Hello, my name’s Andrew and these are the Vivobarefoot Tracker FG, a rugged barefoot boot with a waterproof leather upper and semi-aggressive tread for hiking and backpacking.
Features
For the past seven years I’ve been doing a lot of my hiking in the original Vivobarefoot Primus Trek, which is my all-time favorite barefoot shoe design and has some great versatility for all season use.
So I finally asked Vivobarefoot for a pair of Tracker FG’s to test, which are basically the same thing but taller, and with the soft yet protective upper and durable tread, they’re kind taking a classic pack boot and chopping off 90% of the sole to make trekking fun again.
Upper/Lining
Because the Tracker FG’s have a wide toebox with a waterproof leather upper, lace grommets for customizable tension, top hooks for quick on/off, and a reinforced heel that’s slanted in back for better range of motion.
Inside there’s a puffy synthetic lining around the ankle and tongue for padding, as well as a removable heat reflective insole for extra warmth.
Sole/Tread
Underneath you’ve got a 5.5mm zero-drop sole with a medium amount of flexibility in all directions, as well as hexagonal lugs that are spaced in the front for grip and denser in the back for protection.
Testing
At 498 grams the Vivobarefoot Tracker FG weighs around 10% more than the Tracker Textile, which is a great vegan option, but the thinner 5.5mm FG does work slightly better on roads than the thicker 7mm FG2.
Walking
So heading out for a walk on pavement the flatter tread felt more seamless than the FG2 sole, which has a thinner midsole and slightly better ground feel overall but noticeably thicker lugs.
Hiking
Like my original Primus Trek’s the Tracker FG’s felt more at home hiking on trails and the waterproof leather upper was a welcome companion for slogging through yet another spring snowfall in a upstate New York winter than just…refuses…to…end!
Powering up dirt paths the more open front tread bit in nicely to the ground to pull me forward, while the more dense heel lugs provided some solid protection from sharp stones and roots on the way back down.
Trekking
Strapping on a twenty-five pound pack the extra ankle padding and support took some tension off my ankles, although it did reduce agility somewhat compared to lighter boots, like the Vivobarefoot Tracker Decon.
Picking my way across large shifting rocks the thicker leather upper did a good job of keeping my toes from getting squashed in crevices and could handle some nasty scrapes without tearing, and although the waterproofing made the Tracker FG’s start to heat up above seventy degrees a thin pair of Injinji merino wool toe socks definitely helped with temperature regulation and breathability.
Conclusion
Overall the Vivobarefoot Tracker FG is a great option for anyone who wants some rugged protection for hardcore hiking while still having a good amount of flexibility and ground feel for longer milage.
Pros/Cons
Because the upper is wide, waterproof, and sturdy, the padded ankle is comfortable to wear all day long, and the 5.5mm tread offers some excellent versatility for trekking in all kinds of conditions.
However, the tapered tip of the shoe isn’t roomy enough for extra-wide feet, the thicker upper does feel more bulky than lighter-weight options, the semi-aggressive tread can feel like overkill for longer road milage, and it’s good idea to towel the Tracker FG’s off after each use and keep them away from hot dry air to protect the glued sole.
Alternatives
In terms of similar barefoot hiking boots…
Resources
If you’d like to support the channel, you can shop with the referral links below and use FOLTSY10 for 10% off Vivobarefoot, but you can also browse and filter more products at barefootwear.org or watch my zero-drop transition video to learn more about barefooting.
Finally, if you have a question about the Vivobarefoot Tracker FG, or about barefoot shoes in general, let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading, catch ya next time. Peace!
Andrew Folts
Andrew is a writer/filmmaker who creates video guides and reviews for a community of 31K+ creative rebels on YouTube.