Magna Forest ESC: First Impressions & Honest Review

[@OwenJackson]

What features do you look for to make your outdoor adventures even better?

[@rcBitz]

The sock ankle looks so comfortable, not sure if I would need a little more waterproofing from them. Vivo have so many to choose from now. Sadly every time I look for me or my kids the size we need is out of stock :-( Also the Link to VIVO does not appear in the description.

[@WalksOfWonder-BC]

I honestly wouldn’t be able to climb mountaintops in barefoot shoes if this boot didn’t exist. Theyre super grippy, comfortable for all day hikes, excellent for sharp rocks, good water resistance and top quality. Ground feel is still surprisingly good even with the Michelin treads. Can hike all day in these without my feet feeling banged up.

[@OwenJackson]

It’s awesome to hear how well these boots are performing for you! 😃 Climbing mountaintops in barefoot shoes is no small feat, so it’s great to know they’re providing that balance of grip, comfort, and protection 👣 Thanks for sharing your experience barefoot friend 🙏🏻🗻 Keep sharing your wonderful walks 🍂

[@Paul9]

I love my Magna ESCs and perfect for muddy walks this time of year where the Tracker Forest can be overkill. Even worn them in the ‘summer’ and breathe very well. These took a while to feel really comfortable though, and quite small fitting until the leather stretched, they’re like grippy slippers now though.

[@OwenJackson]

Absolutely agree, they offer a great balance. Grippy slippers perfectly capture my experience too 😃 Great to hear they’re breathable for when the summer months roll round again. Did you have a specific process to help break them in, or did the leather just naturally soften up over time?

[@tz12346]

Great review, and your feedback tracks with my experience after my first year with these boots.

[@OwenJackson]

Great to hear your experience and thanks for watching TZ 🙏🏻

[@anniwilson2534]

Hi Owen, I have these and Tracker ESC. I wear the Trackers more, due to the height of the boot offering more water resistance where I go with the dogs, but I love my Magnas for all the reasons you mention. Something I did was to spray the wool sock part with Aquiproof to give a bit more water protection. That ESC sole needs to get crafted onto a Vivo wellington style boot next!

[@OwenJackson]

Agreed 😃 An ESC sole on a barefoot welly boot would be fantastic, especially for those wet adventures with the dogs! 🐶💚

[@iakona23]

I've had this exact model of boots for about 2 years. You just can't beat the Michelin outsole for longevity and grip. Fantastic.

[@ammo_23]

How do you think the sole would fo as an everyday pavement pounder?!

[@OwenJackson]

Thanks for sharing your experience 😃 It’s great to hear that the Michelin outsole has held up so well over two years, that really speaks to the quality. Do you wear them for work, hiking, or something else? Curious to know how they've performed for you in different settings 👍

[@iakona23]

@@OwenJackson To be fair, I haven’t worn them the majority of the time, but the boots and the outsole are in pretty pristine condition. I’ve worn them with dress clothing, as winter boots in the snow, light trail use, and I can even run in them as I sometimes do barefoot style running. I also have Vivobarefoot Primus knit trail shoes (FG) and I have worn holes completely through the heel area in both shoes. That outsole does not hold up as well. I put a “boomerang footbed” tpu insole from Inov-8 trail shoes in the Vivobarefoot Primus shoes to cover the hole in the heel, and I can walk or jog in those shoes no problem.

[@iakona23]

@@OwenJackson Actually, if I could only have one pair of shoes to wear all the time, with dress clothes, for trail use, hiking, in snow, and for running, it would be the leather Magna Forest ESC in black color.

[@iakona23]

@@ammo_23 very good as an everyday pavement pounder. Comfortable, flexible, durable.

[@dn7875]

Thanks Owen, I chose the Magna Lite for the thermal insoles, I absolutely love them 😍

[@OwenJackson]

Great combo 🙌🏻 Thanks for sharing 😃

[@jockneyranger]

I have these and the Tracker ESC’s. The magnas are my everyday wear at the moment. Like gloves for your feet… but with attitude.

[@PaulGDowling]

These are awesome boots. So comfy and great grip. Love wearing mine.

[@OwenJackson]

Glad to hear you're loving them! Totally agree, they’re super comfy and that grip makes all the difference. Happy barefoot adventures 👣

[@gvarph7212]

Would you recommend for snowy / icy conditions? And how about pavement? I'm considering getting them as my main boots for a winter vacation to Japan (-10 to 10c / 15 to 50f). My feet are usually quite warm and I prefer just putting on warmer socks compared to using winter shoes/boots so these seem ideal

[@OwenJackson]

Hey Gvarph, this will be my first winter in the Magna Forest ESC, but I have experience with the Tracker Forest ESC, which has the same sole. It handled snowy and icy conditions well, providing solid traction. Warm socks are always a great addition, and since these are barefoot shoes, they allow more natural movement and blood flow than traditional hiking boots, helping keeping your feet comfortable and warm. Japan sounds amazing! I hope you have an incredible trip. If you decide to go for these boots, use the code in the description for a discount. Let me know if you have any more questions. Happy to help! All the best 👍

[@childcrone]

Re: pavement; I've had my Tracker Forest ESCs for several years. Same sole, as you know, and because the lugs have a good-sized flat contact surface, they don't feel lumpy on pavement, pretty smooth really. I've used them on hard, smooth ice when our road got iced-over, as well, with a set of Wintertrax ice grips stretched on over the soles and I could not make my feet slide. (I like that those are not spikey and not bulky. Easy to carry along and quick on & off as needed.) Hope your trip will go, or is going, super well!

[@Xarkanian]

I'm looking on their website, but I'm not seeing the Bracken version? Is it unavailable at the moment?

[@Smattyy]

They have only had the black version for a year now. I wonder why. They had other colours before as well.

[@Smattyy]

So no negatives?😁

[@OwenJackson]

Non so far 👍 Excited to test them further into winter. Will they be going onto your shortlist? What do you think of the colour way?

[@iakona23]

@@Smattyy They are a bit heavy if you are used to wearing lighter shoes. That’s the only real negative.

[@OwenJackson]

They're certainly robust 🥷🏻🦶🏻

[@beany]

Great video, but please just attach the mic to you chest as it's designed. It sounds terrible that close to your mouth

[@OwenJackson]

Thanks for watching and the feedback. What topics would you like to see in future videos?

[@LozMyKeys]

Bro you literally have a doppelganger @AndrewFolts same barefoot content too I thought you were him 😆

[@OwenJackson]

Thanks for watching. Are you a barefoot fan too? 🦶🏻✅