Aldila RIP Tour Graphite Irons shafts: In-hand photos

You may notice that there's no flex indicated on these shafts. According to John Oldenberg, vice president of engineering for Aldila, that's because the company needed to adjust the attributes of the graphite shafts to get them to perform similar to steel.

"We don’t want someone who plays X-flex steel to automatically assume they need to play the same flex/frequency in graphite," Oldenberg said in an email.

That's why the RIP Tour graphite irons shafts are color coded (the paint inside the words RIP Tour) to indicate flex. Gold, pictured above, is the stiffest, while silver is less stiff and copper is the most flexible.

The RIP Tour shafts were used by Ken Duke to win the 2013 Travelers Championship, and by Boo Weekley to win the 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

We'll have more on these and a lot of other top-rated graphite shafts in a front-page story coming very soon.

- Zak

Look nice... Price point? Or just wait for the article?

Dying to try these! Have tried all the major graphite options. Thus far the Recoils are my favorite.

I believe the price point is gonna be somewhere in the 40-50 per club number.

Hard to imagine a graphite iron shaft better then the recoil protos...

That said, I'll give them a whirl!

Great looking shaft! Very interested in specs and weights.

[quote name='2659edward' timestamp='1384048814' post='8125678']
Great looking shaft! Very interested in specs and weights.
[/quote]

All specs are listed on aldila's site right now.

[quote name='phelps22' timestamp='1384049950' post='8125786']
[quote name='2659edward' timestamp='1384048814' post='8125678']
Great looking shaft! Very interested in specs and weights.
[/quote]

All specs are listed on aldila's site right now.
[/quote]

Thanks

Sweet!

Have to say those look SWEET

Prettty sure they only come in 2 weights. 115 and 95

Aren't these the stock graphite shaft in the Adams xtd irons?

Nice shaft but the white / transition area box graphics looks brutal. Should have left them all black.

Curious but can't see them replacing my Recoil shafts

[quote name='Marks23' timestamp='1384055231' post='8126050']
Aren't these the stock graphite shaft in the Adams xtd irons?
[/quote]

They are. Not sure what the msrp will be on the XTD irons but basiclly they will be $100 more than the steel stock shaft. Email I received from Aldila said msrp on thesse shafts will be $49 per shaft.

These won't be able to touch the Nunchuk.

For those that haven't tried them, you really should.

These shafts have a very low torque compared to any other graphite iron shaft. As a result, some that have tried them have indicated they are harsh by comparison.
They are available in both 91-94g and 109-116g and have a R, S, or X availability........

[url="http://www.aldila.com/products/rip-iron/"]http://www.aldila.com/products/rip-iron/[/url]

Look nice can't wait o hear some reviews from people who have hit them.

[quote name='Mob' timestamp='1384056054' post='8126084']
Curious but can't see them replacing my Recoil shafts
[/quote]

Think the cost is about 20-30% less than Recoil with better performance.

Heard these play or feel stiffer than stated flex.

[quote name='mickeytbones' timestamp='1384092496' post='8127002']
These won't be able to touch the Nunchuk.

For those that haven't tried them, you really should.
[/quote]
[quote name='BirdieBob' timestamp='1384093160' post='8127036']
These shafts have a very low torque compared to any other graphite iron shaft. As a result, some that have tried them have indicated they are harsh by comparison.
They are available in both 91-94g and 109-116g and have a R, S, or X availability........

[url="http://www.aldila.com/products/rip-iron/"]http://www.aldila.co...ducts/rip-iron/[/url]
[/quote][quote name='BirdieBob' timestamp='1384093160' post='8127036']
These shafts have a very low torque compared to any other graphite iron shaft. As a result, some that have tried them have indicated they are harsh by comparison.
They are available in both 91-94g and 109-116g and have a R, S, or X availability........

[url="http://www.aldila.com/products/rip-iron/"]http://www.aldila.co...ducts/rip-iron/[/url]
[/quote]

From the profile given on Aldila's site I would say they sound almost like a graphite PX shaft with the firm butt section, soft mid, and firm tip section.

Those look amazing. I might have to try those when I get some extra cash.

Can't believe no one has mentioned the fujikura mci here...best graphite/composite shaft on the market...

I hit these back at the PGA show in Jan, but not with these graphics. I found them much nicer than the Recoils, and I'm surprised it's taken them this long to get to market. I think these could be in my irons for next season.

Been excited about these for over a year. They will have to be special to unseat my Steelfibers, but the price point is much more palatable than the Recoil.

Aerotech got the trend going recently (even though the SFs have been around for awhile); but it's been a tremendous 12 months for iron shafts between ACCRA's hybrex shafts, nVentix nunchucks, Fujikura's MCI shafts, 4 versions of the Recoils, and now the Aldila RIP tours.

Everyone has been saying for years composites would take over steel (for those with no concern for $$$) in irons, looks like it's here.

Does anyone else feel like me? I'm having a real hard time determining which graphite iron shaft I want to try let alone which one will work for me personally. I would have to buy 7 or 8 different individual shafts to test all the possible choices that are being offered nowadays in the graphite iron shaft arena. I guess I should be happy there's so many choices. At least with steel it's really narrowed done to 3-4 choices either TTDG's, PX's, KBS, or Nippon's. But with graphite iron shafts you have at least 7 different options that I have listed here ... [b]Aerotech Steelfiber[/b], [b]UST Recoils[/b], [b]Graphite Designs Tour AD[/b], [b]Matrix Ozik HD Program[/b] ,[b] Fujikura MCI[/b], [b] Nventix Nunchuk x[/b][b][b]i[/b], [/b][b]Aldila RIP Tour[/b] . The biggest difference is you can go demo the steel shafts at your local fitter, but the graphites are not so readily available to test. .... so back to my problem, should I buy 7 graphite iron shaft from all of these companies and do my own individual testing ? Or should I just believe all the companies hype about how their graphite shaft is the next big thing? I truly believe I'm the perfect candidate for graphite: age/50 body condition/ beat up (injuries over the many years of contact sports and work) to try out a set of one of these graphites in my irons. But one of the problems I'm still having is deciphering through which OEM's graphite shaft will work best for me without having to buy all these single 6iron shafts. LOL. I like the different feeling/feedback I've always have received over the years using either TTDG's, PX's Satins, or KBS Tours, they all give you their own unique feel and feedback during the swing. Now I'm afraid that if and when I go to these graphite iron shafts I'm going to loose that feel that you get with steel? I've been listening to all those who have tried some of these higher end graphite iron shafts and it seems like either everyone is still on their honeymoon with their NEW graphite shaft or these NEW Graphite Iron shafts are all the next best thing to hit the golfing world. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that every review is tainted but I would like to see at least one or two people say these just don't work for me! I mean they all can't be fitting everyone perfectly, CAN THEY? Well that brings us to ALDILA's Newest entry into the graphite iron world..... I remember years back seeing a Aldila prototype graphite iron shafts but never heard or saw them as they were a Tour Only product. Hopefully we'll see a few of these Aldila RIP Tour iron shaft reviews coming in soon as I've always liked the aldila shafts. I may just have to see when their available so I can try the copper version.


Sorry for the long winded response, i just wish there was an easier way to test/demo all these supposed great graphite shafts!

I had the same issue until I contacted UST Mamiya on this Forum and was able to try out a Recoil Prototype. Bobby Ennis is a great guy to work with and will make any changes necessary until you are satisfied. Since I do my own builds I was able to test out a 5 iron shaft of my choice and determined that it in fact was worthy of investing in the Recoil Proto shafts (big expense but shafts that I will pull and use in new future iron heads). I now own 12 Recoil Protos of two different profiles for my set of gamers and range irons. Bobby is willing to change out a profile if I feel the need based upon performance! Wow!

I first reviewed all the threads in this Forum to determine which of the shafts I wanted to try. The #1 choice for me was the UST Mamiya Recoil Proto based upon excellent commentary and a PM from a member that actually had the same shafts as me and moved to the Recoils and was very satisfied.

Frankly, I see no need to try the others at this point as I am totally satisfied with the Recoils and don't think it can be any better.
I was, like you, intending to invest a small fortune in a shaft from each of the ones you mentioned....now no need.

Check with Robert Ennis (UST Mamiya) a member of this Forum for details on how he may help you at least try a Recoil shaft.

BB

Plus don't forget the PX Graphites, Oban has some nice // tip iron shafts, MRC's Fubukis and Kura Kage Blacks (plus Bassaras), and the ACCRA Hybrex iron shafts previously mentioned.

I personally think the GD Tour ADs are pretty underrated, particularly the 115 and 105s (tour types). The Aldila NVs and VS Protos are somewhat oldies but goodies plus the ProForce 95s.

[quote name='TWshoot67' timestamp='1384130599' post='8129198']
Does anyone else feel like me? I'm having a real hard time determining which graphite iron shaft I want to try let alone which one will work for me personally. I would have to buy 7 or 8 different individual shafts to test all the possible choices that are being offered nowadays in the graphite iron shaft arena. I guess I should be happy there's so many choices. At least with steel it's really narrowed done to 3-4 choices either TTDG's, PX's, KBS, or Nippon's. But with graphite iron shafts you have at least 7 different options that I have listed here ... [b]Aerotech Steelfiber[/b], [b]UST Recoils[/b], [b]Graphite Designs Tour AD[/b], [b]Matrix Ozik HD Program[/b] ,[b] Fujikura MCI[/b], [b] Nventix Nunchuk x[/b][b][b]i[/b], [/b][b]Aldila RIP Tour[/b] . The biggest difference is you can go demo the steel shafts at your local fitter, but the graphites are not so readily available to test. .... so back to my problem, should I buy 7 graphite iron shaft from all of these companies and do my own individual testing ? Or should I just believe all the companies hype about how their graphite shaft is the next big thing? I truly believe I'm the perfect candidate for graphite: age/50 body condition/ beat up (injuries over the many years of contact sports and work) to try out a set of one of these graphites in my irons. But one of the problems I'm still having is deciphering through which OEM's graphite shaft will work best for me without having to buy all these single 6iron shafts. LOL. I like the different feeling/feedback I've always have received over the years using either TTDG's, PX's Satins, or KBS Tours, they all give you their own unique feel and feedback during the swing. Now I'm afraid that if and when I go to these graphite iron shafts I'm going to loose that feel that you get with steel? I've been listening to all those who have tried some of these higher end graphite iron shafts and it seems like either everyone is still on their honeymoon with their NEW graphite shaft or these NEW Graphite Iron shafts are all the next best thing to hit the golfing world. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that every review is tainted but I would like to see at least one or two people say these just don't work for me! I mean they all can't be fitting everyone perfectly, CAN THEY? Well that brings us to ALDILA's Newest entry into the graphite iron world..... I remember years back seeing a Aldila prototype graphite iron shafts but never heard or saw them as they were a Tour Only product. Hopefully we'll see a few of these Aldila RIP Tour iron shaft reviews coming in soon as I've always liked the aldila shafts. I may just have to see when their available so I can try the copper version.


Sorry for the long winded response, i just wish there was an easier way to test/demo all these supposed great graphite shafts!
[/quote]

Call Ken @ Victory Custom Golf. Sign up for their VIP program and you'll have a box on your door step with Steelfibers, recoils MCI's, and Accra Hybrex, plus others- all in the weights and flex's you need, installed in Major OEM or JDM demo irons. Play them, test them, put them in your bag next to your gamers, & then order what works for you. Problem solved! The deposit you make with VCG VIP program is then applied to your purchase/rebuild when you return the demo irons. This is the only way to buy high end custom built clubs. My 712 AP2 Recoil 125 prototypes just got replaced with 714 AP2 Accra Hybrex, ETA Wednesday 3pm.