KBS C Taper Lite Shaft Review – Specs, Flex, Weight
The opening line of KBS’s description for the KBS C Taper Lite reads: “The C-TAPER LITE shaft incorporates proven KBS performance benefits in a lighter weight design.”
To us, this sounded a lot like the sort of pitch that goes: “if you liked so-and-so then you’re gonna love so-and-so.”
And we’re always a bit wary of these kinds of pitches. They just seem a bit gimmicky. But it’s KBS and they have rarely steered us wrong in the past so we suspended our disbelief for the KBS C Taper Lite. Is the KBS C Taper Lite truly just a lighter version of the immensely popular C Taper? Let’s find out.
KBS C Taper Lite Shaft Overview
One thing we liked about the original C Taper shaft was the stepless design and the KBS C Taper Lite retains that stepless design – so we’re off to a good start.
It also sports a nice brushed steel finish which effectively eliminates glare at address. Of course, you still get the white and red band in the middle which contains all the branding and lettering. That’s one thing about KBS that we’ve always liked – limited busyness on their shafts and the KBS C Taper Lite is no exception.
A lot of people shied away from the original C Taper shaft because it felt too boardy and didn’t jive with their swing. If you were one of those people, you aren’t going to experience a lot of relief when you swing the KBS C Taper Lite. Overall it still feels pretty stiff but that is also a good thing. The KBS C Taper Lite feels extremely accurate on nearly all kinds of strikes. The action is muted and limited to the butt section so there is still a kick; you just have to work a little to activate it.
It’s important to note that the KBS C Taper Lite comes in both taper and parallel tip iterations. The parallel tip versions are significantly heavier so we decided to test the KBS C Taper Lite in taper tip for this review.
Why is the KBS C Taper Lite So Popular?
The KBS C Taper Lite benefits from the success of the original C taper shafts.
They are advertised as simply lighter versions of the C Taper and we are inclined to agree. While many “lite” versions of more popular shafts compromise greatly on accuracy, we didn’t experience any of that with the KBS C Taper Lite. The KBS C Taper Lite maintains the incredible accuracy of the original at the peril of scaring away players who thought the original was too rigid. But it is definitely lighter so it should have broader appeal than the original C Taper.
How Does the KBS C Taper Lite Perform?
The KBS C Taper Lite is advertised as a mid/high-launching shaft with moderate spin.
We found this to be mostly true although we had to work a little bit to get an actual high launch. It seems that the KBS C Taper Lite wants to naturally stay in a middle trajectory. The spin rates we were getting were just about average. With the 7-iron we were seeing spin rates in the range of 6,000 to 7,500 RPMs.
The accuracy was off the charts though. Whether we were chipping it in or taking full swings with a 4-iron, divergence was super-tight. With the 7-iron, we weren’t even able to get the off-line divergence past the 5.5 yard mark. We were consistently hitting and staying on the green. That part in italics is really important.
The spin rates, one could argue, were pedestrian. But it was the quick, mid/high launch that allowed most of our testers to reach and land on the green. None of our shots that landed on the green were more than 5 yards away from each other too. Overall this is a remarkably accurate shaft
Shaft Specs
| Specs | KBS C Taper Lite (taper tip) |
| Available flexes | Regular, stiff, extra stiff |
| Weight | 105g, 110g, 115g |
| Butt | .600 |
| Tip | .355 |
| Length | 37.5”-41” |
What Flexes Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?
Regular is a good choice for 80-90 MPH swingers.
Stiff may be right for 91-100 MPH swingers. Extra stiff will likely suit 101-105 MPH swingers.
What Weights Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?
Players in the 80-90 MPH swing speed range should try the 105g version.
If you’re swinging between 91 and 95 MPH, try the 110g version. Players swinging 95 to 100 MPH should try the 115g version.
Why is it So Good?
The benefits of the KBS C Taper Lite shaft can be distilled down to one word: accuracy.
The KBS C Taper Lite rewards a moderate/fast tempo with accuracy on any lie.
KBS C Taper Lite First Impressions
The first thing we noticed was that the KBS C Taper Lite didn’ have much more give than the original, heavier C Taper shaft.
But we suppose that was necessary to retain the incredible accuracy.
Key Features & Performance
The constant taper design makes it feel that the shaft is working to transfer all of your swing energy.
This results in a more controlled, fluid action in the shaft – albeit very subtle.
KBS C Taper Lite Irons Review
We were able to work the launch high in order to stick greens on long approaches; but the distance never waned.
KBS C Taper Lite Wedges Review
Spin rates in the wedges were average and our testers had great accuracy over distance on lob shots thanks to the stiffer profile.
KBS C Taper Lite Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Accurate
- Controllable launch
- Controllable distance
- Good energy transfer
Cons:
- A bit stout
Overall Score: 96/100
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Who Should Buy it?
One idea kept coming to mind during my own testing of the KBS C Taper Lite: that of a big and little brother standing side-by-side.
The KBS C Taper Lite truly is just a lighter version of the original C Taper with just a slightly more active butt section. The accuracy in the KBS C Taper Lite is almost identical to the original so this would be a great choice for moderate/fast swingers who want effortlessly tight dispersion.
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