Thanks for the very detailed impressions, @wedge - it’s interesting to see where we agree and differ (though you have the BAP and I have the 315, but I assume there should at least be some family resemblance). One thing you said that sums up a lot of my experience so far is “ enough topspin to bring everything down into play, but never a kind of attacking topspin.”. In my next few play sessions I’m going to lean in a little harder on going full throttle my swings to see what I can get.
Tennis Warehouse Playtest: ProKennex Ace Station
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
thenewbig3
Hall of Fame
@wedge - From one novel writer to another: wow my man. That might be your magnus opus! Well done.
@thenewbig3 - I'll happily take the silver medal to that diatribe of masterfulness.
BAPPY New Year!
And indeed, the industry needs ProKennex to continue being successful! Here's to it!
@thenewbig3 - I'll happily take the silver medal to that diatribe of masterfulness.
BAPPY New Year!
And indeed, the industry needs ProKennex to continue being successful! Here's to it!
Boredsurfer
Semi-Pro
@wedge - that review was off the charts. Time for a YouTube channel? I mean...... best review I have ever read. I was actually gonna try and trade the BAP for a BA315 but now I m gonna hold onto to it. Pro Kennex are you reading this?! (I think they have one US rep that lives in San Diego I think - this man needs to be a brand ambassador) 
Hesi
Rookie
ProKennex Black Ace 315 Review (Happy new year, everyone)
String and tension used for test:
-Serves: 9/10; Serves were the standout surprise for me in this playtest. Power/oomph and action were so easily and naturally accessible with this racket despite it feeling kind of “clubby” if not particularly maneuverable through the air. One “test” of sorts I like to do with rackets is to hit a “third serve” (a purposefully weak second serve) with slight topspin as a baseline/ “control” and see how much pop and power I get on the serve. Even on my “third serve”, I was hitting the back fence with no issues. For reference, my friend’s Vcore Pro 97D bounces twice off the same test for me before hitting the back fence. I felt like I was serving with a comfortable pure drive of sorts, especially with the flat serve down the T.
-Volleys: 7/10; Nothing to complain about here. I did notice some good comfort and lack of any jerky vibrations on badly executed volleys which were nice. The racket gives solid punch when you strike it well and has good feel at net for a 100sq. inch racket. That being said, I didn’t think it performed exceptional for me.
-Serve returns: 8/10; Service returns were good for the most part and I think the little bit of extra weight compared to the 300 probably helps in that regard. To be honest, I’ve never had an issue with 95% of 100 square inch rackets for serve returns, though I’d say the 315 does a little better than average. The mix of decent power, heft, feel, and comfort make this racket above average here.
(Continue below due to char. limit)
String and tension used for test:
- Toroline Otoro 54lbs (primarily)
- Solinco Mach-10 54lbs
- Been playing since the early 2000s including high school, club tennis in university, and USTA afterward. Been solidly 4.5 NTRP for many years. I no longer participate competitive settings or leagues though due injury history (not tennis related) and lack of time commitment, though. I still play 1-3 times a week with a long-time group of friends who range from 3.5, former juniors, to D3 level players.
- Walmart Monfils: I rely on strength and athleticism (though declining via aforementioned injury history) to absorb pressure from the baseline and mix in with opportunistic and decisive+playful shotmaking. At my ‘peak’, I’ve been known to “play with my food” a little too much and not finish points seriously. My best shots are my serve and 2H-BH. And while I am not afraid to go to net, volleys under pressure are the obvious weak point in my game. I can almost always get a hand on a volley, but whether or not it’s a good one is another story. I hit with a fair amount of spin although I do not really employ much shape.
- Wilson Blade Pro 98 (16x19) with Mach-10 Mains and Wasabi-X Crosses (53/50lbs)
- I’ve also played extensively in the past with the Pure Drives, Pure Aeros, and Ezones. So, I may reference those in my review as they are popular rackets others could reference.
- 11-12 hours. ~33% in single set singles play with my group. ~66% in hitting sessions with no score being kept.
-Serves: 9/10; Serves were the standout surprise for me in this playtest. Power/oomph and action were so easily and naturally accessible with this racket despite it feeling kind of “clubby” if not particularly maneuverable through the air. One “test” of sorts I like to do with rackets is to hit a “third serve” (a purposefully weak second serve) with slight topspin as a baseline/ “control” and see how much pop and power I get on the serve. Even on my “third serve”, I was hitting the back fence with no issues. For reference, my friend’s Vcore Pro 97D bounces twice off the same test for me before hitting the back fence. I felt like I was serving with a comfortable pure drive of sorts, especially with the flat serve down the T.
-Volleys: 7/10; Nothing to complain about here. I did notice some good comfort and lack of any jerky vibrations on badly executed volleys which were nice. The racket gives solid punch when you strike it well and has good feel at net for a 100sq. inch racket. That being said, I didn’t think it performed exceptional for me.
-Serve returns: 8/10; Service returns were good for the most part and I think the little bit of extra weight compared to the 300 probably helps in that regard. To be honest, I’ve never had an issue with 95% of 100 square inch rackets for serve returns, though I’d say the 315 does a little better than average. The mix of decent power, heft, feel, and comfort make this racket above average here.
(Continue below due to char. limit)
Hesi
Rookie
(Cont.'d from above)
-Power: 8; “Controllable power” were the words that resounded in my head throughout the playtest. The ProKennex Black Ace 315 has good access to power without having much of a “wild side”. You can hit with finesse and delicacy but also tap into more power if you will it so. You know how the Pure Aero/Drive 100 for example allows you to get in a lazy, late, and short wave at a ball that still delivers pace? The 315 has some elements of that, all the while not having the as occasional surprise launch off the strings as some power rackets. Serve, FH, BH all had no issues with power. The reason why I did not rate this higher though is because I did not experience quite as easy access to “top end power” from like an Ezone or Pure Drive. This could be because of the thinner beam and lower RA/flex. In any case, power in my experience was good+ but maybe not exhilaratingly so.
-Control: 8; As referenced above, the 315 has good control for the amount of power it also provides. I had one of the best experiences of balance between control and power with this racket. This isn’t a “big targets only” racket, nor is it a scalpel by any means. I did dial it back sometimes compared to my Blade Pro 98, which I played with alongside the 315. For anyone that may have concerns about control, I think a string like Otoro pairs well in giving the ball some action in coming down into the court.
-Top Spin: 8; With the 16x19 string pattern and the 100 sq inches, you can definitely impart good spin on this racket, despite it not being perhaps advertised or known as a “spin racket”. Paired with O-Toro, I was getting some impressive spin and more than on my usual setup with the Blade Pro. Somewhat separately, I’d say the racket doesn’t have a low launch angle at all.
-Slice: 7; I didn’t hate slicing with this racket, but I didn’t feel like it excelled here either. A regular ole slice when you have your feet set beneath you was fine for me, but on the run/defensive, it didn’t respond as well as I would have liked. I didn’t get the same neutralizing bite as I normally do with my Blade Pro. I guess the clubby feel in the hand of the racket also didn’t help with this shot.
-Comfort: 10; This racket was expectedly very comfortable. I don’t always find O-Toro (a string I like for performance but not for comfort+feel) strung in the mid 50s comfortable, but on this racket, it was no issue at all. I have no doubt I could put an even more stiff string here and be able to enjoy its benefits without causing discomfort. The few mishits I had with this racket were not jarring at all which was nice. One thing I noticed early on was even when I had heard a couple of “tinny” ping-like sounds from very off-centered hits, which I usually associate with uncomfortable vibrations, I -felt- nothing of the sort. I actually had a wrist injury earlier this year that came from a home improvement accident and I’ve become somewhat sensitive in that area. With the 315, I was hitting freely without fear of causing any flair ups on my wrist. What makes the comfort aspect even better imo, is the accompaniment of the racket’s good feel.
-Feel: 8; Feel is above average for me. This racket gives a good amount of feedback while not diminishing any comfort in its use. What’s unique about this racket for me is the combination of: comfort, feel, and decent access to power. It’s been my experience that rackets are usually able to deliver on 2 out of the 3 but not all. This racket has maybe some of the best balance of all three I’ve experienced. The feel is more on the plush side, as other reviewers have mentioned about this line of rackets. I'd compare the feel to like the butteriness you find with the Yonex Percept 97, but not nearly as muted.
-Maneuverability: 7; Just average imo, especially in a world now where a lot of flagships have these lighter but powerful/stable rackets, as well as these “aero” type frames. The 315 didn’t necessarily whip through the air exceptionally well but I also wouldn't consider it sluggish by any means. However, I consider this “weakness” very minor, as I don’t really consider maneuverability as important a performance parameter as others. Anything above a 6 (average to average+) in my world is good enough.
-Stability: 7.5; In general, with the access to power and decent stock weight, I found the racket stable enough. Against the hardest hitters in my group though, I could find myself at times further on the back-foot than I might with something like a Pure Strike or Pure Drive. The sweet spot is rather large though and even outside of it, stability was not a huge concern of mine while hitting with this frame.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This playtest has been a very pleasant and positive surprise for me, especially as someone who has never played with a Pro Kennex racket before. This racket has a unique combination of three elements: comfort, power, and feel. Quite often, as I had mentioned above, many good rackets can deliver on two but not all three. The 315 provides all three in an impressive balance that I’ve rarely experienced with any other racket. I was pretty impressed overall and could see myself considering a switch if I was in greater need of comfort in the future. In my current tennis-life, I am prioritizing rackets where I’d give a 9 or 10 in parameters like groundstrokes, feel, etc. I thought the “movable mass” at 3 & 9 o'clock would bother me but when actually playing I didn’t notice them at all. Would just like to note one more time that the surprise for me in this playtest was how the 315 performed on serve, which was well above my expectations.
I had a lot of fun on this playtest and would also like to thank @TW Staff for this opportunity.
-Power: 8; “Controllable power” were the words that resounded in my head throughout the playtest. The ProKennex Black Ace 315 has good access to power without having much of a “wild side”. You can hit with finesse and delicacy but also tap into more power if you will it so. You know how the Pure Aero/Drive 100 for example allows you to get in a lazy, late, and short wave at a ball that still delivers pace? The 315 has some elements of that, all the while not having the as occasional surprise launch off the strings as some power rackets. Serve, FH, BH all had no issues with power. The reason why I did not rate this higher though is because I did not experience quite as easy access to “top end power” from like an Ezone or Pure Drive. This could be because of the thinner beam and lower RA/flex. In any case, power in my experience was good+ but maybe not exhilaratingly so.
-Control: 8; As referenced above, the 315 has good control for the amount of power it also provides. I had one of the best experiences of balance between control and power with this racket. This isn’t a “big targets only” racket, nor is it a scalpel by any means. I did dial it back sometimes compared to my Blade Pro 98, which I played with alongside the 315. For anyone that may have concerns about control, I think a string like Otoro pairs well in giving the ball some action in coming down into the court.
-Top Spin: 8; With the 16x19 string pattern and the 100 sq inches, you can definitely impart good spin on this racket, despite it not being perhaps advertised or known as a “spin racket”. Paired with O-Toro, I was getting some impressive spin and more than on my usual setup with the Blade Pro. Somewhat separately, I’d say the racket doesn’t have a low launch angle at all.
-Slice: 7; I didn’t hate slicing with this racket, but I didn’t feel like it excelled here either. A regular ole slice when you have your feet set beneath you was fine for me, but on the run/defensive, it didn’t respond as well as I would have liked. I didn’t get the same neutralizing bite as I normally do with my Blade Pro. I guess the clubby feel in the hand of the racket also didn’t help with this shot.
-Comfort: 10; This racket was expectedly very comfortable. I don’t always find O-Toro (a string I like for performance but not for comfort+feel) strung in the mid 50s comfortable, but on this racket, it was no issue at all. I have no doubt I could put an even more stiff string here and be able to enjoy its benefits without causing discomfort. The few mishits I had with this racket were not jarring at all which was nice. One thing I noticed early on was even when I had heard a couple of “tinny” ping-like sounds from very off-centered hits, which I usually associate with uncomfortable vibrations, I -felt- nothing of the sort. I actually had a wrist injury earlier this year that came from a home improvement accident and I’ve become somewhat sensitive in that area. With the 315, I was hitting freely without fear of causing any flair ups on my wrist. What makes the comfort aspect even better imo, is the accompaniment of the racket’s good feel.
-Feel: 8; Feel is above average for me. This racket gives a good amount of feedback while not diminishing any comfort in its use. What’s unique about this racket for me is the combination of: comfort, feel, and decent access to power. It’s been my experience that rackets are usually able to deliver on 2 out of the 3 but not all. This racket has maybe some of the best balance of all three I’ve experienced. The feel is more on the plush side, as other reviewers have mentioned about this line of rackets. I'd compare the feel to like the butteriness you find with the Yonex Percept 97, but not nearly as muted.
-Maneuverability: 7; Just average imo, especially in a world now where a lot of flagships have these lighter but powerful/stable rackets, as well as these “aero” type frames. The 315 didn’t necessarily whip through the air exceptionally well but I also wouldn't consider it sluggish by any means. However, I consider this “weakness” very minor, as I don’t really consider maneuverability as important a performance parameter as others. Anything above a 6 (average to average+) in my world is good enough.
-Stability: 7.5; In general, with the access to power and decent stock weight, I found the racket stable enough. Against the hardest hitters in my group though, I could find myself at times further on the back-foot than I might with something like a Pure Strike or Pure Drive. The sweet spot is rather large though and even outside of it, stability was not a huge concern of mine while hitting with this frame.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This playtest has been a very pleasant and positive surprise for me, especially as someone who has never played with a Pro Kennex racket before. This racket has a unique combination of three elements: comfort, power, and feel. Quite often, as I had mentioned above, many good rackets can deliver on two but not all three. The 315 provides all three in an impressive balance that I’ve rarely experienced with any other racket. I was pretty impressed overall and could see myself considering a switch if I was in greater need of comfort in the future. In my current tennis-life, I am prioritizing rackets where I’d give a 9 or 10 in parameters like groundstrokes, feel, etc. I thought the “movable mass” at 3 & 9 o'clock would bother me but when actually playing I didn’t notice them at all. Would just like to note one more time that the surprise for me in this playtest was how the 315 performed on serve, which was well above my expectations.
I had a lot of fun on this playtest and would also like to thank @TW Staff for this opportunity.
Boredsurfer
Semi-Pro
haha - lol.... it is a tuff act to follow
fullwesternforehand
Rookie
Black Ace 300 Playtest
String and tension used for test: Dunlop Black Widow 17g
Tennis experience/background: I've been playing tennis for about 13 years now. I don't pretend to be a tennis guru, but more so just someone who played for high school and several club teams/ leagues and coaches as a hobby. At my best, I was probably a 5 UTR several years ago, with right now being closer to a lower end 4. I have tried many different racquets and strings over the years, but I do consider myself a more modern player that prefers modern setups.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I have a more all-around style. I do have heavy spin on both sides and prefer to kick/slice serves. I am more of a counterpuncher that likes to use the opponents' pace against them. I would say I try to go to the net, and that's moreso to end points and volley. FYI, I have zero touch and feel, as I tend to bash balls more than dropshot and slice
Current racquet/string setups: Babolat Pure Drive 2015 with Luxilon 4g, and lately have been using the newest Babolat Pure Drive 2025, also with 4g.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? I spent about 20 hours playing with it, 12 hours playing sets and 8 hours rallying/drilling.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: This racquet is a 300 gram 100 sq inch tweener style racquet, which is right up my alley in terms of size and weight. This racquet lets you swing out due to its flexiness, and I will say it doesn't feel too much different from anything in that weight/size range. I use more spin in my shots, and I didn't feel like the racquet hindered me in any way for spin. The negative for me comes here is the power level. It isn't stiff, so naturally it will have less power. It has similar power level to a prestige, but with a bit more power.
-Serves: This racquet is lacking power for me, so it did not give me the jump or pop I am used to, which was expected. However, I will say it isn't as precise as some other racquets that are lower powered. The best way I can put it in words is that it feels like a blade V9, but without the precision. It has similar power/spin levels, yet not as point and shoot as the blade.
-Volleys: Volleys I would say were average for a 100sq inch racquet. It isn't a stiff racquet, so there was a bit of absorption of pace. I am also not a very good volleyer in my opinion, but I did appreciate the sturdiness the racquet had and solid swingweight. That was always my complaint of the wilson blade, is that the swingweight isn't too high and I feel like it twists on volleys.
-Serve returns: Very similar to volleys, I appreciated the swingweight and sturdiness of the racquet to redirect serves. When I was playing against some flatter hitters, I was able to redirect decently well given I hit the sweetspot. My complaint is that the racquet was a bit too flexy and didn't give me good pop on returns. I felt like i was mostly just trying to place the ball, instead of just bashing it and ripping it like a Pure drive would let me.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- This racquet is not a power racquet, nor is it a control racquet. If there was a spectrum from powerful (pure drive) to control ( prestige), it would lean closer to pure drive, with it being 60 power 40 control.
Top Spin/Slice- As a 4.0 UTR spinny style rafa emulator, this racquet was not very good with slice in my opinion due to it's flexiness and not precise feeling. The spin was average, as the weight and the 100sq inch lets you swing out, even if you don't always hit the sweet spot.
Comfort- Here is where the racquet shines. It is comfy, and never did my elbow suffer as a result. The flexiness feeling is something I am not used to, which is why I was really interested in this playtest. It has this unique flexy feeling at the throat that is hard to put in words if you have never used a racquet like this, or this style of racquets. Again, I am the modern rafa babolat emulator guy that love pure drives, pure aeros, and sometimes the head extremes.
Feel- The feel is something I was personally not a fan of. It could also be the string I used, but the racquet has this flexy feel that doesn't really give you a precise feeling as to where the ball lands, especially if not in the swingspot. When it came to groundstrokes I feel like it didn't really matter, but serve returns, volleys, and slices is where I was lacking a bit.
Maneuverability- The maneuverability could be a problem if you aren't used to a 100sq inch higher swingweight 300 gram weighted racquet. If you are used to a tweener style racquet with similar specs, you should be OK. I didn't struggle with serves or groundstrokes in terms of swinging it around, but for slices I didn't really like the flexiness
Stability- Stability is ok, and was a positive for me in this racquet. I felt like I relied on the weight of it to swing it around and add power to my serves and strokes, instead of the racquet itself providing some pop. It also held up really well for volleys against flatter hitters, as I did play some sets of singles and doubles against bigger hitters. I wouldn't say this racquet needs lead tape at the 3 and 9 position for stability, unless you just wanted more weight.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: I come from a modern/stiff feeling racquet background, so by default this is not my style of racquet, which is why I feel like I come from a different angle for this review. The best way I can compare this racquet to another "modern" racquet is that it feels like a Solinco blackout, with a flexy throat and not as much power. It almost feels like a tamer, watered down version of the blackout, but with a slight blade like comfort to it. I was not really a fan, as it doesn't have pop, which I feel like it desperately needed, but like I said, I come from a stiffer racquet background.
Overall, it was something different for me and I tried to provide a unique review from a different style of player. It is sort of like my overgrip preference. My hands do not sweat at all, and I have always hated tourna grips because I shred through them in a handful of hours, as I much prefer tacky overgrips with 0% absorption. For those that remember, wilson used to make some colored overgrips called X-tra tack or something along those lines. That is how I feel about this review. as my racquet preference is skewed way towards one direction, and the racquet is on the other side with its lack of power and flexiness.
As always, thank you to all those that make these reviews possible, and I look forward to hopefully many more reviews, Thank you so much TW and Prokennex!
String and tension used for test: Dunlop Black Widow 17g
Tennis experience/background: I've been playing tennis for about 13 years now. I don't pretend to be a tennis guru, but more so just someone who played for high school and several club teams/ leagues and coaches as a hobby. At my best, I was probably a 5 UTR several years ago, with right now being closer to a lower end 4. I have tried many different racquets and strings over the years, but I do consider myself a more modern player that prefers modern setups.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I have a more all-around style. I do have heavy spin on both sides and prefer to kick/slice serves. I am more of a counterpuncher that likes to use the opponents' pace against them. I would say I try to go to the net, and that's moreso to end points and volley. FYI, I have zero touch and feel, as I tend to bash balls more than dropshot and slice
Current racquet/string setups: Babolat Pure Drive 2015 with Luxilon 4g, and lately have been using the newest Babolat Pure Drive 2025, also with 4g.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? I spent about 20 hours playing with it, 12 hours playing sets and 8 hours rallying/drilling.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: This racquet is a 300 gram 100 sq inch tweener style racquet, which is right up my alley in terms of size and weight. This racquet lets you swing out due to its flexiness, and I will say it doesn't feel too much different from anything in that weight/size range. I use more spin in my shots, and I didn't feel like the racquet hindered me in any way for spin. The negative for me comes here is the power level. It isn't stiff, so naturally it will have less power. It has similar power level to a prestige, but with a bit more power.
-Serves: This racquet is lacking power for me, so it did not give me the jump or pop I am used to, which was expected. However, I will say it isn't as precise as some other racquets that are lower powered. The best way I can put it in words is that it feels like a blade V9, but without the precision. It has similar power/spin levels, yet not as point and shoot as the blade.
-Volleys: Volleys I would say were average for a 100sq inch racquet. It isn't a stiff racquet, so there was a bit of absorption of pace. I am also not a very good volleyer in my opinion, but I did appreciate the sturdiness the racquet had and solid swingweight. That was always my complaint of the wilson blade, is that the swingweight isn't too high and I feel like it twists on volleys.
-Serve returns: Very similar to volleys, I appreciated the swingweight and sturdiness of the racquet to redirect serves. When I was playing against some flatter hitters, I was able to redirect decently well given I hit the sweetspot. My complaint is that the racquet was a bit too flexy and didn't give me good pop on returns. I felt like i was mostly just trying to place the ball, instead of just bashing it and ripping it like a Pure drive would let me.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- This racquet is not a power racquet, nor is it a control racquet. If there was a spectrum from powerful (pure drive) to control ( prestige), it would lean closer to pure drive, with it being 60 power 40 control.
Top Spin/Slice- As a 4.0 UTR spinny style rafa emulator, this racquet was not very good with slice in my opinion due to it's flexiness and not precise feeling. The spin was average, as the weight and the 100sq inch lets you swing out, even if you don't always hit the sweet spot.
Comfort- Here is where the racquet shines. It is comfy, and never did my elbow suffer as a result. The flexiness feeling is something I am not used to, which is why I was really interested in this playtest. It has this unique flexy feeling at the throat that is hard to put in words if you have never used a racquet like this, or this style of racquets. Again, I am the modern rafa babolat emulator guy that love pure drives, pure aeros, and sometimes the head extremes.
Feel- The feel is something I was personally not a fan of. It could also be the string I used, but the racquet has this flexy feel that doesn't really give you a precise feeling as to where the ball lands, especially if not in the swingspot. When it came to groundstrokes I feel like it didn't really matter, but serve returns, volleys, and slices is where I was lacking a bit.
Maneuverability- The maneuverability could be a problem if you aren't used to a 100sq inch higher swingweight 300 gram weighted racquet. If you are used to a tweener style racquet with similar specs, you should be OK. I didn't struggle with serves or groundstrokes in terms of swinging it around, but for slices I didn't really like the flexiness
Stability- Stability is ok, and was a positive for me in this racquet. I felt like I relied on the weight of it to swing it around and add power to my serves and strokes, instead of the racquet itself providing some pop. It also held up really well for volleys against flatter hitters, as I did play some sets of singles and doubles against bigger hitters. I wouldn't say this racquet needs lead tape at the 3 and 9 position for stability, unless you just wanted more weight.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: I come from a modern/stiff feeling racquet background, so by default this is not my style of racquet, which is why I feel like I come from a different angle for this review. The best way I can compare this racquet to another "modern" racquet is that it feels like a Solinco blackout, with a flexy throat and not as much power. It almost feels like a tamer, watered down version of the blackout, but with a slight blade like comfort to it. I was not really a fan, as it doesn't have pop, which I feel like it desperately needed, but like I said, I come from a stiffer racquet background.
Overall, it was something different for me and I tried to provide a unique review from a different style of player. It is sort of like my overgrip preference. My hands do not sweat at all, and I have always hated tourna grips because I shred through them in a handful of hours, as I much prefer tacky overgrips with 0% absorption. For those that remember, wilson used to make some colored overgrips called X-tra tack or something along those lines. That is how I feel about this review. as my racquet preference is skewed way towards one direction, and the racquet is on the other side with its lack of power and flexiness.
As always, thank you to all those that make these reviews possible, and I look forward to hopefully many more reviews, Thank you so much TW and Prokennex!
wedge
Semi-Pro
The genetic material between BAP and BA315 is noticeable at like the layup level in terms of general feel and flex. But when it comes to how they play, the two frames are from two different universes imo.
I found BA315 barge-like and comfortable and pleasant and slow, a good, solid and stable stick. I reviewed it on the BA315 product page and I complained then about worse-than-average control, which I still pretty much stand by. Unless you're loading every groundstroke with a healthy portion of spin, that racket does not hit the ball where you want it to go.
The Pro on the other hand is as controlled as a modern racket could possibly get while maintaining general playability and marketability. I think it's the better application of this awesome layup, although I love both frames quite a bit. I wouldn't mind if the Pro were like 10% less spinny, and if the 315 were 20% less spinny. Prediction for 2026+ is that we start seeing way more 16x20 and 18x19 pattern frames in general -- set your watch to it!!
Boredsurfer
Semi-Pro
Agreed with your assessment again here Wedge. I propose that we have a new standard for reviews: "the wedge standard"
One thing yo said earlier really jumped out for me - the 315 feels like there is a ton of mass through the throat of the racquet (like they just took a K15 PSE and took some weight off the tip to make it swing easier ). The reason I want to try the new 315 next so bad is because I think they have changed the balance of the frame - I will be interested to see how it will play. I slightly whippier 315 would be ideal - if I dont gel with the new 315 I will just add weight to BAP ( that might still be the GOAT set up anyways).Black Ace 315 Review
String and tension used for test: 54lbs
Tennis experience/background: 4.5 / 20 years
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): counterpuncher baseliner, 2hbh, semi-western forehand. Hit with moderate spin but "flat" trajectory
Current racquet/string setups: Kirschbaum Max Power 17
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 20 hours
-Groundstrokes: I especially enjoyed this frame on groundstrokes because of its softness and comfort, I had more confidence to swing out on both wings without any mental inhibitions from fear of a jarring impact. String pattern is decently open and provided adequate spin but this racquet is not giving Babolat levels of spin. Works out for me because my shots don't sit up in the opponent's strike zone with this stick. The weight of the 315 model seems to want the racquet to plow through the ball instead of up and over for topspin. The open string pattern, however, helps bring some spin capabilities to this frame.
-Serves: Acceptable power but most of the emphasis here is on control. This is not a pure power serving racquet due to the flexibility of the frame. The flex also gives a slight sensations as if the frame bends around and cups the ball on impact. I don't know if it's just mental but it feels like I am getting more spin and control from that cupping effect. My flat serves are less speedy than my usual racquets but my serve percentage is up with this frame.
-Volleys: This stick is built for soft hands guiding type volleys. The flexy frame bends and allows a cupping sensation that feels like you have a split second more to guide the ball. This racquet is the opposite sensation from the stiff pop volleys of a Pure Drive. The weight of the racquet is hefty so you have to be able to get it around at the net. The overall frame weight and the Kinetic beads pair together to deliver a very stable experience at net.
-Serve returns: This aspect of the frame took some getting used to. I came from using much stiffer frames and was used to a very abbreviated stroke on serve returns. I found myself having to swing / guide the ball more to get depth on the return. The combination of weight and flexibility made the impact pleasant whereas some frames feel harsh on return of serves. The flex from this frame is very different from most frames on the market and will likely require a little adjustment here.
Power/Control- 7 This frame mixes so many power and control characteristics into one frame. Large hoop and open pattern and Kinetic push this towards power. The control comes from the flex of the racquet sapping the incoming ball's momentum. Overall the combination of this frame tips more in favor of power but very controllable. I feel this racquet lends itself to be swung in a linear swing path due to its weight and feels like a blunt club on impact due to the weight and flex. It reminds me another all arounder: Prince Phantom 100. The feel is a little different from the Prince but the resulting shot is similar for me.
Top Spin/Slice- 7 The topspin on this stick is sufficient but not a standout quality. I would describe the top spin on this frame as adequate to bring the ball back onto the court. Of all the frames I have used, it would fall near the middle and be slightly above average due to the open pattern. Admittedly, I may not be the best slicer but my slices float up and sits up more than I'd like with this frame. It may be possible that more practice and getting acclimated with this racquet will help with this but as is, this racquet has a relatively open pattern and the trajectory of that launch angle is a little higher than what I'm used to.
Comfort- 10 This is the most comfortable racquet out there. Between the weight, the Kinetic beads, and the flex - This is in the top decile of comfort racquets. It's in the neighborhood of the Wilson Clash with less power and I prefer the feel here over the Clash. I wanted to counter the softness of this frame with a stiffer poly strung tighter than my usual tension and this racquet took that adjustment well. I am starting to wish the Kinetic technology is available in other brands as well just to quench my curiosity since it adds power and makes the moment of impact less harsh feeling.
String and tension used for test: 54lbs
Tennis experience/background: 4.5 / 20 years
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): counterpuncher baseliner, 2hbh, semi-western forehand. Hit with moderate spin but "flat" trajectory
Current racquet/string setups: Kirschbaum Max Power 17
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 20 hours
-Groundstrokes: I especially enjoyed this frame on groundstrokes because of its softness and comfort, I had more confidence to swing out on both wings without any mental inhibitions from fear of a jarring impact. String pattern is decently open and provided adequate spin but this racquet is not giving Babolat levels of spin. Works out for me because my shots don't sit up in the opponent's strike zone with this stick. The weight of the 315 model seems to want the racquet to plow through the ball instead of up and over for topspin. The open string pattern, however, helps bring some spin capabilities to this frame.
-Serves: Acceptable power but most of the emphasis here is on control. This is not a pure power serving racquet due to the flexibility of the frame. The flex also gives a slight sensations as if the frame bends around and cups the ball on impact. I don't know if it's just mental but it feels like I am getting more spin and control from that cupping effect. My flat serves are less speedy than my usual racquets but my serve percentage is up with this frame.
-Volleys: This stick is built for soft hands guiding type volleys. The flexy frame bends and allows a cupping sensation that feels like you have a split second more to guide the ball. This racquet is the opposite sensation from the stiff pop volleys of a Pure Drive. The weight of the racquet is hefty so you have to be able to get it around at the net. The overall frame weight and the Kinetic beads pair together to deliver a very stable experience at net.
-Serve returns: This aspect of the frame took some getting used to. I came from using much stiffer frames and was used to a very abbreviated stroke on serve returns. I found myself having to swing / guide the ball more to get depth on the return. The combination of weight and flexibility made the impact pleasant whereas some frames feel harsh on return of serves. The flex from this frame is very different from most frames on the market and will likely require a little adjustment here.
Power/Control- 7 This frame mixes so many power and control characteristics into one frame. Large hoop and open pattern and Kinetic push this towards power. The control comes from the flex of the racquet sapping the incoming ball's momentum. Overall the combination of this frame tips more in favor of power but very controllable. I feel this racquet lends itself to be swung in a linear swing path due to its weight and feels like a blunt club on impact due to the weight and flex. It reminds me another all arounder: Prince Phantom 100. The feel is a little different from the Prince but the resulting shot is similar for me.
Top Spin/Slice- 7 The topspin on this stick is sufficient but not a standout quality. I would describe the top spin on this frame as adequate to bring the ball back onto the court. Of all the frames I have used, it would fall near the middle and be slightly above average due to the open pattern. Admittedly, I may not be the best slicer but my slices float up and sits up more than I'd like with this frame. It may be possible that more practice and getting acclimated with this racquet will help with this but as is, this racquet has a relatively open pattern and the trajectory of that launch angle is a little higher than what I'm used to.
Comfort- 10 This is the most comfortable racquet out there. Between the weight, the Kinetic beads, and the flex - This is in the top decile of comfort racquets. It's in the neighborhood of the Wilson Clash with less power and I prefer the feel here over the Clash. I wanted to counter the softness of this frame with a stiffer poly strung tighter than my usual tension and this racquet took that adjustment well. I am starting to wish the Kinetic technology is available in other brands as well just to quench my curiosity since it adds power and makes the moment of impact less harsh feeling.
Feel- I would give it a 7.5 out of 10 on feel. I believe that priority one to any tennis racquet is to avoid injury risk and this frame checks off that box. The Kinetic technology paired with a very flexible and thin beam feels great but is muted and not raw. It goes in the opposite direction of feel from a Prince Textreme Tour 310. It's comfortable but I don't think this will be everyone's cup of tea. My friend who hits a Pure Drive and cuts the ball at an extreme angle at ball contract absolutely did not like the feel on this frame. He described it as "too noodley".
Maneuverability- 7 I personally use very weighted frames so it feels fine for me but I think at 315 stock, this is one of the heavier stock frames on the market. As such I found the spec combination on this frame to encourage a more linear swing path. This is a stable frame and I would not characterize it as a maneuverable frame because I've play with so many that emphasize maneuverability. I will reiterate that it feels about average for me in maneuverability as the higher weight and Kinetic beads is slightly offset by the thin beam aerodynamics.
Stability- 9 This is a stable frame for me because I have a linear swing path and make center contact on the strings without taking an extreme cut angle at moment of ball contact. The stability comes from the frame weight and the Kinetic beads crushing the ball at contact with the flex cupping the ball. However, I know that some individuals cut the ball at a more extreme angle on contact and describe the frame bending sensation as instability. For those individuals, I know the frame bending sensation on contact from this frame will ruffle their feathers.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This is in the top 3 of most comfortable racquet I've ever used and I've used a lot of racquets.
This racquet has a lot of mixed characteristics between what we conventionally consider power and control. For example: a Pure Drive has all power and spin characteristics: thick beam, high stiffness, large head size, open pattern. Whereas, the Black Ace 315 has power qualities: large head size, open pattern, and Kinetic tech blended with traditionally control characteristics like: thin beam and one of the lowest stiffness ratings available on the market. This results in a racquet that is a blend of the two extremes. Result is above average power and classic flexy feel. Not quite like the Clash but maybe a cousin in that family due to its comfort and surprising power. I prefer the feel of the Black Ace over the Clash.
The paint and overall build quality of this racquet is noticeably a notch above other big racquet brands.
The trap door on the butt is not openable so you cannot add weight into the handle this way. It appears that part of the Kinetic system is in the handle. The trade-off is worth it to me because the comfort is unmatched and staying injury-free is priority one. I cannot use firm poly strings on certain frames, I was able to use a relatively firm Kirschbaum Max Power 17g in this frame. I will have to experiment more with strings as I strung a firm poly at a slightly higher than normal tension out of fear the low stiffness of the frame will make it feel mushy and unresponsive. I am giving up string movement and liveliness by doing this so I will also try lowering the tension in the future to see if I prefer that.
Feel free to shoot any questions my way about this Black Ace 315!
Maneuverability- 7 I personally use very weighted frames so it feels fine for me but I think at 315 stock, this is one of the heavier stock frames on the market. As such I found the spec combination on this frame to encourage a more linear swing path. This is a stable frame and I would not characterize it as a maneuverable frame because I've play with so many that emphasize maneuverability. I will reiterate that it feels about average for me in maneuverability as the higher weight and Kinetic beads is slightly offset by the thin beam aerodynamics.
Stability- 9 This is a stable frame for me because I have a linear swing path and make center contact on the strings without taking an extreme cut angle at moment of ball contact. The stability comes from the frame weight and the Kinetic beads crushing the ball at contact with the flex cupping the ball. However, I know that some individuals cut the ball at a more extreme angle on contact and describe the frame bending sensation as instability. For those individuals, I know the frame bending sensation on contact from this frame will ruffle their feathers.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This is in the top 3 of most comfortable racquet I've ever used and I've used a lot of racquets.
This racquet has a lot of mixed characteristics between what we conventionally consider power and control. For example: a Pure Drive has all power and spin characteristics: thick beam, high stiffness, large head size, open pattern. Whereas, the Black Ace 315 has power qualities: large head size, open pattern, and Kinetic tech blended with traditionally control characteristics like: thin beam and one of the lowest stiffness ratings available on the market. This results in a racquet that is a blend of the two extremes. Result is above average power and classic flexy feel. Not quite like the Clash but maybe a cousin in that family due to its comfort and surprising power. I prefer the feel of the Black Ace over the Clash.
The paint and overall build quality of this racquet is noticeably a notch above other big racquet brands.
The trap door on the butt is not openable so you cannot add weight into the handle this way. It appears that part of the Kinetic system is in the handle. The trade-off is worth it to me because the comfort is unmatched and staying injury-free is priority one. I cannot use firm poly strings on certain frames, I was able to use a relatively firm Kirschbaum Max Power 17g in this frame. I will have to experiment more with strings as I strung a firm poly at a slightly higher than normal tension out of fear the low stiffness of the frame will make it feel mushy and unresponsive. I am giving up string movement and liveliness by doing this so I will also try lowering the tension in the future to see if I prefer that.
Feel free to shoot any questions my way about this Black Ace 315!
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curtstead
Professional
Pro Kennex Black Ace Pro Review (Part 1)
Just some initial background, I have some history with the 2021 BAP. I played with it on and off for a few months, good frame. Some of my main problems were related to just an underpowered feel and I weirdly had issues developing top spin at times.
String and tension used for test: Head Lynx Tour 17g 45# and Restring Zero/Sync 16g 53/51#
Tennis experience/background: USTA 4.0, briefly played a couple years as a junior, picked it back up at 27 y/o, been playing for the last 7 years.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Aggresive baseliner, becoming more of an all court player! Relying on serve + 1, relying on a big forehand to get a short ball and end the point. One handed backhand, learning to slice a lot more as I used to just swing hard from that wing. Working on becoming more consistent.
Current racquet/string setups: Vcore 98 2023, Tour M8 17g 48#, and testing out the Volkl V8 Pro (thanks @Trip!) with Volkl Cyclone 17g around 50#. I tend to like more headlight frames, easier to whip the racquet around.
How many hours did you play with the racquet?
15 hours. Two singles matches, a doubles match, and some time practicing with my team.
-Groundstrokes: 8.5/10
Very fun frame to hit with from the back of the court. For 97sq inches, 19.5mm beam thickness, and 305 static, I am getting really good plow through. More than I remember with the 2021, although I have a theory on that... When properly set up, I can hit any shot I want to with confidence, outside of the slice. (More on that later as well) There’s a lot of variety here off the ground. You just need to be prepared, can’t really arm it from the back of the court and expect much.
-Serves: 8/10
Good, and especially on the flat serve. Spin serves are solid, I just have to get the racquet moving through the air, and unfortunately, I didn’t have the easiest time with maneuverability. This made it difficult later in matches to whip up on the ball to hit more kick/slice serves. Early on, not a huge issue. You can crush flat first serves with this frame, and I think I was getting even more pop on some first serves than on my Vcore 98.
-Volleys: 9/10
VERY good. Much better than my Vcore 98 here. Thanks to the stability, I just had to get the BAP in to position, and it did the rest. Stick and touch volleys were awesome. Control was especially fantastic at net. Playing with this at net was the best part of this test and as someone who is trying to get more confident at net, I didn’t expect that. Also, I oddly didn’t struggle with maneuverability at net compared to other parts of the court, such as…
-Serve returns: 7.5/10
This was where I started to struggle with maneuverability the most. If I got a racquet on it, no problem, return was going back in to play. However, due to the balance and what I think was the higher swingweight, it was tough to quickly react sometimes on returns, especially against the biggest servers. 15 hours in, I can’t explain why I struggled with quick reactions from the back of the court compared to net with the Black Ace Pro, but I just did. If you are not fast enough, the BAP doesn’t feel forgiving on return and you will either sail them long or dump them short in the net. However, on second serve returns, I was crushing returns with confidence.
Just some initial background, I have some history with the 2021 BAP. I played with it on and off for a few months, good frame. Some of my main problems were related to just an underpowered feel and I weirdly had issues developing top spin at times.
String and tension used for test: Head Lynx Tour 17g 45# and Restring Zero/Sync 16g 53/51#
Tennis experience/background: USTA 4.0, briefly played a couple years as a junior, picked it back up at 27 y/o, been playing for the last 7 years.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Aggresive baseliner, becoming more of an all court player! Relying on serve + 1, relying on a big forehand to get a short ball and end the point. One handed backhand, learning to slice a lot more as I used to just swing hard from that wing. Working on becoming more consistent.
Current racquet/string setups: Vcore 98 2023, Tour M8 17g 48#, and testing out the Volkl V8 Pro (thanks @Trip!) with Volkl Cyclone 17g around 50#. I tend to like more headlight frames, easier to whip the racquet around.
How many hours did you play with the racquet?
15 hours. Two singles matches, a doubles match, and some time practicing with my team.
-Groundstrokes: 8.5/10
Very fun frame to hit with from the back of the court. For 97sq inches, 19.5mm beam thickness, and 305 static, I am getting really good plow through. More than I remember with the 2021, although I have a theory on that... When properly set up, I can hit any shot I want to with confidence, outside of the slice. (More on that later as well) There’s a lot of variety here off the ground. You just need to be prepared, can’t really arm it from the back of the court and expect much.
-Serves: 8/10
Good, and especially on the flat serve. Spin serves are solid, I just have to get the racquet moving through the air, and unfortunately, I didn’t have the easiest time with maneuverability. This made it difficult later in matches to whip up on the ball to hit more kick/slice serves. Early on, not a huge issue. You can crush flat first serves with this frame, and I think I was getting even more pop on some first serves than on my Vcore 98.
-Volleys: 9/10
VERY good. Much better than my Vcore 98 here. Thanks to the stability, I just had to get the BAP in to position, and it did the rest. Stick and touch volleys were awesome. Control was especially fantastic at net. Playing with this at net was the best part of this test and as someone who is trying to get more confident at net, I didn’t expect that. Also, I oddly didn’t struggle with maneuverability at net compared to other parts of the court, such as…
-Serve returns: 7.5/10
This was where I started to struggle with maneuverability the most. If I got a racquet on it, no problem, return was going back in to play. However, due to the balance and what I think was the higher swingweight, it was tough to quickly react sometimes on returns, especially against the biggest servers. 15 hours in, I can’t explain why I struggled with quick reactions from the back of the court compared to net with the Black Ace Pro, but I just did. If you are not fast enough, the BAP doesn’t feel forgiving on return and you will either sail them long or dump them short in the net. However, on second serve returns, I was crushing returns with confidence.
curtstead
Professional
ProKennex Black Ace Pro Review (Part 2)
Power/Control-
Power I would give a 7/10. It’s better than you would think. There was some pretty good top end power, which I noticed on flat serves and my forehand when I really let it rip. You must generate it yourself to get said top end power though! You can’t just arm it to get good pop. I also thought I was getting nice depth fairly easy and pretty consistently.
Control is an 8.5/10. This would’ve been a 9+ out of 10 if not for an area I’ll cover later. Off the ground, on serve, and at net, you aren’t gonna find much better control than the BAP. Directional control is phenomenal, hitting your spots on serve is a highlight, and just point and shoot at net. Slice is the only part I struggled with. That’s in the next section.
Top Spin/Slice: 8.5/10 and 5.5/10 respectfully.
There’s really good spin capabilities here. Get prepared early, let it rip, and you will find it. At times, I was hitting a pretty heavy ball. If you just arm it, you’re not going to get it for free, so just get in position as fast as you can.
Slice… this was the lowlight by far. Here’s the thing, some slices were AMAZING. The best frame I’ve ever hit slices with is the 2021 Gravity Pro. The BAP could do that at times. It was just SO HARD to ever find that type of slice even remotely consistently. I just struggled to find the court off the slice for the entire playtest. This is unfortunate as this frame feels like it was made to hit knifing slices. With the Black Ace Pro, I can’t tell you how many times I thought I was getting feedback of a great slice from the frame, only for the ball to just float beyond the baseline or even hit the fence. In my first string set up, I would’ve given this like a 4/10, it was just really poor. It got a bit better in my second setup, but still couldn’t consistently find it enough to boost the score that much higher. This affected my confidence hitting this shot entirely and would unfortunately be a dealbreaker for me switching to this frame.
Comfort- 10/10.
It’s a ProKennex frame, an a soft one at that. The most comfortable frame I’ve ever used, full stop. My shoulder can be just a bit sensitive post a bursitis and rotator cuff injury I suffered last year, but it felt fantastic here.
Feel- 9/10.
Outstanding. Great feedback, you know what’s going on, you know where in the stringbed you hit the ball, and you know what you did wrong. Any shots requiring touch and feel like drop shots and volleys, good luck finding anything better. This would be a 10/10 if I didn’t have confusion off the slice and feedback I would get there. Otherwise, awesome.
Maneuverability- 7/10
Flat serves, one handed backhand, net, great! Forehand, spin serves, not so much. I never got a chance to get the swingweight measured, but mine HAD to be 330 or more. That combined with the 4pt HL balance meant that some shots simply felt clunky. I like to use a lot of wrist lag on both wings, especially my eastern forehand that is a 4.0 Federer version. It was attainable, it just didn’t seem as easy to do with more headlight frames. The 2021 BAP, I didn’t have any problem here. That frame felt super maneuverable. I think I got an overspec SW frame in the test because this just felt far more clunky.
Stability- 9.5/10
The bright side of that higher swingweight? Rock solid stability. I didn’t get pushed around at all by the biggest of hitters I played with. I also thought the sweetspot was good sized. Not as big as my Vcore 98 or Volkl V8 Pro, but not bad!
Extra category: Cosmetics: 10/10
PHENOMENAL paintjob. The best on the market right now, hands down. The black gloss with the red, gold, and grey accents, just a beautiful frame. Well done, PK!!! The entire line is full of beautiful paintjobs.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This is a great racquet, but it is also demanding. If you can generate your own power, you’ll be rewarded with a great mix of power and control. You gotta bring strong footwork and energy though. Otherwise, you’ll float a lot of balls long. I think strong serve and volley players would love this frame, especially with how strong it is at net. Anyone who plays crafty with touch and feel, this frame is 100% for you. I think in the right hands, this could be a legit weapon.
For me, the swingweight is just a bit too high for me to ever consider switching back to it, and when I’m not perfect with footwork and energy output, I just don’t get quite enough for free compared to other frames. Again, the inconsistency on slice was just a killer. However, overall, I loved my time hitting with this frame and it will be nice to pull it out of the bag from time to time.
My hitting partners who tried it liked it, too. A friend of mine who mains the Pro Staff 97 is considering getting one citing a bit more control and plow through from the BAP compared to his frame. He also liked it on his arm. Also, none of them had issues on slice like I did.. so take my comments with a grain of salt. It could just be me!
So if you’re a strong player, preferably an all courter 4.5+ NTRP, give this racquet a go. As I continue to get better, if I can figure out the slice, I’d happily give this frame another look. I’m just not there yet!
I want to thank @TW Staff for the opportunity to playtest! It was an awesome experience, and a pretty cool frame to debut my testing career on. Great frame, PK!!!
Power/Control-
Power I would give a 7/10. It’s better than you would think. There was some pretty good top end power, which I noticed on flat serves and my forehand when I really let it rip. You must generate it yourself to get said top end power though! You can’t just arm it to get good pop. I also thought I was getting nice depth fairly easy and pretty consistently.
Control is an 8.5/10. This would’ve been a 9+ out of 10 if not for an area I’ll cover later. Off the ground, on serve, and at net, you aren’t gonna find much better control than the BAP. Directional control is phenomenal, hitting your spots on serve is a highlight, and just point and shoot at net. Slice is the only part I struggled with. That’s in the next section.
Top Spin/Slice: 8.5/10 and 5.5/10 respectfully.
There’s really good spin capabilities here. Get prepared early, let it rip, and you will find it. At times, I was hitting a pretty heavy ball. If you just arm it, you’re not going to get it for free, so just get in position as fast as you can.
Slice… this was the lowlight by far. Here’s the thing, some slices were AMAZING. The best frame I’ve ever hit slices with is the 2021 Gravity Pro. The BAP could do that at times. It was just SO HARD to ever find that type of slice even remotely consistently. I just struggled to find the court off the slice for the entire playtest. This is unfortunate as this frame feels like it was made to hit knifing slices. With the Black Ace Pro, I can’t tell you how many times I thought I was getting feedback of a great slice from the frame, only for the ball to just float beyond the baseline or even hit the fence. In my first string set up, I would’ve given this like a 4/10, it was just really poor. It got a bit better in my second setup, but still couldn’t consistently find it enough to boost the score that much higher. This affected my confidence hitting this shot entirely and would unfortunately be a dealbreaker for me switching to this frame.
Comfort- 10/10.
It’s a ProKennex frame, an a soft one at that. The most comfortable frame I’ve ever used, full stop. My shoulder can be just a bit sensitive post a bursitis and rotator cuff injury I suffered last year, but it felt fantastic here.
Feel- 9/10.
Outstanding. Great feedback, you know what’s going on, you know where in the stringbed you hit the ball, and you know what you did wrong. Any shots requiring touch and feel like drop shots and volleys, good luck finding anything better. This would be a 10/10 if I didn’t have confusion off the slice and feedback I would get there. Otherwise, awesome.
Maneuverability- 7/10
Flat serves, one handed backhand, net, great! Forehand, spin serves, not so much. I never got a chance to get the swingweight measured, but mine HAD to be 330 or more. That combined with the 4pt HL balance meant that some shots simply felt clunky. I like to use a lot of wrist lag on both wings, especially my eastern forehand that is a 4.0 Federer version. It was attainable, it just didn’t seem as easy to do with more headlight frames. The 2021 BAP, I didn’t have any problem here. That frame felt super maneuverable. I think I got an overspec SW frame in the test because this just felt far more clunky.
Stability- 9.5/10
The bright side of that higher swingweight? Rock solid stability. I didn’t get pushed around at all by the biggest of hitters I played with. I also thought the sweetspot was good sized. Not as big as my Vcore 98 or Volkl V8 Pro, but not bad!
Extra category: Cosmetics: 10/10
PHENOMENAL paintjob. The best on the market right now, hands down. The black gloss with the red, gold, and grey accents, just a beautiful frame. Well done, PK!!! The entire line is full of beautiful paintjobs.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This is a great racquet, but it is also demanding. If you can generate your own power, you’ll be rewarded with a great mix of power and control. You gotta bring strong footwork and energy though. Otherwise, you’ll float a lot of balls long. I think strong serve and volley players would love this frame, especially with how strong it is at net. Anyone who plays crafty with touch and feel, this frame is 100% for you. I think in the right hands, this could be a legit weapon.
For me, the swingweight is just a bit too high for me to ever consider switching back to it, and when I’m not perfect with footwork and energy output, I just don’t get quite enough for free compared to other frames. Again, the inconsistency on slice was just a killer. However, overall, I loved my time hitting with this frame and it will be nice to pull it out of the bag from time to time.
My hitting partners who tried it liked it, too. A friend of mine who mains the Pro Staff 97 is considering getting one citing a bit more control and plow through from the BAP compared to his frame. He also liked it on his arm. Also, none of them had issues on slice like I did.. so take my comments with a grain of salt. It could just be me!
So if you’re a strong player, preferably an all courter 4.5+ NTRP, give this racquet a go. As I continue to get better, if I can figure out the slice, I’d happily give this frame another look. I’m just not there yet!
I want to thank @TW Staff for the opportunity to playtest! It was an awesome experience, and a pretty cool frame to debut my testing career on. Great frame, PK!!!
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wedge
Semi-Pro
Honestly even with a sensitive arm I just go right ahead with whatever poly I want on most Kinetic frames, if I'm feeling like it lol ... not all of the frames are equal in terms of arm protection (5G is by far the best for whatever reason) but even in stiffer frames it seems just fine ... no elbow discomfort!
Ok, here’s my official review (with extension) of the Pro Kennex Blace Ace 315.
String and tension used for test: Grapplesnake Alpha mains/Toroline O-Toro Green crosses @48/46 lbs
Tennis experience/background: 3.5/4.0
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): all-courter
Current racquet/string setups: Babolat Pure Aero 98 with VS Touch natural gut @53, Gravity Pro with Toroline Toro Toro x Enso Pro @48/46, Volkl C10X with NXT @53
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 10
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: 7.5/10 - Groundstrokes with this racket were good, with above average spin and control that was quite good. The Black Ace 315 plays like a thin-beamed control racket with slightly above average spin potential thanks to the 16x19 string pattern. As you might expect from a racket that is a control racket at its core, power level is a little on the low side. Against 3.5 level players I was able to generate my own pace on the forehand and get good spin on the ball, which allowed me to dictate rallies with controlled strokes and then up the pace when given an opening. Though this racket is known for its low RA and arm-friendliness (and I did find this racket arm-friendly enough to allow me to come back to poly after using a 58RA Volkl C10X with multi in it to return from a short break due to golfer’s elbow), it did not feel noodle-y the way my Volkl can; I would say that the feel of the racket on the forehand is that it actually feels moderately firm with a little give. On my 2HBH, which I hit a little flatter, I was able to get good pace.
That said, against harder-hitting 4.0 players, I found myself wishing for a little more spin potential and more precision. Here it’s worth noting that there can be different kinds of “control” from a racket: the Black Ace 315 has good control from the standpoint of “power level was low enough for the ball to stay in mostly” – however, with the BA 315 I found that I didn’t have a sense of precision when faced with hard shots from opponents. I just was not able to fight fire with return fire and hit it back hard with precision; although I was using shaped poly, I just did not feel like I could get as much grip and directional/spin control/shape on the ball as I do with my Pure Aero or Gravity Pro. This feeling was borne out when I did switch to either of those rackets for comparison, over a number of trials.
-Serves: 8.5/10 – Serves were where this racket perhaps shined best. The static weight and swing weight are very close to my Gravity Pro, so I was able to get the weight of this racket up and into serves well. Flat serves had good pace and weight – spin on kick second serves was very reliable and required no adjustment time at all. While I didn’t get the full explosiveness I get when hitting bombs with the Gravity or PA, I was able to serve effectively with the added benefit of the arm-friendliness of the BA while I was getting my arm back up to full speed.
-Volleys: I had the toughest time with volleys using the Black Ace 315. While punch volleys were ok with this racket, I never was able to volley with touch and feel with it. When switching to my other rackets for comparison, I was able to volley with good feel with those, so I don’t think this is purely user error in my case. That said, I am going to try other string setups with the BA over time and will report back with results when I can.
-Serve returns: serve returns were solid but fast serves coming my way were hard to return with pace and keep them in; to me this comes back to what I said above about wanting just a little more grip and spin on the ball, and it may be a reflection of the racket having less stiffness than my regular rackets.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- As I stated before, I found good control depth-wise with this racket, especially when I’m the player with harder groundstrokes. In those situations, I felt like I had enough spin. When I was facing serious heat though, I wished for more precision.
Top Spin/Slice- Topspin was good when I was not on the defensive, but I found myself wishing for more in hard-hitting rallies. I’m not a big slicer, but I found I could hit my slice backhand well with the BA 315 – the weight of the racket gives slices some oomph and weight.
Comfort- As expected, comfort was one of the strengths with the PK Black Ace 315. The low stiffness of the racket allowed me to come back to using poly when I wasn’t ready to do that with my regular rackets that come in at RAs of 62 and up. That alone makes this a racket that should be considered by players with shoulder or arm sensitivity issues, especially those who want to keep using poly. That said, it’s not a cure-all of course. In the first few hitting sessions coming back to poly, I did switch away from this racket after about 90 minutes when I started to feel like I might be pushing it. For comparison, a PA 98 (known to be stiff to some people) strung with natural gut felt better. Of course, if you put multi or natural gut into the Black Ace, I’m sure it would feel fantastic from the comfort perspective.
Feel- As I mentioned in some of my comments above, for whatever reason, I just never got dialed in on feel with this racket during this playtest. When I attempted touch volleys, drop volleys or drop shots, I just did not do as well as I normally do. I intend to try some different string setups though.
Maneuverability- I have used a Gravity Pro with very similar weight and balance before, so I found no issues with maneuverability. For those used to less weight they might find this slow to get around I suppose, but I never even noticed maneuverability while playing with the BA, which I think is a good sign.
Stability- the Black Ace 315 had good stability throughout the playtest. Even when facing hard-hit shots, I never felt the racket was unstable. I didn’t get pushed around on harder shots, I just didn’t always have the control to return fire in-bounds that I wanted – and some of that is just user error, of course.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: the Black Ace 315 is a very nice, comfortable player’s-style racket. For anyone struggling with arm or shoulder comfort issues, it could be a godsend. The fact that it allowed me to return to poly meant that I could hit with greater confidence than I can using multi in any of my usual favorite rackets. I’m hoping not to have arm issues in the future, but if I do, I’ll be glad to have this racket in my bag. That said, now that the Black Ace allowed me to play through a transitional period and get back to feeling fully healthy arm-wise, I probably will not switch to it as my main stick, mostly due to feeling like I don’t quite get the same level of shape and power on the ball as I do with my regular chosen rackets. I will continue to test it with different string setups, but it may be that I should’ve tried the Black Ace Pro instead. Thanks to the TW staff for including me on this playtest!
String and tension used for test: Grapplesnake Alpha mains/Toroline O-Toro Green crosses @48/46 lbs
Tennis experience/background: 3.5/4.0
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): all-courter
Current racquet/string setups: Babolat Pure Aero 98 with VS Touch natural gut @53, Gravity Pro with Toroline Toro Toro x Enso Pro @48/46, Volkl C10X with NXT @53
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 10
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: 7.5/10 - Groundstrokes with this racket were good, with above average spin and control that was quite good. The Black Ace 315 plays like a thin-beamed control racket with slightly above average spin potential thanks to the 16x19 string pattern. As you might expect from a racket that is a control racket at its core, power level is a little on the low side. Against 3.5 level players I was able to generate my own pace on the forehand and get good spin on the ball, which allowed me to dictate rallies with controlled strokes and then up the pace when given an opening. Though this racket is known for its low RA and arm-friendliness (and I did find this racket arm-friendly enough to allow me to come back to poly after using a 58RA Volkl C10X with multi in it to return from a short break due to golfer’s elbow), it did not feel noodle-y the way my Volkl can; I would say that the feel of the racket on the forehand is that it actually feels moderately firm with a little give. On my 2HBH, which I hit a little flatter, I was able to get good pace.
That said, against harder-hitting 4.0 players, I found myself wishing for a little more spin potential and more precision. Here it’s worth noting that there can be different kinds of “control” from a racket: the Black Ace 315 has good control from the standpoint of “power level was low enough for the ball to stay in mostly” – however, with the BA 315 I found that I didn’t have a sense of precision when faced with hard shots from opponents. I just was not able to fight fire with return fire and hit it back hard with precision; although I was using shaped poly, I just did not feel like I could get as much grip and directional/spin control/shape on the ball as I do with my Pure Aero or Gravity Pro. This feeling was borne out when I did switch to either of those rackets for comparison, over a number of trials.
-Serves: 8.5/10 – Serves were where this racket perhaps shined best. The static weight and swing weight are very close to my Gravity Pro, so I was able to get the weight of this racket up and into serves well. Flat serves had good pace and weight – spin on kick second serves was very reliable and required no adjustment time at all. While I didn’t get the full explosiveness I get when hitting bombs with the Gravity or PA, I was able to serve effectively with the added benefit of the arm-friendliness of the BA while I was getting my arm back up to full speed.
-Volleys: I had the toughest time with volleys using the Black Ace 315. While punch volleys were ok with this racket, I never was able to volley with touch and feel with it. When switching to my other rackets for comparison, I was able to volley with good feel with those, so I don’t think this is purely user error in my case. That said, I am going to try other string setups with the BA over time and will report back with results when I can.
-Serve returns: serve returns were solid but fast serves coming my way were hard to return with pace and keep them in; to me this comes back to what I said above about wanting just a little more grip and spin on the ball, and it may be a reflection of the racket having less stiffness than my regular rackets.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- As I stated before, I found good control depth-wise with this racket, especially when I’m the player with harder groundstrokes. In those situations, I felt like I had enough spin. When I was facing serious heat though, I wished for more precision.
Top Spin/Slice- Topspin was good when I was not on the defensive, but I found myself wishing for more in hard-hitting rallies. I’m not a big slicer, but I found I could hit my slice backhand well with the BA 315 – the weight of the racket gives slices some oomph and weight.
Comfort- As expected, comfort was one of the strengths with the PK Black Ace 315. The low stiffness of the racket allowed me to come back to using poly when I wasn’t ready to do that with my regular rackets that come in at RAs of 62 and up. That alone makes this a racket that should be considered by players with shoulder or arm sensitivity issues, especially those who want to keep using poly. That said, it’s not a cure-all of course. In the first few hitting sessions coming back to poly, I did switch away from this racket after about 90 minutes when I started to feel like I might be pushing it. For comparison, a PA 98 (known to be stiff to some people) strung with natural gut felt better. Of course, if you put multi or natural gut into the Black Ace, I’m sure it would feel fantastic from the comfort perspective.
Feel- As I mentioned in some of my comments above, for whatever reason, I just never got dialed in on feel with this racket during this playtest. When I attempted touch volleys, drop volleys or drop shots, I just did not do as well as I normally do. I intend to try some different string setups though.
Maneuverability- I have used a Gravity Pro with very similar weight and balance before, so I found no issues with maneuverability. For those used to less weight they might find this slow to get around I suppose, but I never even noticed maneuverability while playing with the BA, which I think is a good sign.
Stability- the Black Ace 315 had good stability throughout the playtest. Even when facing hard-hit shots, I never felt the racket was unstable. I didn’t get pushed around on harder shots, I just didn’t always have the control to return fire in-bounds that I wanted – and some of that is just user error, of course.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: the Black Ace 315 is a very nice, comfortable player’s-style racket. For anyone struggling with arm or shoulder comfort issues, it could be a godsend. The fact that it allowed me to return to poly meant that I could hit with greater confidence than I can using multi in any of my usual favorite rackets. I’m hoping not to have arm issues in the future, but if I do, I’ll be glad to have this racket in my bag. That said, now that the Black Ace allowed me to play through a transitional period and get back to feeling fully healthy arm-wise, I probably will not switch to it as my main stick, mostly due to feeling like I don’t quite get the same level of shape and power on the ball as I do with my regular chosen rackets. I will continue to test it with different string setups, but it may be that I should’ve tried the Black Ace Pro instead. Thanks to the TW staff for including me on this playtest!
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Hesi
Rookie
agree on serves being very nice with this one
Was avoiding reading other 315 reviews til I did mine, but read yours now and enjoyed your review. I feel like we also agreed on groundstrokes being good but not quite having that X-factor you feel when you’ve met the right stick for you.
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