I thought I'd try my hand at a full-length review. Here it is!
Why I switched:
I bought my first Tour because my beloved ASGTs were not being kind to my elbow. I really wanted to keep them and use the Tour for when my arm began misbehaving, but after the first hitting session with this frame, I was totally hooked. After a solid month of playtesting, I bought another Tour and made my switch official. Here's why:
Aesthetics/Comfort in hand: 8/10
When I first bought the frame, I really liked the paintjob. It's a really smooth, simple look. The paint and the chrome are a bit fragile though, but I'm not too stingy about the damage done to my frames anyways. The stock grip is also very comfortable (I use it under an overgrip)-it's not too thick and spongy but has enough cushion for my hands. The handle shape is also very round, and it fits in my hand perfectly. I don't have any problems with switching from bevel to bevel at all, and it actually prevents blisters for me.
Overall, I gave this category an 8/10 just because the paint quality didn't blow me away, but that's not going to stop me for using such a fantastic frame
Stringing: 9/10
I thought I'd throw in this section for those of you who have your own machines. Stringing this racquet really isn't bad with a boomerang tool (which is highly recommended-I use the orange one). It's a bit odd because the mains start in the head and the tie offs are also in the head, but the very open pattern makes it a breeze to string.
Groundstrokes: 10/10
Just a little bit about my forehand: my grip is in between a semiwestern and a full western just because my pinky hangs off the buttcap. I hit a lot of spin but like to flatten out my shots every now and then. My backhand is similar, but I'm more willing to hit it flatter more often. I use a eastern backhand bottom hand and a semiwestern top hand.
This racquet really does it all for me. Flat shots, spinny loopers, and aggressive topspin groundies are all there. This frame really excels in heavy spin. You can literally feel the strings sink into the ball. This allows me a lot of control in terms of placement, as the racquet is already fairly low powered. When that factor is considered with the extra spin in mind, it basically means that I can manipulate the ball either through the racquet's inherent control or by using the extra spin provided. almost as if I can pick a spot on the court and the ball will land exactly there, every time. That being said, though, there's still some extra power with this racquet, so it's not like swinging a 2x4. This makes short angle shots and passes a blast, as well as aggressive flat shots. That's another thing about this frame-it may not have the raw flat ball capability of say, my previous Rebels, but it holds its own quite well for being such an open stick.
Slice with this racquet surprised me. Balls stay very low, and sidespin shots really break. I can make them float or skid at willQ and I have loads of control over the type and amount of slice I want to hit with this frame. It's truly a joy to hit slices with this racquet!
I've already sort of mentioned this, but defensive shots with this frame are great. The headsize and shape allows me to take a violent cut at the ball without fear of shanking, so passes and running shots go in a lot more. It makes being a grinder like myself a lot of fun! I also have to reemphasize the bit about shanking-I think you have to consciously try to mishit with this racquet. It's so forgiving and the head shape is very friendly, which has disposed of those pesky "big-moment shanks" that plague me from time to time.
Volleys: 9/10
I wash't really expecting much from this frame up at net, but it really impressed me. The soft flex allows for all of the control I could possibly need while also providing for some of the most responsive feel I've ever had up at net. I can either punch a volley deep, feather it with a short angle, or knife it sharply with ease-the racquet makes volleying incredibly simple. While it doesn't have the bullying weight of other frames and therefore may lack some solidity when playing big hitters (which is why it's not completely perfect), its mass is more than adequate and also allows for this frame to be lightning fast up at net.
Feel/Comfort on Impact: 10/10
My first hitting session with this racquet was somewhat bizarre in that the feel was a so much different from my previous frames. It's soft, comfortable, and the flex and muted response are simply a joy. I may just be someone who enjoys the feedback of these frames, but they're just so plush and flexible. I don't have a problem with losing the ball in the stringbed, and even the worst of shanks don't jar at all. The best part is that I haven't had any elbow pain after switching to this frame. Nada. Zero. Zilch. Even strung with a soft multi, my ASGTs gave me pain after an hour or so, but I can play for as long as I'd like with the Tours-even with full poly. Comfort is top notch.
Serves: 10/10
These took me a while. At first, my kickers had huge spin and no pace, leaving me with fluff balls. After about a week of steady play, my serve returned to normal and now I have no problem getting even heavier, pacier balls on serve than I did with my previous racquet. Directional control isn't an outstanding quality of this frame, but it definitely isn't lacking. That being said, there isn't an excess of free power either, which allows me to really go after my serves. Having the extra topspin on seconds also allows me to mix up the height of my kickers before the bounce, which is actually really exciting! The bottom line is, that after an adjustment period, this racquet really does it all on serve-and it does it well.
Returns: 10/10
Returns are so much fun to hit with this racquet. The racquet's solidity and quickness through the air make returns a breeze.it also gives me a good chunk of time to set up and really get on top of my returns. Chips are well controlled, and the racquet doesn't flutter. Punch returns are my favorite, as I can really get a lot of juice on the ball without there being a lack of control. For whatever reason, returns just always seem to go in!
Overall, this is a fantastic racquet. It does everything so well and accentuates the strengths in my game (spin, defense) while bringing up my weaknesses (serve, volleys). So my top three pros and cons would be...
Pros:
1) Very high spin potential
2) Forgiveness/feel
3) Comfort
Cons:
1) Paint is a little fragile
2) Stringing takes a bit of time to adjust to
3) I don't have enough of them
