KBS $-Taper Lite
Hi guys, I've been looking at Nippon Modus 105 shafts and been going around in circles. Currently I play KBS Tour V stiff shafts. I used to Play KBS Tour S, loved the feel of it but apparently I spun the ball too much. I'm enjoying the KBS Tour V shafts but want something with similar feel and launch slightly higher for my 716 AP1s. Hi,Just wondering if anyone has hit the Nippon modus 3 105 regular side by side with the kbs c taper lite regular in the jpx 900 hot metal irons and how they compare to each other.The specs have them pretty close in weight and torque.I normally carry my 7 iron about 150-155 yards.Any help would be much appreciated. KBS Golf Shafts is committed to these practices and testing, and are proud to introduce the KBS TOUR 105. Every Golfer knows that lighter weight products generate faster club head speed. The KBS TOUR 105 fills the much needed gap between the Tour and Tour 90 models, a slightly lighter weight shaft, all while providing precision distance.
The C Taper Lite is the more lifeless of the two, simply down to the more even loss of stiffness over the shaft length. The modus is a fraction softer in the butt and a reasonable bit softer mid through tip, this along with Nippon’s signature metallurgy, gives the Modus a much smoother responsive feel IMO. PRO MODUS³ Tour 105 was first brought out to tour as the N.S. PRO MODUS³ PROTO ST in 2010 and was put in play immediately. The PROTO ST was in the winning bags of eight professionals since it’s launch and became the second most popular MODUS³ irons shafts on tour, just behind the N.S. PRO MODUS³ Tour 120.
Nippon Modus 105 Vs Kbs C Taper Lite Review
The whole point of the KBS $-Taper Lite shaft was to take the workability of the original $-Taper design and make it lightweight with a higher ball flight. In theory, this makes the $-Taper design playable for moderate swing speeds that are looking for similar performance in a better fitting shaft.
How Does it Feel?
Considering the KBS $-Taper Lite is supposed to essentially be a lightweight version of the standard model, KBS was pretty dead on. The $-Taper Lite feels a lot like its big, heavier brother. The difference is the lighter weight in definitely noticeable. For instance, the stiff flex $-Taper Lite is a whole 20 grams lighter than the standard model in stiff flex. Both shafts have a lot of stability along with a higher CG which, in my mind, results in the best overall feeling shafts of the KBS lineup. Obviously that’s a very subjective claim, but that’s for you to determine. NOTE: the $-Taper Lite does not claim to have the same bend profile as the KBS Tour like the standard model does. Just keep that in mind if that’s something you think you’re looking for.
The lighter weight of the $-Taper Lite also makes the shaft feel a little more crisp and responsive. I found the feedback in my hands to be more pronounced, and even a little harsh on mishits, with the $-Taper Lite. To be fair, a player with a “more appropriate swing speed” (I swear, I’m not humble bragging) may have a slightly different experience and find the feedback to be a touch softer and smoother. (Let us know in the comments if you can!)
On-Course Performance
Let me remind you one more time that everyone’s swing will respond to equipment differently. On paper, I should have hit the KBS $-Taper Lite higher and with more spin than the standard $-Taper. The reality was that I hit them pretty damn similar in terms of trajectory and distance. Spin was actually a little lower with the $-Taper Lite but the difference was almost indiscernible. True to its claims, the $-Taper Lite is a very workable iron shaft and its firmer profile makes it easy to control.
Nippon Modus 3 105 Vs Kbs C Taper Lite 110
So if I’m reading this review so far, I’d ask “well based on what you’re saying, why would I get the $-Taper Lite instead of the standard $-Taper? It sounds like they perform awfully similar, so what’s the difference?” Fair questions. The way I see it is that a player that may like the the $-Taper’s stock shot but struggles to be consistent because it’s way too much shaft. This player will really like the $-Taper Lite and likely fit into it better. The $-Taper Lite should make it easier to get the ball airborne and maintain your swing speed (or even increase it a little bit).
Final Thoughts
Following a pretty thorough test period, I firmly believe that KBS delivered exactly what they set out to do with the $-Taper Lite. The $-Taper Lite is a spitting image of the standard $-Taper, but a good amount lighter in weight. So often shafts in this lightweight category feel like mush and a good ball striker wants something firmer for better shot making. I think that’s exactly what the $-Taper Lite brings to the table. A combination of being lightweight but still firm in its profile for better dispersion. For me, the choice between the two $-Taper version came down to overall feel as that was the only major difference between the two shafts with my testing. Both are great and a good fitting will help you figure out which one is perfect for you.
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Nippon Modus 105 Vs Kbs C Taper Lite
In the past year we have seen several introductions of steel shafts in the 105 to 115 gram range. I think the reason for this is that the foray into the super light weight 85 to 90 gram steel shafts has not been all that successful, but let’s save that for another discussion. We reviewed the True Temper 105 and 115 shafts against the KBS Tour 105. While we did not do a comparison to the KBS C-Taper Lite and Nippon 950 GH, I will share my thoughts on where those two shafts fit with the XP 105, XP 115 and Tour 105.
First, all tests were done with a Mizuno MP-15 6 iron and a Callaway Chrome Soft ball. The shaft lengths and flexes were within the tolerances of our testers.
Launch Angle: Launch angles for the KBS Tour 105 R, S, and X were .5-.7* lower than the XP 115 R and S. Both the XP and KBS 105 are mid-launch shafts.
Spin Rate: Both the KBS Tour 105 and XP 105 and 115 exhibited mid-spin and were within 50 rpm of each other at roughly 5200 rpm.
Feel: While this is a subjective measure, our testers ranked the XP 105 and 115 better in feel both during the swing and at impact than the KBS Tour 105.
Design: KBS shafts get their stiffness in general as the shaft gets heavier. This could be either from increasing wall thickness or butt diameter, or both. The design of the XP shaft allows the shafts to get progressively stiffer without adding a significant amount of weight. The KBS Tour 105 R, S and X weigh 105, 110, and 115 while the XP 105 R and S weigh 106 and 107 and the XP 115 R, S, X weigh 113, 115 and 117 respectively. So, with the XP you get the weight you want rather than getting heavier as the shafts get stiffer in flex.
Overall, our testers were pleased with the results of both XP and KBS shafts but the final vote was in the corner of the XP 105 and 115.
Nippon Modus 105 Vs Kbs C Taper Lite
Other considerations would be ball flight and spin, in which case you would want to consider the C-Taper Lite for lower ball flight and spin or the Nippon 950 for higher launch and spin in the same weight class. That is why you should go to an experienced clubfitter with a wide variety of shaft options before you make your final decision!
Dan Sueltz