Last year as an experiment, I wore barefoot shoes every day for six weeks and it totally changed my mind about them. I wore the Vivobarefoot Magna Lite SG on the trails and around the city and was surprised to find that they were comfortable, grippy, and that I didn't need as much ankle protection as I'd previously thought.
If you've been curious about barefoot shoes for hiking – or long embraced this minimalist trend – you might be interested to hear that leading barefoot shoe brand Vivobarefoot has just unveiled several new and updated hiking boot styles for fall. The company says these styles will allow you to climb mountains, trek jungles and cross canyons barefoot.
The Tracker Leather has received a makeover with a re-engineered leather upper on a new All Terrain sole. The waterproof membrane is gone, to improve comfort and breathability, but the shoe is still water-resistant for damp days and designed to deliver grip on soggy trails.
We tested the previous iteration of the Tracker Leather, which we found extremely light and comfortable, though a little too flexible, so we're excited to see the new and (hopefully improved version), which is available now in Bracken and Obsidian colorways for $250.
If you like your barefoot shoes to be as minimalist as possible, the Tracker Low is a hiking shoe version that's designed for increased mobility and available for $220.
For a vegan and more sustainable alternative to barefoot shoes, the waterproof Vivobarefoot Tracker Textile now features 100% recycled, animal-free materials and is available in Obsidian and Silver Birch for $250.
The above models don't offer quite enough protection for serious winter conditions on the trails, so Vivobarefoot has also dropped a new style, the Explorer Mid, to protect your toes in cold weather.
This surprisingly puffy bootie is described as "winterproof" and features a stretchy, insulated upper that means you can pull it on quickly.
Though it's got the same outsole for tackling slick trails as the Tracker, it's also got great potential for pulling on after a freezing winter dip or worn as a camp shoe for winter camping. The Explorer Mid is available now in Obsidian for $235.
We'll be exploring the trails this fall and winter in these styles and will keep you updated as to how they perform in real conditions.
