2020 Yonex Ezone 100 way too stiff

[dilshan]

I don't know if it's me but I find the ezone 100 way too stiff. It was strung with a full bed of Yonex Poly Tour Strike 17 gauge at 53 pounds tension. When practicing with the racket my wrist hurts due to feeling the brunt of the force for off-center hits. I recently purchased a 2020 ezone 98+ and could not believe how comfortable it was. It was as if my wrist was in heaven. The 98+ was strung using YTEX Square-X 16L at 52 pounds tension.

I am now wondering if I should sell my ezone 100 or try to change the string setup. Will changing the string setup make the racket less stiff? Any good string recommendations for increasing comfort?

If I sell my ezone 100, I plan on going for a prince phantom 107G

 

[ericykchan]

Prince Phantom 107G is awesome, or you can also consider Prince Ripstick and VCore100.

 

[dilshan]

Prince Phantom 107G is awesome, or you can also consider Prince Ripstick and VCore100.

Thank you for the suggestions @ericykchan !

 

[Ryebread]

is the 98 ok? and I hear super low tension works well in the 98.

 

[dilshan]

is the 98 ok? and I hear super low tension works well in the 98.

I have the 98+ @Ryebread and that is more comfortable than the 100. was wondering if the 100 will be better on a lower tension comfort wise

 

[ryushen21]

I don't know if it's me but I find the ezone 100 way too stiff. It was strung with a full bed of Yonex Poly Tour Strike 17 gauge at 53 pounds tension. When practicing with the racket my wrist hurts due to feeling the brunt of the force for off-center hits. I recently purchased a 2020 ezone 98+ and could not believe how comfortable it was. It was as if my wrist was in heaven. The 98+ was strung using YTEX Square-X 16L at 52 pounds tension.

I am now wondering if I should sell my ezone 100 or try to change the string setup. Will changing the string setup make the racket less stiff? Any good string recommendations for increasing comfort?

If I sell my ezone 100, I plan on going for a prince phantom 107G

I've been playing the EZ100 with full poly for about 7 months now with zero issues. To be fair, I string my frames at 47/45 though. However, I've always found it to play well below its reported stiffness rating.

 

[dilshan]

I've been playing the EZ100 with full poly for about 7 months now with zero issues. To be fair, I string my frames at 47/45 though. However, I've always found it to play well below its reported stiffness rating.

Thanks @ryushen21 . I should try the lower stiffness

 

[Steve Huff]

It would be a lot cheaper to switch strings before dumping the racket. If the extra power doesn't hurt you, lower the tension too.

 

[Hesi]

I've been playing with the same ezone for awhile with no issues at 53-55lbs depending on string. Maybe try a couple diff strings before selling. Although I was coming from the pure drive roddick which is a bit stiffer.

 

[dilshan]

It would be a lot cheaper to switch strings before dumping the racket. If the extra power doesn't hurt you, lower the tension too.

Thank you @Steve Huff . Yes plan is to switch strings and see if there is an improvement. I might try a comfortable multi-filament

 

[dilshan]

I've been playing with the same ezone for awhile with no issues at 53-55lbs depending on string. Maybe try a couple diff strings before selling. Although I was coming from the pure drive roddick which is a bit stiffer.

Thank you @Hesi . Planning to switch strings and give it another go. I might try a comfortable multi-filament

 

[hadoken]

There is a pretty massive stiffness difference in the VCORE/EZONE frames going from the 98s to the 100s. The 98s are player frames vs the 100s geared at intermediates. Sure you can lower the tension and get rid of the poly, but inherently those frames are going to play somewhat stiff. If that really bugs you just switch to the 98s.

 

[dilshan]

There is a pretty massive stiffness difference in the VCORE/EZONE frames going from the 98s to the 100s. The 98s are player frames vs the 100s geared at intermediates. Sure you can lower the tension and get rid of the poly, but inherently those frames are going to play somewhat stiff. If that really bugs you just switch to the 98s.

Thanks @hadoken . I am actually an intermediate player but on my 1hbh, the ball tends to sail over on the ezone 100 and I have had to switch to a 2hbh. Since the beam is thinner on the 98+, I believe that would be a better frame for me. I am also quite interested in the Prince Phantom 107G. Do you have any feedback on that frame? Since the beam is thin on that, would that qualify as a player's frame?

 

[socallefty]

I think the EZone 100 is designed to convert players who like the Pure Drive. So, it plays more like an aluminum baseball bat rather than a controlled tennis racquet - so, swing away for the fences like it is designed to do.

 

[hadoken]

Thanks @hadoken . I am actually an intermediate player but on my 1hbh, the ball tends to sail over on the ezone 100 and I have had to switch to a 2hbh. Since the beam is thinner on the 98+, I believe that would be a better frame for me. I am also quite interested in the Prince Phantom 107G. Do you have any feedback on that frame? Since the beam is thin on that, would that qualify as a player's frame?

Why not use just the regular EZONE 98? I tried the 98+ and found it too sluggish to use. The Phantom 107g is a player's frame but the trend these days is to move to sub 100 sq in frames...I find it impossible to serve with an oversize frame but it's worth a try I guess.

 

[Slowtwitcher]

It was strung with a full bed of Yonex Poly Tour Strike 17 gauge at 53 pounds tension.

Yeah the EZone 100 is too stiff

 

[dilshan]

Why not use just the regular EZONE 98? I tried the 98+ and found it too sluggish to use. The Phantom 107g is a player's frame but the trend these days is to move to sub 100 sq in frames...I find it impossible to serve with an oversize frame but it's worth a try I guess.

I got a good deal on the 98+ and I do agree it has a heft to it that might need some time getting used to

 

[hadoken]

The 98+ is not hefty...it's the extra length making the swingweight challenging. The regular length Ezone 98 will play very differently. I would try and trade that 98+ for a regular length Ezone 98.

 

[dilshan]

The 98+ is not hefty...it's the extra length making the swingweight challenging. The regular length Ezone 98 will play very differently. I would try and trade that 98+ for a regular length Ezone 98.

Will give the 98+ a try and if it seems challenging I would change it to a regular 98

 

[Crashbaby]

i tried the previous gen Ezone 100 and found it way stiffer than the 98. Had an interesting chat with a fellow club member last week about this and he had no idea about the massive difference in beam thickness between the two. He thought it was just Head size. I don’t think many realise the sheer structural strength and resistance to bending that the 100 inch yonex sticks have compared to the 98’s.
String choice and tension will mattter way more on the 100 in regards to comfort sensitivity.

 

[dilshan]

i tried the previous gen Ezone 100 and found it way stiffer than the 98. Had an interesting chat with a fellow club member last week about this and he had no idea about the massive difference in beam thickness between the two. He thought it was just Head size. I don’t think many realise the sheer structural strength and resistance to bending that the 100 inch yonex sticks have compared to the 98’s.
String choice and tension will mattter way more on the 100 in regards to comfort sensitivity.

Beam thickness was a big surprise to me too @Crashbaby when I got my hands on the 98+. The difference looks night and day. I might go multi-filament and tension around mid 40s for the ezone 100 because it is stiffer

 

[ArliHawk]

Try kirschbaum evolution at 50 lbs and thank me later.

 

[Wheelz]

did not like evolution in the ezone 98 but it was cold here when i tried. nothing feels great when its 0-10 celcius.

 

[Alexh22]

yonex has put out two gens of ezones that are way too stiff. This new gen gives me hand and shoulder pain yet my AI and DR are fine. I know pure drive or Aeros are popular but there is no need for yonex to copy them on their worst quality.
yonex never needed to “upgrade” the dr or AI. They managed to ruin them Anyways.

 

[ryushen21]

yonex has put out two gens of ezones that are way too stiff. This new gen gives me hand and shoulder pain yet my AI and DR are fine. I know pure drive or Aeros are popular but there is no need for yonex to copy them on their worst quality.
yonex never needed to “upgrade” the dr or AI. They managed to ruin them Anyways.

The DR is easily stiffer than the current model. The current model is more string sensitive though.

 

[n8dawg6]

anybody 6 months deep in old forum posts? i must say, i like the current ezone 98 quite a bit. jury is still out, though, on whether it likes me. it seems like a solid all-arounder, but it lacks some of the 100s punch and forgiveness

feel is soft compared to a pure drive. very much reminds me of my old ai98 and dr98. in fact, i wouldnt want it any softer.