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The Vivobarefoot Geo Court III is the third model to debut in Vivobarefoot’s popular Geo Court shoe line. These models are designed for daily wear and have a refined and classic court-style spin.
I’m constantly on the quest of finding the perfect minimalist shoes, especially models for daily wear, so I was excited to put the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III to the test. I like that the Geo Court III features a simplistic natural leather upper and is built with sustainable materials.
I also like that this model looks great in various formal and daily wear settings, and can see it serving as a solid business casual barefoot shoe. There are a few things that I think could be improved with this shoe and I’ll discuss those below.
In this Vivobarefoot Geo Court III review, I’ll cover various topics to help you decide if this model is a good pick for the context of your wants and needs.
Table of Contents+
Who Should Invest In the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III?
I can see the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III serving as good daily wear barefoot shoes for the working professional. This model has a more formal look than other barefoot shoes on the market and its natural leather upper looks clean, classy, and refined.
I also like the comfort level of the natural leather and how it’s softer on the skin when wearing these shoes barefoot. The finished internal construction with cork insole is also a perk for giving you a comfortable ride and a versatile level of cushioning.
For those that like leather shoes that want a pair for casual walking, standing, and colder month wear, I could see the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III as being a good option to explore and look into.
Conversely, I don’t think this will be the best pick for the summer months and the upper can be problematic in rain and snow, so I would suggest either weatherproofing these or limiting their use for dry days.
Vivobarefot Geo Court III
$170
Best For
- Formal Wear
- Daily Wear/Office Settings
- Casual Walking
- Cooler Months
Falls Short
- For Breathability
- For Rain/Snow
Vivobarefoot Geo Court III Pros
Over the course of my testing and reviewing of the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III, I found multiple things to like about this.
- Natural Leather Looks Casual and Formal
- Padded Heel Is a Nice Touch for Comfort
- Outsole Feels Durable and Cork Insole Adds Versatility
The first thing to like about the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III is its natural leather upper construction. If you’re investing in this shoe, then it’s likely for its refined and casual appearance with its classier-looking leather upper.
I really enjoy how the Geo Court III looks for daily wear and that it has a bias towards pants and more formal settings. I went with the tan colorway and they work really well with jeans, olive pants, and even khakis.
On top of their clean appearance, I also like that this shoe doesn’t look so large around the toe box. I think the blend of the sole and upper help give this shoe a slimmer and sleeker look without compromising width by any means. Finding good-looking barefoot shoes can be tough, but the Geo Court III is a nice exception.
Another perk with the Geo Court III is that Vivobarefoot utilizes a padded heel counter in this model. I really enjoy this construction feature and gives this shoe a “softer” feel around the heel when rocking these barefoot.
I also think that the padded counter is needed to prevent heel slip and it’s a nice touch because there is a fair amount of space in the boot of this shoe, which I’ll discuss more on in my cons below.
Personally, I wish Vivobarefoot would utilize padded counters more in their daily wear shoes. I feel as though this feature is underrated and it would be nice to have something somewhat similar in models like the Vivo Primus Asana.
The final aspect to like about the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III is its sole construction. The sole on this model has a nice level of mobility and maneuverability, so you get a lot of ground feed with these shoes.
Plus, the sole of this model feels grippy on different surfaces and provides a nice level of traction for daily wear contexts. The 3mm thick cork insole is also a perk of this shoe and it adds a nice level of versatility when it comes to cushioning.
You can leave the insole in for a bit more padding or remove it and you’ll be set either way. The internal construction of the Geo Court III is finished and it has leather-esque finish, so it grips the insole and your feet well depending on your wear preferences.
Vivobarefoot Geo Court III Cons
Overall, the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III has been one of my favorite barefoot shoes buys to date. However, there are a few cons that I’ve noticed with this shoe.
- Excessive Room At the Heel
- Not the Best Option for Rain and Snow
- Not the Most Cost-Efficient Shoe
The first drawback with the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III is that there’s a fair amount of room in the heel of this shoe. It’s not the biggest deal because the padded internal layer helps lock the foot down, so I don’t think heel slip will be an issue, but I could see it annoying some.
More specifically, if you have narrow feet or you’re swimming in your model regarding sizing, I think this could be a turn-off with this shoe. Plus, if you’re similar to me and you don’t like having to crank your shoes tight for daily wear, then expect a bit of space at your boot.
The second drawback with the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III is that it’s not the best option for daily wear in the rain and snow. Similar to other leather shoes, you’ll want to avoid wearing these in wet situations or you’ll want to weatherproof them.
To date, I’ve done a pretty good job of avoiding wearing these on rainy days, but I did want to see how the Vivobarefot natural leather responded to even a little water. The leather absorbed the water and stayed discolored for an hour or so.
That being said, I worry that if you wore these on something like a commute and got them soaked in rain without weatherproofing them first, then you could take a hit on this shoe’s long-term durability.
Note, this is not abnormal for leather shoes, but it is something to consider before investing in these shoes in the event you want a daily barefoot shoe that is as low maintenance as they come.
The last drawback to the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III is its price point, and this is a knock I have against most Vivobarefoot shoes. At a price of $170 USD, this model is definitely on the pricier end for barefoot shoes.
If the price is a major turnoff for you or you can’t find a coupon to bring the price down, I’d suggest exploring different models. There are leather models like the Feelgrounds Original Luxe that come in at $129 USD.
Performance
To discuss the performance of the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III, I’m going to cover how this performs in a few different contexts. Since this is a barefoot shoe designed for day-to-day use, I’ll go over this shoe’s performance for daily wear, walking and standing, and its seasonal use.
This way, you can cross-reference if this shoe will fit your barefoot shoe asks appropriately and decide if these will be a good fit or if another model will fair better.
Testing the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III for Daily Wear
On a daily wear basis, I like the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III for two key reasons. First, I think it does a good job of walking the fine line between looking good on a casual and formal basis.
I’ve worn these out with friends casually and for work meetings, and in both contexts, I thought they fit the bill well with their appearance. Sometimes barefoot shoes can be a miss when dressed up, so this model was a nice exception.
Second, I like that the leather in these runs on the softer side, and the creases, when they happen, tend to look less pronounced. The internal construction is also built with a softer leather almost felt-like material, so it’s comfy on the feet.
My only concern with this shoe is that if you’re wearing them every single day, they may show signs of wear and tear faster. I think this model will be best rotated in with other barefoot shoes on a weekly basis.
Testing the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III for Walking and Standing
For walking and standing, I feel like the Geo Court III does a good job to an extent. For example, this wouldn’t be my first barefoot shoe pick for logging a ton of hours on something like a vacation.
On a shorter walk basis, the sole of the Geo Court III gives you a nice level of articulation and ground feedback. I also like the tread in this model and feel like it does a better job than the Active Sole tread in Vivobarefoot models like the Geo Racer Knit.
The width of the Geo Court III is also a perk of this model for walking and standing comfort. In this shoe, you have plenty of room to spread and splay the toes and you get a nice level of upper volume in this shoe.
My only gripe for this model for walking and standing is understanding its limitations in certain environments. For example, on warm days, this model isn’t the most breathable, but that’s to be expected with leather shoes, so lighter socks are a good option here.
Testing the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III for Multi-Season Use
When it comes to multi-season use, the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III will have a bias towards cooler months. This model’s natural leather upper isn’t incredibly heavy, but it’s heavy enough to make them run fairly warm on hot days.
I think for cooler days in the spring, fall, and winter, the Geo Court III will work best. On top of that, I could see this model being a really good fall shoe due to how it will mesh and look good with a wide range of fall-focused outfits.
For example, I rocked my tan colorway with dark jeans and a vest the other weekend and it looked really good (at least, I thought so). If you’re wanting a shoe for warmer months and are interested in Vivobarefoot, I’d suggest going with the Primus Lite III or Primus Asana.
Vivobarefoot Geo Court III Sizing
For the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III, most should be safe going true to size in this model. Similar to other Vivobarefoot shoes, this model does not feature half sizes, except for 12.5.
Unlike other Vivobarefoot shoes, though, this shoe doesn’t run as long as it should fit more true than other models like the Geo Racer Knit which can feel a tad long.
If you’re in-between sizes and typically have around .5 inches of room at the end of your toe box, then I’d suggest going up in the Geo Court III as opposed to going down.
Regarding foot width and half sizes, I think neutral-width and wide feet that are in-between sizes should always size up for this model. If you have a narrow foot, then you’ll want to size down, but this is only the occasion where I think sizing down is the move.
- Vivobarefoot Geo Court III Sizing Thoughts: Go true to size, size up if you’re in-between sizes.
If you have additional sizing and fit questions on the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III, drop a comment below.
Price Breakdown
For the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III, you can expect to pay $170 USD. Compared to other daily wear-focused Vivobarefoot shoes, this price point is fairly standard.
Compared to models like the Vivobarefoot Geo Court Knit which has a $170 USD price point as well, I think the Geo Court III is the stronger performer regarding its construction and general appearance for its price.
This shoe’s natural leather feels soft and it feels good on the skin when rocking these barefoot, and it also doesn’t feel limiting with socks. I also like that this shoe uses fewer materials to keep shoe waste down.
For a leather daily wear barefoot shoe, I think the price of the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III is fairly worth it. Plus, Vivobarefoot is typically pretty good at replacing soles if anything happens to your model.
Vivobarefot Geo Court III
$170
Best For
- Formal Wear
- Daily Wear/Office Settings
- Casual Walking
- Cooler Months
Falls Short
- For Breathability
- For Rain/Snow
Construction Details
The Vivobarefoot Geo Court III is built with sustainable materials, and in this model, it appears Vivobarefoot tried to refine the materials used in this model even more than in prior iterations. Below are some of the most important construction details about this model.
- Heel-to-Toe Drop: 0mm
- Weight: 10.20 oz (for my size 10 model)
- Insole: Yes
- Natural Leather Upper
- Full Rubber Outsole
- Padded Heel Construction
- 3mm Thick Cork Insole
- 6 Core Eyelets
If you have additional construction questions on the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III, drop a comment below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q:Are the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III true to size?
Q:Are the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III good for summer?
Takeaway Thoughts
Overall, I enjoyed the performance of the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III for daily wear, casual walking, and standing. I also feel like this model has a better and more tasteful appearance compared to similar models like the Geo Court Knit.
I think if you love leather shoes and you want barefoot shoes that can look good in formal and business casual settings, then the Geo Court III is worth looking into.
I don’t think this model will be the best for summer wear, and for winter use, I’d suggest trying to weatherproof the leather of this model to prevent early breakdown.
If you have additional questions on the Vivobarefoot Geo Court III, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally via Instagram (@jake_boly or @that_fit_friend).
Diego Sagastume
As always great review, I love these shoes but not great for summer
Thank you for sharing feedback, friend!