If you're looking for a new pair of golf shoes to last you during the winter months, the Duca Del Cosma Bernardo could be just what you need.
The high-end Italian shoemakers are reinforcing their reputation with a new black colourway in the Bernardo, which seeks to combine luxury style and aesthetics with enough technology to keep you stable and protected from the elements even in bad weather conditions.
Who Are They Aimed At?
With an RRP of £230 these shoes aren't for golfers who just want something that will get them through the winter, they're much more of an investment. The premium materials and luxury design are much more suited to golfers who want a pair of shoes that provide a combination of style and substance.
The black colourway definitely adds to this shoe's versatility, whilst I was impressed by how waterproof it was despite looking like a traditional shoe which you would only save for certain rounds.
The Tech
As you'd expect from a Duca Del Cosma shoe, especially one which has a price tag well north of £200, there is plenty of premium technologies and materials in use here.
The shoes are made from Nappa Leather and feature a comfortable, breathable Arneflex memory foam insert sole. There's also a waterproof sock system inside, with OnSteam recyclable microfibre.
The midsole offers lightweight and durable shock absorption for comfort and great feedback whilst walking and swinging, and there is also Softspikes Pulsar spikes on the sole which, combined with the lightweight Airplay 6 outsole, provide stability and comfort on the course.
Duca Del Cosma Bernardo Golf Shoe Review
Looks
I have to be honest and say that Duca Del Cosma shoes have always been a bit hit and miss for me when it comes to looks. Some of their options look really smart, but there's also quite a few of them which just don't suit my eye too.
You have to applaud the brand for this though because they are really working hard to produce shoes which are eye-catching and putting fashion right alongside performance, which is great to see.
The Bernardo shoes are among my favourite of the brand's options though - the premium brogue-style upper reminded me of FootJoy's Premiere Series Shoes, which have been really popular over the last few years. I think they've done a really good job of combining this traditional look with a more modern, performance-led midsole and sole design and it works really well.
Black leather shoes like this are a really classic option that always look great, and this also makes them a great option for the winter months when they are more likely to get wet or muddy, without ruining them.
Comfort
Unfortunately, the comfort department was where these shoes just let themselves down for me. Perhaps naively, I have fallen into the trap of thinking that every golf shoes these days offers that 'out of the box comfort' which means you can stick them on for the first time in the car park, before heading out to play 18 holes without any issues.
However I found that these shoes could definitely have done with some 'breaking in' first, because I did struggle with comfort and experienced some pretty bad rubbing on the sides of both heels, which made these really uncomfortable to play in.
I do have quite narrow feet, which may have meant that they were moving around a bit as the Bernardos are medium/wide, and the shoes themselves were comfortable when I first put them on, but towards the end I was looking forward to taking them off which is a real shame.
Performance
Putting comfort to one side for a moment, the performance of the shoes was actually excellent. I played on a pretty wet, miserable day with very soft, heavy underfoot conditions and was really impressed with the stability and traction that the shoes showed.
Using spikeless shoes during the winter might feel like a gamble for some but I felt really confident when hitting shots that I had a really solid base, with just the right level of cushioning and feedback from the ground that I like.
I also picked a perfect day for testing waterproof golf shoes, considering that the ground was absolutely soaked, and was pleased to discover that the Bernardo kept me nicely protected from the elements, with my feet remaining dry for the duration of my round.
I can sometimes find that breathability is an issue for this style of shoe, and whilst they weren't the lightest and most breathable shoes I have ever tested, my feet didn't feel too warm at any point - although it was a pretty cold day!
Duca Del Cosma Bernardo Golf Shoe Verdict
I really wanted to like these shoes because I think they look great and I can imagine them being very popular with lots of golfers, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to mark them down because they just weren't comfortable for me to use.
This highlights the dangers of getting shoes online I suppose, as there's no way of knowing whether they are going to fit you properly until you get out on to the golf course. Whenever you can, it's worth trying your golf shoes on first, because there's nothing worse than being stuck out on the course with a pair that are hurting your feet.
Of course there's plenty of people who use these shoes or might be looking to use them, who would find them really comfortable, and the rest of the performance was excellent so they are still worth a try to see if they will suit you any better.
Would I Use Them?
Unfortunately not, they just weren't right for me.
Duca Del Cosma Bernardo Golf Shoe Pros and Cons
If you enjoyed this article, you may also like:
[Duca del Cosma Pagani Shoe Review(/equipment-reviews/duca-del-cosma-pagani-shoe-review-5380.aspx)
Adidas Tour360 24 Shoe Review