50 Words or Less
Designed to be lightweight without sacrificing performance, the ECCO S-Lite golf shoe has features that create a modern look and wonderful comfort.
Introduction
If I hadn’t previewed the S-Lite at the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show, I would have concluded the ECCO shipping box was empty when it arrived. But inside I found the classic ECCO shoe box that opens like a drawer and, inside that, the canary colored S-Lite golf shoes that made my eye brows jump – that’s a bold color statement.
Looks
Obviously the color is the attention grabber for this particular pair (the S-Lite also comes in white and wild dove), but there’s much more to the shoe on closer inspection.
The diamond shaped embossing provides a groovy texture with a reptilian appearance. The wavy pattern of the black midsole offers a nice contrast to the uppers and adds to the shoe’s distinctive look. A subtle detail that I didn’t discover until taking photos was the large ECCO lettering across the sole – nice touch.
Comfort
The S-Lite is aptly named and one of the lightest golf shoes you’ll likely ever encounter. Before slipping them on, my fingers were drawn to the amazingly soft ECCO Yak leather which felt as supple as a fresh premium leather golf glove. It’s the durability of yak leather that allows the ECCO craftsman to shave it thinner than typical cow leather, ultimately saving weight.
The diamond shaped embossing makes the shoes extremely breathable – a feature I greatly appreciate in the heat of a Florida summer.
Light and soft, the shoes begged to be worn sans socks, and tucked between the thin textile liner and the leather insole, my feet were joyous. There’s a slight bit of cushioning beneath the heel, but overall cushioning while walking is achieved with what ECCO calls FLUIDFORM Technology. FLUIDFORM is the intersection of shock absorbing materials and anatomical lasts that provided much more comfort than I thought possible in such a thin soled shoe. If you prefer bare feet over thick flip-flops, you’re going to love the natural comfort of the ECCO S-Lite.
Performance
By design, the ECCO S-Lite golf shoes keep your feet engaged with the ground. The flexibility of the outsole combined with the thin midsole allowed my feet to feel the contours of the course. I don’t personally know the intricacies of AimPoint for putting, but when I see pros feeling slope with their feet, I can picture S-Lites being an advantage.
From a distance, the waffle pattern sole looks pretty basic, but the nubs actually have an aggressive shape that did a great job at providing traction throughout the golf swing. I was also impressed with the stability the S-Lite provided during my backswing. Turns out that cool wavy pattern on the midsole has performance function – anchoring the body of the shoe with the sole.
Conclusion
I can’t decide if the “S” in S-Lite stands for Super, Seriously, or some other adjective to describe how incredibly lightweight these shoes are. It would be easy to just strip down a shoe to make it light, but incredibly, ECCO was able to provide structure and comfort, too.
If you’re dreaming about a quick round while on vacation, the ECCO S-Lite may be the perfect shoe to slip into your luggage. Or even better, just wear them all the time – style and versatility. You won’t see me walking off the plane in the marigold color, but don’t be surprised to see me wearing S-Lites.
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S for sumptuous I reckon …
Those shoe are very nice I like the color and I have to get a pair this just what I need some mustard on these hot dogs. Meaning my feet.