Mevo - Worth it?

Ok,

I'm hawking an X2 on ebay at the moment for 2.5k (GBP), not sure its entirely legit, plus i've read you need a license.

So...is a MEVO really just enough for my needs of a PGA hacker tour wannabee ?

Practice regime will be knocking into a net up until autumn, driving range in winter.

Do you really need the metal stickers on all the time?

Mevo is great for club and ball fitting, but it doesn’t give you sidespin or horizontal launch angle.

Stickers are easy to use and increase accuracy of spin numbers. If you don’t use them, it helps to position the seam of the ball perpendicular to the target line.

So...is a MEVO really just enough for my needs of a PGA hacker tour wannabee ?

Practice regime will be knocking into a net up until autumn, driving range in winter.

Do you really need the metal stickers on all the time?

First, some users have reported difficulty using MEVO. You have to make sure to:

- update firmware;

- use stickers in indoor and pitching modes (Flightscope states stickers are not needed in "outdoor" mode where 80 yards of flight or more which includes most indoor domes)

- place unit on the same level as the ball, from four feet behind. When hitting off a mat, I set the unit on one of the MEVO box parts. Don't know if it was intended, but the box parts are two different heights and very sturdy (like an iPhone box).

- remember this is a $500 unit that will not produce lateral spin data like a $2,000+ unit

Positives:

Video integration: The most underrated aspect of MEVO is the self-editing video that overlays data produced from the swing;

Per Flightscope, stickers are only needed for limited flight (pitching and indoor modes).

In unlimited flight mode at the range (no stickers) I find the carry distance is really good.

Most who have compared with more expensive LMs report comparable ball speed and launch angle measurement.

Users who have compared spin rates indoor (using stickers) and outdoor are reporting spin measurement to within 200-300 rpm of higher-end LMs.

Negatives:

- Clubhead speed reads 2-5 mph high, which impacts smash factor calculation.

- Flightscope seems to have withdrawn plans for future development of the MEVO app related to skills challenges, distance drills, etc.

- Absence of lateral spin measure (what do you want for $500?) and potential for missing flaws due to lack thereof from hitting into net

Overall, I think the MEVO is very good for the price.

The one problem that I see is the anomaly between high CHS readings compared to surprisingly accurate predictions of carry distance and accurate ball speed, launch angle, and total spin measurements.

My guess is the "X" factor is the absence of lateral spin in the overall equation.

Bottom line is it's not a toy, but it is limited in the data produced.

Mevo is great for club and ball fitting, but it doesn't give you sidespin or horizontal launch angle.

 

Stickers are easy to use and increase accuracy of spin numbers. If you don't use them, it helps to position the seam of the ball perpendicular to the target line.

RR, again, that was a great catch on your part related to that patent for a launch monitor that can track a ball by the seam.

Have you compared MEVO with stickers versus MEVO with just the seam?

Mevo is great for club and ball fitting, but it doesn't give you sidespin or horizontal launch angle.

 

Stickers are easy to use and increase accuracy of spin numbers. If you don't use them, it helps to position the seam of the ball perpendicular to the target line.

 

RR, again, that was a great catch on your part related to that patent for a launch monitor that can track a ball by the seam.

 

Have you compared MEVO with stickers versus MEVO with just the seam?

Informally, yes. Picks up spin on Pinnacle range balls fine if I pay attention to seam. Indoors, stickers are so convenient that I don’t try using seam only.

Does Skytrak have better spin capability?

You don’t need a license with Flightscope to use x2 or any Flightscope. The license is a warranty and support program. So you get repairs, tech support, and all the latest software with a service agreement. But it’s 100% optional.

2.5k in GBP sounds about right for a X2

You don't need a license with Flightscope to use x2 or any Flightscope. The license is a warranty and support program. So you get repairs, tech support, and all the latest software with a service agreement. But it's 100% optional.

 

2.5k in GBP sounds about right for a X2

Just to add on to this, I am not sure that free software exists for the PC, so if you intended to use a laptop/desktop with the unit that wasn't provided at sale, I believe there would be additional purchases there. If you were to use a tablet, the apps are pretty cheap (much cheaper than the PC software)

You don't need a license with Flightscope to use x2 or any Flightscope. The license is a warranty and support program. So you get repairs, tech support, and all the latest software with a service agreement. But it's 100% optional.

 

2.5k in GBP sounds about right for a X2

 

Just to add on to this, I am not sure that free software exists for the PC, so if you intended to use a laptop/desktop with the unit that wasn't provided at sale, I believe there would be additional purchases there. If you were to use a tablet, the apps are pretty cheap (much cheaper than the PC software)

If you’re going to use a PC and don’t have the software you might as well do the service agreement which is essentially the same price as the software and gives you a no questions asked warranty

Does Skytrak have better spin capability?

It measures spin and spin axis, so yes.

There is a big jump between mevo and flightscope.

If your spending in the thousands mevo shouldn't be considered

Skytrak, flightscope and gc2 are the options.

Skytrak isn't good outdoors, but excellent indoors.

I have also found mine to be about 5 mph high.

@games you mentioned this will throw off the smash factor... will it affect other measures, such as carry distance? I'm not sure if carry is calculated or measured directly, but I'd assume calculated?

I used my range finder to test the carry numbers, but it's tough to see where the ball lands in relation to the target. One night I'll take it on the course.

> @atj5206 said:

> I have also found mine to be about 5 mph high.

> @games you mentioned this will throw off the smash factor... will it affect other measures, such as carry distance? I'm not sure if carry is calculated or measured directly, but I'd assume calculated?

> I used my range finder to test the carry numbers, but it's tough to see where the ball lands in relation to the target. One night I'll take it on the course.

I have use my mevo a few times and found it very accurate for dialing in wedge distances and out to 150 yards. After that is where it gets sketchy. I was using it yesterday and it was reading low on the SS for the most part and carry was hit or miss. This could be to the high spin numbers I was getting with the range balls. Distances seemed to be about 5% low across the board. Total must be calculated because yesterday was the first time I used the voice option and it was calling out distances while the ball was still in flight. It was also registering all over the place with swing speed. My 3 wood would register faster than my driver on some swings, it registered 114 a few times which is about right but then it would be anywhere from 101-110. Carry was mostly registering in the 260's but it was flying past a target that I lasered at 280.

I have used it previously and it seemed to be much more accurate than it was yesterday.

thanks @Hubijerk for the info. Must be calculated then.

I might go into the golf shop and compare SS numbers with the simulator if they let me. Kind of a bummer that the SS is not so reliable. I can deal with the spin rate being a +/- something reasonable, but the variance in SS is a bit disappointing, even for a sub-$500 device. Still have a few days to decide whether to keep or ship back to Amazon, I think.

> @atj5206 said:

> I have also found mine to be about 5 mph high.

> @games you mentioned this will throw off the smash factor... will it affect other measures, such as carry distance? I'm not sure if carry is calculated or measured directly, but I'd assume calculated?

> I used my range finder to test the carry numbers, but it's tough to see where the ball lands in relation to the target. One night I'll take it on the course.

It's been about a year since I posted that. IMO, I think Flightscope has dialed in the firmware to the point where measured clubhead speed is generally "close enough" at speeds less than 100 mph.

It's clear they're still having problems with high CHS guys hitting driver. They revised suggested setup for driver for MEVO to sit 7 feet behind clubhead impact, and have minimum 12 feet of hitting area. Likely, they want more room to measure spin for higher speed players...

Yeah I'm a higher speed guy and have some issues with driver. Iron/wedges very good though.

thank you @games - I'll try moving the device back to 7 feet.. I am low 100s SS. Will let all know what I find.

@Hubijerk @Krt22 @games do you find the Mevo can help you dial in optimal settings for adjustable driver?

One of my use cases is basically to figure out driver settings, and also test out woods/hybrid/driving performance, as i'm a bit of a club hoe.

I will say that the Mevo makes driving range work more fun. Helps keep me engaged.

Unfortunately my range uses limited flight balls, so Mevo isn’t very useful for driver for me

> @atj5206 said:

> @Hubijerk @Krt22 @games do you find the Mevo can help you dial in optimal settings for adjustable driver?

> One of my use cases is basically to figure out driver settings, and also test out woods/hybrid/driving performance, as i'm a bit of a club hoe.

> I will say that the Mevo makes driving range work more fun. Helps keep me engaged.

Well, sort of. Personally I adjust my settings as I'm testing shafts and I used the Mevo with success when I was testing new shafts with my driver. Visibly I noted the difference launch/flight wise and took that into consideration when I looked at the numbers, but honestly when I'm testing shafts I choose comfort over performance all other things being close. I also had to hit a lot of balls to discern any kind of a pattern. With my buddies Trackman I have to hit very few balls to get what I need because of it's accuracy. With that said, I remember one day I was hitting my driver with a particular shaft on his trackman before a round and getting 285ish carry with 3000'sh spin. I just looked at my app from April 10th where I was testing 2 shafts and I can def. tell which one is which. Again the ss is under reading and many of the smash calcs were above 1.5 but I was getting carry between 270-mid 280's with spin from 2500-3300. These were the most accurate numbers I ever remember getting and it was at night on a flat range picking the newest balls out of 2 buckets. As of yet I have never hit it with stickers or with real balls. With that said the last time I used it there was a software update and after that the accuracy was not good. But it could be a one off.

As I said earlier, I still think the biggest benefit is in dialing in wedges and short irons, it does that very well.

Someone mentioned that they have abandoned their plans to update the app with a combine feature. That's horse shit if you ask me. That was part of their pitch to buyers when it was released and it really shouldn't be that hard to do. With that said, you can essentially do the same thing with a pencil and a piece of paper, but this would really be a great feature.

@Hubijerk you're extremely knowledgable and appreciate you bearing with me (along with others who my be following this thread).

Do you know if Mevo can be used with SuperSpeed sticks? I tried last night, setting it as club: Driver, but it didn't register. Searched web/golfwrx but couldn't find an answer. Only one person seems to have even asked https://thesandtrap.com/forums/topic/92662-flightscope-mevo-portable-launch-monitor-for-the-everyday-golfer/?page=13

Had one and sold it quickly after. Spin and carry # were too inconsistent unless I used the ball stickers, which was impractical for range use with range balls.

I now have a GC2 that I use outside and indoors with my sim although a Flightscope or similar ball tracking system is arguably better for outdoor only use.

Flightscope or Trackman for outdoor and GC2 / GCQUAD for indoor. Unless you don't care much for accurate # lower cost systems will drive you crazy.

Flightscope, Trackman and Foresight own most of the IP on the various tech so there won't be any low cost competitors with the same level of accuracy anytime soon.

> @atj5206 said:

> @Hubijerk you're extremely knowledgable and appreciate you bearing with me (along with others who my be following this thread).

> Do you know if Mevo can be used with SuperSpeed sticks? I tried last night, setting it as club: Driver, but it didn't register. Searched web/golfwrx but couldn't find an answer. Only one person seems to have even asked https://thesandtrap.com/forums/topic/92662-flightscope-mevo-portable-launch-monitor-for-the-everyday-golfer/?page=13

you've got to hit a ball for mevo to trigger so .. no

> @Hubijerk said:

> Someone mentioned that they have abandoned their plans to update the app with a combine feature. That's horse **** if you ask me. That was part of their pitch to buyers when it was released and it really shouldn't be that hard to do. With that said, you can essentially do the same thing with a pencil and a piece of paper, but this would really be a great feature.

>

Probably revisited it after looking at the big black hole between its $500 price point and the $1900 SkyTrak price point.

Speaking of that black hole, it's about to filled. It is confirmed: MEVO 2 is in the works. A sim enthusiast saw it on a tour of Flightscope HQ. He is not allowed to say anything about it until FS gives their approval. However, one thing is known: MEVO 2 will be simulation-capable. Which means it will be able to locate spin axis and measure lateral spin.

A shameless plug for Flightscope Customer Service: I'm truly impressed with their attention to MEVO. I called once and e-mailed two questions. They were genuinely interested in my satisfaction with MEVO and willing to answer questions. I had concerns they would pay no attention to their MEVO consumers, but I was wrong. Aside from the lack of a "Combine" for MEVO, I'm a fan.

Yup, it's great for gapping all your clubs. That should be plenty for most golfers to work on right? And if MEVO 2 is coming out with spin axis, I'm getting it for sure. I'd imagine them to maybe double the price though. Or make it like 800, which would still be an excellent deal. It would be tough if they made it SkyTrak price but without all the Sim Stuff already built out. I'm guessing the sim would be a subscription based model which companies love for the cash flow anyway. But then... it's gotta do putts accurately too. Though they could just add on a little sensor for putters.

yea it was a good experiment but alas I think I will return my Mevo to the great Amazon. Wedge game is solid. Really looking to work on driver, more for kicks- swing speed, spin, etc. If it's off by +/- 5 mph for dudes about 100 and spin a bit dubious, then no point really.

appreciate the feedback from the community.

+/-5mph isn't nearly the same as reading a few mph high on SS. At the end of the day SS isn't as important as ball speed and it's very accurate with that

All I want out of a radar based launch monitor is lateral shot dispersion. If MEVO 2 has it at a price point < $1000, I think it will sell like hot cakes to clubs that have nice ranges.

If it gives side spin, I’ll be buying one if it’s in the $800 range.

> @atj5206 said:

> yea it was a good experiment but alas I think I will return my Mevo to the great Amazon. Wedge game is solid. Really looking to work on driver, more for kicks- swing speed, spin, etc. If it's off by +/- 5 mph for dudes about 100 and spin a bit dubious, then no point really.

> appreciate the feedback from the community.

You can dismiss the MEVO for the driver limitation, but at that point, you have no other choices below $3500 anyway. SkyTrak is limited (it's buggy outside), so now you're into a used Xi+ or X2 at $3500-$4000.