HZRDUS Shafts - Counterfeit?

[jwolf02]

Hi all, I think I may have bought one of those too good to be true deals. I bought a lot of three shafts (HZRDUS 6.0 & 6.5 + Speeder 665) off of ebay after placing a bid early in the auction that I never thought would win, but ended up getting all three for $128... I even thought they were used, but the listing mentions that they are new (with grips and ping G series tips).

 

Here's the item: https://www.ebay.com...872.m2749.l2649

 

the seller has good feedback and doesn't seem to have that many auctions over time, which makes me think they're not a big clearer of fake equipment, but...

 

After noticing some misaligned markings on one of the shafts, I started thinking that maybe I got had. But, the Project X logo looks legit and I've read that is a tell tale sign on fake Project X shafts, plus, it doesn't look like Speeder shafts are a really a counterfeit target. Can anyone provide any thoughts based on the pics below?

 

Thanks in advance!!

 

My biggest concern or sign that these might be fake is the mis aligned shaft info in the "table" above the HZRDUS logo on the 6.5 X-Stiff:

 

 

 

 

[dtc0207]

Says listing has been removed, looks to me that it’s a fake. Sorry

[Literacola]

Says listing has been removed, looks to me that it’s a fake. Sorry

Listing is no longer for sale, but you can still view it. The 6.5 looks off centered

[JGolf00]

I'm also worried about the misaligned table. I've seen them in the handcrafted ones, but not regulars. It also looks like the H in the 6.5 has more of a slope?

https://www.ebay.com...dus 6.5 76.TRS0

 

Interestingly, the seller sold a similar misaligned print shaft with the driver.

https://www.ebay.com...p2047675.l10137

 

There's a bunch of negative reviews over a year old too.

If there is a shop nearby, I would go there with the shafts and compare side by side.

[cannovmj]

I bought that same shaft off eBay about 6 months ago. Concerned, I asked my clubs pro, and he said a lot of times, these are the imperfect ones, so they don't get the handcrafted sticker, and get sold off at a fraction of the price. He said after hitting it a bunch, that he was fairly sure it was legit, but just an imperfect one line I mentioned

[shopboynj78]

Why don’t you try hitting it at pga ss and compare the numbers to their demo hzrdus shafts?

[jwolf02]

Hey guys, thanks for all the responses. I'm feeling a lot better about the shaft after taking up some of your suggestions.

 

First off, went to a local store and compared to other, non hand crafted shafts. The first store, all the print was aligned. At the second store, I found 2-3 Stiff or X Stiff shafts (ironically all on Ping G400's) with the same misalignment (picture of one below). The shafts were really identical in almost every other way, from texture, to logos, to coloring. Outside of the alignment differences on a couple of shafts, I couldn't tell a difference.

 

 

Then I went and hit the shaft - not on a machine, so totally by feel, but it felt great, so I took the grip off knowing if it's real, I'm going to want a mid size on it anyways. Underneath the grip tape was a sticker that presumably is the serial number/shaft info. It looks legit, definitely more detail than what I assume a fake would have. I took it back to the same store and while they didn't have a naked HZRDUS handy, one of the guys that works on clubs there said the sticker looks real familiar based on other HZRDUS's he'd worked on, plus it makes sense that it's at the very top of the shaft due to the fact that Ping's play shorter than 46". Also said he doubted a fake shaft would have such a clean tape job.

 

Put a picture of the sticker below. Haven't taken off the grip tape yet as I was scared to rip off the sticker underneath, but I'm feeling pretty satisfied this is legit, unless you guys see anything that would confirm otherwise.

 

 

[sixtysevensixtyseven]

I've noticed the misalignment before on the cheap non-Hand Crafted shafts. The tape job also looks like Ping and I highly doubt a counterfeiter would go to the lengths to use the same tape as Ping so I would say you've got a legit OEM HZRDUS non-Hand Crafted.

[sixtysevensixtyseven]

I bought that same shaft off eBay about 6 months ago. Concerned, I asked my clubs pro, and he said a lot of times, these are the imperfect ones, so they don't get the handcrafted sticker, and get sold off at a fraction of the price. He said after hitting it a bunch, that he was fairly sure it was legit, but just an imperfect one line I mentioned

 

That not really accurate. The Hand Crafted and non-Hand Crafted shafts are made on two separate continents so they don't just slap an HC sticker on the non-duds.

[mneumann]

Agree with above for what it's worth, different shaft, but I just bought a used ping tour 65 shaft and pulled the grip to cut it down and that tape job looks identical. I only notice cause I've never seen the tape wrapped like that before (never had a ping wood before)

[jwolf02]

Thanks agaIn everyone. sent a note last week to Tour Temper on Twitter and got the reply today that they have seen the misalignment to the left, specifically on 6.5’s.

 

Without this forum I just would have dwelled on it forever. Thanks!

[joshinaround]

I’m pretty certain it’s like a misprint or something along those lines. For instance, the 6.5 being off center a fraction of an inch, or the “HZRDUS” is at a slight angle, etc. 

I try to look for deals like that because you can get good shafts for super cheap.