Golf shoe review: Oakley Cipher

Billed as the world’s lightest golf shoes, Aussie Golfer road-tested a pair of Oakley’s newest golf shoe, the Oakley Cipher.

The Oakley Cipher’s were living up to their reputation as soon as they came out of the box. These were some lightweight golf shoes that even the non-golfing Ms.AG was impressed with.

AppearanceThe Oakley Cipher comes in a range of colours that have a shiny, metallic look to them. The upper part of the shoe is made of a very light, breathable material that looks to be perfect for summer golf. The Oakley logo sits on the front but somehow doesn’t detract too much from the look of the golf shoe. The blue and  red styles may be a little too loud for some golfers, but all have a certain flair to them without looking gaudy.

The sole
Despite their lightweight nature, the sole and heel of the Oakley Cipher’s feel very solid. Oakley Cipher’s sole is pretty unique too. A moulded traction area surrounds a central rough area that is very much like course grade sandpaper, something Oakley term Nanospike technology.

This section can be replaced using a replacement kit (that can be a little difficult to track down) but unless you’re wearing them consistently through the car park, they’d take a while to wear down.

Feel
They feel fantastic. While perhaps not strictly a street shoe style golf shoe, they are equally as comfortable as any trainers or street shoes I’ve worn. The soft upper and inner sole makes for a very comfortable golf shoe that feels very low to the ground.

On course
It’s all very well being light, shiny and comfy, but how were they on the golf course?

My first tee shot of the day (which was also my first golf shot in a month) saw me hook a shot left as my back foot slipped slightly. I wondered (and hoped) if the shoes were to blame on what was a damp day, but I experienced no further issues whatsoever and can safely attribute the slip to a lack of golf and poor balance. I was told my hybrid to 8 feet on the final hole was high on “smash factor”, something I can only assume you can’t do with poor grip. The shoes are great and the grip is superb.

Summary
As soon as the Cipher’s came out of the box I’d been dying to test them out on the golf course. Having done that, I can’t wait to wear them again. They will be particularly great in summer being so light and breezy, but they will perform equally as well in wet, damp conditions. They are without doubt the lightest golf shoe I’ve ever worn.

[Editor’s note Jul25, 2013: We’ve worn these shoes many times since the review and regret a little that they’ve worn so quickly. We’re now hesitant to wear them in the wet and regard them as you’re perfect summer shoe rather than shoes you’d wear too much in winter]

The Oakley Cipher’s were provided to Aussie Golfer for review. They can be purchased through the Oakley website (with free shipping), or in golf stores around the country.

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