Curtis! Wow, what a journey. Sure, it's total overkill in many ways, but if the process is what it ultimately took to give you these insights, then it's been worth it. For that, and for being this publicly vulnerable (videos included), I applaud you.
As for what to do from here, aside from all the excellent advice above, and short of being able to deduce your ideal anthropometrics or book a day with Roman Prokes (with all due respect to
@Tranqville), I think it's best to start by confirming what you know: 1) your preferences, 2) the frames that will possibly work (and, by deduction, all of those that won't). That will allow to have a shortlist of true candidates, with which you can conduct final testing and make a decision. You have to make a pact, though, to trust your intuition and don't doubt yourself after the fact.
First off, your preferences, based on numerous mentions, and piggy-backing off of
@Tranqville's notes above:
- Head Size: 98-105" (I wouldn't exclude 102's to 105's, even though you'll probably end up with a 98-100)
- Stock Unstrung Weight: 290-305g (for a platform) 310-320g (played closer to stock)
- Stock Unstrung Balance : >=4-5pts HL strung (in most cases)
- Mid-Beam: >=21mm, <23mm
- Average Stiffness: 63-67 RA
- Feel: direct, connected, unfiltered
- String Pattern/Density: controlled 16-main, open/friendly 18-main (ie. open enough for easier lift, but dense enough for reliable trajectory on flatter contact)
- String Bed Behavior: consistent, composed, predictable, more static / less dynamic
- Sweet Spot: on the larger side
Below is a full account of all possibilities thus far.
Any brand/model/silo with a "no" or not mentioned is either outside your preference envelope or a confirmed no-go by you, with reasonable certainty. I'm not going to bother explaining any virtues of racquets you've already covered, as it would be redundant, but I will add in places you haven't tried yet, to help you save on wasted energy/time, if nothing else:
- Babolat: probably no (PA23 might work, but you OHBH stands a chance of not liking it, more so than liking it)
- Diadem: probably no (Elevate pattern too open for what you need -- you'll have issues similar to the PA98; I'm just telling you now)
- Dunlop: possibly CX 200 OS
- Head: Aux Gravity MP, Aux 2.0 Prestige MP-L, Auxetic Radical MP (maybe)
- Prince: no
- ProKennex: Kinetic 5G, Ki Q+ 5,
Ki Q+ 5 Pro
- Solinco: WhiteOut 18x20 (non-XTD)
- Tecnifibre: no
- Volkl: no
- Wilson: Blade 100 v8, Pro Staff X v14, Six.One 100 v14
- Yonex: Percept 100, Percept 100D
- Direct-order brands (Angell, etc.): For now, I'd avoid. Might be more viable once your game stabilizes and/or you're more certain of your optimal strung spec.
*Addendum:
I'd dump the extended stuff, full stop. The allure of that extra .5-1 inch isn't worth adding in yet another variable (having to jump between different-distance fulcrums), and by all accounts above, you (or at least your elbow) had a tough time with them anyways. Focus on 27", standard-length stuff, at least for now.
That leaves the contenders (in alphabetical brand/model order):
- Dunlop CX 200 OS
- Head Auxetic Gravity MP
- Head Auxetic 2.0 Prestige MP-L
- Head Auxetic Radical MP
- ProKennex Kinetic 5G
- ProKennex Ki Q+ 5
- ProKennex Ki Q+ 5 Pro
- Solinco WhiteOut 18x20
- Wilson Blade 100 v8
- Wilson Pro Staff X v14
- Wilson Pro Staff Six.One 100 v14
- Yonex Percept 100
- Yonex Percept 100D
So, apart from a single 98 and a single 105, I think it's pretty clear the type of stick you're headed towards: 99-100", balanced pattern (a few 100" 16x20's), 22mm-ish beam, mid-60's RA, good-sized sweet spot.
For the sake of moving this forward even further, I'm going to weed out frames I consider to be "on the fringe" (with the reason(s) why), which would be the CX 200 OS (head size too large), as much as I want to keep it in, the Six.One 100 (sweet spot likely too small, although maybe not), Percept 100 (feel; possibly too open; constant 23mm) and 100D (feel; probably too low a launch; constant 23mm). That leaves:
- Head Auxetic Gravity MP
- Head Auxetic 2.0 Prestige MP-L
- Head Auxetic Radical MP
- ProKennex Kinetic 5G
- ProKennex Ki Q+ 5
- ProKennex Ki Q+ 5 Pro
- Solinco WhiteOut 18x20
- Wilson Blade 100 v8
- Wilson Pro Staff X v14
As for what you already own:
- Prestige MP-L - The long(ish) center mains and "snow shoe" shape are what accounts for any of the loose-ness/launchy-ness (I feel it, too, especially when a string job is strung too low, the string is too soft, or gets too old). Stringing thicker/lower-power poly/higher-tension/more often can address the issue, but may still not be enough for you. You'll just have to try and see, and keep customizing to your ideal recoil weight as well.
- Blade 100 v8 - Similar MP-L control anecdote applies here as well, and as for improving lateral stability/forgiveness, I would try some lead at 9 and 3, per how Jonas's buddy Henrik has modified his (which he absolutely loves, by the way).
On one hand, you probably have enough of an "answer" in the MP-L and Blade 100 to conduct a final play-off and make a choice, just between those two. That said, if a 100" 16x20 PK left you that enthused, then I think you bring in one of them, probably the 5G (with a little lead at 12 or 10 & 2, to bump swing weight and open up the sweet spot to a more 7G level). Beyond that, if you really feel you want a 98 in there, do the regular-length WhiteOut 18x20, which will probably give a bit bigger sweet spot than the Aux Rad MP, but the Rad might be worth it if you have a chance to hit one locally. I could probably take or leave the Pro Staff X (potentially too much twist weight to make your OHBH truly happy/free) and/or Gravity MP (will probably require a lot of customizing). You could add them, too, but that would total up to 6 racquets, and with only 5 weeks left in the year, I'm not sure that's enough time to get solid-enough insight on all of them, and/or not just confuse/overwhelm yourself even more by trying to move through them too fast.
In closing, I think it may be best to bring in only maybe one more stick, at a maximum two (5G and WO 18x20), otherwise just stick with the MP-L and Blade 100, then
string all racquets with the same string setup, at similar-enough dynamic tension, bring them to similar/identical strung spec, and have a play-off between now and December 30. Then make a decision and sign your "contract" on the 31st.
Hope that helps Curt! I know it flies in the face of many here wanting you to immediately simplify and just make a choice, but you've come this far, so why not honor the process and close it out, with no stones left unturned (within reason, anyways). Any questions, feel free.
