VIVOBAREFOOT WINTER BOOTS!!

[@AndrewFolts]

*Vivobarefoot Boots* (referral links) vivobarefoot tracker leather at - - - bit.ly/4e9QKTH vivobarefoot tracker textile at - - - bit.ly/4eekM9c vivobarefoot gobi hiber - - - - - - - - - bit.ly/3XQWYCj vivobarefoot gobi chelsea - - - - - - - bit.ly/4ewKm8V vivobarefoot gobi warmlined - - - - bit.ly/3BathmW injinji wool toe socks - - - - - - - - - - - kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZaZc3Zoq8ufatk wool felt insole - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -bit.ly/46EsKEu *Best Barefootwear* (referral links) casual shoes - - - bit.ly/3Smg8gx road shoes - - - - - bit.ly/48XEOBz trail shoes - - - - - bit.ly/4250J7B trek boots - - - - - - bit.ly/3SCgP5V winter boots - - - - bit.ly/3RRbI0X sandals - - - - - - - - bit.ly/4b2tfLu slippers - - - - - - - - bit.ly/3tNYvNz website - - - - - - - - www.barefootwear.org

[@elidicerbo]

The “AT” stands for “All Terrain.” It’s a new sole, similar to the FG2 sole, but not quite the same. I’d love to see a review as I’m already interested in these! But no pressure :)

[@IchDuForeverExplorering]

I got the new leather low with AT sole, i would say it is super tracktion sole i love it, im looking forward for the textile version of the boot and hopefully a low version of it

[@AndrewFolts]

"AT" Yea, I don't know how I missed that, ha. Vivo is sending me some boots when they're available. Hopefully the Tracker Leather AT!

[@sebi_m]

There is also the Tracker AT MOC, which recently appeared on their website, updated AT sole, stitched sole, thermal insole, polyester/wool lining. And of course there is the not so urban Tundra ESC.

[@AndrewFolts]

Yea, it was off the website when I filmed the video, but then showed up again today. Looks rad! I have some leather moccasin boots, and they fit into nature very well. Hopefully Vivo will send a pair for me to test/review.

[@sebi_m]

@AndrewFolts I'm curious about the Tundra ESC, since it's definitely not a casual boot I wonder how is the sole designed to be viable in cold temperatures, since there is a trade off, too much ground feel with a thinner sole will be cold. I'd personally would sacrifice the ground feel for bit thicker/insulated sole to be usable in more extreme winter conditions.

[@AndrewFolts]

@@sebi_m A thick sole is not necessary for insulation and rubber, actually, is a poor insulator. I've worn my super thin 3.7mm Vivo Gobi Winter Boots kzbin.info/www/bejne/poGcZHx-qLaol5o down to 0º F with no issue. What I do is put a wool felt insole bit.ly/46EsKEu inside, then use some Injinji merino wool toe socks kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZaZc3Zoq8ufatk as a baselayer with a thick pair of Smartwool's amzn.to/47ZyCZJ over top, if needed. You'd be amazed at how warm that setup is without losing any ground feel.

[@Brad-gk4jb]

I live in the uk. Ive bought a pair of the Tracker leather AT boots and the low leather AT. First impressions, the boots felt a lot stiffer than the Tracker 2 FG which felt comfy out of the box. The leather AT boot feels much stiffer around the tongue area. I think this is due to the new tongue construction which feels like thicker leather and its gusseted so it folds over itself in the left and right side and therefore bunches to form a thicker layer. This feels strange when trying them just at home. I imagine they will break in over time. The heal area also feels a bit odd, maybe a bit pinchy in areas. I wasn’t totally convinced and my immediate thought is I prefer the tracker 2 fg. Another thing to note is there is a rubber panel that is glued around the edge above the sole which will provide more water resistance and protect the leather from scuffing around edges. The finish is not up to standard. The rubber panels meet on the inside edge of the boots. The one is finished well but the other does not meet flush and a bit if of the rubber panel edge is proud which makes me worry is going to catch on things and delaminate. There is also an area where they have cut into the leather to glue the rubber down but the cut edge on the leather is visible as they don’t meet precisely. The low at shoes are a lot more comfy out the box with a thinner tongue. I also have noticed that the finishing isn’t on point. The left and right shoe are not symmetrical at the back. The right shoe measures 5mm shorter from the top of the sole to the top edge of the back of the. Its also narrower than the left shoe around the back of the ankle and curves in more around the opening which makes it dig in a bit compared to the left. This really isn’t acceptable when paying £180 to £200!! I will take photos and send them to Vivo as it seems their quality control is slacking. They are extortionate to start with and need to be spot on for that price.

[@AndrewFolts]

That sounds like a rough experience, hopefully it's a case of quality control, rather than the boots just having design flaws. I did expect them to be more structured with that extra rubber wraparound like my Winter SG boots. Glad the Low's were better. The original Primus Trek Leather's are still one of my all time fav's, so I was looking forward to something similar coming back. Really appreciate the field report!

[@gilldoyle3295]

I love my vivos when i first got them i thought they wouldn't last but they have been great .. thanks for this video I'm goung to be choosing a boot for the winter soon .. the forest gets wet and muddy very quickly.. roll on spring!! 😂

[@AndrewFolts]

Yea, I walk through my neighbor's woody lawn every morning and it's almost always wet/mucky, so water resistance is a must!

[@felix-eeee]

@@AndrewFolts water resistance is absolutely a must where I live, south west england

[@chryoko]

ordered one pair of leather Tracker. Looks great, thx for your influence ! 😁 (i needed one pair of such shoes anyway to replace my bulky heavy narrow pair of Mendl that i can't use anymore....)

[@AndrewFolts]

Right on! I can't wait to get my hands (or feet in this case) on the Tracker AT's. They look amazing and the tread seems like a perfect blend of firm and soft ground versatility.

[@anniwilson2534]

OMG I have the original Tracker FG, Gobi winterised and Gobi Chelsea … and none are worn out. Damn 😂

[@AndrewFolts]

That's the "problem" with Vivo's, ha, they last way too long. When I get comments from people saying they wore out in three months, I'm just like...how?? My original Primus Trek's are 7+ years old at this point and still work like new.

[@RagnarHoff]

Tracker AT Moc caught my eye. Damn expensive, but looks cool. Gobi Hiber is nice,but i can't get past the fact that a warm shoe like this meant for the cold winter should have lugs when the weather gets cooler and the ground gets slippier. A no-lugs winter shoe is a no-go for me.

[@AndrewFolts]

Yea, I was going to include the Moc too, but for some reason it wasn't on the site when I went to make the video. Back now, weirdly. But I'd love to review it, seems like a rad callback to the grassroots of barefoot boots. As for tread, I find that minimal lugs are fine for me, because deep ones don't work any better on ice (too slippery), and most of the time I'm on flat urban terrain with a boot like that. A lot of days I walk an hour and a half in my Gobi Winter's and I've never fallen. One nice thing about a thinner sole is that you can sense slippery terrain and react faster.

[@sebi_m]

@RagnarHoff Definitely agree, that sole is nice for autumn/spring but with a bit of snow I don't know how usable they remain.

[@PatrickPecoraro]

The split is called a sipe, it help prevent hydroplaning in cars.

[@AndrewFolts]

Oh cool! Thanks for pointing that out. (:

[@sallyalli4417]

Hi did you see the Vivo tracker AT Moc, which just released here in the UK. I'd love to see a vid about that boot!

[@AndrewFolts]

Hey Sally, I'd love to try it too. Hopefully Vivo has stock soon and is able to send one.

[@grantricker8001]

Thanks @andrewfolts - why if only one the leather? Can't make up my mind for new Tracker AT whether leather (black) or textile (black), hiking in AUS, and have trail runners for warmish weather, and want something 'waterproof' for snow, slush, mud walking and around camp for camping. Leather seems better from the perspective of more durable? outside is thick wild hide vs a polyester material that could tear yes? However like the all black look better than leather haha. The leather won't be as waterproof and then also once wet, will be harder to dry than the polyester textile one? Anything else to consider? Leather also feels better buy as same cost and leather is surely more expensive than polyester? Cheers!!

[@AndrewFolts]

Hey Grant, yea, I always prefer leather for water resistance and breathability over synthetic. That said, my old Vivo Tracker synthetic's are plenty water resistant and tough-no tears or scratches a year later. If your heart's set on the black's, I think they'd also be an excellent pick. One pro is you don't have to treat synthetic to retain the waterproofing. I haven't tried either AT version yet, but the leather one's are coming Monday, so you could wait a couple days for that review, if you like.

[@andrewknapp9980]

Didnt mention the Tundra ESCs, havent seen much of anything about them

[@AndrewFolts]

Those are kind of out of my scope. I'm not planning any Mt. Everest expeditions, ha!

[@grantricker8001]

why did they use cotton on the Tracker Leather AT for the lining? retains moisture?!! why not polyester /wool? lining Tongue/Counter Lining: 100% Wild Hide Leather, Vamp/Quarter Lining: 100% Cotton Cant decide between tracker AT textile and tracker leather due to this. leather good for durability vs the textile, and maintenance with oils to keep waterproof. But cotton!! thats going to retain moisture and once wet stay wet. Looking for best option to complement Altra lone peak for dry / warm conditions in Australia. Thoughts?

[@AndrewFolts]

I expect it's to make it more versatile for multiple seasons, where wool is more geared toward winter. I have a pair of Leather's coming tomorrow, so I'll be able to give you more info in the review, in terms of how much cotton there is inside vs leather. If it's only some thin cotton, breathability should be fine.

[@stevenmishos]

Do they actually test the winter traction of their boots? There's a lab here in Canada which tests the slip angle of winter boots, and options like Green Diamond, Vibram Arctic Grip, Icelandic Grip, and IceFX can approach 15 degrees of angle before slipping. Poor tread options slip on 0-3 degrees of angle.

[@AndrewFolts]

That sounds pretty amazing! What kind of terrain is on the ramp? Just flat or rocky...wet, etc?

[@stevenmishos]

@@AndrewFolts The surface is an adjustable ramp covered in ice. If you Google "rate my treads" you should find the RMT section of the WinterLab on the KITE research site. Here's a blurb from their site... We call our method the Maximum Achievable Angle Test or MAA for short and here's how it works in 4 basic steps: 1. The person starts at level ground on a surface made entirely of ice. 2. The person walks back and forth across the ice as we increase the slope of the floor bit by bit. 3. We keep increasing the angle until they slip (don't worry, they wear a full safety harness so they don't actually fall on ice!) 4. The angle before they begin to slip is then called the Maximum Achievable Angle (hence the name for our test).

[@stevenmishos]

@@AndrewFolts video kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJm4nGqngtmWoKs

[@IchDuForeverExplorering]

​@@stevenmishossurprize who would have thought that rubber slips on clean ice?

[@IchDuForeverExplorering]

​@@stevenmishosalso since they test them on worst possible grip (clean wet ice) they should test them on best possible grip (grip tape) aswell, to get the limit of steepness the shoe could hold on to

[@HokanaMatata]

Hi Andrew. Looking for something that doesn’t need waterproofing sprays and can handle a little bit of rain and colder temperatures. What would you suggest? For easier hikes/walks and casual. It doesn’t have to be the new styles 😊 Scott, magna esc, gobi boot? Or perhaps their new tracker leather AT. Not sure if I want such a rugged boot lol.

[@AndrewFolts]

Hey there, the Gobi Winter kzbin.info/www/bejne/poGcZHx-qLaol5o would be an excellent option. That's my go-to for winter. It's not 100% waterproof, but very close. Ideally, it's a good idea to treat any leather boot with some simple balsam from time to time, but I've had Gobi's a year now and they still don't seem to need it. It's fine for light hiking as long as the terrain's not too steep or rocky. If you do want some more grip/protection, the Magna FG kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIqsiHxqbM2ipaM is also excellent and works for multiple seasons.

[@HokanaMatata]

@@AndrewFolts Thank you very much for this. I actually think that the gobi boot winterised would be an awesome boot for my needs! Perhaps a bit too warm right now but winter is coming in quickly now. Sometimes we get snow already in late october 🙂

[@HokanaMatata]

@@AndrewFolts Can I ask you just one more question about the gobi winterised😁 I’m going to preorder them from the website. Is the fleece lining making them feel shorter size wise? Did they feel exactly like other vivo boots in your size? I’m thinking about sizing up but I’m not sure.

[@AndrewFolts]

@@HokanaMatata No, they ran true to size for me. I had plenty of room, as I normally do.

[@IchDuForeverExplorering]

There is also a beautiful orange version of the textile one

[@AndrewFolts]

Oh really? Where? Just saw black and silver on the website.

[@IchDuForeverExplorering]

@@AndrewFolts when i visit the website it shows the three colours, its called terracotta, but the textile version can only be pre orederd by now in europe

[@IchDuForeverExplorering]

@@AndrewFolts i just rewatched the video since ive only mostly listened to it on my phone this morning, i see that the leather version of the new tracker boot is only availible for pre order by now on your website, for me its just the textile version, the leather can already be ordered, i ordered the low version 2 weeks ago, i really like it it has more foot space than the primus trail2 in the same size, and the hydra esc is even narrower than the primus trail2, i gotta send them back

[@Jesus2024-ey1kp]

Oh man, I didn’t need to be looking at these now too haha.

[@AndrewFolts]

I know, I can barely keep up myself, ha.

[@rosemartellaro802]

which sole/ boots do you think are best for icy surfaces? I live in Vermont and need a new pair of winter boots for daily wear. sidewalks here are always covered in ice.

[@AndrewFolts]

The only thing that really works on black ice is that sandpapery Vibram Ice+ Grip, but no barefoot shoes I know of have it. For crusty Ice, the new Tracker Leather AT bit.ly/4e9QKTH seems like it'll be great, because they've increased the surface area of the lugs, but also added some fine ridges and cuts, which will help grip on slippery surfaces.

[@metteby]

Curious about that as well

[@tamilynbanno4014]

i know you haven't tested the new tracker yet, but based on its design- is there any reason you think you would choose the magna forest esc over the new tracker?

[@AndrewFolts]

The Tracker's more versatile for all terrain use, since it has a medium tread, whereas the ESC is quite thick and is better for extremely rocky terrain. I almost never use my ESC's, as they feel like overkill for regular hiking. But some people like the extra protection all the time.

[@tamilynbanno4014]

@@AndrewFolts awesome. thank you for the reply!

[@legeanflorin]

Doesn't AT stand for All Terrain?

[@AndrewFolts]

Yea, ha. But Appalachian Trail is kind of fitting to. (:

[@DemetriB0329]

Hey 👋🏾 andrew Do you know any shoe brand for Foot pain?

[@AndrewFolts]

Hey Demetrius, what kind of foot pain? Plantar fasciitis? Joint pain?

[@DemetriB0329]

@@AndrewFolts I think its Plantar Fasciitis well Everytime I raise my foot the Heel joint would sting and and Everytime I try to walk the side of my foot would hurt too.

[@AndrewFolts]

@@DemetriB0329 Gotcha. So I had the same thing back in 2017. The cause was squishy cushion (and also overly stiff) shoes. What you'd want is a 3-4mm barefoot shoes that flexes naturally and provides you a solid supportive base on the ground (not a raised platform). Vivobarefoot Wildling, Mukishoes, and Xero all have good options. You can use the shoe finder tool bit.ly/49U1Ryo on my website to filter by activity, climate, etc, to narrow things down. Or just let me know what you need and I'll give you some suggestions.

[@DemetriB0329]

@@AndrewFolts okay what do I need?

[@AndrewFolts]

@@DemetriB0329 What will you be doing with them? Casual? Hiking? Running?

[@Kilcobert19]

Really shocked about the pricing. Vivo are making themselves a brand of the few not the many

[@AndrewFolts]

When I observe myself and the shoes I reach for each day it's almost always Vivo's. They're just the best in terms of design, ground feel/flex, and performance, while also sticking with a high standard of sustainability/ethics. If I wasn't reviewing shoes and had a tight budget, I'd probably just keep 2-3 pairs of Vivo's, which would last me half a decade, at least, judging by my OG Primus Trek's, which are 7+ years old and still in great condition. So, yea, there are cheaper options, but you get what you pay for, as with a lot of things in life.

[@Kilcobert19]

@@AndrewFolts Really wish this was the case. Last two pairs of new vivos I've bought have had issues straight off the bat. Magna's - sole came off. Geo Court Ecos the Vivo logo came off. They've also started charging more for canvas than leather. It's not about buying cheaper it's that they're deliberately overcharging to keep their brand less accessible. The Vivos I bought 6-7 years ago were on the high side of affordable but bullet proof. They weren't trendy and no one wanted a pair but they were made so well. I had a pair of Vivo hikers that lasted seven years and the waterproofing was unbelievable - and they were vegan. They talk about sustainability now but then turn out new models several times a year and have 6 different boots for one activity. Hardly sustainable. Just leaves you a little frustrated.

[@AndrewFolts]

@@Kilcobert19 I've not had any issues with any of my Vivo's, but I only use a handful on a daily basis, so I can't say personally whether there would be issues with the others. As for sustainability, having lots of different models isn't unsustainable, it's just providing people with different options for style and performance. On pricing, they charge what people are willing to pay and offer discounts thru Revivo and seasonal sales. If people didn't feel the price point was worth it, Vivo wouldn't be able to charge what they do.

[@bassegoder]

Any alternative ​@@Kilcobert19 Im looking for the boots. I'm as concerned as you. I would appreciate it. Thanks both, really good reviews

[@HokanaMatata]

No other brand offers 100 day trial on every order though…And very good customer support. I’m happy to pay extra for that.

[@IchDuForeverExplorering]

All Terrain super track sole

[@AndrewFolts]

Ha, totally missed that. Well, Appalachian Trail is fitting too. (:

[@CR92382]

Your face cam is out of focus

[@aurelgergey5470]

…shoes aren‘t though:-)

[@AndrewFolts]

It's not a cam, it's an actual mirror set on the laptop. There's no way to focus both the laptop and the mirror reflection, but maybe I'll figure out another setup if I do one of these again.

[@Jesus2024-ey1kp]

I thought it was fine man, remember to always have your subject in focus that is the most important. I thought it was cool how you did it.