PAYNTR XC 001 Shoe Review

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The PAYNTR XC 001 is a high performance training shoe.  Carbon fiber plate gives the sole rigidity.  Clean, elevated look.

Introduction

PAYNTR shoes have slowly worked their way into my personal top two for golf footwear.  It started with the excellent X 001 F [review HERE] and went up a level last year with the spiked X 004 RS [review HERE].  Now they’re coming after my gym shoes, with the PAYNTR XC 001.

Look

The PAYNTR XC 001 is a clean, elevated gym shoe.  In the white colorway, it’s almost entirely monochromatic save for some small black detailing around the laces and the branding on the tongue.  What keeps the XC 001 from looking dull is the intricate knit pattern that covers most of the upper.  The waves on the front that mirror the shape of the toe morph into an “X” at the midfoot on both the inside and outside of the shoe.

Branding on the PAYNTR XC 001 is minimal.  You can find “PAYNTR” on the heel and in a black square on the tongue, but that’s it.  The brand’s “X” logo is visible in a couple spots, but it barely registers as branding.

PAYNTR is offering the XC 001 in six colorways: white/lime (shown here), white/black, black/white, black, grey, and lime.

Comfort

Sliding into the PAYNTR XC 001 for the first time, I found a true-to-size fit.  They were comfortable right out of the box without any breaking in required.  The toe box hits the sweet spot: wide enough to spread out without feeling cavernous.

This may sound silly to some, but the XC 001 feels athletic.  It’s mid weight, giving you a sense of support without holding you down.  The laces are impactful, allowing me to dial in my preferred fit.  When I have these on, I feel like they’re going to enhance whatever I do without being in the way.

Performance

If you thought that PAYNTR was just slapping their name on a training shoe to expand their line up, you don’t know them.  This is a company that takes high performance footwear very seriously, on and off the course.

To that end, they gave the XC 001 a carbon fiber plate in the sole to enhance the rigidity and energy return.  We’ve seen this in several golf shoes and the VKTRY insoles [review HERE], and I expect this will only become more common in the next few years.

As someone who has worn more flexible, “natural motion” shoes over the last several years, shifting into the XC 001 was a change, but it required very little adjustment time.  I could immediately appreciate the benefits of the added rigidity – it felt like the shoe was doing more of the work.  While I’m not a runner, I do jump rope quite a lot, and I felt I could jump longer with less effort in the XC 001.  Also, the width of the forefoot made me feel very stable in any type of movement.

Finally, it’s worth noting that the PAYNTR XC 001 has a medium heel drop.  It’s not FootJoy-tall nor TRUE-low.  It feels similar to most of the Nike basketball shoes I’ve worn.  Regardless of what activity you’re wearing these for – running, weight lifting, or chasing your kids in the park – it’s important to understand your preferences for heel drop and how it can affect your performance.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a high performance shoe to wear in the gym, or an everyday shoe that will make you feel more athletic, the PAYNTR XC 001 is it.  This shoe has both out of the box comfort and high level performance thanks to the carbon fiber sole plate.  Whether this is your first pair of PAYNTRs or not, after wearing them, they won’t be your last.

Buy the PAYNTR XC 001 HERE

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Matt Saternus

Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf

Matt has worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking.

He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.

Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

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