Found my racquet: Rds 001 MP

[cghipp]

I started an earlier thread about demoing the Volkl DNX 9, but in the end I decided that racquet just wasn't the right fit for me. I couldn't get into the groove with my forehand. It was still at the top of my list, with the nBlade, but I wasn't satisfied and wanted to try some more racquets. After the DNX 9 I tried the Head FP Instinct and wasn't at all happy with that. I did enjoy ripping some groundstrokes, but found the racquet unmaneuverable everywhere else. I tried a friend's Yonex RD Ti-80 (the old, lighter "3") and loved the feel of it (played great with it), though it seemed a little hollow and something about it kind of made my hand "buzz." So I picked up the RDS 001 MP and the RDX 500 MP to demo as well.

In the meantime, I was wondering why so many of these racquets that I've demoed (listed below) seemed like such a huge difference to me. My previous racquet (i.Prestige MP) was 12.1 ounces, and I thought I could go down about half an ounce with relative ease, but nothing was really gelling for me. Then I remembered that my racquets were customized for the previous owner before I got them, with a longer bumper and leather grips. I weighed the racquets and, including Wilson Pro overgrip and Gamma Shockbuster, they came in at 12.6 and 12.7 ounces. Well, no wonder! I was trying racquets that were a full ounce to an ounce and a half lighter, when I had intended to only go down about a half an ounce.

The next one I gave serious consideration to was the RDS 001 MP. My demo was string at 63 with something like Gamma TNT 16g. (I will probably end up stringing it at 59 with Wilson NXT 17g.) I pretty much formed an immediate attachment to this racquet - I couldn't believe how much quicker I felt at net, and I was hitting great groundstrokes. My serves were my best ever. But I was playing doubles with three hard-serving men, including one college player, and I didn't feel the racquet was quite heavy enough for returning their serves as well as I had with my i.Prestige. (Although I will grant that, had I sufficient skill, it wouldn't have been a problem.) With overgrip and dampener the racquet came in at 11.8 ounces. I added just .4 oz of lead (about .25 in the handle, .15 at 10/2) and ended up with the racquet I've been looking for. Even at 12 oz., it's more than half an ounce lighter than my previous racquet, more head light and with a much lower swingweight.

I did try the RDX500 MP, but I decided that I much preferred the more head light 001 MP, even though I do usually prefer the greater flex of the RDX500 MP. After serving with the 001, serving with the others seemed like a chore. I tried the RDS 003 also, but found it difficult to control the power of this racquet and didn't like the idea of adjusting to a longer racquet again. I used the i.Prestige MP XL for a while, and my injury-prone shoulder decided that the extra length wasn't doing it any favors. And again, after hitting with such a head light racquet as the 001 MP, even the 6 pts. head light 003 felt head heavy and less maneuverable. It's amazing how quickly you can get used to things like that.

Other things I liked about the RDS 001: I found it to be arm friendly, fantastic for hitting my IHBH slice and good for the topspin as well. I was able to get such a "bite" on the slice that I wouldn't be surprised if I start hitting that shot 60/40 over the topspin, maybe even more. I also did well with drop shots. I lilke the power of this racquet; it's a little more powerful than my i.Prestige, but not so much that I was spraying balls everywhere. Control was excellent and I felt comfortable going for my shots.

One thing I had really enjoyed about the RD Ti-80 was the topspin IHBH. I felt like the more head-heavy racquet was really helping me finish the shot and get enough spin to hit the ball pretty hard and still have it stay in. I didn't find that in the 001 MP at first, but adding the extra lead helped with this significantly and now I am very happy with it.

Oh, and the paint job sucks but I'll get over it! It's obnoxious. (Actually, as a recovering graphic designer I can admit that there is beauty in it and I like the clean design; the retina-burning color just isn't my style.) Maybe I'll have to get the matching yellow/black/white Yonex kicks... Just kidding.

If you're still reading this, you may be interested in my Index of Demos:

Head FP Prestige MP
Head FP Radical MP
Babolat Pure Storm Mid
Wilson nCode nBlade
Prince O3 Tour Mid
Wilson nCode nTour2
Dunlop MFil 300
Volkl DNX 9
Volkl DNX 10 MP
Yonex RD Ti-80 (older, lighter "3")
Head FP Instinct
Yonex RDS 001 MP
Yonex RDX 500 MP
Yonex RDS 003 MP

And the winner is: Yonex RDS 001 MP

 

[Redflea]

Congrats...it is great to get to the end of that road, isn't it. (At least for the next few years...)

Coincidentally, I hit w/my one of my regular hitting partners last night. I had the RDS 001 MP demo in my bag, and suggested he try it. His usual racquet is a Wilson PS 6.0 95, and he also has an POG that he uses sometimes.

Anyway, he also fell in love (or at least heavy, heavy like) w/the RDS 001 MP. He hit well w/it after just a few balls, and two sets later he had taken me 6-4 6-4...usually it's the other way around. To be fair (to me), I wasn't having a great night, and still can't serve normally due to my shoulder re-injury, but to be fair to him and the RDS MP he was getting balls back w/great spin, depth, placement, and pace, and really pushing me constantly.

He's one of those types (as you can tell from his current sticks) who sticks w/racquets, hates to change, but after our hit he was fairly gushing about the RDS, asking how much it is, how long it's been out, why is it such an bright shade of yellow (seriously, he said that), etc.

I still haven't found the zone with the this racquet yet, but he sure did. (I think I'd need to string it a few lbs tighter than its current mid-point tension). Anyway this racquet can clearly create some excitement in the right hands...

I'm still waiting for my DNX 9 demo...very interested in how it will be for me...

Thanks for all your comments on the racquets, been very interesting to read. Happy hitting!

 

[Redflea]

Well I hit w/the RDS 001 MP again this AM, three sets of doubles. First set horrendous...mostly due to flying shots long, not finding my groove on my FH at all w/the RDS.

Stuck w/it for the next two sets and was rewarded...FH got better and better (though still not dialed in), 1HBH was smokin', volleys very good, and even w/my abbreviated serve motion due to shoulder issues I managed a couple of aces. Spin is very easy to access w/this racquet. After a bad start w/it the last time I demo'd it, I'm liking it much more.

Looking forward to comparing it to the DNX 9 and other demos I have coming (several PKs).

 

[Richie Rich]

why is it such an bright shade of yellow (seriously, he said that), etc.

you would think after the v-con 17 yonex would have learned their lesson about neon color racquets for men.

i'm dying to try the rds mp but no one around me seems to have a demo of it.

 

[Redflea]

you would think after the v-con 17 yonex would have learned their lesson about neon color racquets for men.

i'm dying to try the rds mp but no one around me seems to have a demo of it.

Yeah...that color is probably a deal-breaker for some people. When I played w/it this morning two of the people I hit with (we were doing rotating doubles teams) commented on it...one person actually liked the look of it, the other said "How do they get it that color - are there batteries inside it to make it that bright!?"

Quite a color change from my RDX Mid...

If you can't find it locally, there's always the Tennis Warehouse demo program.

 

[tennisguy11]

Red, where did you add the lead and how much of it did you add?

 

[Redflea]

Red, where did you add the lead and how much of it did you add?

I didn't add any lead, but cghipp did:

I added just .4 oz of lead (about .25 in the handle, .15 at 10/2) and ended up with the racquet I've been looking for. Even at 12 oz., it's more than half an ounce lighter than my previous racquet, more head light and with a much lower swingweight.

I'm still demoing it, finding it hard to adjust to its higher power...I might pay them to restring the demo at a higher tension so I can see if that helps. Love its solid feel and it volleys great, but from the baseline I'm flying too many long. (I hit relatively flat on my FH most of the time, just moderate topspin. I don't think it would be a problem for someone who hits w/heavier spin.)

 

[cghipp]

After all that, I ended up taking all of the lead off! I still may add some back, but it will be even less than before. Now I feel like everything is better without the lead except my 1HBH. If I add some back, it will likely be in the throat or hoop, just to help me with follow-through.


It definitely takes time to adjust to the power; after hitting with a Prestige all these years (basically since I started playing), I'm still getting used to it. I am a relatively flat hitter as well. I'd be tempted to go back to a heavier racquet it I wasn't enjoying this racquet so much at net. There is no doubt that I am reacting faster and hitting better volleys with it. (Keep in mind, I am a mediocre net player. If I was an excellent volleyer, the Prestige would have been perfect for me!)

One more thing about the power: I am doing a lot better when I concentrate on getting the racquet back early and keeping it back. It seems that when I'm rushing to get the racquet back and forth, I am more likely to overhit.

Another reason for me to add some of the weight back is that my arm is just not very happy right now, from wrist to shoulder. (Just when I was starting to almost not hate the color, too!) Undoubtedly some of it is due to my swing being somewhat in flux with the new racquet, but the extra stiffness and lighter weight aren't helping. As much as I am enjoying this racquet, I hope I don't end up ditching it and ordering a PK 5g (or just going back to my i.Prestige MP).

 

[fastdunn]

Head FP Prestige MP
Head FP Radical MP
Babolat Pure Storm Mid
Wilson nCode nBlade
Prince O3 Tour Mid
Wilson nCode nTour2
Dunlop MFil 300
Volkl DNX 9
Volkl DNX 10 MP
Yonex RD Ti-80 (older, lighter "3")
Head FP Instinct
Yonex RDS 001 MP
Yonex RDX 500 MP
Yonex RDS 003 MP

And the winner is: Yonex RDS 001 MP

Have you posted any reviews on these frames ?

I've been Yonex user for many many years. From super rd mid, rdti-70,
mp tour-1 and then rdx 300. And now I'm going back to more player's
frame. I went back back to my old mp tour-1 while demoing head fxp
prestige mp, dnx 9, fischer m speed 98.

could not control dnx 9. I served great with the fischer but kinda weak
groundies. So far the head fxp prestige mp has been the most
all around frame. How would you compare the head with yonex rds01 ?

 

[cghipp]

Fastdunn, I posted some notes about these racquets in this thread:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=104616

I was really never able to hit out comfortably with the DNX 9, which was why I moved on from it. (Sorry if I'm repeating myself here.) I wish I could give you a good comparison of the FP Prestige and the RDS 001, but those were the first and last racquets I looked at. I was able to pick up the FP Prestige and go right into a match with it, and I played fine with it. But I didn't see any reason to switch from my i.Prestige, and certain shots I definitely had more trouble with using the FP.

I also don't care for the beam width/shape on the FP racquets. I generally like a classic thin/narrow frame, and the FP frame didn't feel that solid to me. The head also seemed a tad more round, and less like the oval shape I'm used to. I think that's why I like the Yonex head shape so much. When I tried some of the Wilsons, I kept thinking I was going to scrape the ground on low shots. I know the difference in head shape really isn't that much, but for some reason it feels like a big difference to me.

Another racquet I really liked was the Yonex Ti-80. A friend let me borrow his, and I loved it immediately. I played a mixed doubles match with it and especially loved hitting my 1HBH with it. I ended up going with the RDS001 because of it maneuverability at net, but I may go back and try the Ti-80 again. Because of the weighting it felt a lot heavier after I started hitting with the RDS001, so I didn't go back to it. Curiously, the RDS001, Ti-80 and RDX500 I hit with all had the same weight of 11.8 oz. with 3/8 grip, dampener and overgrip, but they played somewhat differently.

Sorry for the rambling answer. I hope I at least halfway answered your question!

 

[fastdunn]

Thanks cghipp.

I guess you're moving from Head to Yonex.
And I might switching from Yonex to Head.

I've been using Yonex about 70% of my tennis life.
If I have one word for them, it is "solid". All of their
players frames have this solid feel.

The reason I did not commit to Head has been its
somewhat hallow feel. But the new FXP prestige
was different from typical Head. It felt solid, stiff
and somewhat crisp. Not as solid and crsip as Yonex
but new prestige removed only reasons why I stayed
away from it....

 

[KFwinds]

Yeah...that color is probably a deal-breaker for some people.

It is for me; whenever I think about possibly demo-ing the RDS 001 (the specs are right on with the racquets I'm looking at), I remember that if I switched to it I would never again be able to wear my almost-brand-new orange Roland Garros Adidas Feathers...bummer...

 

[Redflea]

It is for me; whenever I think about possibly demo-ing the RDS 001 (the specs are right on with the racquets I'm looking at), I remember that if I switched to it I would never again be able to wear my almost-brand-new orange Roland Garros Adidas Feathers...bummer...

LOL

I don't think anyone could fault you for that clear and logical reasoning!!

 

[KFwinds]

I know, right?! The RDS 001 is the only racquet that I have ever completely discounted as an option due to the cosmetics. Well, there WAS the PS Torch also...

 

[no skillz]

I bought the very same racquet, and I must say coming from a Babolat PD its a whole different ball game. Great feel, control and spin. And a hot paintjob that is sure to get the attention of the ladies!!!

 

[cghipp]

Speaking as a lady, let me assure you that we don't give a cr@p about your PJ. (Just teasing you, but not really.)

 

[no skillz]

Sarcasm has a way of losing its potency over the internet.

 

[Redflea]

A winky smiley might have helped...

Or maybe:

<sarcasm>type text here</sarcasm>

 

[cghipp]

Sorry no skillz! Given what I've learned in the recent age poll, I was inclined to think you were both very young and very serious. When I run it over in my head, with sarcasm applied, your post comes across much better. My fault!

 

[no skillz]

Its all gravy baby, snoochy boochies!!!

 

[cghipp]

LOL, I take it back!

 

[Redflea]

cghipp...I'm still playing w/the RDS 001 MP (my local shop allows really long demos, thank goodness). As noted, biggest issue is controlling my FH from flying long.

Anyway, I also hit w/a Dunlop M-Fil 300 last night, and was shocked to find I actually liked it. It's much lighter than my current stick (10.9 oz vs. 12.1 for my RDX mid) but the swing weights are very close due to the Dunlop being only 3 pts head light - Dunlop is 317 sw, RDX is 318 so it felt "familiar" from that perspective. The Dunlop is also rated flexy at 61 (but it feels a bit stiffer than that), but is still comfy. Sweet spot isn't huge, but I was finding it easily last night.

I haven't had a chance to hit w/a heavy hitter yet, and I think it will suffer on serve returns and heavy groundies in that context, but I was really surprised how solid and stable it was overall last night (albeit against a hitter that relies more on spin/placement than power).

I was able to control my FH w/the Dunlop much better than the RDS 001 MP, and actually hit my BH a bit better w/the Dunlop as well. Serve was a toss-up, both work well.

I'm going to take it to a match I have tonight w/a stronger hitter and see how it goes against more power. Bringing some lead along so I can tweak a bit depending on how it goes. Didn't get my DNX 9 MP demo as expected last night, now may not be until Friday, but looking forward to comparing that to the RDS MP and the Dunlop.

 

[no skillz]

I find my backhands are much better with the rds 001, my forehands are pushing it close to the line and very few are out. I feel like this racquet has more power then my babolat pd. I use a 4 and 1/2 grip size with wilson overgrip. When volleying I feel faster and have more control.

Another thing, on my Babolat PD my ball fuzz was not located in the sweetspot area but rather above it and closer to the frame. But with the Yonex my fuzz is localized in the sweetspot.

 

[cghipp]

I'm bringing this back up because, after playing with the RDS001 for over a month, I am going back to my trusty i.Prestige MP. I tried and tried to get the 001 the way I wanted it using lead tape, but in the end I just wasn't able to swing away the way I wanted without hitting too deep (such as the fence, for example). The i.Prestige (and other Prestiges before) give me more security, especially on forehand returns, that I haven't been able to consistently (as in, for more than one match) find with any other racquet. Plus, my elbow/shoulder didn't like this racquet as much as the i.Prestige, which is an excellent comfort racquet. I feel like all that effort was for nothing (not to mention the money spent), but at least I know what else is out there.

If I had more consistent strokes, I think the 001 would be great for me. But I think I need something like a "restrictor plate" racquet.

 

[TopSpinner]

Redflea,
What happened to your RDX500 Mid?

 

[Redflea]

TopSpinner....surpisingly (to me!) I've changed to the Dunlop M-Fil 300 for majority of my play. Still using my RDXs for some recreational singles, but mostly using the Dunlops now. Victim of age, old injuries, and steadily increasing 4.5 doubles play where the M-Fil 300 gets me better results at the net when balls are flying very fast between four of us. Also provides easier access to power (but not too much) and have been very pleasantly surprised by how well I serve with it...really nice control, spin, power, just excellent.

cghipp, sorry to hear about your full circle. I had the same problem w/the RDS 001 MP as you (kept flying balls long on my FH in particular) and was not able to comfortably adjust to it. I don't remember if you tried the Dunlop M-Fil 200 or 300, but based on my experience, they might be worth a look, if you have any demo patience left.

I increased the weight up of my M-Fil 300's up to 11.5 oz by adding:

5 grams split between 3 and 9
2 grams in the butt cap (pops off for easy access)
2 overgrips (I liked the 4 3/8 w/two overgrips better than 4 1/2 w/one)
(Also have Gamma tape on the head and a Gamma worm dampener, not sure how much they contribute to the weight)

I have never used lead on a racquet before on a regular basis, but am now sold on it for this stick.

Weighted per above, the 300 feels very maneuverable and very solid. A bit harsher than my RDXs were at the extremes (on/near frame) but not a problem and extremely solid w/very nice feedback on normal and off-center hits.

Really solid feel, able to hit pretty much my normal ground stroke and maintain excellent control, not flying things long, volleying is very good (I've surprised myself a couple times w/balls I've gotten back), and as I noted above I took to serving w/this stick like a fish to water for some reason...just feels excellent.

I think the M-Fil 200 2006 is 11.5 out of the box (97 head vs. 98 on the 300) and might be closer to the weight in stock form that you want. They call it a plus but it's standard length...interestingly, I and buddy of mine found the 200 swung slower/heavier than its specs to us, and I saw another post noting that recently, so the 300 weighted as I've noted above has been the best result for me.

They Dunlops have the added benefit of being very cheap.