Tech Talk: Nike’s New VR_S Covert Irons

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Golfers love long and forgiving drivers. But when it comes irons, many golfers prefer an aesthetically pleasing model over one that packs the most performance.

Nike’s new VR_S Covert irons are a replacement of the company’s VR_S iron from last year. Like the VR_S, they are a cast iron aimed at double-digit handicapers. But thanks to a design initiative called “Covert,” the company was able to add distance and playability to the irons without the bulkier chassis of last year’s model.

Tony Dabbs, product line manager for Nike Golf, said the biggest problem with the VR_S irons was that they had thick toplines and thick soles. This made them less appealing for single-digit handicap players than Nike’s VR_S Forged Irons, which were used to win on the PGA Tour by Tiger Woods (3 iron) and Carl Pettersson (4 iron).

The Covert irons actually have higher a Movement of Inertia (MOI) than the VR_S irons from 2012 thanks to extreme perimeter weighting. Like Nike’s Covert Drivers, the Covert Irons move a substantial amount of weight away from the center of the club face and to the heel and toe sections of the club where it adds forgiveness.

Moving weight away from the center of the club face can result in a harsher feel and clickier sound, which is why Nike engineers added a polyurethane badge behind the impact area that softens the feel and quiets the sound.

“It’s a decoration, but it also has a purpose,” Dabbs said. “Without the badging, it really rings.”

The Covert irons also use Nike’s NexCore faces that debuted in the VR_S and VR_S Forged irons, but the faces are even thinner that last year’s models, which according to Dabbs provides more flexibility and thus more distance, especially on mishits.

The Convert long irons and middle irons are constructed from 450 Carpenter steel, while the short irons are made from 1704 stainless steel for a slightly softer feel.

The irons will come stock with True Temper Dynalite 90 steel shafts (S and R-Flex, RH and LH), and will be available for $699 on Feb. 1. The stock graphite option will retail for $799 with Nike KuroKage Black 70 shafts in S, R and A-flex (RH and LH).

Click here for more discussion in the “Tour/Pre-release equipment” forum. 

Click here for more discussion in the “Tour/Pre-release equipment” forum.

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23 Comments

1. 

   paul

   November 7, 2012 at 10:11 pm

   I think TM will sell more rocketbladez then Nike will sell of these.

   Reply
2. 

   theoo

   November 7, 2012 at 10:19 pm

   not bad looking, wish they would put some blades or CBs out this year

   Reply
3. 

   William Klosek

   November 8, 2012 at 12:20 pm

   Wow that’s one boring and ugly iron….I predict they have a dud on their hands….My Wilson Staff Di-11′s are a MUCH better looking club (and probably hit better too)

   Reply
4. 

   Hoosier

   November 8, 2012 at 12:21 pm

   not sure i’ve seen an uglier iron. i’ll stick with my mp64′s but if you want forgiveness and a good look the JPX825s are way to go. These are ugly

   Reply
5. 

   Gman

   November 8, 2012 at 2:17 pm

   I agree with Hoosier, very ugly. Top line is 6-7 mm thick, how can one get past this at address? i will stick with my MP-9′s , as they came with 1and 2 iron as well.

   Reply
6. 

   Hans

   November 8, 2012 at 4:36 pm

   Looks like mick Jagger’s tongue coming out of the back of the iron.

   Reply

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8. 

   obvioustroll

   November 9, 2012 at 9:36 am

   ye dont like the looks.. too much is going on there.

   Reply
9. 

   jay hall

   November 9, 2012 at 10:21 pm

   wow, looks like somebody did a $h!t on a shaft. Typical Nike stuff.

   Reply
10. 

    Joe Golfer

    November 10, 2012 at 2:10 am

    If the shorter irons are made of 17-4 steel, that’s hardly considered to be a soft steel, as was mentioned in the article.
    It’s actually a harder steel on the MOH’s scale. It’s just that the long and middle irons have that even harder Carpenter steel face (to make the face thinner, and I’m guessing that the hosel and perimeter of the club is also 17-4 steel in those irons.

    Reply
11. 

    Graphiteti

    November 10, 2012 at 6:37 am

    Rory’s new sticks!

    Reply

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13. 

    Congo Starter

    November 25, 2012 at 1:15 pm

    Aside from the combos and forged irons of the past and present these are pretty ugly. They are, however, an improvement over past VRS. Would be nice if they closed the gap on the back. Looks like a smile with a missing tooth.

    Reply
14. 

    Punky

    December 6, 2012 at 9:18 am

    Would like to see the specs on the Nike Covert irons.

    Reply
15. 

    acaldwell

    December 8, 2012 at 7:57 am

    wow! thats ugly haha. i have the original vrs irons and they’re so much nicer than this.

    Reply
16. 

    digi168

    February 7, 2013 at 9:03 pm

    I thought these were pretty ugly looking in the photo’s but had a chance to see them up close and personal and they actually aren’t that bad. They do however go a long long way. I demoed the 7 iron and it was carrying 185 which is about 15 yds. longer than my mizunos. I know the lofts are bit stronger, but man are these easy to hit. Long, high, and straight, if you can get over the fact that they are Nike clubs I think they will impress a lot of people.

    Reply
    • 

      Greg Uptegraff

      February 27, 2013 at 9:48 am

      I hit all the newest irons looking for a replacement for my R9′s. These felt as good as any, picked up ball speed, consistent group and ball flight, and consistently longer.

      Reply
17. 

    Shineman

    March 3, 2013 at 5:38 pm

    I spent a couple hours getting fit for irons, hit Rocketbladez, Cobra AMP, Hot-X, and Nike Covert.
    I did not even want to hit the Nike,but guess what – Nike was the club…. Tight dispersion and comparable distance with good feel.. now what

    Reply
18. 

    Cronin1019

    March 21, 2013 at 11:09 pm

    I have never owned a Nike Club. Their first gen stuff left a lot to be desired. My buddies at Edwin Watts had me try the new VRS Covert Irons. We fitted the 7 iron to the same specs of my current clubs. 2 degrees up, standard length. I tested the Mitsubishi Kuro Kage graphite stiff. Looking at the club from the bag you wonder what they were thinking with all of the graphics and design. However, when I set the club down I understood what “covert” meant. The top line and offset are that of a good players club. The 7 iron was a degree in loft stronger than mine but I was hitting it longer and straighter than my current clubs. Making solid center face contact was easier than any club I have ever hit.

    Reply
19. 

    ofdorlqzdenx

    March 28, 2013 at 7:18 pm

    oizzmvrdjblq

    Reply
20. 

    rclwxmkoppdg

    March 28, 2013 at 7:19 pm

    gqluinnahihf

    Reply
21. 

    Shark

    April 16, 2013 at 1:24 pm

    Looks are not great from behind. I know you don’t see at address but we all like to look at clubs sticking out if our bag with at least a moderation of looks.
    But at address they were great. I likes the compact for game improvement size. Waggling it felt great.
    Going to sim test the them based on a great review on YouTube (considering guy said repeatedly…. Irritatingly… Oh my god easiest to hit irons…. I’ve ever tested!) I have to ignore busy ugly back for nice at address look and supposed performance.

    Reply
22. 

    afogie

    May 5, 2013 at 3:41 pm

    I just bought the irons and couldn’t be happier. They have a funny sound but fly true and long. I don’t like thick topline clubs and I can say without question the irons are not ugly at address. I tested them against my Titleist AP1′s and the Coverts were a club longer. I am a 9 looking to get lower and I know these irons will help.

    Reply