Choosing a racket for 13 yo beginner

[rmccarty]

Originally Posted by MikeHitsHard93

Sorry I took so long to respond...

Racket stiffness can be felt usually if the player has tried a number of rackets and I would say you need to be at least 3.0 ntrp to tell the difference. You need to hit with power to feel the flex/stiffness of the racket. For older users, they can usually tell the difference depending on if it gives their arm trouble or if I feels like a pillow.
....
FYI I don't think fitness level or body weight matters on this subject. Unless you're suffering from TE.

No worries on your response time. It's been a crazy week!

Thanks for the info on fitness level & weight.

So if stiffness isn't that much of a consideration for a teenage beginner, what would you say are the top 3 specifications I should be concerned with? We know the way it looks is important but that's a personal thing. Can't select clothes or a good looking racket for her. With 30 years between us, I can't be trusted with something as important as a cool looking racket.

EVERYONE: But seriously, you all have provided me with about a dozen or so rackets. How did arrive at your suggestions - what criteria did you use? She can't demo them all. I know I may not make the right choice but I'd like to purchase something she will use for 6 - 12 months b/c I don't have the $$$ to buy another racket after she plays 3 times and decides it doesn't work for her.

I'm seriously looking at a Prince exo3 Tour Lite b/c it's Lite (so is she and she greatly prefers lite rackets) and I found it at a good price. But a good price doesn't make it a good racket even if it is a lite racket.

[Muppet]

This might help, and it might not. But what works for me is to go to the sale page and click on racquets I like.

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/saleracquets.html

(check out the Prince 03 Original Red)

That takes you to an individual racquet's description page. You can view the specs, TW recommendations, customer feedback, etc. If the specs are good and you'd like to see a long list of similar racquets, click on TW Racquet Finder. This gives you more of a selection, but maybe not at sale prices. Then you can click on each of those racquets, click on racquet finder, etc.

If you enjoy this sort of thing, it's a great education. You'll definitely stop bothering to ask the people at big box stores for guidance.

[MikeHitsHard93]

Originally Posted by rmccarty

No worries on your response time. It's been a crazy week!

Thanks for the info on fitness level & weight.

So if stiffness isn't that much of a consideration for a teenage beginner, what would you say are the top 3 specifications I should be concerned with? We know the way it looks is important but that's a personal thing. Can't select clothes or a good looking racket for her. With 30 years between us, I can't be trusted with something as important as a cool looking racket.

EVERYONE: But seriously, you all have provided me with about a dozen or so rackets. How did arrive at your suggestions - what criteria did you use? She can't demo them all. I know I may not make the right choice but I'd like to purchase something she will use for 6 - 12 months b/c I don't have the $$$ to buy another racket after she plays 3 times and decides it doesn't work for her.

I'm seriously looking at a Prince exo3 Tour Lite b/c it's Lite (so is she and she greatly prefers lite rackets) and I found it at a good price. But a good price doesn't make it a good racket even if it is a lite racket.

Aesthetics and easy power are usually what people look at first. Rackets like the yonex vcore 100s are both of these things, and it's quite manueverable. I would stay away from incredibly light rackets.

[rmccarty]

Thank you for your advise Muppet! I checked your link and the Prince o3 Red. (Actually, I have been on the TW "used rackets" and "sale rackets" pages numerous times over the past 2 weeks.) The Red seems like a nice beginner racket but is heavier than what she would like. Recently she tried some air swings with a Wilson Hyper Hammer 5.3; weighing in at a mere 9.0 oz - strung. She loved that thing! She tried to get me to buy it but I would not b/c I had not researched it. I'm leaning in the direction of the Hyper Hammer 5.3 if I can find one used at a very good price as well as several other potential lite rackets. I have a spreadsheet with racket data. I have selected several that I think she will like based on weight and few other factors.

What I am most confused about is this: forum members have recommended roughly a dozen different rackets to me. I am grateful for all of the advise. I do not understand it. I don't know why racket "a" and "b" were recommended and not "c" and "d". Looking at the specs of some of these rackets shows they are not considered beginner rackets.

Most people that posted recommendations have probably moved on to other threads. I'm hoping I'll get some folks who will tell me why racket "a" was their choice.

Let the details begin...

[MikeHitsHard93]

I know of a few highschool girls that are rather small and can handle the o3 red just fine. It's a perfect beginners racket to be honest and is quite cool looking

[rmccarty]

Originally Posted by MikeHitsHard93

Aesthetics and easy power are usually what people look at first. Rackets like the yonex vcore 100s are both of these things, and it's quite manueverable. I would stay away from incredibly light rackets.

Thanks Mike! For adults with previous injuries or other problems indicating potential for injury, I could see why we should stay away from a light racket. She really likes the feel of a light-weight racket. The light-weights seem to me to be good transition from the super-light junior rackets to the adult rackets. Why do think we should pass on a light racket?

[MikeHitsHard93]

Originally Posted by rmccarty

Thanks Mike! For adults with previous injuries or other problems indicating potential for injury, I could see why we should stay away from a light racket. She really likes the feel of a light-weight racket. The light-weights seem to me to be good transition from the super-light junior rackets to the adult rackets. Why do think we should pass on a light racket?

For me personally, light weight rackets usually have veryyyy low power and stability, which means I get crushed no matter who I play. Lol

[rmccarty]

Originally Posted by MikeHitsHard93

For me personally, light weight rackets usually have veryyyy low power and stability, which means I get crushed no matter who I play. Lol

Mike, I can understand why you or someone of your caliber would want a heavier racket.

[MikeHitsHard93]

Originally Posted by rmccarty

Mike, I can understand why you or someone of your caliber would want a heavier racket.

I'm probably not as good as you think I am lol. I just have experience with rackets

[Muppet]

I'm an out-of-shape 3.0 47yo man and I use racquets over 12 oz. The way I see it (in general) player racquets are 12 oz. and up; medium weight racquets are from 11 to 12 oz.; and anything below that is light and can be pushed around easily. And I'm playing at a low level.

I strongly recommend getting 4 demos from TW for $20 to cover shipping both ways. She will see for herself how much more solid contact she will make (and with manuverability) by going up an ounce. The Hammer is not a manuverable racquet and it ushered in a generation that sticks to the baseline.

[MikeHitsHard93]

Originally Posted by Muppet

I'm an out-of-shape 3.0 47yo man and I use racquets over 12 oz. The way I see it (in general) player racquets are 12 oz. and up; medium weight racquets are from 11 to 12 oz.; and anything below that is light and can be pushed around easily. And I'm playing at a low level.

I strongly recommend getting 4 demos from TW for $20 to cover shipping both ways. She will see for herself how much more solid contact she will make (and with manuverability) by going up an ounce. The Hammer is not a manuverable racquet and it ushered in a generation that sticks to the baseline.

Agree with this 100%

[grolson1993]

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/orde...ml?pcode=PO3HH

I would definitely have her go for this racket. Easy to use from beginner up to whatever skill level. I knew a couple girls at my old highschool on jv who used this racket and i've also seen several open level players hit with it too. I have hit with it i found it gives great spin, really arm friendly, plus its fairly light weight.

[rmccarty]

Originally Posted by MikeHitsHard93

I'm probably not as good as you think I am lol. I just have experience with rackets

You mean you've been leading me on all this time? Just kidding. I saw your profile. You're way better than me. As is probably every other TW forum member.

[rmccarty]

Originally Posted by Muppet

...I strongly recommend getting 4 demos from TW for $20 to cover shipping both ways. She will see for herself how much more solid contact she will make (and with manuverability) by going up an ounce. The Hammer is not a manuverable racquet and it ushered in a generation that sticks to the baseline.

Thank you Muppet! I'm giving your suggestion of demoing strong consideration. I was mostly considering the Hyper Hammer 5.3 b/c she really liked it. But, after reading more reviews and reading your advise, I think there are much better rackets for her.

[rmccarty]

Originally Posted by grolson1993

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/orde...ml?pcode=PO3HH

I would definitely have her go for this racket. Easy to use from beginner up to whatever skill level. I knew a couple girls at my old highschool on jv who used this racket and i've also seen several open level players hit with it too. I have hit with it i found it gives great spin, really arm friendly, plus its fairly light weight.

Thank you grolson! I'll check it out. And, thank you for telling me why you think the racket would be a good choice. When I started this thread, posters made several suggestions of rackets they thought would be good choices. I made the mistake of not asking why to each suggestion.

[Muppet]

I suggested the O3 Original Red because of its reputation as a good novice frame. But the O3 Hybrid Hornet is very similar with a few differences. The Hornet has O ports on the top and bottom of the hoop, where the Red has them at top, bottom, left and right. The Hornet Midplus is a 100" hoop, where the Red is a 105". The Hornet is a little stiffer. The Red is a little more muted. The beam of the Red is slightly thicker than the Hornet. They are almost the same weight, but the Red is a little more head light. The Hornet would probably feel marginally more like the Hammer than the Red, but I'd recommend demoing both Princes.

I'd like to mention that while my playing skills are on the lower end of the scale, I've been playing tennis since 1985, while holding a BA in Physics since 1997.

[MikeHitsHard93]

Originally Posted by rmccarty

You mean you've been leading me on all this time? Just kidding. I saw your profile. You're way better than me. As is probably every other TW forum member.

Haha thank you very much. I wish I knew what I look like when I play so I can compare it to the other guys. I'm only a 3.5 though.

[rmccarty]

Originally Posted by Muppet

I suggested the O3 Original Red because of its reputation as a good novice frame. But the O3 Hybrid Hornet is very similar with a few differences. The Hornet has O ports on the top and bottom of the hoop, where the Red has them at top, bottom, left and right. The Hornet Midplus is a 100" hoop, where the Red is a 105". The Hornet is a little stiffer. The Red is a little more muted. The beam of the Red is slightly thicker than the Hornet. They are almost the same weight, but the Red is a little more head light. The Hornet would probably feel marginally more like the Hammer than the Red, but I'd recommend demoing both Princes.

I'd like to mention that while my playing skills are on the lower end of the scale, I've been playing tennis since 1985, while holding a BA in Physics since 1997.

Thank you Muppet! Now that's what I'm looking for. I appreciate your explanation. I think several people have provided good recommendations but most did not defend their suggestions - some did, however. For the most part, I don't know if they were recommending the racket they currently use or the racket their daughters
use(d) as young teens, etc.

I have a Prince Graphite Comp OS and a Pro Kennex Ace Mid (both listed in the for sale section) and she prefers the Prince b/c of the its size. But it's way too heavy for her. She does not like anything about the Pro Kennex Ace or other mid size rackets. We'll take a look at the O3 Orig Red.

[rmccarty]

I'm looking at several light rackets; less than 9.3 oz strung (according to specs listed on TW). A small number of people did recommend light rackets. More people have recommended to stay away from light rackets or the rackets they recommended are not light. But what are light rackets for if not for first time players (and seniors wanting/needing to reduce the weight)?

When you have a 12 yo who has played a whopping 3 times with a child's racket weighing 6.9 oz strung and who is still trying to return balls while facing you, you have to wonder if that kid is ready for most - not all - of the rackets recommended. Yes, she will turn 13 in 2 months and yes, she is 5 ft tall - making her as tall as some adults. But is she really ready to go from a 6.9 oz to a racket weighing more than 10 oz when strung? She does not like the rackets weighing more 9.3 oz.

If I purchase a light weight racket and in a few months, she needs it be to a little heavier, can't I add some tape or a couple of weights on the head?

Thanks everyone for continuing to add to this conversation! I'm very much trying to understand this, especially if there is some science supporting it.

[MikeHitsHard93]

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Dunl...LOP-D4D3L.html
This racket would be a good option for what you're talking about. This way she learns to use a midplus racket and not an OS.