It feels a little strange to write a review for a discontinued shoe…but I guess nothing is forever.
If you’re new to barefoot shoes, read my post about them. There are evangelists on both sides. Both sides have valid points. Personally I love barefoot shoes.
I think a review of these can serve as a general VivoBarefoot review, so it’s worth the effort even though you can’t get this model. Onward.
These have camel hide leather lowers, canvas uppers. Typical barefoot sole, though this model is branded as a winter boot, and comes with removable thermal insoles. This adds a little insulation and padding, which can be a nice, temporary crutch if you’re new to minimalist shoes.
The boots are surprisingly tough. They’re my first barefoot shoes, and I expected them to be fragile. “Flimsy” goes without saying. It’s a feature. All Vivobarefoot shoe ads show them rolled up in a ball to prove how insubstantial they are. I expected that also meant they wouldn’t last long. Thin sole with very, very shallow lugs. I figured with thin flexible soles and minimalist leather, they’d fall apart fairly quickly. I’m really surprised at their durability. They’re built light, they’re built flexible, there’s nothing clunky about them. But they’re built like a boot. The construction, stitching and materials are impressive. They are durable. I’ve been wearing them occasionally for 2 years now, and they’re broken in, but nowhere near worn out. Tons of life. Your mileage will vary…I hike a lot, and prefer not to change shoes back & forth, so I often wear my hiking shoes all day. Still, I’ve worn them a lot, and they have a lot of life left.
Now, they’re advertised as winter boots. They do have insulation inside the leather and canvas, and they do have the thermal insole. But calling them a winter boot is laughable. Maybe winter in San Francisco. Try standing on cold pavement for 20 minutes, even during a dry winter, in Montana, and you’re going to be cold. They aren’t water proof or even water resistant. There seems to be a contradiction with using camel hide for a winter boot…but I assume camel hide is pretty tough, so I’m not complaining. Just not a “winter” hide. These are great fall boots.
Think of these as leather, “barefoot” style Converse All Stars.
As you can see – broken in, scuffed up, but very much intact. They dress up ok still with some leather conditioner. Like pretty much all my shoes, the original laces are toast, replaced by nylon cord.
These are durable, well built minimalist boots. Suitable for mild weather. Perfect for comfortable driving shoes, office shoes, around town shoes. They’re too hot in the summer, not warm enough in the winter. 40-60 degree F weather is just about right, as long as you aren’t standing still for long periods of time.