KBS $-Taper

[mtg]

Seems that if I really like the ctapers but want a touch higher flight in my 3 and 4 irons that the $tapers would be a good option there?

 

Maybe... I'd go CT lite before though. Closer overall profile, and the lighter weight should work perfectly in longer shafts - the MOI will come out very close to your other irons. All good shafts though. If you go S taper I'd go down a weight and hard step if its too whippy.

[getitdaily]

Seems that if I really like the ctapers but want a touch higher flight in my 3 and 4 irons that the $tapers would be a good option there?

 

Maybe... I'd go CT lite before though. Closer overall profile, and the lighter weight should work perfectly in longer shafts - the MOI will come out very close to your other irons. All good shafts though. If you go S taper I'd go down a weight and hard step if its too whippy.

 

Thanks. Looks like since I went ctaper s hard stepped I'll want to go ctaper lite x...

 

The ctaper lite isn't on the shaft chart in the pinned thread. Anyone know what the lite x plays to? Is it up near 6.5?

[mtg]

Seems that if I really like the ctapers but want a touch higher flight in my 3 and 4 irons that the $tapers would be a good option there?

 

Maybe... I'd go CT lite before though. Closer overall profile, and the lighter weight should work perfectly in longer shafts - the MOI will come out very close to your other irons. All good shafts though. If you go S taper I'd go down a weight and hard step if its too whippy.

 

Thanks. Looks like since I went ctaper s hard stepped I'll want to go ctaper lite x...

 

The ctaper lite isn't on the shaft chart in the pinned thread. Anyone know what the lite x plays to? Is it up near 6.5?

 

I'd say C taper lite in X plays very close to regular C taper in Stiff. If anything the 120 stiff is ever so slightly firmer. You could hard step the CTL once and you'd be just about spot on IMO.

 

Edit: or if you're already hard stepping the CT stiff then maybe twice in the CTL x... but its really splitting hairs.

[5UnderPar18]

I’m brand new to posting but have been reading here for years and love to see everyone’s feedback. I’ve played the KBS Tour in stiff and X, the Tour V in stiff and X, the FLT 130x, and this year the $Taper in 120S in a set of P790s and currently using the KBS $Taper 130x in the Srixon Z785s. The KBS $ Taper 130X shafts so far are the BEST shafts I have ever hit. They are stable but not boardy. They hit the ball on the line I want with tight dispersion but off center strikes don’t feel overly punishing to the joints. I’m 50 now and that matters to me at this point. I’m a scratch golfer and played in the USGA 4ball and still comfortably hit 8iron 160-165 yards. I’ve wanted to play X again in my irons for the last 4 years but mis hits just hurt. Finally I have X flex again that feels smooth, loads nicely, launches mid height, and holds the green. Disclaimer: while not necessarily apples to oranges I Have not played the $Taper 130 X shafts in anything other than the new Srixon Z785s and I have not played the new Srixon Z785s with any other shaft.

[uscgolfguy]

I’m brand new to posting but have been reading here for years and love to see everyone’s feedback. I’ve played the KBS Tour in stiff and X, the Tour V in stiff and X, the FLT 130x, and this year the $Taper in 120S in a set of P790s and currently using the KBS $Taper 130x in the Srixon Z785s. The KBS $ Taper 130X shafts so far are the BEST shafts I have ever hit. They are stable but not boardy. They hit the ball on the line I want with tight dispersion but off center strikes don’t feel overly punishing to the joints. I’m 50 now and that matters to me at this point. I’m a scratch golfer and played in the USGA 4ball and still comfortably hit 8iron 160-165 yards. I’ve wanted to play X again in my irons for the last 4 years but mis hits just hurt. Finally I have X flex again that feels smooth, loads nicely, launches mid height, and holds the green. Disclaimer: while not necessarily apples to oranges I Have not played the $Taper 130 X shafts in anything other than the new Srixon Z785s and I have not played the new Srixon Z785s with any other shaft.

 

 

Have you hit/played any of the Modus 3 shafts? Curious how people would compare the $-Taper to the Modus 3’s (120/125/130)?

 

[ProjectX_Mizuno]

I was hoping for C Taper with Tour feel but they seem to be the Tour with maybe a few rpm less spin. The chart seems to support that.

 

I wonder if 130 in these would drop the spin down and retain the nice feel or if it's simpler just to go back to C Taper and be done with it.

[ProjectX_Mizuno]

That’s exactly what I was hoping for as well...... C-Taper spin with Tour feel. I balloon the heck out of the 130X Tours. The $ Tapers appear to be closer to the Tour in spin rate than the C-Taper.

 

Is everyone else seeing this in the real world?

[5UnderPar18]

The Tours were way too spinny for me as well and I just could not play them. The Tour V really fixed that problem. The $ Taper shafts seem to spin like the Tour Vs with a very penetrating flight but feel very smooth and not as boardy as the Tour Vs when not hit on the dime of the sweet spot. Hitting the fifty cent piece still feels great and the guys I play with say oh that sounded so pure even when I know I did not exactly pure it.

However...I had the $Taper shaft in 120S in the TaylorMade P790s and it felt a little wobbly at impact. Wobbly may not be the right way to describe it. It was almost like sturdy but too flexible. Like they had a soft reverberation.

I have hit the Modus 130X in my USGA 4ball partners irons and that shaft is tremendous. Extremely popular on tour for a reason. Very stout, big boy shaft but in my opinion does not feel as soft on mis-hits as the $Taper 130. Just my opinion. Another friend of mine who is also scratch and has won state tournaments had the Modus 120 stiff flex in a set of Srixons and they were too soft and spinny for him. His 8 iron distance is 155ish.

Hope that helps anyone and happy to answer any questions.

[ProjectX_Mizuno]

Thanks for the input! The $-Tapers sound a lot like PX LZ. Does anyone have a comparison between those two?

[pettyhrdway]

The $Tapers feel a lot more solid through out entire shaft. LZ to me felt unstable in the mid part of the shaft....or the "loading zone"

[ProjectX_Mizuno]

Thanks. I tried the PX LZ 6.5 shafts in some MP18 irons and it felt like when I stepped on them I would loose them left. Really inconsistent.

[pettyhrdway]

yeah pretty much. Og PX is still the bomb

[Evolved]

The $Tapers feel a lot more solid through out entire shaft. LZ to me felt unstable in the mid part of the shaft....or the "loading zone"

 

Agreed, LZ spins more for me too.

[5UnderPar18]

Thanks. I tried the PX LZ 6.5 shafts in some MP18 irons and it felt like when I stepped on them I would loose them left. Really inconsistent.

 

Exact same experience here. Had the PXLZ 6.5 in Titleist 718s. They weren’t good at all for me with an aggressive transition and I would lose shots left. I found them to be so inconsistent that I sold them.

[BigHook25]

Thanks. I tried the PX LZ 6.5 shafts in some MP18 irons and it felt like when I stepped on them I would loose them left. Really inconsistent.

 

Exact same experience here. Had the PXLZ 6.5 in Titleist 718s. They weren’t good at all for me with an aggressive transition and I would lose shots left. I found them to be so inconsistent that I sold them.

 

I've had the same result as I have a more aggressive transition. If you have a smooth swing the LZ would probably be fine. I find with a more aggressive transition you end up being more shaft sensitive.

[ProjectX_Mizuno]

Has anyone seen issues with the S-Taper when going after it hard?

[tdk8180]

Thanks for the input! The $-Tapers sound a lot like PX LZ. Does anyone have a comparison between those two?

 

Ya, I played the 5.5 LZs (115 gram aftermarket version not the watered down OEM version) and currently playing the 115g, R+ Black S Tapers...the S Tapers win.

 

The LZs are way too harsh feeling for what is advertised. I came from PXis for 4 years...so I thought the LZ was going to be great. Spinny, doesnt fly very long, poor feeling shaft.

 

The S Taper...subtle steps, basically as close as you can get to stepless feel with the launch performance of a stepped shaft. S Tapers have a low spin, high launch, great feel element to them that cant be beat. Its the best shaft theyve ever produced, bar none. I could play 120s, but Id rather have the feel on less than 100 percent swings, and the 115 g, R+ flex does the job. I play these in APEX raw MBs and they are fabulous.

 

Would play 120s in an Apex Pro style head.

 

I havent encountered anyone losing a ball left or right because of stepping on one. You need to get your flex right before making an assessment like that. These shafts have the least side spin of any shaft ive tried in the last 10 yrs. Very straight flight by default. It depends on the consistency of the player as well. I know a guy that hook a 130 gram, hardstepped CTaper...so its all relative.

[pettyhrdway]

Has anyone seen issues with the S-Taper when going after it hard?

holds it’s line just as good.

[ProjectX_Mizuno]

Thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated. I am thinking of giving the S-Taper 130 a go. Was planning on sticking with PX or C-Taper, but I think you guys convinced me to try the S-Taper.

[spooky]

Thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated. I am thinking of giving the S-Taper 130 a go. Was planning on sticking with PX or C-Taper, but I think you guys convinced me to try the S-Taper.

 

I'm tempted to try the 130 S Taper but the thing that's stopping me is that I am not sure it is really actually much different to a 130 Tour apart from the price tag.

[ProjectX_Mizuno]

Thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated. I am thinking of giving the S-Taper 130 a go. Was planning on sticking with PX or C-Taper, but I think you guys convinced me to try the S-Taper.

 

I'm tempted to try the 130 S Taper but the thing that's stopping me is that I am not sure it is really actually much different to a 130 Tour apart from the price tag.

 

That’s one of my biggest fears as well. The Tours DO NOT work with my swing.

[pettyhrdway]

What’s your complaint with KBS Tour? For me it felt a little loose. Staper is a nice blend of tour v and tour. Soft yet stable. If that makes sense

[ProjectX_Mizuno]

They balloon badly for my swing.

[FirePro]

Thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated. I am thinking of giving the S-Taper 130 a go. Was planning on sticking with PX or C-Taper, but I think you guys convinced me to try the S-Taper.

 

I'm tempted to try the 130 S Taper but the thing that's stopping me is that I am not sure it is really actually much different to a 130 Tour apart from the price tag.

 

That's one of my biggest fears as well. The Tours DO NOT work with my swing.

I used to use the tours 130 X and found they ballooned on me so I went to the C-Tapers S+, they were great but when I heard that the $-Tapers were much like the tours with lower spin I had to try them. I do hit these high but with no ballooning which has helped my game, mid irons land soft and short irons stop pretty quick. I just purchased these for my wedges as well but only have a few rounds with them so I would have to put more into them to give feedback

[Jagpilotohio]

Tour V is just as good a shaft and it’s cheaper.

 

Mid launch, low spin, nice feel.

 

If you want a heavier version try the tour spec that Uncle Phil uses.

[5UnderPar18]

Thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated. I am thinking of giving the S-Taper 130 a go. Was planning on sticking with PX or C-Taper, but I think you guys convinced me to try the S-Taper.

 

Cameron Smith is using the $Taper 125 shafts. I haven’t hit those and I’m sure he tested everything as he is obviously very good on tour and has access to whatever he wants. The $Taper 130 work great for me. Would the $Taper 125s work better for me? Maybe. I just didn’t have access to them to try them. Just saying...

[Waterboy]

I’ve been using the 120s $taper for a little over a year now. I ended up soft strepping them once because I like a little softer iron but not a whole flex softer. I like them a lot. Good launch and good feel.

[spooky]

Has anyone compared them in different weights?

[Hambone55]

I have tried the 130 and 125 they both felt really smooth but was struggling w the 130s i have tour issue callaway heavy heads and that setup was a little too heavy for me, the 125s have really good kick point for me im a lower ball hitter and these launch in that mid flight range, also have 120s in my wedges and bave never hit wedges better w distnace control or dispersion, and i came from modus 130x, they have same smoothness w better dispersion for me

[Pepperturbo]

I currently have KBS Tour "S," "S+," "$ Taper" and Tour V "S" and C-Taper "S" and C-Taper Lite "S" sets in my shaft barrel and tested each.

 

My faster than average swing temp stops at 45* angle, and then a quick transition takes over to just before impact when my hands accelerate to finish. Those together with any soft butt and mid-bend like KBS have the face lagging open a bit at impact.

 

After an expensive learning process, I am back with PX & PX Flighted and feel a sigh of relief. I hate changing iron shafts. :beach: