COBRA DARKSPEED X Driver - An Unofficial Review by GolfSpy_KFT

[Preeway]

13 hours ago, GolfSpy_KFT said:

Still very early for me with having it in play, but off the tee is my weakest spot in my game bar none. For whatever reason my swing just goes to crap lol. I have missed a few out on the toe with the DS X and still have gotten the ball out 240-250 yards. Forgiveness so far seems pretty good, I can only imagine once I get more comfortable swinging it what tee shots will look like.

Are you comparing this head to head with the AJ?

[Philpug]

On 5/24/2024 at 3:56 AM, TriciaPug said:

I have not hit it but my husband has and he said it has a really nice sweet spot. 

I am "the husband" and my recent driver history is the LTDx and now (regular) Aerojet. Both were/are 10.5* and work well. I am using the Tour AD Graphite IZ-4 R2 shaft set at +1.5. I went with my Cobra connection in for a fitting with the Darkspeed and the played around with my shaft and a few others. Because I am not a long hitter, drive is in the low 200's he wants me to see a bit more loft so he will be setting me up with the Dark Speed X with 12*. I didn't feel the speed was so much different than my Aerojet but the face was much more forgiving and as @GolfSpy_KFT said, miss hits are not nearly as punishing as my Aerojet can be. 

Edited May 25 by Philpug

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Had a pretty solid day driving the ball yesterday with the Darkspeed X.

Drive Distances:

246 yards (toe-y miss that found the fairway)

197 yards (bit of a hook that had a ton of topspin, still hit fairway)

237 yards (into the wind, Arccos estimated 243 without wind, slight fade)

258 yards (thin but went straight)

236 yards (tight draw down the middle of the fairway playing uphill and into wind, Arccos estimated 262 without wind)

I think as I get more comfortable with the club, I will see more consistently strong results. Certainly still a mixed bag, but it is more due to my swing than it is the club itself. It feels incredibly stable and the TR Blue shaft is fantastic feeling as well.

Playing in league tonight so will see how it does again today!

[GolfSpy_KFT]

On 5/24/2024 at 9:30 PM, Preeway said:

Are you comparing this head to head with the AJ?

I will do some with it, yes, but my AJ is the Max version, so it won't be an exact comparison.

[Preeway]

5 hours ago, GolfSpy_KFT said:

I will do some with it, yes, but my AJ is the Max version, so it won't be an exact comparison.

Makes sense. I’m always fascinated how clubs can differ from person to person. The DarkSpeed LS had zero differential to my AeroJet LS. Numbers weren’t identical but still negligible difference when I tested them with my fitter. 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

On 5/28/2024 at 2:12 PM, Preeway said:

Makes sense. I’m always fascinated how clubs can differ from person to person. The DarkSpeed LS had zero differential to my AeroJet LS. Numbers weren’t identical but still negligible difference when I tested them with my fitter. 

Totally agree. Honestly I am not sure I will see massive differences in the two, but the initial feel difference is what seems like such a big change to me. The AJ Max just felt slow in the swing for me. Maybe it was due to the head shape, maybe it was 100% mental as it is the more forgiving "draw biased" option, etc. It performed well compared to the TSi3 last year, but just essentially came down to preference. 

The DS X feels FAST, and that is what I am most impressed with thus far. The ball feels like it just jumps off the face. I want to get a range day with it, the AJ Max and TSi and hit a bunch of balls with the three. I don't know that either of the Cobra drivers will beat the feel of TSi. When it is center struck, it is incredible.

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Brief update on my last playing round with the Darkspeed X

I had my first night of Tuesday scramble league this week, and had some really solid drives, with another attesting once again to the forgiveness properties of the DS X. 

We played the back 9 this week and started on hole 14, which is a non driver hole, followed by the par 3 15th, so my first swing with driver came on the Par 5 16th. To this point, my misses with it have been blocks that I push left. I had a really good strike and ended up with a 260s yard drive but missed left. However, we had a window to punch back into the fairway and ended up saving a par.

Hole 17 is one of the most fun driving holes as it is an elevated tee box, but I botched the swing getting way too aggressive and popped one up OB left. This was 100% on me and nothing to do with the club, chalk it up to an overswing.

Hole 18 is a short, uphill par 4. I missed out of toe and only got about 220 yards out of the drive, but it was in the fairway with a little draw flight. This again speaks to the forgiveness of this driver. Really been impressive so far.

Hole 10 I missed a bit toe-y again, and again saw a little baby draw flight and got about 230 out of it but in the fairway. I will take mishits in the fairway all day because it still allows me a chance to get to the green in regulation.

Hole 11 I hit a very similar shot that I hit on 16. Blocked it a bit and pushed it a little left. This one went about 250 and was in a spot where we could still make a shot to advance the ball down the hole, avoiding any major trouble.

Hole 12 is a par 3, so it stayed in the bag.

Hole 13 was our final hole, which is a slight dogleg left, and had my best drive to date on course with the DS X. It is outlined below. Absolutely crushed this one, carried two fairway bunkers on the left that I have yet to carry with any driver taking the line I took, and hit it 270 yards, leaving me with only 40 in to the green. Talk about a great way to finish a round.

I am hoping to get on to the range and possibly play another 9 or 18 on Sunday when we get back from the lake. As I continue to get more comfortable with the DS X, I fully expect to see more drives like the one on 13.

Bottom line to this point: my misses have been less punishing, I have found fairways on less than ideal strikes that keep me in play, and good strikes are rockets. TSi is in real danger of losing it's place atop the bag, but will get a fair chance to defend as well.

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Darkspeed X continues to gain momentum and a firm spot atop the bag. Played 6 practice holes yesterday evening as the lead up this week to my buddies trip is going to inhibit any on course golf, and I am thoroughly impressed with this driver. Feel is great, sound is great, and IT. IS. LONG.

On the same hole that I carried two fairway bunkers in league last week, I managed to do it again yesterday....except getting 284 YARDS of total distance compared to 272 last week. 284 is my longest recorded drive by two yards on Arccos, and this was a piercing missile. Ball flew directly on the intended line, which was great to see.

On the #10 tee box, I hit a toe-y miss to start things off and only got 213 yards out of it, but it was in play and led to an iron shot that just missed the green.

On the #11 tee box, I blocked the shot, but ball flight was dead straight with no fade or slice. I hit a tree nearly at the top of it which was 240 on the fly, as it settled pretty much straight down at 238 yards. Had that ball been online, I am guessing I'd have been looking at another 260+ yard drive. 

I am hoping I can carry some of the performance into my weekend as two of the three courses we play have plenty of favorable driving holes. I am thinking of bringing my TSi3 along as well and using it during a round, or hitting two tee shots on a couple holes if we are keeping pace of play well enough/staying ahead. But I am hard pressed to want to play anything other than the DS X at the moment.

Also worth mentioning is this led to what I believe is the best 6 hole stretch I have ever played, as I was +3 at that point. REALLY wanted to finish out 9 holes, but it was 6:30 and I had my youngest son with me. Was a school night and the dinner bell was ringing so we called it. 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Alright, providing an update on the Darkspeed X after my weekend buddies trip. To say it was a great weekend driving the ball is an understatement, aside from the final round we played Saturday where I just never got comfortable with my swing. 

Our first round was played at the Pines course at Lake Arrowhead, and if you find yourself in Central Wisconsin this summer, PLEASE do yourself a favor and play the two courses here. They are always in fantastic condition, the greens are FAST fast, and you can play 18 for under $100 at peak times. At the Pines, 14/18 holes I was able to use the DS X off the tee, which was really fun. Of those 14, all but 4 were good to great tee shots. The wind was crazy strong, and most played into the wind. For those who do not use it, Arccos calculates wind when factoring distances, and the tee shot of the day for me came on hole 12, where I had a wind factored drive of 300 yards, which was an actual distance 264 yards into the wind. I had another 5 drives on the day that traveled greater than 260 yards both with and without wind calculations. 

During our second round at the Lakes course, Things were a bit tighter, so was able to use the DS X on 11/18 holes. I was a bit more inconsistent this day, but the usable drives were really darn good. Three drives with wind factored were 295 (276 actual), 296 (268 actual), and 283 (255 actual). For playing into the wind, I again think this speaks volumes to just how well this driver performs. I also had a 295 yard drive on hole 4 but was downwind, so without the wind it would have been more like 271. 

I have NEVER had a weekend, let alone round, where I was consistently hitting strong flighted drives. At worst, my miss was a push. At it's best, I was hitting tight draws with plenty of roll out on them. I also felt like I was able to really go after the ball, which is a testament to the confidence the club is giving me paired with the stability of the Ventus TR Blue shaft. 

The calculated smart distance on Arccos currently sits at 269 for the DS X, which is 5 yards longer than both the TSi3 and Aerojet Max. The Longest Drive category of DS X is at 295 yards, which is 13 yards longer than TSi3 and Aerojet Max.

At this point, I don't feel the need for a H2H comparison of the DS X and Aerojet Max is warranted. I could put the Ventus in it and give it a go, but the looks, feel and forgiveness of the DS X are so good that I honestly don't really want to . AJ Max was slower than TSi3 last year in H2H and I don't see it keeping up with the DS X in that category.

I will probably get the TSi back out this week and give it a run to see if my swing in it's current state could find some extra juice with it, but again I am really happy with what I am getting from the Darkspeed X. 

TLDR; The Darkspeed X is long, fast, and forgiving. It is giving me significantly longer drives than I've seen from any other driver I've owned. If you're in the market for a new driver this year, make sure it is on your list to test.

[Preeway]

10 hours ago, GolfSpy_KFT said:

Alright, providing an update on the Darkspeed X after my weekend buddies trip. To say it was a great weekend driving the ball is an understatement, aside from the final round we played Saturday where I just never got comfortable with my swing. 

Our first round was played at the Pines course at Lake Arrowhead, and if you find yourself in Central Wisconsin this summer, PLEASE do yourself a favor and play the two courses here. They are always in fantastic condition, the greens are FAST fast, and you can play 18 for under $100 at peak times. At the Pines, 14/18 holes I was able to use the DS X off the tee, which was really fun. Of those 14, all but 4 were good to great tee shots. The wind was crazy strong, and most played into the wind. For those who do not use it, Arccos calculates wind when factoring distances, and the tee shot of the day for me came on hole 12, where I had a wind factored drive of 300 yards, which was an actual distance 264 yards into the wind. I had another 5 drives on the day that traveled greater than 260 yards both with and without wind calculations. 

During our second round at the Lakes course, Things were a bit tighter, so was able to use the DS X on 11/18 holes. I was a bit more inconsistent this day, but the usable drives were really darn good. Three drives with wind factored were 295 (276 actual), 296 (268 actual), and 283 (255 actual). For playing into the wind, I again think this speaks volumes to just how well this driver performs. I also had a 295 yard drive on hole 4 but was downwind, so without the wind it would have been more like 271. 

I have NEVER had a weekend, let alone round, where I was consistently hitting strong flighted drives. At worst, my miss was a push. At it's best, I was hitting tight draws with plenty of roll out on them. I also felt like I was able to really go after the ball, which is a testament to the confidence the club is giving me paired with the stability of the Ventus TR Blue shaft. 

The calculated smart distance on Arccos currently sits at 269 for the DS X, which is 5 yards longer than both the TSi3 and Aerojet Max. The Longest Drive category of DS X is at 295 yards, which is 13 yards longer than TSi3 and Aerojet Max.

At this point, I don't feel the need for a H2H comparison of the DS X and Aerojet Max is warranted. I could put the Ventus in it and give it a go, but the looks, feel and forgiveness of the DS X are so good that I honestly don't really want to . AJ Max was slower than TSi3 last year in H2H and I don't see it keeping up with the DS X in that category.

I will probably get the TSi back out this week and give it a run to see if my swing in it's current state could find some extra juice with it, but again I am really happy with what I am getting from the Darkspeed X. 

TLDR; The Darkspeed X is long, fast, and forgiving. It is giving me significantly longer drives than I've seen from any other driver I've owned. If you're in the market for a new driver this year, make sure it is on your list to test.

Glad to hear the DarkSpeed is working for you. I really wish ShotScope could factor in wind. I know I have some club distance stats that are somewhat skewed from wind. 

[jbern]

21 hours ago, GolfSpy_KFT said:

Alright, providing an update on the Darkspeed X after my weekend buddies trip. To say it was a great weekend driving the ball is an understatement, aside from the final round we played Saturday where I just never got comfortable with my swing. 

Our first round was played at the Pines course at Lake Arrowhead, and if you find yourself in Central Wisconsin this summer, PLEASE do yourself a favor and play the two courses here. They are always in fantastic condition, the greens are FAST fast, and you can play 18 for under $100 at peak times. At the Pines, 14/18 holes I was able to use the DS X off the tee, which was really fun. Of those 14, all but 4 were good to great tee shots. The wind was crazy strong, and most played into the wind. For those who do not use it, Arccos calculates wind when factoring distances, and the tee shot of the day for me came on hole 12, where I had a wind factored drive of 300 yards, which was an actual distance 264 yards into the wind. I had another 5 drives on the day that traveled greater than 260 yards both with and without wind calculations. 

During our second round at the Lakes course, Things were a bit tighter, so was able to use the DS X on 11/18 holes. I was a bit more inconsistent this day, but the usable drives were really darn good. Three drives with wind factored were 295 (276 actual), 296 (268 actual), and 283 (255 actual). For playing into the wind, I again think this speaks volumes to just how well this driver performs. I also had a 295 yard drive on hole 4 but was downwind, so without the wind it would have been more like 271. 

I have NEVER had a weekend, let alone round, where I was consistently hitting strong flighted drives. At worst, my miss was a push. At it's best, I was hitting tight draws with plenty of roll out on them. I also felt like I was able to really go after the ball, which is a testament to the confidence the club is giving me paired with the stability of the Ventus TR Blue shaft. 

The calculated smart distance on Arccos currently sits at 269 for the DS X, which is 5 yards longer than both the TSi3 and Aerojet Max. The Longest Drive category of DS X is at 295 yards, which is 13 yards longer than TSi3 and Aerojet Max.

At this point, I don't feel the need for a H2H comparison of the DS X and Aerojet Max is warranted. I could put the Ventus in it and give it a go, but the looks, feel and forgiveness of the DS X are so good that I honestly don't really want to . AJ Max was slower than TSi3 last year in H2H and I don't see it keeping up with the DS X in that category.

I will probably get the TSi back out this week and give it a run to see if my swing in it's current state could find some extra juice with it, but again I am really happy with what I am getting from the Darkspeed X. 

TLDR; The Darkspeed X is long, fast, and forgiving. It is giving me significantly longer drives than I've seen from any other driver I've owned. If you're in the market for a new driver this year, make sure it is on your list to test.

Wow, glad you had a good trip and that's awesome that the Darkspeed is grooving! I like courses that are driver heavy also (especially when Dr is going well )! I would really like to get to WI for a golf trip!

21 hours ago, GolfSpy_KFT said:

At this point, I don't feel the need for a H2H comparison of the DS X and Aerojet Max is warranted. I could put the Ventus in it and give it a go, but the looks, feel and forgiveness of the DS X are so good that I honestly don't really want to . AJ Max was slower than TSi3 last year in H2H and I don't see it keeping up with the DS X in that category.

I have a similar feeling with my current testing of the LAB DF3 putter. I have made significant progress with the putter and it doesn't seem like it would be beneficial to either putter to flip flop back and forth between the two.

[JFish350]

On 5/24/2024 at 6:12 AM, GolfSpy_KFT said:

Still very early for me with having it in play, but off the tee is my weakest spot in my game bar none. For whatever reason my swing just goes to crap lol. I have missed a few out on the toe with the DS X and still have gotten the ball out 240-250 yards. Forgiveness so far seems pretty good, I can only imagine once I get more comfortable swinging it what tee shots will look like.

Love it as my miss with driver is on the toe side. It is damn near impossible for me to hit a heal shot with the driver, so I am liking the results so far. This all said, O won't be able to do anything about it till December/January when I feel its ok to start swinging a club again. 

[JFish350]

1 hour ago, jbern said:

 I would really like to get to WI for a golf trip!

 

Spy meet up in Wisconsin??? I couldn't make it this year, but next summer is absolutely possible.

[GolfSpy_KFT]

51 minutes ago, JFish350 said:

Spy meet up in Wisconsin??? I couldn't make it this year, but next summer is absolutely possible.

I would LOVE a spy meetup in Wisconsin. Lake Arrowhead runs deals through Group Golfer and Golf Moose on occasion where you can essentially get 50% off the standard rate, and there are quite a few lodging options on the course (think huge group cabins). Even at their standard rate, it isn't horrible at all by any means and the courses are fantastic. My buddies and I always do that when we play there each year. Makes for a great weekend of golf. 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

2 hours ago, jbern said:

Wow, glad you had a good trip and that's awesome that the Darkspeed is grooving! I like courses that are driver heavy also (especially when Dr is going well )! I would really like to get to WI for a golf trip!

I have a similar feeling with my current testing of the LAB DF3 putter. I have made significant progress with the putter and it doesn't seem like it would be beneficial to either putter to flip flop back and forth between the two.

I am quite honestly thinking about trading in the TSi3 so that I'm not even tempted to play the back and forth game, lol 

[Josh Parker]

5 minutes ago, GolfSpy_KFT said:

I am quite honestly thinking about trading in the TSi3 so that I'm not even tempted to play the back and forth game, lol 

Commit and go forward!  I pulled the Paradym TD from the bag and went TSR3 and won't be going back.  It's about to go on the market with the Ventus shaft in it.  

[GolfSpy_KFT]

I should also mention that after the success @GolfSpy_BNG had with the Wilson Staff Model golf ball, I went in on the buy 2 get one dozen free deal they were running with a buddy (he owed me some golf balls), and they are fantastic. Softer feel, which I ended up loving and surprised me because I trended towards more firm last year. I also do think they played a factor into the extra length I was seeing off the tee. I wouldn't mind a little more spin going into the greens with them, but I should be able to adjust for that. Great golf ball to try when you're looking to pick up some more golf balls this year. 

[KeithColorado]

I'm really interested in how this turns out. I currently hit the Cobra F9 and like it a lot. Wondering if this would provide anything extra.

Thanks for sharing!!

[Preeway]

20 hours ago, GolfSpy_KFT said:

I would LOVE a spy meetup in Wisconsin. Lake Arrowhead runs deals through Group Golfer and Golf Moose on occasion where you can essentially get 50% off the standard rate, and there are quite a few lodging options on the course (think huge group cabins). Even at their standard rate, it isn't horrible at all by any means and the courses are fantastic. My buddies and I always do that when we play there each year. Makes for a great weekend of golf. 

If you put this together, I know a guy from NE who would make the trip!

[GolfSpy_KFT]

1 hour ago, Preeway said:

If you put this together, I know a guy from NE who would make the trip!

This is, in fact, something I think about on a near daily basis. It may not end up being an official MGS outing when it comes to fruition, but a Wisconsin spy meetup is on the radar for 2025. I'll be doing some homework on areas that could host it outside of Lake Arrowhead, but I know the area so well and could possibly get us some group times on a private course 45 minutes north as well. I will be sure to keep you in the loop!

[Bucky CC]

2 hours ago, GolfSpy_KFT said:

This is, in fact, something I think about on a near daily basis. It may not end up being an official MGS outing when it comes to fruition, but a Wisconsin spy meetup is on the radar for 2025. I'll be doing some homework on areas that could host it outside of Lake Arrowhead, but I know the area so well and could possibly get us some group times on a private course 45 minutes north as well. I will be sure to keep you in the loop!

Lake Arrowhead with at least one round at Sand Valley would be awesome.  I'd definitely drive up from Milwaukee for that.

[GolfSpy_KFT]

28 minutes ago, Bucky CC said:

Lake Arrowhead with at least one round at Sand Valley would be awesome.  I'd definitely drive up from Milwaukee for that.

Fully agree SV would be a fun add on. Will have to see how cost shakes out! Could always be an option for players to add if the whole group couldn't make it work. If things progress, there will be updates to come!

[Preeway]

4 hours ago, GolfSpy_KFT said:

This is, in fact, something I think about on a near daily basis. It may not end up being an official MGS outing when it comes to fruition, but a Wisconsin spy meetup is on the radar for 2025. I'll be doing some homework on areas that could host it outside of Lake Arrowhead, but I know the area so well and could possibly get us some group times on a private course 45 minutes north as well. I will be sure to keep you in the loop!

Putting an unofficial meet up together in NE is going to be worth it given all the work with the courses. Sand Valley or not, this would be a great event. 

[Ctrain273]

I'd be in! I played Lake Arrowhead as a a warm up for Sand Valley a couple years ago. It's a great track. I'll be playing Mammoth Dunes in a couple weeks for the first time so very much looking forward to that. And bring on The Lido! 

I've been gaming the Darkspeed X for several months. Hands down the best driver I've played. Feel, sound, launch and distance are excellent so far. I don't have to any way to track with a monitor on-course but it's definitely the longest driver I've played with good forgiveness. Swing speed was up a couple mph during my testing at Golf Galaxy before I purchased it too. 

This is a fantastic driver!

[cksurfdude]

On 6/11/2024 at 12:36 PM, GolfSpy_KFT said:

I would LOVE a spy meetup in Wisconsin. Lake Arrowhead runs deals through Group Golfer and Golf Moose on occasion where you can essentially get 50% off the standard rate, and there are quite a few lodging options on the course (think huge group cabins). Even at their standard rate, it isn't horrible at all by any means and the courses are fantastic. My buddies and I always do that when we play there each year. Makes for a great weekend of golf. 

Pencil me in as a Maybe .. and if Sand Valley is involved then a Definite Maybe

..oh and yes now I'm looking at what Cobra offers for trade in values against a Dark Speed X....

[JFish350]

Man all this great info on drivers and I can't do anything about it until November at the earliest possibly January. I'm jonsing already and I haven't had surgery yet. 

 

if I don't fired for how much time I'm taking off in the next 12 months, I will do my best to make this meet up. Most likely only be able to make 2-3 days as I need to go North and see my dad (93) and my daughter and her family, then get back home. I can make the drive in 2 days one way, but those would be loooong days. 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

So it has been about three weeks since my last update on the Darkspeed X driver, and bottom line it is firmly in the driver slot in my bag. So much so that I traded in the other clubs I had in favor of helping my wife upgrade her bag.

I still can't get over the level of forgiveness in this club. Part of it could be that I am delivering the driver better this year than I ever have, but I just am not losing hardly any balls left (slice as a lefty). At worst, a left miss has been a fade. Miss out of the heel, it goes straight. Miss out of the toe, it draws back to the middle of the fairway. Yes, there are distance losses on those misses, but still near 240 yards. All of this is with the heavier sole weight in the forward position.

And when I hit it on the screws, it is a dead straight, penetrating ball flight. I have hit multiple drives over 290 yards, including my closest near 300 yard poke on Wednesday this week at 298. Yes, there was plenty of roll out on it, but I have not had as many consistently long drives ever as I have with this club.

For anything to move this out of my bag, the performance would have to be better, and I truly don't know if that is possible. It looks great, it sounds great. Cobra hit a homerun this year.

[Josh Parker]

18 minutes ago, GolfSpy_KFT said:

So it has been about three weeks since my last update on the Darkspeed X driver, and bottom line it is firmly in the driver slot in my bag. So much so that I traded in the other clubs I had in favor of helping my wife upgrade her bag.

I still can't get over the level of forgiveness in this club. Part of it could be that I am delivering the driver better this year than I ever have, but I just am not losing hardly any balls left (slice as a lefty). At worst, a left miss has been a fade. Miss out of the heel, it goes straight. Miss out of the toe, it draws back to the middle of the fairway. Yes, there are distance losses on those misses, but still near 240 yards. All of this is with the heavier sole weight in the forward position.

And when I hit it on the screws, it is a dead straight, penetrating ball flight. I have hit multiple drives over 290 yards, including my closest near 300 yard poke on Wednesday this week at 298. Yes, there was plenty of roll out on it, but I have not had as many consistently long drives ever as I have with this club.

For anything to move this out of my bag, the performance would have to be better, and I truly don't know if that is possible. It looks great, it sounds great. Cobra hit a homerun this year.

Sounds like its been a great win.  You are playing it with the Ventus blue right?

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Just now, Josh Parker said:

Sounds like its been a great win.  You are playing it with the Ventus blue right?

Ventus TR Blue 6x yep. My swing speed at least early on this year was not into that traditional X flex speed, but it feels so stable. The S might be better, but I have zero complaints with what I've been seeing out of the X. 

[Josh Parker]

2 minutes ago, GolfSpy_KFT said:

Ventus TR Blue 6x yep. My swing speed at least early on this year was not into that traditional X flex speed, but it feels so stable. The S might be better, but I have zero complaints with what I've been seeing out of the X. 

The X should help with keeping it straighter  and if it feels good, that's all that matters.