Review of the Vivobarefoot Gobi II Desert Boot (Updated 2018)

RATING: Good to Excellent

Overview of Vivobarefoot Gobi II

The marketing hype on Facebook for the Gobi II desert boot that first grabbed my attention (actually it was the pith helmet which did it for me) indicated that one of the creative directors at Vivobarefoot is related to the original Clark who designed the original desert boot. I reflected on this for all of three seconds before concluding that whilst it is an interesting convergence of someone’s personal history with that of their ancestor, it is not the sort of thing that would make me buy a shoe. Although a man in a pith helmet might.

So what has made me buy Vivobarefoot Gobi II?

I needed a shoe for autumn and winter that I can wear to work, and my criteria is that it is smart, brown in colour, made of leather and comes with the same sole as my favorites the Kembo SOA. I was swayed initially for the Winter version of the Gobi II which are made of waterproofed cotton and with thermal insoles, however two things put me off, (1) they are black and I don’t like black shoes; and (2) I couldn’t quite accept a non-leather shoe. For me leather is the best material for shoes because the leather adapts to your foot, almost becoming customised to your foot shape. So I compromised and bought the leather Gobi and a set of thermal insoles. Job Done.

Construction

Made of 3 pieces of raw hide leather in very dark brown colour, the interior of the leather is rough and fibrous and the outer is waxy and slightly matt. The bees wax coloured soles are glued and stitched. Heavy duty yellow and brown laces finish the look. A very nice shoe indeed

Fit

A really good fit and just like the Kembo SOA (of which I am a huge fan) it feels like you are practically barefoot, with very little sensation of wearing shoes - which of course is the whole point. I have put in the thermal winter insoles into my Gobi II, to make these shoes warmer in the autumn and winter months and this has made them more snug, although I am waiting to see how the insoles fair. For example the cork insoles I put into my Kembo SOA only lasted a short while as the flexibility of the sole made the insoles  ride up within the shoe, like a concertina. However the thermal insole appear to be more rigid than the cork insoles so I guess they will last a little longer. They also have little holes showing some shiny metal. Presumably there is some bacofoil in there. The packaging for these states 300 percent more insulation with just 3 mm. Not sure if that can be true otherwise my feet will get roasted but I will see in due course!

Quality

Perfect stitching, and perfect production, unsurprisingly because of  Chinese production quality. I am looking forward to see how this will reflect in the longevity of the stitching (I highlighted as an issue in my previous review of Vivobarefoot shoes made in Cambodia  where the stitching disintegrated within a few days / weeks) My prediction is that the Chinese made shoes will last a long time.

Conclusion: Is the Vivobarefoot Gobi II good value for money?

The Gobi II are awesome shoes and I really love them. They get top marks from me. My 'lifestyle' shoe purchases will be from Vivo for the foreseeable future. And I am not really a repeat customer of anything (aside from Akubra hats) however I have made an exception with the Vivobarefoot. This is my fourth pair of shoes and I really rate them.

A YEAR ON...Further Review (2018): 

A year on, how have they fared? I bought these for autumn /winter wear but were they suitable?

• Design: Excellent 
• Quality: Excellent 
• Fit for the purpose I bought them (Autumn / Winter wear): Poor 
• Resilience: Good. 
• Do I still wear them: Yes (Excellent).

• Overall rating: Good to Excellent

Review of Sun Warrior "Warrior Blend" Raw Vegan Protein (Vanilla).

Introduction

I got a pack of this stuff for free when I got divorced. It wasn't a consolation prize, it kind of just ended up in my box when I was moving out. I looked at if for a bit and then thought. Hell. I'll try this stuff out. I mean its Vegan and that sounds really healthy...

First impressions

According to the blurb:

“Warrior Blend contains three powerful raw protein sources fusing the individual benefits of pea, hempseed, and cranberry seed into a smooth, delicious, and nutrient dense superfood.”

So far so good…what else does it say on the packet? It says, and I particularly like this, quiet please as it requires some contemplation:

“Illuminate body, mind and planet”

Like..Wow. It's a protein powder....anyhoo: lets look at the nuts and bolts…

Ingredients

Protein – pea, cranberry and hempseed.

Natural sweetener (Steviol) and stabilisers Fenugreek fibre and kanjac fibre.

And lastly… “medium chain triglycerides” in this case Coconut oil.

The protein : fat ratio

78g : 5g per 100g; or 16g : 1g per serving – which sounds pretty damn good to me.

Taste

My first taste of this I gagged and yelled “oh my god its disgusting” and it really is. However, through sheer determination I have learnt to almost like Warrior Blend. It certainly isn’t delicious as described on the packet, and I cannot detect a vanilla flavour at all. What I can detect is an aniseed flavour which predominates which I suspect is from the fenugreek fibre and an acrid bitter sweet aftertaste which could well be the cranberry.

Consistency

Top marks. It is smooth. Really smooth. It slips down a treat which is good considering the taste. It dissolves well too (I like to use a miniature whisk.)

Results

I use the Warrior Blend as a post run recovery drink and I find it very, very easy on the digestion (it is gluton free so no bloatedness) which in part makes up for the awful taste. For my needs, and I am not an athlete by any means, the Warrior Blend meets them easily. My muscles, although lean, are in fine fettle and I have lost fat and defined some muscle. My running goes from strength to strength.

Conclusion

If you consider that Warrior Blend has a grown up taste profile and you are a vegan or want a vegan protein shake then this is potentially the one for you. I personally like Warrior Blend because it is Vegan and although I am a meat eater I like the fact that Warrior Blend seems a healthier option particularly these days when protein shakes may not be considered so healthy. Although I got my pack of Warrior Blend from my ex-wife by accident, I will definitely buy another pack when his one runs out, and will continue to do so until I get bored with the taste. It's my "go to" protein supplement. At the moment. That could change.

Vivobarefoot in vivo: Review of the Flex, SOA Kembo and Primus Trail FG

Vivobarefoot in vivo

Flex, Soul of Africa Kembo and the Primus Trail FG

I have taken advantage of the Vivobarefoot summer sale and so for this review I bring a cross section of shoes; from the casual wear of the leather Flex (which I like to wear at the weekend), through to the smarter suede moccasin Soul of Africa Kembo (which I like to wear to work) and the trail shoe Primus FG (which I solely use for running). 

As you would expect the whole concept of these shoes is minimalist in form and function, without any supporting structure and with a thin sole to give that “barefoot” feel to a shoe. Having worn  Vibram FiveFingers and the obscure but rather excellent Skora Form for the last couple of years I was intrigued to see how the Vivobarefoots would compare.

Vivobarefoot Flex

Construction

Construction wise this is an unusually designed shoe. A single piece of leather forms the toe box, which encompasses the foot, tied with laces, giving the impression of a shoe which is somewhat prehistoric in nature –  the leather being almost tied to the foot. The leather upper then progresses into a heel strap in which the two ends are stitched together. Within the leather upper is a synthetic “sock”. The sole is thin, flat and flexible.

Fit

The fit is comfy with a wide toe box and the leather is relatively supple without any need to break-in. The thin sole gives a lot of ground feel and the overall impression is of a comfortable minimalist shoe. However, it is not exactly a breathable shoe and although it does have some air holes, these shoes tend to get a little sweaty.

Quality

This is where the shoe is let down. Made in Cambodia, the weakest link is the stitching on the heel strap. Within a few days of owning the shoe the stitching split necessitating a glue and stitch operation and a subsequent reconsolidation a few days later. Putting a join in the one place that you are likely to hook your finger to pull the shoe onto your foot seems like a major design error. On closer inspection it would appear that the leather overlap was not quite enough on my shoes meaning that the leather was literally clinging on with its finger tips. Not really what you would expect in a shoe which is relatively pricey. Really, I should have sent these back however I liked these shoes enough to do my own fix. 

Conclusion

Very comfortable although sweaty and are let down by quality issues. However they are excellent for casual wear and I always seem to get comments how great they look.

Vivobarefoot Soul of Africa Kembo

Construction

A traditional moccasin design in very supple suede leather, stitched nicely along the top aspect in the expected manner. The soles are the colour of amber which I quite like. Overall look – probably something in the Apache line. Geronimo would have approved.

They are called Soul of Africa because they are made of Ethiopian Leather in Ethiopia, a country well known for, amongst other things, being home to a lost tribe of Israel, the final resting place of the Ark of the Covenant, and also, its excellence in leather work.  

Fit

The fit is wide flat and comfortable and strikes me as the epitome of a barefoot shoe. I wear these to work and it feels extremely relaxing to be able to impart a minimalist ethic to the office! One of the main reasons for buying these particular shoes was that I had a bad back for a few months and found traditional shoes such as Loakes with a heel, whilst fantastic quality just exacerbated my lumber pain. The flatness of the Vivobarefoots and the way it changes the way you walk, with that added ground feel really has helped my back. In fact it has changed my whole body posture, moving my spine into a more vertical alignment, naturally making me pull in my stomach and pull my shoulders back. 

Quality

My favourite shoe so far, moccasin construction, great leather quality and great production quality. Having said that one of the stitches has pulled from the side, not compromising the integrity of the shoe but aesthetically displeasing. This shoe is made in Ethiopia and the overall quality is of a higher standard to the Flex that is made in Cambodia. Great for summer wear…not so good for rainy days in the UK...although I am sure some suede treatment would  make things a little more water resistant.

Conclusion

Despite the mis-stitch I would buy these shoes again and they are my firm favourites. I love the suppleness of the suede and I would even quite like to run in these as they are so comfortable.

Vivobarefoot Primus Trail FG

Construction

Synthetic upper with a tough grippy sole. These shoes have a large toe box and a thin semi-transparent breathable panel on the side. These shoes come with quick release laces which I am not overly keen on, but after some experimentation I achieved the tightness of fit that that I like, and the “give” in the laces then worked very well. The material on the upper, over the toe box, is a very soft breathable membrane which I really like. The soles are thicker than the other shoes and more rigid – giving a more “clumpy” feel.

Fit

These shoes seem to fit very well and are the correct width and length for my feet. I did get a blister on one of my toes but I think I just need to adjust the quick release laces so prevent any foot slippage.
 

Quality
These shoes are made in China, and as expected are of a high production quality with all stitching, glueing, and construction being "grade A" perfect.

Running review

I took these out for a 7 ¼ mile run. Immediate feel was that the soles were thicker and stiffer than other “barefoot” shoes, however I found that one naturally falls into the toe-strike running style. Running through town towards the countryside I could feel that these weren’t a natural choice for tarmac running. These shoes came into their own once I hit the rough woody trails of the English countryside, the soles being thick enough to protect from sharp stones and yet not overly effect ground feel. I would say that the combination of ground feel to protection is darn near perfect, the grippy soles allow you to shift a gear and run faster on gravel, rocky, uneven surfaces and the breathable mesh of the shoes keep things a little cooler.

However, the shoes are not quite wide enough for me, and perhaps that is because I have a big hallux (big toe) the shoes feel a little uncomfortable, or awkward around the big toe. If these were leather shoes the leather would stretch and conform however these are made from synthetic material, and the thicker material which wraps over the top of the big toe doesn't help. Personally, for me this is a poor design choice. But I have wide feet so I am not the average by any means.

Conclusion

A top-quality minimalist trail shoe which is just almost perfect. I found they gave me an added confidence running over rough and uneven ground, without fearing a bruised sole or a twisted ankle; generally better than my Vibram Five Fingers but not quite as good as my very excellent and very worn out Skora Form. The Skora Form still outshine the Primus Trail in terms of fit and comfort and because the Skora are made of leather they are self-conforming to a certain extent, whilst the Primus Trail are made of synthetic material and you can really feel that they are synthetic! That said the soles of the Vivos seem to be more hardwearing or at least more practical than the Skora, but  lets see how the Vivos look after 500+ miles...

Overall Thoughts on Vivobarefoot

As a brand one can only applaud Vivobarefoot in their range which goes from smart wear through to casual and sportswear, allowing customers to bring “barefoot” minimalist ethic to just about every minute of the waking day. True, Vibram Five Fingers also do smarter shoes but not quite like the Vivo’s – for example I can’t imagine wearing a Vibram Five Finger leather shoe or brogue to work, I would surely be sent home. Indeed, I would go as far to say that Vivobarefoot as a company has really nailed it. 

Vivobarefoot has also changed my whole view on shoes. I have been minimalist running for over two years yet only rarely used minimalist shoes for casual wear. Now I can wear the same minimalist soles for work, rest and running meaning that my body doesn’t have to keep adapting to each shoe that I put on. I have found that my bad back which has troubled me for months (after a bad cooling down stretch at the gym) is now getting much better, and really raises my awareness to a holistic view of the feet being the foundation of the body. For example, a bad back in traditional terms would generally mean a trip to a physio or chiropractor and not to a change in one’s shoes. However, a change in shoes has changed the way I walk and run and how I hold my body throughout the day. It really is a lifestyle change with very real results. Needless to say that (aside from some random quality issues in the stitching department) I am pretty chuffed with my Vivo’s and will be a repeat customer.

Running Through a Divorce: “running can fix most things”

“The least of us know that love is a cruel and terrible master. One loses oneself for the sake of the other, but in doing so becomes enslaved and miserable to the most capricious of all the gods.”

If Love is enslaving, then Divorce – the Decree Absolute – promises a release from this emotional slavery. Which is all well and good. But the process can take a long time (even a quickie divorce feels like a long time), and even when the situation is amicable it is still one of the most stressful things in life. That is official by the way and I’m not just saying that because that’s what I’m going through. It’s up there with selling a house, bereavement, and redundancy. 

So right now I need a solution to the STRESS and the EMOTION and the CONFUSION that I am experiencing and one which doesn’t involve drowning my sorrows in Scotch Whisky. Luckily (my liver is particularly happy about this) there is a solution which doesn’t involve marinating in alcohol, and that solution (surprise-surprise for a running blog) is RUNNING. 

I find that running is so empowering: you take control back and you effect change which makes you not only feel good, but actually makes you feel great. And as a side effect you also get healthy and lose a bit of weight (I have lost over a stone). So, I have compiled some semi-serious principles for running through a divorce (or anything stressful):

1) RUNNING MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD

Simple and true. Whilst every sensible couch potato should take medical advice before embarking on a new exercise regime, you cannot beat running as a cheap and effective way to improve mental and physical health. You don’t need to run for miles and miles, short regular running is life enhancing in many ways. Running boosts feel good chemicals, breaks down stress chemicals and releases stressful emotions such as anger, and gives a focus, regimentation, and order at a time in one’s life where there is great uncertainty. Punching inanimate objects such as walls, and door surrounds whilst releasing anger will just make your hand hurt and make you feel stupid – running is a proactive way to release the build-up of tension. And its great getting outside and into nature even if the current weather makes every forest path look like Sleepy Hollow!

2) RUNNING CAN FIX MOST THINGS…EVEN A BROKEN HEART

Now I am not an expert and I can’t even claim that principle was my idea, it was a friend and colleague who said to me, with all of the wisdom that women tend to have, that “running can fix most things”… and that “everything will work out in the end” and I think she was right. Time heals as well. By focusing on what you enjoy doing, even if it is running (or blogging about running as I do) will set a more positive trajectory for the path you tread; time then passes more easily than it had done before, and healing begins – despite the apparent uncertainty that lays ahead.

3) EMBRACE THE UNCERTAINTY: LIFE SUDDENLY BECOMES AN ADVENTURE

Divorce can make life appear uncertain leading to feelings of anxiety. However, baby steps and little achievements can tip the balance from anxiety and depression to a sense of contentment and satisfaction, and raise self-esteem. The sense of rejection that comes with divorce, as I have found, can really knock the confidence – both in one’s private life and even in the work place. You need to take it back.

For myself, running in “barefoot” shoes make every run an adventure unfolding; every rocky path becomes a challenge; forcing a constant analysis of the path ahead and body posture, gait, and enhancing mindfulness. There is nothing like treading on a sharp stone to bring the mind back into the now, and the now is the most powerful moment that we have. Without being too melodramatic, running has saved my life… or at least set it onto a more healthy and beneficial trajectory.

4) DIVORCE IS A TEMPORARY STRESS: BUT YOUR HEALTH IS YOUR FUTURE.

You know, divorce is pretty shit, but there are worse things in life. Being alive and being fit and healthy is pretty awesome when you think about it. I have also learnt that you just need to accept the help that people want to offer you, the advice, the friendship, the lunch time walks, more advice, the hugs, and the cajoling it takes to get you into lunch time gym sessions…accepting all of this rather than pushing people away. A variety of exercise is really good for the body and the soul.

5) RUNNING IS ONE OF THE KEYS TO HAPPINESS. AND IT CAN FIX JUST ABOUT ANYTHING*.

*Proviso – running can also kill you so get medical advice before embarking on a running regime!

So, in conclusion, if you don’t currently run, then do an internet search for a Couch to 5K regime get some medical advice and then stick to the regime by the letter. If you are already a runner then what are you waiting for? As the weather gets warmer and the evenings lighter, there are less excuses for not getting out there, improving physical and mental health at time of great stress, not just for relationship woes but for all those traumatic events when life sends you a curveball.

Chia Seed Iskiate Pre Run Gel

The recipe is simple.

1) Add a little boiling water (not too much) to a teaspoon (you can add more if you like) of chia seed in a mug.

2) Add a little sugar and the juice of half a lime.

3) Cover and leave over night.

Before your run drink / eat the iskiate (it is slightly chewy). The seeds themselves are a high source of protein and fibre but also swell with water so this will help with hydration.

I tested this by running on an empty stomach and drinking water on the run, and then for my next run I drank the Iskiate and then ran with plain water. The result was a noticeable increase in energy, an increased stamina, and an improved hydration and I had covered over 3 miles before I remembered to take a sip of water, and it was a hot morning.

The secret of Iskiate appears to be in its pre run drink rather than in a post run recovery drink. Iskiate is incredibly light on the stomach, and allowed me to run 7 miles in my minimalist "barefoot" Skora Form shoes and feel like I could have run a couple more miles. In fact I feel like I could take my Vibram Five Fingers this afternoon for another 3 miles at least.  It really appears to be the wonder drink that everyone says it is and could radically improve your fitness regime. Also it is so simple to make, and cost effective when you look at running gels. I definitely think it will assist my barefoot and minimalist running as I look towards reaching ten miles runs in the near future.

Give it a go and see what you think.