RDX MP--on second thought...

[Coria]

I've been screwing around with racket frames for a while now. I really liked the way the RDX MP played when I first hit with it. But, I've realized that it's not as maneuverable as I truly desired. There was something about the Volkl Tour 10 MP and mid and the Diablo MP that I really liked. Both rackets felt easier to handle but the Tour 10 MP felt a tad heavy and not as light in the swing weight and wasn't as head light as I prefer.

The Diablo MP felt awesome in my hands but I've seen the lack of stabilty that people have talked about --especially on my slice backhand. Perhaps with the right lead tape combination, this would be my dream racket. The Diablo mid feels too heavy for me, as does the RDX mid. Also, I've realized that I prefer the Prince grips to the Yonex'.

I generally like the Prestige MP, but it also feels a tad heavy. I like a slightly thinner beam--like 19 mm instead of 21-22.

I was almost as excited as Triple B regarding the RDX MP. But today, I played with it for 2 hours and I realized that I really don't like the grip shape and also, the racket isn't as maneuverable as I thought. My forehand and serve were better with the Prestige MP.

So, I'm back looking again...I know--paralysis by analysis. One stick I've yet to demo that sounds like it could have what these others don't--the Slazenger X1. It has the thinner beam, is very head light, is 95 square inches (which is probably better for me than 98 or 100) and has an ideal swing weight. I'll give it a try.

[LafayetteHitter]

Maybe NBMJ could answer this one,
I have a demo of the Tour 10 MP arriving this week, a few people have mentioned it's not as head light as they would've like, how much difference would adding a leather grip to this racquet make, or ordering a size down and building it up then adding a leather grip, I have not done this sort of stuff at all so just wondering if it would help?

Scott

[ferrari_827]

This is interesting. The X1 is just as heavy as the RDX so it probably isn't more much maneuverable. The Diablo mid swung and felt very light to me, almost too whippy.

The Slazenger is actually thicker in the throat/handle area than the RDX. Remember you're never going to find a racket which makes you play "perfectly" right off, it takes time to get adjusted to a racket.

[NoBadMojo]

ya man..the x1 really doesnt play as headlight as the specs indicate. usually better to err on the light side than the heavy coria, so if something may be too heavy for you now, it aint gonna get any lighter unless you wish to devote lots of time to the gym. the tour10mp is more sluggish than both the x1 and rdxMP. lafayette you've hit on precisely what i didnt like about the t10mps at first..the fact they arent really very headlight and felt sluggish to me serving and a little slow when hitting over on backhands. so i started by adding leather..that made it a tad more headlight, but adding weight cant lower swingweight and it still felt sluggish, so i cut away grommet/bumper material and the things swing sweet and i am getting all kinds of headspeed for serves and can get around on my backhand fast enough to get all the topspin back. i'm chuckling because i did essentially what the opposite of most posters seem to think adds stability..that being removing weight from 3 and 9 rather than adding. anywho, i didnt want to give up on the t10's and that was a solution that has worked great for me..now bring on the gen2!!

[LafayetteHitter]

NBMJ,

Does it look like the Gen 2 will be more headlight?

Scott

[man-walking]

IMO, if you like have perfect grip you should go for Wilson. Maybe in your case Pro Staff 6.0 95.

I can't realize how you rate RDX500 *not enough* manuvreable (just for you), this stick has very friendly balance (31cm unstrung) for its weight of only 310g (unstrung), what are you searching for ? Generally rackets with that balance weigh around 325g.
Just for comparison Prestige has 31cm balance with 330g, Tour 10VE Mid too, Tour 10VE MP 325g/31cm, HPS/ncode 6.1 333g/30.5cm.
"...I can clearly imagine why Diablo MP is crap on the stability side..."
Your requirements sounds a bit odd to me, in my opinion searching for extreme HL rackets you'll end sacrificing the rest (on 1st: shot feedback and ball-stringbed penetration).

[NoBadMojo]

LH i posted really complete specs for this frame in this forum...you can search for it if you like. it;s not really really headlight but they've found a way to get the swingweight down compared to the t10mp and c10pro.
11.5 oz and 1.1" HL unstrung and strung SW of only 315. so at 12 oz's strung w. .7"HL and a swingweight of only 315 plus fiberglass in the layup, that sounds like me..how'd they do that?? :) i'll post feedback on these as soon as i get my grubby hands on them for those interested.