Racquet to switch from Gravity Pro

nov

Hall of Fame
Hello,

My latest stick was Gravity Pro with Gravity Tour as spare racquet. I'm 3.5 but close to 4.0 (i know Gravity Pro not for 3.5...). I'm switching from Gravity Pro because i got stiff racquet with 67 RA unstrung and i figured out that to play with that racquet you have to be at great physical shape all the time. I actually played pretty good with this racquet as long as i exercised daily. Now i dont hit gym for more than 6 months due to life circumstances and i feel that its too much of a racquet at the moment, my arm started to hurt too.
Im playing all court game and looking for ~98inch, SW 320-325 comfortable and control oriented racquet. I dont plan to customize racquet, but im going to use TW matching service to pick specs i need.

My top picks are:

1. Wilson Blade V8 16 x 19 (Looks promising and at the top of my list, but need to find racquet with 320-325SW to be stable i guess)
2. Yonex Vcore Pro 97 310 2021 (Sweet sport could be too little for my level)
3. Head Radical MP (Specs seems to be great, but 65 RA could be too much or maybe with matching service i could find more flexible one)
4. Head Extreme Tour (Not sure about comfort?)
5. Wait new Ezone 98 model?
6. Head Speed Pro?

Any suggestions?
 

Leen

Rookie
I play with the blade V7 and DR98 atm. I personally am looking into the Head Extreme Tour. Looking for more spin while maintaining control. I haven't truly tested it yet though.

My friend who is a very solid player just switched from the blade V7 to the Yonex Vcore but ultimately jumped ship quickly for the Blade V8 if that helps. He is a strong 4.5 player.
He said the Vcore pro lacked power/heft. Was too headlight essentially. The blade was good bump in power for him from the V7.

Based on your description, I think the Extreme tour or Blade would suite a 4.0ish player pretty well. Vcore is very demanding. Though a new Ezone is always a good wild card to keep an eye out for. But ever since the DR98 it seems to always just lack a little something.
 

tomkowy

Rookie
1. Blade v8 is low powered so it will have less power than Gravity Pro beacause of lower SW.
2. New VCore Pro 97 310 has a quite generous sweetspot. Not smaller than Radical MP and bigger than Extreme Tour in stock form. I could be an easy transition from Gravity Pro in my opinion.
3. Extreme Tour is great if you add 3-4 grams total on the sides of the hoop. It is comfortable if you string it 23 kg and avoid stiff polys. In stock form it is a bit unstable.

Both VCore Pro and Extreme Tour in stock form will have similar power as Gravity Pro. If you don’t want to customize, VCore Pro is the one I would try first. It does everything well.
 
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ChanterRacquet

Professional
If I were to play a slightly higher swingweight than my preference, I would play the Head Extreme Tour in a heartbeat. It’s basically a manageable swingweight Blade v7.

Blade v8 was meh.

Haven’t demoed myself, but I play the OS 105” version of the Dunlop CX 200, so the 98” might be something to demo as it’s in your sw range.
 

mstrvol

New User
Also consider Tecnifibre TF40 305. It feels lighter than Gravity Pro, not as much feel and stability but still good comfort with ample power and plow for its weight.

From you list

1. Wilson Blade V8 16 x 19 - I tried V7, similar peformance to Gravity but easier to swing with a smaller sweetspot. the Tecnifibre is a bit more stable with similar maneuverability
2. Yonex Vcore Pro 97 310 2021 - never tried, but from what I read the Vcore Pro line is more control oriented and harder to use than the rest
3. Head Radical MP - not Babolat level stiff, but not great comfort either, you would definitely feel more vibration than a blade, gravity or tf40 with same string. small sweetspot but good power if you hit it. probably the ugliest racquet on market now, but it's purely personal
4. Head Extreme Tour (Not sure about comfort?) - no idea, probably closer to the Vcore and a bit harder to use than other options
5. Wait new Ezone 98 model? - briefly used the current model, stiffer than old DR but better than Radical. Great power/spin/maneuverability combo, not sure why it doesn't get more popular (maybe looking too similar to past versions?)
6. Head Speed Pro? - pretty much same performance as Gravity, but in a much easier to handle package. not as good feeling as Gravity but more comfortable than Radical

If you can demo, try Ezone 98, Speed Pro, Tecnifibre TF40. If not, then buy the Speed Pro
 

MikhailT

Rookie
What is your string setup? 67 RA unstrung is not that bad I think. Should be around 63 strung, which is very close to the target spec for Gravity Pro of 62. My point is, it's probably your technique or strings and not the stiffness of the racquet. You could try to make your Gravity less demanding by using some thin polys (try 1.10mm in the crosses) or going hybrid with multis in the mains - or both - thin poly cross and multi mains. Should reduce the weight where it matters the most for the easiness of handling.
 

Leen

Rookie
A lot of people seem to recommend adding weight to the extreme tour. Coming from the blade v7 you guys think I would need to add weight or will it feel lacking otherwise?
 

nov

Hall of Fame
What is your string setup? 67 RA unstrung is not that bad I think. Should be around 63 strung, which is very close to the target spec for Gravity Pro of 62. My point is, it's probably your technique or strings and not the stiffness of the racquet. You could try to make your Gravity less demanding by using some thin polys (try 1.10mm in the crosses) or going hybrid with multis in the mains - or both - thin poly cross and multi mains. Should reduce the weight where it matters the most for the easiness of handling.
I use Technifibre Triax and it works best for me with Gravity Tour/Pro. Tried Ghost Wire and it wasnt bad, but my arm felt it and it lacked feel compared to Triax.
My Pro plays great with higher RA, but it isnt comfortable. I had 2019 Pro and it felt so much softer, but played worse than mine 2021 Pro with 67 stiffness.
 

nov

Hall of Fame
Also consider Tecnifibre TF40 305. It feels lighter than Gravity Pro, not as much feel and stability but still good comfort with ample power and plow for its weight.

From you list

1. Wilson Blade V8 16 x 19 - I tried V7, similar peformance to Gravity but easier to swing with a smaller sweetspot. the Tecnifibre is a bit more stable with similar maneuverability
2. Yonex Vcore Pro 97 310 2021 - never tried, but from what I read the Vcore Pro line is more control oriented and harder to use than the rest
3. Head Radical MP - not Babolat level stiff, but not great comfort either, you would definitely feel more vibration than a blade, gravity or tf40 with same string. small sweetspot but good power if you hit it. probably the ugliest racquet on market now, but it's purely personal
4. Head Extreme Tour (Not sure about comfort?) - no idea, probably closer to the Vcore and a bit harder to use than other options
5. Wait new Ezone 98 model? - briefly used the current model, stiffer than old DR but better than Radical. Great power/spin/maneuverability combo, not sure why it doesn't get more popular (maybe looking too similar to past versions?)
6. Head Speed Pro? - pretty much same performance as Gravity, but in a much easier to handle package. not as good feeling as Gravity but more comfortable than Radical

If you can demo, try Ezone 98, Speed Pro, Tecnifibre TF40. If not, then buy the Speed Pro
Why Speed Pro much easier to handle?It has about same weight and SW as Gravity Pro?
 

nov

Hall of Fame
1. Blade is low powered so it will have less power than Gravity Pro beacause of lower SW.
2. New VCore Pro 97 310 has a quite generous sweetspot. Not smaller than Radical MP and bigger than Extreme Tour in stock form. I could be an easy transition from Gravity Pro in my opinion.
3. Extreme Tour is great if you add 3-4 grams total on the sides of the hoop. It is comfortable if you string it 23 kg and avoid stiff polys. In stock form it is a bit unstable.

Both VCore Pro and Extreme Tour in stock form will have similar power as Gravity Pro. If you don’t want to customize, VCore Pro is the one I would try first. It does everything well.
By power, you mean plow through?
 

tomkowy

Rookie
A lot of people seem to recommend adding weight to the extreme tour. Coming from the blade v7 you guys think I would need to add weight or will it feel lacking otherwise?
I have played with Blade just for a few minutes but I’ve always heard about great stability. Extreme Tour in stock form has 10 points lower swingweight (318 vs 328). It feels a bit unstable. After adding 4 grams total at 3 and 9 stability is good. If you play with a Blade, Extreme Tour in stock form may be dissapointing.
 

tomkowy

Rookie
By power, you mean plow through?
I mean shot speed. Gravity Pro and Wilson Ultra Tour that I play a lot at 330 SW have very similar power. They are low powered and you need to swing hard to get power. When I took stock VCore Pro 97 my shot speed was similar to GP and UT, despite ~10 point lower SW. Same with Head Extreme Tour.
Plow is great in GP. VCP 97 has good plow, despite its SW (318), and does not need too much weight in my opinion. Extreme Tour’s plow is not so good in stock form (also 318 SW). If you add lead to Extreme Tour to ~330 SW, there is a lot of stability and plow. Plus it has a lot of power, like Tecnifibre 305 XTC. Much more power than Gravity Pro.
 

WYK

Hall of Fame
Why Speed Pro much easier to handle?It has about same weight and SW as Gravity Pro?

It depends on which version. The 360 is lighter over all and more head light than the 360+ Speed Pro. You can also go further and string 18 or 19g string in it if you don't mind a change in launch angle and spin.
 

nov

Hall of Fame
I mean shot speed. Gravity Pro and Wilson Ultra Tour that I play a lot at 330 SW have very similar power. They are low powered and you need to swing hard to get power. When I took stock VCore Pro 97 my shot speed was similar to GP and UT, despite ~10 point lower SW. Same with Head Extreme Tour.
Plow is great in GP. VCP 97 has good plow, despite its SW (318), and does not need too much weight in my opinion. Extreme Tour’s plow is not so good in stock form (also 318 SW). If you add lead to Extreme Tour to ~330 SW, there is a lot of stability and plow. Plus it has a lot of power, like Tecnifibre 305 XTC. Much more power than Gravity Pro.
With Gravity Pro i can hit heavy and deep shots constantly compared to Gravity Tour and added feel is bonus. I serve great with Pro, but only flat and slice serves. I struggle most with kick serves, sharp fh angles where i need a lot of RHS and in doubles matches with faster reaction shots.
I would love to have racquet similar to Gravity Pro, but easier to use. I understand that im gonna loose some stability, but added RHS should help me more than a bit less stability.
 

Lorenn

Hall of Fame
I would love to have racquet similar to Gravity Pro, but easier to use. I understand that im gonna loose some stability, but added RHS should help me more than a bit less stability.

I alternate between the Speed MP 360+ and the Gravity Pro. Normally Gravity Pro but will switch to the Speed MP when I need a bit of a break.
 

EggSalad

Hall of Fame
Hello,

My latest stick was Gravity Pro with Gravity Tour as spare racquet. I'm 3.5 but close to 4.0 (i know Gravity Pro not for 3.5...). I'm switching from Gravity Pro because i got stiff racquet with 67 RA unstrung and i figured out that to play with that racquet you have to be at great physical shape all the time. I actually played pretty good with this racquet as long as i exercised daily. Now i dont hit gym for more than 6 months due to life circumstances and i feel that its too much of a racquet at the moment, my arm started to hurt too.
Im playing all court game and looking for ~98inch, SW 320-325 comfortable and control oriented racquet. I dont plan to customize racquet, but im going to use TW matching service to pick specs i need.

My top picks are:

1. Wilson Blade V8 16 x 19 (Looks promising and at the top of my list, but need to find racquet with 320-325SW to be stable i guess)
2. Yonex Vcore Pro 97 310 2021 (Sweet sport could be too little for my level)
3. Head Radical MP (Specs seems to be great, but 65 RA could be too much or maybe with matching service i could find more flexible one)
4. Head Extreme Tour (Not sure about comfort?)
5. Wait new Ezone 98 model?
6. Head Speed Pro?

Any suggestions?

You might demo the new Prestige racquets. I’m all confused on the MP/Pro after they changed them up from the 360+ line but I think they could be in line with what you are looking for.
 

nov

Hall of Fame
I alternate between the Speed MP 360+ and the Gravity Pro. Normally Gravity Pro but will switch to the Speed MP when I need a bit of a break.
I have Gravity Tour and it was plan to use if ill get tired. But unfortunetaly my level drop too much if i switch to Tour in the middle of the match.
 

fuzz nation

G.O.A.T.
Hello,

My latest stick was Gravity Pro with Gravity Tour as spare racquet. I'm 3.5 but close to 4.0 (i know Gravity Pro not for 3.5...). I'm switching from Gravity Pro because i got stiff racquet with 67 RA unstrung and i figured out that to play with that racquet you have to be at great physical shape all the time. I actually played pretty good with this racquet as long as i exercised daily. Now i dont hit gym for more than 6 months due to life circumstances and i feel that its too much of a racquet at the moment, my arm started to hurt too.
Im playing all court game and looking for ~98inch, SW 320-325 comfortable and control oriented racquet. I dont plan to customize racquet, but im going to use TW matching service to pick specs i need.

My top picks are:

1. Wilson Blade V8 16 x 19 (Looks promising and at the top of my list, but need to find racquet with 320-325SW to be stable i guess)
2. Yonex Vcore Pro 97 310 2021 (Sweet sport could be too little for my level)
3. Head Radical MP (Specs seems to be great, but 65 RA could be too much or maybe with matching service i could find more flexible one)
4. Head Extreme Tour (Not sure about comfort?)
5. Wait new Ezone 98 model?
6. Head Speed Pro?

Any suggestions?
I think that tennis can take a bit of a toll on any of us when we're not in especially good shape. A racquet probably won't solve all of those issues, but I agree that it's great to find one that's easy to live with every day. Any demos will help you with sorting that out. I strongly recommend keeping notes for future reference if you try this and that going forward. Your list of picks looks fine to me - you'll know a good fit when you feel it.

Arm comfort - all I'll say here is that if you have any poly in your racquets (even in a hybrid), go and cut that stuff out right now. It's not helping you. Switching to a softer string is the easiest first step for promoting a happy arm. Try a layout of syn. gut or multifiber at mid tension.

Although you said that you don't plan to customize, I suggest trying your Gravity Pro with some weight added to the handle. That sort of frame having around 11.7 oz. strung weight can be sluggish and cumbersome with only around 6 pts. HL balance. A little bump may give you improved comfort and maneuverability that you want for reaction volleys. You can place lead tape on your handle and simply cover that with an overgrip. If it doesn't work, it's easy enough to either adjust or remove.
 

tomkowy

Rookie
With Gravity Pro i can hit heavy and deep shots constantly compared to Gravity Tour and added feel is bonus. I serve great with Pro, but only flat and slice serves. I struggle most with kick serves, sharp fh angles where i need a lot of RHS and in doubles matches with faster reaction shots.
I would love to have racquet similar to Gravity Pro, but easier to use. I understand that im gonna loose some stability, but added RHS should help me more than a bit less stability.
That sounds like VCore Pro 97 to me. Sweetspot is maybe smaller but racquet is easier to use: more maneouvrable and lighter with similar power, maybe a bit more spin.

I can hit heavy with GP too, the problem is in two match situations:
1. I’m defending 3-4 meters behind the baseline and I have no time to prepare well. I want to play a loopy, deep ball to take pressure off me. Too often the ball lands short.
2. I’m attacking and I get a long, dead ball. I cannot put enough pressure from such balls on my opponent because if I swing hard enough I make too much mistakes.
Both VCore Pro and Extreme Tour are better in defense because they have similar power as GP in lighter package. In offense in stock form VCP is better for me (more stable and a bit more mass). After adding lead I love Extreme Tour both in attack and defense. For you transition to VCP from Gravity line could be easy beacause the feel on impact is similar and they play kind of similar. Extreme Tour is different on impact. Not so soft/plush, definitely more direct feeling.
 

Lorenn

Hall of Fame
I have Gravity Tour and it was plan to use if ill get tired. But unfortunetaly my level drop too much if i switch to Tour in the middle of the match.

Speed MP has a good amount of free power which would allow one to relax. Relaxing helps with recovery. Let the racquet do its job versus trying to force it. It really depends on how tired you get before the switch. Both the Speed series and Gravity line have generous sweetspots which would'nt require increased focus. The other option would be to reduce the head size a little. This would normally increase swing speed and make up for the tired factor. I prefer learning to relax. My normal hitting partner does the opposite and switches racquets to keep performance the same. It works well for them. They switch between a Speed Mp and a Radical MP 360+ normally after about two hours of play. It does wake up their game.
 

nov

Hall of Fame
Yesterday played with 18 year old guy whos playing from 5 years old. Managed to play above my level and only lost after deciding tiebreak 6-3/2-6/6-10. He hits very heavy ball with tons of spin and his kick serves are amazing. I saw hes playing with latest model Head Extreme racquet and after match i asked which exactly model it is. Turns out hes using Head 360+ Extreme MP Lite, 285 gram unstrung and 308 strung SW. I cant believe it, because he hits much heavier ball than 95% people of my level and even above who's using 300++ gr sticks.
 

Return_Ace

Hall of Fame
Yesterday played with 18 year old guy whos playing from 5 years old. Managed to play above my level and only lost after deciding tiebreak 6-3/2-6/6-10. He hits very heavy ball with tons of spin and his kick serves are amazing. I saw hes playing with latest model Head Extreme racquet and after match i asked which exactly model it is. Turns out hes using Head 360+ Extreme MP Lite, 285 gram unstrung and 308 strung SW. I cant believe it, because he hits much heavier ball than 95% people of my level and even above who's using 300++ gr sticks.

Weight with rackets is usually down to two things:

- The level of your opponents
- Personal preference

A heavier racket is really only required when your opponents are hitting at a level where you need the extra mass for stability against them, and even then that's with the caveat that you can swing the heavier racket quickly enough that the overall transfer of momentum doesn't change.

If I were to play against an opponent of a lower level, then I wouldn't necessarily need to use a heavier racket, in the same way you wouldn't need a heavy racket if you were just warming up in the service box.

One of the best players at our club plays with what I think is a VCore Tour F, but it's the 285g version since they're his rackets that he used when he was a junior, doesn't stop him from beating 95% of the members here, since he isn't being challenged with the pace/depth/spin of any opponents to require the extra stability the heavier weight brings.
 

Lorenn

Hall of Fame
Yesterday played with 18 year old guy whos playing from 5 years old. Managed to play above my level and only lost after deciding tiebreak 6-3/2-6/6-10. He hits very heavy ball with tons of spin and his kick serves are amazing. I saw hes playing with latest model Head Extreme racquet and after match i asked which exactly model it is. Turns out hes using Head 360+ Extreme MP Lite, 285 gram unstrung and 308 strung SW. I cant believe it, because he hits much heavier ball than 95% people of my level and even above who's using 300++ gr sticks.

Basically technique maters more than racquet in most situations. How well you get your whole body behind your swings maters dramtically more than lets say 12 -22 grams.(assuming same string) If he has been playing since a young age his timing is likely close to impeccable. A lighter racquet can handle heavy balls if your timing is exceptional. Just because a light stick works well for him doesn't mean it is the right choice for all players. Arming a light racquet, swinging quickly then mishitting is a recipe for injury.(assuming you are playing players who hit reasonably hard) You also have players playing amazingly well with 350-360 gram racquets... doesn't mean everyone should play with 360 gram racquets. What I would take for the game you playing is how much power good techique can offer. This all before we go down the string rabbit hole:)
 
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Tranqville

Professional
Yesterday played with 18 year old guy whos playing from 5 years old. Managed to play above my level and only lost after deciding tiebreak 6-3/2-6/6-10. He hits very heavy ball with tons of spin and his kick serves are amazing. I saw hes playing with latest model Head Extreme racquet and after match i asked which exactly model it is. Turns out hes using Head 360+ Extreme MP Lite, 285 gram unstrung and 308 strung SW. I cant believe it, because he hits much heavier ball than 95% people of my level and even above who's using 300++ gr sticks.

My coach hangs out with a group of 6.0+ young players, one of them is currently inside ATP 100. Long story short, they mostly use Blades or similar racquets (relatively light and polarized), sometimes as low as 270-290g unstrung.
 

daman sidhu

Rookie
Hello,

My latest stick was Gravity Pro with Gravity Tour as spare racquet. I'm 3.5 but close to 4.0 (i know Gravity Pro not for 3.5...). I'm switching from Gravity Pro because i got stiff racquet with 67 RA unstrung and i figured out that to play with that racquet you have to be at great physical shape all the time. I actually played pretty good with this racquet as long as i exercised daily. Now i dont hit gym for more than 6 months due to life circumstances and i feel that its too much of a racquet at the moment, my arm started to hurt too.
Im playing all court game and looking for ~98inch, SW 320-325 comfortable and control oriented racquet. I dont plan to customize racquet, but im going to use TW matching service to pick specs i need.

My top picks are:

1. Wilson Blade V8 16 x 19 (Looks promising and at the top of my list, but need to find racquet with 320-325SW to be stable i guess)
2. Yonex Vcore Pro 97 310 2021 (Sweet sport could be too little for my level)
3. Head Radical MP (Specs seems to be great, but 65 RA could be too much or maybe with matching service i could find more flexible one)
4. Head Extreme Tour (Not sure about comfort?)
5. Wait new Ezone 98 model?
6. Head Speed Pro?

Any suggestions?
I used to play with the Gravity Pro as well, now playing with VC95. I would recommend you check out VCore 98, great racket with lots of spin potential.
 

nov

Hall of Fame
I understand that player is most important not the racquet. But i never been good at volleys and overheads. Somehow with Gravity Pro im hiting volleys and overheads very good even my technique same whatever racquet i use.
I'll probably gonna buy V8 Blade 16 x 19 and never look at racquets more than 305 gr unstrung unless im solid 4.5+ player.
 

jarko111

Hall of Fame
Seems like a rather new-ish stick to be ready to switch from. But then again... that's what we do here lol
 

CosmosMpower

Hall of Fame
I've owned these, here's my feedback.

1. Wilson Blade V8 16 x 19 - Have the 18x20 not 16x19 but V8 is a nice stick, a bit less plus than V7 but more maneuverable for sure, very solid feel.
2. Yonex Vcore Pro 97 310 2021 (Sweet sport could be too little for my level) - I don't think it's very demanding at all, good overall stick but nothing that stands out.
4. Head Extreme Tour (Not sure about comfort?) - Pretty comfortable, gives some good free power compared to other frames in it's category. Pretty easy spin generation, a bit string sensitive.
5. Head Speed Pro? I found it to be too sluggish and nothing special about it. I like the Prestige MP a lot better if you want a 98-100 sq inch 18x20 control stick.
 

Tranqville

Professional
I understand that player is most important not the racquet. But i never been good at volleys and overheads. Somehow with Gravity Pro im hiting volleys and overheads very good even my technique same whatever racquet i use.
I'll probably gonna buy V8 Blade 16 x 19 and never look at racquets more than 305 gr unstrung unless im solid 4.5+ player.

Blade v8 looks like the best choice, not sure if open or close patterns. In my club, everyone is playing 16x19.
 

Lorenn

Hall of Fame
I understand that player is most important not the racquet. But i never been good at volleys and overheads. Somehow with Gravity Pro im hiting volleys and overheads very good even my technique same whatever racquet i use.
I'll probably gonna buy V8 Blade 16 x 19 and never look at racquets more than 305 gr unstrung unless im solid 4.5+ player.

Mass helps smooth over micro miss-hits. Being confident that it will work ...also helps. It might change your timing to correct mistakes you were making with lighter racquets. Just keep pondering body unity and relaxing. After you add that you can thrown in a little extra muscle:)
 

smalahove

Hall of Fame
I understand that player is most important not the racquet. But i never been good at volleys and overheads. Somehow with Gravity Pro im hiting volleys and overheads very good even my technique same whatever racquet i use.
I'll probably gonna buy V8 Blade 16 x 19 and never look at racquets more than 305 gr unstrung unless im solid 4.5+ player.

Ime, a lot of the 18x20 and 16x19 Blades I've owned and tried have had SW in the same range as the GPro, and have been more head heavy (3-4 pts HL iirc).
If you like the GPro, which I understand as this is one the best retail rackets on the market, I'd try a lighter string setup to reduce weight. You could try lighter (thinner gauged) multi than the one you're currently using, or a poly like MSV Focus Hex in a super thin garage like 1.10. That should save you a few grams to the point where you might be able to get the SW down 5-10 units.
 

phanamous

Rookie
Due to bad QC overall, I've gone to lighter versions of racquets the past few years so I can customize to my exact specs now at 325gm 320SW. Kind of accidentally discover that I get better results with lighter racquets in matches than my old specs of 340gm 326SW. I still practice rally with heavier racquets as it's less work to put pace on the ball and I'm not out of hitting position too much as I'm not running after everything.

Unless you have perfect footwork like the pros to consistently get into perfect hitting position, most amateurs will benefit from an easier swinging racquet as I've recently discovered. Technologies have evolved with lighter racquets being more stable than before too due to their stiffness yet with better comfort.

Some lightweights that's on my list that might work for you:
  • Technifibre TF40 305 (great feel and comfort)
  • Blade 101L V7 (closest feel to your GPro but with more open pattern)
  • Blade 100UL V7 (stable but stiff, tight pattern)
  • Blade 98L V7 (V8 looks very interesting)
  • Head Extreme Tour (great platform racquet)
  • Head Radical MP (need to find a low SW spec as it might play softer)
  • Head Extreme MP Lite (just added to my list thanks to this thread)
 

time_fly

Hall of Fame
Before you give up on the Gravity Tour, try putting a leather grip on it. Since most of the added weight is in the handle, it doesn’t add much to the swing weight and helps the frame feel a bit more solid and head light. Although the overall weight gets closer to the Pro, you still have the slightly thicker and stiffer beam for more easy power. If that doesn’t work then try some other frames.
 

nov

Hall of Fame
Before you give up on the Gravity Tour, try putting a leather grip on it. Since most of the added weight is in the handle, it doesn’t add much to the swing weight and helps the frame feel a bit more solid and head light. Although the overall weight gets closer to the Pro, you still have the slightly thicker and stiffer beam for more easy power. If that doesn’t work then try some other frames.
Im actually trying again my Gravity Tour, but in stock form. Before my Tour was modded with weight in buttcap to make balance similar to Pro.
I dont know, but i feel that is best to left racquet in stock form, because it was engineered that way. Mostly when im trying to mod the racquet, i find that it plays bad after modifications. Its hard to get it right or maybe need more time to test when trying add weight. Its just my opinion.
 
D

Deleted member 775108

Guest
Hello,

My latest stick was Gravity Pro with Gravity Tour as spare racquet. I'm 3.5 but close to 4.0 (i know Gravity Pro not for 3.5...). I'm switching from Gravity Pro because i got stiff racquet with 67 RA unstrung and i figured out that to play with that racquet you have to be at great physical shape all the time. I actually played pretty good with this racquet as long as i exercised daily. Now i dont hit gym for more than 6 months due to life circumstances and i feel that its too much of a racquet at the moment, my arm started to hurt too.
Im playing all court game and looking for ~98inch, SW 320-325 comfortable and control oriented racquet. I dont plan to customize racquet, but im going to use TW matching service to pick specs i need.

My top picks are:

1. Wilson Blade V8 16 x 19 (Looks promising and at the top of my list, but need to find racquet with 320-325SW to be stable i guess)
2. Yonex Vcore Pro 97 310 2021 (Sweet sport could be too little for my level)
3. Head Radical MP (Specs seems to be great, but 65 RA could be too much or maybe with matching service i could find more flexible one)
4. Head Extreme Tour (Not sure about comfort?)
5. Wait new Ezone 98 model?
6. Head Speed Pro?

Any suggestions?

I think the V8 Blade with TW Matching Service would be the ideal racket for you...
 

smithie

Professional
Im actually trying again my Gravity Tour, but in stock form. Before my Tour was modded with weight in buttcap to make balance similar to Pro.
I dont know, but i feel that is best to left racquet in stock form, because it was engineered that way. Mostly when im trying to mod the racquet, i find that it plays bad after modifications. Its hard to get it right or maybe need more time to test when trying add weight. Its just my opinion.
I can second this. I come from a background of playing around with mods (leather grips & lead) regularly from my UT/UP days but no matter what I have done with the GT's, I keep reverting back to stock form as I can't find anything that improves it - in fact this is the only racket where I didn't prefer a leather grip, go figure!? I still absolutely love my GT's but outside of getting them matched, I have settled on leaving them as they are and just adjusting the strings/tension to find and the gains in power/control that I previously would have from mods.
 

AceyMan

Professional
I have one Gravity Pro.

You might like the TF40. It "plays big" for a 98 and the hoop has plenty of mass without leading it up (for me at least), similar to the GPro.

And TW has them on sale currently (which means they are probably EOL, but still a good stick and grommets are available atm).

/Acey
 

tomkowy

Rookie
I can second this. I come from a background of playing around with mods (leather grips & lead) regularly from my UT/UP days but no matter what I have done with the GT's, I keep reverting back to stock form as I can't find anything that improves it - in fact this is the only racket where I didn't prefer a leather grip, go figure!? I still absolutely love my GT's but outside of getting them matched, I have settled on leaving them as they are and just adjusting the strings/tension to find and the gains in power/control that I previously would have from mods.
The problem with Gravity Tour is it’s high twistweight in my opinion. It has higher twistweight than Gravity Pro! On one hand it plays like a soft-tank, on the other it makes the racquet clunky. My colleague ditched Gravity Tour for Gravity MP with a lot of weight in the handle and just a bit on the sides of the hoop. The result is much better than Gravity Tour IMO. Now it plays like a more lively Gravity Pro.
 

smithie

Professional
The problem with Gravity Tour is it’s high twistweight in my opinion. It has higher twistweight than Gravity Pro! On one hand it plays like a soft-tank, on the other it makes the racquet clunky. My colleague ditched Gravity Tour for Gravity MP with a lot of weight in the handle and just a bit on the sides of the hoop. The result is much better than Gravity Tour IMO. Now it plays like a more lively Gravity Pro.
Ye I think you're spot on. I personally found it difficult to add lead to the hoop without it feeling sluggish which made counter balancing a nightmare.
 

nov

Hall of Fame
I have one Gravity Pro.

You might like the TF40. It "plays big" for a 98 and the hoop has plenty of mass without leading it up (for me at least), similar to the GPro.

And TW has them on sale currently (which means they are probably EOL, but still a good stick and grommets are available atm).

/Acey
I know and was thinking a lot about TF40. But i dont like Technifibre handle shape and HH balance kind of make me forget this option.
 

n8dawg6

Legend
i liked the gravity pro too, but like you i found it a little too demanding. for your level i would strongly consider the radical mp. i also like the yonex vcore 100 and the ezone 98.
 

phanamous

Rookie
Very easy to mod grip shape to your liking by using some thin card board strips to build up the sides you want to fatten up.
I find I have to mod most grips I use this way including building up the butt end a bit also though not quite to the extent that Richard Gasquet does.

A lower SW TF40 305 with a heavier grip mod can play quite nice while not being too demanding.

I know and was thinking a lot about TF40. But i dont like Technifibre handle shape and HH balance kind of make me forget this option.
 

AceyMan

Professional
I know and was thinking a lot about TF40. But i dont like Technifibre handle shape and HH balance kind of make me forget this option.
Yes, it's a lot of racquet and I did not see your skill level; I was only trying to substitute for a GPro.

Best of luck!
 

agradina

Rookie
My coach hangs out with a group of 6.0+ young players, one of them is currently inside ATP 100. Long story short, they mostly use Blades or similar racquets (relatively light and polarized), sometimes as low as 270-290g unstrung.
270 unstrung atp 100 ahahaha yea sure......nice fairy tale
 
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