? About the Head YT Graphene Speed Pro Beam width

[Blaxican10s]

Just based on pics I've seen, it looks like the beam width of the Head YT Graphene Speed Pro is a bit thicker than previous of Speed racquets.

The original Youtek Speed and the Youtek IG Speed were listed as having slightly different beam widths but in reality they were the same. The Youtek Speed MP was listed at 20mm The IG speed is listed at 21mm/20mm/21mm. The New Graphene Speed Pro is listed at 22.5mm which is quite a change.

Can anyone confirm that the new Speeds are in fact that much thicker than the previous Speed models? I haven't had a chance to get my hands on one yet for demo.

 

[zapvor]

it is a little thicker, but i dont think its too bad.

 

[dr325i]

it is a little thicker, but i dont think its too bad.

Have you seen it?? Have you put it next to the IG Speed??
Did not think so...

Anyway, YES, it is that thicker and easily visible as soon as you grab it. It is 22mm vs 20mm on the IG/YT Speed (YT Speed MP (white) and IG Speed MP are identical TGK263.x mold)

 

[Blaxican10s]

Have you seen it?? Have you put it next to the IG Speed??
Did not think so...

Anyway, YES, it is that thicker and easily visible as soon as you grab it. It is 22mm vs 20mm on the IG/YT Speed (YT Speed MP (white) and IG Speed MP are identical TGK263.x mold)

Thanks for the info. I'm curious to see if it makes a difference in how it plays.

 

[zapvor]

Have you seen it?? Have you put it next to the IG Speed??
Did not think so...

Anyway, YES, it is that thicker and easily visible as soon as you grab it. It is 22mm vs 20mm on the IG/YT Speed (YT Speed MP (white) and IG Speed MP are identical TGK263.x mold)

um.......i strung it up yesterday. and i guess how much thicker is personal preference. if you think its that much different thats your opinion.

 

[zapvor]

and seriously these threads are why i dont come to the forum as much anymore. for teh longest time, i was like you guys, obsessed with gear and all that junk.

then soemtime last year i finally realized the truth all along: its my game that needs help. so i have been focusing on improving. beam width has nothing to do with success on court. thats for the people on this forum.

now before you say this is all doo doo, consider this: i am surrounded by junior players almost every day that are much much better than most of us will ever be (they are nationally ranked and have full sponsorships), and whenever i ask them about equipment they can barely tell if they have RPM or NXT in their racket. in fact we even did an experiment of putting it a completely different string than they thought, and not one said anything about it not being the string they thought it was. again, its your game that matters, not equipment.

but carry on and post about beam width and
"Anyway, YES, it is that thicker and easily visible as soon as you grab it. It is 22mm vs 20mm on the IG/YT Speed (YT Speed MP (white) and IG Speed MP are identical TGK263.x mold)" and molds and blah blah blah.

i will be busy on court losing to these juniors while you measure specs and compare.

 

[Alex78]

Haha, that is so true.
The best players I see on the courts don't care much about their equipment. In fact, a friend of mine, who is "really good" (played on a US college team some years back and earned MVP honors), told me yesterday that there are only three things he gets upset about with his equipment: 1) His overgrip becomes slippy, 2) his strings lose tension too quickly (but he breaks strings about every
three hours anyway), and 3) his shoes are too heavy... And he doesn't even do intensive racket testing, is currently playing with a YTPP, though modified substantially with some lead.
For me, talking about rackets and trying out/possessing (many) different ones is fun. It's a hobby in itself. You don't need a new racket or string all the time (when you change your stroke(s), your game etc.), but if you have the money, who cares?
It only gets complicated when you really start believing that your equipment matters...

 

[dr325i]

^^ Not sure I understand Zapvor's frustration and comments.
The OP asked a simple question and deserver somewhat correct answer, not a guess... The IG Speed MP and Graphene Speed Pro have absolutely nothing in common from the mold perspective and are visibly VERY different -- shape, thickness, beam shape...

Also, Zapvor being "surounded by juniors" is again out of contest here. I am surrounded by experienced and ex-tour people, makes me no better player than the others.

Finally, to Alex78 -- of course the equipment REALLY matters. And it matters VERY much. Racket too light can mess up your elbow (did it for me). Racket too heavy can mess up your timing and wrist/shoulder, etc. Grip too big or too small can mess you up. Dead poly can totally mess up your arm. Racket too stiff or too flexy can cause many things to your game.
Yes, there are some super fine players that do not care about their equipment, however, I assure you the majority does.

 

[Federerkblade]

I do think raxquet stiffness and strings do play a part in how you play and also the shots you can hit and create

 

[Alex78]

Finally, to Alex78 -- of course the equipment REALLY matters. And it matters VERY much. Racket too light can mess up your elbow (did it for me). Racket too heavy can mess up your timing and wrist/shoulder, etc. Grip too big or too small can mess you up. Dead poly can totally mess up your arm. Racket too stiff or too flexy can cause many things to your game.
Yes, there are some super fine players that do not care about their equipment, however, I assure you the majority does.

Of course you're right about these things, especially with regard to injuries and dead strings. Although warming up properly goes a long way with regard to preventing injuries. But I'll acknowledge that I don't have hardcourt experience, over here (Germany), I can only play on clay in the summer and on carpet in the winter.
I Guess I shouldn't have written that the equipment does not matter at all - or I should have be more precise: The equipment certainly doesn't matter to the degree some posters on this board like to believe.
By this I mean most people (anyone?) can use a regular racket and swing it to play any style they like. They will not reap the full benefits of different rackets in a lifetime.
For instance, one poster here invested great effort into choosing a new racket because he switched to a one-handed backhand. To that I say "Perfectly ok, it's a fun hobby" - But noone should really believe that the effects (of using different rackets) are really meaningful. I'd contest that it's more important to have skill than to have the latest technology in the racket. People will not become drop shot artists over night just because of a new racket. If you have the strokes and the hands, you'll just be alright.
And of course, I'll also acknowledge the influence of personal preferences. For me, this even starts with a racket's paint job...
And finally, I like the discussions on this board about racket tech a lot

 

[zapvor]

^^ Not sure I understand Zapvor's frustration and comments.
The OP asked a simple question and deserver somewhat correct answer, not a guess... The IG Speed MP and Graphene Speed Pro have absolutely nothing in common from the mold perspective and are visibly VERY different -- shape, thickness, beam shape...

Also, Zapvor being "surounded by juniors" is again out of contest here. I am surrounded by experienced and ex-tour people, makes me no better player than the others.

s.

theres no frustration here. just funny how you posted that i must not have noticed how different they beam widths are, when really its only you that cares about it and notice it and feel that it makes such a big difference.

and yes they are 2 different sticks, but again, federer could pick up a $10 racket and beat both of us at the same time. you clearly do not understand my juniors comment. but then again you focus on beam wdith, not the real point here, so it makes sense. carry on

 

[zapvor]

Haha, that is so true.
The best players I see on the courts don't care much about their equipment. In fact, a friend of mine, who is "really good" (played on a US college team some years back and earned MVP honors), told me yesterday that there are only three things he gets upset about with his equipment: 1) His overgrip becomes slippy, 2) his strings lose tension too quickly (but he breaks strings about every
three hours anyway), and 3) his shoes are too heavy... And he doesn't even do intensive racket testing, is currently playing with a YTPP, though modified substantially with some lead.
For me, talking about rackets and trying out/possessing (many) different ones is fun. It's a hobby in itself. You don't need a new racket or string all the time (when you change your stroke(s), your game etc.), but if you have the money, who cares?
It only gets complicated when you really start believing that your equipment matters...

yea exactly. as a hobby, its fine. its my hobby too. but its just too funny to see people here go on so serious about 'this mold is TGK3313864.2 vs TGK331386422 and how that helps topsin by 15.2% 55.9% of the time when on serve, 2nd set, with the wind behind you, on clay at 11:31AM" and all this other gear talk. go out and practice man. i dont see federer posting on here about any gear. or denis kudla. or the 12yr old kid that beat me 0 and 0.

 

[MAXXply]

I'm starting to think the only reason HEAD made the Graphenes thicker beamed is just so they could neatly fit the large HEAD brand along the beam and inner hoop at 12. Is there any structural necessity why a racket should be that thick? I don't think so. I just wish beams would return to boxy straight edges and thicker front beams.

 

[ellipticality_224]

and seriously these threads are why i dont come to the forum as much anymore. for teh longest time, i was like you guys, obsessed with gear and all that junk.

then soemtime last year i finally realized the truth all along: its my game that needs help. so i have been focusing on improving. beam width has nothing to do with success on court. thats for the people on this forum.

now before you say this is all doo doo, consider this: i am surrounded by junior players almost every day that are much much better than most of us will ever be (they are nationally ranked and have full sponsorships), and whenever i ask them about equipment they can barely tell if they have RPM or NXT in their racket. in fact we even did an experiment of putting it a completely different string than they thought, and not one said anything about it not being the string they thought it was. again, its your game that matters, not equipment.

but carry on and post about beam width and
"Anyway, YES, it is that thicker and easily visible as soon as you grab it. It is 22mm vs 20mm on the IG/YT Speed (YT Speed MP (white) and IG Speed MP are identical TGK263.x mold)" and molds and blah blah blah.

i will be busy on court losing to these juniors while you measure specs and compare.

Unleash the fury! I think Zaps anger is warranted, Ive seen some pointless racket threads about menial things like beam width and Vib damps, though not to strings, I usually only worry about my strings, after all it is the strings that hit the ball, not the racket.

 

[cork_screw]

The beam width really bugs me. I don't feel really comfortable wrapping my offhand around it like I do with all the prestiges, ig speed, pt57's that share the traditional width preceding it. They also dropped the bridge lower and now sometimes my offhand touches the bridge and that feels very uncomfortable.

 

[stronzzi70]

racquets, strings, equipment,,,,,,is just for fun or maybe because a lot of people want to test differents options,,,,,this is perfect and make happy for sure a lot of people around the world,,,,,,included myself....come on be positive and enjoy the life .......

 

[caprivi]

..and y'all are forgetting the most important factor in a racquet: the color!

 

[Power Player]

I hit with a blue chip junior who tells me he is "very particular about his racquets".

So while Zappy acts above it all to cope with his own issues, others should not feel bad for being interested in the particulars.

 

[zapvor]

I hit with a blue chip junior who tells me he is "very particular about his racquets".

So while Zappy acts above it all to cope with his own issues, others should not feel bad for being interested in the particulars.

yea all the juniors i run into also say they care a lot about equipment. until you ask them about it. why dont you give us the name of this "blue chip junior" and lets ask him or her some questions?

oh and to be sure, you sample of 1 single junior player really proves your point.

 

[zapvor]

I'm starting to think the only reason HEAD made the Graphenes thicker beamed is just so they could neatly fit the large HEAD brand along the beam and inner hoop at 12. Is there any structural necessity why a racket should be that thick? I don't think so. I just wish beams would return to boxy straight edges and thicker front beams.

hahaha. thats a funny point. i wonder the real reason

 

[rafafan20]

and seriously these threads are why i dont come to the forum as much anymore. for teh longest time, i was like you guys, obsessed with gear and all that junk.

then soemtime last year i finally realized the truth all along: its my game that needs help. so i have been focusing on improving. beam width has nothing to do with success on court. thats for the people on this forum.

now before you say this is all doo doo, consider this: i am surrounded by junior players almost every day that are much much better than most of us will ever be (they are nationally ranked and have full sponsorships), and whenever i ask them about equipment they can barely tell if they have RPM or NXT in their racket. in fact we even did an experiment of putting it a completely different string than they thought, and not one said anything about it not being the string they thought it was. again, its your game that matters, not equipment.

but carry on and post about beam width and
"Anyway, YES, it is that thicker and easily visible as soon as you grab it. It is 22mm vs 20mm on the IG/YT Speed (YT Speed MP (white) and IG Speed MP are identical TGK263.x mold)" and molds and blah blah blah.

i will be busy on court losing to these juniors while you measure specs and compare.

preach!!!!!!!!!

 

[zapvor]

Unleash the fury! I think Zaps anger is warranted, Ive seen some pointless racket threads about menial things like beam width and Vib damps, though not to strings, I usually only worry about my strings, after all it is the strings that hit the ball, not the racket.

no anger just that time after time day after day year after year we get the same threads about gear and how much .5699 oz is going to alter the swingweight by 1.933% and blah blah blah is just getting annoying. and on top of that people reply back saying 'oh gosh you didnt notice the beam width difference" like that's the important thing. funny stuff.

 

[zapvor]

..and y'all are forgetting the most important factor in a racquet: the color!

omg i totally forgot! you are 100% right! i am so sorry. if the racket is not a slight shade of sky blue tinted with just a hue of brown orange with a dash of black stripes, its not the right racket. might as well smash it

 

[zapvor]

preach!!!!!!!!!

why thank you.

i didnt mean for my post to come off so...harsh. i guess i could have worded it better, but you get the point

 

[tennis_enthusiast]

Thicker beam equates to more power typically. From my experience with the IG Speed 315 and the new Graphene Speed Pro, the new Graphene Speed has more weight, a higher stiffness rating, and a thicker beam. That basically solves our question as to why they changed the stick, for more power.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that equipment doesn't matter. I've become a very firm believer in getting the right sticks and the right string. To say that it doesn't matter is a little bit ridiculous. However, like other posters have said, some of the threads that I see on here are ridiculous. People trying to measure differences in the actual weight of string, weights of dampeners, etc. Equipment makes a difference only to a certain point, if you actually are foolish enough to believe that one gram here or there will completely change your game, you need to just go out and develop your game to a point where it won't.

Tennis gear has become a very fun hobby for me. I love reading about and trying the newest gear, but I won't let it get to the point where it disrupts my game. 99% of tennis takes place between your ears.

 

[zapvor]

thanks for your input. yea i am not saying equipment doesnt matter. i was more saying it to make my point more bluntly. the extent to which we on this board go on and on about gear is hilarious. like the thread about replacement grip altering the swingweight so much that it throws off the balance or something. that was FUNNY. yea and the weight of string. way too much comedy.

 

[rafafan20]

why thank you.

i didnt mean for my post to come off so...harsh. i guess i could have worded it better, but you get the point

Its not harsh IMO, if people spent the same time researching equipment into watching tennis lessons online (fyb) or exercising and stopped worrying about over-consumption on equipment, it serves their game better. Nothing wrong with being a gear nerd, as long as one realizes that it hinders your game more than helps. I loathe switching racquets.

 

[zapvor]

Its not harsh IMO, if people spent the same time researching equipment into watching tennis lessons online (fyb) or exercising and stopped worrying about over-consumption on equipment, it serves their game better. Nothing wrong with being a gear nerd, as long as one realizes that it hinders your game more than helps. I loathe switching racquets.

hahahha you should preach it man! bravo!

(by the way, i switch rackets all the time.........oops)

 

[rafafan20]

well im more of a string addict/switcher... but I think I found the one!

 

[zapvor]

solinco is good. i wish i was sponsored by them

 

[rlau]

Tennis gear has become a very fun hobby for me. I love reading about and trying the newest gear, but I won't let it get to the point where it disrupts my game. 99% of tennis takes place between your ears.

That's usually where things go wrong for me....