Gravity Tour v Extreme Tour v Speed MP

[jdx2112]

I'm a solid, committed Gravity Tour player. It basically does everything well and it's good to my arm. Whatever drawbacks to the racquet, I've adapted through practice and repetition.

That said, I'd be lying if I didn't pine for a bit more power out of my racquet. But I have arm issues, GE (mostly from serving with Babolats), and need to be careful about how high I can go with RA. So, I'm testing out a few sticks.

This week: Extreme Tour and Speed MP

Comparing each against my Tour...

Speed MP
-nice power, especially on flat serves
-a bit tinny on the arm, which surprised me; could be the string, not sure
-while light in terms of static weight, the swing weight was too much. this is a strange thing, but I honestly don't have a problem with heavier racquets (my ceiling is 310g) as long as they have SW 325 and lower and/or are head light.
-The Speed line feels sluggish to me and wears my arm out. It was slow through the air. I know some say the same about the Gravity line, but for me it's a much easier swing.
-The increased power of the Speed didn't feel accessible to me.

Extreme Tour
-to be perfectly honest, if I had tested this racquet before getting in deep with the Gravity line, I would have 3 of these.
-higher RA than I thought I could handle (65) but the racquet feels soft on the arm to me. It pockets well.
-same weight as the Gravity, but way lower on the SW. pretty whippy through the air.
-quite stable for a 98, but not harsh on the arm at all (poly in the hoop).
-BUT...in my experience, it wants you to swing more vertically...not like a Pure Aero, but far more than the Gravity line which, while just fine in generating spin, is a bit longer in the stroke b/c of the balance...you hit through the ball more naturally with the Gravity...
-the lighter SW took some getting used to...I had to think about putting less effort into the swing and focus more on the shape of the stroke.
-I generally hit a few more thin balls with the extreme than the Gravity
-hit a few serves and it's clear that this is where the increased power shows up
-but the Gravity was much better on returns...

in a few weeks, I will test the VCore and Ezone 98s...

 

[HitMoreBHs]

Excellent comparative review! Like yourself, I’m a big fan of the Gravity Tour. What does it for me is it’s flexible throat and hoop, plush feel and great ball-pocketing. I also like the slim feel at the throat in my left hand due to its 22mm constant beam and relatively flat cross section. Technically, it’s an elliptical beam but has much in common with the look and feel of a traditional flat box beam.

I’ve never tried the Extreme Tour but your review is tempting me to give it a go. I have hit quite a bit with the Speed MP. The 360+ version feels like its published 64 RA, but it‘s no Gravity, hence the slightly tinny feel you experienced in comparison. Some players prefer this, saying that the Gravity is too muted with little feedback. Coming from a Prestige Tour 600 which I used for 25yrs prior, the Gravity Tour (and Pro more so) feels very much like a classic HEAD racquet.

The Speed line is the most polarised of the HEAD range. I like highly polarised set ups, so that was one aspect of its design which I liked a lot. However, it’s not for everyone and as you found, this type of weight distribution can feel sluggish. Did you try the 360 version that is less polarised with a lower SW? It’s does not have as nice a feel as the 360+ version, but it’s still a really nice stick. Keen pricing too, since it’s no longer a current model.

Looking forward to your onward comparisons with the VC and Ezone 98’s.

 

[jdx2112]

Excellent comparative review! Like yourself, I’m a big fan of the Gravity Tour. What does it for me is it’s flexible throat and hoop, plush feel and great ball-pocketing. I also like the slim feel at the throat in my left hand due to its 22mm constant beam and relatively flat cross section. Technically, it’s an elliptical beam but has much in common with the look and feel of a traditional flat box beam.

I’ve never tried the Extreme Tour but your review is tempting me to give it a go. I have hit quite a bit with the Speed MP. The 360+ version feels like its published 64 RA, but it‘s no Gravity, hence the slightly tinny feel you experienced in comparison. Some players prefer this, saying that the Gravity is too muted with little feedback. Coming from a Prestige Tour 600 which I used for 25yrs prior, the Gravity Tour (and Pro more so) feels very much like a classic HEAD racquet.

The Speed line is the most polarised of the HEAD range. I like highly polarised set ups, so that was one aspect of its design which I liked a lot. However, it’s not for everyone and as you found, this type of weight distribution can feel sluggish. Did you try the 360 version that is less polarised with a lower SW? It’s does not have as nice a feel as the 360+ version, but it’s still a really nice stick. Keen pricing too, since it’s no longer a current model.

Looking forward to your onward comparisons with the VC and Ezone 98’s.

The tinny feel wasn’t a dealbreaker or even the polarized nature of the racquet. The Gravity Tour is not a head light racquet. For me, it seems to be the fairly high swingweight for a relatively light racquet. 328 is pretty high for me. I can feel the strain on shadow swings.

 

[Pneumated1]

Some players prefer this, saying that the Gravity is too muted with little feedback. Coming from a Prestige Tour 600 which I used for 25yrs prior, the Gravity Tour (and Pro more so) feels very much like a classic HEAD racquet.

You're not the first person to post this. I always wondered what the fuss was about with classic Head 'feel,' and now I get it. I love the soft, muted thump of the Gravity Tour, yet I still feel very connected. As a result, I feel like I can cheat a little with slightly stiffer, shaped strings for help with bite. I'm surprised that I can hit my 1hbh as well as I do with this 100. The biggest hurdle for me is honestly just getting over the fact that I like this 100" frame. I was fortunate to get one under specs: 318 static, 315sw, listed balance. I've boosted the swing weight to the listed 325 and will take it to my usual 32-32.3 cm balance. I'm also hitting the UP 16x19 and a Prestige Pro, but this one will wear well as the years keep flying by. Thinking of picking up a second GT.

 

[jdx2112]

You're not the first person to post this. I always wondered what the fuss was about with classic Head 'feel,' and now I get it. I love the soft, muted thump of the Gravity Tour, yet I still feel very connected. As a result, I feel like I can cheat a little with slightly stiffer, shaped strings for a help with bite. I'm surprised that I can hit my 1hbh as well as I do with this 100. The biggest hurdle for me is honestly just getting over the fact that I like this 100" frame. I was fortunate to get one under specs: 318 static, 315sw, listed balance. I've boosted the swing weight to the listed 325 and will take it to my usual 32-32.3 cm balance. I'm also hitting the UP 16x19 and a Prestige Pro, but this one will wear well as the years keep flying by. Thinking of picking up a second GT.

Got my second a few months back, 1st gen paint job...and yeah, I can play with any string, and find myself using Volkl vsquare a lot.

 

[Pneumated1]

Got my second a few months back, 1st gen paint job...and yeah, I can play with any string, and find myself using Volkl vsquare a lot.

I have Lynx Tour and Hyper-G to cross with Ghost Wire up first. The demo I hit back around Christmas had Lynx Tour in it, and I liked that frame/string combo a lot.

 

[Ryebread]

Interesting post.
I use the speed MP 360+
I could easily adapt to the gravity tour. I think it’s a nice racquet. I don’t like the cosmetic - but that’s another story.

IIRC the extreme tour wasn’t as stable as either of the above sticks. Anyone else feel that way? 4.0-4.5

 

[jdx2112]

Interesting post.
I use the speed MP 360+
I could easily adapt to the gravity tour. I think it’s a nice racquet. I don’t like the cosmetic - but that’s another story.

IIRC the extreme tour wasn’t as stable as either of the above sticks. Anyone else feel that way? 4.0-4.5

It was stable when being aggressive, assertive, but much less so handling serve returns.

 

[the_faceless_player]

It was stable when being aggressive, assertive, but much less so handling serve returns.

No issues for me returning or playing in general with my Extreme Tours. Most of my time is spent playing 5.0 doubles or singles with a D1 commit. Is there the occasional wobble against a big serve? Sure, but it doesn’t happen enough for me to be super motivated to start adding lead and going down that rabbit hole.

 

[jdx2112]

No issues for me returning or playing in general with my Extreme Tours. Most of my time is spent playing 5.0 doubles or singles with a D1 commit. Is there the occasional wobble against a big serve? Sure, but it doesn’t happen enough for me to be super motivated to start adding lead and going down that rabbit hole.

Good point. I agree. My comment was more in comparison to the Gravity Tour.

 

[Lorenn]

No issues for me returning or playing in general with my Extreme Tours. Most of my time is spent playing 5.0 doubles or singles with a D1 commit. Is there the occasional wobble against a big serve? Sure, but it doesn’t happen enough for me to be super motivated to start adding lead and going down that rabbit hole.

To be fair you're a relatively advanced player...so your returns are likely assertive Extreme Tour is a great racquet if you are slightly heavy spin. If you are a little flatter other options might be better. Tour will let you hit flat just fine, but it prefers spin imho. Preferred Gravity Pro over Gravity Tour...likely causing the tour to be overlooked as a backup racquet. I felt they were too close in spec and a little extra pop would be helpful.

 

[jdx2112]

To be fair you're a relatively advanced player...so your returns are likely assertive Extreme Tour is a great racquet if you are slightly heavy spin. If you are a little flatter other options might be better. Tour will let you hit flat just fine, but it prefers spin imho. Preferred Gravity Pro over Gravity Tour...likely causing the tour to be overlooked as a backup racquet. I felt they were too close in spec and a little extra pop would be helpful.

This is right. The Extreme Tour likes spin and vertical stroke shape but the denser pattern in the center enables it to be used foe flatter strokes. I hit with a lot of spin and appreciate how the Gravity line reigns it in and then allows me to flatten out for put-aways or service returns. But broadly these racquets are only slightly different for me. It’s not a challenge gong back and forth with them during a drill session.

 

[Raizu]

I'm a solid, committed Gravity Tour player. It basically does everything well and it's good to my arm. Whatever drawbacks to the racquet, I've adapted through practice and repetition.

That said, I'd be lying if I didn't pine for a bit more power out of my racquet. But I have arm issues, GE (mostly from serving with Babolats), and need to be careful about how high I can go with RA. So, I'm testing out a few sticks.

This week: Extreme Tour and Speed MP

Comparing each against my Tour...

Speed MP
-nice power, especially on flat serves
-a bit tinny on the arm, which surprised me; could be the string, not sure
-while light in terms of static weight, the swing weight was too much. this is a strange thing, but I honestly don't have a problem with heavier racquets (my ceiling is 310g) as long as they have SW 325 and lower and/or are head light.
-The Speed line feels sluggish to me and wears my arm out. It was slow through the air. I know some say the same about the Gravity line, but for me it's a much easier swing.
-The increased power of the Speed didn't feel accessible to me.

Extreme Tour
-to be perfectly honest, if I had tested this racquet before getting in deep with the Gravity line, I would have 3 of these.
-higher RA than I thought I could handle (65) but the racquet feels soft on the arm to me. It pockets well.
-same weight as the Gravity, but way lower on the SW. pretty whippy through the air.
-quite stable for a 98, but not harsh on the arm at all (poly in the hoop).
-BUT...in my experience, it wants you to swing more vertically...not like a Pure Aero, but far more than the Gravity line which, while just fine in generating spin, is a bit longer in the stroke b/c of the balance...you hit through the ball more naturally with the Gravity...
-the lighter SW took some getting used to...I had to think about putting less effort into the swing and focus more on the shape of the stroke.
-I generally hit a few more thin balls with the extreme than the Gravity
-hit a few serves and it's clear that this is where the increased power shows up
-but the Gravity was much better on returns...

in a few weeks, I will test the VCore and Ezone 98s...

Add lead at 3 and 9 and the Extreme Tour is perfect. Much better than a Gravity Tour but not better than the Pro. I haven’t done silicone out of laziness but I think 10g makes that racquet fantastic

 

[jdx2112]

Add lead at 3 and 9 and the Extreme Tour is perfect. Much better than a Gravity Tour but not better than the Pro. I haven’t done silicone out of laziness but I think 10g makes that racquet fantastic

I’m sure it would be, but 310 g racquet is my upper limit these days.

 

[Ryebread]

primary stick is speed mp 360+
on the court: 319/11.25, balance 33
17g/1.25 at 52lbs

today...........
first full day with the gravity tour 360+, in a long time
on the court: 325/11.46, balance 32.75
18g/1.20 at 51lbs - did this to make it more HL

1. serve, more power, more consistent
2. forehand, better depth, less erratic hits (more consistent)
3. thbh, possibly a smidge less power
4. volleys, better

 

[Ryebread]

Is the extreme tour 360+ safe for those who are on the arm issue spectrum?

Is it stable -stock- enough at 4.0/4.5?

 

[Lorenn]

Is the extreme tour 360+ safe for those who are on the arm issue spectrum?

Is it stable -stock- enough at 4.0/4.5?

Extreme Tour you either need a little weight or great timing/swing to play against the heaviest hitters. It prefers heavy spin, but will hit flat. Reasonable sweet-spot. It should be ok against most fours but fives you might have trouble if you don't attack early and have a good swing.

 

[jdx2112]

Is the extreme tour 360+ safe for those who are on the arm issue spectrum?

Is it stable -stock- enough at 4.0/4.5?

Just demo'd this racquet and liked it quite a bit.

I think it's safe on the arm. I didn't test it on serve returns, but on ground strokes it held up quite well probably from the increased stiffness rating (65).

The only thing that gave me pause was the lower swingweight compared to the Gravity Tour I play with. It's a whippier racquet and really enables good spin, but that also means doing more work with the body and arm, rotating through the shot. I found it really easy to get clearance over the net and generate spin that would dip the ball back in. After a while, I realized I needed to focus less on force and more on stroke shape.

Also nice on serves.

I will probably demo it again.

 

[Ryebread]

Just demo'd this racquet and liked it quite a bit.

I think it's safe on the arm. I didn't test it on serve returns, but on ground strokes it held up quite well probably from the increased stiffness rating (65).

The only thing that gave me pause was the lower swingweight compared to the Gravity Tour I play with. It's a whippier racquet and really enables good spin, but that also means doing more work with the body and arm, rotating through the shot. I found it really easy to get clearance over the net and generate spin that would dip the ball back in. After a while, I realized I needed to focus less on force and more on stroke shape.

Also nice on serves.

I will probably demo it again.

thx!

The extreme tour
it’s maneuverable, more so, than GT
I like to take the ball early,
I am 4.0 playing against a 5.0 female who hits seriously hard.
with the speed mp, I have time to hit early, and I can play good defense.
with the GT, I’m getting better depth, and the shot is heavier, she is noticing.
so while I’m not allowing her to be constantly crushing it, when she does, I notice the extra weight of the GT on defense.

I do add a slight vertical element to my swing, modern swing. I have more time to do that with the speed mp.
to do this with the GT, I went with 18g strings and a gram in the handle, to adjust the balance in my favor.

My feeling is that the extreme tour may be the stick that fits in between the speed mp and gravity tour -all 360+
more maneuverable than the GT,
closer maneuverability to the speed mp.
based on what the OP said, this is probably an accurate assessment.
but he felt the speed mp SW was too much, and prefers the ET... that is what worries me.
makes me think the ET will not have enough stability/plow.

The speed mp has sneaky stability for a 300!
Gravity tour obviously has stability.

I will have to revisit this one for a serious look, now that I am in proper form.

 

[jdx2112]

thx!

My feeling is that the extreme tour may be the stick that fits in between the speed mp and gravity tour -all 360+

The speed mp has sneaky stability for a 300!
Gravity tour obviously has stability.

I will have to revisit this one for a serious look, now that I am in proper form.

Good point. The Extreme Tour is the outlier in the Extreme line, which sits at the far end of the Head CPI spectrum.

it's a 305g racquet, like the Tour, but far more headlight. Slightly heavier than the Speed MP, but again much, much lighter in the head.

 

[jdx2112]

I am lucky with my Gravity Tours, both of which come in at 320 SW with 1.20 gauge strings. 1.25 gauge strings will probably bump it up to 323. So a tad less headlight than the Extreme Tour and easier to swing than the Speed MP.

I think the thing with the Extreme Tour is that it doesn't seem all that customizable to me. I guess it depends on what you like about it. I liked the static weight and low sw. To make it more stable would mean increasing the SW. But if you just like the 98" head and somewhat tighter 16/19 pattern, you can get away with more weight and not notice it too much.

But it feels designed for aggressive whippy strokes.

 

[Ryebread]

Guys I just edited my previous post to add some points.

 

[jdx2112]

thx!

The extreme tour
it’s maneuverable, more so, than GT
I like to take the ball early,
I am 4.0 playing against a 5.0 female who hits seriously hard.
with the speed mp, I have time to hit early, and I can play good defense.
with the GT, I’m getting better depth, and the shot is heavier, she is noticing.
so while I’m not allowing her to be constantly crushing it, when she does, I notice the extra weight of the GT on defense.

I do add a slight vertical element to my swing, modern swing. I have more time to do that with the speed mp.
to do this with the GT, I went with 18g strings and a gram in the handle, to adjust the balance in my favor.

My feeling is that the extreme tour may be the stick that fits in between the speed mp and gravity tour -all 360+
more maneuverable than the GT,
closer maneuverability to the speed mp.
based on what the OP said, this is probably an accurate assessment.
but he felt the speed mp SW was too much, and prefers the ET... that is what worries me.
makes me think the ET will not have enough stability/plow.

The speed mp has sneaky stability for a 300!
Gravity tour obviously has stability.

I will have to revisit this one for a serious look, now that I am in proper form.

What you get and don't get from these three racquets is a reflection of good design choices. There is no perfect racquet, but the line covers the bases quite well.

I need to play around with some weight in the handle of one of my GTs. I wonder if I would notice the lighter swingweight if I put some weight in the handle.

Any knowledge of how much weight = more headlight points?

 

[Lorenn]

Rough finding the perfect racquet for everything. I ended up with two...Speed MP and Gravity Pro. Radical Pro/MP would be in the middle, but the sweet spot is a little tight which might cause issues. I had to actually add some pauses before my swing the Radical MP was so fast. Pro I did not have to adapt as all. I was just able to use less energy on my one handed backhand.

Extreme Tour might work well.

 

[Ryebread]

Rough finding the perfect racquet for everything. I ended up with two...Speed MP and Gravity Pro. Radical Pro/MP would be in the middle, but the sweet spot is a little tight which might cause issues. I had to actually add some pauses before my swing the Radical MP was so fast. Pro I did not have to adapt as all. I was just able to use less energy on my one handed backhand.

Extreme Tour might work well.

I agree in that the radical pro and mp sweet spot is very small in comparison with the speed MP and PRO and gravity tour and PRO. When you hit that spot it feels great with the radicals, you notice it immediately because it goes exactly where you want it to and with some serious zing. But those were few and far between - for me.

 

[jdx2112]

Rough finding the perfect racquet for everything. I ended up with two...Speed MP and Gravity Pro. Radical Pro/MP would be in the middle, but the sweet spot is a little tight which might cause issues. I had to actually add some pauses before my swing the Radical MP was so fast. Pro I did not have to adapt as all. I was just able to use less energy on my one handed backhand.

Extreme Tour might work well.

I think ultimately it's about which racquet line requires the least amount of adaptation of your game.

For me, the Gravity Tour and Extreme Tour require the least amount of adaptation. Though the adaptations are different for each racquet.

 

[Lorenn]

I agree in that the radical pro and mp sweet spot is very small in comparison with the speed MP and PRO and gravity tour and PRO. When you hit that spot it feels great with the radicals, you notice it immediately because it goes exactly where you want it to and with some serious zing. But those were few and far between - for me.

Hard part for me is guessing which direction your game will end up Lots of growth between 4.0 and 5.0. All of the racquets I really like just a mater of which helps you play your best Nothing wrong with someone picking the options I didn't pick

 

[Ryebread]

I think ultimately it's about which racquet line requires the least amount of adaptation of your game.
For me, the Gravity Tour and Extreme Tour require the least amount of adaptation. Though the adaptations are different for each racquet.

that's well said. while it is SIMPLE for me to pick up a speed mp and play well, I have always been unsettled with it, b/c I can't generate as many free points with my serve. and I couldn't adapt my serve to it. and my volleys are a little weak.

with the clash 98, my strokes and serve are incredible. when I'm seriously focused on my technique, I don't spray anything. when I lose focus, there are more erratic balls, than with other sticks, yes.

with the GT, I feel a bit sluggish, but I'm hitting a heavier ball, so my opponent "feels" this, and I can play UP with this frame. until I make a mistake. then I'm scrambling with a racquet that is not my ideal spec. great volleys. awesome serve!

for me, I thought the radical MP would be the in between stick for me. in between the GT and speed MP. but it didn't work out.

with the ET, DON'T KNOW YET. I feel excited to try it. I was not in form, when I demod it last : )

Hard part for me is guessing which direction your game will end up Lots of growth between 4.0 and 5.0. All of the racquets I really like just a mater of which helps you play your best Nothing wrong with someone picking the options I didn't pick

haha, I'm not going to be a 5.0. but I'm enjoying getting pushed around and learning, vs. 4.5 guys and 5.0 girls. when I play with my 4.0 old pals, they are pissed. : )

 

[HitMoreBHs]

Any knowledge of how much weight = more headlight points?

It’s about 3g at the buttcap per 1HL point. You can check first with the TWU Customisation Worksheet:
http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/learning_center/customizationReverse.php
Use 1.5-2cm for length location if under the buttcap.

I currently have 6g under the buttcap on my GTour to get the BP to 5HL(32.7mm). I find anything less than 4HL, I can’t whip the head round fast enough for my stroke timing. I can usually add up to 10g to the buttcap area in most racquets before I start to feel the extra weight.

If you don’t want add weight under the buttcap whilst experimenting, a flattened disc of Blu-Tac stuck to the buttend of the racquet works pretty well and can be modded easily during a hitting session.

 

[Ryebread]

It’s about 3g at the buttcap per 1HL point. You can check first with the TWU Customisation Worksheet:
http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/learning_center/customizationReverse.php
Use 1.5-2cm for length location if under the buttcap.

I currently have 6g under the buttcap on my GTour to get the BP to 5HL(32.7mm). I find anything less than 4HL, I can’t whip the head round fast enough for my stroke timing. I can usually add up to 10g to the buttcap area in most racquets before I start to feel the extra weight.

that is good to know thank you

off topic, here:
but with regard to balance...
I have stuffed three cotton balls into handles, to move balance about a 1/4 of a point. simple and effective way to move balance point.

I found these notes on my desk from last month:
4 cotton balls = 2 grams / 0.07 oz
6 cotton balls = 3 grams / 0.11 oz
8 cotton balls = 4 grams / 0.14 oz

but anything more than 4 is tough b/c it's more difficult to pull them out, at that point. unless you have long, thin, needle nose tools.
anything 4 or more, you may as well use a more sound approach LOL.

 

[Ryebread]

I just picked up an extreme tour on demo for a week. I will cut out the crap string and try out iso speed control 16 gauge, 52 mains, 51 crosses. I will test it out at 1:30 on Monday and report back.

 

[Ryebread]

I’m a bit concerned about the smallish sweet spot in the ET. And possibly lack of put away power.

https://flic.kr/p/2kHBtbH

https://flic.kr/p/2kHxQWB

 

[HitMoreBHs]

I’m a bit concerned about the smallish sweet spot in the ET. And possibly lack of put away power.

https://flic.kr/p/2kHBtbH

https://flic.kr/p/2kHxQWB

Lots of others have posted good success with some lead tape in the hoop to beef up the ET.
Eg: Start off with 2g split between 0900/0300 and 2g at 1200. Then increase in small amounts as you feel needed. With quarter inch lead tape, it’s 1g per 4 inches.
It doesn’t take a lot to get a noticeable change in plough and twist stability.

 

[Damotuky]

X

 

[Lorenn]

I’m a bit concerned about the smallish sweet spot in the ET. And possibly lack of put away power.

98 versus 100. So really not a massive reduction. I find sweetspot is a little less important on spin heavy racquets.(or I am just well dialed in with it) The ET felt string sensitive. It also always felt like it was just one more tweak away from true greatness. In the end I preferred most of the other head racquets over the extreme tour. Radical MP, Radical Pro, Speed Mp, Gravity Tour and Pro. I would start with weight to extend the sweet spot slightly.

 

[jdx2112]

I’m a bit concerned about the smallish sweet spot in the ET. And possibly lack of put away power.

https://flic.kr/p/2kHBtbH

https://flic.kr/p/2kHxQWB

Right, that's the price you pay with this racquet. What you get is a head-light stick that provies easy spin and depth with good clearance. Put-away power is on you.
The Speed MP is about plow-through. The ability to generate spin is on you.

Give and Take.

 

[Ryebread]

98 versus 100. So really not a massive reduction. I find sweetspot is a little less important on spin heavy racquets.(or I am just well dialed in with it) The ET felt string sensitive. It also always felt like it was just one more tweak away from true greatness. In the end I preferred most of the other head racquets over the extreme tour. Radical MP, Radical Pro, Speed M, Gravity Tour and Pro. I would start with weight to extend the sweet spot slightly.

check out the sweet spot comparison above between the two 98!

 

[Lorenn]

check out the speed spot comparison above between the two 98!

I think it is mainly the spin friendly design slightly throwing off readings. That plus comparing a MP to a Tour. Easy to correct with a little weight and stringing. It hit reasonably well. It was not unenjoiyable to play with...Then again I preferred the Speed Mp, Radical Pro/MP and Gravity Tour/Pro. The main feedback I felt was like "Ok, but I think you could hit with even more topspin."

 

[Ryebread]

The extreme tour is not what I was expecting.

I played with my regular group size. But two over grips instead of one. The handle just felt small, and I was just trying to add a little bit of weight to the overall experience. Also put two cotton balls in the handle.

Iso speed control 16 gauge at 52,51.

Forehand. Very good. Lots of control and spin. Not much power but more than the gravity tour. Far less than the clash 98. Decently consistent string bed.

THBH. Weak.

Serve. First serve was excellent with good power and decent directional control. Second, great spin.

Did not get up to the net enough, today, to comment on volleys.

Very easy to pick up and play with.

it feels like it could be an MP, and not a tour. Good for defense. Maneuverable and very whippy, very easy to use overall. I didn’t have too many opportunities to test it’s true stability, but I feel like it was about what I expected, not the best, certainly not a disgrace.

It didn’t have that oh my gosh spin that I was expecting. But I guess that’s because I play with the Clash 98.

I don’t know if it was because of the spin grommets or the two overgrips, but for being medium-stiff, it felt very plush.

I will play with it again a few more times this week.

-

Switched to my class 98 and immediately noticed way more put away power. You want to use the same stroke with both of these sticks, but the clash is far more rewarding. No issue with my back hand. Way more plow. Even more HL. Excellent on first and second service.

-

For the last 20 minutes - played with my gravity tour. This is so much more a control racket, than either of the other two.

 

[alpenglo]

I'm a solid, committed Gravity Tour player. It basically does everything well and it's good to my arm. Whatever drawbacks to the racquet, I've adapted through practice and repetition.

That said, I'd be lying if I didn't pine for a bit more power out of my racquet. But I have arm issues, GE (mostly from serving with Babolats), and need to be careful about how high I can go with RA. So, I'm testing out a few sticks.

This week: Extreme Tour and Speed MP

Comparing each against my Tour...

Speed MP
-nice power, especially on flat serves
-a bit tinny on the arm, which surprised me; could be the string, not sure
-while light in terms of static weight, the swing weight was too much. this is a strange thing, but I honestly don't have a problem with heavier racquets (my ceiling is 310g) as long as they have SW 325 and lower and/or are head light.
-The Speed line feels sluggish to me and wears my arm out. It was slow through the air. I know some say the same about the Gravity line, but for me it's a much easier swing.
-The increased power of the Speed didn't feel accessible to me.

Extreme Tour
-to be perfectly honest, if I had tested this racquet before getting in deep with the Gravity line, I would have 3 of these.
-higher RA than I thought I could handle (65) but the racquet feels soft on the arm to me. It pockets well.
-same weight as the Gravity, but way lower on the SW. pretty whippy through the air.
-quite stable for a 98, but not harsh on the arm at all (poly in the hoop).
-BUT...in my experience, it wants you to swing more vertically...not like a Pure Aero, but far more than the Gravity line which, while just fine in generating spin, is a bit longer in the stroke b/c of the balance...you hit through the ball more naturally with the Gravity...
-the lighter SW took some getting used to...I had to think about putting less effort into the swing and focus more on the shape of the stroke.
-I generally hit a few more thin balls with the extreme than the Gravity
-hit a few serves and it's clear that this is where the increased power shows up
-but the Gravity was much better on returns...

in a few weeks, I will test the VCore and Ezone 98s...

Have you tried thinner strings and/or crossing with a multi to get more power (and possibly more spin) on your GTour? Since thinner strings are lighter you might add a touch of lead at 12 to maintain your SW. Just a thought.

 

[alpenglo]

What you get and don't get from these three racquets is a reflection of good design choices. There is no perfect racquet, but the line covers the bases quite well.

I need to play around with some weight in the handle of one of my GTs. I wonder if I would notice the lighter swingweight if I put some weight in the handle.

Any knowledge of how much weight = more headlight points?

No need to guess--balance is easy to measure on the edge of a table!

 

[BBM]

Was playing with the Gravity Tour for a year and just recently switched to the Extreme Tour. They're both great, I am definitely not getting rid of the Gravities. Where I noticed differences that resulted in me changing:

- My main painpoint with the Gravity was lack of maneuverability. Mine came at 303g and 297SW unstrung. Not unmanageable, but I feel like they were slow through the air. Showed especially when picking up low balls.
- I didn't like how polarized the Gravity was. Maybe it's the head shape, not sure. Fixed that with lead in the throat, night and day difference.
- Extreme Tours are 303g and 287 SW unstrung. Waaaaay more whippy, which I need.
- Gravity has a relatively open 18x20 and the Extreme Tour a relatively closed 16x19. The Extreme Tour suited me better, easier to hit with some margin
- I love how the Gravity bends/pockets, but I confess that at times it's too much. The Extreme Tour despite the 65RA feels nothing like it, and it flexes just right for me. I enjoy the feel I get in both (Head just got it so freaking right with the 360+), but I've been liking the Extreme Tour more.
- This one is weird: I get less arm pain with the Extreme. Some of it is the lack of maneuverability of the Gravity, but some is that I actually feel the Gravity vibrating more in off-center shots.

In terms of power I think it's really tough to compare until you get the SWs close. The Gravity packs a bigger punch I feel, but it has 14 points more SW with the lead that I added in the throat, so it's tough to say. I'm pretty sure I'd get more power with the Extreme Tour with just a little bit of lead though, but I don't feel like I need it.

 

[BBM]

Have you tried thinner strings and/or crossing with a multi to get more power (and possibly more spin) on your GTour? Since thinner strings are lighter you might add a touch of lead at 12 to maintain your SW. Just a thought.

I tried a 1.15mm in mine but it was way too thin, got too erratic. I like the Gravity with a hybrid setup, but doesn't do spin much favors.

 

[Ryebread]

spec of my demo extreme tour with 16G isospeed control classic:

stock
315 11.11 32.75

1 og
318 11.22 32 1/2

2 og
323 11.39 32 1/4

I'm going to play with it all week, like this:
2 og, plus two cotton balls in the handle
324 11.43 32 1/10

for reference, my speed mp with 1 og is 319 11.25 33, but I think the mp feels more stable, b/c it's more heavy heavy.

 

[HitMoreBHs]

- This one is weird: I get less arm pain with the Extreme. Some of it is the lack of maneuverability of the Gravity, but some is that I actually feel the Gravity vibrating more in off-center shots.

This is the trade off that the Gravity Tour comes with, for having a traditional type flexy beam but not the weight of the classic racquets that were commonly >320g unstrung. Less weight means more vibrations on off-centre shots, hence the need for greater stiffness to maintain stability. Technology has come quite some distance of late in giving us relatively light 305g racquets that have nice flex and plush feel (Gravity and Blade come to mind).
However, there are natural limits. Not at all surprising that the Extreme Tour with its slightly higher stiffness (it’s got that triangular throat beam cross section compared with the flatter rectangle of the Gravity Tour) can vibrate less on off-centre shots.

If you’re near(er) your SW ceiling on the Gravity Tour, this can also potentially explain the arm pain.

 

[Ryebread]

Right, that's the price you pay with this racquet. What you get is a head-light stick that provies easy spin and depth with good clearance. Put-away power is on you.
The Speed MP is about plow-through. The ability to generate spin is on you.

Give and Take.

what tensions have you used with your GT and ET?

 

[chicubs]

I originally demoed the Extreme Tour before settling on the 360+ Extreme Pro (imported)...but I’m back trying the ET for funsies because there’s just something really likeable about the racquet. Buuut do y’ll find the upper part of the ET string bed to be particularly stiff and dead? I’m on 46 poly / 50 multi hybrid so I’m not stringing too tight....at least I think.

 

[jdx2112]

The extreme tour is not what I was expecting.

I played with my regular group size. But two over grips instead of one. The handle just felt small, and I was just trying to add a little bit of weight to the overall experience. Also put two cotton balls in the handle.

Iso speed control 16 gauge at 52,51.

Forehand. Very good. Lots of control and spin. Not much power but more than the gravity tour. Far less than the clash 98. Decently consistent string bed.

THBH. Weak.

Serve. First serve was excellent with good power and decent directional control. Second, great spin.

Did not get up to the net enough, today, to comment on volleys.

Very easy to pick up and play with.

it feels like it could be an MP, and not a tour. Good for defense. Maneuverable and very whippy, very easy to use overall. I didn’t have too many opportunities to test it’s true stability, but I feel like it was about what I expected, not the best, certainly not a disgrace.

It didn’t have that oh my gosh spin that I was expecting. But I guess that’s because I play with the Clash 98.

I don’t know if it was because of the spin grommets or the two overgrips, but for being medium-stiff, it felt very plush.

I will play with it again a few more times this week.

-

Switched to my class 98 and immediately noticed way more put away power. You want to use the same stroke with both of these sticks, but the clash is far more rewarding. No issue with my back hand. Way more plow. Even more HL. Excellent on first and second service.

-

For the last 20 minutes - played with my gravity tour. This is so much more a control racket, than either of the other two.

Yeah, very plush and more power and spin than Gravity Tour. I also own a Clash 98 but put it in the closet after a few months struggling with the control. I didn't need that much power either, so the Extreme Tour is a nice bump up in power for me.

 

[jdx2112]

This is the trade off that the Gravity Tour comes with, for having a traditional type flexy beam but not the weight of the classic racquets that were commonly >320g unstrung. Less weight means more vibrations on off-centre shots, hence the need for greater stiffness to maintain stability. Technology has come quite some distance of late in giving us relatively light 305g racquets that have nice flex and plush feel (Gravity and Blade come to mind).
However, there are natural limits. Not at all surprising that the Extreme Tour with its slightly higher stiffness (it’s got that triangular throat beam cross section compared with the flatter rectangle of the Gravity Tour) can vibrate less on off-centre shots.

If you’re near(er) your SW ceiling on the Gravity Tour, this can also potentially explain the arm pain.

Yeah, the higher SW of the Gravity Pro gives me arm pain, mostly on serve.

 

[jdx2112]

Was playing with the Gravity Tour for a year and just recently switched to the Extreme Tour. They're both great, I am definitely not getting rid of the Gravities. Where I noticed differences that resulted in me changing:

- My main painpoint with the Gravity was lack of maneuverability. Mine came at 303g and 297SW unstrung. Not unmanageable, but I feel like they were slow through the air. Showed especially when picking up low balls.
- I didn't like how polarized the Gravity was. Maybe it's the head shape, not sure. Fixed that with lead in the throat, night and day difference.
- Extreme Tours are 303g and 287 SW unstrung. Waaaaay more whippy, which I need.
- Gravity has a relatively open 18x20 and the Extreme Tour a relatively closed 16x19. The Extreme Tour suited me better, easier to hit with some margin
- I love how the Gravity bends/pockets, but I confess that at times it's too much. The Extreme Tour despite the 65RA feels nothing like it, and it flexes just right for me. I enjoy the feel I get in both (Head just got it so freaking right with the 360+), but I've been liking the Extreme Tour more.
- This one is weird: I get less arm pain with the Extreme. Some of it is the lack of maneuverability of the Gravity, but some is that I actually feel the Gravity vibrating more in off-center shots.

In terms of power I think it's really tough to compare until you get the SWs close. The Gravity packs a bigger punch I feel, but it has 14 points more SW with the lead that I added in the throat, so it's tough to say. I'm pretty sure I'd get more power with the Extreme Tour with just a little bit of lead though, but I don't feel like I need it.

I haven't found any maneuverability issues with the Gravity Tour. Now, it's not a 98" head, but my two Tours come in at 321g static/320SW with 1.20 gauge strings. With 1.25, static weight and SW goe up to 323. So while not a head-light whippy racquet, these numbers are low enough for me. I can move the racquet around pretty easily.