50 Words or Less
The Mitsubishi Diamana RB has smooth, explosive feel. Higher launch. Best for less aggressive swingers.
Introduction
To no one’s surprise, Mitsubishi rounded out their 6th generation of Diamana shafts with the release of the new RB. The highest launching Diamana has long been a favorite for use in fairway woods and in drivers for players who need more launch and spin to maximize their carry distance. I loaded up the Mitsubishi Diamana RB to see if its active tip section could offer a bit more speed without sacrificing control.
Looks
The Mitsubishi Diamana RB shares the same “retro aesthetic” with the WB and BB. All three have a matte black base which provides excellent contrast for the white and silver graphics. Diamana’s trademark flower band figure-eights around the shaft just below the grip amid a field of falling white flowers. It’s a great look that doesn’t scream for attention but doesn’t hide from it, either.
Only the modified surfboard graphic distinguishes the three new Diamana shafts from each other. The RB – Red Board – has red, of course, underneath the Diamana logo. The “logo down” side offers a clean look at address for players who prefer that.
Feel
Per Mitsubishi, the Diamana RB has a very similar profile to the Diamana BB [review HERE], but one notch more flexible. Where the BB is Medium+ in the butt and mid and Medium in the tip, the Mitsubishi Diamana RB is Medium in the butt and mid and Soft+ in the tip. On the other end of the spectrum is the Diamana WB which is Firm in the butt, Firm+ in the midsection and Medium+ in the tip.
To me, the balanced profile of the Mitsubishi Diamana RB makes the whole shaft feel cohesive. With some higher launching shafts, all I can feel is the tip section kicking. In the Diamana RB, there’s smooth action from the grip through the mid section with a little extra at the tip.
It’s important to note that this is not a shaft that wants to be forced. When I swung smooth, the feeling was incredible – the phrase “effortless power” is not hyperbole. However, when I tried to do all the work myself and pull the shaft through transition, I lost not only that effortless speed but my sense of what the shaft was doing.
Performance
In their promotional materials, Mitsubishi recommends the Diamana RB for “golfers looking to generate more speed with an active tip section…”. As I just described above, I have no doubt that some players – perhaps including myself – will find the RB to be the fastest Diamana. The RB uses 80-Ton Dialead Pitch Fiber in the butt section to maximize energy transfer, and it seems to work as well here as I felt it in the BB.
The Mitsubishi Diamana RB is billed as having Mid+ launch with Mid spin, compared to Low/Low in the Diamana WB [review HERE] and Mid/Mid for the BB. In a refreshing turn, Mitsubishi actually puts numbers to the difference between the RB and BB, stating that on average the RB launched 2 degrees higher with 200 RPM more spin.
When I was able to put my most mellow swings on it, I saw the elevated ball flight that the Diamana RB is known for. In line with Mitsubishi’s statistics, the ball flight never got weak or ballooning, but it was hitting a higher window than normal. However, regular readers know that “mellow” is not a good descriptor of my swing. What I saw more regularly was a strong draw on a trajectory that was more comparable to what I get from Diamana BB type shafts.
The Mitsubishi Diamana RB does a great job being what it is – a more active, higher launch shaft – and I applaud Mitsubishi for making something that’s meaningfully different than the BB and WB. However, it’s important for golfers to keep in mind that fitting doesn’t happen on paper. This is a higher launching shaft, but that doesn’t mean you will launch it higher with no other changes. It’s a shaft with a ton of potential for speed if it fits your swing.
Like the other current Diamana shafts, the Mitsubishi Diamana RB is available in five weights classes – 43, 53, 63, 73, and 83 – and a huge range of flexes. The 43 gram RB is offered in R2, R, SR, S, and X. At 53 and 63, they have R, SR, S, X, and TX. In the heaviest two weight classes, 73 and 83, Mitsubishi makes S, X, and TX flexes.
Conclusion
If you’re interested in putting a little more kick into your drives or seeing them fly higher and farther, the Mitsubishi Diamana RB shaft is worth a test. While it may not serve the aggressive swingers – the Diamana WB is for them – players with smooth or moderate tempos will love the explosive feel and towering ball flight.
Visit Mitsubishi HERE
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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2 Comments
All things the same, what did you prefer more, 1k red or the RB. (Had to pick between the two)
Zach,
I would pick the 1K Red.
-Matt