Aldila VS Proto "by You" 85s

GoIrish17 · October 3, 2013

I'm hoping that someone can give me some feedback on this shaft. I am considering buying it, and can't find any information on this particular model. I am assuming it is an older version, but I haven't been able to get any information on any with "Fairway" in the graphics. Is it a made for model, or an older version? Does anyone have a link to specs/ profile of the shaft? I am assuming that the profile is similar to current models, pretty much medium across the board. But, it is highly likely that I am wrong. Thanks in advance for any feedback anyone can give me and forgive my ignorance if I'm wasting time on a well known subject.

p.s., I borrowed the picture from the eBay ad. Please feel free to remove it if I am out of line using it , mods.

MB Dirtyy · October 3, 2013

I love this shaft. I have it in my 906f4's and I have no plans to update them any time soon. I get a perfect mid trajectory with them.

savoyspecial13 · October 3, 2013

http://www.aldila.com/products/vs-proto/

GoIrish17 · October 3, 2013

[quote name='MB Dirtyy' timestamp='1380843775' post='7949657']
I love this shaft. I have it in my 906f4's and I have no plans to update them any time soon. I get a perfect mid trajectory with them.
[/quote]

Thanks, I'm probably going to pull the trigger to put in a 3 Deep. It's pretty cheap, so I won't be out much if it doesn't work for me. Thanks for the feedback!

GoIrish17 · October 3, 2013

[quote name='savoyspecial13' timestamp='1380845170' post='7949761']
[url="http://www.aldila.com/products/vs-proto/"]http://www.aldila.co...ducts/vs-proto/[/url]
[/quote]

Appreciate the effort, but the first place I visited was Aldila's site. Didn't see this particular shaft there. Did I miss something?

BCC · October 3, 2013

Might be a made for, Aldila's line is 60,70,80 gram.

Ghost_Orchid · October 3, 2013

[quote name='BCC' timestamp='1380849354' post='7950133']
Might be a made for, Aldila's line is 60,70,80 gram.
[/quote]

Correct, the Aldila 'made for' shafts have 5s in them. Real deal are 60,70,80 grams.

GoIrish17 · October 3, 2013

[quote name='BCC' timestamp='1380849354' post='7950133']
Might be a made for, Aldila's line is 60,70,80 gram.
[/quote]

Exactly what my fears were. So, while wasting time on the internet tonight, I saw a Graphite Design Tour AD YSQ at a great deal to try out in my new 3 Deep first. If I don't like it, I shouldn't have much trouble getting back what I have in it.

Ri_Redneck · October 4, 2013

Aldila makes some x5 gm shafts for irons and hybrids. I believe they had some fairways for a year or so, but they're hard to find these days. VS Proto is a good shaft. Low torque and plays a little soft to flex.

BT

Stuart_G · October 4, 2013

I also seem to remember them offering a fairway version a while back but not 100%.

Just e-mail Aldila CS. They can tell you if it's 'made-for' and if so, how the specs are different from the aftermarket versions.

rmg · October 4, 2013

I have the 85 S shaft in a Ping Rapture 5 wood I have had this club since new. It appears identical to the one in your picture with one exception. Immediately beneath the" 85 - S" and just on the darker blue oval part of the graphic that is not visible on your picture mine shows "350". I can confirm that mine is indeed a .350 tip. Just after buying this club I so liked the shaft that I had my then G5 driver re-shafted at the Ping factory here in the UK with a VS Proto 65S this was also a 350 tip. I remember clearly, checking the Aldila web site at that time and seeing that there was no mention of the shaft being available in 65,75,85. The only one's shown were 60,70,80 gram weight and only in .335 tip size. This was the time when I became aware of "made for" shafts. I would be wary of the tip size of that shaft in your picture, will it fit your club? That said if it does fit all well and good. I still love this shaft.

My son is a golf pro here in the UK and can obviously buy at trade prices and the reason he returned the G5 to Ping to be re -shafted with the 65S for me as opposed to doing it himself was price. The trade cost of the VS Proto 60 .335 shaft at that time was about double the cost of Ping supplying [u]and[/u] fitting the 65S .350 tip shaft.

achappy · October 4, 2013

I could be wrong, but I seem to recall a post from an Aldila rep a while back that said the "5" versions were authentic and identical to the "0" aftermarket versions, but they were made for OEMs. It was a way for them to identify the shaft for replacement purposes.

For example, the J33 was upgraded from the NV to the VS Proto and they were the "5" versions. But they were identical to the "0" versions.

fore left · October 4, 2013

A great shaft, if you like Ys6 or blueboard shafts you'll love the VsProto.

Dragonfly · October 4, 2013

The shaft in your pic is the OEM version that came in the Nickent 3DX Tour Prototype fairway. .335 tip, It may have come in other manufacturer's offerings, but this is the only one I know of for sure. Acts just like every other VS proto made, whether it was a made for or not. Don't have any specs for it.

Phobos · October 4, 2013

I have the regular flex version of that shaft in my 17* Ping Rapture 5 wood. Great shaft that fit my needs with the Rapture perfect. On the heavy side and low launch for me which is perfect as I use the deep strong Rapture exclusively off the tee as a fairway finder. Lower launch than my 14* Acer XF Thriver so I use it a lot into the wind as well and try to hit stingers with it.

Pepperturbo · October 4, 2013

Since its not listed on Aldila as a "wood" shaft, and shows 85 gram weight, caution... Its either an iron shaft or a made for OEM shaft, maybe even a fake. That doesn't mean its bad. What it means is what you see and what you get might not be as good as comparable product from Aldila.

GoIrish17 · October 4, 2013

Thanks for all the replies, guys. According to the eBay listing, it is a .335 tip. As far as what everyone has said, it seems fairly certain it was a stock shaft from an OEM, but it also seems from the replies that there is a good chance this possesses all the characteristics of the aftermarket offering. I will take StuartG's advice and email Aldila with questions on specifics and specs. Thanks again guys!

sanjaygolf · October 4, 2013

The 85s is a made for but from my understanding it just has a longer tip section. I had one in a 906f2 which is a bore thru. My understanding is titleist uses the longer tip section to counteract the added stiffness that a bore thru adds. I bet if you tipped it an inch it'd play like the real one.

GoIrish17 · October 4, 2013

The 85s is a made for but from my understanding it just has a longer tip section. I had one in a 906f2 which is a bore thru. My understanding is titleist uses the longer tip section to counteract the added stiffness that a bore thru adds. I bet if you tipped it an inch it'd play like the real one.

That makes sense, I just realized... this is a picture of the tip. Kinda looks like it was a bore through maybe.