There are some companies that stand out above the rest in terms of innovation. Hi-Tec is one of those companies. Hi-Tec has been making sports shoes for over 30 years. That experience pays great dividends in Hi-Tec’s Golf Shoes.
Some golf companies make golf shoes by modifying dress shoes, without much thought going into design or functionality. Hi-Tec CDT Golf Shoes not only break that mold, they obliterate it.
The Technology:
Hi-Tec’s designers have obviously studied the footwork of the golf swing. They’ve built the shoes with reinforcement in all the crucial areas of the shoe.
The most obvious reinforcement I immediately spotted was the roll bar on the inside of the toe on each shoe. In the golf swing both feet roll. The roll bar protects the shoe from wear in the toe area. And it is rounded to allow for less resistance when you do roll. Why hasn’t any other golf shoe company thought of this?
Another area which wears quickly on standard golf shoes is the heel. Hi-Tec has put a “wear bar” right on the back of the heel to increase the durability of the shoe and protect the rear spikes from wear.
Placed strategically around the edges of the shoe are “lateral rubber swing dams.” These dams add stability and prevent unwanted twisting in the swing.
There are 18 “impact traction lugs” which increase traction, and focus your force at impact in the direction of the ball. These are the white mini spikes located in the front half of the sole.
The heel portion has 11 more traction lugs. These lugs are aligned in a manner which aids in downhill traction.
Now let’s talk about the Hi-Tec’s pioneering spike system.
The spike receptacles have a triangular shape and allow you to quickly snap in the spikes. Hi-Tech calls these Q-Lok Receptacles. The spikes have three teeth, one short and two long. Yes, the spikes are different lengths. With the Q-Lok system you can rotate the spikes so that the longer spikes are where you need extra traction. An arrow on the spike tells you the direction of the strength. In short, it’s like the TaylorMade adjustable weight system for your golf shoes.
Looks and Comfort
The CDT is a very thick and meaty shoe, but still manages to look quite attractive in a traditional way. My playing partners noticed them immediately and had nice compliments on their looks.
The leather of the shoe itself is very soft and flexible, but strong enough for the beating it will take on the golf course. I only needed 10-15 minutes in my first round of golf before my feet and the shoes “became one” with each other. From that point on I was very comfortable and there were no abrasive spots or areas that rubbed improperly.
Inside the shoe you have a choice of custom fitting contoured “foot beds.” These are inserts that go in the shoe, providing padding under your foot. I went with the wide footbeds which provided me with great comfort.
On The Course
How does all this design and technology work on the course? Quite well. I must admit the first few swings I had with the CDTs on my feet were very strange. I was not used to having this much traction. My feet felt like they were nailed to the ground. I now know that my golf swing compensates for the give in my regular golf shoes. Years ago I was told that leg drive and weight shift are a great source of power in the golf swing. I have very strong leg drive and I shift my weight (there’s a lot to shift) toward the target very heavily, almost to a fault sometimes. About once or twice a round (more if the ground is wet) my right foot will slip, causing me to hit an errant shot. In roughly 15 rounds with the CDTs, I have never slipped.
I did have to make some swing adjustments due to the incredible traction of the CDTs. I found that I had to open my left foot (right handed) slightly. I was putting a lot of pressure on the outside of my left foot and the shoe was not giving ground at all.
I played in some very rainy conditions and I walked right through some swampy conditions to test the CDTs water resistance. My socks were perfectly dry.
What Could Be Improved?
There is not much room for improvement in the Hi-Tec CDT golf shoe line. For the most part, they’ve got a great shoe here.
I would change the laces to something more thick. I’m not a big fan of those very thin dress laces. I prefer more padded, thicker laces.
I would perhaps look into a line of shoes with the same amazing spikes and support system, but perhaps build it into a thinner sole.
Lastly I would consider a “right handed” and “left handed” set of these shoes. The swing dams on the outside of my left foot made it difficult to roll my left foot (right handed swing) in my follow through. I had some swings that were “arm swings” because I wasn’t able to completely release my left side. Ultimately there would need to be a “roll bar” on the outside of my left foot (right handed swing) to allow for easy rolling. This would be more costly in production, because the same roll bar would have to be on the right shoe for left handed golfers. But from a marketing standpoint, that might be a reason to buy.
Conclusion
Hi-Tec is making some great shoes here. They combine traditional styling and high technology design to help improve your game from the ground up. Before you blindly go out and buy the latest from one of the usual golf shoe manufacturers, check out Hi-Tec’s offerings. I’ve found the CDT shoe line for sale online for $129.
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