The paint job is great!I have the new Prince Tour 100 16x18. Bought due to arm/elbow problems after a few years on Babolats. Takes a while to get used to but it's a great weapon once you get dialled in. Here's my thoughts so far:
LIKES:
? spin potential - lots of it. I mean lots!
? great for my arm. Best in its class
? good weight for popping back shots on the stretch
? absorbs powerful shots well
? the more you use it, the more you learn what it is capable of. It always surprises me!
DISLIKES:
? a little too powerful sometimes so shots can't be to flat (perhaps I need to increase string tension) so you have to brush up and over the ball a lot
? paint job is a bit ugly but you get over it!
? flexy feel is sometimes a bit weird when you want pop
Try one out though. I think this is the stick that will always divide opinion.
I played with exo3 tour for a while and multi is no option for this racquet. You can get control with tour only with poly at high tension (at least 24 kg) and then this racquet is great for playing. It is not for flat hitting (16*18 version) but if you put some spin in it, spin would be fantastic.
...decent serves too (despite many peoples grumbles).
It surprised me too! Most reviewers have commented that it wasn't a great serving stick. I really enjoyed serving with it
Just to add to my previous note, I just can't see how David Ferrer control the ball strung at 51 lbs. It's just impossible. Surely his version is a customised Prince Tour 100 as the recommended tension range starts at 53 lbs anyway!?
His is an O3 tour with the round ports and 28" long. I strung my Exo3 Tours with poly as low as 45 and still had control.
Nope. Still the O3
Sorry am I missing something, that's the same stick I am talking about?! Prince don't call it the EXO3 anymore. It was renamed the Tour 100.
http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Prince_Tour_100_16x18_Racquets/descpageRCPRINCE-PT1H16.html
Nope. Still the O3
Sorry am I missing something, that's the same stick I am talking about?! Prince don't call it the EXO3 anymore. It was renamed the Tour 100.
http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Prince_Tour_100_16x18_Racquets/descpageRCPRINCE-PT1H16.html
Look at the shape of the holes - especially obvious in the throat. It is just his old O3 racquet with the new paintjob. They have done a better job with hiding it this time around, but it's still just his old stick with new paint.
Look at the shape of the holes - especially obvious in the throat. It is just his old O3 racquet with the new paintjob. They have done a better job with hiding it this time around, but it's still just his old stick with new paint.
Gotcha. I guess he prefers the old EXO3 model. I didn't think there was much difference but I guess there must be. I notice the lead tape too so he clearly customises it.
From the pics, he's using some kind of O and Exo3 port hybrid. If you look in the top right corner of the last pic posted, you clearly see an EXO3 port. The O3 Tour (from the TW page) has O ports in the same place.
PROS:
-Spin
-Power
-Reeeally soft so arm-friendly
-Perfect weight (310gr unstrung)
CONS:
-PAINT quality in the exo3 sucks, it cheaps easily. I don't have references for -the new Tour.
-It takes some time to understand the unique feel.
SOME RARE CHARACTERISTICS:
It's 7 point headlight
Very thin beam (which I love)
The so loved/hated ports (I actually think this was of the many reasons why Prince sales went down. My experience with ports was excellent tho).
Prince should really aim better who to sponsor. I mean Ferrer and Bryan Brothers?? Tenistically they are top level, but they don't have the charisma, the appeal, the high profile to boost Prince sales.
I would agree with everything here in regards to the new tour 100 version.PROS:
-Spin
-Power
-Reeeally soft so arm-friendly
-Perfect weight (310gr unstrung)
CONS:
-PAINT quality in the exo3 sucks, it cheaps easily. I don't have references for -the new Tour.
-It takes some time to understand the unique feel.
SOME RARE CHARACTERISTICS:
It's 7 point headlight
Very thin beam (which I love)
The so loved/hated ports (I actually think this was of the many reasons why Prince sales went down. My experience with ports was excellent tho).
Prince should really aim better who to sponsor. I mean Ferrer and Bryan Brothers?? Tenistically they are top level, but they don't have the charisma, the appeal, the high profile to boost Prince sales.
I played with exo3 tour for a while and multi is no option for this racquet. You can get control with tour only with poly at high tension (at least 24 kg) and then this racquet is great for playing. It is not for flat hitting (16*18 version) but if you put some spin in it, spin would be fantastic. For me power is great, just like loosegroove described. Very easy racquet to play with.
Is there any diference between exo3 tour and new tour 100 besides stifness?
I'm curious why multis aren't an option for these racquets. I have a Warrior 100 with the EXO ports and use mutlis with great success. I've always stayed away from polys due to their short life. Is it this racquet in particular or all EXO port sticks that you think should steer clear of multis?
Yeah, there's a few reasons. People obviously choose poly for more spin/control in general and that is surely true for these open string pattern rackets. But I'd also add that the the Exo Ports already feel soft/muted so I think a lot of people like some extra stiffness from the string. And a huge thing is the Tour 16x18 and Warrior with their relatively open string patterns combined with the Ports are string eaters. A multi just wouldn't last for most 4.0 and up players.
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I always thought multis lasted longer than polys. Am I wrong? I'm not a 4.0 player so I guess I really don't have to worry about this yet.
Exo3 tour100 with ALUPOWER ROUGH @58 lbs = jesus christ. believe me, this racket is really able to bear stiff poly strings with way HIGH tension. you could go higher than 55lbs with any poly string due to very low flexibility this racket has. Very soft and comfortable. If I didn't string it by myself, I wouldn't believe it was 58..
Also, I notice that you have both the Pro Kennex Q5 295 and Warrior 100 in your sig. I've been thinking about going a little lighter, and both these rackets are on my radar. I demo'd both of them, but the string setups were so different, plus I didn't have the rackets at the same time, so I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on how they compare to one another.
Was wondering if anyone could give me some backround on the thing. I would like to know some pro & cons, as well as how the racket plays and for what type of players it is best suited for. Im looking to buy a new stick and the specs of the racket has caught my interest.
Yes, it is very easy racquet to play with. I was so consistent with it. Great for my every stroke, but my two handed backhand. I am hitting it pretty flat so it tends to sail away with exo3. You really need to zip the stroke with this racquet and then it plays fantastic.
The best thing was how racquet produced deep spinny balls.
LightHeaded, please compare EXO3 tour 16*18 with your Pro tour 100. Thanks!
I played two weeks with this racquet and I liked it very much, but i want much power you have to suggest me some strings ??
Polystar Energy - all the power you'll ever need
I recommend you DO NOT try to grommet this frame. If you want a solid body grommeted Tour, Prince now makes it! For more pop, string with natural gut (I prefer Babolat Tonic+ Ball Feel) at 55 lbs. Slap on a tournagrip and 4g (total) of lead at 10 and 2 o'clock. This lead placement raises the sweet spot slightly and makes the upper hoop hits feel less dead and more stable. Remember that this is one of the most flexible frames made. Elbow and shoulder pain magically go away and you will swear that you are playing with an old school wood frame. Pure delight. For a spinnier option, put poly in the crosses at 50#. All this being said, this is not a powerful frame, so when antinoos said he wanted "much power", he should perhaps look elsewhere, like the Warrior line.