Review: adizero golf shoe
adidas Golf says its new adizero footwear is the closest thing you can get to wearing nothing at all. But is that really the case?
Having stamped its authority on the basketball court, athletics track and football field over the last two years, adidas’ most successful sports shoe has finally touched down on the golf course.
And it’s already made giant strides since launching at the start of the year.
According to adidas Golf’s global marketing footwear manager Davide Mattucci, 75% of the company’s staff players are already wearing the adizero – and about 20 of them have been in the shoe since the first week of the PGA Tour season.
After enjoying my first full round with the white/black model at the weekend, it’s easy to see why.
Having a golf shoe that’s incredibly stable and comfortable is extremely important to my game, but if there’s one thing golf footwear designers haven’t really mastered in recent years, it’s that weight element. There’s nothing worse than labouring early on the back nine, tired, on your legs and unable to disembark that bogey train.
Weighing in at just 311g, this incredibly lightweight, athletic shoe – 38% lighter than the popular Tour 360 ATV - sets you lower and closer to the ground, which aided me with great stability around the greens.
I also enjoyed the high-abrasion rubber heel crash pad that provided me with added comfort while walking. I was also blister-free after my round, which I find is a rarity when playing with new shoes for the first time.
Featuring a 1.2 millimetre Sprint Frame outsole - adidas’ thinnest ever microfibre leather upper which makes it light, comfortable and durable - and a 10-spike configuration with Thintech low-profile technology for added traction and stability, adidas has designed a shoe that ticks all the boxes.
The shoe, as worn by in-form quintet Brandt Snedeker, Dustin Johnson, Boo Weekley, Sergio Garcia and Jason Day, has also been designed with a completely new shape to closer resemble the foot. A wide mid-section has been built for support but there’s no excess material in the heel/toe area which is a nice touch.
I also like the fact the adizero has a stable mid-foot but is flexible in the sense it encourages natural movement.
I was also surprised at how waterproof this shoe was considering its weight. Although you will probably find better shoes equipped for the rain than the adizero, I was pleasantly surprised at how dry my feet stayed throughout the round even when the heavens opened for a good half hour on the back nine.
Biggest negative for me is that it leaves plenty of indentation marks when there's dew on the greens during an early morning round. Almost have to be on tip toes to walk off the dancefloor without leaving spike marks.
Verdict
Yes £130 is expensive for a golf shoe but having worn them for several rounds now, the adizero really is the closest thing you can get to wearing nothing at all. And the benefits of feeling light and on your toes, instead of heavy and on your legs, are endless.
Not the best on early morning, wet greens. Leaves a lot of indentation marks.
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