Vivo forest tracker esc durability

[HighUintas]

Another few days in goat territory.

View attachment 603322

Looks like a vidda pro pants? Or some other that's similar? That's my combo and love it

 

[Formidilosus]

Looks like a vidda pro pants? Or some other that's similar? That's my combo and love it

Keb Trousers.

 

[Dobermann]

Keb Trousers.

You tried those Agiles yet? A few places in the US are now carrying them ...

 

[HighUintas]

Keb Trousers.

Do you have any info on the long-term durability of keb vs vidda pro? If the different type of material they use for the crotch area on the keb is flexible, that might be a win for me if durability is equal or better because I've had to restore the stitch in the crotch on my vidda pro several times in 4 years. Otherwise, they seem like maybe a 10-year pant for me

 

[Brontosaurus]

I know it's been said before but @Formidilosus we need a detailed gear list!

 

[SouthPaw]

I'll echo that these boots are the absolute bomb for hunting. Once your feet are conditioned, all foot issues disappear completely. Even with heavy loads on very steep/uneven ground. The recommended Injinji toe liners are also fantastic.

 

[Formidilosus]

You tried those Agiles yet? A few places in the US are now carrying them ...

I haven’t. Need to.

 

[Formidilosus]

Do you have any info on the long-term durability of keb vs vidda pro? If the different type of material they use for the crotch area on the keb is flexible, that might be a win for me if durability is equal or better because I've had to restore the stitch in the crotch on my vidda pro several times in 4 years. Otherwise, they seem like maybe a 10-year pant for me

I doubt the Kebs are ten year pants. @PNWGATOR has a pair for a few years, and I got two years of constant use out of my first pair before the inside part of the seat where the thighs meet got worn and pulled apart- this is normal for pants for me. Had I waxed them more in the beginning I doubt it would have happened.

Regardless, two years of multi days a week use is about as long as any pants last me.

 

[PNWGATOR]

The Keb trousers are the best pants I’ve ever owned. Bomber.

 

[The Ri Guy]

Well, I clocked 43 miles in 4.5 days in the Forest Tracker ESC's as a first-field-use test. No elk, but the boots crushed it as expected after years of FG use. Central WA Cascade Foothills, varied terrain from pure rock jeep roads, to thick black timber, to stream crossings, etc.

I can safely report that I'll be donating a few pairs of other boots to GoodWill and buying a back-up pair of ESC's. Basically what I expected being a Vivo convert in 99% of my daily life for the last 5 years.

Anyone SNO-SEAL'd their ESC's with success? My leather took a beating but seems like it'll be fine with a good clean and condition, don't see any reason to buy Vivo's special sauce when I have plenty of Sno-Seal on hand.

 

[HighUintas]

Well, I clocked 43 miles in 4.5 days in the Forest Tracker ESC's as a first-field-use test. No elk, but the boots crushed it as expected after years of FG use. Central WA Cascade Foothills, varied terrain from pure rock jeep roads, to thick black timber, to stream crossings, etc.

I can safely report that I'll be donating a few pairs of other boots to GoodWill and buying a back-up pair of ESC's. Basically what I expected being a Vivo convert in 99% of my daily life for the last 5 years.

Anyone SNO-SEAL'd their ESC's with success? My leather took a beating but seems like it'll be fine with a good clean and condition, don't see any reason to buy Vivo's special sauce when I have plenty of Sno-Seal on hand.

I have thought that I don't want to use anything that could hinder the breathability... So I'm sticking with their special sauce since I have it. When I used obernaufs heavy duty LP on another pair of boots, the breathability got worse and worse over time. Hopefully,, their special sauce they recommend doesn't do the same thing. Snow seal seems like it would, in but I've not used it before

 

[Braaap]

The Renapur that vivo recommends has worked great for me on my boots. The leather hasn’t lost any breathability.

 

[The Ri Guy]

The Renapur that vivo recommends has worked great for me on my boots. The leather hasn’t lost any breathability.

Has it provided any water resistance or proofing?

 

[BBob]

Has it provided any water resistance or proofing?

I assume they come treated with Renapur to begin with and they were fine as far as waterproofness as they came and fine after putting more on.

 

[sndmn11]

I just use the Hoffman stuff or I think obenaufs.

 

[The Ri Guy]

I assume they come treated with Renapur to begin with and they were fine as far as waterproofness as they came and fine after putting more on.

Mine were definitely not fine. Wet tall Cascade Mountains grass + aggressively chasing elk had my ESC's completely soaked through, as well as my Injinji's and my Damascus socks, in a couple hours. I will say they were the only soaking wet boot I've ever worn that remained comfortable.

Hence the SnoSeal thought.

That being said I contacted Vivo CS and they advised there is a rainforest variant in the works that includes the waterproof membrane that is currently on the FG boot. No release date. They do not recommend SnoSeal on nubuck leather, due to the mineral oil content. I did not get any further explanation on that particular statement and will have to do some internet sleuthing to get a "why". Maybe a fellow Slider is well informed on nubuck leather and treatment options as it relates to water resistance specifically.

Probably solves my PNW Coast problem if they come out with a lined version of the ESC. I have had zero breathability issues with my FG boots that are going on year 6 of service.

I'll let everyone know if I find anything detailed/informative on my particular waterproof improvement question as it relates specifically to the ESC's.

 

[sndmn11]

nubuck leather, due to the mineral oil content.

Did they tell you it's nubuck?

The wild hide pairs I have had all seem to full grain and not nubuck in any way.

 

[The Ri Guy]

Did they tell you it's nubuck?

The wild hide pairs I have had all seem to full grain and not nubuck in any way.

They did, which confused the hell out of me.

I'm not going to lie, I got the impression that the support person I was talking to was one of those third-party rent-a-customer-service-rep types. I think the rep was referencing a different pair of shoes entirely.

Edit: It's also entirely possible that they meant to say "...on nubuck OR leather." I sent an email asking for more clarification.

 

[HighUintas]

Mine were definitely not fine. Wet tall Cascade Mountains grass + aggressively chasing elk had my ESC's completely soaked through, as well as my Injinji's and my Damascus socks, in a couple hours. I will say they were the only soaking wet boot I've ever worn that remained comfortable.

Hence the SnoSeal thought.

That being said I contacted Vivo CS and they advised there is a rainforest variant in the works that includes the waterproof membrane that is currently on the FG boot. No release date. They do not recommend SnoSeal on nubuck leather, due to the mineral oil content. I did not get any further explanation on that particular statement and will have to do some internet sleuthing to get a "why". Maybe a fellow Slider is well informed on nubuck leather and treatment options as it relates to water resistance specifically.

Probably solves my PNW Coast problem if they come out with a lined version of the ESC. I have had zero breathability issues with my FG boots that are going on year 6 of service.

I'll let everyone know if I find anything detailed/informative on my particular waterproof improvement question as it relates specifically to the ESC's.

The forest tracker esc isn't waterproof and it's not marketed as being waterproof. It is supposed to be a breathable and water resistant boot, which it is. At a certain level of water exposure, you're going to get the leather 100% soaked and then your socks will get wet.

After 2 hours of busting through rain wet brush, my boots and socks were sopping wet, but I expected that. However, they dried very quickly because there's no damn membrane in them. I likely won't wear a membrane boot again if I plan on doing any amount of hiking, unless the conditions demand it.

 

[Braaap]

Has it provided any water resistance or proofing?

They aren’t waterproof. There is some water resistance but if it’s raining or you’re walking through wet grass for awhile you’ll get wet feet. They do pretty good hiking in snow for me but will get wet eventually but they stay comfortable.

If they come out with a waterproof liner option I’ll probably buy a pair for true rain conditions.