361 Degrees Eleos Review: Things Are Heating Up

What You Need To Know

Introduction to the 361 Degrees Eleos

SAM: Before I start, I do want to mention that since the last review I wrote for a 361 Degrees shoe, there have been no updates to lead me to believe that 361 Degrees has lessened its raw materials connection with the Xinjiang region of China. This is the region where reports claim major human rights offenses are occurring against the Uyghurs, a primarily Muslim ethnic group that lives there. While other companies have claimed their intention to ethically source materials, 361 Degrees has seemingly doubled down on raw materials from this region. Take that information as you may.

With that out of the way and the hope that I’m not on a CCP watchlist, I do want to say that I was excited to review 361 Degrees Elos. It’s not very often that I stray from the major brands here at Believe in the Run, so when I get the chance to do so, I have high hopes that the shoe landscape will be shaken up a bit. Let’s get into it.

LINDSAY: I’m not a newbie to the 361 Degrees brand this go around; the China-based brand is back on my feet with its newest daily trainer, the Eleos. The last time I reviewed a shoe for 361 Degrees, it was the Spire 5. Much like that shoe, the step-in feel of the 361 Eleos is very comfortable. Once again I’m asking myself, “Did I just put on a Hoka?” Well, ladies and gents, unlike the Spire 5, we’ve landed much closer to that Hoka comfort zone this time.

Let me take a beat here to thank Phil Anthony and the 361 team for an absolutely stellar PR box. I’m literally wearing a 361 t-shirt right now as I fly to Eugene to watch my boyfriend race in the Olympic Trials. Yes, that was a shameless, proud girlfriend plug. My 361 Eleos are also packed with me, beating out the Asics Superblast and Mizuno Neo Vista as the traveling daily trainer (and not just because I needed miles for this review; I genuinely wanted to run in the shoe).

Based on my previous experience with 361 Degrees, I wasn’t sure the Eleos was going to match all the hype of the PR box, but it most definitely did. 361 Degrees isn’t super well known (for now), but make way because their shoe designers are listening to what the people want, and their most recent response is the 361 Degrees Eleos.

Much like a Hoka, this visibly looks like a high-cushioned daily trainer. The first time I wore it, a friend asked which shoes I had on and what they compared to. The first shoe that came to mind was the Hoka Clifton. Both are max cushioned, lightweight, daily trainers with no extra gadgets (i.e., no “super” trainer nylon plate), but they are more responsive than a Hoka. A sort of “in-between,” if you will. That’s enough spoilers. Let’s get into the review.

What we like about the 361 Degrees Eleos

SAM: I often try to find the background to the name chosen for a shoe, because I believe that the name of the shoe often sheds light on its purpose. The 361 Degrees Eleos gets its name from a variety of potential sources, including the Greek god of mercy, the international chess rating system, and a Proto-Finnic word meaning “to live.” My wild guess is that chess doesn’t have much to do with it, and the other meanings point me toward this being a light and easy cruiser. If an easy breezy running shoe was 361 Degrees’s intention, they nailed it with the Elos.

This shoe has a 30 mm to 36 mm stack height, giving it a 6 mm drop, and the entire midsole is made up of its supercritical Primos compound. Maybe right now you are asking yourself: A high stack of supercritical foam? Well, the shoe better be light! If that is you, let your fears subside because my US M9.5 weighed in around the listed 9.9 oz and felt even lighter on foot. The upper is breathable and the lacing does the job, making this show technologically as sound as they come.

As far as the on-the-run feel goes, I really enjoyed the 361 Degrees Elos. I enjoyed it so much that I commented to people that this is what I wanted the original Superblast to feel like. I’m finding myself preferring firmer, more responsive shoes, and I found that the Elos falls on that side of the spectrum. 361 Degrees claims its comparisons are max cushion daily trainers like the Ghost Max or the Nimbus 26, but I found it more comparable to the Hoka Mach X.

In essence, it is a light and easy shoe to run in that is not soft but has more than enough cushion to get the job done and a surprising amount of pop to make your runs fun. The package the 361 Degrees Eleos was delivered in had images of a West Coast lowrider, but I think a more accurate comparison would be an old-school Mustang. A smooth driving convertible that still has enough engine to impress.

LINDSAY: One of my favorite parts about this shoe is that it’s got a lot of cushion for the pushin’, but it’s still super light. Wait… I meant for pushing off the ground with your feet, you sickos. The upper is soft and has a wide toe box. I sound like a broken record, but there is also more padding around the ankle area. It is breathable and has a mesh tongue for these hotter summer runs.

Now, this is the part I’ve been giddy to get to: the Primo foam midsole. New to 361 Degrees, they call this a “formulation of advanced supercritical foam.” Normally, I’d laugh at such terminology, but it actually sort of nails it. This foam midsole is bouncy, light, and comfortable, making every step a smooth transition from one to the next.

The outsole is a pretty standard rubber platform, but it’s quite wide, so the shoe is very stable without feeling massive or adding any extra weight.

What we don’t like about the 361 Degrees Eleos

SAM: I really don’t have many cons with this shoe outside of the dodgy materials sourcing. I want to say it got hot on some days here in the Baltimore humidity, but removing the Ortholite insole solved that problem for me. I also want to say that it occasionally felt clunky, but in the end, I found its wide platform to be more beneficial for stability. Overall, I have to say this is a great trainer. It didn’t knock my socks off, but there are little to no flaws and more than enough positives to impress me.

LINDSAY: I wouldn’t say there’s a superb lockdown here. I’d guess the shoe is meant to be worn on the lesser-than-tight end of the spectrum to add to its comfort. With that said, you can probably guess this isn’t great for speed work. There’s too much shoe to get that quick of cadence, but that’s not to say you can’t move seamlessly because you definitely can. Just not great for short, fast reps.

I know I said the upper is breathable, and it is, but man, did my feet feel the heat of the promenade during those afternoon runs. I’m not sure there is much that can be done with that, given the current feels-like temp in the low 100s here in Baltimore. Definitely not a deal breaker, but it was a tad on the miserable side (as was every other part of the run in that temp).

Final thoughts on the 361 Degrees Eleos

SAM: In the end, the 361 Degrees Eleos might not be for everyone because it’s from an unknown shoe company to most of the US market, and comfort and confidence are priority number one when it comes to choosing a running shoe. I loved the smooth, light, and bouncy ride of this shoe. While it might not have the easy day comfort some of us are looking for in an easy runner, I think it has more than enough cushion to be an everyday shoe that deserves a spot in your rotation. My mother always told me that you can only find good things once you have left your comfort zone, so maybe it’s time for us to do that with 361 Degrees.

LINDSAY: This shoe will have its lovers and its haters. The “lovers” are those who want a super comfortable, high-cushioned daily trainer to replace their long line of Hokas that they are simply bored of. The 361 Degrees Eleos is a great pivot into something new that matches the comfort standard of a Hoka with a bouncier midsole foam.

The haters, on the other hand, will say this shoe has way too much cushion. It’s like Oprah handed out padding to every individual part of the shoe. The haters will say they can’t move quickly or feel the ground. And to that, I respond: more 361 Degrees Eleos for the rest of us, then.

This relatively affordable daily trainer costs $145, which is equal to the pricing of some of its closest competitors. I’ve put 50 miles on my pair, and if I didn’t examine the outsole, you’d never know it. It will stay in my rotation long after this review is published.

You can pick up the 361 Degrees Eleos for $145 from 361 Degrees by using the buttons below.