Veja Campo Sneakers: In-depth Review after 1 Year

Video Review

See my Campos up close from all angles - both brand new and after 2 months of frequent wear:

Veja Replaced my Campos after 1 year

After a year, a hole inside the heel of my right shoe gave me a big blister. I was gutted I couldn't wear my pretty Vejas any more, especially when they still looked damn good otherwise.

See photos of how my Campos looked after a year below ↓

But the good news is that Veja replaced them for free! Read all about my Veja warranty customer service experience here →

I Love the Look

These are the prettiest sneakers I've ever owned. I actually gasped when I first opened the box. They looked that beautiful.

The combination of the creamy white pebble leather with the delicate pink accents is just perfection.

Sneakers often make big feet look super size with all their padding. Not these. My Veja Campos look really neat on my feet. Being able to size down to a 42 helped, but the wider style helps break up my foot too.

They look cute with summer dresses & cool with jeans. They're neat & chic, so you can dress them up or down. So versatile.

My original pale pink pair were the white petale colorway (available up to a generous size 43) and my new 2023 rose gold Campos are called white nacre and go up to size 47 eu. As of February 2024, select Campo colors now go right up to size 49 eu (114.5 uk, 16 us women)!

They're both made with ChromeFree leather, which is soft and light and made in a more environmentally friendly way. Vejas come in a rainbow of colors - including pastels, brights & darks - with new shades released each season.

My Fitflop Rally sneakers (up to 43 eu) (full review here) have a similar classic laced sneaker shape, but look quite different on the foot. Fitflop Rallys make your feet look long and slender, whereas these Veja Campos give your foot a wider, shorter profile.

How Campos Fit (Size Down if in Doubt)

I found Campo sneakers are a wide fit and run slightly large, so you may need to go down a half or whole European shoe size unless you have quite wide feet.

I recommend buying Vejas by European shoe size because they're a French brand. Some of their international shoe size conversions are unusual. Plus, other stores that use UK & US sizing can use their own custom conversions which is really confusing.

I usually wear size 43 eu (9 uk, 11-11.5 us) sneakers, but my Veja Campos are only size 42 with an insole length of 27.6 cm.

For comparison with other sneaker brands, my usual Nike size is 11.5 us women's (9 uk, 44 eu) and my Adidas size is 9 uk (43⅓ eu, 10.5 us women's).

When my size 42 online order arrived, I felt my big toe had a bit less wiggle room than usual. Vejas ain't cheap & it's rare for me to size down, so I went to a men's shoe store to try my usual size 43 to be sure. As soon as I put size 43 on, it felt all wrong: way too big & clunky. I'm so glad I sized down, and it means my feet look smaller too - always a good thing!

My sister usually wears size 41 eu (7.5 uk) shoes, but she sized down to 40 in Veja Campos, which have a 26cm insole. She found one shoe a bit tight after wearing them though. Luckily she was able to make it longer with my shoe stretcher.

Veja sneakers are unisex and men's shoes tend to be wider than women's. Veja Campos have quite a wide toe box so they should suit women with wide feet as well as medium width. My feet are on the wide side and they are plenty wide for me.

I wouldn't recommend Campos for narrow feet though. Although the laces allow for an adjustable fit, the sneaker shape is fairly broad.

Veja Size Chart Changes

2023 update: Veja Campos are now available in more half sizes and their size chart shows foot lengths instead of insole lengths and widths.

Veja also changed some foot lengths in their size chart during Summer 2023. The September 2023 size chart foot lengths look true to size, but because they're quite wide, the sizing feels generous.

See the current Veja Campo size chart via the 'size guide' link beside the size dropdown on any Campo product page.

It should be easier to get a good fit with more half Campo sizes now. Since they seem to tweak their size charts regularly, I'd definitely contact Veja for personal sizing advice if you have any confusion about the right size for you.

Are Campos Comfy?

Veja Campos are definitely fashion sneakers rather than sport sneakers. They feel more like casual shoes on than trainers & they don't feel springy like athletic sneakers. Note: Veja also do specialist running shoes for a more cushioned feel. I've tried those on & they feel just as comfy as other sports brands.

But I've been pleasantly surprised by how comfy my Campos are. Firstly, they needed no breaking in. I didn't find the leather stiff at all & there's plenty of padding round the back of the heel. I had no fear of getting blisters right from the first wear which is unusual for me.

However they do feel flat under foot when walking outside, especially at first. The back of your foot feels nice & cushioned but the sole is completely flat and hard. So it feels like there is no flexibility in the sole under the main part of your foot.

It's not uncomfortable, but it does feel strange at first. I've had a similar feeling wearing skate shoes before. This does fade with time & after a few weeks I no longer noticed it.

Once you're inside, these sneakers feel great from day 1. I found them nice & comfy wandering round a big shopping mall for a couple of hours when they were brand new.

Another thing to be aware of is they're not that lightweight.

My 2022 size 42 Campos weighed around around 420g (nearly 15 oz) each, with my new 2023 pair weighing slightly lighter at 385g & 395g (14 oz) approx.

My similar style Fitflop Rally sneakers are 60% lighter at just 255g (9 oz) each. While Campos feel substantial in the hand, they don't feel clunky or heavy on your feet though.

Finally, in warm weather (mid 70s °F, mid 20s °C) they do start to feel a bit hot and heavy my feet after a while, although they don't get sweaty.

Can you Walk Lots?

I walk a LOT & I can walk around 3 miles (5 km) continuously in my Campos before my feet start to ache.

I found the hard sole feeling faded over time, so I now also wear them on days with a high step count overall once I'm only walking a bit at a time with breaks e.g. an outlet shopping trip, or pottering around sightseeing.

They are very comfy for shorter walks & are my go-to sneakers for daily errands and strolls. But if I'll be on my feet all day or I'm going on a long weekend walk, I wear sporty sneakers instead.

Heads up: Avoid running in Campos, even just for the bus like me. The fronts of my shins ached for days!

The Long Tongue

Veja Campo sneakers have an extra long tongue & I saw complaints about the stiff tongue digging in pre purchase.

I needn't have worried though. I always wear socks with my Campos and never had any problems with the tongue. It's lightly padded & I don't feel it at all. It also stays in place even though I didn't put the laces though the loop on the tongue.

But I tried them briefly with very low invisible socks when I first got them & I noticed a mark across the front of my foot from the top of the tongue afterwards. So I can see how this might cause discomfort with wear.

I've seen a veja tongue trick where you push the tongue to the side initially until it softens up.

But once you're wearing socks that go up higher than the tongue, you should be fine from day 1 with no tongue breaking in or workarounds needed.

Get Busy Lacing

Campo sneakers arrive unlaced (direct from Veja at least) which is unusual. I don't mind that at all. It means you know you've got a pristine pair.

Lacing my original 2022 pair for the first time was a hassle, pushing the thick laces through the tiny holes with bits of padding getting everywhere.

But I'm happy to report that Veja have improved this for their 2023 Campos. The laces feel smoother now and fit through the holes easily. So it's a quick 5 minute job and you're all done.

I followed the aesthetic/photogenic lacing style in this video to get a neat finish, including not putting my laces through the loop in the tongue.

I'm nitpicking, but I'd love if the bright white laces were a softer tone to compliment the creamy pebble leather. I do appreciate that Veja use fairtrade organic cotton laces though which may well be pure white for environmental reasons which is fair enough!

With a bit of everyday wear, the white doesn't stay too bright for long anyway. They didn't look grubby to the eye, but when I washed my laces for the first time after 2 months I couldn't believe how much brighter they looked afterwards.

One thing I do like about the laces is the perfect length. I often try to hide my long lace ends in my sneakers, but I can just forget about that with my Campos & leave my nice neat laces on show.

Note that Veja laces come in 3 slightly different lengths: 125cm (sizes 35-38), 135 cm (sizes 39-42) & 145cm (sizes 43-47).

Real World Test: 2 Months Wear

I wore my Campos several times a week for the first few months, walking about 10 miles a week (16 km) on average in them.

They looked well after 2 months' regular wear. The leather quickly creased around the front and also at the Veja tab at the back of the heel, so they no longer looked box fresh, but that's what real leather shoes do. The sides of the shoes & the pink Vs still looked brand new.

The rubber outsole had a few grey marks near the back which didn't easily wipe off. I didn't try scrubbing them because they didn't bother me.

The very back of the sole was slightly worn down but the full sole still looked good otherwise. You could still see all the pattern on it.

6 Months Wear update

I'm happy to report my Vejas still looked good after over 6 months' wear. In fact, they looked more or less the same on the outside as they did after 2 months.

I was surprised how little the sole wore down. One unusual thing is that the outer sides of the sole show the most wear.

This has never happened me before. It's usually the exact opposite, with the inner side of my right sole wearing heaviest because that foot over pronates or rolls in.

On the inside, there was a slight wear hole starting to come at the back of the heel on my right foot. But it was minimal and I didn't feel it at all yet. Plus the insoles still seemed in perfect condition after 6 months.

I switched to wearing Skechers Arch Fit for a couple of months. I expected my Vejas to feel rock hard after living in squishy Skechers, but they felt fine straight away which was a nice surprise.

So my Campos definitely softened up and got more comfy over time. I even started wearing them on day trips, with a high daily step count, once there are no long continuous walks involved. For example, a day trip to a shopping outlet, or city sightseeing.

The one gotcha is I can still only walk about 3 miles straight in them. I made the mistake of walking over 4 miles one day & I couldn't wait to get them off my feet.

So I stick to running shoes for my long walks, and wear my Campos for shorter strolls, errands on the go & leisurely days out.

1 Year Wear Updates

Unfortunately the slight wear after 6 months suddenly turned into a proper hole at the back of the heel. However Veja considered this to be "premature wear" so I got a replacement pair for free.

As well as the unwearable hole at the right heel, the left heel was just starting to wear too (similar to how the right heel looked at 6 months).

It's a real shame because my Campos were wearing very well otherwise. The soles and overall look of the leather look much the same after a year as at the 6 months mark which is impressive.

Replacement Pair: 6 Months Wear

So far so good with my new pair of rose gold Campos. But they've only had 6 months light wear, because I didn't wear them much over the wet Winter here in Ireland.

I really hope I was just unlucky with my first pair, and my replacement pair last longer. I love how chic & shimmery the metallic rose gold looks, so I'll be wearing them at every opportunity through Spring/Summer 2024 and will report back here.

Cleaning Campos

These are white runners but the combo of the creamy off-white pebble leather & classic laced sneaker aesthetic & laces mean that bits of dirt are not too obvious. I just give mine a quick wipe with a damp cloth after a mucky walk or every now and then.

I find putting a small squirt of mild dishwashing liquid on a damp cloth, e.g. Fairy liquid in the UK or Dawn in the US, good for removing marks on the rubber outsole that don't wipe off easily. I've also removed more stubborn stains by gently rubbing a soft toothbrush along the rubber. I haven't used any special leather cleaners or treatments to date.

Tip:Veja have a short sneaker cleaning video showing you how to clean leather, suede, mesh & cotton sneakers.

I've worn my Vejas on many mucky winter walks and got caught in plenty of rain showers too. My feet have never got wet and the leather was fine afterwards.

Like any white sneakers, they just get dirty easily walking on wet ground, but a quick wipe down afterwards is all they need.

If you wear them on wet days or park walks, bits of dirt & muck even get on the laces. But this isn't obvious unless you're close up, so I rarely bother washing mine.

When I was giving the shoes a closer look at the 2 month review mark, I noticed the tongues had quite a few dirty marks on them. When I removed the laces I could see dirt around the bottom of the tongue and on the laces too. But you don't notice any of this when you're wearing them everyday.

Even most older marks come off with a wipe & the laces look much brighter after machine washing them too. They're a bit too bright white at first actually, especially against the worn-in creamy leather.

Where to buy Veja Campo

I bought my sneakers direct from Veja who ship to most countries worldwide. Some Campo colours go right up to size 49 eu but others stop at a roomy size 43.

• Campo sneakers on Veja US ($175 approx)
• Campo sneakers on Veja Europe (€150 approx)

Veja offer free shipping & returns for most regions including US, UK & Europe. They don't do discount codes, but they do have an outlet section which makes them a bit cheaper.

Other Veja Campo Stockists

Here are direct links to Veja Campo sneakers at popular stores to save you time if you want to check for a better deal. For sizes larger than 41, you may need to buy from the men's department, but all campos are unisex.

Note that if you end up buying via the links below, I could earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Global: Farfetch

Farfetch is a luxury online marketplace with a great selection of Vejas. If you have your heart set on a color that's sold out on Veja, this could be your best bet. They have separate search results for women's campos and men's campos but all campos are unisex.

Farfetch can be pricey but all taxes & duties are included at checkout & returns are free for most regions worldwide (UK, EU, US, Canada, Australia etc), so there's no nasty surprises after you order.

Global: Allsole

Allsole is an online UK store for designer footwear brands including Veja. They've a good selection of Campos with free UK delivery & cheap UK returns.

They also ship worldwide, with all taxes & duties included for EU post Brexit.

US Veja Stockists

• Nordstrom - NB you can return worn shoes if they don't work out which is a big bonus!
• Saks Fifth Avenue

UK Veja Stockists

• La Redoute UK - French catalogue company with good deals
• Selfridges
• Offspring - sneaker specialists

Australia & New Zealand Veja Stockists

• Hype DC - sneaker specialists

Is Veja a good brand?

French sneaker brand Veja is pronounced Vay-zhah (which rhymes with Deja vu). The v on the sides of their stylish sneakers is instantly recognisable & celeb fans include Katie Holmes, Meghan Markle & Kate Middleton.

Veja sell ethical sneakers, made in Brazil, for around the same price as big sneaker brands even though they cost more to make. So more of your money goes to the producers & eco friendly production methods instead of flashy ad campaigns & influencers.

I love Veja's ethos. I paid around $130 (£110) for my Campos, which is the most I'd ever spent on a pair of sneakers. But they are good quality shoes & I'm happy to support a sustainable brand striving to make a difference. You can read more about Veja's story & values on their website.

I was so disappointed when my right sneaker got a hole at the back after a year, especially when they had plenty of wear left otherwise. But I was really impressed with Veja's customer service and that I got my Campos replaced so easily over a year after my order - full details here.

As a premium sustainable brand, Veja shoes should last a long time and they stand by this. This sets them apart and makes them a good brand in my opinion.

Final verdict: are Veja Campos worth it?

Overall I'm very pleased with my Campos. They look SO pretty.

I was gutted they only lasted a year. But I was extremely impressed that I could still return them to Veja for a full refund via store credit.

I ordered a replacement pair ASAP & just hope they last longer this time.🤞

Bottom line: these are super cute sneakers that look good with everything. They're also surprisingly comfortable for fashion sneakers.

But if you're hitting the gym or on your feet all day, sporty sneakers or more supportive shoes are more suitable.

Have you tried Veja sneakers? Got any Campo questions? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

Plus: check out my fashion sneakers for big feet guide for lots more cute looks & find pretty big sneakers in your size near you & online in the big shoe shop directory.