The perfect shoe for the latest Golf fashion trends?

The Puma GSX Efekt boots may seem like a golf shoe that’s perfect for seasonal conditions, but there’s more here than just the typical winterized footwear.

Regardless of the weather conditions, I’m always trying to find a way out to get out onto the golf course. Winter conditions should also mean winter spikes, with the best spiked shoes giving a significant grip advantage in soft conditions. Normally, I’d be diving into that list to find the most suitable option, but this season I’ve had the chance to try a shoe that stands apart from the cold weather norms – the only question is if the Puma GSX Efekt boots are breaking new ground or getting stuck in the mud.

I’ve been able to get several rounds under my belt with these shoes now, so I feel I’m in the right place to decide if Puma’s decision to offer a boot-style shoe without spikes is the right call. Having walked both the full course, as well as switching between the Puma GSX Efekt boots and my normal spiked winter choice, the FootJoy Hyperflex BOA, from hole to hole, there’s definitely a conclusion as to the right decision for me in winter.

Comfort – 4/5

The first and most important element when it comes to a new shoe, the Puma GSX Efekt boots fit quite nicely for the most part. They’re a little bit snugger on the sides of the shoe for me, which I expect with most standard-size footwear due to my wider feet, but even considering that the boots do hug tightly until you’ve worn them in further.

The width is interesting to note as the non-boot GSX shoes I’ve tried haven’t been as much of an issue for me so I’m not sure if it comes from the Hi-Top stopping the side from giving as much. What the Efekt and the core GSX models do share though, is a cushioned underside to the foot that braces against virtually firmness of ground condition.

It’s so soft, in fact, that I sometimes have struggled to feel the ground as I’m addressing the ball, which may have led to some of my difficulties out on the course.

Performance – 3/5

Whether it has been this lack of awareness of grip, or if ultimately spikeless shoes just can’t hold up in winter conditions, in the end, I’ve struggled to trust the Puma GSX Efekt boots while I’ve been playing and the reasoning comes a distant second to my feeling.

When dealing with mild conditions there hasn’t been as much of a concern. I’ve not been sliding around as if I were walking around an ice rink, as I expected with spikeless shoes, but as soon as the weather has turned, the Puma boots have become difficult to deal with.

I would counter my own argument, though, by saying I don’t think these shoes have been designed as a true winter boot. In truth, I don’t think they’ve been designed as any kind of winter boot.

It feels like the GSX Efekt has been created as a fashion statement more than a shoe for sturdiness, built to match the now trending ‘jogger’ style trousers that younger players than me can only get away with (or at least, only those guys with skinnier legs than mine!).

That’s not a good or bad thing, your style is down to you, I just wouldn’t buy the Puma boots expecting a shoe that’s going to hold up against the worst of the rainy seasons or the depths of winter.

Durability – 4/5

Speaking of holding up, where I have been reasonably impressed with the GSX Efekt boots is with the ease of aftercare. Considering I’ve been traipsing through some of the worst conditions that I can find (any excuse to hit a ball round a field), the Pumas have done pretty well.

Granted they are a waterproof shoe, they’ve been easy to keep clean despite what I put them through, with the flashes of color, like the greys and greens, being largely just quick wipes with a damp cloth to remove any dirt that might get into them.

Equally the soles have remained bright and the pimples are pretty close to how they were when new, despite a combination of on-course and driving range mat time to try and wear them down.

The only thing that hasn’t held up quite as well has been the lower white sides of the shoe’s heel and base becoming slightly discolored, but they are also the only part of the shoe that spends the entire round with mud sitting on so it may be inevitable to see some pigment change.

Style & Design – 4/5

The GSX Efekt boots make for a unique look, there’s no doubt about it. While I do usually go for something more muted in style, I’m certainly not upset looking down on them, as Puma have done a great job with blending a more adventurous color scheme with toned-down shapes.

The green and orange elements, while obvious, are not as neon-bright as I was expecting to find when opening the box. This blends well with the dark grey of the tongue and the surround of the hi-tops. The colors used, while eye-catching at first, disappear into the rest of the shoe’s framing when looking down on them when in use.

It’s a clever blend overall for winter wear, although I don’t know how much I’d be in-love with it for a regular or lo-top pair in the summer, honestly.

Technology & Features – 4/5

From a technological standpoint, there’s not much here that you haven’t already seen. Puma have carried over their ProFoam midsole from the other GSX Efekt models, and it is incredibly well-cushioned underfoot, but there are problems with that.

Like I said previously, I’ve almost lost awareness of how my feet connect to the golf course under them, a side effect of putting sneaker/running shoe technology into modern golf footwear. There are benefits to protecting your foot, but ultimately you need to feel comfortable with a different kind of traction to a running shoe and the feel is the cost of bringing that technology across.

Outside of the thicker sole design, Puma have incorporated a TPU Heel Clip, meant to secure your heel in place as well as using an abrasion-resistant Carbon Rubber outsole.

I’m happy to confirm that the Heel Clip does do its job, as there was minimal movement in the rear of my foot even when swinging hard.

The rubber outsole though (the spikeless bottom), only highlights to me that this is a shoe that was only ever meant to be used in firm ground conditions – something you won’t find in February unless you live closer to the southern hemisphere.

Final Verdict – 3.5/5

I might feel differently about the Puma GSX Efekt boots if I’d first put them on come April or May. They’re clearly not meant for winter, despite being a winter boot and I struggle to recommend them for anyone looking for a shoe in the cold season.

Then again, I might also struggle to recommend these in the summer as well, honestly. Being a boot, there is still more weight to these and does anyone really want to add more mass to themselves in 25-35º sunshine?

Ultimately, I think this is a very specific shoe that’s been made for a niche audience. If that’s you – someone in my mind who’s early-mid twenties, slim-build, able to pull off the jogger look – then you’ll love the GSX Efekt hi-tops. There’s no doubt this is a comfortable walk.

For anyone who doesn’t identify with at least one of the above criteria, I’d do yourself a favor and look at something with a more open-to-all-comers design. I hear good things about the new Duca Del Cosmo winter boots…

RRP: £110

Colors: Dark Coal / Glacial Grey

Sole: Spikeless

BOA: No

Waterproof: Yes, 1-year warranty

Fit: Half a size small