Cobra is regularly producing some of the most compelling golf club families each year from both a visual and performance perspective. The Cobra Darkspeed range impressed in testing, resonated at grass roots level and was popular among many Cobra Puma tour players. The likes of Rickie Fowler and Lexi Thompson put the Darkspeed driver in play and across the pond the flamboyant Angel Hidalgo recently saw success in Spain with the Darkspeed LS driver in the bag. However, the introduction of a new 33-setting hosel adapter, a new H.O.T. face design and refined shape for improved aerodynamics on the new DS-ADAPT range look set to take it to heights the Darkspeed family couldn't reach.
WATCH: Gear expert Joe Ferguson tests and compares the new DS-ADAPT driver
What Is The Technology?
Aesthetically, the DS-ADAPT drivers do look fairly similar to their predecessors, the Cobra team is extremely excited about the latest innovations and rightly so. The new FutureFit33 adjustable hosel system has been designed with complete performance in mind. The better the driver is fitted to each individual using it, the more success they’re likely to have. The settings for this comprehensive hosel system, which decouples loft and lie angle for the first time on a Cobra club, can be easily found via an etched in QR code found on the hosel of the club. Scan this and you have easy access to information on how to adjust your driver correctly. The QR codes are found on all of the metalwoods in the range - drivers, fairway woods and hybrids.
As you can probably guess from the name, this new hosel allows for a staggering 33 hosel settings that can be accessed and taken advantage of as simply as any other adjustable hosel on the market. When changing hosel settings on key competitors drivers and fairways, the lie angle and face direction changes but thanks to the Smartpad technology incorporated in the DS-ADAPT metalwoods this is not the case. The Smartpad Technology is a clever sole geometry design that keeps the clubface square at address regardless of the setting.
Progressive Aero shaping has been implemented in the design of the Cobra DS-ADAPT drivers, meaning each model has a tailored shape to help them produce the performance sought after by different player types. The new design sees all of the drivers benefit from reduced drag for an increase in club and ball speed - two things all golfers will happily welcome with any new driver. The DS-ADAPT range also features the H.O.T. technology that was seen in the Darkspeed range for increased ball speeds across the whole hitting area and to maximize ball speed at different points on the face.
Depending on what model and what loft you choose, the DS-ADAPT drivers have a newly refined Pwr-Bridge weight as well as adaptive weighting both internally and externally. The likes of the LS has weight closer towards the face, moving the center of gravity forward and therefore creating less spin. The more forgiving heads in the range have discretionary weight placed lower and further towards the rear for increased ease of launch and more forgiveness.
What Are The Models And Who Are They Aimed At?
Drivers
There are four driver models in the Cobra DS-ADAPT range all of which feature a lightweight carbon crown as part of a multi-material construction that also is made up of a lightweight titanium frame for improved stability and weight distribution.
The DS-ADAPT X is the head in the range that will suit the widest range of golfers by featuring a 460cc head with balanced, front and back weighting for overall performance at different swing speeds. The X will suit many different swing profiles combining high levels of forgiveness with distance.
Read our full Cobra DS-ADAPT X driver review
The LS is the lowest spinning and launching head in the lineup that will be used by players with faster swing speeds who are looking to lower their ball flight. The 445cc head is slightly smaller than the others in the range, has been designed with a higher crown and boasts new heel aero shaping for a more compact look at address.
Read our full Cobra DS-ADAPT LS driver review
The DS-ADAPT Max K is a model that wasn’t seen in last year's range and has been brought into the lineup to provide maximum forgiveness. This model possesses 10k MOI which will see it become one of the most forgiving models released this year. The large circular 460cc head will inspire confidence at address for those that are looking for it.
Read our full Cobra DS-ADAPT Max K driver review
The final driver model is the DS-ADAPT Max D. This is a driver designed to provide the same distance and forgiveness as the Max-K despite a draw-bias design achieved through additional weighting in the heel to assist golfers that struggle with a miss to the right.
Read our full Cobra DS-ADAPT Max D driver review
Fairway Woods
The DS-ADAPT fairway range mimics the same models released last year in the Darkspeed lineup. Similar to the driver models, the X is the head that will likely suit the majority of golfers. The slightly more rounded head offers a confidence inspiring look behind the ball and the Pwr-Bridge weight situated just forward of centre will help provide less spin, increase playability, all without sacrificing launch.
Read our full Cobra DS-ADAPT X Fairway Wood review
The DS-ADAPT LS Titanium fairway is a visibly more compact looking head than the X model, with a deeper face and will suit the eye of the better player. This model has been designed to be the fastest in the range and combines a titanium structure with a carbon fiber crown. The weight saved is added back in the form of 34g of internal tungsten and two external 13g removable weights, positioned low and forward for a low launch, low spin combination. The LS features a larger and thinner titanium face insert featuring H.O.T. face technology for faster ball speeds regardless of strike location.
Read our full Cobra DS-ADAPT LS Titanium fairway wood review
The Max is the most forgiving fairway wood in the lineup and is designed as draw-bias to help eliminate a miss to the right as a right-handed golfer. The draw-bias nature of the Max fairway wood is achieved through two moveable weights. One towards the rear and one towards the heel on the sole of the club. In order to create the most user-friendly fairway, the DS-ADAPT Max has the shallowest face for ease of launch and to provide a confidence inspiring look.
Read our full Cobra DS-ADAPT Max fairway wood review
Hybrids
To round off the new Cobra DS-ADAPT metalwood range is the hybrid. These hybrids feature much of the same technology as the drivers and fairways such as adaptive weighting, creating a low and forward CG placement and the H.O.T. Face Technology helps promote launch and fast ball speeds. There has been a marginal footprint increase compared to the Darkspeed hybrid to instill confidence to the user when the club is held at address and it features the new FutureFit33 hosel to help accurately dial in ball flight.
Read our full Cobra DS-ADAPT hybrid review
Irons
There are two new irons in the Cobra DS-ADAPT range, both of which have been designed with game improvement in mind and feature some interesting new technology. Both the standard and DS-ADAPT Max irons are made with a hollow body construction to create a thinner face and therefore increased face flexibility and ball speed. To help with vibration at impact and acoustics, the hollow cavity is filled with soft microspheres, a similar design to that seen on some of the most forgiving wedges such as the Callaway CB wedge. Pwr-Bridge technology continues to feature in the DS-ADAPT irons with the lower positioning helping promote a high launch for greater stopping power.
Read our full Cobra DS-ADAPT iron review
The tech in these irons believe it or not doesn’t stop there. A new 360 Speedshell face has been introduced and is Cobra’s largest face cup design to date, seeing the expanded insert run all the way from the heel to the toe and the addition of an internal speed channel to help improve face flexibility. The combination of this new technology and H.O.T. Face Technology used on the DS-ADAPT irons, according to Cobra, creates a 23 percent increase in face flexibility which in turn will lead to more speed, launch and ultimately distance.
Read our full Cobra DS-ADAPT Max iron review
While both irons feature much of the same technology, there are some cosmetic differences. The Max irons are built with a slightly thicker topline, longer blade length and slightly more off-set. This naturally leads to a larger looking head, promoting confidence and will very much fall into the most forgiving iron territory. The Max irons also feature a slightly wider sole and have lofts that are 2° weaker than the standard models to help produce a higher trajectory.
Who’s Using Them On Tour?
The product looks to have been seeded on tour over the past month or so with Jesper Svensson seen using the DS-ADAPT LS driver on route to a T-7 finish at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. The off-season has arrived for many professional players and now is the time in which they will experiment with new equipment and upgrade to the latest gear. As Cobra Puma ambassadors, it’s expected that Rickie Fowler, Gary Woodland and Justin Suh will all put the new driver in play when they make their first starts of the 2025 PGA Tour season.
What Cobra Says
“FutureFit33 is a true breakthrough in metalwood fitting. Never before has any hosel system provided 33 unique loft and lie settings that can be adjusted so quickly and easily. 33 settings is more than four times our previous hosel system and more than double our nearest competitor.
Cobra has long been a leader in game improvement irons, but the new DS-ADAPT family represents a major breakthrough in both performance and fitting. We have two models that can fit a massive group of players with varying swing speeds, all of whom are looking for maximum distance, exceptional forgiveness, and optimal overall performance.”
Our First Impressions
Just like the Darkspeed range, it’s hard not to love the looks of the new Cobra DS-ADAPT lineup. The minimalist, techy is something I’m a big fan of and gives these clubs a real premium and modern look. One of the biggest things I loved about the new drivers was the additional alignment lines on the face. This will help golfers center the ball much easier than on the Darkspeed range and likely promote more center strikes.
I initially questioned if the FutureFit33 hosel would overwhelm golfers through the sheer volume of options. But the addition of the etched QR code is a genius way of ensuring all golfers understand what settings equate to promoting which ball flight and they don’t have to worry about trying to find the graph on the internet or carry a chart in their golf bag. It's simple to grasp and will be really beneficial.
Specs, Pricing & Availability
On Sale: January 17th 2025
RRPs: Drivers $549/£469, LS Titanium fairway $429/£349, X/Max fairway $329/£289, hybrid $299/£249, irons $999/£799 steel/ $1099/£899 graphite
Driver, Woods And Hybrid Stock Shafts: True Temper Denali Black/Blue/Red, Fujikura Pro Black, MCA Tensei AV Blue
Hybrid Stock Shaft: KBS PG Hybrid
Iron Stock Shafts: KBS Tour Lite Steel, KBS PGI Graphite
