Vivobarefoot Primus Asana Review | Great Daily Wear Barefoot Shoe?

The Vivobarefoot Primus Asana is designed to be a casual barefoot shoe for warmer month wear. This model contains elements from multiple popular Vivobarefoot shoes.

As a fan of the Primus models from Vivobarefoot, I was intrigued by this model but was also a little skeptical of their price point. I was most interested in how this shoe would compare to some of my favorite barefoot shoes for daily wear and working out.

Across the board, the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana has grown on me. I can see these being a good option for both casual wear and working out. Granted, there are a few cons to note with this barefoot shoe, and I’ll expand on this below.

In this Vivobarefoot Primus Asana review, I’m going to cover multiple topics to help you decide if this shoe aligns with your needs and is worth investing in.

Table of Contents+

1. Who Should Invest In the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana?
2. Vivobarefoot Primus Asana Pros
3. Vivobarefoot Primus Asana Cons
4. Performance
5. Vivobarefoot Primus Asana Sizing
6. Price Breakdown
7. Construction Details

Who Should Invest In the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana?

The Vivobarefoot Primus Asana is a good barefoot shoe to explore for anyone wanting a model for both casual wear and casual working out. This shoe does a good job at walking the fine line between these two activities and asks.

The Woolmark merino wool blended with the Wildhide leather in this shoe gives this shoe a classier and refined appearance. If you find it difficult to find barefoot shoes for more dressed-up settings, the Primus Asana could be worth exploring.

Additionally, this shoe can also work for casual workouts, and more specifically lifting weights. This shoe has a similar sole construction to the Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III which is their most popular shoe for training.

For blending daily wear and working out, I really like the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana and I was skeptical of this shoe going into this review. That being said, these will not be your best bet for serious training, so I’d suggest looking into other models for that ask.

Vivobarefoot Primus Asana

$170

4.6

Versatility

4.6

Durability

4.5

Quality

4.6

Best For

• Casual Wear
• Walking
• Multi-Seasonal Wear (Spring, Summer, and Fall)
• Casual Workouts

Falls Short

• For Cost-Efficiency
• For Upper Security

Shop Vivobarefoot

Vivobarefoot Primus Asana Pros

Over the course of my testing with the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana, I’ve found multiple pros to like about this shoe. I was a little hesitant at first with this shoe, but they’ve since grown on me a lot.

1. Good Barefoot Shoe for Casual Wear and Light Training
2. Woolmark Upper Breathes Well and Is Mobile
3. Active Sole Has Good Ground Feedback, And Insole Is Removable

The first thing to like about the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana is that it’s a good barefoot shoe for daily wear and casual training. There are not a lot of barefoot shoes that can walk the fine line between looking good for daily wear and being a decent model for working out.

I feel like the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana is somewhat of an exception to this and it delivers a rather strong performance in both verticals. For daily wear, this shoe is comfortable and the upper looks good with multiple outfits.

The blend of the Woolmark merino wool and Wildhide Leather give this shoe a classier and refined look. Whether you’re rocking pants or shorts, the Primus Asana looks pretty good.

Additionally, I like that this shoe can work for more casual training and lifting. This shoe has a similar Active Sole construction to the Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III which is my go-to minimalist shoes for lifting, so for casual workouts and recreational lifting, the Primus Asana will do well.

Note, this shoe is not intended to be used for serious training, and I’d suggest not using them for running, versatile training, and other exercises like plyometrics that will stress the Woolmark and Wildhide upper.

Speaking of the upper construction of the Primus Asana, I also really enjoy the comfort and breathability you get from this model. Whether you’re rocking these barefoot on warmer days or with socks in cool weather, I felt as though the upper thermoregulated well.

There’s also a nice level of flexibility and mobility that comes along with this shoe’s upper construction. It’s easy to move the toes and despite having leather overlays, I don’t think flexibility will ever be an issue with this shoe.

The final perk with the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana is that they used their proprietary Active Sole construction in this model. This 4mm thick sole construction gives you a nice level of ground feedback and it’s built wide for various foot anatomies.

Plus, you can remove the Ortholite insole in this shoe to get closer to the ground without durability issues because the internal portion of this shoe is finished.

I like to remove the insole in this shoe when I’m walking barefoot on warm days and if you like maximal ground feedback, you’ll appreciate this.

Vivobarefoot Primus Asana Cons

The Vivobarefoot Primus Asana has been a solid barefoot shoe throughout my testing. However, there are a few cons to note about this model before investing in them.

1. Upper Folds When Fully Tightened
2. No Half Sizes, Except for 12.5
3. Price Point Is a Little High

The first drawback that I have with the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana is the upper construction, and more specifically, its security can be problematic at times. The upper security in this shoe works fine until you want to tighten this model or do anything multi-directional.

Whether you’re wanting to tighten the Primus Asana for training, daily wear, or because you have narrower feet, you may find that the upper folds in. This shoe feature four core eyelets and and they’re fairly spreadout when it comes to their width.

When tightening this model, this then creates a fold and overlap of the upper material. I noticed this when training in these shoes and using them for longer walks where I wanted a bit more security around the base of the midfoot.

This isn’t something that necessarily takes away from the shoe’s functionality, but it is something that can be fairly frustrating. For those that have narrower feet or lower volumes through their midfoot, this may be more of an issue for you.

The second drawback with this shoe is that there’s no half sizes in this model, and this is similar to other Vivobarefoot shoes. This can be pretty problematic for those who have half sizes, as this model does run a little long.

I’ll discuss my sizing thoughts more in-depth below, but I would love to see Vivobarefoot start offering half sizes, especially since their shoes are pretty pricey. Having to invest a pretty penny only to return them for a different size can be a pain. Plus, stock can be highly variable which can add to this proces.

Speaking of price, my final drawback with the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana is its $170 USD price point. This price is pretty high for this shoe and if you’re on a budget wanting daily wear barefoot, I’d suggest looking into something like the Feelgrounds Original Luxe.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana, but if the price makes you wince, I wouldn’t break the bank for this shoe. Also, I’d suggest looking around for Vivobarefoot coupons to help bring their price down a bit.

Performance

To break down the performance of the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana, I’ll cover how these shoes perform in a variety of settings. I’ll discuss these shoes and their performance for working out, daily wear, and seasonal wear.

Since this model has a higher price point, this will hopefully help make it easier to cross-reference their performance with your needs.

Testing the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana for Working Out

While not necessarily designed for serious workouts, I wanted to test the Primus Asana to see if it can be a viable option for some more casual training. Overall, I thought the Primus Asana did a pretty good job for casual lifting.

I think if you wanted to invest in this shoe and use it for lifting sessions here and there where you’re doing things like barbell deadlifts, machine work, and other more static strength exercises, you’ll enjoy this shoe’s performance.

I took the insole out when training in these and they did a pretty stellar job regarding overall stability and lifting support. Their Active Sole performs pretty identically to the Primus Lite III’s sole, so I was a fan of this feature.

For versatile training, running, and explosive work, I’d pass on this model. The upper security isn’t that great for these training contexts, and I think you’ll get more out of this long-term durability by limiting their use here.

Testing the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana for Walking and Daily Wear

When it comes to daily wear, I enjoyed the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana. Honestly, this is probably one of my favorite Vivobarefoot shoes from an appearance point of view.

I like that these shoes can be easily worn with different outfits and can work in a range of formal settings. These could be a viable option for business casual outfits and wearing out when you’re wanting to dress up a bit more.

For walking and standing, you’ll get a lot of ground feedback with these shoes, and with their recycled PU foam insole, you also get a nice light level of cushion if you choose to keep it in. This helps makes this shoe a better option for providing you with different ground feels.

The Active Sole also does an okay job with traction in most settings. One thing to note with this model, and other Vivobarefoot shoes, is that their soles can wear down in a few months if you’re putting serious mileage in them.

This can happen due to the 4mm thickness of the Active Sole and if you notice this happening with your model, it could definitely be worth reaching out to Vivobarefoot. They’re generally pretty good about replacing their shoes, which is a nice subtle perk.

Testing the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana for Seasonal Wear

The Vivobarefoot Primus Asana is technically designed for warmer month wear, but I also feel like this model could be a viable pick for cooler months as well. Since the upper is built with Woolmark merino wool and Wildhide Leather, they provide a nice level of thermoregulation.

On warmer days, I rotated wearing these with and without socks and I thought they were comfortable in both contexts. My feet didn’t get overly warm when rocking socks and I wasn’t sliding around in the toe box when being barefoot in these due to sweat.

For spring and fall days where it’s cool, I could see these shoes working decently well and the traction is “okay” so they could be viable commute-friendly barefoot shoes. If it’s more frigid outside, I’d go with something like Vivobarefoot Geo Court Knit.

Overall though, I enjoy the versatility that comes with the Primus Asana. The fact that it can be worn for multiple seasons despite being designed for warmer months is a perk of this model and adds it to this shoe’s value.

Vivobarefoot Primus Asana Sizing

In the Vivobafrefoot Primus Asana, I think most should be safe going true to size in this model. The length of this model does run a little long, but I don’t think it’s enough to warrant sizing down a full size in this shoe.

The width of this shoe is also pretty good, so it should align well with most foot widths and anatomies. In addition and similar to other Vivobarefoot shoes, the Primus Asana does not offer half sizes except for 12.5.

If you’re in-between sizes and often yourself pretty close to the end of your normal-size shoe’s toe box, then I would suggest going up. Conversely, if you like a snugger fit with your shoes, then going down would be the call.

Since the Primus Asana does run a little longer, to begin with, I don’t think you can go wrong sizing down, especially if you’re nervous about having too much room at the end of your toe box.

• Vivobarefoot Primus Asana Sizing Thoughts: True to size for most.

If you have additional sizing and fit questions on the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana, or how they compare to other barefoot shoes, drop a comment below.

Price Breakdown

For the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana, you can expect to pay $170 USD. This price point is in line with other Vivobarefoot models and it can be a little or miss depending on what you want.

I think the price point for the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana will be hit or miss depending on what you want out of these shoes. If you want this shoe to wear casually and to lift in, then I think the price makes sense.

It’s a good-looking barefoot shoe and it has a similar lifting performance to the Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III. That being said, this is not the barefoot shoe for versatile training, so know this shoe’s performance for training will be capped.

Vivobarefoot Primus Asana

$170

4.6

Versatility

4.6

Durability

4.5

Quality

4.6

Best For

• Casual Wear
• Walking
• Multi-Seasonal Wear (Spring, Summer, and Fall)
• Casual Workouts

Falls Short

• For Cost-Efficiency
• For Upper Security

Shop Vivobarefoot

Construction Details

The construction of the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana included elements from other popular Vivobarefoot like the Geo Court II and Primus Lite III. Below are some of the most important construction to know about these shoes.

• Heel-to-Toe Drop: 0mm
• Weight: 10.12 oz (for my size 10 model)
• Removable Insole: Yes
• Active Outsole (4mm thick)
• Wildhide Leather Upper Overlays
• Woolmark Merino Wool Upper
• Ortholite Insole (recycled PU foam)
• 4 Core Eyelets

I like that Vivobarefoot uses recycled materials in multiple components of this shoe. The construction also feels pretty durable for the main uses of this shoe. If you have additional construction questions on the Primus Asana, drop a comment below.

Takeaway Thoughts

Overall, I’ve enjoyed the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana for both daily wear and lifting weights. I think it can be tough at times to find barefoot shoes that look casual but also perform strongly in the gym.

I like that the Primus Asana delivers a similar sole construction to the Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III, which is one of my favorite barefoot shoes for lifting. The upper in this model also breathes well and has a classier look to it.

That being said, if you want a barefoot shoe solely for lifting, you may want to explore options that will be more suitable for versatile training, as the Primus Asana’s upper can feel a little heavy at times.

If you have additional questions on the Vivobarefoot Primus Asana, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally via Instagram (@jake_boly or @that_fit_friend).