Hello, my name’s Andrew, and these are the Vivobarefoot Ultra Bloom, the best minimalist water shoes for maximum protection.

Features

Growing up I always had a pair of basic water shoes handy, and they were great for the beach but kind of sloshy for longer hikes and didn’t do much to keep my toes from getting sliced up by rocks.

So this year I asked Vivobarefoot to send me a pair of Ultra Bloom’s to test, and let me tell you…

…these things are like an aquatic tank!

Upper

Because the Ultra Boom has a foot-shaped toebox that’s a bit wider than other Vivo’s with a thicker honeycomb upper for quick water drainage and serious protection, plus slip-on bungee laces and an outward-curved ankle cuff to prevent rubbing.

Sole/Tread

Underneath there’s a 7mm eco-friendly algae bloom tread with medium flexibility in both directions and a mix of flatter panels to prevent wear and raised lugs for improved grip, as well a a wraparound sole and two bottom slits for extra drainage.

While mine are obsidian the Vivobarefoot Ultra Bloom also comes in light grey and other refurbished styles for a discount at revivo.com.

Testing

When I first put them on the Ultra Bloom’s definitely felt more like a regular barefoot shoes than a water slipper.

Water

So going out on a stream hike I had no problems at all with getting my toes pinched between rocks and the tougher sole easily handled trekking over loose, jagged stones.

Also, the drainage on the Ultra Bloom’s is better than any water shoe I’ve owned, so unlike neoprene water slippers, you can clean them out mid stride by just swishing them around.

Hiking

That said, I found the Ultra Bloom’s less comfortable to wear barefoot on dry land, because the solid upper tended to rub on my toes.

But you can towel them off in about five seconds, and they feel a lot better with a thin pair of socks, although the minimal sole is best used for moderate terrain.

Conclusion

Overall the Vivobarefoot Ultra Bloom is a good choice for anyone who needs an upgrade in protection while still having the ground feel of a basic water shoe.

Pros/Cons

Because the toebox is wide and easy to slip into, the honeycomb upper provides excellent drainage, and the 7mm sole is tough enough for any aquatic terrain.

However, the Ultra Bloom’s can rub when you’re barefoot on dry land, the thicker sole limits flexibility somewhat, and the minimal tread doesn’t have enough traction for muddy hills.

Alternatives

For casual use, an inexpensive water shoe like the O’Neill Reactor can definitely get the job done, but a neoprene sock liner is good way to improve the comfort and versatility of a thicker shoe like the Ultra Bloom.

Resources

If you’d like to support the channel, you can shop with the referral links below, or watch my Zero-Drop transition video to earn more about barefooting.

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

Thanks for reading. Catch ya next time. Peace!