Payntr X 003 F Spikeless Golf Shoe Review

Payntr X 003 F Spikeless Golf Shoe Review

Payntr may well be a golf shoe brand that has gone under your radar in recent years, but 2023 promises to be a big year for the brand with plenty of new styles coming to market. One of which is the X 003 F, a spikeless, performance golf shoe that promises the levels of comfort and grip that should rank it amongst one of the best spikeless golf shoes of 2023. I was aware of the brand's golf shoes thanks to the success of the X 001 F from a few years ago but I was yet to try one for myself and I was excited to try my first ever pair of Payntr shoes out on the golf course. 

My first impressions were good when I slid the shoe on, with the soft, supportive midsole being one of the stand-out features of this shoe. It's made with a proprietary technology using 'PMX' foam which delivers plenty of underfoot support and, most notably, softness. It's right up there with one of the softness midsoles in a golf shoe I've tested, rivaling even the Ecco Biom C4 for overall softness. Also featured is an Ortholite footbed which regulates the temperature within the shoe, so no need to worry about sweaty feet on a hot day. 

It's not just about how comfortable this shoe is however and the X 003 F is very much a performance shoe too. Payntr has added what they call a propulsion plate to this shoe that harnesses ground forces to help to generate more energy return through the swing. Coupled with the snug but comfortable fit on the heel and the X 003 F creates the sort of 'locked-in' sensation I enjoyed so much in shoes like the Under Armour HOVR Tour from 2022. Being so well supported with plenty of softness under the foot is a wonderful sensation in a spikeless golf shoe and this combination was the stand-out feature of the X 003 F. Interestingly, we've seen a few professional long drivers start using Payntr golf shoes, and I can certainly see how shoes like the X 003 F and other Payntr shoes will suit golfers who have quicker swing speed and need that extra grip underfoot. 

My only issue with the X 003 F is the feel of the main upper materials around the toe area. To the touch, it is slightly plastic and synthetic and the feel on the top of your toes isn't as soft as you get in shoes like the Puma Ignite Articulate or the adidas ZG23. While the quality of materials might be lacking in the upper area, it is at least water resistant and very easy to maintain if they get muddy. The spikeless outsole is very well thought out too and offers a brilliant grip that we now expect from spikeless golf shoes. It is made from TPU nubs with different sizes and shapes dotted across the surface in the areas where you need grip most during the swing - it certainly contends with some of my favorite spikeless outsoles as I've tried on the FootJoy Pro SL and adidas Codechoas 22. 

Overall the Payntr X 003 F is a comfortable and supportive spikeless golf shoe that should suit a wide range of golfers' shoe needs. The looks aren't a lot to write home about, but the X 003 F is certainly something a little bit different from your conventional golf shoe and it's great to see a relatively fresh brand like Payntr create such compelling offerings that can immediately compete with the best. The X 003 F is available in the black and white colorway pictured above as well as a white and navy colorway.