Ninja Gear Review: Vivo Barefoot Tracker FG

I have a little obsession with boots.  I have way more pair than I probably need but I use them all really hard.  In my latest pursuit of finding the ultimate in barefoot and minimalist footwear I stumbled across the VivoBarefoot Tracker boots.  They have a zero heel drop sole, waterproof leather upper, wide natural toe box, and a minimalist flexible sole.

I keep looking at new boots because there is always something that I would adjust about a pair.  My most common issue is that at the end of the day I can’t wait to get them off because of the pressure on the sides of my toes.  I don’t have “wide” feet, just a wide toe spread. VivoBarefoot and other barefoot type shoes not only accommodate but encourage developing a wider toe spread as it’s a more natural foot shape.  Also the flat “zero drop soles” make me feel like I use my calves more when I walk. I know that I feel my calves more now than I used to when I Would hike in more traditional raised heel boots.

I routinely lead training retreats in the mountains of NC and spend a lot of personal recreation time up there as well.  In October of this year I had the opportunity to test out the Tracker boots on several hikes into the valleys of a particular mountain area.  We walked through some pretty thick mud that went about mid way up the boot and no moisture seeped in, but I did notice that the tongue is separated from the top of the boot right above the ankle so the waterproofness would be limited to pretty shallow puddles.  On these hikes I didn’t carry a big pack so I couldn’t speak to the boot’s load bearing capabilities, but they were very comfortable and had great traction. I did have to pay attention to where I stepped so that I didn’t feel sharp rocks, but mindfulness is something that I preach anyway.

After hiking hard for two days and spending a lot of time in the mud, the boots cleaned off very easily and showed little signs of wear.  

One week after our hikes in the NC mountains my family and I went on a training trip to Arizona and got the opportunity to do some day hikes in Sedona.  On this trip I carried my son in a backpack carrier, and he along with some extra gear probably put the pack weight around 40lbs. On the rocky inclines I still needed to be mindful of foot placement because you definitely feel what you are stepping on, but the boots did great.  I felt solid ankle support while carrying the load, but I don’t think that I would swap out a pair of heavy backpacking boots for the Tracker if I was carrying more gear. It will be a good motivational tool to keep my loads light so that I can wear my most comfortable boots.

If you are not carrying too much weight and want a light and fast boot that is almost a cross between a pair of moccasins and hikers, then I highly recommend these boots. I still am glad that I have my waders, my backpacking boots, my Wellington’s, and my “beater boots” but these VivoBarefoot boots are a pretty close all application boot. We will see how durable they wind up being over time but right now they are my favorite of my many pairs of boots.