2011 Kikkor Golf Shoes

Great writeup Looper!! Sounds like they were a hit at therange. its always fun being a trend setter
 
Great writeup Looper!! Sounds like they were a hit at therange. its always fun being a trend setter

Thanks, man. With one guy who asked about them, it was clear that he liked them. With the other guy, I couldn't tell if his curiousity was due to him liking the shoes, or wondering what in the world I was wearing... his tone was a bit ambiguous. Nontheless, I think the company would be happy about people talking about the shoes regardless. I am sure they know that their shoes only will appeal to a smaller subset of golfers.
 
Thanks, man. With one guy who asked about them, it was clear that he liked them. With the other guy, I couldn't tell if his curiousity was due to him liking the shoes, or wondering what in the world I was wearing... his tone was a bit ambiguous. Nontheless, I think the company would be happy about people talking about the shoes regardless. I am sure they know that their shoes only will appeal to a smaller subset of golfers.

sounds like dude number 2 was just jealous! All that matters is you were rockin them and rockin them proud
 
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I got back from NYC today and this is what I found on my doorstep. I was pretty excited about it, so I had a quick bite to eat and decided to head to the range to put them through some initial play. Since these don't seem to be well-known quite yet, I thought I would give my thoughts on these kicks. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not a sanctioned THP "testing". Rather, this is simply a few thoughts from a guy who liked the look of some shoes online and decided to buy them.

These are just my initial thoughts, so they do not include thoughts on durability or extended performance yet. They have only been through 2 range sessions of about 100 balls each. I went twice today because when I got back from the range, I saw on my doorstep another club I had arranged for delivery. I will post my thoughts on that club in the appropriate forum.

Overall: A-

Looks: A-

I really enjoy the looks of these shoes... And my wife, who is far more stylish than I, noted they are the best looking golf shoes I own. The colors are great. The suede is pretty good quality. The look of the fit is nice as well. Some may say
that these remind them of some skater shoes they wore back in the day (like etnies). I, however, think they look like a shoe that a golfing hipster would wear with some skinny pants and the tongues sticking out. But the looks are far more
versatile than I thought when I saw them online. Although these shoes will not be my everyday golf shoes, i will wear these shoes on occasion to spice things up a bit.

Comfort: A-

These things are as comfortable as most of the tennies that I wear out and about the city. In fact, that is what they feel like when I put them on. They felt great right off the bat and I am pretty sure they are going to mold right to the shape of my foot. One negative: they are a bit on the heavy side. I didn't notice it when I put them on or wore them, but I did notice the difference when I took them off and put on my regular tennies. They are heavier than my light-weight Adidas but about the same weight as my saddlebacks. Not a huge deal though, it didn't seem to impact much.

Performance/feel: B+

I wasn't sure how these kicks were going to perform, but they seemed to do pretty well. I really liked the placement of the spikes. The one on the toe was key in providing stability throughout the swing. I felt well grounded in the back swing as well... It actually felt like I was simply wearing sneakers, but with the traction of traditional golf shoes. My feet did get a little warm, but that was a minor inconvenience more than anything else. I also wonder how long the spikes will last, but that will not be known until more use has occurred.

Hot factor: A

These things are not well-known, but definitetly have the potential to have the x-factor. 2 people asked me what golf shoes I was wearing at the range. That has never happened to me before with regard to shoes. They are kinda like a new obscure band that only you and a few other luck people know about, but you know they are going to be huge in the near future. They may be popular among only certain types of golfers in the future, but i think they will be loved by those who wear them.

I will post more as I get a few more uses with them.

Just wanted to do another quick update on my thoughts on these shoes. Since the last post of my thoughts I have (i) worn these another 5 or so times (close to 10 times total now); (ii) sprayed them with seude protectant stuff; and (iii) worn them with different socks.

The shoes have indeed started conforming even more to my feet. This leads to additional comfort and performance. On one particularly warmer, humid day, I did notice that my feet did sweat a little. I don't think these kicks are quite as "breathable" as some of my other golf shoes. The next couple times I wore performance type socks (socks I would typically wear on the course) and didn't have any issues again with sweating. The spikes are still in good condition and the suede still looks new. The shoelaces are too long, but nothing more than a minor annoyance. Again, if you are considering these shoes, I highly recommend you purchase a half-size larger as their site states.
 
Just wanted to do another quick update on my thoughts on these shoes. Since the last post of my thoughts I have (i) worn these another 5 or so times (close to 10 times total now); (ii) sprayed them with seude protectant stuff; and (iii) worn them with different socks.

The shoes have indeed started conforming even more to my feet. This leads to additional comfort and performance. On one particularly warmer, humid day, I did notice that my feet did sweat a little. I don't think these kicks are quite as "breathable" as some of my other golf shoes. The next couple times I wore performance type socks (socks I would typically wear on the course) and didn't have any issues again with sweating. The spikes are still in good condition and the suede still looks new. The shoelaces are too long, but nothing more than a minor annoyance. Again, if you are considering these shoes, I highly recommend you purchase a half-size larger as their site states.

IL, as I have been currently testing these, I wanted to ask you some questions in regards to this.

What other shoes have you been wearing?
I too noticed some extreme lack of breathability in them during warm days.
These + kentwool socks = heavy sweating (im not a foot sweater either).
What do you think about the overall stability of them?
 
IL, as I have been currently testing these, I wanted to ask you some questions in regards to this.

What other shoes have you been wearing?
I too noticed some extreme lack of breathability in them during warm days.
These + kentwool socks = heavy sweating (im not a foot sweater either).
What do you think about the overall stability of them?

No problem. The golf shoes I wear most often are the Adidas Powerband 3.0's. For me, those are the best performing shoes out there... with the caveat that I don't have as many to choose from as you, JB. I have never had a sweat/breathability issue with the powerbands. The other shoes that I wear on occassion are older adidas saddlebacks and black FJ dry joys for the wetter days.

With respect to stability, while they do provide some stability for me, I do not think that they are quite as stable as my powerbands. In particular, the area of the shoe from ankle to the heel seems a bit less stable. However, because the Kikkors have the additional 2 spikes near the heel (as compared to my other shoes), I feel pretty grounded during my backswing. I have yet to use these shoes on swing in awkward lies or on slopes, so at this time I cannot say how the stability is for those particular types of shots.

With respect to breathability, I will be concerned about this in mid-summer (as it still fairly cool in March here in Chicago). The lack of breathability is likely due to less venting and the seemingly additional weight of the shoes (as compared to some of my other shoes). I have always intended these shoes to be the types of shoes that I wear only on occassion... those occassions may be only during the spring and fall.
 
Thanks IL. Appreciate the feedback.
 
pretty cool video
 
pretty cool video


I want to work in a warehouse.

Oh... and I liked those shoes in the video with the orange bottom.
 
I want to work in a warehouse.

Oh... and I liked those shoes in the video with the orange bottom.

a little off topic, I tried his little chipping technique yesterday and I quite like it.
 
It has been a while since I have updated my thoughts on these shoes. As a reminder, early on I found these shoes to (a) be fairly comfortable (like tennis shoes, but slightly heavier); (b) perform OK throughout the round; (c) get a lot of "buzz" from other golfers on the course; and (d) to be a little too 'warm' for hotter days because they are not the most breathable.

As it has become much cooler in Chicago in the last few weeks, I thought it was time to pull the kikkors out of the closet and give them some more play time. Due to the much cooler weather, I have noticed that the shoes are much more comfortable. I still wear "performance" socks with them, but I have had no sweating issues in the cooler weather.

I still will only wear these kicks on specific days though. They are suede, so I only wear them on dry days. Plus, I don't like how most of my pants sit on the shoes, so I typically only wear them with shorts. Thus, it has to be the "perfect-storm" for me to wear these shoes: A day that is dry and warm enough to wear shorts, but cool enough that my feet will not sweat in these things. Those days will occur mostly in the fall (around now) and likely will only happen 5-7 rounds a season. But hey, for those 5-7 rounds I absolutely love these things.
 
Thought I would also update with pictures so you can see how the suede kikkors have been holding up. These have been through approximately 8 rounds and about 10 or so range sessions. Unfortunately, on a couple rounds where it was supposed to be dry, it rained. So you will be able to see some of the results of the wet ground on the toe of the right foot (where I release the right foot upon posting up on the lead leg).

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I have two pairs of Kikkor shoes and love them. I "broke them in" by playing 36 holes and my feet felt like I had slippers on all day. They feel great and look a little different, if that's your thing. No issue on comfort at all. I didn't find the size to be off as some websites have mentioned. I wear the same size in Kikkor as Nike, Puma, etc.
 
i like the ladies more than the mens just would like a different color.
 
Glad to hear good things about them. I have a pair due here this week.
 
Glad to hear good things about them. I have a pair due here this week.

Be sure to let us know what you think. What style did you get?
 
My shoes arrived today. They were just what I expected.
http://www.kikkor.com/products/Eppi...2-4f08-05bd-e0b561e89da0&sortBy=DisplayOrder&

They fit fine, are comfortable and feel like they could be worn all day. There is one thing I noticed the sole is flat with the cleats sitting on top of the sole. Other shoes usually have little nubs (for lack of a better term) on the sole that are about 1/2 the height of the cleat.

If you are familiar with DC Shoes, they are almost exact duplicates of one of their styles. I'm on my second pair of DC's.
http://store.dcshoes.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12068217&clickid=body_rv_img

Kikkor could be a subsidiary of DC or buying there shoes from them and adding cleats. DC is known for there Outrageous styles, and this would account for the lack of nubs on the soles.

Regardless I think they will work out just fine on dry days. There is an eraser you can purchase at any store that sells DC Shoes that will clean this type of shoe. I think they run about $12.00. Just erase the dirt and it keeps the nappy look fresh.
 
My shoes arrived today. They were just what I expected.
http://www.kikkor.com/products/Eppi...2-4f08-05bd-e0b561e89da0&sortBy=DisplayOrder&

They fit fine, are comfortable and feel like they could be worn all day. There is one thing I noticed the sole is flat with the cleats sitting on top of the sole. Other shoes usually have little nubs (for lack of a better term) on the sole that are about 1/2 the height of the cleat.

If you are familiar with DC Shoes, they are almost exact duplicates of one of their styles. I'm on my second pair of DC's.
http://store.dcshoes.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12068217&clickid=body_rv_img

Kikkor could be a subsidiary of DC or buying there shoes from them and adding cleats. DC is known for there Outrageous styles, and this would account for the lack of nubs on the soles.

Regardless I think they will work out just fine on dry days. There is an eraser you can purchase at any store that sells DC Shoes that will clean this type of shoe. I think they run about $12.00. Just erase the dirt and it keeps the nappy look fresh.

Those are pretty wild, Mike. I like them a lot, though not sure how often i would wear those. They do remind me of DC's too. I started wearing DCs in the early 90's... as they were very popular back then in the surf/skate crowd where I lived back then. Maybe that is why I like them as well. i havent worn them for years though.
 
You can't kill a pair of DC's, you usually toss them cause you've had them long enough. I would wear them on dry days, probably late spring and summer. Kikkor is having a sale now with no shipping charge for anyone interested.
 
Those are pretty cool. I've seen a lot of the "alternative styled" shoes lately. I'm not sure about sticking with the classic "old school" style or going with something more casual. I was checking out some
ecco golf shoes. They make the Street Luxe model which is in the "mens casual" line. Something like that would probably look a lot better when playing in shorts during the summertime. My Grandpa would disagree...
 
There are reviews on the home page for that shoe as well as numerous threads. I see that you are linked to discountgolfworld again. Rather than the hyperlink, perhaps just posting a picture would be easier so that it does not look like spam. Thanks.
 
Those are pretty cool. I've seen a lot of the "alternative styled" shoes lately. I'm not sure about sticking with the classic "old school" style or going with something more casual. I was checking out some
ecco golf shoes. They make the Street Luxe model which is in the "mens casual" line. Something like that would probably look a lot better when playing in shorts during the summertime. My Grandpa would disagree...

Are these the shoes that Couples and Vijay have been wearing this season?
 
Those Eppik Ocean ones are rediculously awesome... but, out of stock :(
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I've decided to get Kikked. Today I ordered two pairs. Eppik 2.0 Purple Reign and Eppik 2.0 White Flurry. Cannot wait until the Pure Black Eagle are released. Much of the 2012 is sweet. I borrowed this from their Twitter account.

Alex
 
Great picks, you'll enjoy them and your feet will love you for them.
 
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