38 here. Learned Eastern was I was a kid, but switched to semi Western as a teenager
New Technifibre T-Fight 2025
- Thread starter TysonMcMuffin
- Start date
It is the grip that spawned the GOAT forehand after all.
naturalexponent
Legend
Grew up playing Eastern to copy Pistol Pete. Have been trending more SW ever since.
Appreciate all the discussion about the 305 and 300s, but would like to reiterate that you shouldn't sleep on the 300! I went and played my best tennis with it today and was able to play it side by side with what is probably its main competition:
Blade 100: felt boardy and anemic to me in comparison
Speed MP: more powerful but less controlled and feel is less enjoyable with same string set up
Ezone 100: never gelled with it so not sure what to say but too out of control for me.
Dunlop CX400 tour: again, nice feel, but less control and less access to spin and maneuverability.
I didn't know the power of a 100 with the control of something smaller feeling was possible!
Blade 100: felt boardy and anemic to me in comparison
Speed MP: more powerful but less controlled and feel is less enjoyable with same string set up
Ezone 100: never gelled with it so not sure what to say but too out of control for me.
Dunlop CX400 tour: again, nice feel, but less control and less access to spin and maneuverability.
I didn't know the power of a 100 with the control of something smaller feeling was possible!
42 and extreme eastern here. #EasternFHClub
Fascinated about that right there. So, control for me has two main parts: locational precision (from flat off the bed and via spin) and command over applied power and depth. How much more of both would you say the 300 has over the CX400T? Thanks in advance!
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KC!
Hall of Fame
I agree, this is a sleeper raquet. I demoed it a few weeks ago & probably the best racquet i’ve ever hit on my backhand. I really like the 98 18x19 too. Currently demoing the new Ezone’s & then deciding what to switch to for spring. I played with the 98 Vcore Tour last year.
Ps-Semi western here.
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What I remember from the Dunlop a few months ago is that at least at the spec I had it, it felt really great on the stretch or returning serve when there wasn’t time for a full cut at the ball, but the launch angle and power were too high and maneuverability too low to be able to confidently take control. So to answer your question, better on locational precision with better spin and much less erratically powerful!
No knock on the Dunlop, I really liked it, but this does everything better!
Thanks for that feedback. Sounds like you had a decently high-spec'd CX 400 Tour. Likely a higher swing weight and more mass in the hoop than your TF 300 sample, would you say?
smithie
Professional
34 and Eastern FH. Had a very old school coach growing up that wouldn’t even entertain the idea of teaching a 2HBH. It wasn’t until I played at county level (I guess the equivalent of playing for your state in the US) that their coaches taught me a 2HBH but having grown up with a 1HBH, a 2HBH just never felt natural. #EasternFHClub
Indeed! I learned from a lady pro in the late-80's / early-90's, who insisted on a mostly eastern forehand, a one-handed backhand and a healthy amount of all-court play. Certainly ended up effecting my choice of racquets, more so later in life than at that point, but nevertheless, our formative years tend to leave a huge imprint in all sorts of ways.
Eastern grip too, absolutely no discomfort from the grip shape (didn't even notice). Learnt tennis mostly from the Lennart Bergelin school of tennis, so Swedish school as well.
Last hour with the 305s was really good, more balanced than the 2 early ones (aggressive and boardy on the first one, balls started to fly as Razor lost tension on the second, adjusted to play more relaxed on the 3rd). Love both the 315s and 305s on serve, accurate and controlled power. Really nice modern frame overall. My heart goes with the 315s, my brain with the 305s.
Next on the trial bench, an all white TFight 300 100, which given my deteriorating condition might be the smart choice.
Last hour with the 305s was really good, more balanced than the 2 early ones (aggressive and boardy on the first one, balls started to fly as Razor lost tension on the second, adjusted to play more relaxed on the 3rd). Love both the 315s and 305s on serve, accurate and controlled power. Really nice modern frame overall. My heart goes with the 315s, my brain with the 305s.
Next on the trial bench, an all white TFight 300 100, which given my deteriorating condition might be the smart choice.
It’s a really good frame, I wish I had more time with it when I demoed. Ended up with the blade 100 only bc I already had a few.
Vicious49
Legend
Did some testing with different specs on my 305S last night.
After playing with 3 different specs and moving some lead around I've settled on stock with 1g of lead at 12 which brings the SW to 323. The Karue spec'd one just felt too heavy when I started getting tired. The one with no lead at the 319/320 SW didn't have the same power. When I started out with the 326SW I was getting a ton of plow and power out of the frame but I was hitting my shots just long by a few inches. I also struggled on short balls with the slightly higher specs as I couldn't flick my wrist fast enough to get the really short balls to clear the net. For someone with better skills and fitness than me I'd definitely suggest trying it at 326SW but that was just too much for me to control.
After playing with 3 different specs and moving some lead around I've settled on stock with 1g of lead at 12 which brings the SW to 323. The Karue spec'd one just felt too heavy when I started getting tired. The one with no lead at the 319/320 SW didn't have the same power. When I started out with the 326SW I was getting a ton of plow and power out of the frame but I was hitting my shots just long by a few inches. I also struggled on short balls with the slightly higher specs as I couldn't flick my wrist fast enough to get the really short balls to clear the net. For someone with better skills and fitness than me I'd definitely suggest trying it at 326SW but that was just too much for me to control.
How would you rate the tfight 300 comfort compared to these racquets? I’m currently using the ISO 300, but it’s killing my arm.
I never tried the ISO300 but I am a longtime wrist pain guy and pretty sensitive and I’ve had no problems with the 300 so far. I did notice a jarring difference in softness between full bed Lynx tour (needed a dampener) and my preferred Lynx tour/hawk touch hybrid (perfect without dampener).
I don’t know that you’ll be able to know without trying!
heavyD
Professional
I don't understand how an extreme eastern grip works lol.
FrankyRelax
Professional
I am in the same boat. Everytime i play around with an eastern just for fun, all my strokes go to the moon
Cayenne321
New User
I had to look up a diagram to see what an eastern grip even was. Then I realised I was getting extra confused because I'm left handed. How do you eastern grippers even hit topspin?
On topic though - my 305s rocked up Friday and I played a full day of lawn court doubles yesterday with it at the annual inter-association match. Didn't play with the previous version but it's definitely a stiff stick with a crisp response. I haven't measured any specs yet, and have it strung with head hawk at 48.
In my quest to move to a lower static and swing weight in my frames my slice backhand has really dropped off, but with this racquet it took almost no time to dial it back in. Being lawn tennis I can't say much for normal groundstrokes yet, but it absolutely carried me on serve, slice, and volleys. Stability was unreal and the lawn court club's reps were complimenting my fast hands so manouverability seems to be great too. Beckett's graph turned out to be correct.
Struggled a little with touch on some drop volleys but it was so easy to punch through the court that I didn't try too many and felt like that will get dialed in with more time. I actually really liked the feel and response from the frame as my recent frames have felt a bit mushy (2024 speeds). I know this comparison isn't going to go down too well, but to me it kind of felt like a much more controlled Pure Drive.
On topic though - my 305s rocked up Friday and I played a full day of lawn court doubles yesterday with it at the annual inter-association match. Didn't play with the previous version but it's definitely a stiff stick with a crisp response. I haven't measured any specs yet, and have it strung with head hawk at 48.
In my quest to move to a lower static and swing weight in my frames my slice backhand has really dropped off, but with this racquet it took almost no time to dial it back in. Being lawn tennis I can't say much for normal groundstrokes yet, but it absolutely carried me on serve, slice, and volleys. Stability was unreal and the lawn court club's reps were complimenting my fast hands so manouverability seems to be great too. Beckett's graph turned out to be correct.
Struggled a little with touch on some drop volleys but it was so easy to punch through the court that I didn't try too many and felt like that will get dialed in with more time. I actually really liked the feel and response from the frame as my recent frames have felt a bit mushy (2024 speeds). I know this comparison isn't going to go down too well, but to me it kind of felt like a much more controlled Pure Drive.
hdjs94
Rookie
I actually agree with you on how the tfight feels like a more controlled pure drive. I played the large majority of a decade with an older pure drive and wanted something with more control but similar feel as I too do not like the muted mushy rackets that most companies are pumping out.
Demoed 20+ rackets and the tfight fit perfectly .
Thanks to @dr. godmode for the best recommendation coming from a pure drive Roddick 2012 to the new tfight 305s
Federer routinely got 2800+ rpms (peaking at 4500 rpms) from his eastern forehand in his 6.1 90 days. You just need a loose wrist and a fluid whippy motion to get good topspin from the eastern forehand. It's just a little harder to handle higher balls.
Vicious49
Legend
Fed had an eastern FH grip so it works. You have to change your swing path. Take back and everything is different too. It's basically how tennis was played until about 20 years ago.
stapletonj
Hall of Fame
Get far enough Eastern and it is called a continental grip! I play EFH and OHBH, I get decent topspin by making sure my swingpath brushes up the back of the ball.
Cayenne321
New User
Seems like I was looking at some whack diagram and it turns out eastern is right next to semi-western... This diagram had eastern the OTHER side of continental, which flipped upside down is just an even more extreme western.
If you get an on spec racquet at 305 SW. Add ~17g strings, ~6g overgrip. That will leave you 2-3 grams to work with to reach your goal of 330g static and 330sw. Its doable, but will become difficult to achieve if you get an overspec racquet. I always just pay for the matching service, really can't go wrong with it. TW does a great job with their matching service as well.
jguttentag
New User
My 305s came today. For some reason it was strung with some head synthetic gut. Will drop it off at the stringer today to get it with my current baseline string KPro at 48. I will probably not get to hit with it till Sunday, but off court with the synthetic gut and wrap on the grip it doesn’t feel too much lighter than my Percept 97D. The 97D is noticeably more head light even though it’s 7hl vs 6 for the 305s. I don’t have a scale or anything so I will see if they can weight it at the club. Will report back after first hit.
Some clay players in the 80s an 90s had pretty extreme semi-western and western grips. I remember Bruguera having a crazy grip. My brother had an extreme grip because he wanted to mimick some of these players. These were not uncommon.
Now, back to business.
Test play of the Tfight 300 100
Initial impression : it definitely has less character than the 305s and the 315s. Yes, it's another 300 g 100 sq in frame. And yes, it feels like a cousin of a Pure Drive / Strike / Aero (the choice is yours) or ezone 100. May be its closest family would be a Speed MP.
Strengths
- Launch angle: fine, higher than the 305s but not too high. Balls were flying a little while training, but it was ok while playing sets.
- Spin access: good, not crazy good, time on the stringbed is pretty short
- Maneuverability: quick, you sometimes forget you have a racket... which could be a con too
- Precision: not as precise as the 305s or even the 315s, but good enough. I did not lack precision.
- Volleys: it is fun to volley with this frame, fast and heavy volleys
- Comfort: given the type of frame, it is comfortable. I couldn't play with an Ezone or Pure Strike with Razor Soft...
- ... but it is no Clash, Vcore pro or Blade for comfort. Less "boardy" than the 305s but more vibrations.
- Serve: slightly diminished power versus the 305s and 315s, lacking a little extra weight. Less precise than the 305s.
sajlent555
Rookie
Pretty close to Yonex. Slightly smaller maybe but it's because of the shape difference.
L3 in Yonex and Tecnifibre are too big for me and you can't really go down because their base grip is thin already.
So I use L2 in yonex and tecnifibre and change their og base grip to Babolat Syntec Pro 1.9mm. It adds 2-3g to the handle because it's thicker than tf xtra feel and yonex excel pro.
_FrankTheTank_
Rookie
I had the ISO 300 in L3 and L4, both bought second hand. The L3 was too small, the L4 was just about right. On the 300s however, L4 runs pretty big. The xtra feel grip is also listed with 1.9mm, and I hope it is true to size on mine, so I have a bit room to go a bit smaler.
Circa 1762
Rookie
I used the Vcore 98 2023 as my main racket for most of 2024 and demoed the 305s a few weeks ago.
They’re not as different as, say, a Pure Aero and a Prestige, but I still found them to be very different frames.
To me, Vcore 98 needs a fair amount of spin to be playable. It naturally has a high launch angle and a quite open pattern, and I found it easy to launch the ball if I wasn’t consistently, consciously playing with a fair amount of spin. The flip side of that is that when I was on, I could hit very heavy groundstrokes that really kicked up.
In contrast, I found the 305s to be a more linear frame. Better directional control (from the much tighter string pattern) and lower powered, so I found myself subconsciously hitting with a more traditional stroke on forehand. Spin was surprisingly good for an 18x19, but it was spin that kicked forward rather than up.
If your groundstrokes are made for spin, I’d go Vcore. If they’re flatter and/or more traditional, I’d go 305s. But that’s just my opinion, and I know others who play with more spin may feel the 305s is perfectly playable.
sajlent555
Rookie
Guys, can someone compare new tfight 300s to Tempo 298 IGA?
Is it worth buying new tfight 300s if I have Tempo 298?
Is it worth buying new tfight 300s if I have Tempo 298?
galapagos
Hall of Fame
today i am taking out the tempo 298 out of my bag to make a comparison review
Excited to get this feedback. I am playing the tempo and can't get a 300s here fast enough.today i am taking out the tempo 298 out of my bag to make a comparison review
smithie
Professional
I've not used the Head GT98 so can't comment there, but I'm having no issues with my OHBH and BH slices on the 305s - slices are particularly nice.
Tranqville
Professional
Tecnifibre all day. GT98 is 4.5+ frame.
Tranqville
Professional
Review from @gino. He was not impressed with the feel, found it plasticky. My 305 ISO has fantastic feel and comfort, so this is very surprising. I also sensed the comfort declined vs ISO in the @galapagos review.
galapagos
Hall of Fame
i'm not entirely sure if I want to label it "comfort". More as a change in "feel" that many might find "less comfortable".
I am still messing around with my setup but most likely will end up with +10 or +15g heavier frame than a stock Tfight 305s so ye...this changes a lot.
Tranqville
Professional
I also have an extreme eastern
gino
Legend
Thanks for the support guys. I was definitely underwhelmed when it came to comfort with these sticks. The layup is just really stiff/plastic feeling for me, even though they tried to dampen it. I’m not sure many care about that who just want to play modern baseline tennis. Also this mold is just simply thick, so that makes it pretty board feeling to me. I think the performance from the baseline and serve are excellent though. I mean top tier in those areas. Allows for a lot of free pop/spin and in general just a very modern approach to a 98
I used a poly/poly hybrid in the 305s and a full bed of poly in the 300s. I got these as demos from a local store Mriva Sports - so not sure exactly. Tbh I’m not sure even a full bed of natty gut would have made much of a different
@gino - Thanks for the details Gino. Of course, I should have remembered you got them pre-strung as demo's from Mriva, so unless strings were labeled on the frames, identification would be hard, if not impossible.
Curious, did you ever hit the ISO 305, and if so, did that feel any better? If it did, I wonder if it's a swing-weight thing, where a potential lack of hitting weight and recoil weight in the 305S and/or 300S lead to more of that stiff/plasticky-ness in feel.
If you ever get to take a second crack at the TFights, I'd be interested to see if feedback is the same with however much a change in string setup as you think they could stand to have – something crisp, yet soft, maybe strung a bit lower in tension as well (especially the 305S).
Regardless, I appreciate your candor and the work you're putting in to feed us with info, both here and on the channel!
Curious, did you ever hit the ISO 305, and if so, did that feel any better? If it did, I wonder if it's a swing-weight thing, where a potential lack of hitting weight and recoil weight in the 305S and/or 300S lead to more of that stiff/plasticky-ness in feel.
If you ever get to take a second crack at the TFights, I'd be interested to see if feedback is the same with however much a change in string setup as you think they could stand to have – something crisp, yet soft, maybe strung a bit lower in tension as well (especially the 305S).
Regardless, I appreciate your candor and the work you're putting in to feed us with info, both here and on the channel!
jguttentag
New User
Got lucky and my stringer had the racket back in a day so I got to hit with the 305s last night for a bit in a group hitting setting. 305s strung with KPro at 48. Going from the 97D there was a noticeable difference in the lower swing weight between the rackets, but like others said still very stable from the baseline. I got great pocketing and was hitting very clean heavy balls on ground strikes. The racket was a little more muted than what I was expecting. I was hitting great groundstrokes, but I didn’t always feel connected to the ball. I think that might be a swing weight adjustment though that as I get more comfortable with time. The biggest surprise for me was how well I was hitting the shot I struggle the most with my eastern grip, high forehands. With the lower swing weight I guess I was able to swing faster through the ball on those high forehands and the shot felt almost automatic.
I struggled a bit with some angle and finesse shots, but I think that’s a combination of a new racket and the lower swing weight. My timing was definitely off on some shots do the difference in swing weight so I think that will just come with time. I am playing a few sets with it this weekend so I will get better feedback on the shots I struggled with and serving.
I struggled a bit with some angle and finesse shots, but I think that’s a combination of a new racket and the lower swing weight. My timing was definitely off on some shots do the difference in swing weight so I think that will just come with time. I am playing a few sets with it this weekend so I will get better feedback on the shots I struggled with and serving.
sajlent555
Rookie
Well, I'd also say that TF 305s is a 4.5+ frame
hdjs94
Rookie
Idk if it's just me but I feel that this racket is very string sensitive and can widely change people's opinions on their playlists. At least that's my experience and what seems to be the case with a lot of other people as well.
Still trying to figure out my ideal string setup for this racquet.
Still trying to figure out my ideal string setup for this racquet.
