet from the bumps in the road while bending and breathing for improved balance and comfort.
Bike
Whether cycling through traffic or mountain biking a rocky path, the connection between your hands and handlebars is just as critical as the one between your feet and the pedals. Just like with hiking, heavily insulated shoes limit the feel of what’s beneath you, reducing reaction time and weighing down movements. Just as you wouldn’t wear oven mitts when riding, the more a shoe obstructs the natural qualities of your foot, the less control you have and the weaker your feet will be.
Lift
Whether weightlifting or box jumping, from high-intensity CrossFit training to cool down stretching, your workout is enhanced when your shoes are your spotter. SOM’s flat soles provide stability when weights are overhead, and our wide toe-boxes ensure your toes have room to spread and anchor your feet to lift confidently and safely. Minimalist materials ensure breathable flexibility from rep to round, and when your feet are light and comfortable, you can push harder and exercise longer.
Relax
Sitting, reclining, or sinking into a sofa, the less pressure your shoes place on your feet, the more relaxed they are in any position. After a long day, shoes are often the first thing we remove when stepping through the door, but when SOMs allow your feet to bend and breathe like they were barefoot, there is no rush to whip them off. We’ve had customers remove the laces from their SOMs to slip in and out of them when around the house. Lightweight design makes each pair a part of your feet without the need to over-tightened laces. Just as slippers protect without pressure, SOM creates the comfort of a shoe that feels invisible.
Rinse, Repeat, Resole
When one shoe can do the work of seven, your activity is never limited to what you're wearing. SOM shoes let your feet decide where they go and what they do. If SOMs get dirty, simply toss them in the washing machine on the normal setting with cold water and gentle soap, and let them dry in the shade (avoid direct heat). When your SOMs need a refresh after miles and miles of adventure, send them in for a Resoling, and we can make your favorite pair just like new.
SOM Footwear makes shoes in America with durable materials to outlast the competition. Versatility is valuable, and the more your shoes can match the variety of life, the more time you have to enjoy the journey.
