Cobra Darkspeed Vs Cobra DS Adapt X Drivers Comparison Overview
The newest driver from Cobra is out for the 2025 season and in today’s review we are going to put it head to head with the super impressive Cobra Darkspeed from last year’s line up.
The Ds Adapt Driver is all about refining, upgrading and improving on the previous model, let’s check what’s going in the new driver.
What’s The Same?
Looks
The drivers look similar with the Carbon wrap and the blue detailing on the club. That being said, the DS Adapt X has a more glossy look and it looks more refined and premium. You wouldn’t be surprised to find the dark speed in a premium package set.
PwrBridge
The Pwrbridge that Cobra are well known for remains inside both of these club heads, this helps to lower the CG and tighten up the dispersion for strikes caught low on the head.
Moveable Weights
Both the Darkspeed and the DS Adapt have two interchangeable weights at the front and back of the sole.
The 10g and 3g weights can switch positions, heavy at the front for more ball speed and lower launch, heavy at the back for a higher launch and more spin.
Whats New
The Forged H.O.T Face
Cobra have upgrade the PwrShell face in the new driver.
Not only are the visual alignments more prominent and easy to see, the face has a bunch more speet spots which should lead to a tighter dispersion in terms of distance and accuracy.
The sound and feel is very good in both drivers.
Future Fit Hosel
While we had some adaptability in the Cobra Darkspeed, that has been taken to another level with the DS Adapt X.
There is now 33 settings for loft and lie at your finger tips. Best to get a fitting or check out the QR code on the driver to see the perfect settings for your game.
Probably best to get a fitting if you are unsure.
Improved Aerodynamics
The aerodynamics of the driver have been yet again refined to produce some extra club head speed on the downswing.
We did see an extra .5 to 1mph in clubhead speed with the new model.
Cobra Darkspeed X Vs Cobra Ds Adapt X Performance
Both drivers are big and forgiving but not the most forgiving in their respective ranges.
These are for moderate to faster swing speeds and the have mid launch and mid spin with max distance and a lot of forgiveness.
Ricky Fowler is playing the DS Adapt X in 2025.
We got more clubspeed, more distance, lower spin and a slightly tighter dispersion with the DS Adapt X.
We were still missing right and left a little bit compared to some other drivers and off center shots were losing a little more distance than something like the Ping or the Titleist Gt3.
The DS Adapt X is a worthy replacement, but make sure you get it dialed in correctly.
Cobra DS Adapt X Driver
In 20 Words or Less
“A FutureFit33 Hosel with 33 Settings adds to an impressive, forgiving, long and moderate launching/spinning driver for moderate to slightly fast swing speeds.”
Cobra DS Adapt X – First Impressions
“The Cobra DS Adapt is worthy replacement for the impressive Dark Speed drivers from Cobra.”
It has a long and forgiving head alongside 33 loft and lie options which will be a club fitters dream but may get other eager golfers into trouble on the course by using the wrong settings.
The Carbon wraps around the head and the sole and Cobra say that they have again improved the aerodynamics of the driver for extra club head speed and they have also reduced the weight the optimize the CG placement.
There are two moveable weights, 10g and 3g which are interchangeable and sit at the front and back of the head.
The Forged hot face is also improved, offering increased forgiveness on off center shots. It also gives a premium sound and feel and offers a ton of ball speed off the face.
The X version is one of 4 heads on offer and even Rickie Fowler has this customized to his optimal settings on tour in 2025.
The X is for moderate to slightly faster swing speeds who want a moderate/high launch, plenty of distance and a bunch of forgiveness.
It’s not as long and low spinning as the LS version but it is longer and lower spinning than Max K and the Max D versions.
This is a quality driver that can easily hold its own and compete with the better drivers of 2025.
Cobra Darkspeed Driver – First Impressions
“The Cobra Darkspeed really impressed me with how low the spin figures were.”
This garnered me good carry distance and excellent rollout. The Cobra Darkspeed felt really fast right away and I was surprised at how light it felt given the relatively large footprint.
It seems that Cobra really did gain something by working with aerospace engineers because by some modern magic, they have made a large, forgiving driver that is light and doesn’t impart insane spin on the ball.
A lot of the low spin has to do with the PWR bridge weight which is positioned low and more forward in the head than any previous Cobra driver.
The forward positioning helps to mute the spin – otherwise this driver would probably produce 2600+ RPMs.
My feeling after testing was that this would be a really good driver for high handicappers who need to produce more favorable lies and get every hole started off right.
The dispersion was very tight and if you need the extra forgiveness, you can just slap the heavy weight in the rear position. So the Cobra Darkspeed Max is versatile as well.
Cobra DS Adapt X Driver Selling Points
- Ultimate Customization with FUTUREFIT33
- Maximum Distance with Forged H.O.T. Face
- Forgiveness Without Sacrificing Control
- Adaptive Weighting for Dialed-In Performance
- Confidence-Boosting Look & Feel
Cobra Darkspeed X Driver Selling Points
- AI-designed HOT face
- Low and forward POWER bridge weight
- Adjustable rear and heel weights
- Designed with aerospace engineers
- Larger PWRSHELL face
- Free Arccos smart sensors
Who is the Cobra DS Adapt X Driver for?
The Cobra DS Adapt X is for golfers with moderate to slightly faster swing speeds who want a ton of distance with forgiveness and moderate to lower spin and launch.
The driver has 33 custom options for Loft and lie and two interchangeable weights for the front and back of the head.
The shelf appeal really adds to the pull of the driver, it definitely competes in terms of performance and shelf appeal.
During our testing, it was right up there with the best drivers of 2025.
Even Rickie Fowler has been using the X on tour in 2025.
Distance: 96/100
Accuracy: 95/100
Forgiveness: 93/100
Feel & Control: 94/100
Overall Score: 95/100
Who is the Cobra Darkspeed Driver for?
“The Cobra Darkspeed Max driver would be a good choice for players in the 18-25 handicap range.”
With a face and sweet spot this large, it’s hard to miss which makes it a good choice for 20+ handicappers.
But the low spin rates will let more experienced players take advantage of their faster swing speeds and maximize their distance.
Plus, the adjustable weights make the Cobra Darkspeed Max so versatile that most players will be able to shape their shots for added distance and accuracy.
And of course, if you’re struggling to drive the ball straight, the Cobra Darkspeed Max would be an excellent choice.
Distance: 96/100
Accuracy: 98/100
Forgiveness: 97/100
Feel & Control: 97/100
Overall Score: 97/100
