A review of TRUE linkswear OG Cush
Zero drop sneakers with cushion
(Note: these shoes were paid for out of pocket and neither of us are receiving any form of compensation for this review.)
TRUE linkswear released their first barefoot-inspired golf shoe1 back in 2010. They recently rolled out the OG Cush—a zero drop golf sneaker that has much more padding than their barefoot models and can be worn on and off the course. A friend of mine, let’s call him George, decided to give them a try and was kind enough to provide his thoughts for this review. George is not a golfer, so his review will be purely from a casual use perspective.
Sole padding, flexibility, & toe spring
The OG Cush was designed to enable people to walk on the golf course all day without foot fatigue. Although barefoot shoe wearers tend to prioritize having extremely thin soles to simulate the sensation of being barefoot—which they refer to as “groundfeel”—many people experience issues wearing shoes without any padding, so these sneakers are a welcome addition to the cushioned barefoot shoe world.
Unlike traditional golf shoes, the OG Cush doesn’t have cleats, featuring an aggressive tread pattern on rubber soles instead. The sole is completely flat and has a comfortable amount of cushioning. I reached out to TRUE linkswear and they told me the soles are about 16mm thick, including the tread. The shoes also come with a 6mm thick insole for those who want even more padding.
These sneakers have pretty much no groundfeel. In George’s words, they feel like “normal sneakers.” Because the soles are on the thicker side they are less flexible than a lot of barefoot shoes, but George says they bend enough to move with his foot. He’s been walking several miles a day in the OG Cush and hasn’t experienced any foot pain.
The OG Cush has a a very minimal amount of toe spring, but not enough for George to notice it. In comparison, the toe spring on some other zero drop shoes bothered George quite a bit (notably Lems sneakers).
Sizing, fit, & the toe box
The toe box width on the OG Cush is EEE, which is quite a bit wider than most conventional footwear in the US (men’s shoes are typically D width, and women’s are B). Although the toe box is relatively wide, it’s fairly rounded at the end as opposed to being anatomically shaped. This will undoubtedly bother some people, but depending on your foot shape and width, it might not be a problem as long as you get a size that’s large enough.
The OG Cush is available in men’s and women’s sizing. The sneakers are comfortable around George’s midfoot—snug but not too tight—and he hasn’t experienced any heel slippage. His feet measure about 275mm long and 104mm wide (at the ball of the foot). He ordered the OG Cush in size 11. In the end, I think he probably should have sized up, but sometimes it can be hard to notice possible fit issues until you’ve worn the shoes outside, thus negating the possibility of exchanging them.
One unfortunate design choice on the OG Cush is that the top of the toe box is tallest in the center and slopes down on the sides like a dome. This results in there being less space than you’d expect along the top edges of the shoe, so the toe box presses on George’s toes in these areas—at least when he uses the insoles that came with the shoes. This might not have been a problem if the shoes were a larger size (because then they’d also be a tad wider), but I can’t say for sure. He did see an improvement after replacing the insoles with thinner ones, which opened up more space above his foot.
There’s also some sloping at the front of the toe box, which starts about 2cm from the end of the shoe (where the plastic reinforcement/mudguard is), so I’d recommend having about that much extra space to avoid the shoe pressing down on your big toe.
Materials & quality
TRUE linkswear’s website states that the OG Cush is made of “mixed media” without specifying what that means. While the shoe is made primarily of synthetic materials, the company informed me that the sides of the upper are leather. The toe box area (or “vamp”) is a mesh material with a firm plasticky reinforcement around the toe. The heel counter feels like felt. At the price point, a fully leather upper would have been nice.
George says the sneakers feel sturdy and have been holding up pretty well after a couple months of heavy use. There is some wear on the tread and on the lining of the heel area, but so far they’ve been more durable than some shoes George tried in the past. How well they hold up long-term remains to be seen.
The sneakers are well padded around the ankles and George likes how it feels. Some reviewers stated the OG Cush caused blisters on their heels but George hasn’t experienced this. The reviewers didn’t mention if they were wearing socks when they got blisters.
Aesthetics
The OG Cush has a clean, understated look. While they’re definitely on the athletic side, they’re not overly sporty. George appreciates that they don’t look like running shoes or “clown shoes.”
George ordered the Patriot colorway, which looks off-white in certain lighting and has red and blue accents. He was somewhat amused by the general "America" theme of the shoes. The eagle design on the insole looked cool but wore off quickly and isn’t a detail that’s visible while wearing. Overall, there are just enough design elements to make these stand out from any other generic white sneaker, while being subtle enough to wear with a variety of outfits.
Final thoughts
All in all, George is pretty happy with the OG Cush and they’re the sneakers he reaches for the most when he goes for walks. Although the sloping on top of the toe box did bother him initially, the problem was pretty much solved by switching the insoles.
If you’re looking for a casual zero drop sneaker that has more substantial soles than a barefoot shoe, the OG Cush is a solid option—depending on the shape and width of your foot and personal preferences. The toe box is wider than most conventional footwear but still has some tapering at the end. If you have a wide toe splay or extra wide feet, you’ll probably find the toe box too restrictive. However, if you primarily wear conventional shoes and are just starting out with wider toe boxes, these will probably feel quite cozy. If you do experience the toe box pushing on your toes, I’d recommend trying a thinner insole and/or a larger size.
Barefoot shoes are intended to feel as close to being shoeless as possible. They’re known for having a foot-shaped toe box and soles that are very thin, flexible, and completely flat (“zero drop”).