Light weight + Lead or Heavy weight?

[JesterMania]

Generally speaking, do people usually prefer buying lighter-weight racquets and leading them up or just going with the heavier-weight ones? I am currently considering between the Babolat Pure Drive GT/AeroPro Drive GT and wanted something around 11.5 ounces or more (strung weight). I noticed the Pure Drive Roddick variant had more of the weight I was looking for, but was also more stiff (according to specs). According to Tennis Warehouse, applying lead tape at 6 o'clock can increase overall weight while minimally affecting swing-weight. In this case, would it be the better option to go with the lighter-weight racquets and apply a few layers of lead tape or should I just buy the heavier one (i.e. the Roddick variant)? Besides feeling a bit heavier, would the racquet feel entirely different if I were to apply 2-3 layers of lead-tape at 6:00?

 

[tsongaali]

You should only get a light weight racket and add lead if you are experienced with where to place the lead. If you are not, you could drastically change the performance of the racquet to your dislike.

Adding weight to the 6 o clock will depolarize the racquet which you may not like. I would save the trouble and hassle and just buy the PDR in your case.

 

[movdqa]

I prefer buying a racquet as close to my target weight as possible. i think that you spread more of the racquet material around the frame making for an overall stronger racquet. I've read that the Tungsten takes some of the harshness out of the stiff frame though I haven't tried the PDR GT myself.

 

[JesterMania]

Thanks for the informative replies. I kind of suspected that adding weight using lead tape would probably introduce other factors as well. In this case, I will probably lean towards the Pure Drive Roddick GT then due to the heavier weight. My only concern about that model was the supposed stiffness that some mentioned. Hopefully I am able to grab a demo from a local proshop to try out as I don't believe TW ships demos to Canada.

 

[Don't Let It Bounce]

If the choices are heavier racquet vs light racquet with mass added at 6:00 (i.e., if you are certain you don't want a significantly higher swing weight), I'd probably skip the lead, for the reason offered by Movdqa. For most frames, I don't see mass at 6:00 playing differently enough from evenly-distributed weight to justify what might well be a trade-down in feel and frame quality.

If you want a higher swing weight-to-mass ratio, however, like tour players do, then you'd probably polarize (distribute weight more toward the ends) the racquet, placing weight in the handle and the tip. When I've compared (usually old) heavy racquets with (usually new) lighter racquets leaded up this way to the same wt/swingwt, they both felt great, but I could do stuff (especially on the serve) with the polarized new one that I couldn't do with the nonpolarized old one.

No need to guess, though. It's no big deal to snag some lead tape and apply it to a demo racquet. Once you know the wt, balance, and swingwt you like, racquet choices clear up quite a bit.