UST Mamiya Recoil DART V Shaft

The new UST Mamiya Recoil DART V is a graphite iron shaft offering lower torque without feeling boardy and is the latest evolution of the DART family. Featuring an integration of M40X carbon fiber, the DART V has more lateral stability as well as a more efficient energy transfer. The DART V is available in 90, 105, and 120-gram weight classes and regular, stiff, and extra-stiff flexes.

The Looks

I’m not sure appearances get much more subtle and unassuming than the UST Mamiya Recoil DART V, but I dig it. From afar, the DART V is a matte black shaft with minimal branding. A closer look reveals a light foggy white/silver-ish UST Mamiya logo and “TSPX Concept” branding and spec detail. Between the grip and mid-section of the shaft, there’s a black “DART” wordmark graphic with a “V” between it and the UST logo in that same foggy silver-ish color. Though subtle, it’s a slick looking golf shaft.

How Does it Feel?

UST Mamiya’s whole goal with the DART V iron shaft is to provide stability without sacrificing feel. When UST used M40X fiber in their LIN-Q family, it really made a huge difference in doing just that. By incorporating M40X into the tip section, the DART V feels much more controlled, but the shaft still feels responsive. Additionally, the “Dual Action Recoil Technology” design helps the shaft quickly return to its round shape during the swing. This also makes the shaft feel more stable and controllable.

As far as bend profile, I personally felt the DART V was pretty gradual and definitely more in the mid section. There’s certainly a noticeable resence in the tip section from the M40X, but it hardly feels stiff and rigid.

On-Course Performance

When UST Mamiya introduced the Recoil DART 105, my dispersion improved quite a bit from the original DARTs. I chalked this up to the heavier profile. Much like that experience, my dispersion improved even more with the DART V. I believe the 120-gram weight to be a much better fit for me. Not only did weight play a major role in that improvement, but I felt like the enhanced feel from the M40X fiber helped a lot too. My overall control and ability to hit a wide range of shots was much closer to what I’m used to being able to play.

As advertised by UST Mamiya, I had a pretty textbook mid trajectory throughout the set with the DART V. (Although, on paper, the DART V 120 is listed as a mid-low trajectory shaft.) It was pretty easy to get the ball a little higher up in the air if I needed to. However, I didn’t feel like it was a struggle to hit lower, more piercing shots if necessary. Maybe that’s due to the 120X’s profile naturally being more of mid-low flight? I will say that I had a bit more spin, but by no means did I feel like I was over-spinning the ball where I couldn’t control it. And I’m sure nothing a little tipping couldn’t possibly address.

Final Thoughts – UST Mamiya Recoil DART V Shaft

Like any piece of golf equipment, I’m always going to encourage you to go get fit first. I feel this is especially important with graphite iron shafts. While there are a ton of advantages, I always find them to be a bit of a shock to the system if you aren’t already used to them and it’s important to get them properly dialed in for your swing. Generally speaking, graphite iron shafts are a bit easier on the hands and play a little smoother.

In my case, the UST Mamiya Recoil DART V at 120 grams and extra stiff is far and away the best option for me out of the Recoil DART family. The DART V’s extra weight mixed with the enhanced feel from the M40X fiber made a huge difference for me when compared to previous DART shafts. I won’t try and convince you it’s a direct steel replacement, but it’s a plausible alternative if you’re looking for something a little smoother and easier on your hands.

*I used Sub 70 639 CB/MB combo irons to test these shafts for this review. You can read my review of the 639 CB here and the 639 MB here.

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