Dunlop AG 4D 200 Tour - Great or Overweight?

[TripleB]

I'm thinking about buying the Dunlop AeroGel 4D 200 Tour.

Two concerns I have about purchasing the Dunlop AG 4D 200 Tour are the swingweight (352) and the power level (being too little).

Can anyone comment on these two areas as far as the Dunlop AeroGel 4D 200 Tour is concerned?

Also, I would love to hear all your opinions/comments/experiences/string set ups/etc with the Dunlop AG 4D 200 Tour.

Thanks.

TripleB


BTW...Here's the story so far:

In looking for a heavier racquet, without paying a lot, I discovered four racquets that could possibly be the 'one' I'm looking for: Dunlop AeroGel 4D 200 Tour, Wilson KFactor KSix-One 95 16x18, Wilson BLX Six-One 95 16x18, and Yonex RDiS 100 Midplus.

The first one I ruled out was the Yonex - demoed it a while back and liked it pretty good. Seemed like my RDX-500 Midplus with a little more power, but it didn't seem to have the control, slice, or touch of the RDX-500 Midplus. And I don't think it has that solid feeling plowthrough I'm really looking for right now.

The second one I ruled out was the KFactor KSix-One 95 16x18 - demoed it a while back and liked quite a lot about it...plowthrough, spin, power, control, solid feel...but felt it was a bit on the stiff side and I really couldn't find my groove on the serve.

That left the BLX and the Dunlop. I thought the BLX was the sure bet out of the two because of the lower swingweight, glowing reviews, and I've tried it in the past and liked it pretty good. The 352 swingweight and the lack of power (as some of commented on) made the Dunlop a 'non-choice'.

But the more I read reviews of the Dunlop the more it intrigues me. Maybe it's because I currently use the 300 and this seems like a (much) heavier version. Or maybe the 'Dunlop' head shape is now something I've become accustomed to. Or maybe it's because I've never use a racquet with a swingweight over 350 before ( at least not since I used a wood racquet when I was 8 ).

 

[Larrysümmers]

hey-i felt like the weight was okay, but not the balance. it felt sluggish to me, compared to my blx 95.

for string i was just using some nylon, but at 55 lbs it didnt feel harsh at all. i was getting pretty good depth, rock solid feel, and some nice "flat-spin". but i found myself not being able to bring it around fast enough for my serves, and bh.(my weaker strokes.)

 

[The Dampener]

The 200 Tour is not underpowered. It's actually quite the opposite.

But it's not a forgiving frame.

You have to prepare on time, due to the weight, and you need to swing easy or you could wear yourself out. If you do these things, however , the racquet does a lot of work for you. It definitely rewards when your timing is right.

In my opinion, the 200 Tour is not so great for the unprepared or improvisational player. It's more for the steady player.

 

[Larrysümmers]

The 200 Tour is not underpowered. It's actually quite the opposite.

But it's not a forgiving frame.

You have to prepare on time, due to the weight, and you need to swing easy or you could wear yourself out. If you do these things, however , the racquet does a lot of work for you. It definitely rewards when your timing is right.

In my opinion, the 200 Tour is not so great for the unprepared or improvisational player. It's more for the steady player.

that sounds just about right. i can see berdych with this frame.

 

[Fed Kennedy]

Get the blx 95

 

[basil J]

I moved from the K6.1 18 x 20 to the 200 tour and found it very similar except that the tour has more control, better spin and is much easier on the arm. I play so much more relaxed with the tour because I can produce depth and good weight of shot with nice fluid swings and it is actually much easier on my shoulder than the wilson or my beloved TI 80's. I think anyone who uses a 6.1 would transition pretty easily to the tour.The wilson due to being HL is a little better at net. IMO, the 200T is an arm friendly 6.1. The swing weight is a non issue. I have let several friends try this frame, two have already switched to it coming from an RDS 002 tour and a prince black and they both love it. Easy swings produce big heavy shots and they both love it on serves. The former Prince user calls it his "Mallot" and he has already brought his ground game up a notch due to inproved control off the ground. With a 17G main, the 200 T is also quite a spin machine and really give the user lots of options, if you can handle the swing weight. i found it an issue when demoing, because the other frames were lighter. Now I don't touch other frames, and this frame is now my norm. i never have any shoulder problems whatsover with this frame, even when I use a poly main. It's a 60 flex, but plays more like a 63-65 flex but retains good comfort. As you can probably tell, I love this frame.

 

[martin]

A few grams of leadtape at 12 o'clock and you will have your 352 swingweight and if it's too heavy you can bring it back to whatever you like.

 

[TripleB]

The 200 Tour is not underpowered. It's actually quite the opposite. You have to prepare on time, due to the weight, and you need to swing easy or you could wear yourself out. If you do these things, however , the racquet does a lot of work for you.

Glad to hear that. With the swingweight I'm hoping the racquet will give me some power without having to take such a huge/powerful (and at times out of control) swing,

Right now that's not something I'm focusing on...especially on my forehand side. With the lighter racquet I've been using I've become lazy (ier) and don't prepare for any shot like I should - knowing I can just flip the wrist and get the ball back. I would love to use a racquet that forces me to not be lazy.

The swing weight is a non issue. I have let several friends try this frame, two have already switched to it coming from an RDS 002 tour and a prince black and they both love it. Easy swings produce big heavy shots and they both love it on serves. With a 17G main, the 200 T is also quite a spin machine and really give the user lots of options, if you can handle the swing weight.

Glad to hear that about the swingweight. Unfortunately (since it's not a strong suit of mine...but I believe I'm getting better) I find myself playing a lot more doubles so my trips to the courts are quite as demanding as they used to be. Easy swings producing heavy shots is great to hear...right now I feel like I'm swing way too hard (out of control hard) to get the pace I want out of my 300s.

What is your string set up and tension? I'll probably be putting a poly main ( Focus Hex 1.18, Tour Bite 17, or Cyclone 18 ) with Gosen OG Sheep Micro 17 crosses.

Thanks for the input.

A few grams of leadtape at 12 o'clock and you will have your 352 swingweight and if it's too heavy you can bring it back to whatever you like.

I'm going to ask if T-W will pull the racquet with the most headlight balance. Then if I feel I need to modify it I won't feel like I'm pushing too much weight to the head of the racquet.

Thanks for everyone's input.

Also think I'm going to drop down to a 4 3/8" grip plus Gamma Supreme Overgrip. I think that will help with some extra spin and probably maneuverability some. 10 years ago I use a 5/8" plus overgrip, then about 3 years ago I moved down to 1/2" plus overgrip, and now 3/8" plus overgrip. Seems like my forearm doesn't have to work quite as hard using a smaller grip.

TripleB

 

[The Dampener]

With the lighter racquet I've been using I've become lazy (ier) and don't prepare for any shot like I should - knowing I can just flip the wrist and get the ball back. I would love to use a racquet that forces me to not be lazy.

This, Triple, is precisely the reason I'm enjoying the 200T. I've been a somewhat overaggressive, impatient, 4D 100 user, and I like that the 200T is rewarding me for playing the way I should be playing.

 

[TripleB]

This, Triple, is precisely the reason I'm enjoying the 200T. I've been a somewhat overaggressive, impatient, 4D 100 user, and I like that the 200T is rewarding me for playing the way I should be playing.

Thanks for the input!

As I took one last look through all the racquets at T-W I noticed the 4D 100 for a cheaper price than the 200 Tour. I had never even noticed it before...I guess I thought as the numbers on Dunlop racquets went down that the weight went up. So I figured if the 200 was 12.3 ounces then the 100 had to be over 12.5 ounces.

Even considered ordering this, despite the 90 sq in head. It almost seemed like it would be a lighter POG Mid. Then I noticed the swingweight of 308. I may be entirely wrong but to me this screamed 'lack of plowthrough.'

At this point and time I'm looking for plowthrough, solid feel, and something that makes me prepare like I should be doing.

So I just ordered the Dunlop AeroGel 4D 200 Tour...can't wait to play with it next weekend!

TripleB

 

[basil J]

Good move. The 4d 100 is like a toy compared to the 200T. Give yourself a few sessions before you make up your mind on it. Don't string too tight either. 56-60# is a good range with sythentics or soft poly's.

 

[Power Player]

I played the regular Dunlop 200 for a year, and it is a very demanding racquet. I have heard the tour is even moreso.

The Blx 95 on the other hand, is a lot easier for me to use and serves a lot bigger. I also get much heavier spin.

I'd go Wilson unless you are a 5.0 or higher and plan to play tennis at least 4 times a week for the foreseeable future.

 

[basil J]

200 vs 200T

I played the regular Dunlop 200 for a year, and it is a very demanding racquet. I have heard the tour is even moreso.

The Blx 95 on the other hand, is a lot easier for me to use and serves a lot bigger. I also get much heavier spin.

I'd go Wilson unless you are a 5.0 or higher and plan to play tennis at least 4 times a week for the foreseeable future.

PP, I play tested the 4d 200 against the 200T and I found the 200T, easier to produce power, spin and just as easy on the arm. The standard 200 has a tighter string pattern so directional control is a tad better, but it is so much lower powered than the tour, I found the Tour much easier to play with. I also found that the control was so much better than the wilson, that it was also an "easier" frame to use, because my shots are pretty accurate with it. I used the 200GMW for years and loved it, and I hear the 200 BIO is similar to it, but I have not strayed away from the tour at all because I am so satisfied with my play with it. the weight on the tour is no big deal at all IMO. I have weighted up frames heavier than the tour comes stock.

 

[Power Player]

Yeah it's a tough call, I just think the Wilson is an easier stick to use in my experience. Both sticks are really for people that play a lot, and that is something to consider as well.

 

[TripleB]

Good move. The 4d 100 is like a toy compared to the 200T. Give yourself a few sessions before you make up your mind on it. Don't string too tight either. 56-60# is a good range with sythentics or soft poly's.

Thanks for the input...makes me feel better about my decision. I decide to go with MSV Focus Hex 17L Black mains at 55 pounds and Gosen OG Sheep Micro 17g crosses at 58 pounds. Should be a good starting point and adjust from there.

TripleB

 

[kaiser]

I moved from the HPS6.1 18x20 to the 4D200T almost 2 years a go now, and never looked back. My whole game has moved up a notch since I started playing with this stick. My footwork has improved dramatically because you have to be prepared early to get it around in time, which I've experienced as a big plus although I'm in my mid-fifties... Biggest improvement on my 1hbh, both top and slice: just focus on getting good turn-in of the shoulder and let it flow. My slice backhand has turned from a liability into a weapon! Also big improvement on forehand (wsw-style), heavy spin combined with heavy pace (all relative to what it was with the HPS, of course...). Serves big too, with lots of action on the ball, and volleys feel natural and controlled. And I don't know why, but I rarely miss an overhead anymore...

I have added some Blu-Tack adhesive putty (the blue stuff you kneed to make soft and use to stick posters or pictures on the wall of your office, etc) inside the buttcap to make my two sticks more headlight (9-10 pts) and evenly balanced. They are very suited to full poly set-ups at very low tensions (35-45#), best set-up so far BHBR16 @ 36#.

 

[The Dampener]

I decide to go with MSV Focus Hex 17L Black mains at 55 pounds and Gosen OG Sheep Micro 17g crosses at 58 pounds. Should be a good starting point and adjust from there.

Triple, I've used a Hex/Sheep hybrid in my 100s—albeit 18G—with great satisfaction. I may try your suggestion next in the Tour, though I'm incline to string at 48/50 just because I prefer lower tensions.

I have added some Blu-Tack adhesive putty (the blue stuff you kneed to make soft and use to stick posters or pictures on the wall of your office, etc) inside the buttcap to make my two sticks more headlight (9-10 pts) and evenly balanced. They are very suited to full poly set-ups at very low tensions (35-45#), best set-up so far BHBR16 @ 36#.

Kaiser, just curious...did your putty mod make the Tour feel lighter overall? I know in theory it should, but I'd like to hear about your observation.

And, lordy, those are some low tensions. I've strung in the mid-forties, but never the thirties. Are there in compromises to going that low?

 

[TripleB]

Triple, I've used a Hex/Sheep hybrid in my 100s—albeit 18G—with great satisfaction. I may try your suggestion next in the Tour, though I'm incline to string at 48/50 just because I prefer lower tensions.

If I were having it strung by my normal stringer I would have probably started around 51/54, but when T-W strings my racquets it seems to be around 4 or 5 pounds looser than when he strings it. I believe that he and T-W use two different types of stringers and his 50 pounds isn't equal to their 50 pounds.

Looking forward to trying the Hex...have it in one of my 300s but haven't had a chance to hit with it yet. I'm also going to try Cyclone 18 as a main and Tour Bite 17 as a main to see which one of the three strings I like the best.

TripleB

 

[kaiser]

Kaiser, just curious...did your putty mod make the Tour feel lighter overall? I know in theory it should, but I'd like to hear about your observation.

And, lordy, those are some low tensions. I've strung in the mid-forties, but never the thirties. Are there in compromises to going that low?

The putty mod does make the racket a little easier to handle during volleys and such, easier to keep the rackethead up. Whether it feels lighter overall? Tough to say, did the mod almost two years ago now... Anyway, for the past fifteen years I've always played with ~10 pts headlight rackets, feels more natural to me. Btw, the nice thing about the putty mod is that it is very easy to fine tune, just add a little more or pinch a little off. To get into the right ball park you can even start by just sticking some on the butt cap, and once you've found the amount you like, move it inside the trapdoor...

To get to the tensions I'm playing with now, I've worked my way down from the mid-40s, and everytime I strung lower, it felt better. My teaching pro, a former Belgian Fed Cup player, remarked that she noticed more spin, better control and, remarkably, better touch when I moved from 38-40# to 36 #.

 

[steve260z]

I played the regular Dunlop 200 for a year, and it is a very demanding racquet. I have heard the tour is even moreso.

The Blx 95 on the other hand, is a lot easier for me to use and serves a lot bigger. I also get much heavier spin.

I'd go Wilson unless you are a 5.0 or higher and plan to play tennis at least 4 times a week for the foreseeable future.

Well, everyone has different opinion so here is mine. I don't find the reg 200 overly demanding. I'm a 4.5 and previously played with the Babolat pure storm.
Steve

 

[Power Player]

Well, everyone has different opinion so here is mine. I don't find the reg 200 overly demanding. I'm a 4.5 and previously played with the Babolat pure storm.
Steve

Matters how you hit. I hit with heavy spin so I had to put in a lot of energy to get what I wanted unless I flattened it out.

Still a great stick and I really liked it.

 

[bad_call]

Well, everyone has different opinion so here is mine. I don't find the reg 200 overly demanding. I'm a 4.5 and previously played with the Babolat pure storm.
Steve

your sig shows the Bio 200 which specs differently than the 4D 200 Tour. are u still referring to the 4D 200 Tour?

 

[pvaudio]

It's an astonishing frame. I've played with all of the 200s since the Muscle Weave, and the 4D 200T is the best one I've found. The regular 4D 200 in comparison is a board.

 

[pvaudio]

Matters how you hit. I hit with heavy spin so I had to put in a lot of energy to get what I wanted unless I flattened it out.

Still a great stick and I really liked it.

Not quite. You need to prepare to hit each shot as you anticipate. You can get some extraordinarily heavy balls from this frame. The issue is that you need to prepare to hit them. You cannot rely on whipping it around at the end like with a lighter frame. Look at Federer and Nadal: the two guys who put the most RPMs on the ball currently out there. One has a classic player's frame, the other has a whippy spin-generating stick. Yet, Federer still generates more RPMs than everyone but Nadal and he's using a racquet with similar traits: early prep, proper stroke and follow through. If you do all of those, the racquet takes care of the work for you.

 

[TripleB]

I guess I'll find out if it's great or overweight soon enough.

I just ordered 3, told them to choose the most headlight ones they have in stock, and then let Paul do his magic and customize them so they all have the same weight, swingweight, and balance (pre-strung).

Strung all three at 55 pounds for mains and 58 pounds for crosses (Gosen OG Sheep Micro 17g used in all three). The three mains I used: MSV Focus Hex 1.18 black, Solinco Tour Bite 1.20, and Volkl Cyclone 1.20.

I'll let you know how they play in a couple weeks!!!

TripleB

BTW: Thanks to everyone for your input and patience over the past couple of weeks with my quest for a heavyweight racquet.

 

[Power Player]

Not quite. You need to prepare to hit each shot as you anticipate. You can get some extraordinarily heavy balls from this frame. The issue is that you need to prepare to hit them. You cannot rely on whipping it around at the end like with a lighter frame. Look at Federer and Nadal: the two guys who put the most RPMs on the ball currently out there. One has a classic player's frame, the other has a whippy spin-generating stick. Yet, Federer still generates more RPMs than everyone but Nadal and he's using a racquet with similar traits: early prep, proper stroke and follow through. If you do all of those, the racquet takes care of the work for you.

I know all of these things , trust me, i just bought a BLX 95..lol.

It just came around a little easier in my experience and was more spin friendly for my game.

I am a bigtime fan of the 200 series though..they are awesome.

And I was talking about the regular 200..it is very underpowered..the Tour is a great stick, I just prefer the Wilson on serve.

 

[The Dampener]

I'll let you know how they play in a couple weeks!!!

A couple of weeks? You better be back before then.

PV is dead on about being prepared. I played today, and was pretty dominant when I moved my feet and prepared quickly. On balls where I was ****y, I paid for it.

And, Basil, you were right about the weight. The more I play with the Tour, the less of an issue the weight is. I think I'm just slowly dialing in, but it's been more than worth it.

 

[basil J]

do yourself a favor

I'll let you know how they play in a couple weeks!!![/B]

A couple of weeks? You better be back before then.

PV is dead on about being prepared. I played today, and was pretty dominant when I moved my feet and prepared quickly. On balls where I was ****y, I paid for it.

And, Basil, you were right about the weight. The more I play with the Tour, the less of an issue the weight is. I think I'm just slowly dialing in, but it's been more than worth it.

Great to hear you are dialing in. Do yourself a favor and don't use any other frames during your "honeymoon period" with the 200T. Once you are used to it, the weight should be a non issue and out of your mind. Only then, will most other frames will feel like light whippy toys. You will either love the heft or determine it is not for you. Enjoy the ride! I got rid of all my other frames and do not want to look back.

 

[TripleB]

A couple of weeks? You better be back before then.

Well, it doesn't look like it will ship until tomorrow which means I won't get it until Monday. Weatherman says rain on Monday (but when are they ever right?) so that means I won't be able to play with it until a week from Thursday (I typically play Monday/Thursday/Saturday). I figured I would give it at least two times out before I posted anything. If I'm in love sooner than that I'll post earlier than 2 weeks.

Do yourself a favor and don't use any other frames during your "honeymoon period" with the 200T. Once you are used to it, the weight should be a non issue and out of your mind. Only then, will most other frames will feel like light whippy toys. You will either love the heft or determine it is not for you. Enjoy the ride! I got rid of all my other frames and do not want to look back.

Thanks...I'll do that!! Yea, I figure whatever you get used to is what will be your norm. After getting used to a certain racquet (especially a heavier racquet) the others will feel a bit strange.

I've got 128 racquets ranging from 1905 to 2011...I'm not going to get rid of all of them but I will make sure most of them are on my 'Walls of Frames' and view them as a collector item instead of something there for me to use .

BTW: got the unstrung specs of my racquets: 11.93 ounces, 12 1/4" balance point, and 302 swingweight. Not sure what the strung specs will come out to be but those specs sound promising.

TripleB

 

[bad_call]

BTW: got the unstrung specs of my racquets: 11.93 ounces, 12 1/4" balance point, and 302 swingweight. Not sure what the strung specs will come out to be but those specs sound promising.

TripleB

what racquet has those specs?

 

[TripleB]

what racquet has those specs?

Unstrung Dunlop AeroGel 4D 200 Tour - according to the info put on my order by Paul.

TripleB

 

[UWBTennis]

Unstrung Dunlop AeroGel 4D 200 Tour - according to the info put on my order by Paul.

TripleB

Yeah I order two tours with 12.3 oz strung and 7 pts HL balance, hopefully mine will end out well too.

 

[TripleB]

Yeah I order two tours with 12.3 oz strung and 7 pts HL balance, hopefully mine will end out well too.

I guess I'll never know the strung swingweight, but I'm looking forward to finding out what the strung weight and balance end up being!

I asked for the MRT Customization ($20 for each racquet) but Paul did an amazing job of finding me three racquets with almost identical specs without customization. Said he only had to add a small amount of lead tape to one of the racquets and they are within .01 grams of each other and have identical swingweights and balance.

TripleB

 

[bad_call]

Unstrung Dunlop AeroGel 4D 200 Tour - according to the info put on my order by Paul.

TripleB

WHOA!!! :shock: racquet finder has swing weight at 352 which kept me away from that one.

http://www.racquetfinder.com/?name=200+tour&manufacturer=Dunlop&hsMin=&hsMax=&lMin=&lMax=&wMin=&wMax=&swMin=&swMax=&fMin=&fMax=&bpMin=&bpMax=&bwMin=&bwMax=&mains=&crosses=&current=N&max_price=&x=76&y=20

 

[UWBTennis]

WHOA!!! :shock: racquet finder has swing weight at 352 which kept me away from that one.

http://www.racquetfinder.com/?name=200+tour&manufacturer=Dunlop&hsMin=&hsMax=&lMin=&lMax=&wMin=&wMax=&swMin=&swMax=&fMin=&fMax=&bpMin=&bpMax=&bwMin=&bwMax=&mains=&crosses=&current=N&max_price=&x=76&y=20

You can ask them to give you ones with a more forgiving specs, like TripleB and I did, I'm pretty sure the SW of my racquet when I get it will be more around the 340 range which is easier for me to handle.

 

[The Dampener]

WHOA!!! :shock: racquet finder has swing weight at 352 which kept me away from that one.

BC, I had the same reaction as you. Especially coming from the 308 SW of our 100s. But I'm finding the trade off well worth it. Never hurts to try and see.

I think we can often be hypnotized by a frame's specs.

 

[bad_call]

BC, I had the same reaction as you. Especially coming from the 308 SW of our 100s. But I'm finding the trade off well worth it. Never hurts to try and see.

I think we can often be hypnotized by a frame's specs.

not hypnotized here since having the 4D100 and MG PPro leaded probably in the upper 320 - 330 or so sw mark. makes it near seamless to switch between those 2 and the Diablo mid.

 

[TripleB]

WHOA!!! :shock: racquet finder has swing weight at 352 which kept me away from that one.

Yea, that's what kept me away from this racquet to begin with as well.

It was in my final 8 or 9 I was considering but I always had that 352 highlighted to let me know that it was a bit worrisome to me.

At first I was planning on ordering the Babolat Pure Storm Tour GT but finally decided that I had never found a Babolat I really loved...many seemed to have a 'disconnect' between the stringbed and the frame. Since I was ordering without a demo I decided I better not go with the Babolat.

I then, briefly, considered the BLX Six-One 95 16x18. Still a heavier racquet, slightly higher swingweight than the Babolat, I had played with it before and liked it pretty good, and other specs lined up pretty well with what I was looking for in a heavier plowthrough racquet. I'm not sure what I read or what I remembered from my demo session but I got the feeling that this really wasn't what I was looking for in my next racquet. It may have been the extra power I felt when I tried it...had problems controlling it at times on groundstrokes and a lot of trouble with touch volleys because of it. Could have been controlled with string and tension but I decided against this racquet.

For some reason I kept coming back to the Dunlop AG 4D 200 Tour. I'm not sure what really kept drawing me back to this racquet. Maybe it was the fact that I'm using the 300 right now and wanted to stick with Dunlop. Maybe it's that I've become accustomed to the more oval head (which I actually hated when I first started playing with my 300) of Dunlops. Maybe it was the low price tag. Maybe it was that 352 swingweight and people wondering if I was crazy playing with something that swings that heavy. I really have no clue...all I know is that I'm looking more forward to playing with this racquet than any racquet I've bought in a loooooooooooooooong time.

As UWBTennis stated, when I sent in my order I just asked them to find the 3 most headlight 200 Tour racquets they had, and then have Paul work his magic in customizing them so they had identical weights, swingweights, and balance.

Of course I had no clue that the swingweight would be 302 and it would be 10 points headlight unstrung. Have no idea what those specs will translate into strung, but I seriously doubt that it ends up only 5 points headlight and a swingweight of 352.

TripleB

 

[bad_call]

Yea, that's what kept me away from this racquet to begin with as well.

It was in my final 8 or 9 I was considering but I always had that 352 highlighted to let me know that it was a bit worrisome to me.

At first I was planning on ordering the Babolat Pure Storm Tour GT but finally decided that I had never found a Babolat I really loved...many seemed to have a 'disconnect' between the stringbed and the frame. Since I was ordering without a demo I decided I better not go with the Babolat.

I then, briefly, considered the BLX Six-One 95 16x18. Still a heavier racquet, slightly higher swingweight than the Babolat, I had played with it before and liked it pretty good, and other specs lined up pretty well with what I was looking for in a heavier plowthrough racquet. I'm not sure what I read or what I remembered from my demo session but I got the feeling that this really wasn't what I was looking for in my next racquet. It may have been the extra power I felt when I tried it...had problems controlling it at times on groundstrokes and a lot of trouble with touch volleys because of it. Could have been controlled with string and tension but I decided against this racquet.

For some reason I kept coming back to the Dunlop AG 4D 200 Tour. I'm not sure what really kept drawing me back to this racquet. Maybe it was the fact that I'm using the 300 right now and wanted to stick with Dunlop. Maybe it's that I've become accustomed to the more oval head (which I actually hated when I first started playing with my 300) of Dunlops. Maybe it was the low price tag. Maybe it was that 352 swingweight and people wondering if I was crazy playing with something that swings that heavy. I really have no clue...all I know is that I'm looking more forward to playing with this racquet than any racquet I've bought in a loooooooooooooooong time.

As UWBTennis stated, when I sent in my order I just asked them to find the 3 most headlight 200 Tour racquets they had, and then have Paul work his magic in customizing them so they had identical weights, swingweights, and balance.

Of course I had no clue that the swingweight would be 302 and it would be 10 points headlight unstrung. Have no idea what those specs will translate into strung, but I seriously doubt that it ends up only 5 points headlight and a swingweight of 352.

TripleB

those would be seriously heavy strings to bump it 50 points. :lol:

 

[TripleB]

those would be seriously heavy strings to bump it 50 points. :lol:

:lol: I'm hoping that T-W didn't put some kind of piano wire in there trying to make the specs match up to the ones listed!!!

TripleB

 

[TripleB]

Got the racquets in today. Strung specs: 343g/12.1oz and 6.5 points headlight.

Only problem I got is I can't tell which racquet has Cyclone in it and which one has MSV Focus Hex in it...T-W didn't include the extra half set attached to the racquet like they normally do and they aren't labeled.

TripleB

 

[basil J]

wow, those are light . The two I have strung weights are 12.3 & 12.5. no overgrip no dampener. Both 5pts HL

 

[TripleB]

wow, those are light . The two I have strung weights are 12.3 & 12.5. no overgrip no dampener. Both 5pts HL

I told T-W to pick the 3 most headlight ones they had and then customize them to match. The unstrung specs were 11.93oz/12 1/2" balance point/302 swingweight. I'm pretty happy with the final specs.

Edit: Strung, Overgrip, Rubber Band, and Head Protective Tape = 353g/12.45oz and 6.5 points headlight

TripleB

 

[basil J]

Been playing the KI% all spring due to some arm issues and pulled this baby out ofthe closet yetserday for a hit and boy what a difference! My groundies had so much more pop than with the KI5. The arc or trajectory was higher so I had to really redial my strokes to keep them in play, but once I did (literally 15 minutes) I was dictating from the ground very nicely. Where the frame bugs my arm is on serves. The high swing weight starts to inflame my shoulder after a set, where the Ki5 does not at all. Also I noticed that on high Bh's the KI5 was much easier to come over the ball because it swings so much lighter. The 200 tour really shines at the net where the mass allows for effortless penetrating punch volleys. I will restring one of my tours and use it today in a practice match and see how my shoulder feels tomorrow. I am also considering a yonex rdis 200 which blew me away in a practice session the other day. It was like an amped up , lighter TI 80.

 

[DeShaun]

re: 4D 200 Tour

For the record,
I decapped mine, removed the grip, and added lead to the butt.
Now, with just two overgrips, my 4D 200 Tour weighs 364 grams and is 14 points head light.
It gives me plenty of power, nearly more than enough.
In terms of the flex, it plays similar to a Radical Pro, notably in terms of how the hoop feels.

For the sake of a crude comparison, I will mention that I have also decapped some exo graphite 93s; and while decapping them did not change how the frame or hoop feels when flexing, the opposite seems true with respect to the decapped 4D 200 tour--after decapping and hitting with the Dunlop, I felt the racket's playability increased by a good couple of notches. It's almost as if decapping it made all the difference.
So, if you happen to be in the camp with those who feel the 4D 200 Tour plays a bit too much like a heavy-ish and even a sort of muted-feeling log, then go ahead and try decapping it, because decapping mine really made a humongous difference to me, and remember- when I decapped my exo 93s that did not result in any noticeable difference, but decapping my Dunlop changed this frame radically

 

[Hidious]

For the record,
I decapped mine, removed the grip, and added lead to the butt.
Now, with just two overgrips, my 4D 200 Tour weighs 364 grams and is 14 points head light.
It gives me plenty of power, nearly more than enough.
In terms of the flex, it plays similar to a Radical Pro, notably in terms of how the hoop feels.

For the sake of a crude comparison, I will mention that I have also decapped some exo graphite 93s; and while decapping them did not change how the frame or hoop feels when flexing, the opposite seems true with respect to the decapped 4D 200 tour--after decapping and hitting with the Dunlop, I felt the racket's playability increased by a good couple of notches. It's almost as if decapping it made all the difference.
So, if you happen to be in the camp with those who feel the 4D 200 Tour plays a bit too much like a heavy-ish and even a sort of muted-feeling log, then go ahead and try decapping it, because decapping mine really made a humongous difference to me, and remember- when I decapped my exo 93s that did not result in any noticeable difference, but decapping my Dunlop changed this frame radically

14 pts headlight seriously? Sounds awful.

 

[DeShaun]

14 pts headlight seriously? Sounds awful.

Phhh, feels wonderful! What's wrong with 14 pts HL in your view? tyia

 

[LeeD]

My 2 Mfils are 12.4 oz strung and leather gripped.
My Aero 200 is 12.8 oz strung, stock grip.
Good if the wielder can handle the weight. Bad if he can't.