SpinToWin
Talk Tennis Guru
What brand of lead tape do you use?…
SmilinBob's Racquet Reviews
- Thread starter SmilinBob
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What brand of lead tape do you use?…
thejuice
Hall of Fame
I tried the Tourna (fell off during warmups) and even the Wilson tungsten strips (they lasted halfway through the first set). I could immediately tell when the weight fell off because it changed EVERYthing about the ball flight and pace.
SpinToWin
Talk Tennis Guru
I don't get how it could have happened… I have never had problems with lead tape and I am literally the only person in my area who knows how to use it and thus have been providing a service for many players with many different racquets. Not once did lead tape fall off anytime soon (most of the time, it just stays until you take it off). I use 1/4" Tourna lead tape. How long and wide are the strips you applied and at which position did you apply them?…
I used Gamma 1/2" .5 gram per inch tape that I then ripped down the middle so it's 1/4" wide on each side of the frame. 6" = 3 grams. After applying, make sure you press it on pretty firmly. I've found using the side of a pen (just a cheap Bic pen) helps press it down around the strings.
I did have problems when I first demoed the 95S using some older (like, 10+ years old) Tourna lead tape and couldn't get it to stick at all. I picked up the Gamma stuff at the local shop (it's the only brand they had) and I've found it to be much tackier. TW sells rolls of 1/4" Gamma tape which I'll probably pick up after I burn through the last few feet of the 1/2" stuff I have so I don't have to cut it down the middle.
Here's what my current leading of the 95S looks like:
counterpuncher
Hall of Fame
As per your last comment, I think with a sw of 319 and coming from a Juice Pro (with a 330ish sw), you should be able to add a few grams at 12 to the PS 95S to give a little more server performance. I'll follow your update as I quite liked the regular PS 95 except for the power level, so the PS 95S has me quite intrigued.
thejuice
Hall of Fame
I actually am a local stringer and have applied lead many times to my own racquet as well as others and this frames paintjob just won't hold any lead for me. I've read this same problem by others on this forum and have had customers of mine complain about it as well. I use the 1/4" Tourna as well. It just won't stay. I keep my racquets in my house in a racquet bag with therma-cool technology so it's not like I apply the lead and the head won't allow the tackiness to take effect. I'm just baffled.
I had the same problem too, but can't speak to it being Tourna tape or the fact the Tourna tape I had was pretty old. I'd make two suggestions:
1. Try the Gamma tape. That's what I did and I haven't had any problems on several demos and the two I've purchased.
2. If you want to get really hard core, get some lead tape from a golf shop. Any golf shop that does club repair should have lead tape, and the stuff they use on golf clubs is a lot tougher than what I typically see on tennis racquets. I've never tried using golf lead on a racquet, but I can't imagine why it wouldn't work.
The Juice Pro is a recent late-night drunk purchase. I'm actually coming from Wilson Hammer 6.2 "skunks" (over a few decades) to the Head Graphene Speed MP and the Slazenger V98 Team. I'd say my time recently has been about 70/30 towards the Speed MP over the V98 Team. All of those racquets have swing weights much higher than 319 though.
Looking at your sig w/ the Donnay Pro One, Blade 98S, and Speed MP, I'd highly recommend a demo of the PS95S with some lead in the hoop. I played a tourney with the older BLX 95 and found the power to be downright anemic, whereas with the 95S it's there in stock form, but a little lead really helps move the ball deeper in the court. I started with 3 grams each at 3 and 9 and another 2 at 12, but that was a little much. What I have now is a little on the light side so I'll either move the weight further up or throw just a single gram up top and see how that works.
SpinToWin
Talk Tennis Guru
smack on a leather grip?
I can't speak for anyone else, however I'm pretty sure I'm an army of one on TT when it comes to leather grips. I really don't like 'em.
WinnersMentalityTennis
New User
Gamma lead has never fallen off for me.
SpinToWin
Talk Tennis Guru
Everybody has different preferences, no problem with that
You could check out the grips thread (in the Other Equipment section) which specifies the mass of particular grips. From that list you could use a heavier synthetic grip in order to make the racquet more HL.
That's exactly the opposite of what I'm after. I much prefer racquets with closer to even balance as I have better feel during my serve as to the position of the racquet tip and lead at 12 helps move the sweet spot north, which is my common miss on the string bed.
I don't think the 95S will take much more tweaking to get just right as it's a pretty amazing all-court stick at the moment and a little extra heat on flat serves and a little more consistent depth on kickers is all I really need at this point.
For now, I think so, however I really need to enter a tourney and get some pressure play under them first. I'm feeling pretty confident about the 95S though. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it. You get the pluses of the spin effect performance without a lot of the inconsistent response (like with the Steam 99S) however I'm not much of a string breaker so I haven't yet had to deal with the popping of strings too fast. I currently have Prince Premier Control 15g in the mains and Head Sonic Pro 16g crosses. The feel off the 95S is downright fantastic if you like the classic, more plush feeling racquets.
The demos will continue. I've been traveling a lot for work recently and I've found it's WAY more convenient to order up a box of demos from TW and have them delivered than to have to check a bag with racquets in 'em. In fact, I have 2-3 upcoming trips where I know guys who play so I'm looking forward to finding the next few rounds of demos.
I'd say the most recent releases from Yonex and Prince are substantial upgrades from their prior ones, and despite my hate of the "Babolat Feel" I'm half-tempted to give one of their new, softer offerings a shot. The new Graphene Radicals aren't doing a lot for me on paper though as they seem to have gotten stiffer. Maybe I'll give the Graphene Prestige a try. I'm also tempted to give one of the super thin beamed Donnays a try. The 295g ProKennex sticks also intrigue me.
Played with the ps95s for 3 times. With alu power rough 48lb.First time, in stock form, a bit disappointed, always hit high and long. But that was really refreshing to play with a racquet in such a low sw after long and I definitely figure out the added spin when my ball mate was hitting with it. Second time, with a leather grip and 1.5g each at 3,9 and 3g in the buttcap. Impressing feel and maneuverability. Maybe the plushest stick I ever played with (thanks to apr in low tension?), even considering switching to it. Still lacking a bit plow through. Today,with 3g more lead at 12. A bit too sluggish. I was a bit late on volleys and my ohbh. Will try less weight at 12 and buttcap to find out my final spec. I've also bought the six one 95s before the ps (only for that it scores higher at tw). With similar customization and a Wilson hybrid. Much stiffer, noticeably more power, a bit harder to swing, less spin. The ps is more characterized and honestly I prefer its feel a tad more now (I'm a Dimitrov fan). If only I could find the spec to swing the ps most effectively as well as having a solid response.
While I'm no poly expert, based on my experience with the open frames and feedback from many others here on TT, that 48 pounds, even full poly, might be too low for the really open patterns. You might want to up the tension.
I found similar things with weight in the hoop. 3, 9, AND 12 was just a little much. I've shifted to some weight at roughly 2:30 and 9:30, but I might sneak it up a little further for a little more tip weight. Maybe give some weight at 10 and 2, countered with some in the buttcap a try if you like the low swing weight and whippiness of the racquet stock.
I found similar things with weight in the hoop. 3, 9, AND 12 was just a little much. I've shifted to some weight at roughly 2:30 and 9:30, but I might sneak it up a little further for a little more tip weight. Maybe give some weight at 10 and 2, countered with some in the buttcap a try if you like the low swing weight and whippiness of the racquet stock.
blackpearl2007
Semi-Pro
I have been tinkering with the PS95 and I like the stick. Definitely needs lead. I have been thinking of putting about 3 grams of lead at 12 to up the swing weight to around 320 or so. Question for those in the know. I haven't had much success leading up frames. I fact, I find that it stiffens the response and when I add lead under the grip, it gives me hand / arm trouble. So my question is this: if I just add lead to the top (~3 grams) will I change the playing characteristics of,the racquet dramatically? I like the way it plays but it just needs more stability which is what I am after. I know this may be a silly question and will try it out is weekend, I just don't have much success / experience with lead on frames. Always played stock (Dunlop 4d 200).
By the way, I to tried the Juice Pro. Great racquet. Just like the feel and control from the PS95 better (unless I can't get it to be more stable).
Thanks!
By the way, I to tried the Juice Pro. Great racquet. Just like the feel and control from the PS95 better (unless I can't get it to be more stable).
Thanks!
Yep, far too soft in 48lb, I guess 55-57 would be my next choice. BTW, which poly do you prefer in the ps95s? Ripspin seems to be the star in other threads and cyclone tour is also in my list.
I guess I'm gonna play with my ps95s for a long time (until Fed or Dimi's stick come out...maybe). Just cannot find the right spec for six one 95s and I really love the box beam more
Well, some frames take lead a lot better than others, and I think the 95S is very good in this regard. I've played with it leaded up a few different ways with swing weights from bone-stock (308?) to up near 330. If you want a little more stability but still want to keep some of the whippy-ness of a lower swing weight, start with 2-3 grams at 3 and 9, right over the PWS on each side of the frame. I found that it didn't slow down the racquet much but definitely gave it a little more pop and stability from the baseline and at the net. I've been slowly moving the lead up more towards 10 and 2 to get it a little more head weighted for serving. I did try with some lead at 12 but I didn't think it played that well with swing weights up near my other racquets. It started to feel a little sluggish.
As far as stiffening up the racquet, don't worry too much with the 95S. The open pattern, box beam, and low flex still feels great for me. I have noticed a more stiff feeling in my Graphene Speed MP, but no such similarity with the 95S.
Two racquets that couldn't be any more different.
Right now I'm rocking Prince Premier Control 15g (1.40mm) mains at 59 pounds and Head Sonic Pro 16g crosses at 55 pounds strung on a constant pull machine. If anything, I might go down a single pound for just a little more pop.
I've gotta say I'm pretty happy with the Sonic Pro. I picked it up after reading the TW blog about soft round/shaped/twisted polys as I had some arm issues with stiffer polys demoing a bunch of racquets a while ago. I've had 4G in a different racquet with natty gut in the mains and the Sonic Pro is SO much softer. I haven't felt a single twinge of discomfort, but take that knowing it's in an open pattern racquet with a soft multi in the mains. I don't think it's quite as spinny as the 4G (it seems to be a little "stickier") but in the 95S I'm still getting plenty of sauce on the ball.
I'm hoping tension maintenance stays up and that I don't go through the multi mains too fast. Time will tell.
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
No offense??? :shock:
MikeHitsHard93
Hall of Fame
Keep your stupid thoughts to yourself.
SpinToWin
Talk Tennis Guru
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MikeHitsHard93
Hall of Fame
I'm kinda ticked. Ordered demos on the 31st and they didn't even ship them today.
Well this certainly took a turn for the better........
I'm kind of laughing because I'm betting I'm younger than the crank posting above.
As for the demos Mike...With the plethora of demo boxes I have ordered I think I've had one that didn't ship all that quickly. When it finally showed up it was clear why: one of the racquets needed some attention, which it must have received. Brand new grip, brand new strings. I wouldn't stress about it too much. TW's customer service has been pretty awesome for me.
...And if you get one with a brand new Wilson Pro Overgrip, check the list of my racquet reviews. If it's one of 'em, you're welcome.
I'm kind of laughing because I'm betting I'm younger than the crank posting above.
As for the demos Mike...With the plethora of demo boxes I have ordered I think I've had one that didn't ship all that quickly. When it finally showed up it was clear why: one of the racquets needed some attention, which it must have received. Brand new grip, brand new strings. I wouldn't stress about it too much. TW's customer service has been pretty awesome for me.
...And if you get one with a brand new Wilson Pro Overgrip, check the list of my racquet reviews. If it's one of 'em, you're welcome.
MikeHitsHard93
Hall of Fame
Well this certainly took a turn for the better........
I'm kind of laughing because I'm betting I'm younger than the crank posting above.
As for the demos Mike...With the plethora of demo boxes I have ordered I think I've had one that didn't ship all that quickly. When it finally showed up it was clear why: one of the racquets needed some attention, which it must have received. Brand new grip, brand new strings. I wouldn't stress about it too much. TW's customer service has been pretty awesome for me.
...And if you get one with a brand new Wilson Pro Overgrip, check the list of my racquet reviews. If it's one of 'em, you're welcome.
Nah not stressing. Just really wanted to be able to use them on Wednesday lol. I've done the same with some volkl rackets with the Wilson overgrips
I'm trying some new ones out now though. They just don't last long enough. I know that these mostly aren't in your range and maybe now in mine either, but I'm demoing the blade 93, prostaff 90, vcore tour 89, and the Apd+. The first three are wishful thinking and curiousity, and the apd is the viable option lol.
Nah not stressing. Just really wanted to be able to use them on Wednesday lol. I've done the same with some volkl rackets with the Wilson overgrips
I know that these mostly aren't in your range and maybe now in mine either, but I'm demoing the blade 93, prostaff 90, vcore tour 89, and the Apd+. The first three are wishful thinking and curiousity, and the apd is the viable option lol.
Well I've hit the BLX Pro Staff 90 (The old Fed frame) and the Pure Drive Roddick +, so I'm close. I just really don't like the hollow feeling of the Bab frames. I might give one of the newer ones a try, but I'll go in not expecting much. As for the smaller head sizes, be warned: while they are great for playability and the response/control is fantastic, they don't offer much in the way of forgiveness. Opinions on the Blade 93 seem pretty polarized, I'll be curious to hear what you think.
MikeHitsHard93
Hall of Fame
I'm totally with you on the feel of babs, however I think the newer ones are getting better. My pdrgt feels like a plank of wood while the new one just feels rigid.
Since I don't play matches much, I figured I might as well try out every option out there. I've played with the past prostaff as well for about an hour, and that was fun. We shall see with time. The yonnie just looks freakin cool and I like the thought of a "more forgiving mid". I once dabbled in the organix 10 mid and really liked that one. I'm demoing the blade 93 simply because I really have loved every new blade I've tried so far. And this one is closer to my spec. We shall see.
On another note, poly/syngut hybrid has given me amazing confidence recently. Loving it. Whstre you using right now Bob?
All strung on a Babolat Star 5 constant pull...
Head Graphene Speed MP (16x19...But VERY open):
Babolat Tonic+ 16g mains at 56 lbs, Luxilon 4g crosses at 52 lbs
Slazenger V98 Team (16x19...But somewhat dense):
Babolat Tonic+ 16g mains at 56 lbs, Luxilon 4g crosses at 52 lbs
Wilson Juice Pro (16x20):
Dunlop Hexy Fiber 17g full-bed at 54 lbs
Wilson Pro Staff 95S (16x15):
Prince Premier Control 15g (1.40mm) mains at 59 lbs, Head Sonic Pro 16g crosses at 55 lbs
The biggest performance boost of any string job in this list is unquestionably the natty gut in the Graphene Speed MP, however the 4G plays it's stiff reputation which for some reason, the Graphene frame just feels a lot stiffer with 4G in it (compared to others I've had strung w/ 4G crosses.) The spin with the Tonic/4G combo is pretty amazing. When I finally break the gut, I might try Sonic Pro as a cross w/ the natty in there. The V98 Team plays great with the natty combo, however it loses the "bright" feel on contact that I had w/ Dunlop DNA and Prince Premier Attack, becoming much "thunky"-er. The bright feel is what makes the V98 so much fun to hit. I'm really liking the Hexy in the Juice Pro as it has good ball pocketing but still feels firm enough. I'm getting good spin on serves, less so on the ground though, but the Juice Pro hits a pretty penetrating ball to begin with. And then lastly, the 95S w/ the Sonic Pro crosses feels great. If anything, I might go down a pound in tension to get my kickers a little deeper in the box and get a little more pop out of my flat serves. Otherwise it's playing great. If I can get the mains to hold up (S & V'er who doesn't break strings too fast) I might even try Tonic 15L in the mains. That could be downright heavenly if I could get away with natty gut in an S pattern.
Bob, I haven't tried this myself - been meaning too - but a couple posters in the string forum have with good results: gut mains with rectangular poly crosses. The rectangular crosses bite much less into the gut mains, increasing durability, maybe even enough to survive in a 16x15. L-tec 4S is one rectangular (or "squoval") poly that I plan to try with gut mains when I pick up a PS 95S. Holds tension nearly as well as 4G, according to the TWU numbers.
SpinToWin
Talk Tennis Guru
let me add that if you do try this (ridiculously priced) string Bob, you should lower the tension on it IMO. The L-Tec strings retain a lot of their stiffness, even at lower tensions (which is why they advertise them as "made for low tension stringing").
Yikes. That's a pretty stiff string. I'm not sure how well it would work with the open frames if it requires a lower tension as the lower tension (to soften it up) might turn the S pattern into a rocket launcher. Anybody playing a 95S/99S/ESP with a hybrid where the crosses are strung around 50 lbs?
If I can get another 6-10 hours out of the PPC 15g, I'll probably try natty gut w/ Sonic Pro to start, or at least in one frame.
Yeah, I wouldn't ordinarily use such a stiff poly cross myself. But with only 15 crosses, a stiffer cross might actually be an advantage. If you think in terms of total cross-string stiffness, 240(4S)x15 < 200(soft poly)x19.
In any case, 4S is less stiff than the 4G crosses you've been using. 4S is also much slippier and holds tension almost as well as 4G.
MikeHitsHard93
Hall of Fame
I ought to put my foot in my mouth. Frames came on time
Hey Smilin' Bob,
I really appreciate what you are doing here, putting all your reviews in one spot and comparing racquets from the same vantage point. I do have one suggestion for you. It seems that you really liked the bare-bones performance of the Prokennex 7G, but just felt like it played more like an ax than a tennis racquet. If you really did like the feel, the prokennex 5G is basically the same racquet with less length (27" standard length) and a more headlight balance (8 pts compared to the 7Gs ~4/5 pts considering the extra length). I found it really nice, and actually rather whippy (which I think you may like). Also it was very stable and both allowed for customization and had the same response at the net and a lot of the plow of the 7G. Just a suggestion, thanks again.
I really appreciate what you are doing here, putting all your reviews in one spot and comparing racquets from the same vantage point. I do have one suggestion for you. It seems that you really liked the bare-bones performance of the Prokennex 7G, but just felt like it played more like an ax than a tennis racquet. If you really did like the feel, the prokennex 5G is basically the same racquet with less length (27" standard length) and a more headlight balance (8 pts compared to the 7Gs ~4/5 pts considering the extra length). I found it really nice, and actually rather whippy (which I think you may like). Also it was very stable and both allowed for customization and had the same response at the net and a lot of the plow of the 7G. Just a suggestion, thanks again.
stronzzi70
Professional
No offense but your too troll.
Last summer I actually had the ProKennex Q5 295 ready to go for a demo, but ended up dealing with sunken boats (read back several pages) and never did get a chance to hit it. It's basically the current version of the 5G. (I know, it's lighter, probably stiffer, etc.) Maybe I'll hit it side-by-side w/ the Q5 next time I pick up a demo order.
Meanwhile I've been sidelined the last few weeks with a non-tennis related shoulder injury. Should be back on the courts in another week or two.
A quick update on my adventures with the 95S and others...
First off, I'm pleasantly surprised that the strings are holding up fairly well in the open pattern 95S. I put on another two hours on one frame over the weekend and am just now noticing some notching in the Prince Premier Control 1.40 (15g) mains. The Sonic Pro crosses are holding up fine, and I do like the much softer feel compared to something like 4G. With the start in notching, I'm not getting as much snap back as before and a little less spin, but the bed still feels pretty consistent and predictable. I'm thinking the Tonic 15L experiment might begin sooner rather than later. I'm noticing less spin from the baseline but still getting some wicked jump on my kickers.
Onto the 95S frame. I'm still pretty amazed by this stick. It remains the best returning stick I've ever hit and the ability to maintain my chip/block return game yet still up it with something more aggressive is awesome. I've been winning breaks at a much higher clip than I have for several years. Due to the shoulder injury I took, I had to temporarily ditch the lead setup on it. While I've lost a lot of zip on my serve, the accuracy bone stock is amazing. It's so whippy stock I've really been cracking some mean ground strokes too. You can take a pretty big cut at the ball and it miraculously stays in. The big downside to the no-lead setup is that it is definitely weaker at the net. My volleys haven't had quite as much punch on them. Still loving the feel of the racquet though. The braided graphite/kevlar layup gets a big SmilinBob thumbs-up.
I haven't been able to hit any more with the Juice Pro until my shoulder settles itself as it's just too much stick at the moment. The siren calls every time I open the bag though.
I only hit for a few minutes with the Graphene Speed MP, but for those of you playing it, give gut mains/poly crosses a try. The spin is downright ridiculous. I might try a similar setup in it only with Sonic Pro or another softer poly in it instead of the 4G. For some reason, any string stiffness is magnified by the Graphene MP frame.
First off, I'm pleasantly surprised that the strings are holding up fairly well in the open pattern 95S. I put on another two hours on one frame over the weekend and am just now noticing some notching in the Prince Premier Control 1.40 (15g) mains. The Sonic Pro crosses are holding up fine, and I do like the much softer feel compared to something like 4G. With the start in notching, I'm not getting as much snap back as before and a little less spin, but the bed still feels pretty consistent and predictable. I'm thinking the Tonic 15L experiment might begin sooner rather than later. I'm noticing less spin from the baseline but still getting some wicked jump on my kickers.
Onto the 95S frame. I'm still pretty amazed by this stick. It remains the best returning stick I've ever hit and the ability to maintain my chip/block return game yet still up it with something more aggressive is awesome. I've been winning breaks at a much higher clip than I have for several years. Due to the shoulder injury I took, I had to temporarily ditch the lead setup on it. While I've lost a lot of zip on my serve, the accuracy bone stock is amazing. It's so whippy stock I've really been cracking some mean ground strokes too. You can take a pretty big cut at the ball and it miraculously stays in. The big downside to the no-lead setup is that it is definitely weaker at the net. My volleys haven't had quite as much punch on them. Still loving the feel of the racquet though. The braided graphite/kevlar layup gets a big SmilinBob thumbs-up.
I haven't been able to hit any more with the Juice Pro until my shoulder settles itself as it's just too much stick at the moment. The siren calls every time I open the bag though.
I only hit for a few minutes with the Graphene Speed MP, but for those of you playing it, give gut mains/poly crosses a try. The spin is downright ridiculous. I might try a similar setup in it only with Sonic Pro or another softer poly in it instead of the 4G. For some reason, any string stiffness is magnified by the Graphene MP frame.
ringwraith
Rookie
Agree with this. On fast swings, this racquet performs exceptionally. However, I did not find enough control on slow swings with any of the spin effect racquets including the pro staff 95S. I am not sure how you make it work with your 'chip/block' game! Perhaps it is a mental issue for me.
Hello bob,
First I want to congratulate you for your great work in here (took me a couple of hours to read the post. I know I'm currently off topic but I would like to ask you your thoughts about the closest frame to the juice 100s racquet.
I play with this frame for a while and even tho I like it very much I don't think the 15*16 pattern works for me it's too strong the control is terrible so I'm thinking to change any thoughts?every opinion is appreciated.
Thanx
First I want to congratulate you for your great work in here (took me a couple of hours to read the post
. I know I'm currently off topic but I would like to ask you your thoughts about the closest frame to the juice 100s racquet.I play with this frame for a while and even tho I like it very much I don't think the 15*16 pattern works for me it's too strong the control is terrible so I'm thinking to change any thoughts?every opinion is appreciated.
Thanx
Hello bob,
First I want to congratulate you for your great work in here (took me a couple of hours to read the post
I play with this frame for a while and even tho I like it very much I don't think the 15*16 pattern works for me it's too strong the control is terrible so I'm thinking to change any thoughts?every opinion is appreciated.
Thanx
First off, thanks for the kind words!
Second, it's hard to say as I haven't hit with the Juice 100S (the Juice Pro is QUITE a bit different. Much heavier with a 16x20 pattern) however I have hit the Steam 99S, which is probably the closest. I found a similar problem with that frame. The response off the string bed could be inconsistent and unpredictable, especially at the net.
It might be helpful to know a little bit more about your game, and where specifically you see the power vs. control issue. It could be simply stringing the racquet a little tighter, although it seems that has diminishing returns in the super open patterns. If your heart is set on a racquet change and want to stay with Wilson, the Blade 98 16x19 is a good one (but is string sensitive). I'm loving the Pro Staff 95S, but it is a very LOW powered racquet which is quite a bit different than the Juice. You could give the 6.1 95S (or the other patterns) a demo too. If you want to drift away from Wilson, the Head Graphene Speed MP has a SUPER open 16x19 pattern and plays much more predictably than the 99S did for me. I'm finding it to have Goldilocks Syndrome (too hot, too cold, too small, too big) to get just right for me, but I still think it's a solid frame. If you want to try something newer, give the Yonex Tour G 310 a try, or it's higher-powered cousin the Ai 98.
Otherwise, dig through the reviews and order up a box of demos. Lots of good sticks out there.
Really helpfull as always,
Yes the juice is almost the same as the 99s with a bit more power tho,About my game I'm a classic baseliner with strong and penetrating hits and that is the main reason that I like the juice 100s, the thing is that the only way to control my strikes is only when I hit with full topspin and I don't always have the time to do so and when I don't the ball is flying to the unknown.. I can't seem to predict the trajectory of the ball quite often.
The other thing about this racquet is the stiffness which I forgot to mention before and it's quit harsh on my hand especially with the 62 ish lbs that this racquet need in full poly. Finally I'm kinda tired of changing strings these racquets need string replacement every 6-10 hours depend I the string at max and I don't have a stringing machine
About the racquets you propose me all these are in my radar I've read all ur reviews and really bob ur an expert. I will demo the blade, speed mp,ai 98 for sure, what u thnk about the prince tour 100 16*18 it's really arm friendly and from what I've read a baseliner stick. Which one you prefer from those four?
Thanx again
I haven't hit with the Prince Tour, although I have hit the Tour Team, the Rebel 98, and the new Prince Tour 98 ESP which is an updated version of the Rebel 98 with a very open string pattern. Of all of those I liked the Tour 98 ESP the best, followed by the original Rebel. The Prince racquets have a feel that's all their own and will be just about as opposite as you can get from the Juice. Very, very soft and flexy frames. You might like it, might hate it, but the only way to find out is to hit one. There's a long thread in the racquets forum and the epic multi thread in the string forum, both by Mikeler, with lots of info about the Tour 16x18 and the new Tour 100 ESP. Plenty of Yonex info in the Tour G and AI 98 threads too.
As for the others, I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. I would demo the Blade with a poly and not a multi in it, assuming you go the TW route which doesn't do hybrid jobs in their demos. I wasn't impressed with a full multi but it played awesome with a hybrid. As for the Speed MP and the Yonex, give 'em a try and let us know how it goes.
Given you are hitting the Juice 100S, you might also want to check out the new Babolats too. I'm not a big fan of the Babolat feel and the stiffness of the frames, so after my adventures with the Pure Drive/Aero Pro I said enough of that. I might give one of their newer, softer frames a try later this summer just to see if it's an improvement.
