Aldila RIP Shaft Review – Specs, Flex, Weight
The Aldila RIP has been around for over a decade now but we still see players use them fairly often.
Some of our testers had some experience with this shaft but most of us didn’t. So we were really intrigued to see if this shaft still has anything to offer players in 2023.
Now we know that the Aldila RIP is generally made for stronger swingers who can really load up on the shaft.
When it came out, that was pretty much the selling point: that it would take your strongest swings with a smile. But what does the Aldila RIP shaft have to offer today’s players? Let’s talk about it.
Aldila RIP Shaft Overview
Right off the bat, the Aldila RIP shaft has a slim profile.
It really doesn’t look like it is as strong as people say it is; but it is. The Aldila RIP comes in three weight classes: 60g, 70g and 80g.
It’s advertised as a low torque shaft and that aspect really comes through. It doesn’t feel boardy; but it does let up some on release.
In fact, some of our testers actually mentioned that the Aldila RIP sometimes felt “loose” on some swings which was really surprising to hear.
However, we found that if you release hard with this shaft, that “loose” feeling all but disappears. What we really liked about the Aldila RIP was that you can feel the clubhead throughout your swing.
The feel is probably what surprised us the most. We were expecting a stout profile but instead, what we got was a really responsive feel.
You can feel exactly where you made contact with the ball on every swing. Mis-hits weren’t uncommon in our testing session and they were punished quite a bit.
However, keep in mind that this shaft was designed for players who make consistent contact.
Why is the Aldila RIP So Popular?
This is the kind of shaft that you either love or hate.
For fans of the Aldila RIP, we can see the draw. It really can take anything you can dish out.
We can see how it has remained a popular choice among powerful swingers because you never lose the club head even on insanely fast swings.
How Does the Aldila RIP Perform?
The Aldila RIP is advertised as a low spin and low launch driver shaft – and we can confirm.
Some of our testers were shaving 1200 RPMs off of their drives. Overall, the Aldila RIP produced spin rates in the 1800 RPM range.
While we were expecting the Aldila RIP to feel board-y, that wasn’t the case. It has a fluid and active feel which is sure to divide golfers. Some players actually prefer the board-y feel while others find it too harsh.
In any case, the Aldila RIP produces a low, piercing trajectory. We were also getting really nice baby draws on a consistent basis.
The launch was very pretty overall and the spin rates are right where you want them if you’re a fast swinger.
Keep in mind though that there is a bit of a whip near the tip area. This is what our testers who called the Aldila RIP “loose” cited.
You can probably avoid that if you spec up to the Aldila RIP 80; but only the fastest swingers will be able to tame that beast.
The Aldila RIP is a distance enhancer for fast swingers. Another thing we really liked about it was that it was very to square the face with this shaft – so extra points for accuracy.
Aldila RIP Shaft Specs
Specs | Aldila RIP |
Available flexes | Regular, stiff, extra stiff |
Weight | 62g – 88g |
Butt | 0.595, 0.600, 0.605, 0.608 |
Tip | 0.335” |
Length | 46” |
What Flexes Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?
The regular flex would be a good option for 75 – 80 MPH swingers.
The stiff flex is good for 80 – 90 MPH swingers and the extra stiff would work well for players swinging their driver above 95 MPH.
What Weights Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?
There are three weight classes for the Aldila RIP shaft: 60g, 70g and 80g.
If you’re a senior player or slow swinger, the 60g class would be a good choice. 80 – 90 MPH swingers will like the 70g class and the 80g class is good for powerful swingers (95+ MPH).
Why is it So Good?
People who like this shaft usually talk about the low spin rates and the straight flight.
What we liked about the Aldila RIP was that it felt more fluid than we were expecting. It still performs like a stout shaft; but the feel isn’t harsh at all.