The Veja Condor 3 Advanced stands out with its sleek design and eco-conscious construction. What we want to know is how does it stack up as a fast running shoes? I mean it’s gorgeous and we want to wear it daily, but it feels a little off the mark for our runs.
The new Veja Condor 3 Advanced brings sustainability to the running world with its bio-based materials. We’re really excited to see brands putting more emphasis on sustainability and that’s the first focus for Veja.
You may have seen the Veja Condor 3 which was released last year, this is the upgraded version with a bio-based rigid E.V.A. dynamic-plate. It now makes the $200 price tag make more sense…maybe, let’s see.
We put it to the test to see if this eco-conscious shoe can keep up with the demands of serious runners.
The truth is there are some hits and some misses in this shoe.
Who Is It Good For?
Who is the Veja Condor 3 Advanced a good fit for, let’s break it down by some common categories:
- Wide Feet: With a narrow fit and no wide sizes available, these are not designed for those with wide feet in mind.
- Heavier Runners: Durable shoe, with an almost road to trail feel which makes us think it’s going to hold up well.
- Long Runs: While they can handle a 16-mile run, they may lack the plush cushion many are used to.
- Front of the Pack: A reactive shoe with nice stability, but without the bounce you might have found in other carbon plates.
This is a daily trainer with some speed, some road to trail look and a great Eco-conscious design. If that feels a little confusing, join the club. We can’t quite pin point this shoe.
Veja Condor 3 Advanced Overview
Feel like you’ve never heard of this brand, but already know you want to? Ya that seems to be consensus from the look of these French brand.
As soon as I saw these, my first thought was that if I didn’t like running in them, they’ll be a great new everyday wear sneaker. The almost monochromatic whites and off whites look so sleek, and the up close almost crocheted texture and finer details really make this shoe.
Next it was time to head out for a run.
The first run I almost cut short simply because these were a bit harder to break in than other shoes I’d had. By the end of the first run, my toes were cramping from lack of space and felt sore for the rest of the evening. The recovery run went a bit better, and I didn’t notice as much discomfort.
My first few runs in these shoes revealed a narrow fit with limited toe space, leading to some discomfort, especially on longer runs. While they became more comfortable over time, the firm feel and lack of cushioning may not be ideal for runners seeking more cushion.
Normally I would’ve tried to do more than two runs in a pair of shoes before committing to a long run in them, but that’s just not how my schedule worked out while testing these, so my third run I took the to my local state park for a 16-mile run.
After 16 miles, my toes felt a lot better than they did on that first run, but I did notice discomfort at the base of my little toe off and on throughout the run, and after the run I couldn’t wait to get the Condor 3 Advanced off to give my toes more room to breathe.
While I wore them for a few additional base pace or recovery runs, the next notable run was the speed workout I did in them. They felt great during my sprints, light enough to keep me moving, and stable enough to help correct a few bad steps when I got a bit ahead of myself.
Overall, the Condor 3 Advanced keep getting more comfortable each time I wear them, however, there are still spacing issues that leave me wanting a bit more.
Coach Amanda: I’ve gone back and forth with this shoe. I think the issue is it’s having an identity crisis.
If I were treating it as a road to trail shoe that allowed me to pick up the pace, then I’d totally understand the firmer feel and that the plate is also acting as a rock guard. But as a road shoe, we wanted more from it in terms of energy return and overall comfort.
As a road shoe the addition of the plate seems to have taken away the mild cushioned feeling from the original.
Veja Condor 3 Advanced Specs
- Weight: 10 oz Men’s, 10 oz Women’s
- Stack Height: 37mm
- Heel Drop: 8 mm
- 3 Colors
- Not available in wide
- Available on Rei.com for $200
I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it again, white shoes normally aren’t my thing because I’m so worried about ruining them with one ill-placed mud puddle, but I have to say, I LOVE the look of these. And that’s awesome, except I don’t really need a plated $200 shoe for my casual wear.
One thing beyond the look that I love is the commitment Veja has to being environmentally sustainable.
The Condor 3 Advanced fit the bill with tons of recycled materials in use to design an eco-friendly running shoe. They offer a very specific breakdown of the materials used for each part of the shoe on their website!
Veja Condor 3 Advanced Fit
The Veja Condor 3 Advanced is unlike any shoe I’ve ever worn, so let’s break it down a bit more.
The toebox felt fairly tight without much give, not leaving enough room for a comfortable toe splay, especially on long runs when I’d prefer a little extra space.
The Condor 3 Advanced also feels very narrow in general. My initial thoughts putting them on were that it’s a good thing my feet don’t get claustrophobic! It felt like the middle of my feet were being tightly hugged on both sides.
There was not much cushion or support in places I’m used to, leaving it feeling like there was nothing to support my arch.
The tongue isn’t too thick and comes up nicely so that it’s easy to slip your feet in and out, plus it stays in place during the run without issue.
While I normally wear a 9.5, I got these in a 10 – so it’s hard to say if the looseness around my heel would’ve been better in my normal size, or if my normal size would have exacerbated the other tightness throughout the shoe.
Coach Amanda: Interestingly we’ve seen some male testers find the width pretty right on. So it’s possible the women’s last is just running too narrow.
Veja Condor 3 Advanced Feel
The Veja Condor 3 Advanced felt pretty firm when wearing them, but they also felt light and responsive.
Overall, I felt very stable in them – they handled well on a treadmill, road, and some gravel paths throughout my local state park.
I think my biggest pro was that the laces were long enough to easily tie and double knot – something that I’ve felt was lacking in some of my previous running shoes. Especially in the cold, I appreciate laces that I don’t fumble trying to tie simply because they aren’t long enough.
I would say that I felt almost all of the cushion I noticed came from my socks and not the shoes themselves. They were quite firm and didn’t have much give as far as feeling cushioned.
Similar Shoes to the Veja Condor 3 Advanced
We’ve tested a few that feel similar, but different based on the brand fit:
- On Cloudsurfer Trail – No plate, moderate cushion, great for road to trail
- New Balance Rebel V4 – No plate, moderate cushion, lighter shoe for speed
- Saucony Endorphin Speed – Plated not as bouncy as some for speed
If you’re looking for a sleek, environmentally friendly, minimally cushioned running shoe, the Veja Condor 3 Advanced may be your perfect fit!
Have you run in anything from Veja?
Would love to get your feedback on the brand!
Who Tried It?
Hi, I’m Brittni! I’m a content strategist for a small web design and marketing company. I also have a background in biochemistry, pharmaceuticals, and libraries – so I’ve done a little bit of everything! I got into running in 2020 and now I’m training for my first marathon in my go-to shoe, Brooks Adrenaline. My current half PR is just under 1:57, and I’m aiming to get that closer to 1:50. Feel free to follow my running journey (and personal nonsense) on Instagram: @brittni.anne.
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