Payntr Golf X 004 RS Review: Spiked Golf Shoes Done Right

Last Summer, I reviewed a shoe that was one of the bigger surprises I’ve had in recent memory:

The Payntr X 003.

It was the newest model of a new brand, and also their most affordable at around $140.

I don’t usually expect much from brand-new golf companies. Even the ones with very experienced people at the helm (like is the case at Payntr).

It just almost always takes a few years to really dial in the materials, fit, and aesthetics of a new piece of apparel or footwear. 

So when I took the Payntr X 003 out to a 3-day tournament at Pronghorn Resort, I was pretty shocked when they were…good.

Or rather, they were great.

Not only that, but I had half a dozen people ask me about them over the course of the trip. Apparently, word is spreading that Payntr Golf is the real deal.

This brings us to today in early 2023, Payntr has just released their newest model the X 004 RS.

And the most notable thing about it? It’s the brand’s first spiked model.

They clearly nailed the spikeless side of things from the jump, but spiked golf shoes are different.

I was eager to find out if my now high expectations would be met with their new product.

Were they?

Read on to find out.

First Impressions of the Payntr X 004 Golf Shoes

One thing you’ll notice with the current lineup of Payntr golf shoes is that each of their primary models (001, 002, 003, 004, 006), all look pretty similar.

Personally, I think this is smart.

For one obvious reason, they look good as far as golf shoes go.

But more importantly, I feel like doing it this way can be an easier road to success for a young brand.

Rather than designing radically different shoes, find a silhouette (is that a thing for a shoe?) that people love. Then build out your line around that.

A premium, tour-level spikeless shoe. A lightweight mesh shoe. A traditional spiked shoe and so on.

If you can take a similar look, and similar technical elements across your line, you’re not having to reinvent the wheel with every single shoe you make.

This allows you to focus on smaller details like fit and performance.

Who knows, I could be way off base here. The team at Payntr may be reading this and screaming at their computer saying “all of these models are wildly different!”

But in my experience reviewing half their lineup, they share a number of similarities, despite serving the needs of different types of golfers.

All that to say, first impressions?

These shoes look damn good. Just like the last ones.

But will they perform? That’s the $200 question.

Payntr Golf X 004 RS Comfort and Performance

I took a little bit of a risk during my first few rounds in the Payntr 004s.

I received them in mid-December, and the weather has been less than ideal here in the Pacific Northwest.

Normally, with a brand new pair of shoes, I like to wear them in a low-stress environment Maybe a quick 9. Or a round of 18 on a cart.

This time, we decided to go all in.

36 holes at Bandon Dunes. There was a lot riding on these. If I had blisters after my first 9 holes of a Bandon trip, well, let’s just say I wouldn’t be happy.

But they come with a blister-free guarantee, so let’s go. GAME ON.

I’m happy to report that Payntr’s first foray into the world of traditional spiked shoes is a….legitimate success.

Not only are the shoes very comfortable, but they provided excellent traction across some highly variable Bandon courses.

I truly expected the first round to not go as well as it did.

The Ecco G5 is probably the best-spiked shoe I’d worn in the last 3 years, but even those took 2 full rounds to truly get broken in and be comfortable.

I didn’t have as much of an issue with that in the X 004 RS.

Sure my feet were a little sore after 36 holes and 13 miles in the Payntr’s.

But they’d feel that way in any shoes after walking a half marathon.

And considering 90% of the time I play in spikeless shoes, it was a very welcome change to have the increased stability that the spiked shoes bring. 

Related: Want all the tech packed into this shoe, but prefer a spikeless model? Check out our Payntr X 005 Review.

Payntr X 004 RS and the Tour Flex Pro Spikes

Speaking of stability, let’s talk about it for a second.

I felt very planted in these Payntr golf shoes, and confident that I wasn’t going to slip in dew-covered, or at times, rain-saturated fairways. They also achieved this stability without being as heavy as the Sqairz shoes (known for being extremely stable) and looking better than most traditional shoes.

One of the contributing factors for this is the brand new Softspikes Tour Flex Pro spikes.

Now, I’ll be honest, I’m not an expert in golf spikes. But I do know that over 80% of PGA Tour players use them, and over 30 tournaments and all 4 majors were won using spikes from the brand.

Well, the Payntr X 004 is the very first shoe on the market to come with their brand new, top-of-the-line, Tour Flex Pro spikes.

There are 10 “traction points” on them, and the brief on the development was “how do we develop a soft spike that performs like an old-school metal spike?”

I’m not sure I’d be able to tell the difference between these and other models of spikes – but the end result with the shoes is fantastic. Comfort, stability, and traction are all very good.

I think the best way to describe the Payntr Golf X 004 RS is a spiked shoe that feels more like a spikeless shoe.

And why shouldn’t it? That’s what’s in their DNA.

Payntr Golf X 004 RS Fit

I’ve found both pairs of my Payntr Shoes to fit true to size. I’m a 12 and that’s been perfect right out of the gate.

I also appreciate that for most of their models they offer their shoes in a “wide” option as well.

Growing up in Eugene, Oregon it’s impossible not to be a big Nike guy. But many of their shoes can feel slightly too narrow if you have wider feet – and you won’t always find a “wide” model from Nike or other brands.

So the fact Payntr is making its shoes appeal to a broader market in this way is nice, assuming the different widths perform as well as the standard ones I’ve tested.

Payntr Golf X 004 RS Tech

One thing I joked about when reviewing the Payntr X 003 is the fact their spec sheet read like a technical breakdown for a high-performance industrial product rather than a golf shoe.

You’ll find more of that here with the X 004.

For example, a few of the terms you’ll find on the product page are:

• Graphite propulsion plate
• Clarino Trivela microfiber
• Three-dimensional molded PMX
• TPU outsole with FastTwist insertion system
• Ventilated dual-density PMX Foam
• Neverwet superhydrophobic solution

You can read more about what these actually are, and what they do here.

But all of this tech talk isn’t a bad thing. There’s a serious amount of technology and research that’s been packed into these shoes, and despite reading a little technical, the gist of it is:

These shoes will keep your feet comfortable and give you the best chance possible of playing your best golf.

Downsides of the Payntr Golf X 004 RS

There really aren’t many downsides to this shoe, but there’s one specific annoyance I had.

I don’t know what you call it, but the back of the shoe that sticks up near your ankle looks very similar to the Nike Zoom Infinity Tour.

There are some solid benefits to this design. It’s comfortable, doesn’t lead to blisters on the back of your ankle, and makes the shoes easy to get on and off.

But there’s a downside.

Because of the way it slightly protrudes out, away from your foot, it’s easy for sand or pebbles to get caught in there.

Over the course of a few days at Bandon, at least twice I had to take off the shoe to get a small rock out.

You may have a different experience, and while not a huge deal, is definitely something I noticed.

Another thing worth noting comes down to your personal goals with your shoes.

$200 is a lot of money to spend on a golf shoe no matter what. It can feel like even more when it’s a newer brand that doesn’t have the track record or big budgets of say Nike, Adidas, Footjoy etc.

So I think some people will be reluctant to spend a couple Benjamins on a brand they may have legitimately first heard about through this review.

BUT (and this is a big but).

Don’t worry about that.

These shoes are excellent, and at least as we sit right now, you’ll definitely score some additional “cool points” wearing these than you will wearing most other shoes on the market.

Final Impressions of the Payntr X 004 RS

My final thoughts on the Payntr X 004 RS?

They should simplify their name.

But in all seriousness, this is a fantastic golf shoe. 

Being a new brand, they have an uphill battle. But more than most other golf startups I’ve seen recently, they’re doing it right. If you’re looking for a Tour shoe from a more traditional brand, you might check out the Adidas Tour 360 shoes.

But there’s no doubt the Payntr team designed a good-looking shoe that people will want to wear.

They’ve made it comfortable and easy to walk in.

Then they’ve packed so much footwear technology in it that it won’t just perform well, but will win over some skeptics that might confuse “new brand” with “subpar quality.”

These are every bit as good as any other shoe I’ve tested, and if you’re in the market for a traditional golf shoe that can do it all? You could do a lot worse than the Payntr Golf X 004 RS or RS Luxe.

Payntr is once again leading the way in golf shoe technology

9.0 Buy them!

Despite the fact that it can be tough to tell the differences between many PAYNTR models, their first foray into a spiked shoe is an undeniable success. It fees great, performs great, and looks - well just like most other pairs of Payntrs. Luckily, this isn't a bad thing.

The Good

1. Might be the most technologically advanced shoe in golf
2. Despite being a tour level shoe, very comfortable with minimal break in necessary
3. Tons of stability and traction

The Bad

1. Tech comes with a price
2. Found it easy for small rocks to slip into shoe due to heel design

• Presentation 9
• Performance 9
• Price 8
• Personal Affinity 10