Gear Review
VIVOBAREFOOT Evo Trail Running Shoe - Men's
Good, except:
By Keepers March 30, 2012
The good:
Very comfortable, with a well designed shape. The extra space on the front half of the foot may have ruined me to a normal shoe's fit forever more. It withstood considerable weather punishment, including rain and trudging through snow, without immediately soaking through the mesh top like I had expected. Feels great in either socks or bare feet. The honeycomb pattern looked much more appealing than I had expected.
The bad:
Wearing this as my every day all-around shoe, it took a little under two months for the material to begin to blow out. Another month later, both shoes now have 1.5" gashes in the exact same place: right next to the ball of the foot, along the sole, where the material creases from movement. I think the holes have stopped spreading at this point, having reached beyond where the folding occurs. I still wear the shoes, mostly because of money, partly because the material was so light in the first place I barely notice the tears, but overall I'm very disappointed with how quickly this happened.
Do I recommend the shoe? Yes and no, depends on why you want it.
If you only plan to use it now and then when you run, the material will likely stay alive for a while. I do a lot of walking and running every day, so the blowouts happened at a very accelerated pace. You can decide for yourself if it's worth the risk.
If you want an every-day all-around shoe, probably not. You may want to check out the vivobarefoot Neo, which seems much sturdier, or choose another company altogether (some like Merril, but I've had just as many damage problems with their shoes).
If you want a trail shoe, absolutely not. Even if these shoes had no flaws, they'd still be mediocre, at best, on a trail. Personally, I still stick with my VFF Bikilas for extra activity.
View Details: VIVOBAREFOOT Evo Trail Running Shoe - Men's
Nailed It? 2 Yes
Tech Specs:
- Upper Material:
- Thin Skin (nylon mesh)
- Lining:
- antibacterial microfiber (50% recycled nylon)
- Sole:
- Performance Sole (latex rubber and TPU)
- Footbed:
- recycled memory foam
- Heel / Forefoot Height:
- 4 mm
- Lacing:
- standard
- Arch Support:
- neutral
- Weight:
- [each] 9 oz; [without footbed] 8.5 oz
- Recommended Use:
- trail running, cross training, minimalist running
- Manufacturer Warranty:
- 1 year
Change me.