The Völk PB10 Mid Club - please join :)

[WHIPABALL]

I use the PB10MID...what a sweet stick! currently strung up with Lux 1.20 at 55lbs

[netguy]

I love this stick. I bought it two months ago, and I'm still setting on the strings and tension. Currently, I'm using X-one at 52 pounds.
I'm planning to use Weiss Cannon Silverstring next at 58 ponds.

Anyone using tension at or arround 58 pounds?
Can you share your experence?

[swilburn]

I have used Weiss Cannon Silverstring 1.20 at 54 lbs in my PB10 mid. It felt good at that tension. 58 lbs sounds a little high after comming from x-one at 52

[jhusein]

Originally Posted by netguy

I love this stick. I bought it two months ago, and I'm still setting on the strings and tension. Currently, I'm using X-one at 52 pounds.
I'm planning to use Weiss Cannon Silverstring next at 58 ponds.

Anyone using tension at or arround 58 pounds?
Can you share your experence?

Currently testing it with Klip Legend 16g at 59 lbs (after trying few different strings in it). Plays well with Klip since it gives it that CRISP feel.

[Zeb]

Received my new PB10Mid today and my unstrung specs measured are - 325g and 31.3cm balance. The specs as published on the stick are 330g and 31cm balance. Which means once mine has been strung up with VS Touch and Siverstring, I can expect the weight to go up to around 343grams and may have a balance of 31.7cm. This would make it 7 pts headlight which is far off TW's claim of 10pts HL when strung. I was hoping for a more headlight racket but it may be more stable anyway if there is a little more weight distributed around the hoop area.

Can anyone else confirm that there unstrung or strung specs are a bit off the published one's? I had heard that these sticks came with very little tolerances...

[dltorre]

I got mine from TW too they strung it with Ashaway Kevlar 18 g/ Prince Syn Gut Original 17
It weigth 343 with the tournagrip on it with no tournagrip is 338 g, I have not check the balance, but yes it seems ligther than specs even that the 18 g Kevlar is pretty ligth.

[Dgpsx7]

I currently use a PB10 Mid with MSV Hex @ 58lbs

[Gee]

Today I received my PB10 Mid from TW Europe. I checked the weight (331g) and balance (310mm) so they are pretty accurate.

It feels good into the hand but the rectangular grip shape. I need to customize this with some duct tape at the top and bottom grip pallet faces. Besides I 'll replace the original dnx synthetic grip with a Babolat leather grip.

I strung with my regular Head RIP Control 17g at 24/23 kg (53/51 lbs).

Tomorrow I hope to play with my PB10 Mid for the first time. Wish me luck!

[stronzzi70]

I had two PB 10 MID, with Volkl Leather grip, great racquet, but a little flex for my taste, sold it two days ago.

[big bang]

I use PB10 and I actually own the two matched frames That ClubHoUno bought
Like many of you guys, I string mine with MSV Focus Hex 1.10 black at 52 Lbs. This set-up is perfect for PB10, GREAT control and still a fair amount of pop. LOVE this frame

[MLtennis]

Gee - how did the new racquet work for you? Just curious... I'm interested in that stick as well and thought I'd see how the transition went for you. Thanks!

[fuzz nation]

Happy to join in!...

...Quick, somebody spot me $190...

[mnehls]

Originally Posted by Dgpsx7

I currently use a PB10 Mid with MSV Hex @ 58lbs

How is the MSV working for you so far?

[SandV62]

Pb mid with lux adrenaline in mains and nxt 16 in cross @ 53 lbs..
Works really well, better than my previous setup ! ( X-1 16 mains / Lux rough cross @ 55 )

[Gee]

Originally Posted by MLtennis

Gee - how did the new racquet work for you? Just curious... I'm interested in that stick as well and thought I'd see how the transition went for you. Thanks!

Well... finally I hit with PB10 Mid. The first terms that come to my mind are: maneuverable, solid, firm, very quick at the net, precise, you get what you put in. A very versatile frame.

Especially you know it when you hit the ball clean. A very satisfied feeling involved with a pok sound.

Groundstrokes: The PB10 Mid swings pretty light but still solid and a firm feel at ball contact. A bit contradictory regarding the 330 swingweight but I think this is due the thinner beam width and smaller headsize. Through this it is a spin friendly frame as well.

Volleys: This is really the best part of this frame IMO. Simply great! I was dancing at the net! And it is sooo solid! Great touch as well.

Smashes: I noticed I need to focus more with the mid size because I'm used to mp. When I hit clean the smashes were solid and precise. Besides I was able to hit difficult backhand smashes with a handy wrist movement and a great touch.

BTW I customized the rectangular grip shape by adding 2 layers of master tape at the wider pallet faces.

[jayserinos99]

Alright fellow members, I strung up a PB10 with Solinco Tour Bite 18 at 51 lbs. I am playing later and will give a report as to how it plays.

[MLtennis]

Gee - thank you so much for the review - have you ever hit with a Head Prestige MP and if so could you compare the two? I tried asking on another thread but little response so far. I'm excited that the volleys felt great - what about serves? You mentioned that the overheads were tricky getting used to with the smaller head so I'm curious about the weight and size coming through on the serve.

jayserinos99 - ditto on my question about the Head Youtek Prestige MP - but also looking forward to your overall thoughts on the racquet.

Cheers!

[Dgpsx7]

Originally Posted by mnehls

How is the MSV working for you so far?

I originally strung it too high at 60 but I played with it for a little while then put it down for a couple months while I was using the KPS88.

Now that I picked it back up a couple weeks ago it is at about 58lbs and no joke I am playing the best tennis of my life. I have always been a huge Volkl fan I love all their 10 series MPs (especially the Tour10 VE) and I been using MSV Hex 1.10 for over 2 years now. It is by far my favorite string. I think this is the perfect combination for me.

[Gee]

Originally Posted by MLtennis

Gee - thank you so much for the review - have you ever hit with a Head Prestige MP and if so could you compare the two? I tried asking on another thread but little response so far. I'm excited that the volleys felt great - what about serves? You mentioned that the overheads were tricky getting used to with the smaller head so I'm curious about the weight and size coming through on the serve.
Cheers!

A few years ago I demoed both MG Prestige MP and Mid. The MGP Mid is much better IMO. Much more solid and better control and plow through. I think you should compare the PB10 Mid with the MGP Mid. TW seems to agree with this as they mention the Prestige Mid a similar racquet. See similar racquets at the Volkl PB10 Mid page.

Unfortunately I didn't serve with the PB10 Mid yesterday but I think it 'll swing easy with a solid hit as the smashes felt like that. BTW the smaller head size with smashes was not a big issue. I only need to get used to it.

[MLtennis]

OK, I demoed the Volkl PB10Mid today with my Head Prestige MP's. Boy, this is a close call. This is how they felt to me -

Volkl was considerably heavier which was great for plow-through. On groundstrokes when I missed the sweet spot the Volkl made for better recovery in that I could still get the ball deep as opposed to the Prestige where mishits landed short in the court. The Volkl also felt EVEN better than the Prestige against heavy balls due to it's weight. Not that this has ever been an issue with the Prestige but I did notice a slight improvement. I also thought the Prestige was better for slice backhands - not really sure why but I felt more solid shots coming off the Prestige than the Volkl when sliced. Opposite for topspin.

At net the Volkl was more solid but no more or less manouverable than the Prestige. The feel coming through a volley was amazing - very confident. Due to the extra power in the Volkl I did spray a few shots long and/or wide but could get used to that quickly. The smaller head size was not an issue in the least. The Prestige was the better serving racquet in my opinion - it's solid and not quite as headlight which seemed to give me more pace and control for placement at the same time.

Overall - my scoring would look like this:

Groundstrokes - even score - but for different reasons. I don't need the extra power of the PB10 Mid but it does feel nice and solid. Prestige allowed me more directional control - hit some great angles with the Prestige.
Net - PB10 Mid has the slight edge here - confidence built by the solidness of the racquet was awesome.
Serving - Prestige has the edge here - overall more pace AND control.

Going to stick with my Prestige MP's for now - but if the Volkl's go on sale I might be tempted.