Veja Campo vs. Esplar Review

Campo (also available here)// Esplar

This was originally posted on January 3, 2020. I am updating this post on February 25, 2022. My update will live at the bottom of this post! 

A few weeks ago, I shared on instastories that I was debating between two pairs of sneakers: the Veja Campo and Esplar. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the brand, Veja is a French brand and it became super popular when Meghan Markle was spotted wearing the brand many years ago. 

There are many different styles of sneakers from the brand, but the two I was most interested in were the Campo and Esplar in specifically these trims (tons of color options, though!). I haven't shared where or what we are doing for our honeymoon yet (I will after our wedding!) but we will be gone for approximately 18 days and quite a bit of exploring will be involved. I wanted to get a pair of chic neutral sneakers that I could bring with me as well as travel in. I do have several pairs of 'fashion' sneakers, but I just loved the crisp, neutral look of these two pairs. We still have a while until our honeymoon, but I wanted to get them and be able to fully break them in before then! 

Online, I really couldn't tell the difference between the two styles. They looked SO similar. So I ended up ordering both pairs. I couldn't find a single post anywhere on the internet comparing the two styles, so this post is for anyone who was wondering!

As soon as I took the pairs out of the box, in person, there is a very clear difference in the styles...

Esplar:

- 'Daintier' 

- Looks a lot like my Adidas Stan Smith (in terms of shape) 

- Simpler in design/ more streamlined (less rubber for the sole)

- Less shoe- you can see around the ankle that it has more open space 

- Smooth leather 

Campo:

- More shoe- bulky but I don't mean that in a negative way

- Pebbled texture (I think it makes them look nicer/higher quality)

- More support for your foot and more comfortable
- The word 'Veja' is on the outer side of this sneaker. The Esplar pair does not have this. 

The colors are obviously different. I actually ended up preferring the Campo in pretty much every way. First and foremost, right out of the box, they were really comfortable... a little stiff, but you can tell that once they're broken in, they will be amazing. The Esplar offered absolutely no support and definitely didn't seem like a shoe you'd wear when doing a lot of walking. The Esplar was even stiffer than the Campo. I also preferred the Campo's textured look rather than the streamline because it made them look nicer. All around, the Veja just felt more substantial and nicer/higher quality! 

Another reason I did not end up with the Esplar's is that they look SO much like my Stan Smith sneakers that I already own. Which I love, but don't need another pair that look so similar! The reason I am not taking my Stan Smith's on our honeymoon is that the green doesn't always match with everything and I want to pack as few pairs of sneakers as possible! I'll also likely pack my Tretorns which are another neutral, comfortable, and classic sneaker, and my actual workout sneakers because I might want to workout- 18 days is a long time!! 

As you can see, I ended up keeping the Campo style and returning the Esplar! Meghan Markle actually wore the V-10 style but I felt like they looked a little too 'bulky' and a little more trendy than I typically like!

Update February 25, 2022

How is the sizing?

I usually wear a size 39 in European brands like Gucci and I got a 39 in both pairs and found that they are perfect. 

How Do You Style Them?

I wear them mostly very casually with jeans in the spring and fall. They do look cute with dresses and shorts, too, though! See some updated photos above to see how I have worn them! I don't really think they look great with athletic/workout clothing. I find them to be stylish/fashion-forward and not athletic looking at all. 

Are they comfortable?

I can only speak to the Campo style since I ended up returning the Esplar! I find them to be very comfortable. They have a good amount of support. I have a high arch and so after about a year and a half, I ended up replacing the insoles that came with the sneakers with this insole. They are just better for my high arch and fit perfectly right inside of the Campos! I am able to walk 10,000 plus steps in these easily! 

Where can I find them?

You can find the Campo at Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Net A Porter, Shopbop, and more!