Osaka Furo shoe - killer of the best hockey brand in South Africa.

Osaka Hockey products set an extremely high standard for product quality, and a high standard, we can testify to as a family.

The sticks and shoes, until our most recent experience with the Furo shoe, are a cut above the rest.

For example, we typically replace sticks every two years and despite our kids playing hockey at a very high level year-round, the sticks are nearly in as good condition when we replace them, as the day we bought them.

This is rare in hockey, where sticks take a pounding and usually look worse for wear come the end of every season.

Historically, we found the same with their footwear. Hard wearing, good technical products, that only need to be replaced because the kids grew out of the sizes they had, not because the product was poor or gave in. In fact, the shoes were so hard wearing, we’d just pass them from one age group to the next and they still did the trick.

Till we bought the Furo for our youngest. We got the shoe at the end of Feb and it’s laboured through an U13 JHL, U13 IPT, the odd hockey festival and a school season, and it’s ******ered. The seams are coming loose, the sole pads have disintegrated and the uppers are cracked.

Now had my 16-year old used the shoe through a high-school season, I might have a different view, but it was the baby in the family. Maybe two practice sessions a week, followed by a game on the weekend. This isn’t a high workload in anyone’s language.

This, from a company that builds sticks that can withstand anything.

I love the brand, their sticks and high-end and shoes are next level.

But I can’t deny feeling cheated by the Furo shoe. Sub-standard is an understatement, it’s actually just ****, but sold at a premium price point.

For a company that prides itself on quality, I’d be ashamed at peddling such a poor quality product.

Worse still, I’ve tried to engage with Sports Republic, the importer, but they couldn’t care less.

So despite all the fabulous things I should be saying about Osaka, I have to fixate on their brand being devalued, by selling the worst hockey shoe on the market, under the same brand.

Brabo, might be a more honest brand at the same price point.

Yes, it’s not the most expensive shoe on the market. But don’t market **** under the Osaka brand. Rather state it’s cheap and nasty, at a mid bracket price range.