Customer Reviews Vivobarefoot Primus Trail

I'll start by saying that I've had a closet full of Vivobarefoots, and some of their older shoes continue to be my favorite (Dharma, Scott, Stealth. I have also given away more slightly worn, brutally uncomfortable VBF shoes than I care to admit: my count is at least 12, but it is likely more. Something internally at VBF must have changed (perhaps new lasts) a few years ago and they are no longer wearable - they aren't barefoot, They hurt, they are binding, the laces dig into my arches, etc. My wife and I have three pairs of this model and have another six pairs that are basically unwearable and uncomfortable. Some of their styles have become downright goofy and the laces are garbage (four pairs of this model broke either right out of the box, or shortly thereafter). I've given away so many pairs of VBF, that the actual cost of the shoe isn't $130; it's more like $300. Bottom line: I'm done with VBF and will tell everyone I know.

I've bought this shoe several times over the years and have always been a fan- they fit great and last forever. This time I bought a new pair and the padding around the achilles/heal was greatly reduced- so huge blisters ensued. I'm not sure why they thought this was a good idea but I hope they change it back.

These shoes definitely feel smaller, especially narrower, than my other Vivobarefoot shoes (EVO Pure and Stealth II). I had to buy size 46 instead of 45 like I normally would. Unfortunately I feel this line of shoes suffers from a terrible problem. While I was trying them on right after receiving them from Zappos, the laces sliced right through one of the upper lace guides on the right shoe when I was tightening them up! I had already put on the left shoe and it was feeling pretty fantastic, so I took the right shoe out of the box to try it on as well and with what I would consider perfectly normal force for lacing up shoes, the laces just cut right through the upper guide like a knife through butter. Once I took them off I took a closer look at both shoes, and the left shoe was already exhibiting the same issue; the laces were about 25% of the way sliced through the upper guide on that shoe already. I'm flabberghated, it seems like the lace guides are not very strong at all; which is shocking considering these shoes are supposed to be designed to take on some more serious terrain so I would have expected them to be more durable. I wish they had a normal lace up system, or used a sturdier material for the lace guides so I could have kept them. Zappos customer service is awesome. I chatted with them right away after the incident letting them know what happened and they let me return them despite the damage. I really didn't feel like I was putting excessive force on the laces to tighen them up, definitely no more than I do every day with my Vivobarefoot EVO Pure's without any problems in 5 months.

Pros: * Very comfortable. Toes have plenty of room, but heel is snug, just as I like it. * Good trail grip. You'll feel the nubs on concrete, but offroad, all you'll feel is the trail. * Brand longevity. Vivobarefoots I've owned in the past lasted a long time. * Quick drying. Forded a stream; the shoes were OK to finish the hike while wet, and then dried in a day at home. Cons: * Laces. The lace loop with pulley is just dumb on a hiking shoe. After two hikes of it snagging things, I cut it off (because loop) and put on regular laces so I can tuck in the ends. * Unpadded tongue. Gets slightly uncomfortable by the end of a long hike, and feels cheap on a $140 pair of shoes. Other: * Some Vivobarefoots run large or small; these were in line with other brands' size 40/Men's 7. * True zero heel rise and zero arch support for midfoot gait. If you're a heel-striker, these shoes are probably not for you.

I have a pair of Vivo Stealths that I love. Tried Ras out, but didn't care for them. I noticed the sizing seems to have changed slightly as my Stealths are a size larger than what I wear for a Ra and the Primus Trail. I really like the idea of these shoes, which is probably the main reason why I kept them. I moved to an area where the roads are full of small and sharp rocks, so I bruised my heels running in the Stealths and wanted to give the same shoe a little bit of a lift to absorb that blow. In doing that, these are great. I'm not having any issues there and they do as I had expected. The downside of this shoe is that it's more of a narrow, almost standard athletic/running shoe profile. It's tighter on the sides of my feet, so I didn't fall in love with it the way I did the Stealth. I have a wide foot with long toes, so the room cut down on the toe box is the biggest downfall for me. It's not enough that I'm uncomfortable, just not as comfortable as I am in other Vivo's. If it had the same cut as the Stealth, this would be my favorite shoe. For now it's just my go to for road running and walking.

The size I bought was a half size too big but worked out ok. These form to the foot pretty tight with the easy draw string laces. This is my first time wearing shoes that are made for a barefoot feel. Didnt know that before purchasing but very comfortable, light and airy. Havent tried them out on trails yet, just everyday activity. I was told to buy injinji socks to go with these as well.

These shoes are wonderful! I just did 6 miles in them straight out of the box. The shoelaces are ridiculous, but they are easily replaced.