martini1
Hall of Fame
Except the K88 requires a much faster RHS to release its potential. The RF97 should be easier to swing along the lines of the PS90.
Next Generation of Pro Staff is Here; Pro Staff RF 97 Review
- Thread starter drakulie
- Start date
Except the K88 requires a much faster RHS to release its potential. The RF97 should be easier to swing along the lines of the PS90.
BreakPoint
Bionic Poster
I wouldn't be so sure. In the TW video review they said the RF97 was harder to get around than any of the Tour 90s.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Drak, thats awesome that you hit with the Tour G. And yes, it can be tough to get around on, but oddly enough it was not an issue for me for a while. In fact I expected it to be tougher to swing.
It showed itself in the 5th shot of a rally, serves later in a match..things like that. I started missing or hitting long a lot. I kept thinking how much power it had and if I really needed it. I am a high racquet head speed type of hitter and if I can't maintain that I start making errors.
On the plus side - best volleys ever. Feel reminds me a lot of a pro staff copy. So on paper I should want to try the new signature, but since I spent 4 months with the Tour G, I know the weighting is more than I really need.
As for the Wilson QC, personally it is usually the most wide spectrum I have experienced. For example, I just grabbed a PS95 that is 15 grams underweight. It's just very rare for me to get Wilsons that are close. Now what I have noticed is that if you buy them from the same store in the same batch, you usually are ok.
It's not the end of the world, just a source of slight annoyance when you order a frame and hope that the specs are close enough to where you can mod them to your target specs.
I have always considered Wilsons, the Gibson Les Paul of the tennis world. Amazing feel, legendary performance, but a little temperamental on the intonation.
All that aside, the PS95's control and brilliance has me pretty fired up for the 315, since I suspect the specs will be the same, and I already know how I want to set it up.
It showed itself in the 5th shot of a rally, serves later in a match..things like that. I started missing or hitting long a lot. I kept thinking how much power it had and if I really needed it. I am a high racquet head speed type of hitter and if I can't maintain that I start making errors.
On the plus side - best volleys ever. Feel reminds me a lot of a pro staff copy. So on paper I should want to try the new signature, but since I spent 4 months with the Tour G, I know the weighting is more than I really need.
As for the Wilson QC, personally it is usually the most wide spectrum I have experienced. For example, I just grabbed a PS95 that is 15 grams underweight. It's just very rare for me to get Wilsons that are close. Now what I have noticed is that if you buy them from the same store in the same batch, you usually are ok.
It's not the end of the world, just a source of slight annoyance when you order a frame and hope that the specs are close enough to where you can mod them to your target specs.
I have always considered Wilsons, the Gibson Les Paul of the tennis world. Amazing feel, legendary performance, but a little temperamental on the intonation.
All that aside, the PS95's control and brilliance has me pretty fired up for the 315, since I suspect the specs will be the same, and I already know how I want to set it up.
superdave3
Rookie
Is it just me, or does anyone else find it strange that on the review of this racquet, it got one of the highest ratings ever (88 overall I think), yet in the video review virtually everyone said this was not a racquet for them due to the high swing weight?
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Well I have definitely loved sticks that in the end were not for me. Tour G 330 is a good example. I still used it for months, because its a great stick and I would rate it very highly.
So it sounds like this frame is fantastic, just rather demanding. Doesn't change that everyone thinks it is awesome.
bigdaddyps
Semi-Pro
How does the TW review give it an 88 for Power, yet the specs for the racquet list as low powered??
This makes no sense at all. Nada, zippo, bupkis.
What the....??
This makes no sense at all. Nada, zippo, bupkis.
What the....??
BreakPoint
Bionic Poster
Because they are trying to be objective. Just because a racquet doesn't suit their own games, doesn't mean that it can't be an awesome racquet in and of itself for someone who does have the game to handle it.
For example, just because one doesn't have the driving skills to handle a 1000HP F1 race car doesn't mean that it's still not an awesome car.
BreakPoint
Bionic Poster
It does make sense. The racquet may be inherently low-powered, but can produce a lot of power if you're able to move all that massive mass and swing it fast.
For example, a racquet like the APD is powerful for almost everyone who uses it so it's classified as powerful. The RF97 is only powerful for people who can swing it fast so it's classified as low-powered.
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Say Chi Sin Lo
G.O.A.T.
Because it's for the strong who can generate that kind of racquet head speed. Once you get the racquet going, all Pro Staff 6.0 lineage frames hit a heavy ball.
low power = high intrinsic power = power mainly due to mass = high power at lower speeds
extrinsic power = power due to stiffness and large string bed = low power at lower speeds = high power when swinging fast
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bigdaddyps
Semi-Pro
Nah. Not buying the previous 2 responses on the power rating.
The review is supposed to reflect the racquets inherent power, period.
Not the player's capability to produce it.
Give a pro any racquet and they have the skill to hit bombs.
If the reviews don't reflect the racquets inherent power, they are useless to me and most recreational players in the 3.5 - 4.5 range.
The review is supposed to reflect the racquets inherent power, period.
Not the player's capability to produce it.
Give a pro any racquet and they have the skill to hit bombs.
If the reviews don't reflect the racquets inherent power, they are useless to me and most recreational players in the 3.5 - 4.5 range.
Say Chi Sin Lo
G.O.A.T.
It's their opinion, if it doesn't sit well with you then just ignore it instead of crying about it.
bad_call
Legend
Power Player
Bionic Poster
A wise decision indeed.
Forgot to add - if you ever want a good idea of a frames power - look at the SW. It is the best indicator. I would imagine this frame to have a fair amount of power. Medium-low would probably be more accurate on the TW scale.
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I edited my post
BreakPoint
Bionic Poster
But there are also recreational players that are above the 4.5 range. And did you know that TW also sells racquets to ATP pros? They are in the 7.0 range.
The TW power rating is an opinion derived from their playtest. If a racquet had inherent power, you wouldn't even need to playtest it to know that. You would know it just from its specs.
And, no, a pro could not "hit bombs" with an 8 oz. racquet that's 20 pts. headlight, has a 70 sq. in. head, a flex of 20RA, and a 100 swingweight.
The inherent power rating (low) comes from the manufacturers, who have traditionally rated players' frames as low power (till Moya/Roddick/Nadal came around and started using leaded-up tweeners), meaning that if you swing it very slowly, it will produce low power and moreover also absorb more energy from the ball rather than utilize it for rebound speed (due to higher mass). The implication was that the power had to be supplied by the player. A medium or high rating meant that the frame was stiff (absorbed less, reflected more) and produced more trampoline effect from the strings with a bigger head. Even at low speeds, it could send the ball a longer distance. So a medium or high rating meant that the racket will do some of the work for you. What you will lose is speed and spin (remember just reflecting the ball and landing further away does not mean the ball is heavier).
The power rating of TW playtesters is their opinion compared to the frames they remember hitting with. A score like 88 seems to give the impression of some form of scientific analysis, though it is probably just a rough impression (but they have to come up with some number).
yangster007
Professional
He has more posts than all of us combined together on this forum, I don't think he plays tennis at all. He is a professional keyboard warrior.
BreakPoint
Bionic Poster
What? You're not able to play tennis and post at the same time? You'd better start practicing more.He has more posts than all of us combined together on this forum, I don't think he plays tennis at all. He is a professional keyboard warrior.
drakulie
Talk Tennis Guru
PP, I really like the 330, and have always felt Yonex puts out a great product. The 330 was no exception. However, and unfortunately, the racquet felt much heavier/bukier to swing than I expected. This was a result of the high swing weight which wasn't suppose to be there. If I would have hit with the frame that more to spec, I wouldn't have noticed the swing weight. The only thing I really didn't like about the frame is the flex in the head. I don't mind lower flex frames, I just don't like when they feel like the head is what is flexing.
The frame IS powerful, if you could call it that. In the same way the 90 IS powefull. It is just as powerful as a Pure Drive, but it doesn't feel that way. Hard to put into words, but I guarantee if you hit with a 90 and then a pure drive, you would think you were hitting faster with the pure drive, but the numbers on a radar wouldn't show a big difference either way. What it comes down to is what the player feels/perceives. Stiffer frames, simply put, just feel like you are hitting way harder than you really are.
Say Chi Sin Lo
G.O.A.T.
The 2010-2012 BLX90 had this kind of flex where it's all the upper loop. Although many people hated this generation, it was my favorite of all the 90's (haven't tried the 2014 thoroughly yet) because of the way the BLX90 flexed for me.
So are you saying that the PS RF97 has this similar flex where it's all in the upper loop? If so, I'm even more intrigued!
drakulie
Talk Tennis Guru
No, the RF97 doesn't flex in the way I felt the 330 flexes. For starters, the 330 has a a lower flex rating. The 330, to me, felt like the head flexes, and the rest of the frame is still. I don't really care for a frame that feels this way. I'd rather the frame feel like it is flexing consistently from hoop to throat.
Say Chi Sin Lo
G.O.A.T.
I see, well different folks like different things.
I am still intrigued by the PS RF97 nonetheless.
parasailing
Legend
Yes that is what I felt playing with both the Yonex 310 and the AI 98. I didn't get a chance to try the Tour G 330 due to higher static weight.
Have you hit with the Head Graphene Speed Pro and can compare to the RF 97. I have tried the PS 90 and felt the latest version is the easiest one to hit with due to lower SW but still struggled with the static weight when it came to serves. Is the RF 97 easier to serve with than the PS 90?
drakulie
Talk Tennis Guru
Para, I've hit with all the new head frames. Didn't care for any of them, including the beloved radical line. As for serving between the rf97 and latest 90, I would stay the 90 is a bit easier to get around. It has a much lower swing weight.
martini1
Hall of Fame
Yeah I know what they said. But it doesn't make a lot sense for Fed, who was looking for a stick that swings just like his trusty 90 but offer more access to spin and power, and more forgiving.
Reason he didn't just switch racket every season is because he is not changing his swing and timing, no?
The mass market also wants a player stick that plays like a 90 but with all the benefits of a larger head size, and doesn't break your arm, and doesn't rocket launch like the babo.
Hankenstein
Hall of Fame
Drak: can you send me a pm please. Have a pretty important question for an article about the RF97 I have to ask you. Thanks
drakulie
Talk Tennis Guru
Are you a journalist who picks up ideas from this forum? I have long suspected that some famous tennis magazines also do this.
BreakPoint
Bionic Poster
Federer added lead tape under the bumper of his Tour 90s to get the swingweight up to 350+. Perhaps he's either playing with the RF97 stock, in which case the retail racquet is really to his playing specs, or he does still add lead tape to his RF97 because he wants to up his swingweight even more to help him hit with more power?
Sander001
Hall of Fame
This is a certain phenomenon across many, many industries.
aimr75
Hall of Fame
See Drak's reply to another thread below. Dont know if this is just to get his frames matched or to up the swingweight however. Given he did so on his 90's, seems likely he is playing something even heavier than retail
BreakPoint
Bionic Poster
But was drakulie referring to Federer's Tour 90s, the black prototype, or to the RF97A with the retail paintjob in his post?
aimr75
Hall of Fame
If you look at the bolded section above, he refers to the retail RF97 in comparison to what Fed is using:
"As far as what I can tell, been told, seen, and felt, the retail RF97 is the same frame Fed uses, minus the custom handle, lead added, string he uses, tension, over-grip, power pads, and stencil."
BreakPoint
Bionic Poster
OK, so I guess that means Federer's actual racquet is even harder to swing than the retail RF97A. :shock:
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Drak, have you hit with the ProStaff 95? The 2012 or 14? I am really really digging the control of this frame.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
yea but if you can only serve 50 mph with it, what good is that ?
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Fedace, this racquet is very easy to serve hard with once you get used to it. I am having no problems. specs are - 345/320 Sw, balance of 6 pts. I string at around 58 punds, poly mains.
Fxanimator1
Hall of Fame
If you can only serve 50 mph with this racquet, you have more issues than swing weight vs balance points etc.
My serves hit the service box and then the back fence 3 feet up using this racquet.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
so how fast was that like 90 mph ?
Fxanimator1
Hall of Fame
Didn't use a speed gun, but based on the "web-app" calculator thing, 96.41.
TennisLogic
Semi-Pro
the hype behind this red lipstick racquet is unbelievable. I don't think I've ever seen this before.
Say Chi Sin Lo
G.O.A.T.
Well that decided for me, not getting the racquet.
Nostradamus was correct in his prediction, like his namesake from long ago
Fxanimator1
Hall of Fame
But he also said.
He could could just be referring to himself though.
Say Chi Sin Lo
G.O.A.T.
Just out of curiosity...
Were people THIS excited and hyped when the Pro Staff Tour 90 was released back in the early 2000's? Haha
I know I wasn't, wasn't even a Pro Staff guy back then.
Were people THIS excited and hyped when the Pro Staff Tour 90 was released back in the early 2000's? Haha
I know I wasn't, wasn't even a Pro Staff guy back then.
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