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GOLF: PGA TOUR: Alias, Ecco, FootJoy and Nike offer a wide array of new footwear

/noticias.info/ By Chuck Stogel
GolfWeb Equipment Correspondent

Alias, Ecco, FootJoy and Nike have all taken the wraps off new footwear as we head into the 2007 season.

Alias Footwear is a relatively new company, based in Santa Cruz, Calif., offering shoes, apparel and accessories. GolfWeb testers rated its 2007 lineup of casual, affordably-priced footwear “very satisfactory,” “casual-stylish” and “must consider.”

FootJoy is the category leader in golf shoe sales with an extensive collection to choose from. Its newest offering is a high-tech, microfiber lacing product called ReelFit, featuring an innovative Boa Lacing System.

Ecco, based in Denmark with its U.S. headquarters in Londonderry, N.H., is a major global player in the dress and casual footwear industry that continues to expand its golf category presence in North America.

Nike, quickly growing into a worldwide force with all its products, is upgrading and introducing several footwear models with a fresh generation Traction @ Contact technology called the Nike Power Platform.

For golfers, the choices in style, technology and performance footwear have never been greater.

Here’s a selected look at the latest from Alias, Ecco, FootJoy and Nike.

ALIAS

The newest models in the Alias Footwear lineup are Sedan, Coupe and Slope Nose. All three are casually styled and affordably priced. Suggested retail prices range $68 to $76 per pair.

“Alias Footwear was not created in the locker room of some ultra chic private golf club,” said Alias president Dale Morrow. “Rather, it was born on the streets ridden by extreme athletes who like golf too.”

“Comfort to the Tee” is the company slogan.

Common features among Alias shoes are full girth sidewalls acting as a mudguard to aid in dryness and stability; air and nitrogen filled heel chambers for enhanced shock absorption; a wider heel for greater stability; built-in rubber arch support; durable rubber tooth pattern in the sole.

Shoes are available for both men and women.

In the latest models, the Coupe is made from synthetic Nubuck mesh with Lycra for ultimate breathability; the Sedan is mainly synthetic Nubuck with a reinforced toe and extra interior padding; the Slope Nose is made of suede leather and combed cotton mesh interior.

Featured colors in the various available patterns include gray, black, charcoal and khaki.

GolfWeb testers who tried several of the new styles praised the Alias shoes for looks, comfort, stability, and rated them “must consider” in the casual golf footwear segment.

ECCO

The spring/summer 2007 collection from Ecco adds or enhances numerous models in the company portfolio. Featured new styles include Casual Cool, Casual Cool Hydromax, Flexor, Flexor Hydromax, Flexor GTX and Classic Crossfire.

Suggested retail prices range $160 to $200 per pair.

“Our 2007 golf collection is designed to appeal to the most discerning golfers,” said Per Aagren, Ecco Golf’s head of global sales. “Unique product development and manufacturing processes allow us to create. .. styles that are preferred by tour pros worldwide.”

With its European styling and performance characteristics, Ecco is rapidly growing internationally, including major strides in North America. On tour, players wearing Ecco footwear include Colin Montgomerie, Fred Couples, Aaron Baddeley and Thomas Bjorn.

The Flexor series, in three basic models with a variety of color patterns, is built atop a completely new Ecco outsole featuring two-colored Stinger cleats with the Q-Lok insert system.

Flexor GTX features premium Gore-Tex technology that is fully waterproof. Crossing bands of Ecco Lizzard and Croco leathers atop smooth Manhattan leather provide a “smart-yet-natural look and feel.” Flexor Hydromax has a nonGore-Tex treatment for water and perspiration resistance. The Flexor model offers rich detailing and fine stitching.

FOOTJOY

The Boa Lacing System, which emanates from ski boots and snowboard footwear, is being offered exclusively in golf by FootJoy on its new ReelFit model. It offers ease-of-use with a push/pull dial on the back of the shoes to tighten and release, along with a snug fit.

“This performance product will have a dramatic effect on consumers’ golf shoe expectations in the future,” predicted Rob Kelley, FootJoy director of footwear marketing.

The Reel Fit shoes, currently available for men only, are premium-priced with a suggested retail listing of $225 per pair.

In addition to the unique lacing system, which uses nearly two feet of adjustable steel microcable, ReelFit features premium waterproof leather by Pittards of England, full leather linings, cushioned Fit-Beds, a GelCollar with IntelliTemp cooling, a stable TPU outsole and strategically placed OptiFlex technology under the forefoot.

GolfWeb testers praised the ease of the ReelFit dial system along with “style” and “comfort” characteristics. In demo sessions, FootJoy’s new shoes were labeled “extremely stable” and “great looking.”

NIKE

The Swoosh has installed its new Nike Power Platform for 2007 on several styles of SP-8 and SP-6 shoes, including SP-8 TW Tour and Tour Saddle, and SP-6 and SP-6 Saddle.

TW, as you might guess, stands for Tiger Woods, who assists in the develop of TW footwear, apparel and accessories.

The new styles all feature premium full-grain leather, full-length Poron sockliners, a two-year limited waterproof warranty and Scorpion Stinger spikes. A variety of color patterns are available for both men and women.

The SP-8 models have a low profile, caged Air Sole unit, while SP-6 has caged Zoom air.

The Nike Power Platform integrates four “vital” technologies: Power Channel, Forefoot Flex Channel, Medial (inside) Push Plate, Lateral (outside) Stability Plate. The engineering is designed to enhance traction and comfort.

Suggested retail price for the SP-6 footwear is $155 per pair. The SP-8 shoes list at $220 per pair. Nike also has an SP-5 line for men and women at $110 per pair and its Air Max Dual D shoes at $125 per pair. notas_de_prensa_archivo