January 29, 2013 – Yes, I’ve gone from the Ecco Golf Street to Ecco BIOM Hybrid. And the change has been easy, mainly for two reasons: first, because both models have the same sole; and second, because after giving the Golf Street a pounding for a couple of long years, with almost daily use whether on or off the golf course, obviously the sole wears.

You can count two and half years of loyalty to the Golf Street, because they provided great comfort to my feet, they gave me a sporty well-dressed look in everyday life, I could slip them on quickly when I had to go out in a hurry, and above all, they had the most durable rubber sole that I have ever had.

The truth is that I could have continued with the Golf Street, buying a new pair. I saw them in the golf shop next door – the same model, with the same leather and the same colour. No wonder, it has been so successful that even if Ecco has developed it further, it’ll still be in demand for a while. So, in 2012 and also this year, the Danish manufacturer has proposed to golfers new combinations of uppers (textiles, camel and reptile skin pattern) and colours (as well as orange, I have seen the soles and the logo of four dots in red, green and blue) to choose to your liking.

Now that Ecco has introduced the very stylish Tour Golf Hybrid, I was wondering if it would have been better to wait a few days and try them on in the golf shop before deciding, because with those on, you can go from the office to the golf course or from the golf course to the office without changing your shoes. But here I am, in the end, with the BIOM Hybrid and personally just as satisfied.

Having worn the shoes for a few weeks now, I‘m sure the close contact with the ground will give me the same benefits as the Golf Street. A hundred moulded traction bars with more than 800 angles help you to grip the ground and stay as stable in the swing as golfers like Fred Couples and Stuart Appleby on the PGA Tour.

In terms of looks, the Golf Street seems to me more urban than the BIOM Hybrid. These new ones are one step higher up the ladder, because they’ve been constructed with yak hyde, which makes a smooth and soft upper that is much stronger, and treated with Hydromax which gives you excellent protection against the elements. I also like the reflective tabs.

But the real difference is in the introduction of the BIOM technology, which Ecco has been using in its golf shoes with spikes (BIOM Golf), and is now using with great success with the crossing of the Golf Street and BIOM Golf models. A biomechanically studied technology, based on the natural movement of feet when stepping, and that encourages players to place the weight of the step more toward the mid-foot than the heel. This frees rather than inhibits the foot muscles, strengthening the lower the legs, from the knees to feet.

It’s something that you can feel inside, and it is reflected on the outside, as the Ecco BIOM are sturdier than the Golf Street. They feel to me a little stiffer in flexibility than my previous shoes, something which I grateful for on the golf course. In summary, they are comfortable, versatile and helpful. I think I’m set up for shoes for a while, which means I can stop worrying about my feet on the golf course. It feels as if they can manage on they own.

ECCO GOLF SHOES

• Model: BIOM Hybrid, sole without cleats.
• Tester: Miguel Ángel Buil (49). 28 Handicap.

DESIGN	[rating: level=”4″]
MATERIAL	[rating: level=”5″]
GRIP	[rating: level=”4.5″]
STABILITY	[rating: level=”4.5″]
FEELING	[rating: level=”5″]
CONSTRUCTION	[rating: level=”5″]
VALUE	[rating: level=”4″]
FOR…	All kind of golfers
AVERAGE	[rating: level=”4.5″]

 The same shoe for urban and golf use. An original idea and a good combination, fusing two iconic designs of Ecco (Golf Street and BIOM Golf). The result is a comfortable and durable golf shoe, with a very high performance at the hybrids category.

 Perhaps the only thing that throws me a bit, on an aesthetic level, is the asymmetry of the rubber at toe and heel. Although I do understand that the rubbers are there to provide resistance and extend the life of the shoes under the harsh swing movements on the course, which they do better than the Golf Street.

TECHNOLOGY

• Naturally soft, smooth and breathable Yak leather uppers are three times stronger tan other leathers and treated with Hydromax for superb weather protection.
• The triple-component insole unit enhances cushion and performance.
• Perfect anatomical last with flexible midsole arch support that mirrors the foot skeleton, providing remarkable support and comfort.
• An ingeniously engineered outsole with approximately 100 molded traction bars provides more tan 800 traction angles for excellent grip in all conditions.
• Constructed from TPU, a highly durable, wear resistant material, the traction bars have been shown to last five times longer tan rubber.
• Colours: White/royal, black/brick, white/brick, cocoa brown/fanta, black/imperial purble, concrete/lime punch and white.
• Lines: Men, Women and Junior.
• RRP: €169.

More information at www.holgolf.com and www.ecco.com/golf.

Por REDACCIÓN