Diary of a Racketaholic

[mad dog1]

Ross, i'm really not a rackaholic in the true sense of the word because while i have lots of sticks, the majority of them are the older classics and not the latest releases. i dabbled w/ the APDC a while ago but let it go because it didn't feel like any of the old school sticks and quite honestly at the time, it didn't do anything more for my game and after hitting w/ alot of JGads' various demo sticks, none of which did anything more for my game, i had concluded that the indian was more important than the bow & arrows. sure some sticks did one thing or another better than the other sticks, but at the end of the day, it was generally a compromise. i had to give up something to get something. it wasn't until the new APD GT where i can see a noticeable difference in the performance pretty much across the board at the cost of some comfort that i'm now reconsidering my position. and if it wasn't for JGads' TGK, i would not even be mulling over the new APD GT. he just hits such a beastly ball w/ his godly stick that takes me out of my comfort zone with every stick except for the new APD GT. so to answer your question in a long, roundabout way, no, i have never considered the J100 and after checking the specs and seeing the stiffness rating of 72 , i don't think this stick is gonna agree w/ my shoulder or wrist.

[Hi I'm Ray]

Originally Posted by Ross K

@ mad dog

So much of what you day MD is precisely why I've liked the APD Original for so long. A unique frame from the b-line. But just to play devil's advocate for a second, ever considered the Juice 100? For me it's (as has been said before) like a cross between the APD and PD.

It hits a similarish basic topspin g/stroke to the Aero (okay, maybe I slightly prefer the APD here, but I prefer the APD to everything in this very particular regard!) - I'd say the J hits more of a stinging ball, whereas the APD hits more of a booming blasting ball. Whatever. For trajectory/loop I find it marginally APD>J100>with PD a way behind these 2. I do think J has better control and accuracy, plus the spin is at least equal to APD. In terms specifically of responsiveness, I find it also better than the Aeropro, equal to PD (this is one area I really thought the PD 2012 shone) - coming in off the backcourt a bit, hitting more angles, nailing winners I'd say Juice/PD tied, APD a bit behind.

It serves, for me, more effectively than the APD (never could quite find my groove with the APD in this dept), and is close up there with the PD (a frame I rank just about at the top for serving). Still formulating serve impressions. Great pop and action.

In my recent dallying with the PD 2012, I found it still to be ultimately a bit jarring and uncomfortable. The Juice 100 however, seems just a bit softer, a bit plusher, the vibes are filtered out a bit better. I found the PD to be to be very solid, a very solid hammer of a frame. But that undoubted solidness doesn't take away from the jarring impact. Feel-wise then, J is softer than the PD, a tad stiffer than my APD Originals. There's also a certain crisp quality that I'm liking more and more. Yes, it's still a tweener absolutely, but the Juice has a bit more of that feeling of 'body' or support or whatever, as with, say, a PST - I think the PWS has something to do with this perception.

Another thing (PED mentioned this recently): the J100 swings very, very fast, faster than the APD Original. It really tears into the ball. I felt the PD also swung mega-quick. Obviously SW/static weight being lowish on these racs has a lot of bearing.

It is also (especially with one of the lead set ups I was looking at last week) surprisingly good for more all court, up in the air stuff - and I'm talking to the extent a reg. hitting partner commented on Friday during a particular drill, he'd never seen me get back so many volleys before... FWIW I've also noted a better conversion rate re droppers with the J (I say "FWIW" as all court isn't really my game).

Anyhow, you get the picture. As was said to me for ages by TTers, if you like the APD, it's seriously worth consideing the J100.

So the J100 did the impossible and topped your APD? Thats awesome. I'm due for a change soon as well. APDGT plays great at the b-line but I've just never felt so disconnected at the net. PDR, 100s, & J100 are still the ones to beat, now I just have to check out the 99s, Extreme 2.0 Pro, and I guess the old BLX Blade & APD2012. I wonder if a new J100 is around the corner.

Ross, do you know any tricky players who hit shots like skidding slices, varying spin and depth, etc., that throw off your timing, the kind of player that you have to be at your best in terms of control to play well against? That's always been a good self-test for me when considering a racket switch.

[JackB1]

Ross....glad to hear you so high on the Juice. I am thinking of making it my regular racquet for the time being. I totally agree with everything you said regarding the stiffness vs the PD12. The Juice is a very versatile racquet that can be used from the baseline or all court. Now I just need to dial in my string setup and lead mod. I am preferring 2 g's at 12' at the moment, since it adds some much needed head weighting. I also replaced that super firm hybrid grip it comes with and that helped soften things up too. Maybe we should start a Juice owners club thread?

[Power Player]

I will be hitting with the apd this week as i am sure it will come in. That being said i am very similar to gads as i find the open patterns can be too loopy and while that in itself can kill 4.0 and under players, it just robs me of time against higher level guys.

A lot of the stuff mad dog is finding, i experience with the blade. I think it boils down to weight and power. Of course i will find out soon for myself. I have always loved the apd, but this is a racquet that always bugs my arm after a while and lacks the laser control and boom on serve that i like.

[mad dog1]

PP, yeah, Gads and i were talking about how my stroke is flatter than his so sticks that tend to be loopy for him are ok for me. i can hit w/ heavy spin or flatten it out w/ the apd and get surprisingly good control from it which is unusual with a racquet this powerful. but i may ultimately be unable to use the apd because my shoulder is pretty sore this morning.

[JackB1]

I have to say, the specs on the new APD are right in my wheelhouse.
11.3 oz and sw of 325ish is perfect for me. I just always HATED the look of those APD's!. Plus I'm not a huge Rafa fan either. I guess I could always spray paint it matte black?

[JGads]

Originally Posted by mad dog1

PP, yeah, Gads and i were talking about how my stroke is flatter than his so sticks that tend to be loopy for him are ok for me. i can hit w/ heavy spin or flatten it out w/ the apd and get surprisingly good control from it which is unusual with a racquet this powerful. but i may ultimately be unable to use the apd because my shoulder is pretty sore this morning.

My wrist became sore after using the APD without a damp on that first hit, and then last night i mostly stayed away from the APD largely because the wrist was still feeling it and I thought it might be better to be safe (that said, I still hit with it, but not nearly as much as my tgk and always with a damp) ... And today my wrist feels totally fine. So.. Not conclusive that the APD was the culprit (wrist also could have been tweaked bc that first hit was simply my first tennis outing in awhile), but it's certainly a possibility since I first felt it with the APD in hand and something to keep in mind for anyone trying the APD. I'd be less worried, if not for the APD/PD's history of bothering some arms.

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I have to say, the specs on the new APD are right in my wheelhouse.
11.3 oz and sw of 325ish is perfect for me. I just always HATED the look of those APD's!. Plus I'm not a huge Rafa fan either. I guess I could always spray paint it matte black?

The juice is the same type of stick though, are you going to ride it out for a bit? I would personally.

Switched my left hand on the 2 hander to an eastern and suddenly i was driving the ball so much better. I need to investigate this further. Will try and film next time so i can see how it works. What grips do you folks use on your 2 handers? I was conti/sw, but i think the conti/eastern may suit the backhand i was taught a lot better.

[JGads]

Originally Posted by Power Player

The juice is the same type of stick though, are you going to ride it out for a bit? I would personally.

Switched my left hand on the 2 hander to an eastern and suddenly i was driving the ball so much better. I need to investigate this further. Will try and film next time so i can see how it works. What grips do you folks use on your 2 handers? I was conti/sw, but i think the conti/eastern may suit the backhand i was taught a lot better.

Conti/eastern on my two-hander. I also hit a one-hander, but I need to stop doing this so much and just pick one or the other and focus on improving it because my backhand(s) is terrible, especially of late.

[JGads]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I have to say, the specs on the new APD are right in my wheelhouse.
11.3 oz and sw of 325ish is perfect for me. I just always HATED the look of those APD's!. Plus I'm not a huge Rafa fan either. I guess I could always spray paint it matte black?

You're swinging a Juice and it's the APD paintjob you're complaining about? Hmm..

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Power Player

The juice is the same type of stick though, are you going to ride it out for a bit? I would personally.

Switched my left hand on the 2 hander to an eastern and suddenly i was driving the ball so much better. I need to investigate this further. Will try and film next time so i can see how it works. What grips do you folks use on your 2 handers? I was conti/sw, but i think the conti/eastern may suit the backhand i was taught a lot better.

I think I am going to stick with the Juice for awhile. I have been messing around with too many different sticks lately and I need to regain some familiarity and confidence with a regular racquet. I thought the Extreme MP 2.0 was going to stick, but for whatever reason, I was losing badly with it. The Juice seems to do everything I need it to, so I will stay with it for a while to get some consistency going.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by JGads

You're swinging a Juice and it's the APD paintjob you're complaining about? Hmm..

I hear ya

I'm not crazy about the Juice graphics either, buts its "new and different" and not identifiable with one player, like the APD is with Rafa. I also don't like the look of the throat in the Aero's....not sure why?

[Murray_fan1]

Ok I may have been a little hasty in my dismissal of the Blade. Played again with it and I have to say it has started to win me over. I think the problem I had with it was largely string related. First time I strung it up with Mosquito bite-and results were so so. I could see PP's attraction to the frame but did not see any benefits that could take it beyond the Prestige. For the hell of it I then tried out a hybrid of Scorpion/OGSM feel was there but power was too much. So I decided to try Outlast as I know it is much more feel/playable poly at 54lbs. Wow what a difference the right set up can make. I now have the confidence to take a big rip at the ball and not worry about is sailing long, feel is right on the money. The added pop/forgivness from this stick gives me that little extra I need from time to time especially on the backhand side when I get tight and don't hit through the ball as I should. (all Prestige users know, this is were the prestige can really punish you if you don't have a nice fluid long stroke). I can't say this is a game changer yet but I am glad I didn't dismiss this stick too quickly.

[JGads]

FedK has been curiously quiet lately. Last we heard he was about to check out the new blade tour and then, nothing...

Is he silenty blading .. or is he actually Colin Kaepernick?

[MikeHitsHard93]

Originally Posted by JGads

FedK has been curiously quiet lately. Last we heard he was about to check out the new blade tour and then, nothing...

Is he silenty blading .. or is he actually Colin Kaepernick?

LOL.

10chars.

[sansaephanh]

Originally Posted by Murray_fan1

Ok I may have been a little hasty in my dismissal of the Blade. Played again with it and I have to say it has started to win me over. I think the problem I had with it was largely string related. First time I strung it up with Mosquito bite-and results were so so. I could see PP's attraction to the frame but did not see any benefits that could take it beyond the Prestige. For the hell of it I then tried out a hybrid of Scorpion/OGSM feel was there but power was too much. So I decided to try Outlast as I know it is much more feel/playable poly at 54lbs. Wow what a difference the right set up can make. I now have the confidence to take a big rip at the ball and not worry about is sailing long, feel is right on the money. The added pop/forgivness from this stick gives me that little extra I need from time to time especially on the backhand side when I get tight and don't hit through the ball as I should. (all Prestige users know, this is were the prestige can really punish you if you don't have a nice fluid long stroke). I can't say this is a game changer yet but I am glad I didn't dismiss this stick too quickly.

This. Strings have spurred a new passion with me right before i switched to the RDiS 200. I've tried poly, multi, and ssynthetics at various tensions, but finding myself always looking for more control and less power. I think it has EVERYTHING to do with grooving with a racket now.

Now I'm leaning towards the 95's again... They just fit my (wanna be) all court needs so well. Nice balance between power, feel, control, and specs. After I find a nice stick, it's gonna be string all over again lol...

[Ross K]

Murray, others,

Outlast eh?... I was considering checking a set of this out. Supposed to hybrid excellently re gut/poly. General impressions?...


Ray,

A resounding 'yes' to your question. I have indeed come up against tricksy types, players slicing and dicing, pulling me in, or testing my more all court game, etc. An improvement here for sure with the J over the APD. By some distance actually.


Murray,

All I can say about above post and how so much can be due to the string-job is... quoted for truth! Having been guilty of this before, that's one thing I wanted to do with recent tests of J, PD and APD, so taking your time to look at different strings is an essential fundamental, I agree.

[mad dog1]

^^ yeah, i like outlast, too. it's a a great all around that doesn't excel in any one area, but is very solid across the board. same w/ TF red code although red code seems to provide more pop and action on the ball.

[Ross K]

Originally Posted by JGads

FedK has been curiously quiet lately. Last we heard he was about to check out the new blade tour and then, nothing...

Is he silenty blading .. or is he actually Colin Kaepernick?

Ah yes. The old Simon and Garfunkel line. How fondly I remember this from being a small kid and having my mum playing their tunes around the house... Bridge Over Troubled Handle... Wimbledon Bound... Aggie's Song... The Sound of Shreiking... poignant to recollect. I wish Fed peace as he silently blades.

[Fed Kennedy]

Originally Posted by JGads

FedK has been curiously quiet lately. Last we heard he was about to check out the new blade tour and then, nothing...

Is he silenty blading .. or is he actually Colin Kaepernick?

Im Barry Zito...but I could not be happier about the Kap era.

Patiently awaiting the steam 99s...