The Xero Scrambler Mid: Must-Have Boot for Any Barefoot Hiker?

[@AB-nb2ic]

"Challenge the argument, not the person" ❤ That is brilliant! I've never heard that phrase before, but it's exactly how I operate and how I wish more people would. So well said!

[@margaretmayekar8761]

The main reason I ever wear higher ankle boots is if I’m going somewhere with a higher chance of soggy boggy trails, or water crossing (shallow creek/stream). I definitely prefer ‘suffocating’ ankles to a shoe full of mud or water, but it sounds like you don’t walk in those kinds of places. I will say that my feet generally feel better on hikes where I wear my low rise hikers, so as usual, you raise some good points!

[@tybee4662]

Just a comment on Xero's customer service. They have been awesome for me! I have only had a couple issues and they were fixed immediately. Recently I reached out to them inquiring about getting replacement insoles for a pair of my son's Oswegos (discontinued) and Xero sent a pair to me the next day free of charge, just for being a repeat customer. That's the kind of thing that keeps people committed to a good, honest brand.

[@Uprighthealth]

Thanks for sharing

[@ornellh]

I just got mine. Excellent. For me the high top is more about protection. I liked them just fine the 1st day 15000 step day of work, can't wait to try them out on trails

[@AndreaS-xp6op]

Those were my thoughts before I watched the video, and definitely after! A few years ago I rolled my ankle a few times while out on day hikes. I never hurt myself, but I realized if I had I would likely have to be rescued. I thought about buying hiking boots, but instead I bought a wobble board and strengthened my ankles that way. Waaayyy cheaper than hiking boots and I haven't rolled my ankle since (a life long problem!) Just a note... I own several pairs of Xero's... they're great!

[@vikpatel]

Thanks for the review. What boots do you recommend with more flexible ankle support to keep out dirt and the elements? 5:10

[@buster.keaton]

As an apparent Xero shoe addict (I own too many pairs), I'm glad I watched this video. The Scrambler is great looking boot, but my ankles have told me time and time again that they don't like being repressed. You just saved me ~$170! If a waterproof low top version is ever offered, I'll have to start preparing space in my closet for yet another pair of Xero shoes..

[@gokaruna]

same here (own several pairs of Xero's) and I pulled the trigger on this pair - I just don't like the ankle support - I have worn it out for a couple of days and and now I cannot return it - kinda stuck...

[@squidlyminimalisim]

The scrambler comes in a low top version now

[@timeenuf4200]

I'm just a day hiker although our trails around my house can be a rocky adventure. My Xeros (forgot the name) work great on these types of trails. Looking forward to a new pair soon so glad you reviewed the Mesa Trail. Thanks for the information.

[@AB-nb2ic]

EXCELLENT review. Exceedingly fair and transparent. Ankle support would probably be good for backpacking/camping with a heavy pack, but I agree that it's not necessary for short day hikes

[@nancyanderson6741]

I, too, feel restricted when the boot is too high up over the ankle. I have a pair like that but have never bought a boot that doesn't restrict the ankle movement when walking or hiking a long distance. I have a pair of Aasics running shoes that have little to no arch or ankle support and I can walk unencumbered feeling no impedement when going for my daily walks, which are between 20 and 30 minutes long. But I've never really hiked.

[@MrUma-San]

I was thinking of going more minimalist with my shoes, but after breaking my ankle on a SHORT hike because of shoes that have no support, these guys sound like a perfect fit!

[@m7rayven195]

Thats probably not fault of your shoes... More like unprepared ankles. I strongly doubt a piece of fabric can stop our ankles from breaking.

[@MrUma-San]

@@m7rayven195 Obviously my shoes did not cause it directly, but they provided support in a situation where good ankle support would have reduced it to a sprain. I've hiked Mt Fuji and had plenty of close calls with my ankles, but good footwear prevented injury. The hike I broke my ankle was supposed to be just a quick one and bam.

[@ph5915]

I got a pair of Lem's a few month ago of very similar design to these. They were a modification of their trail shoe, just, these are high-tops. They have an agressive tread sole and the main differentiator I was looking at, compared with Xeros at the time, were, these were waterproof. Winter in the Mid-Atlantic, we usually don't get a lot of snow in a year, but cold rain, yes. These also have a little thicker sole than other minimalist shoes. They were my 1st pair of minimalist, and it's a good transition. I get what you mean about restrictive ankle movement, it doesnt bother me much but I also don't hike. lol. I also got a pair of Xeros Suedes and they are more thin soles, I plan of wearing them in the warmer months (shorts) because my long pants drag on the ground in the Xeros 😂. I also intend on getting a pair of the Xeros sandals soon.

[@MyFatAdaptedLife]

Thx for a comprehensive review. Would you recommend these for rucking?

[@nannatheilgaard9156]

I have loose ankles and have a history of rolled and twisted ankles, so this would be the perfect hiking boot for me!

[@Andreas-ni2lt]

Totally agree. I don't see a reason why you would need "ankle support" by wearing boots. After wearing low top Xeros for a year or two you'll have enough ankle support through your foot muscles, strengthened arch and core stability.

[@debrapond3588]

These sound interesting, but when I went to the Xero website I discovered that women's sizes are only available in purple or teal. Many of the other models appear to be exclusively in "fun" colors. Come on, really??? I'm not 6.

If you don’t clean them they’ll eventually turn grey.

[@a.w.thompson4001]

Debra, I agree!

[@ZexionAxzura]

Debra, any issue getting a men’s color and just converting the size?

[@magdatadeusiak2550]

Couldn't agree more

[@hazelmartin7911]

Probably good for winter hikes in certain areas with the higher ankles. It doesn't look like you have snow around.

[@MaliYojez]

I wonder if other people experience this? At home, I walk around barefoot or in socks and naturally land forefoot/mid-foot. Always have done. As soon as I put shoes on, even minimalist barefoot shoes, I automatically switch to heel striking. If I try to walk naturally in shoes, it all goes wrong and confusing. I’m finding now that on the days I have to go into the office, one of my knees begins to hurt.

[@Ferbocarbo]

Same here

[@bluefirephoenix347]

I experience this. It's jarring on my body. That's why i decided to move to zero drop shoes with a higher stack height, like Altra. Lems may also be a good option. I'm thinking of trying their Outlander hiking boot.

[@thomasandrews1942]

I started with Xero and found the same thing, unconsciously heel striking. I now find that the MOST extreme barefoot brands(Be Lenka without the insole - 4 mm and no trail foam) cause me to walk correctly because otherwise it hurts! Haha

[@jcbowser]

These shoes are awesome! I want them to make a low cut version too!

[@jamesblaser5329]

They do

[@recentisland1513]

Awesome… what you don’t like about the boot is what I am looking for so I guess I will buy them .

[@christineborgatti3760]

I walk 3 miles a day. I don't have the scrambler but I have only been wearing Zeros since I started. I love no heel and the big toe box.

[@jamesblaser5329]

They do

[@sabinamock4799]

Helpful and interesting review. Thank you.

[@becky_see]

Do you have winter boot recommendations? The cold weather is approaching 🥶

[@davidroseman3287]

I had always understood that ankle support was recommended in particular for those carrying heavy packs, since they make one much more susceptible to becoming suddenly off-balance. I think they can be useful as well for going down very uneven trails, where reaction time may be insufficient.

[@carl8568]

If you're winter hiking in the bush I think a boot is basically indispensable. The market for barefoot boots still seems to be in it's early stages though, I recently dropped $300 on some Vivobarefoot Tracker II FGs but already durability is looking quite poor. I would have forked out the extra coin for the ESC version but I couldn't get over the styling of the boot. My first Xeros fell apart quickly so I'm a little reluctant to invest in them again. For summer hiking, and casual wear, I basically live in Bedrock sandals. The Cairn model is excellent for hiking, even if your toes can get a bit scuffed up. I've found wearing barefoot styled shoes and sandals makes normal shoes become very uncomfortable to wear! But there's still a place for my heavy Scarpa Kailash GTX bricks when I need to strap on crampons or kick steps in snow/ice.

[@kenphillips6234]

I've been enjoying the Xero Shoes Men's Denver Winter Boot. A bit of a pain to put on, but I wear them daily.

[@dignelberrt]

I'm thinking of getting some xero shoes for my work since I'm a land surveyor. I bought some Kona's to try out the idea of barefoot shoes and I love them, they're already my main shoes outside of work. I might try out the Mesa IIs since I'm walking through thr woods a lot, I need to extra motion from the lack of ankle support.

[@annapainter2763]

Do you have a video discussing your favorite waterproof cold-weather shoots with flexible ankle support? I need something for late fall or early spring Colorado hikes but I hate how restrictive hiking boots feel around the ankles.

[@Dinu-desculţ]

Hi ! I'm a barefoot hiker, since at 2 years old (in 1961) in my country Romania. And in all these years, I traveled hundreds of thousands of km around the world (mostly through the mountains), but only barefoot (without any kind of shoes, being totally immune to this disease called "fashion") and I taught (taught) many people to do it. But now, this new invention seems extremely strange to me... 🤔😅 After all, the world is full of all kinds of people, each looking for true happiness everywhere. When it is very close to us... being right inside in us. The only weight is taking off your flip flops and going on in your life. Life that is too short to wear shoes. And the bare feet are happy feet : 🦶🏼🦶🏼 ☺ !

[@adamkreuz9068]

They look like the Terra Flex II with ankle support. I love my Terra Flexes but they developed a hole. I'll see if they can fix it or replace it.

[@braveheart6816]

I like xero over other barefoot shoe brands because they actually have my size. Lifes hard when youre a 6/6.5 in mens lol

[@jeremebonesaw]

They have a low top version. You should review that one or maybe you'll just prefer it.

[@facundocorradini]

I definitely agree with you, these are not built for the casual hiker. But add 50 pounds of military equipment and 10x the daily hike length, and you'll be begging for ankle support. Of course, these won't pass military regulation, as those are written before the barefoot renaissance. But for anyone with looser regulations doing these kinds of activities, it pretty much boils down to either these or Vivo's Tracker Forest Esc.

[@jqcklebourne226]

How is the grip on smooth and wet surfaces? Such as tiles, polished concrete etc? Also, do they squeak on certain surfaces?

[@Ferbocarbo]

As long as you don't need aggressive tread, the SOM HiLites should fit the bill. Mine are on the way!

[@yolanda9730]

I hike 2-3 times a week for 4-5 miles. Would these be better for me?? I were Merrells right now. Sorry about the spelling

[@johnnyjohnny7204]

i have a pair...i like the boot look so your ankle guard comments don't apply to me. actually, i'm a longtime cowboy boot wearer who recently bought xero's HFS minimal running shoe and my cowboy boots felt so klunky when i put them on the next day i decided to go for xero hikers as my go to everyday shoe instead of cowboy boots. i do think the scramblers' toe still looks a bit cLoWn shoe-ish, despite you saying it doesn't, but i put a shoe tree in them to return some of the rounded tip to the shoe (on the hiker, not my running HFS) so that takes care of that. aside from the clownshoe look of xero shoes, i do love both the scramblers and the running shoes. HOWever i don't think they need to make their shoes' toe area look quite so much like duckfeet. as a minimal runner i used to use the new balance minimus 00 before they discontinued that 7 years a go and it was plenty big in the front for toe splay, but had just a slight more rounded tip so didn't look so Barnum & Bailey. get with it xero...don't use this ugly clownshoe bs because it makes your shoes look more 'minimal trendy'...it's not necessary...get real. oh, yeah, nice review even tho you don't like hikers.

[@jamesblaser5329]

Xero mesa trail are a awesome shoe they do a wp version its a lillte bit stiffer but fully waterproof

[@katn1952]

What about the grip in mud or on slippery roots or downhill gravel paths?

[@christianlangfield9303]

The fact that Xero sends out a ton of free shoes to affiliates to do video 'reviews' is a huge red flag so it's refreshing to see an honest review. If Xero brought out a low (shoe) version of this boot then I would definitely consider it. I average about 16 miles for weekend hikes and only use boots if it's very wet and cold and the material is water resistant or proof.

[@tybee4662]

LOTS of companies do this these days. I don't think it's a bad thing when the agreement is that the reviewer does an honest review. I think that speaks more to Xero's confidence in their product. It's up to us to watch the honest reviewers and bypass the biased ones.

[@CptAngelKGaming]

"Huge red flag" that they're getting their shoes out there for people to see? What drugs are you on. Get out of here.

[@johnf8609]

Thanks for the honest review!👍Does Xero have anything in a walking shoe? I walk 7-10 miles a day and go through shoes about every 8 weeks.

[@christineborgatti3760]

I just got a pair of HFS and that's my favorite now but I only walk 3 miles a day.

[@13noman1]

Kinda surprising you'd go through shoes so quickly! I, too, walk 7-10 miles/day (more on weekends) but my shoes (especially zero drop shoes -- Lems, Vivos, one pair of Xero) seem to last forever. Mind you, I rotate my shoes over the course of the week.

[@johnf8609]

@@13noman1 I seem to get only 400-500 Miles out of a pair on average. I've worn Brooks, New Balance, and Hoka. I prefer a light and cushion shoe, 90% of my walking is on concrete sidewalks. The walkers I've tried on always seem heavy and not a lot of cushion.

[@13noman1]

@@johnf8609 Gotcha. I moved to "barefoot" style shoes ~ 3 years ago and found them to last longer than cushioned shoes. So often, my Brooks, New Balance, Nikes etc all looked fine but my knees/hips would ache indicating the support was gone -- probably at about your same mileage.

[@CptAngelKGaming]

Get a pair of HFS and you'll never look back.

[@Atg.po1]

Can you do a review for Jikatabi

[@budnspud]

OMG I'm the same. I hate ankle support.

[@wherebarbarameetstheroad8600]

I would love a clip from 2:25, through the splitting comments that was shareable!❤

[@suleimanhussien1559]

which ones has a thicker sole and wider toebox ,this or daylight hiker fusion ?

[@alidalavezzari4103]

Is the toe box wide?

[@marthajacobo3519]

Hi boots can cause soreness around ankle, especially those over 50, not everyone has perfect ankle area.

[@5p4gg3tt1]

How does the sole thickness compare to the Hiker Fusion model? I tried wearing that model on flat surfaces, and it got really uncomfortable. It just wasn't thin enough for me.

[@GingerWildcat]

Romain legonaries did 20 miles a day with 60 to 85 lbs of gear in sandal boots with no arch or ankle support. Not sure the supports make a human more capable. Conditioning does.

[@Inception109]

My right hip rotators are tight. One right leg has become shorter because of that. I feel tightness in back of my hips. When i do pigeon strech, it get better for 15 minutes, but after sometime it get back to how it was before ( tight and short). I don't know what to do. Please help

[@budnspud]

I have a question. I walk between 10k to 20k steps a day at work. I wear sneakers as they have the softest bottom which is spongy and that gives me the most relief on my feet. Any shoes that have hard bottoms end up causing me pain at the end of the day. Would this brand be spongy enough to work for my work?

[@kjones2008]

I think the only answer anyone can give is “your miles may vary” (YMMV). Xeros don’t have spongy soles, but they are soft enough for me. I walk all day on a tile floor, but don’t often reach 20k (12k is my average). If you do not wear minimal shoes currently, the general consensus is you will need to gradually introduce them. Both of my parents jumped straight into minimal shoes for hours a day and didn’t seem to have any problems (the increased proprioception and no heel lift for balance concerns was my main reason for suggesting them). You will find just as many people saying minimal shoes solved the worst of their foot problems as people who say they caused problems.

[@michiganhay7844]

I’m still looking for a zero drop wide, toebox, heavy duty work boot, then could be in mud and manure and water. Have you seen anything like that?

[@jwm1893]

Try Belleville mini mil boots. Not quite zero drop but close enough.

[@michiganhay7844]

@@jwm1893 thanks I’ll take a look

[@mexdrago3009]

I wanted to like zero, but their midfoot is too narrow. My heels go numb. I ended up using Nano x, and it sucks the changing the stack height for more cusion.

[@kumbackquatsta]

xero owes you an affiliate discount code

Are they waterproof? I have Vibram FiveFingers hiking boots (Trek Ascent, Trek Ascent Insulated and V-Trek) but they aren’t waterproof, what is a bummer when it rains or you have to go across a damped muddy terrain.

[@beagle249]

The Scrambler is not waterproof. I heard Steve Sashen of Xero mention they may have a waterproof breathable version for the Fall season.

@@beagle249, thanks for the reply.

[@kevinstarski1598]

Is it pronounced Xero or Zero?

[@alidalavezzari4103]

Idem. I don't want support for the ankle. Thank-you

[@billybob-uz6wz]

Your link doesn't work

[@Uprighthealth]

This link should take you straight to the xero site and you won't need to do anything special: bit.ly/uprightxero

[@anniwilson2534]

I wouldn’t class 1.5-2 miles a day as ‘hiking’ … more a warm up stroll 😉 Toe box looks nice but agree about too much ankle support. I need waterproof for wet and mud. Vivobarefoot Magna ESC is my preference - it has a wool sock around the ankle for light support but not restrictive, and the Michelin sole is super grippy.

[@carl8568]

@@anniwilson2534 How's the durability on those Magnas? I recently bought the Tracker FG and the adhesive is already starting to fail around the side 😒

[@anniwilson2534]

@@carl8568 unlike the trackers, the magnas have welted stitching around the sole edge so hopefully more durable.

[@CptAngelADVlogs]

@@anniwilson2534 Magnas are not waterproof though. I do wear mine in snow, but when it starts to melt and everything is wet and muddy, I use Freet Tundras that are waterproof (their grip is not that great though).

[@wackpaddyknickknack]

Love these shoes BUT!! They dont wear well, 4 weeks an minimal usage and rhe mesh has alresdy worn away where the little toe is. Love the feel of the boot but the quality is very poor

[@alidalavezzari4103]

But I walk much more than you.