Mitsubishi’s Orange shafts have always occupied a specific place in the company’s lineup. The orange band denotes a counterbalanced design, with additional weight concentrated toward the handle to give fitters more freedom when working with heavier heads, longer builds and swing weight.
The newest version carries that idea forward, but there are some interesting changes under the paint.
The TENSEI 1K Pro Orange with RIP+ Tip Technology is the latest addition to Mitsubishi Chemical America’s premium TENSEI family. It remains an aggressively counterbalanced shaft for drivers and fairway woods. However, Mitsubishi has reworked the profile and material structure with an emphasis on speed, stability and start-line control.
A Different Kind of Pro Orange
Just to make sure we are on the same page, counterbalancing moves more mass toward the handle end of the shaft. From a club-building standpoint, that can be useful because it allows a golfer or fitter to add head weight or play a longer club without sending swing weight through the roof.
At the same time, it’s important to note that Mitsubishi also sees the weight distribution as part of how the shaft influences delivery.
According to the company’s MLAB fitting philosophy, the Orange profile is designed to affect feel, impact location and start line. Mitsubishi says moving additional material toward the handle increases relative activity toward the tip, with the goal of helping generate clubhead speed while maintaining control through impact. Mitsubishi generally positions Orange for players who prefer a smoother feel and a more neutral start line.
There’s an important change with this generation. Mitsubishi calls the new Pro Orange the first smooth, counterbalanced bend profile in the series.
Rather than relying on tungsten powder to create the extreme counterbalance found in previous generations, engineers changed the mandrel design and carbon layup itself. Material has been shifted toward the butt section to create the desired balance point while preserving the bend profile Mitsubishi wanted.
That’s probably the most interesting part of the new design. Counterbalancing can sometimes be discussed primarily in terms of weight distribution, but here Mitsubishi is trying to build that characteristic directly into the structure of the shaft.
RIP+ Moves into Pro Orange
The other major addition is RIP+ Tip Technology.
RIP+ stands for Reverse Interlaminar Placement Plus. Mitsubishi uses an ultra-thin 20FAW carbon material in the tip section along with 46T high-modulus fiber and boron reinforcement. The company says the 20FAW material is five times thinner and lighter than conventional material, allowing additional reinforcement to be positioned in an area of the shaft that naturally experiences considerable twisting.
The intended result is greater tip stability and reduced torque without turning Pro Orange into an overly rigid-feeling shaft.
That balance is important because Mitsubishi is still describing this as a smooth, responsive profile. The idea isn’t simply to make the tip as stiff as possible. RIP+ is intended to control unwanted twisting while allowing the rest of the shaft to retain the feel associated with TENSEI.
Boron fiber provides another layer of reinforcement in the tip, while Mitsubishi’s high-strength MR70 carbon is included for durability and structural strength.
1K Carbon Moves Down the Shaft
The 1K material that gives the TENSEI 1K family its name remains part of the construction, though its placement has changed.
Premium 1K Cloth has been moved into the lower midsection, closer to the tip. Mitsubishi says the new position adds stability while maintaining the smoother response it wants from this particular Orange profile.
The handle contains additional mass to create the counterbalanced design. The lower portion receives the 1K material, ultra-thin 20FAW carbon, 46T fiber and boron reinforcement to help control what is otherwise a more active portion of the shaft.
Mitsubishi lists the overall bend profile as firm-plus in the butt, medium-plus through the midsection and medium in the tip. Kick point is listed as mid/high throughout the lineup.
Who Is TENSEI 1K Pro Orange Built For?
Mitsubishi is specifically pointing toward golfers who want to create speed through longer builds or heavier clubheads but still prefer a smoother shaft feel.
That doesn’t necessarily mean every golfer needs to experiment with additional length. Counterbalanced shafts also give fitters another tool for managing head weight, swing weight and overall club feel within a conventional build. The Pro Orange lineup is broad enough to support that fitting process.
There are 50- and 60-gram models available in R, S, X and TX flexes, while the 70- and 80-gram versions come in S, X and TX. A 90-gram model is offered in X flex, giving Mitsubishi options that should extend from drivers into heavier fairway wood builds.
Our Take
TENSEI Pro Orange has never been a generic shaft profile, and this version doesn’t appear interested in becoming one.
The counterbalanced construction still gives it a clear fitting profile, particularly for golfers using heavier heads or experimenting with longer driver builds. The biggest change this time is how Mitsubishi has created that balance point and what it has done to stabilize the lower portion of the shaft.
RIP+, boron reinforcement, repositioned 1K Cloth and the elimination of tungsten powder make this more than a cosmetic refresh of an established TENSEI name.
We plan to spend ample time with one and will soon have thoughts on how the new bend profile actually feels and how the added tip stability translates to ball flight. On paper, though, Mitsubishi has made some substantial changes while keeping the basic reason Pro Orange exists very much intact.
Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Pro Orange Pricing and Availability
The Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Pro Orange with RIP+ Tip Technology will be available through authorized dealers and custom fitting partners beginning August 28, 2026, with a suggested retail price of $360. The lineup includes 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90-gram weight classes with flexes ranging from R through TX depending on weight.
More information is available at MitsubishiGolf.com.
