Puma Ignite Fasten8 Pro review: locked In golf shoe performance and supreme comfort

Here's our Puma Ignite Fasten8 Pro review for those in a hurry: there are few better spikeless golf shoes at the price, when it comes to comfort and ease of use.

Puma has emerged in recent years as one of the market leaders in golf footwear and some of the world’s most recognisable golfers now wear Puma shoes. The fashion conscious Rickie Fowler first made Puma gear ‘cool’ and now Bryson DeChambeau is carrying the torch. Love him or hate him, you can’t ignore ‘Big Bryson’ and he’s bringing great exposure for the Puma brand.

Puma has an exciting range of shoes for 2021 including the updated version of the hugely popular Ignite PWRADAPT series as well as this: the all new Ignite Fasten8 spikeless shoe. It's among the best golf shoes I've tried since getting back out on the course after winter.

There are three variations of Ignite Fasten8. There is the standard laced model, the disc version (which has a dial to tighten the laces) and the Pro, which is the focus of this review. 

The Pro is very similar to the standard version only the Pro has a fully synthetic microfibre upper whereas the standard features a mesh upper.

Before we go any further it is worth mentioning that the sizes run a little larger than usual with the Fasten8 range so you might want to consider dropping down half a size for maximum comfort. 

Personally I always tend to go slightly on the larger side where possible as it leaves room to wear an extra pair of socks when it’s cold, but if you plan on only wearing these shoes in the summer then that is definitely something to keep in mind as shoes that are too large can often cause blisters.

If you are unsure of what type of shoe you need then we can help you with our handy guide to whether spiked or spikeless golf shoes are best for you. For now, let’s get straight into it and see what the Puma Ignite Fasten8 Pro is all about.

Puma Ignite Fasten8 Pro: Technology

With each new shoe Puma release there seems to be more technological advancements and the Ignite Fasten8 is packed with innovative features.

According to Puma, “The TPU structure of the PWRCage helps provide unparalleled support around the midfoot while the laces integrated webbing straps help wrap the midfoot for a secure fit. The Microfiber upper combined with PWRFrame TPU overlays provide a breathable and 1 year waterproof warranty that will be sure to turn heads. 

“A full-length IGNITE Foam midsole, wrapped in SoleShield for added durability, provides unparalleled comfort and energy return to help you feel and play your best all day long. While the outsole utilizes a Pro-Form TPU outsole with an ORGANICALLY-ALTERED TRACTION pattern."

What does all that mean in plain English? I’ll attempt to translate for you. Basically this shoe has a very comfortable sole (made from IGNITE Foam) and a secure fitting upper (that’s the PWRCage) that wraps around your foot and gives you added stability when taking your shots. 

The lace system is quite sophisticated and features advanced nylon webbing straps (the PWSTrap system) which are integrated into the lacing system to wrap the foot securely as you lace them up. 

The eight webbing straps are secured from underneath the foot so when the laces are tightened, each of the straps deliver a secure, personalised fit for all foot shapes and sizes. Essentially the shoe feels like it is hugging your foot.

The sole consists of the same tried and trusted strategically-designed directional traction lugs that Puma have used on previous shoes. The rubber nubs are placed in such a way to provide increased traction throughout the golf swing which allows you to swing your hardest without worrying about any kind of slip or foot movement. 

All three variations of the Ignite Fasten8 are fully waterproof but the Pro version gives you that extra bit of protection from the more severe weather conditions due to the fully synthetic microfibre upper.

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Puma Ignite Fasten8 Pro: Looks

There are only three colour options available in the Pro version, although the regular and disc versions do have a wider selection available. 

The black and white design is the most practical and will stay looking new for longer, but the lighter coloured versions look great on a summer day with a pair of shorts. 

The white and grey variant is particularly swish looking but when deciding on colour you need to consider the kind of course you play on. On a links course you rarely need to worry about mud, even in winter, but on parkland courses in the UK a pair of white shoes may be asking for trouble.

The design of the heel (see above photo) is a nice feature as the way it turns outwards reduces the risk of blisters and makes it easier to get your foot in without pressing down on the back of the shoe with your heel. As someone who is often too lazy to untie laces before putting on shoes, this was a most welcome addition for me. In fact, this should be made compulsory on any shoe!

The silver Puma logo on the side is very stylish, while the lace fastener is very modern and hi-tech looking. 

To the untrained eye the Ignite Fasten8 Pro does not necessarily stand out as being a ‘golf shoe’. If you’re walking around your local supermarket in them then fellow golfers might give you a knowing look, but to anyone else they will just appear to be trainers. This also makes them ideal to take on holiday as you won’t need to change them for any non-golfing activities but they still look the part.

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Puma Ignite Fasten8 Pro: Comfort

To get a better feel for how comfortable these shoes are I wore them for the entire day and not just on the course. That’s the beauty of spikeless shoes; you can wear them anywhere. 

Driving the car while wearing golf shoes isn’t always advisable but the emergence of spikeless shoes has solved that issue and I found that driving while wearing the Ignite Fasten8 Pro was no different to wearing trainers. 

The Ignite Fasten8 aren’t quite as lightweight and comfortable as a regular pair of trainers and the Pro version in particular is somewhat stiffer (the standard version is more flexible due to the mesh upper), but when it comes down to it these shoes are designed for golf after all, so they need to be a bit more hard wearing than a regular canvas type training shoe. 

This stiffness makes them more durable and ensures that your feet are always securely in place during the swing. 

On the course I like to carry my bag rather than use a trolley and the venue I played was extremely hilly. I’ve often walked off the 18th green on this particular course in with aching feet, but not this time. Although I could still feel that I’d been walking up and down hills for just short of four hours, my feet were in pretty decent shape overall. When conditions are good you simply can’t beat spikeless shoes for comfort.

The Fasten8 Pro just moulds around your foot and feels locked in as soon as you tie up the laces. Due to the slightly large fitting mentioned above, I had to pull the lace tighter than I normally would as half way through my round they began to feel a little loose and it was becoming a bit of distraction. After tightening the laces, however, they were nice and snug for the remainder of the round.

That ’snugness’ may not be to everyone’s taste and if you like space for your feet to move around then this shoe probably isn’t for you. If, however, you like that compact, locked down feel, then you’ll love it.

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Puma Ignite Fasten8 Pro: Performance

Being comfortable means there is one less thing to worry about on the golf course, which is clearly a good thing as there is usually so much else that can go wrong you need as few distractions as possible.

The Ignite Fasten8 shoe provided a stable base to hit shots and the lack of spikes was not an issue for me at all.

Due to the hilly nature of the course this was a good test for a spikeless shoe. Many of the shots played were from uneven, sloping lies and ideally for those shots you are usually wanting spiked shoes for that extra bit of traction. The Fasten8 dealt with it well though. Of course my shots were still bad but it had nothing to do with my feet.

On a wet muddy December day it might have been a different story but unless the conditions are really poor then this shoe can handle even the most sloping of lies and your footing will still be secure.

Puma Ignite Fasten8 Pro: Verdict

This is a mid-priced shoe and retails at just under a hundred pounds. Given the comfort level, durability and overall performance it is good value at that price. 

The versatility of this shoe means you can wear it throughout the year on any kind of course, although when winter really kicks in and some courses become boggy you may want to break out the spiked shoes just for that little bit of extra traction. 

90% of the time, however, this shoe will meet all your golfing requirements so if you happen to be in the market for a spikeless shoe you should certainly give this offering from Puma serious consideration.