Angell TC95 Reviwe and Pics

[Chas]

I've been reading the Vantage and Angell threads with interest, and have really appreciated the first hand experience of these racquets shared by those on here.

I currently play with a Dunlop Bio 200 Tour, with a 4D 200 (non tour) as my backup. I really like the Bio - the open pattern , plough through, feel etc. However occasionaly the heft catches me out in terms being slow to the ball. The 4D 200 is a little easier to swing and hence quicker to set up in those fast moving points in doubles, but I struggle to get the work on the ball and punch through that I get with the Bio 200.

So it feels like something between the two may well be the next step forward for me.

I understand I can order an Angell with specs that are somewhere between the two, but obviously that doesn't tell me about the feel and playability.

I know Paul was Designer for Dunlop / Slazenger prior to the Biomimetic days. From those who've used the TC95 etc. would you say there's any similarity in feel/playability with the current Dunlop racquets ?



I've also been considering the upcoming F2.0 Tour as a possibility. There doesn't seem to be any user feedback yet from early access players, but the specs seem about right, if a bit on the light side.

However that begs the question whether the various added "technologies" such as different materials, etc. really add anything compared to the , presumably, carefully specified and laid up Carbon Fibre in these Angell racquets.



Any opinions from the users of Paul's racquets would be really appreciated ?

[Kal-El 34]

yea i would say that the angell rackets play like a pro stock frame honestly. very solid at impact, nice plush response, and no vibration on impact. After playing with Donnay, which I feel similar to as they are filled rackets as well, I find most off the shelf rackets to feel unstable in my opinion. It's def. a different feel than some other rackets on the market, but if you like it when hit, you wont go back...

[Kal-El 34]

Originally Posted by Roforot

I'm curious about the swingweight of the ANgell and your regular frames? Are your Donnay frames pretty much stock as far as weight/balance?

I know it's a nice novelty, but was there anything you felt played better w/ the Donnay?

yea my donnays i usually just play stock. my angell is a bit heavier, and .25 inches longer. I do feel i am able to snap through the ball quicker with my donnays for more topspin, but i don't feel I have to work as hard with the angell. It took a bit of getting used to, but kind of nice to be able to back off the swing at times. I sacrifice a bit of spin, but the power and depth are still there

[Kal-El 34]

Originally Posted by Backhanded Compliment

Thanks for the review... I love my Prestiges but I am picky and have never been able to get 2 rackets that are identical so I end up having one racket I love and the others are just in case.

Curious how the TC 95 18x20 compares to the current IGPMP?

obviously if you spec it out like the IGMP, then the weight and balance can be the same / very similar. I find the angell to have that rock solid feel at impact, but play a bit softer and more stable than the prestige. I especially find the angell to play better on serves and at the net

[Kal-El 34]

good to be back everyone. hopefully I have answered the questions posted. if i missed something, or you have any questions feel free to post. I have spent a lot more time with the racket and have a really good understanding of the frame now. beautiful playing frame. Paul has a very nice product here

[Kal-El 34]

would enjoy seeing other people's Angell frames posted here. going to be getting a red one and a black one as well to finish the set

[zapvor]

you cant switch!!

[suppawat]

Originally Posted by Kal-El 34

yea i would say that the angell rackets play like a pro stock frame honestly. very solid at impact, nice plush response, and no vibration on impact. After playing with Donnay, which I feel similar to as they are filled rackets as well, I find most off the shelf rackets to feel unstable in my opinion. It's def. a different feel than some other rackets on the market, but if you like it when hit, you wont go back...

I tried several pro stock racquets and all of them are either partially filled or fully filled with foam. They all have very dampened feel, more or less depends on stiffness and foam volume. But one thing I observed, the pro stock racquets are getting stiffer every day. Head TGK237.3 is much stiffer from PT10 pro stock, Hewitt's Yonex pro stock racquet is way stiffer, Head TGK238.4 is also stiffer than Haas's Dunlop frame. The other day, I played James Blake's Dunlop frame side by side with his Donnay racquet, and noticed a huge difference. The Dunlop frame was very flexible, but had slightly hollow feel. The Donnay frame was much stiffer but it felt much more comfortable and playable (very close to Pro One 18x20) in faster groundstroke rally. The structure inside is dual core filled with foam. May be he needs more power without losing comfort.

Even though I love Donnay so much, but I can't really find the 100 sq.in racquet with the right feel in any brand. I really hope the Angell will fill this gap.

[Roforot]

Originally Posted by Kal-El 34

yea my donnays i usually just play stock. my angell is a bit heavier, and .25 inches longer. I do feel i am able to snap through the ball quicker with my donnays for more topspin, but i don't feel I have to work as hard with the angell. It took a bit of getting used to, but kind of nice to be able to back off the swing at times. I sacrifice a bit of spin, but the power and depth are still there

Kal-El what is the swing weight of your Angell frame?
Do you miss the foam filled donnay frames as far as comfort of shock absorption?

[Kal-El 34]

Originally Posted by suppawat

I tried several pro stock racquets and all of them are either partially filled or fully filled with foam. They all have very dampened feel, more or less depends on stiffness and foam volume. But one thing I observed, the pro stock racquets are getting stiffer every day. Head TGK237.3 is much stiffer from PT10 pro stock, Hewitt's Yonex pro stock racquet is way stiffer, Head TGK238.4 is also stiffer than Haas's Dunlop frame. The other day, I played James Blake's Dunlop frame side by side with his Donnay racquet, and noticed a huge difference. The Dunlop frame was very flexible, but had slightly hollow feel. The Donnay frame was much stiffer but it felt much more comfortable and playable (very close to Pro One 18x20) in faster groundstroke rally. The structure inside is dual core filled with foam. May be he needs more power without losing comfort.

Even though I love Donnay so much, but I can't really find the 100 sq.in racquet with the right feel in any brand. I really hope the Angell will fill this gap.

man it seems as if we are on a similar quest in this sport. everything i read from you is right on par with what i feel more or less

[Kal-El 34]

Originally Posted by Roforot

Kal-El what is the swing weight of your Angell frame?
Do you miss the foam filled donnay frames as far as comfort of shock absorption?

the swingweight of my angell is up there for sure. i love the foam filled feel of the donnays and it is not lacking in the angell line as they are foam filled as well. the tc 95 is a bit thicker than the thin beamed donnays, and a tad thinner than say the pro one series. feel is very similar though.

[Roforot]

Is the SW higher on the Angell vs. Donnay Pro1? I assume Angell tells you the exact SW once they build your custom frame? Or did you ask them to match a certain SW?

I didn't know Angell also has foam filled racquets; I had thought it was exclusive to Donnay. It makes sense though as far as having a similar feel?

[suppawat]

Finally my Angells TC95 (310g, 18x20 & 16x19, 63RA) and TC100 (300g, 310g) arrived, will go hit soon.

[suppawat]

Simply beautiful racquets with excellent paint quality. The handle shape "C" feels really good in hands. Grommet holes are really small, I'm not sure if 16L string can go thru. Plan to put Solinco Revolution on blue frames and Solinco Outlast on red frames.

[Kal-El 34]

Suppawat thanks for sharing such great pictures all the time

[zapvor]

great pictures indeed! they are basically same mold as the vantage right?

[Kal-El 34]

Suppawat how do you like the solinco bag

[suppawat]

Originally Posted by Kal-El 34

Suppawat how do you like the solinco bag

Yes I like it. It's very practical - light, roomy, shoulder friendly. The bag is light and holds its shape well. In the 2nd version, Solinco bag shape remains the same but they use more water-repellent material and redesign the zip layout. Padded shoulder straps and 2 thermoguard racquet compartments are first class. I used many Head bags before, but none of them are shoulder friendly. They kept falling off my shoulder.

[Steve Huff]

Those of you in the states that have purchased Angell rackets. Did they come from Europe? Where are they made? And, just how much did, say 2 of them, set you back with shipping etc? They really do look interesting, but shelling out $500+ for 2 frames is out of the question for me at the present.

[zapvor]

Originally Posted by Steve Huff

Those of you in the states that have purchased Angell rackets. Did they come from Europe? Where are they made? And, just how much did, say 2 of them, set you back with shipping etc? They really do look interesting, but shelling out $500+ for 2 frames is out of the question for me at the present.

yea that was keeping me from ordering vantage......