Vivobarefoot Tracker Winter SG || Barefoot Shoe Review

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Get 10% off all VivoBarefoot shoes with code GT10 || www.vivobarefoot.com

[@Raven.Ballard]

@TheBarefootStrengthProject what is the arch support ability? I have very high arches. Do you have inserts to change the arch support needs? Or do you have a set of shoes/ boots for high arched peeps

[@KatyYam]

The discount code doesn’t work, could it be because I’m ordering in Canada?

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

@@KatyYam unfortunately the December promo code doesn’t work on distributor sites (of which Canada is one) but the general 10% off code is still valid (GT10)- hope that helps!

[@HagarTST]

I brought a pair of these just before the snow came here in Denmark, and can only say that I love them!!

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Brilliant boots! Hope you got a lot of wear out of them this winter 🙌🏽

[@rhyshicks5126]

Perfect, I came to this video because I needed a review before my trip to Copenhagen this Christmas. 😊

[@joshl.1978]

Ive been wearing the tracker ESC boots in the snow for last season and this upcoming season. Not the warmest, but ive survived camping in 10° F in the snow and absolutely no issues with daily 30° hikes in the snow.

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Have you tried adding thermal insoles to them?

[@joshl.1978]

@@TheBarefootStrengthProject not yet, but i do have some wool insoles from Wildling shoes that I may try in the vivos next camping trip

[@dewy3288]

Just ordered a pair of these this last Sunday, and I'm really excited to finally have something warmer than my Primus Trail FG II. These are going to be for shoveling and winter hikes, as my older Keen boots are no longer wide enough to comfortably fit in.

[@itsOneL]

The sole separation is super common on vivos as of late. All the OG models I owned rarely had issues with sole separation. But some of the newer models seem to separate no matter what even with minimal wear. I don’t think it matters that much about wearing the SG even without soft ground conditions. A friend of mine just bought these SG, I still have my original tracker SG Winter, and within a week of wearing he already has separation on the sole where it looks like just from squatting up and down, there’s separation at the forefoot which is so sad. Seems to be a quality control issue with vivo to be honest.

[@Jlaida94]

I've just had the same issue for a second time with a second pair this year, been wearing the textile trackers just over a month and after a short 3 mile walk yesterday I noticed my feet were damp from the rain I looked down and the sole has separated from the seem

[@Jlaida94]

@Smattyy damn that isn't good at all man, im awaiting to return mine and at this point debating just taking a refund as its become a bit to common now

[@Druezy]

I've been using two pairs consistently for over a year now and I have had no issues. A Forest ESC and a Primus Lite III, both look brand new. I wish I could buy more!

[@andrewmorgan3765]

Great video …..again…looking forward to the sock review

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Thank you mate! It’ll be up around Christmas 🙌🏽

[@2024Alfredo]

The boots should not break. Maybe some stitch would help

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

I agree - on shoes this expensive, stitched soles would go a long way!

[@1024Pete]

Unacceptable for an expensive boot to come apart. Boots made for hiking in all conditions should have the quality to withstand nature's tooth and claw. I will continue to trust my Lowa boots. Thanks for your honest review.

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Can't argue with that - you should check out the review I did on the Vivo Tracker Forest ESC. They coin it their 'expedition' boot and it's a beast. I've not been able to break them yet and they're about to come with me on an exped to the tropics.

[@ionuttarin9648]

Great work with the testing method 🙌. As for the damaged boot I think that shouldn’t happen, i mean , this boots are expensive and having that happen on a costumer would give bad image. To be honest I think all their hiking boots should have stitches so the boot can keep up with the stress taking in count the flexibility. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate Vivo Barefoot, even if i had a lot of problems with the hiking range I keep buying from them the models that didn’t fail at all, i jut want to see problems fixed when there are any and bringing them up is the only way to solve them. All the best from Spain.

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Thank you! It was a fun video to shoot 🙌🏽. And I agree, barefoot shoes are a hard design to nail and I think most people are quite forgiving as a result. It would be great to see a stitched sole on these in future, the trick will be keeping them waterproof!

[@ionuttarin9648]

@@TheBarefootStrengthProject there is a lot of innovation on these shoes and i am sure VIVOBAREFOOT is capable to find a way to stitch the boots and keep them waterproof. Till then i will give you my recipe for waterproof boots, i made the Tracker Forest boot waterproof with it . 4 parts petroleum jelly, 1 part bee wax and you can add an essential oil to make them smell nice ( I used lavender because it keeps the bugs away but you can use what you want) . You warm the boot and you rub the mix on the boot ( repeat the process twice and after that every 2 weeks . Don’t forget to put it on the stitches , it will seal the holes and prevent water to go in . After you have the solution applied on both boots just remove the excess with a cloth. Take your time to do it . On mine and works perfectly. Enjoy

[@JesseGoodmanPath2U]

first, thanks for the review as always. Second, I love Vivo and own 5 different pairs to date. One thing I have learned, as I am hard on the shoes, is to look for the models that have the sole stitched on, instead of just glued. I chose the ESC as my winter boot for this reason, where as the Trackers are just glued and therefore susceptible to the issue you had. I wish Vivo would stitch all their soles !!

[@ionuttarin9648]

@@JesseGoodmanPath2U not at all models, i have some primus lite , primus trail and the hydra ESC , all of them are in perfect conditions and i use them a lot. The Hydra esc is my main running shoe and i used it on ultra trails on very rough terrain and no problem at all ( I bought them from Revivo ) , the primus trail as well i use it for running , hiking and the condition is perfect after 1 year. I think it depends on the material that the shoe is made , on some models the glue works better than others.

[@JesseGoodmanPath2U]

@@ionuttarin9648 that's promising. For me, all the models with glued soles have eventually separated, whereas the stitched models have all held up beyond a year of use. I also use them for hiking a lot, but also Disc Golf, which has a lot of side torsion that probably exaggerates this issue

[@anniel8888]

Hi! Nice review! what glue did you use and does it still hold ? I need to repair mine 😅 thanks

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Thank you! Have you had the same issue? I think it was gorilla glue. It held like a charm but had to tidy it up as I was trying to repair it in the rain. I did a video on the repair here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZSTc6KpaLWarLM

[@anniel8888]

@@TheBarefootStrengthProject mine came already with sole apart - so I am considering options. They were in good price and I don't want money back h I want shoe, which is otherwise very comfortable - and I am not sure I trust that shop with warranty repair. My concern is, that if I glue this part, then it will start to go apart where I don't repair - that it will continue to separate elsewhere since it wasn't mechanical like yours rocks.

[@anniel8888]

@@TheBarefootStrengthProject they had the last pair in this size, so exchange is also not an option

[@jonsimo]

This is incredibly thorough and useful, kudos dude! Amazing content

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Thank you dude 🙌🏼

[@AK_Catholic_Traditional]

I have a problem with snow getting in because the back of the boot is very low. Even if it’s only 5cm of snow. The snow shoots itself up while walking and I immediately get snow in my boots. Other than that, "great shoe" but pointless if it snowed in night and you need to get to your car (mines 200m away at a parking).

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Could be a stride length issue (see my most recent video for more information on this) but otherwise, gators!

[@AK_Catholic_Traditional]

@@TheBarefootStrengthProject Watched the video. No. That’s not a skill issue. I’ve studied gait at Uni (Physiotherapy) and I’ve been wearing Vivo’s for 5-7 years. That’s the fault of the particular boot design. My wife’s brother bought the same pair and he has the same issue. Other problem with Vivo’s is left insole slides back in all the shoes to the point you can’t use them (except few pairs maybe and I have probably 15 pairs). That’s Vivo’s fault. Probably the thread pattern goes one way on the right shoe and on the left somehow different, making it slide back. And again, Brother in law has the same issue on left shoe.

[@handsomebear.]

​@@AK_Catholic_Traditional sounds like skill issue for the both of you, including with the left sole thing...never seen anyone else anywhere complain about the latter, and had no issues myself~

[@Jlaida94]

I've personally found the last 3 pairs of vivos I've had to all have the same issue with the glue wearing off and separating from the sole. I've been wearing the new vegan textile trackers for just over a month here in the UK autumn and winter conditions and even with minimal wear the glue has come apart and exposed a gap from the seem and the sole which is not letting water in rendering them pretty useless in rain and wet conditions. Interestingly I've noticed a few other people having the same issue so I feel it's a quality control issue on vivos side, pretty disappointing as these are £180 plus boots 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@ChineseKiwi]

Are they different Vivo shoe models? Very interested for Magna Forest ESC as this as my #1 choice but these recent QA issues are concerning me!

[@Jlaida94]

@ChineseKiwi the ones I'm referring to are a different model not these ones but I beleive they are similar design in terms of glue being used for the attachment of the sole , hope that helps !

[@ChineseKiwi]

@@Jlaida94 thanks for that. After looking into it more, reading Angie’s Reviews (literally THE source for barefoot shoe reviews) and learning the shape type of my foot etc and what I want to use the shoes for, the Jim Green African Ranger Barefoot might be a better one for me. And less QA lottery. I would be using it in hotter often more humid weather while the leather would be more durable so… And well, considering it is designed for African savannah and rainforests and they being hot humid environments…. Interestingly I’m an avid dancer and the opposite is needed there in that you need barefoot like shoes that are light but *less* grip and traction ha.

[@pinogatto3540]

So in Canada, where we could get > 8cm of snow often, these boots are not good based on comments and water proofing limit?

[@olneygoin8359]

Hi! Thanks for the review, it was very helpful. I was wondering if I could use the tracker winter sg in a winter that fluctuates from 5+ to 10-. I live in Frankfurt, Germany, just in case you know the climate here. Thanks in advance!

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

I know it well, I lived near Paderborn for 7 years as a child. These would have no issues with the climate at all.

[@andyawol5716]

I’m doing Kilimanjaro next September, what do you think, will they be good enough? I’ve already got the normal Tracker FG2 and love them, but been advised that Vivos may not be good enough with the changing climate zones on Kili, would love your thoughts and advice.

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Hi Andy, I haven't done Kili but did take the predecessor to this boot up Toubkal in Morocco earlier this year which has similar climates. The way I see it, these will have 1 main issue: Heat.. these will run warm on the lower altitude sections, you could swap the insoles out from the standard thermal ones but you may still find the warmth uncomfortable. Once you breach the warm sections however, these would thrive especially on a non technical climb like Kili. I got around that by using the Primus Trail Knit FG on the approach, donning the Trackers for the final ascent. If you're committed to doing the whole thing in a single pair of Barefoot Shoes then you may want to look into the Tracker Forest ESC. Vivo don it their 'expedition' boot, the sole and construction are bulletproof and you could add in a thermal insole (or two) and good socks to bring the warmth up to speck. Hope that helps and look forward to hearing how it goes!

[@andyawol5716]

@@TheBarefootStrengthProject Thanks for the advice, really appreciated, I’ll have a think and see how I go. I really like the look of these boots and your review has been really helpful. I pretty much live in a pair of Magna Trail II, so might use these if feet too hot lower down. Bonus is all Vivos are so light, therefore no weight issues. Bit of thinking to do but thanks again. Great channel.

[@Rijuls]

Hi considering ordering these for use in 4 to -15 C in Norway, we get a lot of snow. How apt do you think these are for handling daily use including asphalt roads? Do you think the SG sole will wear out very quickly? I was considering the FG2 Decon but the waterproofing seems to be lacking on those for deep snow use.

[@Pedersons1]

I'm looking for a boot that's good in -25°F/-32°C. Do you think these would be comfortable in that range?

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

No, you should look into the VivoBarefoot Tundra ESC if you’re in that temp range!

[@m7rayven195]

They really look fantastic. The sole accident is probably consequence of bad luck in my opinion, but with such a expensive footwear, we (customers) must expect a good durability too. Talking about the soles... Since you own several pairs of Vivo with the different type of soles (ESC, FG, FG2, SG)...which one do you think will do best hiking in the mountains? Rocky mountains I mean (im thinking specially about the Pyrennes because is where I live). And if you can say something about the durability expectancy of each one... It will be great. I recently got a pair of Magna Forest ESC for winter hikes (excepting when I need cramponable boots) but Im considering which option is the best, and what options could be the best for summer too Thanks you so much. These videos helps us a lot. PD: Vivobarefoot boots crampon compatible would be my dream hahahha

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

I'm inclined to agree with you! I've actually spent a lot of time in the Pyrenees and would say the FG sole would offer the best durability to performance for the terrain. Translated into shoes I'd suggest either the Magna Trail II FG if you like having a little ankle support or the Primus Trail Knit FG if you prefer the fast n' light trail shoe approach! Hope that helps!

[@m7rayven195]

@@TheBarefootStrengthProject thanks you so much for the answer. Glad to hear that you spent a lot of time here. Do you think for that use the FG2 sole is better than the ESC? I was inclined to think the opposite. I dont really much care about the ankle support, because i really doubt it actually helps... So a low cut shoe is preferred (if the weather allows it hahaha). The two models you listed are FG thou... Not FG2. I think the Decons have the FG2... I can be wrong Thanks again!

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

@@m7rayven195 I don’t think it’s better, but I do think it’ll last longer on the dry rocky terrain than the ESC plus you already have a pair of ESC’s!

[@m7rayven195]

@@TheBarefootStrengthProject oh okok. Gotcha!! Thanks

[@spakecdk]

@@TheBarefootStrengthProject Surely this is a mistake right? Magna trail II FG doesn't have the FG2 sole, nor does the Primus trail. Boots like Tracker Decon FG2 have the FG2 sole.

[@andrewmorgan3765]

Do you find that the top lugs dig into the side of your ankle when they are done up tight ?

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

I tend not to wear any of my boots tight, so no!

[@josefaciccarelli7357]

Ill be going to steamboat springs colorado for a ski trip with the family, I dont ski but like to walk in the snow and walk around town. Looks like weather is around 20-30 degrees F currently during the day. I live in Hawaii and would be nice to use these as well. Its not snowing there but would like to use them in our upcountry cooler (50degree F), wet, muddy environment at home as well as hiking in the forest. Do you think these would be good for both those environments or would you recommend something else. Looking for something waterproof cuz it does get rainy and muddy in hawaii and for the snow in colorado. It seemed like these were the only waterproof ones?? Would love to hear what you would recommend. This would be my first pair. Thanks!!

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Hey Jose - great question! IMO these would be fantastic in Colorado but overkill in Hawaii. What I would suggest however is the Tracker Forest ESC boot WITH additional thermal insoles (which you can get on the Vivo website). Couple those with some decent socks and you'll be set for the cold in Colorado. Take them out and you'd be able to go anywhere and everywhere in Hawaii. The only issue would be the waterproofing and you'd be able to address that by treating the leather properly (all leather boots are naturally waterproof until the leather saturates through which treating prevents). I did another video on those boots, you can check that out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iX2ld4uVpaigi68 Hope that helps!

[@QuasiAmerican]

Which boots would you recommend for winter use on pavements in the UK? I got the Gobi boot winterised version and I love them but unfortunately the grip is horrendous when it's frosty/ snowy outside like it was a week ago. I wondered if these would be a better option or something else from vivo? Thanks

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

For frosty/snowy conditions then these would absolutely wipe the floor with the Gobi's but given you're planning on using them mostly on pavements you may also want to check out something like the Tracker Forest ESC. The soles will last a lot longer on a high friction surface like pavement compared to the Winters which are soft ground specific

[@QuasiAmerican]

@@TheBarefootStrengthProject thanks for your reply. I was considering those too but I wasn't sure how they compare warmth and waterproofness-wise to the tracker winter sg? As my main concern is that it rains a lot here and I also get really cold feet.

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

​@@QuasiAmerican they wouldn't be as warm as the tracker winters but you could definitely spice them up with a pair of the vivo thermal insoles. The waterproofing depends on how well you look after the leather. Mine have only failed me once and that was on a soaking wet ascent of Ben Nevis the day after a pissing wet ascent of Scafell Pike and even them I'm quite certain it was my lack of gators and socks that let me down (rain leached down them soaking the boots) The other alternative, that could be a better out the box option for you, would be the new Tracker Textile. Warm, waterproof, and durable. I haven't reviewed them on the channel yet (though I have been testing them over the past few weeks) and they're awesome - the only problem is they're also very hard to find!

[@TC-zh2ok]

I live in the UK and have been wearing the tracker II FG boots for ages, they've served me really well and have only just started letting some water in on one shoe as I've worn a hole through part of the sole! would definitely recommend them, mine have only worn through because I've worn them almost everyday for about 2 years

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

@@TC-zh2ok That's some good going! The Tracker II's are a pretty legendary boot, pleased they've served you well!

[@Smattyy]

How are they on normal forest trails? Is it uncomfortable with the lugs sticking out on harder surfaces?

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Completely fine. I assume some very clever people have sat down and worked out the ideal traction to pressure point combo so you really can't feel the lugs at all once the boots are on your foot, no matter the surface.

[@slavasss2189]

Very creased leather...how long did u use them at the moment of video?

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Month or two but given how ridiculously flexible they are compared to normal hiking boots the leather is always going to crease. What matters is that the crease hasn't reduced the structural integrity or waterproofing properties of the boot

[@slavasss2189]

@@TheBarefootStrengthProject but also important not to look like homeless person in very creased but new boots for 250 euro 😅

[@handsomebear.]

​@@slavasss2189 what kind of luxury homeless people live around your parts ;V

[@Simonblaine]

Anyone use them in actual winter conditions? ie, not the Lake District's -4 degrees?

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Yes, I used them throughout Canadian winter (Ontario, temps frequently down to -20c + windchill) and they held up well. This video was actually filmed out there (albeit at the very start of winter)

[@atmafrequency]

Anyone knows why they're no longer available on the official website? At least in Belgium where I am..

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Probably stocking issues - hold out and they should come back into stock sometime soon ✌🏽

[@valdius85]

Yes, some sort of crampons or microspikes would be appreciated. I don’t really care if it would make barefoot less barefoot. This extreme nonsense has to stop. There are environments where minimalistic shoes work great, but please also offer a shoe that works on slippery cold conditions. That shoe will be stiffer, but it is fine as the competition absolutely suck at making shoes that can be walked in :) I’m writing it so emotionally as I would like to start hiking in the winter season but need a shoe that can work with good micro spikes or crampons.

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

Definitely 🙌🏼

[@Raven.Ballard]

Is there arch support, or is it for flat feet? I have insanely high arches, and it's hard to find shoes or hiking boots.

[@TheBarefootStrengthProject]

As these are Barefoot Shoes they have zero support throughout the shoe. Especially with high arches, foot strength is important. Strong feet are less likely to be painful or have restricted movement. The problem with ‘supporting’ arches using inserts is that inserts immobilise arch muscles, weakening them instead of strengthening them so I'd say the world of barefoot shoes is worth exploring - but carefully.