The newest Iofit smart training shoe isn't about counting your steps (hands-on)

Measuring your foot's pressure, not its step count, is how Samsung spinoff Iofit wants to help improve your training workout or game of golf.

Jessica Dolcourt Senior Director, Commerce & Content Operations

Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).

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Jessica Dolcourt

Feb. 22, 2016 10:04 a.m. PT

2 min read

A casual jogger with a gait problem, I lunged at the chance to try out the Smart Balance training shoes from Samsung Creative Labs-spinoff Iofit (that's an "i", not an "L").

As soon as I cinched their laces at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona, Spain, I knew that Smart Balance aren't the smart shoes for me -- and that isn't just because the smallest size at the booth is still a couple sizes too big. It's because golf and weight training just aren't my sports.

Iofit's app pairs with the smart shoes over Bluetooth to measure your weight shift from heel to toe and side to side.
Sarah Tew/CNET

Created by enthusiasts of golf and crossfit, the Iofit shoes focus on these disciplines, using pressure sensors paired with an app to show you information about your stance and golf swing.

The corresponding app leans heavily on video shot by a trainer or a friend so you can analyze your own form -- there's purposely no virtual coaching.

The app's data graphs and summary look smooth, but the usefulness of the shoe/app combo really does focus on golf and some weight training.

Designed in partnership with South Korean shoemaker TNS, the styles look sporty. There aren't internal arches; I wouldn't run in them and they aren't meant for everyday use. They also don't track your steps or provide any audio feedback through a device.

For someone who doesn't do either, the shoes are a bogey, not a birdie. But I'll still want to know all about them when the finished product starts selling, as soon as July through a soon-to-be launched Kickstarter campaign.

Iofit's smart shoe tees you up for training (pictures)

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The IOFIT golf shoes will be priced at $259, which will be discounted down to $199 from Feb 22 to March 10. The fitness shoe comes in a little cheaper at $199 with a similar discount during the same period letting you have them for $149.

Things to know:

Golf shoe style: $260 retail; $200 preorder (converts to £177/£141 and AU$345/AU$276)
Expected lifetime: 15 million steps (Approximately 7,500 miles at an average stride)
Bluetooth pairing to device
Wireless charging pad
Battery life expected to last 5 to 7 days (2 to 3 hours of use)