Your thoughts and opinions on any one of their racquets? I'm curious since no one I know or play uses one. What do some of them play like in comparison to other racquets?
I completely agree. PK racquets are really underrated due to lack of fame.Just order one to your specs and play it.
And you'll be free, breaking away from the "marketing leash" of the big names.
Great company doing a very good job to bring high quality thoughtfully designed frames to the tennis community.
There is a quite a range of frames so answering your question is difficult, but have a read - they have a lot of fans on this board. Their Kinetic system is a bone fide technology that actually does do what it says and makes for a very comfortable hit, and I thought their Core series from a few years back was sensational.
I'm not currently using their sticks but I will always be a vocal supporter.
So far so good with me. The PK Ki5 315 is helping my elbow recover from mild TE even though I still play way too much.
I kind of like that ProKennex keeps a low profile and doesn't go overboard with all the marketing BS. It's better to underpromise and overdeliver rather than vice versa. It inspires long term confidence and brand loyalty in the products.
I currently use the Redondo MP and the Black Ace 98. Excellant racquets by any standard!
Give'm a try, you may be the next convert!!
My only complaint is that current frames are priced like their Wilson and Head competitors. The new Q5 should be $149, not $179.
I have been interested in trying a redondo mid and a mid+.
I wonder how it would played compared to a volkl pb10 325 mid+ w leather and a bb london w leather and lead at 3/9 & 5/7
I've only tried BB London mid in standard form.
Comparing the London to the Redondo mid is like comparing a refine gentleman dining in a restaurant to a guy in T-shirt and blue jeans munching on his burgers respectively.
The London is "subtle" while the Redondo is "raw". That's how I feel it. Result-wise, it's up to the player (and strings).
Anirut,
I'm in the process of reading through your Redondo thread/s but was wondering if you'd had the chance to try the new 2012 Black Ace and it's predecessor? I'm not precisely sure which of the three I should start with (I have to buy, can't demo any of them here in Australia) but I was thinking it'd be either the Redondo Mid or the 2012 Black Ace. I have a short-list of 'only' 8 frames (apart from the PK mids there's the Diablo Mid; Dunlop 4D 100 and Biomimetic 100; Volkl PB 10 Mid and Pacific X Feel Pro 90 Vacuum) to replace my circa 1987 Prestige Pro (mid). Unfortunately, none of them are available out here and I will have to buy in order to try. As a result, I'm trying to put some thought into which one I try first.
I've only tried BB London mid in standard form.
Comparing the London to the Redondo mid is like comparing a refine gentleman dining in a restaurant to a guy in T-shirt and blue jeans munching on his burgers respectively.
The London is "subtle" while the Redondo is "raw". That's how I feel it. Result-wise, it's up to the player (and strings).
i'm not picky w my food
the way my current london is set up seems to give me some nice stability and is still very quick to move around. has some nice pop yet can handle heavy shots fr opponents.
could you expand you comparison?
Hi Andrew,
I haven't tried the new 2012 BA93 as I really don't know how to differentiate them by the paint job -- they look the same.
I have the first iteration of the BA93 and I had to mod it to a whole new racket to suit my play. As a result, it weights around 370 grams and about 13 pts HL. It has since become my WMD.
Anyhow, I'd suspect the feel from the layup should be very similar except for the balance and weight distribution, thus the lower SW. I "might" have unknowingly held the new 2012 BA when I visited TW's HQ last year when "the team" showed me a PK Heritage-mold prototype which, when dry swinging, felt pretty darn good with sorta of the right balance & SW.
To compare the feel of the Redondo and the BA, the Redondo's just soft while the BA's soft yet crisp. That's the best I can describe them. Power-wise I wouldn't wish to compare as my BA's so much mod'ed that it's not the racket anymore. But both are precise.
And of the rackets you mentioned: Diablo Mid; Dunlop 4D 100 and Biomimetic 100; Volkl PB 10 Mid and Pacific X Feel Pro 90 Vacuum, I'd suggest you take the Bio100 out of the mix -- just not our "classic" racket. I have two to my regret. (My customer's in Melbourne and will be in BKK next month. I may be able to pass the racket to you. Just PM me to discuss.)
I haven't tried the latest F100. It may be good. Just keep your options open.
As I haven't played the Diablo so no comments. Of the rackets mentioned, I like the 4D100 and the Vac90. The Vac90's really nice with the "right" strings -- and this takes a lot of experiments to figure out (if you're not using gut). Last night I was just enjoying the Vac90 and picked up the Redondo only like the last 20 minutes of my two-hour session (when the grip of the Vac unwound due to my improper winding of the grip). The 4D100's nice and soft and very quick in stock form. IMO, it's a very relaxed mid size when you just want to have a "play around" session. I bought mine used and the previous owner has like a ton of lead on it which really did give some serious heat for serious play. I've removed them all now.
As for the PB 10 Mid, it's a serious stick. Period. If only the SW was lower I might have considered owning one. (In fact I still want to own one for my collection.)
Hope this lengthy explanation can be of some help.
Hey Andrew, Hey Anirut
I'd also suggest Andrew you take the Pacific off your list if you're looking for a more classic feel. It was nice enough, but much more 'modern' feeling than the others you have up there. The balance didn't sit right with me either.
Why not chuck a C10 into the mix?
Hi Andrew,
We're in a similar position. Here in Thailand you can't demo rackets either. And it's also very difficult to find certain rackets, such as the Pacific Vac90, which is not imported into the country at all. I got mine from TW.
And I'll check with my customer if he'd be willing to carry two rackets back to Melbourne for you - the 4D100 and Bio100 (just for kicks ) in return for your kindness with the iPrestiges. If it's not possible for him to carry, I'll find some ways to send 'em over.
Galain,
How's everything going mate? Given how short the list is (and not expecting any more options to emerge) I'm not sure if I'll be able to cross anything off the list. Might have to give the Pacific a try, but I will keep in mind what you've said about the feel.
I tried the C10 last year and enjoyed it well enough but I keep going back to the midsize and think I'll start with those. Such a pity they don't still make the C10 Mid; I hit with that once and it was fantastic - really good power for a mid, excellent control, comfort and spin. If I could find a C10 Mid (or a couple) I would be more than happy to switch to that one. I always found it was the one frame that gave me the stable but comfortable feel of my Prestige Pro combined with an open string pattern and enough mass to hit through the ball. To me, it was a perfect compromise between the Prestige Pro (stability, comfort and feel) and a Wilson Tour 90 (spin, plough-through and a bit of extra pop) but without the limitations of either frame (lack of spin; too much heft).
What are you swinging these days?
I agree with everything you say. The C10 mid is a beauty and it's a pretty good compromise for a former PPro user. If you can find an RDX 500 mid or 2, that's also not such a bad option coming from the PPro. I little stiffer, but still a very 'friendly' mid.
I honestly haven't been playing all that much lately, but my little brother was kind enough to present me with a 95 Rebel (the squiggly one, not the new new one) for Christmas so I've been alternating between that and the PT 630. Outdoors on clay the Prince has been helping a lot, and the indoor season has just begun here, so it'll still be either one of those two I pull out of my bag when I hit the carpet i think.
Give Queensland a wave for me matey - I still miss it, even after all this time.
Have you ever tried the Volkl T10 MP GenII? Based on what you've said previously I thought it might be right up your alley. Not an 18x20 like the Rebel and does have a 98sq head but is very comfortable and has a great flex to it. Not too dissimilar to the C10 but easier to swing.
I'm off to tennis now (at UQ) so I'll give the courts a wave for you.
Surfer, what can you tell me about the difference in how the Redondo 98 and the Type C Laver 98 feel at contact? I've always been curious about the two, and I just bought a Type C that I won't get to hit with until July. (I work overseas.)Currently in rotation I have a Redondo 98 and a Laver 98 (predecessor to the Redondo). I love how these sticks play so much I'm looking to add a Q5, Q tour or a Black Ace to the mix....
Surfer, what can you tell me about the difference in how the Redondo 98 and the Type C Laver 98 feel at contact? I've always been curious about the two, and I just bought a Type C that I won't get to hit with until July. (I work overseas.)
Thanks for the replies. I love me some Thud. (Ping! We hates it forever, precious.)
I was hoping to playtest the Redondo, BA98, and QTour this past July while home in the U.S., but my turn to borrow them from TW didn't come before my vacation was over. I did on another occasion playtest the BA98 (not the new one that TW says is just new paint and that posters say isn't, and not the Euro version), and I was most impressed.
I took it out with the X-Force Pro, Ki5 PSE, and Vantage BC20. At stock weight, the Pacific had a feel that I liked better than any of the other lighter frames. But once I'd leaded everything up roughly equal to the Ki5 PSE, which is what I'd do with any frame for personal use, the Black Ace was the obvious standout. It had a very specific feel, what I think most people mean when they say "crisp", that was comfortable and pleasant. I don't normally care to feel much from a racket – I even prefer the extreme mutedness of a Prince Vortex to the way most rackets shed vibration – but the leaded BA98 was one of the few exceptions where I really liked the vibratory feedback.
There are so few rackets that make that sort of impression, even in an overcrowded market, that it would be a shame if they have really changed it.
I hates my some ping too!!!!
FWIW, I thought the BA98 (the old one, not the new 2012) ping'd more than my Redondo MP...some might call it "crisper" as a result, but I hated it. I was hoping it'd help out on serves more.
I know what you mean about the Redondo feeling sluggish as you play a few hours..it does get heavy...