Ecco Soft 7: best casual sneakers I've owned

[gilwood]

I searched for a casual sneaker that was actually comfortable and had a bit of rubber on the bottom. I once saw a Podiatrist on TV say that if you can take a pair of sneakers and bend it into a U shape easily, then it won't provide enough support to your arch and ultimately, uncomfortable on the feet after a a few miles. The rubber is only supposed to bend at the balls of the feet. That's the main reason why I never bought a pair of Converse, Adias Stan Smith or the various Nike casuals. A couple of times, I tried on Puma classic suede or Vans low tops because I loved the classic look and how they looked with Jeans. But I just never made it to the register after feeling the floor right beneath my feet. I understand this is good for skateboarding, but not so much for just normal walking around. I never bought into the "no support" idea of running with Vibram FiveFinger shoes either. That might be good for developing the muscles in the arch, but its got to terrible on the knees and joints. Knees are the first things that go as we get older. Personally, I want my elder years to be as fulfilling as possible with hips and knees that haven't been worn down from wearing shoes with no support. I've noticed that people that spend a lot of time on their feet such as doctors, waiters, etc. tend to wear very comfortable shoes with thick soles.

I discovered the Ecco Soft 7 about 2 years ago and I've been wearing them since. The first thing I noticed is that they had a good 1" of support in the heels, more than double what the Stan smith, Converse or Puma had. The definitive bump in the arch made them super comfortable from the first wearing until the last. They originally came only in black and there was a high top version that looked great as well. This came at the same time as my move to Los Angeles, where my casual look fit in great! I was starting a new career in the tech world, so I could bounce between work, dinner and even nightclubs with the same jeans and ecco soft 7's. An untucked button down with rolled sleeves or polo completed the look and I was ready for whatever California had to throw at me (minus the beach of course). The only problem was the price: $140 was bit steep for sneakers, so I hoped they would last at least a year. And my first pair did just that! I finally decided to buy a new pair while touring Warsaw, Poland. A girl remarked to me that clean sneakers were essential in Warsaw and I couldn't get the rubber sole really looking white again. I made an attempt at bleaching the soles and ended up bleaching the lower part of the leather and ruining the shoes! So I got my 2nd pair of Ecco soft 7's right there in Warsaw. I guess vanity got the best of me. They felt so comfortable and soft right out of the store, I remembered why I bought them in the first place. I ended up walking 20 miles a day in Sopot (triple city), Wroclaw, Prague, Vienna and Budapest and my feet were never sore.

Unfortunately, the 2nd pair seems to have quality control issues and after only being 8 months old, the leather is starting to crack on the sides where the leather meets the rubber. I'm about to purchase my 3rd pair, but I've noticed that the price has gone up to $150! I asked one of the Ecco employees if they ever go on sale, and they said that pair is popular, there's no way they'll put them on sale. They also changed around the coloring and styles a bit. Worse off, they've come up with a "Premium" Ecco Soft 7 that now costs $180! Am I wrong in assuming that shoes supposed to become cheaper as they become more popular??

 

[Blake Stitched Blues]

$150 for a shoe that lasts 8 months is pretty saucy. I had a pair of Ecco sneakers once that were the least comfortable shoes I've ever owned. The footbed felt like it was made from concrete.