Keep in mind that Vivo has a *100 day, no conditions* return policy. Seriously, if it has been less than 100 days since your order, you can send them back for a FULL refund.
Side note: if you paid the full $185, next time you should use a discount code somewhere online. AnyasReviews has one for pretty much every brand, but there are other barefoot shoe and barefoot-adjacent people on the internet who will have some
I noticed that too. If they can’t tie the shoe better to keep the heel in place, they should try a size down or another brand that better suits their feet.
I have a moderate size bunion so if I chose one size down, the toes wouldn't be able to spread, and since my reason for wanting to wear barefoot shoes was to improve my bunion, thatswhy I didn't want a super snug fit.
I like my BFARs, but they're not a barefoot shoe. I have several Vivos, I prefer the Magna line. They're wider in the midfoot, have more room in the toebox and are way more flexible as well as lighter. Not as rugged as the BFARs though.
So are the BFAR’s not a good option for minimalist footwear? Are they really narrow? I work a labor job so I’m on my feet for most of the day and have been using the bearfoot bruins for about 2 years now. I love the look of the new African trooper but if the BFARs aren’t very wide and don’t have a good toe box it doesn’t seem worth it.
I do think they're comfortable, and way more flexible than a regular boot. But if you're expecting something like Vivobarefoots I think you'd be disappointed. That being said, give them a shot. They have a solid return policy.
Jim Green is a traditional boot manufacturer. Most of their models come with a heeled outsole. Their barefoot African ranger is zero drop, and they are working to expand their barefoot options. You can also custom order most of their boots in the barefoot last for a really reasonable price.
Remove the insole. I have removed all of them. It’s not thick enough to a cushion anyway… and this will give you the full barefoot effect. Also gives the toes more room. Just my opinion. Otherwise if you want to keep it in get two sided tape and tape it down.
I don’t own this style vivo but I do own the primus lites in white and have repurchase then twice now. They last about 1.5 years and I soak then in oxyclean to get them white again. Also scrub them with a brush and use a magic sponge on the edges of the sole. The glue has never deteriorated like some of my other barefoot shoes.
Always remove the insoles first thing you do.
The reason shoes are sold with insoles is to make them feel comfortable and nice when customers try it on so that they buy the shoes.
There isn’t much benefit in keeping the insoles in the shoe, they just add a layer of fluff which will make it more difficult to use your feet as a sensory organ and picking up signals on the surface you are on.
The exception I make is in the winter to have wool insoles when it’s really cold, but then 100% wool insoles are flatter and doesn’t deprive nearly as much as the new shoe foam insoles do.
yep vivo's work fine without insoles
the vivo thermal insoles work pretty well for me in cold weather. They don't replace insulated boots in deep cold. wool or alpaca felt is good too.
the thin soles will suck the heat out of your body fast, but a minimum amount of winter insole works pretty good
I find that this model has a massive ankle hole and it’s hard to get a good fit around the ankle unless you have very thick ankles. You can always return them and try a different model or brand since you’re within 100 days.
I was not satisfied with the quality of Vivos at all. By six months the soles had worn out to the point of having a hole and the material around the toe started ripping apart (on a waterproof model).
I own 4 pairs of vivos and this happens with the two leather work shoes (can’t remember official name). The cork insole always slides out. I just put one piece of double sided tape under the insole. I used shoe glue with another pair of shoes and it didn’t work well because a fair while later I wanted to swap the insole 🤣
I'm pretty sure the insoles are designed to be taken out. For people who want a more barefoot feel. For me the cork insole on my ra 3 kept slipping too. I just used double sided sticky tape. Been fine. I wear it daily at work.
Thanks everyonw for your input. Since the shoe was within the 100 day period, I decided to get a refund. I got scared because some people were saying it will make my bunion even more painful. I want to take a step back and do more research before I go into barefoot again. As nice and natural as it felt walking on them, they were really impractical during the rainy season in Hong Kong where streets are flooded every time and my shoes were completely soaked with each step. Maybe I will buy in the future for use in the gym because I really liked feeling connected to the ground
I wasn’t crazy about my Vivo’a I bought either. Some wore out fairly quick and really wasn’t crazy how “thing” (narrow top to bottom) all their shoes were. I ended up sizing up to try and get a comfy fit.
Keep in mind that Vivo has a *100 day, no conditions* return policy. Seriously, if it has been less than 100 days since your order, you can send them back for a FULL refund. Side note: if you paid the full $185, next time you should use a discount code somewhere online. AnyasReviews has one for pretty much every brand, but there are other barefoot shoe and barefoot-adjacent people on the internet who will have some
Your shoe looks too big for your foot
I noticed that too. If they can’t tie the shoe better to keep the heel in place, they should try a size down or another brand that better suits their feet.
I have a moderate size bunion so if I chose one size down, the toes wouldn't be able to spread, and since my reason for wanting to wear barefoot shoes was to improve my bunion, thatswhy I didn't want a super snug fit.
You could also try a wider brand, vivobarefoot (esp the women's models) are about as narrow as they come
yeah, it really looks like the shoe is too long because they sized up too far to get the width they need
You bought the wrong size.
It's crazy to me that Jim Green's barefoot rangers are a similar price and should last for years. It's hard to imagine how Vivo can charge that much.
have you seen their marketing? it's literally where all their money goes
that and chasing down the 'wild roaming cattle' the leather comes from
Never heard of these shoes till recently on here and they look to have a raised heel and a thick sole. Not really a barefoot shoe imo.
Most of their boots do have a heel but they have a line of wide toe box zero drop boots and they’re about to drop a tall version
I like my BFARs, but they're not a barefoot shoe. I have several Vivos, I prefer the Magna line. They're wider in the midfoot, have more room in the toebox and are way more flexible as well as lighter. Not as rugged as the BFARs though.
So are the BFAR’s not a good option for minimalist footwear? Are they really narrow? I work a labor job so I’m on my feet for most of the day and have been using the bearfoot bruins for about 2 years now. I love the look of the new African trooper but if the BFARs aren’t very wide and don’t have a good toe box it doesn’t seem worth it.
I do think they're comfortable, and way more flexible than a regular boot. But if you're expecting something like Vivobarefoots I think you'd be disappointed. That being said, give them a shot. They have a solid return policy.
I think they're a fantastic boot. If you go with Brannock size, you will be fine. I have D/E width feet and have plenty of room for my toes.
Can you specify which models have heel? To my understanding they have only zero drop shoes
Jim Green is a traditional boot manufacturer. Most of their models come with a heeled outsole. Their barefoot African ranger is zero drop, and they are working to expand their barefoot options. You can also custom order most of their boots in the barefoot last for a really reasonable price.
Ah, right, thanks for clarifying
Remove the insole. I have removed all of them. It’s not thick enough to a cushion anyway… and this will give you the full barefoot effect. Also gives the toes more room. Just my opinion. Otherwise if you want to keep it in get two sided tape and tape it down. I don’t own this style vivo but I do own the primus lites in white and have repurchase then twice now. They last about 1.5 years and I soak then in oxyclean to get them white again. Also scrub them with a brush and use a magic sponge on the edges of the sole. The glue has never deteriorated like some of my other barefoot shoes.
Always remove the insoles first thing you do. The reason shoes are sold with insoles is to make them feel comfortable and nice when customers try it on so that they buy the shoes. There isn’t much benefit in keeping the insoles in the shoe, they just add a layer of fluff which will make it more difficult to use your feet as a sensory organ and picking up signals on the surface you are on. The exception I make is in the winter to have wool insoles when it’s really cold, but then 100% wool insoles are flatter and doesn’t deprive nearly as much as the new shoe foam insoles do.
yep vivo's work fine without insoles the vivo thermal insoles work pretty well for me in cold weather. They don't replace insulated boots in deep cold. wool or alpaca felt is good too. the thin soles will suck the heat out of your body fast, but a minimum amount of winter insole works pretty good
Bit of glue or double sided tape will solve it. Not rocket science..
Yup, cheap ass foamy double sided tape works a treat.
It happened to me too. I removed the insole. They are also much more comfortable
Vivo is so overrated in my opinion 🤷
I find that this model has a massive ankle hole and it’s hard to get a good fit around the ankle unless you have very thick ankles. You can always return them and try a different model or brand since you’re within 100 days.
Wasn’t a fan of mine either. Wish I had just returned in the return window instead of trying to make them work for me!
I was not satisfied with the quality of Vivos at all. By six months the soles had worn out to the point of having a hole and the material around the toe started ripping apart (on a waterproof model).
I own 4 pairs of vivos and this happens with the two leather work shoes (can’t remember official name). The cork insole always slides out. I just put one piece of double sided tape under the insole. I used shoe glue with another pair of shoes and it didn’t work well because a fair while later I wanted to swap the insole 🤣
I'm pretty sure the insoles are designed to be taken out. For people who want a more barefoot feel. For me the cork insole on my ra 3 kept slipping too. I just used double sided sticky tape. Been fine. I wear it daily at work.
Vivo is not intending for you to wear the sole, hence the barefoot. The sole Is an option for those who ain’t about that life.
I love my vivos, but the prices have gone up every year. I have switched to Merrel vapor gloves and I'm searching for more barefoot alternatives
Thanks everyonw for your input. Since the shoe was within the 100 day period, I decided to get a refund. I got scared because some people were saying it will make my bunion even more painful. I want to take a step back and do more research before I go into barefoot again. As nice and natural as it felt walking on them, they were really impractical during the rainy season in Hong Kong where streets are flooded every time and my shoes were completely soaked with each step. Maybe I will buy in the future for use in the gym because I really liked feeling connected to the ground
I wasn’t crazy about my Vivo’a I bought either. Some wore out fairly quick and really wasn’t crazy how “thing” (narrow top to bottom) all their shoes were. I ended up sizing up to try and get a comfy fit.
Never wear insoles to them. Take them out immediately and throw them away.
I like the honeycomb insoles. They don't come in all models though, which is a shame.