Xero Shoes Mesa Trail II | Are They Any Good?

[@pete801]

280miles in mine so far. The first 2 months my legs took time to adjust. Every run was zone 2. 3 months in and my legs are solid. No pain at all. I can actually run in them!! The shoe shows zero signs of wear and tear. I have never used the insoles and they are so comfy. Also, side note being for the first time in my life I can actually splay my toes. Mental. I wear these for every single training run. And I wear super shoes for game day. Really really improved my form and lower leg strength. Well done Xero. Will always be my every day training shoe

[@michaelalbrecht3395]

The first thing I did when I got them was take the sock liners out for a more barefoot feel

[@movebarefoot]

Yeah the insoles can be removed to reduce the stack height, having worn these shoes more since this review the soles have softened up a bit and feel less stiff to me.

[@kitcraft9516]

I have the Primus Lite III and Xero 360s and my Primus are noticeably narrower at the forefoot and midfoot, which is very important for my 4E width foot. The Primus has a wider toe box but that doesn't matter if they hurt the sides of my feet. The construction of the Primus sure doesn't help with that! Plus, the Xero are higher volume. Good for higher arches and instep. It is a shame really; I like the Primus but they are regulated to deadlift slippers for me. Looking forward to more reviews in the future. Thanks for sharing.

[@movebarefoot]

The low volume of the Vivobarefoot shoes causes me some issues too, they are good shoes but I have to break them in a bit. I have only bought a couple of pairs from vivo but, the sizing doesn't seem consistent. I have the Tracker Decon Lows which seem bigger all round than the Primus Trail Knits, I actually just returned the Knits for the next size up as they were hurting the outside of my little toes. The Xero Mesa Trail shoes fit better although they look a lot shorter than my Vivo's, sizing and fit of shoes is complicated.

[@007James.]

The Mesa Trail II shoes look very good. I would like to try these shoes. I like the look of the stronger sole design 👟👌

[@movebarefoot]

The sole is great for walking on trails but not well suited for walking on pavements.

[@007James.]

​@@movebarefootThank you for your reply, it's much appreciated 👍

[@chrismichael1161]

I’ve had the Mesa Trail ll for almost a year, in rotation with several other barefoot hiking shoes. It’s my least favourite shoe in terms of looks, but they’re actually quite comfortable, functional and durable. I’ve climbed mountains in them here in BC, mostly wearing in rooty and rocky terrain. They’re slightly more forgiving than Primus Trails and Decons on the rough stuff, but I do find myself reaching for the Vivo’s more often. I wouldn’t buy these if they were going to be my do it all shoe. They aren’t great on pavement, they feel a bit like cleats with the hard lugs underfoot. Vivo’s are better if you’re doing a mix of pavement and trails. For trails only they’re a great shoe.

[@movebarefoot]

Agree with you 100% walking on trails these shoes feel great, but on pavements the sole is too stiff. Vivo's sole has the perfect balance as you said, Xero should experiment more with the soles on their shoes. I wonder if they are aiming to make the soles more durable but at the cost of ground feel. Vivo's are just overall better looking shoes It will be interesting to see if Xero try and improve the look of their shoes. How do you find the breathability of the Mesa Trail II? The upper breathability feels good to me but my feet don't breathe too well underneath and get a bit sweaty.

[@WalksOfWonder-BC]

I think Xero is getting slightly better with its designs, as the Scrambler and Ridgeway look all right. I don’t think the soles are as durable as the Vivo’s, as I’ve worn down a few pairs in under 800 miles. They definitely won’t last anywhere close to 5000 miles as the warranty implies, but I never expected them to. As for breathability, I’ve never had any issues with Xero’s. I always wear merino socks which help regulate temperature. I have worn the Mesa Trails in -15c to +45c without any issues.

[@movebarefoot]

How do the Scrambler Low and Ridgeway Low compare to the Mesa Trail II? I would be interested to try them both but, they don't stock them in the UK store. I'd have to order them from either the EU or US site, I will ask Xero if they plan to stock them in the UK store. I will look into the merino socks thanks for sharing.

[@Damian-rl7bz]

they look cool ! bice review

[@movebarefoot]

Thank you, they have been good everyday shoes. I have done lots of walks in them since filming this video and they are holding up nicely.

[@Damian-rl7bz]

thats good news ! been looking for an non overpricey brand for 'in case '​ :D have fun !@@movebarefoot

[@Damian-rl7bz]

​@@movebarefoot Oh ! thats good to know !!

[@xinzhechen6613]

The insole of Mesa Trail ll slides easily.(Most xero shoes have this problem)

[@movebarefoot]

I have not had this problem with the insoles but reading online others have. Have you contacted Xero Shoes about the issue? They might be able to provide you with some other insoles that don't slip. I have had a positive experience dealing with Xero Shoes so far, I am sure they will help you out.

[@CptAngelKGaming]

Just use some double sided tape or glue. Not rocket science..

[@xinzhechen6613]

​@@CptAngelKGaming I currently use double-sided tape to prevent the insole from slipping now.But it's a problem when I want to take off the insole in some situations.

[@xinzhechen6613]

​@@movebarefoot I didn't contact Xero to solve the problem with the insoles (I'm not in USA), but I mentioned this in the product review in the hope of drawing their attention.

[@xinzhechen6613]

In addition, Prio's insoles are not easy to slip (the back of the insole has added anti slip design), but there will still be a slight sliding after a long time, which I believe is due to their insole material being too hard.