The Ultra III model from Vivobarefoot is also known as an amphibious shoe. The honeycomb structure on the upper has numerous openings that make the shoe permeable to air and water. This makes the Ultra III suitable for many water sports. Feet are protected, do not sweat and water can drain away quickly. The sole also offers a secure grip. The shoes therefore seem predestined for dinghy or beach cat sailing. On yachts, however, there is also one case where they are helpful: going ashore to the beach by dinghy.
We tried out the Vivobarefoot shoes on this very mission. The anchorage was directly in front of a beach with a rocky cliff. We had to leave the dinghy in ankle-deep water when we went ashore with our dog. Walking barefoot over sharp and sometimes slippery stones would have been very unpleasant. With the Ultra III, your feet get wet but are protected from injury.
The material is quite soft, so the shoes fit comfortably. The lacing can be tightened or loosened with a clip. This makes it easy to slip into the shoe without having to tie laces. The sole offers good grip with honeycomb-shaped studs, is soft, but also reliably defuses sharp stones and does not press through unpleasantly. However, the openings in the upper also allow sand to get into the shoe quickly. Over longer distances on the beach, so much sand can get into the shoe that it rubs against your feet. As soon as you walk through the water, however, the grains of sand are rinsed out of the shoe.
Manufacturer focusses on sustainability
Back on board, the wet shoes are quickly dried and can be stowed away. The material does not absorb moisture and therefore does not need to be dried for a long time.
Vivobarefoot relies in part on a plastic made from renewable raw materials. The material called Bloom is obtained from algae. It makes up 10 per cent of the sole of the Ultra III. The remaining 90 per cent is made of Eva, a rubber-like plastic.
The shoes are quite light, a single shoe in size 42 weighs 215 grams. There are two colour variants: The dark one (see pictures) and a light grey version. The sizes range from 40 to 49 for men and 35 to 43 for women. The price is 125 euros.
