Brentwood

My experience is in regards to the OG zx5 irons and not the newest zxi5. However, I have done quite a bit of comparison with my zx5 3i and the srixon utility irons (OG and mkii). Obviously none of them are going to be as easy as a Ping hybrid, but I have always really enjoyed the zx5 3i for some of the reasons you mentioned throughout this thread. Specifically, I have always preferred the feel of the zx5 over the equivalent hollow structured utility iron. Another point is the sole interaction. The zx5, to me, was superior in terms of hitting off the turf as it has the v-sole. With that said though, I think the newest edition of the Srixon utilities have more of that sole than previous iterations (I have not hit the newest version of the utility, only seen online). After some tweaking, I determined that it best filled my gapping by having the 3i loft bent 2* strong @ 18* and to have my 4i 1* strong @ 21*. So really my 3i is more like a 2i but I wanted to maintain 3* gaps between the 3, 4, and 5. This worked well for my OCD and the performance on the course. When I had the 3i @ 20*, the 4i @ 22*, and the 5i @ 24* (which is what their stock specs are), the gaps were a little bit too bunched. Ultimately, I think it comes down to how you want to use it. If you only want an off the tee iron, then its a toss up between the 3i and a Srixon utility iron equipped with a shaft that fits you well. If you plan to use it off the turf, I would go with the zx5 3i over the utility no doubt. I would just recommend to keep your gapping in the back of your mind when you look to custom order.