Suggest me a Dunlop bio300-like with bigger sweetspot

[BuildStrikeCosmos]

Hey guys,

I'm using a Dunlop bio300 leaded up because I like the classic feel and have always liked flat-beam oval frames for my one hander. Thing is, those racquets have really small sweetspots. Another example being the Head graphene prestige which I've tried. Yesterday I played in one of the windiest days ever and anything abit out of the sweetspot, it would either land short or go into the net. As my game is becoming more modern utilising more topspin, I'm looking to upgrade to something with classic flat beam but bigger sweetspot.

I have tried maximising the sweetspot by shifting the 9pt headlight to 6pt. There are lead tape at 3-9 and 12. My strings have also gone from 52lb to 48lb (any lower I find it abit hard to control)

Racquets I have a feeling you'll recommend that I've tried.

Dunlop M3.0: bigger sweetspot? marginal. feel? tinny.
Head graphene radicals: too stiff, too powerful. Dont need the power.
wilson 97 & rf97: weight distribution feels abit strange.

Yonexs': tried afew of the older range but never found one I liked. thinking of trying the Tour G (wawrinka),
but I've never seen one here in my country.

 

[Muppet]

I have a Biomimetic 200, which is similar but heavier. I would try stringing your 300 at 52/50 or 51/49. The two lb. differential will give you a noticeably wider sweet spot. Another thing I've been trying on a couple of racquets is putting just 1/8 gram of lead tape at 10:30 and another 1/8g at 1:30. This is just below the top cross string. I was surprised how much this pulled the sweet spot up the racquet face without much change in balance.

 

[robbo1970]

Yes the Bio 300 definitely feels better strung below 55. I went to 50 with mine and it opened up the sweetspot a lot.

I find the 300 is unusual in that it is quite a light control racquet. Normally you'd associate light with power and heavy with control, but the 300 is a light control racquet and there's something about that head shape that really works.

Lately I've been looking at the specs of the Mantis Pro 295. Really similar specs to the Bio 300 and gets good reviews. There's a 315 too if you like heavier, but they're worth a look.

 

[joohan]

How much lead have you added to your frame?

I used to play with a Bio 300 Tour and wrote a little resume for an other thread. Here it is:

If you are not afraid of lead tape and a simple, easy customization process, I am absolutely certain the Dunlop Biomimetic 300 Tour is very close to what you are looking for.

• 97inch head
• superfast through the air(maybe too fast in stock form, in fact)
• outstanding control with a 18x20 string pattern(scored 92/100 in control dept. in the TW play test - one of the highest scores if my memory serves me right)
• excellent inherent spin potential (no "ifs and buts", no "despite its 18x20 pattern", this stick has some serious kick...)
• wonderful, old fashioned "crisp dipped in honey" feel
• very nice paint job (personal tastes may differ, of course) with high quality finish

The only knock is an obvious instability outside its small sweet spot in stock form (only 305g unstrung).

My setup:

• continuous lead tape from 10 - 2
• same amount of lead tape at the bottom of the grip as a counterweight (I like fast swing weights)
• leather replacement grip + overgrip
• 17g Kirschbaum Pro Line II at 55/52

Result: cca 355g strung, polarized, fast swinging racquet with "off the charts" control, HUGE sweet spot, stability, feel and precision. Serves are a blast (power and control wise), groundstrokes are laser-precise with essentially every speed and spin available on tap (a combination of inherent, very low-powered nature of the frame with the lead tape and polarization it creates + fast swingweigth it maintains) and putaway power is there when you need it. Forgot to mention its a perfect volley stick (I guess the characteristics described are rather self explanatory in that matter).

All in all - this customized racquet makes me feel like Djokovic with a one handed backhand. I can rally all day long with a loose grip hardly tiring and placing the ball on a dime, rip the ball going for lines or , and that's the best feature of this racquet, switch between the two in a blink of an eye. Highly recommended.

...

If you like Bio 300, the 300 Tour is an obvious choice. With the weight in the region of 350+, you're in Yonex G 330/RF 97 category but with MUCH MUCH better swingweight/maneuverability. My customized 300 Tour is the best overall frame I've ever hit with and if I wasn't enjoying racquet experimenting too much, I would have never put it down. Ever.

Edit:

Another option is the Biomimetic F.2 Tour which, according to specs and reviews, is very close to my leaded up 300 Tour in terms of overall characteristics only a bit lighter (340 strung) and crisper.

 

[Anton]

Hey guys,

I'm using a Dunlop bio300 leaded up because I like the classic feel and have always liked flat-beam oval frames for my one hander. Thing is, those racquets have really small sweetspots. Another example being the Head graphene prestige which I've tried. Yesterday I played in one of the windiest days ever and anything abit out of the sweetspot, it would either land short or go into the net. As my game is becoming more modern utilising more topspin, I'm looking to upgrade to something with classic flat beam but bigger sweetspot.

I have tried maximising the sweetspot by shifting the 9pt headlight to 6pt. There are lead tape at 3-9 and 12. My strings have also gone from 52lb to 48lb (any lower I find it abit hard to control)

Racquets I have a feeling you'll recommend that I've tried.

Dunlop M3.0: bigger sweetspot? marginal. feel? tinny.
Head graphene radicals: too stiff, too powerful. Dont need the power.
wilson 97 & rf97: weight distribution feels abit strange.

Yonexs': tried afew of the older range but never found one I liked. thinking of trying the Tour G (wawrinka),
but I've never seen one here in my country.

Babolat Pure Control (or PC Tour) is your answer.

 

[robbo1970]

Mantis Pro 295 or Pro 310.

I have been looking at these and.......I think the whole range offers huge potential for both player's racquet and tweener lovers.

 

[counterpuncher]

The Tour G I think is a good option for you and one that you probably haven't thought of is the Prince Response 97, it is heavier, but it has more of what you are looking for.

 

[BuildStrikeCosmos]

Thanks for the comments so far. For those that suggest stringing it lower like 50, please note I've already mentioned that my usual used to be 52 but now it's 48lb. It makes a difference but not much for this racquet.

In terms of customization, my racquet's static weight is like the 300T but with a higher swingweight. I didn't get the 300T because I dont like 18x20.

@Anton I have tried the babolat pure control. I actually switched from a pure storm. I dont think the pure controls sweetspot is really bigger than the 300 since it's 16x20. Also I like the 300s feel at contact. Have also tried the Pure strike. Its a great racquet but maybe its the wide beam or stiffness or something, wasnt the best for me.

 

[Anton]

PC is a low sw racket so needs some lead. bigger sp and feels better once you add weight, ngut mains also help

 

[sma1001]

Prince Tour Pro 98. Similar head shape, a little more weight, still good control. I loved the 300 Dunlop and have moved to the PTP 98. BUT it's 18/20 so may be too far off for you. I mention it only because i moved from the 300 to this frame. If you want an open string pattern then consider the Prince Tour 98 which is a 16/20.

 

[robbo1970]

Thanks for the comments so far. For those that suggest stringing it lower like 50, please note I've already mentioned that my usual used to be 52 but now it's 48lb. It makes a difference but not much for this racquet.

In terms of customization, my racquet's static weight is like the 300T but with a higher swingweight. I didn't get the 300T because I dont like 18x20.

@Anton I have tried the babolat pure control. I actually switched from a pure storm. I dont think the pure controls sweetspot is really bigger than the 300 since it's 16x20. Also I like the 300s feel at contact. Have also tried the Pure strike. Its a great racquet but maybe its the wide beam or stiffness or something, wasnt the best for me.

Have you looked at any of the Mantis racquets?

The Pro 310 has a strung weight of 325g, a SW of 315, 16x19 pattern and a very slightly less oval 98 head than the Bio300. Same HM Carbon construction as the Bio300, but it is stated as having a good level of power to compliment the control.

It looks a good racquet and worth a demo if you can find somewhere that does demo's. If you're in the UK, I know where they are sold pretty cheap too.

 

[SpinToWin]

maybe the Pro Staff 97 or the upcoming Pro Staff 97S?

 

[JackB1]

So you are looking for a lighter players/control racquet with a big sweetspot...

Try the Pure Strike 16x19 or the Yonex Ai98 or the Yonex Xi98 or a Prince Textreme 100T

 

[courtrage]

prokennex q5 295 hits real nice and doesnt wobble off center like the m3.0 i tried. the youtek ig extreme 2.0 mp hit real nice as well.