Shoe Review – Terra Plana EVO
Shoe Review – Terra Plana EVO
Take a Walk in my Shoes
The Vivo Barefoot EVO from Terra Plana
As soon as I saw these I registered my interest for a pair and was quite surprised when my shoes arrived so early at the end of February! I think I must have been one of the first people in the country to get a pair! Minimal footwear for running looks set to become a lasting trend for many rather than a fad for a few folk, labelled as eccentrics because they believe in running a little closer to how Nature intended us to run. All the barefoot feel shoes or very minimal ones I have tried (except Vibrams) seem to have a definite junction between upper and sole, which at times I can feel and it can get a little uncomfortable on long runs sometimes. I was intrigued when I saw that the upper and sole seem to be welded together or be one piece! The shoes at first sight do seem very well made indeed – which is quite relieving when you have just spent £110.00!
I was rather put off by the price to start with then thought that these shoes may well last much longer than one pair or maybe even three pairs of conventional shoes. As you will find out later if you read on, I had quite a surprise! I really like the look of these, there are a few colours to choose from in the EVO. Made by Terra Plana who have a range of ethical footwear, many of which actually look suitable to use as running shoes, the EVOs looked very much like “the business” from my point of view as a minimalist running enthusiast.
Look & Feel
A simple, attractive and functional design
Very attractive, simple shoes that don’t really look odd on your feet at all like as some people describe the Vibrams. the EVOs just look like shoes; I chose black because they blended in better I suppose. These shoes are a little heavy, or at least heavier than I would expect such a minimal shoe to be though they are very comfortable to wear and a pleasure to run in. They are a shoe that demands good running technique in order to run safely and pain free – just as barefoot running requires the same skill. The shoes have reasonable grip on most surfaces until you meet a shiny or smooth one with wet shoes and they skid all over the place. They aren’t suitable for running in icy or slippery conditions in my opinion. Some might disagree but then they would probably run barefoot across a frozen lake too – I wouldn’t. if you plan to use them in wet or slippy conditions then be careful, you have been warned!
Running in them is great fun – they let you feel the ground beneath you and your feet flex in order to accommodate the terrain. Wearing these is close to being barefoot and very close to wearing Vibrams – I wear the Vibrams when I want to go shoeless though and I wear my EVOs when I want to wear very minimal shoes; there is a distinct difference between Vibrams and these.
Benefits
As proudly displayed on the website you can expect the following benefits from using barefoot shoe to run in:
- Strengthens the muscles in your feet.
- Realigns your natural posture.
- Feeling the ground, stimulates sensory perception.
- Flexes your feet as nature designed.
I tend to agree but would also add a word of caution – as does the Terra Plana site – don’t just wade in there, buy some shoes and expect to be able to run perfectly. You have to gradually strengthen the feet up for a start! More importantly though you need to check to make sure that you are running with the requisite skill in order to prevent injury. It’s no good running on your heels in these – you will break yourself. I can help you there though. I can video your current running style, show you what needs improving and show you how to make the necessary changes, just like I did. If you are interested in learning to run barefoot or in minimal shoes or you are simply fed up of being injured through running then get in touch with me and book a one to one session. Naturally it takes more than just one session or reading a book; it takes time, patience and practice but nothing in life worth having is too easy now is it?
Features
The Evo is described as “VivoBarefoot’s first running shoe”. It has a thin 3-4mm puncture resistant sole to protect feet from sharp objects and a slimline last that fits the feet anatomically – they are more roomy in the toebox which is good. The uppers are made from a kind of mesh which I guess is the TPU cage that “allows for ultra lightweight breathability”. In reality I find the shoes maybe a little hot and maybe not so comfortable without socks. I do prefer to wear socks with them to be honest, thus they aren’t as close to bare footing as the Vibrams which I wear without.
Close up of the 3-4mm puncture resistant sole
I do like Terra Plana’s strap line though and it more or less sums these very desireable shoes up…
“No gimmicks, no fuss, no marketing fluff, it is what it is; a barefoot running shoe that lets your foot move how it is supposed to.” I can agree with that for the most part.
Durability
I said there was a surprise. As seen quite clearly in the images here, the mesh has some holes in it. I’m not sure if the cage will give way too but on closer inspection the mesh fabric seemed weak in places, weaker than the unaffected fabric in other parts of the shoe. Not sure if it’s just wear or general weakness near to the sole where it’s welded on?
Signs of wear in uppers after less than 200 miles - see middle 3 hexagons above red line
Again, the hexagons above the red line - dark patches are holes starting in the fabric
Look closely at all the hexagons immediately above the red lone and you can see a fuzzy dark line along the bottom in the material - this is where it's starting to break away from the sole
Value for money
For what they are, these shoes are expensive and I do have concerns about how long they will last. For the cost to be justified I would expect them to last at least twice as long as ordinary shoes and thus far I have yet to be convinced that this is the case. I await Terra Plana’s response on sending the shoes back and will update when I hear anything. I emailed them today.
Summary
I like the shoes, I’m just a little disappointed at how expensive they are and the questionable durability. For a minimal shoe though, they still take some beating especially if you don’t like the toe separation with the Vibrams. There are, however several more minimal shoes due to the market soon as the industry starts to rise to consumer demands for minimal shoes and competition is bound to hot up. Terra Plana need to address the durability and price if they are to keep their place in the market.
Hi,
Very nice review.
I chanced upon these a few days ago and I am considering investing in a pair. I have always run in flat soled trainers and have pretty much had the same pair for about six years. I am starting to take my running much more seriously though now and want to invest in a good pair of ‘barefoot’ trainers.
Would you recommend these or can you advise of another more durable and less costly pair that I would be best to start with?
I am in the U.K and there is not too much discussion about this method.
Thanks,
Simon
Hi Simon!
Sorry for the tardy reply – I’ve been mega busy on my new website.
Although initially I liked the EVO I have a few misgivings about it and I don’t think they are worth the money to be honest. I ran in them last week and ended up with tight calves. Now I know how to run with good technique but for some reason I didn’t seem to be able to ‘feel’ the ground the same as in other shoes and I’m wondering if that’s why I ended up with tight calves? Could have just been coincidence though. Still, I reckon a pair of f-lites is better and half the price. Or even try these if you are into minimal shoes… I have a pair on order and will review them soon!
Bought these shoes because I read they provided better protection on trail runs than the Vibram Five Fingers KSO which I also own. The EVO only provides protection slightly better than the Vibram Five Finger KSOs and the cost for the EVO is almost twice the cost of the Vibrams. I also had some pressure points on the EVO that caused blisters that I did not get with the Vibram 5 fingers. For the value, the Vibrams are the better choice but the EVO is still a very good minimalist shoe if you are willing to pay the cost and adapt to the blisters, pressure points, etc. I will rotate running in both the EVO and the Vibram Five Finger KSO, but my preference is the VFF.
Thanks for the comment Mark. It’s good to hear people’s experiences with kit. If we discuss it then I’m sure manufacturers will take note at some point.
Hi, Just found this review and was very interested. I had a one to one POSE session a couple of months a go and have been running in Nike frees (3.0) since. I have a pair of vivo barefoot casual shoes which I love wearing. So much so that I was intending to buy the evo’s as the nike frees seem to be hard to come by now. After reading your review though, the durability aspect worries me as they are very expensive ( I got my casual shoes at half price with a voucher through one of their stockists ). Having looked at the puma kosmos, how do you find them for durability as they don’t look that strong, although at the price maybe you cant expect too much ! I dont mind paying for quality but I would expect around 800-1000 miles from the evo’s.
Ian,
Had a look at the Terra Plana site and noticed that they now have an EVO II. Any idea whether the durability issues have been tackled? Are they any different to the EVOs?
Hi there,
Just had a look at the EVO2 on the website and there doesn’t seem to be any discernible difference? Even the descriptions are the same? I would be very grateful if anyone could shed light on what is different with the EVO2? Since they cost £100.00 I would really like to know what the differences are (if any) before I decide to purchase some and do a review.
Ian,
Contacted Terra Plana re: EVO II. This was their reply:
“The Evo has been improved with the launch of Evo II. The height at the back of the shoe by the heel has been made lower to avoid rubbing and causing blisters. The lining is now thicker making them warmer for Autumn/Winter.”
The Evo2′s are water resistant for winter running.
The difference between the Evo and the Evo II is that Terra Plana have put a water resistant coating on the Evo II making them more suitable for winter running. Apart from that I believe they are the same.
I see. Hmm, I’m in two minds regarding water resistant coatings and the like. My preference especially with off road shoes is that they should let water through them as freely as possible. This may sound daft but your feet keep quite warm this way when running. Trouble with water resistance is that if you get water inside then you are stuck with it for the duration. That wouldn’t be too much of a problem on short runs but I wouldn’t like it on a 20 mile fell run. I do like the look of the new shoes though and may give them a try some time soon.
I love my Terra Plana Evos for running, although I would find it hard to recommend them to a friend. To be perfectly honest, mine are ruined, the mesh has started splitting around the flex point of the foot and I’m only a casual runner. In order to have them pulled tight enough to my foot, the laces (which were rubbish by the way) pull the mesh adding a crinkle/fold to the top of the toe section. I am concerned that any improvements to the Evo II’s mesh would ruin the breathability of an already not very breathable membrane. My feet get hot in these like no other trainer. I can’t help but feel that I’ve paid over the odds for what I can only describe as a prototype.