Volkl DNX6 Attiva - Playtest

[NoBadMojo]

In the event there are any people looking for something lighter, I did a quick playtest of this frame. strung with Duraflex at 57.

I was expecting something very powerful. It isnt. It's got good power, but someone without high batspeed could string this frame up pretty low and the ball wouldnt go b-o-i-n-g on them so much. The racquet is stiff but isnt harsh and they are using the same handle dampening system and rounder grips that go on the new Becker stuff. In typical Volkl fashion, the racquet does everything well, predictablle stringbed, and is comfortable for its stiffness. It's got an 16x18 stringbed for good spin and doesnt feel like a toy like so many of the other game improvement bats. it's a very nice hit.

 

[BreakPoint]

Isn't that a racquet designed for women, though? Sort of like the Wilson W Series?

I wonder how many men would be willing to be seen playing with the Attiva?

 

[harleywilson]

Amen Chauvalito but I assume BP was kidding. Mojo, I'm looking for a new stick for my 9 year daughter. Any Volkl suggestions? She uses a Tour 5 right now, but it's seen better days and not very pretty anymore:-( (editorial from my daughter. That's important) She's rapidly improving, has been playing for two years.

 

[bad_call]

Isn't that a racquet designed for women, though? Sort of like the Wilson W Series?

I wonder how many men would be willing to be seen playing with the Attiva?

...more so how would u react losing to a man wielding a woman's racquet.

 

[alkibiades]

For what it's worth, I borrowed a demo of the Attiva for my girlfriend to try and wound up hitting with it a little. It's a very good racquet. If I leaded it up to something close to the weight I'm used to I could play with it no problem. I coincidentally had also borrowed a Pure Drive Roddick at the same time, and I liked the Attiva much better, even in stock form: it had more feel, power, everything was better. I was beginning to question my masculinity, but then I reminded myself that I like my C10 pro more than both of them :grin: .

 

[NoBadMojo]

Amen Chauvalito but I assume BP was kidding. Mojo, I'm looking for a new stick for my 9 year daughter. Any Volkl suggestions? She uses a Tour 5 right now, but it's seen better days and not very pretty anymore:-( (editorial from my daughter. That's important) She's rapidly improving, has been playing for two years.

This would be something to ask a local teaching pro as I dont know how big your daughter is, how athletic, or if the Tour5 is a full length frame..i assume it is. You may wish to start by looking up the specs of the Tour 5 and see what Volkl models match up the best.

 

[sureshs]

Isn't that a racquet designed for women, though? Sort of like the Wilson W Series?

I wonder how many men would be willing to be seen playing with the Attiva?

For the Attiva 6, TW mentions that they used female playtesters.

But the graphics don't reveal much, unlike the W line.

So someone who is a female trapped in a male body can get away with using it.

Or just someone getting in touch with his feminine side.

 

[harleywilson]

This would be something to ask a local teaching pro as I dont know how big your daughter is, how athletic, or if the Tour5 is a full length frame..i assume it is. You may wish to start by looking up the specs of the Tour 5 and see what Volkl models match up the best.

It is a full length frame. My post was very unclear so I'll ask it this way (my fault) Have you ever hit the Tour 5 and, if so, how would you compare it to the DNX 6. The stats seem to be similar, if I recall. Racketfinder is down right now so I can't say for sure

 

[LafayetteHitter]

I saw an Attiva DNX 6 in person and it is one sweet looking racquet. Nothing on the racquet would clue anyone in to it being designed with women in mind. Only about 1 percent of the people on the courts even notice which racquet anyone is playing with. Most people I play with don't even notice or even care what racquet everyone is using.

 

[LafayetteHitter]

It's pretty obvious NBMJ has a connection at Volkl which helps him to usually be the first to review stuff often times even before it comes out on the websites. I think visitors to the forum should appreciate this since it gives interested users a heads up on stuff they may be interested in demoing. I doubt many here straight up buy a racquet base off NBMJ posting a review. Nice thing about him doing this sorta review is the non player racquet types that visit here have far less info to guide them compared to something like the RDS 001, Redondo, DNX 10 Mid, K90 etc of which there are a ton of posts.

 

[sureshs]

TW customer comments

Comments: I agree with Matt, I demoed DNX 6, and decide to buy this one but "this is for women" thus I bought DNX 7. This is very similar to DNX6 (on paper). NO DNX 6 is also for men. Yes, color and design is not for man but racket is for everybody. I will play with DNX 7 (it is more powerful to DNX6) but lass exact and less moveable. If will not get use to DNX 7 will buy the DNX 6 - on demo was very good for me light, exact, power all in one. It allowed me (also DNX7) shorter and faster swing (I am not able to do long swing ) Very last sentence I was not able to play with DNX8, DN6 was very good, DNX7 I have bought and is also good but not sure if it’s better to DNX 6 Thanks
From: Petr, Czech Republic, 06/07
String type and tension: Volkl

Comments: If this racket was not "only for girls" I might buy it. But the color of it and the fact that Volkl only mentions their women testers using it turned me away. I think they have a great racket here but they are only making it appeal to half of the tennis players out there (women).
From: Matt, Scarborough, ME, USA, 03/07
String type and tension: Technifibre power 58 lbs.
Headsize: 100 sq in.
NTRP Rating: 3.0

Comments: Feel very good in the hand, could be a very suitable racquet for beginners and elderly’s with good technique. Hate that they market it as Girl's racquet. It may have a broader users group.
From: EC, HK, 02/07
String type and tension: Volkl Fibre II, Demo

 

[Django]

I love the DNX 7. I did add some lead tape to the upper section of the grip and along the lower hoop, and it plays wonderfully. Crisp response, comfortable feel. And the red-and-silver paint job is, uh, "gender neutral."

The DNX 7 may have similar specs to the 6 Attiva (have not demo'd) and the V1 MP (this I did demo) but certainly try each out before buying.

 

[AndrewD]

Yep....seems a bit strange that someone who uses a players racquet would playtest a womans tweener.

Why?

I use a variety of 'players racquets' - POG mid, t10mp Gen2- but I demoed the dnx6 because the specs looked interesting (light enough and with a low enough swingweight so that added weight won't make it unweildy and a comfortable flex). Although I didn't gel with it I was still happy to recommend it to other guys, as you can see in this thread from about 6 months ago:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?p=1271540&highlight=Attiva#post1271540

Just because it's marketed towards women certainly doesn't mean a man shouldn't play with it, unless he's worried that the big kids might start teasing him. If that's the case, he's got more need of therapy than a tennis racquet. Remember, the Babolat Pure Drive was designed specifically for women (do a search and you'll find the article where Babolat state that).

 

[LafayetteHitter]

Actually as odd as it might sound a guy at my club forgot his racquet last week for a singles match and the only demo available was one of the W line Wilson racquets. He normally plays with that skunk looking Wilson OS. He still won his match. I looked around and didn't really see anyone pointing and laughing! If your winning I guess it all evens out. Kinda gives you bragging rights if you have the balls to do it, play a womens specific stick and beat the guys like little girls and you have quite a bit to mouth off about.

 

[BreakPoint]

Remember, the Babolat Pure Drive was designed specifically for women (do a search and you'll find the article where Babolat state that).

That may be true, but the Pure Drive was never marketed specifically for women. That makes a big difference. It's all about the marketing and the perception that it creates.

 

[AndrewD]

That may be true, but the Pure Drive was never marketed specifically for women. That makes a big difference. It's all about the marketing and the perception that it creates.

No, that isn't true at all. When the Pure Drive was first introduced, in France (its original market: not Asia, not Australia, not America), it WAS marketed towards the female player.

Regardless, this is totally irrelevant to a review of the dnx6. So, rather than completely disrupt the thread - unless that is your specific intention- I think we should leave the talk of marketing for another time.

 

[BreakPoint]

No, that isn't true at all. When the Pure Drive was first introduced, in France (its original market: not Asia, not Australia, not America), it WAS marketed towards the female player.

Then why did Babolat pay Carlos Moya to endorse it when it was first introduced?

Regardless, this is totally irrelevant to a review of the dnx6. So, rather than completely disrupt the thread - unless that is your specific intention- I think we should leave the talk of marketing for another time.

OK, I will. But just a friendly reminder that you were the first to bring up marketing in this thread:

Just because it's marketed towards women certainly doesn't mean a man shouldn't play with it, unless he's worried that the big kids might start teasing him. If that's the case, he's got more need of therapy than a tennis racquet. Remember, the Babolat Pure Drive was designed specifically for women (do a search and you'll find the article where Babolat state that).