Power Level of these Racquets - TW's numbers on target?

[TripleB]

Are the numbers Tennis-Warehouse gave the following racquets pretty accurate as far as putting the following racquets in order from most powerful to least powerful?

Dunlop Biomimetic 400 Tour (82)
Head YT IG Radical Pro (81)
Donnay Pro One 16x19 (80)

Yonex Ezone Xi98 (TW hasn't reviewed this one but I would say it's the least powerful of the group from what I've read)

Thanks for any input as far as the power level of these racquets.

TripleB

*I plan on demoing these, but with the luck I've had with demos recently (old brittle string, nonstandard grips, way below mid level tension, wrong string in the racquet) I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get a true comparison of power levels of the racquets

 

[counterpuncher]

Can't comment on the Donnay but I have the other three. So from most power to least is 400T > IG Rad Pro > Xi 98.

That being said, I believe that they are close enough that you can make up the differences with careful string and tension selection.

 

[smirker]

Are the numbers Tennis-Warehouse gave the following racquets pretty accurate as far as putting the following racquets in order from most powerful to least powerful?

Dunlop Biomimetic 400 Tour (82)
Head YT IG Radical Pro (81)
Donnay Pro One 16x19 (80)

Yonex Ezone Xi98 (TW hasn't reviewed this one but I would say it's the least powerful of the group from what I've read)

Thanks for any input as far as the power level of these racquets.

TripleB

*I plan on demoing these, but with the luck I've had with demos recently (old brittle string, nonstandard grips, way below mid level tension, wrong string in the racquet) I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get a true comparison of power levels of the racquets

TB,

I see the Ozone Tour is still in your sig. It was once your go to racquet and you bought 3 of them as I recall. Still using it or is it as it seems that a new quest has begun? Just curious as I have one and find it some what unique as frames go. I hate the feel of it but it seems to work well for my game.

Very low powered though, you really have to swing hard to generate any pace.

 

[TripleB]

Can't comment on the Donnay but I have the other three. So from most power to least is 400T > IG Rad Pro > Xi 98.

That being said, I believe that they are close enough that you can make up the differences with careful string and tension selection.

Thanks for the comparison.

I'm trying the Xi98 for a second time. Really loved serving (the weakest part of my game) with this racquet...had a lot of confidence on first serves. Wasn't getting the spin I hoped for out of the racquet (but it did have the Yonex 850 string instead of my normal 1.20 Tour Bite) and seemed to lack a little power on groundies. I'm looking forward to trying it again along side these other racquets.

I see you have the Yonex in your sig - were the others just too powerful or did the Yonex have something that really made it stand out against the other 2?

TB,

I see the Ozone Tour is still in your sig. It was once your go to racquet and you bought 3 of them as I recall. Still using it or is it as it seems that a new quest has begun? Just curious as I have one and find it some what unique as frames go. I hate the feel of it but it seems to work well for my game.

Very low powered though, you really have to swing hard to generate any pace.

I put it back in the bag because it's specs were so close to that of the Yonex Ezone Xi98 I thought it would be nice to compare the two side by side. Like you, I'm not too fond of the feel (and my stringer hates this racquet) but I get a lot of spin and some great control. As you noted it's very low powered and I think where I will struggle (as I did in the past) is on my first serves.

I'm really looking hard for a racquet that will give me some extra pop on my first serves (hence the Bab Pure Drive being in the bag) but give me some heavy kick on second serves. I think this is where my current racquet search is different from in the past. In the past it was about heavy spin and good control on groundies. Now I'm looking more for a racquet that will let my confidence in my serve grow (something I've lacked for the last 25 years).

TripleB

 

[Power Player]

Just get the rad pro and spend 2 months with it. It hits big..easy on the arm and will be a great stick for you.

 

[TripleB]

Just get the rad pro and spend 2 months with it. It hits big..easy on the arm and will be a great stick for you.

What's your string set up?

Can you hit huge first serves and get heavy spin on groundies?

Thanks for your input.

TripleB

 

[smirker]

Thanks for the comparison.

I'm trying the Xi98 for a second time. Really loved serving (the weakest part of my game) with this racquet...had a lot of confidence on first serves. Wasn't getting the spin I hoped for out of the racquet (but it did have the Yonex 850 string instead of my normal 1.20 Tour Bite) and seemed to lack a little power on groundies. I'm looking forward to trying it again along side these other racquets.

I see you have the Yonex in your sig - were the others just too powerful or did the Yonex have something that really made it stand out against the other 2?



I put it back in the bag because it's specs were so close to that of the Yonex Ezone Xi98 I thought it would be nice to compare the two side by side. Like you, I'm not too fond of the feel (and my stringer hates this racquet) but I get a lot of spin and some great control. As you noted it's very low powered and I think where I will struggle (as I did in the past) is on my first serves.

I'm really looking hard for a racquet that will give me some extra pop on my first serves (hence the Bab Pure Drive being in the bag) but give me some heavy kick on second serves. I think this is where my current racquet search is different from in the past. In the past it was about heavy spin and good control on groundies. Now I'm looking more for a racquet that will let my confidence in my serve grow (something I've lacked for the last 25 years).

TripleB

Cheers TB. Have the Bab too and find it great for kickers. I have a little lead in the head at 3/9 counter balanced in the trap door.

I had a match the other night and my opponents who had obviously not faced a kick/twist serve before thought they were continuously getting bad bounces! The match was on grass. I did try to tell him it was the spin but he was convinced I was hitting a bad patch on the court consistently (wish I was so accurate). So, in short, persevere with the PD it delivers the most spin of any racquet I have played with recently (save perhaps for the Ozone which is almost too spinny if you see what I mean).

 

[Power Player]

What's your string set up?

Can you hit huge first serves and get heavy spin on groundies?

Thanks for your input.

TripleB

I use the yonex rdis 200 but I demoed the Rad Pro. I can get heavy spin on groundies with about anything man. Its technique. But the Rad Pro is a heavy hitting racquet. I just like the feel and weight/balance of the yonex better.

 

[counterpuncher]

I see you have the Yonex in your sig - were the others just too powerful or did the Yonex have something that really made it stand out against the other 2?

The power of the others can be controlled with string and tension, although the 400 Tour is a little too boardy in the upper hoop for my liking when I upped the tension with PLII to 54/52.

The IG Rad Pro is the one that shows promise, but it has an awful ping with full poly on anything in the top third of the string bed. The Head grip shape is the other thing I hate about it, although I now have a Speed pallet on it, which has helped a little.

Overall I just play better with the Xi 98. I hit better and more consistent ground strokes and volleys with it. On the downside I don't serve as well with it as I do with the other two. I feel that despite it having a similar swing weight, it just doesn't come through as quick for me on serve and it doesn't have the same level of power, unlike on groundstrokes. I'll be keen to hear if you find the same with your demos.

The key to the Xi 98 is to string it lower. I have gone from 54/52 down to 52/50 with PLII and I feel that I need to go lower or use a hybrid to liven up the string bed.

 

[ThomasTerrible]

Are the numbers Tennis-Warehouse gave the following racquets pretty accurate as far as putting the following racquets in order from most powerful to least powerful?

Dunlop Biomimetic 400 Tour (82)
Head YT IG Radical Pro (81)
Donnay Pro One 16x19 (80)

Yonex Ezone Xi98 (TW hasn't reviewed this one but I would say it's the least powerful of the group from what I've read)

Thanks for any input as far as the power level of these racquets.

TripleB

*I plan on demoing these, but with the luck I've had with demos recently (old brittle string, nonstandard grips, way below mid level tension, wrong string in the racquet) I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get a true comparison of power levels of the racquets

Those scores are just average scores given, subjectionally, by four different playtesters that you'll never meet... Also, what's the difference from 81 to 82? Well 82 through 81 equals 1,2 %...

If you want to do at least an attempt of a semi-scientific approach, go to http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/cgi-bin/racquetspecs2.cgi and try to make something out of it...