KBS Max 85 Steel Shafts: A Thorough Review

Say hello to longer shots with the KBS Max 85, a lightweight yet powerful shaft that turns heads in the golf sphere. Regardless of whether you're a mid-high handicap or not, the KBS Max 85 ticks many boxes for amateurs yearning for distance with a comfortable swing feel.

In this article, we're going to take a deep dive into the KBS Max 85 Steel Shafts!

The KBS Max 85

Source: Golfblueheron.com

The KBS Max 85, ideal for mid-high handicap players, is a lightweight shaft designed to enhance your game with longer distance shots, thanks to its high trajectory and spin rate.

The acronym KBS stands for "Kim Braly Signature", paying homage to Kim Braly, the founder of KBS. Today, Braly's extraordinary vision continues to shape KBS, as he remains at the helm, driving the enduring success of these exceptional shafts.

Lightweight design

The KBS Max 85 Steel is a paradigm shift for mid-high handicappers desiring distance. The shaft’s lightweight design succeeds in producing a high trajectory, with its signature spin rate keeping every eye on the golf ball. You can have this shaft trimmed to three different flexes; regular, stiff, or extra stiff, ensuring a more tailored swing experience.

While some lightweight shafts can feel “whippy”, the KBS Max 85 stands firm amidst full swings, capturing a pleasant balance of responsiveness and stability. Its mid bend point contributes to a satisfying resilient action, never punishing users too harshly for potential mis-hits.

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You will find the shaft recovers quite well and provides a great deal of satisfaction when you hit off optimal angles of attack when using golf clubs with KBS Max 85 shafts.

Swing and speed

The shaft’s behavior on long approaches deserves praise as it helps slow to moderate swing speed players achieve more distance with ease. Though the occasional mis-hits can send a jolting pulse down your forearms, the overall hitting experience with KBS Max 85 remains smooth.

The feel

The shaft carries the classic KBS feel, which despite not being all the rage, is appreciated by players looking for a trusted kinesthetic feedback during their play. The average distance achieved by mid-high handicap players was around 148.4 yards, but experienced a divergence of 14+ yards, hinting towards a slight trade-off in accuracy. 

The shaft especially glows when playing on narrow fairways, thanks to its high launch and mid to high spin rates. But, be cautious if you use heavier iron heads, the shaft's lightweight nature may compromise control. Also, it tends to launch high which makes it perfect for weak-lofted wedges.

Read more shaft reviews on our blog:

• Autoflex Shafts: Are They Worth It or Not?
• Project X HZRDUS Smoke iM10 Shaft - Full Review
• Nippon Shaft Modus 3 Tour 105: Full Review and Comparisons
• Diamana™ Thump™ Hybrid Shaft: a Full Review

KBS Max 85 Specs

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the KBS Max 85 is like a friendly co-player alongside. This shaft not only gets along with slow swingers and high handicappers but also does a splendid job in covering more green, race to the pin anyone? However, you may need to work with routing the shots in due course. 

Key advantages? The KBS Max 85 is affordable, it’s awesome for slow swingers, covers a considerable distance, and offers an optimal launch for high handicappers.

The downside? It has a bit of an erratic behavior when it comes to shot dispersion. Don't let that pull you back, though.

Once you've got a grip on your shaft's behavior, you'll be primed for success. Onwards and upwards with the KBS Max 85!