VIVOBAREFOOT Legacy Review

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VIVOBAREFOOT Legacy Review

By Tina Dubois ⋅ April 27, 2012 ⋅

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Review of the VIVOBAREFOOT Legacy

By Tina Dubois

Quick Details
Price: $140 USD
Width: Average
Sole Thickness: 5 mm
Drop: Zero
Weight: 7 oz (size EU 38)
Insole: Removable, Press EVA
Sizing: Men: 41–47, Ladies: 36–42; Full sizes; True to Size
Category: Minimalist Lifestyle

Overview – Extreme Versatility in an Attractive Leather Package for Men and Women
VIVOBAREFOOT has the largest selection of models on the minimalist market, some of which you can’t find anywhere else; the Legacy is such a model. Here is an all-leather upper lifestyle shoe with enough tread on the outsole to go just about anywhere you’d want to go with them. They work equally well in the office as they would walking around town or running on the road or light trails and are available for both men and women.

Comfort & Fit
The Legacy is a comfortable leather shoe for those with narrow or average width feet. They feel like a leather slipper and they easily adjust to your feet’s width with the waxed cotton laces. For those with extra wide feet, they may be a bit restrictive in the toe box. As I’m used to wearing some of the extra wide toe box VIVOBAREFOOT models, like the Lucy Lites, I find the Legacy a bit tight in the toes after over 30 minutes of walking around, but I do have wide feet.

The relatively thick black leather was a bit stiff when I first put them on but after a few wears, they have softened up in the toe box and side areas. The softening of the leather has made them even more flexible than when new and they bend easily with minimal toe effort. The heel seat, however, is still quite stiff as there is added construction in this area of the shoe. It can be somewhat distracting if navigating up and down hills but I don’t notice it when walking on flat ground.

The collar of the shoe is unlined so if you have sensitive skin, you may want to wear socks with these if they don’t hit your feet and ankle curves just right. I think they look better with socks than without so that is not an issue for me. All the seams on the inside of the upper lay flat so if you prefer to wear shoes without socks, there are no sharp edges or seams that may cause blister issues.

Barefoot Feel & Function
There are few brands on the minimalist market with barefoot feel as good as VIVOBAREFOOT shoes and the Legacy is no exception. The ground feel is excellent. The sole is very flexible and easily bends around ground contours. The uniform grip depth of the zero drop outsole is what I consider to be the perfect kind of outsole for a minimalist shoe. This shoe has it all: great proprioception and ground feel with plenty of grip for urban or light trail terrains.

The 7 ounces (or 198 grams) of weight is heavier than most minimalist shoes but the weight is well balanced and not overly noticeable while wearing. The removable insole, weighing in at ¼ ounce, doesn’t contribute much to the weight of the shoe nor much cushioning as it is made of press EVA instead of a less dense material.

Upper Qualities
The upper is made of a high-quality, relatively thick leather. The vamp is unlined but the quarter is lined with a soft calf leather for added comfort. Although there are few holes in the leather for breathability, my feet have never felt overly hot in these shoes. With a thin pair of socks, my feet have always felt just the right temperature in the Legacies. Although the leather is water resistant, the two holes on the side of the shoe at the foot’s arch will allow water to enter the shoe so I wouldn’t recommend them for rainy days. The leather has definitely softened with time so although I wouldn’t say there is a break-in period for these shoes, they will feel more comfortable the more you wear them. As the upper is a high-quality leather, I recommend protecting them with a leather shoe protector before going out in wet conditions.

Sole Qualities
The outsole is made of a soft, abrasion-resistant rubber with VIVOBAREFOOT’s multi-terrain grip hex pattern. It is 5 mm thick but made of a soft and flexible enough material to easily bend and shape around ground contours providing plenty of proprioception. There is no arch support designed into the sole of the shoe for a true minimalist feel.

Overall Quality
The overall quality of the materials and manufacturing of this shoe is stellar. There are no defects in the review pair. I suspect both the upper and the outsole will last a very long time.

Style
The VIVOBAREFOOT website markets the Legacy as ‘an homage to the classic style of the Roger Bannister era’. I wasn’t around in the ‘50s so I’ll have to take their word on that. They are definitely a simply designed, casual-looking lifestyle shoe but with such superb grip, can be used for just about anything. They are available in black and dark brown leather options for both men and women.

Uses
The Legacy works as well in the office as they do walking around town or running on road and light trails. This shoe can do it all! I’ve seen a blog post of someone’s positive hiking experience in them, too. If these shoes are comfortably wide for you, I’m confident recommending them as a great all-purpose minimalist shoe.

Value
At $140 USD, they are priced a little high in the minimalist category but well in the all-leather casual shoe category. This is a high-quality product that is going to last a long time, well worth their price.

Summary
The VIVOBAREFOOT Legacy is an excellent all-purpose leather shoe with fantastic minimalist qualities and great grip. They are an exceptionally high-quality product that will last a long time. For a narrow or average width foot, they are just about perfect. For an extra wide foot, they may be a bit restrictive in the toe box. The Legacy is stylish enough for office wear while comfortable enough for urban adventures and equally suited for running on the road or light trails. The high-quality leather softens with minimal wear making them even more comfortable the more you use them.

For more information about the Legacy, you can check out the VIVOBAREFOOT website.

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