Vivo forest tracker esc durability

[HighUintas]

I was about to order a pair of the tracker esc boots since their black color is on sale, but found quite a few reviews on Amazon of people saying the lace eyelet rivet popped out not long after receiving them. This eliminates any water resistance when it's the one on the ankle because a hole opens up. The users said that vivo would not replace them either.

I would not expect that issue to happen with a $280 pair of boots and the lack of CS on a quality issue sucks.


What say you guys that have experience with these boots and other vivo barefoot products?

 

[BBob]

I have the Magna Forest ESC and no issues so far. Quite a few miles and time in them. They don’t have the rivet the Tracker Forest has at the ankle but appear to use the same lower lace eyelets all the way up. The eyelet at the ankle is on a flap that doesn’t go through into the shoe, it’s free floating. So far so good. Have two pair of Gobi’s. One with a ton of miles. That pair eventually pulled some stitching through the leather but I had a cobbler sew them up. They’re still going with many miles since the repair.

 

[sndmn11]

I had a pair late summer through the archery season, and returned them with their 100 day trial.

I went through several different ways to lace them and some put more stress on the lace hooks and eyes (except the ankle guy) than normal and everything was fine.

I think it is a greatly crafted boot and I was bummed it didn't work out due to the pressure from the ankle hook placement.

 

[HighUintas]

I may have to give them a shot. I can't stand stiff soled boots and my current boots have too sever a heel counter and causes me Achilles tendonitis just from the pressure it places on it. These boots look like they'd be soft enough and have a straight (vertical?) enough heel counter they'd work well.

 

[Formidilosus]

I’ve got a year and half on mine, 5-6 deer, 11 elk packed out, around 250’ish days in the mountains. Now I don’t yard the laces down tight, in fact they’re quite loose generally, but no issues with them.

 

[BBob]

You’ll have to get someone with Trackers to comment on the heel but the Magna is pretty flexi and stretchy. All I have to say is embrace the looseness a bit and don’t get suckered into lacing these boots up tight like you might on a regular boot (I don’t lace regular boots very tight either). If you size them with enough length you’ll have room for your foot to slide forward without mashing toes. A couple of us wear Gobi’s all over the place and the fit is like a loose moccasin. You can get used to the semi loose fit but it might not be for everyone. The Magna fits a little snugger with the elastic ankle collar but I still leave them a bit loose and don’t lace them too tightly.

 

[Blowdowner]

I suspect they’re great but nothing so soft should cost close to a real boot.

 

[Formidilosus]

I suspect they’re great but nothing so soft should cost close to a real boot.

Why’s that? You believe a plastic stiffener costs so much different than one without?

 

[Blowdowner]

Why’s that? You believe a plastic stiffener costs so much different than one without?

I don’t understand your question I think a word is missing. Are you launching an argument on the assumption I think a plastic stiffener is worth hundreds of dollars?

 

[Formidilosus]

I don’t understand your question I think a word is missing. Are you launching an argument on the assumption I think a plastic stiffener is worth hundreds of dollars?

You said they shouldn’t cost what a “real” boot does being that they’re “soft”. I’m asking why? What makes a “real” boot more expensive? And then, why are real moccasins expensive if a “soft” boot should cost less?

 

[Antares]

I suspect they’re great but nothing so soft should cost close to a real boot.

$200 is about half the price of most high-end "real" boots.

 

[sndmn11]

Full grain leather throughout, water tight construction WITHOUT membranes, and what I found to be a sticky and durable sole (look at the lack of wear on Form's pair) means they are well worth the $200 if they fit you.

 

[BBob]

My take on cost is yes they do seem expensive but they are a well made, high quality materials boot in what is a small market compared to contemporary boots. Lots of us pay extra for those niche products for what they offer and not necessarily for what they should (maybe) cost. DCF and some of the new pack fabrics comes to mind.

 

[HighUintas]

Thanks for the info. loose doesn't bother me one bit. I've gotten into the habit of keeping my scarpas real lose to ease pressure off my Achilles. Plus, I HATE locking my foot and ankle down. It makes for awkward unathletic movement when traversing a boulder field or other rocky terrain.

As for sizing, did anyone use their sizing calculator thingamajig on the vivo website?

I typically wear 9.5 in running shoes and I think my scarpa r-evolution leather boots are 8.5. I was thinking a 9 ought to do just fine and give room for thick wool socks in winter.

 

[Blowdowner]

My take on cost is yes they do seem expensive but they are a well made, high quality materials boot in what is a small market compared to contemporary boots. Lots of us pay extra for those niche products for what they offer and not necessarily for what they should (maybe) cost. DCF and some of the new pack fabrics comes to mind.

That’s pretty much sums it up. They are absolutely not even half the boot of a $400 dollar hiking boot. The price is only explained by the smaller market having less economy of scale and particular buyers willing to fork that money over.
By particular I mean those with zero foot problems, neither extreme heat or cold, low probability of rockslide, no shovel use, no need for crampons.
By lesser I mean it’s physically impossible for them to last as long as stiff soled boots. They are also completely devoid of the various innovations required to connect softer upper with stiffer lower and not have them rip apart. These innovations are nothing to dismiss.
Prehistoric moccasins have melted out of glaciers in the Alps. They are more sophisticated than almost anything made today. Thousands of years of compiled knowledge have made boot manufacture what it is today. If they could make these moccasins 4 thousand years ago they surely had good reason to evolve their craft into what we have today.
That reason is mainly increased human lifespan and the consequent loss of collagen and cartilage in feet. Soft shoes worked for some intrepid cro-magnon explorers, but they weren’t doing much past the age of 50.
Wear a normal boot for 15 years and it will become a vivo boot.

 

[sndmn11]

Thanks for the info. loose doesn't bother me one bit. I've gotten into the habit of keeping my scarpas real lose to ease pressure off my Achilles. Plus, I HATE locking my foot and ankle down. It makes for awkward unathletic movement when traversing a boulder field or other rocky terrain.

As for sizing, did anyone use their sizing calculator thingamajig on the vivo website?

I typically wear 9.5 in running shoes and I think my scarpa r-evolution leather boots are 8.5. I was thinking a 9 ought to do just fine and give room for thick wool socks in winter.

I printed out their measuring thing (pdf below) and followed the advice on the size page https://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/size-guide

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf/vivo-mens-size-guides-2022-US2.pdf

I will say that I definitely sent mine back well used with scratch on the leather, etc., and they refunded them without question in like a week. They even sent me a new discount code for if I changed my mind and wanted to try something else.

If you are on the fence, my experience is that there isn't any risk to trying.

 

[Formidilosus]

That’s pretty much sums it up. They are absolutely not even half the boot of a $400 dollar hiking boot.

Again, how are they different?

By particular I mean those with zero foot problems, neither extreme heat or cold, low probability of rockslide, no shovel use, no need for crampons.

Not one piece of that is correct. Please be specific- how are “real” bits better in extreme heat? Extreme cold? How do the Trackers not work in Rokslide? Shovel use? Crampons work on them.

By lesser I mean it’s physically impossible for them to last as long as stiff soled boots.

Really? So the sole is what gives out on these boots first? The sole is what wears out on other boots generally?

They are also completely devoid of the various innovations required to connect softer upper with stiffer lower and not have them rip apart. These innovations are nothing to dismiss.

Regale us about them then. You must have lots of experience with these boots? How many miles do you have on your pair?

Prehistoric moccasins have melted out of glaciers in the Alps. They are more sophisticated than almost anything made today. Thousands of years of compiled knowledge have made boot manufacture what it is today. If they could make these moccasins 4 thousand years ago they surely had good reason to evolve their craft into what we have today.

So stiff “supported” shoes didn’t come out of marketing?

That reason is mainly increased human lifespan and the consequent loss of collagen and cartilage in feet. Soft shoes worked for some intrepid cro-magnon explorers, but they weren’t doing much past the age of 50.

No. None of that is correct.

 

[Desk Jockey]

You guys have me intrigued. I have a pair of gobis and a set of their Chukkas. I didnt want to drop the coin on the hiking boots but seeing the mileage @Formidilosus is getting, I am interested. The point about CS sort of sucks.

 

[Bbell12]

@Formidilosus how are they in cold wet weather? I’m fixing to take mine on a 2nd rifle hunt in CO but have never proved them in that type of weather; bringing a back up pair just in case.

 

[BBob]

By lesser I mean it’s physically impossible for them to last as long as stiff soled boots.

Say what? Why would that be? See my Gobi’s below that have a ton off of road miles. I hike in them, I scout in them, I Coues deer hunt in them, I quail hunt in them and they are much lighter in all aspects than the Tracker or Magna’s. Other than a small stitching repair and new laces they’ve done great way beyond what they are supposed to be used for. The soles have hardly any wear at all. No doubt my Magna’s with a much more robust, stitched and glued Michelin sole will go the distance and don’t doubt at all that the heavier leather won’t have any problems either.

Soft shoes worked for some intrepid cro-magnon explorers, but they weren’t doing much past the age of 50.

Well I’m way past the age of 50 and my feet are doing better than ever once I got out of tight restrictive footwear and I let my feet stretch out. High tech boots have their place and I still use a pair but for most things strong feet and loose footwear have done better by me.