Vivobarefoot

I often find online recommendations and comments about goods can be a blessing and a curse; Typically you'll get a one star review that complains that a product arrives broken but these things happen and may not reflect the supplier getting another out double quick and the replacement being superb, or the five star review that says something looks shiny out of the box and may well be a lame product.

I try and give a product a decent amount of time/ use before committing any thoughts but my Vivobarefoot barefoot walking shoes are a slight exception.

Ed Stafford and Ben McNutt from Wild Human are big fans of the brand but initially I  became aware of this brand through JP and Pablo from Woodlife Tracking and Bushcraft School who did some initial trials with there footwear. I therefore tried to get some in the summer of 2018 but the above picture was a general state of affairs across all the designs I liked.

I then revisited in late Spring of 2019 and quelle surprise, more of the same lack of availability. I doggedly stuck at it, checking the website and finally, in early August, I got hold of some black Primus Lite minimalist shoes. With such a convoluted pursuit of a pair, along with a hefty price tag,  I was hoping for big things. By the way the above picture is from Autumn 2019 so the lack of stock at certain stages seems cyclical.

Another grumble: I logged in and looked at my purchase history to double check that I was putting the correct type as my purchase, the sites suggests that I haven't ordered any!

I paid for express delivery because I was close to going on holiday to Crete and wanted them with me for a workout, but I will usually have them on in an urban and woodland setting but more on that later...I want to talk about my holiday.

  

 It was a holiday by the coast with mixed shingle and coarse golden sand shoreline and initially I found the sensation of the cellular-like sole took a little getting used to  but once I got to grips with them I was off and running (but not literally).

Despite the cost and the difficulties experienced whist buying I have to say that they do live up to their billing and they became my go to footwear pretty much all the time save the odd bit of flip flop action by the pool. The mesh on the top of the shoes does help to keep your feet fresh but it also acts as an effective sand trap as the above left hand side picture demonstrates.

They are supremely comfortable over smooth ground and when transversing rough or stony terrain you find that you sense the unevenness rather than feeling it as an uncomfortable experience.

Whilst by the sea I decided to test them in the drink. They functioned rather well as beach shoes but I didn't stay in long because the laces keep coming undone repeatedly and I didn't want to lose one. I am a decent knot tyer however laces are my perpetual downfall but tied rightly or wrongly these laces don't stay secure for long. I double tie them but I'm seriously considering using some plastic cord locks as it is getting on my nerves.

Do you know your double looped reef from your double looped granny when it comes to laces? This  knotting blog covers it towards the end.

When I returned home the left hand inner sole started to come away and then detached, I can't say for sure if this was due to the one-off dip in the sea but it is now a bit more of a job taking the shoe off without pulling the inner totally out. Even if I hadn't been in the sea surely dew and rain would have a cumulative effect in time?

 

Back in blighty I will be using them mostly in the British countryside as I'm not near the coast. Much like the rough or stony ground experience uneven woodland isn't a problem. I took the footwear on this recent overnighter and whilst investigating a new piece of woodland it dawned on me just how quiet and lightfooted it is possible to be in a pair.

I also used them in the evenings when mooching about camp, I certainly wouldn't recommend any axe work with them on but they are the perfect tonic to a day wearing walking boots or hybrid cross trainers. They are also a light option to hang up on a cord run just under my hammock if you need to get up in the night.

 

In an urban setting they are great too but the one surface that I've found you can really feel through them is the raised slabs that indicate to a blind or partially sighted person that they are near a drop kerb by a road.

With all this constant wearing of the Vivos I feel justified in reviewing them. The experience of using them out and about is exactly what I had hoped for, the wait for them, the laces and the detached inner do rather tarnish the purchase. There are also online reports some of the sealed sole shoes (like this) coming apart in time, this could be good honest wear and tear but it would be good if the company could offer a re-soling service which would re-enforce their green credentials.