We Tried This Absurdly Stable FootJoy Golf Shoe

What We Tried:

FootJoy Tour Alpha Carbon Triple BOA is FootJoy’s absurdly stable modern Tour shoe with Carbitex OmniFlex carbon fiber and a triple BOA Fit system.

Your Tour Alpha Triple BOA Tester

Tony Covey. MyGolfSpy’s resident BOA advocate. Shoelaces were invented 5,500+ years ago. I think we can do better, people. Laces are for suckers.

About the FootJoy Tour Alpha Carbon Triple BOA

It’s not a stretch to describe the Tour Alpha Carbon Triple BOA as the most technologically advanced shoe in the FootJoy lineup. While it’s not billed as such, what we’re talking about is a killer collab: FootJoy x Carbitex x BOA.

It kinda feels like all we’re missing is a Malbon logo.

With that, you get a robust assortment of FootJoy tech, including:

• ChromoSkin Leather – Made by Pittards, the upper is waterproof.
• Performance OPS Outsole  – FootJoy’s “Optimized Performance Stabilizer” is the structure that locks you into the shoe, allowing you to swing like you mean it.
• OrthoLite – Proprietary cushioning material that molds to the shape of your feet over time.
• Laser Plus Last – The platform on which the shoe is built. The Tour Alpha features a rounded toe with a standard fit in the forefoot and instep with a narrower heel.

But wait, there’s more. With the Carbon Triple BOA version, you also get

• Carbitex OmniFlex – the addition of high tensile strength carbon fiber helps secure your foot while maximizing power transfer and stability. The material is exceptionally flexible and lightweight.
• Triple BOA Closure – Three BOA dials allow you to precisely dial in your fit.

Fit and Comfort

I’ve mentioned it a few times but it’s worth saying again. The majority of comfort in a golf shoe (or any shoe) comes from a proper fit.

While not every shoe is going to work for everybody (looking at you ’24 adidas TOUR360 – sad face emoji), FootJoy offers a wide range of sizes (8.5–14 in medium and wide widths) so, at a minimum, you’ve got a fighting chance.

With FootJoy, I know my size and I’ve generally found them to be comfortable. As is well documented, I’m also a huge BOA fanboy and generally find I get a better fit with BOA-powered shoes.

All of that said, I do have a couple of notes this time around.

This is my first experience with Carbitex so it’s difficult to say with any certainty if it’s the shoe itself or the carbon fiber but the Tour Alpha Carbitex Triple BOA is incredibly stable. While I obviously haven’t tried every shoe, it’s the most stable I’ve ever worn and I’d be shocked if it wasn’t among the most stable on the market.

With that comes a couple of trade-offs.

First, if you enjoy that “walking on kittens” feel of a pair of Skechers, you’re not likely to get it here. While I wouldn’t go so far as to describe the Tour Alpha Carbitex Triple BOA as uncomfortable, after 15 or 16 holes into a round, I’ve consistently become aware of the balls of my feet. That is to say, the firmness in the forefoot becomes apparent over time.

Second, as I touched on before, the stability of the shoe borders on absurd. Depending on the golfer, that could be good or bad.

If you love that “locked into the ground” feeling, the Tour Alpha Carbitex Triple BOA is going to be right in your wheelhouse.

The thing is that shoe fitting is a bit like club fitting in that different golfers have different needs. I tend to do better with less stability and more flexibility. Call it freedom of movement if you will – Scottie Scheffler without the talent.

I find that the Tour Alpha Carbitex Triple BOA leaves me feeling a bit more anchored than I like, though (full disclosure here), I’m the guy (maybe the only guy) STILL desperately holding out for FootJoy to bring the FreeStyle back.

I’ve got tentacles for toes and they want to wiggle.

Making this simple: If stability is your thing, you’re likely going to love these. If it’s not, they’re probably occasional wear at best.

The Looks

There’s likely no point in fighting this battle. Some of you have made it clear that you’re always going to prefer dirty laces to the streamlined looks of the flaps that are often part of BOA designs.

You do you. That’s fine.

The new ripple here is the addition of the carbon fiber weave to said flaps. Admittedly, it’s a little in your face, though I don’t have any particular problem with it. The point of the design is to provide a visual cue that Carbitex is baked into the shoe.

It is what it is. If you hate it, don’t buy it.

Do You Need 3 BOA Fit System Dials?

That question actually comes from Twitter (X is a stupid name) and it wasn’t worded as benignly in its original form.

But anyway …

Need? Let’s just say I like having them. Having the ability to tighten the upper at two independent points is nice. It provides a more customized fit, especially if your feet tend to be a bit taller as mine.

The rear dial (proprietary to FootJoy) does what it always does (provides general snugness). I will continue to argue that it provides a more uniform fit throughout the shoe.

In my perfect world, every golf shoe would have at least three BOA dials.

Colorways and Pricing

As awesome as I think three BOA dials and Carbitex are, the combination comes with a sacrifice (mostly to your wallet).

First, the Tour Alpha Carbon Triple BOA is available in white/black only.

You’re also going to pay a premium for the additional tech.

Priced at $299.99, the Tour Alpha Carbon Triple BOA is going to set you back an additional $100 compared to the laced (no Carbitex) version, $70 more than the single BOA version (no Carbitex) and $40 more than the Triple BOA (no Carbitex) version.

Whether that’s worth it is entirely an individual decision but if you’re willing to pay a premium for stability, I can’t imagine you can do better.

For more information on the technologies included in the FootJoy Tour Alpha Carbon Triple BOA, visit FootJoy.com, BOAfit.com, and Carbitex.com.