Nike Vapor Driver Review

Nike Vapor Driver Review

nike vapor driver review

Summary

I’m impressed with Nike’s Vapor driver product range. Now that the Covert Cavity combines with the Compression Channel, I think it adds to every aspect of the club more than it did before on its own.

Vapor Flex looks and performs almost identically to Speed and Pro models. I was close to reviewing it as a separate product. Although it is Vapor-like due to its cavity and channel design, the device can be used by high swing speed golfers who want more forgiveness in shaping the ball. Nike says that Tiger Woods prefers Vapor Flex due to this fact, while Rory prefers Vapor Pro as he shapes his driver more.

These models are great in every department, but the Vapor Pro is my favorite. It has more appeal to me than I thought it would when I saw it for the first time. As always it is key to visit a fitting centre to try out all the variations and see which model in which settings suits your game best.

Nike must be excited about the Vapor driver range after many years of driver woes. It is their best driver to date.

nike vapor driver review

Nike Vapor Speed Driver Review

Nike has been proving over the years that they are committed to promoting performance in athletes’ front lines and sometimes in your face. The company’s history, and its ability to build an empire is part of a lot of this. It can be difficult to find the right golf course. Some love it and feel called by the sport, while some are pushed aside. Even though the Vapor range is marketed to athletes, it actually has options for all levels of athletes. Nike Vapor Speed’s release is an example. This head offers more launch, more spin, and is surrounded with the ideals of forgiveness and playability.

THP had the opportunity to work with and break down the Nike Vapor Speed driver, paired with the standard Mitsubishi Fubuki Z50 shaft.

Information on the Vapor Speed driver from Nike Golf:

The Vapor Speed driver head is built to give you pure launch and distance. Nike Vapor Speed driver heads combine Fly-Beam technology along with NexCOR faces. They spread weight between the heel and toe, while FlexLoft gives you 15 launch options. Low CG promotes more launch and longer carrying. A pair of the Nike Vapor Speed and the Mitsubishi Fubuki Z 50 is available. The new Mitsubishi Fubuki Z 50 focuses more on stability, with a higher launch rate and lower spin.

Specifications & Options:

LOFTS LH LOFTS CC CC SWING WEIGHT LENGTH

8.5deg to 12.5deg via FlexLoft 8.5deg to 12.5deg via FlexLoft 460cc D3 45.5″

nike vapor driver review

Review of the Nike Vapor Drivers

The symmetrical head in the shape of a C, which is iconic for Nike’s club design, immediately grabs your attention. This cobalt explosion is quite vibrant. Nike is promoting bold colours in 2016 as part their promotional campaign. You can expect similar colors to their clothing line. But look past the colour and this good-looking golf driver The new Nike Vapor driver were designed to have a lower CG and higher MOI vs the 2015 Vapor Speed driver. Nike states that the lightweight crown decreases weight and creates less spin. We were not disappointed. When we tested this on our GC2 launch monitor, the Vapor Fly produced a launch angle of 3 degrees higher on average than the other clubs.

We found the Nike Vapor drivers to be the most inefficient of all the drivers. They averaged a speed of 115mph at the club head and an average ball speed of 162mph. With an average spin speed of 2708 rpm at launch, this driver produced less spin than Vapor Fly Pro’s. It also had a slower back spin of 2686. The result was stable flight conditions and good distance.

This club flew an average 10 yard less per mile than any of the Nike Vapor Flight newbies. It sounds like a lot. However, this is due to the high launch and high spin. And regardless of the lower efficiency and distance scores, this club actually performed really well. Only the performance of two other clubs was exceptional.

The Vapor Fly driver has a re-engineered compression channel which creates an initial spring effect to amplify performance on mis-hits. A higher Moment of Inertia means that there’s more stability in flight. This all feeds into a greater overall forgiveness. Online scores were low, at 11 after the five tests.

Nike Vapor Fly Pro has a pear-shaped head that is tour-preferred. It also looks great from the top, with its yellow Nike swoosh pattern and cross-hatch design. Although the driver has a shorter head, this one produces an impressive club head speed as well as a high ball speed. We measured the Vapor Fly Pro’s club head speed to be 124mph, with a maximum ball speed of 180mph. This club had the best efficiency scores of any three. It was also easier to shape your shots with the smaller head, which was nice.

Vapor Fly Pro has an amazing club. It feels fantastic, with the addition of the 30% lighter crown. It promotes lower CG and launch. This allows for more forgiveness. Due to its lower centre of gravity, it generates the most spin of all clubs at 2873 rpm. However, despite its high rate of spin, the Vapor Pro delivers the second highest driving distance at 319 yards and for those looking for lightning ball speed should consider this gem.

Because it scored lowest in forgiveness among all the drivers reviewed by Nike Vapor, they had the best range of offline shots at 12 out of the three.

nike vapor driver review

Performance

If you do as much research as I do on a club’s performance, and look through video and audio reviews about it, then you will likely find that Flex was not the favorite driver. For my own assessment, I enjoy taking my course reviews. Even though it may not be the most scientific approach, FlightScope has added the ability to give actual data. For now however, I consider an on-course evaluation sufficient.

My favorite performer is the Nike Vapor Flex, Diamana S+ blueboard 60 in X Flex. As an added bonus, all companies can use the same FlexLoft adapters. I am a high launch, high spin player and rarely do I ever see any additional roll. Even though I am capable of reaching a high launch using the Vaporflex, my most popular flight was within the mid-range range. It did provide additional roll and a slight reduced carry.

All of this was with the FlexFlight forward and at 9.5 degrees of loft. I also found that flipping the FlexFlight brought me back to higher launch and more carry and essentially erasing any additional roll out. The Vapor Flex is an ideal club for players who are skilled in high spin, however I was able to customize it enough to my liking. The 420cc Flex was not as brutal on mishits as I expected for a head this size. I really do think that the cavity back and compression channel have allowed for added forgiveness and playability.

Smaller drivers have made a big difference in my ability to drive the tee. My big fade can still be seen on bad swings. It’s just not as dramatic. Duck hooks were practically non-existent.

nike vapor driver review

Nike Vapor Flex Driver Review

Ryan S Drivers Equipment Disclaimer: This post could contain affiliate links including Amazon. Although this doesn’t affect the quality of your view or pricing, it does mean that we earn a commission when you make purchases. We make a commission on purchases. This helps us to fund the site. Thanks!

Vapor Flex is an excellent player’s driving machine. This driver is made for experienced golfers and pros with a head of 420cc. Nike released a variety of drivers. Each driver was aimed at different types of golfers. These names could be confusing as the Flex driver is for strong, fast-swinging golfers. This Nike Vapor Flex driver review will take you through the details. You can read on for more details!

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Our rating:

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It will give you a fairly low launch with minimal spin but it comes with major adjustability to tweak it to your preference and style. The driver is easy to set up and delivers good distance. A new golfer would be advised to consider some of the other options as the small head, while great in the hands of a skilled golfer, will not suit someone needing maximum forgiveness.

.Nike Vapor Driver Review

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