Did TRUE Linkswear Make the Perfect Walking Shoe?

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 TRUE Linkswear Lux Hybrid. A luxury spikeless offering from TRUE Linkswear. Leather saddle and knit upper. 

Who Tried It:

Connor. Director of Soft Goods Testing and resident sneakerhead. I’m running out of space for golf shoes. With a baby on the way, my wife has asked that I “cool it” a little bit. Sorry, dear, I’ve never tried a pair of True Linkswear footwear so I had to take one for the team and move some of your clothes to make room for the Lux Hybrid. 

The Tech Specs

Before I try a new shoe (especially from a company that I’ve never worn anything from), I like to take a deep dive into the tech specs. On paper, the TRUE Linkswear Lux Hybrid sounds pretty good. 

The leather saddle and knit upper scream comfort. Throw in a waterproof warranty and a TPU heel cup and we’re potentially looking at a really good spikeless golf shoe with some durability.

Tech specs are just that. A golf shoe is the sum of its parts and if they don’t all work in harmony, then it’s all for nothing. 

Let’s find out if the TRUE Linkswear Lux Hybrid is a paper tiger or a top performer. (Spoiler: They’re leaning towards the latter.)

Comfort and Construction

I’m a sucker for leather. The fastest way into my heart is to use real, raw materials. The leather saddle on the Lux Hybrid is straight money. Not only is it soft and supple but it does add some lateral stability. 

My concern with the leather is that it can stretch so you may lose some of that “caging” effect. 

Onto the rest of the upper. TRUE Linkswear is known for their knits. The Lux Hybrid features a waterproof design knit upper that feels really good. Knits are, by design, not as stable. But, True added a TPU mudguard/rand to keep your feet from sliding over the footbed. 

Let’s talk about the mudguard. If there’s one thing I noticed right away is that the mudguard makes the toe area feel very stiff and small. Really small. Next time, I would go with at least a half size up. 

Moving on to the midsole, TRUE relies on its Wanderlux foam for step-in comfort. It feels pretty good. It’s probably on the firmer end of the spectrum for my taste but that lends itself to a little more stability. 

It’s firm yet responsive. Someone who wants a little more energy return and that spring-like bounce will enjoy the Wanderlux ride. 

Subtle Stability

A good golf shoe must be stable. The Lux Hybrid is … well, for the lack of a better term, kind of stable. The foam midsole is firm enough and the TPU heel cup with the leather saddle makes it more stable than other minimalist-style golf shoes. 

It will not, however, provide the same level of stability as a FJ Premiere. That’s to be expected. With a shoe like this, it’s all about managing expectations. TRUE Linkswear isn’t trying to make a shoe that rivals the stability of FJ. 

Traction

If there was a letdown in performance for the Lux Hybrid, it was the traction. The spikeless traction was just OK. In dry conditions, really good. When playing in wet conditions, I had traction loss. 

Again, managing expectations is key. I don’t expect the Lux Hybrid to rival the top spiked offerings. But I’ve worn spikeless shoes that offer better wet ground traction. 

I would have liked to see some more lugs here. 

The Perfect Walking Shoe?

Not quite. But there has not been, and never will be, a perfect walking shoe. The TRUE Linkswear Lux Hybrid is a very good walking golf shoe. 

Is it comfortable? Yes. Are the materials top-notch? Yes. Could the traction be better? Definitely. Do I wish the toe was less stiff and tight? Sure. The Lux Hybrid is worth a look if you’re on the hunt for a walking golf shoe. 

The pros outweigh the cons, in my opinion. If I had Mt. Rushmore of the most comfortable gear I’ve worn, it would probably land around the five-spot (or just outside, looking in). 

If you walk more than you ride and are a fan of premium materials, the Lux Hybrid might be the right shoe for you.