Puma Flexspikes: Is this the future of spike design in golf shoes?

You need to trust what’s on your feet when you’re on the golf course – and traction control is a huge part of that, to ensure you stay stable throughout your swing.

So when Puma told us they were introducing a new spike design for their Phantomcat Nitro shoes, we were intrigued.

Not only is what Puma are calling the ‘Flexspike’ unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, they have also had nitrogen gas injected into the foam of the sole.

So why have Puma taken these rather drastic measures? And how is it going to help you out on the course? We’ll let Andrew Lawson of Puma Golf  explain… 

“Phantomcat has two of our most important technologies: Flexspike and NitroFoam.

“When designing Phantomcat we challenged our team to rethink what a spike is – not only in terms of a replaceable spike, but also the shape,” Lawson says. “They came up with this new Flexspike shape. 

“Flexspike is dual injected, the inner part of the spike is a little bit firmer which gives you stability but also the traction you need. The perimeter is a little bit softer which allows the traction elements to splay out, which in turn allows you to maintain traction throughout your swing no matter the lie.

“It creates more surface, more traction, and also prevents unnecessary markings making sure the Flexspike is green safe as the secondary traction spines around it allows the shoe to disperse your weight and leave a ghost-like print on greens.

“We also wanted to make sure that the Flexspike was completely integrated with the outsole so that the backside was completely flat. This allows for more foam underneath your foot which equates to more comfort. 

“And then you have NitroFoam, which is a super critical process foam where we inject nitrogen gas as they are moulding it into shape. What that does is it creates little air pockets of nitrogen gas in the foam which makes it super lightweight but also super responsive, as well as making sure you have that cushioning exactly where you need it but also giving you explosive power.” 

Lawson adds: “The Profoam midsole provides you with a nice and stable platform as well as giving you the comfort that you need to walk 18 holes and never have your foot fatigued. In combination with a full length TPU bottom it give you the combination in those torsional movements that we see.” 

We can see there is a lot that has gone in to this design and there is method to the madness. It’s a bit different than what we are used to but it’s clear it’s going to make a difference.

For more on the Phantomcat Nitro click here.

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James Tait is bunkered’s Gear Editor. Want to know how the latest Callaway driver, Vokey wedge or Scotty Cameron putter performs? He’s the guy to ask. Better yet, just watch his videos on the bunkered YouTube channel. One of the biggest hitters in the UK, James also competes on the World Long Drive circuit and is a descendent of former Amateur champion Freddie Tait.

Gear Editor