Payntr x Bad Birdie Collab: Bold Style, Subtle Confidence

Bad Birdie makes clothes. Payntr makes shoes. Combine the two, and you have an intriguing collab. That’s why it sold out before most golfers even knew it existed.

But once you think about what each brand brings to the table, it’s not all that surprising. Bad Birdie built its name on bold style that doesn't take itself too seriously. Fun on the course without being obnoxious or sacrificing quality. 

Payntr is built on comfort at a tour-validated level. That’s why tour pros like Jason Day, Sam Burns and Min Woo Lee actually wear them. 

I've tested six pairs of Payntr shoes, and every single one has been delightfully comfortable straight out of the box, no break-in tax. 

That combination is what this collab delivers.

The design decision that makes this collab work is where Bad Birdie chose to put its personality. The bold patterns and icons the brand is known for don't show up in an in-your-face way on the upper. They're in the details like the outsole and insole. You get the full Bad Birdie treatment, but it's not fighting for attention every time you look down at your feet.

I got my hands on the debut drop from this collab, the red-white-and-blue semiquincentennial edition (yes, America 250).

I've walked several rounds in these, and that's become the real selling point beyond the looks. This shoe is comfortable enough to be my go-to for walking rounds, and since testing golf shoes is part of what I do, that means it’s beating out about 20 other options every time I give it the nod.

It’s versatile enough to pair with most of what’s in my golf wardrobe. That's not a given with today’s collabs, which often prioritize the two brands logos and styles over an overall attractive aesthetic.

Built on Payntr's Reserve Classic SL platform, the shoe carries over the performance features that make Payntr shoes so popular in the first place: a synthetic microfiber upper, a waterproof-and-breathable membrane sealed with a waterproof bottom gasket, and a TPU outsole made for traction. 

There’s a lot of tech going on in this shoe. Things like Ortholite footbed, PMX Speed PLT propulsion plate, and PMXFoam. Those terms might as well be Mandarin to me, but at the end of the day, the comfort is undefeated.