Taylormade have always been excellent at marketing their products, especially when their new drivers come out. Despite the fact that we all secretly know that the difference between successive models is usually quite small, it’s so easy to get sucked in to the ‘newer = better’ narrative.
However, with the Taylormade Stealth Driver, there are actually some genuine differences when compared to the Taylormade Sim 2. The biggest difference is the introduction of a carbon face, which is actually a bit of a gamble from Taylormade, given how well the original Sim and Sim 2 drivers performed.
Now let’s dive into some of the finer details of this comparison.
Key Specs - Taylormade Stealth vs Sim 2
| PRODUCT FEATURE | STEALTH PLUS | STEALTH | SIM 2 | SIM 2 MAX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60X CARBON FACE | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| TITANIUM FACE | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| SLIDING WEIGHT TRACK | Yes | No | No | No |
| TWIST FACE TECHNOLOGY | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| THRU-SLOT SPEED POCKET™ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HEAD SIZE | 460cc | 460cc | 460cc | 460cc |
| 4° LOFT SLEEVE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| LAUNCH | Mid | Mid-High | Low | Mid |
| FORGIVENESS | High | Highest | High | Highest |
| LOFT OPTIONS | 8°, 9°, 10.5° | 9°, 10.5°, 12° | 8°, 9°, 10.5° | 9°, 10.5°, 12° |
| LIE ANGLE | 56° - 60° | 56° - 60° | 56° - 60° | 56° - 60° |
| LENGTH | 45.75" | 45.75" | 45.75" | 45.75" |
| SWING WEIGHT | D5 | D5 | D5 | D4 |
Key Differences - Stealth vs Sim 2
1. Carbon Face
The biggest difference between the Taylormade Stealth vs Sim 2 is the introduction of a Carbon Face. Where all of the drivers from Taylormade over the last decade have featured a Titanium face, the Stealth series bucks the trend with a Carbon Face.
This is not the first time that a golf equipment company has attempted to introduce a Carbon Face driver into the mix. However, for the first time (possibly ever), Taylormade has found a way to introduce a Carbon Face that sounds good and is unlikely to crack.
The biggest problem with previous Carbon Drivers is that they had a tendency to crack, especially with high swing speed players. It would appear that this particular tendency is no longer a problem, for Taylormade at least.
2. Sliding Weight Track (Stealth Plus Only)
Interestingly enough, neither the Sim 2 nor the Sim 2 Max had any kind of sliding weight technology. Instead, if you wanted to alter the CG placement, you had to opt for a custom build and specify the CG placement during that process.
This changes with the Taylormade Stealth Plus, which introduces a sliding weight track that you can use to alter the ball flight characteristics along a sliding scale. You essentially have the choice of a draw bias, fade bias, neutral ball flight and everything in between. For instance, you could set the Stealth Plus up to have a slight draw bias, if you like playing baby draws off the tee. Alternatively, if your go-to shot is a power cut, you could set the Stealth Plus to the maximum fade setting and basically forget about hitting it left off the tee box.
The Sliding Weight Track is one of the biggest advantages of investing in the Taylormade Stealth Plus driver (if you are torn between all the available options).
3. Naming Conventions Between Models
It isn’t immediately obvious why Taylormade changed its naming conventions. If anything, it just makes it harder to differentiate between the low spin version and the mid/high spin version of each product family. The bullet points below should help clarify the situation.
- Stealth Plus: Low Spin Medium Forgiveness
- Stealth: Mid Spin Maximum Forgiveness
- Sim 2: Low Spin Medium Forgiveness
- Sim 2 Max: Mid Spin Maximum Forgiveness
The only issue that we have with the change is that it has introduced the possibility of confusion when trying to differentiate between each driver model. With the Sim 2, the Max version translated to the maximum forgiveness model, which was pretty easy to understand. Nevertheless, all you need to know is that the Stealth Plus is the low spin version, and the Stealth is the mid-spin, maximum forgiveness version.
4. Cosmetic Design (Looks)
From our perspective, Taylormade has produced two exceptionally good-looking drivers. The red carbon face on the Stealth range looks pretty awesome, while the blue-white and grey Sim 2 also looks very impressive.
The only extra thing worth mentioning in terms of design is that it might take you some time to adjust to the look of a red clubface behind the ball. It definitely jumps out at you. Some people might find it off-putting, but most players will probably quite like the novelty for the first few months of owning the product.
5. Price
Simply put, the recommended selling price of the Taylormade Stealth Drivers is about 70 dollars more expensive than the RSP of the Taylormade Sim 2 range. Whichever way you look at it, new drivers have become very expensive again. This is partly because material costs have increased as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. We ar likely to see driver prices increase across the board for the next 1-2 years.
Key Technology - Taylormade Stealth Driver
60X CARBON TWIST FACE
Twenty years of development marks the end of the titanium era. The all-new 60X Carbon Twist Face is 40% lighter than an equivalent titanium face, while also being 11% larger than SIM2 and SIM2 Max drivers and nearly 20% larger than the 2020 SIM driver. Sixty layers of carbon fiber have been strategically designed to optimize energy transfer to deliver fast ball speeds over a large area, resulting in optimal distance and forgiveness.
NANOTEXTURE COVER
The 60X Carbon Twist Face is encased by a polyurethane cover, featuring a revolutionary new nanotexture technology. The nanotexture cover is used to fine-tune launch and spin to optimize total distance regardless of playing conditions.
HIGH MOI DESIGN
The weight savings of the 60x Carbon Twist Face has allowed more weight to be positioned low and deep in the head. Additional weight savings come from the removal of the Sliding Weight Track. Compared to Stealth Plus+, the Stealth model offers 15% greater MOI.
ASYMMETRIC INERTIA GENERATOR
The Inertia Generator remains the foundational source of refined aerodynamic properties. The result is a slippery-fast head shape that aids in swing speed generation on the downswing for golfers at every level. It provides the added benefit of enhanced forgiveness vs. Stealth Plus+ with extra weight positioned low and back.
THRU-SLOT SPEED POCKET
Taylormade’s most flexible Speed Pocket™ design engineered to maximize ball speeds and produce additional forgiveness on low face strikes.
Please note – this product info is sourced directly from Taylormade.
Key Technology - Taylormade Sim 2
FORGED RING CONSTRUCTION
Forged from a lightweight and high strength aluminum that is milled to an exacting shape, Forged Ring Construction unites a massive rear weight, a full carbon sole, crown and a milled back cup face. Creating a confidence-inspiring driver designed for increased stability and forgiveness.
SIM INERTIA GENERATOR
The asymmetric Inertia Generator is designed to provide faster club head speed through advanced geometry and aerodynamic analytics. A full lightweight carbon sole enables the redistribution of mass for a deeper CG and enhanced forgiveness.
SPEED INJECTED TWIST FACE
Speed Injected Twist Face improves ball speed by calibrating each head to the threshold of the legal speed limit with corrective face curvature also protecting against heel and toe mis-hits.
THRU-SLOT SPEED POCKET
Our most flexible Speed Pocket™ design is engineered to maximize ball speeds and produce additional forgiveness on low face strikes.
SPLIT MASS WEIGHTING
Featuring a TPS weight on the sole of the club and 16 grams of steel at the rear, this design element promotes enhanced forgiveness and spin properties while allowing for precise target swing weights during custom assembly.
Please note – this product info is sourced directly from Taylormade.
Video Comparisons - Taylormade Stealth vs Sim 2
Rick Shiels Comparison
Based on the results above, you can see that Rick achieved his best carry distance with the Taylormade Stealth Plus. However, he also notes during the video that Taylormade Stealth was significantly more forgiving than the Stealth Plus. Said another way, off center hits seem to be far less punitive with the Stealth than the Stealth Plus.
TXG Golf Comparison
As you can see in the image above, the guys at TXG Golf were able to get maximum distance from the Taylormade Stealth Plus. This is mainly because of the backspin numbers. Simply put, the Stealth Plus produced less backspin than the Sim 2, resulting in in the longest carry and the longest total distance across the drivers.
Michael Newton Comparison
With Michael Newton’s comparison, the Taylormade Sim 2 actually outperformed the Taylormade Stealth Plus in terms of carry.
This is partly because his swing speed actually benefits from the additional backspin created by the Sim 2. In some respects, the reduced spin offered by the Stealth Plus is a bitter-edged sword.
If you have super high swing speed (115+ mph), the reduced spin can work in your favor. However, if you have a reasonably fast swing speed (105+ mph), you might be better served by a bit more backspin, especially in terms of maximum carry.
