Cobra Dark Speed Driver Review
11 January 2024
By independent reviewer Martin Hopley
The Cobra Dark Speed driver gets an all black makeover for 2024 and a few technical improvements too.
The PWRShell cup face is 13% larger than the previous AeroJet and has been designed with AI to deliver more efficient speed and spin right across the face.
The higher carbon crown forms part of a more aerodynamic shape to enable the head to slip more quickly through the air.
The PWR-Bridge weight in the centre of the sole has been moved forward and lower to also improve the ball speed and launch conditions.
The Cobra Dark Speed driver comes in three models and I put them through their paces in the Lyle Studio against each other and the previous Aerojet driver.
Cobra Dark Speed X Driver Review
The Cobra Dark Speed X driver returns to having two weight in the sole with a 12g at the front and a 3g at the back which can be swapped if you want to increase the launch and CG of the club. This is something they have done before and will probably do again, but it is good to see the extra flexibility over the previous Aerojet in the standard head.
The Dark Speed X has the blue graphics to distinguish it from the other models. It's quite subtle and does not do much to help separate the 3 models which are quite hard to tell apart. I am not sure blue naturally goes with black either, but it does look better than the previous Aerojet so overall it's a plus.
The all black look at address does look good and I like the fact the face logo is more subtle than before. Having a black face and head means that any changes in the hosel loft that change the face angle are not as noticeable. However if you like a clear leading edge to line up the driver then this is not for you so it is all personal preference.
Cobra drivers have always been good on speed and forgiveness and when I took the Dark Speed models on Trackman using Titleist Pro V1 balls, I was not surprised to see them deliver good results.
The sound and feel is very good and better than the Aerojet and the standard X model gave some of the best results I have had in testing the 2024 models. At address it was maybe a little on the pointy side but that aside there is very little to fault and a lot to like.
Cobra Dark Speed MAX Driver Review
As you would expect the Cobra Dark Speed Max driver is all about forgiveness and launch for average to slower swing speeds. There are still two weights in the sole but the heavier 12g is in the back and the 3g is in the heel to create a draw bias.
At address the head is a little deeper but it is quite hard to see. With more weight at the back it is going to generate more spin as you can see from the results. It was very easy to get going and the higher flight will suit those slower swingers and which the options for weight and loft, your SGGT custom driver fitting should be able to create a driver with distance and forgiveness.
Cobra Dark Speed LS Driver Review
The Cobra Dark Speed LS driver is the stealthiest of them on with a barely discernible LS on the heel of the sole somewhere. In the sole the Dark Speed LS also gains a weight and has one 12g and two 3g weights to move around a triangle of ports to enable your fitter to change the balance and CG position of the head.
The head is taller and looks more compact at address then the other models as it is there to provide a lower spinning and more penetrating flight.
To create a level playing field we adjusted the 9° head up to the maximum 10.5°, which closed the face but actually made it look more neutral as the standard set up is a little more open if you can make that out with the dark looks.
Compared to other lower spin drivers, the Dark Speed LS is easy to get going and the lower spin set up gave the best results for me. I was not put off by the more compact head so this is one of the more payable LS drivers out there and for many it could be a toss up between this and the X version once you play around with the weight and loft settings.
Cobra Dark Speed Driver Review Summary
Overall the Cobra Dark Speed drivers are an improvement on the Aerojet range thanks to the greater weight flexibility in the sole of all three models. The graphics are not particularly clear, which may hide the model you have at a glance. The looks are strong but could be an issue if you like seeing clear alignment lines at address.
Yet again Cobra are bringing the speed combined with good forgiveness at a competitive price and if budget is a consideration then this will be a strong contender for a lot of golfers.
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