Diary of a Racketaholic

Got the TFight demos in hand yesterday evening and will hopefully get about an hour of court time later today. Super excited about the 315s. Came in at 322 SW on my Briffidi strung with razor soft white. The 305s is gonna be beefy, 331 SW strung with ALU power. 300s I’m not super optimistic about at 312 SW also with razor soft white. Just don’t know about a 98 at that low of a SW and static weight. Not the most important factor but man these are some good looking sticks
 
FourOutOfFive said:
Looking for a replacement for my 23’ VC95. I’ve really come to appreciate the free depth and spin from the open pattern, paired with the control from the smaller headsize. Somebody else on here said this, can't remember who, but it really does play like a "mid-size Pure Aero" in a lot of ways. Unfortunately, it’s still a 95, and I’m not sure I want to go back to a sub 97” for competitive play. I only have one VC95, and as I start to play more seriously again I’d like to pull the trigger on a few matched frames and lock down the holicism for a few years. For a potential switch, I'm prioritizing weight of shot + ease of use.

I tried the G98 Tour recently and found the same easy depth and spin I get from the VC95, and despite the Grav only being 320sw strung I was impressed with the weight of shot I could create. It definitely needed some weight in the hoop, and I can only imagine the sting I could get on the ball if I bring that unstrung sw up to my usual 300. I felt the sweetspot was a little smaller than I anticipated, and the stability was just ok. Hopefully with some customization both would improve.

I also tried the new Tec 305S. They did a great job with the new weight distribution. There's obviously more weight in the throat compared to the ISO but there's still plenty of weight in the hoop to retain the solidity of the ISO. It's impressive how natural and solid it swings, for just being 305g. I continue to be impressed with that 18x19 pattern, it's so linear for driving the ball but also effortless to create extra lift when needed. The problem is I just can't get the same easy depth and spin I get with the VC95 or G98. Also, I think the new feel of the T-Fight, despite being super solid and clean, is going to be too stiff for me in the long run.

Per usual I'm finding myself frustrated with all the potential options out there. It feels like there are so many good racquets available these days and I could probably switch to most of them, adjust, and still play good tennis. As you all know it's super easy to get in your head about these things. I don't want to get stuck in an endless demo loop, but I'm definitely trending in that direction. Even though I'm very much a 'holic, I have less fun on the court when I'm switching frames all the time. Maybe I should take some inspo from @curtstead, blind buy some EZ100s, and delete my TT account.
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If you're coming from the '23 VC95 and value spin potential, weight of shot and ease of use, I highly recommend the '24 Extreme Pro. I'm switching to it from the '23 VC95 and I'm finding quite a few similarities in it. Spin potential is high, ball depth is superb, feel is somewhat similar to me (pretty muted, solid, comfortable). Very high level of 'whipability' that the VC95 also has. The '24 version of the EP has gotten rid of the tinny feel that previous versions had some of. Overall it's just easier to play with.

Must be noted that the comparisons are based on both rackets being around the same specs.

If the '24 Extreme Pro doesn't cut it for you, keep with the G98 Tour. Haven't tried it yet myself but it's definitely on my list to do so.
 
EggSalad said:
I was curious if anyone has had a similar experience to this. Around Christmas time, I bought a 344.4 from PST. It arrived last Friday. Unfortunately, they sent me a L2 by accident when I ordered a L3. I’ve sent multiple emails to them about this and needing to return the L2 and have the L3 sent to me. They have not responded.

I’m frustrated and disappointed as they’ve been responsive to previous emails with me, so it feels like this is intentionally being ignored

I sent them an email this morning letting them know how disappointed I am in their customer service and that if I don’t hear back from them today, I’ll be working through my CC company to stop and refund the payment to them.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with PST? Any other advice?

And no, I’m not switching the pallet out myself even though I’ve done that before. This is way too much to spend on a racquet for me to be doing that.

Also of note, this isn’t the first purchase I have made from them recently.
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I’ve had one good experience and one iffy one. Long time ago, ordered a custom setup, all fine. Second go around, some strange back and forth and when I received a strung frame that had stencil paint spots splattered all over my frame in a clear Stencil pen mishap, and mentioned this to them asking the best way to remove it as I was struggling to do so, didn‘t even get an apology, nor any tips, communication just ended after they said they would get back to me. So I think they can be hit or miss depending on who you are talking to (not sure if it’s a few guys or what) and whether said person woke up on the right side of the bed that day.
 
SupahMan5000 said:
It’s time to finally admit. I think I am a 16x19 player and I’ve been using 18x20 to my own detriment the past few years
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Having these thoughts myself. This week I've been using my bro's old Pure Drive and greatly enjoying having such easy spin modulation compared to my 18x20 Blades. With the PD I feel very in control of the ball, not quite as laser accurate when going for the lines, but producing that consistently good shot with ease — it's addictive. Now strongly considering going back to a more powerful racquet this year.
 
McGradey said:
Having these thoughts myself. This week I've been using my bro's old Pure Drive and greatly enjoying having such easy spin modulation compared to my 18x20 Blades. With the PD I feel very in control of the ball, not quite as laser accurate when going for the lines, but producing that consistently good shot with ease — it's addictive. Now strongly considering going back to a more powerful racquet this year.
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It’s very much a emphasize your strengths or minimize your weaknesses situation

16x19 emphasize your strengths: hit with a heavier and higher ball with less effort but need to be cautious of over hitting and make sure you finish your follow through across the shoulder. Or brush up on the ball at full extension

18x20 minimize your weaknesses: still hit a pretty big ball and can hit “recklessly” with more room for error but you might hit short or a weaker ball by accident and you really need to be prepared for what might come next

I will say tho 16x19 string durability is ridiculous and that’s the biggest thing I’ll miss from the 18x20
 
SupahMan5000 said:
It’s very much a emphasize your strengths or minimize your weaknesses situation

16x19 emphasize your strengths: hit with a heavier and higher ball with less effort but need to be cautious of over hitting and make sure you finish your follow through across the shoulder. Or brush up on the ball at full extension

18x20 minimize your weaknesses: still hit a pretty big ball and can hit “recklessly” with more room for error but you might hit short or a weaker ball by accident and you really need to be prepared for what might come next

I will say tho 16x19 string durability is ridiculous and that’s the biggest thing I’ll miss from the 18x20
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To this day I've never broken a Poly on any of my 18x20 racquets, I always need to restring before it even gets close.

Sometimes I do wonder if I should switch to 16x19 but at the moment I feel like 18x20 suits me fine as someone who doesn't have issues with power, a flatter one hander and uses slice a lot on that wing. My forehand has quite a lot of spin but it's always with pretty low net clearance. The main benefit I could see going to 16x19 is for the higher launch angle and "free" net clearance/ topspin for my backhand which can get a little too flat at times and perhaps also more power in my serve.
 
Got a little over an hour on court this afternoon and some initial impressions:

TFight 315s - fine, but somewhat underwhelming. To be fair, I’m not sure I would like the razor soft even in a frame I’m familiar with. Groundstrokes had nice launch and pretty easy depth but I was expecting more spin and heaviness from the 16x19. It was super nice on serves and felt fast through the air.

TFight 305s - pleasantly surprised. I wasn’t optimistic with this one considering how head heavy it felt in the hand, but once I started playing some points it made much more of an impression than the 315. Somehow I felt like I was getting more spin, maybe from more mass in the head, maybe I was getting more racket head speed even though it felt heavy - not sure tbh. Felt just as nice as the 315 on serves.

Didn’t get the 300s out today because I picked up the Origin again, and it was hilarious how much heavier and more penetrating everything immediately was: forehand, backhand, serve. This racket is ridiculous and I can’t believe I’m going to be seriously considering it for league/tournament play. Just need to hit with some bigger hitters and see how my timing holds up, but when you’re on time this thing just bludgeons the ball
 
SupahMan5000 said:
It’s time to finally admit. I think I am a 16x19 player and I’ve been using 18x20 to my own detriment the past few years
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Yeah I am with you on that. 16x19 just makes more sense for me. I didnt realize how extreme my sw grip was until my coach said it almost looked western. Anyway, power 16x19s really make it easier for me. My “flat” shot is not the same as someone with an eastern.
 
Power Player said:
Yeah I am with you on that. 16x19 just makes more sense for me. I didnt realize how extreme my sw grip was until my coach said it almost looked western. Anyway, power 16x19s really make it easier for me. My “flat” shot is not the same as someone with an eastern.
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I think 16x19 should make sense for a lot of people but especially two handed backhands and for anyone that hits loopier strokes
 
dr. godmode said:
Honestly it's pretty hard to go wrong with EZ100s. But I do think you are on to something with the G98. If the VC98 doesn't fit the bill coming from the 95, the Gravity makes a ton of sense IMO. It's a very creative frame that loves playing the spin game, just like the VC95.
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Yeah I’ve considered the VC98, might be silly not to try it. I've written it off up to this point thinking the larger headsize + more open pattern will be too uncontrollable compared to the 95. I know the G98 has gotten a lot of Vcore comparisons, and I'd assume it feels better than the VC98, plus it's glossy so that's why I went to try it first haha. I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to drive through the ball with the G98, if the VC98 can do that with some extra isometric forgiveness maybe I should give it a go. But on the other hand the G98 goes boom when I hit the ball and is shiny...

RF_PRO_STAFF said:
If you're coming from the '23 VC95 and value spin potential, weight of shot and ease of use, I highly recommend the '24 Extreme Pro. I'm switching to it from the '23 VC95 and I'm finding quite a few similarities in it. Spin potential is high, ball depth is superb, feel is somewhat similar to me (pretty muted, solid, comfortable). Very high level of 'whipability' that the VC95 also has. The '24 version of the EP has gotten rid of the tinny feel that previous versions had some of. Overall it's just easier to play with.

Must be noted that the comparisons are based on both rackets being around the same specs.

If the '24 Extreme Pro doesn't cut it for you, keep with the G98 Tour. Haven't tried it yet myself but it's definitely on my list to do so.
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Thanks for the rec! Definitely will consider giving the EP a go. I had a stint with a significantly weighted up 360+ ET a few years ago, but ultimately like the 360+ Rad MP better at the time. Will be great to hear some EP vs G98 comparisons when you get your hands on the Grav!
 
FourOutOfFive said:
Yeah I’ve considered the VC98, might be silly not to try it. I've written it off up to this point thinking the larger headsize + more open pattern will be too uncontrollable compared to the 95. I know the G98 has gotten a lot of Vcore comparisons, and I'd assume it feels better than the VC98, plus it's glossy so that's why I went to try it first haha. I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to drive through the ball with the G98, if the VC98 can do that with some extra isometric forgiveness maybe I should give it a go. But on the other hand the G98 goes boom when I hit the ball and is shiny...
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FWIW the vc98 is easily one of the most forgiving 98s I've played. It's actually back to being my main
 
SupahMan5000 said:
I think 16x19 should make sense for a lot of people but especially two handed backhands and for anyone that hits loopier strokes
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Disagree on the two hander, 18x20 is very nice for that imo.
Prefer 16x19 on the one hander but that's more of a free power thing as my one hander just isn't that good.
Forehand wise and in general it's the usual cycle of "damn, missing too much on a bad day" -> switch to 18x20, "damn, just can't get the spin and power on a bad day" -> switch to 16x19.
Then dream of the ideal prostock with 16x20 or 18x19.
 
veelium said:
Disagree on the two hander, 18x20 is very nice for that imo.
Prefer 16x19 on the one hander but that's more of a free power thing as my one hander just isn't that good.
Forehand wise and in general it's the usual cycle of "damn, missing too much on a bad day" -> switch to 18x20, "damn, just can't get the spin and power on a bad day" -> switch to 16x19.
Then dream of the ideal prostock with 16x20 or 18x19.
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For me on the two hander if we consider no variables, 18x20 is superior for the two handed backhand. Cause you get so much directional dictation

However as I see it, there’s a lot of things that can go wrong with a two handed backhand technique wise or footwork wise that makes an 18x20 prone to more mistakes

Slow footwork: might not get under the ball enough to get the lift needed, not give yourself enough space to have a full extension, reaching too far to get enough power

Leaning back, not using left arm enough: most likely you will hit short and make some mistakes into the net

Generally speaking the 16x19/16x20 just has so much forgiveness for a lot of footwork or technique issues. Of course my backhand is very weak so I’m taking my own experiences heavily into consideration
 
This is a good time to copy what I once wrote in the VCore Tour thread:

The PSVS got me totally sold on 16x20.

It’s like when I discovered boxer briefs — you get the leg coverage of boxers but without the bunching up of the extra fabric; you also get the controlled housing of briefs without the exposure of tighty whities.

A 16x20 gives you the spin and power of a 16x19 without the erratic unpredictability, but also gives you the control and precision of an 18x20 without the flatness and density.

These are the kind of analogies that ensured I didn’t get accepted to any of the good colleges I applied to, by the way.
 
TwinCinema said:
This is a good time to copy what I once wrote in the VCore Tour thread:

The PSVS got me totally sold on 16x20.

It’s like when I discovered boxer briefs — you get the leg coverage of boxers but without the bunching up of the extra fabric; you also get the controlled housing of briefs without the exposure of tighty whities.

A 16x20 gives you the spin and power of a 16x19 without the erratic unpredictability, but also gives you the control and precision of an 18x20 without the flatness and density.

These are the kind of analogies that ensured I didn’t get accepted to any of the good colleges I applied to, by the way.
Click to expand...

I've also still never tried an 18x19. Not sure what style of underwear it equates to.
 
SupahMan5000 said:
it’s not a Yonex problem per se but simply put I cannot get any communication on orders

My entire order for the year and Ezone launch was missed so I have nothing right now and I’m unsure if I’ll be able to get any response at all any time soon
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oh sorry to hear that. the teaching pros at the club had Yonex ambassador programs. One still had WTA points and was playing in as many tournaments as should could locally while coaching junior playing at UTR 9. Then a couple on the local college team. Communication was at times challenging. We pushed the Yonex brand to many of our club members and students.

If they wanted to cut back, that was fine but having them drop our top competing and teaching pro was really surprising
 
SupahMan5000 said:
it’s not a Yonex problem per se but simply put I cannot get any communication on orders

My entire order for the year and Ezone launch was missed so I have nothing right now and I’m unsure if I’ll be able to get any response at all any time soon
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That sucks. Wondering if AO is playing a role but still.
 
djNEiGht said:
oh sorry to hear that. the teaching pros at the club had Yonex ambassador programs. One still had WTA points and was playing in as many tournaments as should could locally while coaching junior playing at UTR 9. Then a couple on the local college team. Communication was at times challenging. We pushed the Yonex brand to many of our club members and students.

If they wanted to cut back, that was fine but having them drop our top competing and teaching pro was really surprising
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hope the knee is doing better man. thinking of all our banged up/LA holics. stay safe and healthy ya'll
 
Found a reel of champagne lynx tour on the bay for a great price. As of now, I’m locked and loaded for frames and strings.

At some point I’ll regrommet the pure control swirly and take it for a ride. It’s such a sweet looking frame, the old Babolat logo and glossy paint was the best.
 
Got to try a Vcore Tour demo today. It came in with a 336sw so I was worried it was going to be a dud but I was pleasantly surprised. I did not like the way the 22' EZT was weighted, even the higher SW units (335+) were super tip-light, which was a really weird swing feel to me. But the VCT, at least my unit, doesn't have this problem. I only got to test the VCT lightly while teaching some lessons but it reminded me of a more forgiving, easier-to-swing Blade Pro in a lot of ways. Will take it for a more serious hit tomorrow but there's definitely something special about this frame. The combo of easy access to depth + weight of shot is pretty ridiculous.

I feel silly for not trying the normal VC98 yet, but from what I've read from others it seems the VCT is better in pretty much every way if you can jive with the weight distribution. I kinda want to add leather to the VCT since I have a strong preference for a more HL balance, but would that bump the static weight too ridiculously high for this type of frame? Not sure. I seem to recall some chatter about the normal VC98 not taking weight very well, so I need to do some further investigation to see if it would be a worthy platform frame.

I'm very tempted to snag some matched Grav 98s when they drop tomorrow and call it a day, but I think these Vcores might have some extra forgiveness the G98 can't offer. Ideally, my unstrung spec would be something like 315g/31bal/300sw, and I know it would be pretty easy to get the G98 to that spec, but honestly it would be just as easy to get the regular VC98 there as well...
 
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Demo pack arrived yesterday. I was able to get a hit in. Here are my rankings in reverse order.

4. Gravity Tour 98 - It has that thin beam feel in your hand and has one of the most gorgeous paintjobs. That black and blue really pops in person. It swings fast and is very maneuverable but does have a noodly type feel to it. It played fine at first but once I hit a few off center shots, instability in the upper part of the hoop made itself known. If you hit your serve a bit high on the hoop or a groundstroke you'll feel it and not get much out of the frame. This one came strung with some sort of multi so it's hard for me to say much more about it. If I added lead to the hoop and restrung with poly my experience may be different but as it stands it's not worth further demoing. 316SW
3. Tfight 300S - I've owned the past 2 iterations of this frame and this is a continuation of that same legacy. It's the same fast swinging, maneuverable frame. It lacks some power and heaviness of shot. I've had to add lead to the previous versions but still couldn't get that heaviness that I can get out of some other frames. Still, it's a good offering if you want something fast and light but ultimately you may tire of not getting enough power out of the frame. 313SW
2. Tfight 300 100" - This one surprised me. I normally don't like 100" frames as they are a bit clunky compared to their 98" counterparts but this one didn't feel like a 100". It has the most power out of the 4 frames tested here so if that's a consideration this is probably the one you want. I could notice the stiffness in this one though. Still, this one deserves further demoing. 314SW
3. Tfight 305S - Winner winner chicken dinner! This is the best serving frame I've played with. I was getting in 90% of my 1st serve flat serves. I could also place a slice serve on the deuce side that landed about halfway down the line. 10/10 on serves for me. It is much more maneuverable than previous versions yet still retains the stability. Shots that landed right next to your feet you can easily flick back. In terms of feel, it has that same foam filled feel as what I remember from the last gen. I will be playing with it again tonight and at least 1 or 2 more times after that before the cold weather comes in and I have to mail it back but at the moment this is a frame I'm totally in love with. 315SW

I didn't know the SW of any of these frames until when I measured them right now as I was doing this write up. I am shocked that the SW on the 305S is that low. I figured it would be mid 320's. That may be due to the balance of the frame. I haven't measured weight and balance yet but holding all 4 of them it's obvious that the 305S isn't as head light as the GTour or the 300S. Now the question is what does an actual on-spec one feel like? Is it going to be sluggish and unwieldy?

EDIT: Just measured the 305s 3 more times to verify. With my O dampener in there it measured 316.8. I'll have to weigh and balance it later when I get back from the office.
 
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Poorly named string, albeit sensical

More recycled strings coming to the market. Never tried Lux Eco but the club I coach at seems to sell and stock a lot so maybe I’ll compare that with this
8Ks5eAI.jpeg
 
Happy Learner Day, everyone.

To celebrate, another league match, beginning with a comically marathon return game that took about 20 minutes, ending at last in me breaking.

I then went on to lose nine consecutive games, and just then at 1-6, 0-3 down, I texted my buddies telling them I was getting pummeled and received a kind offer from my opponent: if you want, we can just train the rest of the session rather than the match, if your wrist is bothering you.

No no. We play. Reached into the bag and re-grabbed Marin (in the middle of my side I panicked and went to the .1), thought “enough of this,” and proceeded to come back for a 6-4 set win, and then 10-2 in the super.

Marin and Learner, each a fan of the drama. Each 2-0 this week. Vamos.
 
JGads said:
Happy Learner Day, everyone.

To celebrate, another league match, beginning with a comically marathon return game that took about 20 minutes, ending at last in me breaking.

I then went on to lose nine consecutive games, and just then at 1-6, 0-3 down, I texted my buddies telling them I was getting pummeled and received a kind offer from my opponent: if you want, we can just train the rest of the session rather than the match, if your wrist is bothering you.

No no. We play. Reached into the bag and re-grabbed Marin (in the middle of my side I panicked and went to the .1), thought “enough of this,” and proceeded to come back for a 6-4 set win, and then 10-2 in the super.

Marin and Learner, each a fan of the drama. Each 2-0 this week. Vamos.
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Did you also go 'god-mode' with your slice game to properly honor Learner?

Congrats on the come-back. That sounds epic!
 
Alcawrath said:
Did you also go 'god-mode' with your slice game to properly honor Learner?

Congrats on the come-back. That sounds epic!
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Absolutely. It’s part of the reason why I love him so much. He wins matches like I win matches (when I do win): craft and consistency and opening the court up and finishing. No massive weapons. But slices and variety for days.

And urges to pee for whole sets.
 
SupahMan5000 said:
Poorly named string, albeit sensical

More recycled strings coming to the market. Never tried Lux Eco but the club I coach at seems to sell and stock a lot so maybe I’ll compare that with this
8Ks5eAI.jpeg
Click to expand...
This could be one of the two Eco strings Head had playtests for. I liked both, but prefered the stiffer V2 prototype. The V1 had a bit too much dwell-time and power compared to the more controlled V2. V2 felt great and the best string I tried last year.
 
I know this is for the string forum probably, but after 3 years with the same string setup I am thinking of trying something other than gut/hawk rough for a while. I’ve been hitting with a frame strung with alu power/x-one and it’s pretty good. I can definitely swing out more, and my game is much different than it was previously so poly mains are working for me.

I have a ton of head strings and many sets of lux eco. May try the eco first just bc it matches the blade.
 
Earlier this week I took the plunge and decided to finally switch to the '24 Extreme Pro, which meant getting two more. I didn't want too much hassle to I used the TWE matching service to get two pretty much identical ones. It will be difficult to get them to the same specs as the one I own already, but I'm not set on specs yet anyway. They're on the way here.

Tonight I couldn't control myself and ordered two of the new Gravity Tour 98, to choose the one with the best specs and return the other. There seem to be many takes on this frame (the consensus on the pj seems consistently positive however). The logical thing to do is to try it out myself. Having liked the 2023 GPro and GMP, I'm excited in a way I haven't been for a while trying a new racket.
 
SupahMan5000 said:
It’s very much a emphasize your strengths or minimize your weaknesses situation

16x19 emphasize your strengths: hit with a heavier and higher ball with less effort but need to be cautious of over hitting and make sure you finish your follow through across the shoulder. Or brush up on the ball at full extension

18x20 minimize your weaknesses: still hit a pretty big ball and can hit “recklessly” with more room for error but you might hit short or a weaker ball by accident and you really need to be prepared for what might come next

I will say tho 16x19 string durability is ridiculous and that’s the biggest thing I’ll miss from the 18x20
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the 18m frames are especially useful if you are 6'3 or over. just aim and shoot.. but at 6'1 or under its nice to have some net clearance and spin to bring the balls back down. its really that simple to me..
 
taylor15 said:
I know this is for the string forum probably, but after 3 years with the same string setup I am thinking of trying something other than gut/hawk rough for a while. I’ve been hitting with a frame strung with alu power/x-one and it’s pretty good. I can definitely swing out more, and my game is much different than it was previously so poly mains are working for me.

I have a ton of head strings and many sets of lux eco. May try the eco first just bc it matches the blade.
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Nah gut/hawk rough is perfection.
If I didnt have the dreaded wet clay indoor season I wouldnt use anything else.
In that note, I tried xone/orbitour today and that was pretty nice. The closest I have gotten to gut/poly with a multi/poly setup.
 
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