Pro Kennex 7G

[mmazzinin1]

Hi Forum

i am a big Pro Kennex fan and a happy user of the newer Black Ace Pro 97 who helped me to recover from a golfer elbow.

I have always been fascinated though by extended rackets, and by the 7G in particular even though I have never tried it in person. I read every thread about this racket.

I just noted that TW still sells the 7G. Does PK still produce these frames in certain markets (US for instance)? Or are they NOS rackets from a whike ago? And how would the 7G compare to the newer PK ki q+ 5X, the yellow frame, in terms of manouvrability, power, control and spin potential?

Thanks!
Matteo

 

[Power Player]

I use the PK Q+5x in yellow. It's the best XL stick I have owned. The 7g is right there with it. With the Q+ it really matters the specs you get on it. It is a frame that can be a bit sluggish if the SW is too high, but mine are in the 320s and it sings at that spec. It is also a little lighter than the 7g. PK still makes the 7g so it's not NOS.

I think the 7g may have a little more power but its tough to tell there. The cool thing is these racquets are so inexpensive that you could probably try both without spending much at all.

Personally I prefer the Q+5X just because its newer and a bit lighter in weight.

 

[mmazzinin1]

Many thanks for the reply and good to know the TW 7G are new. I live in Australia and here i cannot source the 7G, but i can still order it from TW USA.

Are you happy about the spin potential on both? Some reviewers complain about the spin capabilities of the Q+5X in stabdard length

 

[Power Player]

Many thanks for the reply and good to know the TW 7G are new. I live in Australia and here i cannot source the 7G, but i can still order it from TW USA.

Are you happy about the spin potential on both? Some reviewers complain about the spin capabilities of the Q+5X in stabdard length

The spin on the Q+5x is awesome to me. It is not a wide open pattern type of frame, but it's not hard to get lift on the ball either. I can brush approach shots for winner because the heavy spin kicks the ball away from the opponent. That is one thing I look for in spin testing. Other is can I hit deep, high and heavy when I need to, and the answer is yes. Third is if I can generate heavy spin on serve to keep the ball out of the strike zone and I also have no problems there either.

I really like the Q+5X. It is the best XL frame I have owned. I have a solinco whiteout 18x20 XTD coming which could give it a battle, but you can't go wrong with the Q+5 if you want a top tier XL frame.

 

[mmazzinin1]

Fantastic, thanks

 

[emhtennis]

I just bought a 2nd 7G because I like it that much. I have also demoed the 5X Pro in the past and liked it a lot too.

I would say, if you are comfortable with heavier frames and higher swingweight, lean towards the 7G. If you are newer to XL frames in general and coming from a more 300-305g 27in frame then lean towards the 5X Pro.

For me, the 7G is awesome and let's me hit my "85%" ball with 75% effort - if that makes sense. No issues with spin, definitely no issues with power on tap. Touch and feel around the net is great too.

 

[mmazzinin1]

The 7G has also a very attractive price point. I am new to XL frames, but i definitely like heavy frames. I have played many many years with a Head PT 630 and I am currently playing with a PK BA Pro which has a healthy 330g SW. I am looking for a player-feel type of frame with some extra help in terms of free power and both these PK XL racquets seem to meet the criteria, on top of being arm friendly.

 

[mmazzinin1]

BTW, on the PK Website I cannot see either the 7G or the 5G in their catalogue. I guess it might be a special production they make just for TW...

 

[Power Player]

The 7G has also a very attractive price point. I am new to XL frames, but i definitely like heavy frames. I have played many many years with a Head PT 630 and I am currently playing with a PK BA Pro which has a healthy 330g SW. I am looking for a player-feel type of frame with some extra help in terms of free power and both these PK XL racquets seem to meet the criteria, on top of being arm friendly.

You cant go wrong either way. Maybe start with the cheaper option first. Also if you like the old Head feel, while these are not soft frames, the PK sweetspot has a similar feedback to the PT 630 where you can really feel the ball on contact. Don't expect the softness, but the PK sweetspot on both 7G and Q+5x reminds me a lot of Head, which is great.

 

[mmazzinin1]

Oh that is a fantastic news, as I am kind of addicted to that feel- I exactly know what you are talking about

The BA Pro has a bit of that as well, that is why I love it

 

[mmazzinin1]

I have finally pulled the trigger on a 7G! Will let you guys know my impressions as soon as i get it. Being an international shipping, it might take a while. I have strung it with multi Gamma Professional 17 @ 48lbs.

If i like it, i might get also the PK q+5X. In Australia they dont sell the Pro version, but the new 2022 one, 305g static weight. Let's see how it goes. Unfortunately, no 7Gs here...

 

[Power Player]

I have fonally pulled the trigger on a 7G! Will let you guys know my impressions as soon as i get it. Being an international shipping, it might take a while. I have strung it with multi Gamma Professional 17 @ 48lbs.

If i like it, i might get also the PK q+5X. In Australia they dont sell the Pro version, but the new 2022 one, 305g static weight. Let's see how it goes. Unfortunately, no 7Gs here...

Awesome, I think you will like it. That "stiff Head" feel should translate for you. Let us know!

 

[esgee48]

If shipping is more than one week, I would not string before shipping. The tension is very likely to be totally trash by the time it gets to you in Oz. Call TW or retailer and change the order to no strings, but include if possible.

 

[mmazzinin1]

I will try, I didn't know, thanks for the note, but it might be too late...

 

[mmazzinin1]

I will try, I didn't know, thanks for the note, but it might be too late...

 

[mmazzinin1]

Today I had my first hit with the PK 7G. I love it! Same as my PK Black Ace Pro ("BAP"), the overall comfort provided by this frame is mind blowing. The Kinetic mass is slightly more than in the BAP and that enables the frame to transfer almost zero vibrations to the arm, especially in the off-center hits. This is combined with a lovely stiffer & solid response which I really enjoyed.

The highlights are:
1) the serve (significant improvement here, and serve is my weakest shot)
2) the way it "absorbs" the opponent's power, with the heavy balls returned back kind of effortless. I don't find the overall power level to be higher than the BAP (differently form other players, I don't find the BAP to be underpowered at all, but the 7G has an hedge in terms of counterpunching capabilities
3) the feel. This is not easy to explain, but, same as my BAP, it has a very plush feel, but crisp at the same time. A cushioned-crisp or soft-stiff feel which is truly unique. A real modern reinterpretation of the player frames. The Head Gravity pro has some of that plush & stiff response, but in a kind of incomplete way, lacking in that perfect/unique mix. This gets the Gravity to be too "direct" on the arm in a non-very-pleasant way, with not enough dampening and without that satisfying connected feel.

BAP is probably easier at the net , whippier and more maneuverable and wins (for now) in the backhand slice (BAP's backhand slice is just the best i have ever tried). I will add more after few other hours of play, still a bit early for a really thorough review.

As a side note, kudos to TW- the racket arrived 3/4 days after the order was accepted, basically faster than an Australian national purchase. Great job. And again, well done in keeping this frame in stock even though not anymore in the PK catalogue, good choice.

This was my first hit with the Gamma Pro 17 strings. Very comfy, but I did not find them a significant improvement in the playability vs other multis. I probably still prefer the NRG2 combined with PKs. But it might improve later on...

Cheers

 

[Soundbyte]

Today I had my first hit with the PK 7G. I love it! Same as my PK Black Ace Pro ("BAP"), the overall comfort provided by this frame is mind blowing. The Kinetic mass is slightly more than in the BAP and that enables the frame to transfer almost zero vibrations to the arm, especially in the off-center hits. This is combined with a lovely stiffer & solid response which I really enjoyed.

The highlights are:
1) the serve (significant improvement here, and serve is my weakest shot)
2) the way it "absorbs" the opponent's power, with the heavy balls returned back kind of effortless. I don't find the overall power level to be higher than the BAP (differently form other players, I don't find the BAP to be underpowered at all, but the 7G has an hedge in its counterpunching skills
3) the feel. This is not easy to explain, but, same as my BAP, it has a very plush feel, but crisp at the same time. A cushioned-crisp or soft-stiff feel which is truly unique. A real modern reinterpretation of the player frames. The Head Gravity pro has some of that plush & stiff response, but in a kind of incomplete way, lacking in that perfect/unique mix. This gets the Gravity to be too "direct" on the arm in a non-very-pleasant way, with not enough dampening and without that satisfying connected feel.

BAP is probably easier at the net , whippier and more maneuverable and wins (for now) in the backhand slice (BAP's backhand slice is just the best i have ever tried). I will add more after few other hours of play, still a bit early for a really thorough review.

As a side note, kudos to TW- the racket arrived 3/4 days after the order was accepted, basically faster than an Australian national purchase. Great job. And again, well done in keeping this frame in stock even though not more in the PK catalogue, good choice.

This was my first hit with the Gamma Pro 17 strings. Very comfy, but I did not find them a significant improvement in the playability vs other multis. I probably still prefer the NRG2 combined with PKs. But it might improve later on...

Cheers

I got my first 7g and had 2 hits with it. Just sold my 3 Gravity Pros as a result!

The 7g and the PT2.0 get the bagv space now.

 

[mmazzinin1]

Ehehehe I fully understand that. 7G wins hands down vs Gravity Pro . Being a big fan of the Head PT 630, I would be really curious to try the PT 2.0

 

[aussie]

@mmazzinin1 I haven't played the 7G but have played the 5G (basically just a shortened version of the 7G) extensively so I have a fair idea of the 7G's characteristics.

The 5G is a lovely playing racquet, firm feeling, more control than power but with a fairly small sweetspot. Quite dead in the upper part of the hoop. The kinetic beads are renowned for their vibration/shock reducing capabilities so comfort is first rate.

It is a racquet that seems to perform better strung with a multi or soft syn gut at a low tension. I experimented a fair bit and found Alpha Gut 2000 in 18g at 44lbs worked well for me. I found an enlarged sweetspot with more power but no less of control.

I got mine from the US as well as PK in Australia is close to non existent.

Good luck with your 7G, aussie.

 

[Soundbyte]

Ehehehe I fully understand that. 7G wins hands down vs Gravity Pro . Being a big fan of the Head PT 630, I would be really curious to try the PT 2.0

If you were in the US i would have offered to sell you one of mine! Does TW Europe ship to Australia? They have them in stock currently!

 

[mmazzinin1]

Not sure about TW Europe, but got mine from TW US and shipped light fast to Australia. One retailer Downunder has quite a good stock of modern PK, almost all of them, but not the 7/5Gs.

Next time i will try to string it with multi at a lower tension, around 45 lbs, thanks aussie for the advice. Is the 5G still your main racket? I chose the 7G over the 5 as i thought the 7 to be a 5 with testosterone and was afraid that the 5 was too similar to the Black ace pro (which i bought here in Australia)

 

[Crocodile]

I’m interested in hearing from people who currently own a 5G and or 7G and how they compare both comfort wise and playability compared to the current releases that PK is selling;

 

[Crocodile]

From a players racquet perspective I really believe that the Q Tour 325 and 315 are excellent racquets and so many people don’t know about them.
The current green 315 is a vastly improved racquet from the previous iteration with its 329 SW, 16/19 pattern, 20.5mm box beam and 61 RA.
The current 325 plays slightly heavier than previous iterations with its 331 SW but it’s stability and solidness is without reproach;

 

[Soundbyte]

I’m interested in hearing from people who currently own a 5G and or 7G and how they compare both comfort wise and playability compared to the current releases that PK is selling;

I prefer the 7g over the Q5x Pro. They're very very similar, but the Q5x feel flexier and less crisp to me than the 7g.

I could probably use them interchangeably with minimal effort, but my preference lies with the 7g.

 

[WYK]

BTW, on the PK Website I cannot see either the 7G or the 5G in their catalogue. I guess it might be a special production they make just for TW...

It could well be, that racket has been around for about 20 years now! Great to see her still available. I played with it nearly 2 decades ago.

 

[Soundbyte]

BTW, on the PK Website I cannot see either the 7G or the 5G in their catalogue. I guess it might be a special production they make just for TW...

Other retailers sell it too. I got mine from a local (ish) retailers based in Baltimore.

 

[emhtennis]

I’m interested in hearing from people who currently own a 5G and or 7G and how they compare both comfort wise and playability compared to the current releases that PK is selling;

I have 2x 7Gs, two 2019 Doppios, and 1x Ki5. The newer quad-focus tech PKs sound more "poppy" when you hit them. Not in a bad way, just different. The Ki5 leans more traditional in feel/sound than the Doppios.

The 7G just has that classic graphite crunch when you lay into the ball. And I love how easy it creates depth - particularly on slice.

Comfort seems the same across all of them.

 

[aussie]

Not sure about TW Europe, but got mine from TW US and shipped light fast to Australia. One retailer Downunder has quite a good stock of modern PK, almost all of them, but not the 7/5Gs.

Next time i will try to string it with multi at a lower tension, around 45 lbs, thanks aussie for the advice. Is the 5G still your main racket? I chose the 7G over the 5 as i thought the 7 to be a 5 with testosterone and was afraid that the 5 was too similar to the Black ace pro (which i bought here in Australia)

No the 5G is not my main stick these days. I mostly play Prince Tour 100 ported sticks in either 16x18 or 18x20 patterns - extremely comfortable, flexible, fast swinging, low powered racquets. Went to these after recovering from tennis elbow surgery in 2014 and have more or less stayed with them ever since.

However, after reading this thread, it's a lazy Sunday here on the Sunshine Coast - the Brisbane Broncos are top of the NRL ladder, the Brisbane Lions are flying in the AFL, the world is good - I'm going to get the 5G out of the cupboard and string it up with some Isospeed multi at say 44/42 and give it a spin later this week.

 

[Crocodile]

No the 5G is not my main stick these days. I mostly play Prince Tour 100 ported sticks in either 16x18 or 18x20 patterns - extremely comfortable, flexible, fast swinging, low powered racquets. Went to these after recovering from tennis elbow surgery in 2014 and have more or less stayed with them ever since.

However, after reading this thread, it's a lazy Sunday here on the Sunshine Coast - the Brisbane Broncos are top of the NRL ladder, the Brisbane Lions are flying in the AFL, the world is good - I'm going to get the 5G out of the cupboard and string it up with some Isospeed multi at say 44/42 and give it a spin later this week.

Hinterland like Montville or Maleny or right on the coast like Mooloolaba type area ?

 

[mmazzinin1]

Great to hear that the 7G has still so much love, especially downunder!
This Monday i have another good play-test coming, and will add some more comments.

 

[atatu]

Slightly off topic but have any of you used the Ki Q+ 5 ? I demoed it today along with the Ki 10 and I though the Ki Q+ 5 was great, aside from the terrible paint job. However, there isn't much interest in this frame on the TW forums. The Ki 10 was also nice and a bit more powerful but the swingweight seemed very high.

 

[pico]

Watching

 

[aussie]

Hinterland like Montville or Maleny or right on the coast like Mooloolaba type area ?

Maleny with views to the Glasshouse Mountains. Beautiful part of Australia. Not far from Montville though. Play at Maleny, Caloundra, Tewantin, Noosa, Kawana, Gympie etc when playing comp.

 

[futbolislife]

Slightly off topic but have any of you used the Ki Q+ 5 ? I demoed it today along with the Ki 10 and I though the Ki Q+ 5 was great, aside from the terrible paint job. However, there isn't much interest in this frame on the TW forums. The Ki 10 was also nice and a bit more powerful but the swingweight seemed very high.

My partner (3.0) is loving his new Q+5 after demoing the Q+5 and Ki 5. He doesn’t speak racquet; he said they were pretty similar, but he preferred the feel and (maybe more) power of the Q.

He’s currently happily playing with the Q and taking a break from his Ezone 100 after some arm issues.

 

[pico]

Can anyone give their experience with the

ProKennex Ki Q+ Tour​

 

[mmazzinin1]

Slightly off topic but have any of you used the Ki Q+ 5 ? I demoed it today along with the Ki 10 and I though the Ki Q+ 5 was great, aside from the terrible paint job. However, there isn't much interest in this frame on the TW forums. The Ki 10 was also nice and a bit more powerful but the swingweight seemed very high.

Can you please elaborate a bit more the differences between the Q+5 and the Ki 10? At least on paper, i love them both

 

[mmazzinin1]

As promised, a couple of additional feedbacks on the 7G. I had a 1.5h session with an heavy hitter. And this is where the 7G really shines! I am amazed by this stick. The way it pushes back heavy balls from the baseline kind of effortlessly is something worth trying and the sweetspot has an addictive feeling.

I can confirm that the slightly richer Kinetic mass is what is needed to provide outstading arm protection (off sweet spot feedback is superior to the BAP in my view), no matter where/how you hit. Vibrations is zero, or very close. Still missing the surgical, silky, smooth effortless backhand slice of the BAP, that is just insuperable. The back hand slice of the 7G is a bit more difficult to perform consistently if not in a perfect form.

In summary, a great combo of power and control and comfort in a player frame with a modern crispier feel. My journey with extended rackets has just started loving it so far

 

[emhtennis]

I played for about 2 hours over 3 sets with my pair of 7Gs today and the thing that continues to make me smile the most is how many "safe" winners I hit. Had several balls that I hit to targets 3ft from both the sideline and baseline that I was able to put so much juice on that my (fast) opponent couldn't touch.

 

[atatu]

Can you please elaborate a bit more the differences between the Q+5 and the Ki 10? At least on paper, i love them both

Well to me the Ki 10 had really nice power but was definitely slower through the air, so I was more likely to be late. It felt slightly less comfortable than the Q+5 however. That racket felt very comfortable but less powerful, more of a players racket vs. a tweener. I really like how stable it felt on volleys in particular.

 

[mmazzinin1]

This morning I had a good 2h hit with my PK BAP. Such a lovely stick. It makes it very difficult to chose VS the PK 7G...

Where the BAP really shines is in that surgical precision, that addictive backhand slice and the surprising liveliness & pop + power which seems impossible considering the smaller head size and the very high flexy rate, kind of magical. The 7G can help a bit more when hitting late and i believe that it absorbs better the mishits, with nothing (but really nothing...) harmful transferred to the elbow. The BAP is super arm-friendly, but not as good as the 7G to offset harmful off-spot vibrations and impacts.

I just cannot chose between these 2 amazing rackets...since I bought them, my Head PT 630 is not seeing much court time...

 

[curtstead]

Adding my post from the Racquetholic thread. My 7G comes tomorrow:

Once a month/every two month check in. Just bought a PK 7G after trying the WO XTD 18m, just feels like I gotta give it a go. Can’t resist it at that price. Eastern FH, OHBH, 4.0. Finding some XLs not bad on the one hander, hoping this one feels the same.

 

[pico]

Adding my post from the Racquetholic thread. My 7G comes tomorrow:

Once a month/every two month check in. Just bought a PK 7G after trying the WO XTD 18m, just feels like I gotta give it a go. Can’t resist it at that price. Eastern FH, OHBH, 4.0. Finding some XLs not bad on the one hander, hoping this one feels the same.

How did you have your Whiteout XTD setup?

 

[curtstead]

How did you have your Whiteout XTD setup?

Confidential 17g at 50#, OG plus 5g buttcap

 

[mmazzinin1]

Played a double tournment today- started with the BAP freshly strung w/Volkl Cyclone Tour @47/45 and could not get it right...double is quite tough for me and the smaller sweet spot was not helpful.

I then switched to the 7G. Quite a significant improvement. Better volleys (i admit that i dont really have Johnny Mac's hand...but...) and better in getting a good ball back when late. Serve was probably equal.

Falling more amd more in love with this PK.

 

[emhtennis]

All in all had a good week off work and a good weekend of tennis. Got 2 hours in yesterday and another 2.5 in today. Also got my 3rd PK 7G in the mail yesterday and promptly strung it up with Grey Technifibre Razor Soft 17 at 46lbs. On court today it did not feel soft, I don't know if I'd want to feel what regular razor feels like...

The wind was strong today. So strong that it made for several "clown-tennis" points. The razor soft is very very controlled and stiff. In the 7G it felt very similar to greyfire with maybe a little more power. It would likely have paired well with one of the Angells.

Speaking of which, the most exciting development of the weekend was finally finding a string that truly compliments the Angell 95. Pacific PolyForce 1.25. A round semi-dead poly really put a "saddle" on the wild stallion that is my Angell 95. For the first time I could really swing more freely and shape the ball at will from flat to super heavy. It feels great in the frame too, big thwocks on each cut of the ball.

Now that I have the 3x 7Gs I can start to test strings in earnest. I'll leave the razor soft in for one more weekend but it will likely be the first to get swapped out. The fresh Hit Pro and Big Spin perform too well to cut out early.

Because it's Texas, I have named the team "The Theee Caballeros"

https://imgur.com/a/y0EMMPo

 

[dr325i]

NVM

 

[mmazzinin1]

NVM?