My Brutally Honest ECCO Soft 7 Review (Why I hated them)

TL;DR: I’d give the ECCO Soft 7 a 1/10. Yes, they were that bad. I loved the sleek white leather look, but they were narrow, hard, and painful enough that I didn’t even want to try to break them in. 

If you’re looking for an ECCO Soft 7 review, you’re probably wondering whether this sleek leather sneaker is actually comfortable enough for travel or maybe just everyday wear. 

The Soft 7 has been around for years and has built a reputation as a polished, comfortable travel shoe that works with everything.

I’d been wanting to test them for years for exactly that reason. I’ve tested a lot of walking shoes for this site, and I’m always looking for the rare pair that can handle long sightseeing days without looking overly athletic. And the Soft 7 seemed like it could be that do-it-all travel sneaker.

I bought a pair myself and checked the comfort, fit, support, traction, and style. Here’s what surprised me and why I don’t think the ECCO Soft 7 is worth it. 

Note: I bought this pair myself. This review isn’t sponsored (clearly, ha!).

ECCO Shoes Review: My Experience With the ECCO Soft 7

I’d been wanting to test out the ECCO Soft 7s for years because I heard such great things about how good they were for travel. I loved their minimalist white sneaker look and that they actually had good traction. 

Online, it seemed like everyone loved them too. The reviews were glowing and people talked about how comfortable they were for walking all day 

All of this buildup was why I was surprised when I finally ordered them, tried them on, and immediately felt how uncomfortable they were for my feet. 

I have regular-width feet with a bunion on one foot, but they felt super narrow on both of my feet, and it felt like my feet were being compressed from the top. 

I still tried to do a 10,000-step walk in them, but I proceeded to get a nasty blister after just a mile because the heel was so stiff. I had to stop. I was in so much pain. 

I was so confused about how this very uncomfortable sneaker had so many glowing reviews online, so I went back and sorted the reviews by most recent instead of highest rated. That’s when I saw a string of one-star reviews from people describing similar problems with newer pairs. 

I can’t confirm exactly what changed, but my pair felt nothing like the comfortable Soft 7 people had raved about. These were some of the most uncomfortable shoes I’ve tested, and I’ve tested a lot of shoes for this site.

Here are my thoughts on each aspect I tested and where these shoes went wrong for me.

Comfort and support

Let’s just say the ECCO Soft 7 sneakers do not live up to their name; they are not soft but rigid. The cushioning was hard, and the sole wasn’t very flexible. I also didn’t feel much arch support. 

The heel was so stiff that it gave me a blister within a mile. So, it’s no understatement to say these shoes do not really provide any comfort or support. 

My feet also got hot pretty quickly, and I didn’t notice much breathability in that one mile before I had to stop. 

Fit and sizing

I ordered these in an EU 41, which is meant to be the equivalent of a US women’s 10–10.5. The length was fine, but everything else felt too tight. 

My feet felt squeezed along the sides, across the top, and around my toes. On my left foot, the shoe pressed directly into my bunion.

There is a removable insole you can take out for extra room, which I did try as well, but it didn’t make much of a difference. These might work if you have narrow feet, but anyone with regular-width to wide feet should probably stay away.

Style and quality

I really liked how these shoes looked, which is why it was so disappointing that they were so uncomfortable to wear. 

This sleek, low-profile white leather sneaker really went with everything I own, and if these were a different shoe, I could’ve seen them being a great, versatile travel sneaker. 

With that said, for what they cost, the quality control left something to be desired. I could see glue where the upper met the sole, odd dots and marks on the sole, and a few marks around the laces.

After my mile-long walk before I had to stop, I already noticed some serious creasing in the leather and a stained insole. For a $160 shoe, I expected a lot better. 

FAQs about ECCO Soft 7 shoes

Are ECCO Soft 7 shoes good for walking?

Not the pair I tested. I couldn’t make it past one mile without significant pain and blisters, so I wouldn’t trust this pair for sightseeing or even casual wear.

Are ECCO Soft 7 shoes good for plantar fasciitis?

I wouldn’t recommend them for plantar fasciitis. I didn’t feel much arch support, the cushioning felt hard, and the shoes became painful quickly. 

How do you clean ECCO Soft 7 shoes?

ECCO’s white leather cleaning guide recommends removing the laces and insole, brushing off loose dirt, and cleaning the leather with Foam Cleaner and a damp cloth. 

ECCO says to use Sole Cleaner on the sole and let the shoes air dry. I didn’t keep mine long enough to test cleaning them myself.

Final thoughts: Are ECCO Soft 7 shoes worth it?

No, the ECCO Soft 7 shoes weren’t worth it for me. I had every intention of loving these as travel shoes, but they did not live up to the glowing reviews. 

They were so rigid and uncomfortable that I didn’t even want to put them on again after I tried walking in them for about a mile and got a nasty blister. 

Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend the ECCO Soft 7 to anyone. Even if you have narrow feet, there are too many other problems for me to recommend them as a good shoe. 

If you’re looking for a sneaker for long sightseeing days that’s truly comfortable, my tested guide to the best stylish walking shoes for Europe has much better places to start.