discdoh
Birdie Member
I am officially a DG shoe addict. I probably buy upwards of 5-6 new pairs every year. I am constantly looking for the PERFECT shoe. When I buy something that looks exactly like what I am looking for, more often than not they end up not satisfying my needs like I had hoped. Here is a list of what I look for in a DG shoe (not in any particular order):
- good traction in/on all conditions: concrete teepads, natural teepads, morning dew, mud, wet rocks, wet grass, and snow (to some extent). Vibram soles are great, but not always the best answer. I have had some Vibram soles that were downright dangerous on wet rocks!
- good support: I don't like my foot sliding around inside the shoe when I plant on the teepad or am trying to get a good stance on an uphill/downhill lie. True hiking shoes are the best for this, but they are almost always too stiff and you lose a ton of athleticism in your run-up.
- good mid-foot protection: essential for playing rounds on rougher terrain. Hiking shoes usually have full foot-length protection, which is a bit much...it makes the shoes too stiff overall. There are a bunch of trail running shoes that incorporate some protection in the middle area only. This seems to be the best answer.
- durability: nothing is worse than blowing a wad of cash on a pair of expensive shoes only to have them fall apart or the tread wear out within a few months. A lot of times, durability equals more weight...but not always.
- minimal weight: with good, long lasting build quality there is no way to avoid a little extra heft, but I don't want to feel like I am wearing around a pair of bricks for a 2 round day of golf. Regular running shoes are on the lightweight extreme, but they end up getting thrashed relatively quickly. This is probably one of the hardest elements in a pair of shoes to find.
- waterproof qualities: I typically have separate shoes in my car for wet conditions and dry conditions. Even if the tournament conditions are ideal, you are still going to run into some kind of morning dew or something similar. I refuse to wear waterproof socks unless it is actually raining out (I hate the crowded shoe syndrome). Gore-Tex fits the bill, but often the durability of the lining is less than stellar. This varies tremendously from manufacturer to manufacturer (the best I have found is Lowa...by far).
This is honestly the short list. There are obviously a ton of other factors that can end up ruining what you thought were the perfect pair. For the sake of keeping it simple, I just wanted to start the conversation off with this set of demands. Here is a short list of manufacturers that I have tried and the problems that I have run into:
- Merrell: 10 or more pairs. The fit has always been awesome. Good foot protection. Durability not so much. Gore-Tex durability even worse. They also tend to be a bit clunky feeling. REI probably hates me due to my Merrell exchanges.
- Salomon: 2 pairs. Great fit. Good waterproofing. Good protection. Horrible durability. I honestly felt cheated when they started to fall apart so quickly.
- Vasque: 3 pairs. Great fit. Good waterproofing. Good protection. OK durability. Sub par traction...they just missed the mark on making an aggressive enough sole design every time.
- North Face: 3 pairs. Great Fit. OK waterproofing. OK protection. OK durability. Overall they were just mediocre. I was able to pick up each pair on some killer deals, however.
- Patagonia: 1 pair. OK fit. OK waterproofing. Great protection. Great durability. Unfortunately they were some of the heaviest shoes I have ever worn. My legs were literally worn out after a 2 rounder from lugging them around (I am not a huge dude).
- Lowa: 4 or more pair. 10 years ago I thought that they could do no wrong. The Renegade is their only remaining model that comes close to meeting my criteria nowadays. Their fit is a bit on the stiff side. Their waterproofing is bar none the best in the business...I have had 2 year old beater shoes still keep my feet bone dry on a rainy day. That said, they really are hiking shoes and not meant for DG duties.
- Nike: 4 or more pair back in the ACG days. Whatever happened to the ACG line? Their offerings are a joke now. It was good while it lasted, I guess.
- Saucony: 2 pairs. Great fit. Great weight. OK durability. I just ordered some of their Xodus 4.0 GTX trail runners, so we will see how they do with an authentic trail shoe versus a running shoe modified for the trail.
There are more, but I have rambled on enough. I would like to hear your input. What brands/models have you loved (or hated)? What is your favorite non-waterproof shoe? What is your favorite waterproof shoe? What are you going to try out next? Have you found the perfect shoe for you?
- good traction in/on all conditions: concrete teepads, natural teepads, morning dew, mud, wet rocks, wet grass, and snow (to some extent). Vibram soles are great, but not always the best answer. I have had some Vibram soles that were downright dangerous on wet rocks!
- good support: I don't like my foot sliding around inside the shoe when I plant on the teepad or am trying to get a good stance on an uphill/downhill lie. True hiking shoes are the best for this, but they are almost always too stiff and you lose a ton of athleticism in your run-up.
- good mid-foot protection: essential for playing rounds on rougher terrain. Hiking shoes usually have full foot-length protection, which is a bit much...it makes the shoes too stiff overall. There are a bunch of trail running shoes that incorporate some protection in the middle area only. This seems to be the best answer.
- durability: nothing is worse than blowing a wad of cash on a pair of expensive shoes only to have them fall apart or the tread wear out within a few months. A lot of times, durability equals more weight...but not always.
- minimal weight: with good, long lasting build quality there is no way to avoid a little extra heft, but I don't want to feel like I am wearing around a pair of bricks for a 2 round day of golf. Regular running shoes are on the lightweight extreme, but they end up getting thrashed relatively quickly. This is probably one of the hardest elements in a pair of shoes to find.
- waterproof qualities: I typically have separate shoes in my car for wet conditions and dry conditions. Even if the tournament conditions are ideal, you are still going to run into some kind of morning dew or something similar. I refuse to wear waterproof socks unless it is actually raining out (I hate the crowded shoe syndrome). Gore-Tex fits the bill, but often the durability of the lining is less than stellar. This varies tremendously from manufacturer to manufacturer (the best I have found is Lowa...by far).
This is honestly the short list. There are obviously a ton of other factors that can end up ruining what you thought were the perfect pair. For the sake of keeping it simple, I just wanted to start the conversation off with this set of demands. Here is a short list of manufacturers that I have tried and the problems that I have run into:
- Merrell: 10 or more pairs. The fit has always been awesome. Good foot protection. Durability not so much. Gore-Tex durability even worse. They also tend to be a bit clunky feeling. REI probably hates me due to my Merrell exchanges.
- Salomon: 2 pairs. Great fit. Good waterproofing. Good protection. Horrible durability. I honestly felt cheated when they started to fall apart so quickly.
- Vasque: 3 pairs. Great fit. Good waterproofing. Good protection. OK durability. Sub par traction...they just missed the mark on making an aggressive enough sole design every time.
- North Face: 3 pairs. Great Fit. OK waterproofing. OK protection. OK durability. Overall they were just mediocre. I was able to pick up each pair on some killer deals, however.
- Patagonia: 1 pair. OK fit. OK waterproofing. Great protection. Great durability. Unfortunately they were some of the heaviest shoes I have ever worn. My legs were literally worn out after a 2 rounder from lugging them around (I am not a huge dude).
- Lowa: 4 or more pair. 10 years ago I thought that they could do no wrong. The Renegade is their only remaining model that comes close to meeting my criteria nowadays. Their fit is a bit on the stiff side. Their waterproofing is bar none the best in the business...I have had 2 year old beater shoes still keep my feet bone dry on a rainy day. That said, they really are hiking shoes and not meant for DG duties.
- Nike: 4 or more pair back in the ACG days. Whatever happened to the ACG line? Their offerings are a joke now. It was good while it lasted, I guess.
- Saucony: 2 pairs. Great fit. Great weight. OK durability. I just ordered some of their Xodus 4.0 GTX trail runners, so we will see how they do with an authentic trail shoe versus a running shoe modified for the trail.
There are more, but I have rambled on enough. I would like to hear your input. What brands/models have you loved (or hated)? What is your favorite non-waterproof shoe? What is your favorite waterproof shoe? What are you going to try out next? Have you found the perfect shoe for you?
