Expensive Racquet vs Cheap racquet

[Albinoswordfish]

I'm really new to tennis and really only started playing this summer. I have a cheap prince racquet thats only about $40. Now I'm going to restring my racquet because the strings are getting a bit old. So I was just wondering what's the biggest difference between using an expensive racquet and a cheap racquet and would it matter to a recreational player?

 

[K-LEG]

I would go for something between $20.00-$40.00. If your just a recreational player it makes no sense to buy a more expensive racquet.

 

[goober]

Cheap racquets often have metal in their materials. They are usually very light and are oversize heads. All this doesn't matter if you dabble in tennis.

Once you get more serious you will realize that an 8-9 oz racquet is not very good to hit with against a ball coming at you with pace or if you want to take a fuill swing at a ball. Graphite is much better than metal composites.

 

[max]

You might want to guard against head-heavy racquets; these usually are bad for your arm and for developing sound form. And you likely shouldn't get a real light racquet either. You know, maybe buying something like a used Pro Kennex 5G might be about the right thing, or a Volkl V-1. These are good all-around frames suitable for beginners, intermediates and advanced players. (I say this knowing I'll get criticism for it).

 

[lordmanji]

stay with the cheap racket! i remember hitting with a 20 dollar racket of a tennis classmate's and i swear i have never felt the ball "sing" as it did that time.
but enough reminiscing. i think youll naturally upgrade to better rackets (that is, more control-oriented over power; weight than levity) as you learn more about the game and get better. get a racket you're comfortable with but maybe is a half a level HIGHER than your current.
go to tennis warehouse.com and read through all the player reviews. good luck.

 

[Cindysphinx]

You'll know it when you're ready for a better racquet, and you'll have a better sense of what you need/prefer in a racquet.

Do demo the racquets that are appropriate for you before you buy. I never understand why people make such a big decision without demo-ing, but they do.

 

[User Name]

Look at the throat of the racquet and see if its solid or if its welded. The solid is consderably better. Check to see what your racquet is.

 

[Solat]

there is no value in saying a $300 racquet is better then a $50 if it doesnt suit your style.

but in general there is a decent worth in paying for quality, put a value on your racquet in terms of how often you play.

say you play 5 times a year, if you paid $50 for the racquet and it lasts you 2 years then its worth $5 a time, pretty decent value
however if you buy a $300 racquet its gonna be $15 a time coz you would expect it to last much longer then the cheapy

so how about if you play once a week? well if a racquet is going to last you 4 years playing 44 weeks a year (i'll give you 8 weeks of rain or holidays) thats 176 sessions so at $2 a pop you could well afford a $350 racquet to enjoy ! (plus you get the remainder of the life of the racquet for nothing)

Also the other thing you could consider is game improvement, there are racquets designed to help with power, control, spin, etc. A cheapy doesnt have these options so you get what you pay for.

don't buy unless you demo

 

[QuietDaze]

I play several times a week and have always had 'expensive' racquets that I paid very little for. Used pro racquets and demo racquets is the ticket for me. For the first time I bought a demo racquet without actually demo-ing it and I hate it. But what I did realize is that my old racquet is too heavy, I was just used to it so I know I need something in between. Demo, demo, demo and don't spend a lot of money. Until your skill level improves, you won't know the differences really anyway. My husband swears that his more expensive raquet is soooo much better than his $20 cheapie. However, he plays exactly the same.

 

[35ft6]

I see a lot of people playing with expensive K-Factor and N-Code rackets who absolutely should NOT be playing with those rackets and would probably enjoy tennis way more if they could just stop thinking they need to play with Federer's racket.

Yesterday's expensive racket is today's cheap racket often times, and it's not because of marijuana that a lot of people still prefer older rackets like the Prestige, Prince Graphite, and Pro Staff. Despite what racket companies will have you believe, the tennis racket is NOT being re-invented every year. But it's easy to see why they make it sound like every few months a new ground breaking technique or material is being used, because they need to keep selling rackets despite recreational tennis numbers not growing the way it used to. So they need to trick people who already own perfectly good rackets to buy a new one.

Anyway, like people have been saying, for a beginner, get a cheap racket. Even when you get better, don't think that more expensive rackets are better for you.

 

[Loco4Tennis]

the good thing about buying cheap racquets it's the price, , i really mean it, even if you are a rec player, you can afford to buy 2 of the same, your gonna be playing against someone right and if you do decide to up your game, you now have a playing one and a back up, and you did not spend too much on them

 

[Loco4Tennis]

Yesterday's expensive racket is today's cheap racket

Yesterday's expensive racket is today's cheap racket often times,

now you got me wondering how old i'll be when i am able to stuff my tennis bag with as many bobolat pure drive racquets as i can get a hold off ,,,, legally!!!!

 

[JRstriker12]

You can find some great, high quality tennis rackets at a decent price ($50-$80) is you are willing to buy a model that's a year or two old. Check out the TW "Cheap Racket" section:

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/liquidation.html

- The head liquimetal 4 ($70) is a decent racket and was picked as the Tennis Magazine Editor's Choice - September, 2003.
- If you are looking for a cheap ($49) tweener racket you could try the wilson blitz. I played with that racket before switching to a Pure Drive.
-Prince 03 shark is decent.
-etc....

 

[mrHan]

JRstriker12... where have you been hiding?

 

[JRstriker12]

JRstriker12... where have you been hiding?

Well between grad school assignments, a new assignment at work, being sick for a whole week, and getting things ready for the birth of my baby daughter within the next month and a half, I've been mostly hiding out at home and not on the courts.

I just had Joe string my racket (Kirshbaum Super Smash Spikey mains/Gosen OG Sheep crosses) so I am hoping to get out in hit next week after finals and the baby shower... but who knows.

 

[Wits-Z]

I agree with the other opinions here.. No need for top of the line when you are starting out, but I'd demo a few middle of the road frames to see how they feel compared to a cheaper "wal-mart" racket. I think it would certainly be worthwhile to try a couple at the reasonable demo rates, and maybe pick up a better racket used so you can grow into it if you are going to put some time into your game.

Lessons are absolutely worth the investment if you are starting out, and an instructor may also be a good resource for used equipment that you can try out and/or take off the instructor or his/her acquaintances when they change out to a new racket. Frankly, I'm not a fan of the "wal-mart" type rackets if you are going to play with some consistency. If you are going to just whack around at the courts for exercise or something to do, though, why not. It really depends on your goals.

 

[abenguyen]

if you do want to move up to a more "tweener" racquet check out some of the lower priced racquets here on tennis warehouse. I'd recommend the prince o3 hybrid shark. its only head liquidmetal 4 as its only 70 bucks and you can improve alot with it. or you can try the liquidmetal radical oversize which is only 65 bucks which will get you far too(the midplus version will get you even further)

 

[johnv_pr]

You'll know it when you're ready for a better racquet, and you'll have a better sense of what you need/prefer in a racquet.

Do demo the racquets that are appropriate for you before you buy. I never understand why people make such a big decision without demo-ing, but they do.

I second your opinion. It is nearly impossible to know what you expect out of your racquet when you still don't have a sense of what type of game you bring to the courts. Demoing is definitely the way to go once you are ready to make a switch.

 

[New Kid On the Block]

i think 90 dollars for a racquet is plenty.

 

[CRDLIBERTY]

I say get the radical

Ive played alot on tennis in my life but never really tried all the different racquets. i belive some racquets held my tennis game back!! ive been playing with wallmarts crappy cheap princes i bought these four years ago. I had a chance to really look at them there bent! No wonder i couldnt hit shots and the end of it felt vibration and giving out. I think adding lead tape would really help my game. That said i really like the head radical i paid $89 at sports authority. There are a few versions of this HEAD with different price points. Dont limit your game with crappy equipment

 

[Cindysphinx]

Borrow racquets from friends, just to get a sense of whether you might want a switch.