Diary of a Racketaholic - Page 27

Overheadsmash · 02-01-2011, 04:40 AM

I just love this thread lol.

Today at lunch I'm cutting the original nylonstar string out of my 2010 Kneissl Black Star (it's lost all of its pop) and stringing it with Luxilon Savage White 16. If we are not completely snowed under here, I'll head over to the club and hit the ball machine. Full report as soon as that happens.

So, how many sticks do I need to own to be considered a true "racquetholic"?

rlau · 02-01-2011, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Overheadsmash

So, how many sticks do I need to own to be considered a true "racquetholic"?

You don't need to own that many racquets, as long as you continually keep buying and selling frames, looking for "the one".

Ross K · 02-01-2011, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PED

Ross, the IG speeds are the one's I mentioned earlier this winter about wanting to demo myself. However, it seems the production specs are a touch different than what I had seen earlier and the SW is a good bit lower than I'd hoped. Sounds like a great frame. TW has a video review on the 18X20 version which sounds nice but quite underpowered...that surprised me.

I'd say give the ytpp a bit more time. It is by no means an underpowered stick but as you mentioned, it does take more effort than the apd. In the end, my game was better having played with the mg and ytpp for so long. My strokes got longer and faster so I'm glad I went that way.

I would almost advocate going cold turkey for a perioda month maybe) where you only play with one of your choices. It's difficult to change back between the Babs and the YTPP for me because of stroke variation.

Yep, that IG Speed might interest me a little way down the road to have a hit with (being in the UK that will be a very long time hence.)

Well, the only 2 frames I've hit with in the last few weeks and in the weeks to follow are the YTPP/TGK YTPP and the TF V02 320... I'm getting better!

R.

PED · 02-01-2011, 05:38 AM

You know I'm not coming down on you

I'm just remembering how long it took me last summer to adjust to the apd from the ytpp. Some of it was length but most of it was just SO foreign in the way they compared.

Looking even further down the road...I wonder how the IG Rad Pro will play

retlod · 02-01-2011, 08:53 AM

Wow. Awesome thread. I'll admit three things to start: 1. I didn't read *every* post...just the first and last several pages, 2. I've seen this thread on the forum for months and only jumped in now, and 3. I think I'm a racketaholic. Here's my story (I'll make it entertaining in return for all the LOLs I got reading others' witty posts).

Two summers ago, a friend got me back into playing tennis after about 8 years away. My old stick was a Wilson HPS 6.1. I started demoing similar frames--the K6.1, the 6.1 Tour, the KPS88, the Speed Pro, convinced that if I just put in enough time and effort, I could play with these demanding frames. Yuck. No luck. Then I tried my first Babolat--the Pure Drive GT.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

Absolutely loved it--the lighter weight, the headlight balance, the ungodly spin, and the added oomph that let me get away with being a little out of position, etc. I was sure that this was the racquet for me. I bought two.

Well, that lasted about three months. By late in that summer, I had gotten into a little better tennis shape and had started to hit long with the PD. I cranked the tension all the way up to 65 lbs, but still couldn't control the ball well enough. I also started to have a litle soreness in my elbow. I looked for a frame with similar specs, but with a little more flex and a little less pop. More demos ensued until I tried the Speed MP 16x19.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

The Speed was just what I had been looking for--not too mushy, but a little softer on my arm, less powerful so I could keep balls in play, and still gave me good spin and pop on the serve and FH. I was perfectly content...until I heard of the new YT Prestiges coming out last winter. I had to have one. My game was still improving, and I was convinced that if I just put in enough time and effort, I could play with a demanding frame like the YTPP. So I bought one cold turkey. The answer, even after multiple string setups, was still a resounding "no."

Then there was a one night stand with a YT Rad Pro. I don't even want to talk about that.

Back to the Speeds I went, then back to the Pure Drives, then the Speeds again. I added an APDGT to the bag, which I could only distinguish from the PDGT if I could see or touch it. Then one day, my hitting partner asked me to try his Prince Ozone Tour, which he was convinced I wouldn't like because of its flexy, plush feel.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

By now, it'll bore you to hear why I loved it, but I loved it. I bought one. Then two more. Then went back to the Speeds to find them a nice, crisp change of pace. Than back to the Pure Drives to recapture the wicked spin game. The Radical and Prestige got assigned to basement duty. I was a happy Ozone user. Then I got to thinking...wouldn't it be criminal to try a Prestige, a Speed, and a Radical and not demo an Extreme? So I tried both the MP and the Pro.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

I liked the stability of the Pro but the flex of the MP, so I bought an MP and threw about 6g of lead around the hoop and a couple of washers under the buttcap. Great stick. Like the Pure Drives, but softer with a little more feel. I was convinced that the Extreme(s) were PD replacements for me, so I finally sold some sticks--the Pure Drives, the YTPP, and the YTRP. I can still play well with the Speeds and the Ozones, too. So what's next?

I have an IG Speed and an EXO3 Tour on my doorstep as I type this, just waiting to hit the courts. Maybe I will have another OMG moment with one or both. Maybe I...well, not maybe. I *will* be trying out the new IG Extremes when they come out and will probably get a couple of those. Maybe I'll even have to go buy another PD because I miss it. Who knows?

So what has all this waffling shown me? Well, if there's a perfect stick out there for me, I'm determined to keep looking, probably forever. I also learned that weight and balance mean more to me than any other racquet spec, and that as long as I have a 15 minute warmup to get used to a new frame in my spec range, I can play with anything.

Thanks to all for such great posting. I'll be sure to keep up on this thread in the future and share my thoughts about the IG Speed and the EXO3 Tour, especially how they compare to the rest of the HEAD lineup and the Ozone.

Now when do the IG Extremes come out again?

JGads · 02-01-2011, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retlod

Wow. Awesome thread. I'll admit three things to start: 1. I didn't read *every* post...just the first and last several pages, 2. I've seen this thread on the forum for months and only jumped in now, and 3. I think I'm a racketaholic. Here's my story (I'll make it entertaining in return for all the LOLs I got reading others' witty posts).

Two summers ago, a friend got me back into playing tennis after about 8 years away. My old stick was a Wilson HPS 6.1. I started demoing similar frames--the K6.1, the 6.1 Tour, the KPS88, the Speed Pro, convinced that if I just put in enough time and effort, I could play with these demanding frames. Yuck. No luck. Then I tried my first Babolat--the Pure Drive GT.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

Absolutely loved it--the lighter weight, the headlight balance, the ungodly spin, and the added oomph that let me get away with being a little out of position, etc. I was sure that this was the racquet for me. I bought two.

Well, that lasted about three months. By late in that summer, I had gotten into a little better tennis shape and had started to hit long with the PD. I cranked the tension all the way up to 65 lbs, but still couldn't control the ball well enough. I also started to have a litle soreness in my elbow. I looked for a frame with similar specs, but with a little more flex and a little less pop. More demos ensued until I tried the Speed MP 16x19.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

The Speed was just what I had been looking for--not too mushy, but a little softer on my arm, less powerful so I could keep balls in play, and still gave me good spin and pop on the serve and FH. I was perfectly content...until I heard of the new YT Prestiges coming out last winter. I had to have one. My game was still improving, and I was convinced that if I just put in enough time and effort, I could play with a demanding frame like the YTPP. So I bought one cold turkey. The answer, even after multiple string setups, was still a resounding "no."

Then there was a one night stand with a YT Rad Pro. I don't even want to talk about that.

Back to the Speeds I went, then back to the Pure Drives, then the Speeds again. I added an APDGT to the bag, which I could only distinguish from the PDGT if I could see or touch it. Then one day, my hitting partner asked me to try his Prince Ozone Tour, which he was convinced I wouldn't like because of its flexy, plush feel.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

By now, it'll bore you to hear why I loved it, but I loved it. I bought one. Then two more. Then went back to the Speeds to find them a nice, crisp change of pace. Than back to the Pure Drives to recapture the wicked spin game. The Radical and Prestige got assigned to basement duty. I was a happy Ozone user. Then I got to thinking...wouldn't it be criminal to try a Prestige, a Speed, and a Radical and not demo an Extreme? So I tried both the MP and the Pro.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

I liked the stability of the Pro but the flex of the MP, so I bought an MP and threw about 6g of lead around the hoop and a couple of washers under the buttcap. Great stick. Like the Pure Drives, but softer with a little more feel. I was convinced that the Extreme(s) were PD replacements for me, so I finally sold some sticks--the Pure Drives, the YTPP, and the YTRP. I can still play well with the Speeds and the Ozones, too. So what's next?

I have an IG Speed and an EXO3 Tour on my doorstep as I type this, just waiting to hit the courts. Maybe I will have another OMG moment with one or both. Maybe I...well, not maybe. I *will* be trying out the new IG Extremes when they come out and will probably get a couple of those. Maybe I'll even have to go buy another PD because I miss it. Who knows?

So what has all this waffling shown me? Well, if there's a perfect stick out there for me, I'm determined to keep looking, probably forever. I also learned that weight and balance mean more to me than any other racquet spec, and that as long as I have a 15 minute warmup to get used to a new frame in my spec range, I can play with anything.

Thanks to all for such great posting. I'll be sure to keep up on this thread in the future and share my thoughts about the IG Speed and the EXO3 Tour, especially how they compare to the rest of the HEAD lineup and the Ozone.

Now when do the IG Extremes come out again?

Welcome to your home.

Ross K · 02-01-2011, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retlod

Wow. Awesome thread. I'll admit three things to start: 1. I didn't read *every* post...just the first and last several pages, 2. I've seen this thread on the forum for months and only jumped in now, and 3. I think I'm a racketaholic. Here's my story (I'll make it entertaining in return for all the LOLs I got reading others' witty posts).

Two summers ago, a friend got me back into playing tennis after about 8 years away. My old stick was a Wilson HPS 6.1. I started demoing similar frames--the K6.1, the 6.1 Tour, the KPS88, the Speed Pro, convinced that if I just put in enough time and effort, I could play with these demanding frames. Yuck. No luck. Then I tried my first Babolat--the Pure Drive GT.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

Absolutely loved it--the lighter weight, the headlight balance, the ungodly spin, and the added oomph that let me get away with being a little out of position, etc. I was sure that this was the racquet for me. I bought two.

Well, that lasted about three months. By late in that summer, I had gotten into a little better tennis shape and had started to hit long with the PD. I cranked the tension all the way up to 65 lbs, but still couldn't control the ball well enough. I also started to have a litle soreness in my elbow. I looked for a frame with similar specs, but with a little more flex and a little less pop. More demos ensued until I tried the Speed MP 16x19.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

The Speed was just what I had been looking for--not too mushy, but a little softer on my arm, less powerful so I could keep balls in play, and still gave me good spin and pop on the serve and FH. I was perfectly content...until I heard of the new YT Prestiges coming out last winter. I had to have one. My game was still improving, and I was convinced that if I just put in enough time and effort, I could play with a demanding frame like the YTPP. So I bought one cold turkey. The answer, even after multiple string setups, was still a resounding "no."

Then there was a one night stand with a YT Rad Pro. I don't even want to talk about that.

Back to the Speeds I went, then back to the Pure Drives, then the Speeds again. I added an APDGT to the bag, which I could only distinguish from the PDGT if I could see or touch it. Then one day, my hitting partner asked me to try his Prince Ozone Tour, which he was convinced I wouldn't like because of its flexy, plush feel.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

By now, it'll bore you to hear why I loved it, but I loved it. I bought one. Then two more. Then went back to the Speeds to find them a nice, crisp change of pace. Than back to the Pure Drives to recapture the wicked spin game. The Radical and Prestige got assigned to basement duty. I was a happy Ozone user. Then I got to thinking...wouldn't it be criminal to try a Prestige, a Speed, and a Radical and not demo an Extreme? So I tried both the MP and the Pro.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

I liked the stability of the Pro but the flex of the MP, so I bought an MP and threw about 6g of lead around the hoop and a couple of washers under the buttcap. Great stick. Like the Pure Drives, but softer with a little more feel. I was convinced that the Extreme(s) were PD replacements for me, so I finally sold some sticks--the Pure Drives, the YTPP, and the YTRP. I can still play well with the Speeds and the Ozones, too. So what's next?

I have an IG Speed and an EXO3 Tour on my doorstep as I type this, just waiting to hit the courts. Maybe I will have another OMG moment with one or both. Maybe I...well, not maybe. I *will* be trying out the new IG Extremes when they come out and will probably get a couple of those. Maybe I'll even have to go buy another PD because I miss it. Who knows?

So what has all this waffling shown me? Well, if there's a perfect stick out there for me, I'm determined to keep looking, probably forever. I also learned that weight and balance mean more to me than any other racquet spec, and that as long as I have a 15 minute warmup to get used to a new frame in my spec range, I can play with anything.

Thanks to all for such great posting. I'll be sure to keep up on this thread in the future and share my thoughts about the IG Speed and the EXO3 Tour, especially how they compare to the rest of the HEAD lineup and the Ozone.

Now when do the IG Extremes come out again?

retlod,

Now why is it that all seems so strangely familiar...

Great post. Love it for your honesty in how you portray the quickly shifting whims and detours that have afflicted many of us on these boards. Definitely let us know more about those frames you mention at the end.

R.

Overheadsmash · 02-01-2011, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retlod

Wow. Awesome thread. I'll admit three things to start: 1. I didn't read *every* post...just the first and last several pages, 2. I've seen this thread on the forum for months and only jumped in now, and 3. I think I'm a racketaholic. Here's my story (I'll make it entertaining in return for all the LOLs I got reading others' witty posts).

Two summers ago, a friend got me back into playing tennis after about 8 years away. My old stick was a Wilson HPS 6.1. I started demoing similar frames--the K6.1, the 6.1 Tour, the KPS88, the Speed Pro, convinced that if I just put in enough time and effort, I could play with these demanding frames. Yuck. No luck. Then I tried my first Babolat--the Pure Drive GT.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

Absolutely loved it--the lighter weight, the headlight balance, the ungodly spin, and the added oomph that let me get away with being a little out of position, etc. I was sure that this was the racquet for me. I bought two.

Well, that lasted about three months. By late in that summer, I had gotten into a little better tennis shape and had started to hit long with the PD. I cranked the tension all the way up to 65 lbs, but still couldn't control the ball well enough. I also started to have a litle soreness in my elbow. I looked for a frame with similar specs, but with a little more flex and a little less pop. More demos ensued until I tried the Speed MP 16x19.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

The Speed was just what I had been looking for--not too mushy, but a little softer on my arm, less powerful so I could keep balls in play, and still gave me good spin and pop on the serve and FH. I was perfectly content...until I heard of the new YT Prestiges coming out last winter. I had to have one. My game was still improving, and I was convinced that if I just put in enough time and effort, I could play with a demanding frame like the YTPP. So I bought one cold turkey. The answer, even after multiple string setups, was still a resounding "no."

Then there was a one night stand with a YT Rad Pro. I don't even want to talk about that.

Back to the Speeds I went, then back to the Pure Drives, then the Speeds again. I added an APDGT to the bag, which I could only distinguish from the PDGT if I could see or touch it. Then one day, my hitting partner asked me to try his Prince Ozone Tour, which he was convinced I wouldn't like because of its flexy, plush feel.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

By now, it'll bore you to hear why I loved it, but I loved it. I bought one. Then two more. Then went back to the Speeds to find them a nice, crisp change of pace. Than back to the Pure Drives to recapture the wicked spin game. The Radical and Prestige got assigned to basement duty. I was a happy Ozone user. Then I got to thinking...wouldn't it be criminal to try a Prestige, a Speed, and a Radical and not demo an Extreme? So I tried both the MP and the Pro.

OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!

I liked the stability of the Pro but the flex of the MP, so I bought an MP and threw about 6g of lead around the hoop and a couple of washers under the buttcap. Great stick. Like the Pure Drives, but softer with a little more feel. I was convinced that the Extreme(s) were PD replacements for me, so I finally sold some sticks--the Pure Drives, the YTPP, and the YTRP. I can still play well with the Speeds and the Ozones, too. So what's next?

I have an IG Speed and an EXO3 Tour on my doorstep as I type this, just waiting to hit the courts. Maybe I will have another OMG moment with one or both. Maybe I...well, not maybe. I *will* be trying out the new IG Extremes when they come out and will probably get a couple of those. Maybe I'll even have to go buy another PD because I miss it. Who knows?

So what has all this waffling shown me? Well, if there's a perfect stick out there for me, I'm determined to keep looking, probably forever. I also learned that weight and balance mean more to me than any other racquet spec, and that as long as I have a 15 minute warmup to get used to a new frame in my spec range, I can play with anything.

Thanks to all for such great posting. I'll be sure to keep up on this thread in the future and share my thoughts about the IG Speed and the EXO3 Tour, especially how they compare to the rest of the HEAD lineup and the Ozone.

Now when do the IG Extremes come out again?

Whatever you do, don't try hitting with a Dunlop Aerogel 4D 300 Tour or a Kneissl 2010 White Star. Trust me, just don't go there.

The kids were hitting the ball machine at our club, and no one else was there (they have a door code so members can play any time of the day or night which is really cool) so I pulled a brand new Wilson Blade 98 off the demo wall feshly strung with some signum pro 17 guage (pro poly maybe?) It was silver, and you could probably tow a car with it lol. Anyway, the kids are hitting away, so I decide to hit a few serves with this thing. I bombed 12 - count em - 12 serves in a row right into the back of the service box. I was stunned!

retlod · 02-01-2011, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Overheadsmash

Whatever you do, don't try hitting with a Dunlop Aerogel 4D 300 Tour or a Kneissl 2010 White Star. Trust me, just don't go there.

I've hit with that Dunlop. Didn't dig the shape of the head so it's out. Power Player's Tecnifibre, on the other hand, does intrigue me, although I might also try the TFlash 315.

Also, got the IG Speed (wickedly awesome PJ), but had to send the EXO3 Tour back because it came with a gash in the throat down to graphite.

Overheadsmash · 02-01-2011, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retlod

I've hit with that Dunlop. Didn't dig the shape of the head so it's out. Now PowerPlayer's Tecnifibre...

Also, got the IG Speed, but had to send the EXO3 Tour back because it came with a gash in the throat down to graphite.

I have a Head Microgel Extreme Pro 2009 and a Speed MP 16x19 and the heads are more rounded than the Dunlops. I'm more a flat ball hitter, which is probably why the Dunlops suit me better.

Ross K · 02-01-2011, 08:42 PM

Overhead & retlod,

TBH I've never been tempted by the Wilson Blade frames (though I was into the 6.1 series a few years back - PSC is a goat contender imo, and N95 was even better for me for a while), so can't comment as I've never hit one... interesting to hear it's a bit of a serve monster though... er, speaking of which...

Re TF Vo2 320, there's no doubt that when I played this a few times, the serve stood out, as it were. Again, there are a few more variables and it's subjective stuff this, but I personally clicked straight away with this frame on serve. It's what I'd call a punchy frame (very punchy - as in prime Mike Tyson punchy

)... there's easy and wicked spin too... and, yes, something about it reminded me of the AG100 on serve - a frame that I just loved serving with (I've never quite understood why this particular rack served so well for me.) Anyhow, TF VO2 320 is def a frame where re serve you're constantly feeling confident and ever dangerous

. I plan to play with this on Friday (changed out the grip and put a small amount of lead @ 12) - shall report back then, ret.

R.

Overheadsmash · 02-02-2011, 01:31 AM

Funny thing is, I cannot tell you WHY I served so well with it. Maybe the balance and weight were perfect for my particular swing motion?

JGads · 02-02-2011, 02:12 PM

Quick update of the recent testing:

Something crazy happened in the last few days: a demo racquet I initially dismissed after five minutes (Yonex Ti 80 Lite) was given one more chance to come out of the bag, and then over a three-hit span proceeded to edge out the one I'd been loving all along (IG Speed 16x19). I'll say that with the caveat that as the cheap poly strings on the IG Speed loosened after having played so much with the stick, the racquet started to suffer. Shots were still good but not as good (for full details of early Honeymoon stage, read earlier in this thread), but most troubling was my serving consistency went from very good to poor -- first serves had power but started to get erratic and clip the net, second serve kicker became quite unreliable and I started double faulting a lot. That said, it was still a stellar demo overall and I may take it out for one more spin with regular string rather than poly to see how that changes things. ...

Now, onto the Ti 80 Lite, which I am now convinced is a hidden GEM for a certain kind of player. Initially I took to the feel of the IG Speed in a big way (even with the cheap poly), but then the Ti 80 Lite absolutely blew it out of the water in the feel department. It is less powerful than the Speed for sure, but the feel of it is so old school, bare bones, raw. In a great way. Though I had less power, I could feel the ball on the stringbed (NXT) and have that momentary illusion of being able to point and shoot - the light swingweight really made for easy last-second adjustments as to where I was going, and the racquet responded. Serves were solid - my best serves weren't as powerful as the Speed, but the percentage was way up and the kickers were better, as I was able to generate more upward explosion on the kick arm motion. ... And this thing just DRIPS with control. It's like a slightly more powerful version of the Pure Storm Limited with a better serve and the same great feel (feel was slightly better than the Ltd. I think, but it's close). And it doesn't surprise that it acts like the Ltd. because the specs are very similar - good mid-range static weight with a low swingweight, making it very maneuverable and easy to swing, but the actual pop off the stringbed isn't as pronounced as other frames. The combination makes you really swing away at the ball, and the frame responds. And the absolutely stellar ball feel that comes from the thin frame makes for a deadly weapon on touch shots. I found myself getting drop shot-happy because when anywhere close to the net, I could put it on a dime as if I was tossing it just over the tape with my hand.

So to all of those looking for a control-oriented racquet like the Pure Storm Ltd. but are longing for just a bit more pace, try the 80 Lite. If you're tired of new technologies taking away from old school feel, try the Lite. And if you love the feel of the regular Ti 80 but find it a bit too sluggish, try the Lite. Nobody's reviewed this racquet before, and I really, really think it's just the racquet that many people on here would respond well to. It's also a great base for customization, which I didn't get into.

Think I'm giving myself one more demo round (but I've said this before) next week before sticking with something for the new season that starts in mid February. Will take the 80 Lite out again, I think, give the EX03 Tour another spin and then maybe add the BLX Blade 98 (but I'm quite worried about the quality control issues discussed) and either try the Speed 16x19 again or the 18x20 with the multi instead of the poly.

Ratings from this go-around would be something like:

IG Speed 16x19
Power: 9
Control: 8
Forehand: 8
Backhand: 9.5 (two hander)
First Serve: 8.5 (stellar pop at times but sometimes erratic)
Second serve: 7
Feel/Touch: 8.5

TI 80 Lite
Power: 7
Control: 9
Forehand: 8.5
Backhand: 9
First serve: 8 (not hugely powerful, but decent, and very consistent)
Second serve: 8.5
Feel/Touch: 10 (if you like your frames crisp, honest and old school)

Ross K · 02-02-2011, 08:43 PM

JG,

Great review ^ and one of note as the Ti 80 Lite is, I suspect, new too most of us.

R.

retlod · 02-04-2011, 09:06 AM

Had a chance to hit with the IG Speed 16x19 today. It was strung with Black Code at 60 lbs, a string and tension I've played with before. Weight and balance were nearly identical to the original Speed MP. If I wasn't looking at it, I couldn't tell the difference swinging it around until I actually hit a ball. Again, the PJ is superb.

The feel of the frame was great. Compared to Old Speed, it felt a tad more stable (a common knock on that frame) and a little more plush despite it being slightly stiffer. I thought blocking hard serves and plowing through the ball while hitting a little flatter was easier than with Old Speed. Volleys were the same--very stable feeling. The stiffness really came out on groundstrokes, where I had some trouble dialing down the pop and getting enough spin to keep the balls from flying. Serving was good, primarily due to my familiarity with the weight and balance, however, just like with groundies, I wasn't getting the kick on 2nd serves that I can generate with most tweeners and my Ozone Tours. That said, it was not stiff enough to induce any discomfort during or after playing, even with my harsh string layup.

Overall, I thought it was a reasonable update to the Old Speed and similar enough that if the Speed if your favorite racquet, you'll be able to pick up an IG and not miss a beat. Since I only play a couple of times a month in the winter, I'm probably not in good enough form to really wield it with the precision it demands. I'll keep it in the bag and keep bringing it out as I round into form this spring and summer. In terms that frequent readers of this thread will understand, I liked it, but I'm not rushing out to buy another one.

JGads · 02-04-2011, 09:22 AM

^^
Good review. Two things I really, really agreed with there was that the stiffness worked great on service returns, and that the ************ kicker, for whatever reason, just wasn't exploding quite like I'd have expected it too. Funny thing about the frame: the pattern is pretty dense in the center of the racquet but then widens out considerably as it spreads out to the frame. So you'd think the spinnier shots would really jump. Sometimes they did for me, just not quite as much on serve as I'd have liked. But yeah, an excellent frame, all in all, I think.

Ross K · 02-04-2011, 09:31 AM

Listen up racketaholics!

You're never going to believe it but...

"Drum roll"... I think I'm just about ready now to call it a day and hitch my star to this particular racket... yep.... "the fanfare sounds"... could it be that I'm about to settle down with 1 frame now and just focus on that?...

More to follow on precisely which frame I'm referring to etc

....

R.

Power Player · 02-04-2011, 09:34 AM

If it is the Tfight 320, and you do stick with it, I would like a forum reward of some kind. Maybe honorary Racquet section modship..lol.

PED · 02-04-2011, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross K

Listen up racketaholics!

You're never going to believe it but...

"could it be that I'm about to settle down with 1 frame now and just focus on that?...

R.

I don't believe it

you've simply moved from heroin (racquets) to crack (strings)....

The only thing worse is my own addiction: tinkering with my lead setups

bad_call · 02-04-2011, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rlau

You don't need to own that many racquets, as long as you continually keep buying and selling frames, looking for "the one".

uh oh...count me in.

02-01-2011, 05:38 AM	#524
PED Legend Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 5,195	You know I'm not coming down on you I'm just remembering how long it took me last summer to adjust to the apd from the ytpp. Some of it was length but most of it was just SO foreign in the way they compared. Looking even further down the road...I wonder how the IG Rad Pro will play __________________ You have my name, come find me. Just leave your nonsense out of this thread.

02-01-2011, 08:53 AM	#525
retlod Professional Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 941	Wow. Awesome thread. I'll admit three things to start: 1. I didn't read every post...just the first and last several pages, 2. I've seen this thread on the forum for months and only jumped in now, and 3. I think I'm a racketaholic. Here's my story (I'll make it entertaining in return for all the LOLs I got reading others' witty posts). Two summers ago, a friend got me back into playing tennis after about 8 years away. My old stick was a Wilson HPS 6.1. I started demoing similar frames--the K6.1, the 6.1 Tour, the KPS88, the Speed Pro, convinced that if I just put in enough time and effort, I could play with these demanding frames. Yuck. No luck. Then I tried my first Babolat--the Pure Drive GT. OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!! Absolutely loved it--the lighter weight, the headlight balance, the ungodly spin, and the added oomph that let me get away with being a little out of position, etc. I was sure that this was the racquet for me. I bought two. Well, that lasted about three months. By late in that summer, I had gotten into a little better tennis shape and had started to hit long with the PD. I cranked the tension all the way up to 65 lbs, but still couldn't control the ball well enough. I also started to have a litle soreness in my elbow. I looked for a frame with similar specs, but with a little more flex and a little less pop. More demos ensued until I tried the Speed MP 16x19. OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!! The Speed was just what I had been looking for--not too mushy, but a little softer on my arm, less powerful so I could keep balls in play, and still gave me good spin and pop on the serve and FH. I was perfectly content...until I heard of the new YT Prestiges coming out last winter. I had to have one. My game was still improving, and I was convinced that if I just put in enough time and effort, I could play with a demanding frame like the YTPP. So I bought one cold turkey. The answer, even after multiple string setups, was still a resounding "no." Then there was a one night stand with a YT Rad Pro. I don't even want to talk about that. Back to the Speeds I went, then back to the Pure Drives, then the Speeds again. I added an APDGT to the bag, which I could only distinguish from the PDGT if I could see or touch it. Then one day, my hitting partner asked me to try his Prince Ozone Tour, which he was convinced I wouldn't like because of its flexy, plush feel. OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!! By now, it'll bore you to hear why I loved it, but I loved it. I bought one. Then two more. Then went back to the Speeds to find them a nice, crisp change of pace. Than back to the Pure Drives to recapture the wicked spin game. The Radical and Prestige got assigned to basement duty. I was a happy Ozone user. Then I got to thinking...wouldn't it be criminal to try a Prestige, a Speed, and a Radical and not demo an Extreme? So I tried both the MP and the Pro. OMG IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!! I liked the stability of the Pro but the flex of the MP, so I bought an MP and threw about 6g of lead around the hoop and a couple of washers under the buttcap. Great stick. Like the Pure Drives, but softer with a little more feel. I was convinced that the Extreme(s) were PD replacements for me, so I finally sold some sticks--the Pure Drives, the YTPP, and the YTRP. I can still play well with the Speeds and the Ozones, too. So what's next? I have an IG Speed and an EXO3 Tour on my doorstep as I type this, just waiting to hit the courts. Maybe I will have another OMG moment with one or both. Maybe I...well, not maybe. I will be trying out the new IG Extremes when they come out and will probably get a couple of those. Maybe I'll even have to go buy another PD because I miss it. Who knows? So what has all this waffling shown me? Well, if there's a perfect stick out there for me, I'm determined to keep looking, probably forever. I also learned that weight and balance mean more to me than any other racquet spec, and that as long as I have a 15 minute warmup to get used to a new frame in my spec range, I can play with anything. Thanks to all for such great posting. I'll be sure to keep up on this thread in the future and share my thoughts about the IG Speed and the EXO3 Tour, especially how they compare to the rest of the HEAD lineup and the Ozone. Now when do the IG Extremes come out again? __________________ Cheating on my APDGT+ \| Co-Poly Du Jour

02-02-2011, 02:12 PM	#533
JGads Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 3,285	IG Speed 16x19 and Ti 80 Lite Quick update of the recent testing: Something crazy happened in the last few days: a demo racquet I initially dismissed after five minutes (Yonex Ti 80 Lite) was given one more chance to come out of the bag, and then over a three-hit span proceeded to edge out the one I'd been loving all along (IG Speed 16x19). I'll say that with the caveat that as the cheap poly strings on the IG Speed loosened after having played so much with the stick, the racquet started to suffer. Shots were still good but not as good (for full details of early Honeymoon stage, read earlier in this thread), but most troubling was my serving consistency went from very good to poor -- first serves had power but started to get erratic and clip the net, second serve kicker became quite unreliable and I started double faulting a lot. That said, it was still a stellar demo overall and I may take it out for one more spin with regular string rather than poly to see how that changes things. ... Now, onto the Ti 80 Lite, which I am now convinced is a hidden GEM for a certain kind of player. Initially I took to the feel of the IG Speed in a big way (even with the cheap poly), but then the Ti 80 Lite absolutely blew it out of the water in the feel department. It is less powerful than the Speed for sure, but the feel of it is so old school, bare bones, raw. In a great way. Though I had less power, I could feel the ball on the stringbed (NXT) and have that momentary illusion of being able to point and shoot - the light swingweight really made for easy last-second adjustments as to where I was going, and the racquet responded. Serves were solid - my best serves weren't as powerful as the Speed, but the percentage was way up and the kickers were better, as I was able to generate more upward explosion on the kick arm motion. ... And this thing just DRIPS with control. It's like a slightly more powerful version of the Pure Storm Limited with a better serve and the same great feel (feel was slightly better than the Ltd. I think, but it's close). And it doesn't surprise that it acts like the Ltd. because the specs are very similar - good mid-range static weight with a low swingweight, making it very maneuverable and easy to swing, but the actual pop off the stringbed isn't as pronounced as other frames. The combination makes you really swing away at the ball, and the frame responds. And the absolutely stellar ball feel that comes from the thin frame makes for a deadly weapon on touch shots. I found myself getting drop shot-happy because when anywhere close to the net, I could put it on a dime as if I was tossing it just over the tape with my hand. So to all of those looking for a control-oriented racquet like the Pure Storm Ltd. but are longing for just a bit more pace, try the 80 Lite. If you're tired of new technologies taking away from old school feel, try the Lite. And if you love the feel of the regular Ti 80 but find it a bit too sluggish, try the Lite. Nobody's reviewed this racquet before, and I really, really think it's just the racquet that many people on here would respond well to. It's also a great base for customization, which I didn't get into. Think I'm giving myself one more demo round (but I've said this before) next week before sticking with something for the new season that starts in mid February. Will take the 80 Lite out again, I think, give the EX03 Tour another spin and then maybe add the BLX Blade 98 (but I'm quite worried about the quality control issues discussed) and either try the Speed 16x19 again or the 18x20 with the multi instead of the poly. Ratings from this go-around would be something like: IG Speed 16x19 Power: 9 Control: 8 Forehand: 8 Backhand: 9.5 (two hander) First Serve: 8.5 (stellar pop at times but sometimes erratic) Second serve: 7 Feel/Touch: 8.5 TI 80 Lite Power: 7 Control: 9 Forehand: 8.5 Backhand: 9 First serve: 8 (not hugely powerful, but decent, and very consistent) Second serve: 8.5 Feel/Touch: 10 (if you like your frames crisp, honest and old school)

02-04-2011, 09:06 AM	#535
retlod Professional Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 941	Had a chance to hit with the IG Speed 16x19 today. It was strung with Black Code at 60 lbs, a string and tension I've played with before. Weight and balance were nearly identical to the original Speed MP. If I wasn't looking at it, I couldn't tell the difference swinging it around until I actually hit a ball. Again, the PJ is superb. The feel of the frame was great. Compared to Old Speed, it felt a tad more stable (a common knock on that frame) and a little more plush despite it being slightly stiffer. I thought blocking hard serves and plowing through the ball while hitting a little flatter was easier than with Old Speed. Volleys were the same--very stable feeling. The stiffness really came out on groundstrokes, where I had some trouble dialing down the pop and getting enough spin to keep the balls from flying. Serving was good, primarily due to my familiarity with the weight and balance, however, just like with groundies, I wasn't getting the kick on 2nd serves that I can generate with most tweeners and my Ozone Tours. That said, it was not stiff enough to induce any discomfort during or after playing, even with my harsh string layup. Overall, I thought it was a reasonable update to the Old Speed and similar enough that if the Speed if your favorite racquet, you'll be able to pick up an IG and not miss a beat. Since I only play a couple of times a month in the winter, I'm probably not in good enough form to really wield it with the precision it demands. I'll keep it in the bag and keep bringing it out as I round into form this spring and summer. In terms that frequent readers of this thread will understand, I liked it, but I'm not rushing out to buy another one. __________________ Cheating on my APDGT+ \| Co-Poly Du Jour

02-04-2011, 09:34 AM	#538
Power Player G.O.A.T. Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: On my iPhone Posts: 13,602	If it is the Tfight 320, and you do stick with it, I would like a forum reward of some kind. Maybe honorary Racquet section modship..lol. __________________ 🐐ing