Has anyone here tried these barefoot type hiking boots? I have flat feet and I'm wondering if they might help.
Has anyone here tried these barefoot type hiking boots? I have flat feet and I'm wondering if they might help.
Has anyone here tried these barefoot type hiking boots? I have flat feet and I'm wondering if they might help.
Just wear some Converse 70s. Pierre Alain is spinning in his grave at these shitty injection molded 'barefoot' shoes.
The soles look awful and I doubt they're water proof. Most trails I hike have a wet slippery muddy section and I doubt those would hold up.
Half of people tell me I need really good arch support for my flat feet the other tell me I need none. I've used minimalist shoes for trial running in the past and they've worked fine, but I run for short distances and I'm wondering how my feet would hold up on a 5 mile hike in these things.
Just use regular minimalist shoes if you already have them. You don't need ankle support on a flat shoe.
You don't need waterproof shoes unless you're really in wet conditions. There are some brands of barefoot shoes that are water proof. You really want your feet to breath to avoid issues. I have pair of barefoot trail runners that dry out a lot faster than my sweaty feet inside a waterproof boot.
>Half of people tell me I need really good arch support for my flat feet the other tell me I need none.
I have flat feet. I suffered all the way into my 30's with serious foot pain any time I was on my feet more than a couple of hours. I fell for the barefoot meme at some point, although, fortunately it wasn't the five fingers. Since then, I've actually developed a bit of an arch, and I no longer have issues being on my feet. The only time I have pain is when I have to wear my heavy work boots, which are too narrow and have arch supports.
I've had Lems Primal 2's which are actually nice, but they fall apart after a year. I've got a couple pairs of Xero's now, and I like them pretty well. They seem to be better made. I think the issue with the Primal's is that they were made of all vegan/ecofriendly components and glue.
If you have flat feet you need custom inserts for arch support
Yeah you should push an artificial arch into the flat surface of your foot, because….uhh, reasons. have a nice day homosexual
Sounds like your a poor American who can’t go to a foot doctor….homosexual
I have Freet Ibex. Haven't gone on a hike with them yet but the build quality is top notch
Podiatrist are a scam for most people. Unless your feet are pronated/supinated. Let your feet spread out as God intended
post nose.
I feel the same way about raised heels. The heel of your shoe should be higher than the toe because… it just should, ok?!
Feet is not design to be supported by the arc.
*under the arc or whatever you say it in English.
>doctor my [bodypart] is weak what should I do?
>A) wear a prosthesis for "support"
OR
>B) strengthen [bodypart] by using and exercising it in its full range of motion
Which one do you think is sensible and which one will your not-a-scammer doctor recommend? Substitute arm, leg, back, grip for [bodypart] and we will both agree that B is correct, what's different about foot arches?
>>B) strengthen [bodypart] by using and exercising it in its full range of motion
lightweight backpackers blown the frick out
the only thing getting blown out are your knees and your ass
Can someone please explain this? It seems like any amount of using your feet at all will lead to flat feet. How does that make any sense? And nobody can even agree on how to preserve the arch
No, if you have flat feet, they need strengthening.
More work, not less.
I bought this one on a sale. It's not bad but a little stiff and hot if it's not cold enough outside. I like my vibrams or merrell vapor gloves better but this one us usable too.
I have them, didn't like them. Dont get me wrong, they're comfortable as frick, but I dont like them as hiking boots. Theyre cold, easily takes on water, and mine broke after less than a year.
Well that's all I need to hear. I'm not dropping $260 on non waterproof boot that are prone to breaking. You're talking about the ones in my picture right?
Yes, the trackers 2. Again, incredibly comfortable, but I cant recommend them as hiking footware.
Vivos are good shoes for walking around, but definitely not for hiking. They're doing really good things for my flat feet.
I have these ones, Primus Lite 3, I basically wear them every day when it's warm, great minimal shoes for walking around.
I have a pair of Magna FG as nice looking winter shoes and they're super comfy but seem a bit fragile. So I would be weary of any boots styles shoes they sale.
Why even comment if you dont own the boots? Fricking homosexual!
My review here should be good enough OP. Take the. Trackerpill. Ive easily hiked 2k miles in these in all sorts of conditions and had no issues.
>Why even comment if you dont own the boots? Fricking homosexual!
not him but you sound like a huge homosexual, maybe you would do better over on Wrong board
>feel every tiny stone poke through
Yeah, you don't want thin and ultra flexible soles for hiking, unless it's on asphalt.
>Yeah, you don't want thin and ultra flexible soles for hiking, unless it's on asphalt.
This is the urbanoid dayhiker's flawed mentality in a nutshell. They spend most of their lives on asphalt and concrete, so they want thick planks for outsoles and huge wads of foam to protect their soft, wimpy urbanoid pig hooves from the good, honest Earth.
The thick and stiff plank outsoles ensure poor and awkward contact with the ground; this combines with the cushioning of the foam insoles to make it difficult for the urbanoid dayhiker to feel the ground properly with the soles of his feet. These two "solutions" ensure the dayhiker will never learn to walk in harmony with the Earth, and create yet a third problem: Ankle support is now required to prevent injuries caused by stiffly, awkwardly, and nervelessly bumbling over the terrain.
The natives wore thin, flexible moccasins at all times while living the PrepHole life most of you only dream of, and they definitely were trotting over all sorts of terrain for miles on end without getting ouchies from small stones or rolling their ankles. Still yet the white man insists on thick plank outsoles and cushioned wussy insoles. Never mind that sorority girls are now trailrunning miles over rocky wastelands in essentially synthetic moccasins, or that mountaineering was revolutionized by plimsolls... boots are incredibly necessary for hiking!
It’s a question that’s easily answered by first hand experience. You’ll never win an argument against people who have never gone outside past larping as a mountain man in their moms backyard
idk man slightly thick rubber is definitely comfy vs the barely any rubber on canvas shoes
the impact from sharp rocks is evenly distributed like sitting on a cushioned chair causes less fatigue
I agree with you but you should know that Europeans alos wore mocassin-like shoes. It was the norm.
I had a pair of their golf shoes (they don't seem to make them anymore) and they were really comfortable and great for walking around the golf course.
I'd be tempted to try the boots if I didn't already have too many pairs of PrepHole shoes and boots.
Had these for over a year now because of a big toe issue and theyve been the most comfortable shoes ive ever owned. Worn them every single day since they arrived. Warm, waterproof, comfy as frick, and very stylish. Id buy these again in a heartbeat. The soles and uppers are both super durable as well. Incredible traction. Just get some sole inserts if youre worried about flat feet. Not cesessary tho. Ive worn mine for weeks with no inserts whatsoever and didnt even notice
You fellas must have got better versions than me. I have trackers, worn a good bit over 2 years and taken care of them as standard. Extremely comfortable boot (probably the comfiest boot I've had) but the seams that run vertically mid foot popped on both of mine really quick and now they let water in like frick. Still wear them tho. Just annoying. Going to send to Vivo to get mended.
would suggest a more aggressive outsole. i use the tracker ESC (but you'll have to dig around, new those cost a frick and a half) and i'm never going back: i've been on rock, innawoods, sand and slushy snow (with walking sticks this one) and those boots never failed me. alternatively you could search for the tracker defcon FG2 (haven't used those, but the outsole seems more aggressive than those in the pic OP).
I have exactly these boots. Still waterproof for the most part after a few years at work. I wear cheap lightweight barefoot shoes from Amazon when I don't need waterproofing though.
Try palladiums they're light weight breathable and can usually pick up a pair for 60. The grip works well on loose terrain.
palladiums are narrow as shit and i'm not a fan of their pseudo shank. ended up giving em to my brother and he likes them
don't get vivobarefoot without the sole stitched at the sides. The glue will come undone. Get the michelin soled ones. I prefer the lower esc tracker or whatever they call it. the higher laced ones don't set my foot right and they are uncomfortable (forest esc). The trackers I can wear all day.
If you are going to go running, i'd go for sandals or a shoe because thin soled boots never seem to be very durable. The only one I liked was the us military belleville mini mil.
>so many morons mouthbreathing into this bread
I want to get these just to have a pair of hiking boots I can roll up and throw in a backpack or a carry on.
Can anyone recommend some other barefoot brands?
>Can anyone recommend some other barefoot brands?
Oh, you mean other than vivobarefoot, which is having a big sale that literally everything except two sizes of the goofiest colors of their least-popular shoes are now out of stock for? Story of life, makes me grumpy m8. Like another guy said above, $240 full price is a bit much for those things.
I have a pair of Xero Aqua X. They're possibly the perfect fishing kayak shoe, since they shed water, shed more debris than Crocs or sandals, mostly protect from sun, are zero drop/thin and flexible, and have a decent bit of trail traction and grip. This traction isn't enough to wade on river rocks, as many morons have complained about in reviews of the Aqua X; you need felt or titanium cleats for that, no amphibious shoe does it, they're just idiots. It's fine for shore and light trail going, moderate in a pinch.
I'm always in search of the perfect footwear alongside everyone else, shame none exists. Best you can do on light shoes is accessorize gaiters for brush and a light neoprene sock for light insulation/water, but even this would probably require sizing up a bit to allow for the neoprene, or dealing with a very snug fit.
Best I've come up with is try to keep my specialized shoes to a compromised bare minimum. This is what I've settled on:
>dock/boat/shore barefoot trail shoes (Aqua X)
>Korkers wading boots (swappable felt/traction sole)
>knee-high neoprene insulated DryShod muck boots
>high-top snow/alpine GTX boots
>light- to moderate-trail Merrell runners with gentle drop and light lugs
>rough-terrain/off-trail Salomon runners with insane drop and giant sticky lugs
I used to be a "three pairs of shoes maximum" guy until I started getting out more, now I collect footwear like a woman.
>DryShod muck boots
These look a lot like my Bogs. How long do they last?
>now I collect footwear like a woman
I used to only have a couple pairs too. Sometimes I hate it, but now I've realized that the aggregate lifespan of the collection of shoes is much longer than if I were trying to make fewer shoes multitask.
>These look a lot like my Bogs. How long do they last?
I've had mine for a year or so, took them out a lot last spring and fall for full days and weekends of hiking miles up and down foothills through brush and using them as knee waders in small creeks. Never did stick my foot down an actual mudhole while wearing them yet, but they took a lot of abuse.
Still look new. They're solid as frick. I'm waiting for some glue seam to pop or something, but so far so good.
On my Bogs, the neoprene dissolves long before any of the rubber parts. I get about 3-4 years out of them. I could probably get them to last longer, but I keep them by the back door, which gets direct sunlight for a few hours every morning.
ive had other shoes (nothing over $60 bucks tho) and these guys just seem to do the trick. there are much more ridiculous looking shoes of its kind for sure. for what seems to be some chinesium fiber gizmo doodad these have lasted consistent wear and are durable enough for me. maybe they can be a good start for you or someone else reading
honestly I bought vivobarefoot shoes because I craved wider space for my pinky toes, and was sorely disappointed. The extra wideness instead seemed in the big toe side... not where I wanted it. It was interesting to use the shoes because I could feel textures on the ground not normally felt in shoes. But they were just walking shoes not hiking.
oh, and these
were the shoes i bought
altama martimes. you can take the sole out or use the rubber ones for quick drying.
>dont knock em til you try em.
Russell Moccasin makes nice boots that aren't held together with glue and can be maintained rather than thrown away in a couple years use.
These are really the best bang for the buck. Full toe support and a dynamic heel for stability.
their quality control sucks. I recommend waiting for one in your size on eBay (because they have many failures) and buying cheap.
The one pair I did have that worked was a gentlemans boots that went up the calf as a lace up. I could run through the jungle in those. They were just a minimalist kletterlift type vibram sole with like a quarter inch of foam at the heel.
Only reason I sold them was the instep was too tight that I needed someone else to pull them off. Most boots are an abomination compared to shoes flexibility, but those were one of the few exceptions.
I've had good luck hiking in Vivobarefoots
Specifically the trail runners Primus Trail FG
Do NOT buy these OP. The build quality is shit. In the two months I've had them I've snapped off the grommets twice while tightening the laces.
Vivos just aren't wide - those boots in particular I couldn't fit onto my feet, whereas some of the shoes were workable but unpleasantly tight.
Thin, soft soles can be rough on sharp gravel like service roads or train tracks, and thorns can definitely puncture. I usually wear Sanuks, but I have a big pile of different stuff I can go through here
Vivobarefoot Primus Lite
PROS
- Great groundfeel, very thin and hard but flexible
- Claims to be puncture resistant
CONS
- Not wide and NOT high volume
- Flex pinches at leather / mesh intersection
As I said before, the boot models I tried were actually narrower, to the point I couldn't get them on
Lems Primal Pursuit
PROS
- Wide
- Zero drop
- No bad pinch / rub points for me
CONS
- Thick, not really barefoot
Wore these more than anything else hiking. I have their boots too, but the internal heel TPU will dig into the back of your heel on any kind of downward angle stepping. The boot soles also have iffy grip in the wet.
Wildlings
PROS
- Wide
- Zero drop
- Good groundfeel
CONS
- Split sole is definitely not puncture or water proof
- The wool pair I have makes a crinkle noise like a cheap jacket
- Sizing is iffy and it ships from Germany
Freet Tanga
PROS
- Thin and soft sole
- Good groundfeel
- Good grip
- Mesh upper is great
CONS
- Soft to the point gravel is painful to walk on
- Low support, slippery interior causes blisters
- Picks up odor
I don't wear these much because the arch cutout is too far forward, but I have long toes.
The Freet boots seemed much like the Vivo boots, more narrow than the shoes
Feelmax Osma
I haven't used these much. The fit seems good, but they feel cheap for the price, and they dye my socks red even after excessive washing. Wish I had gotten them in black.
Frick the captcha
Sanuk
Favorite and everyday shoes, despite the downsides - slick soles, thick cushion, not thornproof, slight heel rise. Note that only a few of the models, mostly in the Vagabond and Chiba categories, are actually wide. Check the top / bottom views.
Altra
Thick, expensive, but they come in wide now, and good zero drop if you need a running shoe.
Xero
At least for the model I have, the hard sole curls up at the edges, making them very uncomfortable if your foot spills over at all