Vivobarefoot has been leading the charge in the barefoot running department for some time now. I have previously tested and commended Vivobarefoot’s FiveFingers and Trail Freak models, so I was keen to test the brand’s first steps into the walking boot realm. First off – they are incredibly comfy. Even if you’re not a hardened barefoot enthusiast, the minimal, 2.5mm sole will be adequate if the terrain isn’t too rough and rocky. I tested these in regular, non-hillwalking socks and the comfort was still superb.
The water resistance of this boot is also excellent. The leather upper and high top design (which gets top style points) did a good job of keeping the water out, even after long stretches walking through boggy and swampy marsh. A very small amount of water seeped in, but this quickly evaporated. The breathability is more than adequate. The 4.5mm lugs, however, although sufficient for almost all wet surfaces, were not aggressive enough to hold their own confidently on wet, smooth and slimy stone.
In short, the tracker is a solid, all-round hiking boot, and ideal for low-level walking where you won’t be encountering any ground that is especially gnarly. It will be interesting to see how well they perform on longer backpacking routes.
£180, 503g (each, size 9)
vivobarefoot.com/uk
Reviewed by James Reader
