Dunlop Max 300i PRO

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paoloraz

New User
I recently bought a mint Dunlop max 300i pro...this is the first version of the 300i (graphite injection). I was aware of the existence of her sister max 200g pro graphite injection...Not aware that also the 300i was sold in this "pro" version!!

Below some pictures of this "discovery" I want to share with the other lovers of the Dunlop IMF frames! :)

15532af.jpg
 
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jorel

jorel

Hall of Fame
i belive there is also a 400 that is the same mold and even stiffer

i myself just aquired the 800... which is a midplus head size
 
P

paoloraz

New User
zapvor said:
very cool! have you hit with them yet?
Click to expand...

With the 300i? Yes, many times...it is stiffer 200g basically (same molto with Noril in addition to Graphite and Nylon...or Noril in place of Nylon...I don't remember by now!!)...little less soft "feeling", less comunicative but more "modern" in the way it plays. The PRO version has no meaningful difference with the standard 300i I guess...
 
P

paoloraz

New User
vsbabolat said:
The Max400i is a different mold and more open string pattern.
Click to expand...

I have planned to play this eve with the 400i and 300i, just to have feedbacks about their differences on court!

Btw VsBabolat, since you are the maximum expert of these IMF frames, did you have previuos knowledge about this 300i PRO version?? When I found it, it was a total surprise!! :)
 
max

max

Legend
I have seen one of these years back. .. was using the 200g at the time. It would be neat to hear how you like it. How much did it cost? Are they considered more "rare" than the 200g?
 
T

TMR

Rookie
The Max 300i PRO is rare. I had never even heard of one until now.
The regular Max 300i is not so rare.
 
R

retrowagen

Hall of Fame
The 300i came out in 1986; same mould as the 200g, but with Noryl GTX in the layup to make it a little bit stiffer than the 200g.

I've never seen a 300i Pro myself - I wonder if it was for a particular regional market.

Nice racquet! Enjoy it!!
 
P

paoloraz

New User
retrowagen said:
The 300i came out in 1986; same mould as the 200g, but with Noryl GTX in the layup to make it a little bit stiffer than the 200g.

I've never seen a 300i Pro myself - I wonder if it was for a particular regional market.

Nice racquet! Enjoy it!!
Click to expand...

Maybe... but also the 200g pro "graphite injection" is rather rare and it came out in the same period... I think that Dunlop put in the (European only?) market small lots of these 200g and 300i pros. Since the 200g was much more popular than the 300i, probably there were more 200g pro around than 300i pro...
In the end, it is just a matter of cosmetics...standard and pro frames are the same.
In Italy, where i bought this 300i pro, at that time the shops sold "standard" 300i for the most part.
The guy who sold me this one had no idea of the racquet neither of its history, it was of his father and was used only once.
 
P

paoloraz

New User
max said:
I have seen one of these years back. .. was using the 200g at the time. It would be neat to hear how you like it. How much did it cost? Are they considered more "rare" than the 200g?
Click to expand...

Although the guy who sold me this racquet had no idea of tennis racquets (in general) it was not that cheap...since it is new (used only once) I paid it 80€ + ss...

I'm not going to play with it...first the gripsize is very small (L2), second I have some more "lived" 300i to occasionally play with. :)

300is play great as any Dunlop IMF frame. It is a stiffer 200g basically. Very precise, the tight string pattern (18x20 in 85sqi) gives you tons of control and the dynamic stiffness reasonable power if you prepare early. It is not an easy racquet for today play, however... the 400i, 500i and 800i have more modern felling (and open string pattern which helps a lot...its incredible the ball speed you can generate with a 400i for example...bombs!! Never produced a heavier flat service in my life, with any today racquet...)
 
vsbabolat

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
paoloraz said:
I have planned to play this eve with the 400i and 300i, just to have feedbacks about their differences on court!

Btw VsBabolat, since you are the maximum expert of these IMF frames, did you have previuos knowledge about this 300i PRO version?? When I found it, it was a total surprise!! :)
Click to expand...

Thats the first 300i with Pro written on it I have seen. I don't think there is any difference. I tend to think they Pro on it just for a particular market.
 
max

max

Legend
As an old Dunlop Max 200 G fan, I'd get a kick if I could find one of these. My big problem with the original 200G was getting enough power on the serve, but tremendous control racquet; really made me aggressive and made me get to the net.
 
jorel

jorel

Hall of Fame
jorel said:
i belive there is also a 400 that is the same mold and even stiffer

i myself just aquired the 800... which is a midplus head size
Click to expand...
just to follow up...hit with the 800i and boy is it sweet

same buttery feel as the 200g but with a mp head size

off center hits are a little more jarring
 
P

paoloraz

New User
jorel said:
just to follow up...hit with the 800i and boy is it sweet

same buttery feel as the 200g but with a mp head size

off center hits are a little more jarring
Click to expand...

I have an 800i and sometimes I take a ride with it. Same butter feeling of the 200g but with a ridiculus top-spin potential...you can generate terrific top-spins, something like an APD! :-D An you can also hit really big flat and kick serves.

But sometimes it feels strange...the feeling in the upper part of the head is somehow limited...to me, the 800i is not very communicative outside the sweetspot... I like the 200g and the 400i much more! :)
 
jimbo333

jimbo333

Hall of Fame
paoloraz said:
I recently bought a mint Dunlop max 300i pro...this is the first version of the 300i (graphite injection). I was aware of the existence of her sister max 200g pro graphite injection...Not aware that also the 300i was sold in this "pro" version!!

Below some pictures of this "discovery" I want to share with the other lovers of the Dunlop IMF frames! :)

15532af.jpg
Click to expand...

Hi, that is brilliant, I'm very happy that a passionate IMF racket fan such as yourself has one of these!

I'm also a huge IMF fan and have have a very large collection, and the max300i is my favourite if them all:)

This max300iPRO is rare. I've only ever seen 3 before. About 2 years ago, I paid for one of these, but the seller went behind my back and sold it to someone in the US. I was so upset I stopped collecting rackets for a while. I am looking for one again now, it is just about the only IMF racket that I don't have!
 
P

paoloraz

New User
jimbo333 said:
Hi, that is brilliant, I'm very happy that a passionate IMF racket fan such as yourself has one of these!

I'm also a huge IMF fan and have have a very large collection, and the max300i is my favourite if them all:)

This max300iPRO is rare. I've only ever seen 3 before. About 2 years ago, I paid for one of these, but the seller went behind my back and sold it to someone in the US. I was so upset I stopped collecting rackets for a while. I am looking for one again now, it is just about the only IMF racket that I don't have!
Click to expand...

Wow! Yes, I've seen in other parts of the forum pics of your 200g pro II and pro III, or of the 200GL... :)

I have many of these Dunlop IMF frames... I don't have the 500i yet, and the 200g pro in dark-electric blue instead of purple green...but that (ugly, in my opinion...) version has never been sold in Italy (where I live). Also the 150g is missing...hope to fill these gaps in the future! :)

The 300i is a very nice stick...although I still prefer the 200g or the 400i

A question, jimbo: have you ever heard about the existence of the max 400i pro??
 
jimbo333

jimbo333

Hall of Fame
paoloraz said:
Wow! Yes, I've seen in other parts of the forum pics of your 200g pro II and pro III, or of the 200GL... :)

I have many of these Dunlop IMF frames... I don't have the 500i yet, and the 200g pro in dark-electric blue instead of purple green...but that (ugly, in my opinion...) version has never been sold in Italy (where I live). Also the 150g is missing...hope to fill these gaps in the future! :)

The 300i is a very nice stick...although I still prefer the 200g or the 400i

A question, jimbo: have you ever heard about the existence of the max 400i pro??
Click to expand...

Yep I've got a 400ipro, a 400il (shorter version), x2 400i with different 200G paintjobs, the turquoize/orange gloss paint version 400i (from 1992 I think same design as racket I'm talking about below, and really rare, never seen another), and finally a mid production 400i with the metal core still in it!

Also when you say the 200gpro in dark electric blue, are you talking about the gloss black/blue version with the turquioze and gold chevrons? I'm still confused about that racket, I think it was the last version from 1992? Now that version does seem slightly lighter and stiffer to me (just slightly).
 
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P

paoloraz

New User
jimbo333 said:
Yep I've got a 400ipro, a 400il (shorter version), x2 400i with different 200G paintjobs, the turquoize/orange gloss paint version 400i (from 1992 I think same design as racket I'm talking about below, and really rare, never seen another), and finally a mid production 400i with the metal core still in it!

Also when you say the 200gpro in dark electric blue, are you talking about the gloss black/blue version with the turquioze and gold chevrons? I'm still confused about that racket, I think it was the last version from 1992? Now that version does seem slightly lighter and stiffer to me (just slightly).
Click to expand...

Yes, I meant the glossy black/blue version with the turquioze and blue/gold chevrons!

My feeling is that that version of the 200gpro was a little antecedent (maybe middle 1990...) and mostly contemporaneous to the purple green one in 1991. However, this dark/blue version was not sold everywhere...in Europe, it was sold in countries like France and Germany, but, e.g., not in Italy, where only the purple green and the classic grafil versions were available in 1991, and the standard grafil and the "teal" paintjob in 1990 (it was cheaper). I say that they were partly overlapping because in 1991, in some cases in Italy the purple green was sold with the cover of the dark-blue one, and because I have a couple of new 1991 200g pro purple green (it's 1991 because the grip is purple; in 1992 it was white) where the cardboard put in the head recalls the logo of the 200g pro dark/blue. I'm pretty sure that the purple green version survived to the dark-blue, until the end of the production (in Italy the 200g was officially available until the end of 1995 if my memory assists me right).
 
yonexRx32

yonexRx32

Professional
vsbabolat said:
Thats the first 300i with Pro written on it I have seen. I don't think there is any difference. I tend to think they Pro on it just for a particular market.
Click to expand...

There is one simple test to make: weigh the 300i Pro and compare to 300i. Also, measure the balance point.
 
yonexRx32

yonexRx32

Professional
jimbo333 said:
Yep I've got a 400ipro, a 400il (shorter version), x2 400i with different 200G paintjobs, the turquoize/orange gloss paint version 400i (from 1992 I think same design as racket I'm talking about below, and really rare, never seen another), and finally a mid production 400i with the metal core still in it!

Also when you say the 200gpro in dark electric blue, are you talking about the gloss black/blue version with the turquioze and gold chevrons? I'm still confused about that racket, I think it was the last version from 1992? Now that version does seem slightly lighter and stiffer to me (just slightly).
Click to expand...

Jimbo,
Could you please weigh and measure the balance point of your 400i Pro and post? Thanks
 
vsbabolat

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
yonexRx32 said:
There is one simple test to make: weigh the 300i Pro and compare to 300i. Also, measure the balance point.
Click to expand...

I have a very rare Max300i prototype. It's the exact same cosmetics as the 300i except it's glossy and not matte finish and it say Max200GT on it.
 
yonexRx32

yonexRx32

Professional
Weight and balance of the 400i Pro and 300i Pro

Well, to settle the question of whether the Pros are different from the others,
maybe paoloraz can post the data of his 300i Pro and jimbo for his 400i Pro and we can compare. I have the 400i and will be happy to measure it.
 
P

paoloraz

New User
yonexRx32 said:
Well, to settle the question of whether the Pros are different from the others,
maybe paoloraz can post the data of his 300i Pro and jimbo for his 400i Pro and we can compare. I have the 400i and will be happy to measure it.
Click to expand...

The problem is that, within the same weight category (say, L = Light) both the 200g and the 300i have a range of variability in terms of weight (it was officially printed in the cardboard inside the head when new)...

I weighted my 300i's weighted L (I also have a couple of LM).
They all have the original leather grip, are strung (but with different strings), no overgrip, no vibration dumpener. Here are the results:

300i L4 "grafil injection": gr. 360
300i L4 "graphite injection": gr. 366
300i L4 "graphite injection": gr. 372
300i L4 "graphite injection": gr. 373
300i L4 "graphite injection": gr. 351
300i PRO L2 "graphite injection": gr. 351

In the end:
1) The PRO is in the lower part of the weight distribution, but this does not imply that PRO's weight on average less...I have a regular one with the same weight and even with a bigger gripsize (in general, an L2 tends to weight less than an L4).
2) the lower extreme in the range of the Light wieight distribution is 350, then we jump up to 360-364 and, with another jump, to the upper extreme of 372
3) I also have many 200gs and the weight distribution (original gripsize, strung, no overgrips, etc) of racquets labelled Light is very similar and concentrated around the mass points 351-365-372
4) Not sure what it implies, but, similarly to the 300i PRO, my 200g PRO "graphite injection" is in the lower range (it weght 351) of the light weight distribution. :)
 
yonexRx32

yonexRx32

Professional
Thanks paolo! Can you also check the balance point? I observed similar variability with the 200g. However, the Pro's all were more headlight than the others.
 
P

paoloraz

New User
yonexRx32 said:
Thanks paolo! Can you also check the balance point? I observed similar variability with the 200g. However, the Pro's all were more headlight than the others.
Click to expand...

But you mean the 200g pro's from mid 1990 onwards (when the "non pro" 200g was no longer available)? Because in that case my own take is that they are more headlight simply because the grip was longer than before...so that there is more weight in the lower partof the racquet... :)

I don't have the machinery to measure the balance point, I can use the old methodology which makes use of a knife... simple with standard wood racquets, more complicated with open throat modern ones... :)
 
yonexRx32

yonexRx32

Professional
paoloraz said:
But you mean the 200g pro's from mid 1990 onwards (when the "non pro" 200g was no longer available)? Because in that case my own take is that they are more headlight simply because the grip was longer than before...so that there is more weight in the lower partof the racquet... :)

I don't have the machinery to measure the balance point, I can use the old methodology which makes use of a knife... simple with standard wood racquets, more complicated with open throat modern ones... :)
Click to expand...

All my pros (older and newer) are 9pt HL. The others are 7pt HL. The pros also are lighter (I listed all the weights in a different posting), which preempts the argument that this could be because of a larger grip.

To measure the balance I use the old method, balance the racket on a ruler and measure the distance to the butt cap.
 
jimbo333

jimbo333

Hall of Fame
yonexRx32 said:
Jimbo,
Could you please weigh and measure the balance point of your 400i Pro and post? Thanks
Click to expand...

Yes. I've done it, but to compare you will need a normal max400i with the same grip size, as basically the bigger the grip size the heavier (and more head light) the racket. I have lots of max400i's but only 2 strung with original leather grip not wrapped in plastic (i.e exactly the same as my max400ipro), luckily one in the same gripsize as my "pro" version, so my results are:-

max400i L4 364g 31.2cm
max400i SL3 350g 32.5cm
max400ipro SL3 346g 32.3cm

So, not surprisingly the L4 is much heavier and much more headlight (we already knew this would be the case though).

The others are more interesting though, and it looks like you are correct YonexRX32, as the "pro" version is slightly lighter in weight, but slightly more head light!

With normal standard IMF rackets the weighting (SL, L, LM, M) is all done in the grip as far as I can see, and also the bigger grip sizes are heavier (and more head light) than the smaller ones.

But with the "pro" versions, which are slightly less heavy, surely some weight has been removed from the main part of the racket, does that make sense? I'm guessing by using a slightly different internal mold of the racket. So when the grips are attached, these "pro" versions will be more head light than their non-pro equivalents?
 
Last edited:
yonexRx32

yonexRx32

Professional
jimbo333 said:
Yes. I've done it, but to compare you will need a normal max400i with the same grip size, as basically the bigger the grip size the heavier (and more head light) the racket. I have lots of max400i's but only 2 strung with original leather grip not wrapped in plastic (i.e exactly the same as my max400ipro), luckily one in the same gripsize as my "pro" version, so my results are:-

max400i L4 364g 31.2cm
max400i SL3 350g 32.5cm
max400ipro SL3 346g 32.3cm

So, not surprisingly the L4 is much heavier and much more headlight (we already knew this would be the case though).

The others are more interesting though, and it looks like you are correct YonexRX32, as the "pro" version is slightly lighter in weight, but slightly more head light!

With normal standard IMF rackets the weighting (SL, L, LM, M) is all done in the grip as far as I can see, and also the bigger grip sizes are heavier (and more head light) than the smaller ones.

But with the "pro" versions, which are slightly less heavy, surely some weight has been removed from the main part of the racket, does that make sense? I'm guessing by using a slightly different internal mold of the racket. So when the grips are attached, these "pro" versions will be more head light than their non-pro equivalents?
Click to expand...

Jimbo,
Thanks for posting the info! The reasons could be multiple for difference between the pro's and the regular. It could be that the mold is slightly different and the thickness of the wall is different, could be that the % graphite and type of graphite used is different. To know for sure we could cut a section through your pro and non-pro 400i. :)
 
P

paoloraz

New User
yonexRx32 said:
All my pros (older and newer) are 9pt HL. The others are 7pt HL. The pros also are lighter (I listed all the weights in a different posting), which preempts the argument that this could be because of a larger grip.

To measure the balance I use the old method, balance the racket on a ruler and measure the distance to the butt cap.
Click to expand...

Yep, it's the same I use...instead of the ruler I put the racquet on a knife and then measure the distance to the butt cap...
Maybe in the weekend I'll measure the balance of the 300i's...bit busy in theese days...and tomorrow Davis cup tie Italy-Croatia...live at Turin! :)
 
P

paoloraz

New User
jimbo333 said:
Yes. I've done it, but to compare you will need a normal max400i with the same grip size, as basically the bigger the grip size the heavier (and more head light) the racket. I have lots of max400i's but only 2 strung with original leather grip not wrapped in plastic (i.e exactly the same as my max400ipro), luckily one in the same gripsize as my "pro" version, so my results are:-

max400i L4 364g 31.2cm
max400i SL3 350g 32.5cm
max400ipro SL3 346g 32.3cm

So, not surprisingly the L4 is much heavier and much more headlight (we already knew this would be the case though).

The others are more interesting though, and it looks like you are correct YonexRX32, as the "pro" version is slightly lighter in weight, but slightly more head light!

With normal standard IMF rackets the weighting (SL, L, LM, M) is all done in the grip as far as I can see, and also the bigger grip sizes are heavier (and more head light) than the smaller ones.

But with the "pro" versions, which are slightly less heavy, surely some weight has been removed from the main part of the racket, does that make sense? I'm guessing by using a slightly different internal mold of the racket. So when the grips are attached, these "pro" versions will be more head light than their non-pro equivalents?
Click to expand...

I have 2 400i L3, with original leather grip and strung...I'll mesure them too...

However, I would not say that 400i standard and pro are different...a difference of 4 gr and 0.2cm in balance is almost nothing...it might be due for example to strings of different section and weight or minimal differences in the production process...Today, the differences between supposed identical racquets are much much larger!! :) I still believe that the differences are cosmetics, for the most part
 
yonexRx32

yonexRx32

Professional
paoloraz said:
I have 2 400i L3, with original leather grip and strung...I'll mesure them too...

However, I would not say that 400i standard and pro are different...a difference of 4 gr and 0.2cm in balance is almost nothing...it might be due for example to strings of different section and weight or minimal differences in the production process...Today, the differences between supposed identical racquets are much much larger!! :) I still believe that the differences are cosmetics, for the most part
Click to expand...

I just measured my 400i standard. Grip L3. With prince synthetic 17g, head tape, and overgrip it weighs 377g and is 10pt HL.
 
E

Eric L

Rookie
paoloraz said:
Wow! Yes, I've seen in other parts of the forum pics of your 200g pro II and pro III, or of the 200GL... :)

I have many of these Dunlop IMF frames... I don't have the 500i yet, and the 200g pro in dark-electric blue instead of purple green...but that (ugly, in my opinion...) version has never been sold in Italy (where I live). Also the 150g is missing...hope to fill these gaps in the future! :)

The 300i is a very nice stick...although I still prefer the 200g or the 400i

A question, jimbo: have you ever heard about the existence of the max 400i pro??
Click to expand...
Can you elaborate why you prefer the 200g and 400i over the 300i?
 
yonexRx32

yonexRx32

Professional
jimbo333 said:
Yes. I've done it, but to compare you will need a normal max400i with the same grip size, as basically the bigger the grip size the heavier (and more head light) the racket. I have lots of max400i's but only 2 strung with original leather grip not wrapped in plastic (i.e exactly the same as my max400ipro), luckily one in the same gripsize as my "pro" version, so my results are:-

max400i L4 364g 31.2cm
max400i SL3 350g 32.5cm
max400ipro SL3 346g 32.3cm

So, not surprisingly the L4 is much heavier and much more headlight (we already knew this would be the case though).

The others are more interesting though, and it looks like you are correct YonexRX32, as the "pro" version is slightly lighter in weight, but slightly more head light!

With normal standard IMF rackets the weighting (SL, L, LM, M) is all done in the grip as far as I can see, and also the bigger grip sizes are heavier (and more head light) than the smaller ones.

But with the "pro" versions, which are slightly less heavy, surely some weight has been removed from the main part of the racket, does that make sense? I'm guessing by using a slightly different internal mold of the racket. So when the grips are attached, these "pro" versions will be more head light than their non-pro equivalents?
Click to expand...

Well, if Jimbo still reads this thread, thanks for the info. I stopped reading the board for a while and never saw your response. To answer your question, I am guessing that the pro labeling was part of the quality control process. The rackets that met a certain weight, balance within a given tolerance, were labeled Pro. Just a guess... Doesn't explain the different flex though..
 
E

Eric L

Rookie
jimbo333 said:
Hi, that is brilliant, I'm very happy that a passionate IMF racket fan such as yourself has one of these!

I'm also a huge IMF fan and have have a very large collection, and the max300i is my favourite if them all:)

This max300iPRO is rare. I've only ever seen 3 before. About 2 years ago, I paid for one of these, but the seller went behind my back and sold it to someone in the US. I was so upset I stopped collecting rackets for a while. I am looking for one again now, it is just about the only IMF racket that I don't have!
Click to expand...
Why is the 300i your favorite over the the 200g or 400i?
 
Dino Lagaffe

Dino Lagaffe

Hall of Fame
chrischris said:
Anyone hit with all 3 and the 800i??
Click to expand...
I have the 150G, 200G, 200G Pro, 300i, 400i, 500i and 800i in my collection, and have hit with all of them. It's been quite a while since I did it, though, so it's hard to make more than unrefined and generic comments from memory.
 
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