TOP 5 Platform Frames

maxpotapov

maxpotapov

Hall of Fame
Here is my compilation of the best* currently available platform** racquets:

1. Head MicroGEL Radical MP
2. Tecnifibre T-Fight 315 Ltd
3. Wilson Blade Team 104
4. Head IG Prestige MP
5. Babolat Pure Storm Team GT

What would be your choice and why?
Is there other options to consider?


*According to user reviews and forum discussions
**Perfectly fit for customization, close to pro stock
 
E

Ess

Guest
Yonex VCORE 97 (310)

Light and flawless. A no excuses racquet that does it all and can be customized for days.
 
The Meat

The Meat

Hall of Fame
1. Any Dunlop racquet
2. Any Wilson 18x20 11.5oz racquet
3. Almost every Head racquet except instinct, because that's for little babby's.
4. And imo any Six One Tour racquet if heavy racquets don't effect you at all.
 
maxpotapov

maxpotapov

Hall of Fame
Well, let's focus on alternatives that can actually challenge those TOP 5.
Yonex VCore 97 is a good one, I would consider it a Prestige MP alternative.
As much as I like Dunlop racquets, I do not see them widely used as a customization platform. 300T, maybe?
 
srvnvly

srvnvly

Hall of Fame
Specifically for Head, the new Graphene Speed MP (current stick of choice) is perfect for customization; I would also add the Wilson BLX Tour 2012, and the Babolat Pure Storm GT racquets.
 
maxpotapov

maxpotapov

Hall of Fame
srvnvly said:
Specifically for Head, the new Graphene Speed MP (current stick of choice) is perfect for customization; I would also add the Wilson BLX Tour 2012, and the Babolat Pure Storm GT racquets.
Click to expand...

Graphene Speed MP would be a dark horse in this race, not enough feedback from modders.
Besides, 320 SW is a bit too much for a platform frame. IG Prestige MP would probably be more flexible choice.

Pure Storm GT Team is better suited for customization, spec wise. It is more flexible, less swingweight, same beam width version of Pure Storm GT.
 
maxpotapov

maxpotapov

Hall of Fame
dje31 said:
Head Graphene Instinct Rev
Head Graphene Speed Rev

Check the specs
Click to expand...

Specs are nice for a tweener. But frames have totally different design compared to most popular "player's" racquets. And I'm trying to pinpoint best retail alternatives to pro stock frames, which is not just about how much weight you can add without breaking your arm.

Of all lightweight tweeners with nice flex and big sweet spot, Wilson Blade Team/104 is probably the best platform (especially if you consider how its design proved successful on WTA tour).
 
maxpotapov

maxpotapov

Hall of Fame
Tropikal_Knights said:
Head Prestige mid in all its incarnations
Donnay Platinum mid......
Click to expand...

I'm using retail Prestige Mid myself, but I would not call it a platform frame: it's too heavy for that.

Donnay racquets with built-in customization system is a brilliant idea!
But some Tungsten tape and Blu-Tack work just as well ;)
 
S

SFrazeur

Legend
When I think of platform racquets I think of mid weight 11.0 oz (+/- 0.5 oz) frames with low 300-310 swing weight and that are headlight.

-SF
 
maxpotapov

maxpotapov

Hall of Fame
SFrazeur said:
When I think of platform racquets I think of mid weight 11.0 oz (+/- 0.5 oz) frames with low 300-310 swing weight and that are headlight.

-SF
Click to expand...

Not just that, but they should also respond well to modifications. For example, Pure Storm Ltd GT would be a nice frame to modify for greater swingweight. But after all attempts people still feel like they sacrifice some performance, especially on serve. Same situation with EXO3 Tours.

Some racquets are better left unaltered, or with a minor touch of weight here and there (just for a placebo effect).
 
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
maxpotapov said:
Not just that, but they should also respond well to modifications. For example, Pure Storm Ltd GT would be a nice frame to modify for greater swingweight. But after all attempts people still feel like they sacrifice some performance, especially on serve. Same situation with EXO3 Tours.

Some racquets are better left unaltered, or with a minor touch of weight here and there (just for a placebo effect).
Click to expand...

Yes, The Tec 315 is better for me at a lower swingweight. I have a more classic setup with it - 12oz but SW is ~318-320.
 
S

SFrazeur

Legend
maxpotapov said:
Not just that, but they should also respond well to modifications. For example, Pure Storm Ltd GT would be a nice frame to modify for greater swingweight. But after all attempts people still feel like they sacrifice some performance, especially on serve. Same situation with EXO3 Tours.

Some racquets are better left unaltered, or with a minor touch of weight here and there (just for a placebo effect).
Click to expand...

How well a racquet responds to modification is very subjective.

Placebo effect is rather big. I have seen some people on here write about leading up racquets that are already relatively high swing weight for their 3.0/3.5 selves to be using and state that the racuqets are unstable without modding. I'm just thinking to myself: Damn fool.

-SF
 
H

huntnplay

New User
Hi guys, I am new to this forum. Can somebody recommend a good raquet for me? I am only a 3.0 player, wanting to improve. Currently playing with a prince rebel 98 2010 version. I cant seem to get any power on my shots with this raquet.
 
MikeHitsHard93

MikeHitsHard93

Hall of Fame
huntnplay said:
Hi guys, I am new to this forum. Can somebody recommend a good raquet for me? I am only a 3.0 player, wanting to improve. Currently playing with a prince rebel 98 2010 version. I cant seem to get any power on my shots with this raquet.
Click to expand...

What string are you using?
 
DeShaun

DeShaun

Banned
Does the Becker London qualify, or is the head on that stick just too small for any serious consideration?
 
Stevo Karlovic

Stevo Karlovic

Rookie
1. Pacific XForce Lite
2. Babolat Pure Storm Team
3. Wilson BLX Pro Staff 100
4. Head Youtek Mojo
5. Prince Exo Tour Team

I'm pretty sure many of ye are missing what the word "platform" implies in this focus.
 
maxpotapov

maxpotapov

Hall of Fame
SFrazeur said:
Why is that a criteria for platform racquets? Said racquets are just racquets that have lots of room for customization.

-SF
Click to expand...

There is a good reason why some racquet designs do not change for decades. Those are usually available as pro stocks. If we can not have the same layups and materials in retail, we can at least work with best in class molds.
 
Last edited:
S

SFrazeur

Legend
maxpotapov said:
There is a good reason why some racquet designs do not change for decades. Those are usually available as pro stocks. If we can not have the same layups and materials in retail, we can at least work with best in class molds.
Click to expand...

Prostock has more to do with the quality and simplicity of materials (good old graphite). The molds are basically the same and not really a factor. I think you are blending the idea of prostocks being platform racquets and retail racquets that are good platform racquets. This thread started pretaining to the later.

-SF
 
maxpotapov

maxpotapov

Hall of Fame
Regardless of definition of "platform frame", TOP 5 is clearly about superiority ;)

It is really hard to beat what MG Radical MP offers for the price, even though IG Radical Pro is reportedly closer to what Murray is using.

Tecnifibre TFight 315 Ltd is now regarded as "poor man's pro stock", being close to what PT280/630 could offer. And there is hardly a better racquet design than PT280/630 in the history of tennis (by popularity on pro tour).

There are raving reviews of Blade 104 and how easy it makes the game of tennis. Plenty of room for customization, to bring it up to Williams' level.

IG Prestige MP - how old is that mold? Will Speed racquets ever be as popular among advanced players?

Pure Storm Team - that's the only one I've found with "platform" specs in Babolat's high performance line (with classic design)
 
S

slowfox

Professional
Dunlop Aerogel 4D 100.
Becker London Tour (as someone ^ already mentioned).

Been flirting with the idea of getting the 4D100 and some lead tape for experimenting. Figured the weight and SW are low enough to allow some room to play.
 
cluckcluck

cluckcluck

Hall of Fame
Good platform stick is the Mantis Tour 305. Perfect for customization (even comes with pallet system for handle customization).
 
X

Xonemains

Semi-Pro
maxpotapov said:
Here is my compilation of the best* currently available platform** racquets:

1. Head MicroGEL Radical MP
2. Tecnifibre T-Fight 315 Ltd
3. Wilson Blade Team 104
4. Head IG Prestige MP
5. Babolat Pure Storm Team GT

What would be your choice and why?
Is there other options to consider?


*According to user reviews and forum discussions
**Perfectly fit for customization, close to pro stock
Click to expand...


You are missing Dunlop 300 series.

Wilson blade team/104 is a true sleeper!!!!!
Comfort and forgiveness at your own specs, from young age to pro.
"my kids will be using his one"
 
dje31

dje31

Professional
I wouldn't apologize, TK. Clearly, there's not a consensus on what constitues the term "platform."

A lot of folks, myself included, equate that to similar specs a hairpin comes in at, typically super light static weight, even-ish balance, allowing the user to tweak to their personal specs, adding weight where desired, changing balance as needed. Pallet pre-installed, obviously.
 
Last edited:
maxpotapov

maxpotapov

Hall of Fame
Xonemains said:
You are missing Dunlop 300 series.

Wilson blade team/104 is a true sleeper!!!!!
Comfort and forgiveness at your own specs, from young age to pro.
"my kids will be using his one"
Click to expand...

"Classic" Dunlop 300T series is not currently available from TW, but I agree...

About Blade 104, I tried K Blade Team before, it was so plush I could not believe it's a Wilson frame :) Now this is the only Wilson racquet I recommend to women and juniors. With Tungsten tape and Blu-Tack I might try it for myself, all black design kinda helps too :)
 
G

gbgTennis

New User
How about the Dunlop Bio 200 Lite?? Specwise it seems to be a perfect platform doesnt it? Been thinking for a while now to get some of those, whats your opinion on them as a customization tool?
Isnt the 200 line the mold that Blake, Haas and co. were using anyway?
 
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
gbgTennis said:
How about the Dunlop Bio 200 Lite?? Specwise it seems to be a perfect platform doesnt it? Been thinking for a while now to get some of those, whats your opinion on them as a customization tool?
Isnt the 200 line the mold that Blake, Haas and co. were using anyway?
Click to expand...

Blake uses the 300 tour mold. It is a 97 head size and the 200 is a 95.
 
T

Tropikal_Knights

Banned
dje31 said:
I wouldn't apologize, TK. Clearly, there's not a consensus on what constitues the term "platform."

A lot of folks, myself included, equate that to similar specs a hairpin comes in at, typically super light static weight, even-ish balance, allowing the user to tweak to their personal specs, adding weight where desired, changing balance as needed. Pallet pre-installed, obviously.
Click to expand...

thanks so much .........I think I have a better understanding of it now........so I guess the Donnay Platinum 94 that comes with a customization kit with weights for the head and the pallet can be classified as a platform rac?
 
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