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Vivobarefoot Primus Lite II Bio truly ‘goes green’

Vivobarefoot Primus Lite II Bio
Vivobarefoot Primus Lite II Bio
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The hot trend in footwear over the last couple of years has been tied to the sustainability movement. Brand after brand are announcing new sustainable measures they are taking to help save the planet. You can now buy shoes made from plastic, ocean plastic, recycled shoes, or even from biomass.

But try as they might, I’m a big believer that the only sustainable shoe is a minimalist shoe. 

Over 20 billion pairs of shoes are produced annually. Because traditional shoes have a six to nine month, or 250-350 mile lifespan, it’s estimated that 300 million pairs ending up in landfills after they have been worn out.

Minimalist shoe brands, like Vivobarefoot, have always had a special place in my heart. One of the first reviews we published was of their Primus SG trail-running shoe. I’ve had them for almost a year, putting over 1,000 miles on them on trails, including 50K, 55K, and 50-mile ultramarathons. And they’re still holding up. Sure the lugs have worn down, but they are still my go-to shoe for trail running. I’ll probably continue wearing them until my toes start poking out of the bottom.

But that’s the difference between a minimalist shoe versus a modern shoe. When a modern shoe breaks down, it’s in the cushion and the arch support. Your feet are weaker in them, and they pick up on the discomfort a heckuva lot faster. With minimalist shoes, there’s next to nothing between you and the ground, and your feet are stronger. So, when it comes to wear and tear, the deciding factor to buy a new pair is usually how visible your toes are or the attractiveness of the next new thing.

The Next New Thing

Vivobarefoot is committed to sustainability. By 2020, their goal is to have 90 percent of their shoe materials made from sustainable material.

Vivobarefoot Primus Lite II Bio
Vivobarefoot Primus Lite II Bio

In July, Vivobarefoot sent me a pair of their Primus Lite II Bio, their most sustainably-made shoe, to review. At first glance, it’s not my typical style–it’s green. Not a cool, dark forest green like the Primus SG, but a bright green that lets your feet stand out wherever you are walking. They aren’t the type of shoes an introvert like myself typically wears because they are conversation starters. But it does allow me to geek out a bit, because these shoes have a pretty awesome story.

The Construction

Vivobarefoot first started making shoes with bio-based materials in 2017, when they created the Ultra Bloom, a shoe moulded from algae-based foam. They had discovered that the algae choking the world’s waterways could be repurposed into a foam material.

Vivobarefoot Primus Lite II Bio
Vivobarefoot Primus Lite II Bio

As chemical waste seeps into waterways, an algae forms. The algae releases toxins in the air that are harmful to humans and animals. It also depletes oxygen from the water and blocks sunlight, which negatively impacts marine ecosystems. By repurposing this algae, for every show they make, Vivobarefoot recirculates 57 gallons of clean water back into natural habitats and prevents the equivalent of 40 balloons full of CO2 being released into the Earth’s atmosphere.

But they didn’t stop there.

With the Primus Lite II Bio, they use a corn-based biopolymer made of yellow dent field corn called Susterra Propanediol. This material is made from glucose from field corn and is petroleum free and non-toxic. It also uses 52 percent less energy than other petroleum-based materials and causes 32 percent less greenhouse gas emissions.

So, you’re literally “going green” when you wear these shoes.

The Wear and Feel

Just like every other pair of Vivobarefoot shoes I’ve opened, it was easy to fall in love with them. These shoes quickly became my go-to shoes during the summer. I’d wear them to the office, on bike rides, running errands—essentially anytime that I didn’t want to wear sandals.

Vivobarefoot Primus Lite II Bio
Vivobarefoot Primus Lite II Bio

When packing for a week-long conference in Boston, I debated over which shoes I should pack, but ultimately decided to go all-in and just pack the Primus Lite II Bio.

I was happy I did. Boston is an amazingly-walkable city. From the time I landed at the airport till the time I left, I didn’t step foot in another vehicle (with the exception of a water taxi). At the conference I was on my feet a lot as well. Through it all, my feet were surprisingly comfortable. The materials breathed well, and there wasn’t a day where I got home and had to unpeel sweaty socks off my feet.

They are also part of Vivobarefoot’s active line, and while testing them, I have taken them on runs on the road, concrete sidewalks, and lightly graveled paths. They’ve held up well, allowing for ample ground-feel as any true minimalist shoe should. These were size 11, and with Vivobarefoot, I’ve found that they fit comfortably snug on the side while leaving plenty of room in the toe-box. Even with the extra room, I’ve never felt my foot slide in the shoe or have blisters form due to too much movement.

Vivobarefoot Primus Lite II Bio
Vivobarefoot Primus Lite II Bio

And the green coloring is surprisingly easy to style with your wardrobe and very modern looking.

Conclusion

It shouldn’t be a surprise that I love these shoes. It’s awesome to wear something that has such a strong sustainability message. I’m excited to see how Vivobarefoot continues to embrace their sustainability message and how it affects their lineup of shoes.

Please note that Vivobarefoot is an affiliate to Huck Adventures, and at no additional cost to you, Huck earns a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the links above. We appreciate your support!

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Celebrate National CleanUp Day on the Huck App

National Cleanup day partnership with Huck Adventures
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National CleanUp Day is on Sept. 21, and from coast to coast, people will be getting out and cleaning up parks, trails, and beaches.

This year, Huck Adventures is helping their non-profit partner National CleanUp Day to track where and how much trash is collected across the country. 

“This seemed like such a natural partnership for us since we have complementary missions,” Huck Founder/CEO Ben Nelson said. “Our community loves the outdoors, and we want to do what we can to keep it beautiful.”

National Cleanup Day App

When users log on to the Huck app on Sept. 21, they’ll see a special welcome screen. The app will ask them to participate in National CleanUp Day and record how much trash they collect. They can find local groups to participate with at www.NationalCleanUpDay.org or clean up on their own when they’re out on the trails. Every bit makes a difference.

National CleanUp Day was founded by Steve Jewett and Bill Willoughby to empower people collaborate, better the environment, and improve their local communities. The organization expects to have over 3 million participants across all 50 states and United States territories. Any individual, group, or organization can start their own clean up by simply signing up on www.NationalCleanUpDay.org. 

“We are excited that 2019 will bring more participation to helping keep the outdoors clean,” Jewett said. “You may use the app on National CleanUp Day or throughout the year.” 

Boulder Clean Up Event

For Boulder/Denver locals, Huck Adventures is co-hosting a clean up event with Burton Snowboards from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The group will meet at the Burton store in Boulder then clean up the Boulder Creek Trail. Details are on the event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/501068124018598/.

Huck App on Google Play and the App Store

The Huck Adventures app is now available for free as a public beta in both the Apple App Store and Google Play. Download it at the links below.

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Why people aren’t getting outdoors

It’s no secret that getting outdoors is good for you. Study after study has shown that time outside can greatly impact your overall health. It can reduce the risk of preterm death, lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and just making you happier. 

There’s endless ways to get outside and enjoy the outdoors. However, the Outdoor Foundation’s 2018 Outdoor Participation Report found that 51 percent of the US population didn’t participate in an outdoor activity in 2017. 

They found that nearly half of the people who said they didn’t participate–about 70 million people—said they wanted to. 

So, if they want to, what’s keeping them from getting outdoors? 

Roadblocks to getting outdoors

According to the Outdoor Foundation’s report, some of the top reasons include:

  • They are too busy with family responsibilities
  • It’s too expensive 
  • They don’t have people to participate with
  • People lack the skills, abilities, or knowledge
  • They have a physical disability
  • Outdoor rec destinations are too far away or they lack transportation 

Those can seem to be pretty big road blocks–especially for people who haven’t been active outdoors before or are considering trying an outdoor sport for the first time.

Even for seasoned outdoor enthusiasts, it can still be difficult to get outside. Huck’s Founder and CEO Ben Nelson, for example, has been rock climbing, mountain biking, and skiing for years. But even he found it difficult to find people at the right skill level when traveling to new places and missed opportunities to get outside. 

He realized he wasn’t alone in his struggles. So, he started researching this problem and decided to do something about it. 

The solution: Huck Adventures

Ben and the rest of the team at Huck Adventures believe the key to growing outdoor participation is helping people connect with each other and with the resources they need. We believe people are more likely to get outdoors and continue to get outdoors if they have a friend or a group to do it with. And by connecting people with resources, including education, discounts, and group events and trips, it will make it safer, easier, and more affordable to get outside. 

So our team at Huck Adventures has been working to create an app that does exactly that. 

When it launches, people will be able to search and connect with others in their area. They can search for people who are interested in the same sports, are at the same skill level, and have the same availability. 

Our community will be able to access exclusive opportunities, events, trips, and trainings that we are planning with our outdoor partners. We believe that working together with outdoor brands, gyms, nonprofits, and outdoor recreation companies is the best way to build community, pool resources, and make getting outside more accessible to everyone. 

Our initial launch will focus on the Colorado area with our basic version. The Huck team is excited to unveil it to you. We hope you’ll download it, share with your friends, and use it to get outside. 

Click here to sign up to be notified when the app launches, and we’ll see you outside!