I wore my Vivobarefoot boots the whole way on West Highland way over 5 days v comfortable but I do wear them all the time and done loads of miles in them prior to WHW 😊
I wore my vivo tracker forest esc to backpack st cuthberts way. (Lived out of bag, camping). Brilliant, no blisters, no foot pain,etc. 20 mile days. Will deffo be picking them for the west highland way. Feet feel great. Done quite a lot of shorter multiday trips, 25 miles in one day, etc. And never had an issue. Apart from maybe my very first trip in them a couple of years ago where i could feel my feet were definitely much more tired than they would usually get. But obviously my feet are much stronger now.
I use barefoot shoes at work, every single day. They're freet with the trail runner sole and I use them as camp shoes as well when I'm hiking or bike packing. But I don't use them for hiking or biking. For cycling you need a stiff sole to be efficient, and for hiking i just need a bit more cushion. So cycling shoes, trail runners, and barefoot shoes get the most use from me. I also have a pair of reebok crossfit which have a wide toe box without any other barefoot features. They're great.
I've read that a study (Robbins 1997) found that runners tend to land harder on softer surfaces to improve stability. So they land harder in more cushioned shoes, their feet searching for stable ground. Quite interesting and counterintuitive!
I transitioned to barefoot shoes around 3 years ago. I've used Xero trail runners and boots for overnight trips when not carrying a heavy load. Small rocks and roots take a toll on the feet after long miles. These days I use Topo Athletic Runventures with 20mm stack height but used Altra Lone Peaks in the past for backpacking. I love the Vibram outsoles for grip but they aren't flexible or squishy.
Know something, you're right. I was in the Pyrenees with a guy wearing the Vivobarefoot, having done multiple miles in them (that's multi days), I find that the best of both worlds is; the Altra Lone Peak. Zero drop and big toe box. Totally agree, the Vivo are definitely not for long hikes, for myself personally that is. I am off to Morocco in Oct and won't be doing the barefoots, but they are absolute quality boots!
You really do have to be careful when transitioning to barefoot shoes. Do it wrong and it will cost you! I found this out to my detriment. I rushed the transition, doing stuff my feet just weren’t ready for and I have been rehabbing issues with my right Achilles since. It’s fixable, but it’s a long road to get it back to normal. Personally I won’t go back to them, as much as I love how they feel. Instead I’ll concentrate on strengthening my feet generally on a regular basis whilst still at least trying to get footwear with a larger toe box. Everyone is different and some people will obviously take to it quicker than others. But you do have to be careful bearing in mind what is said in this video. Make sure you do foot strengthening exercises along side your transition is my advice.
I tried the Vivo all-weather shoes/trainers and TBH I couldn't get away with them for multi day hiking. Great for driving in though 😉. My feet ached after an hour or so. I switched to my Altra Olympus 5 Hike Mid GTX and no probs. I now have the boots and trainers (GTX) plus Olympus 5 hiking trainers and the pain in my hip and knee has gone. I’m not saying this will work for everyone, and I can understand why people want to feel connected to the ground but for me I had too much pain. I don’t wear anything else other than zero drop shoes, walking boots and trainers now, (a mixture of Altra and Lems) and my body feels great. I’m 66 and love being out on the fells and hills. Great videos, keep walking.
You absolutely made the right decision in my opinion/experience. I've been using barefoot only shoes every day for over 13 years, mostly VivoBarefoot but some Merrell and some VFF. I've hiked plenty in them and never had any issues doing 2/3 day hikes and camps usually carrying between 10kg and 12kg. However after getting in to longer distances and more days hiking (and getting older!) I'm actually now going with more cushioned (but zero drop foot shaped) options like Altra and Inov8. I did the Dales Way in my VivoBarefoot Tracker Forest and it was really tough on the feet towards the end of it (especially so on the rocky paths) they are also quite a heavy boot so my hip flexors were feeling it. I've also done the Cumbria Way in Merrell Trail gloves, which do have slightly more cushioning than the Vivo's but still not enough for me for multi day. For wet conditions in trail runners I would recommend using a moisture barrier cream like Trench Foot Balm or Badger Foot Balm to prevent the foot from 'pruning' and so becoming more susceptible to blisters. Best tip is to put the balm on clean dry feet before you go to bed, then again in the morning before you put your socks and shoes on. Also worth checking out Drymax socks which being mostly made of Polypropylene dry out super fast. Then use a GoreTex (not Sealskinz or similar, they are terrible!) sock for evening around camp over the top of a dry sock.
You made the right decision pal, I have Tracker FG which I wear everyday but after completing a 3 day on the Bens I developed insertional tendinopathy on my left achilles , unable to put my hoof flat on the ground for two weeks. Extremely painful. Proceed with caution!
There seems to be a lot of youtubers selling barefoot and making claims of "I've worn these everyday for the last..." yet when you watch their videos they are switching back to hiking boots or trail runners for anything more than a short day hike. Long distance hiking over muti days with heavy packs needs something with more support and durability than barefoot. I don't buy the whole I need to wear them for 6 months before I can walk anywhere in them. If you wore your hiking boots every day your legs and knees would strengthen to the extra weight. I think this is the root of many complaints around normal boots, people wear light trainers everyday then throw on a pair of heavy four season boots go walk 15 miles and wonder why they got foot and knee problems. There isn't one "best" option I'm sure barefoot shoes have their place but I think you made the right decision. Great video, nice to see someone take a more critical look at this than the usual binary response from the barefoot crowd.
There is no “support” for ankle. Support can exist for joints that don’t move much like back. Ankle supposed to move. Barefoot shoes have no cushioning and as such cause pain after long hikes with big loads. That obviously makes sense.
For me it's the wide toe box and close to zero drop that's important. It did take my muscles, ligaments, and bones 4-6 months to transition to barefoot shoes. Now I wear them every day even standing hours on concrete. My calves and ankles have so much definition and are super strong now. On the trail I still stick with zero drop wide toe box shoes but with varying amounts of stack height for cushioning. Small rocks and roots take a toll after long miles.
Is it just me, or is there a cult mentality around certain kinds of shoes? As if you're supposed to convert to one kind or another and wear only that? I wear a bunch different kinds of runners, hikers, gym shoes, skate shoes, nonslip work sneakers, etc, plus I go days and days barefoot around the house. My plantar fasciitis and heel spurs haven't bothered me in years. 🤷🏼♂️ Maybe variety is good, as long as nothing in your rotation is pathogenic for you.
@@rodoutdoors I've noticed the difference a wide toebox can make, even on very non-barefoot shoes, like my Cascadia 16s. It's as if Brooks took a design cue from the barefoot world and put it in their redesign. I feel like this hybridization is happening all over the shoe world. Like, if you want something like a Hoka but with ground feel, that probably exists. Are manufacturers.... Learning from each other?? 😮
Interesting , I watched another hiker walk the West Highland Way in Vivobarefoot shies like yours...they had to bail out after day 2 due to a bad pressure sore on their heel due to impact stress .
I started using vivobarefoot shoes in January and at the same time started training for the Cape Wrath Trail that I did in April/May this year. All a bit rushed, but the Vivobarefoot Forest Tracker Esc were my choice and one I don’t regret despite a few blisters due to wet feet for a few days early on in the route. I can’t think of a boot or shoe that would have suited me and the route better.
Got the vivopair like yours but the lower ones, used them for 4days on the Pembrokeshire coastal path, HOT! And bruised my heel due to lack of cushioning. Ironically I was gonna switch to Olympus 5s going forward for multi day trips nice idea going for gtx me thinks, cheers for the vid 👍🏻
I wear vivobarefoot boots most of the time when hiking including multi day trips carrying weight and are my preferred choice of footwear by far. However, trails like the WHW with so much tarmac and hard surfaces are better suited to footwear with more cushioning IMO. I would go for Altra waterproof boots if planning such trails again.
Thank you for this video! I've been struggling with whether or not I should bring my Vivos or Topos for my WHW trip (7 days until take off!). I had kind of settled on the Topos already, but this video gave me the extra confidence that I needed.
You should definitely try the Olympus 5 GTX (or now Olympus 6 GTX). I’ve got 600 miles plus out of my 5 GTX’s and they’ve never let any water in. I haven’t even ever had to proof them. The 6 GTX now also has the loop and Velcro tabs to attach your Altra gaiters, which was a strange omission from the 5 GTXs.
hate to be the contrarian, BUT... lol... "they've never let any water in" sounds good, but they also never let any water out! I've walked in puddles (goretex runners) wishing I'd never bought GTX trail shoes! 🤣🤣🤣
Hi, I’m currently hiking the Tour Du Mont Blanc in the Olympus 5. Aaaaaaand I’m so glad I took these. “Small Caveat” I also have sealskin socks as it’s been VERY WET, but, after 3/4 of the way completed! I’m sold. I looked months ago at maybe taking those Vivo boots but tbh I am now positive you need a good Year or 2 until you can literally see that the shape of your feet has changed. Purist barefoot like them will take a couple of years. Zero drop 👍🏽 Cushioning 👍🏽 Zero drop, no cushioning 👎🏽 Build up to them. Love your vids. Keep it going and happy trails
I have a pair of altra olympus boots. They are pretty similar to the olympus 5 shoe and incredibly comfy and they are waterproof. I absolutely hate normal boots and walking shoes as they just kill my feet.
I have the Vivo Forest ESC and absolutely love them. I use them every day for dog walking. Most comfortable boots I've ever worn. Having said that I've only been on hikes of up to 20km so far. I'm wary of the Altra shoes as they have a reputation for poor durability. The only problem I can see with GTX shoes is if they do get wet then they take ages to dry out. I've had this problem even though I've proofed the shoes regularly. I'm considering the Inov8 Trailfly shoes for my trail runs as they now have the wide toebox. They aren't zero drop, but that doesn't bother me. Will be really interested to see how you manage with the Vivo's on multiday walks. As for the Crocs 🤣
I have to say I love my altra Olympus 5s - they are my go to summer walking shoes now. I broke my ankle a couple of years ago and wanted to address the strength and stability of my feet. Agree with you about getting wet, they are fantastic if you have a break in the weather as they dry on the feet really quickly. And they are super comfortable. I am thinking about of getting the goretex versions but have had a couple of failures of waterproofing in a couple of boots (not altras) and ended up walking in sloshing buckets so am a little wary
1. I am sure that you made the right choice. I have hiked in the Vivos for multiple days without beeing propperly trained and that got me some achillies pain which took time to recover. Also: I hiked with them in really bad weather and as you probably know: leather does not dry in any reasonable time frame, even when conditions are very good. So 1 day of rain means wet shoes for the rest of the trip, even when you get sunshine for another couple of days. 2. I was mentioned in one of your videos. Since you mentioned me in your video: I am know fame and need help. Any recommendations on how to hide from the reporters when leaving my home?
1. Hmmm I’ve found they dry out faster than most leather boots. Although not close to as fast at the Altras. But my feet have only ever gotten slightly damp in them, not sodden wet like the Altra. Hard to know which thing is better. 2. I did?! Which video?
I have done all my long distance trails so far wearing minimalist shoes and this is my experience. I think with weight on the back and doing long miles the feet just get a bit too tired. Plus I've only tried vivobarefoot and have decided they are too low volume for me after the Hydra esc destroyed my feet on the Skye trail. I had blisters on top of my feet lol. The boots you have seem fine for me though, never had blisters in those so who knows. Freet have some promising looking trail runners so might try those and they are wider and higher volume than vivos. Ultimately if they don't work then I'll just stick to shorter trips with minimalist shoes and try out altras or topos for longer stuff. Most of my day hikes I do in sandals or barefoot anyway.
I'm really looking forward to what you have to say about long distance hiking with crocs. I'm 48 and I used to hike a lot before my daughter was born. Now, my daughter is big and I'm thinking of getting out again. I still walk miles every day with the dog. I can walk over 20k without issues in crocs during spring and summer. I don't get blisters and my feet aren't killing me. But as autumn sets in, I have to switch to walking shoes because I live in the west of Ireland and the weather gets cold and wet. I dread walking shoes, my entire body hurts after a long walk, especially my feet when i wear walking shoes. I'm planning going on a long distance hike next spring, and I was thinking of doing it with crocs. I have just heard of barefoot shoes but I haven't tried them. I would love to hear your opinion on crocs compared to your barefoot, and maybe I'll break the bank and get barefoot shoes.
Altra Olympus are actually very good on technical terrain. They don't have a lot a complete vibram outsole (most is exposed foam), but the lugs are aggressive and the foam kind of "hugs" the ground. But they do wear out fast. No you would not want the goretex version. If you're hiking in the rain your feet will get wet eventually. Goretex will not dry-off easily after the inside is wet.
Ok here’s my two cents. You made a decision based on trying protect your feet, was it perfect, no, but a blister is better than muscle or bone injury, which could’ve ended the whole trip. You’ve always advocated being prepared and you knew your feet weren’t ready for multi day walking/running. That’s not chickening out, that’s just common sense.
Hi Steven I think you made the right decision because you know your own feet obviously, but the rain as you said in the video really messed you up, now that's will be very interesting to see the video with the footwear in the rain lol. ANYWAY I'm ready nearly to go camping and yes there's a lot of makeing sure I got everything ready to go, not sure if there's a shop in the area were we going, and she will not be happy if I get it wrong. Anyway I'll let you know what happens, take care of yourself and yours Alan 💯👍
@@StephenJReid I did the Fan Dance route in Brecon Beacons (not as an organised race and not with the weight!) so a mixture of gravel, grass and rock steps.
Only you can say whether you made the right choice or not. I’d argue not, based on my experience with the Trackers and Vivos generally. However, I do think you’ve done exactly what you’re meant to do and have gradually built up your time wearing barefoot footwear and have stayed away from running and longer distances. Now is the time to change that. You’ve done well over a year of transition and you’re more than capable of running short distances in them. You will need to learn the technique too, but as long as you’re striking on the midfoot and not heel-striking or running on your toes then you’re very unlikely to injure yourself at this point - unless you decide to go out and do something way too long. I’m no runner but like you, I mix up my walks with stints of running - always in Vivos. As for the waterproofing, I haven’t had an issue in mine besides one trip coming down from an exceptionally wet and windy Snowdon. That was the first time I’d been out on a ‘proper’ walk after not cleaning them for a few shorter days, and my feet were slightly damp. Otherwise, my experience has been positive. I’ve kept them clean and treated and have had dry feet. I’ve seen other people over the years say this isn’t the case with the Tracker so I’m sure it does vary a bit. Ultimately I can’t imagine your feet would’ve ended up as wet as in your trail shoes, even if they did get a bit damp after a few days. Be interested to see your multi-day test with them.
I'm very cautious about running in them as I ran in barefoot shoes about 10years ago and ended up injured. But I was running 18miles and quite fast too. So I might be fine if I'm doing a mix of walking and running Thanks, yeah they would definitely have kept my feet drier for much longer.
There's nothing wrong with your decision. Considering the shoes you wore are just basically barefoot shoes with more cushioning! I've been running in a pair of those for the past year. I'm thinking of transitioning to fully barefoot shoes. But I was still use them to do long distance runs and. Because it's not about just running barefoot all the time. It's about having different tools for the job. Eric Orton did a video about this. Not long ago! One of the co-authors from Bond to run
I bought those Vivos after your last video about them. They were on my radar before, but I was looking for a discount code :). That said, I love them on natural terrain, earth, mud, rock. Probably the best hiking boots I had to hilly walks. BUT, I find they hurt my heels on steep climbs much more than "regular" hiking boots, like from Meindl. I feel like they wouldn't be the best choice for something like hiking in the alps. Also, I also have the impression that they are no so suitable for long distances, even though I'm not a multi-day hiker. Long distance often means gravel forest roads and less nature trails. And they don't feel as good on those gravel roads. Side note: I'm a bit heaver than the average person, so your mileage may vary. So, I'm currently looking for some trail runners with cushioning for longer hikes during dry weather to give them a try. The sheer amount of choices is a problem though. Altra alone has many options and it is hard to chose from. Many recommend the Lone Peak 8.
I have the forest trackers and have had the same heel pressure issue with them, after a few months it stopped being an issue. Unlikely to be a solution for you but I have very low volume feet so have to put stacker soles in them, I 4mm rubber sheeting used to make industrial washers and things like that and it helps a lot with the small stone issue. Can’t help with the trail runners tho!
How long have you been using them? I found it took a while for that underfoot pressure inc on heels to fade. The pain is a sign you might need to transition slower. more cushioned runners might help too. Lone peaks are much less cushioned than the Olympus
@@StephenJReid I has been almost 3 months and I have done almost 100 miles with them. I have been wearing normal barefoot shoes since spring without any transition issues. But I know that pain can accumulate over time when the fit is not perfect. I had this with another pair of shoes. But it is not that bad, TBH. Yes, the Lone Peak have the least cushioning, but it is probably still plenty, Olympus probably the most, the Timp seems to be in the middle. If I read that correctly, the Olympus sole is 3 times higher than that of the Vivos. Timp looks nice too and it has less of the foamy studs and a Vibram sole so they might last longer, but the footshape is the slightly narrower "standard" compare to original. ... That's what I mean. So many options.
@@valdius85I wrote about my Topos then read the other comments and everyone here loves them! In my running circles I don't think anyone has heard of them. I have difficult feet and finally these are shoes that don't cause me any issues.
I have barefoot shoes (not boots). I can easily walk 20 km in them. One problem is that they start to stink because I don't wear socks. Another problem is that you can feel the stones quite a bit.
@@StephenJReid My barefoods are low shoes made of fabric with a very thin sole. They look like boat shoes with laces. I can walk long distances in the Netherlands, but you feel everything. Only the soles do not have enough grip, not suitable for mountains. I usually wear Meindl C/D high shoes with gorertex. I wear them both in the Netherlands and in the mountains. I sweat more in them than in my barefoots
Do the Altras have arch support? I’ve looked at them a few times and never been totally sure… I gone over to wearing barefoots so much that I find arch support inevitably in the wrong place and quite painfully now, only suffer it when I need my big boots and crampons! Vivo slip on forest tracker mules: leave the laces in their fixed eyelets and send them straight back behind your heels, bring back to the front and you have enough to tie them like you would normally and you have a secure slip on shoe 😁 works on all 3 of their boot type shoes that I own. Often leave my decons like l that most of the time as they’re my main dayly shoe and come on and off a lot.
Hi Stephen, your video answered a question I've actually been struggling with. Whether to wear Gore-Tex or non-Gore-Tex trail runners. Often people prefer the non-Gore-Tex version, but as you said, if it's raining all day, your feet will get wet. You won't stay completely dry in Gore-Tex either, but I don't think there's a perfect solution for Scottish weather. I'll be wearing my Gore-Tex trail runners now in September. And because of some foot issues, I can't wear barefoot soles, and even though I have a very slow route for the WHW, I'm not entirely sure my feet will make it to the end... But I have to because I really want it 🙂
This is a great video! I'm glad you shared your experience with both barefoot boots and trail running shoes. I'm definitely considering getting a pair of barefoot shoes for my next hike, but I'm still undecided on which type to get. I'm also curious to know how your feet felt after the hike in the trail running shoes. Did you experience any pain or discomfort Sir?
I love my vivos but they were definitely the wrong choice for the miles of flat path that is the whw. Over uneven terrain I could've quite happily walked the same distance but continuous impact pressure on one place was not the one!
I though to go for altra for a multi days , but it depends where is the multi day hike ... for only trail but what trail ???? All the trails Ive been I do not regret wearing more heavy shoe like 500 g .... but more protection. I am not staying only on the trail so idk ... I am not a tidy hiker ....
How far do you think you walk in a day around the boat? Imagine it could be more than most people would expect if you’re out hoisting the mainsail, or jibbing the rigging and climbing the crows nest
@@StephenJReid that is actually an interesting question. I should gets a steps count to figure that out . on our boat the lines all come back to the cockpit so we control the boat from there when under sail. Our boat is 40ft long but we keep the spare fuel and anchor controls at the front of the boat. We do t have a car so we do have to walk everywhere to get groceries and shopping items.
Interesting! Would you say switching from traditional mid hiking boots to a trail runner such as the Olympus requires a period of time to get used to them? I'm due to walk the WHW in a month and pondering this as an option with the GTX.
Yes, not as much as fully barefoot boots with no padding but the lack of a raised heel will put a lot more strain on your calves. Personally I would want more time to get used to them. Salomon speedgoats might be a better option, they have a drop height of 4mm. And I think they have a wide version. Definitely give yourself enough time to get a good fit. Don’t want them too tight
People go from one extreme to another. Topo offers wide toebox trail running shoes that have relatively low cushion, but still big enough to offer lots of comfort. Much more durable than these Altra. See some use ridiculous arguments against barefoot shoes, like they offer no “support”, or that if someone needs a year to get used to them they must be bad. Personally I’d choose my running Topos for multi day hikes and when running. I’d go for Vivos in highly technical terrain. I even see myself taking both of these as places I want to visit are extremely technical.
Yes I’m in a similar boat, I’ve got so used to vivos I find normal shoes painful now, after 2 years of almost exclusively wear by toes have started spreading a lot in just the last 6 months and I’ve gone up a size in length. I also find a lot of those argument completely miss the point, the way you walk and your centre of gravity changes over time when you take away all the supports of normal shoes. I can see why track athletes need the excessive amount of shock absorption they use but that’s not a natural way of running start with so of course you need different foot protection. I’m waiting for the day someone makes narrow fit but wide toe box crampon compatible boots with no arch support!
@@Trundlebugg crampons are coming :) I think there is a need for a “light” winter shoes that fit all five toes but is stiff enough in required places to install crampons. The issue I have with Vivos as a company is that they are too dogmatic in their “mission”. Offer proper barefoot shoes but please offer something with some foam and proper thermal isolation. I mean extra models, the existing models are good and I plan to buy few of them.
I have a pair of Runventure 4 that I'm using now. It checks all the boxes for me and I'm bummed they are discontinued now. I'm looking into the Pursuit for the next pair. Runventures are zero drop, low stack height(20mm), and have grippy Vibram outsoles. They aren't nearly as squishy and flexible as Altra's MaxTrac but they don't wear down as fast.
The weight on the feet with boots is a bit of a myth it only applies when your running a us army study proved that.i tired lone peaks but found them too soft underfoot and could feel every stone I now use topo athletic traverse they have a low drop but the have a rock plate which offers way more protection for under the foot.
Nothing against barefoot boots/shoes but I've never understood the claim that normal boots compress your feet. If that's happening, surely you just need a bigger boot? I wear a size bigger than my shoes and my toes spread in the toe box just fine. Obviously, whatever footwear works for you is the right one, just wondered.
I reckon the vivos would have wetted out the first day then they'd have been damp at best for the rest of the trip. Don't get me wrong, I love the vivos, I'm a total convert but i find in wet weather they don't stay waterproof all day even if you use the renapur before going out and they don't dry very quickly. That being said, sealskinz socks could be the answer to this, I've just not got round to testing my theory yet. Maybe you could do that video and save me the heartache😂
Sounds like you’ve not protected them recently enough? The Tracker Forest ESC haven’t let me down in hours of torrential rain and soggy ground on consecutive days. If you’re keeping them clean and then coating them with Renapur or similar regularly, they’ll stay dry inside - at least in my experience.
@@delektrik1 interesting, fair enough. I’ve seen people mention similar things to you and have them showed the boots and they’re dull and clearly mistreated. Yours sound well looked after so it’s interesting you’re getting damp feet within a day. One thing I also do is spray a ‘base coat’ of Liquiproof before I coat them once or twice with Renapur. I have no idea if it’s effective but I like to think that due to the lower viscosity, it will swap into areas the Renapur doesn’t - I.e. around the upper/sole join, the stitches and other places. Then the Renapur does the main job.
Neither. Decent mid weight boots were here before and will be long after both of these. My feet are one thing I never need to worry about regardless of weather and distance.
@@INSOLESandLACES maybe in recent history. But historically people mostly wore flat thin shoes/moccasins and sandals for thousands of years. Roman soldiers marched loaded up to war in sandals. What your feet are used to plays a big role. But personally I’ve always found even lightweight hiking boots made my back issues worse. But everyone is different and barefoot style just won’t work for some people especially with a lifetime in a different style
I did the West Highland Way over four days in my trail shoes. I was coming off an injury so not much specific training was done! And one of the two friends I did it with was recovering from Covid. The shoes I wore were an American brand, Topo Terraventure 3. They are a low drop shoe with a wide toe box but they manage to lock down my midfoot really well. We weren't camping and had other friends transferring our bags for us which enabled us to run. We were also lucky with largely dry weather. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, I was really well prepared for a 9 day hiking trip around the Lake District except I couldn't decide whether to wear these shoes or my Salomon boots. In the end it was the wide toe box on the shoes and the fact I'd made it through the WHW with zero blisters that decided it, at the last minute. The boots are very lightweight and I don't think had ever caused me a blister either, and I'd done multi day in them too. I just had a gut feeling to go with the shoes. The Lake District was a lot wetter, even if it hadn't rained I had bogs and stream crossings to deal with. I was putting wet shoes back on every day even though most of the places I stayed had drying rooms. My Icebreaker Cool Lite socks dried the quickest so I ended up wearing those every day and changing into a pair of Stance wool blend socks at the end of the day so I had something dry to wear. I was carrying a 10kg bag including water weight (food was the other thing that took up weight, I could have taken less). There was a lot more elevation than the WHW and the terrain meant a lot less running - also me learning to slow down and appreciate my surroundings and the fact that if I was staying in a hostel I couldn't check in before 5 anyway! I did roll my ankle in the shoes once, on a rocky descent. But I know my feet and body really well so while I knew this was a risk, I knew that due to my hypermobile joints I was likely to bounce back, which is exactly what happened.
Hiking in Scotland without waterproof shoes? People are insane, i dont get this trend of people hiking on soft and foamy running shoes, which will absorb every drip of moisture around.
I wore my Vivobarefoot boots the whole way on West Highland way over 5 days v comfortable but I do wear them all the time and done loads of miles in them prior to WHW 😊
Good to know! Gives me more confidence to try a multi-day in them. What kinda of mileage were you doing in them before?
@@StephenJReid at lambing time and right through the Summer herding my sheep I average 14 miles a day , rest day Saturday as usually at a dog trial 🤣
I've just binge watched most of your videos over the past week. You're awesome. You make the great outdoors feel less intimidating for people like me.
This is the best comment, exactly what I hope with this channel 🙂 thank you.
I wore my vivo tracker forest esc to backpack st cuthberts way. (Lived out of bag, camping).
Brilliant, no blisters, no foot pain,etc. 20 mile days.
Will deffo be picking them for the west highland way. Feet feel great.
Done quite a lot of shorter multiday trips, 25 miles in one day, etc. And never had an issue. Apart from maybe my very first trip in them a couple of years ago where i could feel my feet were definitely much more tired than they would usually get. But obviously my feet are much stronger now.
I use barefoot shoes at work, every single day. They're freet with the trail runner sole and I use them as camp shoes as well when I'm hiking or bike packing. But I don't use them for hiking or biking. For cycling you need a stiff sole to be efficient, and for hiking i just need a bit more cushion. So cycling shoes, trail runners, and barefoot shoes get the most use from me.
I also have a pair of reebok crossfit which have a wide toe box without any other barefoot features. They're great.
I've read that a study (Robbins 1997) found that runners tend to land harder on softer surfaces to improve stability. So they land harder in more cushioned shoes, their feet searching for stable ground. Quite interesting and counterintuitive!
I transitioned to barefoot shoes around 3 years ago. I've used Xero trail runners and boots for overnight trips when not carrying a heavy load. Small rocks and roots take a toll on the feet after long miles.
These days I use Topo Athletic Runventures with 20mm stack height but used Altra Lone Peaks in the past for backpacking. I love the Vibram outsoles for grip but they aren't flexible or squishy.
Know something, you're right. I was in the Pyrenees with a guy wearing the Vivobarefoot, having done multiple miles in them (that's multi days), I find that the best of both worlds is; the Altra Lone Peak. Zero drop and big toe box. Totally agree, the Vivo are definitely not for long hikes, for myself personally that is. I am off to Morocco in Oct and won't be doing the barefoots, but they are absolute quality boots!
You really do have to be careful when transitioning to barefoot shoes. Do it wrong and it will cost you!
I found this out to my detriment. I rushed the transition, doing stuff my feet just weren’t ready for and I have been rehabbing issues with my right Achilles since. It’s fixable, but it’s a long road to get it back to normal.
Personally I won’t go back to them, as much as I love how they feel. Instead I’ll concentrate on strengthening my feet generally on a regular basis whilst still at least trying to get footwear with a larger toe box.
Everyone is different and some people will obviously take to it quicker than others. But you do have to be careful bearing in mind what is said in this video.
Make sure you do foot strengthening exercises along side your transition is my advice.
Yup and I hammer home this point in my previous video about these boots. I injured myself the first time I tried barefoot shoes 10years ago
I tried the Vivo all-weather shoes/trainers and TBH I couldn't get away with them for multi day hiking. Great for driving in though 😉. My feet ached after an hour or so. I switched to my Altra Olympus 5 Hike Mid GTX and no probs. I now have the boots and trainers (GTX) plus Olympus 5 hiking trainers and the pain in my hip and knee has gone.
I’m not saying this will work for everyone, and I can understand why people want to feel connected to the ground but for me I had too much pain.
I don’t wear anything else other than zero drop shoes, walking boots and trainers now, (a mixture of Altra and Lems) and my body feels great. I’m 66 and love being out on the fells and hills.
Great videos, keep walking.
You absolutely made the right decision in my opinion/experience.
I've been using barefoot only shoes every day for over 13 years, mostly VivoBarefoot but some Merrell and some VFF.
I've hiked plenty in them and never had any issues doing 2/3 day hikes and camps usually carrying between 10kg and 12kg. However after getting in to longer distances and more days hiking (and getting older!) I'm actually now going with more cushioned (but zero drop foot shaped) options like Altra and Inov8.
I did the Dales Way in my VivoBarefoot Tracker Forest and it was really tough on the feet towards the end of it (especially so on the rocky paths) they are also quite a heavy boot so my hip flexors were feeling it. I've also done the Cumbria Way in Merrell Trail gloves, which do have slightly more cushioning than the Vivo's but still not enough for me for multi day.
For wet conditions in trail runners I would recommend using a moisture barrier cream like Trench Foot Balm or Badger Foot Balm to prevent the foot from 'pruning' and so becoming more susceptible to blisters. Best tip is to put the balm on clean dry feet before you go to bed, then again in the morning before you put your socks and shoes on.
Also worth checking out Drymax socks which being mostly made of Polypropylene dry out super fast.
Then use a GoreTex (not Sealskinz or similar, they are terrible!) sock for evening around camp over the top of a dry sock.
You made the right decision pal, I have Tracker FG which I wear everyday but after completing a 3 day on the Bens I developed insertional tendinopathy on my left achilles , unable to put my hoof flat on the ground for two weeks. Extremely painful. Proceed with caution!
ouch
There seems to be a lot of youtubers selling barefoot and making claims of "I've worn these everyday for the last..." yet when you watch their videos they are switching back to hiking boots or trail runners for anything more than a short day hike. Long distance hiking over muti days with heavy packs needs something with more support and durability than barefoot. I don't buy the whole I need to wear them for 6 months before I can walk anywhere in them. If you wore your hiking boots every day your legs and knees would strengthen to the extra weight. I think this is the root of many complaints around normal boots, people wear light trainers everyday then throw on a pair of heavy four season boots go walk 15 miles and wonder why they got foot and knee problems. There isn't one "best" option I'm sure barefoot shoes have their place but I think you made the right decision. Great video, nice to see someone take a more critical look at this than the usual binary response from the barefoot crowd.
There is no “support” for ankle.
Support can exist for joints that don’t move much like back.
Ankle supposed to move.
Barefoot shoes have no cushioning and as such cause pain after long hikes with big loads. That obviously makes sense.
Speaking from experience, I have waaaaay more ankle stability with barefoot boots.
For me it's the wide toe box and close to zero drop that's important. It did take my muscles, ligaments, and bones 4-6 months to transition to barefoot shoes. Now I wear them every day even standing hours on concrete. My calves and ankles have so much definition and are super strong now.
On the trail I still stick with zero drop wide toe box shoes but with varying amounts of stack height for cushioning. Small rocks and roots take a toll after long miles.
Is it just me, or is there a cult mentality around certain kinds of shoes? As if you're supposed to convert to one kind or another and wear only that? I wear a bunch different kinds of runners, hikers, gym shoes, skate shoes, nonslip work sneakers, etc, plus I go days and days barefoot around the house. My plantar fasciitis and heel spurs haven't bothered me in years. 🤷🏼♂️ Maybe variety is good, as long as nothing in your rotation is pathogenic for you.
@@rodoutdoors I've noticed the difference a wide toebox can make, even on very non-barefoot shoes, like my Cascadia 16s. It's as if Brooks took a design cue from the barefoot world and put it in their redesign. I feel like this hybridization is happening all over the shoe world. Like, if you want something like a Hoka but with ground feel, that probably exists. Are manufacturers.... Learning from each other?? 😮
Interesting , I watched another hiker walk the West Highland Way in Vivobarefoot shies like yours...they had to bail out after day 2 due to a bad pressure sore on their heel due to impact stress .
I started using vivobarefoot shoes in January and at the same time started training for the Cape Wrath Trail that I did in April/May this year. All a bit rushed, but the Vivobarefoot Forest Tracker Esc were my choice and one I don’t regret despite a few blisters due to wet feet for a few days early on in the route. I can’t think of a boot or shoe that would have suited me and the route better.
Stick with altras for long walks with a pack on. Try Dexshell ultra thin waterproof socks with them or Olympus gtx I've tried both with no problem.
I've tried waterproof socks but for really long days in wet conditions the water soaks in over the top and the socks don't dry out.
Got the vivopair like yours but the lower ones, used them for 4days on the Pembrokeshire coastal path, HOT! And bruised my heel due to lack of cushioning. Ironically I was gonna switch to Olympus 5s going forward for multi day trips nice idea going for gtx me thinks, cheers for the vid 👍🏻
I wear vivobarefoot boots most of the time when hiking including multi day trips carrying weight and are my preferred choice of footwear by far. However, trails like the WHW with so much tarmac and hard surfaces are better suited to footwear with more cushioning IMO. I would go for Altra waterproof boots if planning such trails again.
Thank you for this video! I've been struggling with whether or not I should bring my Vivos or Topos for my WHW trip (7 days until take off!). I had kind of settled on the Topos already, but this video gave me the extra confidence that I needed.
You should definitely try the Olympus 5 GTX (or now Olympus 6 GTX).
I’ve got 600 miles plus out of my 5 GTX’s and they’ve never let any water in.
I haven’t even ever had to proof them.
The 6 GTX now also has the loop and Velcro tabs to attach your Altra gaiters, which was a strange omission from the 5 GTXs.
I’ll definitely be having them as an option when planning future long distance multiday trips
hate to be the contrarian, BUT... lol... "they've never let any water in" sounds good, but they also never let any water out! I've walked in puddles (goretex runners) wishing I'd never bought GTX trail shoes! 🤣🤣🤣
Hi, I’m currently hiking the Tour Du Mont Blanc in the Olympus 5. Aaaaaaand I’m so glad I took these. “Small Caveat” I also have sealskin socks as it’s been VERY WET, but, after 3/4 of the way completed! I’m sold. I looked months ago at maybe taking those Vivo boots but tbh I am now positive you need a good Year or 2 until you can literally see that the shape of your feet has changed. Purist barefoot like them will take a couple of years. Zero drop 👍🏽
Cushioning 👍🏽
Zero drop, no cushioning 👎🏽
Build up to them.
Love your vids. Keep it going and happy trails
yeah definitely need to allow the proper time to transition to them
I have a pair of altra olympus boots. They are pretty similar to the olympus 5 shoe and incredibly comfy and they are waterproof.
I absolutely hate normal boots and walking shoes as they just kill my feet.
I have the Vivo Forest ESC and absolutely love them. I use them every day for dog walking. Most comfortable boots I've ever worn. Having said that I've only been on hikes of up to 20km so far. I'm wary of the Altra shoes as they have a reputation for poor durability. The only problem I can see with GTX shoes is if they do get wet then they take ages to dry out. I've had this problem even though I've proofed the shoes regularly. I'm considering the Inov8 Trailfly shoes for my trail runs as they now have the wide toebox. They aren't zero drop, but that doesn't bother me. Will be really interested to see how you manage with the Vivo's on multiday walks. As for the Crocs 🤣
So many different factors to balance against each other. No clear answer. I’ll just have to test! Crocs on a mountain top, coming soon 😂
@@StephenJReid Indeed! Good luck with the Crocs! Hope the next video isn't from your hospital bed!!
I have to say I love my altra Olympus 5s - they are my go to summer walking shoes now. I broke my ankle a couple of years ago and wanted to address the strength and stability of my feet. Agree with you about getting wet, they are fantastic if you have a break in the weather as they dry on the feet really quickly. And they are super comfortable. I am thinking about of getting the goretex versions but have had a couple of failures of waterproofing in a couple of boots (not altras) and ended up walking in sloshing buckets so am a little wary
Never fun walking in sloshing buckets
YOU SHOULD HAVE WORN ONE OF EACH. PROBLEM SOLVED. IT JUST TAKES A BIT OF COMMON SENSE.👍👍👍
😂😂 I have actually thought about doing that for a video until I realised the imbalance would almost definitely cause an injury
YOU COULD ALWAYS GET YOUR SISTER TO WEAR THEM AND YOU JUST VIDEO IT.😂👍
1. I am sure that you made the right choice. I have hiked in the Vivos for multiple days without beeing propperly trained and that got me some achillies pain which took time to recover. Also: I hiked with them in really bad weather and as you probably know: leather does not dry in any reasonable time frame, even when conditions are very good. So 1 day of rain means wet shoes for the rest of the trip, even when you get sunshine for another couple of days.
2. I was mentioned in one of your videos. Since you mentioned me in your video: I am know fame and need help. Any recommendations on how to hide from the reporters when leaving my home?
1. Hmmm I’ve found they dry out faster than most leather boots. Although not close to as fast at the Altras. But my feet have only ever gotten slightly damp in them, not sodden wet like the Altra. Hard to know which thing is better.
2. I did?! Which video?
I have done all my long distance trails so far wearing minimalist shoes and this is my experience.
I think with weight on the back and doing long miles the feet just get a bit too tired. Plus I've only tried vivobarefoot and have decided they are too low volume for me after the Hydra esc destroyed my feet on the Skye trail. I had blisters on top of my feet lol. The boots you have seem fine for me though, never had blisters in those so who knows.
Freet have some promising looking trail runners so might try those and they are wider and higher volume than vivos.
Ultimately if they don't work then I'll just stick to shorter trips with minimalist shoes and try out altras or topos for longer stuff.
Most of my day hikes I do in sandals or barefoot anyway.
I'm really looking forward to what you have to say about long distance hiking with crocs. I'm 48 and I used to hike a lot before my daughter was born. Now, my daughter is big and I'm thinking of getting out again. I still walk miles every day with the dog. I can walk over 20k without issues in crocs during spring and summer. I don't get blisters and my feet aren't killing me. But as autumn sets in, I have to switch to walking shoes because I live in the west of Ireland and the weather gets cold and wet. I dread walking shoes, my entire body hurts after a long walk, especially my feet when i wear walking shoes. I'm planning going on a long distance hike next spring, and I was thinking of doing it with crocs. I have just heard of barefoot shoes but I haven't tried them. I would love to hear your opinion on crocs compared to your barefoot, and maybe I'll break the bank and get barefoot shoes.
I have been wearing Treks Airo barefoot shoes and love how my feet feel now, do not think I will be going back to regular shoes anytime soon
All terrain crocs are amazing. But have a look at Merrell as well
Just have to say this is so nicely lit for the location. Proper good
@@rory_odonnell Location: A dumping ground at the back of a factory 😂
The top hook fastening of the Vivos is designed you can just unhook the laces out of those hooks to slip them on and off! 😂
well. Every day is a school day.
I discovered Altra's a few years back and love them! It's the only shoe I wear.
What works well for me is waterproof socks - at least until you do river crossings ;-)
thanks for answering my question with a video! :)
haha, you're welcome
Altra Olympus are actually very good on technical terrain. They don't have a lot a complete vibram outsole (most is exposed foam), but the lugs are aggressive and the foam kind of "hugs" the ground. But they do wear out fast.
No you would not want the goretex version. If you're hiking in the rain your feet will get wet eventually. Goretex will not dry-off easily after the inside is wet.
The trick for altras is to get a pair of waterproof socks for rainy weather. I won't bother with goratex version.
Ok here’s my two cents. You made a decision based on trying protect your feet, was it perfect, no, but a blister is better than muscle or bone injury, which could’ve ended the whole trip. You’ve always advocated being prepared and you knew your feet weren’t ready for multi day walking/running. That’s not chickening out, that’s just common sense.
The mad lad is back again! 🎊
Hi Steven I think you made the right decision because you know your own feet obviously, but the rain as you said in the video really messed you up, now that's will be very interesting to see the video with the footwear in the rain lol. ANYWAY I'm ready nearly to go camping and yes there's a lot of makeing sure I got everything ready to go, not sure if there's a shop in the area were we going, and she will not be happy if I get it wrong. Anyway I'll let you know what happens, take care of yourself and yours Alan 💯👍
Boots always. Especially in rough terrain. Unless you’re trail running or on a very smooth trail. Jmho
Not a big fan of Altra. Yes they are wider, but I found the outsoles and upper fabric are not as durable as other brands.
I LOVE my Crocs, a 20Km day walk is no issue, am seriously thinking of doing the South Downs Way in them
You’ve walked 20km in them? On what kind of terrain?
@@StephenJReid I did the Fan Dance route in Brecon Beacons (not as an organised race and not with the weight!) so a mixture of gravel, grass and rock steps.
@bartonianoutdoors did you get any blisters?
Crocs in Sports mode..
😂 go fast stripes
Only you can say whether you made the right choice or not. I’d argue not, based on my experience with the Trackers and Vivos generally. However, I do think you’ve done exactly what you’re meant to do and have gradually built up your time wearing barefoot footwear and have stayed away from running and longer distances. Now is the time to change that. You’ve done well over a year of transition and you’re more than capable of running short distances in them. You will need to learn the technique too, but as long as you’re striking on the midfoot and not heel-striking or running on your toes then you’re very unlikely to injure yourself at this point - unless you decide to go out and do something way too long. I’m no runner but like you, I mix up my walks with stints of running - always in Vivos.
As for the waterproofing, I haven’t had an issue in mine besides one trip coming down from an exceptionally wet and windy Snowdon. That was the first time I’d been out on a ‘proper’ walk after not cleaning them for a few shorter days, and my feet were slightly damp.
Otherwise, my experience has been positive. I’ve kept them clean and treated and have had dry feet. I’ve seen other people over the years say this isn’t the case with the Tracker so I’m sure it does vary a bit. Ultimately I can’t imagine your feet would’ve ended up as wet as in your trail shoes, even if they did get a bit damp after a few days.
Be interested to see your multi-day test with them.
I'm very cautious about running in them as I ran in barefoot shoes about 10years ago and ended up injured. But I was running 18miles and quite fast too. So I might be fine if I'm doing a mix of walking and running
Thanks, yeah they would definitely have kept my feet drier for much longer.
There's nothing wrong with your decision. Considering the shoes you wore are just basically barefoot shoes with more cushioning! I've been running in a pair of those for the past year. I'm thinking of transitioning to fully barefoot shoes. But I was still use them to do long distance runs and. Because it's not about just running barefoot all the time. It's about having different tools for the job. Eric Orton did a video about this. Not long ago! One of the co-authors from Bond to run
Yeah I feel some cushioning for running in is useful!
I bought those Vivos after your last video about them. They were on my radar before, but I was looking for a discount code :). That said, I love them on natural terrain, earth, mud, rock. Probably the best hiking boots I had to hilly walks.
BUT, I find they hurt my heels on steep climbs much more than "regular" hiking boots, like from Meindl. I feel like they wouldn't be the best choice for something like hiking in the alps. Also, I also have the impression that they are no so suitable for long distances, even though I'm not a multi-day hiker. Long distance often means gravel forest roads and less nature trails. And they don't feel as good on those gravel roads.
Side note: I'm a bit heaver than the average person, so your mileage may vary.
So, I'm currently looking for some trail runners with cushioning for longer hikes during dry weather to give them a try. The sheer amount of choices is a problem though. Altra alone has many options and it is hard to chose from. Many recommend the Lone Peak 8.
Topo Athletic are decent. Have a look
I have the forest trackers and have had the same heel pressure issue with them, after a few months it stopped being an issue.
Unlikely to be a solution for you but I have very low volume feet so have to put stacker soles in them, I 4mm rubber sheeting used to make industrial washers and things like that and it helps a lot with the small stone issue.
Can’t help with the trail runners tho!
How long have you been using them? I found it took a while for that underfoot pressure inc on heels to fade. The pain is a sign you might need to transition slower. more cushioned runners might help too.
Lone peaks are much less cushioned than the Olympus
@@StephenJReid I has been almost 3 months and I have done almost 100 miles with them. I have been wearing normal barefoot shoes since spring without any transition issues. But I know that pain can accumulate over time when the fit is not perfect. I had this with another pair of shoes. But it is not that bad, TBH.
Yes, the Lone Peak have the least cushioning, but it is probably still plenty, Olympus probably the most, the Timp seems to be in the middle. If I read that correctly, the Olympus sole is 3 times higher than that of the Vivos. Timp looks nice too and it has less of the foamy studs and a Vibram sole so they might last longer, but the footshape is the slightly narrower "standard" compare to original. ... That's what I mean. So many options.
@@valdius85I wrote about my Topos then read the other comments and everyone here loves them! In my running circles I don't think anyone has heard of them. I have difficult feet and finally these are shoes that don't cause me any issues.
I have barefoot shoes (not boots). I can easily walk 20 km in them. One problem is that they start to stink because I don't wear socks. Another problem is that you can feel the stones quite a bit.
If I didn’t wear socks my feet would slip out of the boots with the sweat 🤢
@@StephenJReid My barefoods are low shoes made of fabric with a very thin sole. They look like boat shoes with laces. I can walk long distances in the Netherlands, but you feel everything. Only the soles do not have enough grip, not suitable for mountains. I usually wear Meindl C/D high shoes with gorertex. I wear them both in the Netherlands and in the mountains. I sweat more in them than in my barefoots
Do the Altras have arch support? I’ve looked at them a few times and never been totally sure…
I gone over to wearing barefoots so much that I find arch support inevitably in the wrong place and quite painfully now, only suffer it when I need my big boots and crampons!
Vivo slip on forest tracker mules: leave the laces in their fixed eyelets and send them straight back behind your heels, bring back to the front and you have enough to tie them like you would normally and you have a secure slip on shoe 😁 works on all 3 of their boot type shoes that I own. Often leave my decons like l that most of the time as they’re my main dayly shoe and come on and off a lot.
Hi Stephen, your video answered a question I've actually been struggling with. Whether to wear Gore-Tex or non-Gore-Tex trail runners. Often people prefer the non-Gore-Tex version, but as you said, if it's raining all day, your feet will get wet. You won't stay completely dry in Gore-Tex either, but I don't think there's a perfect solution for Scottish weather. I'll be wearing my Gore-Tex trail runners now in September. And because of some foot issues, I can't wear barefoot soles, and even though I have a very slow route for the WHW, I'm not entirely sure my feet will make it to the end... But I have to because I really want it 🙂
Your socks (->feet) might very well get wet from de rain dripping down your legs even when you wear goretex. They dry very slowly as well
This is a great video! I'm glad you shared your experience with both barefoot boots and trail running shoes. I'm definitely considering getting a pair of barefoot shoes for my next hike, but I'm still undecided on which type to get. I'm also curious to know how your feet felt after the hike in the trail running shoes. Did you experience any pain or discomfort Sir?
Class video as usual Stephen! What gear were you using to film this? - seemed to be holding focus really reliably even at that wide aperture.
Some new kit. Sony ZV-10 ii and a sigma 30mm f1.4 prime lens.
@@StephenJReid Nice! 👌
I love my vivos but they were definitely the wrong choice for the miles of flat path that is the whw. Over uneven terrain I could've quite happily walked the same distance but continuous impact pressure on one place was not the one!
@@Wild.cat.adventuresyeah I was surprised how much of the WHW was hard flat paths
@@StephenJReid yh pee'd me right off lol, gimme dirt and mud any day 🤣
The end was funny!
I though to go for altra for a multi days , but it depends where is the multi day hike ... for only trail but what trail ???? All the trails Ive been I do not regret wearing more heavy shoe like 500 g .... but more protection. I am not staying only on the trail so idk ... I am not a tidy hiker ....
For one moment at the end, I thought you were going to say Crocs footwear.
Did you watch the last shot 😜
I did watch the last shot, I'm just in denial.
We rarely wear shoes on a sailboat. Usually flip flops
How far do you think you walk in a day around the boat? Imagine it could be more than most people would expect if you’re out hoisting the mainsail, or jibbing the rigging and climbing the crows nest
@@StephenJReid that is actually an interesting question. I should gets a steps count to figure that out . on our boat the lines all come back to the cockpit so we control the boat from there when under sail. Our boat is 40ft long but we keep the spare fuel and anchor controls at the front of the boat. We do t have a car so we do have to walk everywhere to get groceries and shopping items.
Interesting! Would you say switching from traditional mid hiking boots to a trail runner such as the Olympus requires a period of time to get used to them? I'm due to walk the WHW in a month and pondering this as an option with the GTX.
Yes, not as much as fully barefoot boots with no padding but the lack of a raised heel will put a lot more strain on your calves. Personally I would want more time to get used to them.
Salomon speedgoats might be a better option, they have a drop height of 4mm. And I think they have a wide version.
Definitely give yourself enough time to get a good fit. Don’t want them too tight
@@StephenJReid Thanks for that. I'll keep them in mind for future adventures!
@@StephenJReid Speedgoats are from HOKA. Salomon has Speedcross.
i could never get my heel to lock into the Olympus 5, sucks as they felt so comfy other than the heel slip.
that's frustrating
And thanks for the videos 😊
Thanks Vicky🙂
Shoes should have foot- shaped soles... who'd've thought...
People go from one extreme to another.
Topo offers wide toebox trail running shoes that have relatively low cushion, but still big enough to offer lots of comfort.
Much more durable than these Altra.
See some use ridiculous arguments against barefoot shoes, like they offer no “support”, or that if someone needs a year to get used to them they must be bad.
Personally I’d choose my running Topos for multi day hikes and when running. I’d go for Vivos in highly technical terrain. I even see myself taking both of these as places I want to visit are extremely technical.
Yes I’m in a similar boat, I’ve got so used to vivos I find normal shoes painful now, after 2 years of almost exclusively wear by toes have started spreading a lot in just the last 6 months and I’ve gone up a size in length.
I also find a lot of those argument completely miss the point, the way you walk and your centre of gravity changes over time when you take away all the supports of normal shoes. I can see why track athletes need the excessive amount of shock absorption they use but that’s not a natural way of running start with so of course you need different foot protection.
I’m waiting for the day someone makes narrow fit but wide toe box crampon compatible boots with no arch support!
@@Trundlebugg
crampons are coming :)
I think there is a need for a “light” winter shoes that fit all five toes but is stiff enough in required places to install crampons.
The issue I have with Vivos as a company is that they are too dogmatic in their “mission”. Offer proper barefoot shoes but please offer something with some foam and proper thermal isolation. I mean extra models, the existing models are good and I plan to buy few of them.
Great vid! 👍
Thanks
I'm hearing good things about the TOPO Runventure 4, have you or any of your other subscribers used these?
I have a pair of topo pursuit that I quite like but not much cushioning. Noticed most of the people recommending them looked a lot thinner than me 🙈
@@StephenJReid 😆 not for me then.
Thank you for responding so quickly
I have a pair of Runventure 4 that I'm using now. It checks all the boxes for me and I'm bummed they are discontinued now. I'm looking into the Pursuit for the next pair.
Runventures are zero drop, low stack height(20mm), and have grippy Vibram outsoles. They aren't nearly as squishy and flexible as Altra's MaxTrac but they don't wear down as fast.
@@rodoutdoors thank you, great review on the runventures. Discounted - I'll check the price out immediately 💷
gtx olympus recommend (for hiking, not running)
Why not running?
too sweaty. i prefer drainage for running
The weight on the feet with boots is a bit of a myth it only applies when your running a us army study proved that.i tired lone peaks but found them too soft underfoot and could feel every stone I now use topo athletic traverse they have a low drop but the have a rock plate which offers way more protection for under the foot.
Main reason I choose the Altras was because I WAS running.
You mean youre going to test your Vivos on the WHW...surely the only way to provide a true comparison to your Altras! :p
Nothing against barefoot boots/shoes but I've never understood the claim that normal boots compress your feet. If that's happening, surely you just need a bigger boot? I wear a size bigger than my shoes and my toes spread in the toe box just fine. Obviously, whatever footwear works for you is the right one, just wondered.
Hike it again with goretex, for science.
Bring two pairs of footwear with you, one highly breathable and one waterproof.
Please tell me thats not flip flops 😂
If you pause you’ll see 😜
There's a reason you chose the shoe on the right and it's not I think in the video .
It's to do with trust . I don't trust RUclips reviewers .
What’s the reason? This wasn’t a sponsored video. Ironically it’s Vivo that I’ve made sponsored content for in the past 😂😂
I reckon the vivos would have wetted out the first day then they'd have been damp at best for the rest of the trip. Don't get me wrong, I love the vivos, I'm a total convert but i find in wet weather they don't stay waterproof all day even if you use the renapur before going out and they don't dry very quickly. That being said, sealskinz socks could be the answer to this, I've just not got round to testing my theory yet. Maybe you could do that video and save me the heartache😂
Sounds like you’ve not protected them recently enough? The Tracker Forest ESC haven’t let me down in hours of torrential rain and soggy ground on consecutive days. If you’re keeping them clean and then coating them with Renapur or similar regularly, they’ll stay dry inside - at least in my experience.
@@SteRumbelow on the contrary. I've put renapur on every single hike so far and on long days in the rain, damp has been the result
@@delektrik1 interesting, fair enough. I’ve seen people mention similar things to you and have them showed the boots and they’re dull and clearly mistreated. Yours sound well looked after so it’s interesting you’re getting damp feet within a day.
One thing I also do is spray a ‘base coat’ of Liquiproof before I coat them once or twice with Renapur. I have no idea if it’s effective but I like to think that due to the lower viscosity, it will swap into areas the Renapur doesn’t - I.e. around the upper/sole join, the stitches and other places. Then the Renapur does the main job.
@@SteRumbelow that might be worth a go as I have thought the renapur probably doesn't work in to the welt around the sole very well for example
@@delektrik1 every little helps (probably!).
Your discount code no longer works, im tempted by these seen as altra dont seem to last longer than 3 months, gone through 3pairs in 9 months
Neither. Decent mid weight boots were here before and will be long after both of these. My feet are one thing I never need to worry about regardless of weather and distance.
@@INSOLESandLACES maybe in recent history. But historically people mostly wore flat thin shoes/moccasins and sandals for thousands of years. Roman soldiers marched loaded up to war in sandals. What your feet are used to plays a big role. But personally I’ve always found even lightweight hiking boots made my back issues worse.
But everyone is different and barefoot style just won’t work for some people especially with a lifetime in a different style
Shame you couldn’t have carried both ,don’t tell us you be in ug boots next 😂
altras are so much better
Of course boots are the wrong choice, barefoot is the way to go
I did the West Highland Way over four days in my trail shoes. I was coming off an injury so not much specific training was done! And one of the two friends I did it with was recovering from Covid. The shoes I wore were an American brand, Topo Terraventure 3. They are a low drop shoe with a wide toe box but they manage to lock down my midfoot really well. We weren't camping and had other friends transferring our bags for us which enabled us to run. We were also lucky with largely dry weather.
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, I was really well prepared for a 9 day hiking trip around the Lake District except I couldn't decide whether to wear these shoes or my Salomon boots. In the end it was the wide toe box on the shoes and the fact I'd made it through the WHW with zero blisters that decided it, at the last minute. The boots are very lightweight and I don't think had ever caused me a blister either, and I'd done multi day in them too. I just had a gut feeling to go with the shoes. The Lake District was a lot wetter, even if it hadn't rained I had bogs and stream crossings to deal with. I was putting wet shoes back on every day even though most of the places I stayed had drying rooms. My Icebreaker Cool Lite socks dried the quickest so I ended up wearing those every day and changing into a pair of Stance wool blend socks at the end of the day so I had something dry to wear. I was carrying a 10kg bag including water weight (food was the other thing that took up weight, I could have taken less). There was a lot more elevation than the WHW and the terrain meant a lot less running - also me learning to slow down and appreciate my surroundings and the fact that if I was staying in a hostel I couldn't check in before 5 anyway! I did roll my ankle in the shoes once, on a rocky descent. But I know my feet and body really well so while I knew this was a risk, I knew that due to my hypermobile joints I was likely to bounce back, which is exactly what happened.
Actually shout out to Wasdale Head Inn, their drying room has a box full of newspaper to stuff your shoes with - my shoes did dry!
Hiking in Scotland without waterproof shoes? People are insane, i dont get this trend of people hiking on soft and foamy running shoes, which will absorb every drip of moisture around.