The brand XXIO (pronounced Zecks-E-O) continues to grow in North America, where it is viewed as luxury performance product lineup. The last iteration of the XXIO Prime line came in late 2016 and it received rave reviews from those that got a chance to test the products. Fast forward to today and the new line might be their most exciting to date.
“XXIO Prime is, quite frankly, the most unique and beneficial product ever available to moderate swing speed players. Period,” said Chuck Thiry, Vice President of XXIO USA. “People might think that is marketing hype, but they simply haven’t hit Prime yet.”
The best way to start the story is talking about weight. While most drivers we discuss and break down here are going to come in around that 300 gram mark, the XXIO Prime is 250 grams. That is 2 grams lighter than the previous model, which doesn’t sound like much, but the company not only saved weight, they moved weight to the places that better serve the golfers in this segment. Let’s break down the technology and changes and we will circle back to the weight savings a bit later in the article.
The XXIO Prime driver features a forged Super-TIX PLUS Titanium face, which is a mouthful for sure. Light weight, but high strength alloy is created in the new Cup Face design to expand the “sweet spot” of the driver. For those unsure of what Cup Face means, here is the best way to explain it. Drivers are typically constructed with multiple pieces that are put together to make the club head. The impact area is either edge welded or has a Cup Face. Edge welded is exactly what it sounds like, an insert of sorts (the face), is welded onto the body at the edge of the driver. Cup Face takes the welding back beyond the face to allow it to flex more at impact on off center hits to allow for more speed. It gets the name “Cup” because it has sides and could technically hold water.
The Prime is all about forgiveness. Expanding the toe and narrowing the heel, a tungsten-nickel weight was placed low and deep. They have also moved to a lighter hosel design which is repositioned closer to the center of the face, this results in a more upright lie angle. All of these changes are done so that the golfer squares at impact rather than staying open or shutting down.
The shaft is long. 46.5″ to be exact. The crazy part is it got a half an inch longer without going up in weight, as it still comes in at 36g. T1100 carbon is used to produce a shaft that has thinner walls, while being stronger, more stable and the balance has remained in place as the swing weight is D3. Circling back to the weight we discussed earlier, we have a club head weight of 185 and a shaft weight of 36, to go along with the grip weight gives you a total of 250 grams, which is very light weight in the current market.
“The speed increases, higher launch angles, and draw bias of the new Prime will show immediate results from swing one,” Thiry said. “It’s legit lightweight power for the players that absolutely need it the most.”
Moving to the irons, the story continues to be all about forgiveness and speed. The same forged Super-TIX PLUS Titanium face is used along with what they are calling CNC Milled Speed Grooves. The construction is unique and completely redone from the previous line. XXIO has reduced the blade height overall and installed a Tungsten weight on the sole. Both additions are designed to lower the CG and offer higher launching shots with a club head that is easier to square at impact.
The shafts of the irons share a similar story to that of the driver and fairway woods. The SP-1000 shaft from XXIO features T1100G carbon fiber and NANOALLOY resin to produce a shaft that is incredibly strong, yet very lightweight. When you combine that with the weight savings in the club head and grip, you end up with a lighter, yet more stable golf club that is remarkably easy to swing (by design).
For the loft peepers out there, here is a breakdown of the set.
“The XXIO brand continues to grow and continues to impress the moderate swing speed men and women that we believe are the lifeblood of the sport,” Thiry said. “Those players seem to be responding to our focus, and moving forward, we’ll keep the focus on those core players and we’ll remain bullish on our prospects for continued success.”
The Details
In Stores: March 1st, 2019
Driver – $849
FW Woods – $579
Hybrids – $379
Irons – $259 per iron
