GRIP SIZE's/SHAPE affect on Perceived Swingweight

[jasonchu]

here is the deal...

have a Prokennex Redondo c93 Mid.
have a Head MG Prestige Mid

their specs are on tennis warehouse's site....
and according to it, the head should weight slightly more
and have less head light balance (7pts for the prestige, 10 pts for the redondo), and it has a higher swingweight ... so it should be harder to swing...

But ....

I just weighed both on a digital scale and the Head is just 1 Gram heavier at 355g vs the ProKennex Redondo c93 (354g).

I measured the head light ness and the Redondo is 4 pts head light, the Head is 9 pts head light -- which is exactly opposite of what the specs say.... ??????

HOW CAN THAT BE?

I am thinking that a smaller grip size may help to change the perceived swingweight. I measured the circumference of the middle of the grip and the head is slightly larger with an overgrip. without the overgrip they are the same.

THe prokennex has a octagonal (wilson or prince like grip), but the Head has the more rectangular/oval one...

Is this why I perceive a lower swingweight on the Head Prestige when all specs suggest it should have a higher swingweight?

So confused.... 20 years of buying and tweaking racquets, and I just find that it's harder to swing and get around with the ProKennex Redondo.

Thanks... any advice is helpful here!

email bc154@scn.org and post here appreciated!!!!

SHOULD I GET A SMALLER GRIP TO MAKE THE PERCEIVED SWING WEIGHT OF THE REDONDO c93 (mid) LESS??? -- i.e. EASIER TO SWING? a black ace 93?

 

[meowmix]

I don't think that it should matter... I mean, I have a couple Wilsons with around the same swing weight and they swing differently.

IMHO, I think it's the balance more than anything else. This is all theoretical, but perhaps the Head is easier to swing due to more plow through? Since it's more HH (compared to the redondo), perhaps after you get started swinging, the racket does more of the swinging by itself? That's the only thing I can think of...

 

[jasonchu]

I don't think that it should matter... I mean, I have a couple Wilsons with around the same swing weight and they swing differently.

IMHO, I think it's the balance more than anything else. This is all theoretical, but perhaps the Head is easier to swing due to more plow through? Since it's more HH (compared to the redondo), perhaps after you get started swinging, the racket does more of the swinging by itself? That's the only thing I can think of...

well i mean swinging without the ball in play... just swinging in the air..
as well as when there is a ball....

it's not the angular or linear momentum after initial acceleration.. it's the initial acceleration that the issue.

MY WRISTS ARE KILLING ME.

 

[mdjenders]

hmm. for me, head racquets always feel like a higher SW than what the spec says, simply due to the fact that that rectangular grip shape prevents me from getting a good grip on the handle. a poor grip = me straining with too firm a grip = lower racquet head speed and wasted muscle effort. sounds like you like the shape though.

Maybe this is a hint that you prefer smaller grip sizes in general. Grip size choice is highly individual, so things like this sometimes happen.

 

[jasonchu]

hmm. for me, head racquets always feel like a higher SW than what the spec says, simply due to the fact that that rectangular grip shape prevents me from getting a good grip on the handle. a poor grip = me straining with too firm a grip = lower racquet head speed and wasted muscle effort. sounds like you like the shape though.

Maybe this is a hint that you prefer smaller grip sizes in general. Grip size choice is highly individual, so things like this sometimes happen.

thanks.. i thought the same, but... i have always played with 4 1/2. and the measurements of balance (headlight balance) are irrespective of grip size....
as they were done on a alpha balance board

i think i just have a funky racquet . i checked another and its balance was within spec.

 

[mdjenders]

yeah. no way a redondo mid should be that close to even balance. I have noticed, though, that head grips generally feel smaller than other brands.

 

[Bud]

here is the deal...

have a Prokennex Redondo c93 Mid.
have a Head MG Prestige Mid

their specs are on tennis warehouse's site....
and according to it, the head should weight slightly more
and have less head light balance (7pts for the prestige, 10 pts for the redondo), and it has a higher swingweight ... so it should be harder to swing...

But ....

I just weighed both on a digital scale and the Head is just 1 Gram heavier at 355g vs the ProKennex Redondo c93 (354g).

I measured the head light ness and the Redondo is 4 pts head light, the Head is 9 pts head light -- which is exactly opposite of what the specs say.... ??????

HOW CAN THAT BE?

I am thinking that a smaller grip size may help to change the perceived swingweight. I measured the circumference of the middle of the grip and the head is slightly larger with an overgrip. without the overgrip they are the same.

THe prokennex has a octagonal (wilson or prince like grip), but the Head has the more rectangular/oval one...

Is this why I perceive a lower swingweight on the Head Prestige when all specs suggest it should have a higher swingweight?

So confused.... 20 years of buying and tweaking racquets, and I just find that it's harder to swing and get around with the ProKennex Redondo.

Thanks... any advice is helpful here!

email bc154@scn.org and post here appreciated!!!!

SHOULD I GET A SMALLER GRIP TO MAKE THE PERCEIVED SWING WEIGHT OF THE REDONDO c93 (mid) LESS??? -- i.e. EASIER TO SWING? a black ace 93?

The mass of both racquets is virtually the same (1g. difference). Therefore, the stick that is more headlight (HEAD) will seem to swing easier, since there's more weight near the handle. 4 pts. HL (Redondo) will swing heavier than 9 pts. HL (HEAD) - assuming the mass is the same... which it is. Therefore, you should perceive the HEAD swinging lighter, which you do.

 

[jasonchu]

The mass of both racquets is virtually the same (1g. difference). Therefore, the stick that is more headlight (HEAD) will seem to swing easier, since there's more weight near the handle. 4 pts. HL (Redondo) will swing heavier than 9 pts. HL (HEAD) - assuming the mass is the same... which it is. Therefore, you should perceive the HEAD swinging lighter, which you do.

are TW's specs wrong then?

they have the redondo at 10 pts HL and the Head Prestige at 7 pts HL

 

[Bud]

are TW's specs wrong then?

they have the redondo at 10 pts HL and the Head Prestige at 7 pts HL

No clue... but what you measure is reality.

 

[Anton]

are TW's specs wrong then?

they have the redondo at 10 pts HL and the Head Prestige at 7 pts HL

check for lead under the bumper?

 

[furyoku_tennis]

the specs on TW are an average. maybe your racquet just had poor quality control?

 

[jasonchu]

check for lead under the bumper?

no lead. brand new shrink wrapped. sending back to my contact at kennex. god i love this company.. nice people better racquets.

 

[matchmaker]

The specs on that Redondo are way off. The Redondo is an extremely headlight racquet.
Luckily PK is willing to change it.