crosscourt
Professional
Can anyone compare these two rackets? They both get great reviews from TW and both look to be competing in the same sort of space. Or is that a mistake? Any views on the strengths and weaknesses of them greatly appreciated.
Head Graphene Speed Pro v Head Youtek IG Extreme Pro 2.0
- Thread starter crosscourt
- Start date
Hankenstein
Hall of Fame
They are very far apart from each other. I have used both for a good amount of time.
The G Speed Pro is more control oriented, and you have to be a good player to be able to take full advantage of that frame.
The IG Extreme 2.0 pro is much easier to play with. It feels a bit like a more muted Pure Drive with better control. Everyone i have talked to had a very pleasant first impression of the IG Extreme Pro 2.0
crosscourt
Professional
Very interesting. It sounds as though you may slightly prefer the Extreme. I play the BLX Blade 93 and love it. But autumn is here and already the game is very different from two or three weeks ago. The balls are heavier and slower, the courts colder and damper, and I wonder if I could use the help you get from these more powerful sticks. I love the APD but it hurts my elbow. So I am looking at these sticks as alternatives.
naturallight
Semi-Pro
Curious on why?
I'm wondering if it might have to do with the power levels. I found the Extreme to be more powerful than the APD.
I'm working on figuring this out myself. I own both rackets. I had the e2p first and it felt really great in terms of control and power. One drawback that made me want to try a different racket was that if I pounded the ball for 30min pr longer, I would have a slight ache in my biceps and somewhat in my triceps. I have never had this kind of ache before.
I have been using the gsp for a week now. So far so good. I have yet to try to pound the ball but I will get to that next week.
String: Yonex ptp 125 @ 50lbs on both frames
I had tried hybrid string but it felt inconsistent at times.
Also I have tried apd n it felt very muted.
I have been using the gsp for a week now. So far so good. I have yet to try to pound the ball but I will get to that next week.
String: Yonex ptp 125 @ 50lbs on both frames
I had tried hybrid string but it felt inconsistent at times.
Also I have tried apd n it felt very muted.
crosscourt
Professional
Let us know how you get on with them both.
crosscourt
Professional
I got to hit with the Graphene Speed Pro yesterday, alongside the Blade 99 16x18 and the 2013 APD and some other sticks.
The GPS is a nice racket. Quite tight feeling, quite stiff, and powerful without feeling like a club.
The Blade felt terrible. It could jut have been the strings of course, but I play with the Blade 93 at present and was very disappointed with the bigger brother.
The stand-out frame was the new APD. I have always loved what it did for your shot-making but always hated the feel and the pressure it put on my elbow. Babolat seems to have fixed the feel problem with this version and it is just a brilliant all round racket. A total pleasure to play with.
The GPS is a nice racket. Quite tight feeling, quite stiff, and powerful without feeling like a club.
The Blade felt terrible. It could jut have been the strings of course, but I play with the Blade 93 at present and was very disappointed with the bigger brother.
The stand-out frame was the new APD. I have always loved what it did for your shot-making but always hated the feel and the pressure it put on my elbow. Babolat seems to have fixed the feel problem with this version and it is just a brilliant all round racket. A total pleasure to play with.
Haven't played Extreme 2.0, but re APD and Graphene MP, both pretty powerful, both can launch a bit, both have that high trajectory, both seem to produce kicking heavy baseline shots, both really blaze out serves, both not that hefty but have just about enough solidness, for me. I'd add that I think the feel on the Graphene is really good, very crisp.
Great stuff CC. Hope your past issues don't resurface and that you've nailed your frame for the next good while... BTW, ever hit with the black APD Original? IMO it's ever so slightly softer than all the other APDs I've tried. Given what you've said re past discomfort, maybe one to keep an eye out for?
crosscourt
Professional
I am not sure I am going to change to it. I am playing with the Blade 93, am in a groove with it, and winning pretty consistently. I don't feel like giving that up. But I think the new APD may find its way into my bag for thumping the ball around on cold winter mornings, and from there who knows?
IG Extreme Pro
I demo'ed every version of the Extreme Pro back to the Microgel.
Liked them all.
Loved the newest version. After demo'ing 2x, I bought one.
My usual racquet is Prince Orig. Graphite OS.
I thought I had found the Holy Grail -- a modernized POG OS. All the same great qualities but a little more racquet head speed due to slightly lower weight.
But, while this racquet feels muted and "soft" relative to an APD or Pure Drive, the IG Extreme Pro made me hurt, from my wrist to my shoulder. That was with softish poly at 40# and Prince Original Syngut at 55#.
Too light and too stiff for me. Back to the POG OS.
If the Extreme Pro didn't hurt me, I would play with it, for sure. I was KILLING with this racquet.
I have a theory re old v. modern tech. Bigger players can handle lighter racquets without injury. You need a certain amount of mass to prevent injury. Nadal's massive left arm and a stiff, ~11.8 oz. racquet combine to handle the shock. My skinny right arm needs a flexible, 12.0+ oz. racquet to handle the shock.
I demo'ed every version of the Extreme Pro back to the Microgel.
Liked them all.
Loved the newest version. After demo'ing 2x, I bought one.
My usual racquet is Prince Orig. Graphite OS.
I thought I had found the Holy Grail -- a modernized POG OS. All the same great qualities but a little more racquet head speed due to slightly lower weight.
But, while this racquet feels muted and "soft" relative to an APD or Pure Drive, the IG Extreme Pro made me hurt, from my wrist to my shoulder. That was with softish poly at 40# and Prince Original Syngut at 55#.
Too light and too stiff for me. Back to the POG OS.
If the Extreme Pro didn't hurt me, I would play with it, for sure. I was KILLING with this racquet.
I have a theory re old v. modern tech. Bigger players can handle lighter racquets without injury. You need a certain amount of mass to prevent injury. Nadal's massive left arm and a stiff, ~11.8 oz. racquet combine to handle the shock. My skinny right arm needs a flexible, 12.0+ oz. racquet to handle the shock.
