The Wilson Staff Model XB iron is the latest offering from Wilson in the competitive hollow-bodied players' distance iron category. This is an exceptionally crowded marketplace place so the XB has its work cut out to rival the best compact mid-handicap irons, but having become a bit of a fan of the Wilson brand over the past couple of years, I was keen to see what was on offer.
Watch: PGA Professional Joe Ferguson tests out the full range of 2026 Wilson Staff Model Irons.
The most striking change from last year’s model is the finish. I absolutely love the new, almost sandblasted, matte, light grey finish; it is massively improved from the high gloss chrome of last year's Staff Model range, to my eye at least.
This sophisticated, non-glare look immediately sets a premium tone. In the players' distance category, I genuinely think the Staff Model XB and the Titleist T250 irons are head and shoulders above the rest for looks.
The shaping is a sleek hollow-body design that maintains a minimal offset and a thin top line. When I put it side by side with its main competitors, it is arguably the most ‘low-handicap’ looking iron of its type in terms of the playing position. This is music to my ears, but I wonder if some mid-handicap players may prefer a bit more of a confidence-inducing visual?
When it comes to feel, the Staff Model XB delivers a solid all-around experience, featuring a specialized urethane injection that dampens face vibration. The urethane material is strategically injected into the hollow body to improve the sound. They definitely have a firmer feel than (in my opinion) the best feeling players' distance iron in the TaylorMade P790, but despite this robust quality, the XB still offers excellent feedback, giving a real sense of power at strike. In fact, in terms of feel, I found them very similar to the Titleist T250.
The Staff Model XB iron employs a hollow body construction to enhance speed and weight distribution for precision and power. This design is paired with Wilson’s face optimization, which uses simulation-based enhancement of the sweet spot to try and maximize forgiveness and ball speed across the entire face.
Wilson has maintained a sensible approach to lofts, featuring a 32° 7-iron and a 46° pitching wedge. This offers a lot more balance than a few of the brands that are pushing closer to the 30° 7-iron measurement, and while these lofts are a little weaker than both the P790 and T250 irons, the Staff Model XB actually kept up very well in terms of distance and ball speed (measured on the Foresight Sports GC3 launch monitor), which was impressive to see.
For those seeking more length at the top of the bag, I love the fact that Wilson has included a 2-iron option in the set. Even though this will be a niche offering, this club (with a 17° loft) will more likely be used as a driving iron by players opting for the Staff Model Blade or CB irons, rather than players going with a 2-PW composition in the XB set.
The XB iron runs all the way from the 2-iron through the gap wedge.
The Staff Model XB set has an extensive range of customization options to fine-tune performance. For shafts, the stock offering is the Nippon Modus Tour 110 in R and S flexes, with additional stock and premium shaft offerings also available.
The stock grip is the exceptional Golf Pride Z Grip.
Custom fitting allows for further significant adjustments in club specifications: length is adjustable from -2" to +2”, the lie angle can be adjusted from 3° flat to 3° upright, and the loft is adjustable from 2° weak to 2° strong.
The brand new Wilson Staff Model XB is a brilliant new option that should not be ignored. It masterfully blends a clean, compact aesthetic with powerful, forgiving performance, making it a serious contender against the industry's best.
All of the 2026 Wilson Staff Model irons are available for £1,169/$1,399 for a seven-club configuration.
