This is Golfer Geeks’ Cobra DS Adapt irons review.

I’m an avid golfer, 8ish handicap on my way to a 2 (been a 5.6) and frequent tester of golf clubs and equipment since 2015.

Summary: The DS-Adapt irons played similarly to the Darkspeed irons I tested last year. Great feel and sound (especially for game improvement irons) Loads of distance and forgiveness. Plus, the DS-Adapt irons launch higher than the Darkspeeds. Favorable pricing too.

In this review of the Cobra DS-Adapt irons, I discuss my experience with the clubs, their unique features and benefits, customer reviews, and potential alternatives. 

Highly Recommended
Cobra DS ADAPT Irons
4.8
Pros:
  • Superb Feel & Sound
  • Great through the turf
  • Healthy Distance & Forgiveness
Cons:
  • Nada - they hit their mark
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About Jamie

I’m an avid golfer, with an 8ish handicap on my way to a 2 (I’ve been a 5.6), and frequent tester of golf clubs and equipment since 2015.

  • Handicap: 7.8
  • Expertise: reviewing clubs since 2015
  • Right/Left-Handed: Right-handed
  • Typical ball flight: Mid-High Tight Draw
  • Golf ball used: ProV1x, ProV1

Cobra DS-Adapt Specs (Set Tested)

  • Set: 5 iron – Gap wedge
  • Iron Shaft: KBS Tour Lite
  • Shaft flex: Stiff flex
Club
Loft
Lie
Length
5
21*
62.5*
38.5″
6
24*
63*
37.75″
7
27*
63.5*
37.25″
8
31.5*
64*
36.75″
9
36.5*
64.5*
36.25″
GW
48*
65*
35.75″
PW
42*
65*
36.00″
Cobra Adapt irons in tha bag on the course

How I Tested

I tested the DS (Darkspeed) Adapt irons on the range, on the course, and on my hitting mat on my back patio with premium golf balls. The launch monitor numbers below are from those back patio sessions.

7-iron Launch Monitor Data

Club Speed
Ball Speed
Carry Distance
Vertical Launch
Peak Height
Spin
82
116
183
17*
76 ft
3533

Performance Review

Category
Grade
Looks
B+
Sound/Feel
A
Distance
A+
Forgiveness
A
Flight/Playability
A
Value
A

Looks: (B+) There’s a lot going on with the DS-Adapts, but it’s tastefully done. The clubheads are oversize as you would expect. But, not overly so.

Sound/ Feel: (A) Really solid and really soft feel. You’d think these were player irons.

Distance: (A) Serious distance comes from seriously strong lofts and an explosive face.

Forgiveness: (A) Good distance over a lot of the face. Great through the turf.

Flight / Playability: (A) Good launch and high trajectory. A noticeable improvement over the Darkspeeds. These are much more playable for their target audience – mid and high handicaps.

Value: (A) ~$142/club. A lot of club for the price. A solid value.

The Cobra Adapt DS Iron Set

My Experience with the DS-Adapt Iron Set

Launch Monitor Sessions3
Rounds of Golf – 1

I took the DS Adapts to the range for the first round of testing.

I noticed pretty quick how much loft they didn’t have. Those are some straight faces when you put them behind the ball.

I was kind of used to this since I played the Darkspeeds and I have tested a number of strong lofted game improvement irons over the last year.

I’d imagine this could be intimidating to higher handicaps.

But, this is the way the industry is going. (You might consider the DS-Adapt Max irons – they have about 2-degrees more loft per club)

I am currently in early season form, so I didn’t exactly stripe the ball.

But, I hid enough good and good-enough shots to get a feel for them and start to see how they perform.

Sound and feel were great, as I expected. Similar if not the same as the Darkspeeds I tested in 2024.

They go plenty high when struck well and they don’t balloon. It’s a strong penetrating ball flight.

They’ve got ample forgiveness too and retain decent distance with ok contact.

It’s when you start nailing the sweet spot that things get explosive. I picked up a whole lot of yardage when I caught them.

And, you don’t really have to go at it. They do much of the work.

Who are the Cobra DS-Adapt irons for?

Cobra Adapt DS Iron Set Sole View

Cobra says they’re for 15-25 handicaps. I agree

Low handicaps: (Nope) Check out these.
Mid handicaps: (Yep) I love them for you. Great for you now and playable for you as your game improves.
High handicaps: (Yep) 15-25 handicap covers a lot of territory. As usual, test before you buy. And, like for mid handicaps, these clubs can handle more shots as your game improves.

Potential Alternatives

Callaway Apex Ai300 Irons – Get the ball up quicker. Equally great feel and sound. About $60 more per club.

Titleist T350 irons — Get the ball up quicker. Feel and sound not quite as good. About $60 more per club

Taylormade Qi Irons – Good forgiveness. Launch well with good trajectory. Decent price.

Superior Performance
Best Value
Best Looking
Primary Rating:
4.8
Primary Rating:
4.6
Primary Rating:
5.0
~$200/club
~$142
~$200/ club
Pros:
  • Superb Sound & Feel
  • Plenty Distance & Forgiveness
  • Easy Launch & High Trajectory
Pros:
  • Solid forgiveness & distance across the face
  • Launch well w/ good trajectory
  • Good sound and feel
Pros:
  • Launch the ball High & Straight
  • Forgiving & Long
  • Beautiful Clubs
Cons:
  • A little pricey
Cons:
  • Looks...Ok, but not great
  • Not a big improvement over recent Taylormade models
Cons:
  • Pricey
Superior Performance
Primary Rating:
4.8
~$200/club
Pros:
  • Superb Sound & Feel
  • Plenty Distance & Forgiveness
  • Easy Launch & High Trajectory
Cons:
  • A little pricey
Best Value
Primary Rating:
4.6
~$142
Pros:
  • Solid forgiveness & distance across the face
  • Launch well w/ good trajectory
  • Good sound and feel
Cons:
  • Looks...Ok, but not great
  • Not a big improvement over recent Taylormade models
Best Looking
Primary Rating:
5.0
~$200/ club
Pros:
  • Launch the ball High & Straight
  • Forgiving & Long
  • Beautiful Clubs
Cons:
  • Pricey

FAQs

Customer Reviews

None yet.(1)

Final Verdict

Cobra Adapt DS Irons in my bag at the range

They’re a solid improvement over the Darkspeeds from last year. Specifically, they launch higher which makes them waaaay more playable for mid and high handicaps.

Should you upgrade if you own the Darkspeeds?
Only if you’re unable to hit the Darkspeeds high enough. Keep them, otherwise.

As usual…

My #1 suggestion is to get your hands on them before you buy. Either at your local golf store or take advantage of Global Golf’s Utry trial program. I use it and recommend it.  

Thanks for checking out our Cobra DS Adapt irons review and let us know how they work for you.

Highly Recommended
Cobra DS ADAPT Irons
4.8
Pros:
  • Superb Feel & Sound
  • Great through the turf
  • Healthy Distance & Forgiveness
Cons:
  • Nada - they hit their mark
Shop Global Golf Shop Worldwide Golf
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.