I almost feel foolish listing out reasons to back up what I think is frankly, an irrefutable argument. The original Biom Hybrid, which Ecco released in 2012, was pretty much universally acknowledged as one of the premier performance golf shoes in the spikeless category. With the latest edition, Ecco took a somewhat big risk tweaking what was an excellent golf shoe over the course of three years.

“At the time of the change, the Biom Hybrid was the number one selling hybrid style in the Ecco line. So, needless to say, retailers and golfers were a little concerned,” says David Helter, Ecco USA’s Specialty Sales Director. “Golfers felt the original Biom Hybrid was the ‘most comfortable’ and ‘best performing’ hybrid shoe in the market. But, Ecco is innovative and always looking to improve its product, both in style and function.”

The changes Helter alludes to were subtle upgrades to an already solid product design. The new Biom Hybrid 2 ($195 MSRP) sits lower to ground, is 15 percent lighter than its predecessor thanks to the creation of an extra- thin midsole, and is a little less sportier. The best word to describe the vibe of the new shoe is “relaxed”.

But it isn’t just the look of the shoe that seems laid back. There’s an approach to the design that enables the wearer of the Biom Hybrid 2 to feel comfortable walking and playing golf. Ecco calls it Natural Motion technology. Starting with the company’s Biom Golf shoe in 2011, Ecco began developing an anatomically-shaped shoe design based on scanning the feet of 2,500 athletes. The end result is a shoe that features a wide toe box, comfortable arch support and plenty of flexibility to really involve your feet in the golf swing.

The Biom Hybrid 2 features traction bars molded from highly durable TPU material.

To say the Ecco Biom Hybrid 2 has an impressive list of features is an understatement; and there’s a lot of them, so much so, that at times I’m not sure if I’m reading through a brochure for a shoe or a luxury automobile. You can learn more about the key technologies in an article I wrote previously, but here’s a few innovative features that deserve additional coverage.

All Ecco golf shoes are made with a Direct-inject-technology (DIT) using polyurethane as a midsole. All other golf shoe brands use a cement construction and some form of EVA as a midsole. Ecco’s shoe construction bonds the leather upper and outsole as a single piece, without the use of glue or stitching. That means you can expect a pair of Biom Hybrid 2 shoes to last longer and remain water-tight over a greater length of time than many other brands.

The construction of the shoes, while impressive, is something I believe most golfers won’t think about much once they purchase a pair. Kind of like a car’s breaks or power steering, you just expect it to work. Comfort, on the other hand, is something every golfer notices about a pair of shoes - whether good or bad. The great thing about the Biom Hybrid 2 is that there’s no break-in period whatsoever. Some of that has to do with both the design and construction. But it also helps that the shoe’s upper is made from Yak leather which is stronger than cow leather and is very soft and supple. From my on-course testing, I’ve noticed that the upper flexes naturally when I walk or swing a club but still manages to look almost brand new even after multiple rounds of golf.

The other thing worth noting is the traction; it’s as good as it gets for a shoe representing the hybrid category. The Biom Hybrid 2 uses a patented outsole design that was first introduced on the now famous Golf Street model Fred Couples wore to The Masters in 2010. The dynamic traction system on the shoe bottom consists of approximately 100 molded traction bars made from wear-resistant material. The bars themselves are divided into two colors representing what Helter describes as dual density zones.

The new Biom Hybrid 2 is 15 percent lighter than its predecessor.

“The material on the outside or lateral part of the shoe is firmer than the inside or medial side of the shoe,” he says. “This dual density provides additional support as the golfer goes through the swing motion.”

The traction bars, which are set at different angles to each other, provide excellent control in all turf conditions, wet or dry. They also assist with comfort, helping to disperse a golfer’s weight more evenly across the shoe’s outsole.

I know from interacting with other golfers on social media and trolling way too many golf message boards that the biggest concern recreational players have about hybrid shoes is performance and durability. I would even suspect that most players by now have realized that the on-course performance of hybrid shoes have been validated. Durability, on the other hand, seems to vary from shoe to shoe. With a traditional pair of cleated shoes, you can always change out the spikes when they wear out. But when an outsole wears out on a hybrid, you chuck them. The Biom Hybrid 2, like any other shoe in this category, is susceptible to this problem. But for what it’s worth, the traction bars that Ecco uses sets the gold standard for durability.

About the biggest problem any golfer is going have with Ecco’s Biom Hybrid 2 is wanting to wear them all the time. They look just as great on the course in a pair of shorts or trousers, as they do worn in the office with a pair of designer jeans. But I humbly suggest you save them for the course as much as possible, where a terrific pair of comfortable and water-repellent shoes matter most to your game.