Vivo forest tracker esc durability

[dailyherold]

This thread convinced me to try these out and got them in today. Going to be a while until I get to properly use them but probably will be taking to snowy CO in February. Anyone snow shoe in them?

 

[Formidilosus]

Anyone snow shoe in them?

Yes. Nothing remarkable about it.

 

[dailyherold]

Yes. Nothing remarkable about it.

Thank you, I'm happy with this response haha. Don't snow shoe often so not a big criteria for me!

 

[Formidilosus]

Thank you, I'm happy with this response haha. Don't snow shoe often so not a big criteria for me!

The biggest issue is on continuous long steep climbs with the heel lift, if your feet aren’t built up for it.

 

[Dobermann]

Back to the original question about durability - I only have about 300 kms on each of my Trackers and Tracker ESCs.

The Trackers are showing some issues - small bits of material came out of where the laces pass through in about the first week, and the rand became unglued from the leather at the outer section where the foot bends after about two weeks. I'll get to test Vivo's customer service and try to remember to let you know how it goes.

The Tracker ESCs, on the other hand, look like they've had little wear at all. They're also even more comfortable than the straight Trackers - to me.

 

[BBob]

My oldest Gobi’s rands have separated right at the inner area where the foot bends. More on one side than the other. Once it separated it never went very far and hasn’t been an issue. I suppose I could glue it but haven’t. These have a ton of miles on them and I doubt the separation will be the reason for their ultimate death.

 

[Zaubr306]

I wore mine for the first time on a short quail hunt a few days ago. Fairly flat terrain but very rocky and I really like them. You have to walk differently than stiff boots but that’s not a bad thing. There was several inches of snow on the ground and my feet stayed warm and dry. The soles are great and I felt more sure footed than I normally do in Scarpa’s on snow covered rocks. My feet were fine the next day. I’ve worn zero drop shoes almost exclusively for two years so I’m already adjusted to that. Only issue I have is the lace location over the ball of my ankle like others have mentioned but I think I can deal with it.

I have a 10 day elk hunt coming up so looking to get some. I’ve always worn trail runners for the flexibility but think I need boots for my next trip, hence thinking of these. Do they feel closer to a trail running shoe then a boot? Also, did you feel the rocks poking up through the gaps in the sole lugs?

 

[HighUintas]

I have a 10 day elk hunt coming up so looking to get some. I’ve always worn trail runners for the flexibility but think I need boots for my next trip, hence thinking of these. Do they feel closer to a trail running shoe then a boot? Also, did you feel the rocks poking up through the gaps in the sole lugs?

I haven't noticed feeling any rocks through the sole yet. I really wouldn't worry about that.

I used to run in la sportiva Helios all the time on the rockiest trails in the mountains. Those have areas where there is only foam on the outsole instead of rubber, with no rock plate. I would get jabbed really hard occasionally wearing those, but not so bad I wouldn't buy another pair. I wouldn't worry about the tracker ESC and rocks with that heavy rubber outsole.

I think it depends on how these would fit your foot as to whether or not they feel like boots or runners. I have worn Altra trail shoes in the past and these boots feel like Altras without the huge cush midsole and are a bit too big. My boots fit looser than how I would fit any trail shoe to my foot. If I got a smaller size boot and laced them how I lace a runner, I think these would feel just like Altras without the cushion.

 

[Braaap]

I have a 10 day elk hunt coming up so looking to get some. I’ve always worn trail runners for the flexibility but think I need boots for my next trip, hence thinking of these. Do they feel closer to a trail running shoe then a boot? Also, did you feel the rocks poking up through the gaps in the sole lugs?

I wore mine for a second time on a chukar hunt and I absolutely love these boots. I would say yes they feel more like a trail runner than a boot in some ways. My Altra trail runners have a stiffer sole but the Trackers are far better off trail. It’s kinda hard to describe. The Trackers are soft but the sole is thick enough that my feet don’t get beat up. You don’t want to stand one footed on a pointy rock like you can in a stiff boot but they do just fine in rocks. Like Form mentioned going up a steep incline with a zero drop boot could be an issue if you have poor ankle mobility or aren’t used to zero drop shoes.

I am 100% sold on these boots for chukar hunting but I’m still nervous about packing elk quarters. I plan on using these exclusively from now until next fall and hope my feet gain the necessary strength to wear them for big game hunts.

 

[Zaubr306]

I wore mine for a second time on a chukar hunt and I absolutely love these boots. I would say yes they feel more like a trail runner than a boot in some ways. My Altra trail runners have a stiffer sole but the Trackers are far better off trail. It’s kinda hard to describe. The Trackers are soft but the sole is thick enough that my feet don’t get beat up. You don’t want to stand one footed on a pointy rock like you can in a stiff boot but they do just fine in rocks. Like Form mentioned going up a steep incline with a zero drop boot could be an issue if you have poor ankle mobility or aren’t used to zero drop shoes.

I am 100% sold on these boots for chukar hunting but I’m still nervous about packing elk quarters. I plan on using these exclusively from now until next fall and hope my feet gain the necessary strength to wear them for big game hunts.

That photo you attached is exactly the environment I’m thinking of. I live in New Zealand and all we do is back country hunt in that type of terrain. I wear altras and they’re great but looking at a stronger boot with a flexible feel. I was given some brand new traditional style boots but I didn’t like the feel of them at all. Couldn’t feel the ground beneath me.

 

[fwafwow]

Wore mine for a night out in town last night. Super comfortable. Love these and can’t wait to work thru the transition.

 

[Dobermann]

Vivo just included the following comparison chart in their latest marketing email ... I was interested to see that the Trackers are rated as 'waterproof' while the Tracker ESCs are 'water resistant'.

Haven't got time right now to investigate further, but hope to soon. If anyone else knows why, feel free to add to this thread.

 

[sndmn11]

Vivo just included the following comparison chart in their latest marketing email ... I was interested to see that the Trackers are rated as 'waterproof' while the Tracker ESCs are 'water resistant'.

Haven't got time right now to investigate further, but hope to soon. If anyone else knows why, feel free to add to this thread.

View attachment 489174

The FG has a membrane, the Forest is strictly leather.

 

[fwafwow]

Still loving my ESCs. Wore them on a business trip with plenty of walking through the airport and in town. All good, even with the "extreme" sole.

It would be cool to marry the ESC sole with the FG upper and membrane.

 

[HighUintas]

The beauty of the esc, if it is water resistant enough for stream crossings and Form has said it is in his experience, is that there is no membrane which provides a breathable boot.

I can absolutely vouch for the breathability vs a membrane waterproof boot. I don't think I'll ever buy another membrane boot unless I absolutely have to.

 

[BBob]

The Magna’s do just fine in the wet with no membrane. I doubt Trackers would be any different. We went decades with no membranes with just conditioned leather boots and dry feet. I remember when Rocky Boots was one of the first that came out with a lightweight boot with the then new Gore-Tex bootie liners. Sounded great but they always ended up leaking just like lots of them still do today. I’ll take a full leather non membrane boot any day over relying on a membrane to keep dry.

 

[Dobermann]

The beauty of the esc, if it is water resistant enough for stream crossings and Form has said it is in his experience, is that there is no membrane which provides a breathable boot.

I can absolutely vouch for the breathability vs a membrane waterproof boot. I don't think I'll ever buy another membrane boot unless I absolutely have to.

Thanks; that squares with my experience.

Here are my Tracker ESCs at a 3D field shoot last weekend, just minutes after being ankle-deep in mud - no mud or water made its way in.

Love these things!

 

[Dobermann]

And my son rockin' his Vivo Fulham II Juniors at the same shoot (where he won his division).

Like me, he'd just gone ankle-deep in them just minutes before this photo; the combination of the Vivo leather and Renapur Leather Balsam just seems to shuck of mud well:

 

[fwafwow]

And my son rockin' his Vivo Fulham II Juniors at the same shoot (where he won his division).

Like me, he'd just gone ankle-deep in them just minutes before this photo; the combination of the Vivo leather and Renapur Leather Balsam just seems to shuck of mud well:

Great reminder to me that I didn’t get the Renapur. Will this work just as well?

 

[Dobermann]

Great reminder to me that I didn’t get the Renapur. Will this work just as well?View attachment 489401

I haven't tried my Crispi Cream (see what I did there?) on my Vivos ... it seemed to work okay on the Crispis, so you could give it a go.

However, I'd have to say that after using about seven boot leather treatments over many years, there's something about the Renapur that seems to work better than the others. I can't see on their website what it's made from, but it's easier to apply than some (such as Sno-Seal), doesn't change the colour of the leather badly (like some of the NikWax options), and soaks in well.