One can never have too many Ecco shoes, whether they are golf shoes, street shoes or even hiking boots in my case. I have so many different pairs of Eccos I’ve lost count. Add one more to the lost count, the Street Retro.
Construction
The Street Retro is crafted in a tumbled, full-grain, pebbled nappa leather. The shoes are treated with Ecco’s Hydromax treatment which makes them highly water-repellent.
The sole of the shoe (above) has 100 “TPU traction bars.” Those are the little nubby things that look like mini-cleats. Each bar has several angles on it, netting a total of 800. More angles and surfaces to come in contact with the turf means more traction and stability.
The Street Retros feature Fluidform Comfort Technology and design that follows the contour of the foot.
Comfort
In terms of comfort, Ecco shoes can’t be beat and the Street Retro is no exception. The fit and feel is luxurious. They provide some nice cushioning, making walking the course or walking on the street enjoyable. Walking long distances on hard surfaces is as easy as an 8-inch birdie putt (if you don’t have the yips).
Performance
Ecco has proved to me time and again that shoes with great style and comfort can perform. The Street Retros provide a solid platform and stability, allowing the golfer to make powerful, accurate, and repeatable swings. If you have no traction or stability, the best clubs in the world won’t help. The street retro excels in performance. I’ve benefitted from the traction and stability the shoe delivers, including many different conditions and environments.
Final Thoughts
The Ecco Street Retro delivers in the three most important areas I need a golf shoe to deliver in: performance, comfort, and style. Whether wearing the Street Retros around the pro shop or on a hard and wet links course like Bandon Dunes, you can count on the Ecco Street Retro.
Related
Review: Ecco Cage Pro Golf Shoes
Review: Ecco S-Drive Golf Shoes
Ecco Street EVO One Golf Shoe Review
Review: Ecco BIOM Hybrid Golf Shoes
If the Seven Pairs of Shoes Fit, Wear Them
How many golf equipment reviewers test out a product for an entire summer and dozens of rounds from Utah to Michigan before posting their review? My guess is one. Case in point is this review of the Ecco Cage Pro Golf Shoes. I’ve been gaming these treads for almost a YEAR. A YEAR. I’ve walked 100’s of miles in them and hit thousands of shots, good and bad.
Cage Pro Overview
Ecco is renowned for their stylish and comfortable shoes, whether they be golf shoes or street shoes. The Cage Pro follows that mold. I wouldn’t wear them for a year if they weren’t comfortable.
The Cage Pro is a “hybrid” golf shoe, meaning it can be worn on and off the course. I’ve done both with great performance and satisfaction.
This super-lightweight shoe has soft “Dritton” leather which is water resistant via “HYDROMAX” treated leather. Despite being water resistant, the leather remains breathable to help keep the feet free of moisture.
The outsole features “SPYDR-GRIP” technology (I know… who thinks of this stuff?). This technology provides “pivot points” which boost the shoe’s stability.
Sizes/Colors
Available sizes run from men’s 5 to 13.5, but be aware that all Ecco shoes are “euro” sizes and they go full sizes, not halves. This means that if you are a 9 or a 9.5, there’s only one shoe size. This is why I recommend trying them on before picking up a pair. Despite being a US 9, I often find myself going with a “42” euro in Eccos, which they say is about an 8.5. If I went with the next size up, that could be as large as a 9.5 and too big for me.
Available colors include white with blue trim, white with gray trim, white with red trim, gray with yellow trim, black with gray trim, and a brown/orange combo. My choice, the white with gray trim, matches the widest variance of apparel, which is why I went that route.
On The Course
As I mentioned in the opening, I’ve gamed these treads for nearly a year with great results. The “SPYDR-GRIP” looks like it might slip, especially on wet ground, but the traction is fantastic. I kept a mental note on those treads in particular and I think I’ve slipped perhaps twice in thousands of swings.
While walking the hard ground of my hilly home course, the Cage Pros performed great. I’ve benefitted from a stable platform for my swing gives me great traction. The shoes don’t beat up my bones either, meaning my back, knees, ankles etc. Some shoes “walk hard.” These don’t.
And of course I’m happy with the style of the Cage Pros. Unique, sharp looking, classy, and not overstated.
Final Thoughts
At $210 there are certainly less expensive golf shoes on the market. The Cage Pros are still a great value because of their performance, style, and especially their durability. Highly recommended.
The Ecco S-Drive golf shoes are quite unique, even between the right and left shoes! This design is an asymmetrical concept which is not only interesting, it is stylish and highly functional. I’ve been gaming these shoes for a few months with great results not only on the golf course, but in daily use. Let’s take a look.
Ecco S-Drive Golf Shoes – Overview
The S-Drive is a light-weight golf shoe which is stabilized by bonded microfiber. The microfiber provides strength while still delivering support. Despite this strength, the shoe is still able to flex with the golfer in the golf swing or walking the course. In my case, it also walking to lunch from the office.
The inlay of the shoe can be removed to make the shoe more roomy for those who need the space. Rather than doing that, I switched out the inlay for some specialized golf shoe inserts since I’ve been fighting off plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is a painful situation in the arch and heel of the foot. With or without the inserts the shoes are comfortable and stable.
The S-Drive repels water through the use of Ecco’s special “hydromax” leather.
Lastly, the outsole of the shoe provides great traction, performance and stability due to 800 “traction angles,” as seen in the photo below.
Looks/Style
The S-Drives are extremely stylish and I love the asymmetrical concept. Each shoe’s shape reflects the foot, not a cookie cutter pattern that the foot is jammed into. I love wearing these shoes on and off the course. At the office I get a lot of interested looks and questions about them.
Comfort
Despite not having much in the way of laces, I can tighten them perfectly which gives me great support without sacrificing comfort. The shape is very friendly to my feet. I’ve walked many rounds on hard ground with them with no fatigue or aches.
Performance
Most importantly I find the performance of the Ecco S-Drives to be fantastic. From the first round I put them on I seemed to gain power and accuracy in my golf shots. The solid base with great traction certainly helps me make better golf swings.
Sizing
Sizing is the one funky area with Ecco’s offerings. They’re European sizes, which is fine. But the size ranges cover ranges like 8 to 8.5, 9 to 9.5, etc. One has to definitely see how the fit is first to make sure the shoes are the correct size. If the shoe fits, wear it.
Conclusion
The $160 retail Ecco S-Drives have been a great addition to my gamer setup. I’m undefeated in golf money games since putting them into play. I may have to wear them to Vegas…
The S-Drive scores highly in the the most important categories in my personal rating system, performance, style, and comfort.
This one is going to be tight. I just received the new Ecco S-Drive golf shoes for review. The golf season here is winding down and I’ve already gotten my skis tuned and my ski boots refitted. I hope the weather holds out long enough for me to put these new S-Drives through the rigorous HOG review battery before the snow flies.
These are quite unique looking. Check out the laces and top of the shoe.
I hope to get my review done in the next few weeks. If not, you’ll know I’m enjoying some deep Utah powder and the review will come in the spring. For now, check out the press release from Ecco, detailing some of the S-Drive’s features.
From Ecco:
ECCO S-DRIVE represents an entirely new take on golf footwear. Drawing inspiration from the running market, the bold, athletic styling is matched with a simple, yet highly-technical asymmetrical last to enhance both fit and feel. The result is a lightweight, agile design that still offers the comfort, stability and performance golfers demand. ECCO S-Drive highlights the company’s commitment to innovate, through a unique set of performance and comfort properties, including:
- An asymmetrical closure system enables a revolutionary, close to the foot fit, resulting in excellent support and stability.
- Soft mesh upper for a comfortable feel, and bonded with microfiber for optimal support and stability. Treated with HYDROMAX® for superb weather and perspiration resistance.
- A removable Ortholite® inlay sole offers long-term cushioning, enhanced breathability, antimicrobial function and the option of extra width.
- Wrap up on the side of the midsole adding support during golf swing. Direct-injected TPU outsole featuring E-DTS® technology for excellent grip, traction, durability & flexibility.
Wow these new Ecco Cage Pro golf shoes just came in for review and they’re wild on one side and super classy and simple on the other.
Now if the snow would melt and the courses would open I could get cracking on ’em.
Half the fun for my blogging (well, maybe 42%) is trying to make awesome pictures. It helps to start with great subjects, like Ecco Golf Shoes.
I’m slowly coming out of spring hibernation, hoping the golf spark is re-ignited. If/when that happens, I’ll be testing these out.
Stay tuned.
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