Should I switch to another racquet?

[SFAce]

For a while now I've been playing with the 2015 Pro staff 97, I also have an RF97 autograph but I don't like it as much. I'm a 3.5 player and I'm pretty confident with how my technique is now. However recently I've heard about wilson's poor "Quality control" and from what I understand, models of the same racquet can have differences due to manufacturing issues. I've demo'd various racquets in the past before deciding on the 2015 pro staff 97, and so I'm wondering if I should switch racquets all together? I've been looking at some yonex and prince racquets and I'm interested in demoing them, but I love how my pro staff 97 feels. Any help?

 

[TennisHound]

For a while now I've been playing with the 2015 Pro staff 97, I also have an RF97 autograph but I don't like it as much. I'm a 3.5 player and I'm pretty confident with how my technique is now. However recently I've heard about wilson's poor "Quality control" and from what I understand, models of the same racquet can have differences due to manufacturing issues. I've demo'd various racquets in the past before deciding on the 2015 pro staff 97, and so I'm wondering if I should switch racquets all together? I've been looking at some yonex and prince racquets and I'm interested in demoing them, but I love how my pro staff 97 feels. Any help?

I would stay with your Pro Staff 97.

 

[MasterZeb]

If you like your racket then why switch?

 

[esm]

IME - it won’t hurt to switch/switch back. At least you’d know what works for you.
Worst case scenario is that you can always go back to the PS 97

 

[High Lama]

Most racquets companies have this problem not just Wilson. You can find someone or a shop with a small scale, balance board, swingweight machine, RDC machine etc and measure the specs for yourself. I have found yonex and Technifibre to be good for quality control.

 

[SFAce]

IME - it won’t hurt to switch/switch back. At least you’d know what works for you.
Worst case scenario is that you can always go back to the PS 97

Yeah, I think I'll definitely try demoing a couple on my list as soon as I can, and my game still has lots to improve and grow so I don't think it will hurt my development if I make a switch but I could be wrong about that

 

[esm]

Yeah, I think I'll definitely try demoing a couple on my list as soon as I can, and my game still has lots to improve and grow so I don't think it will hurt my development if I make a switch but I could be wrong about that

Cool. I think if you stick with similar spec to your RF97 when switching/demo, then that shouldn’t affect much of your game skill/development.
suppsoe if you try something totally different to the RF 97 spec... then it’d most likely to throw you off.... but, sometime it is fun to try something different....

 

[Cobaine]

What is it about your current racquet that makes you think you need to switch?

 

[SFAce]

What is it about your current racquet that makes you think you need to switch?

From what I hear, wilson's "poor quality control" leads to inconsistent models, that and the regular pro staff 97 is kinda harder to find now, let alone the 2015 version. The newest version is a bit different. Plus another big reason is that, now that I've practiced so much I definitely feel confident with my technique as opposed to how I used to feel. In the past when I was just starting I had demo'd multiple racquets but now I feel like since i'm much more confident and able to hit the ball better then maybe I should try demoing again and see if I'm missing out.

 

[zipplock]

You've already accepted doubt in your gear. Time to switch. Trust your instincts.

 

[chic]

Honestly I would switch. Not because anything is inherently wrong with your old equipment, but because it sounds like you've gotten to the point where having 2-3 'matched' frames would be a good idea and it's hard to match a used frame. Only costs like $25 to have tw match the dealers for you iirc

 

[SFAce]

You've already accepted doubt in your gear. Time to switch. Trust your instincts.

I wouldn't say it's doubt in my gear, i'm confident in my pro staff, but it's more about reliability of the next one that i get + im at a point now where my technique is ok so I can probably feel how other racquets play better than I could have with worse technique

 

[SFAce]

Honestly I would switch. Not because anything is inherently wrong with your old equipment, but because it sounds like you've gotten to the point where having 2-3 'matched' frames would be a good idea and it's hard to match a used frame. Only costs like $25 to have tw match the dealers for you iirc

Matched frames? You mean like models that come out of the factory the exact same? or what do you mean by this? I don't know if this makes much of a difference but I bought my pro staff 97 2015 from an employee at my local tennis shop for like 80 dollars so it was used before me

 

[chic]

I wouldn't say it's doubt in my gear, i'm confident in my pro staff, but it's more about reliability of the next one that i get + im at a point now where my technique is ok so I can probably feel how other racquets play better than I could have with worse technique

I will say some people don't notice the little qc differences. But even if you don't it's not worth having to think about. Having matched racquets just gifts piece of mind

 

[SFAce]

I will say some people don't notice the little qc differences. But even if you don't it's not worth having to think about. Having matched racquets just gifts piece of mind

Yeah that's how I feel, I plan on testing some yonex racquets and some prince but for some reason people say prince is either really good or bad when it comes to QC, do you know anything about that?

 

[chic]

Matched frames? You mean like models that come out of the factory the exact same? or what do you mean by this? I don't know if this makes much of a difference but I bought my pro staff 97 2015 from an employee at my local tennis shop for like 80 dollars so it was used before me

It means that TW will give you the closest matching frames based on specs. And if one is off balance, swingweight, or weight they can add lead tape for you so it matches the others (usually they have to match to the heaviest rather than the specification). But that way you know all the ones you own swing pretty much alike, even if they aren't 100% qc'd to manufacturer specs

 

[golden chicken]

Don't worry too much about the next one while you still have the current one in good condition. Worry about the next one if you break it or if your game changes to a point you know what you want different from a racket.

That's what I'd tell my younger self, anyway.

 

[SFAce]

It means that TW will give you the closest matching frames based on specs. And if one is off balance, swingweight, or weight they can add lead tape for you so it matches the others (usually they have to match to the heaviest rather than the specification). But that way you know all the ones you own swing pretty much alike, even if they aren't 100% qc'd to manufacturer specs

Ahhh I get it, thanks I'll keep that in mind

 

[SFAce]

Don't worry too much about the next one while you still have the current one in good condition. Worry about the next one if you break it or if your game changes to a point you know what you want different from a racket.

That's what I'd tell my younger self, anyway.

Valuable advice, thanks lol, I DO think I'm at a point where I can start to understand other racquets better since I can hit the ball more "competently" if that makes sense but I wont rush the process

 

[golden chicken]

Beware the placebo effect. When I demoed rackets (and I demoed a lot at one point) I often played better with that racket initially. But after an extra session or two, it became apparent that it was not the next holy grail. Of course, eventually I realized it has less to do with the wand and more to do with the wizard.

 

[chic]

I will say, moreso than I think it's a good idea because you need a racquet upgrade. It's just good to have 2-3 so you can keep them strung fresh and have a backup if you break strings.

 

[TennisHound]

I’ve demoed just about all of them. I’ve found the racquet I play best with even though I’m not crazy about it. I wish I had more of this and that, but in the end it works best for me.

 

[parasailing]

Some of us enjoy trying all the new racquets that come out just for the heck of it. Unless your current racquet is giving you some sort of injury concern, I would stick with what you have. Otherwise, you will end up like some of us who are constantly looking for a better racquet that does not exist.

 

[Cobaine]

If you only have one racquet now, stick with it until you don’t like it anymore.

When you do decide to make a switch in the future, just buy two racquets and pay the extra $20 to have TW match the specs.

Finally, I know this sounds condescending (it’s not meant to be, just being honest) but the poor QC doesn’t make enough of a difference that the average 3.5 can discern. I know plenty of Division I players who don’t have matched racquets and they don’t notice the difference.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t match racquets, but if you can’t, you probably won’t be able to tell anyway.

 

[Steve Huff]

Don't know if Pro Kennex is on your list, but I had 5 Kinetic 5gs and they were all within 4 grams of each other.

 

[esm]

From what I hear, wilson's "poor quality control" leads to inconsistent models, that and the regular pro staff 97 is kinda harder to find now, let alone the 2015 version. The newest version is a bit different. Plus another big reason is that, now that I've practiced so much I definitely feel confident with my technique as opposed to how I used to feel. In the past when I was just starting I had demo'd multiple racquets but now I feel like since i'm much more confident and able to hit the ball better then maybe I should try demoing again and see if I'm missing out.

pretty sure every manufacture have their own QC issues..... some are better than others (Yonex springs to mind from what i have read so far).
If you liked your RF 97, i think it is worthwhile to track another one down and match to the one you are currently using.
Also, as @Cobaine suggested above, when you are switching to a new racquet - try to get the seller to match two (or more) for you... that should eliminate some of the QC issues to start with.
good luck and keep safe

 

[anarosevoli]

For a while now I've been playing with the 2015 Pro staff 97, I also have an RF97 autograph but I don't like it as much. I'm a 3.5 player and I'm pretty confident with how my technique is now. However recently I've heard about wilson's poor "Quality control" and from what I understand, models of the same racquet can have differences due to manufacturing issues. I've demo'd various racquets in the past before deciding on the 2015 pro staff 97, and so I'm wondering if I should switch racquets all together? I've been looking at some yonex and prince racquets and I'm interested in demoing them, but I love how my pro staff 97 feels. Any help?

There is enough room for customizing PS97 when you can also play with an RF97. Wilson QC is not perfect, but it can happen everywhere. I have a Yonex SI 98 that is 7 g lighter than spec and 4 mm LONGER (unstrung), in fact it's closer to a 27 1/4" like the Wilson Burn 95 than a standard length racquet. What about a Prince Beast 98 that has only one gram too much but is one full centimeter out of balance (30.5 instead of 31.5 cm, coming with a grip full of silicone, it obviously was much too light and they simply put the whole difference in the handle not caring about balance)? Recently I received a 291 g Instinct MP. And my Pure Strike 100 weighs 5 g more than my PO7 (should be vice versa).

 

[BretH]

Sell the RF97 and get another PS97. Match it yourself with lead in the handles and/or hoop/throat. String them the same and enjoy life...

...until you switch because after all, it's TT tradition.

 

[SFAce]

Thanks everyone, I've gotten so much valuable advice that I will be using moving forward