Imagine a minimalist shoe that is lightweight, has a plus-sized toe box, breathes well, provides good ground feel, has virtually no seams, and is basically a sole that wraps the entirety of your foot. What would such a shoe look like? Well, it’d look…
Imagine a minimalist shoe that is lightweight, has a plus-sized toe box, breathes well, provides good ground feel, has virtually no seams, and is basically a sole that wraps the entirety of your foot. What would such a shoe look like? Well, it’d look a lot like VIVO BAREFOOT’s Ultra line, which recently expanded to include the $50, sockless “Ultra Pure.”
How do the VIVO Ultra’s pull off all of the above qualities? They unabashedly take a page from the triple platinum, fuglified shoes that everyone loves to hate (while secretly finding them quite comfortable) — yep, I’m talking about Crocs. It’s the EVA foam, baby. That’s how they do it.
But is there more to these shoes than meets the eye? Are functional shoes supposed to look cool? I wax poetic on these questions and more, as well as share some slow-motion running footage of the Ultras, and a whole slew of photos after the jump in my review of the VIVO BAREFOOT Ultra!
Modularity: What’s in the Ultra Box?
VIVO BAREFOOT designed the Ultra with modularity in mind. Basically, the exterior of the Ultra, which is effectively one piece of EVA foam that makes up the sole and holey upper is a shell. If you get the full Ultra and not the “Ultra Pure,” you get two additional configuration options including a sock-liner booty that can be worn inside the Ultra’s foamy frame and adds a kevlar protective element to the soles; or you can add a chevron-shaped tongue of sorts. Pictures are worth a thousand words here:
You can see how the booty has a knob at the instep that fits into a same-shaped hole on the upper of the Ultra’s foam shell. It also has a rear knob that attaches to the shell of the Ultra at the heel. Also, if you’ll note the two pieces of chevron-shaped fabric that also have the same front rectangular knob — that fabric bit is the tongue of the Ultra, of course! Why would you want a tongue? Basically to reduce or eliminate rubbing of the top of your foot on the laced upper if you’re wearing the Ultras without the booty.
You can also wear the Ultras without tongue or booty — just the frame, basically.
The Ultra’s foamy frame brings the mojo
You probably are sitting there, just sorta staring in awe at the honeycombed, cored out upper of the Ultra. It’s kinda wild looking, I know. By being so full of holes, the upper provides an incredible amount of breathability to the shoes while also making them “amphibious” — they’re going to let water in completely, but it’ll also go right back out. The honeycomb also provides structure to the upper while reducing weight. Without the booty (but with the tongue), my size 44 Ultras weigh in at a smidge over 3.5 oz. That is crazy lightweight — moreso than just about any minimalist shoe out there.
Meanwhile, the interior of the Ultra features a knobby footbed; I can only assume it’s knobbed to provide additional traction for the foot; personally, I don’t see the point and actually find the knobbing irritating, but it, along with the upper, makes for a nifty photograph:
The sole of the VIVO Ultra sans booty is just foam and is reminiscent of the sole pattern you get with the VIVO Evo. The only key difference is that the sole of the Ultra is the insole; it’s all one piece. So when you see the curvature of the sole at the arch, you see that same curvature inside the shoes.
The sole is 7mm thick though VIVO says it’ll compress to 3mm with wear. I measured mine at about 5mm at the heel. Foam really does break in (more accurately break down) over time, so essentially the Ultra will get more minimally soled over time.
Here’s a roundabout of the Ultra, photo-gallery style. Take a look:
I almost forgot to mention the laces! The Ultras come with a bungee cord, speed-lacing system. It works pretty well at tightening up the shoes but I actually found that I just wore them, most of the time, fairly “loose” in the laces. This didn’t seem to degrade performance either. So know that the laces are there if you need them, but you might not.
For such a minimalist shoe, the Ultra can be somewhat complex — at least, it’s as complex as you want it to be. I think what most will find is that they prefer wearing them a particular way; incidentally, my hunch is that most Ultra fans are likely going to like it in it’s most bare-bones configuration as with the “Ultra Pure” — no inserts, no fluff — just the foam shoe.
Ground feel and function
While the booty on the Ultras makes for an interesting option, I pretty much didn’t use it at all. I’m no fan of socks if I can avoid them and the Ultra sockliner, while having a sole structure, is just a little too socklike for my taste; besides, I didn’t really have a need for that configuration. One interesting use for the sockliners, should you get the full-optioned Ultra, is that you could run in them sans foamy Ultra frame. Actually, Nick Hind has been doing just that and notes they work well as an ultra-minimalist running option—pretty cool!
I tried the Ultras without the tongue attachment and they seem basically fine in this configuration; however, some might find a little additional abrasion due to the elements of the upper being separated. Where you can imagine irritation is when your foot lifts within the shoes, the point at which the top of your foot meets your ankle will tend to want to move into the lace area, which could cause some annoying rubbing.
Worn without socks or the booty, the Ultra is a fairly comfortable shoe. There is plenty of room within the Ultras for my feet to feel free, toes can splay well, and being “zero-drop” there’s no negative impact on my natural biomechanics. If I had to cite one annoying gripe with the Ultra’s design, it’d be with the raised knobs or bumps on the insole/footbed of the shoe. These provide a level of stimulation to the foot that I find a little distracting. I’d much prefer a smooth surface here and do not believe it would degrade the shoe’s performance dramatically, if at all. That said, it’s not so annoying as to make them totally uncomfortable; I’d just prefer it not be there.
Ground feel with the Ultras is muted a bit by the use of EVA foam. EVA foam, like all foams, has little “cells” that contain air; this allows for some structure while also being compressible. Straight up rubber (as with FiveFingers) is denser and flimsier, so you don’t get the compression effects. I’d peg the ground feel on the Ultra as slightly better than the FiveFingers Bikila (or Bikila LS or Speed); it’s not as good as a KSO, SeeYa or Classic/Sprint, though; it’s also negatively effected by those pesky bumps! They add “noise” to the sensations of ground feel. Almost like your feet look at the ground through a filter or screen.
The overall structure of the Ultra, as provided by the EVA foam, makes them easy to flex and bend while still having a springiness to them. One thing I’ll point out is that the sole curves in at the arch. Since there’s nothing below this arch curve, it’s not supportive so much as just a structure that will collapse under your body weight. You’ll note that the KomodoSport- and Bikila-soled FiveFingers use EVA at the arch and it’s sometimes called “arch support.” I think that’s a little too hard a line, but you will notice the bump at your arch if you pay attention. Like I said, it compresses on any load, but it’s there.
The end-product with the Ultra is a shoe that has just enough structure to stand on it’s own but not enough to compromise the functionality of the foot.
Here are some photos of me wearing the Ultras without the sockliner/booties:
As for specific functionality, I mostly used my Ultras a knockaround shoe, but I did manage to run in them for the sake of having done it and to catch any glaring problems. Below are some observations.
Running in the Ultras &mdsah; Hit play on the video below. It’s some running footage shot in 60 FPS that I’ve slowed down by about 50%. It’s not particularly exciting footage, but you might like the background music and it should give some idea of how the Ultras function running on the road (behind a Bob stroller anyway). I start busting it down a hill around 7:15 if you want to skip to some “high action.” If nothing else I set it to some high-beat music.
Didn’t really have any issues to speak of running in the Ultras. I love that they are lightweight; that just makes a huge difference to me. Running sockless in the Ultras also was a pleasant experience. I wore the tongue insert to prevent any chafing, but I don’t suspect it was really necessary. The EVA sole provides the slightest bit of give to it for running that you might not be accustomed to if you’ve been running in rubber-soled shoes like Vibrams or Altra Adams/Samsons. The effect is mostly in the slightly altered ground feel. Not a bad thing.
Despite the roomy interior of the Ultra, my foot never felt like it was sloshing about within the shoe, something that I think can be a problem for mono-toed running shoes with large toe boxes. My hunch is that the Ultras, being so lightweight and still having an overall structure, tended to stay with the foot better than, say, a pair of RunAmocs (my feet slosh around in the RunAmocs by comparison), which are heavier-soled and leather-topped: the weight of the soles tugs on the flimsy leather upper giving the movement of the shoe a life of it’s own apart from the foot. The Ultra is a unified, uniform structure, by comparison, so when the sole moves, the upper moves or vice versa.
Bottom line with the Ultra for running: they work pretty well.
General uses — I have to admit that perhaps the most intriguing thing about the Ultra is that it amounts to an affordable minimalist shoe (at the Ultra Pure $50 entry level) that is multi-functional. You can run in them or you can wear them to the store or to the beach. They’re good in the gym, too.
There is something to an EVA foam shoe that is compelling. They clean easily; don’t soak up water or mud. They can be affordably produced. If you have fairly efficient walking or running biomechanics (you don’t drag your feet), they’ll also last quite awhile. I actually could see Crocs putting out a zero-dropped, thin soled version of their clogs and it being quite successful.
All of this, of course, assumes you don’t mind the aesthetic of a foam shoe. Foam shoes are a little funny looking; it’s just the nature of the beast. As far as the aesthetic of the Ultra, I’ve actually seen the red/grey and black/yellow varietals in person and I’d say both look markedly better than the grey/greens I’ve got. If I had to guess, it’s because the grey is just too “light” in color and the holes of the upper stand out more with them as opposed to the darker colored red Ultras or the black Ultras. I’m speculating.
Let me conclude on this …
I’m going to part ways with the full-blown Ultra (with the sockliner) and say that if you’re after a minimalist shoe in the $80-100 pricepoint, you probably should look at something else. The Ultra is cool for it’s modularity with the sockliner insert, but it also makes it considerably more expensive ($50 for the Ultra Pure vs. $80 for the full Ultra) and there’s an excellent chance you’ll find yourself rarely, if ever, using the sockliner, anyway.
But if you consider the $50 pricepoint of the Ultra Pure, well, there you may have something interesting. Get the Ultra Pure and you’ve gotten a pair of shoes/footwear that can be worn in a slew of applications. You can wear them casually, to the beach, to the gym, to the store, to do yard work (they clean crazy easily); you can wear them for a run. They’re so airy as to be wearable in the heat of the summer almost like a sandal. That’s kinda cool, don’t you think?
Just own that crazy Crocs-like look and you got yourself a winner here.
Finally, I’ll say that I really want a $30 pricepoint for the Ultra Pure and I want that for toddlers and kids. That would be absolutely fantastic.
Where to buy it.
If you’re a female looking for the Ultras, I’d hop over to Google and do a shopping search; you’re likely to find at least one or two pairs of the full-fledged Ultra (including sockliner) at a deep discount to the original price; for you men, you’re going to have less luck with that approach (sorry). For that matter, I recommend Zappos.com because you can get the Ultra Pure there for $50 (or Ultra @ $80). If you’ve yet to buy shoes from Zappos before, they have free shipping both ways. One of my first experiences shopping there; I bought a pair of shoes, it got upgraded (for free) to next day shipping; I received them and they were the wrong size, so I used the free return shipping while ordering the right size; UPS picked up the return and delivered the correct size the next day. It was mind-boggling at the time. I’m a fan of Zappos, in other words.
FOUND A SALE: if you like the grey colorway of Ultras with the sockliner, you can actually snag them in a few sizes over at Champ’s Sports for 69.99. That’s 10 bucks cheaper than the full-blown Ultra price, so it’s not huge savings, but it’s something. They also have various women’s Ultras at $50 or less, so if you’re a woman or wear women’s sizes, you’re in luck.
Other reviews of the Ultra
If you want to do a bit more online research on the Ultras, do yourself a favor and check out these reviews:
via VIVOBAREFOOT.com:
In true purist fashion and in response to popular demand, the Ultra Pure features the lightweight and breathable design of the Ultra’s single unit cage but now without the removable sock. The 3D upper-outsole combines a perforated upper and a dual density, high-abrasion, hex-flex outsole in a single unit. Like all VIVOBAREFOOT shoes, the anatomic toe box of the Ultra provides plenty of room for the toes to splay and the foot to move naturally. For a personalized fit, the elastic cord and lock-lacing system fasten quickly and securely. You can take these shoes for a run in the mud, a splash in the sea or stroll down the street; wherever you go, the Ultra Pure provides maximum proprioception for the ultimate barefoot experience.
Upper: EVA: 3D upper-outsole with perforated, non-toxic, two density, soft, high abrasion resistant EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate)
Lacing: Elastic Lacing: Elastic cord and lock lacing system allow for a quick, secure and personalized fit
Collar/Panel & Lining: None
Insoles: None
Sole Construction: Amphibious: A fully molded, soft, high abrasion injected EVA sole with high levels of durability, grip and traction
Outsole Thickness: 7mm: Starting at 7mm, the amphibious outsole compresses to 3mm with continued use offering maximum proprioception with protection
Weight: 104g/3.7oz
Eco Credentials: 100% Vegan; Dual density injection molded for glueless, mono-material shell
Ultra
via VIVOBAREFOOT.com:
Anyway you like it, whether cage, sock or combination, the Ultra’s innovative modular designs allows you to conquer both land and sea. The 3D upper-outsole combines a perforated upper and a dual density, high-abrasion, hex-flex outsole in a single unit. The removable sock, which can be worn independently or plugged into the cage, offers puncture-resistance and thermal protection. The Ultra also comes with a plug-in, antibacterial, stretch mesh tongue for comfort. Like all VIVOBAREFOOT shoes, the anatomic toe box of the Ultra provides plenty of room for the toes to splay and the foot to move naturally. For a personalized fit, the elastic cord and lock-lacing system fasten quickly and securely. No matter how the shoe is worn, the ultra-thin sole provides maximum proprioception and protection, engaging your senses during amphibious, coastal and light trail pursuits.
Upper: EVA: 3D upper-outsole with perforated, non-toxic, two density, soft, high abrasion resistant EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate)
Lacing: Elastic Lacing: Elastic cord and lock lacing system allow for a quick, secure and personalized fit
Collar/Panel & Lining: Removable: Plug-in stretchy mesh tongue for climate control and preferred fit
Insoles: Removable: Plug-in, puncture-resistant sock liner for climate control and/or added protection
Sole Construction: Amphibious: A fully molded, soft, high abrasion injected EVA sole with high levels of durability, grip and traction
Outsole Thickness: 7mm: Starting at 7mm, the amphibious outsole compresses to 3mm with continued use offering maximum proprioception with protection
Weight: 157g/5.5oz
Eco Credentials: 100% Vegan; Dual density injection molded for glueless, mono-material shell
Justin Owings is a deadlifting dad of three, working from Atlanta. When he's not chasing his three kids around, you'll find him trying to understand systems, risk, and human behavior.
I own these shoes since last summer, and my results are mixed.
I mostly agree with the above review (the knobs inside the shoes ARE irritating) but I have two things to add:
• the inner shoe’s toebox is way too narrow. I heard that’s corrected on later models, so maybe that’s a non-issue now. It’s a shame, because there’s enough room inside the shoes for a wider toebox.
• the shoe rubbed my skin so much that I had a bleeding wound after my run. The problem area is just above my toes, where the shoe flexes the most at the push off phase. My feet got used to it eventually, but contrary to shoes made of leather or other materials the Ultra’s don’t ‘break in’ at this point.
I don’t want to sound too negative however, I like them as occasional summer shoes, however for my daily runs I have better alternatives.
How do they fit size wise? I have the evo IIs in a 44, im interestd in the ultra pures. do they fit the same?
I wish the Ulta pure would have been available when I bought my pair of Ultas last December. I wore them at first with the sock-liner, but like them much better without. I did find the knobs kind of irritating at first, but I sure don’t notice them now. I wear them for running and everything in between, even when it’s too cold for them.
I’d say they fit similarly to the evo ii – I’m sorta between a 43 and 44 with VBs and I wore 44s here. I probably could fit 44s too as I could with the Evo ii but it’d be snug– this is without the booty. My feet are 10.875″ from heel to longest toe.
Ive got the 43 and without the booty its plenty roomy in fact i could possibly get the 42 if i went for the pure and if i get more i will most likley get the pure and if i need a liner go for neoprene sox as i find the liner a touch small and they dont seem to stand up to watersports and repeated washings so well.
I’ve worn EVA shoes before, and the foam surfaces get very slick and slimy with sweat…not sure how this would translate into making a good running shoe…did you really never have an issue with moisture on the bottom of your feet?
Hey Justin – nice review and thanks for the links to my review as well.
Fit is interesting with these as sock-liner feels a size small than the rest of the shoe. I’m 42 in Evo/Neo and got 43 Ultra so the liner would fit. The main shoe at 43 is huge on my foot, but strangely doesn’t give me issues with form, slipping, wear etc. Like you said, I think the light weight keeps them where they need to be on the foot.
Now they’ve done the Ultra Pure, I want to see the sock-liner slightly modified and sold separately for $30! Cue best/cheapest minimal shoe. Like a budget Softstar Moc3!
Funny! My first thought when I tried these on was “hmmm i think I could totally run in this sock insert thing” and found myself walking around testing it’s grip and comfortability before the whole shoe!
I can’t believe I’m saying this, because I wear so many VFFs and those are some weird looking shoes… but the look of these Ultras… I just don’t know if I can do it.
Oh shoot… I also wanted to add that what I really do like about this style is the same thing I like about the Oaks and the Breatho Trails – that one piece fit of the sock bootie insert. It eliminates tongue movement issues. It reminds me of the VFFs. How it all fits as one uniformed second skin. So far, I like it best with the insert. Seeing as Leah did too, I wonder if it’s a girl thing. Maybe because we tend to have narrower ankles. One of my main problemos with traditional shoes was that they always slipped off in the back, even with the runner’s tie done. So anything that has this snug elastic-like fit feels best for me.
Hey guys,
bought myself the Pure version based on this and many other reviews. Seriously impressive product. I mean, a great looking light-weight one-piece shoe… amazing. After walking around in it yesterday, I did a 10k run in them today. And I have to say they are not ideal for running. At least, for me. Got a lot of bruises and the dirt coming into the shoe started rubbing and hurting. It’s also a quite “loud” shoe, since there will always be that slight slapping sound while hitting the ground.
BUT: They will definitely become my no. 1 shoe for everyday use during summer. I love the look, the weight and they feel great when walking in them.
For running, I’m in deep love with the New Balance Minimus Zero Road at the moment. Incredible shoe.
Keep up your great work! Cheers from Berlin,
Rocco
Big problems.
Got these last year.
Turns out that sizing for this style is different to previous and so first purchase was too small. Then next pair had some faulty stitching at the back of the neoprene sock – literally carved a hole in the back of my foot.
Replaced again.
Then realised that shoes were too tight with neoprene sock in and too loose with sock out!
Tried a 6 mile walk with sock out and sole texture created two feet-sized knobbly blisters. Took weeks to recover!
Shoes then got relegated to wear at work so that my feet could cool down after 2 mile fast sweaty walk to work – I was concerned about getting athletes foot.
Neoprene sock actually caused AF!!!
Now wear shoes with naked feet – and no neoprene liner.
They are actually excellent feet coolers 🙂
Please tell me is it possible to wash these wonderful
shoes.
Thank You
The shoes are totally non-absorbing plastic.
And the neoprene liners are washable.
BTW the Vivobarefoot Alexander sandals are not so wet forgiving 🙂 Wore them yesterday on a walk and should have realised how muddy the ground was going to be. Tried rinsing them last night and they were still sodden this morning and as I was staying at gf’s had to wear them this morning to come home – yeuch!
IMHO. this is the best summer shoe of all time. I bought a pair of the Ultras last year, the Pure’s this year, and I will likely buy a pair every summer until they stop making them.
While I don’t use this as my daily road runner or trail runner (I use the Altra Instincts and the Vivobarefoot Neo Trails for those) I do use them frequently for running on the beach at low tide (hard sand with the occasional but long and gnarly shell bed) and for the occasional road run when I’m traveling light.
More importantly, I have found that they are an ideal travel companion when I need a shoe for multiple activities. For example, I recently used them on a trip where I did some light hiking, rafting, a zip-line tour, biking, running and playing soccer/lacrosse with my kids. They never stink, they don’t stay wet, and they give me protection where open toed shoes don’t.
BTW, I believe the bumps inside the footbed help with heel lock and keep my feet from sliding when I have water moving through the shoe.
Do you know if there are any minimalist shoes that are good for tennis players?
Does anyone know where to buy the ultra pure’s at? This is april 2013, I got a pair about 6 months ago and i’ve totally worn out the soles and I can’t find any pairs in my size/color that isn’t ultra (the sock included). Anyone know anything?
16 replies on “Vivo Barefoot Ultra Review”
I own these shoes since last summer, and my results are mixed.
I mostly agree with the above review (the knobs inside the shoes ARE irritating) but I have two things to add:
• the inner shoe’s toebox is way too narrow. I heard that’s corrected on later models, so maybe that’s a non-issue now. It’s a shame, because there’s enough room inside the shoes for a wider toebox.
• the shoe rubbed my skin so much that I had a bleeding wound after my run. The problem area is just above my toes, where the shoe flexes the most at the push off phase. My feet got used to it eventually, but contrary to shoes made of leather or other materials the Ultra’s don’t ‘break in’ at this point.
I don’t want to sound too negative however, I like them as occasional summer shoes, however for my daily runs I have better alternatives.
How do they fit size wise? I have the evo IIs in a 44, im interestd in the ultra pures. do they fit the same?
I wish the Ulta pure would have been available when I bought my pair of Ultas last December. I wore them at first with the sock-liner, but like them much better without. I did find the knobs kind of irritating at first, but I sure don’t notice them now. I wear them for running and everything in between, even when it’s too cold for them.
I’d say they fit similarly to the evo ii – I’m sorta between a 43 and 44 with VBs and I wore 44s here. I probably could fit 44s too as I could with the Evo ii but it’d be snug– this is without the booty. My feet are 10.875″ from heel to longest toe.
Ive got the 43 and without the booty its plenty roomy in fact i could possibly get the 42 if i went for the pure and if i get more i will most likley get the pure and if i need a liner go for neoprene sox as i find the liner a touch small and they dont seem to stand up to watersports and repeated washings so well.
I’ve worn EVA shoes before, and the foam surfaces get very slick and slimy with sweat…not sure how this would translate into making a good running shoe…did you really never have an issue with moisture on the bottom of your feet?
Hey Justin – nice review and thanks for the links to my review as well.
Fit is interesting with these as sock-liner feels a size small than the rest of the shoe. I’m 42 in Evo/Neo and got 43 Ultra so the liner would fit. The main shoe at 43 is huge on my foot, but strangely doesn’t give me issues with form, slipping, wear etc. Like you said, I think the light weight keeps them where they need to be on the foot.
Now they’ve done the Ultra Pure, I want to see the sock-liner slightly modified and sold separately for $30! Cue best/cheapest minimal shoe. Like a budget Softstar Moc3!
Funny! My first thought when I tried these on was “hmmm i think I could totally run in this sock insert thing” and found myself walking around testing it’s grip and comfortability before the whole shoe!
I can’t believe I’m saying this, because I wear so many VFFs and those are some weird looking shoes… but the look of these Ultras… I just don’t know if I can do it.
Oh shoot… I also wanted to add that what I really do like about this style is the same thing I like about the Oaks and the Breatho Trails – that one piece fit of the sock bootie insert. It eliminates tongue movement issues. It reminds me of the VFFs. How it all fits as one uniformed second skin. So far, I like it best with the insert. Seeing as Leah did too, I wonder if it’s a girl thing. Maybe because we tend to have narrower ankles. One of my main problemos with traditional shoes was that they always slipped off in the back, even with the runner’s tie done. So anything that has this snug elastic-like fit feels best for me.
Hey guys,
bought myself the Pure version based on this and many other reviews. Seriously impressive product. I mean, a great looking light-weight one-piece shoe… amazing. After walking around in it yesterday, I did a 10k run in them today. And I have to say they are not ideal for running. At least, for me. Got a lot of bruises and the dirt coming into the shoe started rubbing and hurting. It’s also a quite “loud” shoe, since there will always be that slight slapping sound while hitting the ground.
BUT: They will definitely become my no. 1 shoe for everyday use during summer. I love the look, the weight and they feel great when walking in them.
For running, I’m in deep love with the New Balance Minimus Zero Road at the moment. Incredible shoe.
Keep up your great work! Cheers from Berlin,
Rocco
Big problems.
Got these last year.
Turns out that sizing for this style is different to previous and so first purchase was too small. Then next pair had some faulty stitching at the back of the neoprene sock – literally carved a hole in the back of my foot.
Replaced again.
Then realised that shoes were too tight with neoprene sock in and too loose with sock out!
Tried a 6 mile walk with sock out and sole texture created two feet-sized knobbly blisters. Took weeks to recover!
Shoes then got relegated to wear at work so that my feet could cool down after 2 mile fast sweaty walk to work – I was concerned about getting athletes foot.
Neoprene sock actually caused AF!!!
Now wear shoes with naked feet – and no neoprene liner.
They are actually excellent feet coolers 🙂
Please tell me is it possible to wash these wonderful
shoes.
Thank You
The shoes are totally non-absorbing plastic.
And the neoprene liners are washable.
BTW the Vivobarefoot Alexander sandals are not so wet forgiving 🙂 Wore them yesterday on a walk and should have realised how muddy the ground was going to be. Tried rinsing them last night and they were still sodden this morning and as I was staying at gf’s had to wear them this morning to come home – yeuch!
IMHO. this is the best summer shoe of all time. I bought a pair of the Ultras last year, the Pure’s this year, and I will likely buy a pair every summer until they stop making them.
While I don’t use this as my daily road runner or trail runner (I use the Altra Instincts and the Vivobarefoot Neo Trails for those) I do use them frequently for running on the beach at low tide (hard sand with the occasional but long and gnarly shell bed) and for the occasional road run when I’m traveling light.
More importantly, I have found that they are an ideal travel companion when I need a shoe for multiple activities. For example, I recently used them on a trip where I did some light hiking, rafting, a zip-line tour, biking, running and playing soccer/lacrosse with my kids. They never stink, they don’t stay wet, and they give me protection where open toed shoes don’t.
BTW, I believe the bumps inside the footbed help with heel lock and keep my feet from sliding when I have water moving through the shoe.
Do you know if there are any minimalist shoes that are good for tennis players?
Does anyone know where to buy the ultra pure’s at? This is april 2013, I got a pair about 6 months ago and i’ve totally worn out the soles and I can’t find any pairs in my size/color that isn’t ultra (the sock included). Anyone know anything?