Taylormade Sim Vs Taylormade Sim 2 Irons Review & Specs 2023

Taylormade Sim Vs Taylormade Sim 2 Irons Review & Specs 2023

The SIM series of irons have been synonymous with distance. Taylormade has also gone out of their way to change what people think of when they think of distance irons.

More specifically, they have tried to make distance irons feel more solid than they ever have.

The SIM irons certainly raised the bar for distance irons in terms of stability and feel. So what do the newer SIM 2 irons have to offer in that regard?

We answer this question and more in the following comparison review of the Taylormade SIM and SIM 2 irons.

Overview Of Both Iron Sets

The Taylormade SIM Max irons were released in 2020 and quickly won over golfers across the globe.

They were designed to replace the M series and featured the revolutionary Speed Bridge which, enhanced feel by binding the sole and the crown together via a rear bar.

Fast forward to 2021 and Taylormade has followed up the success of the SIM irons with the SIM 2’s.

The SIM 2’s find Taylormade ditching the Speed Bridge design for a “Cap Back” design which, we will discuss in greater detail shortly.

For now, know that the new design is supposed to enhance sound and feel even further.

Taylormade SIM Max Irons Key Features

The SIM Max irons feature the Speed Pocket featured in many other Taylormade clubs.

It’s essentially a slot bored out behind the face to allow it to hinge, generating ball speed.

The hinging face is tempered by a rear bar known as the Speed Bridge.

Taylormade SIM 2 Key Features

The Cap Back design isn’t as stark as an actual bar running along the back of the club.

It looks more like a rear badge and is made of a polymer material.

The object is the same though: stabilize the Speed Pocket functionality of the face by binding the crown and sole in the rear.

SIM Max Vs. SIM Max OS

The SIM Max family also includes the OS which, was released at the same time as the standard.

“OS” stands for oversized and we can indeed confirmed that these irons sport a larger head profile.

The sweet spot is also larger making the OS class the more forgiving irons but with weaker lofts and also more offset.

SIM 2 Vs. SIM 2 OS

The SIM Max 2’s also got the OS treatment. Only this time the differences go deeper.

Yes, the SIM 2 Max OS’s are larger than the SIM 2 standards so they are more forgiving; but they also have thicker soles and stronger lofts.

Improvements From Sim To Sim 2

So what improvements were made from the SIM Max to the SIM 2 Max irons specifically?

The SIM 2’s came out just a year after the SIM’s so as you might imagine, only nominal changes were made.

The feel was definitely improved with a redesigned, multi-material rear binding system.

Another difference we noticed is that the SIM 2 Max irons have an inherently neutral ball flight when compared to the original SIM’s.

Loft Comparison

	SIM Max Loft	SIM 2 Max Loft
4 Iron	19	19
5 Iron	21.5	21.5
6 Iron	25	25
7 Iron	28.5	28.5
8 Iron	32.5	32.5
9 Iron	38	38

 

SIM Max Options

• Fujikura Ventus Blue shaft
• KBS MAX 85 shaft
• Stiff, regular and amateur flex

SIM 2 Max Options

• KBS Max 85 MT shaft
• Fujikura Ventus Blue shaft
• Stiff, regular and amateur flex

Length & Lie Comparison

	SIM Max Lie/Length	SIM 2 Max Lie/Length
4 Iron	61.5/39.125″	61.5/39.125″
5 Iron	62/38.50″	62/38.50″
6 Iron	62.5/37.88″	62.5/37.88″
7 Iron	63/37.25″	63/37.25″
8 Iron	63.5/36.75″	63.5/36.75″
9 Iron	64/36.25″	64/36.25″

Who Is Each Set For?

Since there is only a marginal difference between these two iron sets, we would say they would be suited to the same kinds of players.

Namely anyone who is looking to get more distance from their irons without sacrificing feel.

Composition Comparison

The SIM Max and SIM 2 Max irons have almost identical constitutions.

They are both available in graphite and steel stock shafts and they both feature the ICT (Inverted Cone Technology) and Speed Pocket.

The biggest composition difference is that the SIM 2 Max irons’ bracing system is made out of polymer, making it softer than the steel design of the SIM Max’s Speed Bridge.

Performance Comparison

From the fairway and the range, these 2 iron sets delivered almost identical numbers in terms of yardage.

The SIM 2’s flew a bit straighter overall and had the nicer, softer feel.

As distance irons, you can imagine that neither of these sets offered a ton of spin control.

Still, the forged-feel design afforded our testing party a surprising amount of shot consistency. Both had very tight shot dispersion as well.

Price Comparison

The newer SIM 2 Max irons are more expensive at about $800 for a set and the original SIM Max’s are about $700.

Sim Max Pros & Cons

Pros:

• More affordable
• Full-face echo dampening system
• Inverted Cone sweet spot
• Tight shot dispersion
• Face plays hot
• Speed Bridge

Cons:

• Turf interaction is lacking
• Not as straight as the SIM 2’s
• Stiffer feel
• Heavier

Overall Score: 94/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Sim Max 2 Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Superior feel
• Straighter shots
• Fluted hosel helps keep weight down
• Sounds better
• Inverted Cone Technology
• Revamped bracing system

Cons:

• More expensive
• Shorter irons aren’t the most accurate
• Not very forgiving
• Minor improvements over SIM Max irons

Overall Score: 94/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Wrapping It Up

This was nearly a photo finish. Basically, it comes down to whether or not you want to pay $100 more for softer feeling irons; because other than that, there is very little difference between the SIM Max’s and the SIM Max 2’s.

However, if we were to grade these irons more objectively, the better feel does mean that SIM 2’s have a bit more to offer.

So if softer feel means enough to you to spend an extra $100, definitely check out the Taylormade SIM 2 Max irons.