Vivo forest tracker esc durability

[mxgsfmdpx]

First treatment on mine after 2 years of near daily use (two hunting seasons) and abuse on the wetside of WA. I wear them lifting, hunting, running, groceries, yardwork, you name it when it’s not winter.

Cleaned up great.

Did you use the renapur or something else?

I’m thinking about cleaning them and then conditioning them like I do my wife’s high quality leather saddles.

 

[The Ri Guy]

Did you use the renapur or something else?

I’m thinking about cleaning them and then conditioning them like I do my wife’s high quality leather saddles.

Wiped down with a damp microfiber cloth, air dried, sponge applied Renapur, then air dried again.

I was meticulous in my application, took about an hour I’d say to really get every nook and cranny.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Since buying these boots I have expanded my collection for daily wear

 

[id_jon]

The creeper socks are alright, but I much prefer the injinji toe socks that are not liners. Have had 1 pair of creepers (out of 3) that ripped really bad when I was pulling them on over my toes, on only the second or third time wearing them. They sent a free replacement when I emailed them.

 

[HighUintas]

I've been enjoying the winter trackers in the few times I've worn them. They're very comfy and seem to regulate temp pretty well. I don't have many miles yet though. Maybe 15.

I'm also enjoying my forest trackers much more this year after applying the Aquaseal rand. They're much more water resistant now. The stitching and gluing of the sole is the definite weak link in these.

 

[The Ri Guy]

The creeper socks are alright, but I much prefer the injinji toe socks that are not liners. Have had 1 pair of creepers (out of 3) that ripped really bad when I was pulling them on over my toes, on only the second or third time wearing them. They sent a free replacement when I emailed them.

Which Injinji in particular? I didn’t even realize they made anything more than liners.

 

[id_jon]

Which Injinji in particular? I didn’t even realize they made anything more than liners.

https://www.rei.com/product/196319/injinji-trail-midweight-crew-socks?cm_mmc=email_tran-_-trans_ship_confirm-_-250501-_-img_prod1&ev36=&rmid=trans_ship_confirm&rrid=35581689&ev11=&redirect-pup=false

https://www.rei.com/product/218088/injinji-ultra-run-crew-socks?cm_mmc=email_tran-_-trans_ship_confirm-_-250501-_-img_prod1&ev36=&rmid=trans_ship_confirm&rrid=35581689&ev11=&redirect-pup=false

I like both of these. The ulta run's seem to fit a little more snug and are slightly less thick, but both do very well across a wide range of temps.
If you wear them wet they'll dye your feet though, or at least the dark blue midweight crews, so be forewarned

 

[ArmyAg97]

My wife has a different pair of vivo’s with the thermal insole and it works. It’s too hot in warmer temps.

So I wore 1 green and 1 red in everything from 60 degrees down to low 20's. City sidewalks to snow and ice. This is kind of where I landed: There is a difference. I can't wear the red in any temp that gets upwards of 60, just to hot. The difference is most noticeable with the Firm Ground Soles walking on sidewalks. Much less noticeable with the ESC sole. Unless, you are in snow and ice. Probably the biggest difference in any condition was ESC in snow/ ice. The Red insole was not even in the same ballpark out of the gate. Over time the green shoe warmed up with movement to where it was much less of a noticeable difference, but it was still there.

 

[HighUintas]

What is the vivo tracker equivalent in backcountry skin boots? I'm in serious need of them. My scarpa aliens kill my feet

 

[Formidilosus]

ESC’s working for cross country with Altai Tao’s and universal bindings.

 

[grahambiel]

ESC’s working for cross country with Altai Tao’s and universal bindings.
View attachment 825795

How do you like the Taos? I’ve been eyeing them

 

[nephewjephew]

ESC’s working for cross country with Altai Tao’s and universal bindings.
View attachment 825795

I have the hoks and koms. If you've use those how do you like the taos in comparison?

 

[HighUintas]

ESC’s working for cross country with Altai Tao’s and universal bindings.
View attachment 825795

If you use them a lot, can you make a thread on reviewing these and logging what terrain, conditions, and pack weights you use them in?

I have been interested in one of the Altai universal binding skis for awhile, but all the reviews I see of the Hoks say they suck in everything except very specific snow conditions.

I have the hoks and koms. If you've use those how do you like the taos in comparison?

How do you like each of those? Same questions... What terrain, conditions, and pack weights? What boots/bindings?

 

[Formidilosus]

How do you like the Taos? I’ve been eyeing them

They’re great so far. Not a ton of use yet.

I have the hoks and koms. If you've use those how do you like the taos in comparison?

I’ll be using the Taos and Hok’s side by side in February.

If you use them a lot, can you make a thread on reviewing these and logging what terrain, conditions, and pack weights you use them in?

Sure.

I have been interested in one of the Altai universal binding skis for awhile, but all the reviews I see of the Hoks say they suck in everything except very specific snow conditions.

They’re the only real option for actual backcountry use. I’m not sure what would “suck” less that is on the market? They’re not for technical downhill speed fun- but they downhill fine for backcountry use.

 

[nephewjephew]

If you use them a lot, can you make a thread on reviewing these and logging what terrain, conditions, and pack weights you use them in?

I have been interested in one of the Altai universal binding skis for awhile, but all the reviews I see of the Hoks say they suck in everything except very specific snow conditions.



How do you like each of those? Same questions... What terrain, conditions, and pack weights? What boots/bindings?

The Hok and Koms are two totally different skis. Hoks have the built in skin and are shorter skis 125 and 145. As a snow shoe replacement I like them a lot. They climb just as good as a snow shoe, they are faster across the flats and fun downhill (skin does slow you down quite a bit). The Koms are a down hill cross country ski. They're longer 162, and have fish scale underfoot. They work in the flats, not as good as a x country ski though. They are more meant for doing laps hiking/skinning uphill to make turns going down. I have used both with three pin boots, works great. Hoks with universal binding and snow boots, work great (less control). Its nice to be able to use just a snow boot, meaning not having to wear "ski boots" or bringing extra boots and changing out etc. The Kom paired with a plastic boot (scrappa T2 in my case) gets you more stability better turning. I am a big fan of both of these skis, I enjoy "boonedocking" in the upper great lakes and both of these skis have their place. The new Tao ski looks to bridge the between the two. For more of a hunting foucused application, I bring the hoks out west.

 

[HighUintas]

They’re great so far. Not a ton of use yet.



I’ll be using the Taos and Hok’s side by side in February.





Sure.




They’re the only real option for actual backcountry use. I’m not sure what would “suck” less that is on the market? They’re not for technical downhill speed fun- but they downhill fine for backcountry use.

I'm not sure what would be better but one thing I was not sure about with the Hok was the built in skin that is nylon. Typically the synthetic skins don't glide as well as mohair and going down a gentle grade having to propel with skins rather than just gliding down is very annoying to me. So I was thinking that for my preferences, a fat BC ski with universal bindings using removable mohair skins would be best. But I've not tried anything like the Hoks to know.

I haven't used XC skis enough to know if the Altai Kom would be useful for me or not. The scales seem that they likely wouldn't provide enough grip for climbs

 

[nephewjephew]

I'm not sure what would be better but one thing I was not sure about with the Hok was the built in skin that is nylon. Typically the synthetic skins don't glide as well as mohair and going down a gentle grade having to propel with skins rather than just gliding down is very annoying to me. So I was thinking that for my preferences, a fat BC ski with universal bindings using removable mohair skins would be best. But I've not tried anything like the Hoks to know.

I haven't used XC skis enough to know if the Altai Kom would be useful for me or not. The scales seem that they likely wouldn't provide enough grip for climbs

The skins on the Altai's glide pretty well, surprising well. Climb very well too.

Look into the fischer S-Bound skis. They have a pretty cool skin system

edit to add, with out a skin climbing (using like a snowshoe) will suck.

 

[cubdriver84d]

I have been interested in one of the Altai universal binding skis for awhile, but all the reviews I see of the Hoks say they suck in everything except very specific snow conditions.

In my experience, if you treat them like an alternative to a snowshoe, they're fine, but if you're wanting them to perform more like a ski touring setup, you'll be disappointed.