It's been a busy year for G/FORE. Having already released the new Gallivan2r, Gallivan2r G/Lock Saddle, Gallivanter G/LOCK, it's latest release might be it's boldest and brashest to date. That's saying something for a brand that has consistently pushed the boundaries when it comes to the styling on the best golf shoes. All shoes I've named above are spinoffs or extensions of previous family lines, but this new G/18 is something different altogether and I was excited to take them out for a spin.
I'll start with looks, as one must with a the best G/FORE shoes. This is certainly a much more fashion forward silhouette. With bulges, bumps and details dotted all over this shoe, it's quite busy on the eye - but I like it for this. It screams high fashion to me and reminds me immediately of the sneakers you'll see brands like Balenciaga or Moncler release on occasion. With the outsole bleeding onto the upper and multiple textures across the shoe, this might split opinion on looks but they have won me over. With G/FORE's already huge range of style options, there really is something for everyone now. While there are only two colorways currently available, expect more to drop over the coming seasons.
From a performance perspective, the most prominent visual technology is the new toe wrap. Here, the outsole basically bleeds over the front of the shoe and onto the toe section. It's very similar to the design used on the Adidas Codechaos 22 shoe and it professes to offer more grip around the toe area. On your back foot, this is undoubtedly a useful extra layer of grip when you rise onto your toe during the follow through, but it's obviously less useful on the front foot. I suspect it'll also allow the shoe to last a lot longer, as the toe area wearing down is often a problem for people's golf shoes.
That leads me nicely onto the outsole, which is also totally new on the G/18. On previous G/FORE spikeless shoes, the brand has opted for the effective sawtooth construction, which was low profile while still offering excellent grip in multiple conditions. The new outsole construction on the G/18 lends itself more towards performance than it does off course wearability. It's much less low profile that the old sawtooth outsole and for that I think it offers even more grip. With the fully waterproof upper, I expect wearing the G/18s in full wet weather won't be a problem at all.
However, because of this more prominent outsole, the G/18 isn't much of a versatile on-off course shoe. Unlike other G/FORE shoes like the MG4+ or MG4x2 - not to mention all of the sneaker conversion shoes we've seen like Nike's Air Pegasus '89 or Adidas' S2G - the G/18 really isn't much of a shoe for off the course. It's this versatility that stops it being an out and out 5-star product for me.
They're incredibly supportive too. The prominent external heel counter does a superb job of supporting the heel through the swing, while the materials and padding around that area make it soft and comfortable too. As is present in all the brand's shoes, the nubbed massaging insole is an experience you need to try for yourself to truly understand - I love it.
As with pretty much every G/FORE shoe I've worn, the G/18 made me smile. It's a bold new look but one that is practical and seriously comfortable. Those who wish to try something a little more exciting from a style perspective but don't wish to sacrifice overall comfort and performance will find a nice new home in G/FORE's latest offering.
