The SP-L3 is our best selling shoe to date. Our product spotlight will take a closer look at the fan favorite adventure ready shoe.
History-
The original SP-L (shown above) started out as our first sport model (the CAM-L was our urban model). As more and more people tried the SP-L, we gathered a ton of useful feedback which we have used to improve the shoe throughout it's various stages.
With the SP-L2 came an extra layer of protection between the EVA insole and Vibram sole. This resulted in a slightly stiffer feel. Our fans let us know that they preferred the softer, more flexible feel of the SP-L, so we reverted back to our previous method for the new SP-L3 model. We did, however, decide to keep the new leather eyelet strip. This strip added a lot of durability to the lacing system.
The SP-L3 took the best features of the previous models and further improved upon them. Our latest generation of SP-L3s feature a Vibram rubber band around the outer part of the sole, adding slightly more durability to the shoe and a much cleaner look to the finished product.
What sets it apart-
The SP-L3 stands out from other minimalist shoes on the market because of it's level of comfort. Yeah yeah, I know, every company says that their shoe is the most comfortable, but we can explain!
When shoemaker Olie Marchal came up with the design for the SP-L3, he didn't think about technology or marketing gimmicks. He merely used common sense and his own observations about what makes a shoe comfortable.
For maximum comfort, it was really important that the shoe would be the widest at the toes, just like the natural human foot. The shoe is flat and flexible and offers no artificial support. Our body knows what is best for it. Olie knew that he needed a shoe that let his foot function the way that nature intended. The result was an incredibly lightweight shoe that mimics the feeling of being barefoot but with slipper-like comfort.
As an added bonus, all of our shoes are handcrafted in our hometown factory in Montrose, Colorado. We think that's pretty special!
What it's best for-
This question is difficult to answer, because other than snowboarding, snowshoeing, and road biking, I personally wear this shoe for EVERYTHING. If you read our testimonials, you'll see that our customers will say the same.
We designed the SP-L3 to fit our active lifestyles. We wear them for our morning trail runs out in the hills, our commute (by bicycle) to the office, AT the office (one of the benefits of working in a shoe factory!), to the gym, and downtown for dinner and drinks with friends. On the weekends, we wear them to the farmers market, to yoga, and even on light/moderate hikes in the Rocky Mountains. The SP-L3 has become our go-to shoe for just about everything.
Due to their lightweight design and relatively simple construction, we've received questions about the durability of the shoes. Even after everything our SP-L3s go through, they hold up wonderfully. Our very first customers (July 2014) still wear their shoes with pride! Some people wear out their soles faster than others (it may have to do with your gait) so we started a free resoling program for our repeat customers. For more information on resoling, please email us at: somteam@somfootwear.com