Diary of a Racketaholic
- Thread starter Ross K
- Start date
JGads
G.O.A.T.
Nice! Glad someone is rocking with that stick. Definitely hits huge.
JGads
G.O.A.T.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Ok so round 1 with the Creamsicle in the books. Only an hour and only one set unfortunately but ill be back out there again tomorrow and Monday so I can add my thoughts.
First impressions - light frame. No way I can compare it to the VCP97 or even Doppio, those are 310 gram unstrung frames and this one is 4 grams underweight so 318 strung with OG. It's a big adjustment from 335 gram racquets. I can't say this frame blows away the VCP97 either, but these are MUCH different racquets. The MP leans more towards the tweener side of the house while the VCP97 is a soft control frame that has some forgiving trajectory.
So the light weight is something I can fix, not a real concern there. It doesn't need to be super heavy or anything either, I am thinking 325-330 grams strung and SW around 328 will do it. This is one of those rare frames that I think could benefit from a little lead in the throat, but that's just a thought, I am not sure yet. Hoop for me is a tad low SW with the Lynx/element setup (323) so I'll probably add 2 grams at 3 and 9 or something minimal. The hoop doesn't need much.
Ok so groundstrokes - this is an easy frame to use. Coming from the Vc95 or 97, this thing feels like a tweener. That is not really good or bad because the control is also quite great. Pretty rare combo of free power and a high level of control. I overcooked some shots more because I was adjusting to how light the damn thing was more than the actual frame being too powerful.Once I dialed it in, my forehand was nice and big and my backhand was easy to control and keep deep. I tested out some DTL backhands too later in the set and missed a few before dialing it in and sticking the ball right in the back corner. I am not 100% confident yet on my backhand but I was still solid off that side. Forehands were great, especially on the approach. Very easy to chill out and just rip the ball into a corner without needing too swing too hard. So this frame is really good for anyone who needs to learn how to play at 6 or 7 out 10 power most of a match instead of swinging too hard and hitting themselves out of contention. I was able to hit really nice medium pace shots and set up a big FH. Defense is excellent with the racquet and so are running FH winners. I was able to hit some really nice crosscourt winners on the run that safely curled inside the line.
Slice is definitely excellent. I practiced my squash shot FH and also approached with some DTL FH slice which got me points too. The grip shape of this racquet is smaller than my YY's and PKs, but really makes the Conti grip super easy to get into and hit square. I really like the grip shape on this racquet so far.
Volleys are a stand out feature and why I would not want to make this frame too heavy. It is so easy to move into position now and so solid at net at this weight that I found myself coming in behind a lot of shots pretty early into the rally just because I knew I'd hit the putaway volley. Has to be one of the better volleying frames I have used, and the VCP is no slouch there either.
Serve was good but I need to get my timing better. I am so used to the heavier frames that I really just focused on hitting second serves for now. My serve is rarely at it's best with a new frame the first few outings, but I can say that this frame serves just fine and I am quite confident I will be firing bombs with it rather soon. I still got aces with it and the sharp drop on top/slice was there. Really good spin.
Returns - F'n amazing. One of the best returning frames and pretty much all my racquets are good at that. I was constantly able to punch the ball back nice and deep. I will say it is easier to overcook a return I swing on, but I can dial that in. When it comes to returning first serves, this is a special frame for sure.
Final thing is the feel. Definitely a good feel to the frame. Not as plush and soft as the VCP97 but better feel than the VC95. It does indeed sit between the 2 and I love that Head managed to fit in some of that classic Radical feel in the frame. It's firm but comfortable, has pocketing but not so much that the ball stays in too long for me like the H22 did. Just a really nice feel that I think will be enhanced once I get a little more weight on it. Pings a little without the dampener like most frames but clean contact is rewarded with that familiar Radical feel that definitely reminds me of the older models.
So yeah, I will keep at it with this thing and see how it goes. I definitely need to add some lead to it, but it won't need a lot. It already hits big in stock form.
First impressions - light frame. No way I can compare it to the VCP97 or even Doppio, those are 310 gram unstrung frames and this one is 4 grams underweight so 318 strung with OG. It's a big adjustment from 335 gram racquets. I can't say this frame blows away the VCP97 either, but these are MUCH different racquets. The MP leans more towards the tweener side of the house while the VCP97 is a soft control frame that has some forgiving trajectory.
So the light weight is something I can fix, not a real concern there. It doesn't need to be super heavy or anything either, I am thinking 325-330 grams strung and SW around 328 will do it. This is one of those rare frames that I think could benefit from a little lead in the throat, but that's just a thought, I am not sure yet. Hoop for me is a tad low SW with the Lynx/element setup (323) so I'll probably add 2 grams at 3 and 9 or something minimal. The hoop doesn't need much.
Ok so groundstrokes - this is an easy frame to use. Coming from the Vc95 or 97, this thing feels like a tweener. That is not really good or bad because the control is also quite great. Pretty rare combo of free power and a high level of control. I overcooked some shots more because I was adjusting to how light the damn thing was more than the actual frame being too powerful.Once I dialed it in, my forehand was nice and big and my backhand was easy to control and keep deep. I tested out some DTL backhands too later in the set and missed a few before dialing it in and sticking the ball right in the back corner. I am not 100% confident yet on my backhand but I was still solid off that side. Forehands were great, especially on the approach. Very easy to chill out and just rip the ball into a corner without needing too swing too hard. So this frame is really good for anyone who needs to learn how to play at 6 or 7 out 10 power most of a match instead of swinging too hard and hitting themselves out of contention. I was able to hit really nice medium pace shots and set up a big FH. Defense is excellent with the racquet and so are running FH winners. I was able to hit some really nice crosscourt winners on the run that safely curled inside the line.
Slice is definitely excellent. I practiced my squash shot FH and also approached with some DTL FH slice which got me points too. The grip shape of this racquet is smaller than my YY's and PKs, but really makes the Conti grip super easy to get into and hit square. I really like the grip shape on this racquet so far.
Volleys are a stand out feature and why I would not want to make this frame too heavy. It is so easy to move into position now and so solid at net at this weight that I found myself coming in behind a lot of shots pretty early into the rally just because I knew I'd hit the putaway volley. Has to be one of the better volleying frames I have used, and the VCP is no slouch there either.
Serve was good but I need to get my timing better. I am so used to the heavier frames that I really just focused on hitting second serves for now. My serve is rarely at it's best with a new frame the first few outings, but I can say that this frame serves just fine and I am quite confident I will be firing bombs with it rather soon. I still got aces with it and the sharp drop on top/slice was there. Really good spin.
Returns - F'n amazing. One of the best returning frames and pretty much all my racquets are good at that. I was constantly able to punch the ball back nice and deep. I will say it is easier to overcook a return I swing on, but I can dial that in. When it comes to returning first serves, this is a special frame for sure.
Final thing is the feel. Definitely a good feel to the frame. Not as plush and soft as the VCP97 but better feel than the VC95. It does indeed sit between the 2 and I love that Head managed to fit in some of that classic Radical feel in the frame. It's firm but comfortable, has pocketing but not so much that the ball stays in too long for me like the H22 did. Just a really nice feel that I think will be enhanced once I get a little more weight on it. Pings a little without the dampener like most frames but clean contact is rewarded with that familiar Radical feel that definitely reminds me of the older models.
So yeah, I will keep at it with this thing and see how it goes. I definitely need to add some lead to it, but it won't need a lot. It already hits big in stock form.
808
Professional
One thing to be considered besides the obvious is that the 360+ Pro and MP use different molds.
topspn
Legend
Any idea what your SW is?
tim-ay
Legend
326
ryushen21
Legend
I got a call this morning for an impromptu match and had to decline as my frames are in the shop. It made me quite sad as it was one of the guys from the league that I just threw myself into. I could have played with the UT or the DR100 but I felt it was the better choice not to play without my primary frames.
It ended up being a day of stringing for me. 3 of my HS players' frames and the DR100 nostalgia hit so I strung it up fresh with Ytex Triangle Twisted and Ghost Wire. Full disclosure, the set of Triangle Twisted was way short of being able to do a full bed which is why I went with the hybrid setup. Stringing really has turned into a bit of a therapeutic exercise for me. I put some music on and then get to it. It also turns out that I've gotten down to about a 30 minute time per frame which makes me feel better when I have multiple racquets in front of me to string.
I jumped out on the court with the ball machine for about an hour to scratch the DR itch. I really like the string setup that I put in the frame. Lots of spin with comfy almost pocketing-type feeling coming from the GW. It was also a reminder that had I been actively playing when the DR came out, I could have easily loaded up on these. There's the manageable power and easy spin access, but without the muting that's present in the more modern YYs. It's such a good frame and there's a lot that I like about it but I don't think I could bring myself to chase down more. It might survive the next herd thinning but it also might not. Focus and frame dedication is starting to challenge the deeply set holic ways.
Then again, the new EZones are due to release in January and maybe Yonex has a plan to liven up the feel a bit compared to the current iterations.
It ended up being a day of stringing for me. 3 of my HS players' frames and the DR100 nostalgia hit so I strung it up fresh with Ytex Triangle Twisted and Ghost Wire. Full disclosure, the set of Triangle Twisted was way short of being able to do a full bed which is why I went with the hybrid setup. Stringing really has turned into a bit of a therapeutic exercise for me. I put some music on and then get to it. It also turns out that I've gotten down to about a 30 minute time per frame which makes me feel better when I have multiple racquets in front of me to string.
I jumped out on the court with the ball machine for about an hour to scratch the DR itch. I really like the string setup that I put in the frame. Lots of spin with comfy almost pocketing-type feeling coming from the GW. It was also a reminder that had I been actively playing when the DR came out, I could have easily loaded up on these. There's the manageable power and easy spin access, but without the muting that's present in the more modern YYs. It's such a good frame and there's a lot that I like about it but I don't think I could bring myself to chase down more. It might survive the next herd thinning but it also might not. Focus and frame dedication is starting to challenge the deeply set holic ways.
Then again, the new EZones are due to release in January and maybe Yonex has a plan to liven up the feel a bit compared to the current iterations.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
New rad mp modded specs - 327 grams. 328 sw. 5 pts hl. Will update tomorrow on how it hits.
esgee48
G.O.A.T.
@ryushen21 - Why was the Ytex Triangle Twisted short? Did you get back to the seller?
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
Spent a good amount of time with one of snoflewis’ creamsicles today. My opinion remains the same. GREAT stick. The UT and PA got together and out came the Rad MP. Less power than the PA and less control than the UT. Very good stability and maneuverability at the net. Fantastic slicing frame. Serves well. No comfort issues so far. It’s the best release since the PA19.
Addxyz
Hall of Fame
Going to see a lot of PK for sale next week.
ryushen21
Legend
I reached out to Ytex about it. It was the second set from my demo pack that came up short. I'm not really sure what happened with it but it was short by by about 4 feet.
esgee48
G.O.A.T.
Sorry to hear this. Hopefully they will send you another pack. FWIW, you can do a DR100 with 36', but it has to be a one piece ATW. Or you cut the string after tying off the mains and use a starting knot to anchor the 1st cross. I have received packs from clients that were 38'-39' rather than 40' and I have gotten into the habit of not cutting anything in half. YMMV.
ryushen21
Legend
I always string 2-piece but I've got my measurements down for how much string I need and I measured with my usual method.
It was disappointing for sure because I wanted to try it in a full bed.
esgee48
G.O.A.T.
There is an ongoing difference of opinion between stringers that use 2 pieces vs 1 piece. Back in the Jurassic, I used 2 piece but moved to 1 piece cuz it saves on the amount of string needed to do frames. There were periods when packs came in 33', 34', 36', generally 40' and 42' or more. It was a real PITA when you had 34', but the frame required 36' or 36.5'. Using 40' today is a no brainer until you run into a super OS that calls for 42' or 43'. If I do not cut and do an ATW, I can make 40' work. I will never do a PK Micro which requires like 50'. 
Power Player
Bionic Poster
i dont know, i think there is room for both. The Mp does strike me as the banana we all wanted though. Its similar in some ways with the firmer but pretty comfy feel, real nice punch and control.
tim-ay
Legend
PKs aren’t going anywhere… that’s for sure. but i’m still watching how you’re tweaking works out on the orange crush.
I love the Top Banana. not sure anything will knock that out of the bag anytime soon.
tim-ay
Legend
the PK 16x20’s just rock one piece. the mains finish up top and you can just blow through them. 20-25 min max. just another reason to love that patternThere is an ongoing difference of opinion between stringers that use 2 pieces vs 1 piece. Back in the Jurassic, I used 2 piece but moved to 1 piece cuz it saves on the amount of string needed to do frames. There were periods when packs came in 33', 34', 36', generally 40' and 42' or more. It was a real PITA when you had 34', but the frame required 36' or 36.5'. Using 40' today is a no brainer until you run into a super OS that calls for 42' or 43'. If I do not cut and do an ATW, I can make 40' work. I will never do a PK Micro which requires like 50'.
This made me laugh, reminds me of a buddy who has a track car. He always talks about the events he’ll miss bc it’s ‘in the shop’
RF_PRO_STAFF
Professional
I got a Prince Textreme Tour 95 to string for someone and decided to measure the specs on it. This is some crazy stuff.
The frame is completely stock, except he wrapped about 29 grams worth of grips extra on there. It's a 3/8 but I believe there's two extra base grips on it, so it's like a completely rounded out 5/8.
It weighs in at 349g unstrung and the balance point is 28.6 cm unstrung. Kind of messed up lol. But as long as it works for him, it's fine I guess. He's over 6'6 and very strong.
Interesting to say the least. He wants RPM Blast 1.25 at 53.
The frame is completely stock, except he wrapped about 29 grams worth of grips extra on there. It's a 3/8 but I believe there's two extra base grips on it, so it's like a completely rounded out 5/8.
It weighs in at 349g unstrung and the balance point is 28.6 cm unstrung. Kind of messed up lol. But as long as it works for him, it's fine I guess. He's over 6'6 and very strong.
Interesting to say the least. He wants RPM Blast 1.25 at 53.
ryushen21
Legend
Usually, I would have brushed it aside and gone in with any number of my other frames and heart full of reckless abandon. But I really don't want to make a fool of myself with this group.
JGads
G.O.A.T.
Man, you've gotta go into this with some shrugging and some accepting of failure - that 'reckless abandon' you mentioned. Getting the sense you're very apprehensive about this good group of players, and I get it, but we all pushed you that way because in the end you'll be better for it, no matter the lumps. Even if you get schooled 1 and 0 in some matches, we're with ya. We should all be a bit more like the dearly departed Norm Macdonald, who apparently embraced bombing so much that early on in his career, if he destroyed a room, he'd just want to play poker in the back with the other comics after the show. But if he absolutely bombed, he leaned into that by going to the door and greeting everyone on their way out: "Hey thanks so much for coming! Hope you enjoyed the show!?" He did this in part for the amusement of his fellow comics, who couldn't believe he had that kind of bravery and teflon. One of many great stories about Norm I've heard in the last week. And something we should all heed with this crazy sport, too: we're all going to fail. Many times. Lean into it and learn. And try to find the humor in everything.
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Power Player
Bionic Poster
I got 2 sets in over 2 hours with one of the better 4.5s in the region. This dude hits super precise shots that he can hold onto his racquet until the last second and he has a real big serve that has heavy spin..
Have to say for low sleep with the puppy, playing fasted, this was some of the best tennis I played in a really long time. The mods worked great and since mine was 4 grams underweight, I really just added 2 back in the head and 2 via putty in the buttcap. The real game changer was adding to that weight with 4 grams in the throat. That really solidifies the feel of the frame and it played amazing. Actually a lot easier to control for me now. I was super consistent right away in warmups. It's really nice having the SW1 and balance board being able to know exactly what I'm working with. I don't think this frame needs further modding.
Frame reminds me of the new PK Bananas, but with a little less comfort and better feel. Clean contact with this felt incredible, especially slices. This is my favorite 16x19 pattern, it really has incredible control.I lost some points on net clippers, but my deep groundstrokes stayed in, which was awesome. They won me a lot of points because I was able to defend and hit some really deep balls and aggressive squash shots. More importantly, I was hitting a lot of clean winners with my forehand. I saw him leaning towards the cross court side so I would just unload on DTL winners. Sometimes I would set them up with a couple groundies 3/4 crosscourt and then just laser one into the open court I/o corner. I did this with the backhand as well. Smart 4.5s usually give you the DTL until you show you can hit it over and over and I was able to do just that today.
Also had a lot of success with slice. They feel fantastic and come in so low and heavy. Dropshots had perfect touch too. The only thing I have not dialed in yet is my lobs. I either hit them too deep or too short. The lob is the toughest touch shot for me to dial in though and I have to hit perfect ones against this guy since he is a beat at the net, so that made it tougher.
Honestly that was about the only fault I could find today. We had an absolutely exhausting 2 set battle that I barely lost. After we just sat there and were like "wow, that was some awesome tennis".
A few takeaways - this racquet requires less effort to use than a players frame, and I really figured that out on the serve. I started serving super relaxed and with lower effort on flats and they just kept going in and getting me free points. Same with groundstrokes, on any shot I did not think I could attack I just hit very chill, controlled strokes and they stayed deep and were easy to control the direction. So this frame is really nice for saving energy, keeping it deep and moving the ball until you get the shot you want and then just unleash the thunder.
Really nice feel - its got that graphene 360 thing where the sweet spot feels amazing but it's not a classic soft frame. The benefits of course are the free power that you just don't get from the classics. I can definitely see myself competing with this frame at a high level, and it's quickly made a play to beat out the VC95s since the control is so good.
Have to say for low sleep with the puppy, playing fasted, this was some of the best tennis I played in a really long time. The mods worked great and since mine was 4 grams underweight, I really just added 2 back in the head and 2 via putty in the buttcap. The real game changer was adding to that weight with 4 grams in the throat. That really solidifies the feel of the frame and it played amazing. Actually a lot easier to control for me now. I was super consistent right away in warmups. It's really nice having the SW1 and balance board being able to know exactly what I'm working with. I don't think this frame needs further modding.
Frame reminds me of the new PK Bananas, but with a little less comfort and better feel. Clean contact with this felt incredible, especially slices. This is my favorite 16x19 pattern, it really has incredible control.I lost some points on net clippers, but my deep groundstrokes stayed in, which was awesome. They won me a lot of points because I was able to defend and hit some really deep balls and aggressive squash shots. More importantly, I was hitting a lot of clean winners with my forehand. I saw him leaning towards the cross court side so I would just unload on DTL winners. Sometimes I would set them up with a couple groundies 3/4 crosscourt and then just laser one into the open court I/o corner. I did this with the backhand as well. Smart 4.5s usually give you the DTL until you show you can hit it over and over and I was able to do just that today.
Also had a lot of success with slice. They feel fantastic and come in so low and heavy. Dropshots had perfect touch too. The only thing I have not dialed in yet is my lobs. I either hit them too deep or too short. The lob is the toughest touch shot for me to dial in though and I have to hit perfect ones against this guy since he is a beat at the net, so that made it tougher.
Honestly that was about the only fault I could find today. We had an absolutely exhausting 2 set battle that I barely lost. After we just sat there and were like "wow, that was some awesome tennis".
A few takeaways - this racquet requires less effort to use than a players frame, and I really figured that out on the serve. I started serving super relaxed and with lower effort on flats and they just kept going in and getting me free points. Same with groundstrokes, on any shot I did not think I could attack I just hit very chill, controlled strokes and they stayed deep and were easy to control the direction. So this frame is really nice for saving energy, keeping it deep and moving the ball until you get the shot you want and then just unleash the thunder.
Really nice feel - its got that graphene 360 thing where the sweet spot feels amazing but it's not a classic soft frame. The benefits of course are the free power that you just don't get from the classics. I can definitely see myself competing with this frame at a high level, and it's quickly made a play to beat out the VC95s since the control is so good.
Nollid
Professional
Nicely said @JGads! A good message I also needed to hear. I tend to temper who I'll play with for fear of doing badly. Usually though, I find that I rise to the occasion or learn greatly in the process of failing. For some reason this brings to mind my main man Carl Sagan and his "A Pale Blue Dot". Check it out if you haven't seen it in a while. It really does add some perspective.
"It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world."
CS
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Yeah I totally agree with this. I will play anyone with zero fear of failure. Every pressure or uncomfortable situation makes you a better match player. the game starts to slow down and you start to figure out patterns and strategies that start giving these guys trouble. Tennis is really like cycling where you need to be uncomfortable a lot if you want to really get good at it.
Also Norm F'n ruled.
tim-ay
Legend
totally agree with both of these. I don’t know why but suffering is a revelation. and Norm was great, even as the KFC guy.
ryushen21
Legend
I know. I know.
As excited as I am to be playing in this league, it's also exposed a ton of doubts and insecurities about my game. I'm actually more worried about making the guy that invited me look bad. I have relatively low concern for myself and can shake off just about anything that happens or is said to me. I know I'll put in a solid effort because of my work ethic and desire to perform at a high level. But when it's someone else's rep on the line, I have to go even further and make sure that I give every possible chance for success.
I get my frames back tomorrow so the excuses will be gone after that. I've already started preparing mentally for the thrashings I'm soon to receive.
I feel you, want to make your best impression on a new group. I would have done the exact same.
tim-ay
Legend
if all else fails, drop shot them a lot. make those b*tches run. haha. they won’t forget that.
you’re going to end up having a great time.
Vicious49
Legend
Im the same way. Heck, whenever I finally make it Denver and get to play PP Im Fully going in with the mindset that im going to win. And even if i dont win, im going to make him run his ass off. If you dont believe going in to the match then youve already lost.
Could this bring down the yellow stick?Another morning hit with the creamsicle. Opinion remains the same. Awesome. Just does everything well.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
No, but if I decide to add it to the bag, it’ll take 2nd place without a doubt. UTs, UP, Blade 2015, PPs, and PKs would all get squeezed out of the bag.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Oh my...yep, I can see that happening. I'd keep one of the Ultras though, just to have a soft racquet around.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Yeah that's what I thought and so I never tried it. It's actually really great. I am thinking some people got underweight demos. I liked mine alright in stock form, but with little bit of lead, it plays super solid now.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
I should have just listened to Karue instead of paying attention to what others said. Karue really knows what he’s talking about. There are only 2 people I can trust when it comes to racquet reviews - Karue and JGads.
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What is the future of your UP?
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
I’ll need to find a new home for the sticks I listed.
JGads
G.O.A.T.
Good stuff all around, gents!
Back from a Sunday eve knockabout myself and, like MD, like PP, more of the same here: these Rads are sweet. Direct, controlled. Filthy slices. In stock form except for an overgrip, the Pro hits maybe with a tad more consistent depth for me but just like the other night, I got caught a tad late or badly timed some balls a few times that I just didn't with the MP; while the MP redirects the ball to whatever spot you want so easily, you can really yo-yo the ball around if you wish. If the MP were my stick, I'd do what PP did: add weight down in the cap and/or handle, maybe a smidge of lead somewhere up top - sides or maybe just the throat, and I think that would make it pretty perfect. But stock form, it's still solid. Biggest difference maker for me between the two sticks? Serve. Unlike that tennis foot doctor guy who compared the Rads in a single video and had more MPH on his serve with the Pro, for me the snap I'm getting on the MP has meant big serves served up effortlessly, and even more important: precisely where I'm aiming. Up the T, slider wide, middle, kick. Sharp is the word here. This frame is just sharp. And the Pro, or at least this demo we have, is just that all-important hair-too-heavy through the air. So I'd go MP and add weight as needed.
When I mixed in the Top Banana, the Top Banana did essentially look at the Rad and say, 'That's cute.' And then goated. More plow. Easier trajectory over the net (this stick suffers from Ultra Tour or Doppio Syndrome in that when you miss, you miss net rather than long). But pinpoint accuracy would probably go to the Rad.
So if I got one of these, it would fight the Doppio for the No. 2 spot, and/or the UT/Blade Pro/newbie Black Aces for the "Pleasure Stick" frame of choice as this frame is actually quite pleasurable to hit with. It's firmer than those others, yet the pocket is so defined and nice just as those others that it becomes very fun to feel and play with and work the ball. But this one also has more zip than those other pleasure sticks (except the hefty BP, of course), so you can essentially do more here, just have access to more gears.
So yeah, two hits down now, and honestly I have only good things to say about these Rads, both of them, but a little more so the MP just because of its versatility, its sharpness, and the rather impressive ease of serve. A super racquet from Head.
Back from a Sunday eve knockabout myself and, like MD, like PP, more of the same here: these Rads are sweet. Direct, controlled. Filthy slices. In stock form except for an overgrip, the Pro hits maybe with a tad more consistent depth for me but just like the other night, I got caught a tad late or badly timed some balls a few times that I just didn't with the MP; while the MP redirects the ball to whatever spot you want so easily, you can really yo-yo the ball around if you wish. If the MP were my stick, I'd do what PP did: add weight down in the cap and/or handle, maybe a smidge of lead somewhere up top - sides or maybe just the throat, and I think that would make it pretty perfect. But stock form, it's still solid. Biggest difference maker for me between the two sticks? Serve. Unlike that tennis foot doctor guy who compared the Rads in a single video and had more MPH on his serve with the Pro, for me the snap I'm getting on the MP has meant big serves served up effortlessly, and even more important: precisely where I'm aiming. Up the T, slider wide, middle, kick. Sharp is the word here. This frame is just sharp. And the Pro, or at least this demo we have, is just that all-important hair-too-heavy through the air. So I'd go MP and add weight as needed.
When I mixed in the Top Banana, the Top Banana did essentially look at the Rad and say, 'That's cute.' And then goated. More plow. Easier trajectory over the net (this stick suffers from Ultra Tour or Doppio Syndrome in that when you miss, you miss net rather than long). But pinpoint accuracy would probably go to the Rad.
So if I got one of these, it would fight the Doppio for the No. 2 spot, and/or the UT/Blade Pro/newbie Black Aces for the "Pleasure Stick" frame of choice as this frame is actually quite pleasurable to hit with. It's firmer than those others, yet the pocket is so defined and nice just as those others that it becomes very fun to feel and play with and work the ball. But this one also has more zip than those other pleasure sticks (except the hefty BP, of course), so you can essentially do more here, just have access to more gears.
So yeah, two hits down now, and honestly I have only good things to say about these Rads, both of them, but a little more so the MP just because of its versatility, its sharpness, and the rather impressive ease of serve. A super racquet from Head.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
yeah totally agree on the serve snap. I discovered that today and it was a game changer since it made flat serves so high %.
when i grabbed the mp the guy at the shop was like “if you dont like it, i have the pro”. But i started thinking about the 315 banana and knew that light was right in this situation
agree on the pocket. Its great because its there but the ball doesnt sink forever, so i can hit really precise drop shots.
really awesome frame. Pretty bizarre pj but i suspect they will release an alt version of that.
S
Slicehand
Guest
look guys, i cant take this to anybody else, i started to feel symptoms, i had a great racquet, improved with it for a while tought of taking it till the end of the world, but one day, it felt a little slugish, other day, it couldnt handle certain type of balls so good, and then the tought arised, what if... what if a little more headlight racquet was better for me, what if i try a bigger head size, and a little stiffer too? oh my god, i didnt wanna change, didnt wanna get into that, wanted to be a one racquet man, now im all over the place, one night i feel for a flashy one, next morning im kissing a 102 head size, only to rub my hands against a wooden raquets throat in the afternoon... i think im a racketaholic, i became one you see, its not by choice, i feel dirty and just want to commit to one but,,,im human, and i havent been tought the faithfull way, i now must accept what i am and tell my wife the truth, theres gonna be less food in the fridge, less clothes in your wardrobe, and more rackets in my bag, no holidays in the sun but testing sessions on the court, otherwise, i couldnt sustain this habit, i need all our money, and maybe somebody elses money too, this is gonna get out of control but i cant really help it just now
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JGads
G.O.A.T.
I feel like the difference here between the MP and the Pro is less stark than other alternate versions of the same line - for example a Prestige Pro vs MP vs Mid. Like you can really tell the differences in those sticks pretty immediately. With these orange crushes (solid name) they play very close to each other, which I think makes sense because they almost nullified some of the key differences - little more SW and static weight in the Pro, yet a thinner beam. But even that isn't a huge difference, very minute. I will say that Radical Pro sweet spot, though tremendous, seems somehow smaller than the MP. Or maybe that's just perception in that I was finding the sweet spot more often with the MP because of timing. I don't know. But that's the perception. But I felt like when I was hitting high in the bed on the Pro, big drop off. With the MP, I was still getting off a usable shot. Especially on serve, maybe because of the RHS.
Anyway, just solid sticks. My partner is right on the fence about whether to get one or not, or demo some other frames. It's actually the updated rounder grip that's bugging him more than anything, as he's a traditional Head grip shape guy. Easy fix, really. I hope he gets one, so I can sneak in some more freebie hits. I'd also totally be down with adding this to my own stable, but the question is if I really need it. Well of course I don't need it. But do I want it? Mmm.
To be continued. Would be nice to get one or even two more hits in with the demo.
JGads
G.O.A.T.
You've come to the right place, of course. Welcome. Just have to report your findings.
Even the 4 UTs?!? Say it isn’t so!
JGads
G.O.A.T.
Yeah this is what we would call "a mistake."
UTs are too joyous for me to ever not have in the collection.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
yeah that grip shape. I am in love with it. Its one of the things that grabbed me about the frame. Just easy to find my grips. Its still fairly square to me coming from the yonex and pks. Not sure what you think there. It plays a bit smaller to me as well.
i think he may like the vcp97 if hes into soft feeling frames. Its definitely not as easy to use as the radical mp though, but man its sweet to crack shots with. Tough call there, but if hes been playing a long time he may appreciate what can be done with it.
The mp is incredibly well balanced. Tough to beat that frame. Main weakness is the pj, but agassi would rock it so its good enough for me.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
JGads
G.O.A.T.
I'm totally fine with this grip. Prefer it to the traditional Head shape (though I never had much issue with that one once I got used to it).
New Blades and the VC Pro are on the partner's radar.
As for the paint, that's another thing holding him back just a little bit - he hates it. Ha. I'm in the camp of, "I'd really, really prefer something else here, but if it plays, it plays." I see now there are some Laver Cup limited editions coming out, but it just looks like a 360 Prestige paintjob to me, which isn't much better. That one would have been so much better had they made it mostly navy rather than the color pop. Head gettin' loud with these paintjobs.
