You've Made the Switch to 0 Drop - Did you go back

[ThunderJack49]

That’s where I’m at. Might go out on assignment once or twice a year. Usually on a hand crew or engine crew. Seems like long days standing in hot ash are few and far between.
If the forest esc were a bit taller I probably would not look elsewhere. Really dislike filling my boots with wood chips when sawing.

I personally wouldn’t push the vivos into that roll after fighting some grass fires with them. I do everything in my vivos from construction to backcountry hunts but after a few local IAs in them I bought the Jim green trackers.
If I was getting back on a handcrew for a season I would look at these. I don’t have any experience with them but obviously lots of people wear nicks in fire.

https://nicksboots.com/products/strider-zero-drop?LAST=ZD-THUR&_has_apo=true&Length=9.5&Width=D&Leather=MaxSupport+Black&Pull+Loop=Yes&Top+Style=Standard&Toe+Style=Standard&Toe+Structure=Soft&False+Tongue=Dress&False+Tongue-1=Logger&Sole+Stitching+Thread=360+-+White&Laces=Leather

 

[bhylton]

I personally wouldn’t push the vivos into that roll after fighting some grass fires with them. I do everything in my vivos from construction to backcountry hunts but after a few local IAs in them I bought the Jim green trackers.
If I was getting back on a handcrew for a season I would look at these. I don’t have any experience with them but obviously lots of people wear nicks in fire.

https://nicksboots.com/products/strider-zero-drop?LAST=ZD-THUR&_has_apo=true&Length=9.5&Width=D&Leather=MaxSupport+Black&Pull+Loop=Yes&Top+Style=Standard&Toe+Style=Standard&Toe+Structure=Soft&False+Tongue=Dress&False+Tongue-1=Logger&Sole+Stitching+Thread=360+-+White&Laces=Leather

Oh interesting. I’ve done a little fire in the vivos but never got into a ton of heat. I use them as a forester from the day to day, so really like them for that.
I looked at those nicks… I’ve never been a fan of logging boots, went from some wescos to lowa/crisipi etc, to vivos. Sounds like the barefoot trooper might be a good compromise.
The rugged African troopers don’t look bad either, sort of a middle ground between a traditional logger and a barefoot

 

[nm.otter]

The rugged African troopers don’t look bad either, sort of a middle ground between a traditional logger and a barefoot

That was my thinking, and I need a shank for tower work. The polymer toe cap (they call it a 'puff' but it feels really similar to what was in may last pair of Danners) gives me a bit of drop protection for construction work.

 

[TradLife406]

Last fall I had to hunt for a few days in normal hunting boots. Hanwags. I hated life. Good boots. But after summer and a lot of miles in vivos it was hard to go back. Can't remember why I did it.
I think maybe my leather lined ones failed after a ton of miles. And I was waiting for a new pair or something.

 

[Lil-Rokslider]

I'm going to try my first pair of Vivos. They'll be used hard for hiking around Colorado this summer and fall. I see everyone talking about the tracker forest ESCs. But what about the Tracker Textile AT IIs? They say they're waterproof, and I'd prefer a waterproof boot. How do the 2 compare?

 

[twall13]

I'm going to try my first pair of Vivos. They'll be used hard for hiking around Colorado this summer and fall. I see everyone talking about the tracker forest ESCs. But what about the Tracker Textile AT IIs? They say they're waterproof, and I'd prefer a waterproof boot. How do the 2 compare?

I get the desire for a waterproof boot, but in this case I think it's worth the trade off. I much prefer the breathability of the leather ESC's. I also strongly prefer the sole on the ESC's to the standard trackers. Not sure if it's just my pair as I got it refurbished from Revivo but my Tracker Textiles make a funny noise when I walk, I think it's the waterproof membrane moving and flexing but it sounds like a grocery bag moving around.

My take is that any waterproof membrane on such a flexible boot will develop leaks very quickly. I've had stiff boots remain waterproof for a long time but I've never had a flexible boot remain waterproof very long at all. The constant flexing breaks down the membrane much more quickly.

If you insist on a waterproof membrane on a barefoot boot the Freet Chamois is another option to look at.

I've tried a ton of different boots and a ton of different barefoot style footwear and I keep coming back to the Vivo Forest ESC's as my favorite. I took them on a recent bear hunt and the lack of waterproofness was apparent as the weather turned and I just knew my be would be wet the rest of the trip. They were still worth it to me. They dry quickly if you can get dry weather but in constant wet your feet will be wet.

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[Lil-Rokslider]

I get the desire for a waterproof boot, but in this case I think it's worth the trade off. I much prefer the breathability of the leather ESC's. I also strongly prefer the sole on the ESC's to the standard trackers. Not sure if it's just my pair as I got it refurbished from Revivo but my Tracker Textiles make a funny noise when I walk, I think it's the waterproof membrane moving and flexing but it sounds like a grocery bag moving around.

My take is that any waterproof membrane on such a flexible boot will develop leaks very quickly. I've had stiff boots remain waterproof for a long time but I've never had a flexible boot remain waterproof very long at all. The constant flexing breaks down the membrane much more quickly.

If you insist on a waterproof membrane on a barefoot boot the Freet Chamois is another option to look at.

I've tried a ton of different boots and a ton of different barefoot style footwear and I keep coming back to the Vivo Forest ESC's as my favorite. I took them on a recent bear hunt and the lack of waterproofness was apparent as the weather turned and I just knew my be would be wet the rest of the trip. They were still worth it to me. They dry quickly if you can get dry weather but in constant wet your feet will be wet.

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This is helpful. Thanks. I ordered both, since they offer a 100 day trial period now. I also noticed the sizing chart was a bit different for each boot. I ordered a size 10 in the textile AT IIs, and a size 11 in the ESCs. I wish they offered a half size. In your experience, do Vivos run big, small, or true to size?

 

[twall13]

This is helpful. Thanks. I ordered both, since they offer a 100 day trial period now. I also noticed the sizing chart was a bit different for each boot. I ordered a size 10 in the textile AT IIs, and a size 11 in the ESCs. I wish they offered a half size. In your experience, do Vivos run big, small, or true to size?

I've always ordered the same size across the board (US 13 or EU 47) but some models do fit differently. The Tracker ESC's tend to be a little more roomy but I wouldn't say it's a problem I'd want to size down for. I wear them very loose anyway so it's just more room for a variety of socks and my toes on the downhills.

Not a bad plan to utilize the 100 day trial. Good luck.

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[Braaap]

This is helpful. Thanks. I ordered both, since they offer a 100 day trial period now. I also noticed the sizing chart was a bit different for each boot. I ordered a size 10 in the textile AT IIs, and a size 11 in the ESCs. I wish they offered a half size. In your experience, do Vivos run big, small, or true to size?

I have both boots and initially ordered the textile a size smaller and it was too small. So I have both boots in the same size now. I bought the textile boot to wear on one hunt where I knew it was going to rain heavily for several days and they worked perfectly. As soon as the rain stopped I switched back to the ESC’s as they’re just a better boot. After wearing the ESC’s for several years now I want nothing to do with a waterproof boot unless it’s seriously raining. The waterproof liner keeps so much moisture inside your boots. Having both is nice but I wear the ESC 98% of the time.