Donnay Formula 100

[Boricua]

Has anyone used this racket? How does it compare with Babolat Aeroprodrive GT in terms of feel, spin production or other areas?

[drakulie]

Much better feel. Not hollow feeling and has as
Much power and spin. Much more comfortable.

[jgoud]

Originally Posted by drakulie

Much better feel. Not hollow feeling and has as
Much power and spin. Much more comfortable.

In fact formula 100 is much more like tecnifibre speedflex 300, apdgt is more control/spin oriented.

if you search 1) power 2) comfort it's a good stick.

[VOLLEY KING]

Originally Posted by Boricua

Has anyone used this racket? How does it compare with Babolat Aeroprodrive GT in terms of feel, spin production or other areas?

Well being a donnayaholic I couldn't resist a thread about this.

I Hated it !!

Firstbof all this is notba new Donnay racquet.

It's actually the donnay x-p dual 27. It now has a a new paint job and a new name "formula". You can do a search on donnay x-p dual 27 for some reviews.

I'm guessing that the racquet did not sell well so they decided to repackage it?
Pretty dishonest in my opinion.

I'm a former APD cortex plus user. The APD is far superior. The "formula" is powerful .....way to powerful in my opinion . It's also bulky and does not cut through the air like APD.

The Pro one on the other hand is much more like the APD, in fact I think the Pro one is superior to the APD in every department.

[drakulie]

Originally Posted by VOLLEY KING

The Pro one on the other hand is much more like the APD, in fact I think the Pro one is superior to the APD in every department.

these two frames couldn't be more further apart. They play nothing like the other.

[VOLLEY KING]

Originally Posted by drakulie

these two frames couldn't be more further apart. They play nothing like the other.

I agree it's a better APD....but not all that different.

Donnay  weight 11.5  APD 11.3

Length 27 for both

Balance : donnay 4 pts head light  APD  5 pts head light

Pattern 16 x 19 for both

Beam and stiffness are different but that's the whole Donnay strategy.  The dual core allows them to make the same racquet as the APD just thinner and more maneuverable. So although the beam is thinner and the stiffness is less on the Donnay it plays the similar because of the dual core foam filling.

Head size is 97 on the Donnay pro one and 100 on the APD . But again the APD is hollow so the Donnay can achieve the same power and sweetspot in a slightly smaller frame.

In any event this should all be in another thread.

This thread is about the formula.....which I think is a horrible racquet

[drakulie]

^^^ regardless of specs, they play nothing alike. Anyone who has hit with both could immediately note huge differences.

The formula is much closer in playing characteristics to the APD and
Pure drive.

[VOLLEY KING]

Originally Posted by drakulie

^^^ regardless of specs, they play nothing alike. Anyone who has hit with both could immediately note huge differences.

The formula is much closer in playing characteristics to the APD and
Pure drive.

Well we can disagree.....we are all entitled to what we "feel". It's a very personal thing. It's like saying "that girl is pretty".

I don't agree with the analysis of the specs however.

The formula may be a 27 beam but it is not a hollow frame. Therefore even though it's the same beam as a an APD there is more mass . So it plays heavier and bulkier in my opinion.

And let's not forget that the APD has a unique beam. It's thinner in some spots and thicker in others while the formula is 27 throughout . The APD cuts through the air much quicker than the bulky Formula. In fact the "APD" is called "Aero" because it is designed to cut through the air.

The pro one on the other hand is a bit thinner and can cut through the air at least equally as quick as the "Aero".

The "Aero" is designed to be a thicker power ful racquet but cut through the air as qucick as a thin beamed racquet. The Donnay Premise is to make thinner racquets that are not hollow so they can play as powerful as a thicker racquet but still cut through the air as fast as a thin racquet.

Basically both the Pro one & the APD arrive at the same point but they are coming from different directions . Donnay wants to make a thin racquet play like a thick one while The Aero tries to make a thick racquet play like a thin one. So in the end they end up playing similar.

However I do agree that they play differently....but saying they couldn't be more different is a bit of a stretch in my opinion.

[mrtrinh]

Originally Posted by VOLLEY KING

Well we can disagree.....we are all entitled to what we "feel". It's a very personal thing. It's like saying "that girl is pretty".

I don't agree with the analysis of the specs however.

The formula may be a 27 beam but it is not a hollow frame. Therefore even though it's the same beam as a an APD there is more mass . So it plays heavier and bulkier in my opinion.

And let's not forget that the APD has a unique beam. It's thinner in some spots and thicker in others while the formula is 27 throughout . The APD cuts through the air much quicker than the bulky Formula. In fact the "APD" is called "Aero" because it is designed to cut through the air.

The pro one on the other hand is a bit thinner and can cut through the air at least equally as quick as the "Aero".

The "Aero" is designed to be a thicker power ful racquet but cut through the air as qucick as a thin beamed racquet. The Donnay Premise is to make thinner racquets that are not hollow so they can play as powerful as a thicker racquet but still cut through the air as fast as a thin racquet.

Basically both the Pro one & the APD arrive at the same point but they are coming from different directions . Donnay wants to make a thin racquet play like a thick one while The Aero tries to make a thick racquet play like a thin one. So in the end they end up playing similar.

However I do agree that they play differently....but saying they couldn't be more different is a bit of a stretch in my opinion.

Good analogy. I just switched to the pro one and i cant believe how pwerful it is. Its controllable power though. I would put it in the same power level as the pure drive.

[VOLLEY KING]

Originally Posted by mrtrinh

Good analogy. I just switched to the pro one and i cant believe how pwerful it is. Its controllable power though. I would put it in the same power level as the pure drive.

Thanks but I can't take the credit....it's Donnays analogy.

The unique properties of XeneCore create a solid frame achieving the highest strength to weight ratio in the industry resulting in X-treme power, X-treme control, and X-treme feel. At 1.5 gigapascals, the XeneCore racquets possess 50% more tensile strength than current graphite racquets, allowing for the thinnest beam width on the market at 15mm. The X-treme torsional rigidity and stability advance the playing characteristics above and beyond what’s available with current graphite composite racquets providing the established player a lighter racquet for control and feel, possessing the power of a heavier model, while reducing shock and vibration. Roman Prokes



All have Donnay’s patent-pending and high-tensile-strength XēneCore™ material that was introduced in the original Donnay X-Series. But the Dual-Core racquets have second layer of XēneCore™ tubing on the inside of the hoop that further fortifies the frame and eliminates the loss of energy on ball contact. 

Since more energy is retained on the strings it provides an additional boost of power, comfort, control and stability, while maintaining X-Series’ ease-of-swing, the result of thin-beam engineering and design. Donnay

Therefore following that line of logic, if the Donnays truly play like a thicker racquet in a thinner body then the formula 27 plays like a much thicker racquet. Furthermore it stands to reason then that the thinner Pro one plays more like the fast cutting "aero" . Make sense?

[Boricua]

Originally Posted by VOLLEY KING

Well we can disagree.....we are all entitled to what we "feel". It's a very personal thing. It's like saying "that girl is pretty".

I don't agree with the analysis of the specs however.

The formula may be a 27 beam but it is not a hollow frame. Therefore even though it's the same beam as a an APD there is more mass . So it plays heavier and bulkier in my opinion.

And let's not forget that the APD has a unique beam. It's thinner in some spots and thicker in others while the formula is 27 throughout . The APD cuts through the air much quicker than the bulky Formula. In fact the "APD" is called "Aero" because it is designed to cut through the air.

The pro one on the other hand is a bit thinner and can cut through the air at least equally as quick as the "Aero".

The "Aero" is designed to be a thicker power ful racquet but cut through the air as qucick as a thin beamed racquet. The Donnay Premise is to make thinner racquets that are not hollow so they can play as powerful as a thicker racquet but still cut through the air as fast as a thin racquet.

Basically both the Pro one & the APD arrive at the same point but they are coming from different directions . Donnay wants to make a thin racquet play like a thick one while The Aero tries to make a thick racquet play like a thin one. So in the end they end up playing similar.

However I do agree that they play differently....but saying they couldn't be more different is a bit of a stretch in my opinion.

"However I do agree that they play differently"

So, how do they play differently?

Besides, some people say the Pro One is more designed for flat hitting. What do you think?

[Boricua]

Originally Posted by VOLLEY KING

Thanks but I can't take the credit....it's Donnays analogy.

The unique properties of XeneCore create a solid frame achieving the highest strength to weight ratio in the industry resulting in X-treme power, X-treme control, and X-treme feel. At 1.5 gigapascals, the XeneCore racquets possess 50% more tensile strength than current graphite racquets, allowing for the thinnest beam width on the market at 15mm. The X-treme torsional rigidity and stability advance the playing characteristics above and beyond what’s available with current graphite composite racquets providing the established player a lighter racquet for control and feel, possessing the power of a heavier model, while reducing shock and vibration. Roman Prokes


All have Donnay’s patent-pending and high-tensile-strength XēneCore™ material that was introduced in the original Donnay X-Series. But the Dual-Core racquets have second layer of XēneCore™ tubing on the inside of the hoop that further fortifies the frame and eliminates the loss of energy on ball contact. 

Since more energy is retained on the strings it provides an additional boost of power, comfort, control and stability, while maintaining X-Series’ ease-of-swing, the result of thin-beam engineering and design. Donnay

Therefore following that line of logic, if the Donnays truly play like a thicker racquet in a thinner body then the formula 27 plays like a much thicker racquet. Furthermore it stands to reason then that the thinner Pro one plays more like the fast cutting "aero" . Make sense?

Is the Pro One more control oriented than the Aeropro? More arm friendly?

[VOLLEY KING]

Originally Posted by Boricua

Is the Pro One more control oriented than the Aeropro? More arm friendly?

I definitely think so.

It provides the same power and sweet spot but in a thinner frame and a smaller frame.

I changed from the APD and I found the change to be seamless.

I could hit with it better than my APD right out of the box.

In fact that is the way you should choose all Donnays. You should find a Donnay that is as close to the specs of your current racquet but in a thinner version.

The Donnays are thinner but are as powerful as a thicker racquet. The Pro one is very close in specs to the APD the only differences are that it's thinner and more maneuvarable. This results in far more control with no loss of power.

The formula is on the other hand a 27 inch racquet but plays mor like a 32 inch racquet. It may have a closer beam to the APD but it's way more powerful and less manuevarble than the APD.

The formula in my opinion is a grandpa racquet.

With Donnay you can't match the specs exactly of your current sticks because the Donnays are not hollow. This makes a huge difference. Always pick a thinner version of your current frame. You will find the result to be simply a better more controllable version of your current frame.

The pro one to me is just a much better version of an APD.....the formula on the other hand is just way to powerful and bulky. It may be the most powerful
Stick on the market. It's for a 3.0 player and under in my opinion.

[VOLLEY KING]

Originally Posted by Boricua

"However I do agree that they play differently"

So, how do they play differently?

Besides, some people say the Pro One is more designed for flat hitting. What do you think?

That's a really good point. I am a flat hitter.....so maybe that's why I love it so much? I cannot comment on the topspin.

On the other hand Janes Blake uses it and hits with Topspin but not the Nadal type of loopy topspin.

I guess it depends on what type of topspin you are looking for. If it's a laser type topspin like the joker or Blake version then go for the Donnay but if it's the loopy topspin of Nadal then maybe the APD is the better way to go.

I don't know because I just cannot hit a ball anything like Nadal. My shots are way more flat.

[Boricua]

Originally Posted by VOLLEY KING

That's a really good point. I am a flat hitter.....so maybe that's why I love it so much? I cannot comment on the topspin.

On the other hand Janes Blake uses it and hits with Topspin but not the Nadal type of loopy topspin.

I guess it depends on what type of topspin you are looking for. If it's a laser type topspin like the joker or Blake version then go for the Donnay but if it's the loopy topspin of Nadal then maybe the APD is the better way to go.

I don't know because I just cannot hit a ball anything like Nadal. My shots are way more flat.

Generally, I hit more of a loopy topspin both on forehand and and in my one handed backhand. Soemtimes I drive tha ball a bit, but that is the exception.

Wish I could demo the Pro One, but I cant.

Guess Ill wait for the new Aeropro next year. Thanks for the help though.

[VOLLEY KING]

Originally Posted by Boricua

Generally, I hit more of a loopy topspin both on forehand and and in my one handed backhand. Soemtimes I drive tha ball a bit, but that is the exception.

Wish I could demo the Pro One, but I cant.

Guess Ill wait for the new Aeropro next year. Thanks for the help though.

Actually you can demo it because it's sold on TW.

The APD is an absolutely awesome stick.....you can't go wrong with that choice.

For my personal game however I do like the pro one better. But this thread is about the formula......

Although the specs are similar to the APD I promise you that the Formula plays nothing like an APD or even a pure drive. The formula is just way more powerful. I would stay away.

[drakulie]

Originally Posted by VOLLEY KING

Well we can disagree.....

We will. You have no clue what you are talking about. Regardless of specs, the Pro One and APD have absolutely zero similarities on court. None. They play nothing alike, regardless of the fact they both have 16X19 string patterns.

Next you will be saying the Pure Drive and BLX 90 play the same because they both have 16X19 patterns.

Click on the Formula, and you'll see one of the racquets its compared to is the Pure Drive:
http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Donn...NAY-DFORM.html

Now click on the Pure Drive, and you'll see one of the racquets its being compared to is the Aero:

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Babo...BAB-BPDGT.html

No where is there any mention of the Pro One.


Seriously, have you even hit with any of these frames?? You should quit while you are behind.

[VOLLEY KING]

Originally Posted by mrtrinh

Good analogy. I just switched to the pro one and i cant believe how pwerful it is. Its controllable power though. I would put it in the same power level as the pure drive.

I agree with you . Drakulie on the other hand thinks we are crazy for having that opinion.

[Boricua]

Originally Posted by VOLLEY KING

Actually you can demo it because it's sold on TW.

The APD is an absolutely awesome stick.....you can't go wrong with that choice.

For my personal game however I do like the pro one better. But this thread is about the formula......

Although the specs are similar to the APD I promise you that the Formula plays nothing like an APD or even a pure drive. The formula is just way more powerful. I would stay away.

I live in Puerto Rico. The thing is that I can buy from Tennis Warehouse, but cant demo rackets from TW. I hope this changes sometime.

Ive used the APD for about 3-4 years now, first the Cortex now the GT. I like it but always looking at other choices.

[VOLLEY KING]

Originally Posted by Boricua

I live in Puerto Rico.  The thing is that I can buy from Tennis Warehouse, but cant demo rackets from TW. I hope this changes sometime. 

Ive used the APD for about 3-4 years now, first the Cortex now the GT. I like it but always looking at other choices.

APD is an awesome stick. I can't really it's better or worse than the pro one.

I happen to like the pro one better for my game..... But Hit more of a laser topspin.


Here's my comparison of Donnay vs APD

[/b]Serves:[/b] 

Pro one wins. More accurate and no loss of power

returns

It's so close I would have to give it a tie. Blocking serves are better with the pro one but APD is better for put aways  especially on a second serve.

Slices and flat ball groundstrokes

Pro one wins far and away

topspin

I have to think APD is better here. I'm not a big topspinner hitter as I hit a mix of topspin and flat ......but after watching Nadal I have to give the edge to the APD. But I'm really not qualified to give an opinion on the topspin stroke.

volleys

Pro one wins hands down. It's not even close

Power

Equal power but pro one has more control. Pro one wins

Formula vs apd

APD wins. The formula is a canon and the ball just flies to the moon

Returns

APD wins. The formula is bulky and is not maneuverable

[/b]Slices and flat balls[/b]

Apd wins. The formula is to bulky to hit an effective slice.  It just doesn't slice through the air at all.

Topspin

I'm not a big topspinner but the formula should not even be mentioned in the sane sentence as the APD when it comes to topspin.

volleys

Apd wins again . The formula is just nit maneuverable

power

The formula is more powerful....but it's not nearly as controllable as the APD. So the APD wins again.