Vivobarefoot - Primus Trail Knit FG

I just picked up the Primus Trail Knit FG and am really liking them so far. Great grip and they seem to hold up in all types of terrain.

I used them a lot, but it's true that they squeeze the foot quite a bit. As time went by they bothered me a little more for that reason. Otherwise, I didn't have any problems.

I wear Merrell Vapor Gloves and Earthrunner sandals daily and hike in Vivo Primus Trail FG Knit. The most I've done in Vivos is a day hike in the White Mountains but wore extra weight in the pack. I was planning on the Vivos for my JMT this September (possibly alternating with the Earthrunners) but so many here would choose otherwise that I'm now questioning it. But, when my feet are in ANY other shoes (aka feet prison), they literally scream for freedom. My gut says the Vivos are the right choice but I will continue to deliberate.

Vivobarefoot Primus Trail Knit are ELITE

Has their last for the Primus FG narrowed recently? Mine are a couple of years old now and already feel bit on the narrow side.

Guess it depends. I've used the following minimalist trail shoes so far: * Merrell Vapor Glove 1, 4, and 5 * Xero Scrambler Low * Vivo Primus Trail Knit FG I also recently bought the Vivo Primus Trail Flow, but I haven't been able to take them out on a trail run yet. I will be taking them on trail runs in Spain next month, and I'm planning on doing a review of them afterwards. Anyways, out of the shoes that I've tried: * The most fun: The Vapor Gloves are incredibly fun due to their low stack height, but you need to be much more mindful of where you step. They also don't have any lugs and only treads, so they are only really usable in non-technical, solid ground terrain. I love the 5th gen for everyday wear, but for trail running, the 1st and 4th gen are more enjoyable because they are more flexible. * The most comfortable: The Primus Trail Knit FGs are so incredibly comfortable, and I've done a 50K trail race and a self-supported 64K trail run in them. The knit material means that your foot will slide inside the shoe when moving laterally, so they are best suited for non-technical trails. The knit material also soaks up moisture, so they get super heavy (and they are already quite heavy at 400g) when wet. * The lightest: The Vivo Primus Trail Flow is only 219g, and while I don't know if they're the lightest minimalist trail runners of all time, they are incredibly light. For reference, the Trail Glove 7 is 239g, and the Mesa Trail IIs are 221g, and both are some of the lightest minimalist trail runners in the market. The Freet Calver is a whopping 526g. While untested in the trails, I love the treads of the outsoles, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the lightweight trail runners fare in the trails.

These are still my favorite Vivobarefoot shoes. I wear them all year round (if it’s not raining all day). I have narrow feet, so no problem with them

Those are the same ones I have for the summer shoes. They're great!

Vivobarefoot Primus Trail Knit. Very durable, by far the most comfortable shoe I've ever tried. I have very wide forefeet, and the stretchy knit acommodates that while still being secure enough for scrambling. They are obviously minimal, so take a long gradual transition. But they are very durable, you can put in rock plates and insoles to make them more protective, and they can be resoled by Revivo (unfortunately expensive). I dislike foam shoes, because it never compresses evenly, and then makes me walk unevenly

Yup, barefoot shoes. Personally, I love the Vivo Primus Trail Knit. The SG model is not being made right now but a few can still be had online. The FG is widely available, often lightly used for good deals. If narrow feet (probably, as you come from Merrell, the Hydra are nice for mud).

One way to make them last is to only wear them on trails. Wear a different pair of shoes getting to/from the trail. Never wear them walking around the city. The Xero Scrambler Low which are a bit thicker than you mentioned but have the nice Michelin sole. I'm a big fan and do my long runs in these. The Vivo Primus FG don't have good traction in the wet. They're also oddly stiff for the thickness and overall I just don't like running in them. VFF are thinner than you requested, but have awesome Vibram soles. Being able to push down with your toes (like a claw) gives you an amazing grip option other shoes don't. For shorter runs, they feel the best. You can easily find VFF on sale or on ebay for well under $100.