Project X IO Shaft Review - Specs, Flex, Weight - The Ultimate Golfing Resource

Project X IO Shaft Review – Specs, Flex, Weight

If you are in the market for steel iron shafts then you have probably come across Project X shafts.

Project X is made by True Temper and has a reputation for optimal performance…for the right kind of player.

Not everyone likes the Project X shafts. For some, they feel too boardy and aren’t lively enough. This is where the Project X IO shafts come in.

Yes, these are steel iron shafts but Project X seems to have made them with a different kind of player in mind. We tested the Project X IO shafts to see exactly what kind of player would benefit from them.

Project X IO Shaft Overview

The Project X IO shafts have progressive weighting.

This means that as you move up in flex, the shafts get heavier. The trajectory is also progressive.

The Project X IO in extra stiff flex produces a noticeably lower launch than the Project X IO in regular flex. So right off the bat, these shafts should be gameable for a wide swath of players.

And during testing, we got the sense that the Project X IO were indeed designed for mass appeal.

We like that these shafts have a brushed steel finish instead of a flashy chrome finish. This eliminates the possibility of glare on sunny days.

We alluded to the feel of these shafts in the intro. The feel can best be described as smooth.

You don’t get that boardy feeling at all – just a smooth transition. You can feel the energy from your swing move effortlessly down the shaft. It’s a very satisfying feeling.

Most of the action is confined to the area just above the tip. The feedback is a little muddled in the long irons but gets clearer in the short irons where the action is less prominent.

Why is the Project X IO So Popular?

It’s simply a matter of being playable by more types of players.

These aren’t crazy-heavy iron shafts and there is enough activity to assist with smash factor.

These are performance aspects that high, mid and even low handicap players can take advantage of.

The Project X IO shafts will never be the most popular shafts on pro tours; but they offer a lot to most everyday golfers.

How Does the Project X IO Perform?

The only thing we really didn’t like regarding the performance of these shafts was the dispersion.

It wasn’t as tight as we were expecting from a Project X shaft. That’s not to say that we were swinging into the trees on every swing; we just mean that there was moderate divergence.

And anyone who games Project X shafts knows that they produce very tight dispersion.

Other than that, the Project X IO shafts were very fun to test. They wanted to produce a mid launch; but we were able to flight the ball up or down too.

The spin rates are on the high side which enhances their stopping power even if it detracts a bit from distance. That’s another thing we should mention.

The Project X IO aren’t the longest iron shafts we’ve tested. Still, there is enough power and distance to appease most weekend golfers.

The shot shaping capability was a nice bonus. We were able to keep our launch within a controllable window and shrink it down when needed.

Most of our testers also saw increases in club head speed and smash factor. We got the sense that the Project X IO does a very good job of transferring swing energy efficiently.

Project X IO Shaft Specs

Specs	Project X IO
Available flexes	Regular, stiff, extra stiff
Weight	105g, 110g, 115g
Butt	.600”
Tip	.355”
Length	36.5” – 40.5”

What Flexes Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?

The Project X IO is available in regular, stiff and extra stiff flex.

Regular would be good for 80-85 MPH swing speeds, stiff for 85-90 MPH swing speeds and extra stiff for 90-95 MPH swing speeds.

What Weights Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?

The 105g version will be good for 80-90 MPH swingers.

The 110 and 115 gram versions will likely suit 90+ MPH swingers.

Why is it So Good?

The Project X IO is a good shaft for players with deliberate tempos.

It has the potential to increase your distance while remaining adequately accurate.

Project X IO First Impressions

To be honest, we were just happy that these weren’t polished steel shafts.

It perplexes us as to why so many companies make highly reflective steel shafts that can distract you at address.

So we really like the looks of this shaft for practical and aesthetic reasons.

Key Features & Performance

Project X is pretty hush-hush about the tech that went into these shafts.

But we can tell you that they are workable and play well with moderate tempos.

Project X IO Irons Review

The Project X IO will give you the ability to stick more greens with your long irons.

They offer plenty of stopping power and control throughout the set.

Project X IO Wedges Review

It’s very easy to achieve high launch with the wedges.

The Project X IO shafts will work really well for anyone who struggles to get air under the ball with their wedges.

Project X IO Pros & Cons

Pros:

Great for moderate tempos
Workable launch
Good stopping power
Smooth transition
Brushed steel finish

Cons:

Dispersion isn’t as tight as other Project X shafts

Dynamic Gold DST 98 Shaft

Overall Score: 96/100

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Who Should Buy it?

The Project X IO shaft would be perfect for moderate swing speed players.

There is enough accuracy and distance help for mid handicappers as well. Mid handicappers will also appreciate the fact that it’s easy to flight the ball up or down with this shaft.

Still, it’s very hard to balloon the ball so there is still a lot of control. The Project X IO is not for 95+ MPH swingers with aggressive tempos. Or at least, it’s not ideal for such players.