Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Blue Shaft Review

50 Words or Less

The MCA Tensei AV Raw Blue shaft has a smooth, accessible profile that gives players control and speed.

Introduction

When you have a winning formula, stick with it.  Mitsubishi Chemical’s “smooth” profile is one of the winningest formulas in golf, whether you measure in professional wins, shafts in play on Tour, or retail sales.  The latest iteration, the TENSEI AV Raw Blue, uses an Aluminum Vapor Coated Weave to create one of the most stable versions yet.

Looks

The eye-catcher on the new Tensei Raw AV Blue is the butt section.  An Alumnium Vapor (AV) Coated Weave is revealed by a raw finish, and the look is unlike anything I’ve seen before.

In the mid and lower section, this shaft is visually similar to its predecessors.  The Tensei branding dominates one side, and the other is plain black for those that want a distraction free “logo down” installation.  A thin band of blue denotes which model Tensei you’re holding.

Feel

According to Mitsubishi, the TENSEI AV Raw Blue has the stiffest butt section and the softest tip of the TENSEI family, but those differences are fairly small.  Where the Blue really differs is in the middle, where it’s substantially softer than the TENSEI AV Raw White [review HERE] and Orange.

This shaft is one example where my experience lines up with the spec sheet perfectly.  To me, the TENSEI AV Raw Blue is very smooth through the mid section but without a big hinge and kick.  While the tip is noticeably softer than the White, the difference is smaller than I expected.  The AV Raw Blue is clearly the most active TENSEI, but it never felt out of control or unpredictable.

Performance

The most noticeable difference between this latest TENSEI Blue and previous “smooth” shafts is the stability.  As a player with a very aggressive transition, smoother, more active shafts tend to fill up the left side of the driving range.  With the TENSEI AV Raw Blue, I was seeing a mirror image of the excellent results I got from the AV Raw White.  Where the White produced shots that were straight to slightly pushed, the Blue worked from straight to small pulls.  In both cases, the overall dispersion was excellent.

You can see the difference between the slight push and the slight pull in the launch and spin.  While the TENSEI AV Raw Blue is billed as slightly higher launch and spin than the White, that wasn’t true for me, though it should be noted that the difference was not huge.  The Blue produced a slightly stronger ball flight because it rarely went right.  This is yet another example of why you need to try shafts yourself and get fit rather than buying based on spec sheets.

Note: please do not look at these numbers next to the AV Raw White and think, “Wow, Matt gained 4 MPH of club speed from this shaft change.”  As I’ve said dozens of times, launch monitor data from two reviews should not be compared apples to apples.  The higher speed is the result of a shoulder injury healing.

The Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Blue shaft is available in the widest range of flexes, spanning R2 to TX.  Every flex – R2, R, stiff, X, and TX – is available at 55 grams.  Regular, stiff, X, and TX are also available at 65 and 75 grams.  Only the TX flex is offered at 85 grams.

Finally, the 55 gram version of the Tensei AV Raw Blue includes Mitsubishi’s Straight Flight Weighting system.  Per MCA, this “makes it easier to turn the club over through impact, reducing the tendency to fade the ball.”

Conclusion

If you’ve stayed away from smoother and more active shafts in the past because of concerns about hooks, it’s time to take another look.  The Mitsubishi TENSEI AV Raw Blue shaft combines stability with a smooth feel like few others.

The following two tabs change content below.

Matt Saternus

Founder, Editor In Chief at PluggedInGolf.com
Matt is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Plugged In Golf. He's worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking. Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

Latest posts by Matt Saternus (see all)

68 Comments

  1. Peter A Keck

    How would these compare to the Aerotech I 95 shafts stiff flex?

  2. Matt,

    I’m playing the CK Blue Pro and liking it a lot. I’m confused because the AV raw sounds like a stiffer butt section and possibly a more active tip (no Boron weave)? Are the two shafts similar in how they load/feel? Are they both the same “blue”?

    • Matt Saternus

      Max,

      I haven’t reviewed the CK Pro, so I can’t answer that.

      -Matt

      • Matt, I’ve been using TM R11 with Fujikura BlurTP shaft 65g stiff. But wish more distance beyond 250 yards. Just got SIM2 driver with Blue AV 60 stiff. Ball flight is bit more penetrating even bit longer but feels stiffer. Swing speed is around 100. Should I stay with this club and grow into it or change to Blue Regular or Diamana stiff.
        Thanks,
        James

        • Matt Saternus

          James,

          There’s no way for me to give you a credible answer to that without seeing you in person, so my best advice is to get fit. Also, for reference, if you’re swinging 100 MPH, a 250 yard carry is fully optimized.

          -Matt

  3. M.E. Mardis

    How does this compare to Fujikura Ventis?

  4. Tom Duckworth

    I know it shouldn’t be a factor but it is a really good looking golf shaft. I like the idea of being able to get a 55 gram weight in stiff flex. I am a bit confused by their straight flight weighting system not sure how that works? I currently play Project X LZ graphite in my irons and I like their soft mid kick point. Curious what your thoughts are about trying to blend feels from driver through fairways and hybrids to irons. That could be a good article one day.

  5. Is this blue ck pro follow up or the regular version

  6. Bryan Thompson

    How would the av blue 65 match up to the hzrdus black smoke?

  7. Chicago Duffer

    Hi Matt: Is the new AV Blue Raw shaft essentially the AV Blue shaft with a different paint job (to make it look “raw”)? The reason I ask is because the specs for both are pretty darn similar. Thanks.

    • Matt Saternus

      The AV Raw Blue is an MCA Blue shaft, so it’s going to have a lot of similarities to previous models. That said, I don’t think it’s just a different paint job.

      -Matt

    • Hi Matt, the Miyazaki codes are for the stiffness at measured positions of the shaft. 7 being extra stiff, 5 stiff and 3 regular. So from the 6644 code the first 6 is the Butt and the last 4 is the tip. So yes I’d say this has a softer mid section and tip, maybe making a mid kick, or mid bend position. Would that also sound similar to the Tensein blue?

  8. I find that I benefit from mid kick shafts, with a low loft low spin driver head due to my early release of the shaft and an over involved right hand. In Mayazaki shafts international shaft code that puts me in a 6644 profile shaft. Do these fall squarely into the mid kick category and similar to the Miyazaki fit codes of 6644?

    • Matt Saternus

      Andrew,

      “Mid kick” meaning that the shaft is softest in the mid section or that it has a moderate amount of kick?

      -Matt

      • Mr Andrew Grabowski

        The way I think of it is slightly softer in the middle and perhaps acting as the point from which the bend created recovers and kicks.

  9. Alan Schwandt

    I keep reading Tensei AV Raw Blue and Tensei AV blue. Are these the same or are they two different shafts.

    • Matt Saternus

      The Tensei AV Blue is different from the AV Raw Blue.

      Best,

      Matt

      Edit: This is incorrect. “TENSEI AV Blue” was never a retail shaft, only a prototype, per MCA. At retail, there has only been TENSEI AV Raw Blue. My apologies for botching this one.

  10. Hi Matt,

    Did you experience better control and dispersion with Tensei AV Raw Blue or Hzrdus Smoke Yellow? Thank you.

    • Matt Saternus

      Mat,

      I didn’t test them head to head, so it’s not really fair to say. My preference is for the AV Raw Blue.

      -Matt

  11. Chris Pendergast

    Any major differences in the feel of the TX vs X flex?

  12. Did the raw blue seem a lot more spinny than the orange? or just a smoother feel? thanks

  13. Kevin Lynch

    I went to a fitting they fitted me for the Titleist TSI2 with a Mitsubishi Diamana RF series 50 regular shaft. I was wondering how the Tensei AV Blue Raw 55g regular would compare?

    • Matt Saternus

      Kevin,

      It’s an entirely different shaft. I never suggest going against a fitter’s specific recommendation.

      Best,

      Matt

      • Andrew Franz

        I’m looking at tensei blue av raw 65s, but can’t find gram weight specs. I see there is s blue av raw 70 at 70 grams in stiff and 67 grams in regular. I’m looking for a stiff in gram weight of about 65. I need the spin and slightly higher launch of 65 grams, but also want the control of a stiff as a 62 year old scratch golfer with a smooth, slow and short swing who depends on hybrids for scoring. Any ideas on the confusion of labeling 65 and 70s in this product line and the actual specs of the 65, or pointing me elsewhere for shafts in my needed range?

        • Matt Saternus

          Andrew,

          If you’re not seeing a product on Mitsubishi’s website, it’s probably something that they made for an OEM as a stock option. That OEM might have the exact specs on their website.

          -Matt

  14. I find it very interesting that AV RAW 65 X (3.4) has lower torque than 65 TX (3.6). Does this mean 65 X is stiffer than 65 TX? Or, they cut it differently so that 65 TX feels stiffer but actually has higher torque?

    • Matt Saternus

      The stiffness “rating” is typically connected to CPM, not torque. You can find plenty of examples of shafts that have lower torque but feel softer or vice versa.

      Best,

      Matt

  15. David Costen

    Matt, great review as always. I believe this shaft is a continuation of the Blueboard line, isn’t it? The Kai’li was a very good shaft for me, just wondering about your thoughts on the similarities of these two. Thanks!

    • Matt Saternus

      David,

      The TENSEI blue is in the same vein as the Diamana Blue shafts, though not as active, to my hands.

      Best,

      Matt

  16. Where can I purchases the blue 55g stiff with taylormade tip

  17. Matt: I contacted Mitsubishi regarding any differences between the Tensei AV Blue and the Tensei AV Raw Blue. Their customer support rep said they were basically the same shaft. He confirmed that the only difference was cosmetic. So I am confused by the comment that they are different. Can you elaborate on the differences? Thanks…

    • Matt Saternus

      I contacted someone at Mitsubishi today to confirm and you are correct; I was in error. According to the person I spoke with, there was a prototype of the AV Blue, but at retail it’s always been AV Raw Blue. With all the different versions, stock and aftermarket, I got confused. I’ve corrected my response above. Thanks for pointing this out.

      -Matt

      • Matt- thanks for the follow-up. It does get confusing. I found out the other day that they made a special edition version of the Tensei AV Raw Blue honoring First Responders but they were limited availability and could be purchased only online through MCA. Given the AV Raw line is approaching 2 years old, I suspect MCA will be announcing yet another Tensei version sometime early next year. It’s getting harder to keep straight all the various “flavors” of a particular shaft given the announcement cycles and the continued availability of previous versions.

  18. Ake Paramadilok

    How does this fee in comparison to old proforce v2 shafts?

  19. Chris Ohta

    Hi Matt, Great review and thank you!!! I am currently playing ST-Z 220 with Project X HZRDUS RDX Blue 60 6.5. My typical swing speed is 101-106. I don’t feel like I am getting along with counter balanced shafts anymore and I have the Tensei Blue 70 gram S in my 3 wood. I do feel like my miss with that is a slight pull. Would you recommend the Stiff or X for driver? I am also considering AV Raw White. I know it is hard without seeing my swing and I should get properly fit but the nearest fitter is over 120 miles away. I am just concerned that the stiff might be too active.

    • Matt Saternus

      Chris,

      You’re correct, my advice is going to be to get fit. Both shafts you mention are great, it’s just a matter of getting them to the right player in the right weight and flex. What I will say is that if you’re playing a HZRDUS 6.5 and you’re swinging over 100, I’d probably lean X over stiff.

      Best,

      Matt

  20. Matt,
    I am coming back from a lengthy injury and my driver SS has dropped from upper 90s to around 90 mph. I really like the AV raw blue stiff 80 grams in my 3 & 4 hybrids (current carry distances of ~210 and 195 respectively) and as well as the stiff AV raw blue 65 FW in 3 wood (carry of ~225yds). I have enjoyed a diamana blue S+ stiff in my driver (current carry ~240) but am wondering if I need to drop to regular and was considering the AV raw blue in either reg or stiff. Any thoughts?

  21. Hello,

    how would you compare the Tensei raw blue 55 with the graphite design Tour ad di 5 ? thanks

  22. I currently have the Mitsubishi KurKage 50 S shaft in my Callaway driver and was looking at the Tensei AV Raw Blue 65 S in a new PXG driver. Thoughts

    Thanks
    Jeff

  23. Matt:
    Was just wondering if the Tensei shaft offers adequate spin, flex and flight. Currently hit a high ball with fade.

    Jeff

    • Matt Saternus

      There’s no way for me to offer an educated opinion on that without fitting you in person. My best advice is always to get fit before buying new equipment.

      -Matt

  24. Hi Matt,
    Is the Tensai Raw 60 a stiff shaft?
    Many thanks

  25. Hey Matt,
    I’ve been reading your reviews for about a year now. I started playing golf around a year and a half ago, and play to a 7 hc. I really value your insight, knowledge, honesty. You described and explain things in a way that everyone should be able to understand. Thanks for all the hard work!!! We however have just one conflict of interest. Go Tarheels!!! Lol

  26. Quick q- trying the replace my b-series 80x in a fwy – would this shaft work – or would the hzrdus black gen 4 be a better fit (don’t have the ability to go hit either). Big dude with a pretty fast transition and high ball speed… miss with the b-series was a slight pull… have read through your reviews and am still lost to which might match or improve on the b-series!

    Thanks!

    • Matt Saternus

      Matt,

      The HZRUDS Black and TENSEI Blue are not that similar. What is the impediment to being fit?

      -Matt

  27. Hi Matt, i have been playing the tensi blue av series 55 gram stiff shaft. My swing speed is upper 90s. my ball flight seems to ballon and drop. average around 225 yards. my thoughts are to buy the tensi av raw 65 stiff shaft.
    I know you are about to say get fitted. i just really like the feel of this shaft- but want to see some roll after the ball comes down. I have a baby fade but normally find the fairway. do you think this would help and have the same feel? Thank you sir

    • Matt Saternus

      Jonathan,

      You’re correct: the advice is to get fit.
      Will the 65-S feel the same as the 55-S? They’re going to be very close. It depends how sensitive you are to weight. I doubt that 10 grams will dramatically change the spin issues you’re having.

      -Matt

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *