Review: Vivo Barefoot Primus Trail SG

Vivo Barefoot has established themselves as the no compromise minimalist shoe company when it comes to quality, design, performance & style. I’ve spend the last 9 months testing this reputation on my local trails with their Primus Trail SG.

These shoes just feel fast in the same what a Lamborghini looks like its going 100mph while sitting still. It honestly feels kinda weird to just walk or hike in them. I even found myself bounding from rock to rock or sprinting around switchbacks almost involuntarily while out on casual hikes or cooling down from a run. This is decidedly a good thing!

Design, Fit & Performance

Its obvious that these were designed by runners who love crushing trails as much as they value healthy feet. As with any Vivo Barefoot shoe, it goes without saying that overall quality, fit and foot freedom are top notch, so I’m going to focus on the details that i think really set these apart and should make even non-minimalist runners take a second look.

What really makes a trail shoe is the sole and Vivo has dialed this one in!

First off, what earns these the “soft ground” designation...the lugs. KY winter trail running is in constant freeze/thaw slop, so i knew I’d need high traction, but i was hesitant to go with the bigger lugs as other minimalist lugged trail runners I’ve owned have been rather uncomfortable. I could actually feel each lug as i ran and a few outer ones even gave me blisters. The Trail SGs though, really hit the sweet spot. I feel like I’m running on one sole and not 50 tiny ones yet i still never felt sketchy on loose trail. This combined with the overall grippiness of the rubber make these a highly adaptable shoe, great on rock and other hard surfaces too. The sole is def stiffer than other minimalist trail shoes I’ve run in, but I appreciated the extra protection from rocks/roots, especially around the toes.

Next the one piece upper...

Possibly the one thing more annoying than catching roots is getting rocks/dirt in your shoe, Vivo addressed this too! The Trail SGs have a tongue free design that fits more like a bootie than a standard shoe, creating a seal around the ankle and keeping the trail crud out. This tight seal combined with the anatomical heel cup/footbed gave me definite second skin vibes with very little unwanted foot movement inside the shoe.

Longevity

I put alot of stock in the durability of a product and often one of the accepted downsides of minimalist/lightweight gear is a lack thereof. I am stoked to say this is not the case here! I’ve been putting rough miles on these shoes for 9 months and they are still in great shape. All the stitching/lamination remains solid, the sole shows no signs of separation and the tread has many miles left. This just goes to show that quality materials and construction really do make a difference.

Any Critiques?

It’s hard to find something to not like about these shoes, but i do have 2 minor things.

No half sizes

In most shoes I’m a 10.5, so i had to choose between the sz11 being a little long or dealing with some toe jamming on descents with the 10. I opted for the 11, especially since I knew I’d be wearing thicker socks for cold runs. Initially there was a little more room than I preferred, but adding the optional insole took care of that.

These are not budget shoes...

But they’re not supposed to be. If your an “every now and then” runner or dipping your toes into minimalist shoes, the just shy of 200 dollar price tag might not be worth it for you, especially when there’s solid minimalist trail runners out there for a good deal cheaper (Xero Shoes & Merroll come to mind). I like to think of shoes and other outdoor gear as tools that help me get the most out of my adventures and the devil really is in the details. When it comes to the details, Vivo really has nailed it!

Consensus: These are possibly the best minimalist shoes for those that want to confidently destroy even the gnarliest trails and don’t mind a premium price for a premium shoe