Ombudsman
Rookie
That’s encouraging. A few reports of over-spec 98s in the Prince Tour thread.
Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Prince Tour 2026
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
That’s encouraging. A few reports of over-spec 98s in the Prince Tour thread.
Well, it has to average out somehow doesn't it?
Ombudsman
Rookie
Hopefully in your favor
Definitely won the spec lottery this time. Haven't used a Prince frame before this, but from what I've heard, the new 98 is so maneuverable that a bit of extra weight in the head may not be all that bad. I could see some modern players disliking a spec that comes in 10pts or more HL though. That could be tricky for some to adjust to, especially if they're used to a more balanced frame, like I am with my Ezones.
Ombudsman
Rookie
I look forward to your feedback about the racquet. I’m also more attuned to a more balanced racquet as I’m pretty much a baseline basher.
lefty10spro
Professional
Just a short teaser. Tour 310 tester just arrived. Without strings or overgrip it weighs 309g and balances exactly 31cm. Spot on spec. A 2019 Tour 310 (the GOAT Prince) I had sitting around unstrung was 305g with 31cm balance or 10 pts hl.
Strung up mains with Babo gut 1.30 at 45# and crosses are Prince Tour XP 1.25 at 40#. This gave a DT reading of 30 right off the Prince 5000 stringer.
Weight strung and tournagripped is now 331g and balance is 31.7 or 8 pts hl. Off to the courts! Full review to follow.
Strung up mains with Babo gut 1.30 at 45# and crosses are Prince Tour XP 1.25 at 40#. This gave a DT reading of 30 right off the Prince 5000 stringer.
Weight strung and tournagripped is now 331g and balance is 31.7 or 8 pts hl. Off to the courts! Full review to follow.
I'll include more about who I am later, but I'm a young guy, 8ish UTR. All-court playstyle, love a bit of serve and volley, but flattening the ball out with an inside-out forehand is my favorite stroke. I try to hit big from both wings, but lately I've been working on finding more consistency as well. Primarily play singles, and I hit with my brother and his friends a ton, and they are in the 3.0 to 3.5 range, so I certainly hit a lot of different types of balls. As mentioned earlier it will be a while before I get to actually play at full strength, again, but I'll post a first impressions as soon as I can get on the court
pedrogcr
Semi-Pro
The only thing better than Fonseca's win, was getting home to find this beauty waiting at my doorstep!
Got my 100 310. Glossy paint is super nice but a fingerprint magnet! Strung with r8zor. Feels like needs some weight in the head but we will see. String spacing is pretty symmetrical which I appreciate. There shouldn’t be hot/dead spots. The mains are also very evenly spaced. Outer mains are closer together than on my Ezone 98 even. Will be playing in the morning
Was excited to receive the 100 310 earlier this week. Love the new glossy black paint job!
Background: 57.5 yrs old male. Played D2 college tennis 35+ years ago and currently barely hanging on at 4.0 level. Played with the 2019 version of this racket for about 6 years and loved it but switched to the ezone in the fall. Demoed the previous version of the 310 and found it too muted and a bit on the heavier side.
Strung it at 48 lbs with the supplied TW P6 poly 17 and hit for about 2 hours yesterday: first with a younger friend who is pushing 4.5, then at a much slower pace with an older former coach who is over 80 now.
First impression: Response and power level are very much like my old 2019 version which is a good thing. Feel was more dampened than that racket but not overly so like the previous version. I typically play with a dampener but did not need one with this! Very solid racquet. Maneuverability was also good. Some RDC specs below:
Unstrung w/plastic still on grip
Wt: 310g
SW: 284
Bal: 31.25 mm
Strung
Wt: 328g
SW: 315
Bal: 32.64 mm
RA: 65
Looking forward to the rest of the test. Felt great on ground strokes and volleys and will try serves while playing doubles on Monday!
Background: 57.5 yrs old male. Played D2 college tennis 35+ years ago and currently barely hanging on at 4.0 level. Played with the 2019 version of this racket for about 6 years and loved it but switched to the ezone in the fall. Demoed the previous version of the 310 and found it too muted and a bit on the heavier side.
Strung it at 48 lbs with the supplied TW P6 poly 17 and hit for about 2 hours yesterday: first with a younger friend who is pushing 4.5, then at a much slower pace with an older former coach who is over 80 now.
First impression: Response and power level are very much like my old 2019 version which is a good thing. Feel was more dampened than that racket but not overly so like the previous version. I typically play with a dampener but did not need one with this! Very solid racquet. Maneuverability was also good. Some RDC specs below:
Unstrung w/plastic still on grip
Wt: 310g
SW: 284
Bal: 31.25 mm
Strung
Wt: 328g
SW: 315
Bal: 32.64 mm
RA: 65
Looking forward to the rest of the test. Felt great on ground strokes and volleys and will try serves while playing doubles on Monday!
mpournaras
Hall of Fame
Is the included string P6?
For the 98s at least, yes. I think P6 is fantastic and would probably recommend it.
Can get an idea of the string spacing on the 310 16x18. Grip is very oval shaped.
jimdontcare
Professional
Any first impressions of stability vs 2019 version?
One of its nicest features imo, helps with a consistent feel
First impressions of 100 310:
I use an E zone 98. First thing I noticed was the feel. Prince is stiffer, not as plush (despite same listed RA). Next thing is launch angle, which as expected is higher with the prince. For a 100 16 X 18, the string bed is decently predictable. I was able to hit through the court pretty well. Better than I thought. I don’t think it is stable as the Ezone, but not by much.
Overall, I like how I play with it. I don’t like how it feels. Will see what happens as string bed softens
I use an E zone 98. First thing I noticed was the feel. Prince is stiffer, not as plush (despite same listed RA). Next thing is launch angle, which as expected is higher with the prince. For a 100 16 X 18, the string bed is decently predictable. I was able to hit through the court pretty well. Better than I thought. I don’t think it is stable as the Ezone, but not by much.
Overall, I like how I play with it. I don’t like how it feels. Will see what happens as string bed softens
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At least initially, stability seems similar to me. Will know more as I hit more. Don't think it's significantly worse anyway.
It’s interesting how racquet lines seem to move in cycles.
The 2019 Textreme Tour was a firmer frame, but an excellent racquet overall. Many players complained about the stiffness. Then the ATS generation came in 2023, much softer and more comfortable, but some players felt it lacked power and crispness. Now with the 2026 line, it looks like Prince is moving back toward more power, a firmer response and that 90s-inspired feel and I’m sure some players will again start asking for more comfort. Maybe that will come back in the next generation.
At this point, I feel like graphite racquets have mostly reached their peak. Until a completely new material comes along and replaces graphite the way graphite replaced wood, most of these updates are just small layup changes, feel adjustments and marketing.
Unfortunately, I also fell into that trap over the last year, constantly testing different racquets, strings and setups. In the end, I probably lost more consistency than I gained.
The 2019 Textreme Tour was a firmer frame, but an excellent racquet overall. Many players complained about the stiffness. Then the ATS generation came in 2023, much softer and more comfortable, but some players felt it lacked power and crispness. Now with the 2026 line, it looks like Prince is moving back toward more power, a firmer response and that 90s-inspired feel and I’m sure some players will again start asking for more comfort. Maybe that will come back in the next generation.
At this point, I feel like graphite racquets have mostly reached their peak. Until a completely new material comes along and replaces graphite the way graphite replaced wood, most of these updates are just small layup changes, feel adjustments and marketing.
Unfortunately, I also fell into that trap over the last year, constantly testing different racquets, strings and setups. In the end, I probably lost more consistency than I gained.
Will also add that I like the 100 310 more than the pure aero 98 2026 and the vcore 98 2026. I played with the gravity pro for 2 years before switching to the ezone 98 and the problem (though, also the point) with the gravity pro was the lower power and low launch angle. But, the feel was so good so I stayed with it
First impressions with the 98 string with Pure Rush and Ghostwire at 50/48...
If I had to describe it in one word, it would be "confidence". I knew exactly how much power and spin I got as well as where the ball was going. Spin wasn't crazy, but it kept my ball heavy and in. No stability issues at a 4.5 level, despite only a 315 swingweight. Power was low enough that I had to really commit to get the ball going, but I found that I was so confident to rip it that I would play a much more intense and satisfying game than with the Ezone 100. My opponent said it was like I turned up an extra gear with the Tour 98 because of how hard I was going for it. Ended up playing some of the best tennis of my life, and this is the first day back after a long illness. It's a frame that makes me want to play more tennis. Going on the radar as switchable. Can't wait to get back out there.
If I had to describe it in one word, it would be "confidence". I knew exactly how much power and spin I got as well as where the ball was going. Spin wasn't crazy, but it kept my ball heavy and in. No stability issues at a 4.5 level, despite only a 315 swingweight. Power was low enough that I had to really commit to get the ball going, but I found that I was so confident to rip it that I would play a much more intense and satisfying game than with the Ezone 100. My opponent said it was like I turned up an extra gear with the Tour 98 because of how hard I was going for it. Ended up playing some of the best tennis of my life, and this is the first day back after a long illness. It's a frame that makes me want to play more tennis. Going on the radar as switchable. Can't wait to get back out there.
TravJohnTexas
New User
If you need anymore play testers and have prince racket experience from juniors the CT’s synergy etc..) to now the phantom. I would love to try the 98 or the 100 310 out. I am a 4.5 player, big forehand, flat and all court. Prefer singles but play both doubles and singles
Unfortunately the application period is closed, but you are encouraged to apply for the Head Spin Hybrid, as doing well in the string reviews creates a pathway towards getting a racket.
TravJohnTexas
New User
Where do I go to apply for the head spin hybrid, as find it super hard to navigate this site
where do I find that as I find it super hard to navigate this site
Go to "Forums", then click "strings", then at the very top of the threads there is a "Playtest, Head Hybrid Spin", then follow the directions at the top of the page (send the email address listed an email using the format provided). Using a computer makes navigation much better btw.
TravJohnTexas
New User
Thanks so much, I have been using my phone but will try the computer
Just had second hit with the 100 310. The frame is again stiffer than the RA suggests. It’s easy to play with, but towards the end of the session the control that was surprisingly good went away. Balls started to launch, strings started to move. And this is while switching back-and-forth with the E zone 98.
I like how the launch angle helps out my two handed backhand, but at times the finesse shots that I can hit with my forehand (quick pick ups/half volleys) are uncontrollable with the prince.
I would be curious now to try the previous version of the racket, which, as per other comments on the forum, was softer.
I like how the launch angle helps out my two handed backhand, but at times the finesse shots that I can hit with my forehand (quick pick ups/half volleys) are uncontrollable with the prince.
I would be curious now to try the previous version of the racket, which, as per other comments on the forum, was softer.
TravJohnTexas
New User
Check out the phantom 100 300, or has anyone tried the phantom vs this new tour? I have the ezone but was starting to hurt my upper arm and am not sure if the grip is thinner than other comparable rackets with that same size grip. So not sure if it was the strings or holding the grip too tight on the ezone. I have added to the flare at the butt if the racket, for better grip
Tennis1337
New User
What tension do you have? I use the green and black Tour 310 from 2019 on around 25,5kg-26kg. Get nice control from that and my arm is fine.
52/50
3 more hours on the Tour 98. First 2 were with 3.0s/3.5s, and it was a ton of fun as expected. In the last hour against a 4.5, I needed more free power. In 85 degree heat, with sun, fatigue really limits what I can do. Ended up getting a little lazy and dropped some games I shouldn't, especially as my movement declined and I couldn't explode from my legs as hard as I could in the beginning. The sweetspot seems to be decently high up on the frame, and when hitting lower down there was a pretty big drop off in power and control. It didn't feel overly punishing, but it was more difficult to use than a lot of other frames in the category like the TFight 305s (although I did find better consistency, spin and depth with the Tour 98) and the Ezone 98. I will swap out strings to Tour M8 today at 48/46 and will give first impressions of that setup. I'm hoping that the additional power and forgiveness will turn this into a "goldilocks" combo without sacrificing control. Not sure what I will do if that is underpowered as well- I'm open to suggestions for more powerful strings for sure.
How is the comfort and feel compared to the TF 305S? As for the strings, I think the grapplesnake alpha would be a good choice for you.
bobeeto
Hall of Fame
Just getting a few hours on court with the 100P. Really digging the feel off the stringbed.
Doesn’t really do anything unpredictable, but has enough liveliness to give you a little more.
Returns have been most impressive aspect, the 100P really allows for you go after it, without fear of missing long.
More thoughts to come, but the control and touch are exceptional right off the stringer
Doesn’t really do anything unpredictable, but has enough liveliness to give you a little more.
Returns have been most impressive aspect, the 100P really allows for you go after it, without fear of missing long.
More thoughts to come, but the control and touch are exceptional right off the stringer
Feel is excellent on both frames. Both are comfortable, but I think that the TFight absorbs vibrations just a little bit better. Alpha is a bit sticky for my liking. If Tour M8 doesn't work out I may try Mach 10 or something thinner gauge.
tele
Hall of Fame
Did you play with the previous version of the 98? I thought the sweetspot felt relatively low on that one.
Not of the Prince 98, no. What I think happened was that Prince realized that stability was pretty weak so they concentrated more weight at 10 and 2 to keep maneuverability strong while improving stability. Hence the great maneuverability and wide sweetspot, but it is higher than on previous versions.
I usually play with the ATS 98 and I agree that the sweet spot on the 2026 98 is higher. It’s welcome in my opinion because the sweet spot on the ATS is so low that the lowest cross definitely feels like it’s inside the sweet spot, meaning a dampener interferes with the playable area of the racquet.
tele
Hall of Fame
I notice it particularly on volleys on the ATS 98. Higher up in the stringbed is not terrible, but the sensation of pocketing and power is more pronounced in what feels like a little lower than usual (I don’t think I was quite at the bottom cross, though!)
What do you play with currently? What did you string it with? And finally, how is the power level?
Crimsonchen
Rookie
I'm currently play testing the 100P, comparing with my usual speed pro. So far, the 100P feels anemic compared to the speed pro. I'm not sure if mine is under spec for sw but the sw feels pretty low. Lead tape would probably fix the issue but it's pretty low powered. Similar to the speed pro, you can take full swings with confidence with the 100P but not as much plow through as the speed pro
Just received my 100P yesterday. It weighed 306 g, just 1 g over spec. Looking for a spare leather grip, to give it some more weight in the handle. It was evenly balanced w/o string and w/ the original grip.
I'm thinking about stringing it up w/ some orange Poly Tour Rev in the mains and black Monogut ZX in the crosses. Should color match nicely.
I was on the playtest for the new Phantoms when they were released, and it came w/ a set of Prince poly and Prince Premier. This time, the Tour came w/ a set of grey generic poly (I assume it's TW's in-house poly).
I'm thinking about stringing it up w/ some orange Poly Tour Rev in the mains and black Monogut ZX in the crosses. Should color match nicely.
I was on the playtest for the new Phantoms when they were released, and it came w/ a set of Prince poly and Prince Premier. This time, the Tour came w/ a set of grey generic poly (I assume it's TW's in-house poly).
bobeeto
Hall of Fame
Tecnifibre Tempo 298. Much more powerful than the hundoP. Strung with P6/baseline spin at 50. Much too tight for the racket, but serve is nice.
Power level is mid low I’d say. Still need more match play but it could not hang hitting with a pretty heavy ball from friends using PA100 and TFire305s
lefty10spro
Professional
Thanks to TW and Prince - enjoyed testing the new Tour 310g.
String used: Babolat gut 16g mains @ 45# and Prince Tour XP 17g crosses @ 40#.
Playing level: In my 20s and 30s I was a 5.5 Open level player. Recently retired 66 yr old coach currently low 4.0 level.
Current racket: Prince TT 310 (2019) strung same as above.
Time used: 10+ hours of singles and doubles
Playing style: All court lefty but love baseline grinding.
Ground strokes: Dialed in my semi-western fh immediately. Since it swings a bit quicker than my 2019, I was a bit early on my two-handed bh. Just had to delay the take back to get the timing down. The 16x18 pattern makes some believe that you can’t flatten out, but the uniform string bed makes flatter hitting effortless.
Serves: While the slightly stiffer 2019 can be too lively on serves, this 2026 is a serving dream. The great pocketing inspires excellent spot serving. Power is there but controlled serving is the standout feature. A strong 4.0 buddy after beating me in straight sets wanted to try the Prince while we finished with a couple of tiebreakers. Loved it immediately but mentioned the serving confidence. He had several double faults that day with his Ultra. None with the Prince.
Volleys: Very stable with a surprising amount of pop. These took the most reps for me to get grooved. Tightened up my technique and added underspin and I was rewarded with great pop and depth.
Returns: I faced a wide variety of serves. Solid as a rock and easy to get in position. Facing 110mph pace and this stick doesn’t budge. I can’t see a need to customize this racket at all.
Power/Control: Compared to the all time great 2019 Tour 310 the power levels are nearly identical. The sound of 2019 is a ping and this one is more of a ponk if that makes sense. The partial foam filling is very pleasing and noticeable. Big increase in control compared to 2019. The pocketing and feel are pure old school Prince.
Topsin/Slice: This open 16x18 pattern makes dialing up the topspin quiet easy. My semi-western fh dips hard. It seems like the pattern would make slicing challenging, but the bh slice is nasty. The fh slice for me is problematic but that is on me not the racket.
Comfort: The 2019 can hurt the joints a bit outside the sweetspot. IMO the 2022 Tours and the Phantoms are supremely comfortable but require more swing speed than this old man generates. This 2026 gets it just right - comfort and pop.
Feel: Firmer tip with softer throat just like Prince tried in 2022. For some reason that 2022 Tour 310 was tough to swing. The 2019 magic of a hefty 310g unstrung weigh that is quick is back, thankfully! Some may find it slightly muted and I imagine full poly in the 40s would be delightful, but my joints scream with all poly in any racket at any tension.
Maneuverability: I can’t measure SW but if feels like 315-320ish. Swings very fast and while I love this I can see some users may want a bit of lead at 12 o’clock. Weight at 10&2 or 3&9 totally unnecessary IMO.
Stability: The ATS which was not present in 2019 is a real game changer. The oval head shape can wobble some on the ‘19 when mishitting. The stability here is second to none.
General comments: Never thought I would switch from the ‘19 TT 310 GOAT stick, but I’m switching to this marvel of engineering. Way to go big P! It is a bit of a cliche, but this is a MUST DEMO. Questions welcome and mucho gracias again TW.
String used: Babolat gut 16g mains @ 45# and Prince Tour XP 17g crosses @ 40#.
Playing level: In my 20s and 30s I was a 5.5 Open level player. Recently retired 66 yr old coach currently low 4.0 level.
Current racket: Prince TT 310 (2019) strung same as above.
Time used: 10+ hours of singles and doubles
Playing style: All court lefty but love baseline grinding.
Ground strokes: Dialed in my semi-western fh immediately. Since it swings a bit quicker than my 2019, I was a bit early on my two-handed bh. Just had to delay the take back to get the timing down. The 16x18 pattern makes some believe that you can’t flatten out, but the uniform string bed makes flatter hitting effortless.
Serves: While the slightly stiffer 2019 can be too lively on serves, this 2026 is a serving dream. The great pocketing inspires excellent spot serving. Power is there but controlled serving is the standout feature. A strong 4.0 buddy after beating me in straight sets wanted to try the Prince while we finished with a couple of tiebreakers. Loved it immediately but mentioned the serving confidence. He had several double faults that day with his Ultra. None with the Prince.
Volleys: Very stable with a surprising amount of pop. These took the most reps for me to get grooved. Tightened up my technique and added underspin and I was rewarded with great pop and depth.
Returns: I faced a wide variety of serves. Solid as a rock and easy to get in position. Facing 110mph pace and this stick doesn’t budge. I can’t see a need to customize this racket at all.
Power/Control: Compared to the all time great 2019 Tour 310 the power levels are nearly identical. The sound of 2019 is a ping and this one is more of a ponk if that makes sense. The partial foam filling is very pleasing and noticeable. Big increase in control compared to 2019. The pocketing and feel are pure old school Prince.
Topsin/Slice: This open 16x18 pattern makes dialing up the topspin quiet easy. My semi-western fh dips hard. It seems like the pattern would make slicing challenging, but the bh slice is nasty. The fh slice for me is problematic but that is on me not the racket.
Comfort: The 2019 can hurt the joints a bit outside the sweetspot. IMO the 2022 Tours and the Phantoms are supremely comfortable but require more swing speed than this old man generates. This 2026 gets it just right - comfort and pop.
Feel: Firmer tip with softer throat just like Prince tried in 2022. For some reason that 2022 Tour 310 was tough to swing. The 2019 magic of a hefty 310g unstrung weigh that is quick is back, thankfully! Some may find it slightly muted and I imagine full poly in the 40s would be delightful, but my joints scream with all poly in any racket at any tension.
Maneuverability: I can’t measure SW but if feels like 315-320ish. Swings very fast and while I love this I can see some users may want a bit of lead at 12 o’clock. Weight at 10&2 or 3&9 totally unnecessary IMO.
Stability: The ATS which was not present in 2019 is a real game changer. The oval head shape can wobble some on the ‘19 when mishitting. The stability here is second to none.
General comments: Never thought I would switch from the ‘19 TT 310 GOAT stick, but I’m switching to this marvel of engineering. Way to go big P! It is a bit of a cliche, but this is a MUST DEMO. Questions welcome and mucho gracias again TW.
Thanks for this review. Really like my 2022 310 and this makes me excited upgrade to the new model. I will demo the 98 & 100p as well before pulling the trigger though.
How long does your string setup typically last for you?
lefty10spro
Professional
Excellent idea to demo those other 2 models. I keep 2 rackets in rotation and right off the stringer I get a DT reading of 30. After 8 days and about 11 hours of play the demo is at 26. I generally get close to 2 months of use as this gut poly hybrid is crazy durable. At 2 months I’m usually getting a launchy reading of 23 with fraying gut so I restring then. I actually strongly prefer Lux gut 1.30 but I only had Babolat in stock.
Thanks for your review!
Speaking of power, would you be able to comp it with more recently released racquets? Never got the chance to hit with the 2019 tours so don't quite understand that comparison.
lefty10spro
Professional
I have very little experience hitting wth recently released rackets but I would say less power than an Ezone 100, but comparable to the previous generation Vcore 100. Haven’t hit the new vcores. The TW playtesters were giggling with delight over this racket and they weren’t gushing about huge power. The stability and pocketing (not to mention the design) will blow you away. Those looking for a 72 ra rocket launcher will be disappointed.
jimdontcare
Professional
I've tended to compare 2019 Tour 310 power to the Speed MP. They feel a little different getting there with different stiffnesses and balances though.
Tennis1337
New User
Interesting review. I have also used the 2019 version of this racquet. Been using it with a full bed of poly at 56-58 pounds, to reign in some control. Been shuffling between this racquet and the Phantom 100x, but the Tour is slightly better, especially for doubles.
I have always been wondering how a 2019 Tour would play with a little more control. Stoked to order some now.
Weighed in at 324 strung. I replaced the stock grip w/ a leather grip, overgrip, and dampener, bringing it to 343 g and more headlight.
Played a couple doubles liveball clinics over the weekend. Feels powerful coming from my Prince Woodie (duh). Loss of feel at the net w/ poly mains (running gut mains in the Woodie). Strung it super low (30/26), so no discomfort in the elbow at all. Also, the 18x20 pattern isn't even noticeable, although I thought for sure that I wouldn't like it (coming from the 14x18 Phantoms).
Edit: forgot to add that I shanked a few balls off the top of the frame (more than I do normally), on a couple overheads. I'm chalking it up to the difference in thickness.
Great review! I'm also testing the TT 310 after several years experience with the 2019 version, but switched to the 2025 EZone 100 in September. I love the new TT 310, but definitely feel it has less power than my EZone 100. Not that power is the most important thing in tennis!
