Looking to update my stick

[PhxRacket]

I have used a BLX Blade 98 since they came out. I demoed the Pure Strike-not to my liking. I am interested in some of Prince's new offerings. As I am old, I am more inclined to play doubles than singles. I am looking for something a little lighter than the Blade 98, whippier. I feel like I have good control so a 16x19 is not out of the question. Thoughts????

 

[rpr006]

Yonex ezone ai 98. Head graphene prestige mp. Those are two "whippy" racquets I can think of.

 

[rpr006]

Volkl super g 8. That just came to mind.

 

[ollinger]

Yonex Ai 100 may not be quite whippy enough for you but I find it to be a terrific volleying stick in its weight class, well suited to doubles.

 

[PhxRacket]

Yonex Ai 100 may not be quite whippy enough for you but I find it to be a terrific volleying stick in its weight class, well suited to doubles.

There are many recommendations all over the boards of the Yonex Ai 98 and 100. What makes these so popular?

 

[fuzz nation]

Pretty sure that the BLX Blade 98 doesn't have a lot of head-light balance. Even though it's not a 12+ oz. frame, it may feel a little more sluggish for you with only what I'd consider to be moderate HL balance. The upside there is that this Blade puts a little beef behind the ball. That's great as long as you deliver it on time.

If you want to feel quicker, you could consider getting into the Six.One 95L and tuning it to your liking. A dude that I work with is a very serious player - a true 5.0 - and he just switched into that racquet this year from the heavier Six.One 95 16x18. He only added a couple grams of lead tape to his hoops at 3/9 o'clock to steady them up a little bit and he's loving them.

I find that I get a lot more ease of handling and "whippiness" when my frame has enough HL balance for my liking - one of those things where I know it when I feel it. My already hefty Volkl C10's and O10's have lead on their handles for more HL balance and I've compared them against the same frames without leaded handles (I own a couple of each). Although the tuned racquets are heavier, the hoops are certainly more maneuverable for me, especially around the net.

Blah-blah-blah... Just saying pay attention to both the weight and the balance of whatever you sample. With enough HL balance, even a 12.4 oz. racquet can be very easy to handle.

 

[robbo1970]

Yes, swingweight is what you need to look. The Blades seem to have quite high swingweights.

Have you done a search through the racquet finder tool?

 

[time_fly]

There are many recommendations all over the boards of the Yonex Ai 98 and 100. What makes these so popular?

I play the Ai 98 and the Prince Tour 95. The Ai 98 is phenomenal from the net, where it has a crisp and rock-solid feel. The crisp feel can get a bit harsh on mis-hits but the racquet generally feels plush as long as you are anywhere near the center of the string bed. However I do get a more "whippy" feel from thinner-beamed racquets like the Prince and the outgoing Pro Staff 95. I personally feel more comfortable on defense with those racquets than the Ai; I find the Ai better on offense.

Also, if you are looking lighter than a Blade 98 you should probably consider the "Lite" versions of the EZONE Ai lineup or the "T" versions of the Prince lineup.

 

[GaryB]

The prince tour 100 is slightly heavier than the blade but much easier to swing due to a lower swingweight and a more h/l balance. I too came from a Blade and tried the Ai100 which I found too powerful and light.

 

[Bdole]

I think you'll find the Prince racquets to be very muted compared to what you've been playing. The new Pro Staff line is nearly if not just as stiff as the Blade series, but more headlight, so that might be your best option (PS 97). The Head Rev Pro is the whippiest racquet I've ever played (to a fault), if you'd like to see what the end of the spectrum looks like. And finally, the Babolat APD will be a whippier yet easily controlled stick, though perhaps a bit stiff (like your Blade).

 

[Anton]

I have used a BLX Blade 98 since they came out. I demoed the Pure Strike-not to my liking. I am interested in some of Prince's new offerings. As I am old, I am more inclined to play doubles than singles. I am looking for something a little lighter than the Blade 98, whippier. I feel like I have good control so a 16x19 is not out of the question. Thoughts????

I found BLX Blade 98 to be a crappy racket, unstable and sluggish - a rare combination. Most 11oz rackets out there would probably be better.

BAB Pure Control is nice. ProKennex QTour 295 is good too.