Nordicdots Tennis Racquets - Model99

I don't live in the social so it would not be worth his investment.
As with any new company..big impact with minimal effort and expense is a requirement...
Give some frames to several top tier US University tennis programs and let the product do the talking.. if legit, then the players will do the talking..
Cool for the players, cool for the company... minimal investment..
Added benefit is international penetration as most top tier NCAA programs consist of many international players..
A mobile phone is such a golden gateway to the world..a pic, a tweet ,a short all free that could capture a paying customer.
A friend of mind, his daughter is the head coach at a Big 10 University.
He gets freebies from her from time to time from stuff that she gets free from the tennis industry.
I get some of his unreleased proto type strings at times that he gets from her.
 
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A_Instead said:
I don't live in the social so it would not be worth his investment.
As with any new company..big impact with minimal effort and expense is a requirement...
Give some frames to several top tier US University tennis programs and let the product do the talking.. if legit, then the players will do the talking..
Cool for the players, cool for the company... minimal investment..
Added benefit is international penetration as most top tier NCAA programs consist of many international players..
A mobile phone is such a golden gateway to the world..a pic, a tweet ,a short all free that could capture a paying customer.
A friend of mind, his daughter is the head coach at a Big 10 University.
He gets freebies from her from time to time from stuff that she gets free from the tennis industry.
I get some of his unreleased proto type strings at times that he gets from her.
Click to expand...

what if you don't even target these kind of players?

I have not heard any outlet of a kind of player you outline. This racket is produced for and mainly sold in Europe.
We don't have NCAA kind of players and the active local and nationwide tournament players hardly do any publicity.
And even if they would do so, this would only work per country - if I have someone in Germany doing it, then I'll never reach the UK

Their approach is fine - they have designed this with TN, who is vocal about it.
Plus put it on social, and you see here are already 30+ people speaking about it - doesn't matter if the player is any good
 
Many current high level players from Europe on NCAA roosters..
I did make the assumption that they have phones and can connect to the social.
Hopefully TN is getting compensation for his time..as he works hard and does a great job for the tennis community..
Same for DocGodMode here on TW...
 

Key Take-Aways according to Jonas and Henrik:

- Overall: a modern powerful control racquet that feels like the offspring of a Blade Pro and an EZone 98.
- Definitely an evolutionary string pattern with upper progressive density - makes sense for the way modern hitters are contacting the ball
- 61RA strung as measured on the RDC, but feels more crisp and a tad more firm than that
- Has a very "pro stock feel" to the impact - you get power, a crisp/direct feel, but the ball also dwells/stays longer on the frame
- If Jonas could make a racquet spec, this would be very close to something he would design
- Hits a heavier ball than its 300g weight might imply (probably from the SW - 295sw unstrung / ~325sw strung)
- Henrik would add just a smidge of lead at 10 & 2 / close to the isometric corners, to stabilize the upper hitting zone (a very similar solution employed on most Yonex's)
- They will attempt a tighter quality control standard – +/- 5g, instead of the standard +/- 7. Nothing revolutionary, but better than average, supposedly.
- Graphite/layup feels higher grade (I know tons of you will shoot holes in that, but that's what they're saying...)
- Grip shape is somewhere between Yonex and Babolat, not a lot of butt cap flare either
- Will come in Black and Storm Gray, full gloss finish

Lastly, estimated release date is mid-September, for sale direct from Nordicdots.com.
 
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A_Instead said:
Meaning how much do you charge to make a 15 minute video promoting a racket..?
Click to expand...
I don't think they charged them a red cent. I don't think charging for that kind of thing is part of the TN model. They're more affiliate revenue driven, I believe.
 
Quite possibly the most excited I’ve been for a new racquet release in years. On paper this sounds like an amazing racquet for my preferences. Loved the previous gen Ezone Tour and have an H22 in the bag that I use plenty often. Can’t wait to try one out!
 
I thought with his influence and outreach he would command some cash for his time.
Making professional videos like his should get him some $ from manufacturers..
It's common in other industries to pay influencers to promote your products..
 
Did he say in another video that he’s friends with the guy who started Nordicdots or am I hallucinating that? Back when they only did clothes.

I believe him when he says it’s his favorite release of the year since it’s so unique, probably a nice test after the another Head racquet that’s barely different from the last model
 
Yeah, Jonas is friends with the Nordicdots founder/CEO, Irakli Nemsadze. So it would only make sense that he might do the promo video for him, then I'm sure there might be an affiliate revenue deal behind the scenes. Thinking long-term perspective and passive flow here. Way more potentially lucrative than stressing too much about momentary compensation for the video work. We all have to eat, sure. But, big picture, small picture.
 
Trip said:
Apparently Swedish company Nordicdots, who make racquet sports clothing and padel and pickleball paddles, are planning to release tennis racquets in the coming months.

The first racquet will be "Model99" – not sure if that is just the name for the prototype, or if it will persist into retail.

Media
Click to zoom on photos.
Photos show prototype grommets and headguards; production versions will be normal full-coverage plastic.

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Unstrung Spec
Static Weight: 300g
Head Size: 99"
Head Shape: Conventional lower, blending into mild isometric upper
Beam: 23mm constant hybrid-box
String Pattern: 16x20, 8 throat mains, progressive upper bed density
Balance: 31.8cm (strung: ~32.8 strung)
Swing Weight: 295 (strung: prob mid-upper 320's w/ full-bed 1.20-1.25 poly)
Twist Weight: 13.75 (strung: ~mid-upper 14's)
RA: 65 (strung: 62-63 -ish)
Colors: Glossy Black and Glossy Gray

Thoughts
- Overall: looks like the offspring of an EZone 98, Percept 100/D, Shift 99 and a bit of Speed and Blade Pro thrown in.
- Pattern: 16x20 is usually always awesome; love the 8 throat mains for extra flat control; encouraging on the density and control focused towards the upper hoop, where most newer-school technique makes contact now (makes sense)
- Beam: 23mm constant in 99" will hopefully still feel fast, even for one-handers
- Balance Point: nice middle-ground for 2-handers and 1-handers, and 300g layup allows for easily making it more head-light without being too heavy
- RA/Flex: I like the 65RA decision. Potentially a perfect balance of "thud factor" for easier defense/counter-attack vs pocketing/dwell for attacking/control.
- Feel: Hopefully as direct/raw as possible, though with only a 300g layup I'm sure it will be dampened to some extent
- Glossy Paint: YES, YES, YES!

Looks like a potentially promising release. I will for sure try and get my hands on one.

Curious as to everyone else's thoughts. Discuss!
Click to expand...
Maybe also a little bit of the HEAD Boom shape as well.
 
Just an update from a comment I saw on ND's YouTube short of them testing the Model 99 frame:

We have extra steps of quality control and minimized from +/- 7 to +/- 5g and +/- 5mm. However we are doing our best to keep the specs as close as possible to the targets. Every racket will be labeled with the exact final measurements and you can always send us an email before ordering so we can pick one based on your request
Click to expand...

So:
- tighter-than-normal QC/QA (+/- 5 g static / mm balance)
- exact specs of each sample put on each frame
- custom matching by request

IMHO, pretty nice, if they can actually execute and hold their quality.
 
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Arzivu said:
Always a joy to watch Nikki hitting some balls. Interesting thing he mentioned that the ND eco string is the best among all the other brands that have released environmental friendly strings.
Click to expand...
From the "Eco" strings I've played this year, I felt Head's V2 Prototype string offered the best ball connection. LTec Premium White Pearl 1.30 had super good top-spin/brush on the ball (the 1.25 felt "brittle") and I have to revisit Isospeed Second Service 1.25, the first ever eco-string and I'm almost certain Isospeed somehow produces many strings for European brands under these brands' requirements.
 
Could be a good thing... as long as stability is achieved in the upper hoop..
Or it could be a bad thing if infringement is determined..
 
A_Instead said:
The shape looks so much like Yonex of yesterday..
Click to expand...
wingedeagle said:
is that a good thing
Click to expand...
IMHO, a very good thing. Being more vertical symmetrical with the isometric shaping allows much better consistency as you move up and down the string bed (closer to 12 and 6). When you start to pinch in the lower hoop and blow out the upper hoop past a certain degree, you make the lower string bed too anemic and unforgiving, and the upper string bed to open, uncontrollable and launch-prone. Prime example: the current VCores, compared to the previous multiple generations. Hopefully Yonex learned their lesson and revert.
 
Just a quick update - in a TN Patreon video earlier today, Jonas said he was hitting more confidently/consistently with the Model 99 than the RF 01 or 01 Pro. I know that reads like a clickbait tabloid headline, but still, pretty positive sign for the frame. Definitely looking forward to getting this one in my hands.

Now the question: Black or Storm Gray?
 
Trip said:
Just a quick update - in a TN Patreon video earlier today, Jonas said he was hitting more confidently/consistently with the Model 99 than the RF 01 or 01 Pro. I know that reads like a clickbait tabloid headline, but still, pretty positive sign for the frame. Definitely looking forward to getting this one in my hands.

Now the question: Black or Storm Gray?
Click to expand...
What are they saying / you thinking w/r to the closest comp of this racquet to what's currently already on the market? Vcore or Ezone 98? Boom Pro (given the head shape)? What are their updated thoughts on the RF sticks?
 
wingedeagle said:
what strings will you use Trip
Click to expand...
The nice thing is, if it's as direct/connected as they say, it will likely play well with a ton of stuff, 1.25-1.30 for non-poly, 1.15-1.25 for poly. I'd probably start with a fairly specific p/p hybrid I've come to know well and like very much in many frames – MSV Focus Hex Black 1.27 crossed with Head Hawk Black 1.25. I find the combo grippy, controlled and nice middle ground between damp and crisp. I'd probably string as low as I could still control, so the dense upper string bed has enough room to breath. Probably mid-40's, like 47/45 lockout (~45/43 eCP/dropweight). Then modulate from there.

Fighting phoenix said:
What are they saying / you thinking w/r to the closest comp of this racquet to what's currently already on the market? Vcore or Ezone 98? Boom Pro (given the head shape)? What are their updated thoughts on the RF sticks?
Click to expand...
Like a Blade Pro 16m had an offspring with an EZone 98, Boom Pro and Speed MP, taking the better parts from each (feel of the BP, upper hoop shape of the EZ98/Boom, string bed consistency of the EZ with a bit wider mains spacing, and beam width of the Speed, but a bit slimmer from face-on, and faster through the air / easier to maneuver. I know that sounds wild, far-fetched even. But, that could be what we're dealing with.

As for the RF's, I can tell Jonas is trying to be polite. His take is that it's "an acquired taste". Not so ease to play with / adapt to, mainly due to the small sweet spots and lopsided string density across the mains, plus the Pro he said feels a bit metallic and rough on contact. Regular 01 300g will be vastly more usable for most, as it will have a wider customization window, to help open up the sweet spot / stabilize it a bit. Again, just one guy's take, but along with others, the RF's don't seem as well-received as they've been touted to be... we'll see though. It may take some time to gain enough proper insight on it.
 
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