H2H: Cobra DS-Adapt fairway vs Cobra Darkspeed fairway

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The Cobra DS-Adapt is the second iteration of the Darkspeed line, but how does it compare to the original model? Let’s compare the fairway woods from the brand by putting them head to head. There’s good reason to compare fairway woods from Cobra. On the pro tours, they are some of the most popular clubs to go in the bags of players who might not have a contract for their equipment.   The Darkspeed was a popular addition, while the Aerojet which came before it was something of a phenomenon. And now, we’ve got DS-Adapt, which promises a lot of tech in another all black package. So, how does the 2025 range compare to the popular Darkspeed range of 2024? Let’s take a closer look at the contenders in this head-to-head.  

Credit: Cobra

Cobra DS-Adapt

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The most adjustable fairway wood on the market, but how does it perform?

PROS

• FutureFit33 hosel is impressive technology
• Brilliant blacked out looks will be very appealing
• QR Code is a good touch for if you’re not sure about how to get the most out of the adjustability
• Familiar but improved technology from Cobra works nicely

CONS

• If adjustability isn’t your thing then a lot of the tech may pass you by

Available for £289 from Cobra

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The second iteration of the Darkspeed line comes in the form of the DS-Adapt. While the all-black colour scheme remains largely in place, barring some specks of red and blue in respective models, there’s all new technology.  

The structure of the range in terms of models remains the same, but the biggest change comes in the form of the hosel. FutureFit33 is featured in the DS-Adapt range and this allows you to take your adjustability to a whole new level. Decouple is the key word here, as this range allows you to decouple your loft and lie. In a traditional hosel, a change in loft would mean a change in lie angle, which would likely alter the direction your ball would fly in. So many settings might seem like overkill, but there’s a handy little QR code on the hosel of this club which takes you to a page that will teach you all you need to know about the DS-Adapt and its adjustability potential. Along with that, we’ve got other pieces of technology that worked in Darkspeed and are now working well in DS-Adapt, such as the H.O.T Face and PWR-Bridge.  

If adjustability is at the forefront of your mind when it comes to selecting a fairway wood, then this is certainly worth putting in the bag. So, is it worth upgrading your Darkspeed for a new DS-Adapt?  

Credit: Cobra

Cobra Darkspeed

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The 2024 range of fairway woods from Cobra signalled a big change in direction

PROS

• In 2024 this was a big step forward for Cobra
• The Max in particular is extremely easy to get off the ground
• The blacked out finish looks tremendous

CONS

• The adjustability isn’t in the same league as the new offering

Available for £279 from Cobra

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The Darkspeed range was certainly a big shift in direction from Cobra. The brand which has so often been associated with bright colours performed something of a 180, releasing their Darkspeed range which, as you can see, is presented in an all black colour scheme.
 
Performance wise, this was an impressive range. The Darkspeed fairway woods came with three head options, all of which were excellent and served a very different purpose. The LS model was a compact and sleek shape which catered to fast swinging players, with impressive aerodynamics. The X, which stands for cross section, was a brilliant all-rounder that offered a balance of easy launch along with impressive speeds. Meanwhile, the Max was a standout for me, in that the pancake style shallow shape allowed for super easy launch from the deck, something a lot of us struggled with.  

There’s no doubt in my eyes that this was an improvement on the Aerojet line that was so popular for Cobra. If you’re in the market for an affordable fairway wood upgrade to your bag, this is certainly a solid option. So, which should be going in your bag?

The Conclusion  

Usually, finding any big differences in a yearly upgrade can be challenging. Marginal gains are often the name of the game, so often it would be worth sticking with your current model, or looking for a bargain with a slightly older version of the club.   In this case, however, it really is hard to see past the DS-Adapt as being a worthy upgrade. In my eyes, that’s all down to the enhanced adjustability offerings that we see in the hosel. Not only do we have three different heads, but we also have 33 different options in each of them. If you can’t find any of these that will work for you then I don’t know what to tell you. And even if one is working well, if you find you want a change in approach or your swing changes, then you can adjust the club accordingly.  Of course, it’s worth noting that if you’re not interested in any adjustability in your woods, then you’re not going to see huge benefits from the DS-Adapt over the Darkspeed. Sure, the new model does feature enhanced aerodynamics and improvements on existing tech, but these are marginal improvements. The Darkspeed is certainly still worthy of a spot in your bag. Having said that, I’m a huge fan of not just the DS-Adapt fairway woods, but the range as a whole. The technology that Cobra has packed in here is impressive and I think the idea of decoupling loft and lie in the hosel will be a big factor in years to come.

More from Cobra

• Review: Cobra DS-ADAPT driver • FutureFit33: How does the adjustability work in Cobra DS-ADAPT Want all the latest news on the equipment coming in 2025? You should subscribe to our YouTube channel, here!  

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