Five years after they were first released Adidas have updated their Codechaos shoe, which the brand claim has 'redefined what a golf shoe can be'.
Whilst I think that's a little bit of an exaggeration in all honesty, the Codechaos line is certainly eye-catching and definitely stretches the boundaries of what would typically be considered as golf shoe design, although it's definitely not the only shoe to be doing that these days.
As someone who almost always wears spikeless shoes to play golf, I was keen to see whether the added performance features in the latest Codechaos shoe was able to deliver all of the performance you'd expect from that £140 price tag.
Who Are They Aimed At?
If you're something of a golf traditionalist, these might not be the shoes for you! They're eye-catching, modern and packed with technology to help you get that extra 1% of performance on the course.
The neon green outsole, combined with bright pink logo, might not be to everyone's taste but they're a fantastic summer shoe in my opinion, although a price tag of £140 is pretty high for a spikeless shoe so you'll probably need to use them for more than just the warmest months if you want to get your money's worth.
The Tech
Adidas says that the new Codechaos comes with both a redesigned sole and upper, with the aim of improving both traction and stability, and is available in both laced and an updated BOA model.
The new outsole sees the use of a new 3D Torsion plate, which aims to help golfers get more stability whilst both walking and swinging out on the course. This plate is also said to help provide a better fit and minimise midfoot bend, which is one of the causes of heel slip.
The Twist Grip from the previous Codechaos shoe remains, although it now has a new lug shape which covers up to 40% more of the sole compared to previous models.
For the BOA model of the shoe, there is now a PerformFit wrap which is covered by a zipper, and is aimed to provide a more secure and stable feel.
In order to provide comfort, Adidas are offering a hybrid midsole with both Boost and Lightstrike technologies. Boost focuses on energy return and wraps around the foot, whilst Lightstrike is situated on the rim of the midsole to add stability and comfort during the golf swing.
The upper of the shoe has a multi-layer knit which is said to provide added flexibility. The bottom layer closest to the foot features a soft, moisture-wicking material to increase comfort, whilst the middle layer improves flexibility to make it easier for golfers to adapt to different lies. The outer layer is a sporty mesh, enhancing the layers beneath. On top of this is a transparent PU film, which offers waterproof protection.
Adidas Codechaos 25 Golf Shoe Review
Looks
Compared to the previous CodeChaos 22 shoes, the design on the new model is actually a little more simple, as Adidas has decided to remove the extra traction elements that crept up the side of the old shoes and added a much more conventional black section to the midsole towards the heel.
Both the design of the upper and the iconic three stripes are pretty similar to the previous model too, and I think this does look pretty cool particularly with the waterproof 'film' on top - it makes a nice change from normal leather or knitted uppers that we're all used to seeing on golf shoes.
The addition of the black this time around does look a bit smarter in my opinion, although I would say that these shoes are one of those "they look better on" models, and I have to say that I was much more positive about the looks once they were on my feet and I'd played a couple of holes in them.
Adidas were kind enough to send these shoes through with a very eye-catching shoe bag too, which fits in with the rest of the Codechaos theme and uses the same TwistGrip lug pattern as part of the design.
Comfort
I have found with a few Adidas shoes recently that you get a slightly firmer feel than in some other models, but that's not to say they aren't comfortable. In the same way that you don't want your running shoes to be too plush and cushioned if you're going to try and run at a decent pace, you don't want your golf shoes to be too soft when you're swinging because you lose that interaction with the ground.
The slightly higher arch position took a couple of holes to get used to, but it provided a really solid and supported feeling and my foot felt extremely 'locked-in' during 18 holes of testing.
I wear a size 9 UK and found that these shoes were true-to-size. Adidas can sometimes be a bit tricky to get right when it comes to sizing, whilst I also think that some of their recent shoes have had a bit of a wide footprint, but these were perfect for me.
I was impressed by the breathability that the shoe offered, especially considering they have that PU film on top of the upper which can sometimes get a little warm, but my feet felt fresh and comfortable throughout the duration of my testing.
Performance
Adidas have clearly put a good amount of effort into improving their TwistGrip outsole and I found that the traction was excellent during my testing. I used these shoes at Stockport GC which has quite a few decent sized slopes on the fairway and I was confident and comfortable in my stance the whole way round.
You probably hear this a lot these days, and I have to say I have found myself writing it a fair bit over the last few years, but spikeless technology has improved so much latterly that you really wouldn't know that this was not a spiked shoe.
When you look at these shoes you could be fooled into thinking that they are really a summer shoe which are perfect for use on holiday or on the warmest days, but I think the performance makes them much more versatile than that. They're a bit sturdier than you might expect, the upper is waterproof and the traction is so good that you could use these for most months of the year.
The shoe also comes with the option of a BOA model, which has been upgraded in the last couple of years to feature this new PerformFit Wrap. Although I prefer the look of the laced model personally, I have used BOA in Adidas shoes before and it is great for providing you with a really secure, locked-in feel.
Adidas Codechaos 25 Golf Shoe Verdict
I am lucky because having this job means that I get plenty of choice when it comes to golf gear, and each year I probably have a dozen pairs of new shoes to choose from. As a result, it's always a good sign of a shoe's quality if I end up going back to the same pair. I did that earlier in the summer when I tested Adidas' S2G model, and since I tested the Codechaos 25 I've done that again.
They've found a great balance between providing the comfort of a trainer, along with an interesting and modern look, but still giving you all of the performance and stability you need, and I'd feel just as confident using them during a competition as I would a spiked pair.
Another thing that I like about these shoes is that they are made in part with recycled and renewable materials. This is a commitment that Adidas first made to golf shoes quite a few years ago as I saw when I tested the Primeblue Shoes, and it's great to see one of the biggest brands in the game making an effort to reduce waste - let's hope that some of the others follow suit.
Would I Wear Them?
When I first took them out of the box, I wasn't so sure, but they have definitely won me over and the performance was excellent too. I'm looking forward to wearing them again very soon.
Adidas Codechaos 25 Golf Shoe Pros and Cons
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