Update April 2022: I still love this shoe. 4 years after this was originally published in July 2018, I still wear them on a regular basis. But the new Ecco Biom C4 is my new favorite shoe.
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I’m going to come right out and say it: the Ecco Biom Hybrid 3 is my favorite golf shoe I’ve ever owned.
Period.
Does it have the flash and the look of the Nike Flyknit Racer G? No.
Does it have the stability of the Footjoy Tour-S? Nope.
But is it the best all around performer when you factor in comfort, looks, and performance?
In my experience, the answer is a resounding yes.
In this Ecco golf shoe review I’m going to introduce you to the shoe, and give a little insight into why I think this is such a special golf shoe.
First Impressions of the Ecco Biom Hybrid 3 Golf Shoe
I first came across the Ecco Biom Hybrid 3 at the 2018 PGA Show this past January.
I’ll go on record as to say that my until recently my favorite all around golf shoe was the precursor to this, the Biom Hybrid 2.
The quality of materials are unparalleled, and with regular wear over the past 3 years they’ve remained comfortable and waterproof for nearly that entire time (after over 100 rounds I’ve noticed in really wet conditions a little bit of water seeping through).
So I was incredibly excited to see the next iteration of the shoe.
Personally, I think the looks are an improvement on the 2s. I like the contrast of the heather grey, and the Yak leather is still the softest and absolute best in the golf business.
In the past, I’ve also reviewed the Ecco Cage Pro, which was a very good shoe, but I never liked it quite as much as the Bioms. The look of it never quite grew on me in the way I’d hoped it would, and they were always a bit stiffer than the Hybrids, which felt like comfortable street shoes.
One thing is for sure, that with any Ecco golf shoe you’re going to get unparalleled quality. Even after only spending 5 minutes with these new ones on a convention floor, it was clear they were continuing to outdo themselves.
Ecco Biom Hybrid 3 Performance
It’d be another few months of anticipation before I’d finally get a pair to try out on the course for myself.
And now after about 6 rounds in them in a variety of conditions I feel like I can finally do a proper review.
The first round I played ended up being a wetter than expected hike around Tetherow Golf Club. I was a little concerned the first round in them would be in less than ideal conditions, but man, what a surprise.
The Goretex Yak Leather upper held up remarkably well. Despite soggy ground, my feet stayed dry and comfortable the entire round.
Traction was also much better than expected. With each iteration of their spikeless shoes, they improve the technology and I really noticed this with the new sole on these shoes.
In this year’s edition of the shoes they introduced Tri-Fi technology which is a new sole pattern that departs from the traditional square pattern found in the Hybrid 2s.
The source of the name is immediately evident when you look at the sole, as there are three distinct sections. The darker area around the heal and toes is for lateral stability during the swing, and is made of more durable plastic to guard against premature wear in the areas that take the most abuse during your swing.
The plastic is harder than it looks, and so far they seem to at the very least be on par with the other Ecco shoes I’ve reviewed, if not providing even a little more confidence in my swing.
So while I can’t comment on durability and longevity yet, I have no doubt these will last a long time.
Ecco Golf Shoes: Should You Buy the Ecco Biom Hybrid 3?
These days there are a ton of different options for golf shoes – arguably more than any time in history.
While we’re big fans of some of the new Nike options like the Flyknit Racer and Roshes – the Ecco golf shoes will still be my day in and day out shoes.
They strike the right balance of comfort, performance, looks, and durability. Whereas most other options I see don’t excel quite as much in all four areas.
The downside to these shoes? They aren’t cheap with a retail price clocking in around $200.
That said, unlike the similarly priced Flyknits, I can recommend this as a great shoe if you’re only going to buy one pair this year and want something that is going to last.
They won’t quite be on the stability level of a traditional spiked golf shoe, but it gets you 90% of the way there, look better, and are much more comfortable during the process.
I’ve put well over 100 rounds on my Hybrid 2s and they’re still going strong, and I expect 3 years from now to say the exact same thing about these shoes when the next iteration comes out.
If you only buy one pair of golf shoes this year and you want them to do a little bit of everything (and excel at those things), pick up the Ecco Biom Hybrid 3. You won’t regret it.
3 Comments
Great review!
However, I’ve read that new versions of these do not use the Yak leather and are also not gore-tex. They have Ecco’s own Hydromax system which is merely water resistant.
Do you know anything about this? I was about to buy until I read this.
Also, how do these show hold up aesthetically after a year?
Oh that’s interesting, I hadn’t heard or noticed that. But will look into it.
That said, I have found both my C4 and Hybrid 3 Eccos to show dirt and wear a bit more easily than other shoes. If you’re diligent about cleaning them every couple rounds, it shouldn’t be too big of an issue, but if not, they do tend to show dirt.
Yeah I’m on a budget but I want a decent shoe. I can get the hybrid 3 for £80 gbp which is pretty good but I was concerned that the gore tex isn’t being used now.