Asics Shoes are Coming – Challenger One Tourstage

With the imminent release of Asics’ flag ship golf shoe, the Gelace Top, dominant Japanese golf shoe makers like Tourstage and Mizuno are preparing to have a bite taken out of their market share.  Already having to contend with overseas makers like Footjoy, ecco, Adidas and others. Asics with years of shoe experience enters the Japanese market as a direct threat to the dominance that Tourstage and Mizuno have had.

It’s not that Asics is new to the golf shoe market as they have had mid level golf shoes before. However with the signing of Shingo Katayama, arguably the top Japanese pro of the last decade, Asics now has the face and marketing power for their new high end golf shoe. I’m going to do a two part look at the both Tourstage and Mizuno and what their shoes are all about. These posts will be more than anything a look at each manufacturers quality and fit as well as design and not any one particular model shoe though I will reference the current model I own.

While most people are familiar with Tourstage golf clubs and golf balls, Tourstage the Japanese  golf wing of Bridgestone Sports and parent company Bridgestone Rubber, has taken its expertise in Rubber manufacturing to create market leading golf shoes (as well as non golf shoes like Tourstage walking shoes) that have long been best sellers in Japan.

I’ve owned three pairs of Tourstage golf shoes and have been happy with each and every one of them. They have always been well designed, well constructed and a very comfortable fit.

Product Offering: Tourstage has always offered more entry level type shoes through both their Tourstage brand and Paradiso brand all the way up to leather Pro Spec shoes. The product offering is wide and there are quality shoes and designs for every budget level. This is one of the reasons why Tourstage has a large customer base.  The shoes I currently have are the  mid to high end retail SHV800, they call it a pro model but it actually falls the Pro Spec models.

Designs: Tourstage and Paradiso shoes look good. They come in very cool colorful designs all the way to simple white or black and white and black classic style golf shoes. There is a design for every taste. The SHV800 is a more modern design that is very good looking and goes well with todays golf fashions.

Features: Tourstage shoes range from artificial leather to real leather. Bridgestone uses its rubber expertise to create durable, yet flexible shoe soles using compression EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymer) which is flexible but sturdy and TPU (Thermo Polyurethane). These materials are mixed with Bridgestone Synthetic rubber to form what we see as most Tourstage and Paradiso shoe soles.

Some of the lower end models and even mid level models use soles with tread grip rather than spikes. The SHV800 features fast twist replaceable 3D spikes which do a great job of gripping the turf.  The SHV800 also features a turbo rubber insole with arch fit. There is an additional arch support plate that is weaved under the insole. The SHV800 like most Tourstage shoes is EEE width. You will see more features of course on the pricier shoes down to less on the cheaper models. This is like any other brand.

Build quality, sizing and comfort: The exterior stitching of the shoe is very high quality. After one year of use, no loose stitches at all. The internal stitching is also very tough. The shoe is held together very well. The shoe upper and sole of the shoe are bonded together seamlessly with no signs of separation after a year of use.

Being EEE wide, the shoe is ultra roomy. All those who say Japanese sizes are small do not know what they are talking about, as most people need to go down a size  or half because of the width of Japanese brands and that is Tourstage included. I had Nike and Adidas shoes back in Canada and both were standard D width, I had to wear a 26cm or Size 8 US for the right fit. Getting the SHV800 I went down a full size to 25cm or a Size 7 US and they fit perfectly.

Comfort wise they are comfortable but on the softer side. Some people may like this, and maybe its just me after a year of use, but the insole seems to have softened and does not give the same firm support I would like (I like it firm).  Still a very comfortable shoe and perhaps I should not fault this after a years usage. The extra room really helps those who have wider feet or are flat footed. With standard D width shoes many people move up a size just to get the extra width but then the shoes are sometimes too long. That is not a problem with Tourstage shoes. Sizing was consistent among all 3 Bridgestone branded shoes I have owned. All 3 were 25cm EEE and fit the same.

Conclusion: Tourstage has not disappointed and has always given the consumers lots of choice when it comes to designs and budgets. They incorportate some nice features in well built good looking shoes. Tourstage sizing is consistent and shoes are comfy because of width. While the mid level to cheaper models are probably on the soft side, the pro spec models are said to be stiffer for stability (I have not personally used the much more expensive pro models).  They are ready to keep competing head to head with the new Asics shoe as well as any new models from Mizuno or overseas brands. Even my dog likes them.

Tourstage’s new line of shoes will be in the shop in coming weeks to compete with the new Asics.