naturalexponent
Hall of Fame
Good questions. Need more high def photos!
2021 Yonex VCore 95
- Thread starter TagUrIt
- Start date
With the vcore 95 I am experiencing inconsistent power with the FH and was wondering if anyone had a solution.
Flatter shots are consistent but spin shots often spray long or get dumped into the net. I didnt experience this with any other racket.
Obviously this can be a string issue, but I have this fresh strung with black knight at 50lbs. Might be a weight balance issue too as I am going back and forth between rackets but it is being played completely stock. Considering maybe tail weighting it.
Flatter shots are consistent but spin shots often spray long or get dumped into the net. I didnt experience this with any other racket.
Obviously this can be a string issue, but I have this fresh strung with black knight at 50lbs. Might be a weight balance issue too as I am going back and forth between rackets but it is being played completely stock. Considering maybe tail weighting it.
CosmosMpower
Hall of Fame
Pretty sure it's the best seller in the Vcore line
Jan-23 for Australian Open
naturalexponent
Hall of Fame
Are you hitting the same spot each time? As forgiving as the VC95 is for a 95 square incher, I find there's a huge gap between hitting the sweet spot and hitting near the edges (which is potentially more likely when you are trying to hit with spin vs. flat).
FuzzyYellowBalls
Legend
Interesting, I wonder when he said that? It's got a best seller distinction here on TW and it seems to be everywhere in the US.
2nd Serve Ace
Hall of Fame
Yeah, some 3/9 lead is a big stability help to the VC95. Also BK isn't the spinniest poly. Maybe going 18 gauge would be worth trying.
See that's what I thought too. I was surprised when he said that.
see at 2:20
FuzzyYellowBalls
Legend
I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, he might be observing slower sales, think he talked to a Yonex rep? I've seen quite a few posters here and other places that seem to indicate Yonex is harder to get in western Europe, enough chatter for me to think it. One thing I know, they could keep the same string pattern and call it a 98 and no one would really notice, might even increase sales.
celito
Professional
Right. It could be not selling well in Europe. That's his market and probably where his contacts are. 95 might be a harder sell in the US as well when everyone is playing with 98 and 100s.
FuzzyYellowBalls
Legend
Exactly, I bet people don't even demo the 95 sometimes, but like I've said on here before and others have, there's barely a difference in size with the Vcore 95. Although, some think it's harder to play with than an ezone 98, I'm not sure I get that, but it might be for a two-hander maybe?
Playtimefun
Rookie
I can agree with your feelings on hitting a forehand. I find that when i hit my hard flat return or forejand in a ralley, that if i try and put any power into it that its into the back fence... but smooth and not trying to kill it and you get pretty nice power on it. But topspin... you need to really make a consistent swing. If its half hearted then forget it.
leojramirez
Rookie
Probably its because the type of player. In Europe we mostly play in clay and 98 sqin is viewed as small when everyone wields a 100sqin bab.
Loads of people even with one handers play these racquets. Even older people with your typical continental technique plays these frames unlike in the US where old guys still think they can serve and volley effectively and its only possible with 90sqin frames.
I can't but that's because I've got hand/wrist issues, otherwise its a massive advantage to play with those types of rackets of you can control the power with spin, which then its an advantage on clay.
I play with the vcore98 2021 and depending on the strings I get pains throughout my hand so I have to go for softer polys, but the problem is then control, sometimes it feels like its catapulting off the racket. Specially now when it's hot and balls fly. I tried the tour bite soft 1.20 and poly tour rev 1.20 but then its giving me pain. I do strike the ball hard though. Go hard or go homeas they say.
Loads of people even with one handers play these racquets. Even older people with your typical continental technique plays these frames unlike in the US where old guys still think they can serve and volley effectively and its only possible with 90sqin frames.
I can't but that's because I've got hand/wrist issues, otherwise its a massive advantage to play with those types of rackets of you can control the power with spin, which then its an advantage on clay.
I play with the vcore98 2021 and depending on the strings I get pains throughout my hand so I have to go for softer polys, but the problem is then control, sometimes it feels like its catapulting off the racket. Specially now when it's hot and balls fly. I tried the tour bite soft 1.20 and poly tour rev 1.20 but then its giving me pain. I do strike the ball hard though. Go hard or go homeas they say.
@leojramirez - In that case, if you dont mind some special handling, you need to try a hybrid of Ashaway Kevlar 16 mains and MonoGut ZX crosses, manually pre-stretched (kevlar 2-3"; zyex 20-24"). When stringing ZX crosses, leave 1cm+ between the clamp and frame, and hand-pull the finishing knots. Use the same tension you'd use for a multi/gut hybrid. The combo will give you the control and spin of poly with the comfort of multi/gut, and 3x to 10x the playable life. I know it may sound quirky, but it works well in stiffer frames such as the VC98. Give it a shot!
Roquestil
Semi-Pro
Well I think I found out why I have been switching from racquet to racquet this past 2 years when All I want is to settle with one racquet. The grip I use is too small, therefore I have been basically trying a lot of Yonex, Wilson, head and TF40. Yesterday I added a second overgrip to my Vcore 95 and everything just clicked, and I remembered why I always used grip 4 when I was younger. Maybe grip 4 with Yonex would be too big but I will stick with a second overgrip.
I thought every time my racquet twisted it was a low Twistweight or instability, but it was my grip size. Played a match yesterday with stock Vcore 95 with a second overgrip ( I claimed vc95 is unplayable for me without weight) and felt no twisting at all, yeah still need the bump in SW but wow how the correct grip size changes everything.
I thought every time my racquet twisted it was a low Twistweight or instability, but it was my grip size. Played a match yesterday with stock Vcore 95 with a second overgrip ( I claimed vc95 is unplayable for me without weight) and felt no twisting at all, yeah still need the bump in SW but wow how the correct grip size changes everything.
+1 - This right here is what I've been noticing with a lot of my rec player friends -- I'm not sure if they just don't know any better or did it purposely thinking it would help with spin production, but as soon as I put another overgrip on for them, they tend to play better, more often than not. Go figure.
@Roquestil - So now that you made that epiphany, do you feel compelled to go back through any frames you've still got, like the 97HD or others, to see if that change could make one of them leapfrog the VC95 for performance, or will you just stick with the VC95 for now?
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gold325
Hall of Fame
What is your normal / previous racquet? If you go from a stiff throat area to a flexy throat area till you get adjusted this is the normal experience...
I felt the same thing with both VCore95 and Gravity Tour till I got adjusted to that flexing and used it to generate more spin (within reason)
PS - it's possible someone will correct me or say I'm full of **** if that case my alternate response to your problem is the following - the problem is the player and not the racquet....
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I used Aux Prestige Tour for some time, but I am not sure of the flex differences. But I am liking the vcore 95 the more I use it. The yonex maneuverability was able to pull me away from the prestige feel and control that I was addicted to.
gold325
Hall of Fame
So my theory was incorrect in your case.
naturalexponent
Hall of Fame
Have a similar experience to yours. I wasn't a fan of the feel at first, being more used to 93P/PS85/Prestige type frames, but the maneuverability is among the best ever, and the feel is actually growing on me.
Roquestil
Semi-Pro
I think a lot of people see Roger and Rafa going down to size 2 or 3, Novak is basically a 4 but he doesnt get emulated as much haha. Anyways, I´m sticking with the VC95 but instead of having 4 grams at 3/9 I´m shifting 2 grams @12 and keeping 2 @ 3/9 since stability isn´t the racquets issue anymore.
FuzzyYellowBalls
Legend
Nice to see you discovered that and can settle into a stick. I've always wondered about chasing stability with weight, the 2021 VC95 as opposed to the 2018, was designed thicker with a small boost of power and a side result is even more stability.
It could be an issue on the boards with vocabulary. But, for me the Vcore 95 is very stable off the shelf. I almost always hit the sweetspot though so I judge most rackets based on stability from the sweetspot and it seems to me through reading postings that sometimes other people, not you, chase stability for off center hits, which really confuses me. I think your discovery of grip size could be another issue people aren't realizing. I know you are a high level player and self-aware. Imagine a lower level player slathering on weight with the wrong grip size to make the racket more stable, fascinating. They might never even think of grip size.
It could be an issue on the boards with vocabulary. But, for me the Vcore 95 is very stable off the shelf. I almost always hit the sweetspot though so I judge most rackets based on stability from the sweetspot and it seems to me through reading postings that sometimes other people, not you, chase stability for off center hits, which really confuses me. I think your discovery of grip size could be another issue people aren't realizing. I know you are a high level player and self-aware. Imagine a lower level player slathering on weight with the wrong grip size to make the racket more stable, fascinating. They might never even think of grip size.
naturalexponent
Hall of Fame
Excellent points. I think you're right that a lot of people online say stability when they meant off-center hits. I feel the same way about the 2021 VC95 being plenty stable even at its relatively light weight. I've found that larger racquets with higher twistweight are actually worse (for me) on off-center hits because the ball impact is still enough to overcome the higher twistweight so the sensation of twisting in my hand is more severe, which is one reason I've gravitated toward smaller or narrower heads.
@FuzzyYellowBalls and @naturalexponent - Great points, both of you. But that is the kicker, I think. The VC95 is incredibly connected and solid up and down that center vertical, of say, 4-6 mains wide; dare I say, even baseball bat level of solidness in the 2021, especially. It's when you start to get outside those few center mains that not only does stability suffer at least a bit, but I find power drops even more. For me, as a self-rated 3.75/4.0, it's that lack of uniformity (which I can find more abundant in other racquets) that I find hardest to cope with, especially when defending and returning. I suspect that area would be much less of an issue for a 4.5 or higher with a 95+% rate of sweet spot impact, and at that point the pluses would far outweigh any negatives. So IMHO the racquet definitely has a "skill floor" of perhaps 4.0, maybe even 4.5, at least when it comes to defending or returning effectively with it. On the attacking front, it's fun at nearly any level above a 3.0. Just my observations from using the SV, the '18 and '21. Grain of salt, etc. 
naturalexponent
Hall of Fame
That has been my experience as well, that there is a noticeable drop-off in power off the center. I hit the edge of the stringbed more often than I'd like if I'm out of position/I have misjudged the bounce/etc. I think it's one of the reason I'm waffling between the VC95 and the GPro (which is a 100), because I have so much more confidence with the latter. But I really really love the maneuverability with the VC95 and how backhands feel. Definitely a fair point about defending/returning vs. attacking!@FuzzyYellowBalls and @naturalexponent - Great points, both of you. But that is the kicker, I think. The VC95 is incredibly connected and solid up and down that center vertical, of say, 4-6 mains wide; dare I say, even baseball bat level of solidness in the 2021, especially. It's when you start to get outside those few center mains that not only does stability suffer at least a bit, but I find power drops even more. For me, as a self-rated 3.75/4.0, it's that lack of uniformity (which I can find more abundant in other racquets) that I find hardest to cope with, especially when defending and returning. I suspect that area would be much less of an issue for a 4.5 or higher with a 95+% rate of sweet spot impact, and at that point the pluses would far outweigh any negatives. So IMHO the racquet definitely has a "skill floor" of perhaps 4.0, maybe even 4.5, at least when it comes to defending or returning effectively with it. On the attacking front, it's fun at nearly any level above a 3.0. Just my observations from using the SV, the '18 and '21. Grain of salt, etc.
FuzzyYellowBalls
Legend
Yes, that's an amazing point and observation. Someone recently said to me the VC95 is a difficult racket to use and I was so confused, I said "what, wait, it's so easy to use, it's maneuverable and stable and has great power, yet controlled". I didn't get it at all, I had to think about it and he pointed out that I don't miss the ball much at all. I'd say only push through and stick with it if you have a one hander and if not, try an Ezone 98 or some other 98ish or 100 stick.@FuzzyYellowBalls and @naturalexponent - Great points, both of you. But that is the kicker, I think. The VC95 is incredibly connected and solid up and down that center vertical, of say, 4-6 mains wide; dare I say, even baseball bat level of solidness in the 2021, especially. It's when you start to get outside those few center mains that not only does stability suffer at least a bit, but I find power drops even more. For me, as a self-rated 3.75/4.0, it's that lack of uniformity (which I can find more abundant in other racquets) that I find hardest to cope with, especially when defending and returning. I suspect that area would be much less of an issue for a 4.5 or higher with a 95+% rate of sweet spot impact, and at that point the pluses would far outweigh any negatives. So IMHO the racquet definitely has a "skill floor" of perhaps 4.0, maybe even 4.5, at least when it comes to defending or returning effectively with it. On the attacking front, it's fun at nearly any level above a 3.0. Just my observations from using the SV, the '18 and '21. Grain of salt, etc.
FuzzyYellowBalls
Legend
You might like the Ezone 98 or Pure Strike.
FuzzyYellowBalls
Legend
In case someone who hasn't tried the 95 reads this though, the sweet spot is quite large, equal to most 98s, so don't be scared to demo it.
naturalexponent
Hall of Fame
Thanks for the suggestions! I'm pretty set on the VC95 or GPro but I'll look at these for my next demos if I get there...
Again, good points, both you guys. I think a lot of these specifics we've been pointing out can be summarized as uniformity of the hitting experience -- a certain majority feel each and every time we make contact. More often than not, at my level at least, I've been biasing towards frames with 14.5+ twist-weights (strung) to max out the uniformity for my game. Perhaps it's why @naturalexponent has been enjoying the GPro (apart from the obviously larger head size and 18x20; I, myself, the TT100-310 and G360+ Prestige Tour). Nevertheless, I'm keeping my VC95's along for the ride, to see if leveling up in skill can help make a break-through with them along the way.
Roquestil
Semi-Pro
I found out while playing a match and suddenly thought “why is my racquet twisting” first I checked if the lead had fallen off. But then a friend who doesn’t know anything about tennis told me that maybe the grip was too slippery. It was a new overgrip but That got me thinking about the grip size. Since Yonex grip 3 is on the bigger size I didn’t even consider increasing the grip size as an option. Just another example why tennis equipment is very personal.
Wheelz
Hall of Fame
Agreed. It feels like your wrist is super loose with a small grip but there is also that very sketchy feeling that the racquet can twist in your hands at any moment. Plus I found it puts more strain on my forearm.
Playtimefun
Rookie
Well... people say that the prostaff 85 was/is difficult to use and to me and others it never was until you start not being able to move or swing it. Which in my case happened after suffering 3 tears in my shoulder.
Just playing in a seniors tourney this weekend and the wife and i played and lost our first match in a round robin (3rd set tiebreaker) against a solid 4.5 mens team (playing both mens and mixed) and the courts were newly resurfaced. It was 30 C (86 F) and humid as hell. The slowness of the court meant that i had to move my feet more and i had to work twice as hard to do anything on the backhand. Afterwards i was thinking maybe i should have thrown the VCP97 in the bag because i needed something to get more oomph behind the ball??? The wife was asking me why are you hitting your big spin serve (for second) and i was like i am trying!!! I just cannot seem to get spin out of the VC95 but i am rocket launching flat serves flat serves which people say they have trouble hitting. But my forehand groundstrokes were awesome, volleys were solid... unfortunately the racquet did everything asked of it.
I sort of believe that there is no such thing as a "bad racquet." Just racquets that dont feel naturally as good to us. I think that any of us can pick up ANY racquet and hit 80% of the shots we already can but its that one or two shots we cant hit. We have all picked up someones racquet and just played with it to make a fourth or a broken string etc. and played reasonable well with it. We search for the holy grail because of our interest and personality.
Side note... when talking about grip sizes and twisting in your hand... the trick i am doing is the 4 1/4 then get a half size shrink wrap grip builder then an overgrip. Gets me to the point where its the same size as a normal 4 3/8. The 4 3/8 with a grip just seems closer to a normal 4 1/2.
Vale46
New User
So I've been testing new string set-ups. My normal string is YPTP 1.20 @ 52 lbs.
Max Power 1.20 (thoughts)
-Extremely low powered
-Stiff, but only really felt discomfort after hitting a lot of volleys in a row. Otherwise ok
-Spin about equal to PTP maybe slightly less?
-Control is really good, hard to hit long
-Touch/Feel shots are good
Don't think this is a good fit for Vcore 95 since it's already low-power.
Pro Line Evolution 1.25
-More power than poly tour pro even with thicker gauge
-Spin is about equal to PTP
-Touch/Feel shots are good
I may be switching to Pro Line Evolution just for the power increase. Wow. Great string.
Max Power 1.20 (thoughts)
-Extremely low powered
-Stiff, but only really felt discomfort after hitting a lot of volleys in a row. Otherwise ok
-Spin about equal to PTP maybe slightly less?
-Control is really good, hard to hit long
-Touch/Feel shots are good
Don't think this is a good fit for Vcore 95 since it's already low-power.
Pro Line Evolution 1.25
-More power than poly tour pro even with thicker gauge
-Spin is about equal to PTP
-Touch/Feel shots are good
I may be switching to Pro Line Evolution just for the power increase. Wow. Great string.
naturalexponent
Hall of Fame
I had put the VC95 aside for the last month or so but I've been thinking about it again lately. Finally set up my Briffidi SW1 and got around to measuring specs. Super impressed that the VC95 I got from TW without any matching or customization is essentially right on TW published specs for static weight, balance, and swing weight with a full bed of max power and a Tourna OG. I find it easier to be consistent with some of the other racquets I've been playing with, but the VC95 gives me a bit more joy on a well-hit shot, especially on backhands (duh). And when I'm having a good day, it has magic wand capabilities.
I am finally getting around to trying an Ezone 98. I got the Osaka LE, and I was going to keep it just as a collectible but what is the point if not to play with it? Also been thinking a lot about the Pure Strike VS. I did a short demo of the PSVS last week and it's the first racquet I've played with that made me think of the term "point and shoot" that you hear so much on reviews. It was so light as to feel insubstantial in my hand, which I didn't like at first, but it had some real upsides, like just hitting mindless forehands and backhands with consistency and never worrying about being late to the ball. Of course this was just hitting around casually, but it's a road I'm going down now haha.
Wheelz
Hall of Fame
I went through some legs of this thread. Looks like SW comes out pretty low all time versus the TW Specs. I got one 18 that was near 330sw strung stock and higher balance which was fine for me.
Im looking at the 21 model. Is it even possible to reach 330sw with only 335-336g static? I think that strung with overgrip it should be about 330g. I’ve got 5G to play but if they all come out near 310… it’s a hard task.
Im looking at the 21 model. Is it even possible to reach 330sw with only 335-336g static? I think that strung with overgrip it should be about 330g. I’ve got 5G to play but if they all come out near 310… it’s a hard task.
darko.sumanovac99
New User
Tt is possible to reach that swingweight. the question is only if the balance in relation to that swingweight will suit you. 6 grams of lead could bring it to that level (2 grams at 12 o'clock, 2 grams at 3 o'clock and 2 grams at 9 o'clock). That would be an increase of about 15 sw points, or you can put more lead at 12 o'clock, and little less at 3 and 9 if you want more sw points.
Wheelz
Hall of Fame
Im actually at 336.5G, 32.1 and 330sw with my 2018. That SW is stock with 1.25.
I’m usually not that difficult with balance if it’s around 32,32.5
Recoveringhobo
Rookie
Does anyone have preference for lead at 3 & 9 vs 12? I have 2 grams at 3 & 9 each and am contemplating trying just at 12. The racquet already has an extremely low twist weight so not sure if that would make it worse.
naturalexponent
Hall of Fame
Agree with @Wheelz and think it's better to use less lead and go with a bit of weight @ 12 (if any at all) to keep the low TW and get a bit of extra oomph on serve. I find a little bit of weight in the head helps with positional awareness as it's so light I sometimes struggle a bit with the touch/finesse shots as compared to the heavier sticks I'm accustomed to playing with.
Classic-TXP-IG MID
Hall of Fame
I have weight at 3,9, and 12 o'clock.
What I would advise is to check the Power Potential and the Sweet spot area tools on TW University. This will give you the areas where it might be weak/need improvement... and will allow you to customise to your preferences, with minimal amount of weight (maximising location/placement).
Hope that helps.
Hey all,
New to the message boards. Just want to know if anyone has any insight into when the new VCores will be announced/released. I recently purchased and have played with the latest 95 and love it. Was planning on buying more but could wait until I know more on the new iteration.
Thanks and please lmk if there is a better place to ask about new racquet releases.
New to the message boards. Just want to know if anyone has any insight into when the new VCores will be announced/released. I recently purchased and have played with the latest 95 and love it. Was planning on buying more but could wait until I know more on the new iteration.
Thanks and please lmk if there is a better place to ask about new racquet releases.
@Nate520 - Yonex tends to stick to a 2-year cadence on silo refreshes, so, considering the current model was released in the beginning of '21, you likely won't see a new one until late '22/early '23 -- provided they choose to continue the 95, as that's been speculated as well... All of that considered, I'd probably just load up on the current one for now and commit to it. If nothing else, at least you'll know it like the back of your hand by the point at which it comes to compare it to the next one (if there is one).
bobeeto
Professional
ok so i finally put 4g lead on one of my vcores
3&9 like a good boy and yeah i really like it. i didn’t even grab my other one to compare. it was like it was the same damn racket i know and love, but got its heart broken and hit the gym a bit. found myself liking the slice and chip and charge a lot.
if only there was a way to lead up 3/9 and not cover the logo
current specs: 344 strung
- leather grip
-4 g’s of lead
- without overgrip
(that’s all i care to measure)
strings: Poly Tour Air in this one
Kirschbaum Flash in other. both are great.
3&9 like a good boy and yeah i really like it. i didn’t even grab my other one to compare. it was like it was the same damn racket i know and love, but got its heart broken and hit the gym a bit. found myself liking the slice and chip and charge a lot.
if only there was a way to lead up 3/9 and not cover the logo
current specs: 344 strung
- leather grip
-4 g’s of lead
- without overgrip
(that’s all i care to measure)
strings: Poly Tour Air in this one
Kirschbaum Flash in other. both are great.
TagUrIt
Hall of Fame
So I have a sad confession to make, even though I actually created this thread, I'm no longer using the VCore 95. I've had the 2022 Ezone 98 in my bag (one in the closet) for quite some time now and whenever I've played with them, tennis is just easier (hence the Easy One catch phrase). It's a joy to hit with the Ezone 98, the ball just goes and lands deep into the court. With the VCore 95, because it's such a demanding racquet and less powerful, everything is just more difficult. That doesn't mean I can't wield it, it just makes more sense to use the racquet you play your best and effortless tennis with. I've really enjoyed my journey with the VCore 95, but alas it's time to move on. I even got two Osaka Edition 98's so I'm definitely "All In" with this stick.
How could you!
