Review: VIVOBAREFOOT Lucy Lite

July 20, 2012 by Trisha Berube 5 Comments

I have been a VIVOBAREFOOT tester for some time now, I have all of their best shoes in my closet. Some of them I have loved, some not as much, but overall I have come to know what to expect from them. The Lucy Lite is much the same thing. It was mostly predictable. But that’s not at all a bad thing.

Looks & Features

The Lucy Lite, like a few other styles in VIVO’s line, is a simple, classic shoe with very few bells and whistles. And with its simple mesh upper and very slim 3mm zero-drop TPU sole, I guess you could say that its design is pretty darn minimalist all around.

Like the Neo, the Lucy Lite has a bit of a 70’s retro throwback look to it. In fact it has a lot of the same qualities as the Neo. The Lucy Lite is a tad lighter in weight, though to be honest I couldn’t really tell. And it has a bit more of a “foot-shaped’ last.

But although it seems to be more popular, I actually find the Lucy Lite to be even less feminine-looking than the Neo. Now, I’m not exactly the frilly pink pastel type, but I’ve always thought VIVO could stand to do a little more in the looks department overall when it comes to their women’s shoes.

Comfort

Despite its low-tech materials and super-minimalist profile, the Lucy Lite spares nothing in the way of comfort. I think I can safely say that this is the most comfortable shoe in my entire closet. Yup. It is soft, very wide and roomy, as well as infinitely flexible and cushiony. Now, before you minimalist purists get your panties in a bind, I only mean that the upper is cushiony! The entire collar of the shoe has some very generous padding, and there’s also some on the tongue. All that means is these babies are comfy from the first step you take in them.

It also means that they’re very warm. Not a summer shoe, unless you summer in Antarctica (I hear it’s 31 degrees and snowing today in Base Esperanza). My first run in these was on an 88 degree evening, and my feet all but melted in these shoes. Pick it up for this fall and winter, and I guarantee it’ll be one of your favorites for roads. The jury is out about really icy roads, though. Some have said that VIVO’s road shoes are not great on ice, with their almost nonexistent grip, but they do seem pretty sticky to me.

I don’t wear socks in these, and I have had no rubbing or blisters whatsoever. So the liner works pretty well if you prefer to go sockless in road shoes like me. Just remember to throw them in the washer ever so often, to avoid the notorious barefoot-shoe-stink. I believe the key is to get them clean before they start to stink. I also keep the removable insoles in, because they absorb a lot of sweat and you can replace them down the road.

One other thing to note is they run a tad short like the Neo, so order a half size up.

Performance

Since it boasts the classic VIVOBAREFOOT sole, the Lucy Lite performs exactly as predicted. Excellent ground feel, superior flexibility and lots of room for your piggies to do their thing. Like I often say about VIVO’s shoes, the Lucy Lite fits like it’s just there to protect your foot, but not bind it. It fits more like a slipper than most other brands, many of which try to fit your foot more like a sock. I’m not saying either one is better, but I like to point out the difference because of the wide range of preferences between people. I don’t think this shoe is good for trails because its ground-feel is way high; I prefer more grip and protection against the bruising rocks and roots that line the trails I run. Also I think some people with very narrow feet might find this shoe has too much room, and their feet might knock around inside it, and throw off their form. For someone with a very narrow foot I would recommend going with the Evo II (review forthcoming).

Final Thoughts

I really like this shoe. It’s one of the most undeniably comfortable styles of minimalist shoe on the market
a true minimalist shoe with zero-drop soles and excellent ground feel
extremely wide last and good seamless sock-liner
clean, retro styling – but could be more feminine to compete with the rest of what’s out there now
a great cool-weather shoe that will keep you warm and relatively dry
the perfect minimalist hang-around kick, if you’ve already got enough running shoes
Not a bad price point at $100

I hope that this review has been helpful. If indeed I have helped along your decision to purchase a pair of VIVOBAREFOOT shoes, please show me some love by entering VIVO’s site via my blog. You can do that by entering any of the links on this article or by clicking the VIVOBAREFOOT banner to the right. Thanks so much and happy running!