Head Prestige 25th Anniversary Special Edition

[JDMasFCK]

Originally Posted by thecrusher956

That's odd... wonder if anyone else has had these problems.

Really want to get the limited edition midplus but I have never tried a prestige mp only a mid... how would the midplus compare to a Babolat Aero Storm Tour GT?

I made the switch from the aero storm tour to the IG MP Prestige and the difference is that the IG MP Prestige has better feel, comfort and control compared to the Aero Storm Tour, the Aero has a higher swingweight and spin/power though but I prefer the feel, comfort and control of the IG MP Prestige over the Aero.

[uk_skippy]

So I had a longer hit with this rqt this morning, and my hitting partner said that the balls were coming thru a bit heavier and with a tad more spin. That along with it feeler a tad stiffer over the red version makes me wonder about the frame. I'm wondering how much the difference between the normal black grommets & the clear grommets make impact on the feel. Maybe the clear ones are a bit softer. I'm going to try the 25th edition with clear grommets soon.

Looking at this rqt in isolation, it plays better than the YouTek version, more comfortable & more powerful.

I also changed the pallets on the rqt to a set I'd ordered from my supplier, and it seems a better size. Weird.

Regards

Paul

[thecrusher956]

Originally Posted by JDMasFCK

I made the switch from the aero storm tour to the IG MP Prestige and the difference is that the IG MP Prestige has better feel, comfort and control compared to the Aero Storm Tour, the Aero has a higher swingweight and spin/power though but I prefer the feel, comfort and control of the IG MP Prestige over the Aero.

JD, how would you describe the power drop off? I really like the Aero Storm Tour but sometimes i hit shots that go long just by a little bit.

[Ten_nuts]

Originally Posted by uk_skippy

So I had a longer hit with this rqt this morning, and my hitting partner said that the balls were coming thru a bit heavier and with a tad more spin. That along with it feeler a tad stiffer over the red version makes me wonder about the frame. I'm wondering how much the difference between the normal black grommets & the clear grommets make impact on the feel. Maybe the clear ones are a bit softer. I'm going to try the 25th edition with clear grommets soon.

Looking at this rqt in isolation, it plays better than the YouTek version, more comfortable & more powerful.

I also changed the pallets on the rqt to a set I'd ordered from my supplier, and it seems a better size. Weird.

Regards

Paul

I am sorry but what? S...T...I...F...F...E...R.....?????? A T...A...DDDDD... STIFFER????? Oh Boy, i just ordered 2 of 25th ones on last Friday and they will arrive on Monday with Luxilon ALU Power at 53 lbs. I've been playing best tennis with this Head Utek IG Prestige MP. I just couldn't resist the new look of these Prestige 25th Ann. Special Edition, and i've read in TW's specs for this one that these 2 are the same. It's just the paint jobs. Man, i had 5 of the Utek IG Prestige MP, and i sold to my friends 2 and sold another 2 in the Classified Forum. Sounds like the 25th one plays like the Utek Prestige MP (non IG) version? I really hated the Utek Prestige MP non IG version. To be able to play well with this Utek Prestige 98 non IG version, i had to modify a little to make it works well (and for those who are still playing with these Utek Prestige MP non IG version, you can do this little trick to make them play a whole lot more effective, and i guarantee it: take off all overgrips and replacement grips, take off the butt cap, use heat gun to remove the pallets, then install the pallets 1/4" in extra length to make your racquet becomes 27.25", put back the butt cap and all the grips you use. That's it. You think 27.25" Head Utek Prestige MP non IG version will have more power than its original 27"? Not really. To me it's likely the same but it has way more control than its original 27". Experience this and you will see exactly what i mean. Remember the total length 27.25" including the butt cap). The Utek IG Prestige MP came out and it's like i found my Holy Grail. I've been playing awesome tennis with these IG version that have the right stiffness i wanted. Why did Head make the 25th ???? I hope it still has the same stiffness. I will update that info. on Monday night. I'll start praying.

[tennis_balla]

My guess is the stiffness difference you're feeling is the difference between the black vs clear grommets. It would be uneconomical for HEAD to change the racket and a different colour paintjob will not make a difference.

[uk_skippy]

Originally Posted by Ten_nuts

I am sorry but what? S...T...I...F...F...E...R.....?????? A T...A...DDDDD... STIFFER????? Sounds like the 25th one plays like the Utek Prestige MP (non IG) version? I really hated the Utek Prestige MP non IG version

It felt like couple points stiffer, but it didnt play like the Youtek MP version. It played much better, more comfortable, more controlable.

Originally Posted by tennis_balla

My guess is the stiffness difference you're feeling is the difference between the black vs clear grommets. It would be uneconomical for HEAD to change the racket and a different colour paintjob will not make a difference.

That is my thinking. And I will try it with clear grommets. Its a shame that Head didnt finish the outside of the hoop like they did with the red one. However as 1 other poster has mentioned, the specs are not quite as expected. It only weighed the stated 320g once I put on a leather grip, but I do accept that companies work to tolerances.

I await Ten-nuts conclusion on Monday.

Regards

Paul

[tennis_balla]

I weighed about 10 Babolat Pure Drive 2012 rackets on my scale and got a +-8gram difference between them. I weighed about 7 different Head YT IG Prestige Mid's and the tolerance was much better, +-4grams if I remember correctly. It happens though, and its not cause they are made in China. I had a MIJ Yonex where the balance was off noticeably.

[JDMasFCK]

Originally Posted by uk_skippy

I'm wondering how much the difference between the normal black grommets & the clear grommets make impact on the feel. Maybe the clear ones are a bit softer. I'm going to try the 25th edition with clear grommets soon.

The clear cap grommet weighs less than the black grommet, something you might want to take into account. Also the construction of the black grommet is "thicker" than the clear grommet and it might explain why you're feeling the racquet to be "stiff".

Originally Posted by thecrusher956

JD, how would you describe the power drop off? I really like the Aero Storm Tour but sometimes i hit shots that go long just by a little bit.

The power drop off isn't huge, but the largest noticeable difference is that the IG MP Prestige's shots "arc" less than of the aero storm tour when you're trying to apply topspin. To get that high arc on the IG MP Prestige, I felt that I had to really brush up on the ball, where as on the Aero Storm Tour the arc came naturally.

[uk_skippy]

Originally Posted by JDMasFCK

The clear cap grommet weighs less than the black grommet, something you might want to take into account. Also the construction of the black grommet is "thicker" than the clear grommet and it might explain why you're feeling the racquet to be "stiff".

Yeah, I'm aware of that. I'm wondering about those who changed the clear grommets for black ones straight away on their red ones without trying the clear ones. If the grommets do change the feel of the rqt, then they wouldnt have experienced the softer feel. It's also strange that if there is this difference that Head don't know how the grommets change the feel, and supply the same (material) grommets for both rqts.

The other thing is that my 25th edition had new grommets, obviously, but my red versions have used grommets and are likely to be a bit softer anyway. I think I'll try and put some used clear grommet on the black one 1st to check that out.

Regards

Paul

[ProRadTour]

In my experience I have played a lot of my rackets (Prestige's and Radical Tours) with both black and clear grommets and the the clear grommets definitely feel softer and in my opinion much better than the black ones.

I have recently installed my i.Prestige MP frames with the clear grommets and the difference is very noticeable. It is hands my favorite frame with the clear grommets.

I have four IG Prestige MP frames. I really enjoyed the frame with the clear grommets not so much with the black caps.

[Matt H.]

I also agree with grip size being big.

I went with 4 1/4 because I wanted to try the smaller grip thing, but after installing the head tour leather grip it felt as big, or slightly bigger than a 3/8!

I ended up ordering some TW private label leathers in the thinnest possible make, and that helped a bit. With over grip, it feels like a stock 3/8 with no over grip.

As for stiffness, it's rated 62 and the pro is 66, but it doesn't feel softer than the pro. I've got a gut/lux rough hybrid of 50/48 in it right now. I do enjoy the racquet.

[tennis_balla]

A 4 1/4 with an overgrip will feel like a 4 3/8

[thecrusher956]

So, which version do you guys like better? Limited edition or regular?

[uk_skippy]

^^^I changed the original pallets for another set of L4 TK82 pallets, and these felt the same size as the rest of my IG Prestiges; But I changed the pallets on my IG Prestiges as I bought them 2nd hand and they had L3's.

One of the guys at GSS (or as it is now called International Alliance of Racket Technician / GSSAlliance) has measured both rqts, and come up with differing results. I'm going to try and get my rqts on an RDC to test them. While the grommets may change the feel of the rqt, I can't see how it would affect the flex on an RDC.

Regards

Paul

[vsbabolat]

Originally Posted by uk_skippy

^^^I changed the original pallets for another set of L4 TK82 pallets, and these felt the same size as the rest of my IG Prestiges; But I changed the pallets on my IG Prestiges as I bought them 2nd hand and they had L3's.

One of the guys at GSS (or as it is now called International Alliance of Racket Technician / GSSAlliance) has measured both rqts, and come up with differing results. I'm going to try and get my rqts on an RDC to test them. While the grommets may change the feel of the rqt, I can't see how it would affect the flex on an RDC.

Regards

Paul

I have both the 25th anniversary and the regular IG Prestige MP. I put them both on a RDC came out to be the same flex at 62RA on that machine.

[Ten_nuts]

Hi my friends, and how are you guys doing? I just got 2 sets of singles with my 2 new Head Prestige MP 25th... 1 was strung full bed of Luxilon ALU Power Rough at 55 lbs and the other has full bed of Pro Hurricane Tour 16g at 55 lbs. I've noticed right away when i held and played with the 25th for approximately 3 or 5 minutes. The 25th seems lighter than the IG Prestige MP (IG P 98 for short), and its swing weight also seems lighter than the IG P 98. To make sure i had the right feelings about this, i switched back to my beloved IG P 98 after hitting with both of the 25th for around 30 minutes. I was right. The IG P98 did feel more stable, a little softer than the 25th. I haven't had time to weight these 2 25th yet but i am sure the IG P98 is slightly heavier in both weight and swing weight. I could switch back and forth the 25th and IG p98 easily without adjusting much, and the 25th is easier to manage than the IG P98. Uk_skippy said that the 25th is a TAD STIFFER than the IG P98, right? Sorry my friend but i don't think so. If the stiffness of the IG P98 is 62, i can strongly say that the stiffness of the 25th is just around 63. When i switched from the IG P98 to the 25th, i really felt the 25th is slightly stiffer (but not a tad and i think it was because the 25th felt slightly lighter in both weight and swing weight. But this stiffer of the 25th is somehow giving such great feels. I am sure i didn't notice much about the stiffness of both IG P98 and the 25th. I played well with the IG P98, and i also played well tonight with the 25th. I handled the 25th tonight a little easier than the IG P98. Has any new owner of the 25th had the same feelings as mind when switching from IG P98 to 25th? I mean the 25th feels lighter and slightly lesser swing weight? So am i happy about switching? yeah i think i am happy. I also had this strange feeling: when i held the 25th in my hand, the racquet looked beautiful. After playing 2 sets and while sitting down, drinking water, and looking at both the 25th and the IG P98, i thought the IG P98's paintjob is prettier than the 25th. Maybe at night, the red color under the lights looks so beautiful, and the 25th's black color is just...black?????? In short, the 25th plays almost similar to the IG P98. It just feels a little lighter when holding it and swinging it, and it still is a solid, great racquet with very low power + excellent control. thanks for reading....cause i am tired of typing.

[uk_skippy]

Originally Posted by vsbabolat

I have both the 25th anniversary and the regular IG Prestige MP. I put them both on a RDC came out to be the same flex at 62RA on that machine.

With which grommets on the rqts since I know you posted saying you we're swapping clear to black on the red version. Although I appreciate that the grommets shouldn't affect flex, only feel.

Originally Posted by Ten_nuts

Uk_skippy said that the 25th is a TAD STIFFER than the IG P98, right? Sorry my friend but i don't think so. If the stiffness of the IG P98 is 62, i can strongly say that the stiffness of the 25th is just around 63.

Is not 1 a tad? To me a tad is marginal, fractional or so. I know it's a different rqt but I felt that the 25th ed is stiffer than my red ones but not as stiff as the yet prestige mp, which iirc is 63(?). So, I'd agree with your perception.

I also need to check the data tha someone else has checked both rqts in stock form on an RDC and come up with different readings.

Either way, the 2 rqts feel slightly different to me, and the only difference between the 2 are the grommets.

Regards

Paul

[maxpotapov]

Originally Posted by Ten_nuts

I also had this strange feeling: when i held the 25th in my hand, the racquet looked beautiful. After playing 2 sets and while sitting down, drinking water, and looking at both the 25th and the IG P98, i thought the IG P98's paintjob is prettier than the 25th. Maybe at night, the red color under the lights looks so beautiful, and the 25th's black color is just...black?????? In short, the 25th plays almost similar to the IG P98

So, I'm glad it's the black version in limited supply, not the burgundy red, sparkling in night lights, feeling smooth and soft...

[thecrusher956]

So, which prestige mp should I get...coming from an Aero Storm Tour btw

[JDMasFCK]

Originally Posted by thecrusher956

So, which prestige mp should I get...coming from an Aero Storm Tour btw

It's all up to you