Видео

That sounds like a balanced approach. You'll have to keep me updated. I agree that running in cushioned shoes again does feel strange, it's not something I feel hugely comfortable with. But at the same time, the different training stimulus is likely a good thing as long as you don't over do it. Just take things slowly, and you'll be able get to the distance you'd like to hit.

What's a compromise here? I assume you heard towards the end of the video, the earbud microphone failed, and I would subjectively the audio is worse during that section? But you still believe the audio during the first half of the video is bad? As you likely know, investing in a better audio set up is costly. I make zero money from RUclips right now, thus investing in the gear is lower on the priority list. For now I'm focusing on the content with the hope that a different approach on shoe reviews (fit over function), is enough to leave people satisfied, regardless of the slightly reduced audio quality. What do you think? Consider that?

Great! I'm glad it helped! It's a different shoe for sure, but for the right conditions, it's a great option!

I replied to your other comment on the escalante video. Hopefully that helps! thanks

Oh. You preempted my Lems response! :) Bahe Revive is another option, but it could be on the pricey end for you. I saw you made a comment on the Superior video too, so maybe trail shoe options would work for you? Freet do the Feldom, which is 11.5mm out the box, but if you switch out the insoles for some thicker, you could get them to ~15mm. They're already a deep shoe, so having a thicker insole is completely possible. Xero Shoes Scrambler Low is also another one with a higher stack height, considering is a more "minimal" shoe. Maybe these could work?

Thanks for sharing your experience! There's a lot of detail here I'm sure others can benefit from. For the little toe room, while I don't think it's the most square little toe taper on the market, it's also better than most. Usually, a half-size large can help these issues, too, so it could be worth a try. And yes, the form is denser and stiffer than others on the market. I would argue this allows for more ground feel, as "squishiness" gives a false sense of softness, whereas firmness transfers much more of the energy directly through to the sensory input of the foot. But that aside, the stiffness could give you some mechanical difficulty as it pushes more load through different areas. If you'd want to transition into something like this again, it would have to be slowly and methodically to build resilience in those stressed areas. In the end, it's like any shoe. It's just a tool, and if it suits your requirements or does a job well, great! Otherwise, there are always more options to try. :)

@@SpikeToy28 right now I've only run roughly 50km in them. And instead, I've actually started using them casually. They're the right level of minimal and super comfortable, which makes me reach for them often. But as summer is coming around down here, I'm in sandals more. The upper on these are heavyweight and are pretty hot in this weather. So are they worth it? Not right now, unless you're really struggling to find a shoe that fits you perfectly. From my experience these are just a minor upgrade from other Vivo knit options. I hope that helps!

@@luiseduardocardosoreck616 sorry. I'm really not sure about the Brazilian market.

@@EkaterinaTimP it really depends on you. Have you run in zero drop shoes before? If so, which ones? And if not, it's worth working your way into something like this shoe, by rotating into your running slowly. Let me know and I can certainly help further!

@ I use vivo Primus lite for training and all day city walks and I love them, I even do short runs in them, but for longer than 20 minutes I need to be on grass or soil. For a race I’d definitely be on a road, so I won’t be using them. I’ve not run more than 5k yet, that’s why I don’t know how it will feel in the current shoes I have. I run on balls of my feet so the drop doesn’t really matter. Thank you so much for your time and sharing experience 🙏🏼

@EkaterinaTimP oh nice. Sounds like you'll be great with them then. I'd use the Racers and also sprinkle in short sessions with your vivos to keep the barefoot training going. Just build up slowly.

@@barefootrunreviewsounds great! I like that ) thank you 😊

Go to know! I'm always switching between sizes with Altra models. Although I think most will struggle to go down in size with the Superior due to the shallow depth.

@@barefootrunreviewI have the Superior 5 and I went half a size up, not because of foot volume as mine is low, but I needed more toe space at the end of the shoe. If you’ve tried the 5 does the 6 feel the same in terms of sizing to you?

@@anniwilson2534 Yeah I've run in both models. The 6 is just a tiny bit longer than the 5. But that extra length is required to move the toes away from the tougher tap cap found on the 6. I'd suggest sticking with the same size as you had in the 5's.

@@radepicsmasheraj great! Did you decide to buy, or pass?

@barefootrunreview I'm going to pass on these since I'm looking for more of an all-around type of shoe; I'm leaning towards Trail options in general since they just seem more versatile, but these look to have a little more cushion and less flexibility than I'd like, and I would also probably run into the issue of the mid-foot not being as wide. I did see your review of the Freet Feldom, so those are on my shortlist as of now. For context, I've worn a pair of Whitin Canvas for around a year now, so I'm looking for something with a slightly wider toe-box on the pinky side, and a sole with better grip.

5000 miles are impossible. That's just marketing BS. Own and love many Xero Shoes myself. After about 900 km (good mix of road and trails) the sole is done and holes start to occur.

So good to hear! Enjoy the ground! 😜

Ha! Let me know how bouncy you become!

Glad to hear you know my stance. 😅 I did like the ST5, but the arch bugged me way too much. Theoretically, any supportive design will mitigate foot strengthening benefits. Even cushion. Even rubber! But arch support is that one step too far in my opinion. I like your thinking of rotating between shoes though, that way your body doesn't get too habituated to one shoe and running pattern. You could go for the racer, but you could also go more minimal, and start very slowly with them to increase the foot strengthening gains. First starting with walk/everyday use.

@@EnigmaticAnomaly no where near 1500 miles. La sportiva is known for making durable shoes. That said I wouldn't be able to fit into their narrow toe boxes. Altras tend to "feel" flat early on due to foam break down, but if you're willing to run past that you can get far past 500 miles. The first thing to break down will likely be the upper, where you'll break through the knit.

@@barefootrunreview thanks for the reply. I have to pairs of Provision (6 and 7), and alternate. I walk six to seven miles a day, and naturally I'm always on the lookout for something with rubber that is going to last a while. The Provision 6s I have are just over 350 miles into them, and the tread wear is already down to the foam in a few places. Better than the Asics I had (which gave up the ghost around the 250 mile mark), but still running into that designed obsolescence thing. The only compound I know that lasts a long while is the C4 Stealth Rubber or similar "sticky" rubbers. But good luck finding running shoes with that kind of tread.

That makes sense. As a do it all shoe I don't think it's perfected for any discipline. But that's what some people need. I know my hardcore lifting friend over at @thatfitfriend tends to rate the grip of these shoes, it's worth listening to his advice when choosing shoes for lifting.

Good to know! Are there any other options you could suggest that solve this?

@barefootrunreview grip for weight lifting? Avancus Apex Power, Notorious Lift Radix, Vivobarefoot Motus strength

It depends what you use your shoes for, but in the cushioned road running + low drop realm, Topo seems to last longer. But personally I do like the arch support that their models have. Would you look at going more minimal? Also what are you looking to use the shoes for?

Sorry for the late reply! I'd suggest looking at Vivobarefoot options if you want more minimal solutions. Otherwise if you want some cushion. Altra Superiors can work. Although the depth of them is shallow.

@@toddboucher3302 all I can say is. If they fit, Awesome! It doesn't matter what i, or anyone else says. :)

Mmm tough to say. Theres some structure in the heel you may not enjoy. What issues did you have with the new Escalantes?

@@barefootrunreview heel slip and I have a bone spur/deformity on my left foot and not one single altra shoe(literally tried on every altra shoe), flux, or xero hfs work with it lol and all those shoes also had heel slip for me even with runners knot The only shoe that worked was the OG racer

@@austingarlow5340 where abouts is the bone spur? Do you think this is related to the heel slippage, or is that unrelated?

@@barefootrunreview bone sour is midway on outside left foot so heel slip is unrelated to it. I just have narrow heels I guess and the only shoe that would lock them down was the OG racer

@@austingarlow5340 ok, I'm going to say the Bahe isn't for you either then sorry. The heel cup is fairly deep. Even though it may help the midfoot. The best I can think of is the Vivobarefoot Primus range. likely the knit version to help the midfoot. The heel is narrower and not as deep. Have you tried them in the past?

💯

Thanks

Nice to hear first hand experience!

I get the feeling. The materials on the 5 were very thin and allowed for the foot to spill over in certain places. With the stiffened materials in the 6 restricted that. I think this is where the difference is. It's technically the same width, it's just that the materials are less forgiving. And the depth really doesn't help the feeling. It took me a good 30-40km to pack them out and really feel comfortable.

Yeah the 5 still had the old MaxTrac rubber. The 6 has the newer compound which is a bit more sticky. It's not perfect but a real improvement. But it's not made for the wet because of the smaller lug depth.

Can I ask what sole or show is very effective on greasy wet stones? Most of shoes will slip on such surface..

@@vvs3796 The best I ever used was from La Sportiva Helios (long time ago). But that's foot shaped so I wouldn't consider it anymore. As for what I wear now, probably Freet trail shoes. But I still wouldn't say they're outstanding on wet rock.

@@Illbrand :) I had similar issues with the Trailly. Couldn't even review them.

@@caffeinej2691 the Escalantes feel a bit wider because of the flexible material. It depends what you consider narrow. Many of the Altras midfoots are narrow, but I still make them work. the toe box and forefoot is still nice and wide.

@@GrowInTheDark I'd say both the Escalante models are a little more narrow, but because the upper materials are more flexible it allows for expansion. The major difference you'll feel is the depth. The LP6 is a lot deeper.

@@barefootrunreview thank you!

Mmm they're similar softness, but they feel very different. The Racers are more minimal and flexible, which I think is great, but it depends if your feet are used to that. You could rotate between the Racers and the Escalante 3's to get some variation?

@@barefootrunreview I use barefoot shoes for general walking (Merrell vapor...) and the Escalante 3 for traveling or very long distance walks... But for running I used non barefoot cushioning regular shoes like Nike alphafly and similar😁

@@chusti1054 No idea how you squeeze your feet into Nikes still. :) All sounds good. I think the Racers could work well for you then. You seem to have good experience.

The Superiors would work great for fit, but it depends how muddy you expect the trails to be. The Superiors don't have good grip in the mud. Another option could be the Vivobarefoot Primus Trail if you're already used to minimal shoes? I wear them for trail races and they're great. (Not the Knit, they're too sloppy)

I wouldn't personally, but it depends on your feet and foot strength. I would usually advise opting for a more flexible option such as the Superior or Lone Peak, especially for hiking. But if you're used to stiffer shoes, you may have to take some time to transition into these options.

@@barefootrunreview how about their vibrams? Are they good as the Timp one?

@@veitastic6866 The outsoles on the Lone Peak and Superiors are Altra's MaxTrac which I wouldn't say is as good as Vibram, but it's better than it used to be. If you're trails are mainly dry, you'll be fine with the MaxTrac, but if they are little more muddy, or there are lots of technical rocky trails, the Vibrams, and the Timps would do better.

Conversions to metric measurements vary from shoe to shoe. If you check a few charts online you'll find different numbers so we can't trust these measurements 100%. So I attempt to give sizing advice based on subjective feeling and related to other shoes. If you know your sizing in another model, I can try and help advise a little better.

@@ricHCarboCarbea it is the Original fit, but I often encourage others to ignore these fit descriptions because it doesn't tell the full story. I.e. the Lone Peak and Escalante are both original fit now, but they feel very different. With what you describe, I think you will still have a problem in the Escalante 4. The midfoot is still narrow, and while the upper is flexible, I'm sure you'll feel it. If you don't mind a reduction in stack height, I could recommend the Bahe Revive which has a wider midfoot and flat base. And a more minimal would be Freet shoes, but they don't have much cushion like Altras do.

​​@@barefootrunreviewthank you my friend. I guess i need a flat base like the escalante 1 once were. Its because i have a 140 dollar gift card in altra but if the shoes does not do it, then nothing to do. Does the torin 7 bring hope or not? Also what do you think of the xero drop shoes

@@ricHCarboCarbea you could possibly go with a wide size in the torins that could fit better. At the same time, this is a high cushioned shoe, closer to the provision. But if you're happy with that it could work. Do you mean Xero shoes? Or Zero drop shoes like Altra?

​@@barefootrunreview thanks bro. You are awesome. I mean xero shoes that sell on amazon

@@ricHCarboCarbea oh yeah. I have reviewed nearly all Xero Shoe models. If you search for Barefoot Run Review on Google you'll find my site, and from there you can go to Reviews -> Brands -> Xero shoes. They fit a bit deeper than Altra, a little wider I'm the midfoot, but narrower around the big toe. Personally I love the Speed Force II, and the Mesa Trail II, but they are super minimal.

Awesome! Keep on rocking them!

​@@barefootrunreview I have used them for 6 hour races, hill training, track intervals. Walking in Xeros, but for running this is the most minimalist I dare to rock. I love its feel and the knit upper is awesome. Just ordered the version 2. The original needs a successor and I usually give some transient time for my soon to be retired shoes to ease into the change. I use two Altra Outroads for training (just started breaking in an Outroad 2) and the Lone Peak 7 for trails. I had some issues with one of my Outroads: big tear after 300km on the inner side of the upper, but it was handled via warranty. Otherwise I think they are quite durable. My other Outroad has over 900 kms running on light(ish) trails/asphalt and although the lugs are at most 2mm and definitely less bounce than brand new, the upper just started to have some small tears/holes. I suppose it will get a second life as a daily walker.

@@andrasczigany that great. If you ever want to try more minimal shoe for running, I can help. And I think it's beneficial for the occasional tune up run. As for the shoes, it's good to hear you're rocking other Altra models. Do you reach for you Lone Peaks much? Or do you mainly use your Outroads?

​@@barefootrunreview I use the Lone Peaks only for per se trail events or racing: only got a bit below 200km in them since last fall. I will double that in the weeks as my goal race for this Autumn comes up in five weeks, which is a 115km trail event. I live in a hilly area in a bigger city and not getting into a car to get somewhere to run, so my daily training runs are usually have some kms of road/pavement. My experience with the Lone Peaks is that running in them on hard surface is not a forgiving endeavor. My knees are not liking that. So I usually train in the Outroads. Those can handle moderately technical trails in my experience. Beware: I have an MTB Cross Country background so potentially my categorization of trails is a bit skewed. For long run trainings I like to go to hiking events. I think this is a Hungarian speciality (I can not really translate it to English): it is hiking through checkpoints (with some refreshments provided) under a time limit, with a flexible start time (usually 10-100 kms in length, occasionally multi-day). Much more lightweight than a running competition (on the money too). It is really a cooperative family atmosphere event. So those tracks are usually very technical high hill/mountain like trails, where the Lone Peaks are much needed. Next summer I am planning the Grossglockner Ultra Trail, that (ie.: the Alps) is definitely Lone Peaks territory.

@@andrasczigany nice! That all makes sense. Good luck with your upcoming Ultra. I'd love to dispel the myth that less cushion = harder on the knees. In many situations it can be the opposite due to higher ground reaction forces in cushioned shoes. At the same time, there are other variables that come into it, so it's hard to be black or white about it. But in general, less cushion puts more stress through the feet and ankles, more cushion puts more stress through the knees hips and back.

Arh yeah. That makes sense. I'll note that for next time I'm recording outside.

Totally agree. I would include some traffic noise and people talking through editing. It costs nothing and the viewer appreciates it.

Super cool looking shoe. Thanks for the review.

They sure are interesting! Have you managed to get your hands on them?

I took a few measurements (tools - Vivo Primus Trail) and it seems they're within 3mm of each when it comes to length. (Note I measure externally as insoles can differ drastically. Now considering there are material/sole differences, you could say they're roughly the same length. Where they differ is in midfoot width, but that'd taking measurement at the outsole extremes, which again your feet can push out over the outsoles, which is ok for some, and not for others. Subjectively, I think they fit almost the same. The only difference is the big toe space. The Tolos taper just a tiny bit more aggressively. If you want to email hello@barefootrunreview.com I can send pictures and give you more information. :) I hope that helps!

I think it could be a really good option for softer ground grass, but maybe a little too aggressive for a synthetic turf. It'd still work, but I'd opt for something like the Feldom in that situation.

@@barefootrunreview ok thanks

​@@barefootrunreview What do you mean with "aggressive" in this context? Thanks!

@@Canibusm1 Arh, sorry. I mean, the lugs are too large. There are various trade-offs when using an aggressive outsole on surfaces that don't need it, such as trail shoes on the road. The outsole will wear down quicker. The ground feel will be reduced. There's less surface area to grip on wet surfaces.

I use an old pair of Xero Shoes insoles. Basically anything thin that I have hanging around. I know Xero shoes sell their insoles online too.

For me the midfoot would likely have been more uncomfortable, but at the same time, the position of the rocker may have suited better. If I were to buy again, I'd still go with the US9.5 because I'd rather not cram my feet.

I'd stick to something lower stack like the Escalante Racer. The Torin will feel large and bulky compared with your Vibrams. For me the Racer would be my shoe of choice for racing right now.

Either would fit similar, with the Escalante for being a little more forgiving due to the flexible material. At the same id still suggest some thinner insoles if your already know you have deeper feet. I always stick some Xero Shoes insoles in there which you can buy on their website. Usually work a charm! Just note the Escalante 4 is softer than previous iterations. If you want a firmer ride, stick with the Racer.

You can check North sole. They have 3mm and 6mm thin insoles.