OluKai Wai’alae Golf Shoe Review

When I heard that I was being sent some OluKai shoes to test, I have to admit that I wasn’t familiar with the brand. After a bit of research, I was excited to receive the shoes and intrigued to see if what at first glance appeared to be a fairly plain and simple spikeless shoe, could justify a $160 price tag.

The model I was sent was the Wai'alae in white, and when I took it out of the box, I was genuinely impressed with the looks. The navy accent color on the sole blended nicely with the dark gray tag on the tongue and heel, and the leather felt super soft to the touch, much like many of the best golf shoes.

Whilst the overall design is relatively simple, I still found myself really impressed. There is an understated elegance to the Wai'alae that doesn’t need elevating with unnecessary fuss and the minimalist design makes it exceptionally versatile to pair with just about anything.

Outside of the simplicity, I particularly enjoyed the nod to Hawaii with the colorful golf course scene depicted on the insole of the OluKai Wai'alae.

In terms of the performance of the shoe, OluKai says that the Wai'alae is fully waterproof and has a one-year warranty to support that. They have a cushioned midsole to enhance comfort, which genuinely works. They provide a super soft ride and my feet felt really good post round. 

Despite being a little heavier than some of the other best spikeless shoes, there is a real bounce to the sole that really comes into its own later in a round. If I had to compare the feel, I would say it is most akin to the excellent Nike Air Jordan Low 1 G golf shoes, and if I was really pushed I would probably say the Wai'alae may be even more comfortable.

My play with the Wai'alae has predominantly been in wet conditions and the multi-directional layout of the wet grip rubber does a really good job of providing traction. Whilst the leather is fully waterproof and the sole is plenty grippy, I would still prefer to keep these as a summer shoe. Not from a performance perspective, simply to keep them looking fresh for longer!

A very different, but cool feature of the Wai'alae is the collapsing heel that immediately transforms them into a slip-on! Whilst I love the idea of this feature, I didn’t find it hugely comfortable to have my heel elevated for too long.

The OluKai Wai'alae is a shoe oozing quality. It doesn’t shout at you with neon colors or fussy features, it just lets its quality shine through. It is on the expensive side, but if you enjoy simple quality, this is a shoe well worth a look.