[elago]

I also use Vimium and can't live without it, then switched to Qutebrowser which solved some issues that were always annoying me with Vimium, specifically:

1) Vimium key bindings don't work on the new tab page, and don't work until a web page finishes loading. The Qutebrowser key bindings are more first class and built in to the browser, so you can fully trust them to work all the time.

2) Qutebrowser is much better with webpages that also implement their own key bindings. There is pass-through mode which disables all Qutebrowser key bindings (except escape to leave pass-through mode) and lets the web page interpret all keystrokes.

Unfortunately I still keep the other browser around because of compatability, but I have much more hope that Qutebrowser will eventually render pages better rather than Chrome/Vimium ever getting a better interface.

[dictum]

Problem #1 can be fixed by making the Vimium blank page your newtab page.

Vimium comes with a blank .html file; IIRC it's what opens when you issue a command to open a new tab by pressing `t`.

I'm spending more time with FF 57 (it's really great for my needs) so I don't remember how you would set a URL for chrome//:newtab. I think you have to write an extension that redirects (with an inline script) to the Vimium blank page. I'm on mobile so I can't confirm that.

[vortico]

Unfortunately it seems that in WebExtensions, or at least Firefox and Chromium's current implementations of it, keybindings can only be captured by a plugin while a page is finished loading, and while the address bar is focused. There is also no way to do things like focus/defocus the addressbar, autohide the addressbar, autohide the tab bar, and many other small details that Qutebrowser effortlessly achieves.

[xwvvvvwx]

Obviously a hack, and only addresses one of your points, but the following works pretty well if you wanna focus / defocus the address bar in chrome with a shortcut:

https://superuser.com/questions/324266/google-chrome-mac-set...

[elasticdog]

The workaround for 1) was already posted, but for 2), you can use Vimium's "insert mode" by pressing `i` to do the same thing. I use it regularly for Reddit with the enhancement suite.

[widdma]

You can enter passthrough mode in Vimium with "i"