Parkour, sometimes known as free running, began in a little corner of Paris almost 50 years ago. It was initially used as a way to train the body by introducing urban obstacles and using the body to overcome them. Part art, part science and part sport, parkour remains one of the most unique activities in the world.

In the 21st Century parkour has made its way into the mainstream. Aided by the rise of social media, parkour videos have been watched around the world with millions of people in awe of the flow and movement. While a lot of parkour is still shrouded in mystery there’s a definite culture that’s emerged which has drawn people in.

With huge growth internationally new specialist parkour companies are releasing products to help parkour practitioners. Today, there is more parkour gear than ever before helping you to reach that next level.

Vivobarefoot Shoes and Parkour Gear

Parkour is accessible because you don’t need any equipment to participate, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have the right gear. For parkour, that means clothing and accessories that you can wear while you train and perform.

Parkour gear has two main vital functions. Firstly it’s too offer protection to the body. We’ve all seen the parkour fail videos online of people who’ve missed their timing or slipped, what we don’t always see is the aftermath of those events and the extent of the injuries that can be sustained. Parkour is an inherently dangerous activity which often involves high altitudes and no safety nets. If a single move goes wrong you can seriously harm yourself, potentially in ways that you won’t recover from.

Parkour clothing is about freedom and flowing creativity. Parkour shoes helps promote this and let’s you train with confidence.

What You Need in Parkour Shoes

Now we understand the importance of parkour clothing we can have a look at the important part of the ensemble is, parkour shoes. As you know, parkour is fueled by the legs and the feet will take a lot of impact while you train. Having the right pair of shoes is paramount and if you’re only going to get one piece of gear, make sure it’s a good pair of parkour shoes.  If you are interested in more options then check out TheBestParkourGear Homepage!

Parkour shoes offer similar qualities to other sports trainers but with their own specific twist especially for parkour. So what makes a good parkour shoe? Well it starts with the design. A good parkour shoe will have a thick sole that is designed to give protection, it will also use breathable materials to avoid over sweating.

A good parkour shoe will also consider the materials involved. Given the constant impact and wear these shoes will see, it’s important you find a durable model or brand otherwise you’ll have to replace them within a month. Parkour is intense and you need a shoe that can keep up.

Fit and grip are the final aspects for a good parkour shoe. With the right, snug fit your shoe will give you full range of motion and feel like an extension of your own body. This is important when balancing on uneven surfaces. The best parkour shoes also feature a higher level of grip than standard sports shoes, and again this is to counter the specific challenges faced by traceurs.

There is a lot to consider when looking for a parkour shoe but thankfully there’s a lot of choice out there. We’ve found what we consider to be one of the best parkour shoes, let’s take a closer look at what’s on offer.

Vivobarefoot Motus Parkour Shoe Reviews

The Vivobarefoot Motus has been designed to be as close to barefoot as possible. This has been achieved by slimming down existing models but retaining some of the more important qualities like grip and durability that are essential. It’s been specifically created for activities like parkour and crossfit where you need that added protection without the bulk.

Vivobarefoot, often called Vivo for short, are a British company that create modern footwear for physical activities. As the name suggests, the whole company ethos is centred around creating that natural and barefoot feeling. The belief is that feet are one of the ultimate feats of bioengineering and should be used to the full potential without the limitations imposed by some shoes. By doing this they believe it creates a link back to our ancient ancestors who would have been barefoot for their everyday lives.

According to the dictionary definitely Vivobarefoot do not make shoes. Instead they have reinvented the offering for the customer by getting rid of traditional elements like excess padding or cushioning. In doing so they’ve designed something that fits with the general philosophy of free movement that is prevalent with parkour.

Vivobarefoot now have a range of products ideal for freerunning and have shown they know how to make a unique and useful shoe. The quality and innovation shines through and shows they’re offering more than competitors.

Vivobarefoot Motus: Key Features

There are several different features which made the Vivobarefoot Motus stand out for us:

• Flexibility

Vivobarefoot broke the mold making this shoe because they challenged pretty much every existing design. They scrapped the excess padding, got rid of any heels and brought this shoe very much back down to earth. It’s made to be natural and bends the way your feet naturally would. This gives you a level of flexibility you haven’t been able to realise before.

• Work Out Shoes

The Vivobarefoot Motus features a built in toe guard to offer your feet protection and despite the removal of the extra padding, Vivobarefoot still recognise the need to protect you from impact. They developed an extra drop of 4.5mm into the shoe so that there’s room to absorb the impact. While this makes them suitable for training, you may find you can’t wear them all the time so make sure you have a spare pair handy.

• Breathable

Parkour is intense and you will sweat, a lot. Lightweight, breathable materials have been used on this shoe to allow you to stay dry even during a long workout.

Vivobarefoot Motus User Reviews:

Whenever you’re considering any purchase it’s always worth checking out the feedback from other customers. These reviews will give you a first hand, honest look at the products so that you can make an informed decision.

After a quick look round we could see that the Motus was creating a storm and there is a lot of feedback out there to choose from. The majority of the feedback is positive with a lot of positives being brought out around the style used by Vivobarefoot:

“Its like going barefooted but not having to worry about what you step on” – Jeff B.

“Shoes are great. Definitely let you feel the earth beneath your feet tons more. Resulting in better kinetic energy.” – David A.

It might be slightly different from traditional trainers, but we can see from the reviews that it’s a big hit.

The most common criticism of the shoe is that there isn’t enough stability. With a less rigid design the Motus doesn’t have some of the usual features that are built into a shoe and therefore there can be less stability, however this is generally something that takes time to get used to.

The Vivobarefoot Motus can take time to break in, longer than traditional shoes, because you’ll have to adapt to taking more strain on your feet. Ultimately this can be a huge positive once you get used to them but it can be difficult.

Overall the feedback from customers on the Vivobarefoot Motus is very positive. Users generally score it 4.5/5 stars with lots of positives regarding the performance of the shoes.

Vivobarefoot Motus Price

The Vivobarefoot Motus is one of the more expensive products around but it’s not that surprising because it’s specialist. While you might have to spend a little more to get a pair, the shoes have a long lifespan and are durable even with a tough training regime. Overall this means that the Vivobarefoot Motus parkour shoes offer some great value. 

Vivobarefoot Motus Shoes

The Vivobarefoot Motus offers something that other parkour shoes don’t, a natural feel. When you slip it on it simply feels like another layer of skin or perhaps a thin sock. This allows you free range of movement and to feel the earth beneath you. It’s the natural feel of this shoe that really appeals to us and made it stand out.

The Vivobarefoot Motus simply offers more than most competitors and while it may be slightly more expensive it should be treated as an investment. As a brand Vivobarefoot have a strong philosophy and as a shoe it shoes great creativity. In this way it mirrors the core components of parkour and makes it one of the best options around.