Vivobarefoot TRACKER II FG

Detailed Review

The Tracker II FG is the second iteration of Vivobarefoot’s Tracker Firm Ground (FG) Minimalist hiking boots model. It was designed under the (re)new and improved footwear initiative of the brand which cuts waste and focuses more on sustainable materials.

Check out the older model box opening Tracker FG.

Made from Renewable Natural Materials

Perhaps, one of its strong selling points is that it is made from natural and recycled materials. In the first model, nylon and polyester were used. On this newer version, these materials were swapped out with 100% organic cotton. The outsole is made from Wildhide Leather from free-roaming cattle sourced from small farms. Lastly, the lining mesh is made from a material called RPet – made from recycled plastic.

Durability & Grip

Changing the materials did not take away from the durability of the hiking boots. The Wildhide upper is long-lasting but still soft enough to allow the shoe to move together with the foot. 

On the outsole is Vivobarefoot’s Firm Ground Outsole design. The sole itself is made with sticky rubber for durability. Pair that with its multi-terrain pattern tread and you have yourself a pair of hiking boots that can tackle dry, rocky, or firm landscape. When it comes to mud or trails that are not well-groomed, however, the outsole’s grip wasn’t as reliable according to some reviews.

Design & Usage

Most reviewers mentioned that the Tracker II FG is a great-looking shoe that can be paired even with jeans. Though the boots have limited color options, many appreciated its look and described it as chic and minimalistic.

Those who are interested in getting a minimalist hiking boot should remember that there’s not much support on the midsole. For the Tracker II FG, there is enough material between your foot and the ground, but it may not have been designed to provide the right kind of support for those with flat arches.

With its waterproof attribute and removable thermal insole, it is suited for hiking in colder weather. It can also be used as winter boots if worn with thick socks. During summer or spring, it can still be used if the thermal insole is swapped with a thinner one.

This is a hiking boot that doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles. Because of this, it’s more lightweight compared to other hiking boots while still delivering on the essentials – durable, protective, waterproof, provides decent traction, and straight-forward.

Fit

The Tracker II FG’s toe box was made to cater to the natural splaying of the toes while walking or running. It was designed to have enough space for the feet to flex and feel the ground while hiking.

Though most male reviewers have expressed that the boots fit just right, a good number of female reviewers mentioned that the fit was a bit narrow for their feet. One even mentioned that the opening of the shoe was too small that she couldn’t get her feet in. 

Vivobarefoot has specified that the second version of the Tracker FG is of wide width, but it was suggested to go a size up, especially if thicker socks are going to be used in some reviews.

Performance

The main edge of a minimalist shoe is to allow the foot to function as if it was not wearing anything. Based on plenty of customer feedback, the Vivobarefoot Tracker II FG delivers just that but without sacrificing underfoot protection thanks to the material its Firm Ground Outsole is made of.

When walking, users expressed that they still had a good feel of the ground. They could feel the rocks and other objects on the trail but they were confident enough to hike continuously without worrying about stepping on something sharp because the sticky rubber compound the outsole is made of felt substantial.