Review: Cobra Darkspeed driver

Cobra Darkspeed driver review

A big shift in looks from Cobra, from the colourful and striking Aerojet to the all-black finish in the Darkspeed. But will it work? We certainly think these clubs will be a hit on tour and with amateur players, too.

The First Look

Looks have always been important for Cobra, and this year is no different. Personally, I think they’ve nailed it. The idea behind this club is to create something that follows the trend of blacked out windows on cars, as well as their aerodynamic shaping. They’ve certainly done that.

There’s three heads in this range. The most forgiving is the Max, followed by the X, with the LS standing for low spin.

They all share the same design, but with slightly different looks. The Max is very flat and inviting to look at, while the LS is pretty squat. Of course, that small shape will help with aerodynamics, but it’s not for the faint of heart.

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The Cobra Darkspeed driver features an improved PWR-Bridge technology. (Credit: Cobra)

The Cobra Darkspeed X driver will fit the majority of players.

The Cobra Darkspeed LS is impressively forgiving. (Credit: Cobra)

The Tech

The team at Cobra took lots of inspiration from the automotive world for the Darkspeed drivers, with aerodynamic qualities from cars featuring prominently in these clubs.

Cobra has had a relationship with Ferrari for a long time, and the engineers from Cobra took a trip to their factory in the design stage of Darkspeed.

There, the engineers at the legendary car brand told Cobra that the carbon fibre they were using was at the same standard to what you’d expect to find in an F1 car. If that doesn’t inspire confidence in you that you’re going to be swinging the club quickly, nothing will.

Inside the head, there’s similar, but improved technology to what we’ve seen before. The H.O.T face technology and PWRSHELL features in the Darkspeed drivers, but this time around, you’re going to feel the impact of it even more.

In the club face, there’s 15 small sections, all specifically designed to produce the most ball speed possible, no matter where you strike the face.

Also, there’s the new and improved PWR Bridge technology. Compared to previous models, this is closer to the club face, while it’s low and unsupported, meaning that you’re going to get increased ball speed.

Another thing to note with this range is the adjustability. The LS range has three weight ports, while the X and Max models have two weight ports. This essentially allows you to turn a driver that would be high-spinning into a more traditional model, while a low spinning head could be played with increased spin.

The bunkered Verdict

You can watch our review of the Cobra Darkspeed range in the player below, or on the bunkered YouTube channel!

Cobra Darkspeed is a triumph. The Aerojet was a hard act to follow, but rather than try to make that better, they’ve come back with a reinvented product and nailed it.

I feel that the range caters for everyone, with the LS appealing to elite players, and the Max very appealing to those who need more help getting the ball off the ground or keeping their slice at bay. If you’re somewhere in between those two things, then the X, which represents cross section, will be the driver for you.

The Max is a real outlier in the range. This club is a noticeably larger head than the other two, and you can really see the extra loft on the face. It’s a longer, shallower head, that will inspire confidence in players. I’m a player who hits a fade, and with this club, I had the ball going the other way. If you hit a slice, give this a shot.

As much as I enjoyed the Max, I found that in the right setting, the LS was giving me great results, too. I often play in windy conditions, so I could really see myself getting on well with the low, penetrating ball flight from this club. The compact shape was also a big hit for me. Sits very flush behind the ball.

In reality though, I found that the X model would be the best fit for me. I would opt for something that’s going to give me a bit of a higher ball flight, with a pretty neutral shape, and that’s exactly what this does.

I really think that the marketing drive behind this range is going to be a big success for Cobra, with the Darkspeed instantly recognisable.

The Details

RRP: £429
Pre-Sale: January 11
On-Sale: January 19

The Cobra Darkspeed range

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