Vivo forest tracker esc durability

[AlbertaFisher]

Question for you guys who've been wearing these for a while, or anyone who is between sizes. I'm right between an 11 and 12 US (44 or 45 EU) and have the Vivo Primus Trail Knits in 12. They feel good. I got my Tracker ESC in, in both 11 and 12. Spent a handful of miles in the size 12, and they fit noticeably larger than the Trail Knits (which I expected and wanted.) Almost to the point where the fit feels a little sloppy, unless I wrench the laces down, which I don't typically do. The size 11 feel good with thinner socks, but with thicker socks, are more snug. Not uncomfortable, but snug.

Which would you keep? I'm leaning toward the bigger pair, in case I need to go with liners + socks. That said, I'm not planning on a lot of winter usage for these, so may not need super thick socks much. That, and I scored the size 11's for $140 on Revivo, so I wouldn't mind saving $100 if those worked out, ha.

I like to run a bit bigger and have a looser fit. I’m a size 11.5 normally, but am running a 12 in magnas. Having a looser fit is a little more forgiving in crazy terrain. When I say looser, I don’t mean floppy, just enough room that you could put a pair of wool socks on.

 

[Dobermann]

I'm strongly considering moving to minimalist footwear. Anyone with wide feet have any issues getting correct fit with these boots? My feet aren't obscenely wide, just a standard E or W, depending on brand. Standard width and standard style shoes/boots absolutely do not work for me. I understand these have a wider toe box for toes to splay, is it generally enough even for wide feet?

FWIW, I have fairly wide feet and the Tracker ESCs are fine for me.

 

[UpperLeft86]

I would vote for the bigger pair. Mine are a pretty loose fit and I like it. I can wear them with one pair of socks medium weight socks or a liner plus heavier socks in winter. Works for me.

Appreciate the input! Likewise to you, @AlbertaFisher . How loose are you talking? I think the bigger pair on me, it's really during downhill descents, my foot definitely slides forward, with a good thumb width or more behind my heel. It's not uncomfortable, just feels different. And I've not tried them with a pack, though.

 

[fwafwow]

Appreciate the input! Likewise to you, @AlbertaFisher . How loose are you talking? I think the bigger pair on me, it's really during downhill descents, my foot definitely slides forward, with a good thumb width or more behind my heel. It's not uncomfortable, just feels different. And I've not tried them with a pack, though.

These boots should be so loose you struggle to figure out how to even tie them. You shouldn’t slide forward because you should be stepping differently than you are used to doing. Others know more about this than me. It’s hard to describe until you change and then it all seems to make sense.

 

[Dobermann]

My experience in fitting four family members is that their online tool works.

In my case, I had to go a half to whole size up in Euro sizing from my usual sizing. Perfect.

 

[UpperLeft86]

These boots should be so loose you struggle to figure out how to even tie them. You shouldn’t slide forward because you should be stepping differently than you are used to doing. Others know more about this than me. It’s hard to describe until you change and then it all seems to make sense.

I feel like I might understand. Maybe that you're not sliding around because you're stepping and planting differently, rather than just bashing down the hill expecting your boots to keep you locked in?

At the moment what's throwing me off a bit is just how differently the Tracker ESC fit over my other Vivos. Appreciate the advice!

 

[fwafwow]

I feel like I might understand. Maybe that you're not sliding around because you're stepping and planting differently, rather than just bashing down the hill expecting your boots to keep you locked in?

At the moment what's throwing me off a bit is just how differently the Tracker ESC fit over my other Vivos. Appreciate the advice!

Exactly. If you are used to striking your heel first, and hard, then doing that with loose shoes/boots will definitely make you slide forward.

 

[Braaap]

I feel like I might understand. Maybe that you're not sliding around because you're stepping and planting differently, rather than just bashing down the hill expecting your boots to keep you locked in?

At the moment what's throwing me off a bit is just how differently the Tracker ESC fit over my other Vivos. Appreciate the advice!

The trackers do fit looser than other vivo’s in my experience.

 

[dailyherold]

Snow shoeing was uneventful for the Vivos, just as I like. Only went 2mi, but strap system, temp, and water didn't bother my feet.

 

[Lawnboi]

20% off right now, got another pair.

These boots are the most comfortable piece of footwear I have ever purchased.

 

[Dobermann]

These boots are the most comfortable piece of footwear I have ever purchased.

Same.

 

[SouthPaw]

Well my experiment with the KG bootguard on a late season hunt was a fail. I followed the instructions for application and felt the coats I applied were thick/adequate enough, but perhaps I did something wrong.

Post holing 9-20" deep crusty snow, rocks, cactus, and mud just seemed to tear it up. 1 heavy elk pack out and multiple deer pack outs. My feet never got wet, but I also did not encounter "wet" conditions on this hunt since it was freezing or dry most of the time.

The trackers are still the best footwear I've used for hunting, but I'm still looking for a solution for post-rain / wet vegetation when the trackers soak through after about an hour of hiking.

Definitely way too thin or watered down.

I reapplied the KG bootguard, this time sanding/prepping the surface well and making sure it wasn't too thin. A few hikes, several days clearing brush on the property, and then five days hunting in one of the wettest places in the lower 48 - continuous rain and soaked vegetation the entire time. My feet never once got wet and the KG held up fine. We'll see how it does long term, but it seems attention needs to be paid to how its applied for it to work.

 

[roosiebull]

What kind of use are people getting out of these before they start leaking?

These intrigue me because I have always preferred the softest footwear I can find, but it’s hard to find lightweight flexible boots that hold up in terms of waterproof

I got some lapponia 2’s a few months ago, and want another softer pair of new boots for the season

Right now I’m leaning hard on the zamberlan salethe trek, the low top salathe was my favorite so far, but I knew the neoprene tongue had a shorter shelf life, which they did… the trek uses a leather tongue, but always like options

This thread is kinda funny, it seems like until very recently, the consensus was mountain hunting in my choice of hunting footwear was going to lead to all kinds of problems, and especially packing weight, now it sounds a lot more acceptable, I didn’t know that happened, but it’s good to see people quit listening to folklore opinions and tried things themselves and realized their feet wouldn’t fall off with soft footwear in the mountains

I despise stiff boots and always have, and have never had foot or ankle problems. I have always hunted in non supportive footwear, and spent my whole career working in rubber boots with no support on moving boats.

 

[AlbertaFisher]

I can’t say specifically for the magnas or trackers, but I’ve gotten 3 years out of a discontinued pair of vivos with probably 1000kms in them before I got holes. Leaking at the rand-material interface started at about 500kms

 

[Dobermann]

What kind of use are people getting out of these before they start leaking?

My usage won't be as extensive as Form's and others, but I'm up to 2.5 years of weekdays / 5 days a week in the same pair Forest Trackers, and much of each weekend in Forest Tracker ESCs (when I'm not wholly barefoot) - usually, that will involve at least some off-track walking each weekend, and a trip every fortnight to the pew pew range (IPSC over dirt and rocks), or a long field / 3D archery course in a forest that has multiple mud puddles and creek crossings.

Rand came away at the ball of the foot area on the Trackers after only a couple of months, but has not grown. Tracker ESCs still in pretty good shape - they've been so covered in mud that you can't see the boot or laces on multiple times, but once cleaned and Renapure applied again, they're good to go.

 

[UpperLeft86]

This thread is kinda funny, it seems like until very recently, the consensus was mountain hunting in my choice of hunting footwear was going to lead to all kinds of problems, and especially packing weight, now it sounds a lot more acceptable, I didn’t know that happened, but it’s good to see people quit listening to folklore opinions and tried things themselves and realized their feet wouldn’t fall off with soft footwear in the mountains

That general consensus that you'll cripple yourself without stiff boots is why I even bought a pair of Crispis, haha. I like them of course and they have their niche, especially as I'm still working my feet up to full on minimalist footwear in the mountains. But still. I think people are coming around to the fact that our feet can do the job they were made to do, if you let them.

 

[roosiebull]

So, after looking deeper into these, I see they aren’t waterproof, are they completely leather uppers and are the tongues fully gusseted?

I have had a couple pairs of full leather boots without a waterproof membrane and could keep water out enough that it didn’t bother me with mink oil, with the downside being that they didn’t breathe, but I also understand that magical boots don’t exist… flexible boots with a goretex membrane don’t breathe very well either, and they usually have a pretty short shelf life staying dry

I still maintain the delusion that one of these boots will stay waterproof for a couple years, even with a very long history of that not being realistic

 

[HighUintas]

So, after looking deeper into these, I see they aren’t waterproof, are they completely leather uppers and are the tongues fully gusseted?

I have had a couple pairs of full leather boots without a waterproof membrane and could keep water out enough that it didn’t bother me with mink oil, with the downside being that they didn’t breathe, but I also understand that magical boots don’t exist… flexible boots with a goretex membrane don’t breathe very well either, and they usually have a pretty short shelf life staying dry

I still maintain the delusion that one of these boots will stay waterproof for a couple years, even with a very long history of that not being realistic

I think it'd be extremely water resistant if they would fix the issue of the outsole glue separation and stitching wear

 

[Seeknelk]

Maybe I missed it but is anyone using a seam sealer of some sort on the stitching to help keep water out?
I've had ok results with sno seal but I make sure I bring at least one change of socks even on just a day hunt.
I definitely get soaked in damp grass etc. Dryer snow is fine although the cold comes thru quickly with any thin soled boots, hence spare socks and good ones.

 

[Dobermann]

Maybe I missed it but is anyone using a seam sealer of some sort on the stitching to help keep water out?
I've had ok results with sno seal but I make sure I bring at least one change of socks even on just a day hunt.
I definitely get soaked in damp grass etc. Dryer snow is fine although the cold comes thru quickly with any thin soled boots, hence spare socks and good ones.

Just the Vivo-supplied Renapur. Works great.