First Look: ECCO CAGE PRO Golf Shoe

By John Barba

The 20 Second Intro:

Model: ECCO Cage Pro Spikeless Shoe
MSRP: $210 laced, $230 BOA
Availability: Now

ECCO says the golf shoe market is nearly evenly split between spiked and spikeless (technically, it’s 51%-49% in favor of spiked, but we’re still waiting for some rural precincts to report). ECCO is fine with that, since it's happy to sell you both.

ECCO made its bones with spikeless – or what they call hybrid – shoes back in 2010 thanks to Fred Couples' run at the Masters. And even though the company has come out with several spiked shoes over the years, the ECCO brand is still primarily associated with spikeless.

Today ECCO continues that tradition with the introduction of the newest model in its spikeless lineup: the ECCO CAGE PRO.

What’s New?

There’s plenty going on with the ECCO CAGE PRO, but the one detail you can't miss is on the bottom. Most spikeless shoes feature an array of nubs and protrusions in varying patterns, but ECCO’s new SPYDR-GRIP^® outsole can officially be described as different.

At first glance you might find yourself wondering if Peter Parker has joined ECCO’s design team, but ECCO’s says the design has a purpose. The SPYDR-GRIP^® sole is engineered for optimal grip and traction at your foot’s natural pivot points.

Who knew our feet pivoted so much?

It's a radically different sole for ECCO - and for anyone this side of Nike, for that matter. Close inspection suggests the nubs appear to be a tad deeper than previous ECCO models, but only a tad, and while the web-like pattern appears random to the casual observer, ECCO says every detail is by design.

Anyone who’s ever used spikeless shoes (or spiked, for that matter) knows the heartbreak of sole-clogging, especially when you're out early enough to chase the mowers. ECCO claims the unique SYPDR-GRIP pattern actually helps to self-clean the outsole and minimize clogging.

Once the snow melts here in Minnesota we can put that to the test.

Other Features

This is the first spikeless shoe to feature ECCO’s cage technology. It’s a one-piece direct-injected polyurethane stability frame – or cage – that wraps from the heel, through the midsole, all the way to the toe. It's designed to help the shoe form to your foot and maximize stability. ECCO says the heel cage keeps your heel in place during the swing, while allowing the forefoot to move naturally.

The leather upper is treated with ECCO’s HYDROMAX^® technology to keep your feet dry.

And what may be the biggest news, the ECCO CAGE PRO and it’s spiked cousin, the new ECCO CAGE, will both be the first ECCO shoes equipped with the BOA enclosure system.

The ECCO CAGE PRO in the laced version is available today on ECCO’s website, listing at $210.00 and is available in Black, White, Camel and Concrete.

The BOA version is also available today and has a slightly different look. It comes in Black and Shadow White, listing at $230.00.

Thoughts on the new ECCO's...

Too out there, or does it have your attention?