n8dawg6
Legend
ive been jonesing for a pure drive again like a dam fool.
Diary of a Racketaholic
- Thread starter Ross K
- Start date
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Always keep Babs, at least one. Just by having a little stash of frames I have really whittled down what I may be interested in. Now and then I bring out the PT630 and hit with that compared to the Phantom. I tried the Yonex 89 mid against the phantom a bunch as well. Of course I have my PA+ canons so if that itch ever comes back, they are sitting there.
My stroke got a little longer with the P93, and I use a higher takeback which has been amazing for consistency. Well that and actually making 100% sure to look at the ball through contact. So the crazy power of the Babo’s is not as needed right now. I pull them out sometimes just to see.
The more open pattern of that and the PD kind of bums me out since I love slicing so much on approaches and I love having a powerful and low slice backhand too.
If I was tweenering, I’d probably look at the new Head Extreme Pro. Those frames are really underrated.
Subway Tennis
Legend
This APDC+ is killer, VAMOS
Very nice frame.
I know we should only be thinking of performance but I always thought this was one of the best of the "bumblebee" cosmetics.
n8dawg6
Legend
man i just want that pure drive sweet spot again. its cheating, to an extent.
i sold my last one though bc i couldnt get around to the right strings for it. trying to reign in the power via high(er) tension and/or full poly turns it into a painful frying pan on impact.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Grab a used one and just keep it no matter what. A little closet stash has really kept me from wanting to check out that many other frames. Especially if you can find a classic grail like a 630 or tec 315 too. Hell i have an agassi radical bumblebee just because its so rad.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
My little closet stash became a garage stash. Lol.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
You may be on to something with the 310. I should find out tonight, but it came in exactly on spec, weighing 326 strung. So I was easily able to get it weighted exactly how I expected. I copied Jean F’s lead in a thread about modding the 310. Basically 5 grams in the head. The SW is right where I like it, around 333 and I was able to keep the balance at 7pts with a little lead under the grip. So it’s at 342 with everything, and that’s awesome. Very easy mods, which is good since it can be a headache.
Also a pleasant surprise that it has 8 mains in the throat. Didn’t know that would be the case with the 16x19, but I like that a lot. The control should be awesome.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
Looking forward to reading your impressions. Hopefully you like it! It does take an hour or 2 of hard hitting for the frame to break in.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Ok, so yeah - 2 hours and 800ish calories later of hitting and I have some impressions.
When I was warming up, I was thinking that the modded frame swung a bit heavy which made no sense coming from the P93. I was still able to play with it fine, but the more I hit, I finally just took the lead off during a water break. So yeah, this is why I don’t mod frames, because I clearly don’t know WTF I am doing..lol. This frame plays fantastic with the lower SW just like you said. Clearly there have been some changes in racquet tech or something because I don’t understand how this frame plays so solid and deep, but it definitely does it. There must be something happening in the tech because I know there are plenty of guys on the challenger and even pro circuit playing with Yonex frames stock. So anyway, I don’t know what I am doing when it comes to modding frames anymore, but I digress.
So yeah, I am basically playing the frame with 4 grams under the handle now, a YY OG and Sampras dampener. That’s it. It’s the same as switching to a leather grip basically. It’s 336 grams, which is a nice weight to play at.
As soon as I did that, the timing was so much better and I was able to hit the sweet spot constantly. This frame feels awesome, I have missed that true Yonex feel, as they don't all have it. For example the Vcore 98 does not. It’s firmness is a lot more apparent when I switched to it for a minute from the 97Pro.
This frame is a perfect compromise if you like the classic feel but don’t want something heavy. The P93 has made me very reliant on ball feel, and this racquet has it. It is low powered, but definitely has more punch to it than a classic frame. Additionally it’s really easy to generate tip speed so I am able to play a big hitting game without swinging out of my shoes and gassing myself, which was my concern and why I added lead in the first place.
Trajectory is still fairly low (which I like) and I would say this frame rewards a full swing. It’s a 16x19, but it plays like an 18x20. But I was able to hit deep and heavy top over and over, and that’s what I needed. I also could hit pretty solid backhands down the line and move the ball around easily. I love the control of it. This is not a power frame like a Bab or a Vcore 98, but it’s not like using a prestige from 8 years ago either. You can bomb with this frame and push people back as long as you have a full swing.
Volleys were very nice, not as good as theP93, but nothing is for me. Serves have a ton of potential too. I have more angles to attack the ball with on serve than the P93, but the P93 is still my ultimate serving frame. Tough to really go wrong here.
I would say this is the first frame I have tried where you can actually have your cake and eat it too. The cake may not be super rich and loaded with frosting, but it’s still damn good. The feel of this frame is excellent, imo. And my wrist is quite happy right now that I didn’t whip around a 350 gram frame. So there is that as well. The bummer here is that the Vcore 98 is looking like the odd man out and that sucks since the p/j is incredible. At least the 97 has a really nice one as well.
Anyone who plays with a Wilson Blade should try this frame out for sure. I think the YY has a much better balance to it and better feel as well.
Other thing - this max power rough is fantastic. I love it. I need more time with it to see how it does over the course of 8-10 hours but I may buy a reel. It feels incredible in the 97 pro and the spin and control is top notch. I had it strung at 46/44#s, and the first 2 hours were fantastic. Hopefully it wont pull an ALU and drop off a cliff on me.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
awesome! yeah...not sure what kind of voodoo or magic pixie dust yonex used in this frame. plays fine stock without any lead. go figure. it's not the best at everything but it does everything ~97% as good as the best of every stick i've tried and own. it performs so consistently high across the board in every category that made it the overwhelming favorite for me. Glad to see someone else who can actually play at a good level confirm what i'm experiencing!
like you, i was thinking i would need to lead this baby up. no way this lightweight stick would be able to hit a decent ball. well, i'm glad i just tried it stock. sometimes you just can't try to play a stick by the numbers. gotta go by gut feel. assumed i wouldn't get the kind of control out of the 16/19 especially since i was coming from the uber controlled UT 18/20. boy was i wrong.
regarding max power rough...it shouldn't fall off the cliff. i've got a bunch of this stuff coming in the mail as i type because @dimkin highly recommended it for the control and tension stability. i've hit w/ dimkin before so i know he can play and we also ave the same opinions on other strings so i can trust his opinion.
Last edited:
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Man you will love it in the Vcore. It accents that sweet spot so well. I like it more than RS right now. But I have used RS for over 3 years and something a little different is nice.
Yeah great call on this frame. It is a winner for sure. To be able to play it at this weight makes it so easy to not only get in front of heavy shots coming at you but blast them back. It really feels and sounds like I am hitting with a heavier frame and higher swingweight. Pretty amazing. I guess racquet tech has really evolved past light frames needing to be ultra stiff and crisp.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
can't wait until max power and max pwr rough arrive now. i've tried outlast 1.25 and it works well in the frame, too.
at least now you understand why i feel so bullish on the VCP 97 over the 93p. 93p is a very good stick, but the VCP is just awesome.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Yeah, its a tough call for me because the P93 is so unreal but I do see how I can really push people back with this Yonex. The tip speed I generate with it is obviously higher and that gives a real advantage. To generate that much and not give up ball feel or power is a serious win. I can play with either one, but my wrist really likes the relief of lighter frames.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
Exactly!
n8dawg6
Legend
i would have as many motorcycles as i have frames but i dont want to change that much oil
Power Player
Bionic Poster
What are you looking for in a frame?
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
I don’t have a closet or garage that big to store 100 motorcycles! Lol
JOSHL
Hall of Fame
Nothing! And Everything! I’m a Holic man!
Addxyz
Hall of Fame
Any thoughts on why you didn't spring for the VCP 330 because it's closer in spec to the 93P?
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Yeah. I used the tour g 330 for about half a year and still remember it and what i ended up not liking. The 93p just works at the heavier weight. But a more modern frame in a mid plus headsize can feel a bit sluggish for me. I went with the 310 to have some flexibility on the weight. Turns out that i basically prefer it stock so i made the right call there.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Ahh. Well in that case just get the frame.
n8dawg6
Legend
and the beer, and the gal.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Round 2 - I think this racquet is worthy of buying another.
It was 90 degrees this AM and humidity was close to 80%. I played 90 minutes and my heart rate was around 163 on average. The point is that I was under some duress and that is a great way to test a racquet.
Main thing I love about this frame is like P93, I can hit the ball in over and over with a nice 70% swing. This frame is just really satisfying to play tennis with because you can hit bombs with loads of spin and just push the opponent back. If they step in and bring it back, no problem, this frame is super solid so I can trade big shots with it. I think to enjoy this frame you need to hit through the ball a little If you are 100% brush, than it’s probably better to demo the Vcore 98. While it would work for a pure flat hitter, I think they would be better suited with the heavier Stan Wand or the Vcore 95. The 310 is a match for me because I don’t like to give someone the same ball the entire match. I mix in slice (310 is amazing on both BH and FH) and vary how much I brush the ball and the trajectory of it. When I was getting tired and my heart rate was spiking, I was able to hit deep and heavy moonballs that were tough to attack and gave me a little time to get my breath.
I think the best candidate for this frame probably has a fairly high takeback and knows how to get under the ball on both sides. If I hit the net it was usually because I swung too flat and didn’t drop my frame enough. That’s something I fixed a few years back and it only pops up now and then if I lose focus.
At the net - this is a great frame at the net. It is not as special on serve or at net as the Phantom, but it’s super solid at net so you dont have to worry about getting rocked up there and on serve you can generate a lot of speed and spin - it’s a great racquet to serve with IMO. Not a Pure Drive bomber, but I doubt there is a huge MPH difference if you bomb a flat with it compared to a pure drive either.
Bottom line, I can play a highly satisfying game of tennis with this frame. By that I mean, I can stay aggressive, swing out and the ball stays in. If I need to defend, it’s not going to punish me. I was able to keep slices nice and deep and could block balls back if I got caught off balance. Most important, it passes the heat test. There is nothing worse than going out to play tennis with your nice PT630-esque racquet and getting run because your heart rate and temperature is spiked and you can’t generate the proper amount of tip speed to keep the ball deep.
I’ll be putting the beautiful Vcore 98 up for sale and buying another one of these bad boys. And I am staying with the Max Power rough too. It is an awesome string..wow! Only thing I have tried in 3 years that I like more than RS Lyon. Maybe it’s the Max Power, but the sweet spot on this frame feels about as good as anything out there too. It’s a great combo, I know that much.
It was 90 degrees this AM and humidity was close to 80%. I played 90 minutes and my heart rate was around 163 on average. The point is that I was under some duress and that is a great way to test a racquet.
Main thing I love about this frame is like P93, I can hit the ball in over and over with a nice 70% swing. This frame is just really satisfying to play tennis with because you can hit bombs with loads of spin and just push the opponent back. If they step in and bring it back, no problem, this frame is super solid so I can trade big shots with it. I think to enjoy this frame you need to hit through the ball a little If you are 100% brush, than it’s probably better to demo the Vcore 98. While it would work for a pure flat hitter, I think they would be better suited with the heavier Stan Wand or the Vcore 95. The 310 is a match for me because I don’t like to give someone the same ball the entire match. I mix in slice (310 is amazing on both BH and FH) and vary how much I brush the ball and the trajectory of it. When I was getting tired and my heart rate was spiking, I was able to hit deep and heavy moonballs that were tough to attack and gave me a little time to get my breath.
I think the best candidate for this frame probably has a fairly high takeback and knows how to get under the ball on both sides. If I hit the net it was usually because I swung too flat and didn’t drop my frame enough. That’s something I fixed a few years back and it only pops up now and then if I lose focus.
At the net - this is a great frame at the net. It is not as special on serve or at net as the Phantom, but it’s super solid at net so you dont have to worry about getting rocked up there and on serve you can generate a lot of speed and spin - it’s a great racquet to serve with IMO. Not a Pure Drive bomber, but I doubt there is a huge MPH difference if you bomb a flat with it compared to a pure drive either.
Bottom line, I can play a highly satisfying game of tennis with this frame. By that I mean, I can stay aggressive, swing out and the ball stays in. If I need to defend, it’s not going to punish me. I was able to keep slices nice and deep and could block balls back if I got caught off balance. Most important, it passes the heat test. There is nothing worse than going out to play tennis with your nice PT630-esque racquet and getting run because your heart rate and temperature is spiked and you can’t generate the proper amount of tip speed to keep the ball deep.
I’ll be putting the beautiful Vcore 98 up for sale and buying another one of these bad boys. And I am staying with the Max Power rough too. It is an awesome string..wow! Only thing I have tried in 3 years that I like more than RS Lyon. Maybe it’s the Max Power, but the sweet spot on this frame feels about as good as anything out there too. It’s a great combo, I know that much.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
nuf said...I have 2...I’m set! This is definitely the most capable and versatile racquet I have ever tried. It can hit every shot I try to execute. That’s all I want from my stick.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
I have 2...I’m set! This is definitely the most capable and versatile racquet I have ever tried. It can hit every shot I try to execute. That’s all I want from my stick.
I know you like to tweak strings a little and hybrid polys but I’d be interested in your thoughts on a full bed of Max power rough if you go that route. I use the 1.25 and string at 45#s. It’s heavenly.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
My sets of max pwr and max pwr rough are supposed to arrive later today.
I’ve been stringing at 50/48 which was fine with cyclone/v pro but is a bit too tight with outlast so glad to hear 45# works good. Will try max power around that tension.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Thank you! Interested in your thoughts on this string. I love the pocketing, feel and spin. About 4 hours in and it has played the exact same the whole time.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
Dimkin told me it lasts longer and retains its playability better than other poly.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
My order of 4 sets of max power rough and max power just arrived.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
My order of 4 sets of max power rough and max power just arrived.
Nice! Are you playing later? You are going to dig this stuff.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
Playing tomorrow.
JOSHL
Hall of Fame
I get all the free beer I want, I work for a brewery.
How is the VCore pro 310 on defense? With the tour g 330, I could absolutely clobber the ball, but when put on the run, I often left the ball short without anything on it... basically, lost the point from there. With the VCore 98, I could easily transition from defense to offense. I know the lineage is with the tour g, but would you say it’s easier to defend with like the 98?
Power Player
Bionic Poster
This is tough to answer because everyone is different, but I can try. I did a drill with a coach where he starts me in the middle of the court and hand feeds me really wide to the FH side and then to the backhand. Besides being tiring, it was a very nice test of hitting on the run when pulled wide. I was able to hit 10 straight DTL backhands off that wing and did not miss with my FH either. Stuck out to me since I was able to groove with the frame super fast.
The truth on hitting short balls is it's almost always going to be you not getting any weight into the shot that causes the issues. But I know that it's a little easier to defend with a stiff frame since you get that pop.
With the 310 I have not had a problem with that, but I was at first when warming up only because I was moving slowly and not getting my weight into the shot. Even a Bab would not have helped me there.
The Vcore 98 is a little easier to loop it back deep with, but not by a ton. I find that the 310 allows me to hit harder and make less errors, so it's net benefit for me to use that frame.
The other thing is that when I defend on the run, I can slice off of both sides and many times prefer to do that if it's looking like I wont get my weight into the backhand. The 310 is amazing for slicing and it can really bother players and turn your defensive shot into offense.
I think your issue with the 330 was probably the weight of it made the timing tough on defensive shots, and left things short which I have experienced as well. That does not happen to me with the 310.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
The VCP 97 310 works great on defense for me.
Oh definitely, that is my experience too. Thanks for input as always!
Thanks to your input on the 310 too! The 310 is now at the top of my list to try and I’m probably gonna demo it after my seasons are over, at the end of this year
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
Np. The 310 VCP 97 is so GOATY. It’s truly scary how good this stick is. If you’re someone who likes the babolat sticks that offer big power and spin but struggle at times to control it and then went to the other extreme and tried the prestige mp type frame for the pinpoint control and placement but find it challenging to hit winners because the ball no longer has the same pop, the VCP 97 310 is for you. Perfect combination of control, spin and power. Best of all worlds if you have well developed strokes.
Last edited:
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Agree..did you try the Max Power Rough?
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
I have not yet. The current string jobs are still relatively fresh and played fine so I left them in for now, but they will be the next string I try.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Nice, I am going to order another 310 soon. I'll keep that totally stock and see if the 4 grams on the handle makes much of a difference. It's already really hot/humid here, so I basically have to have 2 of any frame I use due to wet grips.
I need a new racquet bag so badly. I have a black and gold wilson blade one from like 8 years ago..lol. I wish yonex bags had the thermal lining.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
I can play pretty well with either of mine. The first one has a leather grip + overgrip so it’s a bit more HL than my second stick which is completely stock except the addition of an OG. The first one is a little more whippy but that could also be due 17g poly mains vs 16g poly mains in the second one. I’m just loving this stick so much.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Yeah, mine is basically just like your first one in weight. It plays great. Ill see if I notice it without.
I think the whip is the balance plus the lighter gauge. I notice when strings add SW, which sounds insane, but considering that weight is focused right in the middle of the head and can be a few grams, I can see why I'd notice it.
But yeah I love the frame a ton right now. I barely miss the sweet spot because the P93 really got me focused on having a still head. So it's just clean shots over and over that stay in the court. And my timing is dead on with it once I took the lead off. This frame definitely gives me the extension of the arm feeling.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
I definitely notice the difference in swingweight due to heavier and lighter strings. It’s not insane. Completely agree with you on the extension of the arm feeling. I still can’t believe I'm getting this from a 16x19 pattern though. I assumed I could only get it from an 18x20
Power Player
Bionic Poster
8 mains in the throat. It's the key. I get the same tight trajectory out of 16x20s. It plays just like them, which is awesome.
I think the only frame that would compare to this would be the Babolat Pure Strike 18x20, but I'm more of a yonex type. I've never tried the strikes. Thing I love about yonex frames is they are made with such great quality and they also have a feel thats like a comfortable old Wilson Pro Staff with a bigger sweetspot.
FedGR
Professional
Racketaholics,
I am a long time admirer of the Blade 98. I have a bunch of the 2015 18x20 and consider it one of the best frames as, for me, it does everything. Would you say the Vcore Pro 97 310 is what comes the closest to the Blade 98 among the Yonex lineup? I played a ton with the DR98 and even though it is a great racket, it is too muted for my taste.
I am a long time admirer of the Blade 98. I have a bunch of the 2015 18x20 and consider it one of the best frames as, for me, it does everything. Would you say the Vcore Pro 97 310 is what comes the closest to the Blade 98 among the Yonex lineup? I played a ton with the DR98 and even though it is a great racket, it is too muted for my taste.
Last edited:
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Yes for sure. Only thing is the Blade's balance is more head heavy. I personally hate that and it bugged my arm, but I used the black and gold blades for agood amount of time until I had to tap out.
I did not pay the DR 98, but I used the ai98. Loved it as an all around frame, but the feel was not nearly as good as the Vcore Pros. The Vcore Pros have some of my favorite feel. I was missing the feel of the Orange Tour G a lot and this cured that itch, plus is a much faster frame to swing.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
I used to play the modded pure storm gt. 8 main 16x20 pattern. Doesn’t have the kind of control the VCP offers so IDK.
