Barefoot Running Revolution: Vivobarefoot Primus Trail Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 มี.ค. 2023
- Looking for a versatile and high-performance trail shoe? Look no further than the Vivobarefoot Primus Trail FG.
As a barefoot shoe, it features a zero-drop, wide toe-boxed, and super-thin sole that enhances your awareness of your environment. The knitted upper is woven with elastic, giving the entire shoe a glove-like feel that hugs your foot without moving around, and the pull cord allows for custom tightening around the midfoot.
The super-grippy firm ground sole, with its thick and aggressive lugs, is designed to excel in trail running in mild to warmer climates, and day-long or multi-day hiking. It's also hard-wearing and breathable, making it perfect for longer-distance runs in warmer climates.
In this video, we break down the specs, ideal conditions, weaknesses, and three places where this shoe has performed beyond expectations. So, whether you're hitting the trail or going on a long hike, the Vivobarefoot Primus Trail FG is a versatile shoe that can handle it all.
Featured shoes 🦶: VivoBarefoot Primus Trail Knit
Get 10% off with code GT10 - www.vivobarefoot.com
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New To Barefoot Shoes - Checkout Our Barefoot Transition Guide 🚀: www.barefootstrengthproject.c...
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SUBSCRIBE for FREE entry to the Vivo giveaway, (the winner, chosen randomly at 10,000 subs) will receive the following bundle:
- Your choice of 2 x pairs of VivoBarefoot Shoes
- TYR weightlifting shoes
- Copy of The Barefoot Transition Guide
- Correct Toes Toe Spacers
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Questions? Use the comment section below and let's chat! - กีฬา
Checkout our Barefoot Transition Guide for everything you NEED to safely transition to barefoot shoes while avoiding injury: www.barefootstrengthproject.com/barefoot-transition-guide
The only page I trust for a proper review. Keep it up !
I appreciate that!
Great reviews, I totally agree! These are awesome, if you’re new to barefoot shoes, these are the perfect ones to start with in my opinion!
Thank you Yuri!
I have a pair of these and they are my favorite shoes ever. they are beyond comfortable with the slightest more shock absorption while not losing the other benefits of a barefoot shoe. I found your video because I have the lava color and am looking at the zinc as my next pair as I've about worn mine through after two years :D
Couldn’t agree more and I love my zinc pair - they look great!
Bought a pair at the start of summer and they've held up really well to approx 30 miles per week trail running. I switched to barefoot shoes initially because I had a bad history of ankle sprains as a lump of a runner (1.88cm 100kg) in traditional trail running shoes. Haven't had an ankle issue since which has allowed my right ankle to become way more flexible because I'm not constantly spraining it and making it stiffen up. This has had huge carry-over into stuff like squat mobility etc. Can't recommend it enough if you have the patience to drop your mileage for a bit.
Great content. Been enjoying the Xero Denver Leathers for work, and The Prios for regular wear. Really am looking forward to getting a pair of Vivos when time arrives.
Thank you Jacob! I'm trying to get ahold of a pair of Prios to review at the moment but struggling with shipping to Indonesia so it's going to have to wait till I'm back in the UK/Canada in April/May!
Good video ! I watched a lot of your stuff before buying my first pair of barefoot shoes.
I’ve been wearing Vans and Chuck Taylors for over 25 years. I got a pair of Primus Lite iii three weeks ago and have used them for all activities. This is working standing on a hard surface all day and walking 5km a night on concrete. There’s been nights when my feet are a little sore, but I’m doing pretty good about changing my stride and it’s getting better for sure. I kind of wish I’d gone FG but I’m also the kind of person who just wants to go all in on something at the start. I’ll be getting some FGs for disc golf soon though and I’m really excited about those.
Great review!
Thank you Esteban 🙌🏼
best shoes I have ever had. I own 4 pairs which I use for work, time off as well as the gym.
I realized though that the ones with the white sole are a little more snugg than the ones with the gum sole.
100% agreed 🙌🏽.
Also I hadn’t picked up on the difference in soles and fit but I wouldn’t be surprised!
I think you're spot on. The michelin, stitched on soles on these would be excellent.
100% and they’ve now done it since this video went out! Checkout my most recent video on the Hydra ESC’s 🙌🏽
The firm ground outsole helped me transition to barefoot easily and painlessly :)
It’s a real game changer - hoping for the ESC sole to get plugged on any day now, that’d be next level 🚀
@@TheBarefootStrengthProjectI have the shoe that you reviewed here. Once I took out the insole they felt great. The only place that is wearing is the outer heel area.
I also have the Magna Forest ESC leather boots and I can also run in those. The Michelin outsole is really superior to any outsole that I’ve ever experienced on a shoe. Great stuff! I kind of wish that Vivo would transition to this Michelin outsole material for all of their shoes.
Awesome channel and great content. you have a really easy way of explaining complicated stuff and making it super fun too. Your a youtube talent for sure! Just wondered what your take is on the Primus Trail II FG (sorry if there's a review on here .. i can't seem to find it) as i'm thinking of investing in a pair. Ok, they look ok to my inexpert eye but there still not cheap so any insight would be super apprecaited. I wear Primus Lite III atm but live in Brighton, UK by the sea and it's wet and rainy so getting soaked through can be a drawback.Thanks man.
Thank you Max, I appreciate it!
Given where you’re based I’d actually consider looking at the Primus Trail III all weather, I haven’t reviewed them yet though have owned several pairs. Will be sure to put up a review soon 🙌🏽
Great content
Thank you Edgie Edgie! Appreciate you 🙌🏽
Hi ya I just brought these brilliant shoe along with the forest tracker in your other video j can't stress enough about injui socks to go with these
Hey James,
They're some great choices, I hope you enjoy and can't wait to hear how you get on with them.
I absolutely echo your sentiment about injui socks, they really take barefoot to the next level, my only issue is matching the pairs up after putting them through the wash 🤣
Can’t wait to win this giveaway. God knows my barefoot journey is long overdue 😆😆
I have exactky those ones. I agree with you in everythiung
That’s awesome, thanks Luis 🙌🏽🙌🏽
Great review! I agree with everything. Only thing that I've found is that the knit part is not quite durable enough for dense trail running or hiking. I ripped mine twice during my first two hikes with these shoes. Not a big deal cause it's more of a cosmetic rip as opposed to functional problem
That’s a shame, out of curiosity do you know what caused the tear (was it rock, thorns/bramble) and was it superficial to the top layer of the fabric or did it slice through?
I was just replying to another comment on the use of plastic on the upper and it seems such a challenging line to walk, you need the plastic to protect the foot but the fabric to retain the flexibility.
I wonder if this sort of ‘dense brush’ trail running would be a case for the all weather versions. Lose some breathability but gain a more durable, lined fabric…
Wasn't sure if I wanted to knit vs regular. Decided on the regular and I'm glad I did.
Good review. I have a pair of magna Sg lite. For wet or rocky trails here in New Hampshire. You should try some hiking in the Presidential range , it amazing. Anyway, sometimes just want to go out on a quick easy day hike or a run through my neighborhood. These trail FG knit seem perfect.
Thank you 🙌🏼.
I've heard nothing but good things about the Presidential Range, definitely on the do to list.
The Trail FG Knit won't disappoint!
Hi there, great review, it’s reinforced my decision to switch over to barefoots for ultra-running moving forward 👍
Question:
I can’t find the Primus Ultra-Trail Knit anywhere on the Vivo Uk website, are they only available in the US?
Thanks again, dude, great info 🙏
Thanks Steve 🙌🏽.
The shoe you’re after is the Primus Trail Knit FG (the ultra is a different model) and it’s definitely on the UK site - good luck with the transition, I’d recommend checking out the Barefoot Transition Guide on our website 🙌🏽
does the little pink have more space in these then in the trail III?
Top video with everything considered, this seems like a great shoe. As an owner of the Forest Tracker ESC's but needing a pair of barefoot shoes that's not so over kill in milder terrains like going down the shops 😂 I was wondering if you had to choose what are your top 3 Vivo's? Thanks.
Thank you Ryan, appreciate it 🙌🏼! At the moment my top 3 are the Primus Lite, Primus Trail FG Knit (as shown in this video) and the Tracker Forest ESC but I 've caught wind of some new releases that vivo will be putting out later this year so that list may be getting amended very soon!
@@TheBarefootStrengthProjectThanks for the heads up about the new releases! Can't wait to see what they come up with to try and dethrone the Primus Lite's! If that's even possible?!
Been liking your content. I want a barefoot shoe for playing disc golf. So I would like a recommendation on a vivobarefoot that is waterproof. Early morning rounds in the grass can make for vary soaked feet if they are not waterproof. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Hey bax - thank you!
The Primus Traill ALL WEATHER would be a good option for you to check out
You should review the magna lite SG
Funny you mention that 😉. I’ll be back in the UK from April for some spring hiking so expect something around then 🙌🏽
Have you any experience with Xero shoes ? I use the Messa trail 2 for all of my trail runn8mg and wondered how theses might compare ?
Not as much as I'd like - when i get back to the UK I'm going to be testing a few models so will hopefully be able to give you a full blown comparison
How do you think these compare to the vivo tracker decon fg2 lows (or highs)? I feel like the lack of stitching compared to the decon may be an issue.
For trail running, superior. The material sheds moisture much better than the Decon low tops but if we’re talking daily wear or gym, much of the same
Just ordered these for day to day walking and longer weekend walks. Currently tried all sorts of shoes and barefoot skinner socks, all of which wore down very fast (within 2 months) so hoping these will be a longer lasting solution. At £140 I’m really hoping so 😬
Mine have been damn near bulletproof, hopefully they don't let you down!
Liked for Audi r8
Waiting for Audi to cough up my R8 daily driver any day now 😆
Ah I am so jealous you get no blisters, I get blisters are 3 parts on my feet in these :o hoping some breaking in will sort out the issue, thanks for the review :)
Seriously?? That sucks… are you wearing them running or hiking and with socks (cushioned/non) or without?
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject trail running mostly, only 15km in them so far but had to take a break to let the blisters heal and been running in my primus lite in the mean time, hoping vivo will let me swap for the normal fg trails.
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject aaaah tried with super thin socks and no insole and on a small 8km run they were perfect ! Phew !
@@Avokodo That's great to hear - happy running!
I found they didn’t run to size - I’ve worn vivos for years (including other Primus) but these felt at least half a size too big with the knit upper
Interesting! I didn't have a similar issue but hope the team at Vivo were able to sort the problem out for you 🙌🏼
I've had a barefoot running shoe in the past (not this brand), and it was so thin, sharp rocks were able to hurt me. They did not puncture through, but it hurt. It wasnt fun to watch every step to avoid sharp stones. Is this the case with these shoes?
Great question. These, no as they're trail specific shoes so designed with a thicker sole and lugs to disperse the sharp points of rocks on trail IF however I went trail running in my Primus Lites (the thinnest ones going) it would be a VERY different story.
Are you still going to do the 10,000 subscriber giveaway if you ever get there?
Haha I like to think it’ll be a case of when but yeah for sure. There’s more details about it in my next video which is out tomorrow 🤙🏽
can you wear regular ankle socks day to day? do you feel any restriction from certain socks?
Yes for the most part! If they’re highly elasticated they can pull the toes in which kind of negates the advantage of the wide toe box so cheap socks tend to fare best
@@TheBarefootStrengthProjectthank you!
If you could only pick between this and the Deacon for cross training and weightlifting, which one would you pick?
This, hands down, 100% of the time.
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject - Thanks! Lucky me, this exact color is in sale in the USA
Would these be good for a full marathon on mostly flat ground? Would they be lighter than my Merrell Trail Gloves? Edit: Oh, found it - only 2g heavier, 198 vs 196g.
Great question - weight wise, as you say about the same.
Distance wise I think that boils down to a few things. Personal tolerance is one (have you been barefoot running for a while or bone fresh), surface (trail would be ‘easier’ than concrete as it’s softer which is particularly noticeable over distance) and also your frame. I’m about 105kg/230lbs and that extra weight over the 100,000 odd steps you’ll take in a full marathon will put a lot more strain on you than say being a whippet 70kg.
Really it all boils down to you and the conditions but if you do go for it make sure to keep me in the loop with how you get on!
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject Barefoot 2x per week. Shoes 5x per week (Hoka 5mm drop). 62kg. 65yo. 21.1 to 25km every Tuesday, sometimes barefoot, sometimes Trail Gloves. Shoes actually slow me down.
@@RossNixon well in that instance I should imagine you’d be more than capable as long as you follow a proper periodised training program in the lead up to it and take the time to follow a good prehab routine to stay healthy and injury free. The Hal Higdon intermediate program is always a good option for periodised running in the build up to a half or full and I can add a prehab video to my to do list making sure to include the regime I have used with myself and clients if that’s useful to you and others
Thanks for another good review. Currently I have 3 pairs of Primus. I’m like the Imelda Marcos of Vivobarefoot … If they bring out an all weather version of this shoe I’ll have to buy it! 😂
Is it good for road running?
Yes it is, particularly if you’re relatively new to barefoot running as the lugs offer a bit more impact protection than something like the Primus lite.
That said, if you do very high mileage those lugs will wear down so that’s something to consider 🙌🏽
I didn't find these true to size at all. I'm consistently size 45 in Vivo and only ever been size 44 in the Gobi leather boots and these Primus knits. And even then it was OK in length but so loose that I needed to tighten the laces so much that it hurt so I had to send them back.
The near perfect one for me was the Primus Trail swimrun version with the neoprene like collar and speed lace.
I found the standard Primus Trail way too plasticky (the side panels) which dug into the side of my foot every step. Whereas the swimrun version felt much softer, more like thin rubber side and front panels instead of hard plastic. I don't think it was rubber but definitely softer than hard plastic.
I wish that Vivo used soft fabric uppers like the old Neo and Breatho models which had no plastic at all, if they put a FG sole on that upper it would be absolute perfection 👌
I don't understand Vivo's extreme use of plastic uppers, I thought 'sustainable' was the latest thing and Vivo always touting that. So totally baffled by that really.
Agree! I probably would have went with a 44 in these. Also I just got the tracker boots in a 46 so that I can wear extra layers of wool socks for winter hiking and I'm glad I did. Haven't fully broken them in yet however the extra insulation makes them feel snug
That sucks! I’ve got the gobis coming in a few weeks so I’ll be interested to see if I have a similar sizing issue to you on them…
But I know the EXACT shoe you’re referencing (I think it was called the Tempest?) and I agree, that was a great shoe. My understanding of the (recycled) plastics is to both put existing plastics to use as opposed to landfill whilst providing protection whilst running/hiking from thorns, branches etc which you don’t need in a swim run shoe, but watch this space as a little birdy told me there’s something similar to what your asking in the works.
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject it wasn't the tempest, I tried it but didn't like that shoe, the plastic bits on the upper dug into my little toe really painfully. The primus trail swimrun was almost exactly like the standard primus trail shoe (not boot) but had a neoprene like collar and all the side and front reinforced bits felt more like rubber than plastic.
Can you not just ask VIVOrepair to exchange the sole when they need to be replaced. I have done this on other boots.
I have no doubt that you could!
Discount code GT10 does not work
Thank you for the heads up, I'll get onto the guys at Vivo
Should be sorted now - thank you for supporting the channel by trying to use it and sorry it didn't work first time around 🙌🏼
Ahem...annnnnd golf.
Vivo,
I am once again asking for a Primus Trail ESC
(loving the muted earth tones they’ve been using across the line recently too, more of that please)