Jordan Brand Debuts New Golf Shoe. Here’s Why It Will Flop

Today, Jordan Brand announced a new golf shoe. Dubbed the Air Rev, the shoe features a moveable cushion system, among other things, that aim to bring Jordan Brand up to speed in the arms race that is golf footwear.

While I don’t have them in hand yet (I will as soon as I can), after combing through the details, I only have one question.

“WTF is Jordan Brand doing?”

On the surface, everything seems smart and purposeful. Customizable cushion? A custom dial for lockdown and a midfoot strap? Yeah, it all sounds great in theory. But, to me, the Jordan Air Rev is a lot of smoke and mirrors.

And for a reported retail price of $250, you should expect a lot less smoke and mirrors and a whole lot more technology that’s centered in reality.

Here’s what I mean.

1. The strap is unnecessary

The Air Rev has what Jordan Brand is calling Flight Lock technology. A big part of this purported tech is the midfoot strap that goes from the lateral forefoot to the medial instep. It looks cool, sure, but it doesn’t serve an actual purpose, in my opinion.

See that dial that sits atop the shoe? It ain’t BOA. Custom dials without the BOA logo aren’t the same thing. A dial should provide the lockdown that your foot needs. That’s the whole point of running cables through the sides of the shoes. Similar to a lot of shoes in NIKE’s basketball line (circa 2010s), the strap is pretty much just cosmetic.

I may be proven wrong when I put this pair on but I highly doubt the strap is going to add anything in the way of stability or lockdown.

2. The cushion sounds cool (in theory)

Reading into the release a bit, Jordan Brand is relying on moveable/modular cushion as the main selling point of this shoe. Namely, an Air Zoom unit in the back of the shoe and Formula23 foam in the front.

The idea is to have the Formula23 foam in the lead forefoot for stability, meaning the two cushions are interchangeable from shoe to shoe. Translation: whether you’re left-handed or right-handed, you can switch the cushion around to create the best performance possible.

Other translation: moving parts create more margin for error. Rather than just using a foam midsole or sockliner, having two interchangeable cushions leaves more room for … well, problems. What if the housing for the Air Zoom unit rips or breaks while you’re moving it around?

Again, I haven’t worn them yet. And the idea sounds really, really cool in theory. But, in practice, it may be a totally different experience. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Using two foams (or a dual-cushion setup) is nothing new. Brands like ECCO, Under Armour and adidas have been doing it for years. The difference is that their cushion doesn’t move. As I said, less margin for error. (Also, even as a left-handed golfer, the notion that the cushion is moveable to serve both the left-handed and right-handed golfer is kind of asinine. No one is buying a shoe based on their hand dominance).

3. I don’t have faith in the traction

NIKE is notorious for ditching tried-and-tested spikes and trying to do their own thing. There’s a reason most of the top golf shoes in the game rely on SoftSpikes for traction. The “spikes” on the Air Rev are few and far between and they don’t look nearly as flexible or versatile as the spikes on, say, the NIKE Zoom Victory Tour 4 or the upcoming Zoom Victory Pro 4.

The traction is too similar to the Infinity Tour 2 which was lackluster at best. Seriously, just license the tech from a different company rather than try to make your own, OK?

4. The price is outrageous

I’m not normally one to complain about price. Mostly because I like expensive stuff. But the Jordan Brand Air Rev reportedly retails for $250. You’re kidding, right?

I’ve worn a lot of golf shoes. I’m up to well over 150 different pairs tested and reviewed. None of them reach the $250 price threshold. Most of the top performers, actually, come in at $200 or less.

There’s no reason in hell that a golf shoe from a brand that’s struggled with anything other than their retro models should cost that much money.

Remember, they’re licensing neither the BOA tech nor spikes which can typically drive up the cost.

A $250 flop?

Will the Jordan Brand Air Rev be a success? Depends on your definition. I really hope the “holes” I poked in the shoe are merely because I’m skeptical and that the shoe does perform like one should expect for $250. But I don’t have much faith. And that’s coming from one of the biggest Jordan Brand fans out there.

Too much smoke, not enough fire. I’m afraid Jordan Brand’s legacy and name will carry the shoe more than any of the purported tech or innovation.

All that’s left is to get this pair on my feet.

If you’re interested, the Jordan Brand Air Rev drops on May 14.

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