G/FORE has been one of our favorite golf shoe brands of recent times, and has been making some of the best golf shoes market since it was founded in 2011. It's bold takes on classic designs, huge variety of color choice and general playfulness with creating golf shoes has made them a fan favorite too. It's latest creation, the Gallivan2r (a playful name pronounced GallivanTOUR) is a new spikeless model to the ever-increasing range melding some of the brand's previous creations in something of a hybrid model.
To me, this is one of the best looking shoes that has been released in the last decade. Just look at it. It blends everything that's great about the classic design of the G/FORE Gallivanter with the sportiness of the G/FORE MG4+ to spawn an immediate classic. I especially loved the white/navy colorway I was testing, with the navy wrapping around the upper edge of the outsole, something we've seen coming into style this year. Looks are entirely subjective, so feel free to disagree with me, but I loved the way I looked at felt in these shoes - and isn't that what buying a nice pair of golf shoes is all about? For me, the Gallinvan2r boasts just the right amount of classiness with some bold pops of color that let you know it's a G/FORE shoe.
Away from the drop dead looks, how did this shoe perform on the course? The first thing I noticed was the dimpled insole, something that has been a feature of every G/FORE shoe to date. This is another thing I love about G/FORE in that it transfers all of its best features and technologies across its range of shoes. This one in particular is a joy on your feet, and is totally unique to G/FORE shoes. The dimpled insole rub up agains the sole of. It's a feeling I think you have to try for yourself to truly understand, but one you'll love as soon as you slide the shoe on. Aside from the insole, a 3D molded heel cup does a great job at comfortably keeping your foot in place, while some additional padding around the heel/achilles area meant there was no signs of rubbing during my testing rounds.
The Gallivan2r retails at £150, making it G/FORE's lowest retailing shoe to date. Now I'm not going to pretend £150 is 'cheap' but it certainly represents good value for money considering the quality and longevity this shoe will offer. This in thanks in part to the brand using a TPU upper materials rather than the full grain leather on some of its other shoes like the Gallivanter G/Lock or the P.U leather it uses on the G.112. This doesn't make it any less of a premium golf shoe in my eyes though, and the feel and performance match up. The material is highly breathable, fully waterproof and anti-microbial, it just doesn't have the same softness of a full leather shoe, but that has to be expecting considering the price.
The outsole is a unique new design, but I'm less convinced its as much of a success as the rest of the shoe. While they make look like the conventional cleats we see on some of the best spiked golf shoes, they are actually an integrated rubber cleat system. A total of 13 on each foot may seem comprehensive, but with them being all at the same height and shape, the secondary traction isn't as good as some of the competition. I have to stress it still offers plenty of grip in multiple conditions, I'm just highlighting its not the best out there.
I would suggest the outsoles on the FootJoy Pro/SLX Carbon and Under Armour Drive Pro SL offer a much different school of thought when it comes to spikeless traction, using different shapes and depths of nubs to produce some of the most comprehensive traction I've ever tested. For me, these are much more convincing designs. That's not to say I was slipping and sliding around in the Gallivan2r - quite the opposite - but it doesn't feel like as much thought went into the outsole as on some of the best spikeless shoes I've tested so far this year. The system used here also doesn't make them quite as versatile as the MG4x2 or MG4+ as they feel a toucher firmer underfoot when on harder surfaces. On a more positive note - and in true G/FORE style - I love the splash of color applied to the outsoles at the integrated spikes.
Overall, I have quickly become very enamored with the Gallivan2r. It is a drop dead gorgeous golf shoe that benefits from that superb massaging insole I think golfers of all style preferences will enjoy. The outsole may not be class leading, but it holds its own in dry and wet conditions. The range of colors can allow you to be as loud or as subtle as you like with the style and I think these will be a prized addition to anyone's golf wardrobe.
