There is a lot of cool gear in the golf world that doesn’t always fit 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
FootJoy Tour Alpha Dual BOA — the dual-BOA version of FootJoy’s 2022 Most Wanted-winning flagship golf shoe. We covered the single BOA version earlier this year but I’d be lying if I said the dual version wasn’t the one I’ve been most excited to review.
Your Tour360 22 BOA Tester
Tony Covey. Self-described BOA-enthusiast with slightly wide feet who really wants to know if two BOA dials are better than one. In case you didn’t know, laces are for suckers.
(Editor’s Note: In case you’re wondering, BOA is a patented system that replace traditional shoe laces with either steel wires or BOA’s TX4 Dyneema fiber connected to a knob. Turning the dial tightens or loosens the wires to ensure a proper fit.)
About the FootJoy Tour Alpha Dual BOA
We glanced over the tech a little bit in the single BOA review so I wanted to take a minute to dig in just a little deeper. First, other than the additional BOA Fit System dial, the single and dual BOA (and I suppose the laced—aka “sucker’s—version) technology is consistent across the lineup. Features include:
- 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 ImpressionsTM FitBed – 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 narrowed heel.
- Dual BOA Fit System – The reason why we’re writing about the Alpha again. Two BOA Fit System dials provide superior fit.
FootJoy Tour Alpha Dual BOA Options and Pricing
Apparently, your choice of colorways decreases exponentially with each additional BOA dial. The laced offering is available in four colorways. The single BOA version offers two. The FootJoy Tour Alpha Dual BOA? Well, it comes in any color you want—as long as it’s white and navy. I’m fine with that, though I can’t help but think the options will increase once some of you “suckers” come around to BOA.
In my review of the FootJoy Tour Alpha single BOA, I noted that FootJoy upcharges its BOA offerings by $30. What we’ve learned with the dual BOA version is that FootJoy upcharges $30 per BOA. At $249.99, the FootJoy Tour Alpha Dual BOA is an astonishing $60 more than the laced version. Look, I get bumping the price to cover the BOA but, man … couldn’t we do a two for fifty kind of thing? Bulk discount and whatnot?
Thirty bucks is already an obstacle for getting golfers into what is absolutely superior technology. Sixty is pretty much a roadblock.
On a positive note, unlike basically everyone else, FootJoy makes all of its BOA offerings in both medium and wide sizes.
BOA Fit System
Mounted to the heel of the FootJoy Tour Alpha Dual BOA you’ll find the same micro-adjustable performance fit system as the single version. Technically, it’s a BOA L6 dial. It offers turn to tighten and pull to release functionality but there’s no turn to loosen functionality. As noted in the single BOA review, FootJoy has exclusive rights to the heel mount position in golf.
The lace is BOA’s CS1, which is comprised of 49 strands of stainless-steel wire wrapped in nylon to protect the steel from abrasions and the elements.
The second dial, positioned on the side of the forefoot, clicks in either direction to tighten or loosen as needed. Unlike most (if not all) of the BOA dials you’ve used before, there’s no pull release mechanism. It’s twist only, which is fine given that the range isn’t as large as it is with the primary dial.
The Requisite Style Bits
With nearly any BOA offering we cover, a chorus of offended golfers weighs in on the look of the shoe. The consensus among that particular crowd is that flap designs are ugly and they look stupid. It’s a textbook example of demanding form over function and, well, if you’ve ever wondered why all golf clubs pretty much look the same, there you have it.
Many golfers want every new widget to fit into the mold of the status quo. Weird doesn’t sell. That’s half the reason why square drivers didn’t stick around long.
Don’t get me wrong. I get it. Shoes with the BOA Fit system look different. I’d argue that’s because many fundamentally work differently and, not for nuthin’, there’s some evidence to suggest that those differences might make for a superior golf shoe.
So let me ask you this: Wouldn’t laces look silly if BOA had been invented first?
The non-suckers among you immediately recognized that as a trick question. If BOA had been first, laces wouldn’t exist. I didn’t compose this story on a typewriter and I’m willing to be none of you will be ripping out your plumbing in favor of an outhouse.
There’s not much demand for obviously inferior technology and … strings.
FootJoy Tour Alpha DUAL BOA Comfort and Fit
In my review of the Tour Alpha Single BOA, I described the shoe as sort of a tweener. It’s generally comfortable though perhaps a tad big in the toe box. Guys with really wide feet will probably appreciate that anyway but I really had to crank hard on the dial to get a secure fit on my right foot. Ultimately, I came to love the shoe but it never felt entirely custom fit.
For me, the second dial is huge difference maker. It allows me to snug up the forefoot without the risk of over-snugging (that’s a word, right?) the shoe as a whole. Call it fine-tuning capabilities that ultimately result in a more balanced fit.
The Tour Alpha BOA is exceptionally comfortable in its own right. There’s no breaking-in period and walking 18 right out of the box wasn’t an issue.
FootJoy Tour Alpha DUAL BOA – The Takeaway
The FootJoy Tour Alpha DUAL BOA builds on that with a more precise fit. It’s not necessarily more comfortable but it definitely fits (me) better. Whether that makes it worth another thirty bucks (on top of the thirty bucks it costs to upgrade to just one BOA) really comes down to how well the laced or single BOA versions fit your foot.
While $60 above the laced model feels excessive, as far as the fit goes, the second dial is a difference maker for me. It’s the reason the Dual BOA version immediately surpassed the Tour Alpha BOA as my favorite shoe of 2022.
It’s a given that it will be on my feet for a healthy percentage of my rounds next season which is all the more reason why I hope FootJoy decides to expand the colorway options.
I’ll take a pair in every color you’ve got.
Nathan
1 year ago
This is a truly ugly golf shoe. We used to (decades ago) be able to count on Footjoy to offer classy footwear.. No more. These days, FJ’s design aesthetic is appalling..