Vivobarefoot Trail Freak vs Breatho?

Try asking Justin Baker .

What a bummer! I’m very picky about my shoe and the Vivo Breatho is the only shoe I like to hike in. I’m only getting ~70 miles out them though. On my most current Breathos, all the lugs are worn off on the left foot while the lugs on the right are still mostly intact. The stitching has come undone around the toe box on the left too. It’s as if the left slipped through quality control. Oh, wait……….there is no quality control over there!

I showed them one of my shoes at the Outdoor Retailer a few years ago. The response was that they had improved the sole’s quality. Nope! The general feeling I got from them at their booth was that they didn’t much care. Such a darned shame!

Search the forums on this topic and you will find a number of prior threads on this exact topic.

The Trail Freak has been replaced by the Primus Trail. I’ve gone through pairs of Neos then Breathos then Freaks. I’m now using a pair of Primus. The lugs any sole are the same on all of them (i.e., not durable). The upper on the Freaks was really no improvement. But I’m finding the uppers on the Primus to be more durable. Have about 100 miles on them so far.

Thanks, Michael. I wish I could find a really good deal on the Primus Trail. Kills me to pay even $50 for a shoe I can only get ~70 miles from! I may just get the Trail Freak.

On a similar note, I really like the looks of the Primal Evo shoe. But it lacks one of the things I like so much about the Vivos: tall lugs for traction (at least when they’re fresh)

I have used both the neo trails and trail freaks. The traction that vivobarefoot puts on their shoes disintegrates a bit after 100 miles. This is partly due to the shape of the lugs, if they had a blockier lug patter like the old inov8 trailroc 150’s it would hold up much better. The thin lugs just take too much abuse and are too exposed/fragile. The rubber just seems cheap too. The fact that they have not fixed this issue over multiple generations of the shoe has made me lose all respect for their company. Their shoes have also become outrageously expensive for no clear reason. It’s a shame that a company that does such a good job of promoting minimalist footwear from a health perspective is also a terrible company.

The most promising production minimalist trail shoe I have seen is the new balance mt10v4. They will have a lot more cushion that you are used to, but the cushion packs down a ton with very little use making them more minimal. Unfortunately the 10v4 version is too small in the toes for me. I need a huge toe box.

Lately I have been using the Altra Superiors. Not even close to vivobarefoot for minimal, but still reasonably minimal for me with excellent ground feel (I use it with the insoles and rock plate removed). Altras has a freakishly huge toe box.

I am very interested in trying out a pair of carson shoes. They are a new made in the usa company that makes polyurethane soled minimalist shoes. Polyurethane soles are very durable (think chacos) but heavier than other options. I have heard good things about the durability of carson shoes and being a hand made company, they said they would be willing to make a shoe for my friend with size 16 wide feet.

Lems shoes makes some really solid looking shoes for everyday wear.

Thanks for the info, Justin. I think you’re right on the thin lugs and cheap rubber. I believe there’s some quality control issues with that rubber too…given that the sole on my left Breatho is in such poor shape compared to the right. The left and right never felt the same either, even right out of the box.

Another observation I made last night: My wife and I went on a short hike, and when sitting and resting, she showed me the soles on her Breathos. I was shocked to see that her lugs were almost entirely intact. Our shoes came in the mail together and we have done the same hikes. We weigh the same as well….but our gait is quite different, mine being longer and more aggressive. I wouldn’t think it would make THAT much difference but I don’t know.

I’ve looked at the other shoes you mention. I think the Altras would be much too thick for my liking. The NB looks good and I’m intrigued with the Carsons…especially being made in the US and a comment on Facebook mentioning getting 700 miles from a pair. 700 miles??!!

I emailed them and the size 11 only weighs 9.7 oz. Not bad considering my 42 Breathos are 9 oz. Thanks for the heads up on those. I’m tempted.