50 Words or Less
The FootJoy Pro/SLX Carbon golf shoes offer a wide, stable platform for making your most aggressive swing. Excellent traction. Very stable heel. Out of the box comfort.
Check out the FootJoy Tour Alpha HERE
Introduction
Time flies. It seems like just yesterday that FootJoy released their updated Pro SL [review HERE], the #1 shoe in golf, but that was actually four years ago. FootJoy has used that time to develop new tech to enhance traction. That’s now available to golfers in the FootJoy Pro/SLX golf shoe.
Looks
From the front, the FootJoy Pro/SLX Carbon has a clean, streamlined look. Even in the featured color way, which is by far the boldest option, your first impression is almost entirely monochromatic save for the lime green on the toe and the grey tongue.
As your eye travels toward the heel, it finds the more modern, athletic side. The “exposed heel stabilizer” carries the classic “FJ” logo and wraps around the grey heel in black.
Overall, I think the FootJoy Pro/SLX Carbon has a well-executed look that can be worn by golfers of any age. It has some modern, bolder elements without trying so hard that it will make an older golfer look ridiculous.
The FootJoy Pro/SLX is available in four colorways: navy, white, black, and white/navy. FootJoy offers the Pro/SLX Carbon in white, black, and white/navy (shown here). If you want the BOA Closure System, white is your only option.
Comfort
When I read about the “exposed heel stabilizer,” I will admit to giving a slight eye roll. Then I slid my foot into its pincer grip and all eye rolling ceased. The fit of the heel is, without a doubt, the first thing you’ll notice when you slide into the FootJoy Pro/SLX Carbon. It’s not sharp or uncomfortable, but the shoe grips your heel in a way that I’ve never felt before. The top of the 3D Molded Collar curves away from your Achilles which allows the Pro/SLX to securely hold your heel without creating blisters or irritation.
Outside of the heel, the Pro/SLX is everything I remember about the Pro SL. It’s comfortable right out of the box. At every point, it blends some cushioning with enough rigidity to make your foot feel supported. The toe box is modern average, offering just enough room to spread your toes. Sizing is typical for FootJoy, which I find to be on the larger side.
Performance
One thing I held back when discussing the style of the FootJoy Pro/SLX Carbon is that the soles look wide. The most recent Pro SL had more surface area on the sole, but the Pro/SLX goes up another level. This design was inspired by race cars with their wide, stable base. FootJoy calls this the Race Trak Outsole, and you can see why.
This is paired with the 3D X-Wing in the sole to create the PWR TRAX System. The concept is that the carbon fiber X transfers the forces generated by your swing into the wide, stable perimeter of the sole. I found that this shoe delivers on the promise of stability. Though the sole is thicker than I’m used to (I prefer a zero drop shoe), I still felt balanced during my swing. There was also very good traction, even in hard, early season conditions.
The difference between the Pro/SLX Carbon and the Pro/SLX is the carbon X-wing in the sole. This is similar to what we saw in the Pro SL and the Pro SL Carbon [review HERE]. I haven’t worn the standard Pro/SLX, but I have found that carbon sole plates make a noticeable difference in other shoes I’ve tested.
There was also considerable effort into making the FootJoy Pro/SLX comfortable. Underfoot, there are two different durometers of foam. In the middle, the Stratofoam that FJ has used in many recent offerings gives you shock absorption. At the perimeter, a stiffer FTF+ foam is used to enhance the feeling of stability. Overall, this creates a balanced feeling that’s soft but doesn’t disconnect you from the ground.
Finally, FootJoy offers a two-year waterproof warranty on the Pro/SLX and the Pro/SLX Carbon golf shoes.
Check out the FootJoy Pro/SLX with BOA Closure HERE
Conclusion
The FootJoy Pro/SLX Carbon has big shoes to fill (pun intended) in following the Pro SL. They do so by offering the same balance of comfort and performance that their predecessor was known for. These shoes offer great stability and balance while remaining comfortable for a full 18 hole walk.
Buy the FootJoy Pro/SLX HERE
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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5 Comments
It seems the golf companies are moving away from making golf shoes with spikes… (you can bet they’re saving money)
Five years ago you might see 1 or 2 pairs of Spikeless golf shoes being advertised .. now that’s all you see.
Retailers that we speak with say they not burning down any records…
Companies develop shoes based on actual sales statistics. Advertising is geared towards selling golfers what they want.
– Meeks
Nice looking shoes. I had a pair of Pro SL Boa that were really nice. The only negatives were they took a while to break in and then those small traction nubs wear out too quickly, but the rest of the shoe is still in great shape. Hopefully this spikeless sole is longer lasting.
Bought these and the tongue in my right show kept sliding down and becoming uncomfortable no matter how i tied them. Sent back to FJ. Otherwise shoes seemed excellent. I’m sure I’m the exception.
I’ve been trying to find a pair of 17 or 18 golf shoes for last 3 years.