Vivobarefoot Review – Is It Right For You?

Vivobarefoot is a new lineup of footwear that replicates the sensation of walking barefoot while still protecting your feet from the elements. Here’s our Vivobarefoot review.

What is Vivobarefoot?

Vivobarefoot is a footwear lineup that leverages the power of your foot to fuel your athletic activity. Instead of trying to change the way you walk and run, these shoes simply protect your feet and enhance your grip while letting the natural curves of your feet go to work.

It’s part of the barefoot running phenomenon that has become more and more popular over the years. Just like the Paleo diet attempts to bring us back to our caveman roots, barefoot running promises to help you run in the way your human body evolved to run.

But barefoot running just isn’t practical for many situations. You can get kicked out of restaurants for having bare feet, for example, and sharp edges make hiking barefoot impractical. That’s why Vivobarefoot decided to make shoes that make barefoot running easier.

Today, Vivobarefoot offers a number of different shoes for men, women, and kids. Shoes are also separated into categories based on whether you’re using them on the road, off the road, or in amphibious situations.

The shoes are sold all over the world. You can purchase the shoes online from Vivobarefoot.com or by visiting a local retail store.

How Does Vivobarefoot Work?

Vivobarefoot explains that our feet already have everything we need to stay healthy and active. Our feet are “biological masterpieces” sculpted from millions of years of evolution. So why do modern athletic shoes try to change the way we move?

“With 200,000 nerve endings, 33 major muscles, 28 bones, the human foot is a biomechanical masterpiece, the success of millions of years of the most extreme evolutionary testing, your foot has all the technology you need. Our shoes just let your feet do their thing.”

With that in mind, Vivobarefoot promises to provide basic comfort and protection for your feet while still letting your feet work like they’ve evolved to work.

The shoes rely on three key technologies to work, including:

Natural Shock Absorption

The muscles and tendons in your feet provide natural shock absorption when running. The Wide Toe Box on Vivobarefoot shoes are “zero-drop with anatomic width to allow your arch and toes to load, splay, and recoil.” While traditional athletic shoes may lock your feet into position, the Wide Toe Box on Vivobarefoot takes a more freeing approach.

Natural Motion Control

Your foot’s skeletal system and big toe give it natural motion control. Vivobarefoot shoes enhance this natural motion control by giving you ultimate flexibility, allowing your big toe to “engage rapidly for independent rear and fore-foot movement.”

Natural Sensory Feedback

Your feet are packed with 200,000 sensory endings, but modern athletic shoes often numb these endings. Vivobarefoot shoes promise to support the natural sensory feedback system in your feet by using an ultra-thin sole made from a patented, ultra-thin, puncture-resistant material.

Together, these three technologies promise to maximize your body’s “proprioception”. If you don’t know what that word means, then that’s okay: proprioception refers to our body’s sense of its own position, balance, and movement. Some people call it our “body awareness”.

Vivobarefoot Products

Vivobarefoot separates its product lineups into categories for men, women, and kids. The company’s products include all of the following:

Men and Women’s

• Aqua II Mens ($180)
• Gobi II Leather Mens and Womens ($150)
• Gobi II Suede Mens and Womens ($150)
• Gobi II Wild Horse Mens ($150)
• Hiker Mens and Womens ($190)
• Linx Mens and Womens ($160)
• Mata Canvas Mens and Womens ($120)
• Mata Wild Hide Mens and Womens ($120)
• Motus Mens and Womens ($150)
• Motus PU Mens and Womens ($175)
• Primus Mens and Womens ($144)
• Ra II Leather Mens ($130)
• Ra II Wild Hide Mens ($150)
• Ra lite Mens ($120)
• Soul of Africa Kembo Mens and Womens ($180)
• Soul of Africa Lion of Judah Mens ($150)
• Soul of Africa Tigray Mens ($160)
• Stealth II Mens and Womens ($135)
• Stealth Lux Mens and Womens ($170)
• Tracker Mens and Womens ($220)
• Trail Freak Waterproof Mens and Womens ($160)
• Ultra II Mens and Womens ($70)
• Evo Pure Women’s ($55)
• Jing Jing Chestnut Womens ($112)
• Jing Jing Wild Hide Womens ($112)
• Joy Canvas Womens ($120)
• Joy Canvas Womens ($120)
• Kolhapuri Womens ($90)
• Penny Canvas Womens ($100)
• Penny Wild Hide Womens ($110)
• Waterloo Womens ($80)

Note: the men’s and women’s designs for the shoes above vary, but they’re priced at identical rates. In addition, some shoes are only available in men’s sizes, while others are only available in women’s sizes.

Kids

• Neo Velcro Leather Kids ($70)
• Pally Kids ($70)
• Reno Kids ($80)
• Ultra Kids ($56)
• Waterloo Kids ($64)
• Wyn Kids ($80)

Across all categories, you can also streamline your shoe choice based on your activity or terrain. You can choose from activities like road running, trail running, indoor sports, and casual wear, for example. Different shoes are suited for different tasks.

You can also choose shoes suited to your terrain, including on-road, off-road, and multi terrain.

All prices are listed in USD. The company sells its products around the world and maintains a number of different online stores for customers in Europe, the UK, Australia, and other countries, in which case prices are displayed in your local currency.

All shoes are produced sustainably using recycled, locally-sourced materials with efficient, Eco-friendly production techniques in ethical factories, according to the manufacturer of Vivobarefoot. The shoes are manufactured in China.

You can purchase the shoes online through the official Vivobarefoot website or through Amazon.

About Vivobarefoot

Vivobarefoot has been in business for over a decade. The company has a detailed “History” section on its official website: Vivobarefoot.com

That history section explains that the idea for the company came after a childhood friend of founder Galahad Clark, Tim Brennan, suffered a string of injuries. He blamed his conventional sneakers for these injuries. In 2003, Tim visited Galahad, a 6th generation shoe makers and member of the Clark family shoe-making dynasty, with a barefoot shoe concept he had designed. Galahad loved the idea and set about to make Vivobarefoot.

By 2004, the first Vivobarefoot model had been released. By 2008, the company was growing fans around the world and garnering media attention.

Today, the company explains that “barefoot running is here to stay and will continue to gain momentum.” After all, it’s been around for millions of years. Athletic shoes with cushioned heels, arch supports, and toning features aren’t backed by very much science. According to Vivobarefoot, “people are realizing this.”

Thus, Vivobarefoot believes the demand for barefoot shoes will continue to expand in the future.

You can get in touch with the company by emailing [email protected] or by calling 1-855-719-2092. Or, fill out the online email form on their website.

Should Vivobarefoot Be Your Next Pair of Shoes?

Vivobarefoot is a unique shoe brand that focuses on giving you all of the benefits of barefoot running with none of the downsides. The shoes protect your feet from the elements and provide basic support – but still allow your feet to do their thing.

Vivobarefoot may not be for everyone. However, barefoot running is the oldest form of running in human history. It’s literally been used for millions of years. Recent advances in athletic shoes may promise big benefits – but the creators of Vivobarefoot claim there’s little evidence to back it up.

With that in mind, Vivobarefoot may be the best way to enjoy a faster, smoother, more injury-free exercise experience.