Prestige MidPlus: i.Prestige, YT, IG compared.

[4sound]

I’ve been using the pro stock Prestige Mid TGK 237.2 for a few years and love it for singles but it wasn’t working as well for me in doubles. After playing with mid sized frames for the last 7 years, I’ve decided to switch back to the Head Prestige Mid Plus. The question is, which Prestige MP? I narrowed it down to the i.Prestige, YT and the latest YT IG. I hit with the 3 over the last week to compare and make a decision. No lead tape added and strung with TF NRG 17g @ 55lbs. I liked all 3 for different reasons.

i.Prestige MP was what I played with before switching to mids and it was like seeing an old friend again. Of the 3, the i.Prestige feels crisp, less muted and had the most pop off the string bed. Sweet spot is a little smaller and off center shots were less forgiving than the others.

Youtek MP was very muted. Some have described it has “brassy”. It was great for control but lacked the power when I wanted to crank it up. The muted quality was great against power players and touch volleys were easy to access.

IG MP was muted (but less than the YT) but felt plush and thick. Very stable on off center shots and the power was there when I wanted it. In fact, it responded a little better the harder I hit. It took me a bit to figure out the serve but once I dialed it in, it was very precise.

Today I kept going back and forth between the i.Prestige and the IG. The YT felt too muted to the point of feeling dead compared to the other 2, so the YT is off the table. Cosmetically, I prefer the YT of the 3 but I’ll take playability over looks any day. It’s amazing how the same mold racket can feel so different. I decided to go with the IG because of the comfort, availability and the plush qualities that’s reminiscent of the old Prestige Classic. The IG is the first racket in a long time that felt so right from the first hit.

 

[Torres]

I'm surprised you describe the YT as 'very muted'. It's nothing of the sort in my view. There's more feedback from the YT frames than its uch more muted IG successor. The IG MP, in stock at least, feels slightly lower powered compared to the YT MP.

 

[tymmh789]

Ya the youtek was a lot crisper and had more power with the IG being more muted and comfortable. However I did really like the weight of the IG and I actually leaded my YT's up to try and get similar specs and it really helped to solidify the frame while still keeping the crisp feel of the youtek.

 

[4sound]

I think the lead on the YT would really help. I do see how you think the IG feels more muted but it is a different type of muted feeling. To me it feels thicker and plush.

 

[Lambo]

go for the ig midplus if you want to stick with the prestige.

 

[movdqa]

I hit with the YT a few days ago after hitting with the IG for a month. I found that the YT was definitely had a crisper feeling and more raw power than the IG. The YT was also a LOT louder than the IG (which I like). The YT also takes a bigger toll on my arm which is why I like the IG - I just need to get the weight down on the IGs.

BTW, both the YT and IG have a ton of lead at the top of the hoop - no problems with power.

 

[4sound]

For some reason I had a hard time getting power on the serve with the YT. The IG was easier to dial in the serve. I also felt more plow thru with the IG on the ground strokes versus the YT. IG just felt more stable.

Compared to the i.Prestige, the YT doesn't feel crisp at all to me. Between the YT and IG, its a different type of mute. I prefer the IG and will be picking up a couple more.