Grafil Injection
Legend
35-year late comparison review!
Pics, with 200G and 300i:
Specs:
Let’s discuss the specs a bit more.
Head Size
MAX 200G & 300i are listed as 84 Sqi on various Dunlop adverts. How do I know the Slazenger Phantom IMF is also 84sqi?
Upside-down, the Phantom IMF almost precisely matches the 200G and 300i right-side-up. This makes the Slaz feel shorter as you hand is closer to the perceived center of the string-bed.
Beam
Although the Phantom IMF is thinner than 200G and 300i, it does not feel as thin like the also 19mm MAX 400i does. This is probably a paintjob effect. The Phantom has a warm tone like the MAX 200G, whereas the original 400i was a cool grey colour (the Swirly 400i feels thicker in its emerald and silver paint). The Slaz feels solid and chunky even though it is svelte.
Weight & Balance
There is no sticker on my Slaz, but I assume it is an L4 at 370g strung. The balance is a very nice 31.75cm, which adds to the manoeuvrable feel. One could speculate that since the egg-shape frames have more mass at 8 & 4 than the 200G and 300i, the typical balances and moreover swing-weights of the Slaz are likely to be lower. My Slaz certainly feels more manoeuvrable at its weight, which I’ve estimated to be 10 SW points less.
Flex (RA estimate)
If MAX 200G is 42 and 300i is 45, then the Slaz is most similar to the 200G. Neither Noryl GTX nor XAS fibres are written on the Slaz, so it logically seems to be the same construction as the 200G, just 70% Nylon and 30% graphite filaments, and have a 42 ish RA.
String-bed
I noticed that the strings are close to the edges such that it is even difficult to put a dampener at the bottom, so I measured the cells of the 18x20 bed, and they are indeed more spread out than the 200G/300i. At 1.4cm2, they are as wide as a modern 16x19 on a 100sqi frame. Also more open than a 400i. The launch angle does seem to be a little higher, but there does not seem to be a lack of control so far.
Initial Findings
The Slazenger feels very plush but also solid, just like a MAX 200G. The head feels if anything a bit more flexible, but the sweet-spot is still large and satisfying like a 200G. There is a counter-intuitive adjustment period with egg-heads IME. You feel like you should hit a lot lower, but in fact the sweet-spot is only slightly below that of normal shaped heads. This is very interesting. Despite being from the same factory, I had assumed the Slaz would have some deficiencies compared to the 200G, but I'm very pleasantly wrong so far.
Could this be the holy-grail? (!): a racket as solid and yet plush as a MAX 200G, but with more manoeuvrability and spin…
[Hitting analysis to come]
Pics, with 200G and 300i:
Specs:
Slazenger Phantom IMF | Dunlop MAX 200G | Dunlop MAX 300i | |
| Head Size | 84 | 84 | 84 |
| String Pattern | 18x20 | 18x20 | 18x20 |
| Average Cell Size | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| Beam | 19 | 20.5 | 20.5 |
| Weight (strung test racket) | 370g | 364g | 364g |
| Balance (strung test racket) | 31.75cm (8pt HL) | 32cm | 32cm |
| Strings | Syngut 15L | Syngut 16 | NXT 15L |
| RA (estimate) | 42 | 42 | 45 |
| SW (estimate) | 340 | 350 | 350 |
Let’s discuss the specs a bit more.
Head Size
MAX 200G & 300i are listed as 84 Sqi on various Dunlop adverts. How do I know the Slazenger Phantom IMF is also 84sqi?
Upside-down, the Phantom IMF almost precisely matches the 200G and 300i right-side-up. This makes the Slaz feel shorter as you hand is closer to the perceived center of the string-bed.
Beam
Although the Phantom IMF is thinner than 200G and 300i, it does not feel as thin like the also 19mm MAX 400i does. This is probably a paintjob effect. The Phantom has a warm tone like the MAX 200G, whereas the original 400i was a cool grey colour (the Swirly 400i feels thicker in its emerald and silver paint). The Slaz feels solid and chunky even though it is svelte.
Weight & Balance
There is no sticker on my Slaz, but I assume it is an L4 at 370g strung. The balance is a very nice 31.75cm, which adds to the manoeuvrable feel. One could speculate that since the egg-shape frames have more mass at 8 & 4 than the 200G and 300i, the typical balances and moreover swing-weights of the Slaz are likely to be lower. My Slaz certainly feels more manoeuvrable at its weight, which I’ve estimated to be 10 SW points less.
Flex (RA estimate)
If MAX 200G is 42 and 300i is 45, then the Slaz is most similar to the 200G. Neither Noryl GTX nor XAS fibres are written on the Slaz, so it logically seems to be the same construction as the 200G, just 70% Nylon and 30% graphite filaments, and have a 42 ish RA.
String-bed
I noticed that the strings are close to the edges such that it is even difficult to put a dampener at the bottom, so I measured the cells of the 18x20 bed, and they are indeed more spread out than the 200G/300i. At 1.4cm2, they are as wide as a modern 16x19 on a 100sqi frame. Also more open than a 400i. The launch angle does seem to be a little higher, but there does not seem to be a lack of control so far.
Initial Findings
The Slazenger feels very plush but also solid, just like a MAX 200G. The head feels if anything a bit more flexible, but the sweet-spot is still large and satisfying like a 200G. There is a counter-intuitive adjustment period with egg-heads IME. You feel like you should hit a lot lower, but in fact the sweet-spot is only slightly below that of normal shaped heads. This is very interesting. Despite being from the same factory, I had assumed the Slaz would have some deficiencies compared to the 200G, but I'm very pleasantly wrong so far.
Could this be the holy-grail? (!): a racket as solid and yet plush as a MAX 200G, but with more manoeuvrability and spin…
[Hitting analysis to come]
Last edited:
YouTube·Just Tennis Channel 2·8 Dec 2023
