Prince Beast 98 O3 VS Yonex Ezone 98

[Babolix]

Hi,
After playing a long time and having a good success with a Pure Strike 100 (the Project 98 was too harsh on my arm) which was pretty good but could be unstable, I tried the new one (with same string/gauge/tension) but, way too powerful (and sometimes unpredictable) for me. Now, I m trying a Prince Beast 98 O3 (first with Poly tour strike and then Poly tour pro) and reaaly liked it. Finally, it's not so powerful, Solid feel (lees than the non O3 version but still great) good control, confort, great forgiveness. All is great but I've just a little problem. Serve is not as efficient as with my old PureStrike 100 (That I dont touch anymore because the Prince offers so much more in every other department). I think the Prince may lack of plowthrough.
So, I tried some other racquets (Blade, Clash, Vcore, Gravity, Aero etc...), none were as good as the Prince (except in serve) for my game. I had a good experience but it lacked something, weight in the balls and serve were not great (Maybe worse than with the prince).
For the moment, I can't try anything for sometime but I've read a lot of things about the Ezone 98 that could bring me what I need so, if some of you had tried both of these 2 racquets, I'm really interested in a comparison. Thx a lot !!!!


Nb : I know I could fix it with some Customisation but first, it's a racquet test and second, if I have to buy one, I prefer to find the good solution without custo. So please, let it beside. tx.

 

[blablavla]

Hi,
After playing a long time and having a good success with a Pure Strike 100 (the Project 98 was too harsh on my arm) which was pretty good but could be unstable, I tried the new one (with same string/gauge/tension) but, way too powerful (and sometimes unpredictable) for me. Now, I m trying a Prince Beast 98 O3 (first with Poly tour strike and then Poly tour pro) and reaaly liked it. Finally, it's not so powerful, Solid feel (lees than the non O3 version but still great) good control, confort, great forgiveness. All is great but I've just a little problem. Serve is not as efficient as with my old PureStrike 100 (That I dont touch anymore because the Prince offers so much more in every other department). I think the Prince may lack of plowthrough.
So, I tried some other racquets (Blade, Clash, Vcore, Gravity, Aero etc...), none were as good as the Prince (except in serve) for my game. I had a good experience but it lacked something, weight in the balls and serve were not great (Maybe worse than with the prince).
For the moment, I can't try anything for sometime but I've read a lot of things about the Ezone 98 that could bring me what I need so, if some of you had tried both of these 2 racquets, I'm really interested in a comparison. Thx a lot !!!!


Nb : I know I could fix it with some Customisation but first, it's a racquet test and second, if I have to buy one, I prefer to find the good solution without custo. So please, let it beside. tx.

what do you mean with "efficient"?
you don't get same power?
you don't get precision?
you don't get consistency?
you don't get as many aces / free points?

 

[Babolix]

I made a big serving session with the Pure strike and the Prince to see what was wrong and work on it. Apart the power, the results were really different so... Well, I would answer pretty all... What shew this session was the same as in match : my consistency on first or second serve was really good with the PS100,, never a double faults or really not often, so you're more confident and can be precise etc... With the Prince, the result is not great, same power (more or less) but the result in not predicatable. Few fisrt serve (and so yes not a lot easy point/aces), lot of faults etc... So doubles came...
I tried a Dr98 last year, don't remember a lot about it (seemed to be a bit heavy and not so manageable) but I remember that the Serve was as easy as with the Pure strike 100. So, what I read about the Ezone 98 (More manoeuvrable, lighter (ok only 5g...), lethal serve etc... Good forgiveness) it sounds good to me.
So, I wanted to find sb who has tried both the Prince Beast 98 03 and the Ezone 98 to tell me what was he thoughts, feelings etc...
My Game : 2HBD and lots of slice BH, Strong/Heavy forehand (covered with spin). Attacking baseliner. Big serve. Nothing original nor intellignet tennis lol.

 

[tata]

I have a beast o3 98 and I serve quite consistently with it. I think you should try drill down why you are not connecting well with the beast on serve.
Take notice of how you are making contact with the beast. Hitting it in upper hoop or lower hoop? Is it coming around too slow or too fast? Does adjusting your toss height help? Is the toss too far in front or are you throwing it back a bit? Surely there is something affecting your timing.

 

[Babolix]

Well, It could be a solution but I tried and stopped that because though years I developped a very good and winning serve (Lots of ace in match with different tech : Big Serve full of power, or kick, slice filled with spin etc... ). Serve is trully a weapon in my game. With some raquets, It feels natural to serve and even if I manage to make some aces and some good second (with the Prince), it's not consistent. I have to admit slice serve was pretty good (not excellent but sufficient).

So, as you said, I also tried to see if it was me and tried to change things but it's unatural for a technique that works better (and naturally) with other racquets.

Then I search on the web for and explanation and I read some ligns on different websites/forums that sound the same I say. Espacially Michelle which says : ""I can't say I was serving my best with this racquet," said Michelle. "I just wasn't hitting big first serves. I did feel pretty confident picking up the spin and kick on second serves, but there were times when I felt I couldn't attack the ball aggressively enough." I wasn't surprised the note for serve was only @ 78/100 which is pretty low for a TW review (One of the worse I read).
Anyway, know that I tried a lot, some times it worked but without enough consistency or knowing why this time and not the previous etc....

So... My question is about a comparison between the Ezone 98 and the Prince Beast 98 O3 in game. (So not for serve as every body seems to say that ezone is a lethal weapon on serve). Have you tried the Yonex ?

Edit : Which string/tension/gauge do you use ?

 

[tata]

I have mine in luxilon alu power 16L at 53 pounds. I haven't played the yonex so I can't comment. Serve is a big part of the game and plays a lot in confidence so I can agree with you for not wanting to change something that's works so well for you. Maybe keep it around for doubles when serving is shared with your partner. I absolutely love this frame at net. Stand out feature of this frame for me.

 

[Babolix]

Yes, I love this frame too. Played most of the time with Poly tour pro. Maybe I've to re-try Prince XC (which was on at the beginning) or Poly tour Strike (that broke too soon to have an opinion). If it doesn't work, I think I'll buy one for doubles yes !!!

 

[Ramon]

I prefer the solid beam Beast 98 over the O3 version, and the serve is one of the reasons I like it better. For some reason I get better control and power on the serve with the solid beam version. I notice that with past O-port racquets I played with, I had to sacrifice power on the serve and make up for it with increased spin. One thing the O-ports do to help you on serve is give you more spin, so if you can take advantage of the spin, maybe you can end up with a serve that's just as good even if it's not as powerful.

 

[Babolix]

I prefer the solid beam Beast 98 over the O3 version, and the serve is one of the reasons I like it better. For some reason I get better control and power on the serve with the solid beam version. I notice that with past O-port racquets I played with, I had to sacrifice power on the serve and make up for it with increased spin. One thing the O-ports do to help you on serve is give you more spin, so if you can take advantage of the spin, maybe you can end up with a serve that's just as good even if it's not as powerful.

Well, I have to agree that solid beams give more plow through and stability so, on serve, you have more effective power.
But on the other point you mention, the spin solution on the O3 is not really an effective solution : it gives spin balls but very light, not so heavy. While, you're right, the controllable powr of the solid beam one gives much power that you can load with spin too, less spin maybe, but the balls are heavier !
That being said, I remember I had not so much success in game with the solid beam. I think the tension of the test racquet was too high (25kg iso with strong poly... Thanx TWE ) so I lacked power and forgiveness in game. Maybe I should try once more with another string.
This days, I'm testing an ezone 100 (w/ PTP 24/23kg) , the feeling is really solid at impact, not harsh. And I found power and spin on my serve, as controlable and effective power in game. I have a lot of good serve, 1st or 2nd and good winners in games. I just wonder if the solid feeling will change into harshness (like Pure strike) in the future... (Just one session with it for the moment) and testing more the putaway power on defense with bigger/strong players.

 

[Ramon]

Well, I have to agree that solid beams give more plow through and stability so, on serve, you have more effective power.
But on the other point you mention, the spin solution on the O3 is not really an effective solution : it gives spin balls but very light, not so heavy. While, you're right, the controllable powr of the solid beam one gives much power that you can load with spin too, less spin maybe, but the balls are heavier !
That being said, I remember I had not so much success in game with the solid beam. I think the tension of the test racquet was too high (25kg iso with strong poly... Thanx TWE ) so I lacked power and forgiveness in game. Maybe I should try once more with another string.
This days, I'm testing an ezone 100 (w/ PTP 24/23kg) , the feeling is really solid at impact, not harsh. And I found power and spin on my serve, as controlable and effective power in game. I have a lot of good serve, 1st or 2nd and good winners in games. I just wonder if the solid feeling will change into harshness (like Pure strike) in the future... (Just one session with it for the moment) and testing more the putaway power on defense with bigger/strong players.

I do agree that my serve is better overall with the solid beam Beast 98 than the O3 version, so between the 2 racquets it's an easy choice for me. The reason I even brought up the spin with the O3 is because a few years ago I used a Prince Tour 98 ESP. That racquet had very low power and plow but tremendous spin. Other players commented that my serves were very effective with this racquet because of the extra spin. The Beast 98 O3 doesn't have as much spin, but it does have more spin than the solid beam Beast 98. So I figured that depending on the player, the Beast 98 O3 could work better for someone who can take advantage of it, but for me I like the regular Beast 98.

 

[Babolix]

You gave me the need to try it again !!! ^_^
This days I'm demoing Ezone 98 and 100. And it's pretty cool I must say ! Not so powerful, good spin... Gooooood serve !

 

[2nd Serve Ace]

You gave me the need to try it again !!! ^_^
This days I'm demoing Ezone 98 and 100. And it's pretty cool I must say ! Not so powerful, good spin... Gooooood serve !

I need to give the Ezone a look. Tried several Vcores and found them lacking.

Do think the o3 98 is a good serving frame with the right kinetic build.

 

[Babolix]

Didn't like the Vcore (lacking feeling, control, etc...), Ezone are more solid, controled so at the end : more playable and give more success.
I have/had some good serve with the Beast 98 O3 but lot less than with other racquets and I'm a very good server with good full kinetic so I don't think it's a good serving frame (depend on your level of course) compared to more effective frames, and there are a lot. So It's not on my top 5 maybe not even 10. If you compare it to the Ezone, it's just day and night. More power but also more control as you know where it will lands, more spin if you need, more feeling and return. Less plow through and confort maybe.