The numbers
Specifications
Half-soft at about 120 kg/mm2
Obut lists the CX COU at about 120 kg/mm2 in carbon steel, with what it calls a controlled treatment process. The maker gives no HRC value and no tolerance on that figure.
Balance above the federation rule
Obut says the balance of the CX COU exceeds FIPJP requirements, while its MATCH and RCC pages say only compliant. Federation rules allow an imbalance of up to 1.3% of the boule’s weight.
Obut publishes no figure for how far the CX COU beats that limit. The claim rests on the maker’s word.
The COU coating
The boule leaves the factory in the black COU coating. Obut says the black wears off very quickly in the first games and calls the touch velvety.
Obut rates the surface wear of the CX COU low, against medium for its MATCH. The maker says impacts do not mark the surface easily.
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Suitability
Who it is for
Suits you if
- You point and shoot in the same game and want one set for both
- You play on pebbly, tarred or slightly gravelly ground
- You point mostly with rolling boules and half-lobs
- You already oil your boules after play
- You need a smooth boule above 76 mm or a weight above 750 g
Look elsewhere if
- You will not oil a carbon set
- You want the black finish to last for years
- You shoot almost every boule and want 110 or 115 kg/mm2
- You want striations on a boule above 76 mm
- You want the lowest price for half-soft Obut carbon
In the hand
How it plays
For the pointer
Obut calls the CX COU ideal for roll pointing without spin and for half-lobs. The maker adds that its balance pleases players who like to finish with a rolling boule.
Semi-soft steel keeps enough energy to run out after landing. For high lobs onto hard ground, Obut pitches its Impact Absorber+ RCC instead.
For the shooter
Obut names 4 m rolling shots and shooting on the iron. It also calls the boule ideal for shooting 4 m in front.
The glossary explains carreau and the other shooting terms.
On different ground
Obut suits it to pebbly and tarred ground and above all to slightly gravelly surfaces. The maker also mentions long distances and the jeu provençal.
On loose or sandy ground the terrain absorbs energy itself. The gap between half-soft and soft boules narrows there.
Living with carbon
Obut asks for a little care after each game and at least once a month when the set sits unused. Carbon steel needs regular oiling to avoid oxidation.
The maker warns against leaving boules in a car trunk, where temperature swings cause condensation. Foam-lined pouches stay damp too, so store the set dry and out of them.
If the set sits unused, Obut says a fine layer of oxidation may form. The maker adds that players who want a firm hand grip do not mind it.
The balance
Pros and cons
Pros
- Half-soft at about 120 kg/mm2, rated for pointing and shooting
- Balance above the FIPJP requirement, per Obut
- Low wear rating, against medium for the Obut MATCH
- Smooth version from 71 to 80 mm and 650 to 790 g, 92 pairings
- Smooth or 1-grade striated
- FIPJP approved, with the label CX COU
Cons
- Carbon steel, so it needs regular oiling
- The black COU coating wears off within the first games
- About $275 in the United States, $156 more than the Obut MATCH
- Striated version stops at 76 mm and 750 g
- US stock covers only 72 to 74 mm at 680 or 700 g
The score
How this review scores it
Alternatives
How it compares
| Specification | Obut CX COU | Obut MATCH | Obut RCC | MS Pétanque 1PACT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Carbon steel | Carbon steel | Carbon steel | Carbon alloy steel |
| Hardness | About 120 kg/mm2, half-soft | Over 120 kg/mm2, half-soft | Impact Absorber+, no figure | 120 kg/mm2, semi-soft |
| Balance | Above FIPJP requirement | Compliant with FIPJP | Compliant with FIPJP | Not stated |
| Wear rating | Low | Medium | Pronounced | Not stated |
| Diameters | 71 to 80 mm smooth | 71 to 76 mm | 72 to 76 mm | 71 to 76 mm |
| Weights | 650 to 790 g smooth | 650 to 730 g | 680 to 710 g | 670 to 720 g |
| Care | Oiling | Oiling | Oiling | Oiling |
| Maker price | 220 euros | 93 euros | 220 euros | 202 euros |
CX COU or MATCH
The MATCH is Obut’s half-soft carbon boule at over 120 kg/mm2, in 71 to 76 mm and 650 to 730 g, for 93 euros. Obut aims it at players starting out in competition, with balance compliant with FIPJP rules and a medium wear rate.
The CX COU costs 127 euros more for a balance above the requirement, a low wear rate and a wider smooth size range. In the United States the gap is about $156, at $275 against $119.
Against the RCC
The RCC costs the same 220 euros in Impact Absorber+ carbon, built for high lobs and lobbed hits on hard ground. Obut rates its wear pronounced and sells it only in 72 to 76 mm and 680 to 710 g.
Its stainless twin, the Obut RCX, sells for about $252 in the United States.
Against the 1PACT
The MS Pétanque 1PACT matches the 120 kg/mm2 in carbon alloy steel with forged internal ribs, at 202 euros from the maker. It stops at 76 mm, where the smooth CX COU goes to 80 mm.
Before you order
Buying advice
Trust the order form
The product text says 71 to 76 mm and 80 mm, with 650 to 750 g and 800 g. The smooth order form adds 77 and 78 mm, offers 770 to 790 g and shows no 800 g option.
Above 76 mm only some weights are offered, while the striated version stops at 76 mm and 750 g. The boule selector gives the diameter to look for.
Where it is sold
The CX COU is in stock in the United States at about $275 in October 2026, smooth or striated, in 72 to 74 mm at 680 or 700 g. Other sizes are factory orders at about $358, with three to four weeks for delivery.
Obut lists it at 220 euros and ships from France within five working days. Compare the landed cost with shipping and duty before ordering from Europe.
Engraving
On orders placed with the maker, Obut offers classic or italic engraving for 15 euros and a stylized mark of up to two characters for 19 euros. The equipment page covers the markings every competition boule must carry.
Keep the paperwork
Obut asks buyers to keep the warranty card on the box flap and the outer label for the three-year guarantee to apply.
Put both somewhere safe on the day the set arrives.
Common questions
Questions about the Obut CX COU
Is the CX COU soft or half-soft?
Half-soft. Obut gives about 120 kg/mm2 and calls the figure approximate.
Every FIPJP approved boule must reach at least 35 HRC, equal to 110 kg/mm2.
Is the CX COU legal in sanctioned competition?
Yes. The FIPJP list of approved labels, updated on 15 June 2026, shows CX COU with four stars after it under Boule Noire.
Obut also states FIPJP approval on the product page.
What sizes does the CX COU come in?
Smooth, the order form offers 71 to 78 mm and 80 mm with 650 to 750 g and 770 to 790 g, 92 pairings in all. Larger diameters come in fewer weights.
The 1-grade striated version comes in 71 to 76 mm and 650 to 750 g, 66 pairings.
What does balance above the FIPJP requirement mean?
Federation rules allow an imbalance of up to 1.3% of the boule’s weight. Obut says the CX COU does better than that but publishes no figure.
Obut calls the balance of the MATCH and the RCC compliant, nothing more.
Why is my new set losing its black finish?
Obut says the black COU coating wears off very quickly in the first games, which good players asked for. The maker says the touch is velvety, for a good hand grip.
Keep oiling the set, since carbon oxidizes once the coating is gone.
Should I buy the CX COU or the MATCH?
Both are half-soft Obut carbon. The MATCH costs 93 euros in France and about $119 in the United States, with balance compliant with FIPJP rules and a medium wear rate.
The CX COU costs 220 euros or about $275 for better balance, a low wear rate and smooth sizes up to 80 mm.
