Pros and Cons of Donnay Pro One

PhxRacket

Hall of Fame
If you have used this in match play, please comment as to its pros and cons. I am looking into demoing rackets and this caught my interest on the spec level alone.
 

JackB1

G.O.A.T.
Pros:
great impact feel - SOLID
arm friendly
lots of power and spin
nice plowthru

Cons:
balls sometimes fly due to power
head heavy feel while swinging
high-ish swingweight
poor paintjob quality (silver letters flake off)
gripsize little smaller than most

here is the biggest con of all: Donnay's specs are all over the map. Check the label on the throat. It tells you static weight, balance and flex (in that order. 90% of them have a higher than spec singweight.
 

ryydman

Rookie
Great post by Jack. You missed one PRO however, the head heavy balance can be easily adjusted with some weight in the handle, i.e. the weight kit supplies 5g or 10g to put in the butt cap (separate purchase).
 

PhxRacket

Hall of Fame
Great post by Jack. You missed one PRO however, the head heavy balance can be easily adjusted with some weight in the handle, i.e. the weight kit supplies 5g or 10g to put in the butt cap (separate purchase).

Have you played with the Blade 98 and the Pro One 16 x 19? If so, acknowledging that they aren't the same. How did they play in comparison? I ask because I currently play with a Blade 98, but was looking for something a little lighter and a little easier to be lazy with.
 

airdupont

Semi-Pro
Cons: The xenecore comes loose and the racquets make a very strange sound like something that's ripping which they don't see a manufacturing default. Very poor quality and even worse customer service. Was super happy with them at first but now....I'm switching!
 

JackB1

G.O.A.T.
Great post by Jack. You missed one PRO however, the head heavy balance can be easily adjusted with some weight in the handle, i.e. the weight kit supplies 5g or 10g to put in the butt cap (separate purchase).

true, but that adds a little sw.
 

JackB1

G.O.A.T.
Have you played with the Blade 98 and the Pro One 16 x 19? If so, acknowledging that they aren't the same. How did they play in comparison? I ask because I currently play with a Blade 98, but was looking for something a little lighter and a little easier to be lazy with.

then forget the P1. The Blade 98 or the P1 are not racquets that you can be lazy with. They are both similar in sw and both feel very weighty in the head. I would suggest the Blade 104.
 

PhxRacket

Hall of Fame
then forget the P1. The Blade 98 or the P1 are not racquets that you can be lazy with. They are both similar in sw and both feel very weighty in the head. I would suggest the Blade 104.

Is that because it is your weapon of choice? Or is it really that good?
 

ryydman

Rookie
Have you played with the Blade 98 and the Pro One 16 x 19? If so, acknowledging that they aren't the same. How did they play in comparison? I ask because I currently play with a Blade 98, but was looking for something a little lighter and a little easier to be lazy with.

The P1 and BLX Blade 98 both swing very hefty for their static weight, most P1's come in at a heavier swing weight than advertised on this site imo. The P1 16x19 is more powerful, in that sense one can be lazier in terms of taking a shorter, more compact swing but I find the Blade easier to swing than the P1 but my Blade is an L2 grip with 2 full grips + 1 overgrip so probably 20 grams extra in the handle...why don't you add 10 grams to the handle as this will make the racket 'whippier' and feel lighter?
 

Yaz

Rookie
Pros:
great impact feel - SOLID
arm friendly
lots of power and spin
nice plowthru

Cons:
balls sometimes fly due to power
head heavy feel while swinging
high-ish swingweight
poor paintjob quality (silver letters flake off)
gripsize little smaller than most

I agree with this...on the Pro side I have also found it to be a great serving racquet, both for flat and kick. Good putaway power. I would say it suits an aggressive baseliner best.

However, I don't have great touch or feel with this racquet. A little more difficult to feather balls for drop volleys, short angle slices, etc. Touch was never a strong point of my game anyway so I gladly give that up for the power advantages.
 

JackB1

G.O.A.T.
Is that because it is your weapon of choice? Or is it really that good?

Would I use it if it weren't "that good" ;)

That's like asking your waiter if the $35 menu "special" is "any good" :)

I suggested it because it is in fact "an easier to use Blade" that you can be a little lazy with.
 

ChicagoJack

Hall of Fame
true, but that adds a little sw.

Jack,

Hey my brother... no biggie, but I think you keep understanding, then forgetting again, that adding mass at the butt cap does not increase swingweight. I've explained it to you on several occasions, most recently around December of last year. And corners explained it to you just a few days ago in a more recent thread. The term swingweight has a very precise meaning. I think you either don't understand where the axis point to measure sw is located ... or you are co-opting the term and using it as inappropriate slang for a real tennis swing, which has several axis points.

-Other Jack
 
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Readers

Professional
Cons: The xenecore comes loose and the racquets make a very strange sound like something that's ripping which they don't see a manufacturing default. Very poor quality and even worse customer service. Was super happy with them at first but now....I'm switching!

Does anyone else has the same experience?

Can you please post their response to the issue?
 

JackB1

G.O.A.T.
Jack,

Hey my brother... I think you keep understanding, then forgetting again, that adding mass at the butt cap does not increase swingweight. I've explained it to you on several occasions, most recently around December of last year.

-Other Jack

I don't want to debate something so trivial, but adding weight anywhere on the racquet adds static weight and depending on how much you add, will in fact increase the swingweight. Adding 5 grams has minimal impact, but the higher u go, the more impact you will have on swing weight. Now I am talking the actual swingweight the user will feel. A machine that holds the racquet at the end may not show the increase, but its certainly there. If you added one whole oz. of lead tape around the butt end of a racquet and compared it with the same racquet stock, you don't think the one with the extra oz. will "feel" heavier to swing?
 

ChicagoJack

Hall of Fame
I don't want to debate something so trivial, but adding weight anywhere on the racquet adds static weight and depending on how much you add, will in fact increase the swingweight. Adding 5 grams has minimal impact, but the higher u go, the more impact you will have on swing weight. Now I am talking the actual swingweight the user will feel. A machine that holds the racquet at the end may not show the increase, but its certainly there. If you added one whole oz. of lead tape around the butt end of a racquet and compared it with the same racquet stock, you don't think the one with the extra oz. will "feel" heavier to swing?


I give up.
 

JackB1

G.O.A.T.
I give up.

Jack, there are many threads on these forums that echo the same thing I am saying. But don't worry about it, its all good. Real world swingweight and formula driven swingweight are two different things. If it was somehow possible to add 10 pounds to the butt end, you dont think swinging that racquet would be difficult?
 
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Great stick .....it has pros in every area and only one con....

The racquet has more vibration than almost any racquet I have ever played with In my life . But other than that it's one of the greatest sticks I have ever tried.
 

jjs891

Semi-Pro
Great stick .....it has pros in every area and only one con....

The racquet has more vibration than almost any racquet I have ever played with In my life . But other than that it's one of the greatest sticks I have ever tried.

I never noticed any excessive vibrations on mine. Actually they feel somewhat muted.

Is it due to loose xenecore that airdupont mentioned ?
 

JackB1

G.O.A.T.
Great stick .....it has pros in every area and only one con....

The racquet has more vibration than almost any racquet I have ever played with In my life . But other than that it's one of the greatest sticks I have ever tried.

never noticed that at all. :confused::?

The Pro One is one of the sweetest feeling racquets around and also very arm friendly for such a powerful and semi-stiff racquet.
 

Torres

Banned
Pros:
great impact feel - SOLID
arm friendly
lots of power and spin
nice plowthru

Cons:
balls sometimes fly due to power
head heavy feel while swinging
high-ish swingweight
poor paintjob quality (silver letters flake off)
gripsize little smaller than most

That's all relative to what you've been using before.

I would say this:-

Pros:
fairly solid feel on contact - doesn't feel hollow or tinny
reasonable power and spin
good control
relatively good plowthrough (for its weight)
swings fluidly
good all round versatile racquet

Cons:
torsional stability could be better
probably closer to a 95 than a 97 with a slightly ovalish hoop
silver letters flake off - black paint is fine.
gripsize slightly smaller than most
(2HB) handle/grip is short in length (like the Blade) though this can be mostly solved by regripping
(customization kit) butt cap weights don't seem to be accurate: my +5g/+10g are +8g/+13g respectively. +3g hoop weights are accurate but tedious to fit and remove

- Don't agree with you about balls flying. This racquet seems to play better the longer your strokes and the harder you hit the ball. If balls are flying, either you're not completing your strokes, or you have too low a tension in your string setup.
- Don't agree with you about head heavy feel - there's obviously some mass concentrated in the hoop (given the starting weight) but the racquet feels nicely balanced and swings very fluidly. The balance on mine is 325mm strung and that's with 4g lead at 12 and new grips/OG. In fact, its very easy to adjust the balance with a heavier replacement grip and OG.
- Don't agree with you about high SW. In fact, it plays better with a small amount of lead to increase the SW slightly and improve stability.

At the end of the day, its still a lighter to middleweight, relatively plush, modern day players stick. It's a good offering by Donnay and can be easily improved/adjusted to suit through small easy tweaks with lead and grips.
 
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never noticed that at all. :confused::?

The Pro One is one of the sweetest feeling racquets around and also very arm friendly for such a powerful and semi-stiff racquet.

Other people have actually said the same thing .

It's weird ....it's supposed to feel muted but doesn't at all for me. The rest of the Donnay line however does in fact feel very muted.
 

Torres

Banned
Other people have actually said the same thing .

It's weird ....it's supposed to feel muted but doesn't at all for me. The rest of the Donnay line however does in fact feel very muted.

I've never noticed any excessive vibrations. There's some slight background flutter if you towards the top of the stringbed near 12 o'clock, but that's not using the racquet in the way that's intended. It plays solid and plush yet with just the right amount of feedback though I've admittedly tweaked mine. Have you tried some lead a 12? It helps stabilize that tip and gives the stick a more solid feel on contact.
 
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PKfan1

Semi-Pro
I don't want to debate something so trivial, but adding weight anywhere on the racquet adds static weight and depending on how much you add, will in fact increase the swingweight. Adding 5 grams has minimal impact, but the higher u go, the more impact you will have on swing weight. Now I am talking the actual swingweight the user will feel. A machine that holds the racquet at the end may not show the increase, but its certainly there. If you added one whole oz. of lead tape around the butt end of a racquet and compared it with the same racquet stock, you don't think the one with the extra oz. will "feel" heavier to swing?

Heck no! If you add that much weight in the handle it will be way easier to swing. Example: 4d200 tour stock is very sluggish and hard to swing somewhere around 12.3oz, 200 tour plus leather grip and 10g of lead in handle somewhere around 13.0oz whips through the air very easy, much more maneuverable all over the court.
 

ChicagoJack

Hall of Fame
Other people have actually said the same thing .

It's weird ....it's supposed to feel muted but doesn't at all for me. The rest of the Donnay line however does in fact feel very muted.

If you are unlucky enough to demo a frame that is pre-strung at the factory, and play with no dampener, you will get a lot of string bed vibration (which is distinct from frame vibration). You'll know the factory stringing by the silver poly mains, the black multi crosses, and the white Donnay stencil. It's just God awful. Tension is way too high, that stencil paint is like glue, and the mutli crosses notch even before you hit a single ball. The result is mains that don't want to slide, but when they do, they stay stuck out of place. That's just about the worst possible scenario for spin production. The high tension, stiff poly mains feel pretty pingy if you mishit towards the tip.

The frame itself however, is extremely damp. I'd say that it's actually the defining, distinguishing feature. It's solid core head to toe, and things that are solid vibrate much less than things that are hollow. With Gut Mains and Soft Poly Xs in the low 50's, it hits like buttah. Even sweeter than my old Volkl Tour 10 Gen 1 and 2's. The X99 Blues and X99 Blacks feel a bit more raw but are still pretty darn comfy.

Jack
 
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ChicagoJack

Hall of Fame
(customization kit) butt cap weights don't seem to be accurate: my +5g/+10g are +8g/+13g respectively. +3g hoop weights are accurate but tedious to fit and remove


Hi Torres,

The buttcap weights are accurate. The discrepancy you point out is there because the standard buttcap (which is marked as +0) does not weigh zero. It weighs 3 grams, so that 8 gram cap which is marked +5 adds 5 grams as intended. Yeah the slides are kind of a pain, but lead at 3-9 on this frame would just eff up the silver lettering.

Jack
 
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If you are unlucky enough to demo a frame that is pre-strung at the factory, and play with no dampener, you will get a lot of string bed vibration (which is distinct from frame vibration). You'll know the factory stringing by the silver poly mains, the black multi crosses, and the white Donnay stencil. It's just God awful. Tension is way too high, that stencil paint is like glue, and the mutli crosses notch even before you hit a single ball. The result is mains that don't want to slide, but when they do, they stay put. That's just about the worst possible scenario for spin production. The high tension, stiff poly mains feel pretty pingy if you mishit towards the tip.

The frame itself however, is extremely damp. I'd say that it's actually the defining, distinguishing feature. It's solid core head to toe, and things that are solid vibrate much less than things that are hollow. With Gut Mains and Soft Poly Xs in the low 50's, it hits like buttah. Even sweeter than my old Volkl Tour 10 Gen 1 and 2's. The X99 Blues and X99 Blacks feel a bit more raw but are still pretty darn comfy.

Jack

Thanks jack but I have two and both the same. In the original Donnay pro one thread here others found the same issue. And I believe some even in the te reviews.

I guess it depends on the persons sensitivity to vibration . This would explain why some feel it and some don't
 

Readers

Professional
(customization kit) butt cap weights don't seem to be accurate: my +5g/+10g are +8g/+13g respectively. +3g hoop weights are accurate but tedious to fit and remove

Have you weighted the +0g one? Hint, it's not 0g. :) :) :twisted:

My 2 +5g one is 4.6g and 4.9g heavier than the +0g, and the two +10g ones are 8.6g and...maybe 9.1g(not sure) heavier than the +0g.

Basically the +5g is good, the +10g need to be renamed +9g.
 
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Thanks jack but I have two and both the same. In the original Donnay pro one thread here others found the same issue. And I believe some even in the te reviews.

I guess it depends on the persons sensitivity to vibration . This would explain why some feel it and some don't

Two TW customer reviews talk about the vibration and / or rattle


Comments: I bought this racquet, hit with it twice, and then sold it. This racquet had a lot of vibration on contact and had WAY to much power. I like the feel of the x-platinum and the discontinued x-blue much better. If you like the feel of the original X-line, avoid this racquet. If you thought the X-line lacked "pop" or "power," then this may be good for you.
From: SQ, 3/12


Comments: This frame is more like a "normal" frame, but mediocre at best. Conversely to the original frames, the pro one doesn't feel great in hand, it feels a bit club like. I didn't care for the flat black finish, had a rattle can quality to it. This is the best frame Donnay has made so far, but that is certainly not high praise. It has too much power, and not enough control. I like power, but without control, you are just wasting your time. I typically play with a Head Prestige, though I have tried many rackets. It has the power of a pure drive, but not the control. It has somewhat of a wilson feel to it, but much harsher.
From: Anon, 3/12
 

Sreeram

Professional
I have been playing with Pro One 97 for the past 5 months, I am still loving this racquet. I play with full bed of BHBR16.
Pros -
Solid feel, that encourages you to hit the ball harder
Great serving racquet, the best I have played with for serves. First serve 100% is awesome.
Very stable compared to racquets of its weight range, especially compared to IG Rad Pro.
Big and consistent sweet spot
Thin beam (relative 21.5 inch) which is great for topspin game for quick breshing. easy to swing.
Zero arm issues with soft poly at lower than mid tension (50lbs)

Cons
Little bit flex is expected for volleys
Headsize not midplus but sweetspot is big enough to mask it

According to me the HL balance can be increased by using a leather grip. Due to thin beam construction the racquet swings much lighter than spec. Best alround racquet I have played with.
 

Torres

Banned
The buttcap weights are accurate. The discrepancy you point out is there because the standard buttcap (which is marked as +0) does not weigh zero. It weighs 3 grams, so that 8 gram cap which is marked +5 adds 5 grams as intended.

Have you weighted the +0g one? Hint, it's not 0g. :) :) :twisted:

My 2 +5g one is 4.6g and 4.9g heavier than the +0g, and the two +10g ones are 8.6g and...maybe 9.1g(not sure) heavier than the +0g.

Aye. At the risk of being semantic though, they could label them with the actual weights. The stock butt cap weight should be labeled +3g (as it weighs 3g) not 0g (since it doesn't weigh 0g), and the others +8g, +13g etc. I find it more useful to know the actual weight of the pieces that I'm adding.
 

Sreeram

Professional
Two TW customer reviews talk about the vibration and / or rattle


Comments: I bought this racquet, hit with it twice, and then sold it. This racquet had a lot of vibration on contact and had WAY to much power. I like the feel of the x-platinum and the discontinued x-blue much better. If you like the feel of the original X-line, avoid this racquet. If you thought the X-line lacked "pop" or "power," then this may be good for you.
From: SQ, 3/12


Comments: This frame is more like a "normal" frame, but mediocre at best. Conversely to the original frames, the pro one doesn't feel great in hand, it feels a bit club like. I didn't care for the flat black finish, had a rattle can quality to it. This is the best frame Donnay has made so far, but that is certainly not high praise. It has too much power, and not enough control. I like power, but without control, you are just wasting your time. I typically play with a Head Prestige, though I have tried many rackets. It has the power of a pure drive, but not the control. It has somewhat of a wilson feel to it, but much harsher.
From: Anon, 3/12


I dont agree with any of the comments. It is not a great arm friendly racquet but it is least viberating racquet at its weight range. It has high flex rating which means stiff, but the technology clearly prevents viberation because the frame is not hallow unlike the stiff Babolat frames.
the second comment on lack of control is also a lie, the guy who put the comment is comparing a 18x20 (prestige) frame control to this racquet, which makes no sense. It is an 18x20 frame which is designed for control for spin friendly strokes. If you are flat hitter you will find issues controling power. I personally feel anyone who says a racquet is too powerful to keep the ball in play is actually complaining about their lack of skills to generate topspin.
 

Torres

Banned
I don't agree with those 2 comments either.

Don't see how it has 'way too much power' - I think that's just nonsense. What was he stringing it with? Natural gut at 40lbs? Given its relatively low static weight and headisze it needs to have some mass in the head otherwise its going to feel a bit feeble when striking the ball. And if he wants to tone down the power, all he needs to do is up the tension of the string he's using, or string it with a poly. I've strung it at 58lbs and 60lbs with a 1.22mm synthetic gut on a LO machine and it doesn't feel overpowered at all. Same with a poly / synthetic gut hybrid.

Ditto control. It's not a racquet for beginners, but it is a precise, clean hitting stick that offers good control. Is he just swinging wildly?

I think its a very nice, versatile stick. In fact, it reminds me of a lighter, more accessible version of the BLX 6.1 95 where the balance and mass has moved slightly more towards the hoop.
 
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I dont agree with any of the comments. It is not a great arm friendly racquet but it is least viberating racquet at its weight range. It has high flex rating which means stiff, but the technology clearly prevents viberation because the frame is not hallow unlike the stiff Babolat frames.
the second comment on lack of control is also a lie, the guy who put the comment is comparing a 18x20 (prestige) frame control to this racquet, which makes no sense. It is an 18x20 frame which is designed for control for spin friendly strokes. If you are flat hitter you will find issues controling power. I personally feel anyone who says a racquet is too powerful to keep the ball in play is actually complaining about their lack of skills to generate topspin.

I agree that the advertisement on a frame not being hollow filled with xenocore really does help with vibrations.....except with the pro one.

I absolutely feel a LOT of vibration on the stick as do some other users .

I also don't think the pro one is nearly as solid as the other Donnay sticks. I feel a Ton of vibration ......

Having said that this is the only con that I find . I'm every other respect the Donnay pro one is by far my favorite Donnay and one of my favorite sticks of all time .
 

Torres

Banned
^ What strings are you using, how long have they been in the racquet and what was the original reference tension? Does it vibrate with different types of strings?

Are you sure that you simply haven't got a faulty one? There's some background flutter if you (mis)hit the ball towards the edge of the frame outside the sweetspot but that's about it. It shouldn't 'alot' of vibration in the way that you describe.

You should also try some lead tape in the hoop. The more mass there is, the less the vibration there will be. Even a few grams will make a difference.
 
Been using Donnay pro one since it came out . Actually first the denser string pattern then the 16x19. I loved it except the vibrations .

Since then I've moved on to the vortex tour which is the same racquet with an even more open string pattern. And now I'm trying the 99s which is also very similar with an even more open pattern.

Seems I know the specs of a stick....and the more open the pattern the more I like it .

As you can see others have had the same complaints as I have .

Just because you don't have the same findings doesn't mean it's not true. Some people are just more sensitive to it than others.

Donnay pro one is an amazing stick....one of the greatest ever .....the only con for myself and others is the vibration.

Nothing faulty with the strings or the stick or the people
Who honestly have the same opinion .

The other racquets in the Donnay line by the way are some of the most arm friendly racquets I have ever had the pleasure of playing with.
 

Torres

Banned
I honestly don't detect any unusual vibration. Certain not the 'ALOT of vibration' that you describe. Nailing the ball in the sweetspot results in a very plush feel. Like I said earlier, there's some flutter if you hit outside of the sweetspot near the frame, but then its a relatively light racquet. Are you sure you that haven't picked up a 'Friday afternoon' racquet? The majority of others don't make any mention of 'alot of vibrations'. For example:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=420407

"one of the nicest, smoothest hitting clubs I have ever had the chance to hit"
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=408173

Whilst I'm not as effusive as he is with his 9/10 or 10/10 type scores, I honestly cannot can't say that I detect any unusual vibration with this stick. There's some vibration outside of the sweetspot - more than say the BLX 6.1 or BLX Juice Pro (I'm a Wilson man) - but its not anything that particularly concerns me. Even the 6.1 flutters slightly if you don't nail the sweetspot and that's a 350g racquet.
 
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OMG....dude I have a few .

It's my opinion and others opinion that's the racquet has vibrations....

There's is nothing wrong with my racquets the racquets other people have tried or their strings. We feel it has too much vibration and you don't.

It's personal taste . Your not going to prove it wrong and I'm not going to prove it right .....that's why it's called an "opinion".

Lets move on .
 
If it was vibrating as badly as you say, I don't understand why you bought so many....:confused:

Here we go again . You just keep questioning me ....but ok.....

Do I like vibrations ....absolutely not . Is it enough of a dislike for me to throw away a racquet ? No way !!

The main thing to me is winning .... Vibrations never bothered my arm and it's something I'm willing to put up with ....maybe that's dumb.....and now that I come to think of it .... Yes it was dumb.

But you don't have to believe me others have said they found the same issue . I posted some of the other opinions as well.

You don't feel there's vibrations and that's fine but I do and other people do as well. There is no one right answer as people have different tastes and different arms .

Can we stop doing this dance now? The racquet is not the holy grail for everyone and there's nothing wrong with that.

But for the record it's an amazing racquet and one of the greatest that I have ever tried .
 

Torres

Banned
All I'm saying is that if you thought it was vibrating so badly, why you went out and bought some more of them? :confused:
 
All I'm saying is that if you thought it was vibrating so badly, why you went out and bought some more of them? :confused:

You really love this dance don't you ?Well ok here we go again....you can ask the same question another 500 times but my answer will still be the same . Enjoy :

If it was vibrating as badly as you say, I don't understand why you bought so many....:confused:

Here we go again . You just keep questioning me ....but ok.....

Do I like vibrations ....absolutely not . Is it enough of a dislike for me to throw away a racquet ? No way !!

The main thing to me is winning .... Vibrations never bothered my arm and it's something I'm willing to put up with ....maybe that's dumb.....and now that I come to think of it .... Yes it was dumb.


But you don't have to believe me others have said they found the same issue . I posted some of the other opinions as well.

You don't feel there's vibrations and that's fine but I do and other people do as well. There is no one right answer as people have different tastes and different arms .

Can we stop doing this dance now? The racquet is not the holy grail for everyone and there's nothing wrong with that.

But for the record it's an amazing racquet and one of the greatest that I have ever tried .
 
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Torres

Banned
Okay, so you bought one but didn't like it because it was vibrating so much, so you decided to buy a few more vibrating racquets.

Right, I'm with you....I think.
 

Bartelby

Bionic Poster
You could say that he gave the racquet a lot of chances and it still failed to compensate for the vibrations he felt that it had.

I'm sure all these people playing low powered racquets are going to say one day, as they do all the time around here, I loved it but it was too heavy and low powered.
 
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