Cobra Radspeed Driver Review
The Cobra Radspeed Driver is an upgraded take on the brand’s SpeedZone product from last year, featuring familiar tech elements fans will appreciate from the previous release. A fresh take on perimeter weighting geared toward extreme stability is the highlight of Radspeed, making this one of the most anticipated releases in the market.
Cobra Radspeed Driver Tech and Features
Right out of the gate you know a driver with a name like “Radspeed” is geared toward giving you as much ball speed as possible. As a brand that is clearly going all-in with Bryson DeChambeau’s assault on driver distance possibilities, Cobra’s newest driver maxes everything out in terms of distance gains and speed.
Thanks to what Cobra is calling Radial Weighting, the Radspeed drivers are probably the most stable clubhead in this category on the market. Comprised of strategically placed weights around the perimeter of the clubhead, Radial Weighting increases MOI to limit twisting as you swing as hard as possible. Hitting bombs off the tee is a lot of fun if you can keep the ball in play, and these drivers epitomize the one-trick-pony approach for this spot in your golf bag.
Make no mistake about it: Radspeed is built for distance and nothing else.
Cobra’s Infinity Face and adjustable weighting make a return with Radspeed, allowing you to fine-tune the club’s COG to optimize launch conditions for your game.
Feel and Performance
While the winter months are here in Chicagoland, the best I could muster was a quick range session with the Cobra Radspeed at Cog Hill.
The driver’s matte-black upper crown is very similar to what you’d expect from PING, and I can’t remember a recent Corba release with a similar finish. It provides an overall “lightweight” appearance with zero glare off the crown, which is always appreciated. While most drivers these days are boasting carbon fiber patterns, the Radspeed’s cosmetics stand out.
At impact, the Radspeed is pretty loud. I’m not a huge fan of high-pitched drivers, although the acoustics of the range hitting bay combined with 30-degree weather probably contributed to its sharpness.
The feel of the driver was also different compared to what I prefer; hard, dull, and little to no sensation of “give” in the face. This was to be expected from Infinity Face, which was the same sensation as SpeedZone a year prior. I’m not sure why this overly-hard feel is so unattractive to me, but it’s definitely noticeable.
Luckily, the driver’s feel and sound are quickly overlooked due to the performance of the club. The Cobra Radspeed is incredibly forgiving and promotes a piercing ball flight depending on shaft choice (we tested a few). Balls launched a little lower than preferred, but this can be adjusted nicely with more time and metrics. Carry and roll combined for higher than average distances for my game, sometimes as much as 50+ yards in the latter metric. I did have trouble keeping the ball in the air, but this can be controlled with a proper shaft profile.
Overall Impression
While I’ve not had the chance to play a round with the Cobra Radspeed just yet, my first impression was moderate at best. While distance and forgiveness are definitely optimal with this driver, I honestly would have to try really hard to overlook its sound and feel. I’m not saying it’s impossible, as driver performance should take precedent over anything, but I also believe you need to love what you’re hitting in order to feel confident.