Cleveland CBX Full-Face 2 Wedges – Key Takeaways
- Updated, full-face version of Cleveland’s CBX wedge line
- Features ZipCore, HydraZip and UltiZip technology
- $169.99 per wedge
- At retail Feb. 3
The new Cleveland CBX Full-Face 2 wedges make up the newest song in Cleveland’s concept album, Dark Side of the Wedge.
But seriously, folks …
Cleveland debuted its ultra-forgiving, cavity-back CBX wedge line in 2017. Back then, Cleveland told us that if you play game-improvement irons but not game-improvement wedges, you’re probably doing it wrong. And since 84 percent of us play game-improvement irons, well, you can do the math from there.
Two iterations and a couple of sub-launches later, we’re getting a full-face version of the most recent CBX. On the face of it, this launch looks like a simple line extension of the 2021 CBX ZipCore.
But in actuality, the face of it is the thing that tells a slightly different story.
CBX Full-Face 2 Wedges: The Full-Face Story
Cleveland routinely releases a full-face version of its current wedge one year into its two-year product cycle. And the CBX Full-Face 2 release is right on schedule. But this year, Cleveland has thrown a bit of an about-face at us.
Sure, the new wedge is a full-face version of the CBX ZipCore. The face is slightly larger with a slightly higher toe than its less-than-full-face brother. And it features the same wide-sole, large cavity-back, ZipCore insert and forgiving performance. But Cleveland is also tossing in some of the new face technology from its latest RTX 6 ZipCore wedges. Specifically, we’re talking about HydraZip and UltiZip.
As we said in our piece on the RTX 6: That’s a lot of zip.
“It has the same technology as the RTX 6,” says Cleveland Tour Engineering Manager Patrick Ripp. “In this case, we aren’t extending the ZipCore all the way into the heel under the score lines of the CBX because we’re able to put a pocket in there. The cavity-back design gives us more forgiveness.”
ZipCore is a unique, low-density core in the heel of Cleveland’s wedges. It’s used in place of the cast stainless steel to help shift the center of gravity toward the center of the clubface. CBX ZipCore has a small insert in the heel while the new RTX 6 ZipCore has a much larger insert that pushes the CG further toward the center and lower. It gives the RTX 6 a near cavity-back level of performance.
But it’s not close to the same as the CBX.
Full-Face About Face
The biggest upgrade to the CBX Full-Face is HydraZip. We discussed HydraZip in detail in our piece on the new RTX 6 ZipCore but here are the Cliff Notes.
As the name suggests, HydraZip is Cleveland’s effort to improve performance in wet conditions. Not that Cleveland was doing badly in that department. In 2022’s Most Wanted Wedge testing, the CBX ZipCore finished fourth overall in wet performance.
HydraZip is an all-new face treatment designed to increase friction between the ball and the face when there’s moisture in between. It includes additional laser milling and a loft-specific fast blast that roughs up the surface. The 50- and 52-degree models have an aggressive milling and blast treatment to maintain wet spin while the 54- through 60-degree wedges have the most aggressive milling and face blast to preserve spin on partial, glancing blows.
If you fully look at the face of the CBX Full-Face 2, you’ll get a face full of grooves. There’s Cleveland’s patented Rotex milling. Then there’s the diagonal milling that’s part and parcel of HydraZip. And then there’s the micro-milling of UltiZip.
According to Cleveland, the new UltiZip grooves are 11 percent sharper, 7.3 percent deeper and 7.2 percent closer, with two extra grooves on the face to spin the bejeebers out of the ball. Essentially, you’re getting the same face technology with the more forgiving CBX Full-Face 2 as you’re getting with the new RTX 6 ZipCore.
Simplified Sole Grinds
You can get any sole grind you want with the Cleveland CBX Full-Face 2 wedges—as long as it’s either a standard full sole grind or a C-shaped sole grind. And your bounce options are numerous—as long as that number is 12.
“The full sole grind in the 50- and 52-degree wedges is a really good match for that game-improvement set,” says Ripp. “Then the three-tiered C-shaped grind on the 54- through 60-degree wedges takes a little bit of material out of the heel so you can open it up a bit.”
The entire CBX Full-Face 2 lineup features a new leading-edge chamfer to reduce chunky shots while maintaining enough bounce to be forgiving. The C-shaped grind on the 54- through 60-degree wedges keeps enough bounce in the center and toe areas for tricky lies and bunker play.
How should CBX wedges in general, and full-face wedges in particular, fit into your bag? Ripp, who spends his time fitting wedges for Cleveland’s TOUR players, says we mere mortals need to keep ego out of it.
“Based on your confidence level and skill level, accept what might be the best combination,” he says. “You’ll want forgiveness in your gap and pitching wedges because you have that forgiveness in your iron set. But if you have confidence around the green and like to manipulate the face, you can use the RTX for your higher-lofted wedges.
“But if you aren’t as confident around the green and only open the face from time to time, then the CBX Full-Face might make more sense.”
Cleveland CBX Full-Face 2 Wedges – Specs, Price and Availability
The new Cleveland CBX Full-Face 2 wedges will be available in 50- through 60-degree models in two-degree increments.
The 50- and 52-degree models will be available in the full sole grind only with 12 degrees of bounce. The 54- through 60-degree models are C-shaped grinds only, also with 12 degrees of bounce. Sorry lefties, only the 52-, 56- and 60-degree models will be available for southpaws.
The True Temper Dynamic Gold 115 Spinner Tour Issue is the stock steel shaft while the Project X Catalyst 80 Spinner is the stock graphite. Lamkin’s Crossline 360 is the stock grip.
The Cleveland CBX Full-Face 2 wedges will retail for $169.99 and will hit retail on Feb. 3.
For more information, visit the newly rebranded Cleveland-Srixon-XXIO-Dunlop Sports website.
Leave A Reply