DURABILITY / ranking the three toughest barefoot shoe treads

[@AndrewFolts]

*Most Durable Barefootwear* vibram treads - - - bit.ly/3upF6Cx xero shoes - - - - - bit.ly/46mXclN vivobarefoot - - - - bit.ly/3uv2yxT other brands - - - - bit.ly/46oXmcq BEST BAREFOOT SHOES (referral links) casual shoes - - - bit.ly/3L3fRKq road shoes - - - - - bit.ly/3AvEWJ3 trail shoes - - - - - amzn.to/3xyMoSr trek boots - - - - - - bit.ly/3RfJxXK winter boots - - - - bit.ly/3LV5gS8 work boots - - - - - bit.ly/3lDmF8F sandals - - - - - - - - bit.ly/3QqZ6e6 slippers - - - - - - - - bit.ly/3eineSa website - - - - - - - - www.barefootwear.org

[@Blackvick]

On the description of the video, could you update the website please? I thought your website was "fthelines", which is expired. Appreciated 🙏👍

[@emilymae3139]

Been reading for my first pair of barefoot shoes, this was super helpful! Thanks

[@AndrewFolts]

Right on! You can also filter by activity, width, etc, with the shoe finder tool on my website, which can help narrow things down. bit.ly/49U1Ryo Happy barefooting out there, Emily!

[@jethrobradley7850]

The uppers of my Vivobarefoot will give out long before the outsoles do. Same with my Xero shoes (which are not quite as comfortable or as thin as the Vivo but seem to be surviving better and looking fresher)

[@AndrewFolts]

In what part of the shoe are they wearing out for you?

[@jethrobradley7850]

@@AndrewFolts The topline/collar of the shoes is looking a bit worn and furry and there is a place where the sole is peeling away from the upper (this started quite soon after getting them but didn't progress for a long time)

[@AndrewFolts]

@@jethrobradley7850 Gotcha, that's always a bummer, but you can try using some Shoe Glue and clamping the sole tear for 24 hours, until it dries, which can hold up a few weeks to a few months at a time. amzn.to/46ZabLg

[@jethrobradley7850]

@@AndrewFolts Thanks. I will look into that. Overall I am really impressed by how well barefoot shoes last compared with standard sneakers

[@Gman1024]

Great info Andrew. No vibram soles in my tiny stable yet, but something to get in the future for sure. Glad you have that sheet with the filters, so I can see only vibram soles when shopping. Or whatever else I'm looking for. Love all the data, so valuable, tanks for sharing it.

[@AndrewFolts]

"stable" Ha, love it! I'm picturing tiny horse saddles on your barefoot shoes. (:

[@TreforTreforgan]

Just bought a pair of vevobarefoot textiles today, all because of you. Hope you’re on commission!

[@AndrewFolts]

Right on, yo! They're a great all-weather tank with lots of flex too. I get like small percent, yeah. Have fun out there! (:

[@darkpatches]

Loved my military boots with Vibram soles. Got my Vibram Five Fingers in 2011 and liked them well enough until going all in on Xero shoes. Vibrams were nearly indesctructible... and stinky. Love Xero, except that I've had all my hiking/running shoes' soles start to separate from the shoe. Very disappointed. Had them replace two pairs, but I may have to try Vivo....

[@nigelwest5776]

I recommend them they make pretty durable. If you don't want smell get natural materials like leather cork and wool. Look for shoes with sidewall stitching and they won't separate (some not all vivo have)

[@AndrewFolts]

Agree with Nigel, my wool Vibram's smell great, so it's prob the synthetic ones that stink. My Xero's have been ok so far, but I've only had them six months. We'll so how things go.

[@darkpatches]

@@nigelwest5776 Thanks for the tips!

[@andyanderson5332]

My Vibram V-Trek Insulated are my favourite shoe..ever. Light, durable, grippy and I think they look great regardless of what most people say.

[@AndrewFolts]

I've been curious about those. Do they have any water resistance?

[@andyanderson5332]

My Insulated V-Trek shoes are definitely not water resistant. My feet feel the moisture when I’m walking through wet grass. Wet sidewalks and roads and a slight drizzle for short walks isn’t so bad. Long runs of walks on roads in the rain would soak your feet. I haven’t tried to waterproof my V-Treks but I really like how airy and breathable they feel. So I don’t want to mess that up. PS. My Vibrams don’t stink. They had a reputation for that when I was doing research. I haven’t had to put them through the washing machine since I got them a year ago. I wear them every day. With the Injinji socks of course. I honestly believe these shoes have added years to my life.

[@AndrewFolts]

@@andyanderson5332 Cool! Yea, I figured they weren't waterproof, but they seem great for dry winter days.

[@andyanderson5332]

@@AndrewFolts Yes. Great for dry winter days. For below freezing then wear wool toe socks with them. For extreme cold, 10 Fahrenheit and below they might not be the ideal choice. I usually wear size 10 or 43 but went up a size to 10.5/11 or 44 and they are ideal for wearing socks. The lace design is a bonus for adjusting how tight or loose you prefer the fit.

[@atideva3385]

thats crazy dude. for me 2 pairs of VFFs V Alphas lasted 1 year before the sole nearly wore through. Vivobarefoot primus lasted 6 months and another paid primus ive had for only 3 months and the sole is nearly worn through , all those were with daily use. i think i need to re learn how to walk !!!

[@AndrewFolts]

I suspect what's happening is that you're slightly twisting and/or scuffing the shoes as you run/walk. I saw it all the time video taping people on the treadmill as a shoe salesman. See if you notice anything next time you go out.

[@atideva3385]

@@AndrewFolts yeah I definitely kind of twist my leg when I walk, one video I just watched shows it and they say it's due to not rotating your hips when walking , I also walk very fast everywhere. Now I need to re learn to walk

[@WalksOfWonder-BC]

I don’t know how you get 4000 miles on any shoe. The most I’ve ever gotten is around 1000 miles and by then I’ve worn a hole through the bottom. My Vapor Gloves with vibram soles lasted about 500 miles before getting a hole. My Xero Prio shoes got about 800 miles before getting a hole. Maybe my 200 lb frame?

[@AndrewFolts]

Weight can be a factor, yea, but where's the wear? Up toward the toes? If so, then you're most likely twisting your foot slightly while landing, which literally drills a hole into the shoe. A long stride can cause it too, because it causes the same effect.

[@WalksOfWonder-BC]

@@AndrewFolts The wear spot is in the heel about an inch from the back. Slightly worse wear on my left side. I walk fairly smooth, at least I think I do??

[@flipperzero9662]

​@WalksOfWonder-BC it could be angles when going onto and then exiting the ground, not just about how soft or if your roll your feet with pickup and set down, it can be a combination, but I would definitely try and evaluate if it's the way you walk. Maybe film yourself at different angles, or have someone help with that

[@AndrewFolts]

@@flipperzero9662 Yea true, a shorter stride will also keep your foot at a lower angle and spread out the friction on impact. There's closeup footage in my Zero-Drop video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2OnaHWLhKaYbsk

[@darkpatches]

Dude, free Xero shoes!

[@FenrirAldebrand]

I got a pair of VFF KSOs recently and the tread is already worn flat/gone in parts, and I've only had them a few months. The outsole is also coming apart from the shoe. I had a pair back in 2012 or so but it's like the quality just seems to have gone right downhill.

[@AndrewFolts]

There's no way Vibram rubber should wear out that fast, even if the quality was lower. Maybe check your stride and see if there's any twisting or scuffing going on. Those two things will destroy a sole in no time. As for the separation it could be a defect or insufficient glueing. I've used Shoe Goo amzn.to/3PBAdyO and a light clamp with good success.

[@OLIMWTY]

great video, how does the Merrell trail glove compare with the Vibram's please? I want my next bf shoe to offer a little more protection to the small rocks and stones I have to run on. I know they are not technically barefoot as stack height is more than 10mm. TIA

[@AndrewFolts]

Never cared for them, as they're more narrow/pointy than most barefoot shoes. Vibram's, IMO, are the gold standard if you want great protection, durability, and max agility. The V-Trek would be a good pick. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nX-TaJehhNGii5Y If you need it for wet/cold weather, then the Vivo Trail Knit is my second favorite. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWXamp6rprV7kJI

[@todallard8791]

Most durable shoes I ever owned Nike Internationalist got back in 1980 after over 1000 miles of running I used them as everyday shoes for years and I still have them today the soles have lasted better than other shoe I ever owned and the uppers are 1000% better than Xero uppers. They really did make better wearing shoes when I was young. My first pair of prios got 4000 miles on the soles the uppers started falling apart by 500 miles. The second pair of Prios the sole lasted only 2000 miles. I wore New balance when I was young as well and they had some vibram soles and they did not last long.

[@AndrewFolts]

Yea, it's funny because Nike actually started out making barefoot track shoes with no cushion and minimal soles. Wish they'd come out with a line of something like that again.

[@chris_1988]

@@AndrewFolts I bet they're all gonna come around again eventually once they realize how that market is growing...

[@bhlee_whale99]

how about review about the TSLA shoes? it's quite fine and very bendable, even has long duralibility. i hope you review this!

[@AndrewFolts]

Most of the Amazon type shoe brands are decent if you're on a tight budget, but the toebox is more narrow, the materials fall apart in a short amount of time, and generally I don't want to review them, because they just steal their design from companies like Merrell, Vibram, etc, that put hard work into developing high quality products. If you have the money, you're better off investing in a regular barefoot brand, because they'll feel more natural and last longer, which saves money in the end.

[@chris_1988]

Very useful tips again, thanks! Especially the part about long strides leading to quicker deterioration of the upper material where the shoe folds is super important. A friend bought a pair of Vivo Geo Court Knits a few weeks after I had gotten mine and while mine barely show any creases even after almost a year, his were full of "wrinkles" all over the top after a short time. Maybe his stride has something to do with it. This is a little off-topic, but would you consider making a video comparing various cheaper brands of barefoot shoes like Saguaro or Whitin? I feel like most shoes that come up when searching for "barefoot shoes" on Amazon are the same few models from China with different "brands" (a.k.a. companies that basically don't show up when you google them) slapping their names on them. My first pair of barefoot shoes was actually one of those generic Saguaro ones (the ones that come in hundreds of colors with the toe-inspired bumps at the front part) and they held up surprisingly well so far.

[@AndrewFolts]

Yea, stride could definitely be a factor. Getting them wet a lot could wrinkle the upper too. Budget barefoot shoes is a great video idea! Splay and Freet are two that are under $100 but still super high quality. I personally don't want to promote Chinese Amazon brands, because they're just stealing business from brands that put a lot of hard work and money into design/testing, etc, without doing any work of their own. But I will keep my eye out for more budget friendly options.

[@chris_1988]

@@AndrewFolts Awesome! Yeah, I'd love to learn more about affordable companies that don't come with all the ethical ruthlessness of cheap knockoff brands.

[@curanderoverde]

I resoled my luna sandels with vibram sierra sole...bomb proof

[@thijmenvandegraaf300]

Hi Andrew, I'm just wondering how you are measuring how much miles you have on one pair.

[@AndrewFolts]

It used to be a lot easier, because I only had a few shoes and used them equally, so I'd just multiply 8-10 miles per day by 365 and the number of years. Now I have so many different shoes in rotation that there's no point, because I'd have to log like 200 miles per day, ha.

[@potjezout1473]

I bought my first pair of vivos yesterday. Hopefully my flat feet get some curve 😂

[@AndrewFolts]

Rad! Which ones did you go for?

[@potjezout1473]

@@AndrewFolts i bought the primus light 3

[@AndrewFolts]

@@potjezout1473 Oh nice! Yea, the Primus was one of my first and most used barefoot shoes. Just take it easy in the beginning, get lots of rest, and you'll have stronger arches in no time.

[@potjezout1473]

@@AndrewFolts yeah i will thank you for the tip

[@Blackvick]

Your website expired... Could you please fix it? Appreciated 🙏

[@Blackvick]

Ah no, just the fthelines website...

[@AndrewFolts]

Oh yea, I switched it to andrewfolts.com. Am I still linking to ftheline somewhere?

[@Blackvick]

@@AndrewFolts I see. Well, I saw it in the description. It was when I read your fixed comment that I realized which one was the good one. Btw, great vid! I am about to get my first barefoot shoes ☺️ Thanks for your helpful descriptions!

[@AndrewFolts]

@@Blackvick Oh that's awesome. Congrats! Take is slow and have fun out there! (:

[@ymer2501]

worn vibram i think for almost 3-3.5 yrs now. 3x V-Runs, 1x KMD & 1x V-Trail. most of my V-Runs worn out waay earlier than i expected, i think not even reach 600 miles. i do agree with you about the way how people need to run with these shoes, plus, i ran almost every single day on the road. so yeah, it will wear off earlier. i still love wearing them & still gonna get them more in the future...hahahaha.. for me vibram is the most 'truest' barefoot shoes because of it's shape & design. i cant imagined myself wearing any other barefoot shoes other than vibram.hahhahaha

[@AndrewFolts]

Yea, if only VIbram could make a waterproof version I'd wear them 24/7. Where'd your V-Run's wear out?

[@ymer2501]

@@AndrewFolts​​⁠i do land fore/mid foot but probably with a bit of supination i guess 😅😅😅 coz all 3 of y vibrams worn out at the same spot, at the ball joint of my pinkie toes..

[@FulvioGa]

120 / 10 = 12 not 1.2.

[@AndrewFolts]

Oh jeez, you're right. Well, still cheap either way. (:

[@marcz9482]

Cant take this guy serious with dirty shoe bottoms. No attention to detail

[@AndrewFolts]

It's a video about tread durability, ha. Part of the aesthetic. (: