Who doesn’t love limited edition golf gear? I for one am a sucker for it.
In case you weren’t aware, Tiger Woods recently won the 83rd Masters Tournament and as usual, the major players in golf released a number of limited edition products to celebrate the occasion leading up to the tournament. If you’re one for nostalgia, take a look back at what the golfing world had to offer in our Equipment Roundup here.
Adidas were amongst the many manufacturers to play their part in this trend, last week unveiling a Limited Edition ‘Peaches and Cream’ version of the Crossknit 3.0 spikeless golf shoe. Said to be a “Georgia treat”, paying tribute to the peaches and cream ice cream sandwiches available during Masters Week at Augusta National, these shoes had no problems standing out.
Dustin Johnson, Tyrell Hatton, Xander Schauffele, and Sergio Garcia all took to Magnolia Lane in these shoes at some point during the week. Despite being limited edition, they are no different to the standard Crossknit 3.0 golf shoes in terms of functionality, so I thought I’d take them for spin – in all be it far less prestigious surroundings, to see if they were worthy of all the fuss.
What’s It All About?
The Crossknit 3.0 shoes are the ultimate modern day golf shoe offering from adidas, outside of the fully waterproof adidas Tour360 XT SL. Put it this way, you’re pretty unlikely to see golfers over the age of 45 rocking up to your local monthly medal in these kicks. Instead, they’ll be the ones giving the younger generations stick for wearing them, “Bloody hell, what have you got on your feet!? They’re not golf shoes…” On this occasion, they’d be wrong.
With the look and feel of a street or gym trainer, the Crossknit 3.0 certainly falls into the contemporary category of golf footwear. As a performance golf shoe that can also be worn off-course; constructed with a full length Boost Foam sole, based on looks and comfort, you really could wear these shoes anywhere off the course and non-golfers would be none the wiser.
Adidas Say…
‘Get outstanding energy return on every swing with these men’s golf shoes. The spikeless outsole flexes with your foot and is durable enough for everyday play while a lightweight and water-repellent textile upper keeps your feet dry for all 18 holes.’
The Test
The usual 18 holes, this time played at a pretty flat but challenging Fulford Golf Club – the home of Bernhard Langer’s infamous chip out a tree on the 17th green. And as I was doing some putter testing afterwards, a few paces back and forth on the practice green.
For added off-course peace of mind, I also decided to travel home in the shoes which entailed running for a train journey and a 15 minute walk home from the station. All in all these shoes saw a good 6-7 hours of action.
Adidas Crossknit 3.0 Golf Shoe Review
First Impressions
Unboxing the shoes at Golfalot HQ, I was immediately impressed by the weight of the shoes. These things were light. Like really light. They looked comfy too. There’s no beating around the bush here the Crossknit 3.0s are trainers, adapted for the golf course. Whether that’s a positive or not, I’ll let you decide.
The CircleKnit upper material combined with an external TPU finish on the heel of the shoe as well as on toes, helped to give this shoe a fashionable yet functional look that I found refreshing compared to the standard ‘three-stripes’ adidas we’ve come to expect.
Putting the shoes on for the first time, as well as being extremely lightweight, they did however look quite chunky. Like the adidas Tour360 XT shoes I reviewed earlier in the year, the Puremotion outsole and Boost Foam Technology give these a wide and bulky look from above.
I was intrigued to see how the outsole would perform, and if the outstanding comfort I felt initially would last. To the course.
On The Course
After about 2 to 3 holes, I was able to add traction to the list of things I was impressed by. The Puremotion outsole has strategically placed (by that I mean everywhere on the sole) adiWear traction lugs, that acted like small studs on a pair of AstroTurf football boots, providing me with great stability and traction on a number of terrains.
Not once over 18 holes did I slip, feel any loss of grip, or lose any confidence when stood over the ball or during the swing. Granted, I tested these shoes on a still, Spring day in April, so contending with any slippery surface water was unlikely to be an issue. With the ground under foot being fairly dry and, it did however mean the comfort of the shoe was firmly put to the test.
The comfort delivered by the Crossknit 3.0 can only be described as outstanding. The Boost midsole in a performance golf shoe like this really is something to be admired. Whether it be a cart path, fairway, bunker, thick rough, gorse bush or even a train platform, these shoes offer top draw comfort. At times I felt as I was walking on air. Ok, maybe not when I was looking for my ball in a gorse bush after a 40 yard block right…
Based on first impressions I assumed one drawback of these shoes would be stability and sturdiness in the upper of the shoe. Whilst being extremely flexible, I worried the upper may be a little too flexible. However the CircleKnit upper hugged the bridge of my foot to only add to the comfort. The Crossknit 3.0s provide the right amount of flexibility and freedom but quality design around the laces make for a great combo.
This coupled with a premium textile tongue and a cloudfoam EVA sockliner - something that manufacturers seem to be adding to most of their shoe models in 2019 – my shoes, straight out of the box and onto the golf course provided my with more than 18 holes of comfort. Plus, they gave me the confidence to really go after shots when I wanted to. I could swing as hard as I wanted with no concerns.
The comfort and stability continued inside the heel of the shoe, where small pockets of cushioning helped to just give the insides of my heel that extra bit of padding.
Given the Limited Edition colourway I tested the Crossknit 3.0 shoe in, keeping these shoes clean in anything other than completely dry conditions would no doubt be a challenge, which for the avid golfer is no doubt an issue. In this area I believe that adidas have been quite clever in the standard colourways they have selected: Dark Blue / Core Black / Night Met and Core Black / Grey Five / Active Green, as in these colours the shoes would be much easier to keep clean.
The aforementioned Circleknit upper again had it’s benefits when it came to breathability. This breathable yet, water-repellent material kept my feet feeling fresh until I took them off. Which again, straight out of the box is pretty impressive.
Finally, one thing I will stress is these are not a winter shoe. These shoes are for 8 months of the year, when you know the forecast is on your side. Having had a closer look at the upper, I question adidas’ ‘water-repellent’ claims where the TPU finish does not cover the knit. Personally I think in light rain, you’ll get away with it – anything more, you’re going to struggle.
If you’re looking for shoes for any of the following occasions listed however: dry days in summer, golfing summer holidays, a quick nine-holes, firm conditions, trips to the driving range, these are the shoes for you.
Would I Use It?
Yes. Despite not being a massive fan of the change in golf shoe designs from traditional to modern, in this instance you can’t help but embrace it. You’d have to travel far to find a golfer who didn’t enjoy playing in these shoes... Once they got past the, chunky, loud aesthetics.
Not that I have ever stepped foot in a gym (and don’t foresee doing so anytime soon), these shoes are perfect for the modern day golfers who want to go straight from work, to the gym and then to the course for a few holes.
Adidas Crossknit 3.0 Shoe Review Verdict?
This is a great performance golf shoe available at a good price. I think a lot of younger golfers will love this shoe, both its looks and performance. I also think a lot of older golfers wouldn’t even look twice at these shoes, never mind playing golf in them.
All in all, with this shoe model, adidas are pushing the boundaries of golf footwear and that I have to applaud. Add to that the bold limited edition ‘Peaches and Cream’ colourway that the Crossknit is now available in and all of the nostalgia a memories that brings back of one of the greatest major tournaments the world has ever seen, and I think you’re onto a winner.
Pros
- Outstanding comfort for more than 18 holes
- Breathable in dry and warm conditions
- Extremely lightweight
- Can be worn both on and off the course no issues at all
- Some golfers will even wear these in the gym pre/post-round
- High quality materials and technologies throughout offer good turf interaction
- Flexible yet still a solid base for the golf shoe
- Outsole seems hard wearing and like it would last
Cons
- Limited Edition colourway will be extremely hard to keep clean
- Standard colourways will divide opinion
- Very much aimed at a niche, younger golfer market
- Wouldn't advise wearing in wet conditions
- £139.99 RRP is expensive for a spikeless golf shoe - would you spend that on a second pair of golf shoes for the summer?
