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
PUMA Ignite Elevate Wide Spikeless Golf Shoe
Your Thick Kick Tester
Dave Wolfe– Though I mainly talk about putters, I also have feet so wide that ducks hide theirs in shame.
We Tried It: Puma Ingite Elevate Wide Golf Shoes
The Wide Golf Shoe Search Continues
Welcome back to Dave’s Fat Foot Follies, my ongoing series exploring the available golf shoes for the thick of kick. Last time, we took a look at the adidas S2G Wide BOA Spikeless golf shoes. Since that review, the adidas S2G Wide BOA has continued to perform well, even through the nasty winter we had here in NorCal this year.
This time, I’ll be taking a look at another spikeless shoe, the PUMA Ignite Elevate Wide spikeless golf shoe.
Why am I interested in the PUMA Ignite Elevate Wide? First of all, I’ve had some success with PUMA golf shoes in the past. My PUMA Cell Fusions from 2011 are still in my rotation. Sure, they look a little rough after t2 years but we wide-foot folk will wear a pair that fits until they disintegrate.
The new PUMA Ignite Elevate finished in the middle of the pack in this year’s Spikeless Shoe Buyer’s Guide. While 14th out of 29 is not outstanding, it’s not terrible.
However, once I saw the Ignite Elevate came in wide widths, it moved to the top of my must-try list.
PUMA Ignite Elevate Spikeless Golf Shoes: Key Features
- Ignite foam cushioning insole
- Exoshell: Mesh coated with TPU for one-year waterproof warranty
- Pwrsaddle support in middle of shoe
- Proform TPU Outsole for 360 degrees of traction
PUMA Ignite Elevate Spikeless Golf Shoes: Fit
With any shoe, the initial feel when you try them on is hugely important. Realistically, how the shoe feels in those first few seconds is going to determine if you take them home or put the box back on the shelf.
I went with my standard 11W sizing for the PUMA Ignite Elevate Wide. Overall, the fit is close to what I expected, with just a couple of potential problem areas.
The length was appropriate for the size. Not much dead toe space. If you size up for more width, then excess length could be an issue.
The insole is very comfortable. Sometimes a shoe’s base doesn’t match the contours of a wide foot. Thankfully, the Ignite Elevate’s elevated areas match my foot’s depressions. Simply said, there are no out-of-place bumpy parts.
There was a bit of heel pressure initially but I expect this with any new pair of shoes, wide or otherwise. Many Band-Aids were used to break in the heels of my new Vans slip-ons.
The only real concern was the most common issue wide-footed golfers encounter: the narrowing toe box. After pulling these on, I felt that all-too-familiar pinching of my pinky toes. Not enough that I would have immediately put these back on the shelf; just some isolated pressure on the toes.
Knowing that new shoes are always stiff, I wondered if this pressure would lessen as the shoes were broken in.
PUMA Ignite Elevate Spikeless Golf Shoes: On the Course
I guess the first positive thing I can say about the PUMA Ignite Elevate Wide shoes is that I did take them to the course. Initially, I wore them around the house for a few hours. That’s one advantage of spikeless shoes: they behave like normal shoes off the course. So after some off-course wear and a few range sessions, I took the Ignite Elevate to the first tee.
Lacing Spacing
Truth be told, these shoes made me re-learn how to tie shoes. OK, not really, but there was a moment of confusion since all of my recent shoes have BOA closure systems.
At first, it looked like the spacing across the top would be very wide but it turned out to be less than anticipated once I synched up the laces.
The laces stayed tight throughout the round, requiring only a bit of adjustment at the turn.
Upper Overhang
I appreciated that the PUMA Ignite Elevate Wide was actually built on a wide platform. The edges of the shoe looked the same whether my foot was inside or not.
Your foot will not “muffin top” over the bottom of this one.
On The Grass
The PUMA Ignite Elevate Wide was a solid shoe on the course. Even though the course was wet, I did not experience any slipping during the swing or while walking.
It’s funny, but this still surprises me with spikeless shoes. How can the plastic nubs on the bottom hold me to the earth like hard plastic spikes?
Ultimately, the traction was trustworthy, and the level of goose poop accumulation was acceptable.
Stability was also excellent. One would think that having wide feet would make one’s swing more stable. I have found that poor stability in the shoe is aggravated by wide feet. Maybe the extra mass of your meaty foot overpowers soft sided shoes more than a “normal” foot would. I’m not sure.
Regardless, the PUMA Ignite Elevate Wide shoes did help me keep my weight from rolling over the right foot’s edge on the backswing.
About That Pinching
So did the pinching feeling go away? Not really. The toe box was still just a bit narrow for my foot. The pressure was not noticeable when I was playing but when I took off the shoes, I could feel my feet exhale with relief.
Maybe that’s a bit of a dramatic reenactment but it was noticeable. Did I wear them again after that first round? Of course. Did the pressure lessen? Perhaps.
PUMA Ignite Elevate Spikeless Golf Shoes: The Takeaway
Overall, I’m optimistic that the fit of the PUMA Ignite Elevate Wide shoes will improve with wear. Their stiffness and traction are exactly what I want in a golf shoe but they are just slightly narrow. If you have a super-wide foot, be sure you try these on before buying or at least know you can return them if needed.
Hopefully, they will relax just a few millimeters as I continue to wear them. If they do, I can see them getting a lot of use this summer.
Find out more about the PUMA Ignite Elevate Wide Golf shoe at: pumagolf.com
fbng1991
1 year ago
At least there are some attempts at the extra wide; at the other end extremely narrow; there is nothing the provides a decent fit. Oh, yeah I wear a 14.
One manufacturers rep, said buy a smaller size, because it would be narrower. Needless that brand was of the table.