Pitchmarks Verdict
The PUMA PHANTOMCAT NITRO Golf Shoe blends a sleek design with innovative FLEXSPIKE technology for exceptional traction. In the heel, NITRO FOAM provides cushioning and bounce. Ideal for golfers seeking style, comfort, and performance.
Check Price at Worldwide GolfIn PUMA’s words, the PHANTOMCAT NITRO is “Groundbreaking. Not ground-breaking.”
This brand-new golf shoe features FLEXSPIKE technology, an advanced cleat design that promises excellent traction and stability without tearing up the greens.
In this PUMA PHANTOMCAT NITRO review, we put it to the on-course test.
Looks
For this golf shoe, PUMA has adopted a sleek and sporty design.
The shoe upper is made from full-grain leather and comes with a full year of waterproof warranty when you purchase it. Even in this largely white colorway, I found it very easy to wipe away any dirt and keep the shoe looking fresh.
A subtle version of the brand’s signature FORMSTRIP logo is embossed into the leather.
The heel section of the shoe is made from molded polymer and highlighted in black for this two-tone colorway. This heel panel aims to lock the foot in for ultimate control.
Overall, the shoe is clean and will pair easily with pants or shorts on the course.
Comfort & Performance
The PHANTOMCAT NITRO isn’t just about looks — it’s comfortable too.
For this design, PUMA used a new “anatomically shaped last” with a generous toe box shape. This provides a roomy, yet consistent feel around your feet.
I love how this shoe feels on my feet. The ergonomic shape of the heel helps prevent any slipping, while the soft leather upper hugs the top of your foot.
However, the real highlight of this shoe is the traction.
For the PHANTOMCAT NITRO, PUMA developed an all-new cleat design called FLEXSPIKE, a dual-injected spike with a unique figure-of-eight shape. The idea is simple: increased surface contact with the ground, providing extra grip and better weight distribution.
You can really feel the “teeth” of these spikes biting into the turf. This provides great grip when walking the course, and excellent stability underfoot in the golf swing. At the same time, the teeth are soft enough to prevent marks on the surface of the green.
In the heel section of the golf shoe, PUMA has utilized NITRO FOAM.
Nitrogen gas is injected into the foam during the molding process, creating small air pockets. This keeps the material super lightweight, and also super responsive.
The high-rebound NITRO FOAM makes the shoe very comfortable to walk in, while adding explosive power as you work the ground forces in the golf swing.
Final Thoughts
The PUMA PHANTOMCAT NITRO is both aesthetically pleasing and comfortable to wear.
With a sleek design and soft leather uppers, this shoe will pair easily with pants or shorts making it highly versatile. Foam elements provide cushioning and stability, while the new FLEXSPIKES offer great levels of traction — without cutting up the greens.
