Volkl Organix X10 Mid

[corners]

Originally Posted by Hominator

It's actually not a box beam - it has the same frame shape as th PB10 Mid, with the exception of the Organix at the poles. Head shape is identical to the PB10 Mid.

Ah, looked boxy in the photos. Thanks.

[Hominator]

Originally Posted by corners

Ah, looked boxy in the photos. Thanks.

Well, the areas where the throat meets the hoop are boxy.

[corners]

Originally Posted by Hominator

Well, the areas where the throat meets the hoop are boxy.

Hmm, that's different from the PB10. They say that can have a pretty big impact on feel. Looking forward to your notes.

[Hominator]

Originally Posted by Sage

Does anyone know the exact date when this will available at TW?

Just learned that TW will likely have this for pre-sale sometime late next week. Release date should be sometime between then and February 1st.

Hitting with the stick again tonight before I post my thoughts on the frame.

[TW Staff]

Hominator,

I have even better news. The racquet came early and we currently have it up on our site for pre-sale (should arrive in approximately a week).


Check it out here:
http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/desc...ml?PCODE=VO10M

Brittany, TW

[jlan]

Originally Posted by TW Staff

Hominator,

I have even better news. The racquet came early and we currently have it up on our site for pre-sale (should arrive in approximately a week).


Check it out here:
http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/desc...ml?PCODE=VO10M

Brittany, TW

Awesome news!

[BoingTennis]

Great early surprise for 2013

BTW, seems like the Organix Mid is considerably lighter and more head heavy than the PB10M.

I wonder how that's gonna change the characteristic compared to the PB10M

[Matchball]

It seems like they wanted to open up the frame specs to more people. Looking forward to some comments - especially a comparison with PB 10.

[APG]

Originally Posted by Hominator

Just learned that TW will likely have this for pre-sale sometime late next week. Release date should be sometime between then and February 1st.

Hitting with the stick again tonight before I post my thoughts on the frame.

Hominator,
What is your take on the X10 Mid?
Will look forward to your observations.
I was also curious about your Volkl play testers impression. Does it string tight like the X10325.

[MesQueUnClub]

Current PB10 mid user. I would love to hear hominator's comparison of the 2 racquets as well...atleast some early impressions

[Hominator]

Sorry guys, this whole work thing is getting in the way of my tennis!

For reference, I've previously played with the PB10 mid and X10 325 on and off for about a year. My current stick is the Dunlop Biomimetic F 3.0 Tour. The X10 mid prototype I hit with was the eventual production model, strung with Volkl Vfeel on a constant pull machine at 55/51.5. I'm a former college player from back in the mid-nineties.

My initial impressions of the frame:

The X10 mid plays pretty much how I expected it to play, when I heard of its development about 2 years ago. If you are familiar with Volkl's other Organix frames, such as the X10 325, you'll know what I mean, as the Organix material creates a very firm and stable hoop with little to no flex.

Compared to the PB10 mid, the new X10 mid is more stable and hits a heavier ball. The "flutter" or "wobble" that was prevalent on the PB10 mid is completely gone. The sweetspot continues to be large and forgiving and makes the frame play like it has a bigger head size.

My impression is also that the X10 mid moves a little slower through the air. This isn't surprising since the PB10 mid moved VERY quickly through the air. Not sure if this is due to a change in balance or not. The feel on contact, however, is very different from the PB10 mid. The X10 mid feels very much like the other Organix racquets in Volkl's line - solid with very little vibration to the hand. I personally like the Organix feel - it feels very clean on contact. Others, especially those who prefer the "traditional Volkl feel" may need some time to get used to this new feel.

The X10 mid is a very solid stick. If you drive the ball with spin from the baseline, this frame is a beast if you can keep your bat speed up, due to its weight, smaller head size, and stability. This thing hits a heavier ball than My PB10 mid, X10325, and Dunlop Biomimetic F 3.0 Tour, hands down. I'm preparing for some tournaments the first part of the year, so I'm not switching frames. But I'm definitely going to pick up a couple down the road.

I'm going to reach out to one of the Volkl US playtesters of this frame for his thoughts. When I receive them, I'll post them as well.

Hope this helps! Please feel free to ask any specific questions.

[Hominator]

Originally Posted by APG

Hominator,
What is your take on the X10 Mid?
Will look forward to your observations.
I was also curious about your Volkl play testers impression. Does it string tight like the X10325.

Please see my thoughts on the frame, above. And yes, it does string tight like the other Organix frames.

[APG]

I have strung my X10 325, 50/47. Would i look to drop it more or about the same on a smaller head (x10mid) with gut. Is the power still quite controllable if you hit more flat than with spin.
Thanks for all your input. I don't know if you hit with the LT but with the open pattern this sounds more powerful and with a larger sweetspot.

[jonahnaturals]

Here's a review from a friend:

"The X10 Mid plays like a fully loaded PB 10 Mid but with more bite, and allows for far faster racquet head acceleration. The tip of the frame is substantially more firm than a PB 10 Mid with lead weight at 12:00---even when you take into account racquet head acceleration and far less weight. If you hit with spin, the string bed really bites, surprisingly, even above the sweet spot towards 12:00. The string bed in this stick is exceptionally responsive, and it is very stable at stock weight. One very positive aspect is that the stick applies spin like a 16x19, but, the ball does not fly, so you have similar control to an 18x20, so it ends all of the PB 10 Mid's complaints of being too whippy or that the ball flies. Slices are also driven deep and very skiddy off the bounce.

"As with all X frames, the X10 feels soft in your hand, even though it is firm on contact. There is no head wobble, and the dwell time is not long in-comparison, if strung at the same tension as a PB 10 Mid. This frame takes the PB 10 Mid as a "feel frame" to a modern spin frame with feel, so traditional Volkl players should be quite happy. Thus, the X10 Mid is a solid update. Also, if the player is good enough, this frame will help his/her game to evolve more to how the game is being played today, with a need for less modification/less added weight, and with little need for conscious adjustments. Lastly, at a 61 stiffness rating, at stock comparisons, it will feel stiffer than the PB 10 Mid, and much stiffer than even a loaded BB LT.

"The X10 Mid is like the Melbourne, two of the few player's frames over Volkl's past 20 years in the USA, which for most players, plays excellent stock."

[APG]

Thank you. I value your friends take on the mid. I am tempted to buy one without demoing. If I string my London Tour with full gut at 50/47 does your friend suggest the same with the Volkl mid. My stringer uses a constant pull machine.
Thanks in advance.

[cst]

Hope Chris will be reviewing it and looking forward to the review

[zumzool]

Anyone else tried this racquet? I'm surprised this hasn't been discussed more.

[suppawat]

I tried it for 20 mins. It has more weight distributed towards the head than PB10, and results in much more power and plow-thru. It hits heavier ball than many mid-sized frames like Head IG Prestige Mid, Donnay X-Dual Gold 94, Wilson Pro Staff 90 BLX, Boris Becker London Tour. Actually, it's slightly overpowered but it can be from the string I used - Weisscannon Dual Reality. This string has excellent feel, but weird power level. Full poly should work better with the X10mid. Grip shape is so flat and makes my one handed backhand difficult to execute.

My friend who uses BB London Tour fell in love with this frame right away. He said the X10mid plays much more solid than his London Tour. We will see how long this honeymoon will last for.

The X10mid can compare to Wilson K Six One Tour, while the PB10 (older one) is similar to Wilson Pro Staff 85. In overall, this can be another good frame for baseliners.

[APG]

I have been playing with this racket for several days. Mine are strung with full gut at a low tension.
The previous reviews on this thread are spot on.
I have been playing with customized BB LT.
At first playing with this stick was an adjustment. I have a X10325 but never really felt comfortable. I prefer smaller head rackets.
93 is perfect.
Once I adjusted to the unique feel I am preferring ( at least for the moment ) the mid. As Hominator indicated this stick feels larger than a 93 in terms of the sweetspot. It has nice plowthru and I am hitting a heavier ball than with my LT's. I am more a flat hitter but I have been incorporating more spin. This stick as one reviewer said Allows you with the open pattern to hit with more spin but with plenty of control.
It is the best of both worlds. Spin on the serve is more accessible and I am getting more pace on my serves. It is efficient and quite maneuverable when volleying and slice bites nicely.
Lastly, despite its firm feel it is soft on the arm with no vibration.
I have not added weight yet but not sure yet the need.
There is no instability yet detected. I usually prefer something a little over 12ozs but will play stock and experiment.
I will keep you posted but essentially I can only punctuate and validate what others have said. This is a nice and comfortable stick.
My LT's will sit for now.

[Matchball]

I would describe the new Organix 10 Mid as "crisp-mute" rather than "buttery-mute". Hominator nailed it, the other guys here, too. I am not sure comfort or lack of vibrations or anything of the like is better or worse; I would say the new grip did not seem to make much of a difference.

Stability, yes, especially that tricky upper part of the hoop seems to be an addressed issue. Note that my PB 10s were less head light and the referenced problem of instability high up the head was really not obvious. I know it is inherently there in the "regular" more HL version, because I have a 3rd stick which is like this, more HL and definitely slightly different than the matched pair.

All in all, the new incarnation is a more modern stick, with unexpected pop right off the stringbed. It is easier to play with more margin from the net and you can potentially get more spin, possibly translating into a heavier ball.

The flex is totally different (not just because of the organix; notice that the throat area is different and that the frame is also a tad thicker - looks so, too).

The hard-core "traditionalists" won't like it that much, but people who did not fancy the soft feel and flex of the older version (or for some reason they were turned off by something), especially newcomers searching for plug 'n play easily accessible power and spin, might find some value/utility thanks to the new attributes.

In some aspects, this new frame felt like the Vcore 89 to me.