Veja Made Sustainable Sneakers Cool. Now, It’s Launched a Hiking Shoe

Veja may not be known for its outdoor acumen, but its first hiking shoe is a strong contender against the likes of Arc’teryx, Merrell and Salomon.

By Hayley Helms

Published March 3, 2023

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Updated April 3, 2023

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If you know Veja, you’re probably familiar with the brand thanks to its focus on sustainability (and, perhaps, its popularity with celebs such as of Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, Kourtney Kardashian and Emily Ratajkowski). While it’s thought of primarily as a lifestyle brand, the Paris-based brand just launched its first hiking shoe…and once I put it on, I didn’t want to take it off.

The Fitz Roy was built to be a solid and stable hiking shoe, with technical details that are absent from Veja’s more lifestyle-leaning offerings. Built in the same being as its other models, the brand new Fitz Roy fuses sustainability and attractiveness into one lightweight package. Named for the iconic mountain range of the same name, the Fitz Roy is meant to pay homage to the Patagonian peak, which was successfully summitted for the first time in 1952.

Here are my thoughts on what may just be your new favorite hiking shoe: the Veja Fitz Roy.

The Veja Fitz Roy, at a glance

Weight:
Materials: 100% recycled polyester, Amazonian rubber, PFC-free water repellent
Sustainability: 43% sustainable materials
Price: $245

Veja Fitz Roy

$245.00 at Huckberry

Pros

Comfortable for long or short distances

Cons

Expensive compared to more traditional hiking shoes

What’s Good About Veja’s Fitz Roy

It has a light environmental footprint

Following the success of Veja’s first collaboration with Vibram, the Dekkan, this new outdoor trekking and hiking shoe demonstrates Veja’s continued expansion into the active performance world. The light environmental footprint of this new hiker was achieved with a few key material and construction choices: the upper is made with 100 percent recycled polyester, which is both water-resistant and hard-wearing thanks to a PFC-free water repellant treatment.

Additionally, Veja’s Fitz Roy is built with a bio-based back insert for support, made with 60 percent ricin oil. The insole is made with a small percentage of Amazonian rubber, as well as 47 percent sugar cane. The midsole is 50-percent sugarcane, and the outsole is 31-percent Amazonian rubber. Overall, the shoe is 43-percent bio-based and recycled, and made in Brazil.

It mixes comfort and performance in an attractive package

Aside from its (proprietary and brand name) eco-friendly attributes, I found myself reaching for the Fitz Roy over other hikers thanks to its multi-directional crampons — which gripped and ripped on the trail — as well as a rocker plate placed between the midsole and outsole that offers protection from sharp objects. The wide shape of the toe box maximizes comfort and allows for a good amount of toe splay; this is an attribute many shoes claim, but one I actually noticed in the Fitz Roy.

The Fitz Roy functions like a technical hiking shoe, but it doesn’t necessarily present as one, and I liked its more lifestyle-leaning aesthetic. I could wear the shoes before or after hikes, whether I was grabbing lunch or running around with friends and not only did the shoe blend into my life beyond the trail, but it’s far more comfortable than the non-technical shoes I wear in everyday life. Gorp-core is having its moment in the world of fashion, but once that trend (inevitably) fades, I’ll still be wearing my Fitz Roys.

What’s Not Ideal About Veja’s Hiking Shoe

It’s not the most supportive hiking shoe

The Fitz Roy places a premium on comfort and sustainability, but if you need desire close groundfeel in your hikers, or are looking for a nimble, agile shoe to navigate challenging terrain, I probably wouldn’t recommend the Fitz Roy. Stick with your more traditional, and more technical, Salomon or Arc’teryx hikers instead.

The Fitz Roy is a little squishier and less sensitive than classically “technical” shoes. While that’s a relief when you’re fitting in a hike between other activities, if you’re going for more than 10 miles, I’d recommend a lighter, more tactile shoe that can support you for longer and more challenging hikes.

The fit can be challenging

I’m a true 7.5 through and through, and although I found the Fitz Roy to be true to size, reviews of Veja’s other offerings feature a common theme: customers going up a half-size for a more accurate fit. The Fitz Roy has a wider toe box and a cushioned wraparound heel that promote a comfortable fit, but if you skew toward the larger end of your size, I would suggest sizing up just in case. I wore my Fitz Roys with both thin and thick hiking socks, and with a thicker sock, the shoe felt a little tight, but not enough to justify bumping up half a size.

Veja Fitz Roy: The Verdict

What makes a hiking shoe “work” isn’t always its technical features — many times, what makes a hiking shoe your favorite is a combination of both performance and aesthetics. For most folks, even the most technically advanced shoe will be a runner up to another that functions well and can transition from trail to town. Veja’s Fitz Roy falls into the latter category: it’s both technically proficient and aesthetically cool, with a strong selection of sustainable features, to boot.

I found it to be a comfortable, stable ride that I didn’t really want to take off. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it made me want to hike more, just to wear it. That’s glowing praise to be sure, but when you know, you know, and that’s how I feel toward what may be my new favorite hiking shoe.