Cobra's New Driver is a Beast... but there's a HUGE problem | DARKSPEED Driver Review

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[@16CenturyGreensleeve]

Thanks for the review Pete. One minor gripe - that MOI that you have posted to your graph is the published Heel-Toe, or Horizontal MOI for the Darkspeed Max driver. The rest of the brands have been publishing their MOI as Total, or Horizontal+Vertical MOI numbers for a few years. Obviously, the Cobra does not have a vertical MOI of 0 (otherwise contact millimeters north or south of the equator would lead to ridiculous twisting and distance loss) but it causes the data on your chart to appear misleading as a result.

[@discr1709]

This isn’t a minor gripe, it’s a major misrepresentation of a key metric, and one that commenters are taking as truth. I think Pete needs to fix it and repost the video.

[@ChihuAudioMan]

Agreed, he should clarify this instead of posting false data.

[@rufussthoo4083]

Good call out, Greensleeve 👍

[@henriklundberg6688]

Could be that Cobra have missed the importance of total MOI in their development.

[@hippocampulus7854]

Well caught! I agree that Pete and Co. need to fix the video, which is currently misleading. It also raises the question of a confirmation bias in the overall review. If Pete and his team thought that the MOI numbers were radically lower than other drivers, perhaps this fed into a general "unforgiving" narrative, in which examples of offline shots were highlighted, even when they might have been caused more by some dicey swings than by properties of the club itself. And other reviewers do not seem to have had the same experience re/ forgiveness.

[@stewBdoo]

Thanks for the review, I watch a lot your content. I have to say I was fitted to this driver and never would have picked it for my self. After watching your review I would have never even considered it. Luckily I bought the driver based on the fitting information before I saw your review. I tried all the 2024 releases during the fitting except PXG. Darkspeed LS was the clear winner. I'm not a great golfer, 16 hdc, my misses with this driver did not drop spin or distance as much as the others. This is the easiest club to swing I have had in quite a while. It provides confidence over the ball when I want to lay into a drive or let off. Swing and feel are very personal, this club has made a huge difference in my driving and my confidence on the course. It may not be for you but there are a lot of golfers that will enjoy the Darkspeed LS, it is all up the individual and this club is AMAZING for me.

[@Fdecas]

Props to the editing team, Pete. Honestly the production value of these vids have been phenomenal - love the honest reviews and content (but definitely can’t afford any of these new drivers 😂)

[@teed_up_amateur]

To be fair they are probably the best looking new release, and they are significantly cheaper than the others!

[@peterfinchgolf]

Cheaper but still more costly than I would have expected

[@peterfinchgolf]

And yes they do look great

[@teed_up_amateur]

@@peterfinchgolf well, yes, I have never bought new clubs so definitely more than I’m willing to pay 😂

[@garyco766]

@@peterfinchgolf What's your favorite driver out so far?

[@golffreak68]

@@peterfinchgolf 3 wood for 429 i wouldnt call cheaper lol the LS version which is what i would use thats in USA dollars of course

[@vonnyrotten]

I appreciate the review, Peter! I was surprised that you seemed to have trouble hitting the LS versus your buddy, Rick, as I feel like you have a more consistent driver swing than him. Think it shows to go you that there is a difference in clubs and getting fitted is beneficial!

[@joeschmitt3069]

Im surprised too, i got fitted with the LS, my dispersion between the X and the LS was practically identical with the LS being an average of 11 yards further. Im no pro, my miss is a duck hook i never hit a slice ever… i couldn’t hit a duck hook with the LS if i tried so maybe thats why

[@sicxdgixxd6326]

I’m 53, been playing for 35 years, god knows how many drivers I have had. I recently bought a whole new set of the cobra one length irons, ltd x, two one length hybrids, a 19 degree hybrid and a 3 wood with the cobra ltd x LS, by far the best set of clubs I have ever had and the driver is turned down to 8 degrees and it’s a monster. Best value out there, thanks Finchy

[@ronsoderstrom7967]

But Rick Shiels hit the LS straight almost every time and even carried a real world fairway bunker that he couldn't with the other 2 models!

[@shanedevalera]

I would like to see the New Ping 10K put up against the Ping G400 Max that you said was also 10K. Would be interesting to see the spin rates and distance comparison.

[@1980jimmillar]

As terry pratchett wrote "no matter how fast light travels it will always find darkness waiting."

[@murphyebass7837]

Not sure I’d take anything he says seriously considering he thought up a planet on the back of a turtle. 😂

[@yurisilva7919]

So what you’re saying is….darkness doesn’t move, it waits. So 0 mph. The slowest speed something can have.

[@daYps3]

@@yurisilva7919 as I understand it - correct. Darkness does not move - Darkness is not something, its the absence of something (light/photons)

[@4524-p1l]

I miss terry pratchett

[@mikeb3835]

I watched a review with Matt Blois of Golf Liberty, and he was hitting the DarkSpeed LS very long and very straight.

[@oldgold5848]

Matty is a beast. Probably helped by his higher speed and maybe he normally spins it a bit more than Peter so the drop in spin for LS is not as damaging?

[@davidreiser9663]

Quick question. I recently started playing golf (learning) a few months ago and I’m hooked. Naturally. I’ve figured out the grip that works best for me, how to hit the different clubs, etc. (side note, I’ve been to the range a lot this summer) i’m currently looking for my first real set of clubs. My question is, since I’m still learning, would getting an unforgiving driver like the LS be a good idea since I would essentially be forcing myself to make solid ball connection?

[@eyanarel4855]

No light escapes a black hole. Therefor dark beats light...It is the best looking driver head I've seen this yr. You're also the only youtube reviewer I've seen that isn't in love with it....weird.

[@KB-uw6zv]

Exactly I was like this is the only reviewer thats saying its not forgiving. I watched another reviewing hitting it on the very edge of the toe on the LS 300+ and straight.

[@whopperwoody]

You might want to check your research on MOI and not misinform viewers. The Cobra value is only in a single axis and close to the R&A limit in their Max version. The Ping and TM ‘10K’ value is horizontal and vertical axis combined.

[@matthewthompson6329]

Got there before me 😂 ping probably in the 5400 range if he’s gonna compare the numbers properly

[@discr1709]

And to add to this discussion, only ONE of the QI10 drivers actually features 10,000 MOI, which to me is basically false advertising.

[@Tywithay]

A lot of folks seem to miss that. The limit for horizontal MOI is 5900 and that's likely where the Ping sits. The Cobra X is just shy of 5000 and the Max is around 5600. They may not be the most forgiving on the market, but they're comparable to most other drivers in similar segments.

[@mkemp01]

A very good review. Honest and straightforward.

[@richardlamb7791]

I’m always cautious with KZbin equipment reviews but I have to agree with what Pete says here. I play a cobra ltdx LS and recentley tried the dark speed LS. I consider myself a decent ball striker but found exactly what Pete was saying any shots that deviated toward the toe or heel the spin just fell off and the ball went nowhere. Really surprising as I find the ltdx LS quite forgiving. Confused as to what’s changed so much in 3 years! Still it does look amazing 🤩

[@Uncle19]

By far the best review I’ve seen this year. Not just “feels solid, sounds good, look at my numbers “. Gained my sub !

[@codymulcahy1788]

The thing is much like when you break the sound barrier Mach 1, you hear the moving object after it has gone past you. It would be the same as light. Anything that could ever move faster than light would have gone past you before you had a chance to see it. Therefore it would technically be in darkness.

[@Milkywaymike]

Everyone should get fitted for their swing... I play with the Aerojet Max and like it a lot, however I wanted to get some more distance. After a fitting trying Ping, Cobra, Mizuno, Callaway and Taylormade driver heads with different shafts, the driver head that gave me more ball speed was the Cobra Darkspeed X. I tried the Cobra Darkspeed Max and it performed almost identical to my Aerojet Max in ball flight and distance. The Darkspeed X gave me similar ball flight to the max with a consistent smash factor of 1.49 and 1.50, more consistent center strikes and 1 - 2 mph faster club head speed which gave me 10 - 15 yards more distance without affecting my dispersion pattern. This is why we can't go off of youtubers reviews of clubs because everyone swings differently.

[@iJeremyN]

It's funny how you your review and Rick's are so different... Think it really shows just how similar ALL the new equipment is (and has been the last few years). Buy whatever suits your eye best and stick with it for a while. The market is officially saturated at the limits of what's allowed.

[@TigerMarine62]

This is correct. Nothing is going to make you hit fairways except correct swing mechanics. New drivers might give 5-10 extra yards but is that really worth the extra cost? good comment friend.

[@Bang-a-rang-wr7kx]

Good review, Finchy! I've got to say, the in-video graphics you and the team have added to your recent videos, especially the review vids, are top-notch. Really good, great job on the production, keep it up!

[@tomfossi2969]

The LS is a lot more forgiving than people say - even mishits launch very nicely without the spin hiking out of control. Really surprising to hear the majority of the LS reviews being so negative.

[@rgonzo1256]

Fix your swing and you will hit the fairway😂 thanks for the equipment reviews.

[@hyasmo9228]

Ive got ltdx max driver 3w and 5w like them so far. Definitely worth since i brought late summer on discount!

[@michaelgarden6554]

The ltdx standard has been my driver for 2 years. It's the 1st cobra driver I've ever bagged. I have confidence in it.

[@rsimsini]

I can immediately see the problem... your Seahawks hat! 😂

[@richb326]

Yep, I’m thinking of unsubscribing due to that hat!😂

[@Lovetheducks]

I’m huge cobra guy so maybe biased but you are the first to dislike these drivers.

[@danthemaninfierno]

Editing and Graphics are on Fire!!

[@g_nw]

Really great initial review - appreciated Cobra being positioned in the context of the other initial reviews this week. Other reviews of Cobra drivers are completely glowing, and presented out of context with this week’s announced products. Cheers to the team, and great innovative content as always.

[@chrisdobell2025]

This review is a great example of why we should pay no attention to reviews and just go get fitted/test clubs. We all have different swings and need different things out of our clubs.

[@bryangunn2984]

I thought why bother Finch will be negative toward Cobra I was proven correct

[@roondoggers87]

I’ve noticed that cobra bias as well the last few releases.

[@kylesmith245]

really want to see someone test the LS with the 12g weight in the back and both 3g weights up front

[@Pryslak]

Rick Shiels did it

[@stankersley2]

True Spec did. kzbin.info/www/bejne/inXNe4BrhaepoKM

[@kylesmith245]

@@stankersley2 🤝

[@A1BASE]

Couldn’t agree more about the name and slogan. It sounds like something one of the marketing executives kid came up with. ‘Crap! I’ve got a deadline tomorrow! HONEY!? What’s a cool name for a new product?’

[@vegasbhoy6686]

I used the Ltdx up until 2 or 3 weeks ago and can say it was the best driver I'd ever used, the Darkspeed has changed my mind! I tested out all the new drivers from Callaway, Ping, Titleist, TaylorMade and Cobra and for me the Darkspeed was the clear winner in not only looks and feel but in data too! I've got the LS in a x-stiff shaft and I totally disagree with Pete, it's not as forgiving on off centre hits as say the new Ping but it's definitely not as massively noticeable as Pete suggests. I've tweaked it to 8° loft and loving it!

[@caintiger]

Its interesting the difference of opinions.. full disclosure here.. i am a 3.5-4.5 hcp and I used to play TM, but switched a few urs ago to the Cobra LTDxLS because it just performed better for me.. avg of about 20yds further due to lower spin and fitted shaft. I play the LS with a fade and have 6g wt in heel and 3g wt in toe. Its THE most consistent and longest and EASIEST to hit driver ive ever played. Found it forgiving as well though its not a miracle worker. Find it hard to believe that this driver took them backwards.

[@The-OC]

Brutally honest review, but that is what we need from a review.

[@hyiux]

Brutal? Sure. But how do you know it was honest?

[@toddgurzick]

Ouch Pete you seem to have had a completely different experience then the rest of us across the board. Think something went wrong here esp when looking at your fall off numbers on LS . Well best of luck. def my new driver this year

[@jonathansherlock5226]

How big is the price difference Pete? It may be the case that saving £100-£200 against the other new drivers will be the reason that some has to accept a driver that simply isn’t as forgiving.

[@mgsmk92]

The obvious difference to its competitors is its price. Its £170 less than the Ping club. I think the X makes a lot of sense for those golfers not looking at the top end of budget.

[@DMKFACTOR]

Wait until this time next year and you can get it for 100 less on top of that!

[@mgsmk92]

@@DMKFACTOR I just picked up last year's aerojet, so I know what you mean. I just don't think it can be written off so easily given the price point. For those who upgrade to the new gear all the time

[@stephencozart4248]

I was entertaining this Cobra Max as a potential new driver for the upcoming season. You have undoubtedly changed my mind. Thank you for the great review.

[@markpogson3799]

Have a look at reviews by Rick Shiels and Mark Crossfield and perhaps your mind will be changed again. I am a bit concerned that Peter has become a Taylor Made junkie.

[@joesti7607]

So I find all the info in this video to be very false. Now this could be person specific but here is my findings. I was playing the callaway triple diamond LS this season and I went to get fit again because my miss was horrible. A huge duck hook left with no spin if I was anywhere close to the toe at all. The dark speed LS is what I ended up on. A couple factors here I am an 8 handicap with a ss of roughly 110mph and attack angle of plus 4 ish. I need a LS head to get me into the sub 2500rpm area. I have been absolutely blown away with the dark speed LS. I can hit it out of the heel and the toe and still be pretty dang straight. I don’t get that sub 1000rpm duck hook out of the toe like I did with the paradyme triple diamond. I find this driver to be very very forgiving for a LS head. I have been in love with this driver and it is without a doubt way more fogiving than the callaway LS options.

[@atfinthehouse8631]

Mizuno with dual adjusting weights; ai smoke; cobra max. Which is best? Overall and bang for the buck.

[@thejoker7323]

I’ll be glad when the driver reviews are all done and dusted and we can go back to seeing some golf.

[@paulandrews8140]

Other youtubers think otherwise but I would trust Pete's honesty. Just on looks it will be very popular with the black is cool colour brigade.

[@ianbellomo8322]

Aerojet LS is the best driver I’ve ever owned! I moved from a TSi3 and have the same numbers with more forgivingness… gonna be tough to beat

[@gcoffey223]

I'm still rocking my radspeed 😂😂😂 love that thing

[@Batman-ND]

Hey Peter. Love the content but did you see the Garrett and Grant video just released? Another Finch vs Rick could be a good collab. Golf bidder!!

[@donwalton6325]

They may not be yard for yard up with the competition but a hundred and fifty quid cheaper may tip the balance for some.

[@stevenc9207]

You said with the LS the toe and heel just fell out of the air, but then showed spin numbers of like 1900 and 2000, pretty ideal? What did you mean?

[@scottb5317]

Love the Seahawks hat! We have some great courses up here in the PNW if you are ever in the neighborhood.

[@casualguy3938]

Are we hitting it 900 yards striped down the middle of each fairway, draw drive with extra roll out and fade to stop it on dime at the same time every time to be able to reach the green in two on par fives yet?

[@GreenChasers]

Love the reviews and the editing keeps me engaged better than most reviews!!!

[@thomasmacgruber6701]

Got a Cobra Radspeed 14 months ago, itasted about 8 months before the head went completely dead on me. I hit a drive and felt something pop inside and after that I could not hit anything past 160 yards no matter how I hit it. It looked fine so I traded it in for a Ping G425 Max in 10.5 and instantly gained the 70 yards back and was hitting them dead straight.

[@rodcraven3282]

That's exactly what I did, traded my Cobra Radspeed for the Ping G425 Max. For my swing it is a much better driver, hitting the ball farther and much straighter.

[@bristolreiki]

I just bought a £90 Radspeed xb. 😢

[@robertsundemjr.4653]

bummer.. I was hoping for an improvement from the Aerojet. Love my F9 and keep waiting for them to come out with another great driver.

[@peterfinchgolf]

F9 is still a great driver

[@andrewainsworth497]

As a Cobra fitter for several years the Darkspeed is far more forgiving than the Aerojet which was very unforgiving. Think they are a big improvement on Aerojet. Time will tell I guess.

[@SteveFromStockport]

Good content, beautiful presented. Well done team! Only 7 mins 43 seconds though. Presumably you've chopped out the MOI section that some guys mentioned. I paused it for a few seconds though, so i watched for at least 8 minutes 😂😂😂

[@mikehammett6652]

Im gonna wait for the Cobra quantum entangled driver. When you hit the ball it dissappears and reappears 300 yds down the fairway instantaneously.

[@Jenksgav]

So Rick can hit the ls straight, so you saying Rick is a better golfer 😂😂😂

[@ScottBowdouris]

It’s interesting that you only compare the Max to the previous Aerojet. If I had the arrojet that would mean something, but I’m hitting a 15 yr old Adams driver (remember Adams?). I hit all of the current drivers during my fitting and the Max was significantly more consistent and longer than any other new model. I only buy a new driver every decade and a half (obviously) and tend to buy the newest and get the max out of my investment.

[@freakfly23]

I have a second hand cobra f6 driver, 3& 5 wood. I love them. I suck, but I love them.

[@ryansylvester303]

you considered doing an NFl podcast or something Peter? noticed the Seahawks gear and thought I'd ask you.

[@honorarockard.sc.3200]

Very educational and entertaining review...clear and honest. Neat graphics too!

[@eJunkee]

What shaft are you using? I've watched several other reviews, this is the only one with negative feedbacks. Interesting

[@jessiecollier4366]

These reviews you’re doing are on point with the new drivers! 👏

[@timbo7457]

The X reminds me of a updated RAD Speed

[@chrismcclurg7164]

Cosmic Inflation, which is unseen (i.e. "Dark") is faster than the speed of light. That's why we call it the "observable" universe.

[@dannymatthews8070]

U no what Pete your swing is unreal I’d love you to do some more tip videos on swing and strike don’t see a lot of them no more 😢

[@andredippenaar2177]

The Roman numeral table X represents 10. I wonder if that has ANYTHING to do with MOI? (Thinking of the new Taylormade and Ping drivers)

[@davidmann9022]

Pete, I really like your videos. Will you be testing the PXG Black Ops driver soon?

[@bristolreiki]

There maybe a phenomena whereby an object doesn’t ‘travel’ at all, it just appears, like apports or materialisations

[@robbiles]

Pete, Cobra obviously missed the memo about 10K MOI in 2024. Those 3 weight ports on the LS are interesting thou.

[@pantherfan3763]

Great review. Dumb question, what is the logo on that golf ball?

[@aspartame17]

Hi Pete! Always nice to see your vids, but in regards to speed of light and dark, i recommend VSauce's video on the subject, great watch.

[@techvelo]

Gravity's effects are faster than light as is quantum entanglement that acts instantaneously between 2 particles on opposite sides of the universe. Both of these happen in the dark.

[@foreleftyall]

tried this out today. love the way it looks and was getting solid distance but man i couldn’t hit it straight. gave me a massive draw pull, not for me.

[@SnowWolf90]

I think I'm still happy with my LTDX LS driver

[@AngryCleric]

Crappy slogan, not disputing that - but, 'the speed of dark' thing does make some sense. Nothing that has mass can travel at the speed of light (photons are massless), but if you cast a shadow over a great distance you can make the shadow that is cast on a distant object move faster than the speed of light at the destination. For example, you have a super bright light capable of casting a shadow on the Moon from the Earth, put finger in front of it and move it around. You only move your finger inches but the shadow cast could appear to break the speed of light. There is nothing weird or nonsensical going on.

[@markward857]

Loving these new drivers this year

[@johncocks2781]

“If only I could hit a fairway”😂😂👏

[@JustinBass81]

I love the top gear feel in your new videos

[@jonrandolph1045]

All your reviews seem a bit negative, so I’d like to ask what driver/drivers do you like? And what do you think are the most forgiving ?

[@sponge1046]

I went for a fitting, Ping G430 max, TM QI 10, Cobra dark speed Max. Also my Paradym X. The Cobra was the only one that matched my Paradym, the Cobra is very forgiving but no more so than the Paradym X. The Ping and Taylor made- huge disappointment!

[@stephengeorge854]

Nice driver..But tou triggered me with the fast light comment..the expansion of space, "dark" is actually faster than light. There are places in the universe we will never see because they are moving away from us faster than the light they emit..dark faster than light. Your welcome cobra.

[@dannykosifou175]

What's the font being used in this years' videos? I love it!

[@Erictheking66]

Ive fou d the Cobras the fastest of the new driver releases. The only issue i have is i find the X very draw bias and the LS with the weight back, i hit nice and straight, but the spin is very low. Great for ling drives when struck but if its a toe strike its falling out of the sky.

[@davidvandenberg6955]

As your a Seattle Seahawks fan what do you think of Pete Carroll getting fired???

[@fjs2871]

Love the content Pete. Especially the club reviews.

[@peterfinchgolf]

thank you

[@ZickDorito]

To people who don’t understand how darkness can move or expand faster than the speed of light: Let's consider two distant galaxies, A and B, separated by a stretchable fabric representing space. As the fabric of space expands, the distance between A and B increases. Now, imagine a beam of light traveling from galaxy A to galaxy B. While the light moves at a constant speed, the fabric between the galaxies is stretching, making the distance between them grow faster than the speed of light. Consequently, the darkness or empty space between the galaxies seems to expand faster than the light can traverse it, giving the impression that darkness is outpacing light over cosmic distances.

[@robinroth7175]

Great review as always Pete! I love the look of the Cobra but I think I might look elsewhere for my new driver this year to get some more forgiveness to help my my less than perfect ball striking.

[@peterfinchgolf]

I would say it's worth giving a go. I dont think it's a bad driver, it just didn't get me that excited

[@kyledavids920]

The Universe is Literally traveling faster than the speed of Light Pete ☝️😁

[@robster230]

Pete love your reviews but if you watch the dispersion a mid handicapper has with the LS you'll soo see EXACTLY why the other models exist, the LS isnt forgiving enough for those players, the X makes up for that really well without losing too much speed. Youre a fast swinging better hitter, the LS is of course made for you. I'd start to consider having a 10Hcp+ team member taking part in these driver reviews ❤

[@williambilbo224]

Loving the news videos thanks Pete and gang

[@bluetoughguy]

It's been fun watching the different creators review this today. Rick seemed to have no issues with the LS. James Robinson did have some issues with it. I do think the X is a great alternative for most people.

[@DougieMontana]

Depends on the review pay packet deal these KZbinrs get with the brands, I’m guessing cobra gave Rick a nice one.

[@wellhellothereagain]

@@DougieMontanathat would make sense if the LS was more expensive……but it’s not

[@George-ld9xu]

Also your graph is not as helpful as it could be. Moving right would be distance, moving up would be forgiveness. The total up x right would tell you what is the best overall.

[@alexbetts452]

I find the x to be more neutrally forgiving than you’ve lead on. Even with the heavy weight forward.

[@CWP_1993]

Wouldn’t the speed of dark be the same as speed of light? It’s just light leaving?

[@NathanWright-o2b]

It’s time you started having a fitting for each driver. You’re using a shaft that is very unforgiving. I get using the same shaft for each one but different shafts work with different heads this would make these reviews a much fairer test if you were using a combination that works together not just hoping the same shaft works in each head

[@johnkraus5454]

Yeah the LS version is going to be the one that sells the least but seems to be the one the YT channels seem to be hitting more often...

[@George-ld9xu]

My beast is the Taylormade superfast tour 8.5* x-flex RIP. Full on Lovecraft-level leviathan.

[@kevindaigle2132]

Getting fitted is The best option. We all have different swings.

[@dennysmith2291]

Love the honesty

[@TheDroneOperator.]

The idea possibly stems from black hole theory in which even light is not fast enough to escape the gravity (acceleration) of a black hole. So really they should have said something along the lines of acceleration and not speed. It should be called the Cobra Event Horizon