VIVOBAREFOOT Tracker Forest Esc, Mens Off-Road Hiking Boot With Barefoot Sole

Product Information

The boots include a 50g tub of Renapur leather balsam for the user to apply for improved performance and durability. These are serious soles which make the boot seriously heavy compared to the Tracker FG – but not so seriously heavy compared to a normal hiking boot, Salomon GTX’s for example. You can expect a good bit of grip as well, thanks to the 3mm lugs designed for firm ground (hence the FG in the name).

Tracker Forest ESC | Barefoot Hiking Boots | Vivobarefoot | USA Tracker Forest ESC | Barefoot Hiking Boots | Vivobarefoot | USA

There is little padding throughout the boot, including the ankle collar and tongue, and I felt some discomfort at the hooks after a while. The W-shaped rubber lugs are multi-directional and a decent depth (7mm), offering good grip out on the trail.The Tracker Forest ESC was created, tried and tested in collaboration with wilderness experts to deliver the best possible boot for the changeable conditions of the forest biome, without compromise. We’ve tested and reviewed a few pairs of Vivobarefoot shoes and boots over the years and have developed a good understanding of what this minimalist shoe company is all about. When you first strap up the Vivobarefoot Tracker Forest ESC, you’ll be shocked at the space in the toebox and wonder if you can even hike in the boots.

Tracker Forest Esc Mens | UK - Vivobarefoot US

Barefoot’s a big thing in trail running circles these days, with many claiming that this type of footwear encourages a much more natural gait which ultimately means less impact on the joints and muscles. I maintain that for good fieldcraft and stalking you have to be in contact and feel the forest floor almost gliding through the landscape. As for their toughness, again, the Forest Tracker ESC doesn't offer the same level of impact protection as a traditional walking boot (if you stub your toe on a rock, you’re likely to feel it). The Michelin Esc Sole does a great job of delivering grip on ascents, descents and on slippery terrain, with the aggressive VV shaped lugs performing reliably well in our tests. The wild hide leather is naturally breathable and water-resistant, allowing advanced thermoregulation and comfort in variable conditions.And thanks to the aggressive lug pattern, they stay locked into the terrain, even if the lugs struggled at times to fully clear the muck common in the PNW. Barefoot shoes divide opinion in the running world, and similarly in the case of hiking, we think some people will find these useful and others won’t.

Bendable Boot: Vivobarefoot Tracker Forest ESC Review

If the barefoot style boot sounds too lightweight, and you prefer something that offers more substantial protection, consider this boot from Ariat. By staying low to the ground — and we’re talking lower than you’ve likely ever felt in a hiking boot — you feel every aspect of the trail. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Made from high performance rubber with an aggressive off-trail lug design, this sole gives feet the strongest grip, even in the most challenging environments. The Michelin outsole provided secure traction and underfoot protection (remember, there’s no underfoot cushioning).I've got naturally quite narrow feet (although not excessively so) and they did feel a bit 'flappy' at first. The Tracker Forest ESC is for wild hiking, trekking and expeditions – optimised for temperate forests, but highly versatile, offering peak performance in many environments. Conversely, when you’re carrying a heavy backpack down steep descents, you might miss the cushioning. A quick look at the stitching on the image was enough proof for me to part with another whack of dosh from my well-earned army pension and become a fully paid up Vivo shareholder – or so it seemed. The result of this design paradigm is series of lightweight shoes and boots that are wide, extremely flexible, and thin-soled.

Tracker Forest | UK - Vivobarefoot US Escape Tracker Forest | UK - Vivobarefoot US

But for those looking to let their feet move, get in touch with the trail, and maybe force your feet to work a little harder, the Tracker Forest ESC does so in a premium package. Vivobarefoot says the Tracker Forest ESC is its most advanced hiking footwear yet – the design has been carefully developed over the past four years. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. While hitting the dirt, branches, and rocks of the Pacific Northwest, the traction pattern performed well and provided security. The laces are really grippy (over weeks of testing they didn’t come undone once) and tie high around the ankle, offering additional security.

That said, I replaced the laces on the originals with 550 cord after the orginal laces cut themselves after 2 months. The Vivobarefoot Tracker Forest ESC’s barefoot technology might not be to everyone’s taste, but our reviewer reaches for them time and again. The Tracker Forest ESC aims to tackle that issue by packing in new features aimed at serious adventurers. This design then allows your foot to enjoy the natural splay, and the room to do so when you start moving.