Xero Shoes Prio: One Year Of Abuse

One year in and the Prios have proven themselves as a killer do-it-all training shoe for performance, value and durability!

Hard to believe it's been almost a full year since I got my Prios and I am happy to say that they have lived up to my initial impressions of performance & held up well despite many miles and constant abuse.

How I've Worn Them

These minimalist trainers have become my go to for running and cooler weather workouts. For dry trail running, they really hit a sweet spot. Theres enough of a sole to protect from rocks etc., yet its thin and supple enough for great ground feel and unhindered movement. The fit is roomy, without feeling sloshy and the sole's rubber has great grip for varied trail conditions. They aren't ideal for really muddy conditions due to their low profile tread, which is why I'm highly considering the TerraFlex (Xero's lugged trail specific shoe) to tackle Louisville's mucky winter trails.

They've made great functional training gym shoes for many of the same reasons. Just enough cushion for box jumps and other higher impact work. Their highly mobile, unrestrictive design has also made them a great choice for crawling, climbing, balancing, agility drills and many of the other natural movement comprising BareFit workouts.

Durability

What has impressed me most beyond their initial performance, is how well they've continued to hold up through hard use. As a movement coach and lover of adventure, I tend to wear through athletic footwear with abandon, but after almost a year of hard use, my Prios are showing surprisingly low wear, especially on the sole, which is still at about 70%. There a a few signs of wear in high friction areas on the upper. The sole is separating a little at the toe where I tend to catch it on roots, rocks and vaults. There is some cracking in the outer material around the arches. And some of the reflective accents have peeled off. Not too bad considering what they've been though!

I really appreciate a product designed to take abuse, especially in regards to athletic shoes which are generally designed to need replacement every 6 months. I feel like I could easily get another year of solid use from these.

When it comes to barefoot performance, durability and value, you'd be hard pressed to find a better all around training shoe than the Xero Shoes Prio