Diary of a Racketaholic

mad dog1

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
taylor15 said:
My first touch PP came in at 315g stock. I strung with NXT/Element and added Oehms leather. It is now 340g before OG. I still need to measure balance. Looks awesome and ready for battle


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36-BCED8-C-E09-D-4-C19-9-E65-1-E64783-F525-B hosted at ImgBB

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E4-B3977-B-5-F67-4-E3-E-9675-FD1-A14519-F49 hosted at ImgBB

Image E4-B3977-B-5-F67-4-E3-E-9675-FD1-A14519-F49 hosted in ImgBB
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Needs some red CAPs! :)
 
tim-ay

tim-ay

Legend
Caught a little bit of the evans / tiafoe match last night. Incredible ball striking, both guys were really on. Seeing evans hit that six one stirred something in my loins. May have to string up a six one for fun after a few more matches are behind me with the ripstick. It was funny listening to courier talk about the challenge of playing in humidity. Haha, yeah no ****. Heat is definitely on down here this week.
 
Vicious49

Vicious49

Legend
taylor15 said:
Number 2 will get that treatment. I ordered 2 red and 3 extra black when I ordered the frames. Don’t want to be searching like I am for the UTs.
Click to expand...

I have 4 extra sets of grommets for the UT I can part with. Since it will still leave me with 8. I’ll send you a PM.
 
topspn

topspn

Legend
tim-ay said:
Caught a little bit of the evans / tiafoe match last night. Incredible ball striking, both guys were really on. Seeing evans hit that six one stirred something in my loins. May have to string up a six one for fun after a few more matches are behind me with the ripstick. It was funny listening to courier talk about the challenge of playing in humidity. Haha, yeah no ****. Heat is definitely on down here this week.
Click to expand...

Hmm I’ll have to watch an old match to inspire me to take my woodie to the court
 
mscream

mscream

Professional
@Power Player how does the Ripstick stringbed compare to an APD13? I had that one and remember it being a bit denser then the PAs from 2016 onwards...

What about the PAVS by the way? Not being talked about a lot
 
JGads

JGads

G.O.A.T.
tim-ay said:
Caught a little bit of the evans / tiafoe match last night. Incredible ball striking, both guys were really on. Seeing evans hit that six one stirred something in my loins. May have to string up a six one for fun after a few more matches are behind me with the ripstick. It was funny listening to courier talk about the challenge of playing in humidity. Haha, yeah no ****. Heat is definitely on down here this week.
Click to expand...

Watched that too. Very happy for Tiafoe to pull through. Was hilarious seeing him go through about 25 shirts and frantically looking for more on the changeovers.
 
danbrenner

danbrenner

Legend
So I played a few matches this week. I’m getting back into tennis shape. And in true Holic fashion I will be demoing a few sticks that I have had in my mind during the winter break.
(I am a PA user fyi. That has been my main for years. And still is.).
As a side note. I broke out my BP 16 for a set a few days ago. When I was playing a guy that I consistently crush. And wow does that thing feel like I’m swinging an anvil. Between the low trajectory and the weighted down hoop, it brought my game down several notches. I could literally play way better with an RF97 over this frame. It’s just all kinds of wrong for a Rec player like myself who relies on some spin for net clearance.
That being said. A frame that has piqued my interest is the new gravity MP. Great specs for that hybrid player / tweener frame experience. Think about it. 22mm straight beam. 16x19. Amd 100 square inches. This is the perfect hybrid. Also 62 RA 11 oz. 3 points headlight. So perfect for tweaking. This is a must demo for me. I’m surprised some of you guys hasn’t focused on this frame as the specs are so perfect. I’m looking forward to this one Let the games begin.
 
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
tim-ay said:
Caught a little bit of the evans / tiafoe match last night. Incredible ball striking, both guys were really on. Seeing evans hit that six one stirred something in my loins. May have to string up a six one for fun after a few more matches are behind me with the ripstick. It was funny listening to courier talk about the challenge of playing in humidity. Haha, yeah no ****. Heat is definitely on down here this week.
Click to expand...

Ah yes, my entire tennis life in FL summed up in one match..lol.


mscream said:
@Power Player how does the Ripstick stringbed compare to an APD13? I had that one and remember it being a bit denser then the PAs from 2016 onwards...

What about the PAVS by the way? Not being talked about a lot
Click to expand...

I don’t want to say that it is as closed, but it plays as closed as the APD13 if that makes any sense. You are correct that APD version is denser than the PA versions.

The PAVs apparently is a fairly stiff frame over time. Enough guys here complained of arm pain, that I avoided, even though I can see that being a great one.
 
JGads

JGads

G.O.A.T.
danbrenner said:
So I played a few matches this week. I’m getting back into tennis shape. And in true Holic fashion I will be demoing a few sticks that I have had in my mind during the winter break.
(I am a PA user fyi. That has been my main for years. And still is.).
As a side note. I broke out my BP 16 for a set a few days ago. When I was playing a guy that I consistently crush. And wow does that thing feel like I’m swinging an anvil. Between the low trajectory and the weighted down hoop, it brought my game down several notches. I could literally play way better with an RF97 over this frame. It’s just all kinds of wrong for a Rec player like myself who relies on some spin for net clearance.
That being said. A frame that has piqued my interest is the new gravity MP. Great specs for that hybrid player / tweener frame experience. Think about it. 22mm straight beam. 16x19. Amd 100 square inches. This is the perfect hybrid. Also 62 RA 11 oz. 3 points headlight. So perfect for tweaking. This is a must demo for me. I’m surprised some of you guys hasn’t focused on this frame as the specs are so perfect. I’m looking forward to this one Let the games begin.
Click to expand...

BP 16 with a low trajectory!? It’s the highest, most comfy trajectory frame in my bag. Effortless loop and clearance for me.
 
danbrenner

danbrenner

Legend
JGads said:
BP 16 with a low trajectory!? It’s the highest, most comfy trajectory frame in my bag. Effortless loop and clearance for me.
Click to expand...
It’s wild how different some of our experiences can be with the same frames. This to me feels like a closed pattern 18x20. Literally. And the trajectory follows suit. Makes producing spin so much more difficult. And makes my game a lot more horizontal. So much more difficult to add shape to my strokes. It’s obviously a great frame IMO. But better suited for a super physically strong amd advanced player. It’s definitely the coolest frame out there. Which is why I own a few But just too demanding. Feels like I’m welding a sledge hammer
 
P

Pneumated1

Hall of Fame
danbrenner said:
A frame that has piqued my interest is the new gravity MP. Great specs for that hybrid player / tweener frame experience. Think about it. 22mm straight beam. 16x19. Amd 100 square inches. This is the perfect hybrid. Also 62 RA 11 oz. 3 points headlight. So perfect for tweaking. This is a must demo for me. I’m surprised some of you guys hasn’t focused on this frame as the specs are so perfect. I’m looking forward to this one Let the games begin.
Click to expand...

You're not alone, and btw, regarding the string pattern, there's an even better surprise for you--it's actually a 16x20.
 
danbrenner

danbrenner

Legend
Pneumated1 said:
You're not alone, and btw, regarding the string pattern, there's an even better surprise for you--it's actually a 16x20.
Click to expand...
Cool. Yeah I think this wil be a really fun play test. As I’ve said for me the PA is the ultimate tweener. I’m really not trying to switch frames. The pa is my main amd that’s that. But it is nice to hit with a player frame from time, but most of them fall short. And I think for me the usual reason is lack of power. Which is usually attributed to sub 100 inch head sizes. So this frame with a 100 sq head really attempts to bridge that gap. Which is what makes it so intriguing. I’m looking forward to seeing what it can do.
 
danbrenner

danbrenner

Legend
Hankenstein said:
Tennis-point just released a limited exclusive batch of Six One 100 v13. 16/19 and unstrung weight of 305! Here we go again....
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Wow. This is news. Big news. A 100 square inch pro staff. Why would they only sell it at this one site. That’s crazy. I think I have to order one like immediately
 
Vicious49

Vicious49

Legend
danbrenner said:
So I played a few matches this week. I’m getting back into tennis shape. And in true Holic fashion I will be demoing a few sticks that I have had in my mind during the winter break.
(I am a PA user fyi. That has been my main for years. And still is.).
As a side note. I broke out my BP 16 for a set a few days ago. When I was playing a guy that I consistently crush. And wow does that thing feel like I’m swinging an anvil. Between the low trajectory and the weighted down hoop, it brought my game down several notches. I could literally play way better with an RF97 over this frame. It’s just all kinds of wrong for a Rec player like myself who relies on some spin for net clearance.
Click to expand...

That’s the same for me. I need to take some pics of my BP so I can list it and be done with it. I’ve tried and tried and have finally come to terms that it’s not for me.
 
S

snoflewis

Legend
danbrenner said:
So I played a few matches this week. I’m getting back into tennis shape. And in true Holic fashion I will be demoing a few sticks that I have had in my mind during the winter break.
(I am a PA user fyi. That has been my main for years. And still is.).
As a side note. I broke out my BP 16 for a set a few days ago. When I was playing a guy that I consistently crush. And wow does that thing feel like I’m swinging an anvil. Between the low trajectory and the weighted down hoop, it brought my game down several notches. I could literally play way better with an RF97 over this frame. It’s just all kinds of wrong for a Rec player like myself who relies on some spin for net clearance.
That being said. A frame that has piqued my interest is the new gravity MP. Great specs for that hybrid player / tweener frame experience. Think about it. 22mm straight beam. 16x19. Amd 100 square inches. This is the perfect hybrid. Also 62 RA 11 oz. 3 points headlight. So perfect for tweaking. This is a must demo for me. I’m surprised some of you guys hasn’t focused on this frame as the specs are so perfect. I’m looking forward to this one Let the games begin.
Click to expand...

+1 on the RF97 being a better fit than the BP16. i prefer the way the RF97 is balanced over the BP16, but the BP just makes me want to spank the ball. I tried the Gravity MP and the banana side by side, and it just didnt compare. the gravity MP is a good stick with potential but the banana is a great stick. they just don't compare in stock form imo. I also found it harder to use the GMP having come from the GPro.
 
danbrenner

danbrenner

Legend
snoflewis said:
+1 on the RF97 being a better fit than the BP16. i prefer the way the RF97 is balanced over the BP16, but the BP just makes me want to spank the ball. I tried the Gravity MP and the banana side by side, and it just didnt compare. the gravity MP is a good stick with potential but the banana is a great stick. they just don't compare in stock form imo. I also found it harder to use the GMP having come from the GPro.
Click to expand...
Ironically I just ordered a pro staff 100 so that will be my immediate player ish frame foray. But as I said before. The pa is my main. These other sticks are just more about curiosity.
Amd yeah I agree. The RF is easier to use then the BP. Because of the balance. Amd inorefer the string spacing on the RF. The BP center strings are spaced the same way an 18x20 is. Way too close. Hits too flat of a ball. At least the RF can shape a ball. You need to be in tip top physical shape to really handle that BP. Way too demanding
 
JGads

JGads

G.O.A.T.
Blasphemy! Poppycock!

The shaping of the ball, in addition to that effortless plow and feel, is my favorite thing about the BP 16. I can get all sorts of variety and this really comes out when doing forehand to forehand or backhand to backhand drills. The BP finds loopy heavy angles sometimes that I cannot find with other sticks, mainly my tighter patterned ones.

If anything I have to work to straighten it out, but that work is not overly difficult as with some tweeners - the PA chief among them. To Danbrenner’s point, amazing how different of an experience some of us have with different frames, or how different frames may just be better suited to different folks and strokes.
 
JGads

JGads

G.O.A.T.
Just found out that because of an increased lockdown here, I may not be able to play until at least April 9, though there may be a workaround if I can attain some kind of sports license which apparently may be doable. We’ll see.

With the new toys that arrived Friday, plus my BP and Doppio 1 that I just picked up from the stringer, this is actually kind of hilarious.
 
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
danbrenner said:
Cool. Yeah I think this wil be a really fun play test. As I’ve said for me the PA is the ultimate tweener. I’m really not trying to switch frames. The pa is my main amd that’s that. But it is nice to hit with a player frame from time, but most of them fall short. And I think for me the usual reason is lack of power. Which is usually attributed to sub 100 inch head sizes. So this frame with a 100 sq head really attempts to bridge that gap. Which is what makes it so intriguing. I’m looking forward to seeing what it can do.
Click to expand...

yep the lack of power and stability on the mp is why i suspect you wont jive with it.
 
JGads

JGads

G.O.A.T.
Wilson and TP must have a very close relationship because it’s TP that often has “exclusive“ W releases, or recently the NOS 2015 Blades in both patterns, etc. Obviously @Hankenstein and @danbrenner (if he doesn’t get the bad email) are requested to report findings for science.
 
P

Pneumated1

Hall of Fame
danbrenner said:
Cool. Yeah I think this wil be a really fun play test. As I’ve said for me the PA is the ultimate tweener. I’m really not trying to switch frames. The pa is my main amd that’s that. But it is nice to hit with a player frame from time, but most of them fall short. And I think for me the usual reason is lack of power. Which is usually attributed to sub 100 inch head sizes. So this frame with a 100 sq head really attempts to bridge that gap. Which is what makes it so intriguing. I’m looking forward to seeing what it can do.
Click to expand...

Looks like the Gravity MP idea came and went like mountain fog. For what it's worth, I bought a Gravity Tour a few months ago, and I have a hard time putting it down when I hit it. It could easily be my main frame. I just swapped the pallet for an L4 and am having fun trying to dial in mods. Just strung it with Lynx Tour/Ghost Wire at 48# but got rained out today. I'm not an APD/PA type of player, so it makes sense that I'd like the Gravitys. I think you'd enjoy the MP even if it didn't stick.
 
ryushen21

ryushen21

Legend
Well, it was another good hitting session with CC friend and his crew. And yes, it turned into a bit of a demo session.

I have absolutely no regrets about the PT630 acquisition. My god is this an epic feeling frame. But as I've also learned with the classics, they are demanding. But another happy addition to the reference section. Going to change it to a gut/poly setup soon and enjoy it more in all of its classic GOATy goodness.

I had the chance to hit with both BPs again courtesy of one of the guys in the rotation. They are similar in their GOATness but with a more modern take than the old legend. But ultimately not the road that I would go down. Even the guys I hit against today said that my shots were harder to handle when I was hitting with the EZ than anything else.

There were some additional kind of grab bag frames thrown in there: old Radicals, the 6.0 85, a few Pro Stock Head frames. It all was fun to experiment with. Especially a pro stock Speed Pro that I really enjoyed.

But the biggest attraction there had to be the Ripstick. I'm really torn on this one. I hate the ports and the frame can feel clunky at times but it hits almost as nasty a shot as my EZ with the added comfort. It is a legit contender though. I didn't think that the sacrifice in stiffness could still produce the same level of power as the EZ, but it seems to manage it. I do have to swing just a bit bigger with the Rip but not enough that it would cause fatigue. So there is something to weigh there with the Rip.

And I was just about to order EZ #3 for string experimentation.
 
danbrenner

danbrenner

Legend
Pneumated1 said:
Looks like the Gravity MP idea came and went like mountain fog. For what it's worth, I bought a Gravity Tour a few months ago, and I have a hard time putting it down when I hit it. It could easily be my main frame. I just swapped the pallet for an L4 and am having fun trying to dial in mods. Just strung it with Lynx Tour/Ghost Wire at 48# but got rained out today. I'm not an APD/PA type of player, so it makes sense that I'd like the Gravitys. I think you'd enjoy the MP even if it didn't stick.
Click to expand...
Yeah. I’m really not even looking for it to stick. It just really deserves a play test. It’s truly a hybrid frame. The specs are tantalizing. And it’s easily modifiable. It’s worth a look. And So is this six one 100. I’m looking forward to trying out these frames. For the sake of science of course.
 
Vicious49

Vicious49

Legend
I played exclusively with the Rafalat tonight. First off, it got compliments from everyone on they way it looks. The Pj definitely stands out. Its a good frame and I see why so many prefer it but it’s just not for me. I was able to use it and win but I prefer more of a Blade style frame. The higher launch angle and the racquet forcing me to hit a loopy, spinnier shot gave me more leeway than I’m used to. I hit the net less tonight than I have in a long time. I also loved the net clearance I got on my OHBH. With all that being said, I still prefer playing with tighter string patterns that give me more control and a lower launch angle.
 
S

snoflewis

Legend
danbrenner said:
Absolutely. and I have to say I’m a little shocked that Wilson would give exclusivity to one retailer in regards to this frame.
Click to expand...

They don't have exclusivity. At least one other authorized retailer has it. If you get that disappointing email, PM me your email address, and we can chat. I've had success with getting Wilson stuff overseas, and it'll save you some cash as well. It's the least i can do for the founder of the banana hype.
 
Addxyz

Addxyz

Hall of Fame
snoflewis said:
They don't have exclusivity. At least one other authorized retailer has it. If you get that disappointing email, PM me your email address, and we can chat. I've had success with getting Wilson stuff overseas, and it'll save you some cash as well. It's the least i can do for the founder of the banana hype.
Click to expand...

Are you able to get the 2015 Blade?
 
RF_PRO_STAFF

RF_PRO_STAFF

Professional
I played with the Hawk Touch setup in one of the VC95's today. 48.5 lbs mains and 45 lbs crosses. (Yonex) leather grip on it too which was a first on a VC95 for me.

I like the feel (which is different for everyone of course) of Hawk Touch. For me it feels very low powered, even at this tension, and very, very honest. Sweet spot hits feel amazing, hits just a bit outside of it are a bit annoying, let alone complete mishits. Makes you focus on timing so much more. I also loved it on touch shots, so the Hawk Touch name feels fitting. So, great round, honest poly string.

I don't know if I like it in combination with the leather grip, maybe a bit too honest. The mishits make it quite harsh and I don't know if my shoulder can handle that on bad days. I'll probably have some more bad days to come before I reach the level again at which I was before the closing of the courts.

I read a lot of demoing and setup experiments here currently. What is your favorite racquet at this very moment and why?
 
danbrenner

danbrenner

Legend
snoflewis said:
They don't have exclusivity. At least one other authorized retailer has it. If you get that disappointing email, PM me your email address, and we can chat. I've had success with getting Wilson stuff overseas, and it'll save you some cash as well. It's the least i can do for the founder of the banana hype.
Click to expand...
Hey. Thanks. I saw what you were talking about. Yeah the pa is a special frame. The King of the tweeners if you will. I have always imagined. 100 square inch pro staff though. So let’s see what this thing brings to the table.
 
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
ryushen21 said:
Well, it was another good hitting session with CC friend and his crew. And yes, it turned into a bit of a demo session.

I have absolutely no regrets about the PT630 acquisition. My god is this an epic feeling frame. But as I've also learned with the classics, they are demanding. But another happy addition to the reference section. Going to change it to a gut/poly setup soon and enjoy it more in all of its classic GOATy goodness.

I had the chance to hit with both BPs again courtesy of one of the guys in the rotation. They are similar in their GOATness but with a more modern take than the old legend. But ultimately not the road that I would go down. Even the guys I hit against today said that my shots were harder to handle when I was hitting with the EZ than anything else.

There were some additional kind of grab bag frames thrown in there: old Radicals, the 6.0 85, a few Pro Stock Head frames. It all was fun to experiment with. Especially a pro stock Speed Pro that I really enjoyed.

But the biggest attraction there had to be the Ripstick. I'm really torn on this one. I hate the ports and the frame can feel clunky at times but it hits almost as nasty a shot as my EZ with the added comfort. It is a legit contender though. I didn't think that the sacrifice in stiffness could still produce the same level of power as the EZ, but it seems to manage it. I do have to swing just a bit bigger with the Rip but not enough that it would cause fatigue. So there is something to weigh there with the Rip.

And I was just about to order EZ #3 for string experimentation.
Click to expand...

You could probably just carry a ripstick and 2 EZs and be good. That’s most likely my plan with the PA and ripstick for now. I can’t discount that the Ripstick could end up being the king over time, but I took some weeks off and haven’t been able to sort it out. It may take while with those two.

The ripstick ensures arm health while bing able to use a tweener with full poly. So for me, it’s a keeper. The other thing is that I can switch either frame in the middle of a match and there is not much of an adjustment there if your strings break.
 
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