Daniel tested them on the trail: “I recently reviewed the minimalist, zero-drop Vivobarefoot Breatho Trail – see tgomagazine.co.uk for the full review – and found them very comfortable, but I hadn’t quite gotten used to running in them. Watch the clips on their website and you’ll see your posture and step may need to change. The Breatho Trail has since been moved over for the new Trail Freak shoe and I’m finally getting used to them. In fact, I’m planning to run an off-road marathon in them. There are not huge differences between the two models. The Lock-Lacing System here is the drawcord style, which is lighter and easier to use, and the rand has been bonded rather than stitched. In doing so, they’ve shaved 35g off (one size 11 shoe is a very light 288g). The sock-tight fit and lightness mean these are now my go-to trail shoes – especially during the summer. I’m still not 100 percent comfortable with the low-drop, but I know it will come. And low-drop running shoes are, for me at least, part of my running future.”
James tested them on the road: “Comfort is always a concern with barefoot running shoes on hard road surfaces, but the Trail Freak feels extremely cushy, even with a 2.5mm sole, and the drop in the toe box allows for that natural foot movement. The breathability works brilliantly and is superior to that of Vivobarefoot’s Vibram FiveFingers shoe, which I find has the tendency to pool sweat between the toes. The Lock-Lacing System does a good job of firmly fastening the Freak without making it feel tight or restricting movement. The removable Dri-Lex Performance insole is also a nice touch, especially if you want to go superlight (each weighs 24g). No comfort is lost while road-running without the insoles either, although ventilation decreases without its sweat-wicking benefits. It goes without saying that the shoe’s rugged 4.5mm lugs are more than adequate for roads, parks and bridleways. It looks like this will serve me well in the city this summer.”
