REI Co-op  Beyonder Shoes - Men's

First off, I’ll say that normally I run in Altra’s so I am used to and prefer a wider toe-box and zero-drop from toe to heel. That being said, I thought this shoe performed very well when compared to others like it in the market. The toe/heel drop was not super pronounced and the cushion was a good ride, not too cushy, with a firm foot contact with the ground. There was a bit of a pronounced arch cushion that I was not used to, this might have led to some hot spots I got on my run although no blisters. Overall, a good shoe, but for my personal taste, I couldn’t give it 5 stars. Thank you for reliably good gear, REI!

My feet tend to overheat all of the time. So when REI sent these Beyonder shoes to me I was very excited to try them out. When I first took them out of the box I thought that they looked a little odd. They came in the "Indigo Fade" color which I did like. At the store I would have probably passed right by them. They are not normally my choice of shoe style. But after trying them for a the past week I actually received a couple of compliments on them. I didn't expect that. For the comfortability they are quite comfortable. They are very lite in weight and feel almost like putting on a sock. When first wearing them, the ankle area felt a little tight for me, but after a couple of days I didn't even notice it anymore. The insole is very comfortable but still gives me plenty of support. As for the breathability these are awesome. This is my favorite part. I don't think that a shoe could get any better air flow this unless you wear sandals. I wouldn't but them to run in, but I did do a short jog on pavement in them and they were fine. Walking on easy trails they did great. I tried put water on tile floor and they have a good grip to them. The only complaint that I could come up with these shoes, is that when I took one of the walks in them, I went down a sandy trail that was dry. I looked down and the shoes had picked up a lot of dust (see picture). But once I arrived home I took them off and they cleaned up nicely. I have to say I like them much more that I thought that I would.

Well constructed and comfortable shoe. Mesh upper is all one piece which is interesting. It does make cinching the laces a bit useless therefore the fit can’t really be adjusted. For me they fit well out of the box so no big deal. Insole has support if you need it and still feels good if you don’t. Great summer walking shoe.

Not only do I love the color and look of these shoes, more importantly they are very comfortable. I have a similar pair of shoes from a different brand (TNF) and my one complaint on them is the sole is so soft I can feel stones when I walk on them. Not these! They are stiff soled but in a good way. I’m loving them.

I got these for free to test and review so I was expecting very little as it's difficult to find a pair of shoes that is styled to your taste both in design and color but also feels really comfortable. Somehow, these Beyonders tick all of the boxes and I really like them. I received the indigo fade color which I thought did not look great on the REI website - in the pictures they appear to be a gray color more so than blue. In person, they are actually a dark, rich navy, which I love, and the contrasting goldish, orange laces look really cool and striking. Other than the colors, I like the design a lot - they are tastefully modern with a rounded toe design. Most of the new shoes from Nike and Adidas just look ridiculous with things like enormous, terribly shaped soles, wedge shaped fronts, cheap looking materials or poor colors. The Beyonders are near perfect style-wise. The fabric appears to be mesh on the website photos but it's not, it's a higher quality, stretchy fabric that is layered so there is a continuous layer of fabric beneath the first mesh-like looking layer. It's somewhat dense but on the thinner side and the layered structure provides good breathability. It's light enough to be good for summer heat and should be quite durable. I'd probably wear these in the fall but not on winter days when the temperature is below freezing. These are definitely best suited for around town though as they'd be difficult to wipe clean and don't have substantial outsole treads. I got the same size that I wear in all sneakers/running shoes (Brooks, On, Nike, Adidas - 10.5) and it's a perfect fit. With the stretch fabric, they provide a sock-like fit and hug the foot. They are very similar in fit and comfort to the Brooks Levitate & Ricochet. These hug my feet perfectly - they aren't too tight. On the other hand, the Adidas Ultraboost that have a similar sock-like design put a lot of compression on my feet making them feel like they are in a vice. The Beyonders are great in that regard - they hug just enough. The insole is comfortable - soft but it also provides some stability shaping to them in the arches. I usually prefer a flat, neutral insole but these feel good and the support is a unique design - it feels like it's longer, wider under the arch and transitions more gently under the rest of the foot than in other shoes - I kind of like it! Despite having normal arches, it feels supportive. Along with the sock-like fit, I slipped these on straight out of the box without adjusting the laces at all. I will probably never need to adjust the laces - they fit comfortably tight naturally on my feet. All in all, I'm very happy with these and I'm going to end up wearing them a lot around town. As they get older, I'll wear them for indoor rowing, walking and running.

Upfront let me say that I am used to using more minimalist, zero-drop shoes, so anything I write in this review needs to be filtered through that. Also, I received this product for free. I am not really sure what this product's primary intended use is--hiking or casual, but I didn't particularly like it for either. I was shocked by how thick the heels are in this shoe; it felt like I was in high-heels. The mesh uppers are nice and breathable, but the enclosure around the ankle was uncomfortably tight. The rear especially rubbed my Achilles tendon--I wear low socks, and the back part of the shoe hit above my sock-line. I guess you'd need to wear taller socks while wearing these. The laces didn't have much give to them, which made it difficult to get a good fit. I had a size 9, which is what I typically wear but these felt very tight. I'd recommend ordering a half-size up. I do like what REI is trying to do with the sustainability of this product. It is made from a lot of recycled and/or bio based materials. That's pretty cool.

I bought these shoes to replace my worn out work shoes (also from REI in 2019). I'm standing still for long periods, either with shoes on or off, and have a doubled yoga mat to help. These might not be right for folks with wider feet. The footbed is a thing of beauty, particularly the hidden cupped heelbone support. I have had plantar fasciitis for a long time, and it started massaging out the moment I started walking around with these in the store. Next day it is all but gone. I also am very encouraged by the level of recycled and sustainable materials used, and solidity of construction. One-piece weave upper, very breathable!

These are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever owned. As comfortable as the $300 Ecos I bought BUT I’ve had them for less than two months and they are already breaking down. I have worn them nowhere, but around the house; cutting grass, climbing on the roof and whatever but I rotate my shoes. I might not wear the same pair for 9 days. Still in just two months time that they’re showing wear and tear as if they were a year old. I don’t see them lasting very long. Super disappointed because they’re like wearing slippers.

I’m a solid 12D - the size 12 was short and narrow. Also, the deep olive is a good color but much more olive than the pictures on the website. Frustrating/disappointing: unlike most retailers, REI doesn’t include a return label; instead, you have to print it off the website and they charge you $5.99 to return. I won’t be buying anything anything else from REI that I can’t try on somewhere first (no REI store within 300 miles).

Nice shoe and eco-concept. Just too tight for me, so had to return them. Ordered my usual size 13. And really liked the color.