Best Junior Racquet?

ClownCar96

ClownCar96

Professional
Looking for a new racquet for my 10 year old. He hits really well and has a lot of potential.
He currently has a pure drive 26 he inherited from his brother but the grip size is too big, he needs a 0, and it’s pretty beat up.

Should I stick with Babolat or are there better ones out there? I saw the Yonex ezone 26 at our local club and it seems pretty cheaply made unlike their adult stuff, but maybe I’m being too picky!
 
ClownCar96 said:
Looking for a new racquet for my 10 year old. He hits really well and has a lot of potential.
He currently has a pure drive 26 he inherited from his brother but the grip size is too big, he needs a 0, and it’s pretty beat up.

Should I stick with Babolat or are there better ones out there? I saw the Yonex ezone 26 at our local club and it seems pretty cheaply made unlike their adult stuff, but maybe I’m being too picky!
Click to expand...

The Babolat Pure Aero Rafa Junior 26" is super soft and comfortable and quality looked very much like the Adult Version for $69 on closeout. Got it for my daughter.

I liked it so much I am planning to get a custom 4-1/2 grip installed on one for me to have some fun with it myself.

Some head junior racquets are aluminum composite even though they don't look like it, so be careful.

Babolat Pure Aero Rafa 26" Junior Racquet | Tennis Warehouse

www.tennis-warehouse.com www.tennis-warehouse.com
 
gold325 said:
The Babolat Pure Aero Rafa Junior 26" is super soft and comfortable and quality looked very much like the Adult Version for $69 on closeout. Got it for my daughter.

I liked it so much I am planning to get a custom 4-1/2 grip installed on one for me to have some fun with it myself.

Some head junior racquets are aluminum composite even though they don't look like it, so be careful.

Babolat Pure Aero Rafa 26" Junior Racquet | Tennis Warehouse

www.tennis-warehouse.com www.tennis-warehouse.com
Click to expand...
Wow, very nice thank you!! Now that's a holic... .couldn't resist picking one up to get modified!!! love it
 
ClownCar96 said:
Wow, very nice thank you!! Now that's a holic... .couldn't resist picking one up to get modified!!! love it
Click to expand...

Another one of my castles in the sky ideas.

depositphotos_605440350-stock-photo-illustration-castle-sky.jpg



(they dont materialize :-D)
 
Strange -- I just put his Pure Drive 26 on the scale (strung, w/ dampener) -- 271g. Did the same with a demo Ezone 26 (strung w/ dampener) -- 251g. Both have identical specs listed on frame, 250g which I assume is unstrung. Is it possible the Yonex is that far underspec??
 
I recommend

Head Speed 26 2022 Junior Tennis Racket​

All the same technologies of the adult racket, including auxetic tech. If he's as good as you say he is, I think he would be able to take advantage of the benefits of this racket. It's so good all around.
 
jimmy8 said:
I recommend

Head Speed 26 2022 Junior Tennis Racket​

All the same technologies of the adult racket, including auxetic tech. If he's as good as you say he is, I think he would be able to take advantage of the benefits of this racket. It's so good all around.
Click to expand...

Just make sure you do not buy a Head junior racket that says "Graphite Composite" - I got one for my daughter and it is a composite of graphite and aluminum (i only found out only when some paint came off the racket)

https://www.head.com/en_US/speed-jr-2022-233662.html - GOOD

https://www.head.com/en_US/speed-jr-26-234002.html - BAD
 
jimmy8 said:
I recommend

Head Speed 26 2022 Junior Tennis Racket​

All the same technologies of the adult racket, including auxetic tech. If he's as good as you say he is, I think he would be able to take advantage of the benefits of this racket. It's so good all around.
Click to expand...
One of the reasons I recommend Head is because he might tend to want to stick with a brand. If he does and sticks with Babolat, you might be in for a lot of medical bills for all the shoulder, elbow, and wrist injuries resulting from the extreme stiffness of the rackets. Everyone I know who uses Babolat reports health issues in the arm/shoulder.
 
ClownCar96 said:
Strange -- I just put his Pure Drive 26 on the scale (strung, w/ dampener) -- 271g. Did the same with a demo Ezone 26 (strung w/ dampener) -- 251g. Both have identical specs listed on frame, 250g which I assume is unstrung. Is it possible the Yonex is that far underspec??
Click to expand...

For whats its worth my daughters Pure Aero Rafa 26 is 264g / 3HH / 257sw - no dampener, no OG, stock string - it clearly says 250g unstrung on the frame.
 
gold325 said:
For whats its worth my daughters Pure Aero Rafa 26 is 264g / 3HH / 257sw - no dampener, no OG, stock string - it clearly says 250g unstrung on the frame.
Click to expand...
Thank you, that makes sense. I can't believe the ezone is that far under... clearly their china junior racquet factory not the same QC as their Japan adult frame production. Or they are listing STRUNG weight on their racquet unlike everyone else.
 
Last edited:
ClownCar96 said:
Yes, not strong enough to swing an adult racquet yet. I believe it's 12/13 when kids move to full size racquets.
Click to expand...
No… they move to adult racquets way sooner. My daughter started using a full size racquet when she was 8. My son started playing later, but went straight from an orange ball racquet to the Head Speed S when he was 9. If your child is playing orange ball, they need a 25. If they have moved on from that and you think they are serious, you should look at adult racquets. Yonex ezone and Wilson Ultra seem pretty popular with the younger jrs.
 
Tennismom0803 said:
No… they move to adult racquets way sooner. My daughter started using a full size racquet when she was 8. My son started playing later, but went straight from an orange ball racquet to the Head Speed S when he was 9. If your child is playing orange ball, they need a 25. If they have moved on from that and you think they are serious, you should look at adult racquets. Yonex ezone and Wilson Ultra seem pretty popular with the younger jrs.
Click to expand...

Agree, my son went to 27" around age 10....I also had him on a 26" but for like 5 months when his coach says he probably could jump and he did it relatively quickly and easily. For the 26", I just picked something that was cheap as an interim frame...got a lightly used older Head intelligence for $30. For the 27" the key was getting a light enough frame he could swing well. His first 27" frame was a 260g Head Graphene Speed Lite and it was great. Age 11 he went to 270g and now age 12 he plays with 285g Dunlop frames. I like Dunlop frames for juniors...they are on average a few bucks cheaper than the other companies
 
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