A relatively new brand on the golf scene, Athalonz is taking their extensive history in the world of baseball and bringing new science and technology to golf shoes. Currently offering one model, the “EnVe” in three color options, I had to test them for myself to see if they really do provide increased power like the brand claims.
Technology
When first researching Athalonz I came across an entire page listing their research and 16 patents. The entire concept of this shoe revolves around increasing stability and helping align your body to attain an optimal athletic position. By angling your knees inward, Athalonz proposes that you will get up to 9% more power in your swing. To understand more about the optimal athletic position read this small excerpt from their site:
Optimal Athletic Positioning leverages the laws of physics to shift the way the feet engage the ground. The medial side of the forefoot “sinks” into the ground; shifting your knees inward. This causes a shift of your weight bearing forces to the inside of your legs creating a power triangle. In this position, your body is able to maximize ground reaction force and minimize leakage forces. With your feet about shoulder width apart and more ground reaction force and less leakage forces, you generate 9% or more power!
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While the physiology of the positioning makes sense to increase power, I figured each person would experience their own results and it’s hard to imagine seeing an immediate impact on yardages, so I had to try them out on the course.
Out on the Course
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Lacing up the EnVes for the first time I noticed a difference immediately. I stood a little taller with their large soles and could feel my body tilted slightly forward. The site lines on the shoe are really appealing and I found them to be easy to focus on during preliminary putting.
Their inward positioning definitely made my body feel more stable both at address and the start of the backswing. The overall weight of the shoes is comparable to any other brand I own and I felt like walking 18 would not be an issue with them on.
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The EnVe’s spikeless soles offer great traction while still allowing an unencumbered rotation of the foot. The circular shaped spikes on the toes certainly help promote rotation of the body, too. You can tell by my follow-through below that I pivot my feet extensively and have come to find that spiked shoes have made my knees ache after many rounds.
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The power aspect of these shoes is hard to determine without extensive additional testing, but the concept of increased Ground Reaction Force is what drives it. While I did not instantly get 8 yards added to my drive, I could definitely tell I was more stable, and more consistent with my body motion. I understand the concept they advertise and agree there should be significant benefit for golfers. Tour pros, even, are seeing swing speed increases and tighter shot dispersion when wearing these shoes.
After walking 18 holes I definitely felt like the shoes were comfortable to wear and that I could swing naturally, and the styling is excellent.
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Comfort
The Athalonz EnVe’s are advertised to run a half size small, so keep that in mind when ordering. I usually wear an 11.5 wide and a size 12 fit me perfectly. A couple of comfort features I took note of right away include:
- The top area surrounding your ankle is a flexible material that makes taking the shoe on and off a breeze. This also prevented any rubbing when walking.
- The elastic-style shoe laces give my feet the ability to move comfortably and I feel like the shoe can better conform to my foot shape.
- The sole insert is very comfortable! I have an extremely high arched foot and oftentimes my feet are aching after long rounds due to a lack of support. That is not the case with the EnVe’s.
- The material is somewhat breathable. They are not a mesh shoe but are certainly not 100% waterproof. I would not recommend these while playing in a storm, but for dewy mornings or a light mist your feet will stay dry.
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Styling
The current EnVe model has a very contemporary look. It’s more like a sneaker than your traditional golf shoe. There are 3 color options currently available including black, white and white with tan, and the company plans to introduce a few more styles in the very near future.
One of my favorite aspects of the styling is their subtle accenting: The stripe across the toe, suede heel and the accent color on the tongue. I think these touches all lead to a unique aesthetic while keeping the EnVe very wearable along with anything currently in your closet.
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Powering Up Your Game
Currently selling for $180 ($150 with WiscoGolfAddict’s discount code WGA30) the EnVe’s fall into the middle tier of golf shoes by pricing, and I think the styling and build quality alone justify the cost. If you add in the physics and unique athletic position these shoes promote I think they’re a really solid investment.
If you haven’t found a shoe that you’re confident in, take a look at the EnVe’s! I think you’ll like how you feel and so will your scorecard.
