Customer Reviews ECCO Sport Biom Walk Leather 1.1

These shoes are not for everyone. They felt great when I first put them on but at the end of the day I had pain all up and down both legs. If you are looking for that almost barefoot natural motion feel, this is a slightly more cushioned version of that. I wrote Ecco an email and they said it can take up to three weeks to build up the muscles in your legs because essentially we have all been walking wrong since the invention of the tennis shoe. They recommend easing into them in 15 minute sessions. I do not have that kind of time to feel pain. On a positive note, they breathe really well and I got lots of compliments on them. The yak leather stretches more than regular leather, so be ready for that when you choose the size.

I never thought I would buy such an expensive pair of walking shoes, but after trying countless other shoes that caused blisters, hot spots, callouses, etc., I decided to give these a shot after reading some reviews, and I am glad I did. When I first put them on, I was not sure at all and thought I might return them. They felt "hard" and not very cushiony on the insole. So I wore them around the house for an hour or so, and then started to rethink my initial impression. I think the stiffer insole may be purposeful in that I have read that too much cushion may actually cause blisters and hot spots since the cushioning creates friction and is really only intended for higher impact activities like running. And I have learned that running shoes with higher heel-to-toe drop ratios are bad for walking and Achilles' tendon issues, etc. Anyway, these Biom soles have really grown on me, and I think they are the secret behind these shoes. Now that I have about 50 miles on these shoes, I love them. They have changed my walking gait and at times actually make it feel as though I am on a moving sidewalk (yes, really!) and my feet never hurt after walking. The toe box is nice and roomy for comfort, but the arch still isn't too wide so as to be sloppy. I am a tall woman with large feet, and thanks to the ECCO European styling, the men's sizing worked just fine. I will be wearing these shoes for walking for a long time to come and just hope ECCO doesn't redesign them too much (as they sometimes are known to do). They are actually worth the high price tag.

I love these shoes. I feel like I am wearing slippers with very good support. Actually I don't even think about my feet when I am wearing these because they feel so natural. Expensive but well worth the price.

I walk a lot and hike a lot; I also wear my shoes until I wear them out, probably not a great idea, but that's what I've always done. I have worn out a pair of Ecco walking/hiking/tennis shoes (never know what to call them these days) and was looking for another good pair. The old Eccos have last about 8 years and had many miles put on them. I checked the Ecco site on Zappos and saw similar, but I also saw the Ecco Sport Bioms. The price sounded like a lot to me, but with Zappos' shipping policies, I thought I would try them, along with a pair of Merrells. They arrived faster than was believable, about a day and a half after ordering. The Merrells were too small, and are going back. The Ecco Sport Bioms fit like a glove. The fit of these shoes is unbelievable in my opinion. I got the size 41 (7-7.5 American), and they seem perfect. I have another pair of Ecco Sport Biom Hike 1.1 Hydromax Hiking Boots on order because I need a new pair of those, too. I hope those fit as well as these. These may cost a little more, but treat your feet; you and they will love it. Thanks!

I only wear Ecco shoes because they fit me so well. This shoe did not disappoint - I love it. They are very comfortable and absolutely perfect for a casual shoe. I will probably buy a second pair to use when the first pair wears out, even tho that won't be for several years! Unfortunately Ecco does seem to discontinue the styles I like the most!

Overall this is a nice athletic style shoe. 4 stars across the board. Although it uses European sizing, I had to order one full size smaller than my regular size (44). My feet are standard width. I walked on them in London and Paris (winter time avg. 35*) and put many miles on them. We had occasional rain. My feet were never cold, never got wet and were never fatigued or felt sore. The most important factors that influenced my purchase decision were shoes that were waterproof and comfortable. They did well in both regards. I feel they are steeply priced for what you actually get. Cost to value ratio isn't there for me. Its a enhanced tennis shoe with some unique characteristics. Gortex, Yak leather, waterproof. I love and trust the Ecco brand which is why I purchased them. They are extremely lightweight, remarkably so. The injection molded heel and cup absorbs shock well. They are safe to wear with khakis, but cannot be worn with slacks. A good day shoe for travel and lots of walking, but you will need something else for dinner at night. Recommended, yes. Comfort and water protection do come at a price however.

Unfortunately we returned those shoes. They are great overall, but left and right are slightly different. One of them had bumpy inner sole. My husband went to the store and bought other Biom there. When he tried several pairs ECCO Bioms they all were slightly different, even the same models.

Nice looking shoe; however, I can't wear them. They are made from Yak leather which is very stiff. This is due to a painful pressure point at my big toe joint (top part) which has resulted in a very painful blister. So, basically, I just blew the money for nothing.

Ecco has been my shoe brand of choice for several years now. They've outdone themselves in designing this shoe, though. It is incredibly comfortable and supportive, lightweight, and reasonably cool though not as cool as a pair of mesh sneakers. However, they look far better than sneakers and are much more durable. This is one of two pair that accompanied me on a 2 week trip to Paris where lots of walking was done. As you may know, comfortable shoes are essential in Europe, but sneakers are a no-no. Really quite amazing how these put spring into my step and keep it there after miles of walking on concrete.

I've had a couple of pairs of Ecco shoes in the past and have found them to be pretty comfortable and long-lasting. I was looking for a walking shoe and decided to take a chance on this one after trying a number of others. With little break-in (less than a week) these shoes took on the ancient city of Rome. Walking on marble and cobblestones, ten miles or more a day, everything hurt but my feet. I didn't experience a blister or hot spot in a week and my feet still felt great! I can't recommend them enough. Yes, they are a bit expensive, but (to me) the outcome more than justifies the price. Great shoes!

First of all the shoes are very comfortable in fact more so than I anticipated. Secondly the service from Zappos is excellent as usual

This is my first pair of Ecco I bought for a vacation in Europe which require a lot of walking. The shoe delivers exactly what I needed, light wight but very comfortable and sturdy, great in walking around town or in parks. It is airport safe as advertised. My only compliant is that only brown or grey is available in N. America. Black color Biom is only available in Europe.

I only wear Ecco shoes and didn't know what to expect from this latest pair. They are as light as a feather, yet appear quite durable. I may reorder another pair when I wear them out.

I love this shoe. It is light weight yet solid and supportive. When I put it on, it becomes a part of my body. I use it for walking, and I also use it when I am teaching class; it's very comfortable.

I slipped these shoes on and the first words out of my mouth were, "OMG these are wonderful!" They are very light weight, have great support, and fit like they were custom made for my foot. They are so comfortable I don't want to take them off. I already own a pair of Biom "Trainers" and a pair of Biom sandals but these are the most comfortable of all.

These shoes are relatively light-weight compared to their relatively robust construction. They seem well-built and they do have a nice stride. They also seem very breathable for all-leather shoes. The light-colored ones seem to have a little too-much contrast; the chocolate colored ones are probably better-looking. These shoes need a lot of break-in though; they are stiff so be sure to walk several miles in them before taking them in a backpacking trip to Europe.

I did a lot of research to find a pure walking shoe that works best for people who require minimal support, (those with regular to high arches). I had previously worn New Balances, and never found them quite comfortable. In fact, my knees and back and feet would all hurt after long walks. Luckily I stumbled on several reviews of this shoe which spoke to its comfort and minimalism. My trial was several weeks of all day walking around metropolitan London (8+ hours). I followed the break-in advice first (of slowly getting your feet and body used to walking properly), though I thought my feet and stride were developed after only several days, not weeks. After being on my feet all day, not only did my feet not hurt, but my knees and back stopped hurting as well. My muscles were of course tired, but my body didn't hurt. Shoes affect your stride, which affects your whole posture. Padding and roll-bars, and super arch-support were actually making me walk unnaturally, and switching to these Bioms was the most fortuitous shoe decision I ever made. I have since bought 4 or 5 pairs of this shoe in varying colors, though I still primarily use the first pair (v 1.1). I just bought the others to have clean pairs, different color options, and backups in case they get discontinued. By the way, these are pretty expensive for me, but considering the positive effect they've had the cost is well deserved. I bought the leather and it breathes well, (I wear with Thorlo walking socks), cleans well, and hasn't shown any signs of wearing out though they have thousands of miles logged. In fact, the leather also is essentially waterproof (I've worn in rain and snow and my socks have never gotten wet). The grips on the shoes are about 1/2 worn down now, so I expect them to last about 3 years total, and probably longer as there is further material beyond the grip for just pavement walking. I tested the synthetic version and it was a bit lighter, but the material would certainly wear down faster if you hit the occasional cement step. Both are excellent, but I recommend the leather as I haven't found any downside to it. They get the worn-in look, but with jeans it is all the more appealing.

The shoes are stylish and have an effective rubber-type band to protect the toes from scuffs. The shoe is a little stiff and does not bend in half in the middle as do other shoes recommended by podiatrists. That said, they are comfortable out of the box and I did not notice any need to adjust to the shoe. As a person with plantar fasciitis, it's not a solution, but it's well made and overall I can't complain.

Attractive styling, but constuction and comfort did not meet expectations for such an expensive shoe. Fit seemed tighter than other Ecco shoes of same size. Overpriced.