XXIO Prime Irons Review: All systems go, these irons are ready to launch
XXIO's Prime irons are designed to offer explosive distance and easy launch for players with slow swing speeds, so to see how they performed, we took them out on the course.
XXIO Prime Irons Key Features:
- Rebound Frame: a soft/rigid structure combines a flex zone in the lower body with a rigid zone in the rear of the body for enhanced energy transfer
- Super Tix Titanium face: an incredibly strong yet lightweight alloy for thinner faces that increases face flex and ball speed
- Progressive CG: A lower centre of gravity for long Irons creates more carry; a higher one for short Irons emphasises control
Offering increased distance and improved ball speeds are promises you will find in almost every marketing pamphlet ever published by a golf brand.
While many brands do manage to follow through on that promise, perhaps none have done so quite as effectively as XXIO has with the launch of their Prime irons. We were so impressed by them, they've gone straight in our best irons guide.
The premium irons utilise strong Titanium heads with lightweight graphite shafts to produce staggering improvements in ball speeds for players with slow to medium swing speeds.
The irons feature Super-Tix Titanium faces to increase face flex and, in turn, ball speeds.
Additional tech features include progressive CG placements throughout the set. A lower centre of gravity for long irons creates more carry, while a higher one for the short Irons emphasises control.
To see just how effective this tech was in improving our distance and ball speed, we took them down to the range and then out on the course to see how they performed.
Let's get into it.
XXIO Prime Irons: Looks and Feel
In terms of aesthetics, these clubs are about as confidence-inspiring as they come. The thick topline, long blade length and healthy amount of offset will really appeal to those getting started in the game or players who struggle to strike their irons consistently.
The clubhead has a chrome and satin finish, and the two combine nicely to give the irons a very premium look. The cavity is filled with a black badge that features gold, silver and red detailing, which, while not being our favourite-looking cavity on the market, certainly isn't offensive.
The small text on the toe, which says 'Experience the difference', does seem slightly unnecessary to us, and we would have preferred a clean finish personally.
These irons feel aggressively hot off the face. The ball absolutely rockets at impact, which is a sensation that, if we're honest, we couldn't get enough of.
Time after time, the crisp strike left us satisfied, and it truly needs to be felt to be believed.
Despite the flush feeling at impact, the irons do produce quite a clicky sound, which we weren't wild about, but it's only a small issue in what overall was a very positive experience.
XXIO Prime Irons: Performance and Forgiveness
We were honestly shocked by how long and forgiving these clubs were during testing. The power on offer is incredible, and even from our poorer strikes on the day, the irons still managed to produce a towering ball flight and exceptional distance.
To put into perspective just how hot these irons are, we typically hit our 7-iron roughly 165-170 yards from a clean strike. In comparison, we managed to get the XXIO 7-iron to carry close to 190 yards when struck from the middle.
This increase in distance was wildly impressive, and part of it is undoubtedly due to the fact these irons are very strongly lofted. The XXIO 7-iron comes in at 28 degrees, which is 2.5 degrees stronger than our current gamer, but despite that, picking up, on average, 20 yards is still monumental.
Thanks to the lightweight graphite shafts, we were also able to increase our club head speed dramatically, which was a significant factor in the increase in distance.
While these irons were clearly very powerful, we were also really impressed by the forgiveness on offer. While there was a slight drop-off in distance from off-centre strikes, it was only minimal, and in terms of trajectory, we also noticed that the ball held its line remarkably well.
The only negative we could draw from these irons in terms of performance was that they were so powerful, and the launch was so high they were, at times, difficult to control.
Shaping these irons through the air proved difficult, and even on shots that we tried to flight down a bit, we found the ball would still balloon up slightly, which could prove frustrating in windy conditions.
Despite the slight lack of control that we did experience, these irons were mightily impressive, and when put in the hands of a player with a slower swing speed, they would undoubtedly prove to be a potent force.
Should you buy the XXIO Prime Irons?
If you've lost a bit of power or struggle to generate as much speed as you would like from your golf swing, then these irons could be precisely what you need to increase your distance.
The Prime irons are undoubtedly one of the most potent irons we've ever tested, and combined with how easy they are to launch; the whole package makes them an ideal choice for golfers who desire a little added firepower in their game.
These irons don't come cheap, but you certainly get what you pay for.
