Prestige RevPro - the new Prestige 600?

[racquetfreak]

Head Prestige Graphene Rev Pro: the modern Prestige 600/mid or marketing blunder?
Is thee a niche for a midsize in modern tennis? The smallest headsize used by current pros is 95 sq in.
the new rev pro is lighter than the prestige mid family, has a bigger gead size and a more open string pattern. one could make the case that this is a needed update for classic that is not relevant to the modern game. does anyone use the old prestige mid anymore? will anyone use this "update" to the prestige mid?

comments please.

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

This is slap-worthy for mentioning the Prestige Rev Pro, Prestige Mid/Prestige Classic 600, all in one sentence.

 

[colowhisper]

I happened to visit my local pro shop today and was asking about the new Prestiges. Without hesitation, and with no prompting, the first one the pro picked up and wanted to talk to me about was the Rev. I thought that was interesting.

 

[4sound]

My buddy was demoing a bunch of rackets and had the 93 Rev Pro last week. I hit with it for 45 minutes to get a pretty good idea what it was about. I also had 3x different Prestige Mids in my bag to compare. Red Classic Mid, Green 600, Black i.Prestige Mid to compare. I also have Pro Stock TGK237.2 Mids (16x19) I use for singles.

First I have to say, RevPro has nothing to do with the "legendary" Prestige Mids.
Its stiffer, slightly thicker (beam width), 16x19 and lighter. It's not bad but its a totally different animal.

It plays much stiffer and doesn't feel like the comfortable plush Head frames of the past. To me it feel a little more rigid kind of like a thicker/heavier Dunlop 100 layup. It was strung up @ 55lbs with a 17g Poly. Tension was a little higher than my preference but I don't think it would make that much difference.

Everything was just "ok". TBH, I don't see why anyone would want to switch to this racket because there wasn't anything the got me to say "wow". Didn't have the pin-point accuracy & didn't have much power. For some reason my forehand was flying long and my backhand felt better with topspin. It took me a while to figure out how to get pace on the serve without totally flatting it out. Volleys didn't feel connected to direction. I want to say it was because of the 16x19 but I've played with a lot of 16x19 patterns that I felt much better accuracy.

It's not really fair to compare to the TGK237.2 but even that felt more plush with a larger sweet spot than the Rev Pro.

I still might pick up a RevPro in the future (if/when they go on sale) to experiment with string type/tension and lead customization. Just to see if I can turn it into something better but my gut feeling is its not going to because of the stiffness layup of the frame.

I do hope Head keeps working on it in the future because I think its has potential if they get the plush feel with just the right amount of stiffness and more free power.

Like many here, I still can't believe they killed the Prestige Mid.

 

[vsbabolat]

There still guys that use racquets smaller than 95. Haase uses the new Prestige Rev Pro, Kamke uses the IG Prestige Mid, and the last I saw Frank Moser was using the PC600.

 

[JGads]

I happened to visit my local pro shop today and was asking about the new Prestiges. Without hesitation, and with no prompting, the first one the pro picked up and wanted to talk to me about was the Rev. I thought that was interesting.

Familiar story here - was at my local and asked a guy what his favorite new hit of this year was, and he said the Rev Pro. "Every time I play it, I just love it." I had the same surprised look on my face, probably, considering the bashing the stick has received in these parts. But for some, apparently it works very well.

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Familiar story here - was at my local and asked a guy what his favorite new hit of this year was, and he said the Rev Pro. "Every time I play it, I just love it." I had the same surprised look on my face, probably, considering the bashing the stick has received in these parts. But for some, apparently it works very well.

How do we know if these shop owners/workers have played with the older Prestige Mids. Especially considering how most tennis shops don't stock the Mids because it's deemed "unplayable" by the so-called "modern game".

I just think that if anyone has played (briefly or extensively), they'll come to the conclusion that the Rev Pro is NOT a Prestige Mids. Not with its thick 21mm beam and etc.

 

[JGads]

How do we know if these shop owners/workers have played with the older Prestige Mids. Especially considering how most tennis shops don't stock the Mids because it's deemed "unplayable" by the so-called "modern game".

I just think that if anyone has played (briefly or extensively), they'll come to the conclusion that the Rev Pro is NOT a Prestige Mids. Not with its thick 21mm beam and etc.

Doesn't really matter to me if they've played with older versions or not, unless I'm asking for a direct comparison to past versions. Just looking at the specs I know at the start the Rev Pro can't really be compared to previous Prestige Mids (and even Head changed the name, accordingly), but as I said, apparently for some, it's a good stick nonetheless, on its own merit. Although, for what it's worth, the shop worker who told me this is a dedicated Head user whose regular is an old Radical Pro or MP, I believe he said.

 

[4sound]

The RevPro is 20mm but I agree w you.

I was hoping the RevPro was going to be the "Holy Grail".
Mids not being good enough for the modern game is a myth. I play competitively with both mid & mid+ rackets. I use the Prestige Mids for flatter hitting, slice and like it better on volley. Full Western grip opponents typically don't like it when I slice low/short to the their forehand. And I like hitting flat on the rise, off of top spin players. Mid+ is easier on the run & on serve.

I have my students learn volleys with the Prestige Mid in lessons & it's so much easier for them to get the classic volley structure (especially on the 1h backhand side). Adjusting after, to their "modern" frame is no problem.

Away from pro players. I see much more "poor" form with larger racket players than Mid players. But then again, I see a lot less Mid players these days.

 

[coolschreiber]

Yea I think at rec. level we have the luxury of playing with the racket we enjoy most. Also we dont face the pace pros face. But hey some pros are still using mids, I'm sure they know the implications of using one.

 

[jman32]

There still guys that use racquets smaller than 95. Haase uses the new Prestige Rev Pro, Kamke uses the IG Prestige Mid, and the last I saw Frank Moser was using the PC600.

Let's not forget baby fed @93"

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

These Rev Pro sure aren't lasting very long. There are already a few on the for sale section.

 

[jackcrawford]

Yea I think at rec. level we have the luxury of playing with the racket we enjoy most. Also we dont face the pace pros face. But hey some pros are still using mids, I'm sure they know the implications of using one.

Simple flowchart for deciding if a mid gives you the best chance of winning a match: You're the only one on the road driving north with your mid , 99 cars are coming your way driving south with their MP. If you're arguably playing the best tennis ever (Federer 2004, Sampras 1996) continue driving north. If you're one of the other 10 million tennis players, including ATP pros (and Roger and Pete now), switch to the majority direction. If you play just for feel and don't care about maximizing your winning chances, it doesn't matter.

 

[jelichek]

Things change. A buddy just gave me a new Rev Pro to string up and I measured the Head against an unstrung YT IG Radical MP and it's virtually spot on size wise. The Rev Pro is fun to hit with. Had good pop. Hits bigger than a 93 for sure. It's not a Prestige Classic but Head *****d that line out long ago so it is what it is. Buy it. Hit it. Like it or not. It's 2014. And who would really wanna hit a Prestige and take it into battle against a Pure Drive or an AeroPro Drive anyway?

 

[vsbabolat]

Things change. A buddy just gave me a new Rev Pro to string up and I measured the Head against an unstrung YT IG Radical MP and it's virtually spot on size wise. The Rev Pro is fun to hit with. Had good pop. Hits bigger than a 93 for sure. It's not a Prestige Classic but Head *****d that line out long ago so it is what it is. Buy it. Hit it. Like it or not. It's 2014. And who would really wanna hit a Prestige and take it into battle against a Pure Drive or an AeroPro Drive anyway?

Me! I do it all the time.

 

[stronzzi70]

Things change. A buddy just gave me a new Rev Pro to string up and I measured the Head against an unstrung YT IG Radical MP and it's virtually spot on size wise. The Rev Pro is fun to hit with. Had good pop. Hits bigger than a 93 for sure. It's not a Prestige Classic but Head *****d that line out long ago so it is what it is. Buy it. Hit it. Like it or not. It's 2014. And who would really wanna hit a Prestige and take it into battle against a Pure Drive or an AeroPro Drive anyway?

Me ! I do all the time also.

 

[hirschi80]

me too. what a question..

 

[Power Player]

I beat people all the time who use pure drives. Lol. Thats hilarious. The racquet doesn't matter. All that power just means you need to control it, and i find that many players can only do that for a couple shots before launching one long.

 

[4sound]

And who would really wanna hit a Prestige and take it into battle against a Pure Drive or an AeroPro Drive anyway?

I switch between Mid and MP a lot, but lately been using a Prestige IG MP. I went into a doubles match last week where my opponents both had PDs. I decided to used my old i.Prestige Mid because my slice and volleys feel more accurate. (my partner uses the old Green Prestige 600. He's old school and won't switch to anything new) We won 6-2, 6-2.

I've never went into a match, looking at the opponents rackets thinking they will have an advantage because of the racket they're holding. With that said, after the match, one of my opponents came up to me & said, "We new we were in trouble when we saw you both had old Prestige Mids and had no problem with our spin & pace during the warmup."

Bottom line, tennis is a skill based sport and rackets/string/setup are just tools of personal preference.

 

[bluegrasser]

I switch between Mid and MP a lot, but lately been using a Prestige IG MP. I went into a doubles match last week where my opponents both had PDs. I decided to used my old i.Prestige Mid because my slice and volleys feel more accurate. (my partner uses the old Green Prestige 600. He's old school and won't switch to anything new) We won 6-2, 6-2.

I've never went into a match, looking at the opponents rackets thinking they will have an advantage because of the racket they're holding. With that said, after the match, one of my opponents came up to me & said, "We new we were in trouble when we saw you both had old Prestige Mids and had no problem with our spin & pace during the warmup."

Bottom line, tennis is a skill based sport and rackets/string/setup are just tools of personal preference.

Very true & one thing ( especially in doubs) a stick like a Prestige does is absorb all the power and sort of negates the power with control. Where a stick like a PD is harder to control hard hit balls & this is big in doubles.

 

[4sound]

They were definitely trying to hit thru us & we were just redirecting volleys for winners. TBH the return of serve is tougher with the Mid for me vs the MP. Don't get me wrong, I've lost my fair share of matches to players with Bab PD/APD but it wasn't just power that won the match.

Back to the Prestige RevPro -
I was hoping it would have the control and plush feel of the Classic with a larger sweet spot & a bit more free power. Hopefully Head will figure it out with another version.

 

[Power Player]

4sound, have you ever given the Yonex Vcore 89 a demo?

 

[4sound]

I have tried it and did like it a lot but it feels a little stiff for me compared to the plush Prestige feel I'm used to.

I like stiffer feel for more accuracy but I find that into the 3rd set, it becomes demanding to maintain. Basically, I need to be in better shape to maintain the form and I feel more comfortable later in matches with a little more flex.

For me stiffness ratings are weird because sometimes stiff feels ridged and sometimes if feels "thick" in different rackets. (if that makes any sense).

 

[Power Player]

Yes that makes sense to me for sure. I have never tried that stick, but coming from owning a PC600 and a TGK version of the mid, I know what you are saying.

 

[RNBABOLAT]

Hi anyone knows when is going to be available the full caps of the rev? Thanks

 

[vsbabolat]

Hi anyone knows when is going to be available the full caps of the rev? Thanks

Not happening!