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Review: Nike Lunar Bandon golf shoes

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Pros: The three-part closure (laces, zipper and flap) locks down the foot and ensures that moisture will not seep in. The three-quarter high sides provide a dry, comfortable fit, and don’t inhibit movement in the slightest.

Cons: The martian green accent color might be a bit much for some golfers, and there’s not model for women.

The Bottom Line: The Lunar Bandon is a pretty cool shoe-boot. It blends toughness with athleticism in a way that its predecessor did not, keeping adventurous golfers dry and happy in the soggiest conditions.

Overview

For a game whose origin is found in the mist and drizzle of linksland, foul-weather golf in the U.S. took a while to take hold. Perhaps it’s just the denizens of shoulder-season golf in my region, but I doubt it.

Over the past four off-seasons, I’ve played in snow, heavy snow, rain, mud and primordial mud. These rounds of golf are born of the desperation that comes with a long break between the early-fall golf of the northeast and the late-spring rounds that lay months off. Even if a respite awaits in the guise of a southern golf trip, the stolen northern rounds serve to buoy the conquering spirit descended from our ancestors.

Soggy-season golf is the ultimate bundle. Since I don’t have the constitution of an arctic bear, I rely on layers both above and below, and no layer matters more than what’s on my feet. About five years back, I discovered the original Nike Bandon golf shoe and fell instantly in love. The shoe within the shield allowed me to wrap my dogs in impenetrable spikes and trudge through the gooiest mire that Mother Nature might brew in her cauldron. While the other lads detoured around newly-formed rivulets, I marched ahead in my Bandons. After each round, as my colleagues repaired to their cars to change socks and shoes, I climbed the stairs to the 19th hole, warm and dry in my favorite boots.

The Review

It was with a sense of melancholy that I retired those original, three-quarter high-mud marauders this weekend, replacing them with a pair of the Nike Lunar Bandon, version 2.0 of the marvelous foot crafts. It made sense, as constant rain from a week or so of downpours (including Halloween!) had turned every course in the area into an ooze-fest of fun. Playable? Yes. Demanding patience and the proper attitude? Double Yes.

81wd6Wamu1L._SL1500_

As I descended the first fairway of my chosen course, I smiled inwardly, knowing that the lowland for which I was destined would be rife with puddles and gunk. Into the ad-hoc bogs I sunk my boots, waiting for that uneasy feeling of the penetration of liquid through some overlooked, porous crevasse. It never came. Not through nine holes of criss-crossed fairways, in search of goo, glop, fen and swamp.

I was impressed by the design advances found in the Lunar Bandon. While both shoes have an outer wrap to protect the base shoe, the Lunar Bandon moved the zipper that seals the wrap from the top of the shoe to the side. It works better there. I can’t explain why, but it does. An additional wrap then comes across and snaps into place, sealing the shoe from the elements.

Another new feature is the shoe lace system. Rather than re-use the “tie and tuck” method of the original model, the new Lunar Bandon employs what the company calls a “Seep Lace system.” No tying is involved; rather, the golfer pulls up on the lace and pushes down on a plastic guide to tighten the shoe around the foot.

71gQfkzOYWL._SL1500_

I wasn’t prepared for the new neon green piping, however. The first iteration of the Nike Bandon (pictured above) is dark and dreary, like the weather for which it was created. Efficient and practical, but dark and dreary. The Lunar Bandon might better be called the Martian Bandon, as its day-glow green/yellow accenting conjures images of bright lights from another world.

Screen Shot 2013-11-05 at 4.53.20 PM

The Lunar Bandon also succeeds in another area: traction. Despite a misstep on a wet bridge, I found the grip of the shoe to be exemplary. No spin-outs occurred at any point during any swing. Fairway, sand, rough, tee deck-all surfaces were concurred by this fine shoe. Heck, I could have stepped into a shallow creek and swung, since the shoe comes up past the ankle!

In case it wasn’t apparent, the shoe is a comfortable one. The same Lunarlon technology that the company uses in its other lines of shoes ensures that the Lunar Bandon will not sacrifice comfort for protection. It’s early, I know. One nine-hole round does not define a complete test of a performance shoe. If things change for the worse, I’ll report back with a correction. If the only thing worsening is the weather, I’ll be warm and dry in my Lunar Bandons, at least until May.

The Lunar Bandon sells for around $140, and is available for men in sizes 6 through 12 (in half-size increments), as well sizes 13 and 14.

[wrx_buy_now oemlink=”http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/pd/lunar-bandon-golf-shoe/pid-1545024/pgid-10282154″ oemtext=”Learn more from Nike” amazonlink=”http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HS4DD46/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00HS4DD46&linkCode=as2&tag=golfwrxcom-20&linkId=MBTZJY23AWTKASQN”]

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

8 Comments

8 Comments

  1. Henry

    Nov 10, 2013 at 10:25 am

    Have had a pair for few years, awesome shoe- boot . Played in a company tourney after just getting them a storm crushed central pa . The course’s back 9 was still under water when we played it and the boots were awesome ( in some spots they still had 3-4″ of water).

    • Ronald Montesano

      Nov 27, 2013 at 10:43 pm

      Henry,

      It’s almost a weird fetish~you want to see how deep you can go, how sloppy they can withstand and they seem to hold up to anything. Thanks for contributing. Keep slopping!

  2. Ronald Montesano

    Nov 9, 2013 at 8:34 am

    Will…I will get a shot of the laces this weekend for you. Thanks for asking.

  3. Ronald Montesano

    Nov 9, 2013 at 8:34 am

    Mike,
    It IS an army boot…it gets you through the worst mud and slop on the course. It doesn’t need to be pretty, but I don’t thing it’s UGLY!! Thanks for writing…keep reading.

  4. Mike M

    Nov 8, 2013 at 8:46 pm

    is this an army boot…. U G L Y my opinion.

  5. Will

    Nov 8, 2013 at 5:46 pm

    Post lacing interior pics please!

  6. Ronald Montesano

    Nov 6, 2013 at 3:18 pm

    cima de villa (Gijon, Asturias, Spain)

    I didn’t look back once to see my tracks. I will make note of it the next time. Thanks for raising that point. About how many rounds have you played in them?

  7. cdvilla

    Nov 6, 2013 at 2:36 pm

    I got a pair of these last winter and I love them, seconding all of your points. However, I do think that the track up soft greens a lot more than a standard waterproof golf shoe and the tracks seem more severe.

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Accessory Reviews

Insider photos from Tiger Woods’ launch event for his new “Sun Day Red” apparel line

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On Monday evening, inside the swanky, second-story “Coach House” event center in the Palisades Village, just minutes down the road from the 2024 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, Tiger Woods and TaylorMade officially announced their new apparel/footwear/accessory line, called “Sun Day Red.”

The Sun Day Red website officially launched on Monday night during the event, and the products are set to go on sale starting May 1.

The “Sun Day Red,” or “SDR” name will be self-explanatory for most golf fans, since he’s been wearing a victory-red shirt on Sunday’s for his entire professional career, but Woods explained the meaning of Sun Day Red at the launch event:

“It started with mom. Mom thought – being a Capricorn – that my power color was red, so I wore red as a junior golfer and I won some tournaments. Lo and behold, I go to a university that is red; Stanford is red. We wore red on the final day of every single tournament, and then every single tournament I’ve played as a professional I’ve worn red. It’s just become synonymous with me.”

The Sunday Red outfit has worked to perfection for his 82 PGA Tour victories, including 15 majors, so why not make an entire apparel line based on the career-long superstition?

As I learned at Monday’s launch event, the new Sun Day Red line includes much more than just clothing. To go along with a slew of different golf shirt designs and colorways, there were also windbreakers, hoodies, shoes, hats, headcovers, ball markers and gloves on display.

The upscale event was hosted by sports media personality Erin Andrews, with special guests David Abeles (CEO of TaylorMade) and Tiger Woods himself.

As explained by Abeles, the Sun Day Red brand is an independently-run business under the TaylorMade umbrella, and is based in San Clemente, California (rather than Carlsbad, where TaylorMade headquarters is located), and it’s run by a newly-formed, independent group. Brad Blackinship, formerly of Quiksilver and RVCA, is the appointed president of the new brand.

As for the logo itself, obviously, it’s made to look like a Tiger (the animal), and is comprised of 15 tiger stripes, which correspond with Woods’ 15 major championships. While the logo may need a 16th stripe if Woods adds a major trophy to his collection, it makes perfect sense for the time being.

The golf/lifestyle line is meant to combine premium precision and athletic comfort, while still having plenty of wearability and style off the course. Like Woods said on stage at the event, he wants to be able to go right from the course to dinner wearing Sun Day Red, and that was exactly the aesthetic on display at the event on Monday.

Following the official announcement from Woods and Abeles, they revealed multiple pieces of clothing, accessories and footwear for the event-goers to ogle (and photograph). Check out a selection of product/event photos below, or head over to our @GolfWRX Instagram page for video coverage…OR, head into our GolfWRX Forums for even more photos and member discussion.

Enjoy this exclusive look at Tiger Woods’ new Sun Day Red apparel lineup below.

See more photos from the Sun Day Red launch event here

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Apparel Reviews

Apparel review: Justin Rose Collection @ Bonobos

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Bonobos? Bonnaroo? What do they have in common, besides being fun words to pronounce that belong to today’s generations? That’s a question for another story. We’re here to tell you about the latest addition to our curated polo collection, the Performance Golf Polo from the Justin Rose collection. It comes from Bonobos, so kick back to this 2020 Bonnaroo mixtape and read up on white anchors.

Professional golfer, Justin Rose, photographed for his Spring 2021 Bonobos capsule collection.

Bonobos has been working to reinvigorate its golf category that launched in 2011 and bring a fresh face and new thinking to their golf mix. The brand has been eyeing pro-golfer Justin Rose for some time, especially as he’s risen in the game and his style on and off course aligned with the brand’s aesthetic, it was a natural fit. Bonobos made the official partnership in 2019 and since then, Justin has worn Bonobos on the course during his tours, and in his everyday life, by choice.

In March 2021, the brand launched the Justin Rose Golf Collection, its first co-designed golf line with Justin consisting of an assortment of printed performance polos, pants, and shorts that are versatile for casual days on the course, to playing 18-holes and to the clubhouse afterward.

My fit arrived promptly, and I couldn’t help but throw it over my head and shoulders, and strut around the house. No matter the time of year nor the weather outside, a golf polo always works in the indoor arena. I had considered the slim fit, but opted for the standard. It was reassuring to realize that either one would have draped well over my torso. Plenty of room from shoulders to ribs to belly, both static and active. First box, checked.

The next task was no less arduous: wear the shirt in the out-and-about. A brisk day arrived, so I tucked a long-sleeved shirt beneath my polo, and went about my daily business, aka teaching. My students perked up when I entered the hall, and asked immediately about the anchors. “Ya know, just a new polo,” I replied. The company logo was apparent on my sleeve, so no need to ask about its origin. I’ve worn polos in the past that did not interface well with a shirt beneath. When you play golf in the wee morning hours or the evening gloaming, or the shoulder seasons of spring and fall, you often need to trick out your fit with another layer. The Bonobos Performance Golf Polo was comfortable beyond words on this day, and the collaboration with the long sleeve was a success. Second box, checked.

At this point, a little transparency will help matters. I looked good in this shirt, but when I read the added description about the model 40-inch chest, six feet two inches tall, size medium slim fit), I couldn’t help but feel a bit…inadequate? Then I looked in the mirror again, smiled, and winked, and I still looked good.

The final checkpoint was my new, Bryson-esque golf swing pitted against the Bonobos PGP. Having played golf with a gentle, consistent, non-violent swing since I picked up a club, I made the decision that 2021 would be the year that I would tear the cover off the ball. Why wait for a better time than the present, am I right? Swing after swing at the dome produced a variety of shot traces (Bryson wasn’t built in a day, after all), and my body still loved my second skin. Box three, checked.

In addition to the White Anchor pattern, something I would call the small-repeat, Bonobos offers five other patterns for purchase in this shirt model. Two floral patterns (Red Tropical and Teal & Pink) fall under the large-repeat style. The Green Sailboat Geo fills the entire top with a small-repeat, making it hard on the eyes for me. The Blue Lighthouses pattern is a medium-repeat; not as large as the Florals, but more sizable than the anchors, sailboats, and the last pattern (on a dark-blue shirt) the Navy Golf Bags small-repeat. Three white backgrounds, one blue, one red, one teal. That’s a pretty nice lineup from which to select a few new coller-poppers.

End of the day: Two happy shoulders (out of two) for the affordable ($69 retail) Bonobos Performance Golf Polo. If you’ll excuse me, I’m off to check out the rest of their virtual Guideshop. Peace!

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Apparel Reviews

WRX Spotlight: Adidas TOUR360 XT Twin Boa Golf Shoe

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The Product

The new Adidas TOUR360 XT Twin Boa, available in North America now, selling for $250 at adidas.com (only available on Adidas’ website, this shoe will not be at retail).

The Pitch

From Adidas: “The adidas TOUR360 XT Twin Boa® is the epitome of performance golf footwear, designed to offer micro-adjustability in two separate zones. The first is the independent main dial with high strength Boa lace that when combined with the forged 360 wrap creates unparalleled power for your swing by locking the area between your midfoot and forefoot. The second provides micro-adjustability from the middle to bottom instep for a customized fit, feel, and support. The Boa Fit System activates both zones to deliver the ultimate in power, stability, and performance.”

Our take on Adidas TOUR360 XT Twin Boa

BOA technology, a ratcheting cable system that replaces laces for securing the shoe, has been around for a while now. It was a radical departure when it first hit the market and traditionalists viewed it with some skepticism, but those who tried shoes using the system became hooked on the ease of use, secure feel, and reliability of the system. I have had to replace shoelaces, but I have never had a cable fail in a pair of shoes with Boa technology.

With the TOUR360 XT Twin Boa, Adidas has introduced the next step on Boa technology (pun intended). The shoe has a sleek, technology-forward look that is associated with Adidas products. It even looks good in the size 13 that I sport. The color selection is limited, to say the least. You can choose from white with green trim or white without green trim. But the star of the show is the Boa technology, which is implemented in two dials located on the outside of each shoe, replacing the one dial on previous iterations.

Each dial controls the fit for a different part of the shoe, and the ratcheting dial gives the wearer the most precise fit available. The real advantage over laces is that the Boa system stays secure longer and is easier to tighten than re-tying shoelaces. It’s so easy to reach down and give a couple of clicks that it became routine for me to check on each tee box to make sure I had a good fit before teeing off. Equally pleasing is the quick release on each dial that gets you out of your shoes at the end of a round without the terror of facing a wet double-knot.

The shoe is waterproof leather, and it is light and comfortable enough to walk 18 on hilly tracks. I personally would have preferred a slightly wider toe box, but that is nit-picking.

Overall, the Adidas TOUR360 XT Twin Boa is a performance shoe that promises, fit, comfort and stability, and it delivers on all fronts. Not everyone has $250 to drop on a pair of golf shoes, but if you want the tech on your feet to match the tech in your bag, then the Adidas TOUR360 XT Twin Boa is perfect for you.

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