Modern racket similar to a 2012 Head YouTek IG Extreme MP 2.0?

[stereokarp]

Can anyone recommend a modern racket similar to a Head YouTek IG Extreme MP 2.0? I've been a user of control-oriented rackets for many years. Accidentally played a session with a 2012 Head Extreme MP and fell in love with it. Its blend of power, foregiveness and control made me think of switching to a more easy-to-play racket. Switching to a 12-year-old frame has some obvious caveats, though. I've tested almost the entire lineup of current Head rackets (except Boom) and none of them felt similar. Modern 'Auxetic' Extremes feel completely different—hollow, I would say. I've also tested other popular spin-oriented rackets, namely Vcore and Pure Aero. They weren't similar as well.

Babolat Pure Drive mold design looks very similar to the old Youtek Extreme. Does anyone have experience with both and can compare them?

I would gladly demo all available rackets without asking questions, but it's pretty hard to demo rackets where I live.

 

[Trip]

@stereokarp - Welcome to TT.

Normally in a case such as this, I'd warn against the honeymoon phase, but it seems like you have a pretty good idea about how the YT IG 2.0 Extreme MP stacks up to other frames and to your own wants/needs overall. So, let's take a look at it and see if there is any frame made today that can come close:

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So, you've got a 310g 100" power/spin tweener with the last pre-Graphene era Head layup, a firm 69RA flex and a fair amount of material in the mid and upper hoop, explaining the 1pt HL strung balance, relatively high 333 stock swing weight, very high 16-ish stock twist weight, large 18" sweet spot; plus, it had a fairly dense central string bed, owing to its better-than-average level of locational precision. Quite the package, overall.

In looking at today's crop of frames, you'd be hard-pressed to find something that matches all the above specs in stock form -- mainly due to the amount of mass, mass distribution and drill pattern. Your underwhelm with the Pure Aero, VCore 100 and Auxetic Extreme MP mostly confirms this. That being said, if you have access to Prince, what about the following:

• Prince TwistPower X100 Tour, customized - 100", 300g foam-filled layup (will play beefier than its listed weight), medium-density 16x18 pattern, 66RA, 4pt HL balance, 324sw, 15tw, 17" sweet spot​
  • Customization: 2g lead tape at 10 & 2 each (4g total): will raise spec to 304g unstrung, 333sw and 15.5tw strung, 3pt HL strung balance, enlarge sweet spot slightly to ~17.5"

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I think the TPX100T will get you closer than any other retail frame, as the foam filling gives it the extra heft in the hoop that you're used to from the YT IG 2.0 Extreme MP, albeit it's bit less graphite but also foam; and unlike the super open string patterns of certain frames that are similar in swing weight (namely the PA Rafa and Dunlop SX 300), the pattern density is more like the E MP (balanced, medium-density).

Hopefully, even though you apparently can't demo where you live, you still have access to Prince. If not, let me know, and we'll explore something else.

 

[stereokarp]

Thank you for the extended response! I'm glad you've pointed out the weight distribution, it didn't come to my mind.
X100 Tour looks very interesting and I would gladly try it. Unfortunately, Prince is not officially presented in my country. There are used Princes on sale, but if we want something new we have to buy them abroad. And no demos of course.

I've borrowed that Extreme from my friend and will give it a try for a week. After posting this, I thought that the caveats of switching to a 13-year-old racket may be mostly in my head. If I like it, I may get one from ****. We can still buy grommets and pallets for them, so why not.