The Ultimate Gym Shoe: Vivobarefoot Lucy

I own Sage To Summit, a specialty mountain running store.  As the owner and buyer, it is imperative I wear test the shoes I sell, and as a result, I own a ridiculous amount of footwear.  Despite the fact that I have a quiver to choose from, when it comes to my gym shoes, I frequently choose the Vivobarefoot Lucy. I pick a shoe to wear in this order: fit, function and fashion.  Yes, fashion, I care about the way they look on my feet.  This brings me to the ultimate gym shoe – The Vivobarefoot Lucy

I came across Vivobarefoot late one evening while sorting through mail.  Vivobarefoot offered me the opportunity to wear test their shoes.  I ordered the Lucy.  It is different than any other shoe I own. There is no cushion and has a cool European sporty look.  I spend most of my time in running and hiking footwear, and the Lucy has a casual sneaker feel, which adds nice variety to my collection of footwear.  I wear the Lucy to our local Bishop Crossfit gym and constantly receive “cool shoe” comments.

The reason why the Lucy is the ultimate gym shoe is because of its fit, function, and fashion.  A shoe has to fit or you won’t wear it, at least I won’t, and the fit on the Vivobarefoot Lucy is right on.  I have a narrow foot with some volume.  Fit can be a challenge because typically there is sloppiness in my footwear.  The upper is leather so there isn’t as much “give” compared to a synthetic mesh upper found on most athletic shoes.  If you find a good fit with leather uppers, the shoe is less likely to stretch out.  When the fit is right, it means that a shoe can accommodate a variety of foot types and not be lumped into a category of wide or narrow. The Lucy functions as a barefoot shoe, which means there is no structure. It can be rolled up into a ball, has no arch support, and doesn’t do anything to correct your gait.  Barefoot shoes are ideal for the gym.  When lifting weights or doing pushups, pull-ups, or any bodyweight exercise, you don’t want a lot of cushion and support in a shoe.  Heels should be flat not elevated. The fit and function of the Lucy are dialed, but it is especially nice that it is super cute and can crossover as a casual shoe.  I can leave Crossfit and wear my Lucy’s for the remainder of the day, unlike others who are wearing some pretty funky looking footwear at the gym. Check the shoe out on our site www.sagetosummit.com, or better yet, come in and try it on.  If you like it and want to buy it, will give you 20% off – just mention this blog post.