By Coach Erik Schjolberg – Jan 11, 2024
Contents
Key Takeaways
- RADspeed is super hot off the face delivering incredible ball speeds
- Players driver looking for lowest launch and spin
- Turbo Yellow or Peacoat finishes give two color schemes that look great
- Delivers almost a punishing sound at impact
- ARCCOS sensor build in
Cobra products are often overlooked as being second, third, or even fourth in line when people think of the big-box golf brands – but honestly, players are doing themselves a disservice if they automatically dismiss Cobra as less than a top-shelf product.
Cobra’s quality could not be clearer in the RADSPEED line of drivers that boasts three hot models to appeal to any type of player with consistent ball speeds across the board, and flashy looks that give you the impression the driver is about to transform off the tee into a little jet and take flight.
>> Click here to jump to the conclusion <<
Radspeed Driver Review (The SERIES as a whole)
(Click here to jump to Cobra Radspeed individual model review)
Driver Models
Cobra’s drivers all start with the same moniker, and while many think RAD stands for “Radical”, it actually stands for “radial” (as in radial weighting).
- The “standard” RADSPEED (“RAD”) is advertised as an ultra-low spin, low launch driver that should produce the fastest, most workable ball, and biggest ball speed of its siblings.
- The RADSPEED XTREME Back (“XB”) is marketed as a low-spin driver with the highest launch to produce a long ball with the most forgiveness.
- And finally, the RADSPEED XTREME Draw (“XD”) is a mid-spin, mid-to-high launch driver with a very predictable draw bias.
Cobra Radspeed Driver Review
Lofts Available: 9º and 10.5º
Clubs Included: Radspeed (“RAD”), Radspeed Xtreme Back (“XB”), Radspeed Xtreme Draw (“XD”)
Pros:
- Price point
- Matte crown finish
- ARCCOS is built in
- Stable/Dense feel on impact
- Consistent ball flight production
- Low Launch/Spin in any configuration
- Radial weighting is effective and adjustable
- Massive amount of stock shaft options available
- High return on investment for mechanically sound swings
Cons:
- Sound/feel are polarizing
- Aggressive looks are polarizing
- Feedback is reduced with the heavier weights in front
- A high swing speed is necessary to appreciate the design of this club
- Low Launch and Low Spin can be too aggressive causing players to lose carry distance
All three of the models boast an oversized 460cc head with moveable RADIAL WEIGHTING to help tailor ball flight. The RAD and XB both have weights at the front and back of the club head, while the XD features a third weight positioned in the heel of the club to assist with draw production.
Cobra pushes the limits with up to 38 g of tungsten weights to help stabilize these heads, and it’s noticeable… I can’t remember the last time I hit a driver that was this solid.
Each of the models features an adjustable hosel that will let you tune to your preference, but stock loft ranges from 9º, all the way to 12º, depending on the model selected.
Cobra advertises the RAD for handicap ranges 0-15; the XB for handicap ranges 5-15; and the XD for handicap ranges 5-25.
Looks and Tech
The RADSPEED driver line is offered stock in an eye-popping “Turbo Yellow” (more of a neon green in my opinion) and Black, or “Peacoat” and Red, depending on which model you’re interested in.
For those of us who did not go to art school, that’s a deep blue, white, and red – very American, minorly British, and a dash of Aussie. I have to say, it’s among my favorite color schemes.
>> Click here to check the price on the “Blue Peacoat” version <<
Cobra has even partnered with Volition America to produce a proper Stars and Stripes edition where a portion of the proceeds are sold to support the families of military heroes through the Folds of Honor Foundation. Our hats are off for a good cause.
At the address, each RADSPEED driver has a clean Thin-Ply Carbon Wrap Crown that reduces weight and allows Cobra to redistribute 6g in a discretionary fashion. The RAD has a subtle matte carbon fiber presentation with a crowned “C” alignment aid, while the XB and XD are glossy carbon fiber.
The top of this head is all business except for four visible ribs running through the crown that further assist with framing the ball. Traditionalists will notice that the XB and XD drivers have a bit more of a triangular appearance than competitors, which should inspire extra confidence behind the ball.
Under the hood, the RADSPEED line boasts a proprietary T-Bar Speed Chassis that further assists in weight reduction up to 7 grams.
For those of you who tee the ball a little further back in your stance, the iconic CNC-milled Infinity Face is visible with its sun-burst-like pattern and a big infinity etching right in the sweet spot.
Despite the subdued business front, the latest renditions of Cobra’s drivers are all “party in the back” with bold neon badging and an adjustable weight system to further tailor ball flight characteristics.
The looks of the RADSPEED line are aggressive, flashy, and scream “futuristic”. One of my playing buddies has affectionately nicknamed his RAD “Bumblebee” after the famous Transformer.
It’s obvious that there’s a theme developing here – RADSPEED is all about radical design, radial weighting, and ball speed.
Cobra designed a driver that swings fast and hits hard by reducing weight throughout the crown and placing it in strategic locations.
Players testing out drivers will notice that there are no moveable “track” or radial weights around the rim of the driver to modify the flight path for the XB and RAD. Instead, Cobra keeps it simple by focusing on spin and flight path while keeping as much weight as possible behind impact: set it and forget it.
Acoustics
Cobra has a very unique sound to their drivers that is a combination of the infinity face, internal dampening, and large head size. Unless one is familiar with the SpeedZone series, the best adjectives to describe the acoustics of the RAD are higher pitched, muted, and strong.
It’s strange to use the term strong to describe the sound, but imagine the “crack” of a mallet hitting a solid piece of padding. In this case, it’s a combination of the audible sound and the actual feel of the impact that renders this sensation.
The TaylorMade SIM has a similar acoustic but doesn’t quite have the same presence. Whether indoors or outdoors, you’ll feel like you just slammed the ball down the range every time you swing these clubs.
Worth the Upgrade?
The RADSPEED line of drivers is a refined version of the SpeedZone series. The big stick sounds and feels better than its older cousin with a very stable/solid feeling platform.
The addition of the split wing weights towards the face of the club lends more comfort on off-center strikes and suggests that the ball will head in the right direction.
While the SpeedZone line was monumental in the ball flights they could produce, the RADSPEED driver line does more of the same with improved consistency.
I wouldn’t buy these drivers blind as they target a specific type of player, but even for those that have the prior edition, it’s a go.
Global Golf does have its famous Utry Trial Program if you want to try it out for a few weeks before pulling the trigger.
Lofts Available: 9º and 10.5º
Shaft Options: Yes
Pros:
- Price point
- Matte crown finish
- ARCCOS is built in
- Stable/Dense feel on impact
- Consistent ball flight production
- Low Launch/Spin in any configuration
- Radial weighting is effective and adjustable
- Massive amount of stock shaft options available
- High return on investment for mechanically sound swings
Cons:
- Sound/feel are polarizing
- Aggressive looks are polarizing
- Feedback is reduced with the heavier weights in front
- A high swing speed is necessary to appreciate the design of this club
- Low Launch and Low Spin can be too aggressive causing players to lose carry distance
Handicap Range
Cobra advertises the RAD for handicap ranges 0-15, but I did not find it more difficult to hit than the other models personally.
There is a noticeable caveat here – this driver needs to be paired with a higher swing speed OR a high launch shaft for those that swing a bit slower since the tech in the head does keep the ball flight relatively low, and with low spin.
Technical Review
Although this edition of the driver features three models that appeal to a wide range of players, the RAD is the King [Cobra] of the bunch (see what I did there?).
It is by far the most dominant driver of the three and it’s very clear that the R&D put into this series culminates in the RAD.
All three of the drivers feature a 460cc head, but the RAD does not play oversized or even seem like it.
The matte finish tricks the eye into seeing something significantly more compact. It feels and plays slimmer than its siblings while keeping a large sweet spot.
This nuance is due to the craft matte finish and 28g of RADial tungsten sitting at the front of the face, counterbalanced by 10g at the back. Cobra placed these weights as far forward as possible without impacting the flex of the infinity face.
The trend to add tungsten to clubs is rampant this year, but Cobra capitalizes on this with a massive amount.
For those who don’t want the extra low spin, the weights are reversible; shifting the heavier one to the back will give players a boost in launch and spin.
One would think that such a flashy driver has groundbreaking technology but the reality is that Cobra’s radial weighting is simple, well designed, and effective. It’s the perfect recipe to reduce spin and drop launch angles.
Shaft Options
Cobra offers the Fujikura Motore F1/F3 and Hzrdus Smoke RDX Blue shafts stock (suggested) with ARCCOS grips installed from the factory.
Extra charge options are in abundance as well.
Performance
- Shifts weight to the very front of the face for solid strikes
- Launches low
- Reduces spin
I tried my level best to get the ball to reach into the sky and it just refused – so much so that I had to consciously tee up a bit higher and adjust my follow-through to increase my launch angle.
Even so, there were no towering or climbing ball flight patterns. The low-spin design of the RAD produced smooth arcs over and over with a stock draw flight. I was hard-pressed to push backspin over 2500 RPMs.
Contact is rock solid on every strike no matter where you hit the ball in the face. This is both reassuring yet can be troublesome as feedback is consequently diminished.
I was most surprised (and impressed) at the pure efficiency Cobra has managed to promote with these heads. My typical ball speed off the tee sits in the comfortable mid-160s with flirtation to the 170mph range.
Granted, this considers a fitted setup, different balls, and the benefit of familiarity. I can carry the ball a long long way, but suffer from steep descent angles and very little roll-out; so wind is my worst enemy.
With the RAD, I averaged a *whopping* 155mph ball speed yet consistently carried the ball 274+ yards for a total average distance of 302.25y – that’s plain impressive and wholly counterintuitive to what I’m used to.
What’s even more surprising is my contact point was a quarter to half a ball higher on the face than usual which means this bad boy has more in the tank and is unexpectedly solid.
Looks
The RADSPEED driver family is naturally polarizing; either you’ll love the flash, or you’ll steer towards something more sedate. I happen to love the aggressive style and coloring on the bottom of the club and would put it in my bag for that alone.
Fortunately, up top the RAD tones things down a little bit. Among everyone I’ve spoken to, and that hit the club, the matte RAD was the favorite of its siblings with the most rounded shape, and slimming finish.
Other than these two caveats, the family of drivers was interchangeable for me from a visual perspective.
Sound and Feel
The RADSPEED line of drivers all share a very similar sound and feel with the RAD marginally “deeper” and more solid upon impact. Unless you’re paying attention to it, you won’t notice the difference in sound between the trio.
Feel-wise, the RAD distinguishes itself from its siblings as the most solid or compact of the set. Here, the extra 28g pushed to the front of this model is noticeable and gives the player gravitas when striking the ball. This thing is a hammer off the tee.
While the RAD is one of the most solid or dense-feeling drivers I’ve tested, this also works to its detriment for players who fine-tune their shots through feel.
As mentioned above, I found myself consistently hitting the ball higher than I’d like on the face of the club, which was confirmed with impact tape. While the club performed admirably, it would have been harder to figure out just how high up I was hitting without ball marks.
A final note with this driver is that despite the abundance of tungsten in the head, it plays very light with a D1.5 swing weight for the shaft I used (HZRDUS RDX Blue).
Pros
- Consistent ball flight production
- Radial weighting is effective and adjustable
- Low Launch/Spin in any configuration
- Stable/Dense feel on impact
- Matte crown finish
- High return on investment for mechanically sound swings
- Price point
- ARCCOS is a built in
- Massive amount of stock shaft options available
Cons
- Low Launch and Low Spin can be too aggressive causing players to lose carry distance
- A high swing speed is necessary to appreciate the design of this club
- Feedback is reduced with the heavier weights in the front
- Sound/feel are polarizing
- Aggressive looks are polarizing
The Bottom Line
Cobra’s innovations in this edition work very well to accomplish their stated goals.
This driver is a low spin and launch monster, to the point that I would consider pairing it with a mid-launch shaft for extra carry.
(For comparison, I play the Hzrdus Smoke Black shaft which carries a more aggressive low/low designation)
For someone who places a premium on solid contact and confidence above the ball, the RADSPEED driver is an ideal tool – let’s just say there’s a reason big hitter Bryson DeChambeau plays with a version of this bad boy.
Lofts Available: 9º and 10.5º
Shaft Options: Yes
Pros:
- Price point
- Matte crown finish
- ARCCOS is built in
- Stable/Dense feel on impact
- Consistent ball flight production
- Low Launch/Spin in any configuration
- Radial weighting is effective and adjustable
- Massive amount of stock shaft options available
- High return on investment for mechanically sound swings
Cons:
- Sound/feel are polarizing
- Aggressive looks are polarizing
- Feedback is reduced with the heavier weights in front
- A high swing speed is necessary to appreciate the design of this club
- Low Launch and Low Spin can be too aggressive causing players to lose carry distance
Other Drivers in the Cobra Radspeed Family
If you’re interested in reading about the rest of the Radspeed driver family, we’ve done full write-up reviews on those as well… check out the more forgiving/higher launch Cobra Radspeed XB Driver review here, and the draw-biased Cobra Radspeed XD Driver review here.
Alternative Choices to the Radspeed
Cobra LTDx LS
The Radspeed’s newer (younger?) brother – the 2022 release by Cobra is an upgrade from the Radspeed in my opinion. Check out my experience with the Cobra LTDx LS (low spin) Driver if you want the latest and greatest from Cobra.
TaylorMade SIM 2
Being TaylorMade’s most skill-advanced and lowest spin driver in their SIM2 family, the SIM2 is a pretty comparable driver to the RAD. You can read our review of the TaylorMade SIM 2 here.
Ping G425 LST
Ping’s G425 LST, or “Low Spin Technology”, is their low spin option in the G425 line. Our Ping G425 LST Driver review is here.
Callaway Epic Speed
Callaway has a little bit of a different structure to their driver lineups… The Callaway Epic Speed is going to be their most skill-advanced option, but they also have the Callaway Epic MAX LS version, which has extra forgiveness combined with low spin (a very unique combination).
Cobra Air-X Offset
Cobra’s more budget-friendly driver (that has a draw bias as well), is the Cobra Air-X Offset Driver. Give our full review a read right here if you want to see if it’s up to your standards.
The Very Best Golf Drivers of 2024
If you’re not sure the Radspeed family is right for you, or you just want to see what other options are out there, check out our list of the very best golf drivers for 2024.
FAQ
Note – Some of these FAQs were covered throughout the article, but I still get these questions a lot… so here are the “short and sweet” answers to the most common questions:
The Cobra Radspeed driver model is the least forgiving of the entire Radspeed driver family. Check out the Radspeed XB for a more forgiving option in this line-up. If you’re looking for a list of the most forgiving drivers, check this article out.
The different Cobra Radspeed drivers are as follows:
1. Radspeed – the adjustability is maximum
2. XB – forgiveness are maximum
3. XD – draw bias and maximum forgiveness to fix a slice
To adjust the loft on a Cobra Radspeed driver, you’ll first need a golf club-specific torque wrench (the brand doesn’t matter) to loosen the hosel screw and remove the club head from the hosel.
Using the chart below, decide which setting you want, and then simply line up that loft with the little open “window” on the driver head and re-tighten the hosel screw.
*IMPORTANT* – You must use a golf club-specific torque wrench when tightening the screw or you could over-tighten and bend the hosel and/or clubhead.
Cobra Radspeed Driver Adjustment Chart
| Loft | Loft Description | Lie |
| -1.5° | Subtracts 1.5 degrees from the Stated Loft | Standard |
| -1° | Subtracts 1 degree from the Stated Loft | Standard |
| -1°D | Subtracts 1 degree from the Stated Loft | Draw setting |
| STD° | Stated Loft (loft stamped on the clubhead) | Standard |
| STD°D | Stated Loft (loft stamped on the clubhead) | Draw setting |
| +1° | Adds 1 degree from the Stated Loft | Standard |
| +1°D | Adds 1 degree from the Stated Loft | Draw setting |
| +1.5° | Adds 1.5 degrees from the Stated Loft | Standard |
This video shows and explains how to adjust the hosel, as well as the moveable weights across the bottom of the club head:
The Cobra Radspeed driver was released in 2021. You can also check out the release dates by year of all the Cobra drivers if you’re interested.
Lofts Available: 9º and 10.5º
Shaft Options: Yes
Pros:
- Price point
- Matte crown finish
- ARCCOS is built in
- Stable/Dense feel on impact
- Consistent ball flight production
- Low Launch/Spin in any configuration
- Radial weighting is effective and adjustable
- Massive amount of stock shaft options available
- High return on investment for mechanically sound swings
Cons:
- Sound/feel are polarizing
- Aggressive looks are polarizing
- Feedback is reduced with the heavier weights in front
- A high swing speed is necessary to appreciate the design of this club
- Low Launch and Low Spin can be too aggressive causing players to lose carry distance