Pro Kennex Black Ace Pro 97 2021
- Thread starter Christoforos Giatzakis
- Start date
Christoforos Giatzakis
Rookie
Not yet I guess...
Gee
Hall of Fame
No, the Redondos and Black Aces (before BA KI versions) don't.
Gee
Hall of Fame
Yes current ones have kinetic. Unfortunately the black ace pro as well as you can see it in the picture at the inside of the tip of the hoop.
joah310
Professional
Ah yeah I see it. Man the paint job looks great, but I haven't quite enjoyed the kinetic sand stuff. Just got irritated by the sound, even if the feel wasn't that badYes current ones have kinetic. Unfortunately the black ace pro as well as you can see it in the picture at the inside of the tip of the hoop.
Gee
Hall of Fame
Yes, the addition of kinetics are meant to reduce shock/vibrations. However I think it'll dampen the feel too much especially with such a low RA.
Gee
Hall of Fame
I feel exactly the same.
I still have the BA version from 2009 (without KI). I only needed to customize it a lot to my desired specs.
However currently I'm with Angell that are foam filled that I really love. Once you get used to that addictive feel of a foam filled frame it is very difficult to switch to another one.
joah310
Professional
Foam filled rackets can be addictive. They just feel extremely solid. POG, the old pro staffs, just in general foam is good. I haven't tried any iteration of the BA yet, though it is certainly something I'll be looking out for as it's specs just look fabulous. How do they compare to redondo's if you have tried them?
Gee
Hall of Fame
Indeed I tried the Redondo MP as well.
Very nice solid and comfortable feel. A little bit softer and more solid than the BA 2009. However I couldn't create enough power with my serves. Maybe I gave up too early with the Redondo and I didn't experiment enough with (more powerful) strings.
Very nice solid and comfortable feel. A little bit softer and more solid than the BA 2009. However I couldn't create enough power with my serves. Maybe I gave up too early with the Redondo and I didn't experiment enough with (more powerful) strings.
JGads
G.O.A.T.
The kinetic is for more than just arm health. The little beads are moving forward as you swing, thus bringing more inertia/energy into the ball when the racquet meets it vs a standard frame. For example the Q+5 Pro punches a bigger ball than it really should for a frame with its spec. With a frame so thin and soft as this Black Ace, the kinetic stuff might well be necessary to give it punch. Otherwise would be too anemic for most. Still could be, but the kinetic may help.
Huge fan of PK and again here for releasing such a frame for the niche crowd who could really love it. Paintjob is amazing.
Huge fan of PK and again here for releasing such a frame for the niche crowd who could really love it. Paintjob is amazing.
t_pac
Semi-Pro
Technically the Kinetic system was originally intended to re-direct more force back to the ball, the arm-friendliness was more of a bonus. So if we believe PK then the Kinetic system is probably quite useful on such a flexible racquet which can generally lack some power...
Technologies - ProKennex Racchette e Accessori
www.prokennex.eu
Have to say this frame has my interest, specs are pretty awesome for me.
Pneumated1
Hall of Fame
Typo? You know they're really beans, you silly guy!
Pneumated1
Hall of Fame
Have to say, I hope the listing is wrong for the RA. 59-61 strung would be ideal, imo, but 58RA unstrung could end up being a bit numb. There were earlier reports that it would be 61RA strung, and I hope that's the case.
Christoforos Giatzakis
Rookie
unfortunately (as I would also prefer it to be 58-60RA) these are measurements of an actual stick...
Pneumated1
Hall of Fame
Sometimes that number is deceiving, so we'll just have to wait and see. Promising stick.
Christoforos Giatzakis
Rookie
Agreed. I have been waiting for something like this since the ultra tour v.2. This may be what I was hoping the ultra pro v.3 16x19 would be....
Pneumated1
Hall of Fame
That's what has me interested. My main frames are a pair of UP 16x19s, but if they were a fraction softer, they would be perfect (for me). I'm being very picky; I admit it.
Have you ever had severe TE?
The Kinetic System is not sufficient to make a 65+ RA racquet comfortable enough.
The current BA models are a welcome addition to the Kinetic line that has been hitherto dominated by stiff frames.
louis netman
Hall of Fame
It took PK a very looong time to design/produce a sub RA60 frame with Kinetic tech.
When I first owned a 5g (RA65) 20+ years ago, I asked myself why PK didn't have flexier frames with Kinetic tech...
I recently acquired a BA315 Kinetic (tested RA56 unstrung) and I can say it's even more comfortable than my comfy Head Satellite Tours (RA54 unstrung). Both frames @ 360g 30.5 cm @55# with nat gut hybrid produce similar results.
I use GEL grips with OG now and the Sat Tours have better feel, however, which is not surprising as they use the twin tube design, and the BA's kinetic system robs some of it's feel.
Knife
Professional
The 1:st gen PK Q-tours 295 (2013) had the kinetic tech and a 56-57 flex. I still prefer to play those even today. I've never tried a modern raquet that can match the comfort here, perfect with a little added weight. The flex feels almost woodenesque, will probably play these frames as long as they hold up. The new Black Ace 300 intrigues me though...
Pneumated1
Hall of Fame
This tells me I've been missing out on excellent PK frames for too long. I can live with the regret, but it does create a certain level of expectation, perhaps unrealistic, for this new Black Ace. It had better make up for lost time and deliver
This 100%. The Q+ 5 Pro is like unstrung 310g with 10.4 HL balance; it's noticeably more powerful than something as whippy as it is ought to be. The Kinetic technology is one of the few pieces of racquet technology that legitimately performs the function attributed to it, which is why it has remained a fixture of ProKennex racquets.
So besides mitigating shock from impact, the kinetic beads also supply additional power when you strike the ball. That's why PK had to prove that the beads do not alter racquet swingweight, as altering swingweight would be a way of essentially stealing more power from your racquet. The beads perform a similar function (albeit to a lesser degree).
Placing them in a very soft frame, then, would be a way of "stealing" more power than such a soft racquet would otherwise earn.
JGads
G.O.A.T.
Indeed! Great to have another person who knows and appreciates the hidden magic of the Q+5 Pro, and PK frames in general.
vantage boy
Rookie
I'm very interested in this one P1. Loved my 315 Qtour but found out that this series(325/315/300) all have that Volkl/old prestige/tecnifibre grip shape, which is not doable for me. I've heard that the other PK line has a more dunlop/wilson grip shape. The arm tech is legit .This tells me I've been missing out on excellent PK frames for too long. I can live with the regret, but it does create a certain level of expectation, perhaps unrealistic, for this new Black Ace. It had better make up for lost time and deliver
Pneumated1
Hall of Fame
Hey, vb. Yeah, I'll probably buy this one as soon as it hits retailers, and I'd like to try the Q+Tour 300/315. A few layers of athletic tape to certain bevels does wonders for grip shape (like it did on my Volkls). Otherwise, I'm set with my UP 16x19s and Gravity Tour. I can honestly say that PK is the only remaining curiosity. I've hit everything else.
Christoforos Giatzakis
Rookie
What's "thai one"?
louis netman
Hall of Fame
Custom cut .030 polystyrene glued on bevels 3 and 7 will forever change your relationship with Volkl, Head and PK!!!
louis netman
Hall of Fame
Custom cut .030 polystyrene glued on bevels 3 and 7 will forever change your relationship with Volkl, Head and PK!!!
louis netman
Hall of Fame
Custom cut .030 polystyrene glued on bevels 3 and 7 will forever change your relationship with Volkl, Head and PK!!!
Gee
Hall of Fame
I once put Völkl S pallets on a PK Redondo with double sided tape on the top and bottom surfaces of the hairpin. See this thread with pictures.
I also tried this without the double sided tape but that felt just too small to me.
I also tried this without the double sided tape but that felt just too small to me.
Pneumated1
Hall of Fame
I actually start with a 1" layer of athletic tape and run it along the lower edge of bevel 3. That will overlap onto bevel 2 slightly. Then I run a 1" strip along the upper edge of bevel 3, which overlaps bevel 4 slightly. Then I center a 1" strip on bevel 3 which overlaps bevels 2&4 slightly less than the first two strips. I then flip the frame and do the same on bevel 7 with a tapered overlap on 6&8. I've found through trial-and-error that the taper is important for me. I finish this off with a 1/2" strip of tape (sometimes 2) on bevels 1&5. This is applied to standard Becker and Volkl shapes, and I find it to be magical.
But then I found Attiva S pallets and TK82S pallets so just use those instead of tape at this point, like @Gee outlines above. But, the PK will likely get a modified version of what I listed above.
Very interesting, though, about the thin 'Sytrofoam.' There have been times where my method above added too much weight.
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louis netman
Hall of Fame
It's actually a thin plastic sheet (not styrofoam) that can be cut to size. I once used balsa wood, but this stuff is the bomb and can be removed without a splintered mess and it's much firmer...
Pneumated1
Hall of Fame
And won't compress like athletic tape therefore giving a more defined feel. Very interesting. Again, I have a Volkl connection for pallets, and Head pallets are ubiquitous, but PK will take some adjustment. Will look into this more; thanks.
louis netman
Hall of Fame
Please let me know your Volkl pallet connection. Also, I did the .030 polystyrene ( get @ Hobby Lobby) on my Black Ace 315 and the grip (with TW leather) is amazing! Feels like a stock 1970s Wilson grip shape that I was weaned on...
Ryanblessed
Semi-Pro
Looks like Softer Vcore Pro 97?
