All Day I Dream About Shoes
Boots, wedges, heels, stilettos, flats, sandals, tennis shoes, fancy shoes and yes don’t forget golf shoes, we dream of them all. It isn’t new news that one of the paths to a girl’s heart is through shoes. We all own more than we need, yet struggle to pick which ones to wear each morning. We will never stop buying them, NEVER! Sometimes we buy them just for the look, actually more than we’re willing to admit we buy them just for looks. Other times we buy them for comfort and sometimes for functionality.
No matter the occasion, no matter the purpose we enjoy our shoes. What is not so much fun is the hunt for the perfect shoe. I have come to the conclusion that it’s not shopping that I enjoy – it’s the thrill of finding something that fits or that I love. Shopping isn’t what brings me joy; it is the purchasing that feels so good. The thought of “Oh I can’t wait to wear this I am going to look and feel so good”! Recently I was able to feel that because of the brand new clima-cool ballerina golf shoes that Adidas just released.
I am in love! I have struggled for years trying to find a golf shoe I liked. When looking for a golf shoe you know you need to find a shoe that is for functionality and comfort. Most times they are clunky, wide, heavy and not attractive. The clima-cool ballerinas are amazing; it truly feels like you’re golfing barefoot. I guess that makes sense considering they only weigh 4.8oz. When I first put them on at home the day I received them, I joked that they felt like a house slipper. They molded to my foot and I actually didn’t take them off for the rest of the day as I ran errands and went to my son’s soccer practice. These shoes do not look bulky like a golf shoe traditionally does so you can definitely get away with wearing them on and off the course.
As I approached the tee box on hole 1 I found myself being a little nervous about the shoe. I had already fallen in love and god forbid they don’t perform on the course. My fears were they wouldn’t be supportive enough, my heel may slip out the back during my finish and that sand would get in them . . . that is only if I go in the sand though, which I don’t, yea right. Turns out, Adidas knew what they were doing when they designed this shoe. The mesh they used to create part of the body is permeable enough to allow your foot to breathe yet still fine enough to not let sand through. The opening of the shoe molds around your ankle also blocking sand or dirt from up top. The fabric they used does not cut off circulation; I was worried it would be too tight and bug me after an hour or be too loose and my heel would slip out, neither happened. The shoes honestly mold to your feet, and this is probably why Adidas offers a 90 day comfort warranty! That blew my mind when I read that, you won’t find that with your Jimmy Choo’s.
This shoe does not have spikes and I’m starting to think those are soon to be something of the past. I am seeing less and less golf shoes that have the traditional spikes. These ballerina shoes have a thin moldable sole with a consistent grip design that is created of small rubber nodules. They also have a foam insert with arch support (kind of reminds me of memory foam). I just can’t say it enough, these shoes are amazingly comfortable and I will own multiple pairs. They are functional, comfortable and good looking.
Currently you can find them online, where they are retailing for around $99. They come in solar blue & silver, silver & bahia mint, and mid grey & tribe purple. I would love for them to make a black or charcoal grey shoe with red accents and a white & pink combination. My thought is these shoes are going to fly off the shelves this season, so I would get them early. I hope to have one in each color . . . it will be hard to slip into another shoe after experiencing the comfort of the Adidas ballerina.
Here’s a little history for you. People for years have believed that Adidas stands for All Day I Dream About Sports, some believe the S stand for soccer and those of a juvenile mind firmly state the S stands for sex. In truth it stands for none of those things. Adolf (Adi) Dassler started the company in 1949 and he decided to name his company by using the first three letters of his first name and the first three letters of his last name, creating Adi-Das. That being said I will never say AdiDas again without sounding like I have an accent. However, my prediction is if they continue to produce such killer shoes then then they will soon be known for the acronym All Day I Dream About Shoes! The funny thing about acronyms is they are often untrue, just like the word Golf: ‘gentlemen only ladies forbidden’ is not its true meaning even though many still claim it to be. The word golf started as a medieval Dutch word “kolf” or “kolve” which meant “club”. It wasn’t until the 16th century that it transcended into golf.
Throughout my life asking why and why not has served to be a blessing on some occasions and a curse on others. I like to understand things, I am never afraid to admit I do not know something and I also am not afraid to blaze a new path if I don’t like the options before me. At one time I did believe that golf stood for gentleman only ladies forbidden. In a feisty I’m going to do what I want state of mind I create a league called SWING. This actually is an acronym and stands for Savvy Women In Need of Golf.
We are a non-competitive cocktail league for women and we thrive on growing the game one happy hour at a time. We love to bring fashion on the course so believe me when I say “this shoe is going to kill it”, because if anyone knows what’s going to look good on the course it is my league. So whether you golf or SWING, or believe the S in Adidas stands for sports, soccer, sex or shoes, it really doesn’t matter as long as you’re swingin’ a club somehow somewhere. Those who dress well, play well, let’s keep the game alive and look good while we’re doing
You can check out the Adidas Clima Cool Balerina golf shoes on the Adidas Website.
It has been nearly a year since I have worn a spiked golf shoe so I was in for a bit of culture shock (or foot shock) the first time I put on the new Adizero. One of the first things you notice about this golf shoe is that it sits up pretty high (at least on firm cement) which is completely different to the low to the ground shoes I have become accustomed to. However, unlike most spiked shoes, the Adizeros are crazy light which is pretty much what the name implies. In fact, they are only 3.2 ounces which is lighter than two apples or one can of warm beer I forgot to take out of my bag last fall.
As for the grip, I have gone on record stating that most amateurs really don’t need much more traction than what is afforded by simple treaded golf shoes, but there is no doubt the Adizero have an insane about of grip (and to be fair, my swing speed is half of Dustin Johnson’s). The ten spikes firmly plant you on any surface and the shoes do not feel as high when on actual turf. So in the end there is no doubt additional grip is a benefit when you play on soft turf or if you really like to push off of the ground with force.
The other real technology that Adidas has put into the shoes is the structure. Both the toes and the heel section of the shoe is amazingly well molded to your foot so you have basically zero lateral shift inside them. The idea being that they wanted the shoe to mirror your foot as close as possible. While I was concerned that they would be too narrow for me, I found no discomfort at all. Instead, they have super padding and make for a perfect shoe to walk 18 in (or 36). Additionally, I did not have any break in period as they were ready to go out of the box.
So when you say 3.2 ounces, or 2 apples, it’s still hard to know what that means. As a reference point, when you hold up one Adizero and one “generic golf shoe” it is instantly clear which one is much much lighter. You can even perform this test with a “minimalist shoe” and surprisingly the Adizero is about the same weight even though it looks much more substantial.
While it took me 2 or 3 rounds to get used to the feel of the Adizero, I have actually become quite fond of them. The additional traction is welcomed in the winter when the ground is soft and the shoe is waterproof so wet conditions are not an issue. And while they are white, the leather is easily wiped clean with a damp rag.
From a style standpoint, they are completly different from the shoes I typically choose to wear but I get really positive comments from my weekend golf group who acts as my unknowing “public opinion focus group”
Really the only knock I have on these shoes are 1) the laces are a bit too long and tend to loosen up. I am not sure if they are just made from a slick material but I almost wanted to double knot them. 2) they are pricey. This is the Adidas Pro line so they currently run about $180.00, which definitely put them near the top end of the pay scale.
With that said, if you like a spiked shoe with tons of support but do not want the weight of your traditional shoe, then the Adizero fits the bill.
Note on sizing: I typically wear a size 12 and the Adizero size 12 was a perfect fit.
You can see more about the Adizero on their website.
Adidas Puremotion and Crossflex Review: Anyone checked out the shoe section of a local golf store lately? It’s insane. What was once 1 standard wall of Foot Joys, Etonics and Nikes has exploded into a – well, a big-ass section full of all kinds of styles, colors, etc. The Three Guys have already made it clear that we are fans of this movement – finally the footwear is catching up to the rest of golf attire by shaking things up a bit. And as golf continues to get hip to what the rest of the footwear world is up to, it is only a matter of time until the newest advances in running shoe and cross-trainer technology make their way into our golf kicks.
According to Adidas, that time is now, as they roll out their Puremotion and Crossflex models. The Adidas Puremotion incorporates the same “natural motion” concept that you’ll see in a lot of cutting edge running shoes – basically, the idea is that the more a shoe allows your foot to behave as though you are barefoot, the better off you are, as your toes and natural foot contours can help out with balance, force, etc. The Adidas Crossflex is more like a proper running shoe, but a super-lightweight version that allows for more connection with the turf than the standard golf shoe-and Sergio Garcia is now wearing the Crossflex.
Very good. Once I understood all the science, I had to give the Adidas Puremotions a try. From a looks standpoint, they were right up my alley – I like a little funk, but I also want to look like I’m playing a sport, not plotting my next graffiti mission. The Puremotions are athletic at heart with some disco thrown in – primarily with the bright blue color but also utilizing some neat little trim touches to funk things up.
Once I put the Puremotions on I knew Adidas had a winner. They are just flat-out comfortable – they seem to be a bit wider, which works out great for my dogs. Even the toe area is squared off a bit, retaining that width all the way to the end of the shoe, as opposed to coming down to a point (whose foot does that anyway?).
The Adidas Puremotions are spikeless, instead utilizing hard rubber ridges (for lack of a better term) on the sole to provide grip. I recently indicated a curmudgeonly skepticism towards anything other than spikes on golf shoes, but these suckers have made me a believer. These soles feel so legit that, for the first three rounds I played in them, I kept worrying that I was leaving marks on the greens just based on a nagging feeling that I was sinking in and causing some kind of damage. That sounds cheesy, but I’m serious. Oh, and something my playing partners would point out at least once during a round as I posed off another velvety pull-hook – these things look crazy!
“Sir, we think Bigfoot has been in the bunker on 8.”
More on the soles – the truth is, I wouldn’t be able to survive in shoes that really made me feel like I was barefoot. I have plantar fasciitis so bad that I can only do barefoot for about half an omelette in the morning before the running shoes have to go on. So I can see how Adidas is shooting for the natural foot concept by allowing room for the toes to move, having different channels on the sole for each toe, etc., but ultimately it’s actually a very substantial sole that provides a good amount of support. Now, there are some shoes on the market that hype the “you can feel the contours of the earth”, and while the Adidas Crossflex are low profile, the ony word I can think of for these soles is “substantial” – on the ground side the ridges feel hard and durable while the human side provides support and what I believe to be a ton of stability.
Moving on – these suckers are waterproof. The fact that they say so on the side of the shoe is my only bone of contention with Adidas on this one (seems a bit much), but I have played several rounds in wet conditions and they have certainly lived up to their own billing. The uppers are made of breathable mesh, so they’ve got that going for them, which is nice, but not something I ever really notice one way or the other.
“Excuse me, sir, are these waterproof?”
Bottom line review- I have several pairs of nice shoes now, and conventional wisdom tells me to mix things up from round to round. Once I got the Puremotions, however, they’ve been the only shoes I’ve worn for all subsequent rounds, including a 36 hole tournament. I figure, why wear anything but the best, right?
You can check out the whole line of Adidas shoes on their website.
Adidas Samba Golf Shoes: Raise your hand if you know what Adidas Samba shoes are. To those of you with your hands up, congrats on being at least semi-conscious for most of your life. To those of you who have not raised your hand, I’m guessing you don’t know who Kim Kardashian is either, which is downright criminal. The fact is, the Adidas Samba is one the most iconic shoes in history, alongside the Converse All-Star and the Nike Air Jordan (sorry Doc Marten, a solid 90’s run does not an icon make). Born with soccer DNA, Sambas quickly went mainstream, and even through times when they’re not necessarily the hottest shoe out there, they can always be found out and about.
Need I say more?
Well folks, Adidas bought Taylor Made a while back and got serious about golf, so guess what . . . behold the Adidas SAMBA golf shoe.
I guess I’ll go ahead and let the cat out of the bag now – these things are awesome. I don’t even know where to begin, except to say that the following review, as always, is just one guy’s take on where Sambas fit into the spectrum, so please don’t be upset if your stylish shoes happen to catch some of the shrapnel.
A few years back the golf shoe industry finally started adding some new concepts to the traditional line of the ol’ Foot Joy look . . . problem was, for some reason they thought people wanted their golf shoes to look like running or basketball shoes. Not cool running or basketball shoes, mind you, but shoes that you would wear to work at a nursing home or bagging groceries. If you don’t know the type, just take a look at what my boy Tiger wears 3 out of 4 days (sigh). There was a weird timeframe a while back when a few of my buddies started showing up to courses with these behemoths on, and I could never get a read on what was up: did they just get a really bad Xmas gift from their father-in-law, had they recently incurred some mild form of head trauma, or were they just suffering through a sudden flare-up of the gout?
Okay, then in 2011 the clouds opened up and we suddenly had a whole new wave of “alternative” golf shoes – nice! Companies started coming out with a cooler version of golf shoes, and in theory I was right on board. The problem for me, however, was that still none of these offerings really put the whole package together. They didn’t look like boring golf shoes, but they also didn’t really look like legitimate cool shoes either; maybe they didn’t have the athletic slant I’d like to see, they often took on more of a “skater shoe” look, which is not my speed. Some of them seemed to struggle with keeping the soles under 2 inches thick, which puts my brain right back to nursing shoes. Others kept the sole nice and thin, but as I’m told, lacked in comfort as a result. And finally, as anti-establishment as I may sound at times (in a really lame golf-y way, of course), I have to ask – when did we decide that standard soft-spikes were no longer king? A lot of the new shoes went with different little nubs that supposedly grip the turf just as well as spikes, something I still haven’t completely signed off on yet.
Then came my pair of Adidas Samba golf shoes. Simply put, they look like normal shoes with spikes attached . . . finally someone figured it out! They have the same low lines as a standard Samba, which makes you wonder how much cushion they can actually provide. To that point . . .
I have what my podiatrist calls “the feet of a 76 year-old overweight marathon runner with bad feet”. At least once every summer someone at the beach will look over and exclaim “what . . . how do you buy shoes?”, and I can’t stand on the concrete floors of a Lowe’s or Home Depot for more than 20 minutes without putting a significant negative spin on my day. So unlike most of my golf purchasing habits, I’ve always been willing to buck up and pop for the nicest pair of golf shoes out there, or at least the second-nicest (I’m not P. Diddy for crying out loud). And those high end traditional shoes usually did the trick – I was never in pain at the end of a round, unless maybe I walked a long 18. Anyway, enough of the build up, these Sambas are the most comfortable golf shoes I’ve worn to date. They don’t feel like golf shoes, they just feel like good sneakers. Good sneakers that look a bit more stylish than the standard, look athletic and not clunky, and still have soft-spikes that are actually spikes.
If you can’t tell, I’m a fan of these buggers. I guess it all makes sense – Adidas has been excelling at making shoes for the better part of a century . . . perhaps they decided it was time to show the golf industry how it’s done.
NOTE: The only issue I have with the Samba shoes are that they are not water proof so if you play a lot of rounds in the morning with heavy dew, this will be an issue.
You can learn more about the Adidas Samba golf shoes on their website and see high res pictures on our Facebook gallery.
