ECCO shoes – You paid how much for them ?! (Ecco)

Member Name: libertybell

Product:	Ecco
Date:	22/12/00 (2955 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Extremely well made, comfortable, designed for walking and general abuse

Disadvantages: Limited number of styles, bit pricey

I’m one of those chaps who have a single pair of shoes for work. I buy a pair new and will wear them until they fall apart or they get tatty enough that they aren’t fit for the office. Working in London and travelling on public transport to get there, any pair of work shoes has to be comfortable for standing on the tube/tube for 40 minutes, allow me to charge up and down stairs and keep me from getting sore feet.

In the past I bought a pair of Clarks shoes with the thick rubber sole – until I discovered and became an ECCO convert.

As a break from my feet, lets have a brief look at ECCO. They are a Danish company founded in 1963 by a chap called Karl Toosbury who wanted to create really good walking shoes. Details of the company, shoes they sell and retail outlets can be found on their website www.ecco.com/uk. It’s not the friendliest site I’ve visited. They use shockwave and other flash stuff, which takes an age to download and disappoints when it arrives. But don’t trust me – give it a butchers.

Back to my feet ! A friend of mine introduced me to ECCO. She was into things Scandinavian and raved about the comfort of their shoes. With the coming of the ORACLE shopping centre to Reading in the autumn of 1999, along came an ECCO shop (well it’s a Shoon shop).

My old shoes were getting a little worn out and off I went to Shoon. I bought a pair of black ‘Outdoor urban’ shoes with chunky soles perfectly suited to commuting. Cost £75. I wear them to this day. Other than a bit of initial rubbing on the rear of my right foot – they are extremely comfortable. There is no sign of wear and tear and I’m still on my first pair of laces (Shoon sell spare laces as well).

This year I needed a new pair of leisure shoes to wear with my jeans and I hastened along to Shoon. A pair of brown ‘Trek’ shoes took my fancy. Made with water repellent leather, wax stit
ches and a Gore-Tex membrane – they are the dog’s wotsits. I can’t see myself trekking through the undergrowth in them – but its good to be able to do so. They are also very warm inside – great for cold winter mornings.

The downside is that they cost £115 (sharp intake of breath!) My Wife was quite calm when I told her and remarked how nice they were – phew. However I don’t spend a great deal of money on clothes and I think I’m worth it – so there ! With a bit of looking after – they should last for years. You won’t find them making trainers, ladies evening shoes and the like. But if you want a really good pair of comfy shoes – give ECCO a whirl.

I forget to mention ECCO do sell does for ladies and children. The ladies’ ones are less clompy – but you can see for yourself on the web site.

If the cost puts you off – ECCO have a shop in the Mcarthur Glen outlet mall in Swindon (on the site of the old railway works – I have written about that too!)

So if you’re in the market for a pair of walking shoes, consider ECCO – they come highly recommended!

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