Yes! The barefoot industry is in for a shakeup. The higher prices are not going to be sustainable. Most shoes are made in Asia and there is an incredible markup.
Thanks for the review. Im put off now by the prices of vivo, so the lower price of these got my interest. I agree that a 4mm sole would be ideal for a shoe like this, if they implement that i would pull the trigger and get a pair as ground feel is probably the most important thing for me.
No problem! And I agree, ground feel is hugely important. It'll be interesting to see if they do/can drop the sole thickness down without a significant increase in pricing but time will tell.
i usually do a double knot on most of my shoe laces, i don't see how this is different than any other shoe, doesn't really seem like an inconvenience. i have narrow feet so i would definitely need to use the laces. thanks for the review, will keep an eye on these, they look pretty good.
So glad this exists and seems to be selling quite well. While I do "main" Vivos, I'm not a fan of their outlandish prices and I only ever get a new pair when there's a really aggressively reduced sale going on. With barefoot shoes hopefully becoming more mainstream, I hope we get to see more companies focus on balancing quality and pricing instead of always being stuck between paying 150 to 200 bucks for a decent pair of shoes or going with a 30-dollar pair of trash from Shenzhen. (I'm exaggerating a bit of course, but non-barefoot shoes definitely see a wider variety of affordable pairs with decent quality.)
Agreed, I'm really quite curious how companies land on their current prices. Thinking about getting in contact with a load of them and asking the simple question 'why are barefoot shoes so expensive' and seeing what comes out. Do you think it'd be worth a video?
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject It would definitely be interesting to hear their stance but I bet it's pretty much gonna be what you said in the Hydra ESC video; niche products that can't be mass-produced by the billions, supposedly more ethically sourced materials, R&D etc. Plus if you ask "Why are they so expensive", they're gonna start out by refusing to call them "expensive" in the first place... I wonder if anyone simply says "Because it's what people are willing to pay"... I'd still be interested in how they find that middle ground where the shoes are just expensive enough to make a large profit off of each sale while at the same time making them just affordable enough so people don't simply shake their heads and walk away. Same problem that every product ever created faces, but since this is such a fairly new "trend", it would be nice to get a little glance behind the scenes. tl;dr: I'd watch it.
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject Ha, very cool! Let's see if anyone even agrees to have a conversation. The dude from Xero seems pretty open to being on camera, maybe he is down to talk.
Great video! They do look really good, I think it will come down to how durable they are whilst still being biodegrable. I've had my Primus Lites (not knits) for 2 years now, they've been great and I've heard of others lasting much longer. It'll be interesting to see how these compare! Hopefully you'll do a follow up?
I've been wearing these on and off for a month or so (no insole, with socks) and I do feel like walking for long distances on urban environments, I can feel the triangle nubs/uneven sole instead of a flat vivo primus style sole. This does become a bit irritable on the foot after a full day of city walking. I love the look and style so still love to wear them though! Great for a casual date night out.
Interesting - I'll keep an eye out to see if I get a similar thing! How is the stitching looking on the inside of the shoe looking after a month of wear without insoles?
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject everything looks and feels just like it did when I opened the box including the inside stitching and the elasticity of the that top fabric material. So A+ for quality so far from me.
Cheers to a company that seems to be trying. I wonder about their claim of 'biodegradable'. Do they mean the material actually returns to natural substances, or just breaks down into very small particles?
Like so many Barefoot shoe companies these do not cater for anyone needing larger sizes which is disappointing as they seem great. For a bigfoot like me I have only been able to wear vivos, Xeros and Lems
You're not alone in thinking that - I (fortunately) fit into their biggest size (46). They are a small company so it might be worth emailing them. If the demand is there I wouldn't be surprised if they added some larger sizes going forwards.
I just got a pair of Lono Flows. Very disappointing. I asked for help from the company for sizing and followed their advice. I wanted to wear a lightweight athletic sock with an insole (very tender feet). I got a tight shoe with a shallow toebox that hurts after wearing for an hour. Have to go barefoot without an insole because my foot will JUST fit in. The tight fit gets uncomfortable fast. The company had my width and length foot measurements and advised me to get a size larger than I buy in a regular shoe. This shoe runs a size or even a size and a half small. With. a shallow toe box you need to order extra length. I will be ordering a better made shoe for this fall.
What does the width of the toe box feel like compared to something like the Vivo Primus knit which is very narrow for someone with wide/x-wide feet? Roomier? 🤞🏼
I don’t have the knits to hand to measure but from memory, they felt a bit wider BUT to access that extra space you’d definitely need to take the insole out so would need a pair of THIN socks 🧦🤙🏽
I've been using this shoe for 2 month and i used it almost everyday for work and for working out etc. It is a great all rounder barefoot shoe. The only downside i have with this shoes is that the sole loses its grip quite fast and doesn't has that much grip, SO it could be slippery on wet floors sometimes. But bare this in mind that I uses the shoe every single day. If you're someone who will use this shoe solely for workout i'll assume the grip on the sole could last slightly longer then mine. Overall this is an awesome and shoe and I love it.
Great question and it depends on the level you’re playing at. Just for a laugh, completely fine but at a high level the knitted upper will have too much movement for quick turns and pivots.
Apparently the biodegrading only occurs when you chuck it in the landfil, so this would mean the process must be triggered by something...soil perhaps? I have put this question to them, lets see what they come back with. If soil triggeres the process, then i could imagine constantly leaving your shoes muddy may triggere the process on some level.
Let me know what you hear back! I’m definitely interested in the answer as I don’t have the best track record with cleaning my shoes post off road shenanigans 😆
Personally I just don't like what they have done with the front of the shoe, I think it's ment to be like a toe protector like what vivo has done on the big toe in the primus lite range but I just hate it, only reason I haven't got a pair
I'm wanting to get a pair of barefoot shoes to try out but my goodness the price is just silly, they are basically less than a normal shoe in reality physically speaking and yet cost so much, I mean I could wear a pair of socks and glue a bit of leather to the bottom and have virtually the same thing lmfao.( just being silly here please dont take me seriously ). I also looked at the 5000 miles warantee which sounded great until I realized they wont replace them for free, just sell you another pair at 40% of the (full ) price plus postage so first pair very expensive but every pair after that just quite expensive and locks you into buying their shoes. All very shady practice imho.
Was sooo excited until I found out that they are based out of HK, China. Now I know where the catch is. It was too good to be true. I won't trust any of their claims or values.
@@guillams not anymore unfortunately, ever since the 2019 Hong Kong protests, the repressions and unlawful law changes that went down after that. Now HK is no more, just another Chinese city controlled by the CCP
My issue is I prioritise a combination of quality x environmental responsibility so Vivo has always been the stand out choice. Who’re your top picks and how do you think these guys stack up?
I agree. Vivos are cool and I own 4 pairs but there are better. Slowly I’ve been selling my Vivos. Since they are so expensive they are worth selling used on eBay..I’ve bought older models new so I never paid full price ($175 is way too expensive). I recently bought Splay shoes and love the cotton feel vs the synthetic materials of most Vivos.
New To Barefoot Shoes - Checkout Our Barefoot Transition Guide 🚀: www.barefootstrengthproject.com/barefoot-transition-guide
Yes! The barefoot industry is in for a shakeup. The higher prices are not going to be sustainable. Most shoes are made in Asia and there is an incredible markup.
Definitely throwing the cat amongst the pidgeons!
Just received mine yesterday. Lite enough to throw in my carry on travel bag.
Awesome dude. I completely forgot to mention weight in the video but you’re right, super lightweight!
Thanks for the review. Im put off now by the prices of vivo, so the lower price of these got my interest. I agree that a 4mm sole would be ideal for a shoe like this, if they implement that i would pull the trigger and get a pair as ground feel is probably the most important thing for me.
No problem! And I agree, ground feel is hugely important. It'll be interesting to see if they do/can drop the sole thickness down without a significant increase in pricing but time will tell.
I actually get my barefoot shoes through Saguaro, love the product and love the price
What do you think - worthy competition or cool concept?
Let me know 👇
I'm really looking forward to the long term review
It's coming!
i usually do a double knot on most of my shoe laces, i don't see how this is different than any other shoe, doesn't really seem like an inconvenience. i have narrow feet so i would definitely need to use the laces. thanks for the review, will keep an eye on these, they look pretty good.
Just personal preference! My feet are also quite narrow and the knit did a great job of keeping me locked in, well worth looking into 🤙🏽
So glad this exists and seems to be selling quite well. While I do "main" Vivos, I'm not a fan of their outlandish prices and I only ever get a new pair when there's a really aggressively reduced sale going on. With barefoot shoes hopefully becoming more mainstream, I hope we get to see more companies focus on balancing quality and pricing instead of always being stuck between paying 150 to 200 bucks for a decent pair of shoes or going with a 30-dollar pair of trash from Shenzhen. (I'm exaggerating a bit of course, but non-barefoot shoes definitely see a wider variety of affordable pairs with decent quality.)
Agreed, I'm really quite curious how companies land on their current prices. Thinking about getting in contact with a load of them and asking the simple question 'why are barefoot shoes so expensive' and seeing what comes out. Do you think it'd be worth a video?
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject It would definitely be interesting to hear their stance but I bet it's pretty much gonna be what you said in the Hydra ESC video; niche products that can't be mass-produced by the billions, supposedly more ethically sourced materials, R&D etc.
Plus if you ask "Why are they so expensive", they're gonna start out by refusing to call them "expensive" in the first place...
I wonder if anyone simply says "Because it's what people are willing to pay"...
I'd still be interested in how they find that middle ground where the shoes are just expensive enough to make a large profit off of each sale while at the same time making them just affordable enough so people don't simply shake their heads and walk away. Same problem that every product ever created faces, but since this is such a fairly new "trend", it would be nice to get a little glance behind the scenes.
tl;dr: I'd watch it.
@@chris_1988 Well I've sent out a load of emails requesting to jump on a recorded video call so let's see what they say!
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject Ha, very cool! Let's see if anyone even agrees to have a conversation. The dude from Xero seems pretty open to being on camera, maybe he is down to talk.
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject Yes, that's worth a video
Great video! They do look really good, I think it will come down to how durable they are whilst still being biodegrable.
I've had my Primus Lites (not knits) for 2 years now, they've been great and I've heard of others lasting much longer. It'll be interesting to see how these compare! Hopefully you'll do a follow up?
100% agree! Time will be the big teller for these me thinks, so absolutely - I'll cook up a follow on video after a few months of abuse.
I've been wearing these on and off for a month or so (no insole, with socks) and I do feel like walking for long distances on urban environments, I can feel the triangle nubs/uneven sole instead of a flat vivo primus style sole. This does become a bit irritable on the foot after a full day of city walking.
I love the look and style so still love to wear them though! Great for a casual date night out.
Interesting - I'll keep an eye out to see if I get a similar thing! How is the stitching looking on the inside of the shoe looking after a month of wear without insoles?
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject everything looks and feels just like it did when I opened the box including the inside stitching and the elasticity of the that top fabric material. So A+ for quality so far from me.
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject I'm guessing this shoe would be better suited for rough surfaces instead of flat concrete walking due to its uneven sole.
Deus ex Machina and the Temple of Enthusiasm.
Nice touch…
Keep it up!
A fellow surfing petrol head I see 🏍️😆
Cheers to a company that seems to be trying. I wonder about their claim of 'biodegradable'. Do they mean the material actually returns to natural substances, or just breaks down into very small particles?
Agreed, but honestly I don't know! I'll send them an email to find out and include anything I hear in a more long term review.
Like so many Barefoot shoe companies these do not cater for anyone needing larger sizes which is disappointing as they seem great. For a bigfoot like me I have only been able to wear vivos, Xeros and Lems
You're not alone in thinking that - I (fortunately) fit into their biggest size (46). They are a small company so it might be worth emailing them. If the demand is there I wouldn't be surprised if they added some larger sizes going forwards.
Regarding the side tie for the shoe, can't you just avoid the top loop and tie it in the middle?
I just got a pair of Lono Flows. Very disappointing. I asked for help from the company for sizing and followed their advice. I wanted to wear a lightweight athletic sock with an insole (very tender feet). I got a tight shoe with a shallow toebox that hurts after wearing for an hour. Have to go barefoot without an insole because my foot will JUST fit in. The tight fit gets uncomfortable fast. The company had my width and length foot measurements and advised me to get a size larger than I buy in a regular shoe. This shoe runs a size or even a size and a half small. With. a shallow toe box you need to order extra length. I will be ordering a better made shoe for this fall.
What does the width of the toe box feel like compared to something like the Vivo Primus knit which is very narrow for someone with wide/x-wide feet? Roomier? 🤞🏼
I don’t have the knits to hand to measure but from memory, they felt a bit wider BUT to access that extra space you’d definitely need to take the insole out so would need a pair of THIN socks 🧦🤙🏽
I've been using this shoe for 2 month and i used it almost everyday for work and for working out etc. It is a great all rounder barefoot shoe. The only downside i have with this shoes is that the sole loses its grip quite fast and doesn't has that much grip, SO it could be slippery on wet floors sometimes. But bare this in mind that I uses the shoe every single day. If you're someone who will use this shoe solely for workout i'll assume the grip on the sole could last slightly longer then mine. Overall this is an awesome and shoe and I love it.
Great input!
Is it good for sports with a lot of lateral movements like tennis, badminton, squash etc.?
Great question and it depends on the level you’re playing at. Just for a laugh, completely fine but at a high level the knitted upper will have too much movement for quick turns and pivots.
They only seem to go up to a 46. Kind of sucks with me being a 47/48.
Shoot them an email - they’re a small company so might add more sizes to their next shipment if the demand is there?
Hi i wear vivo primus lite 3 43 but all weather primus lite 44 and i ordered 43 lono is it gonna be small than?
Apparently the biodegrading only occurs when you chuck it in the landfil, so this would mean the process must be triggered by something...soil perhaps?
I have put this question to them, lets see what they come back with. If soil triggeres the process, then i could imagine constantly leaving your shoes muddy may triggere the process on some level.
Let me know what you hear back! I’m definitely interested in the answer as I don’t have the best track record with cleaning my shoes post off road shenanigans 😆
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject Good news! Dirt won't trigger the decaying process.
@@kofio7581 That is very good news!
@@kofio7581 That is very good news!
Personally I just don't like what they have done with the front of the shoe, I think it's ment to be like a toe protector like what vivo has done on the big toe in the primus lite range but I just hate it, only reason I haven't got a pair
Have you ever tried lems primal zen?
I have and 11mm of stack height is too much for me to stomach 😆
my vivos magically do not have smell issues with not wearing socks in them...
I wear a 48 Vivo. These only go to 46.
I'm wanting to get a pair of barefoot shoes to try out but my goodness the price is just silly, they are basically less than a normal shoe in reality physically speaking and yet cost so much, I mean I could wear a pair of socks and glue a bit of leather to the bottom and have virtually the same thing lmfao.( just being silly here please dont take me seriously ).
I also looked at the 5000 miles warantee which sounded great until I realized they wont replace them for free, just sell you another pair at 40% of the (full ) price plus postage so first pair very expensive but every pair after that just quite expensive and locks you into buying their shoes.
All very shady practice imho.
I understand this, but nobody questions Nike, Adidas or such like for charging a fortune for their shoes.
One word: Ali Express
Was sooo excited until I found out that they are based out of HK, China. Now I know where the catch is. It was too good to be true. I won't trust any of their claims or values.
HK is very different than mainland China, including culture and quality!
Seconded ^^
@@guillams not anymore unfortunately, ever since the 2019 Hong Kong protests, the repressions and unlawful law changes that went down after that. Now HK is no more, just another Chinese city controlled by the CCP
People are still buying Vivobarefoot? So many better companies nowadays
My issue is I prioritise a combination of quality x environmental responsibility so Vivo has always been the stand out choice.
Who’re your top picks and how do you think these guys stack up?
They are still the best.
I second the question, what are the other company you like better?
@@amaarmenteros1594 depends on what type of shoe you’re looking for
I agree. Vivos are cool and I own 4 pairs but there are better. Slowly I’ve been selling my Vivos. Since they are so expensive they are worth selling used on eBay..I’ve bought older models new so I never paid full price ($175 is way too expensive). I recently bought Splay shoes and love the cotton feel vs the synthetic materials of most Vivos.