CHAMP Zarma Spikes - Comfort and Convenience by Design

When equipping yourself head-to-toe for a round of golf, most of us lace up our shoes and proceed to the first tee without spending much time thinking about the whats (and whys) of the spikes on the bottom of the shoes we are wearing. For me, I only notice my spikes when I slip – like when walking down a steep hill. That’s when I’ll take a look and say, “Gee, the grip is worn.” Maybe, by the third or fourth round, I’ll remember to actually replace the spikes. And if I am lucky, I will have done it early enough in the wear cycle that the spikes can be removed with a standard-issue wrench.

But just like in other sports – baseball, football, soccer, track & field – spikes have a purpose and really shouldn’t be dismissed. Having good (as opposed to worn-out) spikes in your shoes helps provide a solid base for your swing. Depending on the terrain of the course you are playing, spikes can really help you hold steady.

How much time have you spent pondering spikes? Probably not much at all. In fact, the challenge when replacing spikes is making sure you purchase the right type for the shoe you have (i.e. Large Plastic Thread, Q-Lok, Small Metal Thread, Tri-Lok).

There is one brand I have been buying called CHAMP Stinger. These spikes feature a “wear indicator,” which I thought would be helpful. I recently found out that Marlborough, MA-based CHAMP just unveiled their new CHAMP Zarma spikes which promised traction plus comfort. The CHAMP Zamra debuted at the 2010 PGA Merchandise Show earlier this year

What makes the CHAMP Zarma spikes so special?

To start, they consist of three layers with an innovative soft cushion layer sandwiched between a durable traction layer and a rigid attachment layer. This is a patent pending approach by CHAMP. The company also leveraged its Lotus Technology to soften the impact on walking.

Harris MacNeill, president and CEO of CHAMP / MacNeill Engineering remarked, "We have spent a good amount of time perfecting this spike to give golfers additional comfort. I have no doubt that this year CHAMP Zarma will be the one new product that will change golfers expectations for traction and in turn change their games."

So according to CHAMP, you can have it all – traction, durability and comfort.

Features on the three-layer CHAMP Zarma include a traction element that is constructed of durable abrasion resistant urethane and a comfort element of soft resilient shock absorbing material attached to a rigid base element that incorporates the fastener. As in all of the CHAMP spikes, CHAMP Zarma has a wear indicator to let golfers know when it is an appropriate time to change out their spikes.

Who is CHAMP’s competition?

If you’ve gone to the Pro Shop or your local golf retailer in search of spikes, you will either find CHAMP or Softspikes. Both companies make claims about being number one or the best seller. Softspikes says it is the #1 brand on the PGA TOUR according to “the independent Darrell Survey.”

Softspikes uses what they describe as a patented "Dynamic Cleat Technology" that allows the cleat to be responsive to all terrains. On their website SoftSpikes.com, they have a drawing that spells out the differentiators of their PULSAR cleats in 5 key points:

• 8 Flexible legs that provide comfort and cushion
• 500% more Effective Traction Surface than non-flexing cleats
• Reinforced Traction Flexors for extended life
• Non-Marking, Green-friendly pads
• Reactive Web Design that enhances energy return

Just over a year ago, in January 2009, Softspikes unveiled their breakthrough spike, the Black Widow Tour, which are supposed to be golf's first "self-adjusting" cleat, enabling golfers to custom match their golf cleats to their swing, balance and weight distribution.

Highlighted by eight traction elements, including four large flexible legs that provide unmatched grip on any terrain/surface, the cleat also has four cushioning towers that absorb secondary loads and then distribute the golfer's weight throughout the cleat. These features are then combined with proprietary "Support Rings" that allow golfers the option to select the comfort setting that best suits their game. Support Rings attached to each individual Black Widow Tour cleat can be positioned in two distinct settings:

• Tour-Comfort Setting: Provides maximum flex, ultimate comfort, and extreme traction.
• Tour-Firm Setting: Provides extreme traction through a firmer, spike-like feel, by providing more resistance at initial impact.

Chances are, the casual golfer will not be interested in this level of fine-tuning. The suggested retail price is $16.99.

The interesting thing is that at the 2010 PGA Merchandise Show, the company’s emphasis was on the Black Widow grips. They unveiled five distinct models. Being a division of PrideSports, which was formed in January 2003 following Pride Manufacturing Company's acquisition of SoftSpikes and its sister company, TriSport Ltd. of England, it makes sense that they are quite diversified in their product offerings.

CHAMP’s Emphasis is on Spikes (Cleats)

CHAMP is the premier brand of MacNeill Engineering Worldwide, a company that has been designing and manufacturing sport cleat technology since it’s founding in 1931. The company has been a pioneer in cleat technology since it introduced the world’s first locking spike, SURE-LOK, in 1947. Since then, MacNeill Engineering has grown to be the leader in the sport cleat industry, with offerings for baseball, football, soccer, track, cricket and logging in addition to golf. Many of the shoe manufacturers that you see and wear everyday use CHAMP spikes out of the box. The extensive list of golf shoe companies using CHAMP spikes include: Nike, Hi-Tec, Ecco, Footjoy and Dexter golf shoes as well as Adidas, Reebok athletic shoes, and numerous other brands around the world.

On the CHAMP website, Champspikes.com, you will see that the other products sold support the spike/cleat business. For example, there are a number of spike wrenches, like the Max Pro and the Pro Plus. They also offer a new two-in-one brush called the Golf Dual Brush 2. One side has brass bristles to easily clean dirt and mud from irons. On the flip side, the Dual Brush has nylon bristles to remove loose dirt and mud from golf shoes and fairway woods. It sells for $6.99.

Conclusion

With CHAMP’s pedigree, if I am going to invest in replacement spikes for my golf shoes, I will go for the CHAMP Zarma over Softspikes’ offerings. Seems like they have their finger on the pulse of all golfers, not just the ones on Tour. That’s a great thing in my book.