Head Gravity Pro club!

jugheadfla · Oct 29, 2021

EggSalad said:
This weekend I went out to the courts with my hopper and hit an hour + of serves with the GP. My lesson learned is that you have to fully commit to the serve you’re trying to hit. With my old Speed MPs, I could hold back in a pressure situation or just spin in a solid first serve due to the racquet. With the GP, you can’t hold back. But the upside is that you are greatly rewarded with exactly what you want. I’ve got my kick serve back and it’s never been better.

No doubt about it, this is not a whippy racquet. The weight in the hoop and the 100sq in head makes the SW seem more than is measured. I have moved over to the GP from my Prestige Pros, which are rather whippy, and I've had to adjust my take back on my serve because of this. I used to be able to just push my hand straight up and whip through the ball with the PP, but now I have more of a longer wind up and follow though with the GP. That being said, the GP can hit bombs as well as huge kicks, as long as you get it going during your toss. The GP hits some seriously heavy balls.

EggSalad · Nov 2, 2021

Are any fellow Gravity Pro owners using Head Velocity or Texhnifibre Triax full beds? If so, any feedback on those set ups?

I liked Yonex Poly Tour Rev / Synthetic gut at 47lbs although it has some of the unpredictable qualities of poly. I then just strung with Yonex Poly Tour Pro / Synthetic Gut at 53lbs and am not a big fan of this set up.

I think it has more to do with me and Poly than anything else. I was curious about a quality multi set up. I’m also kicking around gut/Poly.

Sweatii_yetii · Nov 2, 2021

EggSalad said:
Are any fellow Gravity Pro owners using Head Velocity or Texhnifibre Triax full beds? If so, any feedback on those set ups?

I liked Yonex Poly Tour Rev / Synthetic gut at 47lbs although it has some of the unpredictable qualities of poly. I then just strung with Yonex Poly Tour Pro / Synthetic Gut at 53lbs and am not a big fan of this set up.

I think it has more to do with me and Poly than anything else. I was curious about a quality multi set up. I’m also kicking around gut/Poly.

Really like x 1 biphase as a full bed in this racket. I’ve done it a few times now and each time has felt great. I don’t have any experience with triax yet but it is on my list to try.

Gut poly is what I normally and it feels nice. Lasts a bit longer in the 18x20 so I don’t mind.

jugheadfla · Nov 3, 2021

So I was really skeptical at first because I'm not really into triangular shaped strings, but I've played about 4 matches now with Firewire Boost, specifically 18g, and I've been blown away. This is really a perfect combo for this racquet. You get the extreme spin and bite of of the firewire and the added control and comfort from the ghost wire really tames any possible erratic behavior of the triangular string. I'm getting more spin with this setup in this racquet that I got with my open pattern 16x19's I was previously using and the touch and feel is outstanding. Before using this setup I was having some issues with the lower launch angle of the GP, but with FW Boost it truly opens up the string bed. I'm going to test some gut/poly setups still going forward, but right now this is by go to hybrid. I suggest trying it out for yourself.

Sweatii_yetii · Nov 3, 2021

jugheadfla said:
So I was really skeptical at first because I'm not really into triangular shaped strings, but I've played about 4 matches now with Firewire Boost, specifically 18g, and I've been blown away. This is really a perfect combo for this racquet. You get the extreme spin and bite of of the firewire and the added control and comfort from the ghost wire really tames any possible erratic behavior of the triangular string. I'm getting more spin with this setup in this racquet that I got with my open pattern 16x19's I was previously using and the touch and feel is outstanding. Before using this setup I was having some issues with the lower launch angle of the GP, but with FW Boost it truly opens up the string bed. I'm going to test some gut/poly setups still going forward, but right now this is by go to hybrid. I suggest trying it out for yourself.

I was thinking of trying some tier 1 strings out. Never used them before but people seem to like them on here.

Alex7778 · Nov 6, 2021

Currently using a gravity pro and was wondering what a Wilson blade pro would be like in comparison? Debating whether to change to the blade pro but hoping to hear people’s opinions about the 2 rackets?

FutureF1 · Nov 6, 2021

Just finished a two day demo with one of these and I think I'm in love! Coming from an APD 2013, I love just how much more control I'm getting from the 18x20 pattern and the feel is incredible. Also I can really drive through the ball without it always going long like it did with the APD. Arm certain hurts a bit more from the added weight, but I'm more than willing to bulk it up a bit to play frequently with this racquet.

Just had some questions before I finally pull the trigger. The demo I got had some old RPM blast in it at an unknown tension, so pretty sorry strings and it really hurt the launch angle I was getting. I honestly didn't need much more, but a lot of my shots were ending up right at the top of the net just due to a slight lack of spin.

I'm looking at the new Head Lynx Tour in 16L gauge right now, but wanted to see if anyone had a better idea for strings. I was looking at the Solinco Confidential, but the durability concerned me. What do you think is a good, low power string, that has enough bite and durability for this?

Also, I've heard Head's quality control is around that of Babolat, so is it worth doing the TW matching service since I'll be getting two?

Thanks!

Jingo · Nov 6, 2021

Alex7778 said:
Currently using a gravity pro and was wondering what a Wilson blade pro would be like in comparison? Debating whether to change to the blade pro but hoping to hear people’s opinions about the 2 rackets?

I've had both.

Let's see--well, for starters, the Blade's got the best feel this side of pro stock. It's hits a very penetrating shot, has great slices, and volleys like a Pro Staff (which is to say, amazingly). It's also consistently demanding. SW is up above 340g, head shape gives it a modest sweetspot, and you really feel off-center hits (shanking volleys feels horrible).

The Gravity has great penetration, very good feel, and surprisingly good topspin. It's a bit less maneuverable for slices and volleys but doesn't feel oversized like some 100sq in frames do. It also serves amazingly--bigger and with more bite than the Blade Pro. The SW isn't low but it is much more manageable over time, though timing is still important with all the static weight. And most importantly of all--for me--it has a big, big sweetspot.

So, directly comparing the two:
- Blade has better feel, volleys, slice, penetration, but is demanding in every way
- Gravity has better spin, serves, and forgiveness, though it's still relatively demanding in terms of fitness

I went with the Gravity Pro in the end, though I loved my Blade Pros. They're seductive as hell and made me want to be a stronger player. But I wasn't quite there, even though I wanted to be.

Jingo · Nov 6, 2021

FutureF1 said:
Just finished a two day demo with one of these and I think I'm in love! Coming from an APD 2013, I love just how much more control I'm getting from the 18x20 pattern and the feel is incredible. Also I can really drive through the ball without it always going long like it did with the APD. Arm certain hurts a bit more from the added weight, but I'm more than willing to bulk it up a bit to play frequently with this racquet.

Just had some questions before I finally pull the trigger. The demo I got had some old RPM blast in it at an unknown tension, so pretty sorry strings and it really hurt the launch angle I was getting. I honestly didn't need much more, but a lot of my shots were ending up right at the top of the net just due to a slight lack of spin.

I'm looking at the new Head Lynx Tour in 16L gauge right now, but wanted to see if anyone had a better idea for strings. I was looking at the Solinco Confidential, but the durability concerned me. What do you think is a good, low power string, that has enough bite and durability for this?

Also, I've heard Head's quality control is around that of Babolat, so is it worth doing the TW matching service since I'll be getting two?

Thanks!

I haven't experimented too much with strings, but I thought Lynx Tour 16 felt great--though it did launch low. I got used to it and now I don't think about it. I currently have Cyclone 17 in there and it's just a bit higher than before. Also feels good, though I preferred the feel of Lynx Tour--but spin and power are perfect for what I want. The Gravity Pro has plenty of control to start so you ought to be able to try 17-19 gauge without any real loss in control.

As for QC, I've heard that the new ones are a bit all over the map but I got the old (red/green) ones used and they were all within a gram of each other in static weight. If you do buy new, the matching service could be a great idea.

jugheadfla · Nov 6, 2021

FutureF1 said:
Just had some questions before I finally pull the trigger. The demo I got had some old RPM blast in it at an unknown tension, so pretty sorry strings and it really hurt the launch angle I was getting. I honestly didn't need much more, but a lot of my shots were ending up right at the top of the net just due to a slight lack of spin.

I'm looking at the new Head Lynx Tour in 16L gauge right now, but wanted to see if anyone had a better idea for strings. I was looking at the Solinco Confidential, but the durability concerned me. What do you think is a good, low power string, that has enough bite and durability for this?

I think it was mentioned previously in the thread but I wouldn't use any string thicker than 1.20 in this racquet. Using a thinner string helps out with the launch angle as well as adds some spin in this dense pattern. I initially tried some 1.25 strings but quickly found out that they are just too low powered in this string bed, and like you experienced, the launch angle was too low. I am currently using Firewire Boost 18 (Firewire 1.20/GhostWire 1.18) in both of my GPs and it is just outstanding. Like others have said this racquet has so much control that you can pretty much use much thinner strings than you may be used to. One thing I have noticed as well is that the tight 18x20 really maintains string tension much better than open patterns, which again points you towards thinner strings.

Alex7778 · Nov 7, 2021

Jingo said:
I've had both.

Let's see--well, for starters, the Blade's got the best feel this side of pro stock. It's hits a very penetrating shot, has great slices, and volleys like a Pro Staff (which is to say, amazingly). It's also consistently demanding. SW is up above 340g, head shape gives it a modest sweetspot, and you really feel off-center hits (shanking volleys feels horrible).

The Gravity has great penetration, very good feel, and surprisingly good topspin. It's a bit less maneuverable for slices and volleys but doesn't feel oversized like some 100sq in frames do. It also serves amazingly--bigger and with more bite than the Blade Pro. The SW isn't low but it is much more manageable over time, though timing is still important with all the static weight. And most importantly of all--for me--it has a big, big sweetspot.

So, directly comparing the two:
- Blade has better feel, volleys, slice, penetration, but is demanding in every way
- Gravity has better spin, serves, and forgiveness, though it's still relatively demanding in terms of fitness

I went with the Gravity Pro in the end, though I loved my Blade Pros. They're seductive as hell and made me want to be a stronger player. But I wasn't quite there, even though I wanted to be.

Interesting to hear you chose the gravity pro over the Wilson blade pro as a lot of people love the blade line. The gravity pro is amazing on serve and groundstrokes with some nice touch and feel when at the net but struggle to hit 2 handed backhand with the racket which results in the slice being used a lot. As I play a fair bit of singles but mostly doubles was debating the switch to a blade pro as the control and power from the racket is immense and could help the 2 handed backhand and serve which are my 2 weakest shots. Did you choose the gravity pro due to the demand of the blade pro in comparison with the gravity pro?

gold325 · Nov 7, 2021

FutureF1 said:
Also, I've heard Head's quality control is around that of Babolat, so is it worth doing the TW matching service since I'll be getting two?

Thanks!

Please do the matching service! They have the $10 per order basic one that you can use to match weight, swingweight and balance and the premium matching service which also adds RA I believe.

100% do it without fail. Having racquets that don't feel the same is the biggest irritation and a major source of lack of confidence when forced to change racquets in middle of the game.

emaz8724 · Nov 7, 2021

gold325 said:
Please do the matching service! They have the $10 per order basic one that you can use to match weight, swingweight and balance and the premium matching service which also adds RA I believe.

100% do it without fail.

I thought it was $20?

gold325 · Nov 7, 2021

emaz8724 said:
I thought it was $20?

I guess the basic matching service is $10 and premium matching service is $20.

gold325 · Nov 7, 2021

gold325 said:
I guess the basic matching service is $10 and premium matching service is $20.

EXAMPLE OF BASIC MRT (Babolat Pure Drive 2018 Wimbledon)

Target Manufacturing Specification (with plastic wrap)
10.66 oz, 7.5 HL

1) 10.72oz, 6.5HL, 294 SW
2) 10.72oz, 7.0HL, 289 SW
3) 10.74oz, 7.5HL, 287 SW
4) 10.83oz, 7.0HL, 289 SW
5) 10.85oz, 6.0HL, 297 SW

EXAMPLE OF PREMIUM MATCHING SERVICE for Gravity Pro 2021

Weight Swingweight Balance. Stiffness
312,3 298 31,1 66
315 302 31,2 67
313,7. 301 31,5. 66
313,8 296 31. 67
313,1 300 31,5. 67
313 302 31,5 66

joah310 · Nov 8, 2021

I strung mine originally as a hybrid and had no issues. Then i strung it with a full bed of poly at a lower tension, and I think I need to lower the tension again, or maybe just go bac, to using a hybrid. Didnt think it was a low powered racket before, but now I do

gold325 · Nov 8, 2021

joah310 said:
I strung mine originally as a hybrid and had no issues. Then i strung it with a full bed of poly at a lower tension, and I think I need to lower the tension again, or maybe just go bac, to using a hybrid. Didnt think it was a low powered racket before, but now I do

What were the strings that were used and tensions in both cases? Just curious since I have a Gravity Tour myself.

joah310 · Nov 8, 2021

gold325 said:
What were the strings that were used and tensions in both cases? Just curious since I have a Gravity Tour myself.

i have the pro, but originally strung a hybrid of Isospeed baseline 15L in the mains, and prince synthetic gut w/ duraflex 17 in the crosses, strung at 52/50. Now I have Isospeed baseline 17L at 48. was expecting the thinner string and lower tension to balance it out, but that wasn't the case

gold325 · Nov 8, 2021

joah310 said:
i have the pro, but originally strung a hybrid of Isospeed baseline 15L in the mains, and prince synthetic gut w/ duraflex 17 in the crosses, strung at 52/50. Now I have Isospeed baseline 17L at 48. was expecting the thinner string and lower tension to balance it out, but that wasn't the case

Wow that is quite unexpected and unpredictable...

Jingo · Nov 8, 2021

Alex7778 said:
Interesting to hear you chose the gravity pro over the Wilson blade pro as a lot of people love the blade line. The gravity pro is amazing on serve and groundstrokes with some nice touch and feel when at the net but struggle to hit 2 handed backhand with the racket which results in the slice being used a lot. As I play a fair bit of singles but mostly doubles was debating the switch to a blade pro as the control and power from the racket is immense and could help the 2 handed backhand and serve which are my 2 weakest shots. Did you choose the gravity pro due to the demand of the blade pro in comparison with the gravity pro?

That's absolutely the bottom line--the Blade Pro is amazing, but my game (I'm 33, play 5 days a week, ~5.0) couldn't keep it up all the time for singles. For doubles, it was less fatiguing for sure. Volleys were still a bit more punishing with the Blade, but they were also more rewarding.

I've found my backhand was equally benefitted by both frames. If your serve is a weakness, I don't know that the Blade would give you that much over the Gravity right away. The one thing it will do is force you to improve, which is partly why I bought all mine. The Blade is sort of like weighted training clothing!

Alex7778 · Nov 8, 2021

Jingo said:
That's absolutely the bottom line--the Blade Pro is amazing, but my game (I'm 33, play 5 days a week, ~5.0) couldn't keep it up all the time for singles. For doubles, it was less fatiguing for sure. Volleys were still a bit more punishing with the Blade, but they were also more rewarding.

I've found my backhand was equally benefitted by both frames. If your serve is a weakness, I don't know that the Blade would give you that much over the Gravity right away. The one thing it will do is force you to improve, which is partly why I bought all mine. The Blade is sort of like weighted training clothing!

Yeah that’s the dilemma when choosing between sticking with the gravity pro and changing to a blade pro. Do you notice more power between the 2 rackets or control with one of the 2 rackets?
I feel like the power with the gravity is sometimes lacking but it’s feels like a good racket to play doubles with due to the solid volleys it offers but for singles I seem to miss hit backhands long or into the net which with the serve I struggle with this racket. Compared to a pt57a pro stock, the control, feel and manoeuvrability is amazing but offers no free power. A few people prefer the Wilson blade pro over the pt57a but since you can’t demo these types of rackets, it’s a buy and hope the racket fits your game and you gel with it hence why reviews for both the gravity pro and blade pro are important when buying the rackets.

Classic-TXP-IG MID · Nov 8, 2021

Alex7778 said:
Yeah that’s the dilemma when choosing between sticking with the gravity pro and changing to a blade pro. Do you notice more power between the 2 rackets or control with one of the 2 rackets?
I feel like the power with the gravity is sometimes lacking but it’s feels like a good racket to play doubles with due to the solid volleys it offers but for singles I seem to miss hit backhands long or into the net which with the serve I struggle with this racket. Compared to a pt57a pro stock, the control, feel and manoeuvrability is amazing but offers no free power. A few people prefer the Wilson blade pro over the pt57a but since you can’t demo these types of rackets, it’s a buy and hope the racket fits your game and you gel with it hence why reviews for both the gravity pro and blade pro are important when buying the rackets.

When you asked the original question, I can't remeber whether you specified the Blade Pro (16x19 or 18x20)? I'm assuming 18x20, and therefore I have not weighed in, but I can comment on the 16x19 (and it will apply to the 18x20 as well). They don't sell the BP 18x20 in Australia, otherwise I would have bought that one as well.

The very brief version... for me it comes down to the balance of the racquet and personal preferences. When it was in stock form, I found it much harder to wield than when I modified it to be much more HL (even though then it was much heavier static weight). What follows is a more detailed explanation (read if interested).

With the Blade Pro the SW will be up there (as I'm sure you're aware). Therefore, it comes down to the balance you like to have when all is said and done. I bought the BP 16x19 and the UP 16x19. Played them both stock first and prefered the UP 16x19 because of the balance and feel. However, the BP had great power and a very good feel (just not as great as the UT/UP range)... the problem was the combination of the SW and balance (mine was 313SW unstrung). I therefore decided the make mine much more HL... I added most of the weight to the handle and butt cap (a very small amount to the head as well in order to increase the sweet spot). I ended up with 343g, 305mm balance, and 324SW (unstrung), BUT because the balance is 12 Pts HL unstrung, the racquet swings very easily and feels much more manueverable than when it was more HH (in stock form). The strung weight of my racquet is around 360g (depending on strings used).

I also modified my UT and UP racquets to about 353g static when strung (and I can't remember the balance or SW now - but more HL and higher SW as I added much more weight to the head than with the BP). The BP blew the UP 16x19 and UT 18x20s out of the water when it came to power and ease with which you can dominate your opponent. The UP/UT racquets were much more precise, had much better finesse, creativity, and feel (which is subjective). To contain the power and make it controllable, my BP is strung at 50 lbs with poly (currently using hybrid so 50M/54C - with the multi in the crosses). My UP and UTs are strung at 46M/43C, and the BP is still much more powerful.

I also have a GP, and it's strung weight is 360g and it's balance is 315mm strung, and even though I have never checked the SW, it will be 340+ (as I added weight to the hoop). Therefore, they are comparable in static weight and balance.

The BP is much more powerful, but still controlled. It can obliterate the ball, serves very well, and is a monster on return-of-serve. The GP is more precise, more controlled, lower powered, and has more margin for error and slightly larger sweet spot (due to the larger head size). With the BP (at least the 16x19) I tend to aim for slightly larger targets, and I tend to try to take control of the point (get on the attack). If I can do that, it makes it very hard for the opponent to win the point. With the GP, I have to try to construct the point a bit more. Both are great racquets, but the BP has more brutal power.

Like I said, the BP 18x20 is not available for purchase in Australia, so I can't comment on the specifics of that one when it comes to outright power and control. I suspect it would still be very powerful (maybe less so than the 16x19), and more controlled.

Hope that helps... and sorry about the long post.

Alex7778 · Nov 8, 2021

Classic-TXP-IG MID said:
When you asked the original question, I can't remeber whether you specified the Blade Pro (16x19 or 18x20)? I'm assuming 18x20, and therefore I have not weighed in, but I can comment on the 16x19 (and it will apply to the 18x20 as well). They don't sell the BP 18x20 in Australia, otherwise I would have bought that one as well.

The very brief version... for me it comes down to the balance of the racquet and personal preferences. When it was in stock form, I found it much harder to wield than when I modified it to be much more HL (even though then it was much heavier static weight). What follows is a more detailed explanation (read if interested).

With the Blade Pro the SW will be up there (as I'm sure you're aware). Therefore, it comes down to the balance you like to have when all is said and done. I bought the BP 16x19 and the UP 16x19. Played them both stock first and prefered the UP 16x19 because of the balance and feel. However, the BP had great power and a very good feel (just not as great as the UT/UP range)... the problem was the combination of the SW and balance (mine was 313SW unstrung). I therefore decided the make mine much more HL... I added most of the weight to the handle and butt cap (a very small amount to the head as well in order to increase the sweet spot). I ended up with 343g, 305mm balance, and 324SW (unstrung), BUT because the balance is 12 Pts HL unstrung, the racquet swings very easily and feels much more manueverable than when it was more HH (in stock form). The strung weight of my racquet is around 360g (depending on strings used).

I also modified my UT and UP racquets to about 353g static when strung (and I can't remember the balance or SW now - but more HL and higher SW as I added much more weight to the head than with the BP). The BP blew the UP 16x19 and UT 18x20s out of the water when it came to power and ease with which you can dominate your opponent. The UP/UT racquets were much more precise, had much better finesse, creativity, and feel (which is subjective). To contain the power and make it controllable, my BP is strung at 50 lbs with poly (currently using hybrid so 50M/54C - with the multi in the crosses). My UP and UTs are strung at 46M/43C, and the BP is still much more powerful.

I also have a GP, and it's strung weight is 360g and it's balance is 315mm strung, and even though I have never checked the SW, it will be 340+ (as I added weight to the hoop). Therefore, they are comparable in static weight and balance.

The BP is much more powerful, but still controlled. It can obliterate the ball, serves very well, and is a monster on return-of-serve. The GP is more precise, more controlled, lower powered, and has more margin for error and slightly larger sweet spot (due to the larger head size). With the BP (at least the 16x19) I tend to aim for slightly larger targets, and I tend to try to take control of the point (get on the attack). If I can do that, it makes it very hard for the opponent to win the point. With the GP, I have to try to construct the point a bit more. Both are great racquets, but the BP has more brutal power.

Like I said, the BP 18x20 is not available for purchase in Australia, so I can't comment on the specifics of that one when it comes to outright power and control. I suspect it would still be very powerful (maybe less so than the 16x19), and more controlled.

Hope that helps... and sorry about the long post.

That’s very helpful, cheers for the post. I was actually talking about the 16x19 as that’s the one I was looking at changing to. Currently use a gravity pro around 355g strung so it has a high SW which I prefer to some extent. Gravity pro has good control and you have to construct the points more precisely like you said compared to a blade pro. So the raw, free power of the racket is controllable and is better in that area compared to the gravity? Do you find that to get the best out of the blade pro, it needs to be weighted to be more headlight instead of the weight even balanced throughout the racket? I just think with the gravity when you get a short ball and need to attack it, you notice the lack of power but it also shows off the good control it offers from the racket.

jdx2112 · Nov 8, 2021

Sweatii_yetii said:
Really like x 1 biphase as a full bed in this racket. I’ve done it a few times now and each time has felt great. I don’t have any experience with triax yet but it is on my list to try.

Gut poly is what I normally and it feels nice. Lasts a bit longer in the 18x20 so I don’t mind.

I like multi feel black.

Jingo · Nov 8, 2021

Alex7778 said:
Yeah that’s the dilemma when choosing between sticking with the gravity pro and changing to a blade pro. Do you notice more power between the 2 rackets or control with one of the 2 rackets?
I feel like the power with the gravity is sometimes lacking but it’s feels like a good racket to play doubles with due to the solid volleys it offers but for singles I seem to miss hit backhands long or into the net which with the serve I struggle with this racket. Compared to a pt57a pro stock, the control, feel and manoeuvrability is amazing but offers no free power. A few people prefer the Wilson blade pro over the pt57a but since you can’t demo these types of rackets, it’s a buy and hope the racket fits your game and you gel with it hence why reviews for both the gravity pro and blade pro are important when buying the rackets.

Blade Pro definitely has more power. I also put a bunch of weight in the handle--was at 350 static on all three of mine. Without the weight, it was just sluggish. My guess is that you'd like the Blade. Everyone does. The only question is whether it would like you back and that's not the sort of thing you'd be able to answer without spending time with it. I gave mine about three months. Eventually sold them when I just kept reaching for other frames during important matches. (I even won a tourney with another stick, after practicing the whole previous week with the Blade!)

If you do buy, buy just one at first. You'll need to take the time to really settle. I bought too many because the first one just felt so damn good.

Classic-TXP-IG MID · Nov 9, 2021

Alex7778 said:
That’s very helpful, cheers for the post. I was actually talking about the 16x19 as that’s the one I was looking at changing to. Currently use a gravity pro around 355g strung so it has a high SW which I prefer to some extent. Gravity pro has good control and you have to construct the points more precisely like you said compared to a blade pro. So the raw, free power of the racket is controllable and is better in that area compared to the gravity? Do you find that to get the best out of the blade pro, it needs to be weighted to be more headlight instead of the weight even balanced throughout the racket? I just think with the gravity when you get a short ball and need to attack it, you notice the lack of power but it also shows off the good control it offers from the racket.

The power is controllable, but as I said my racquet was strung at a higher tension than the UP/UTs or Prestiges or Blade 98 18x20s. The other thing is that I usually string my racquets with a 3 lbs differential with the Mains being higher than the Crosses. With the BP (so far) I have had the Crosses at a higher tension (admitedly the crosses are Multi or Syn Gut - but in my other racquets I tend to make the tensions equal in such a case eg. 46M/46C).

On return-of-serve I was able to step in and flatten my shots out on weaker serves, which put lots of pressure on the server and caused other errors. As the racquet is very stable defensive stabs are easier to make, and because the balance on my racquet was very HL, it was easier to flick the racquet on such shots. I found my ****s to be very penetrating with the BP and the directional control was very good.

Whether the racquet should be more HL than stock is a personal preference. I personally prefer to play with racquets that are above 6 pts HL, and most of my racquets are in the Prestige, Tec 315 Ltd, UT/UP, and C10 Pro category (generalising it would be the 90's and early 2000s players frames). I can play with racquets like the Blade 98 or LM Radical MP, but I have found I will need an adjustment period as the head of the racquet will feel heavier than what I'm used to. If I want to have very little adjustment period, I usually need to modify those types of racquets to a more HL balance. Since the BP has quite the high SW (like I said mine came in 313 SW Unstrung), in order for it to feel very manueverable it needed quite a bit of weight added to the handle (for me at least). Off the top of my head (as it's been a bit - plus I listed my mods in the Official BP thread), I added 5.6g at 7" above the butt cap, two overgrips (with several loops to start with in order to increase the flair), and either 4 or 7g of Tungsten putty inside the butt cap. To the head I added 1g at 3,9, and 12 o'clock respectively.

I will need more time with the BP as I was having so much fun just blasting balls that I didn't pay attention to drop shots and more finesse related plays. I also bought the 360+ GP, SP, PMP, and the Yonex VC95 (2018) and VCP 97HD around that time... and needed to play with them as well. The mods I made to the BP worked so well that I moved on to the other ones in order to try and figure out how to modify them best. The BP was fantastic and I was certain that it would stay in my collection and be a racquet I will use for many years to come. In fact, I bought 2 more BP 16x19s (at great discounts) when they went on sale once the v8 Blades and BPs came along.

Hope that was helpful. Maybe message me if you have more questions as I don't want to hog the Gravity Thread with talk of the BPs (but I'm more than happy to asnwer any other questions you may have). Cheers

Alex7778 · Nov 9, 2021

Jingo said:
Blade Pro definitely has more power. I also put a bunch of weight in the handle--was at 350 static on all three of mine. Without the weight, it was just sluggish. My guess is that you'd like the Blade. Everyone does. The only question is whether it would like you back and that's not the sort of thing you'd be able to answer without spending time with it. I gave mine about three months. Eventually sold them when I just kept reaching for other frames during important matches. (I even won a tourney with another stick, after practicing the whole previous week with the Blade!)

If you do buy, buy just one at first. You'll need to take the time to really settle. I bought too many because the first one just felt so damn good.

How come you sold the blade pros? What made you decide to change to a different racket? It will need a lot of time to adjust to a blade pro especially when coming from 2 control, low powered rackets in the pt57a and gravity pro. Also, how did you know that the racket might not have liked the way you play like you say?
Will need time to decide whether the blade pro is the one to go for hence why hearing lots of reviews from people about the racket, performance of the racket and where they added weight is key.

Alex7778 · Nov 9, 2021

Classic-TXP-IG MID said:
The power is controllable, but as I said my racquet was strung at a higher tension than the UP/UTs or Prestiges or Blade 98 18x20s. The other thing is that I usually string my racquets with a 3 lbs differential with the Mains being higher than the Crosses. With the BP (so far) I have had the Crosses at a higher tension (admitedly the crosses are Multi or Syn Gut - but in my other racquets I tend to make the tensions equal in such a case eg. 46M/46C).

On return-of-serve I was able to step in and flatten my shots out on weaker serves, which put lots of pressure on the server and caused other errors. As the racquet is very stable defensive stabs are easier to make, and because the balance on my racquet was very HL, it was easier to flick the racquet on such shots. I found my ****s to be very penetrating with the BP and the directional control was very good.

Whether the racquet should be more HL than stock is a personal preference. I personally prefer to play with racquets that are above 6 pts HL, and most of my racquets are in the Prestige, Tec 315 Ltd, UT/UP, and C10 Pro category (generalising it would be the 90's and early 2000s players frames). I can play with racquets like the Blade 98 or LM Radical MP, but I have found I will need an adjustment period as the head of the racquet will feel heavier than what I'm used to. If I want to have very little adjustment period, I usually need to modify those types of racquets to a more HL balance. Since the BP has quite the high SW (like I said mine came in 313 SW Unstrung), in order for it to feel very manueverable it needed quite a bit of weight added to the handle (for me at least). Off the top of my head (as it's been a bit - plus I listed my mods in the Official BP thread), I added 5.6g at 7" above the butt cap, two overgrips (with several loops to start with in order to increase the flair), and either 4 or 7g of Tungsten putty inside the butt cap. To the head I added 1g at 3,9, and 12 o'clock respectively.

I will need more time with the BP as I was having so much fun just blasting balls that I didn't pay attention to drop shots and more finesse related plays. I also bought the 360+ GP, SP, PMP, and the Yonex VC95 (2018) and VCP 97HD around that time... and needed to play with them as well. The mods I made to the BP worked so well that I moved on to the other ones in order to try and figure out how to modify them best. The BP was fantastic and I was certain that it would stay in my collection and be a racquet I will use for many years to come. In fact, I bought 2 more BP 16x19s (at great discounts) when they went on sale once the v8 Blades and BPs came along.

Hope that was helpful. Maybe message me if you have more questions as I don't want to hog the Gravity Thread with talk of the BPs (but I'm more than happy to asnwer any other questions you may have). Cheers

That’s great cheers, you have basically answered most of the questions I had about the racket. If the power is controllable and is a monster when returning serves, that hopefully will be more noticeable and beneficial compared to the gravity pro. Just need to make sure if that’s the racket I go for, to get the set up and mods of the racket spot on as that sounds like it makes the racket perform to its best so will keep in mind how others have set up their blade pros.

RNBABOLAT · Nov 12, 2021

Hi, someone can confirm if the new paintjob is stiffer than the old red/ green? Thanks a lot

smithie · Nov 12, 2021

RNBABOLAT said:
Hi, someone can confirm if the new paintjob is stiffer than the old red/ green? Thanks a lot

It isn't meant to be and should be exactly the same. However, @nov posted RDC measurements would would assume the 2021 version is stiffer

jugheadfla · Nov 12, 2021

RNBABOLAT said:
Hi, someone can confirm if the new paintjob is stiffer than the old red/ green? Thanks a lot

So I have two GP's one I bought about a month ago and one that is about a year and a half old. The only thing I can say is that the older one definitely feels less stiff than the newer one. Now, is that because the older one has been used quite a bit more and is "broken in" and the new one is not yet? I'm not sure. Currently I only use the old one for league matches and use the newer one as a back up, but I exclusively use the newer one for practice so that I can break it in and see if it eventually lowers the stiffness down similar to the older one. They both play great, but I would be lying if I didn't notice that the newer one plays a feels a bit more stiff than the older one. Both play great though, love these racquets!

Jingo · Nov 12, 2021

Alex7778 said:
How come you sold the blade pros? What made you decide to change to a different racket? It will need a lot of time to adjust to a blade pro especially when coming from 2 control, low powered rackets in the pt57a and gravity pro. Also, how did you know that the racket might not have liked the way you play like you say?
Will need time to decide whether the blade pro is the one to go for hence why hearing lots of reviews from people about the racket, performance of the racket and where they added weight is key.

I sold the Blade Pros because I didn't want to racquetholic between those and other frames. It's a bad habit!

I actually went from a regular Blade v7 18x20/Textreme Tour/Aero VS/Extreme Tour/VCore 95 to the Blade Pro (with some more stops along the way. So I had a pretty good sense of what I liked and didn't. I ended up switching back to the VCore 95 since it was just easier to use and I was objectively playing better with it. Then came a re-test of the Gravity Pro and here we are. (Still growing into the Gravity Pro if we're being honest, but it at least feels like less of a learning curve. If I absolutely had to win a match right now, I'd pick up with VCore 95.) Loved the Blade Pro but I never got comfortable with it.

Alex7778 · Nov 12, 2021

Jingo said:
I sold the Blade Pros because I didn't want to racquetholic between those and other frames. It's a bad habit!

I actually went from a regular Blade v7 18x20/Textreme Tour/Aero VS/Extreme Tour/VCore 95 to the Blade Pro (with some more stops along the way. So I had a pretty good sense of what I liked and didn't. I ended up switching back to the VCore 95 since it was just easier to use and I was objectively playing better with it. Then came a re-test of the Gravity Pro and here we are. (Still growing into the Gravity Pro if we're being honest, but it at least feels like less of a learning curve. If I absolutely had to win a match right now, I'd pick up with VCore 95.) Loved the Blade Pro but I never got comfortable with it.

That’s fair enough as to why you decided to sell the blade pros. With your gravity pros, how do you increase the power levels of the racket as it lacks that power which is notable on serve? It feels like it can move players from side to side very well but when trying to hit a penetrating shot it doesn’t have that power the blade pro would offer

Jingo · Nov 12, 2021

Alex7778 said:
That’s fair enough as to why you decided to sell the blade pros. With your gravity pros, how do you increase the power levels of the racket as it lacks that power which is notable on serve? It feels like it can move players from side to side very well but when trying to hit a penetrating shot it doesn’t have that power the blade pro would offer

I don't feel a lack of power myself on the serve, though I do sometimes find myself clipping the net too much on groundstrokes. But I string at Cyclone at 50lbs, so maybe your string setup is working against you. My friend strung up a Gravity MP at 55lbs yesterday and I found it anemic. So, easiest things to try--lowering tension and adding a few grams at 12. The Blade Pro already does the work of adding weight up top, which is the apparent reason it has as much pop as it does.

Alex7778 · Nov 12, 2021

Jingo said:
I don't feel a lack of power myself on the serve, though I do sometimes find myself clipping the net too much on groundstrokes. But I string at Cyclone at 50lbs, so maybe your string setup is working against you. My friend strung up a Gravity MP at 55lbs yesterday and I found it anemic. So, easiest things to try--lowering tension and adding a few grams at 12. The Blade Pro already does the work of adding weight up top, which is the apparent reason it has as much pop as it does.

On serve it just feels like it misses that but of pop were as on the groundstrokes it feels great on the forehand side and ok on the backhand. The gravity pro for me is around 355g with some in the head and throat of the racket. Strings wise I use the vs touch and big banger but at 54 lbs which apparently for a gravity pro is quite high so will look to change that next time the strings snap. I don’t know whether that means to get the added pop, I should change the strings or the weight of the racket perhaps

EggSalad · Nov 18, 2021

I am really getting into a groove with the Gravity pro now. My serves are really coming along and I’m not sure I’ve ever hit better serves in my life. You can absolutely plaster a flat serve and I’m also able to get kick and slice serves in with a lot of spin.

The one thing I’ve realized is that I don’t need any mods with this racquet (aside from OG & Dampener). I played around with a leather grip and putty to add a few more points HL but I actually play with it better and find the racquet more maneuverable without any extra weight.

Sweatii_yetii · Nov 18, 2021

I’m coming to that same conclusion about the leather grip. I think the added weight seems to make its some what cumbersome especially if your having an off day

jugheadfla · Nov 18, 2021

Sweatii_yetii said:
I’m coming to that same conclusion about the leather grip. I think the added weight seems to make its some what cumbersome especially if your having an off day

As soon as I received my 2 GP's I immediately put leather grips on them, and then after a couple weeks of playing with them I immediately took them off and put on some Gamma Hi-tech grips. Since doing that I've been playing some of the best tennis of my life. Love these GP's!

Sweatii_yetii · Nov 19, 2021

jugheadfla said:
As soon as I received my 2 GP's I immediately put leather grips on them, and then after a couple weeks of playing with them I immediately took them off and put on some Gamma Hi-tech grips. Since doing that I've been playing some of the best tennis of my life. Love these GP's!

Going to give that a try. Thanks

EggSalad · Nov 19, 2021

Sweatii_yetii said:
Going to give that a try. Thanks

I put a gamma hi tech grip on a 4 3/8” demo I was using and loved it. The only catch is that I typically like a 4 1/2 grip, and the hi tech seems to be a bit bulky and increase the grip size by .5 or a grip. But the feel with a OG is great and there is basically no weight change from stock.

Sweatii_yetii · Nov 19, 2021

EggSalad said:
I put a gamma hi tech grip on a 4 3/8” demo I was using and loved it. The only catch is that I typically like a 4 1/2 grip, and the hi tech seems to be a bit bulky and increase the grip size by .5 or a grip. But the feel with a OG is great and there is basically no weight change from stock.

Do you prefer it over the stock head hydrosorb grip? I didn’t mind it. I want to get a thin replacement grip to still feel the bevels.

jugheadfla · Nov 19, 2021

EggSalad said:
I put a gamma hi tech grip on a 4 3/8” demo I was using and loved it. The only catch is that I typically like a 4 1/2 grip, and the hi tech seems to be a bit bulky and increase the grip size by .5 or a grip. But the feel with a OG is great and there is basically no weight change from stock.

Yea, the Gamma Hi-tech grip is definitely bulky, more bulky than the hydrosorb pro grip they came with, and that made me nervous but for whatever reason I am playing great with them. The hydrosorb pro grips were ok, but I found that they would get slick towards the butt cap when I started sweating a lot, even with a OG on. I may try a thinner syn grip on one of them to see if I can something slightly less bulky.

EggSalad · Nov 19, 2021

Sweatii_yetii said:
Do you prefer it over the stock head hydrosorb grip? I didn’t mind it. I want to get a thin replacement grip to still feel the bevels.

I did prefer it but also on a grip that was a size below my normal.

4 3/8” hi tech w/ OG felt a lot like 4 1/2 with OV.

geubes · Nov 24, 2021

EggSalad said:
Are any fellow Gravity Pro owners using Head Velocity or Texhnifibre Triax full beds? If so, any feedback on those set ups?

I liked Yonex Poly Tour Rev / Synthetic gut at 47lbs although it has some of the unpredictable qualities of poly. I then just strung with Yonex Poly Tour Pro / Synthetic Gut at 53lbs and am not a big fan of this set up.

I think it has more to do with me and Poly than anything else. I was curious about a quality multi set up. I’m also kicking around gut/Poly.

Triax at 55lbs yes. It played well, great touch and lasted a good length of time.

Ultimately, A bit to powerful and it did significantly lower the spin on the racket.

I moved back to full poly, it suits me better.

geubes · Nov 24, 2021

Forgive me father for I have sinned...

I brought a pure aero and got addicted to the spin and power. However a month later and nursing my rear bicep/elbow (first elbow soreness in my life), I got back out the GPro. Immediate improvement, no pain, laser like shot making and touch shots of the gods... The GPro refuses to be dethroned.

One positive of the experiment is I found a hybrid of tourbite soft / ptp at 50lbs really improves the GPro and something I will Keep going forwards... However the pure aero is being religated to a club night guilty pleasure racket.

1HBHfanatic · Nov 24, 2021

-head has been doing some really good things with color combos lately
-every time i hit the courts with either the 2019 h.extreme.PRO (NEON yellow) stick, and/or the 2021 h.radical.PRO (neon ORANGE) sticks, people ask me about them
-ive also been playing with the new w.v8 blades, an they dont seem to get as much inquiries, but they re just as good IME
-while color might not seem all that important in tennis, it is IME the #1 initial intrigue!, followed 2nd by a feeling/playing racquet
-the color catches them, and the feel brings them in

Suarly · Nov 28, 2021

Hi everyone,

This week I have been testing the Tour model and I think is a great stick. I haven't tested the PRO but I think it fits my game better. Do you think the PRO is much more demanding than the Tour?
Is it much less maneuverable than the Tour? Do you think the weight and swingwheigth are too much for a long match?

Thanks in advance

EggSalad · Nov 28, 2021

Suarly said:
Hi everyone,

This week I have been testing the Tour model and I think is a great stick. I haven't tested the PRO but I think it fits my game better. Do you think the PRO is much more demanding than the Tour?
Is it much less maneuverable than the Tour? Do you think the weight and swingwheigth are too much for a long match?

Thanks in advance

I’ve never hit the tour, but I can play 3 sets of singles with the pro with no problem.

I played with a heavier and more demanding racquet when I was younger so ymmv.

**edit: If you’re primarily playing doubles, you might prefer another racquet**

EggSalad · Nov 28, 2021

One more string related question - I tend to play poly/synthetic gut hyrbrids. Earlier in the thread I mentioned not liking Yonex Poly Tour Pro in the mains but I realized that is because my shop strung it 63lbs+.(their accident I guess) I’ve since realized that I love Poly/Synthetic Gut at 50lbs or below in the GP.

I could probably stay with Poly/Syn Gut at 48lbs and play really good tennis. However, I’m so curious about Gut/Poly hybrids. Mainly I’m interested in a little extra power/pop from the gut, but hopefully I don’t lose the control I have with a poly/syn gut hyrbid.

Questions:

1. Do you gain a noticeable amount of power in the GP with Gut/Poly?
2. Is it controllable?
3. What tensions do you like?

My local shop says 54/50 lbs. I have a 1/2 set of Klip legend 16g and would probably do 1.2 YPTP in the cross. Thoughts on that set up?

jk414 · Nov 28, 2021

I've been using Babolat hyrid RPM 17 Blast + VS 16 at 49/51 tension since the Summer and it's been suiting me great. I have the occasional arm pain and shoulder pain but I attribute that more to playing too much/not enough rest/poor form. I'm going to try a full bed of Ice Code at 51 or 52 lbs next.

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