There is a lot of cool gear in the golf equipment world that doesn’t always fit neatly into Most Wanted Tests or Buyer’s Guides. You still want to know how it performs. In our We Tried It series, we put gear to the test and let you know if it works as advertised.
What we Tried:
The Allbirds Golf Dasher; the eco-friendly shoe company’s first-ever golf shoe offering.
Who Tried It:
Connor. Director of Soft Goods Testing and resident sneakerhead. I believe golf is better with a pair of cool shoes and comfortable joggers.
I’m a recent convert to the world of Allbirds shoes and am elated to see them enter the golf shoe market.
Allbirds Golf Dasher Review: Sustainable or Playable?
Allbirds has made a name for themselves as a sustainable shoe brand with a focus on natural materials and holistic comfort. I, along with a few of my office mates, am a big fan of Allbirds for casual wear.
But the recipe for a good golf shoe is vastly different from that of a good casual shoe. Allbirds have the latter down pat. But making a golf shoe? That’s a different beast altogether.
My initial impressions were hopeful but not overly optimistic. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my time as a professional shoe tester, it’s that a minimalist approach to golf shoes often equates to a loss of stability or a compromise with traction.
And if anyone takes a minimalist approach to footwear, it’s Allbirds. That said, It’s my job to give the Allbirds Golf Dasher a fair shake. Here are my thoughts.
Comfortable and Cool
The Allbirds Golf Dasher’s best feature? Comfort. Allbirds knows comfort and they packed the Golf Dasher full of lightweight SweetFoam. What is SweetFoam? I’m glad you asked. It’s Allbirds’ proprietary EVA foam made from sugarcane. In their words, it’s the world’s first carbon-negative green EVA. What does all of that mean? I won’t get into it. For the golfer, it means a comfortable, responsive ride.
The SweetFoam midsole of the Allbirds Golf Dasher was among the most comfortable golf shoes I’ve worn in a while. And with little to no break-in time required, the Golf Dashers are ready to hit the course right out of the recycled box.
A holistic look at comfort takes into consideration more than underfoot cushion. The Allbirds Golf Dasher is made of a knit wool upper that’s extremely soft and breathable. The added ripstop reinforcements provide extra durability and some semblance of water resistance, too.
If you’re a fan of a one-to-one fit, the Golf Dasher is snug and secure without feeling restrictive.
Traction that Tries its Best
One look at the Allbirds Golf Dasher had me concerned by the traction lugs (or lack thereof). It’s not that there aren’t any—they’re just smallish and extremely pliable. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by the dry-ground performance of the Allbirds Golf Dasher.
The traction proved plenty adequate for a casual round of golf. As a minimalist golf shoe goes, the Allbirds Golf Dasher does enough in the traction department to be considered a spikeless golf shoe.
It won’t compete with a wet-weather performer like the CodeChaos 22 or Payntr X001 but in dry conditions you’ll be free and able to make your swing,
Allbirds Golf Dasher: Fairly Functional for a First Foray
The Allbirds Golf Dasher is the brand’s first foray into the world of golf shoes. How did they perform? I’d say better than average. Bolstered by holistic comfort and traction that does just enough, the Allbirds Golf Dasher is a new personal favorite.
In need of a comfortable, freestyle golf shoe that can be worn all day? The Allbirds Golf Dasher is worth considering..
Pete
11 months ago
C’mon, guys…”holistic comfort”, “carbon negative”. What is “holistic comfort”? Does this magically fit your foot better by using organic, therapeutic-grade, meglanating transorbent, essential lycophenic masterfoam? Or is it just magic? And I would like to see the data that All-birds is “Carbon negative”. I am a bit disappointed by MGS with this one. What a load of carbon neutral phosphenes.