Babolat VS Touch French Open Edition (Black) vs Babolat Vs Touch 16g Natural

[Tennusdude]

What are the main difference between Babolat Vs Touch 16g in Black and the Babolat VS Touch 16g in Natural. And does any recommend tension adjustment when switching from one to another?

[pvaudio]

If their other French Open offerings are anything to go by, then it's going to play stiffer and lose the best characteristics of the original.

[vsbabolat]

Originally Posted by pvaudio

If their other French Open offerings are anything to go by, then it's going to play stiffer and lose the best characteristics of the original.

Thats the BT7 that did that.

[TimothyO]

The black vs isn't a French Open "edition". It has the RG logo but is otherWise a standard offering. Like the natural color it uses BT7 tech which makes it stiffer than pre-BT7 Touch. No other difference besides color.

If you want a softer feel try Wilson natural gut which some say is simply pre-BT7 Touch.

I'm about to try Wilson with 4G crosses.

[pvaudio]

Originally Posted by vsbabolat

Thats the BT7 that did that.

No no, what I'm saying is that the French Open variant of Xcel plays stiffer with less feel than the original Xcel. Therefore, if painting that string black and labeling it FO Edition is anything to go by, then VS French Open will be stiffer and with less feel than the normal VS.

[TimothyO]

One benefit of the black vs: you quickly see how consistent you are. Where my VS mains intersect the 4G crosses the VS turns gray with use (and evetually frays there). After just one session you'll see if your impact points are consistent (and after much hard work over the last two years I'm very proud to say my SB's center gets well worn while the perimiter remains nearly pristine with the writing on the VS perfectly legible.).

I fully agree with PVAudio about black Xcel vs regular Xcel. We tried black Xcel in my son's frame when we first bought it. It felt nothing like regular Xcel which is one of my favorite multis. It felt stiff and dead where regular Xcel feels almost plush and powerful without being overly lively.