FootJoy HyperFlex Carbon golf shoe review
The original HyperFlex golf shoe was a very popular model and one of the sportiest styles that FootJoy has offered in its long history. The new HyperFlex range has been updated for 2023 and is available in three men’s models – HyperFlex, HyperFlex BOA and HyperFlex Carbon. The HyperFlex Carbon features – you guessed it – carbon fiber in the construction plus a few other bells and whistles to compete for the crown in the world best golf shoe of the year.
From a performance perspective, the absolute highlight of this shoe is the Ortholite Impression Footbed. This technology has transformed the HyperFlex Carbon from a good golf shoe into a great golf shoe. Almost as soon as I slipped my foot into the shoe, I could feel the technology at work. Exclusive to the HyperFlex Carbon, this footbed is one of the most comfortable I’ve tested. It feels like memory foam and molds to the shape of your foot over a series of laps, making you feel like you’re putting on an old pair of slippers. The speed at which the footbed familiarizes itself and molds to your foot is also impressive and after just a handful of laps it had started to mold to the shape of my feet. If I compare it to the Lightstrike midsole in the adidas ZG23the Ignite Foam midsole in the Puma Ignite Articulate and the midsole in the Ecco Biome G5the FootJoy put them all on the post for comfort.
Visually, the HyperFlex Carbon has stuck to the proven silhouette of its older brother, but with some new pops of color that add to the Regal’s overall appeal. It’s part of a clear effort by FootJoy to go a little bolder and brighter with some of its color options. Yes, the traditionalists have a few classics to choose from FootJoy shoes in the Premiere series area, but in sportier shoes like that FootJoy fuel and this new Hyperflex range gives the design team a little more freedom to experiment with colour. Completing the look for me is the sock area on top which really gives the shoe its athletic look and feel and offers a contrasting texture to the TPU used primarily on the upper. While this material looks good, it’s also very breathable – as is the TPU upper – something not all golf shoes have gotten right in the past. It’s worth noting that while the upper is easy to clean, the cloth sock area can be a bit more difficult if mud gets on it.
As much as I really enjoyed wearing these FootJoy Tour Alpha from last year I found them a bit too bulky compared to some of the flatter, sporty golf shoes I normally wear. The HyperFlex Carbon still feels like a bigger shoe than that adidas ZG23 And Puma Ignite Articulate and it’s also on the heavier side compared to the others best spiked shoes of the year, so keep that in mind if you want a lighter spiked golf shoe in your rotation.
With the comfort of this shoe, you might forget that this is also an absolute performance golf shoe. Another unique feature of Hyperflex Carbon is the carbon fiber used in the outsole to increase the stability of the shoe. The TPU outsole features a carbon fiber shank that wraps around the shoe for increased stability compared to HyperFlex. While HyperFlex is still perfectly stable, there’s no denying that adding material like carbon fiber to the HyperFlex Carbon has upped the stability by a notch. Grip is excellent too, and I prefer the more minimalist approach FootJoy has taken with their Spikes outsole on HyperFlex Carbon. The lower profile outsole makes this shoe much more usable in the dry summer months when you just want to use one shoe all year round.
Overall, the HyperFlex Carbon is as well-rounded a spiked golf shoe as I’ve had the privilege of testing. Highlighted by the Ortholite Impressions footbed, the brand has found the balance between comfort and high performance and packed it all into a sporty, colorful silhouette. With an RRP of £189.99 there’s no denying that this is an expensive golf shoe, a shoe that costs £30 more than the Hyperflex. Is the additional investment worth it? For this Ortholite Impressions footbed alone, I would say it is.
Does the FootJoy HyperFlex Carbon fit true to size?
The HyperFlex Carbon fits true to size, but if you prefer a tighter fit there’s definitely room to go half a size down.
Source : sports.yahoo.com