Seeking Pro Kennex racket advice

wedge

wedge

Semi-Pro
Since getting back into the game after a really long absence this past summer, I've gone through an insane number of rackets trying to find one that my sensitive arm will be okay with. The best I've found are heavier, flexible rackets that leave me "just kinda sore" for a few days, but I'm not super comfortable while playing, and I've constantly got my attention on my arm and holding back to prevent injury. But so far no lasting issues overall, so I've been happy enough just because it means I can play at least.

But I found an old Pro Kennex 5G in a used sporting goods store, and took it out to play with, and it was the most insane experience -- I genuinely felt my elbow feeling BETTER as I played, and I was able to stay out there for hours. The sensation of feeling truly pain-free was honestly kind of a revelation, and something I hadn't felt in a really long time. I was able to swing as hard as I liked, from any position, and after that entire session, my elbow genuinely felt like I hadn't played a single minute yet.

The Pro Kennex Kinetic technology is absolutely mind-boggling in its effectiveness -- at least for me, and I know many folks have had the same experience. It seems like such a game-changer that it feels like Kinetic tech should be something that all rackets just come with, like we would talk about a stick's grommets, bumper, pallet, and bead placement. But I'm happy for Pro Kennex to keep the tech to themselves as long as they bang out great rackets with it :p

So I think I'm ready to commit to the beads. The question is, which one. I did try two Kinetic frames during my search, the Black Ace 300 and the Ki5, and didn't love either. The Black Ace felt light, and lacked some help with power that I need, but I didn't dislike it, and it was really early in my search where I was still getting my mechanics back. The Ki5 I recall actually disliking the feel of -- it felt quite tinny and hollow. The 5G, by comparison, has this wonderful soft but punchy, classic feel, the comfort level seems quite different from the Ace and the Ki. But the 5G is also very low powered for me -- the one drawback of that session is that I found I needed to really swing out in order to get some pace, which while fun, was also placing stress on my upper arm and my grip. I did experiment with lead, which improved things just a bit, but not as much as I would have expected to be honest ... I'll continue to mess around with adding weight but something tells me that's not the answer here, that this frame just fundamentally isn't built for that. And coming from super heavy 350g frames that just smash through the ball, I'm hoping to get just a bit more plow than the 5G seems to want to give.

So I was considering right off the bat the 7G, and the Black Ace 105 (if I can even find one, now that it seems like stock has disappeared ahead of a new launch). Folks seem to say the 7G naturally has more power through virtue of just the extended length, and I'm happy to try and make the adjustment to a longer racket, which would help me out in any case. The higher swing weight also seems appealing.

The Black Ace also seems to be well-liked, and again the extra length seems intriguing, but it's also quite light, and I really appreciate not having to experiment with modifications if I don't have to.

Other than those two, there's the absolutely inscrutable alphabet soup of Pro Kennex models that honestly, I can't make heads or tails of. That's why I need some help here :rolleyes: ... my #1 priority is comfort, and I just fell in love with that soft feel of the 5G. But looking ahead, I need to be a bit honest that I can't realllly swing away like a nutjob for hours on end like I used to, and besides my hitting partner was letting me know that while my control seemed on point, my balls had no real weight to them unfortunately. So I'm open to any of Pro Kennex's beady bats! My first "real" racket was a Pro Kennex Graphite Presence that I sold my 1st gen Game Boy in order to afford, so it's really kind of heartwarming to return to them now.

Thanks so much for any advice!!
 
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velvetsledgehammer said:
I think their is really no downside when choosing a Kennex to go with one that has the kinetic beads. The kinetic mass is great for comfort, and I think it does add a bit of punch to your shots. As far as the 5g vs the Ki5, to me they are very similar. I still play with the Ki5PSE a lot.
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If they still made a frame with such a wacky weight like the PSE today, I would buy one in a heartbeat!
 
For comfort you’re absolutely on the right track with PK. I started with the BA 300 following shoulder surgery in mid-22. Currently going back and forth between the Ki Q+ Tour 300 (with weight in the throat) and Prince ATS Tour 100p. Each time I’ve drifted away to something else and started experiencing arm/shoulder pain I come back to the PK. I have a history of elbow pain and PK racquets keep me on the court! 63/4.0+
 
I had TE for a while and when i stated playing again last summer i picked up a PK black ace 300. Since i had not played tennis for a year the 300 seemed the best option and it was but if i could go back i would get the 315 which is more head light.
 
If you don't want to swing that hard, you need to start going up in number. 5, 10, 20 and 30. They all have the beads. The higher the number, the more power in stock form. I play the 7G and I have zero arm issues. It has heavier SW, but I also like them leaded up to ~338 SW units.
 
LoanStar said:
For comfort you’re absolutely on the right track with PK. I started with the BA 300 following shoulder surgery in mid-22. Currently going back and forth between the Ki Q+ Tour 300 (with weight in the throat) and Prince ATS Tour 100p. Each time I’ve drifted away to something else and started experiencing arm/shoulder pain I come back to the PK. I have a history of elbow pain and PK racquets keep me on the court! 63/4.0+
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Is the Prince ATS 2023?
 
Yes 18x20. I take a big cut at the ball so power is enough for me although I have to remember to really hit thru my slice backhand. Interesting I serve and play singles best with the PK and doubles with the Prince; I think it's because the bigger beam on the Prince is more stable on returns and volleys. That's why I keep going back and forth. Both are very arm-friendly.
 
Tmano said:
I had TE for a while and when i stated playing again last summer i picked up a PK black ace 300. Since i had not played tennis for a year the 300 seemed the best option and it was but if i could go back i would get the 315 which is more head light.
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how is your TE doing? Sounds like it's healed which is great news :-)
 
LoanStar said:
Yes 18x20. I take a big cut at the ball so power is enough for me although I have to remember to really hit thru my slice backhand. Interesting I serve and play singles best with the PK and doubles with the Prince; I think it's because the bigger beam on the Prince is more stable on returns and volleys. That's why I keep going back and forth. Both are very arm-friendly.
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That makes sense! thanks!
 
Andreas86 said:
Can someone explain the difference of Ki5 ( seems controloriented) and Ki10 (Power and Spin?) and the black ace? Is Ki5 more Like Blade and black ace more Like Prestige? And are they similar in Terms of comfort?
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The Ki5 295 is the best racket I've ever used. It has a super tight 16x20 pattern, but like an Ezone, it can produce serious top-spin, since it's only 22mm and plays more like a 98 rather than 100 sq inch. An ITF level leftie hitting partner that hits with serious top-spin (rarely does he hit a flat shot), got tons of spin with it. The tight pattern has the drawback of not offering as easy depth on defense like more open patterns.

About the Ki10, Tennis Nerd has a good review about it.

I've also played the Black Ace 300. A bit too high of a swingweight for my level back then, more top-spin friendly and powerful than the Ki5, super stable.
 
konstantinos kalfountzos said:
The Ki5 295 is the best racket I've ever used. It has a super tight 16x20 pattern, but like an Ezone, it can produce serious top-spin, since it's only 22mm and plays more like a 98 rather than 100 sq inch. An ITF level leftie hitting partner that hits with serious top-spin (rarely does he hit a flat shot), got tons of spin with it. The tight pattern has the drawback of not offering as easy depth on defense like more open patterns.

About the Ki10, Tennis Nerd has a good review about it.

I've also played the Black Ace 300. A bit too high of a swingweight for my level back then, more top-spin friendly and powerful than the Ki5, super stable.
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Thx for your Feedback. Im looking forward to buy a pro kennex, but here in germany ist hard to get some Demos of These Rackets. Im using Ezone 100 right now. Im Fine with it, but my wrist is getting painful. So i am searching for the usebility and Stability of the ezone with a Bit less power an more comfort. Looks Like a Hard decision. Need to search some Demos.
 
Stick with the 5G. There is a reason it has persisted for so long. Its an average frame in every respect and seems to be arm safe.... Its a dream frame in that regard.

I really dont want to disappoint you but most Pro Kennex frames are average in that way...

If I had to pick a single PK Frame to play with for Eternity it would be the Q+Tour 300 16x19 - very polarized, felt great and fun to play with
 
Andreas86 said:
Thx for your Feedback. Im looking forward to buy a pro kennex, but here in germany ist hard to get some Demos of These Rackets. Im using Ezone 100 right now. Im Fine with it, but my wrist is getting painful. So i am searching for the usebility and Stability of the ezone with a Bit less power an more comfort. Looks Like a Hard decision. Need to search some Demos.
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Tennis Warehouse Europe is currently having them on sale with big discount. New Black Aces are around the corner https://www.prokennex.eu/en/tennis-rackets/black-ace/

The names are very comfusing for the median consumer to get the grasp around them and really hurts their sales.

To put it in simple words:

Ki and Black Aces have 2 chambers with "kinetic mass" at 9 and 3 o' clock.

Q+ and Q+5 have 4 chambers with "kinetic mass" at 10 and 2 and 4 and 8 o 'clock.

Personally, I got rid of a Tecnifibre TF40 315 16x19 as soon as I started using the Ki5 295. The TF40 was pretty damn good, but once I picked it up after playing an hour with the Ki5 and right away felt the vibrations to my joints, I dropped it. I've never had any serious joint issues, lucky me.

* Since you have joint issues, I'd also go a step further and advise you to try Pickleball. The forces applied on the joints are far lower and you can play it with a friend in less than 10 minutes of warmup.
 
I think that the 2 options that you have indicate are the correct choice. Thr 7G is my current main racquet. It is stiff but with multi plays so well. Powerful and controlled with an unmatched stability. I love it and it is very arm-friendly.

Ba105 is another excellent choice. Still relatively manouvrable, probably more "spinny" than the 7G and soft and comfy. If you want a more modern take to the 7G, just try the Q+5X Pro, here on the Forum is very much loved.

If you crave for more power, i would definitely go longbody, which is what PK does best. And if you like the 5G but want more power, 7G as TW still sells it new!
 
mmazzinin1 said:
I think that the 2 options that you have indicate are the correct choice. Thr 7G is my current main racquet. It is stiff but with multi plays so well. Powerful and controlled with an unmatched stability. I love it and it is very arm-friendly.

Ba105 is another excellent choice. Still relatively manouvrable, probably more "spinny" than the 7G and soft and comfy. If you want a more modern take to the 7G, just try the Q+5X Pro, here on the Forum is very much loved.

If you crave for more power, i would definitely go longbody, which is what PK does best. And if you like the 5G but want more power, 7G as TW still sells it new!
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Appreciate the advice from all. The PK lineup really is a labyrinth, just incredibly challenging to decipher. It's bananas, like I want to give them money but I feel like I need to stop first and ask everyone what's up before pulling a trigger on something.

@mmazzinin1 Do you have one of the newer 7G's? I'm wondering how the new "Classic" 5G/7G frames compare with how they used to feel, given some of the comments I've read here and there on the forums complaining that the newer ones feel a bit stiffer. But I also wager that after playing with an older, broken-in version, any brand-new frame is likely to be a bit stiffer in feel.

The old 5G I found in the store is pretty old (it has stringer stickers going back to 2007), so I'm already expecting anything I get new to feel crisper for sure. But the swing weight on it really is on the low side -- I've been messing around with lead all night and I've added 9g (mostly at 3 and 9) and that just gets me up to 315 swingweight, which to me is still too whippy. And for that 315 I'm up to 340 static weight lol ... I don't really want to go too much higher than that. It's possible this 5G was a bit wacky with its original specs, part of me wants to get a brand new 5G just to compare. But I think you're right, all signs point to the 7G being the right choice. Perhaps I'll demo a Q+Ki15-SMI++Tour20PSE5 first.

Anyone have any string/tension advice for the 7G if I'm mostly after comfort/power? I was thinking of NRG2 at 53.

Thanks again all, all this info is very valuable.
 
I have experience with ki10 (305) and Q+5 Pro (315). Both are high swing weight racquets (330+).
ki10 305 is more muted because of the thicker beam and Q+5 Pro has more feel because of the thinner beam.
ki10 305 has a higher launch angle than Q+5 Pro. Q+5 Pro also feel slight more accurate. Probably because of 16x19 vs 16x20.
Both racquets are very powerful as long as you can swing it. Both can handle incoming pace very well.
 
Silly question, do the PK racquet have a trap door? I wanted to add weight in the handle on my PK black ace and i could not find any trap door!
 
Tmano said:
Silly question, do the PK racquet have a trap door? I wanted to add weight in the handle on my PK black ace and i could not find any trap door!
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No. They have some shock absorption tech inside the handle.
I just use heavier replacement grip to add weight to handle.
You can also buy one grip size smaller and add lead tape to each bevel, load it up :D
 
mucat said:
No. They have some shock absorption tech inside the handle.
I just use heavier replacement grip to add weight to handle.
You can also buy one grip size smaller and add lead tape to each bevel, load it up :D
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Hey thanks mucat!
A heavier grip makes sense or even a leather grip could do it. I think i'm going to try to add weight first to the handle!
Thanks
 
One of my main rackets I like to rotate in is the Q5 295 from a few years ago. I added about 10g lead to the handle so it’s weight is up to about 320g strung and it hits lovely.
 
Pk don't have trap door. My 7G is newer, bought 2 years ago from TW US. NRG2 132 at 52 is my usual set up, great strings for the racquets.

I own also a Ki15 300. I love it. It is is more powerful and spinny, but also a bit harsher on the arm. It is very stiff. If you want a tweener, this is a great one, one of the most powerful racquet on the market, with high SW.

Both are as stable as rocks. They have an amazing counterpunching capability.
 
apcks said:
i have 7g and black ace 315, i would try them all and see which you like best.
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I will indeed be trying this exact comparison. Would you be able to offer your thoughts on how the two rackets compare?

I'm starting to really gel with the 7G, although I've begun to appreciate that the one I got was well under spec, because I think I will be lightening the lead at 3 and 9, and replacing the grip with leather. I think with just a little faster swing speed I will be right where I want -- in stock form with 320sw, the racket felt unstable, but leaded up to PK's specs, it feels a tiny bit too slow and actually a little bit too powerful with these wonderful multis. If I forget to use spin, lots of balls sail. But overall, playing with it is becoming a real joy, and instead of only being able to play once a week, and being sore the entire time inbetween sessions, I can play every other day now and my arm feels nothing.

I definitely feel the extended racket length a little more in the shoulder, but only a tiny bit, and I suspect strengthening and reducing lead will take care of that. But I no longer get grip-based soreness because I don't need to swing out so hard with the 7G as I did with the 5G. 5G caused me to grip too hard.

I'm highly interested in the Aces vs the 5G/7G since kinetic tech seems to make RA stiffness almost irrelevant. So a new 7G with a 66RA feels fine, but the Aces are all sub-60 RA frames, so maybe they will be EXTRA comfy? Only other modern PK frames I tried were Black Ace 300 and Ki5 295, the former was too underpowered and the latter felt too light and hollow.

Appreciate your thoughts.
 
wedge said:
I will indeed be trying this exact comparison. Would you be able to offer your thoughts on how the two rackets compare?

I'm starting to really gel with the 7G, although I've begun to appreciate that the one I got was well under spec, because I think I will be lightening the lead at 3 and 9, and replacing the grip with leather. I think with just a little faster swing speed I will be right where I want -- in stock form with 320sw, the racket felt unstable, but leaded up to PK's specs, it feels a tiny bit too slow and actually a little bit too powerful with these wonderful multis. If I forget to use spin, lots of balls sail. But overall, playing with it is becoming a real joy, and instead of only being able to play once a week, and being sore the entire time inbetween sessions, I can play every other day now and my arm feels nothing.

I definitely feel the extended racket length a little more in the shoulder, but only a tiny bit, and I suspect strengthening and reducing lead will take care of that. But I no longer get grip-based soreness because I don't need to swing out so hard with the 7G as I did with the 5G. 5G caused me to grip too hard.

I'm highly interested in the Aces vs the 5G/7G since kinetic tech seems to make RA stiffness almost irrelevant. So a new 7G with a 66RA feels fine, but the Aces are all sub-60 RA frames, so maybe they will be EXTRA comfy? Only other modern PK frames I tried were Black Ace 300 and Ki5 295, the former was too underpowered and the latter felt too light and hollow.

Appreciate your thoughts.
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k i will let you know, i just got the black ace, i do like the wilson clash v3. i tried the pro kennex q+5 and really disliked it, so would skip that one. will keep you posted.
 
wedge said:
I will indeed be trying this exact comparison. Would you be able to offer your thoughts on how the two rackets compare?

I'm starting to really gel with the 7G, although I've begun to appreciate that the one I got was well under spec, because I think I will be lightening the lead at 3 and 9, and replacing the grip with leather. I think with just a little faster swing speed I will be right where I want -- in stock form with 320sw, the racket felt unstable, but leaded up to PK's specs, it feels a tiny bit too slow and actually a little bit too powerful with these wonderful multis. If I forget to use spin, lots of balls sail. But overall, playing with it is becoming a real joy, and instead of only being able to play once a week, and being sore the entire time inbetween sessions, I can play every other day now and my arm feels nothing.

I definitely feel the extended racket length a little more in the shoulder, but only a tiny bit, and I suspect strengthening and reducing lead will take care of that. But I no longer get grip-based soreness because I don't need to swing out so hard with the 7G as I did with the 5G. 5G caused me to grip too hard.

I'm highly interested in the Aces vs the 5G/7G since kinetic tech seems to make RA stiffness almost irrelevant. So a new 7G with a 66RA feels fine, but the Aces are all sub-60 RA frames, so maybe they will be EXTRA comfy? Only other modern PK frames I tried were Black Ace 300 and Ki5 295, the former was too underpowered and the latter felt too light and hollow.

Appreciate your thoughts.
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I have no arm problems but still love playing with my ProKennex Black Ace Pro (2021). It feels like you can play with way more stiffer strings [e.g. full bed of Gamma Ocho 17 (TW stiffness of 231 lb/in) at 24/23kg ≈ 53/51 lbs] and it's not painful. Also you can play every shot with it but it's demanding (footwork and technique).

If the 5G or 7G works for you I wouldn't change racket but rather increase the racket weight, use a smaller string gauge and/or lower the string tension.

In case you want a new racket as close to the 5G or 7G the extended Q+ 5X Pro (2021) is probably the closest new ProKennex frame and the comments about it are very positive (I am interested as well).

The extended Black Ace 105 (2024) could also be interesting if you want to try a spin friendly oversized racket (I would ask the youtuber zerolove regarding this racket). The downside could be that flat shots might not work with it.

If the extended length bothers you I would try the Q+ 5 (2021) or Black Ace 300 (2024) [also interesting for me].

The Q+ 5 (2021) on paper looks like the predecessor of the 5G and 7G but with a standard length.

To increase the power of the Black Ace 300 (2024) you could again increase the racket weight, use a smaller string gauge and/or lower the string tension. For a bit more control you can increase the string gauge but lower the string tension. That shouldn't decrease the comfort with the Black Ace 300.

The higher you go with your racket weight and the lower you go with your string gauge the more you need to focus on your technique because all of this can increases your launch angle and length.
 
Definitely try Ki10 305; it is a Pure Drive clone that is better than PD (just like Dunlop FX500) but it is also arm-friendly.
 
Really hoping for a refresh of the Ki line this year...sounds like with the new Black Aces Pro Kennex brought down the swingweights, hopefully they do the same with the next Ki10 .
 
Ki10 SW did not bother me but the RA did. This racquet is not really a straight 24 mm beam. In the round throat it gets thinner and you can feel its thinnest point with your hand. I think it flexes from this point and has a very low RA than stated in specs. As a result it is comfy but very low powered.
 
To me, there are so many great qualities about the ki5 racquets. One cannot really appreciate how comfortable they are until you get a case of TE using some not arm friendly stick. And one can in most cases use full poly with the 5 series, which is a nice option.
 
mmazzinin1 said:
I own also a Ki15 300. I love it. It is is more powerful and spinny, but also a bit harsher on the arm. It is very stiff. If you want a tweener, this is a great one, one of the most powerful racquet on the market, with high SW.
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Have also been hitting with this racquet recently, really enjoy it, have not had any arm problems with it and don't find it harsh. Intoxicating power, have not had difficulties with control, serves are expectably potent.
 
It is indeed an excellent racquet, best PK frame in my opinion, one of their signature model. It is not harsh per se, but it requires appropriate string set up or it will get harsh. Super stable, amazing power and spin and good control, surprisingly! Touch is where of course something has to be traded off, but, overall, best in town! My current main strung with Velocity @51 M / 49 X
 
I play with two Black Ace Pro (2021) since August 2021 and hit pretty hard while using co-polyester strings. Now I secondhand bought another two Black Ace Pro (2021) which haven't been played much and are almost brandnew. The rattling sound of the kinetic mass when shacking the rackets in the newer rackets is way louder than on my older ones.

How long are you using your Pro Kennex frames and did you notice that the kinetic mass changed (less mass, less rattling, more vibrations or etc.)?
 
I have been using PK frames quite regularly for the last 3 years, and i did not note any change in the "rattling" and/or vibration transmission....

I note though that the amount of kinetic mass that is perceived by shaking the racquets is different from racquet to racquet...also between racquets of the same model i.e. the Ki15 280 was louder than the Ki15 300, for instance, and the 7G is the one with the largest amount of beans, based on the shaking noise
 
wedge said:
If they still made a frame with such a wacky weight like the PSE today, I would buy one in a heartbeat!
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It was basically at least a full ounce heavier than the regular ki5. It is hard(to me) to duplicate that package with lead tape. It had a stock recoil weight of about 180. It is unbelievably stable, and makes quite a solid thud/thwack on ball impact. It is made for a full bed of poly.
 
NotHeavenToast said:
How long are you using your Pro Kennex frames and did you notice that the kinetic mass changed (less mass, less rattling, more vibrations or etc.)?
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I'm going back and forth between a very, very old 5G, and a brand new 7G, and they both have the same rattling from the sand. If anything, the older racket feels noticeably softer, but that's to be expected.

velvetsledgehammer said:
It was basically at least a full ounce heavier than the regular ki5. It is hard(to me) to duplicate that package with lead tape. It had a stock recoil weight of about 180. It is unbelievably stable, and makes quite a solid thud/thwack on ball impact. It is made for a full bed of poly.
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I found a Ki5 PSE!! It's on its way and I can't wait to try it out :p

I really enjoyed using a Black Ace 105, but it was strung by the previous owner very low, so it was super launchy. That caused me to alter my play style because I needed tons of topspin in order to keep normal shots in the court. And all the tension from playing a style I'm not used to -- where I don't have the right technique trained, not by a long shot -- I hurt my elbow!

Just lots of tight gripping and more arming of the ball. So I cut those strings out, and I'll be stringing it tighter with a less launchy multi. Or, it may just be that my days of playing with a 16x19 racket are over -- the 16x20 Pro Kennex frames are just such an incredibly effective compromise.
 
wedge said:
I'm going back and forth between a very, very old 5G, and a brand new 7G, and they both have the same rattling from the sand. If anything, the older racket feels noticeably softer, but that's to be expected.



I found a Ki5 PSE!! It's on its way and I can't wait to try it out :p

I really enjoyed using a Black Ace 105, but it was strung by the previous owner very low, so it was super launchy. That caused me to alter my play style because I needed tons of topspin in order to keep normal shots in the court. And all the tension from playing a style I'm not used to -- where I don't have the right technique trained, not by a long shot -- I hurt my elbow!

Just lots of tight gripping and more arming of the ball. So I cut those strings out, and I'll be stringing it tighter with a less launchy multi. Or, it may just be that my days of playing with a 16x19 racket are over -- the 16x20 Pro Kennex frames are just such an incredibly effective compromise.
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The ki5PSE is truly to me a game changing experience. The racquet does a lot of the work. Volleys and slice backhands are stand alone with that racquet to me. Just unbelievably solid. Serving can a bit difficult with it, but if you relax and really just kind of throw the racquet head into the ball, it is all good. Return of serve is also very good with this racquet, no matter how much pace on the serve.
 
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wedge said:
I'm going back and forth between a very, very old 5G, and a brand new 7G, and they both have the same rattling from the sand. If anything, the older racket feels noticeably softer, but that's to be expected.



I found a Ki5 PSE!! It's on its way and I can't wait to try it out :p

I really enjoyed using a Black Ace 105, but it was strung by the previous owner very low, so it was super launchy. That caused me to alter my play style because I needed tons of topspin in order to keep normal shots in the court. And all the tension from playing a style I'm not used to -- where I don't have the right technique trained, not by a long shot -- I hurt my elbow!

Just lots of tight gripping and more arming of the ball. So I cut those strings out, and I'll be stringing it tighter with a less launchy multi. Or, it may just be that my days of playing with a 16x19 racket are over -- the 16x20 Pro Kennex frames are just such an incredibly effective compromise.
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As a fellow long-time elbow sufferer – golfers elbow for me – and 16x19 convert, I've had the same experience with the 16x20 PK pattern.

If you haven't already, the two other frames you might want to demo at least in PK 16x20 land are the 2021 PK Q+5 Pro and the 2021 PK Q+5x (27.5). They are essentially a more modern update – with more power and SW – to the 5G – which I've also owned and played – and 7G.

I'm currently in the throws of figuring how to set up a 2022 PK Ki5 295. I'm also a full multi convert and really like the M1 strings that were in the demo frame so I've got them arriving today. The Ki5 295 is surprisingly string sensitive – at least to me – as I've only liked the M1 demo strings – TW's in house multi – but haven't cared for my usual MultiFeel 1.30 Black or Babalot Addixion+ that I tried as well.
 
Well let this serve as a PSE (Public Service Ennouncement) that the Ki5 PSE is yet another racket that appears to have an Asian variant.

My PSE arrived from Japan, and you'll love the specs: 332g static, 305 swing weight!!

It appears to simply be a 312g Ki5 Ionic, with a different paint job. So disappointing!

I couldn't believe I was sitting there adding weight to 3, 9 and 12 of a PSE :laughing:

@BPlain I'm also in the midst of Ki5 experimentation it seems ... I've got 4 in varying weights and configurations, starting all the way down at 280g unstrung, all the way up to the MASSIVE, NEARLY UNPLAYABLE and MIGHTY PSE (312g unstrung lol)

On that note, if anyone has a PSE, whether 5G or Ki5, let me know, as I appear to still be in the market for a proper one!
 
wedge said:
Well let this serve as a PSE (Public Service Ennouncement) that the Ki5 PSE is yet another racket that appears to have an Asian variant.

My PSE arrived from Japan, and you'll love the specs: 332g static, 305 swing weight!!

It appears to simply be a 312g Ki5 Ionic, with a different paint job. So disappointing!

I couldn't believe I was sitting there adding weight to 3, 9 and 12 of a PSE :laughing:

@BPlain I'm also in the midst of Ki5 experimentation it seems ... I've got 4 in varying weights and configurations, starting all the way down at 280g unstrung, all the way up to the MASSIVE, NEARLY UNPLAYABLE and MIGHTY PSE (312g unstrung lol)

On that note, if anyone has a PSE, whether 5G or Ki5, let me know, as I appear to still be in the market for a proper one!
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Those specs are crazy!

The lack of a trap door is the one bummer when it comes to PK frames as it makes modifying them a little more involved. I ordered my Ki5 295s a grip size smaller so I could put on two OGs and add 10g extra to start. As my signature indicates, I landed at 330g strung, 320 balance (7 pts HL), and 333 swing weight with a few grams added at 10/2.

I agree that the modern Ki5 295 doesn't give you that solid feel as a 5G or even Black Ace series but I've come to enjoy the extra maneuverability and more direct feedback without having any elbow issues. I much prefer the feel of the 5G / Black Ace series / Q series off the frame but find my resulting shot & control is much better with Ki5. I also previously played frames closer to 340g and 8-10 pts HL but as father time comes for me, I've found a lower static, slightly less HL, and little higher SW set up to be a good compromise.

And if you still want to test out the previous Black Ace 315 (yellow version), let me know as I've got a couple in my closet.
 
I’m still in love with the q+5pro xl version. Bought 2 when they came out and they always make it back into my match rotation.

There is nothing really like them. Exceptional power for a thin beam. The control is crazy and the racquet is not muted so the ball feel is excellent.

Medium size sweet spot. The smaller one is the black ace and the larger is the ki. But imo not too demanding to use if you are an experienced player.

There is nothing really like the pk q series. Definitely worth demoing. When I bought mine the TW rep on the phone was pumped and started raving about how underrated they are. I completely agree.
 
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