Diary of a Racketaholic

I feel like PK is the ironic hipster brand. Bad PJs and Frame names. Lesser known brand from Italy. Fantastic playability and feel. Checks a lot of underground boxes there.

Seriously a lot of people I played in league matches asked about the Top Banana. It was by far the most unsolicited tennis racquet conversations I ever got from a racquet.
 
All aboard the Dunlop train!! So underrated in comparison to their peers. They make such good frames but I'm guessing due to a lack of marketing and not sponsoring highly ranked players they often get overlooked.

oxU2il2h.jpg
 
Power Player said:
I feel like PK is the ironic hipster brand. Bad PJs and Frame names. Lesser known brand from Italy. Fantastic playability and feel. Checks a lot of underground boxes there.

Seriously a lot of people I played in league matches asked about the Top Banana. It was by far the most unsolicited tennis racquet conversations I ever got from a racquet.
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Yup - bought a second Silver Ace - will game these until I find my next fave racket.

The minty Wilson Juice Pro 96 will get listed. While it gave me some nice topspin I struggled to find the sweet spot.
 
Vicious49 said:
All aboard the Dunlop train!! So underrated in comparison to their peers. They make such good frames but I'm guessing due to a lack of marketing and not sponsoring highly ranked players they often get overlooked.

oxU2il2h.jpg
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I tried the CX200Tour (both versions) but the Ultra Tour and PT2.0 were muuuuuuuhuuuuch better for my game.
I tried the FX500Tour and didn't like it at all. Here, our tennis association is sponsored by Dunlop, so a lot of players and especially coaches use Dunlop racquets. But actually, in competitive play, a lot of them resort to their other racquets, like Blade 98 and Prestiges.
I always hoped to like a Dunlop more than others, as I could get them at really low prices from my friends, but never liked them enough.
Edit: Another thing about the Dunlop racquets I've tried is, that they weren't working at all without customization (and even with it, they weren't as good for me as the others). Most people just wanna buy a racquet and play with it, and you are way better off with a Blade than with a CX200 doing that for example...
 
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Bisquick said:
Yup - bought a second Silver Ace - will game these until I find my next fave racket.

The minty Wilson Juice Pro 96 will get listed. While it gave me some nice topspin I struggled to find the sweet spot.
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I have a buddy who has like 10 silver aces. I think he was trying to get rid of some. If you want more I can put you in touch with him.

Richard Pioline said:
I tried the CX200Tour (both versions) but the Ultra Tour and PT2.0 were muuuuuuuhuuuuch better for my game.
I tried the FX500Tour and didn't like it at all. Here, our tennis association is sponsored by Dunlop, so a lot of players and especially coaches use Dunlop racquets. But actually, in competitive play, a lot of them resort to their other racquets, like Blade 98 and Prestiges.
I always hoped to like a Dunlop more than others, as I could get them at really low prices from my friends, but never liked them enough.
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You are at a much higher level than me so the competition is so much harder but even at my level I find the Dunlops are fun to play against certain people. If I'm the better player and in control there is nothing more fun than the Dunlops. If the guy I'm facing has a heavier serve or groundstrokes then I'm at a disadvantage. Once I start facing heavier hitters there's not enough there to block heavier shots back. I could always end up adding more lead but then the specs get unwieldy for me and take away from the maneuverability of the frames which I like so much. So I could see why your guys would want to use something else.
 
ryushen21 said:
Good lord those dampeners are huge.

I'm at the point where I can't even use dampeners anymore and fully blame @Power Player for it.
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I used to use the Sampras O dampeners and still do in some frames. In others those would fly out too often and I got tired of constantly looking for them on the court. ADV sent me one of these and I seemed to like it so I ordered some more.

Also it's an easy way to get your SW up a few extra points. Normally my SW on most of my frames is about 320 strung. I add one of these and it goes up 2-3 points. I can't recall the exact amount now so I'd have to measure again if someone wanted exact numbers.
 
Officially made the switch.
My pure drive of the last few years has been replaced.
By the Prince Twistpower X100 Tour.
The feel of the TPT is off the charts. So nice and flexy. Feels like a 63 ra. Maybe it’s the foam in the hoop.
But anyway. What feel. Slightly lower powered than the PD but that makes for excellent ball pocketing and precision targeting. The beam is 24.5 slightly leaner than the typical tweener. The weight and balance are just perfect. Nice plow in the hoop.
And on top of all that the best looking frame I have ever seen. Twisted throat, matted out, leading into a gloss hoop. There’s nothing like it. If you guys haven’t tried this one, definitely demo the tour.
 
danbrenner said:
Officially made the switch.
My pure drive of the last few years has been replaced.
By the Prince Twistpower X100 Tour.
The feel of the TPT is off the charts. So nice and flexy. Feels like a 63 ra. Maybe it’s the foam in the hoop.
But anyway. What feel. Slightly lower powered than the PD but that makes for excellent ball pocketing and precision targeting. The beam is 24.5 slightly leaner than the typical tweener. The weight and balance are just perfect. Nice plow in the hoop.
And on top of all that the best looking frame I have ever seen. Twisted throat, matted out, leading into a gloss hoop. There’s nothing like it. If you guys haven’t tried this one, definitely demo the tour.
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Maybe a previous-gen Beast 98 16*20 to get into Prince for me. I'm shorting my list down these days. Twistpower... let me think how many times I re-watched the Tennis Nerd episode... Can't remember how many!
pb98.jpg
 
Vicious49 said:
All aboard the Dunlop train!! So underrated in comparison to their peers. They make such good frames but I'm guessing due to a lack of marketing and not sponsoring highly ranked players they often get overlooked.
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I'm on the train with you. Just pulled the trigger on the last two CX 200 Limited Editions in L4 on TW. For $100 a pop, I just couldn't pass it up. This will add to three 2020 FX 500 Tours, which I've tested multiple times, but ultimately haven't been able to control well enough. Not quite at the point of selling the FX's, but close.
 
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Vicious49 said:
I used to use the Sampras O dampeners and still do in some frames. In others those would fly out too often and I got tired of constantly looking for them on the court. ADV sent me one of these and I seemed to like it so I ordered some more.

Also it's an easy way to get your SW up a few extra points. Normally my SW on most of my frames is about 320 strung. I add one of these and it goes up 2-3 points. I can't recall the exact amount now so I'd have to measure again if someone wanted exact numbers.
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rubber band stays put.

interesting to hear that the SW can go up as you said being at that point of the racquet.
 
Vicious49 said:
I used to use the Sampras O dampeners and still do in some frames. In others those would fly out too often and I got tired of constantly looking for them on the court. ADV sent me one of these and I seemed to like it so I ordered some more.

Also it's an easy way to get your SW up a few extra points. Normally my SW on most of my frames is about 320 strung. I add one of these and it goes up 2-3 points. I can't recall the exact amount now so I'd have to measure again if someone wanted exact numbers.
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#64 rubber band is the way. About $10 for 300! won't fly off, comes in a variety of colors. Has other non-tennis uses.
 
Went to measure a few frames today (all specs strung, weight of string around that of 17g poly).

TC95 at 344g no OG, 31.5 balance, TW of 14.5, SW 333.7. Quite a hefty TW for such a frame.
New 293.1 Redhead at 13.6 TW which is quite a nice starting point. With the mids it's kinda hard to go above 13.5 TW without getting a very hefty SW. Although the frame is thinner so less TW necessary.
Tecnifbre LTD also at the nice 13.6 TW and a comfy, specable 329 SW.
 
Vicious49 said:
I have a buddy who has like 10 silver aces. I think he was trying to get rid of some. If you want more I can put you in touch with him.


You are at a much higher level than me so the competition is so much harder but even at my level I find the Dunlops are fun to play against certain people. If I'm the better player and in control there is nothing more fun than the Dunlops. If the guy I'm facing has a heavier serve or groundstrokes then I'm at a disadvantage. Once I start facing heavier hitters there's not enough there to block heavier shots back. I could always end up adding more lead but then the specs get unwieldy for me and take away from the maneuverability of the frames which I like so much. So I could see why your guys would want to use something else.
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dude, the SX’s totally break that theory. although I prefer the 19, even the news ones are power frames. the 19 is like a heavy PA with a ton more control. but you can block serves back all day long and they go deep
 
Kozzy said:
BPE - I love it. I didn't realize I was adding to my hipster cred by doing it, but I too nabbed a 2019 NOS dunlop sx300 tour from the bay. You guys are all a bad influence. I blame all of you.
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I thought I bought them all.

you’re probs going to want to tail weight it depending on spec variance
 
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JOSHL said:
Dampeners- nothing feels like the O damp, I’ve tried almost every damp out there including rubber band. Something about that O.
@Richard Pioline thank you for saving me $100 on the cx200 tour. I’ll stick with my Ultras.
The holic itch is now currently directed at the new radicals. Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson.
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That's how I feel about the yonex vibration dampener 5, the triangle three layer one, and I've also tried a fair few
 
Holic said:
What about PA98?
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I think I'm just not good enough to use it; I'm sure it's fine for others. It's unforgiving so unless your mechanics are perfect, it argues with you. That's why I like the Extreme Tour so much more -- not only does it have a better feel, but it's more agreeable in the sweet spot for someone who plays with the inconsistency I do.
 
TwinCinema said:
I think I'm just not good enough to use it; I'm sure it's fine for others. It's unforgiving so unless your mechanics are perfect, it argues with you. That's why I like the Extreme Tour so much more -- not only does it have a better feel, but it's more agreeable in the sweet spot for someone who plays with the inconsistency I do.
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Yes fully agree, I went all in on the PA98 for USTA sectionals, but since then I found it to be a struggle for my lowly 4.0/4.5/6.6UTR singles game, and once I added a leather grip and a little extra weight in the hoop to the Tour, I'm finding it to be somewhat magical. PA98 would be fantastic if I was a strong 4.5/5.0 player in my 20s again.
 
naturalexponent said:
The hipster in me just wants to play with a Dunlop and call it a day, but the holic in me is stronger.
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I have a HUGE soft spot for dunlop frames. I played the MFil 200 plus (the 27", 97sq inch version, not the extended) and the then the BIO300T way back. Same mold, different string pattern. Then I had the bio 200 lite, which was awesome. Crazy it was a light frame just 10-12 years ago at 310g unstrung. The 200 tour in all black for $100 would be a solid buy just to stock up, thought I don't love the feel as much as I did the older ones.
 
JOSHL said:
Dampeners- nothing feels like the O damp, I’ve tried almost every damp out there including rubber band. Something about that O.
@Richard Pioline thank you for saving me $100 on the cx200 tour. I’ll stick with my Ultras.
The holic itch is now currently directed at the new radicals. Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson.
Click to expand...
I feel the opposite of RP. I've had the UP and still own the UT. I feel the CX200 Tour 16/19 has more to offer in comparison to them. The UT edges it out in feel but the Dunlop has the edge in trajectory, spin, and control.

tim-ay said:
dude, the SX’s totally break that theory. although I prefer the 19, even the news ones are power frames. the 19 is like a heavy PA with a ton more control. but you can block serves back all day long and they go deep
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That's where the CX200 Tour and the FX500 Tour break down for me. It's not as easy to block back big serves. With the CX200 they go in to the net and with the FX500 they launch way past the base line. The Regna keeps them lower so it's not as floaty and puts it between the service and base lines.
 
All this dunlop talk is also getting the hipster in me excited. Cheap cx200? new fx500 tour? or is the 98 sx300 really a sleeper in the 98 category ? Dunlop's seem so common in Europe, I wonder if they will ever get the recognition out in North America.
 
I think I was the only person in this thread using Dunlop 2 years ago,lol. The CX200 was getting dumped on by some. Good to see it has a revival. Also the Fx500 is up there for me with the Pure Drive. If they tighten up the spacing it would be so good.

I have a serious love for the aerogel/mfil/4d 200 series. It has a mercilessly small sweet spot but is so solid and the feel is spectacular. My bag for about a year was 4 4D frames. It was feast or famine out there, no easy reserves on tap for a bad outing.
 
Vicious49 said:
I feel the opposite of RP. I've had the UP and still own the UT. I feel the CX200 Tour 16/19 has more to offer in comparison to them. The UT edges it out in feel but the Dunlop has the edge in trajectory, spin, and control.


That's where the CX200 Tour and the FX500 Tour break down for me. It's not as easy to block back big serves. With the CX200 they go in to the net and with the FX500 they launch way past the base line. The Regna keeps them lower so it's not as floaty and puts it between the service and base lines.
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That Regna and the twist weight of it is probs all you need for that type of racket. What are the SWs of those again?
 
SupremeCourt said:
All this dunlop talk is also getting the hipster in me excited. Cheap cx200? new fx500 tour? or is the 98 sx300 really a sleeper in the 98 category ? Dunlop's seem so common in Europe, I wonder if they will ever get the recognition out in North America.
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I actually do think most people would prefer the SX300T new version (98) over the 19 version. The SW is beastial out of the box on the 19’s… you really need to like ~335 SW and mid 14’s TW. I just bring the balance down to 31.8-32 and static is mid 340’s for me ( but I’ve also made them 27.25, long story).

The problem is that the new version probs doesn’t have anything on a PA or Extreme, and the Extreme has pretty high praise in the new version. Me? I’d mod the **** out of the 2023 but it’s a bit pointless given how much I love the 19 string pattern.
 
Power Player said:
I think I was the only person in this thread using Dunlop 2 years ago,lol. The CX200 was getting dumped on by some. Good to see it has a revival. Also the Fx500 is up there for me with the Pure Drive. If they tighten up the spacing it would be so good.

I have a serious love for the aerogel/mfil/4d 200 series. It has a mercilessly small sweet spot but is so solid and the feel is spectacular. My bag for about a year was 4 4D frames. It was feast or famine out there, no easy reserves on tap for a bad outing.
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Not sure that statement holds water (;)) since I have the Muscleweave 200G (95 sq. in.), Aerogel 4D 200 Tour, Biomimetic 200 Lite, and the 2019 SX300 Tour in my collection (and I've had them for years).

But then great minds think alike... :giggle:
 
Classic-TXP-IG MID said:
Not sure that statement holds water (;)) since I have the Muscleweave 200G (95 sq. in.), Aerogel 4D 200 Tour, Biomimetic 200 Lite, and the 2019 SX300 Tour in my collection (and I've had them for years).

But then great minds think alike... :giggle:
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You and PP are def two of the best psychopaths in this thread. Haha. Muscleweave is the coolest name I’ve ever heard, my Gawd the srixon guys need to bring that back and market it front and center.
 
Classic-TXP-IG MID said:
Not sure that statement holds water (;)) since I have the Muscleweave 200G (95 sq. in.), Aerogel 4D 200 Tour, Biomimetic 200 Lite, and the 2019 SX300 Tour in my collection (and I've had them for years).

But then great minds think alike... :giggle:
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Yeah I should have been clearer but I just meant the CX200s only. I definitely remember discussing the other frames in here for sure over the years with folks.
 
tim-ay said:
You and PP are def two of the best psychopaths in this thread. Haha. Muscleweave is the coolest name I’ve ever heard, my Gawd the srixon guys need to bring that back and market it front and center.
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All they would need to do is contact Mark Philippoussis to get permission to use his image and footage of him serving in his heyday... then bring back the name and play ads of his serves and groundies with the new racquet.

It would sell like hotcakes... (never mind that the racquet he actually used was a Head Prestige under the paint job... :laughing::-D:whistle:)
 
Power Player said:
Yeah I should have been clearer but I just meant the CX200s only. I definitely remember discussing the other frames in here for sure over the years with folks.
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I was just mucking around. We the lovers of Dunlop are everywhere... woven into society, hidden in the shadows, and ready to be "activated" when the right code word is broadcast across media platforms globally. Or something like that...
 
This Dunlop cabal is scaring me. Feel like I have to join it lest I be eaten when the call is given. @SupahMan5000 was kind enough to give me his CX200T 18x20 so at some point I'll need to give it a fair shake.

In other news, I am not a smart man, and I am no @kevin qmto, but I played a match with a wood racquet (head vilas) today and narrowly lost one I should have easily won. Entertaining though, and fun to see the difference in the ball produced -- specifically, see serving between that (first) and a pa19 (second):
https://imgur.com/a/d1g2ced
 
JOSHL said:
Dampeners- nothing feels like the O damp, I’ve tried almost every damp out there including rubber band. Something about that O.
@Richard Pioline thank you for saving me $100 on the cx200 tour. I’ll stick with my Ultras.
The holic itch is now currently directed at the new radicals. Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson.
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If you are happy with the Ultras, don't go anywhere! These racquets have everything you could ask for and more. I should have stayed with them as well, I often think. Great, great racquets!!
 
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