Last year, I did a follow up review of the budget barefoot shoes I wear on my backpacking trips. Around the same time, I decided to give a higher end brand a try: Vivo Barefoot. Nearly two years and hundreds of miles later, I was so impressed with them that I purchased another pair! While I still love my budget brand shoes, I now wear the VivoBarefoot pair on majority of my hiking adventures. In this review I'd like to share my experience wearing the Women's Primus Trail II FG shoes. We'll talk about specs & features, sizing, price, maintenance, likes, dislikes, and a brief comparison to the budget option.
Friendly Disclaimer: Everybody is different! Barefoot shoes meet my hiking needs and work for me, but that does not necessarily mean they will work for you too. Everything shared here is my own opinion from my personal experience with this product. Nothing is sponsored! I'm simply providing general info and anecdotes about the shoes I like to wear on backpacking trips.
Why Barefoot Shoes?
If you have not seen my video reviews for the budget barefoot shoes, I'll take a minute to explain WHY I decided to switch to this type of footwear. If you have seen one or both of those videos and know the backstory, feel free to skip this part! Hiking boots have never worked for me. I always ended up with terrible blisters and pain (even when wearing wool socks!) Regular tennis shoes worked somewhat better, but I was still coming off the trail with cramped toes and a strained feeling in my feet. I tried using arch support inserts, and that only made it worse. I went to a local running shoe outfitter in the hopes they could offer some insight into what footwear would be best for me. After taking some measurements and stepping onto their fancy 3D foot scanning machine, I learned that I have VERY flat feet. I couldn't afford the zero drop shoes they recommended at that time, but now I knew what to look for. After listening to an episode of the First 40 Miles (# 144) detailing the benefits of barefoot shoes, I figured I would give them a try. And boy am I glad I did!
Check out some of these resources for more info on barefoot shoes:
Minimalist/Barefoot Running Basics from REI
The Pros and Cons of Barefoot Running from BreakingMuscle
Backpacking in Minimalist Shoes from Softstar Shoes
The Ultimate Guide to Hiking in Minimalist Footwear from The Barefoot Shoe Review
Our Story from VivoBarefoot
Specs & Features
Below are some specs, features, and other details for the VivoBarefoot Primus Trail II FG shoes. This model comes in both a mens and womens version.
Model | Primus Trail II FG |
Material | Recycled PET mesh, BLOOM™ Performance insoles, and rubber outsoles |
Weight | Varies by size. Womens 7.5 are 7.4 oz each 14.8 oz together |
Size Range | |
Special Features | "foot shaped"/wide toe box, durable, flexible, drawcord laces, zero drop, removable insert, textured grip on soles, vegan and recycled materials. |
Trial Period | VivoBarefoot offers a 100 day trial run for all orders. If you don't love them, you can return them within 100 days of your order's arrival for a full refund. |
Price Range | $120 - $180 depending on the version and current sales or promotions. |
I wasn't sure at first which size would be best for me. Thankfully, VivoBarefoot's website has a neat sizing tool where you can measure your foot using your phone camera! After analyzing the dimensions of your foot, the tool recommends a size in their brand. Once your shoes arrive, your 100 day trial run begins. If the shoes don't fit or work for you, they can be returned for a full refund within that 100 day time frame. No questions asked. When determining if the shoe fits, VivoBarefoot recommends using the rule of thumb. Meaning: "If you can fit your thumb in-between the end of your toe and the front of the shoe, you’ve more than likely found your ideal size."
Comparison to Budget Brand
Here's an overview of the differences between ALEADER and VivoBarefoot.
| VivoBarefoot | ALEADER |
Material | synthetic fabric / mesh, foam insoles, rubber outsoles, elastic laces, velcro | Recycled PET mesh, BLOOM™ Performance insoles, and rubber outsoles |
Size Range | ||
Special Features | wide toe box, flexible, drawcord laces, velcro tipped laces, zero drop, removable insert, textured grip on soles, scalloped sole - mesh connection. | "foot shaped"/wide toe box, durable, flexible, drawcord laces, zero drop, removable insert, textured grip on soles, vegan / recycled materials, round sole - mesh connection, reinforced toe. |
Lifespan | 6 months to 1 year with heavy use and abuse | 1 to 2 years with heavy use and abuse |
Trial & Returns | Amazon's Free Returns policy (and Prime) | 100 day trial run |
Price Range | $40 | $120 - $180 |
Trial Run, Durability, and Maintenance
These shoes have accompanied me on dozens of backpacking trips across various terrain. I've worn them through the rugged mountains of Nantahala and across the sandy dunes of Cumberland Island. Most impressive of all, in my time wearing the Primus Trail II I haven't gotten any blisters! (A few small hot spots during the initial break-in period, but more about that later.) Sure, I've worn these shoes plenty of place, but how well have they withstood heavy use and abuse on the trail?! After just under two years, the extent of the damage is as follows:
Pea sized holes in the mesh fabric near the connection to the sole (in the same place on both shoes.)
Smoothing/flattening of the grips on the soles. Especially on the heel and ball of the foot.
Holes forming on the inside lining.
Holds onto odors for longer.
A recurring problem I had with the budget pair was the soles separating from the rest of the shoes after just a couple months of use. I can happily report that has NOT happened with the Primus Trail II shoes. While I did have some holes form in the mesh fabric near the connection to the soles, this was an easy fix! I was able to sew them up without a problem. As for the holes forming on the inside lining of the shoe, I patched them up with some Gear Aid patches. That repair is holding up okay, but not great.
While it won't be pretty by the end, I'm confident I can get a few more hikes out of these shoes. I did a rough calculation of how many miles I've walked in them, and it came to a little over 250. This excludes various day hikes I may have worn them for. If wear them on a few more trips in the coming months, I can probably get an even 300 out of them. Which is not bad considering this article from The Trek claims majority of AT thru-hikers will replace their shoes every 300 - 400 miles.
The last thing I'll mention about performance before discussing maintenance is whether or not these shoes are fast drying. If I had to rate them on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being leather boots and 10 being Crocs I'd put these at a 7.5. After encountering a few shallow creek crossings or some puddles, the shoes are usually dry and ready to go again the next morning. Wearing them through long periods of rain is a different story. They're still pretty damp the day after. But when paired with wool socks, I can wear them without discomfort. As long as they don't continue to get wet, they will dry throughout out the day.
Now, let's talk about maintenance. Early on, I only needed to wash these shoes every three or four trips. However, as they started to hold onto odors, I had to wash them every other trip. When I wash them, I use a small amount of free and clear dish soap. I rinse them until the water runs clear either in the bath tub or in a storage bin in the backyard. On short notice, I have washed them on the gentle cycle in my washing machine with free and clear laundry detergent. However, I don't recommend making that a habit. I always air them by leaving them in a sunny place on the porch OR (if the weather is bad) in the garage. Air drying them in the garage typically takes 1 to 2 days. I do NOT put them in the dryer!
Anything I Dislike?
I can honestly say I LOVE these shoes. Just as much if not more than my budget barefoot pair. But I do have two small criticisms...
Break-in Period: I completely forgot about the temporary discomfort of the initial break-in period with these shoes. That is until I purchased a second pair. Unlike the budget shoes, these ones can feel pretty stiff right out of the box. It takes some time to loosen them up. Which is why I recommend wearing them on several day hikes before taking them on a multi-day backpacking trip. Washing them helps too!
Odor Resistance: Now I'm not expecting miracles here, but around the 6 month mark I noticed these shoes holding onto odors. At first, a good washing would remove any trace of foot stink. After longer use though, the smells stuck around. By the 1 year mark it got really bad. I left the shoes in my car on accident after a trip once, and the next day the entire car smelled like sweaty stinky feet! Even after washing them, they still stink. The garage suffered a similar fate to the car when I put the shoes there to air dry. If I find a solution for this, I'll leave an update. However, I'm convinced the bad smell has now become a permanent part of these shoes.
Final Thoughts...
I love a good budget gear item, but sometimes the higher price tag makes a big difference. In my opinion, VivoBarefoot is a major upgrade from ALEADER. I'm so glad I gave this brand a try. Not only are the Primus Trail II more durable than my previous pair of barefoot shoes, they're also way more slip resistant! The texture and grooves on the soles grab onto surfaces so much better. My footing feels sure and stable when navigating across rocky terrain and steep declines. I can't say the same about the ALEADER shoes, at least not in the long term. As the grip on the soles wore down, I found myself slipping and tripping frequently. Sometimes it was on surfaces I didn't expect to have trouble with. In conclusion, I've been very satisfied across the board with my Primus Trail II FG shoes from VivoBarefoot.
I hope you found this review helpful and informative. If you're thinking about giving VivoBarefoot a try you can find their products on a variety of sites including but not limited to: VivoBarefoot.com ,REI, and Amazon. Once again, I am in no way sponsored or affiliated with this brand. I'm just sharing my personal experience with a product I enjoy wearing on my hikes.