Native Shoes sprang from Vancouver, Canada in 2009 with the intention of shaking up the footwear industry with truly lightweight, comfortable, and attractive designs made primarily of EVA injection molded foam. In more recent years the company has introduced a few fabric uppers—even a knit iteration—too. The Apollo Moc has become our go-to camp shoe. And Apex the subject of much discussion.
For most of us the dream of living a minimalist lifestyle is always just out of reach—owning a "gear closet" rules you out right off the bat—but that doesn't mean we can't try. One easy step to take is to surround yourself with highly refined, functional products—sorry folks, no Margaritaville mixers. The Apex’s hyper clean, futuristic take on the classic hiking boot silhouette is a nice example. It’s waterproof, shock absorbent (shout out the EVA sole), certified vegan (shout out animals, love them), and features a recycled PU nubuck upper with micro-perforations for improved breathability. Aka designed to handle tough conditions, but attractive enough to be worn around town too.
Though you probably shouldn’t hike the PCT in the Apex, stomping through puddles in the city and around the campsite is definitely in this boot’s wheelhouse. And considering Native uses low-emission manufacturing processes, their shoes contain no animal by-products and are packaged and shipped using recyclable materials, this is one way to treat yourself without much guilt.
