Why We Chose The Vivobarefoot Tracker FG Boots: Lightweight, barefoot feel, walking boot support.
Last winter, we asked a number of adventurers and outdoor professionals what their favourite item of winter kit is. These, the Tracker FG by Vivovarefoot, were the pick of TV survival presenter Ed Stafford.
Here’s what he had to say about them: “I’ve moaned a lot about the amount of rubber that brands use in the soles of their hiking boots. So when I saw these, with three-times the thermal protection of a normal sole but at only 3mm thick, it was love at first sight. I can feel everything beneath my feet and run in them like I’m wearing a pair of barefoot trainers. In Kazakhstan recently, I had a race against a South Korean ex-Special Forces officer – him in his traditional boots, me in my Trackers – and he was so slow, and sporadic. I was down the mountain, running continuously, confident that they’d handle the cold and wet. I’d never go back to traditional boots – they don’t let me move fast enough, for long enough.”
Ed’s a fan then.
“For those who are fed up with huge-heeled hiking boots pumped full of cushioning, these might therefore be a welcome alternative.”
Unusually, this is a pair of boots that fit within the ‘barefoot’ category of footwear. With zero drop from heel to toe, a very wide toe box and a minimal stack height, they’re designed to give the wearer as much sensory perception and dexterity as possible while still offering protection over rough surfaces.
Weighing just 329g per boot, these are much lighter than standard hiking boots, and there’s a big amount of flex to them but still just that little bit of support thanks to the mid cut ankle and high lacing.
