Vivobarefoot Ra Leather Shoe Review: A minimalist dress shoe.
Shoe Name: Vivobarefoot
Model: Ra Leather Style code: 300013-01
Weight: My men’s size 9.0 weighed in at 7.0 oz.
Price: $130.00
Drop: 0mm with a 3mm sole (all Vivobarefoot shoes offer a zero drop platform)
Website:http://www.vivobarefoot.com
Forefoot: These shoes definitely have a nice wide toebox that can accommodate a wide forefoot as a well as a bunion deformity. They are made of leather which is soft and flexible so it should conform to any bunion deformities one may have. For a dress shoe this is definitely way ahead of rest of the industry in providing room for digital deformities. If one had a severe deformity you still may find more room in a breathable nylon upper, but you will compromise style which is one purpose of his shoe.
Cushion: There is not much cushion to this shoe aside from the shoe liner and the 3mm rubber sole. But, it’s not really needed. Remember this is a dress shoe that is designed for the foot to function in a natural manner the way it was intended to. There is no “stylish” heel that will compromise the way you are walking (increased stride length) and lead to a plantar fasciitis. It is a nice soft flexible feel in my opinion. One downside with a stack height of 3mm and no heel is your pants may drag on the ground. I suggest if you’re rearranging your shoe wardrobe to more minimalist type shoes, you will need to make some adjustments to your pants!
Flexibility: Passes Dr. Nick’s roll up test.
Overall:. I really like this shoe for dress and casual purposes. It has the look of a dress shoe minus the raised heel and stiffness. The choice in the leather and the rubber sole to build this shoe was superb. At a price of $130.00 it is just a bit high, but you have to remember this is a specialized flat shoe with a design not seen from many manufacturers. I have seen higher priced shoes that are not as well constructed as these so you are getting what you pay for with this Vivobarefoot Ra leather shoe. Enjoy!!
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About The Author
Dr. Nick Campitelli
Dr. Campitelli is a podiatrist in Akron, OH specializing in foot and ankle surgery with an interest and enthusiasm for running as well as helping runners with injuries. For the past several years he has been treating running injuries in patients by fixing their form and transitioning them to minimalist shoes. Having treated runners with all types of injuries through conservative measures with orthotics and shoe gear changes to reconstructive foot and ankle surgery, Dr. Campitelli has brought what works best and is most current to his practice as well as the Akron and Cleveland running communities.
This is may be unrelated but I have a question
Are high arches in runners a contributing factor in tibial stress fractures/shin splints and if so can orthitics help
thanks
This is a really broad topic that is heavily debated. If you follow the literature, it is more of a philosophy or theory that wearing orthotics for high arches or flat feet can prevent any of the injuries you mentioned. Of course severe foot deformities can benefit from a orthotic device or ankle brace, but these foot types or pathologies could probably not even run to begin with. Most running injuries come from RUNNING. Either too much, with poor form, too fast, or not varying the intensity. With that said, injuries can heal by adhering to these principals. Thanks!
I found that the vivobarefoot shoes tend to have a raised toe and my ankle is hyperextended. I have found soft star shoes not to have this problem and have been mostly wearing those recently. What are your thoughts?
I have the black version and it is the only shoe I travel in now. After a bad run (heh) of PF these are much better for the feet than normal stiff heeled shoes. You have to learn how to walk in them but I find my feet LESS tired after a day of, for example, standing around at a trade show. Cheers,
Chris,
Great design, very comfortable but awful construction. After a year and a couple of months the seam running vertical towards the outside of the heel started to come apart. I only wear the shoes in the office so they have minimal wear and tear. I contacted vivobarefoot customer service and they said that had I purchased them from them within the last 6 months they would replace them. A seam coming apart from the top of the shoe does not seem like normal wear and tear to me. I imagine a company like Patagonia or REI would have replaced these in a heartbeat since it seems like a defect. Not buying shoes from this company again, which is too bad, because the design and comfort are spot on.