An in-depth product review of the Vivobarefoot Tracker Forest ESC, the ultimate barefoot walking shoe for nature lovers. Read about fit, comfort, durability and performance.
The Vivobarefoot Tracker Forest ESC is an outsider: highly water-repellent, without a waterproof membrane but extremely breathable. They combine this with a 2.5 mm thin Michelin sole with 7 mm studs for ultimate grip. But how does it perform in practice?
Karel De Vriendt is a sprightly septuagenarian who has been walking with the Vivobarefoot Tracker FG for years. In the summer of 2021, he bought the new Vivobarefoot Tracker Forest ESC. The ideal person, therefore, for an extensive product review. Below is his story.
For the past ten years, I have been going backpacking for one or more weeks every year. Ghent – Santiago de Compostela, Porto – Santiago de Compostela, the Olavpad in Norway, the Eifelsteig in Germany, Coast to Coast in England, the Wicklow Way in Ireland, the Via Algarviana in Portugal, the GR 16 along the Semois. The first few years I wore classic walking boots, then I switched to Vivobarefoot Tracker FG walking boots. Always combined with Injinji liner/hiker combination socks.
In 2020, I had to skip a year because of COVID-19, but now I could go again, albeit in Belgium.
So I contacted a hiking buddy and we looked at how long we could be away and which GR we would hike. Our first choice was the GRP571, the "Tour des Vallées des Legendes, Amblève – Salm – Lienne". But finding places to sleep within a day's distance was impossible. In hindsight, this was fortunate because the chosen period was from 12 to 17 July 2021. The week of the "water bomb".
So we opted for the Green Belt around Brussels. Six days, 150 km, never more than 15 km from the Grand Place in Brussels, but always surrounded by nature. The perfect opportunity to test my beautiful new Vivobarefoot Tracker Forest ESC shoes.
They look fantastic, but are they also suitable for hiking? I've never had any problems with my Tracker FG shoes (I'm on my third pair). I've never felt unsafe due to a lack of grip, and I've never had blisters. I've always experienced 'the path' to the full, but when you're walking as a pilgrim, you naturally have to feel every stone.
Are the Tracker Forest ESC shoes equally useful? Do they pass the test?
Shoes greased before departure and rucksack loaded. Ready. Off we go. I didn't 'break in' the shoes beforehand. I've never needed to do this with any Vivobarefoot shoes (and I have a whole collection). And I've been wearing only barefoot shoes for almost ten years now.
The shoe feels really good. They are extremely flexible shoes with high shafts that provide sufficient support around the ankles without completely immobilising them. And although they have a different sole than the Vivobarefoot Tracker FG, the grip is also sufficient here.
The weather during the trip was not favourable. Wet feet on the second day already. In defence of the shoes: if the hiker is too lazy to put on his rain trousers and walks through tall grass for two hours during heavy rain, it is inevitable that wet legs will first lead to wet socks and then to wet feet. I stuffed newspaper into my shoes and the next morning I was able to set off again with dry feet. The same could not be said for my walking companion, who was wearing classic, sturdy mountain boots (similar to my Tracker Forest ESC shoes without a membrane but infinitely heavier).
Day three was the day of heavy rainfall that caused flooding, destroyed villages and claimed lives in the Ardennes (where we had initially planned to go hiking). Around Brussels, it was less severe, but we still walked in torrential rain all day. This time with rain trousers and rain capes. Despite the water regularly reaching our ankles, we didn't get wet feet. We did take a moment to examine the bend above the instep of the foot. These are flexible shoes that crease at the transition between the toes and feet. It looked very wet there. Would the wet creased leather cause any problems? But the next day everything had dried out again.
The weather improved over the next few days, but there was still a lot of grass and mud. However, my feet never got wet again.
When I got home, I cleaned the shoes with some water, left them to dry for a day, brushed them thoroughly and greased them again. They look good as new.
These Vivobarefoot Tracker Forest ESC shoes are more flexible than the old Tracker FG shoes, but they are extremely comfortable to walk in. And they can take me anywhere my Tracker FG shoes can take me. I tested them in extremely bad weather, and the fact that they are not theoretically waterproof did not cause me any problems. Because they are very light, they also dry quickly.
And, just like the old Vivobarefoot Tracker FG shoes, they are probably not suitable (for me) for very unstable terrain such as that found in the high mountains (where crampons are needed, for example). But everything you can do with type B mountain boots, you can also do with these shoes.
Review by Karel De Vriendt – Tested in July 2021 on the Green Belt (150 km, 6 days)
Last updated: December 2025
No, according to Karel's experience, breaking in is not necessary. He immediately set off on a 150 km trip without any problems or blisters.
No, they are highly water-repellent but not waterproof. They do not have a membrane, which makes them very breathable and allows them to dry quickly. Even in extreme rainfall and ankle-deep water, Karel's feet remained dry.
The Tracker Forest ESC is more flexible than the Tracker FG/AT and has a different Michelin sole with 7 mm studs. Both are suitable for the same terrains.
Karel always uses the Injinji liner/hiker combination for optimal comfort over long distances.
Suitable for all terrains up to mountain boot type B level: GR trails, pilgrimage routes, mud, grass, rocky paths. Not suitable for high mountains where crampons are required.
After use, clean with water, allow to dry, brush thoroughly and grease. The shoes will recover quickly and look like new again.
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