Finally ditching the flexpoint

[goblake14]

Looking for some feedback here:

Been using the Flexpoint Prestige Midplus for a few years now. Like it a lot but have found it lacking in spin. Looking to switch to a more spin-friendly racquet (probably moving away from 18x20) of approximately the same weight. Comfortable with maybe a touch smaller headsize (~93-95) but nothing bigger than 98. Also looking for a beam of the same or smaller size - definitely nothing over 21 mm.

There are so many choices out there which fit my description so I'm looking for a little help on putting together a demo list.

YT Prestige Pro? Bab Pure Storm Tour GT? Any Yonexes? (never even hit with one) Maybe a POG or the new EX03 Graphite mid? Or the new Dunlop 200 tour?

Let me know what you think, and thanks.

 

[FuManchu]

Demo the PB 10 Mid and the RDS 001 Mid. I'm using the RDS 001 Mid now and with some lead it is a nice frame. I liked the PB 10 Mid, just not the price.

 

[ClubHoUno]

Try the Babaolat Pure Storm Tour GT & the Volkl PB10 Mid

Give these 2 frames a try:

1. Babolat Pure Storm Tour GT - Not your average 98 SQ" Babolat frame, a very solid feel. Heavy, but not too heavy. Stiff, but not too stiff. Nice pace on groundies, good at the net too. Nice access to power, but not your typical Babolat powerhouse and VERY solid feel for a Babolat. Forgiving too.
16x20 string pattern - neither tight nor open string pattern.

2. Völkl PB10 Mid - a true classic 93 SQ" players frame, but because of the slightly open 16x19 string pattern, you have good access to both power and spin, but with a nice blend of control and feel. Of course very good at the net, excellent precision on drive volleys, nice pace on serve if you swing full out. Not as forgiving as the Babolat Pure Storm Tour GT of course, but for such a small frame size, this racquet plays surprisingly forgiving.

Incidentally I own both these frames and enjoy playing with them both.....
On slow red Euro clay, I prefer the Babolat Pure Storm Tour GT. On faster hardcourts, I give the edge to the Völkl PB10 Mid.
Honestly - both racquets are excellent, you can't go wrong with either of these two.

I have VS 17 mains & Lux Alu Power crosses in all my Bab PST GT frames and VS 17 mains & WeissCannon Silverstring 1.20 in my 2 Völkl PB10 Mid frames. Plays very nice

 

[goblake14]

ClubHoUno,

what do you think about the beam width on the storm? Maybe a strange question, but I really like thinner beams and am worried the 21 mm on the bab may be a little bulky. I sometimes get that feeling on my prestige, which is also 21mm wide.

Please let me know your thoughts on this if you would.

 

[ClubHoUno]

ClubHoUno,

what do you think about the beam width on the storm? Maybe a strange question, but I really like thinner beams and am worried the 21 mm on the bab may be a little bulky. I sometimes get that feeling on my prestige, which is also 21mm wide.

Please let me know your thoughts on this if you would.

The beem width does feel a little bit thicker compared to thin player racquets, like the Völkl PB10 Mid of course, and I wouldn't call the Pure Storm Tour GT a serve & volley racquet, but more of an all court racquet.

Each time I try to dump the Babolat frame, because I hear from everyone, that Babolat is for baseline pushers and girls, I try other stuff out, and then return to my PST GT frames and then again and again discover that this racquet is the best all court racquet I've ever owned in my life. It lacks a bit feel at the net, it lacks free power from the baseline, it could have more power on serve - but all in all, day in and day out, the Babolat Pure Storm Tour GT is the best all court frame I have ever owned in my life.

The Völkl PB10 Mid is clearly better at the net and for drive volleys in general, but on the other hand I feel the Pure Storm Tour GT is just more secure and spinny from the baseline, without being a spin monster like the better known Babolat sticks - Pure Drive and Aero Pro Drive.
Sometimes I play tennis after having been to the golf range for 2 hours or having played 36 holes of golf after work, and my body is not 18 years young any more, and if I on such a day pick my Völkl PB10 Mid up, I can feel the frame is too unforgiving, if I play tennis with my playing buddy on a day, where my mind and body is just tired.

I did this the other day - I was beat up before I started to play tennis that day, I picked up my newly strung PB10 Mid and was punished for half an hour. I was tired and I was late on the ball. I changed to the Babolat PST GT and I wouldn't say I played wonderfully from that point on, but I felt I got a bit more free power and I wasn't severely punished from the baseline.

Contrary to that, I played 2 days after that in the afternoon, and gave the PB10 Mid a new chance. That day I was feeling fresh, and I played with the same playing buddy for 1 hour with my 2 PB10 Mid racquets........rushed to the net missed only 2 out of 12 volleys, served flat and hard (8 aces in 2 sets, which is good for me) and punished the same guy from the baseline.

It's on those days where I can see the benefit from having a couple of different racquets in my bag for different occasions.

I also play from time to time with 3 Wilson BLX 18X20 and they have a 22 mm beem width, which is 1 mm thicker than the Pure Storm Tour GT's 21 mm beem width, but because of the 18X20 string pattern in the BLX, I feel they are a little bit better for volleys than the Pure Storm Tour GT, but still not on par with the Völkl PB10 Mid at the net.

 

[tennis005]

I would try out the Prestige Pro.

 

[goblake14]

ClubHoUno, you've been unbelievably helpful.

I think I'll order both the storm and the pb10 and see how each feels. I don't get into the net too often so the storm's deficiencies there may not bother me too much. Of course I'm going in with an open mind and can't wait to give both a run.