Hello, my name’s Andrew, and these are the Vivobarefoot Scott, a barefoot utility boot with a leather upper, cotton insulation, and flexible sole for cold weather casual.

Features

Last video I reviewed the Vivobarefoot Gobi, which is a super lightweight winter barefoot boot, but the soft leather upper doesn’t offer much protection for more rugged use.

So I asked Vivobarefoot for a pair of Scott’s to test, and they’ve got the same excellent ground feel but with a thicker leather to shield you from the elements, or the occasional airborne two-by-four.

Upper/Inner

Because the Scott’s have a wide, foot-shaped toebox with a water-resistant leather upper, tongue straps to keep the laces in place, curved ankle cuff for mobility, and reinforced heel to prevent tear-outs.

Inside you’ve got a smooth leather lining handcrafted in Portugal with some thick, fluffy organic cotton insulation, soft leather footbed, and a removable heat-reflective insole for extra warmth.

Sole/Tread

Underneath there’s a thin 4mm zero-drop sole that’s highly flexible in all directions, along with a hexagonal tread for roads and light trails and a wraparound guard for keeping water out.

Testing

The first time I used my Scott boots the front got wet, which created this odd two-tone effect, so I’d recommend treating them with an extra layer of beeswax or Vivobarefoot’s waterproofing spray.

Walking

Going out for a walk the ground feel and flexibility was excellent, but the thicker leather upper had more structure, which was nice for keeping cold air off me but not pliable enough to handle running, like the Gobi.

Without an insole the leather footbed was still warm and temperature regulating for warmer days above forty, and when it got down around ten degrees the Scott’s stayed quite warm when I added a wool felt insole and a couple layers of merino Injinji toe socks and thick Smartwool’s.

Hiking

Switching to trails the Vivobarefoot Scott’s extra .3mm made them slightly better for handling light gravel than the Gobi’s and the thicker leather provided more protection from stubbing my toes on roots.

But while the water-resistant upper worked well for fending off wet grass and mud, I wouldn’t recommend wading through streams or trusting the minimal tread on steep slippery hills.

Casual

Stylistically the Vivobarefoot Scott is one of my all-time favorite barefoot boot designs, because it’s classic and minimal but with a few modern touches, like the geometric tread texture and curved ankle cuff.

So it’s super versatile for casual and formal, but still hearty enough that it provides some toe protection as a low-key work boot.

Conclusion

Overall the Vivobarefoot Scott is a great lightweight option for anyone who wants the freedom of a thin sole with the protection of a heavier barefoot boot.

Pros/Cons

Because the leather upper is wide and sturdy, the organic cotton insulation provides a wide temperature range, and the classic design works as well for casual and formal as it does for trails and work.

However, the structured ankle is not as pliable as a thinner barefoot boot, like the Vivobarefoot Gobi, the leather upper is not completely waterproof, and the toebox might not be roomy enough for extra-wide feet.

Alternatives

In terms of similar barefoot boots…

Resources

If you’d like to support the channel, you can shop with the referral links above/below, compare products at barefootwear.org, join the community for extra perks, or watch my Zero-Drop Transition video to learn more about barefooting.

Finally, if you have a question about the Vivobarefoot Scott, or about barefoot shoes in general, let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading, catch ya next time. Peace!