Lead tape: How much is too much?

[Dashedrw]

Started playing last summer and purchased a Prince o3 red at 10.5 ounces and 105 sq.in. As I improved, the racquet began to feel too light, powerful, and have limited potential for control. I don't have access to many demo racquets so I've been trying to play around with the weight to find a weight and balance that fits my natural swing better. Used lead tape and quarters under the handle to recreate the weight and balance of more control oriented racquets to help narrow down which ones would be good to demo.

Is there an upper limit to how much weight you can add while maintaining racquet performance? Could I chance my racquet from 10.5oz and 3pts HL to something like 12.5oz and 8pts HL and it still be playable? Or if I want one that's 12.5 and 8, do I really have to get one that comes factory made like that?

[flashfire276]

Originally Posted by Dashedrw

Started playing last summer and purchased a Prince o3 red at 10.5 ounces and 105 sq.in. As I improved, the racquet began to feel too light, powerful, and have limited potential for control. I don't have access to many demo racquets so I've been trying to play around with the weight to find a weight and balance that fits my natural swing better. Used lead tape and quarters under the handle to recreate the weight and balance of more control oriented racquets to help narrow down which ones would be good to demo.

Is there an upper limit to how much weight you can add while maintaining racquet performance? Could I chance my racquet from 10.5oz and 3pts HL to something like 12.5oz and 8pts HL and it still be playable? Or if I want one that's 12.5 and 8, do I really have to get one that comes factory made like that?

It's only too much when it's too much for you to handle. So just make sure you know what you want, and what your limits are.

[Gemini]

As flashfire said, it's really about you being able to handle the increased weight/swingweight of the newly spec'd racquet. Going to 12.5oz static weight may not be big deal but depending on where you have add the extra lead to get the balance you're looking for may make the swingweight undesirable. All you can do is experiment to find out.

[Irvin]

I used to play with a PT280 that weighed 410 grams or a little over 14 ounces. I had a friend that used to play with a racket that weighed 2 pound 4 ounces and the grip was 5.25". He was told once to get away from tennis elbow to play with as heavy a racket as you feel comfortable and as big a grip as you could control. He put lead tape from 3 to 9 o'clock (one piece) and car tire weights in the handle hot glued in.

Irvin