Doc Hollidae
Hall of Fame
I hope this has Speedport Tour specs.
Prince Phantom
- Thread starter joekapa
- Start date
smalahove
Hall of Fame
I thought the ports looked a bit like exo3 ones, but here is a better picture. 03 ports, for sure.
http://harikichi.blog4.fc2.com/blog-category-5.html
There's also a new Warrior coming up, it seems (blue color).
Not really sure how this is diff than the (reg) Warrior 100, as the specs look similar:
http://princeracket.jp/rackets/harrier-pro-100xr-m/
http://harikichi.blog4.fc2.com/blog-category-5.html
There's also a new Warrior coming up, it seems (blue color).
Not really sure how this is diff than the (reg) Warrior 100, as the specs look similar:
http://princeracket.jp/rackets/harrier-pro-100xr-m/
smalahove
Hall of Fame
http://princeracket.jp/rackets/phantom-100-xr-j/
PHANTOM 100 XR-J
Unstrung specs:
Headsize 100 inch 2
Weight 310 g
Balance 310 mm
Swingweight 295
Beam 20-16.5mm
Pattern 16x18
Length 27inch
I prob will get one, as the first gen Tour 100's were a joy to play and hold.
Would have prefered reg. grommets with the thin beam, but I don't mind exo3/o3 ports ...
jonestim
Hall of Fame
There's also a new Warrior coming up, it seems (blue color).
Not really sure how this is diff than the (reg) Warrior 100, as the specs look similar:
http://princeracket.jp/rackets/harrier-pro-100xr-m/
16x19, which happens to be the drill pattern Isner is using in his.
Automatix
Legend
The 16.5mm is the throat part. The head beam is 20mm.
That's a relief. Wow, that's a very thin throat. Will be interesting to see how that plays with a thin throat and port combo. Happy days!
Automatix
Legend
If they did it right it can play good. There were good and bad thin frames in the past:
The good: legendary Pro Staff 95 (17mm), Yonex Pro RD 70 95 (beam 19mm throat, head tip 16mm)
The bad: Wilson Hammer Spin 5.5 (15mm)
I say, keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best. At least this one is going to hit the markets outside of Japan.
1990's Graphite
Hall of Fame
I wonder which one will have a better following, the port or traditional grommet frame. Liking the look of the pro. 20.22 beam
Arthuro
Semi-Pro
Spoke to corporate yesterday, there are no plans for a 18x20 at this time to his knowledge.
Seth
Legend
For what it's worth, I'm a 18x20 fan but really loved the Phantom's pattern. Provides a lot of control.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Gamma F 9.5 18 mm racquet is pretty sweet. Foam-filled?
parasailing
Legend
I enjoyed the Prince EXO3 Tour so if this version is similar to that one but offers a bit more plow, I definitely will be purchasing one of these.
An underappreciated stick no doubt, and appreciated by elbows everywhere. Port technology is one of the few genuinely groundbreaking techs in the last decade, despite the many claims made, and it would be great to see ports continue as an alternative to conventional grommets.
Automatix
Legend
Didn't have the pleasure of hitting with that one, so I can't really elaborate.
I wouldn't go that far but it did make a difference - for better or for worse.
Sadly Prince screwed up with their strategy and O3 development.
First of all you cannot ditch your, let's call it, traditional offerings. You have to balance out the new with the old/traditional.
Prince jumped the gun. Lost its "traditional" followers and didn't have enough time to build an O-port fanbase.
Secondly first O-port frames were somewhat raw, good for those who love O-ports, not so good for those in between - by that I mean they liked some attributes but the too muted feel etc. was too much for them. A good move was the introduction of different grommets but it was a little bit too late.
In Japan they also had J-frames (O-ports only in the sweetspot), it is debatable whether or not this approach is good - the aim is to hit the sweetspot so in this aspect (getting more dwelltime and power) it is good, but on the other hand rec players search for racquets with a huge sweetspot an these frames due to the more traditional grommets should have a really noticeable drop in power and comfort outside the O-ported sweetspot. But let's not dwell on something which isn't available to us.
It is my personal opinion that Prince gave up a bit too soon on the Hybrid conception - anybody remember the Hybrid Tour?
Interesting frame which had potential but needed serious engineering tweaking (crazy level string sensitive) and a commercial 18x20 version.
And finally... for the love of God, release some extended options like the Pouille 100P.
Prince is not as strong as Wilson or Babolat to get away with such mistakes so they should focus on their game strategy.
One more thing. O-ports are specific, when you adjust it's hard to go back to traditional frames. I know that a Polish player switched to Head after playing with a O-ported racquet and rumour is he couldn't adjust and returned to Prince.
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jmacdaununder2
Legend
QUOTE=Automatix
And finally... for the love of God, release some extended options like the Pouille 100P.
I just don't see why racquet manufacturers can't supply hairpins of suitable models - say a model that is used by a pro as a longbody - to specialist tennis shops to be cut to the required length; there are so many pros and rec players using plus length racquets. Surely there is profit to be made from doing this? Or even just offer some 27.5"/28" 'players' racquets. Very surprised Babolat have no plus length Strikes for example.
And finally... for the love of God, release some extended options like the Pouille 100P.
I just don't see why racquet manufacturers can't supply hairpins of suitable models - say a model that is used by a pro as a longbody - to specialist tennis shops to be cut to the required length; there are so many pros and rec players using plus length racquets. Surely there is profit to be made from doing this? Or even just offer some 27.5"/28" 'players' racquets. Very surprised Babolat have no plus length Strikes for example.
Seth
Legend
In the general tennis population, there just isn't the demand for extended frames. We here on TT are definitely the vocal minority.
Would be cool to see Prince work with TW to supply exclusive stuff like Prince and other companies have done in the past. I know TW acquired some POG LBs years ago when they were Europe only. Same thing happened with Hyper ProStaff 6.1 Tour (12.8, 18x20, Euro only), Head pro stocks, and more recently Dunlop pro stocks. This eases the burden on Prince to find enough buyers to warrant manufacturing a ton of extended Textremes that may or may not sell, but also gives us tennis nuts a 27.5/28" option.
Seth
Legend
The Hybrid Tour was sweet. Used by Querrey and Marach and tested by Blake (don't know that he ever played with one in a tour event).
Blake's test frames were 18x20 and IIRC had 10 strings in the bridge. Very dense.
jmacdaununder2
Legend
Yeah, I don't see why Prince, for example, couldn't supply a tennis specialist with uncut 29" hairpins - do it 'on consignment' even - and if they don't sell as longbodies, they can retrospectively be cut to 27" and then gripped and sold as standard length racquets. There's no additional manufacturing cost that I can see. As far as I'm aware, virtually all racquets come out of the mould as plus length hairpins. As long as they are made with a suitable RA - stiff enough to work as a 28" racquet, but not too stiff to be playable at 27" I guess.
1990's Graphite
Hall of Fame
Some more glowing reviews. Once translated 
stable, powerful, control, fast swinging for both traditional and port grommet models.
https://www.tennisclassic.jp/db/products/detail.php?product_id=793
stable, powerful, control, fast swinging for both traditional and port grommet models.https://www.tennisclassic.jp/db/products/detail.php?product_id=793
Slick Tennis
Rookie
Prince, looking fwd to this one but please, please make an extended lenght version available.
loosegroove
Hall of Fame
The EXO3 Tour had a pretty good following here. It had its own dedicated thread that got pretty big, and I still see it get bumped up from time to time. However the most recent update, the Tour 100, seemed to have little fanfare upon release. Looks like the Phantom could recapture some of that lost glory. I think it was a great move by Prince to put some focus back on standard grommet rackets, but I'm definitely glad they're not abandoning the ports.
parasailing
Legend
I thought the Tour 100 was the better racquet than the EXO3 but I agree that it didn't get as much hype. It was a great racquet though definitely one of the softest ones on the market.
loosegroove
Hall of Fame
Yeah, I thought so too. Just minor tweaks, but the slight boost in stiffness and stability made a great frame even better. I thought maybe the Tour 100 didn't get the hype because it seemed like more of an incremental update than a hot new frame, but that hasn't seemed to have stopped the Yonex DR98 train.
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I agree - a little stiffer and a little higher SW, but still super-soft.
Yes - a pity as this stick, and it's predecessor, have something to offer many players who perhaps chase the APD dream when they'd be better all round players with a Tour 100 in their hands.
parasailing
Legend
Yeah the DR 98 force is strong. It seems to have a cult like following similar to the current Pure Strike thread.
JohnBPittsburgh
Hall of Fame
I think the Tour 100 paint grows on you. A long time ago I vowed never to buy one, only to have around 10 now and prostocks of them Great frame, both string patterns!!
Great frame, both string patterns!!parasailing
Legend
Looking forward to this frame. This frame will be great for those cold months outdoors when a nice and soft racquet will do wonders for the joints.
1990's Graphite
Hall of Fame
parasailing
Legend
Wow amazing still wrapped in plastic. A collector's item.
Seth
Legend
Wrapped in plastic? It's fantastic.
jmacdaununder2
Legend
The racquet above seems to be available as a standard retail model on R*k*t*n Japan, lol Man they love their Princes almost as much as I do; I think I'm turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese, I really think so dah-dah-dah deh-deh dah-de-dah...
BigM
Rookie
Why not both? The ports have been around for 10 years and many players young and mature enjoy the feel , Comfort and spin the port design provides. Plus I want to replace my t100's lol
1990's Graphite
Hall of Fame
Nice, thanks for the link, just paste the link and replace the stars with the right word
Bit pricey... but someone might pay to get a first hand look and feel
loosegroove
Hall of Fame
Pricey, but it's "one of a kind"...as long as you use that term very liberally.
themitchmann
Hall of Fame
Guys, don't worry. It'll be here soon.
smalahove
Hall of Fame
FYI, the old (first gen) Tour 100 had EXO3 ports in a 19 - 20 - 19 tapered beam.
Slick Tennis
Rookie
I'm really looking fwd to this one...closing in to my 40's, looking for comfort yet a little extra pop...still toying around with old Head Prestige 660's but they're getting heavy...Tec ltd's lack the pop...I love the LB 100's, they have the right feel and bring the extra pop given the extra length...any chance Prince comes back to longbody options? fingers crossed...
1990's Graphite
Hall of Fame
The Jap. review is out on the tube! they look good. If someone could translate it!?
