Introduction
After having some bad luck with the Stealth 2 (insoles crumpling), Vivo’s excellent return policy allowed me to exchange the Stealth 2 for another shoe after a few months of wearing the Stealth. The shoe I chose was the Primus Lite, in Obsidian and in an EU 47, with approximately a fingers width room from the toe.
With a range of models available, including the all leather lux, the trail range (available in FG and SG, and a variety of different uppers), Hi-Viz, knits, children’s and the Lite. It wouldn’t be too controversial to say that the primus range is Vivo’s bread and butter.
The Primus Lite retails for approximately $180-$200 AUD, caters to male and females, and is available in:
· Black/Spearmint Green
· A Bio-Product version available in green
· Obsidian (Black)
· Bright white
· Chilli Pepper Red (discontinued)
· Red/White (discontinued)
· Neon Red (discontinued)
· Ash/Gum Grey (discontinued)
· Apple Blossom (discontinued)
· Iffley Road Night sky/Track White (discontinued)
· Black/White (Discontinued)
· Navy/Red/Yellow (discontinued)
· White/Grey (discontinued)
· Navy (discontinued)
Company Overview:
Vivobarefoot Limited manufactures and sells shoes for men, women, and kids. The company offers casual wear, court sports, golf, gym, hiking, indoor sports, lifestyle, road running, trail running, walking, winterproof, and work shoes for men, as well as watersports shoes for women; and play, school, and watersports for kids. Its shoes are available online and through stores in the United Kingdom and internationally. Vivobarefoot Limited was formerly known as Terra Plana international Ltd. and changed its name to Vivobarefoot Limited in December 2015. The company was founded in 1997 and is based in London, United Kingdom.
Galahad Clark, a 7th generation descendant of the Clark Shoes Company founded VIVOBAREFOOT with his cousin Asher Clark in 2012. Their mission is to change the footwear industry based on one simple insight—shoes should let your feet do their natural thing. Every shoe features a patented, ultra-thin, puncture-resistant sole that protects the foot and allows maximum sensory feedback.
Initial Impressions:
In comparison to the Stealth 2, the Primus Lite has more of a minimalist upper, with less structural support, thus making it more flexible and lighter.
The stealth 2 looks more like a conventional running shoe, while the Primus Lite looks a bit more like a sock. The outsole was exactly the same, however I feel that the Stealth had more room in the toe box, this however also meant that your foot moved around more, whereas the Primus Lite actually moulds to your foot.
In short, the Primus felt very similar to the Stealth, and it didn’t look too bad either.
Performance:
The Primus Lite is incredibly light and flexible, and at times almost feels as though you are wearing nothing. As you can see by the photos, they’ve gained a lot of wear through numerous activities, and feel as good as new…. Well actually, even better once broken in! I’ve had these for almost 2 years, and they’re still going strong.
They feel extremely barefoot with the insole removed or even in the shoe, are more than wide enough to accommodate my foot, have ample toe space, and a good fit on the heel. However, I’ve read that female sizes can run narrow… If that’s the case, try a male shoe, they’re indistinguishable from one another.
Technical Specifications:
“Primus Lite is our lightest and fastest movement shoe. Designed to put your feet in charge with less shoe allowing for more movement.
The upper is made of a lightweight, breathable mesh, made in a mixed yarn combination of nylon and polyester, refined to give maximum breathability, whilst still giving the durability you need to train hard. Primus Lite gives you the ultimate barefoot experience in the gym, on a road run or just out and about in the city.
Less shoe, less weight – more freedom to move. We had a vision for the lightest movement shoe possible; a shoe that followed the natural shape of the foot and had the least possible interference with human movement.”
Outsole:PRO5 Patented, ultra-thin, puncture resistant layer. 5x more puncture resistant than a standardsole of the same thickness
Upper:100% vegan breathable Eco Airmesh made from recycled PET bottles/laminated PU. V-Web Heat fused together for lightweight structure and stich-less durability
Drop:0 mm
Stack Height:3mm (without insole)
Weight:181g per shoe (size 42)
Conclusion:
I feel as though a review wont quite give these shoes the justice they deserve….
These have been my favourite barefoot shoes thus far, and I could almost say they are perfect. They look and feel amazing, and they are priced quite decently. Mine have been through hell and back, and they still haven’t quit. I’ve even bought another pair on sale for when they finally do.
Give them a go!
-Alex, Thebarefootshoereview