I had the opportunity to start wearing my first two pair of “minimalist footwear” shoes nearly simultaneously. The shoes in this review, the Aqua style of Vivo Barefoot shoes from Terra Plana, arrived a few days after my Dharma-style shoes.
Style
Quality
Like I said of the Dharmas, it’s easy to tell that greater care went into making these shoes than your run-of-the-mill sneakers. From the sturdy materials, to the hand stitching, to the focus on impacting the environment as little as possible, these shoes are very nice.
Compared to standard shoes, the Aquas and Dharmas are much higher quality.
Cost
Like I said with the Dharmas, the price of these shoes is pretty steep. Had I not been given a significant discount code for these shoes (in the box with my Dharmas) I likely wouldn't have bought them. I would expect that these shoes would be more expensive than your average pair of sneakers because of their build quality, however $150 USD seems really high. I put Vivo Barefoot shoes in the same category as other "green" products: The price is prohibitive for encouraging widespread adoption.
I’ve got to think that you could find a high-quality sneaker with a thin sole for less. Granted, they may not have as much of a “barefoot” feel or be as kind to the environment, but your wallet would thank you.
Fit/Comfort
While the Aquas are still incredibly comfortable, I found that I needed to be careful how tightly I tied the laces. If they were too tight my feet didn’t feel as able to flex, move and breathe the way I wanted. In fact, following the first time that I wore them, the top of my right foot in line with the big toe had a very sore spot. After quite a bit of pain and worry over weather I'd given myself some kind of stress fracture somehow, I realized that the first loophole on the Aqua had been tight enough to create a very uncomfortable pressure point for a long period of time. I've since begun keeping the laces more lose to avoid such an issue, which has resolved the problem. Overall, I would say the Dharmas still feel a bit more comfortable than the Aquas because the Aquas are laced up.
Barefoot Sensation/Movement
Going barefoot so much before wearing minimalist shoes spoiled me. Nothing can replace the feeling of bare sole on the ground below, so I have to take a mental step back and review these on their merits: a flexible shoe with an ultra-thin, puncture-resistant sole.
The large toe box on the Aquas was certainly adequate enough to prevent my toes from feeling “confined.” The Aquas have so much space that I could almost make “fists with my toes” wearing them (ala Bruce Willis in the movie Die Hard) while the Dharmas afford much less luxury. For the barefoot enthusiast who wants a shoe with lots of wiggle room for their toes, this shoe is heaven.
Wearing the Aquas without the removable insole does help the foot feel as if it’s walking on the ground with bare feet. Vivo Barefoot shoes certainly remove the problem that many other shoes cause for our feet. There is no thick heel sole. There is no cushioning. They force the wearer to adjust his/her gait in order to avoid a hard heel strike, which can only relieve the amount of pressure going up through a person’s legs and into the rest of the body.
Interestingly enough, the removable insole in the Aquas feels softer and "squishier". While the Dharmas feel pretty firm with or without the insole, the Aquas feel much softer while using the “cushiony” insole. This might all be best explained with equations:
Dharmas:
- Shoe – Insole = Firm
- Shoe + Insole = Less Firm
Aquas:
- Shoe – Insole = Firmer
- Shoe + Insole = Least Firm
What I like best about both the Aquas and Dharmas is that my arches always felt much more free to flex compared to normal shoes. I was impressed at how much more movement the Vivo Barefoot shoes gave my feet overall. That makes me believe that these shoes are far healthier for my feet.
The Final Words
When shoes are necessary, I like the Terra Plana line of Vivo Barefoot shoes very much. The certainly feel better on the feet than a "normal" pair of shoes so long as the laces aren't too tight. The sticking point about them, however, is their price. In the end, if you are not concerned about the cost and/or you find that the high quality of materials and workmanship warrant it, the Aqua line of Vivo Barefoot shoes from Terra Plana is certainly worth a look and feel.
Great review Michael, thanks!
ReplyDeleteI was able to pick up two pairs of Vivo's while in NYC, the store was having an inventory reduction sale due to their location moving down the block...got a Dharma and an Oak for price of one dharma!
For what it's worth, I love 'real world' reviews. Not that a site like Living Barefoot is biased in anyway, don't get me wrong, but somehow the reviewer having dropped their own money on the product being reviewed gives the review a different feel...and I like that!
Just picked up two pairs (leather and canvas) for the £60! Sale in Brighton outlet.
ReplyDeleteReally lovely shoes. Just annoyed I can't wear all my other shoes now I've started down the minimalist footwear route
I say: try to get these in-store. I picked up the exact same Aquas for £55 at the Neal's Yard store (I try to drop by there whenever I'm in London). Store prices seem to be significantly lower than online.
ReplyDeleteCan you please tell me more about how the sizes fit, because last year I bought a pair of Vivo Barefoot Odette, ordered size 4 (wich I usually wear) but found them too small, felt like a size smaller. Now I want to order another pair, but I wonder if the sizes are smaller with all Vivo Barefoot shoe models or it was only this specific shoe type. Thanks in advance
ReplyDeleteTo the last anonymous commenter:
ReplyDeleteTerra Plana and many others have found that ordering at least a full size bigger than what you normally wear is best. Since they only come in full sizes, order 1.5 sizes higher if you normally wear a half size (example: If you wear a 4.5, order a 6). I hope this helps!
Smiles,
Michael