PK Redondo...TW says Flex 56 ..PK website says Flex 60

[tennismit]

Why is this difference?

Do they use different measuring systems?

Can any one of you experts throw some light on this please?

I am looking for a frame that is heavy yet flexy as I have arm issues.

Redondo seems to fit the bill but the 4 points stiffness diff seems to be quite a bit.

So far what TW has said 56 has worked for me so looking to resolve this query...

 

[Larrysümmers]

TW takes the average of the rackets. i dont remember how many, but they put the average specs up

 

[Thepowerofchoice]

Not sure which one is a correct flex rating but Redondo (mid) play more like 60 than 56.

 

[tennismit]

Thanks Power of Choice....do you think the stiffness diff of 4 points can be compensated by choosing softer strings and stringing at a lower tension?

 

[tennisntn3477]

Is it possible that the one is strung and one is unstrung?

 

[SFrazeur]

TW measurements come from an average of strung racquets. Strung racquets measure more flexible by a point of two.

-SF

 

[Kirko]

seems like 56 to me >

I use the Redondo and very flexible kinda remind me of the old Dunlop 200G I can feel it flex and very good. I think the World of this Frame ! a real GEM !! best frame I have used in a long time !! I love it with luxilon at 53 lbs. MAGIC !

 

[ollinger]

PK usually lists unstrung specs.

 

[rich s]

Is it possible that the one is strung and one is unstrung?

that's what I was thinking.....

 

[anirut]

Manufacturers list unstrung specs.

 

[Thepowerofchoice]

Thanks Power of Choice....do you think the stiffness diff of 4 points can be compensated by choosing softer strings and stringing at a lower tension?

Redondo is such a nice soft and very arm friendly racquet so even higher tension still very kind to your arms. I like lower tension for my Redondo because the racquet is very low power so I could use a little extra pop and still have great control. I currently have full natural gut @58...best feel ever!!!

 

[tennismit]

Redondo is such a nice soft and very arm friendly racquet so even higher tension still very kind to your arms. I like lower tension for my Redondo because the racquet is very low power so I could use a little extra pop and still have great control. I currently have full natural gut @58...best feel ever!!!

How is the sweet spot on Redondo?

I demoed a PK Ionic 5 and it seemed the sweet spot was pretty small ....an off center shot even by a small amount that is ......does not even go over the net.

 

[movdqa]

I think that the sweet spot on the Redondo is relatively small but the target audience is experienced players with mostly classical strokes so you're going to be hitting cleanly anyways.

I think that 56 is accurate given other racquets that I've hit with with other flex ratings, all strung of course.

You could check the Tennis Warehouse power return calculator to get an idea of the sweet spot.

 

[(K)evin]

Why is this difference?

Do they use different measuring systems?

Can any one of you experts throw some light on this please?

I am looking for a frame that is heavy yet flexy as I have arm issues.

Redondo seems to fit the bill but the 4 points stiffness diff seems to be quite a bit.

So far what TW has said 56 has worked for me so looking to resolve this query...

you could ask TW if they could take a couple and get the flex from them using an RDC and give you the one with the most flex?

 

[kiteboard]

Felt like a 57 to me, strung. Unstrung is higher by 2-3 pts.

 

[tennismit]

thanks everbody for all your insightful comments.

I went ahead a got a new Redondo Type C 98 from TW.....I can safely say till date .....of all the racquets I have hit with ....which includes Head MG Extreme team and tour, Head MG Radical MP, Head LM Flexpoint Radical Tour, PK Ki5, Prince OZ Tour, and several wilsons as well .......this trumps them all....by a long way.

I could not be happier with the purchase....so thanks again u guys for the inputs.

Being a 4.0 and significant arm problems ....to find a players racket at 12 Oz approx and and still have a flex < 60 there are few choices and this is just right on.

The head line is good but being such light rackets ( the ones with flex
< 60) it is very difficult to play against heavy hitters.

If any one is interested in any specific feedback let me know.

My intitial stringing was Weiss Cannon Explosive @ 58 .....did not like it.

Plays like a charm with Prince Premier LT 17 @ 55.....and being a low powered racket I need to be at the lowest tension to get the additional pop ....but still does have lot of control..

I am planning to go to Prince Premier LT 18 gauge to get more spin to compensate for the tighter string bed.

Does anyone know of any other string that is as arm friendly as the Prince Premier LT yet has more spin potential?

 

[federalprassi]

curious how does 4 point flex difference affect a player? in term of performance, racquet feel etc.

 

[Kirko]

that's Great ! >>

thanks everbody for all your insightful comments.

I went ahead a got a new Redondo Type C 98 from TW.....I can safely say till date .....of all the racquets I have hit with ....which includes Head MG Extreme team and tour, Head MG Radical MP, Head LM Flexpoint Radical Tour, PK Ki5, Prince OZ Tour, and several wilsons as well .......this trumps them all....by a long way.

I could not be happier with the purchase....so thanks again u guys for the inputs.

Being a 4.0 and significant arm problems ....to find a players racket at 12 Oz approx and and still have a flex < 60 there are few choices and this is just right on.

The head line is good but being such light rackets ( the ones with flex
< 60) it is very difficult to play against heavy hitters.

If any one is interested in any specific feedback let me know.

My intitial stringing was Weiss Cannon Explosive @ 58 .....did not like it.

Plays like a charm with Prince Premier LT 17 @ 55.....and being a low powered racket I need to be at the lowest tension to get the additional pop ....but still does have lot of control..

I am planning to go to Prince Premier LT 18 gauge to get more spin to compensate for the tighter string bed.

Does anyone know of any other string that is as arm friendly as the Prince Premier LT yet has more spin potential?

both the 93 & 98 are very string friendly frames, the 93 is for sure. pick a string zero in the tension you like and you are there, the frame that well designed. I sure hope they keep making it !!! I love it

 

[tennismit]

curious how does 4 point flex difference affect a player? in term of performance, racquet feel etc.

IMO a lot...but again these are very indivudual feelings .....I played with Head MG Extreme series , Head Radical OS and now PK Redondo@ flex 56-57 and also with Prince OZ tour and PK Ionics 5i with flex @ 60-61.....from a racquet feel standpoint you will feel the difference for sure ( in a harsher feel at the lesser flex i.e. higher RDC)especially if you have arm issues like I do and or playing heavy hitters.

From the performance side what I have seen is the directional accuracy is significantly better when returning a heavy ball @ 60 or 61 than @ 56 or 57....in other words hitting down the line winners against heavy hitters becomes an issue with higher flex at least for me.

 

[athiker]

If any one is interested in any specific feedback let me know.

Interesting you bought the 98...when I looked I only saw the 93 on TW...but now I see they put both head sizes on the same page. The only time I've seen this on their website.

Anyway, since you played w/ the Ki5 and that is my current racquet could you do a bit of compare and contrast between the two? Thanks.

 

[federalprassi]

IMO a lot...but again these are very indivudual feelings .....I played with Head MG Extreme series , Head Radical OS and now PK Redondo@ flex 56-57 and also with Prince OZ tour and PK Ionics 5i with flex @ 60-61.....from a racquet feel standpoint you will feel the difference for sure ( in a harsher feel at the lesser flex i.e. higher RDC)especially if you have arm issues like I do and or playing heavy hitters.

From the performance side what I have seen is the directional accuracy is significantly better when returning a heavy ball @ 60 or 61 than @ 56 or 57....in other words hitting down the line winners against heavy hitters becomes an issue with higher flex at least for me.

thanks for sharing

 

[tennismit]

Interesting you bought the 98...when I looked I only saw the 93 on TW...but now I see they put both head sizes on the same page. The only time I've seen this on their website.

Anyway, since you played w/ the Ki5 and that is my current racquet could you do a bit of compare and contrast between the two? Thanks.

Some differences are obvious from the specs but just to reconfirm that they are there:

At a higher flex Redondo is easier on the arm for sure and on an average being heavier has a greater plow and you realise both these aspects if you return a heavy serve or a hard hit shot.

with a tighter stringbed PKR has lot more control than the Ki5.

Ki5 generates quite a bit more power ( though supposed to at higher RDC but I think the frame design of PKR is also for low power)

If you are a heavy spin player you might feel the tighter stringbed of PKR bothersome to generate the same.

In a very general sense I will say Ki5 is a little more livelier while PKR is more muted and more stable.....and these differences gets more noticeable as if you play against 4-4.5+ players.

 

[athiker]

Thanks tennismit that info is helpful.