I always appreciate golf shoes. However, I’ve reviewed so many now that I’m often looking for new and exciting ways to test them so I don’t fall into too much of a routine. Now, more so than before, my first port of call is the brand’s press release. Frequently full of hyperbole, I like to compare some of the more exaggerated promises to my real experience with the shoe. With Ecco’s latest offering - the Street 720- the line that stood out was a declaration that these shoes, ‘designed to be worn all day and night, it offers big city vibes with a birdie mentality.’ With this at the very top of the marketing release from Ecco, this review will spend more time focusing on my off-course experience than on my on-course testing. In fact, I decided to take this concept for a spin so, before I even laced this up to play golf in, I headed for dinner, drinks and karaoke on the streets of Birmingham in my new Street 720s.
My friends described the shoes as ‘inoffensive’, and I took this as a huge compliment. No one thought they were golf shoes and the modern design more than blends in with what everyone else had on their feet. Some golf shoe-specific brands that have attempted off-course shoes do far too much in the way of branding and thus make it a shoe by a golf brand. Most golfers, myself included, don’t want fellow members of the public to know they’re golfers automatically via their footwear. Ecco has done the right thing by eliminating almost all the branding and keeping it subtle. That’s not to say these are a dull-looking shoe, there are some neat design touches that make for a modern and versatile silhouette that will match pretty much any outfit you put it with, especially in the off-white color way I was testing it in.
My colleague Joe, who has a way with words, described the shoe saying, ‘It’s like a Nike Air Force 1 had a child with a pair of Crocs’. This made me laugh and was likely a little dig at the look of the shoe. I can see where he’s coming from. From a top-down view, the front half of the shoe has an uncanny resemblance to the toe area of the Air Force and the holes on the side of the shoe are certainly Croc-ish. Take a look at the shoes and make your mind up, but I for one think they look superb. Clean, modern and stylish with the 'Croc holes' Joe described adding some visual variety that I appreciated.
As a street shoe, it’s also the most comfortable shoe I’ve ever worn. I’ve got pairs of Vans, Adidas Sambas and a new pair of Nike Killshot 2s that rotate as my off-course shoes and none come anywhere near as close to the Street 720 in terms of comfort. Underfoot there is much more cushioning, the fully waterproof construction means no leaking when you’re out and about on a wet day and the Gore-Tex construction also makes them significantly more breathable. The Street 720 is also constructed with a smooth, perforated leather material that elevates the quality of the shoe. That Gore-Tex surround also offers the kind of waterproof protection no street shoe traditionally offers and comes into its own when you’re out on a rainy day. While canvas Vans get soggy and most synthetic leather shoes leak and become clammy, these shoes are built to withstand some really poor weather conditions.
On the golf course, it’s a golf shoe. It neither wowed me particularly nor had any serious faults or issues I needed to bring up. The outsole is really solid in both wet and dry conditions, the waterproof build makes it sturdy and rugged in grass and mud and the stability through the swing was fine, if unspectacular versus a specialist performance spikeless golf shoe. Importantly, off the golf course, the outsole isn't too intrusive and doesn't feel any different on harder surfaces than a regular street shoe. This is vital for a shoe like this to be successful and I've tried plenty of spikeless golf shoes that just feel strange underfoot on harder surfaces, the Street 720 is not one of these.
For me, it's perfectly okay for this shoe to not be a pure stand-out on the course. Ecco never set out to make a class-leading performance spikeless shoe with the Street 720. However, when you combine it with the off-course versatility it’s a package that offers serious value.
My only criticism is that they’re hard to clean. I’ve found this with previous Ecco shoes like the Biom C4 in that the outsole is made from a material that stains quickly and easily. I’ve had to accept a more rugged look for these shoes quicker than I’d have liked.
Aside from the Adidas, Nike and New Balance golf shoes, I’ve tested that utilise famous silhouettes and convert them into golf shoes, the Ecco Street 720 is the best off-course shoe I’ve tested. I simply can’t take them off - in fact, I'm wearing them as I write this review... I’ve been wearing them almost constantly and enjoying every minute. Considering its many, many uses on and off course this is a compelling option for those looking for something a bit different off the course and a reliable spikeless golf shoe on it.
