EXO3 Tour 100 18x20 -- anyone tested both PORT and GROMMET?

[corbind]

I know there a LOT of users out there of the Prince EXO3 Tour 100. Has anyone tested the 18 x 20 port and grommet head to head and have some input on the feel, advantages, and disadvantages of each? I string my sticks with full gut jobs so would cost me about $110 to test this so looking for feedback.

[corbind]

Nobody ever tested them?

[ricki]

I think that people are exagerating, I have tried Prince Rebel 95 and Ignite team 95 with both ports and grommets and if there is difference it would be neglible. One thing that I can feel is slightly bigger sweetspot with ports, this is why I replaced all my grommets to port ones.

[corbind]

Originally Posted by ricki

I think that people are exagerating, I have tried Prince Rebel 95 and Ignite team 95 with both ports and grommets and if there is difference it would be neglible. One thing that I can feel is slightly bigger sweetspot with ports, this is why I replaced all my grommets to port ones.

Did you feel any difference in control between the two?

[ricki]

Originally Posted by corbind

Did you feel any difference in control between the two?

Full grommets have basically better control, but in racquet as Rebel 95 you need to hit the sweetspot to enjoy it and the sweetspot is small. So for me ports were better as they gave me bigger sweetspot (and it is really noticeable). It really helped in tough situations when i had to get the ball over the net by any means.

[klementine79]

Yes, I have.

I've tried full ports, full grommet, grommet@12 and ports at 3&9 and ports at 12 and grommets @ 3&9.

Full grommets- Really shrinks the sweetspot. Racquet feels stiffer. Less spin production. More of a traditional feel. Not that oversize forgiveness that full ports offer.

Ports @ 3&9, grommets @ 12- Strange brew. Prefer full ports or full grommets to this set-up.

Ports@12 and grommets @ 3&9- The best hybrid set-up. Spin production is great, nothing like full ports but also has a more traditional (tighter) feel to the string bed.

Fire away any questions you might have.

[corbind]

Originally Posted by klementine79

Yes, I have.

I've tried full ports, full grommet, grommet@12 and ports at 3&9 and ports at 12 and grommets @ 3&9.

Full grommets- Really shrinks the sweetspot. Racquet feels stiffer. Less spin production. More of a traditional feel. Not that oversize forgiveness that full ports offer.

Ports @ 3&9, grommets @ 12- Strange brew. Prefer full ports or full grommets to this set-up.

Ports@12 and grommets @ 3&9- The best hybrid set-up. Spin production is great, nothing like full ports but also has a more traditional (tighter) feel to the string bed.

Fire away any questions you might have.

(klementine79 -- message me via my email)

That's a great analysis! I wish I could replicate it but a full bed of gut costs about $60 strung so would be a very expensive test for me. When you tested and you say "12" did you also chance the unmentioned "6" to whatever configuration "12" was at? Or was "6" always just grommet?

I've been using the Becker London Tour 18x20 most of the year and it has a tiny sweet spot at 93" and all grommets. Would be interesting to try all grommet on my big 100" EXO3 18x20. I use both sticks most times I play tennis as I cannot decide which I like better.

Both are flexy. The EXO3 is MUCH more forgiving on off-center hits but does not have nearly the accuracy of the Becker London Tour (on balls hit in the sweet spot).

Originally Posted by klementine79

Ports@12 and grommets @ 3&9- The best hybrid set-up. Spin production is great, nothing like full ports but also has a more traditional (tighter) feel to the string bed.

What do you mean by "tighter" just strings feel tighter or you have more accuracy in shots? I'm looking to get the most accurate shots since I live at the net

[klementine79]

^Really is the beauty of these Prince frames, you can tweak the feel and play with a little imagination.

Originally Posted by corbind

What do you mean by "tighter" just strings feel tighter or you have more accuracy in shots? I'm looking to get the most accurate shots since I live at the net

It just feels tighter, more compact with the grommet inserts at 3&9. I did not notice a jump in accuracy.

[corbind]

Well I used the stock ports for 8 months so perhaps it's time for me to buy the 18x20 Grommet Insert

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/desc...PCODE=XOT20HBG

and see what that feels like compared to what I've been hitting with. Sure sounds interesting that BOTH of you came to the same conclusion that putting grommets at 3 and 9 worked best.

[sansaephanh]

Originally Posted by klementine79

Yes, I have.

I've tried full ports, full grommet, grommet@12 and ports at 3&9 and ports at 12 and grommets @ 3&9.

Full grommets- Really shrinks the sweetspot. Racquet feels stiffer. Less spin production. More of a traditional feel. Not that oversize forgiveness that full ports offer.

Ports @ 3&9, grommets @ 12- Strange brew. Prefer full ports or full grommets to this set-up.

Ports@12 and grommets @ 3&9- The best hybrid set-up. Spin production is great, nothing like full ports but also has a more traditional (tighter) feel to the string bed.


Fire away any questions you might have.

I also did this test and found the same. The ports at 3 and 9 felt like an inconsistent stringbed. I think a few oddballs might enjoy it.

Ports at 12/6 was already a staple in many of the prince speed port tweeners and I'm glad I was able to use it on my Rebels. Great feel and it really opened up the sweet spot.

Here is a little write up i did of the experiment. The theories were pretty much conclusive, but the 2012 grommets didn't make a noticeable difference. Someone told me I had a louder pop, but thats cause i has synthgut and was swinging well lol.

Prince Racket Tuning System Experiment:

So, I just purchased both the 2012 hole grommets and the rebel team port grommets for my 2009 model Rebel 95.

Soon I will do a comparison with all three Grommet types. I'm hoping the ports will open up the sweetspot and give me the extra pop I was looking for.

In this experiment I will use 1 string set up, at one tension, all done by the same stringer. I'm debating whether to go with BHBR17, my go to poly or Forten Sweet 17, my dream budget string.

If anyone wants to donate BHBR to the cause, I'd appreciate it =P

What is expected:

Hole Grommets: Traditional sized sweet spot with plenty of directional control and consistent depth on all shots. Lacks a bit of pop sometimes, but it really allows me to let loose on all my strokes.

2012 ThermoCarbon Hole Grommets: I'm expecting to feel pretty similar. Having the thermocarbon, a stiffer material, will increase responsiveness and feel on contact with the ball. Therefore, taking away some of that "Prince Feel" that so many people love/hate. I'm expecting to be a tad more lively, while really giving me that steady control feel the normal hole grommets provide me. The thermo carbon is noticeable thicker and has larger holes as well... Interesting.

Exo3 Port Grommets: Ideally, it takes the beloved speed port technology of previous prince lines and makes it OPTIONAL and even HYBRIDABLE. Anyways, I expect a much more forgiving sweet spot with a noticeable amount of greater power. Losing a tad of both directional and depth control.

Future Experiment: After I have killed the strings in all three of these rackets, I will hybrid the grommets and to see If I can't get the best of both worlds. I'll have one racket with ports at 12/6 and one racket with ports at 3/9.
^^I did this and found what klement did in the quote above. Ports@3/9 is the best for a in between feel.

[klementine79]

There is no port-replacement for 6 o'clock, as far as I know there's only grommet inserts for the bridge.

All grommets inserts are interesting on the tour, but then you find yourself asking, 'why do I have holes in my racquet now?'.

The best combo for me is ports at 12 and grommets at 3&9. Offers that wide-open, spinny package but tightens up the feel a bit.