I've read a lot of marketing claims in my time at Golf Monthly. Having primarily reviewed golf shoes for the best part of three years now, I've trawled through plenty of press releases with claims of 'best' this and 'amazing' that. For it's latest golf shoe Quantum, FootJoy has gone for the phrase 'Cloud Like Comfort'. What does 'cloud-like' comfort mean, I asked myself. What does a cloud feel like? I've never touched one and even if I did, aren't clouds just large masses of water vapor anyway? Regardless, my interest was piqued and I was excited to take FootJoy's latest creation on onto the golf course.
As soon as I slid the Quantum shoe on for the first time, the marketing simile all began to make perfect sense. FootJoy has basically packed as much cushioning underfoot as is reasonably possible in a golf shoe, and it has paid off massively in the comfort stakes. The SofFoam technology in and around the heel provides an unbelievably cushioned ride and you can feel it working both as you're walking along and through the golf swing. There's a floaty sensation underfoot and it feels like the shoe is absorbing all of the energy from beneath, protecting the foot from shock on any type of surface.
The crowning glory of comfort comes from the Ortholite Impression FitBed - this is what provides the real step-in comfort. It moulds over time to the shape of your foot for what eventually becomes a 'customized' fit. It'll take a handful of rounds for this to take effect, but the more you wear the Quantum, they more comfortable they'll become. This is one of the best insoles in golf shoes in my opinion. I tested it in the FootJoy Hyperflex Carbon and FootJoy Pro/SLX Carbon this year and, with all the added comfort in the midsole of the Quantum, the insole feels even softer here.
There has to be some tradeoffs when it comes to making a shoe this down right comfortable. In the Quantum, I'd say that has come in the form of overall stability. I'm not saying it's an unstable or flimsy golf shoe, far from it, but there are much more stable spikeless golf shoes that have been released this year. Shoes like the Under Armour Drive Pro SL and G/FORE G/18 offer a far more stable sensation, particularly via a 'locked-in' heel section. These shoes, however, don't come anywhere close to the comfort offered by the Quantum, so it's important you pick your priorities right and invest in the shoe that best meets your needs. The same goes for the outsole. While the Quantum's spikeless outsole is effective in both dry and damp conditions, it's by no means the grippiest on the market. Again, pick your priorities first when it comes to golf shoes.
Looks wise, I'd say the Quantum straddles the line between traditional athletic golf shoe and a sneaker style. I always think FootJoy executes better in the looks category of more traditional silhouettes - take one look at the Premiere Series Field for example. It hasn't got the archive of sneaker designs like Adidas, Nike or New Balance has so the 'sneaker' style is very much out of the brand's comfort zone. In my opinion, these shoes are clean, classic and smart. They're casual for sure, nothing like the Premiere Series silhouette, but they're not so casual that you'd feel comfortable wearing them off course like a pair of Adidas Ultraboosts or Nike Air Jordan Low 1 Gs. As much as I think these are good looking shoes, I do wish FootJoy would do away with the large 'FJ' branding it's been putting on the rear of its more casual shoes lately. You can see it on the Quantum as well as the FootJoy Fuel and it's an unnecessary addition to an otherwise smart shoe.
Even in some of my favorite shoes from this year, like the Adidas Tour360 24 or G/FORE Gallivan2r, there is a tinge of aching in my feet after walking the nearly 13,000 steps from a round of golf. But the in the Quantum there was no such aching. Prior to testing the Quantum, Ecco's LT1 was crowned my most comfortable shoe of the year, but I'd say that crown has now been knocked off the Ecco. Comfortable though the LT1 is, the Quantum has taken things up a notch. Those who prioritize out and out comfort from their golf shoes need to try Quantum for themselves to truly appreciate how good they are.
