Ecco Shoes?

ccvle · Dec 27, 2010

my two pairs of ecco shoes lasted less than a year. The rubber soles cracked on one. The leather on the second pair looked so winkled that I just threw away the shoes. A new pair of rockport will look just as nice and shinely as a pair of alden. The difference is a pair of alden will hold up well after week, one year, five years and possibility one decade.

My coworker asked me the other day how to fix a scratch mark on a new pair of Johnson Murphy that he recently brough. I was about give him my shoe polish and brush to fix it until I realize the leather on his shoes is literally as thin as a piece of sticker. I then told him that brushing the leather would probably make it worse.

Lafont · Dec 27, 2010

Yes, I've had bad fortune with J&M leather. And the sales associate didn't help much, either. Said it was to be expected, though such a short time. A hex on 'em!

Huntsman · Dec 27, 2010

Really, the single best value pair of shoes I have ever bought was a pair of Eccos, burgundy split-toes. After five years, they are starting to go, now -- the soles have cracked, the seams are starting to fray, and they're just shot. But I wore them whenever the weather was on the questionable side, or if I had to do a lot of walking, or expected to need to run for the train.

Lafont · Dec 27, 2010

Many have referred to your Ecco's in the rain or snow. Are you saying your pairs were waterproof or water-resistent? Did you spray them? I've been planning to wear mine with rubbers, as I have with my other dress shoes. I'm glad they seem to fit with the extra-large pair I have, as I don't know where I'd find either larger. What do guys with lare feet (e.g. size 11 or 12) do with covering dress shoes?

jamesbond · Dec 27, 2010

Originally Posted by katiedaddy

Comfortable on both on the street and the golf course. Ecco's were one of the lightest shoes I've ever worn, can't say I dig their style generally.

These are the one's I referenced in my first post. Fred Couples has been wearing them and most places can't keep them in stock. All there other offerings are ugly as sin.

Reevolving · Dec 28, 2010

It's good to have a "beater" pair of shoes.
My 5 year old J&M take the brunt of the **** weather.
Rubber soles, etc
They are still going strong.
I view the Eccos in this category.
Beater backups.

Now, I have my Cheaney FS029's for snow and rain...

franz_sanchez · Dec 28, 2010

Originally Posted by Newlaw

OP: I wore ecco's with rubber soles for 2 years. They held up great for me, but I don't think they are worth $165.00. They are still my go to on wet/sloshy days.

What will you be wearing them with? What setting?

I don't think Ecco shoes are necessarily bad but tend to be more expensive than rockport and clark shoes. some of the styles Ecco makes look a lot like Clarks and Rockport shoes which aren't that great. I wouldn't spend $150 on Ecco shoes as I could get something much better for the price. I bought a pair a rockport shoes once at Macy's on clearance for $20. Over a year later they don't look that nice but they haven't fallen apart yet. For how much use I got out of my cheap rockport shoes and what I paid I think I did good. If I bought any pair of Ecco or Cole Haan shoes I don't think I would be as happy with my purchase. Many of the Ecco shoes look like squared toed shoes or like rockport shoes that look like clown shoes.

Lafont · Dec 28, 2010

I've noticed whatever brand I ask about on this forum there are always those who ridicule it and/or actually hate it - seemingly with a passion! And yes, that includes the ones that are expensive and supposed to be well made. I guess it's just in the nature of the beast - this forum and others like it.

About them sizes - I've now seen European 43s referred to on charts from 9 U.S. to, actually 10 U.S. A difinitive answer, please. Would the "43" on an Ecco box be a European 43?

ApplesHK · Dec 28, 2010

Originally Posted by Twotone

I have two pairs of Eccos -- one black and one brown. They served me well working in some nasty climates -- Moscow, London and Amsterdam. No, they are not "dress shoes" but they saved a lot of my true dress shoes from being ruined by rain and snow. I wore them commuting to work, then changed shoes in the office. As others have mentioned, they are very comfortable for walking. The are also my "trade show shoes" where I either stand for eight hours a day as an exhibitor or walk 20 miles as an attendee. My shoemaker had no problems replacing the rubber soles.

Nothing wrong with Eccos when worn for the right reasons.

Twotone

Well that's interesting. Ecco shop managers have told me that the shoes are not repairable. Once the sole disintegrates (and it happens very suddenly) then that's the end of them. Apparently they are fused to the uppers making a repair impossible.
Q: Are Rockports/Geox repairable?

franz_sanchez · Dec 28, 2010

Originally Posted by Lafont

Yes, I've had bad fortune with J&M leather. And the sales associate didn't help much, either. Said it was to be expected, though such a short time. A hex on 'em!
It doesn't seem like the leather on the J&M shoes is of the best quality. I know they use Calfskin on most of their shoes but still the leather doesn't seem like its the most durable. I also noticed with Cole Haan shoes people seem to have problems with quality of the shoes.

If I were going to purchase a $150 pair of dress shoes, Florsheim Imperial shoes are the only ones that are at least decent shoes. They at least use Calfskin leathers on the Imperial shoes. Cole Haan doesn't even use Calfskin on its cheaper shoes. You have to get at least $200 pair shoes to even get something with decent leather. It seems like all their cheaper dress shoes are made with corrected grain leather. Even worse than Ecco Shoes for $150. At least Ecco shoes are made with Full Grain Leather.

foodguy · Dec 28, 2010

[sigh] y ou'll find a similar thread to this earlier. but i'm in exactly the same boat you are in: i've got really bad, really painful feet. I wore Rockports for several years, but then I bought a pair of Eccos. Now they're almost all I wear. People who don't have bad feet can't understand what it's like having every step hurt ... no matter how pretty your shoes are. My oldest pair of eccos is now getting up to 10 years and the rubber soul is just now beginning to separate. I've got 4 other pairs that are in perfect condition.
That said ... they are a more casual shoe. They do have a couple of slightly formal model, but they are more kenneth cole formal than the SF-approved styles. And they do have models that aren't stamped "ecco". I usually buy mine at a nordstrom's rack. it takes a bit of shopping to get the style you want in your size, but i usually save at least half that way.
As for sizing ... i'm afraid this is one thing y ou definitely want to buy in person. Depending on the model, i wear either a 41, 42 or 43. not sure whether they're different manufacturers, or they just fit slightly different.
good luck! if you've got bad feet, there is nothing like getting your first pair of really comfortable shoes.

Lafont · Dec 29, 2010

Thanks for your contribution, foodguy. I've had more and less formal dress shoes over the years. With this new Ecco pair I'm addressing very specifically the suggestions of a recent podiatrist (not even my usual one but one who performs minor surgery) visit. It's an experiment - to see what the change will do in regard to some of my problems' disappearing or at least diminishing.
Needless to say, the usual-type comments here about how dressy or elegant my selections should be aren't relevant or useful this time around. I'm glad I can wear "regular" shoes and do not need to rely on shoes made for particularly problematic feet.

Biggskip · Dec 29, 2010

Originally Posted by Lafont

Many have referred to your Ecco's in the rain or snow. Are you saying your pairs were waterproof or water-resistent? Did you spray them? I've been planning to wear mine with rubbers, as I have with my other dress shoes. I'm glad they seem to fit with the extra-large pair I have, as I don't know where I'd find either larger. What do guys with lare feet (e.g. size 11 or 12) do with covering dress shoes?
Many of their shoes are made with a corrected grain that holds up quite well to water. I wouldn't go so far as to say they are waterproof, but they are damn close. That said, it is not the type of corrected grain that will dry out and crack like cheap mall Florsheims might.

Lafont · Dec 29, 2010

So I'm wondering if I should spray the Ecco's. I try to wear rubbers but there's always the liklihood of water seeping in. Also, sometimes the spray is bad for the leather....

rwaldron · Jun 13, 2012

I bought a pair of Ecco's in 2009. I wore them every work day for the rest of 2009, and put them in the closet for all of 2010 and the first 3 months of 2011 (I was wearing steel toed boots to work every day instead). I have now worn them again every work day for a little over a year. That adds up to about 21 months total, or what I would guess to be about 430 wearings. At no more than 200 wearings in, they were no longer comfortable to wear and the leather was no longer holding polish; I realized then that dropping $200 every year or two was not sustainable, and I decided to keep wearing this pair until I had saved up for some Cordovans (I will admit I am hard on shoes).

The Ecco's are very comfortable when you first get them, but by that year mark (when some shoes are just getting broken in), they start to feel flat, hard, and heavy. Here's my pair:

and here is where the stitching fell out:

and here is where the welt is falling apart:

Ecco Shoes?

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