Royal Albartross Soho Storm shoes review: "Style, stability & Supple leather"

Royal Albartross Soho Storm: Key Features

• Contoured micro-fibre footbed and moisture vapour permeable linings
• Custom Designed TPR rubber flexible outsole with a compression moulded EVA midsole
• Water-resistant white leather upper

Priding itself on traditional handmade craftsmanship and innovative technical advances, Royal Albartross looks to blend luxury looks with optimum on-course performance with the Soho Storm golf shoe.

Constructed from fine leather, hand-made by craftsmen in Italy and Portugal, Royal Albartross prides itself on the quality and durability of its shoes. 

So to find out how they performed on the course, we laced them up and headed out for 18 holes at Mannings Heath Golf & Wine Estate to put them through their paces.

Royal Albartross Soho Storm: Looks

Straight out of the box, we were instantly impressed by the premium look of these golf shoes.

The excellent build quality is clear to see thanks to the fine stitching and intricate yet subtle detailing.

Seemingly opting for a less is more aesthetic, the Soho Storms don't wow you with an array of modern features or eye-catching patterns, but one glance at them and you can instantly tell they are high-calibre golf shoes.

The fine leather upper is soft yet stable, and combined with the tough rubber outsole, the shoes remain elegant but robust at the same time. 

While designed for golf, these shoes look a lot like high-end casual trainers we've become used to seeing from premium fashion brands like Axel Arigato and Alexander McQueen. 

As more brands try to achieve an ideal balance of off and on-course styling, Royal Albartross have done a great job of finding an elegant silhouette to suit any occasion. 

The simple white, black and grey colour scheme could pair just as nicely with a pair of jeans on the streets of Soho as it could with full golf gear on the fairway.

Royal Albartross Soho Storm: Comfort and Performance

Our first impression when lacing up the Soho Storms was how snug they fit. The tongue and heel sit perfectly against your foot, giving you a really solid, locked-in feel.

We feared the leather upper might be a bit stiff straight out of the box, but we were pleasantly surprised with how supple and flexible the shoe felt at every point during our swing.

With any new golf shoes, there is a touch of fear standing on the first tee that you may encounter blisters during the breaking-in period. However, we didn't experience any level of discomfort during the round and could have happily chalked off 36 holes had we had the time.

The one area that we felt the shoes could have perhaps performed slightly better in was traction. The Soho Storms are spikeless, and although we never felt like we would lose our footing during the round, there are certainly better shoes for traction on the market. 

We were fortunate to avoid wet conditions during testing, but we still think despite the shoes being water-resistant, these would probably be more ideal for summer golf due to the lack of spikes.

What little mud we did have to walk through was incredibly easy to remove, and despite the primarily white upper, the dirt left little to no mark at all.

Thanks to the premium materials and handmade construction, we also got the impression that these shoes would maintain their shape and fit for a long time. Royal Albratross prides itself on the quality of its construction, and these shoes look and feel like they could survive a number of seasons with no issues at all.

Should you buy the Royal Albartross Soho Storm Golf Shoes?

If you're looking for a modern premium leather golf shoe and don't mind digging deep in your pockets to do so, then the Soho Storms could be an ideal choice. 

at £220, these shoes don't come cheap, but the premium feel of high-quality leather and handmade craftsmanship is worth every penny.

With excellent comfort and a versatile design, the Soho Storms are also a fantastic choice for the fashion-conscious golfer. 

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