Favorite racket head size

[yonexRx32]

Time to complete our poll of the most obvious parameters of racket physics. We looked at grip size, weight, time now to explore the hitting surface area. I have a guess as to what the most popular will be, but let's hear it from the forum members.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Don't we already have a thread for favorite head size?

[NLBwell]

What is the head size of an RX-32?

[yonexRx32]

Originally Posted by NLBwell

What is the head size of an RX-32?

I believe it is 90 sq in but I haven't measured it.

[jom]

87-92... I am using dunlop bio 100.

[pshulam]

Beware that Head's measurement is from the outer edge of the hoop. A 93 squared inches racquet is actually 90 sq. in.

[yonexRx32]

Originally Posted by pshulam

Beware that Head's measurement is from the outer edge of the hoop. A 93 squared inches racquet is actually 90 sq. in.

Are you positive about this? I don't have a 93 Head, but I will measure the 98 one I have and post the result.

[pshulam]

Originally Posted by yonexRx32

Are you positive about this? I don't have a 93 Head, but I will measure the 98 one I have and post the result.

I am not sure about other Head racquets. The Prestige mid (that I have) is 90 sq. in and the Pro Tour 280 is about 95 sq in.

[Lilguy1456]

Around 95 seems to always fit the bill. I really think the people who claim more control from a 90 over a 95 are really just too high on placebo to make an accurate assessment...that's just IMHO.

[Absolute]

Originally Posted by yonexRx32

Are you positive about this? I don't have a 93 Head, but I will measure the 98 one I have and post the result.

Prestige mid is around 89 sq in.
Prestige mp, pro, radical mp is 95 sq in.
Not sure about the ig radical pro or prestige s

[TimothyO]

Lumping 98s and 104s together makes absolutely, positively, no sense.

The other divisions are pretty weird too.

I would recommend the following groups of common frame sizes based on how they feel:

- 90-93 (very precise but less comfort/forgiveness, especially when hitting with extreme grips, examples include the AG 4D 100 and PB 10 Mid)

- 94-95 (still control oriented but a little more forgiveness and easier access to spin, examples include the ProStaff 6.1 95 and AG 4D 200 Tour)

- 98-100 (giving up more control in favor of comfort and, in theory, spin)

- 104-107 (a lot less control, at least with 16 mains, but far more comfort and very forgiving)

String pattern also plays a role here. A 95/18x20 can play a lot like a "more forgiving 90" with respect to extreme control and comfort (eg PSLGT and AG 4D 200 are precise like the 90" AG 4D 100 while also being more spin friendly despite their dense patterns.).

My 98 PSGTs provide me with as much as control as my 95" AG 4D 200 Tours even though both have 16 mains. I believe the reason for this is that the PSGT seems to have the same height and width as the 95" 200 Tour and the extra area is concentrated in the "lower corners" of the frame and the PSGT has 20 crosses.

[Roadway]

For a much stronger competitor i use 90, but for a less stronger one i use 80-85.

[rdis10093]

mid for me, sir

[pshulam]

Originally Posted by Roadway

For a much stronger competitor i use 90, but for a less stronger one i use 80-85.

80-85? These must be old classics (PS85, MAX 200G, MAX 400i, TXE, Graphite Edge).

[NLBwell]

Originally Posted by yonexRx32

I believe it is 90 sq in but I haven't measured it.

I'll vote for 90, then.

[martini1]

I actually have two favorites - either a 90 or a 98-100. I hit with some 95 before but never really demo them. Too much middle of the road for me.

If they stop making the Wilson tour 90 after Fed retires I would keep my 90 for keepsake and play less with them, using more of the 98-100 sticks.


BTW I think your bracket 98-104 throw a lot of votes off. 102, 104 sticks are OS light sticks but many tweener / player spec sticks are right at 98-100.

[acura9927]

I find 100 to be a bit hard to control and 95 too unforgiving so I prefer 97.

[UCSF2012]

Originally Posted by pshulam

I am not sure about other Head racquets. The Prestige mid (that I have) is 90 sq. in and the Pro Tour 280 is about 95 sq in.

This is one of those bogus factoids being passed around. The "93 is actually 90, and the "98 is actually 95."

Look at the frame, comparing the outside and the inside surface area. It looks a lot more than 3 sq in. Actually, if you were to measure the thickness, I get 6/16 inch. Take a ruler and measure the circumference, and I got approx 38 inches. Do the math: 6/16 x 38 = 14.25 sq in.

The difference in surface area between the inside and outside of the hoop is approx 14 sq inches. That sheds much doubt to the claim that Head measures from the outside the frame and that the 98 is actually 95. (It'd be 112 sq in if Head measured from the outside).

[Absolute]

Originally Posted by UCSF2012

This is one of those bogus factoids being passed around. The "93 is actually 90, and the "98 is actually 95."

Look at the frame, comparing the outside and the inside surface area. It looks a lot more than 3 sq in. Actually, if you were to measure the thickness, I get 6/16 inch. Take a ruler and measure the circumference, and I got approx 38 inches. Do the math: 6/16 x 38 = 14.25 sq in.

The difference in surface area between the inside and outside of the hoop is approx 14 sq inches. That sheds much doubt to the claim that Head measures from the outside the frame and that the 98 is actually 95. (It'd be 112 sq in if Head measured from the outside).

head doesn't measure the headsize from the outside of the frame, however, the prestige mid is really 89.5 and prestige and radical 98's are 95 sq in. This is due to marketing which came from the names of prestige classic 600 and pro tour 630. 600 sq cm roughly equals 93 sq in and 630 sq cm roughly equals 95 sq in

[yonexRx32]

Originally Posted by martini1

I actually have two favorites - either a 90 or a 98-100. I hit with some 95 before but never really demo them. Too much middle of the road for me.

If they stop making the Wilson tour 90 after Fed retires I would keep my 90 for keepsake and play less with them, using more of the 98-100 sticks.


BTW I think your bracket 98-104 throw a lot of votes off. 102, 104 sticks are OS light sticks but many tweener / player spec sticks are right at 98-100.

I didn't know that there are that many 102 and 104 sticks. In that bracket the majority are 98 or 100, hence the bracket. Similar thought applied to the other brackets. In the 87-92 only 90 strikes me a dominant, the rest (88, 89?) are fairly rare and I cannot think of a 91. In the 93-97 only 93 and 95 come to mind. I haven't seen a 96 though I know that there are some out there.