I am a fan of "zero drop" (no heel) shoes. "Barefoot" type shoes are flexible enough to let you feel the ground; your feet and posture are able to work as your body is designed to. I also hike rocky, high desert trails almost daily. Those trails do wear out a pair of Merrell Trail Gloves in 2 months. The Gobis stand up much better plus they can be worn in my business. They look like a pair of Hushpuppy's and don't call attention to themselves like so many of the "clown shoes" that manufacturers -including Vivosell. When I ordered them, they were listed as 14/47 size, now 13/47 I normally wear 14s. These fit but could be no smaller. Other Vivo casual shoes fit at 47 too but not Vivo's other shoes. Vivo needs larger sizes and sizing consistency. I recommend and will buy these shoes again. If you are not used to barefoot type shoes, there may be a period of adjustment. Then, you will never want to go back.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I have been hoping for shoes like these ever since I began wearing minimalist running shoes. The first pair I bought, the Vivobarefoot Ra style, is also very comfortable, but the uppers on them are sort of pleather....like plastic, almost, and these are much better suited to a work environment...
I bought a pair of Clarke Desert boots and they really hurt my feet, but these give you that same look with full comfort. Big fan.
My wife just bought vivobarefoot shoes as well.
Best Deals for Vivobarefoot Men's Gobi Shoe
I got this shoe trying to move away from the VibramFive fingers shoe to a more elegant but same kind of shoes.
This shoe looks much better and can be accepted with non casual dressing as well.
I could have given it 4 or 5 stars instead of 3 but the reason I down rated it is because its quality is not so good for the ~150$ price we pay for it.
After one week of wearing it, I could see the stitching lines slowly tearing apart, on the right side next to my big toe bone the shoe started to split as well.
I am not sure if it will last 6 month or not but I was disappointed w/ the quality.
As for the minimalistic experience, I am so happy with it.
--
Elias
Honest reviews on Vivobarefoot Men's Gobi Shoe
These are great, I'm really enjoying them. I'd give them an 8.75/10 if the rating system allowed it.
I've gotten used to Vibram Five Fingers shoes and broken my addiction to "supportive," foot-deadening and foot-weakening shoes. But my everyday life puts me into situations where shoes with toes are considered weird. I'm not the kind of person who minds being noticed for being weird, but it's not my weird shoes that I want to be noticed for -I just want the benefits of being barefoot, or as-near-as.
With that in mind, the soles on these shoes are quite thin (that's a plus), and the toe-box is wide enough that my toes don't feel very restricted (also a plus). They have an removable insole piece, which I would prefer to take out, but on my feet they're a bit too roomy without them.
I guess my concern is that my feet will be lulled into a false sense of being "supported," and I will lose the habits of feeling the ground as I walk and holding my arch high-and-strong. If the soles were shaped differently to signal to my feet that there really is nothing underneath my arch to "hold it up," that might earn a 5/5.
But I love the way they look, and they feel great. Recommended for anyone who wants a barefoot-like feel with a professional and/or stylish look.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Vivobarefoot Men's Gobi Shoe
I've had these shoes for almost a year now. They are my primary shoes unless it is really wet outside or really hot (sandal weather). They have worn better than ANY other shoe I have owned. Only now has the sole shown some wear but there is a lot of life left in them. The suede leather looks almost as good as it did the day I got them, save for right around the toes. The insole is holding up really good too.
These shoes have been well worth the money. Not only are they made well with good products and good workmanship, I have a belief that it is the barefoot nature of these shoes which works in a symbiotic way with the human body. These are my first and only "barefoot" shoes and I must highlight how they have changed my feet. I used to get bad foot cramps when I took my shoes off after a long day. My arches would cramp and it would be painful. Also, all my other shoes would wear out in specific areas from my foot walking wonky... a habit I believe perpetuated from tradition "supportive" shoes. My hypothesis is that since the barefoot shoes design forces your body to move correctly and utilize the natural suspension in the foot that you win in two ways: shoes that wear evenly and slowly and feet that work correctly.
Best money I've ever spent on shoes. Buying another pair soon.
