Two of the best players-distance forged irons of the year, separated by a tenth on the consensus score. One leans on Mizuno's forging pedigree and a touch more distance; the other quietly does everything well.
Quick verdict
The Srixon ZXi5 is the more complete iron— it carries a 9.2 consensus and wins four of seven categories (feel, forgiveness, turf interaction, value). In MyGolfSpy's testing it was the only model to finish top-10 in accuracy, distance and forgiveness at once. For most golfers, it's the smarter buy.
The Mizuno JPX925 Forged (9.0) is the distance-and-pedigree pick— it wins distance/gapping outright and ties on looks and workability, with the buttery Grain Flow Forged feel Mizuno is famous for. But it's the less forgiving and pricier set, so it's best for ball strikers who want that forged character and a bit more carry.
Mizuno
Grain Flow Forged HD, CORTECH Contour Ellipse face, Triple Cut Sole. A players-distance forged set built around feel with new ball speed.
Srixon
i-FORGED body, softened SUP10 face, MainFrame speed pattern, Tour V.T. Sole. The players-distance iron that does almost everything.
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JPX925 Forged wins 1 of 7 · ZXi5 wins 4 of 7 · 2 tied
JPX925 Forged
ZXi5
A traditional players profile — thin topline, minimal offset, compact blade length. GolfMagic called it among the best-looking irons Mizuno has ever made; Today's Golfer framed it as a classic Mizuno shape that has spent time in the gym.
A clean, monochrome head of brushed steel and high chrome with minimal toe branding. Plugged In Golf rated it the best-looking iron in its class — players-style looks that hide how much help is inside.
JPX925 Forged
ZXi5
The 8-iron through gap wedge are fully Grain Flow Forged 1025E in Hiroshima, and reviewers reached repeatedly for one word: butter. The catch is the Chromoly long irons feel and sound firmer than the forged scoring irons — a cohesion gap discerning players notice.
The i-FORGED body and a SUP10 face Srixon says is 14% softer than the ZX5 Mk II deliver a soft, crisp impact with minimal vibration — and crucially it stays consistent across the whole set, edging the Mizuno here by a tenth.
JPX925 Forged
ZXi5
The new CORTECH Contour Ellipse face turns a feel-first forged iron into a legitimate distance club — Golfer Geeks measured roughly half a club of extra length, and Golf Monthly called the ball speed a surprising outcome from something so delicate at strike.
MainFrame keeps ball speed strong, but slightly weaker lofts and low spin make the ZXi5 more about repeatable gapping than chasing yardage — Golf Sidekick even warned that solid strikes can fly farther than expected.
JPX925 Forged
ZXi5
Better than the compact head suggests, but still a better-player's iron. Golfalot rated forgiveness better than expected, yet not by much versus a full game-improvement iron — you need to find the center to get the goods.
MainFrame face technology holds dispersion tight: Golf Sidekick lost about seven yards on a toe strike without it ballooning, and MyGolfSpy ranked it second in the field for forgiveness — genuinely stable for how compact it looks.
JPX925 Forged
ZXi5
The compact forged head answers shot-shaping inputs the way Mizuno's better-player irons always have — a natural fit for the skilled striker who wants to flight and curve the ball.
Workable and controllable for a players-distance iron; better players can blend ZXi7 scoring irons with ZXi5 long irons for a shot-shaper's combo set. A genuine wash with the Mizuno.
JPX925 Forged
ZXi5
The new Triple Cut Sole bevels the leading edge for clean entry and uses a hard-cut trailing edge for a smooth exit — Today's Golfer praised it as fantastic in softer conditions and expected it to hold up once the ground firms.
The Tour V.T. Sole is one of the most-praised features of the whole ZXi line — Plugged In Golf said it makes the club feel almost like a blade in the turf, even from awkward lies.
JPX925 Forged
ZXi5
At about $1,505 for an 8-piece steel set (~$187.50 per iron), it is a premium forged purchase — justified by the feel, but priced firmly at the top of the category.
At $199.99 per club (~$1,200 for a 5-PW set), the ZXi5 delivers near-complete players-distance performance for less than the Mizuno set — the better value of the two.
Buy the JPX925 Forged if you...
Buy the ZXi5 if you...
These two are closer than the 9.2-vs-9.0 gap suggests. Both are compact, clean-looking, soft-feeling forged irons aimed at the same player — the skilled striker who wants distance without giving up character. They tie on looks (9.4) and workability (9.0), so the decision comes down to four categories where they genuinely separate.
The ZXi5 wins three of those four. Its i-FORGED body and softened SUP10 face hold a consistent, crisp feel across the whole set, where the Mizuno's multi-material long irons feel and sound firmer than its forged scoring clubs. MainFrame face technology makes it the more forgiving iron (9.0 vs 8.4), the Tour V.T. Sole edges the new Triple Cut Sole on turf (9.3 vs 9.0), and at roughly $1,200 for a 5-PW set it undercuts the ~$1,505 Mizuno on value. That breadth is why MyGolfSpy called it the only iron in its Players Distance test to finish top-10 in accuracy, distance and forgiveness at once.
The JPX925 Forged's answer is distance and pedigree. The CORTECH Contour Ellipse face plays roughly half a club longer than its loft, giving it the one clear category win (9.0 vs 8.6 on distance/gapping), and the Grain Flow Forged scoring irons deliver the buttery feel Mizuno built its name on. If you want that specific forged character and a bit more carry — and you find the center often enough that forgiveness isn't the priority — the Mizuno is a legitimate choice. For most players, though, the ZXi5's completeness and lower price make it the better all-around buy.
“Soft, responsive and oh so smooth, these irons are an absolute delight to hit. From the centre, they feel like absolute butter.”
GolfMagic·On the JPX925 ForgedFavors JPX925 Forged
“Exceptional ball speed, and as such distance output is a surprising outcome from a club that feels so beautifully delicate at strike.”
Golf Monthly·On the JPX925 ForgedFavors JPX925 Forged
“The ZXi5 cracks the top five in our Players Distance test and is the only iron to finish top 10 in accuracy, distance and forgiveness.”
MyGolfSpy·Most Wanted 2025 testingFavors ZXi5
“The Tour V.T. Sole makes the club feel almost like a blade in the turf.”
Plugged In Golf·On the ZXi5Favors ZXi5
JPX925 Forged — our take
The distance-and-pedigree pick. The CORTECH face plays about half a club longer than its loft, and the Grain Flow Forged scoring irons deliver Mizuno's trademark buttery feel. It wins distance and ties on looks and workability — but it's the less forgiving, pricier set that asks for a center strike.
✦ Best for: ball strikers who want forged feel and a touch more distance (0–12)
ZXi5 — our take · winner
The more complete iron. At 9.2 it wins feel, forgiveness, turf interaction, and value — the only model in MyGolfSpy's test to finish top-10 in accuracy, distance and forgiveness at once. Soft, stable, great-looking, and cheaper than the Mizuno. For most golfers, the smarter buy.
✦ Best for: mid handicappers who want a do-everything players-distance iron (9–18)
For most golfers, yes — the ZXi5 carries a higher 9.2 consensus score (vs the JPX925 Forged's 9.0) across 15 sources and wins four of seven categories: feel, forgiveness, turf interaction, and value. It isn't a blowout, though. The JPX925 Forged wins distance/gapping outright and ties on looks and workability, making it the right pick for ball strikers who specifically want Mizuno's Grain Flow Forged feel and a bit more carry.
The Srixon ZXi5 is clearly more forgiving, scoring 9.0 in forgiveness versus the JPX925 Forged's 8.4. Its MainFrame face technology holds ball speed and dispersion on off-center strikes — Golf Sidekick lost only about seven yards on a toe hit, and MyGolfSpy ranked it second in the field for forgiveness. The compact JPX925 Forged is better than its size suggests but still demands a centered strike.
The Mizuno JPX925 Forged is the longer, more distance-focused iron, scoring 9.0 on distance/gapping versus the ZXi5's 8.6. Its new CORTECH Contour Ellipse face plays roughly half a club longer than its loft. The ZXi5 still produces strong ball speed via MainFrame, but its slightly weaker lofts and low spin make it more about repeatable gapping than maximum yardage.
For a mid handicapper (roughly 9–18), the Srixon ZXi5 is the safer call — it's arguably the model's sweet spot, pairing more forgiveness and class-leading turf interaction with a soft, premium feel, and it costs less (~$1,200 for a 5-PW set vs ~$1,505 for the Mizuno). The JPX925 Forged suits confident mid-handicappers with consistent contact who specifically want forged feel and extra distance; less consistent strikers will get more help from the ZXi5.
Compare these head-to-head, or see how they rank across the field.