AggieJason
Semi-Pro
Just wanted to get y'alls opinion on what you think is the best O.S. frame out there today? I'm thinking anything over 100 sq. inches.
Thanks!!
Thanks!!
Best oversize frame on the market today?
- Thread starter AggieJason
- Start date
BlaackSheeep
Rookie
Gamma Bubba 137.
stephenpinkus
Rookie
Volkl VCell V1 OS. 110 head, plays like a mid. Easy on arm. Headlight.
@AggieJason - There is no universal "best", only the best of any particular style. In order to give you a better answer, we need more context/constraints. Short of that, though, I'll list the top oversized frames in general.
For conventional 27" length frames:
Player Frame (thin beam, lower power control-oriented):
- Prince Phantom 107G
- Dunlop CX 200 OS
"Pleener" Player/Tweener Hybrid:
- Babolat Pure Strike 103
- Head Gravity S
- Head G360+ Radical S / Auxetic Radical Team
- Volkl V1 EVO
Tweeners:
- Babolat Boost S (Strike)
- Prince Warrior 107
- Tecnifibre TF-X1 275
- Yonex EZone 105
For extended-length frames -- 27.25" or longer:
"Pleeners":
- ProKennex Black Ace 105
- Wilson Blade 104
Tweeners:
- Babolat Pure Drive 107
- ProKennex Ki 15
- ProKennex Ki Q+ 15 & Q+ 15 Pro
- ProKennex Ki Q+ 20
- Volkl V-Cell V1 OS
- Volkl V-Cell 4
For conventional 27" length frames:
Player Frame (thin beam, lower power control-oriented):
- Prince Phantom 107G
- Dunlop CX 200 OS
"Pleener" Player/Tweener Hybrid:
- Babolat Pure Strike 103
- Head Gravity S
- Head G360+ Radical S / Auxetic Radical Team
- Volkl V1 EVO
Tweeners:
- Babolat Boost S (Strike)
- Prince Warrior 107
- Tecnifibre TF-X1 275
- Yonex EZone 105
For extended-length frames -- 27.25" or longer:
"Pleeners":
- ProKennex Black Ace 105
- Wilson Blade 104
Tweeners:
- Babolat Pure Drive 107
- ProKennex Ki 15
- ProKennex Ki Q+ 15 & Q+ 15 Pro
- ProKennex Ki Q+ 20
- Volkl V-Cell V1 OS
- Volkl V-Cell 4
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just curious where my Head power instinct 110 would fall under these? thx
Crocodile
G.O.A.T.
I haven’t hit with an oversized racquet for a long time. In the 80’s and early nineties they were pretty popular especially with many of the Prince 110sq inch frames. Many of these frames came in player weight specs. I remember playing with the CTS Prince Graduate 110 and it was pretty good for the time.
I guess with the advent of high modulus graphite and the PK Destiny frames the market changed quickly to allow for the MP frame to produce ample power, spin and ease of dexterity, making the oversize less needed. Of course quite a few players kept using the oversize and the POG and Radical oversize were around.
Looking at the current situation I like the following:
Volkl SG and V Cell 7 295
Dunlop CX OS
Prince Phantom 107
I guess with the advent of high modulus graphite and the PK Destiny frames the market changed quickly to allow for the MP frame to produce ample power, spin and ease of dexterity, making the oversize less needed. Of course quite a few players kept using the oversize and the POG and Radical oversize were around.
Looking at the current situation I like the following:
Volkl SG and V Cell 7 295
Dunlop CX OS
Prince Phantom 107
Purestriker
Legend
The Bubba has no competition in the OS world.
Best one I've used is this one I designed myself: https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...versized-players-racket.744473/#post-17131922 it was a fun project and actually works really well.
In terms of retail you can still get the head radical mircogel if you look around I believe 107" and the 18x19 pattern makes it a bit more controllable than most. It's a nice OS players frame.
In terms of retail you can still get the head radical mircogel if you look around I believe 107" and the 18x19 pattern makes it a bit more controllable than most. It's a nice OS players frame.
ericykchan
Rookie
I would also recommend Boom Team, and Dunlop SX600 for more spin oriented players.
ichaseballs
Hall of Fame
go big or go home
www.weedracquet.com
OPEN 135 Tour | Weed Tennis Racquets
The Weed Open 135 Tour is the shortest and lightest 135 model. It is designed with an open string pattern (strings spaced farther apart) to create more topspin and slice, if you hit with topspin or slice. The Open 135 Tour was designed to utilize co-polyester/ polyester strings in the Mains to...
www.weedracquet.com
justinhaughtmd
Rookie
blade 104… still has control
stapletonj
Hall of Fame
My brother plays a Babolat pure drive 115 and absolutely loves it. tight gut in the mains and smooth poly in the crosses.
If you want him to miss a volley, you literally have to untie his shoes with your shot, and he even gets some of those back.
If you want him to miss a volley, you literally have to untie his shoes with your shot, and he even gets some of those back.
heavyD
Professional
Blade 104 V8. Does everything well and is easy on the arm. I'm usually a 100 guy but this doesn't feel much different than most 300g 100 frames and has the oversized head benefits of decent power and spin. Really easy to pick up and play with as you don't even notice the extra length.
bobeeto
Hall of Fame
I have a Kblade 104 from my mom’s tennis days. It’s actually a really nice frame. Not too big but massive sweet spot, 18x19 and thin ish beam. Took it out the other week and was shocked at how solid it is at only 289g. It doesn’t have a place in my bag, but sure is a nice racket
ollinger
G.O.A.T.
I've seen the Angell 101 referred to as oversize.
is 16x19 on a 104 too open? I think I'd like the 104 or the sw102 but 16x19 unless it's spaced tight on a 104 feels like it'd fly to much
ollinger
G.O.A.T.
interesting idea, I assume this would be purchased used somewhere
Shangri La
Hall of Fame
The Dunlop CX 200 OS looks really good.
ericykchan
Rookie
This looks intriguing!!
Donnay Pro One 107" Unibody Octacore 2023 - Donnay Tennis Italia
I play with the latest Allwood 102 and it's very good, solid, good power and good spin. However I like 2023 VCore100 more due to the head shape, I hit the upper half of string bed a lot, even with an extended racquet.
Donnay Pro One 107" Unibody Octacore 2023 - Donnay Tennis Italia
I play with the latest Allwood 102 and it's very good, solid, good power and good spin. However I like 2023 VCore100 more due to the head shape, I hit the upper half of string bed a lot, even with an extended racquet.
Injured Again
Hall of Fame
The Babolat Aero 112 is a great frame. Every one of mines has been over spec, so strung with a poly string they are all very head heavy with a swingweight in the 340's. It can be modified by adding weight to the handle - I've used as much as 50+ grams to get the total racquet weight up to 345 grams and about 9-10 points HL. Solid feel with a very predictable ball response.
graycrait
Legend
I find it offensive when "modern" players scoff at 110+ rackets. I played a 65" 14oz wood racket for over 30 yrs. These modern OS "naysayers" are playing with 98/100" granny rackets that weigh nothing. Their only saving grace is poly strings and slow courts. The marketers and money men turned a game of skill into a form of pickle ball. Why do I say that. With all the modern equipment tech, the court dimensions stayed the same. Now that tennis is pickle ball .V1 I find it fascinating to see/hear/watch 100" racket acolytes disparage 110+ rackets. Best true OS racket I have ever swung and I have swung many, is Wilson Pro Staff EB Stretch OS 115" 18x20 RA 66 cut to 27.25".
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
I love my Phantom 107G. Plush, great feel, plenty of spin and not overly powerful like some of the light granny frames out there. I assume when my swing slows down some, I'll move to more power oriented OS frames but right now I like the balance the 107G offers and the added forgiveness of an OS frame is welcome as my vision declines.
mmazzinin1
Semi-Pro
To me the Ki15 300 (2022) is the best OS frame on the market. 27.5', powerful, with a hefty +330 SW and still a decent control despite being a tweener. It does everything well and, despite the scary RA/DRA figures, it manages to be quite gentle on the elbow (with the proper strings...), thanks to the Kinetic tech. An awesome stick.
Roughly 310-320 swingweight strung. I wanted to make it useable stock, but also a good template to add weight for those that want to
Prince Phantom 107. It's got the forgiveness of OS but swings like a midsize. I‘ve got 80 rackets and this is probably near the top for oversize rackets. I wish they made a 27.25 or 27.5 version. Felt like you couldn’t miss it some times with how big and thin it was. I do like the thin box beam like frames and the crossbar.
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Injured Again
Hall of Fame
I'm releasing my own OS racket this summer called the Zenath One. It's a players OS frame:
Headsize: 115"
Weight: 300g
Balance: 310mm
Beam width: 21mm
String pattern 20x21
Appreciate I'm very biased here, but I at least think it's the best OS racket on the market!...
It's been four years so I'm sure it's okay to mention this now, but I was testing a skunk works racquet from a major racquet manufacturer to determine how well it played for my demographic.
It incorporated all of the tech in their regular racquet line(s) and I thought it played well, with a big, round, well-centered sweetspot and nice pocketing feel. Ultimately, though, the round head shape proved to be the problem. It was impossible to get that much frame under really low balls. The edge of the sweet spot, though it was wide, was just too far from the edge of the frame. Balls hit on the outer sides of the racquet was far enough from the centerline so that the racquet would twist pretty significantly. I tried several combinations of adding weight, including lead at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions to get the swingweight up to over 360 and twistweight around 18-19, but the problem still persisted, just to a lesser degree and still worse than a regular oval frame shape. This really affected my backhand the most. On the forehand I could reach forward and get the tip of the frame under the ball and response high on the stringbed was better than off to the far sides.
Part of the intended demographics was where I was - roughly a 60 year old 4.5/tournament player who wanted to go OS. But at that age, movement becomes a liability and it is inevitable that I was going to get a bunch of balls where the contact height might be a couple of inches off the ground. This racquet was nice elsewhere but was just not capable in that one situation. I believe this is the primary reason this racquet never made it beyond the stage of testing I was involved with.
Hopefully your racquet has some magic to avoid this problem. Good luck to you.
That's really interesting someone else was doing something fairly similar. Nobody has really mentioned this issue in testing and it's not something I've found particularly noticeable over other frames. Maybe I got lucky with my layup! The swingweight not being too light probably helps here too. I had Jonas at tennisn*rd test it and he enjoyed it (video review also on YouTube). I found the 20x21 string pattern gives it a similar controlled feel to a 'regular' headsize and is key to stop it being launchy and the thinner beam seems to keep it manoeuvrable.It's been four years so I'm sure it's okay to mention this now, but I was testing a skunk works racquet from a major racquet manufacturer to determine how well it played for my demographic.
It incorporated all of the tech in their regular racquet line(s) and I thought it played well, with a big, round, well-centered sweetspot and nice pocketing feel. Ultimately, though, the round head shape proved to be the problem. It was impossible to get that much frame under really low balls. The edge of the sweet spot, though it was wide, was just too far from the edge of the frame. Balls hit on the outer sides of the racquet was far enough from the centerline so that the racquet would twist pretty significantly. I tried several combinations of adding weight, including lead at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions to get the swingweight up to over 360 and twistweight around 18-19, but the problem still persisted, just to a lesser degree and still worse than a regular oval frame shape. This really affected my backhand the most. On the forehand I could reach forward and get the tip of the frame under the ball and response high on the stringbed was better than off to the far sides.
Part of the intended demographics was where I was - roughly a 60 year old 4.5/tournament player who wanted to go OS. But at that age, movement becomes a liability and it is inevitable that I was going to get a bunch of balls where the contact height might be a couple of inches off the ground. This racquet was nice elsewhere but was just not capable in that one situation. I believe this is the primary reason this racquet never made it beyond the stage of testing I was involved with.
Hopefully your racquet has some magic to avoid this problem. Good luck to you.
Obviously no frame is perfect, but my feeling was most players at rec level (even the high end of it) don't have the timing of the pros, so an extra wide sweet spot helps get the 'middle' more often with fairly minimal impact to other areas. I'm a tennis coach myself and play a reasonable level in the UK and have found it's given me more confidence to attack balls. Lovely on return and defensive play in general. I've started with a fairly small batch (coming soon hopefully!...) and if it just breaks even I will take it. But it was just a road I had to go down for my own curiosity.
Injured Again
Hall of Fame
@Mten Don’t get me wrong - I am super glad to see innovation on this level!
To be clear, the balls I’m talking about are those that I make contact with just a few inches off the ground, and are so low that the recoil from the contact forces the racquet to scrape the court. These shots aren’t all that frequent but in my testing, every time I had one of these shots I noticed how much weaker the ball response was compared to an oval frame. Four years ago, I was playing with the SW104, which is also a more rounded frame, and the difference there was still noticeable, and the SW104 didn’t have a particularly forgiving sweet spot. I tested that frame for several weeks total.
I also wondered if it was the higher flex built into the racquet and hoop that might have made it seem so low powered when mis-hitting off the sides at 3 and 9 o’clock. I’m currently using a 73 RA Babolat Aero 112 and the response missing the sweet spot still generates quite a bit of ball speed even if there is more shock.
To be clear, the balls I’m talking about are those that I make contact with just a few inches off the ground, and are so low that the recoil from the contact forces the racquet to scrape the court. These shots aren’t all that frequent but in my testing, every time I had one of these shots I noticed how much weaker the ball response was compared to an oval frame. Four years ago, I was playing with the SW104, which is also a more rounded frame, and the difference there was still noticeable, and the SW104 didn’t have a particularly forgiving sweet spot. I tested that frame for several weeks total.
I also wondered if it was the higher flex built into the racquet and hoop that might have made it seem so low powered when mis-hitting off the sides at 3 and 9 o’clock. I’m currently using a 73 RA Babolat Aero 112 and the response missing the sweet spot still generates quite a bit of ball speed even if there is more shock.
That's interesting that the babolat doesn't do it. Mine are mid stiffness (around 65RA) which seems to create a nice balance. Outside the sweetspot isn't isn't super forgiving as it's designed to be a bigger players frame rather than something similar to the current batch of OS frames available, but the sweetspot is considerably more generous than similar feelings frames. I'd think of it more in an exaggerated head gravity in many ways sometimes my testers have also said. Classic players frame feel/launch, but much bigger sweetspot.
Cool - any info on the TW of this one?
I'm just doing a limited batch of 100 to 'test the water' on these, so I'm just selling from myself only at this point. I'm based in the UK so would be shipped from there. Website is Zenathtennis.co.uk which has some more info, and I've started an Instagram account under zenathtennis too if you want to follow my story on it. It's been a fun project overall (frustrating at times!). Happy to answer questions you have via personal messages too.
Sorry, I meant twist weight (TW).
Looks cool, good luck with the venture though.
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