Pro Kennex Destiny Question

Virginia · Feb 19, 2009

Kuebler lists three Destiny racquets that were released in 1988 - the Graphite, Composite and Ceramic. I have the following:

Graphite Destiny - made in Europe
Composite Destiny - made in Taiwan
Pearl Destinty - made in USA

Is it possible that the Pearl Destiny is simply the Ceramic under another name (because it was made elsewhere) or is it another model altogether?

The Pearl Destiny has an identical mold to the other two,

Virginia · Feb 20, 2009

Yes, so I understand.

vsbabolat · Feb 20, 2009

Virginia said:
Kuebler lists three Destiny racquets that were released in 1988 - the Graphite, Composite and Ceramic. I have the following:

Graphite Destiny - made in Europe
Composite Destiny - made in Taiwan
Pearl Destinty - made in USA

Is it possible that the Pearl Destiny is simply the Ceramic under another name (because it was made elsewhere) or is it another model altogether?

The Pearl Destiny has an identical mold to the other two,

I have never seen a Pro Kennex from the 80's or early 90's that was not made in Taiwan. Kunnan Lo owned Pro Kennex (don't know the status today) and was the OEM for a vast number of other racquet brands.

Il Mostro · Mar 5, 2009

The Destiny Composite was graphite/kevlar -- correct?

Virginia · Mar 5, 2009

I'm not sure - there's nothing on the frame to indicate its actual composition, but your guess is probably correct. We'll see if anyone else can confirm or deny.

Il Mostro · Mar 5, 2009

Hi Virginia -- I just picked up a super minty Destiny Composite. The smoothed out a couple of rough grommets with my Flare-It, cleaned & polished it up and put on a new LF Pro Stock grip. It looks as-new. It is fitting that you are a Kiwi -- I am sipping a Marlborough sauvignon blanc (Kim Crawford) as I ponder my string options.

Virginia · Mar 5, 2009

You couldn't do much better than a Marlborough - of any kind actually. But their Sauvignons are lovely and Kim Crawford is probably one of the best - it would have to be, with a name like that hehe!

It's good that our wines are finding their way to your part of the world - looks like our reputation for good wine is expanding.

I'm sure your decision regarding string options will benefit from the good wine!

Il Mostro · Mar 5, 2009

Your fine wines are no secret here

As i move to the lower half of the bottle I am thinking Armour Pro 17g; LF Pro Stock 17g or the whimsical option: Klip Excellerator 18g.

Now, interesting search result at USRSA. PK Composite Destiny 95 tension range is posted as 53-63 pounds. However, the 55-65 pounds on the throat of my racquet matches USRSA's recommended tension for the PK Graphite Destiny 95. Go figure.

Virginia · Mar 5, 2009

Must be the wine...

tailofdog · Mar 5, 2009

Pro Kennex

I lived i California in the 1980,s And used to buy my Pro kennex tennis gear and racquetball equipment there, I had a problem with a racquet and took it to their factory in Miramar CA. were there were racquets in different stages of being made.
Is this before Taiwan

PrinceJoJo · Mar 17, 2009

Pearl Destiny

Virginia,

Can you post a picture of the Pearl Destiny? I've played with all three Destinies but never heard of a Pearl Destiny.

Best regards,
Joseph An

Bud · Mar 18, 2009

tailofdog said:
I lived i California in the 1980,s And used to buy my Pro kennex tennis gear and racquetball equipment there, I had a problem with a racquet and took it to their factory in Miramar CA. were there were racquets in different stages of being made.
Is this before Taiwan

Is that Miramar in San Diego?

If so, I didn't realize the PK Factory was once here in sunny SD

Bud · Mar 18, 2009

Virginia said:
Kuebler lists three Destiny racquets that were released in 1988 - the Graphite, Composite and Ceramic. I have the following:

Graphite Destiny - made in Europe
Composite Destiny - made in Taiwan
Pearl Destinty - made in USA

Is it possible that the Pearl Destiny is simply the Ceramic under another name (because it was made elsewhere) or is it another model altogether?

The Pearl Destiny has an identical mold to the other two,

christo said:
Is this the frame that became the Babolat Pure Drive? The Destiny?

Il Mostro said:
The Destiny Composite was graphite/kevlar -- correct?

Il Mostro said:
Hi Virginia -- I just picked up a super minty Destiny Composite. The smoothed out a couple of rough grommets with my Flare-It, cleaned & polished it up and put on a new LF Pro Stock grip. It looks as-new. It is fitting that you are a Kiwi -- I am sipping a Marlborough sauvignon blanc (Kim Crawford) as I ponder my string options.

PrinceJoJo said:
Virginia,

Can you post a picture of the Pearl Destiny? I've played with all three Destinies but never heard of a Pearl Destiny.

Best regards,
Joseph An

I believe the current PK 5G and Ki5 are based on the classic PK Destiny... which is pretty similar to the Babolat PD.

vsbabolat · Mar 18, 2009

tailofdog said:
I lived i California in the 1980,s And used to buy my Pro kennex tennis gear and racquetball equipment there, I had a problem with a racquet and took it to their factory in Miramar CA. were there were racquets in different stages of being made.
Is this before Taiwan

That is interesting. I have not seen a Pro Kennex racquet with made in U.S.A on it. I have always seen made in Taiwan or since the mid to late 90's made in China.

Here is a little info about Pro Kennex
Nation's Business , Jan, 1993

Odd though it may sound, many industry analysts regard a Taiwanese businessman, Kunnan Lo, among the most powerful men in tennis, a sport whose upper echelon of players is traditionally dominated by Europeans, Americans, and Australians.

Lo is the founder and chief executive officer of Taiwan-based Kunnan Enterprises Ltd., the parent company of racquet maker Pro Kennex, and his life is a microcosm of Taiwan's development as a world-class manufacturing nation.

Born in a major industrial city near the center of Taiwan, Lo's father manufactured plastic toy guns. Following the assassination of President John E Kennedy in 1963, passage of strict laws made it virtually impossible to import such guns into the U.S.

In 1969, at the age of 24, Lo broke from the struggling family business to form his own badminton-racquet company. At the outset of his enterprise, it was typical of Lo to sleep in his factory alongside his 100 or so employees, which he housed there to facilitate long work hours.

In 1973, Lo exhibited his penchant for diversifying his business based on anticipated market changes in the market by branching out into the manufacture of aluminum tennis racquets. The quality of his new products resulted in an agreement to manufacture racguets for sale under a major name brand in tennis, thereby forever solidifying Lo's role as a dynamic force in racquet manufacturing.

Later, Lo pioneered the use of graphite components in racquetball racquets, eventually applying his expertise to the manufacture of medium-sized tennis frames. His industry-leading technology spearheaded a move by players to medium-sized racquets in the late 1970s and early 1980s that revolutionized the sport of tennis.

Today, his empire includes three graphite factories, one aluminum factory, one badminton factory, and factories that specialize in golf clubs and tennis footwear.

Despite the absence of formal training or education, Lo has built Kunnan Enterprises into the world's largest manufacturer of racquet frames sold under its own Pro Kennex and many other leading brand names. Sold in more than 50 countries worldwide, Pro Kennex racquets are now among the three best-selling brands in the U.S.

But success has not satisfied Lo's thirst for innovation. Just recently, Pro Kennex unveiled the world's first asymmetrical racquet for highly skilled players. The racquet's unique physical characteristics offer unprecedented precision, maneuverability, and stability while damping vibration.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1154/is_n1_v81/ai_13300156/pg_7

PrinceJoJo · Mar 18, 2009

Bud said:
I believe the current PK 5G and Ki5 are based on the classic PK Destiny... which is pretty similar to the Babolat PD.

I always thought that the Type S and 10G were based on the Destiny.?

Best regards,
Joseph

Bud · Mar 18, 2009

PrinceJoJo said:
I always thought that the Type S and 10G were based on the Destiny.?

Best regards,
Joseph

I may be incorrect.

Tennissee · Jun 13, 2009

Destiny and Newer PK

PrinceJoJo said:
I always thought that the Type S and 10G were based on the Destiny.?

I'm pretty sure Type S and Ki-10 are based on Destiny because I have several of them. The lineage of 5G is less clear to me, though. I have 5G SMI, 5G 2001, 7G, Type R, Ki-5, and Ki-5x. But I cannot find anything similar before 5G SMI. I have most of the Aces (Black, Copper, etc.), but they are different.

Tennissee · Jun 13, 2009

The Rest of the Story

vsbabolat said:
That is interesting. I have not seen a Pro Kennex racquet with made in U.S.A on it. I have always seen made in Taiwan or since the mid to late 90's made in China.

Here is a little info about Pro Kennex
Nation's Business , Jan, 1993

Odd though it may sound, many industry analysts regard a Taiwanese businessman, Kunnan Lo, among the most powerful men in tennis, a sport whose upper echelon of players is traditionally dominated by Europeans, Americans, and Australians.

--- clipped ---

But success has not satisfied Lo's thirst for innovation. Just recently, Pro Kennex unveiled the world's first asymmetrical racquet for highly skilled players. The racquet's unique physical characteristics offer unprecedented precision, maneuverability, and stability while damping vibration.

Unfortunately, the success did not last for Mr. Lo. He had since expanded his business too ambitiously, devastated by some bad business decisions and stock-market downturns, lost more than 90% of his empire, and was squeezed out of ProKennex. The current ProKennex reemerged after major financial struggle and restructuring more than 10 years ago.

At one time, Kennex was the largest tennis racquet manufacturer in the world. Even Yonex changed its brand to have "nex" like Kennex. But that was decades ago.

Today, Mr. Lo is a devout buddhist and a major benefactor of a large Buddhist temple in Central Taiwan.

Il Mostro · Jul 2, 2009

Here's the scoop on the Destiny racquets, straight from a former PK manager here in the USA. There were actually two different designs that were marketed as Destiny racquets.. As has been widely mentioned, one was sold to Babolat and resembled today's Aero line. The other was more rounded and went on to be PK's Heritage line. I have one of the latter.

gocard · Jul 2, 2009

I have a Ceramic Destiny sitting in the closet. I've never heard of Pearl Destiny though...

Bud · Jul 2, 2009

Il Mostro said:
Here's the scoop on the Destiny racquets, straight from a former PK manager here in the USA. There were actually two different designs that were marketed as Destiny racquets.. As has been widely mentioned, one was sold to Babolat and resembled today's Aero line. The other was more rounded and went on to be PK's Heritage line. I have one of the latter.

I didn't realize there were two different head shapes for the Destiny. I know which Heritage you're referring to (believe it was the Type S)... the one with the shape similar to the Ki10/Ki10 PSE.

Heritage Type S -- Babolat APDC

Ki10/Ki10 PSE

Il Mostro · Jul 2, 2009

^^^^^

I didn't realize it either until my friend set me straight. Interesting note on the "Heritage" Destiny, the sides of the throat actually narrow between the head and grip areas -- so it goes wide->narrow->wide again. I have to string this one up and play with it.

NoNameZ · Aug 22, 2009

I just saw a Black Ace "Heritage" on the flea bay. It has the same throat like the other Destiny racquets. I've never seen it before. And can someone post pics of the Destiny racquets? I've only seen the Ceramic Destiny.

Thanks

Tennissee · Aug 22, 2009

That's one of the later ones, not the original 86 sq. in. version.

NoNameZ · Aug 22, 2009

Yea, just didn't know they made a heritage version. and how thick are the beams on the Destiny rackets? they look pretty thick around the hoop area. i would say 22-23?

WhiteStripes · Aug 23, 2009

I played with the old Ceramic and Graphite Destiny racquets (as well as the Composite Presence... the Presence also shared the same Destiny mold). I believed the Destiny had 24 or 25 mm aerodynamic beams throughout the head. At the narrowest point about 3/4 of the way down the rounded throat, it was a really thin 17 mm beam. Great sticks, and as seemingly always the case w/ PK, very underrated. During the widebody craze, people flocked to the Profile, the Secret 04, the CTS sticks, even the Head Genesis and the Slazenger Phantom and Mystique. Not a ton of people wanted to play with PK.

NoNameZ · Aug 23, 2009

I'm actually looking for a Ceramic Destiny (I can't get enough of the paintjob), and just picked up a Composite Destiny. It should be arriving here soon.

NoNameZ · Aug 26, 2009

I finally got to hit with my Composite Destiny! It's a great feeling. Solid, crisp, loaded with pop, spin and power. The control on this is amazing. It's great on defense and offense.

el_kano · Sep 25, 2009

I remember the pearl destiny, but then I'm from New Zealand too. I believe it was aimed squarely at the ladies (may have been another destiny model with a different paintjob).

I remember a few models and used the graphite destiny which was the midrange model. There was a purple model that had some kind of gel cushioning at the ends which was the top model (ceramic was the cheapest here).

I loved the destiny range, years later I got a titanium destiny which really suits my game (right amount of flex/power etc). I could never find another stick of the exact model though and have been searching since then. Very annoying not to have 2 sticks of the same model, just a totally different feel if you break a string and change rackets.

Tried getting the Laver SX and while it is a fantastic stick its a little stiffer than the ti and I found myself not feeling the ball as much. Then, only a week or so ago, I found another ti destiny from a store in the U.K. (after 3-4 years of looking). I am so happy, just hope its the same stick as in the picture!

Oh, not talking about the 265 etc. This was a very specific model of destiny ti that I think was only sold in U.K. and Australasia.

Don't Let It Bounce · Sep 25, 2009

Tennissee said:
Unfortunately, the success did not last for Mr. Lo. He had since expanded his business too ambitiously, devastated by some bad business decisions and stock-market downturns, lost more than 90% of his empire, and was squeezed out of ProKennex. The current ProKennex reemerged after major financial struggle and restructuring more than 10 years ago.

At one time, Kennex was the largest tennis racquet manufacturer in the world. Even Yonex changed its brand to have "nex" like Kennex. But that was decades ago.

Today, Mr. Lo is a devout buddhist and a major benefactor of a large Buddhist temple in Central Taiwan.

Does anyone else remember reading back in the 80's that he wanted to call the company "Pro Kennedy" but changed the name slightly when informed that Republicans also buy racquets?

Tennissee · Sep 25, 2009

Don't Let It Bounce said:
Does anyone else remember reading back in the 80's that he wanted to call the company "Pro Kennedy" but changed the name slightly when informed that Republicans also buy racquets?

That's a good one.

PBODY99 · Sep 26, 2009

One of my favorite rackets all time.....

Composite Destiny, had fiberglass 40 %, 60 Graphite. Ceramic was 5% /15 % Fiberglass/80% graphite. Graphite destiny was of course 100% graphite. In the 1980's lower modulus graphite was used than is the norm today. After two years this line was replaced with the Destiny AVC which had built in silicone vibration control at 3, 9 and 6 o'clock., which felt very different and left me scrambling to get a couple more of the originals.
They were very well made and survived as the main playing sticks for a pair of sectionally rank men in Middle States for 5 and 7 years respectively.
The Presence were the over sized versions of the Destiny, with the same shape and layups. One 76 year young player at my club is still using the one I sold him all those years ago. These PRO KENNEX frames came with a Coleman cooler as part of the promotion.

jimbo333 · Sep 26, 2009

What about the turquoise/blue 95 version of the Composite Destiny with D.P.S (Destiny Performance System) at 3 and 9 o'clock, from Pro Kennex Europe?

Virginia · Sep 26, 2009

That's indeed a beauty, jimbo - I have a mint specimen of that, as well as a brand new Graphite Destiny, made in Europe.

jimbo333 · Sep 27, 2009

It is indeed a great looking racquet

And I'm guessing that when they say "Pro Kennex Europe" they are made for the European market, but not actually made in Europe?

PBODY99 · Sep 27, 2009

jimbo333 said:
What about the turquoise/blue 95 version of the Composite Destiny with D.P.S (Destiny Performance System) at 3 and 9 o'clock, from Pro Kennex Europe?

If the DPS is a clear damper system then it is the 2nd generation of the Destiny which was called the AVC in the USA.

jimbo333 · Sep 27, 2009

PBODY99 said:
If the DPS is a clear damper system then it is the 2nd generation of the Destiny which was called the AVC in the USA.

Well there is nothing a 3 and 9 o'clock except the DPS graphics, if that is what you mean?

(And I've just learnt how to change colour

)

PBODY99 · Sep 27, 2009

No, there are small silicone inserts to thread the strings through. Sounds like a paint job of the 1st generation frames. The Ceramic destiny had the "best" shade of red I've seen on a frame. Men didn't mine it and Women gave the frame a try due to its color

Donquixote2u · Nov 23, 2009

I wanna play!

this coloured font stuff (or colored font if you are from the wilder colonies) looks like fun!!

but seriously folks ...

I have a graphite destiny that I really like the feel of, but the strings are way too loose so it is trampolining a bit.

Now I dont want to string it up so tight that it goes "boardy" like my Prostaff 5.0 did at 62lb (although that is a lot stiffer a racquet)

does anyone have a recommendation for a good starting point for the gd?

jimbo333 · Nov 24, 2009

I saw a Copper Destiny recently, which was this colour

A Europe only frame I think!

Saigon · Oct 20, 2010

I am looking for any Pro Kennex Destiny racquets that anyone would like to sell. Please reply if you are willing to part with one or two. Thank you.

Saigon · Oct 20, 2010

Virginia said:
Kuebler lists three Destiny racquets that were released in 1988 - the Graphite, Composite and Ceramic. I have the following:

Graphite Destiny - made in Europe
Composite Destiny - made in Taiwan
Pearl Destinty - made in USA

Is it possible that the Pearl Destiny is simply the Ceramic under another name (because it was made elsewhere) or is it another model altogether?

The Pearl Destiny has an identical mold to the other two,

Virginia, would you like to sell any of your pro kennex destiny racquets? Thank you.

PrinceJoJo · Oct 20, 2010

Saigon, e-mail me joszx90@yahoo.com .

Best regards,
Joseph

Steve Huff · Oct 22, 2010

I'm sitting here reading this with a Composite Destiny, 3 Ceramic Destiny's and 1 Ceramic Destiny AVC on my lap. They are truly great rackets and can perform with the best of today's rackets. The AVC model has a silicone insert around 6 grommets at 3, 6 and 9 o'clock. I've used them this year in league play, and it's amazing how much kick you can get on the serve. It's so similar in looks to my Ki 10PSE's you'd think they would play alike. I can get more kick on my serves with the Destiny's for some reason. Maybe that extra half ounce makes that much difference. I wish I could handle the weight still, but at 12.7oz, they're just a little too heavy for me now.

max · Oct 23, 2010

I'd be glad to sell a good condition Composite Destiny AVC; grip 4.5.

Don't forget the rest of the story. . . Mr. Lo named his new company after an American president whom he admired: John KENNedy. At least, that's the lore.

Never heard of this Pearl model.

niktub · Oct 25, 2011

Which model(s) shares the same mold with the Babolat Pure Drive and Soft drive first generation?
Could anybody post some pictures?
Thanks

Squidward · Oct 27, 2011

Just picked one of the Graphite Destiny. NOS condition, never strung. 12.3 oz unstrung and made in Taiwan.

Dark grey color really looks sweet!

MAXXply · Oct 27, 2011

Squidward said:
Just picked one of the Graphite Destiny. NOS condition, never strung. 12.3 oz unstrung and made in Taiwan.

Dark grey color really looks sweet!

Grrr...make me jealous and tell me it's a 3/8.

Where did you score it?

Squidward · Oct 27, 2011

Sorry no, it's a 4 5/8. But I did put a Resi Grip on it so it's closer to 4 1/2.

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