361 Eleos
There were a lot of shoes that I was looking forward to this season, and I’m not gonna lie, this one caught me completely off guard. I have had a few pair of shoes from 361 and while they have always used incredible materials and made shoes with quality builds, the designs felt a bit outdated, the designs didn’t take full advantage of those materials…until now!
Men: 9.9 oz
Women: 7.9 oz
Drop: 6 mm
MSRP: $145
The Breakdown
The Outsole
This shoe is a complete overhaul for nearly everything I’ve seen from 361 in the past and that includes weight. One of the largest contributors to weight on a shoe is the outsole. When we look at the bottom of the Eleos, we see substantial outsole rubber in key touch points and a fair amount of exposed midsole material as well. This provides excellent durability and traction while running and walking while maintaining a lighter weight profile for the shoe overall.
The Midsole
The midsole features a plush stack of 361 new supercritical Primo foam. Underfoot it feels like a Peba midsole and I am a fan. It’s lightweight and plush on step in and has nice response as well.
The midsole is built with a bit of flare around the perimeter which creates a very smooth and stable ride. This is especially prominent in the heel and gives the user a sense of consistency through the entirety of the foot strike.
Within the shoe the arch profile is subtle. If you like to feel the arch beneath your foot you might need to consider an insert to supplement that, but I find that the shoe has plenty of support on its own and should be more easily accessible by a wider range of users since the arch isn’t overly aggressive.
The Upper
The upper hugs the foot nicely and is built for comfort. There is ample cushion around the heel collar, a gusseted tongue to avoid that annoying slip to the side, and plenty of volume for the foot to sit comfortably in the shoe. I found training through the Houston heat that the upper breathes nicely and didn’t hold in heat and moisture against the foot.
The Fit
I recommend purchasing this shoe true to your normal size.
Running and Walking
This is by far my most favorite 361 shoe to date. In general whether you are running or working, the ride is smooth and the goal is comfort. This is the first shoe I’ve had from 361 that feels like they have truly embraced modern design to go with their premium materials.
For my rotation, I gravitate toward using this shoe as a daily trainer/long run shoe, but it’s also got some pickup when you need it. It’s not the shoe I’m gonna grab when I’m trying to push up into my interval pace, but for anything up to tempo work, I’m digging it.
They named their new midsole foam Primo, and while my first thought was that is a lot to live up to, in the Eleos it delivers.
This shoe thrives on road conditions, though it does just fine on crushed gravel as well. If you need to hop off-road it can get you where you’re going, but be a bit more careful with your footing as the larger stack height might prove a little problematic on vastly uneven surfaces.
While Houston is pancake flat, I think this shoe would prove a delight if you have to run on hillier terrain. The wide base around the foot provides plenty of leeway when running downhill (down bridge in my case) for an accidental over-stride.
For walkers this is one of my favorite shoes to reach for when I’m taking Spirit out for a walk or I’m just heading out for a casual afternoon in the neighborhood. If you’re exercise walking or taking it easy the shoe has fantastic cushion and traction through the stride.
In short this is an incredible leap forward for 361 as a brand and I’m excited to see how they integrate these newer concepts and designs into their other shoes!
The Gym
This shoe feels remarkably stable underfoot in spite of the stack height. I don’t recommend any overly heavy barbell lifts, but for a majority of users this will do just fine.
Daily Living
This has become a favorite shoe of mine in short order. It’s just as comfortable for heading out and about town as it is for running and walking. If you spend long hours on your feet they are supportive and structured with plenty of cushion to get you through your shift.
The only downside this shoe presents for daily living is the color availability. If your work has color requirements or restrictions, you may have a little more trouble as this shoe is currently only available in two colors for men and two for women.