Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Solinco Blackout v2

[Jwdalton0713]

Thanks to TW! I would have liked more time but I am going out of town this week and won't get back on the courts before Halloween, so here goes:

String and tension used for test:
Hypermach hybrid (Mach 10 mains / HGR crosses) at 48/45
Yonex PTS mains / PTP crosses at 45

From my previous post:
Unstrung specs:
With card and plastic 317g

No card/wrap/ unstrung:
303g/31.5cm/294 SW

Strung with the included 1.20 Hypermach hybrid:
319g/32.5cm/323SW

10/12/25 Update: After about 6 hours stock, replaced the factory grip with a Fairway:
333g/31.5cm/325SW

Tennis experience/background:
I am an aspiring 4.0. With deep concentration and great focus, I believe that I am on the cusp of achieving my goals.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
I’m an aggressive baseliner who hits relatively flat on both wings. On both sides I like to try to hook ill-advised angles. Serve wise, my bread and butter is my kick serve. Like most righties, I kick down the T on deuce and out wide on ad. My Street Fighter EX3 Dan Hibiki special is a forehand slap that has a 10% chance of going in, and 90% chance of hitting the fence with no bounce.

Current racquet/string setups:
2022 Ezone 100+ stock except for leather grip. PTS/PTP hybrid at 48/45. My previous racket before that was a 2012 PDR+ also stock with leather. The true GOAT PD (don’t come at me Swirly/Team bros). Prior to that, I spent years with a 2017 Ezone 98+ (the GOAT EZ98+, don’t come at me DR98+ bros). I like the 2022 EZ100+ because it has the plow through of the 2012 PDR (albeit a bit less spin), at a much lower static weight. It’s also more polarized, so even with similar swingweights, the EZ100+ does more of its work for me. It also (knock on wood) hasn’t blown up my wrist yet, which the 2012 PDR+ did (twice).

On a side note, I also have a BO v1 XTD+ which I enjoy tremendously as a fun stick. For a 28” racket, it swings like ye olde Prince Thunderbolt MP, with a similar low launch angle. A truly fun and hilarious laser cannon. I also have this strung with PTS/PTP at 48/45.

How many hours did you play with the racquet?
Since receiving the racket on 10/7, and as of 10/28, I’ve played with it 6 times for about 12 hours. Mostly doubles, but about 4 hours of the 12 was singles hitting.

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):

-Groundstrokes:
As a baseliner, I was impressed with the v2, more so than the V1 XTD+. It is very versatile from the baseline with the hypermach hybrid. I had no problems hitting all out pace, looping deep topspin, or hitting slices. Since I was new to the racket I struggled with dropshots, but I have stone hands anyway, so that is no surprise. Flat slaps were very satisfying with the racket, which produces a pleasing sound. I did not use a dampener and very much enjoyed the feel in hand and the sound feedback from the shots. Feedback on specific shots is below in the topspin/slice section.

-Serves:
Serving was great with this racket. With less power than the 2022 Ezone or the 2012 PDR+, I felt very in control with the hypermach hybrid. The balls twisted more than normal. The maneuverability of the racket made acceleration through the contact zone very easy. I lost a few MPH and didn't hit as heavy of a serve as I would have with the Ezone 100+, but I will match the swingweights and test some more.

-Volleys:
This is probably one of the best volleying extended length tweeners I have used. Between its length, maneuverability, and stability, volleying with this racket was a delight. I was even able to stick quick reaction flicks at the net, which I struggled mightily with with the PDR+. I was very rarely late on my volleys, and the light weight didn’t fatigue me even after long doubles sessions.

-Serve returns:
Like volleys, the maneuverability and stability yielded excellent results on serve returns. I could focus on good contact without worrying about the racket flying out of my hands or a crappy return. Even when out of position the racket was forgiving enough to put the ball back well and not get me in too much trouble.

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)


Power/Control-
In terms of power, I would say this is on the lower end of the 100 sq in extended tweener category, probably the lowest powered one I've hit with. That being said, it's also one of the most controlled in this category. Normally with other rackets in this category I have to rely on spin and trajectory for control, but the BOv2 can also control the ball like a player's racket does. It was a pleasant surprise, as I went in expecting to hit like a PD, but it played more like a Percept 100 in this regard.

Top Spin/Slice-
Topspin: BO’s string pattern is very open. The top cross is so far up that I almost missed it when stringing it up. The bottom cross is also very close to the bottom of the hoop. One would think this would translate to a higher launch angle but I didn’t find this to be the case at all. Relative same PTS/PTP setup, the BOv2 and the 2022 EZ100+ both had similar launch angles—about 2’ over the net. However, since the BOv2 is about 20 pts lighter on the Briffidi, balls tended to land short. With the provided Hypermach hybrid, the trajectory changed significantly. I was able to comfortable clear the net 4’ or more with the same strokes, the effect being the balls landing deeper. With the Hypermach hybrid, the racket was adept at deep loopy topspin, short dipping topspin at a S&V’rs feet, and hooking sidespin topspin shots, either short angle or banana up the line.

Slice: I had the same impression of slice on this racket as I did with the PAVS. I am an old school slicer and I don’t use racket head speed to cut severly on the ball. My slice is more of a flat shot with the bottom edge leading slightly. Because of this, my slices rely alot on the weight of the racket to supply pace. Here, the BOv2 needed more plow for that kind of slice. That being said, practicing the cutty slices yielded good results. The ball was skiddy with more sidespin that I normally get slicing on the backhand side. On the forehand side, I enjoyed Pam Shriver style shovel approaches with this racket. It cups the ball more than the 2021 PD+, even without woofer grommets.

Comfort-
The foam works. This is a very comfortable racket, more so than the 2021 PD+. It feels less muted than the 2012 PDR+, but did not make my wrist go boom. It’s also much more comfortable than the BOv1 XTD+, which after an hour or so gave me minor twinges.

Feel-
The dampening of the racket did not come at the expense of feel. (*cough* 2025 ezone *cough*). I felt very connected to the racket. Even though the pattern is very open, the stringbed response is very predictable, and there were no hotspots in the stringbed with both setups.

Maneuverability-
Measuring at 323 on my briffidi stock, and 325 with a fairway, this is probably the lightest swinging 27.5 racket I’ve used. For reference my Ezone 100+ clocks in at a hefty 342, my old PDRs at 345, and my trusty 2017 Ezone 98+ at 332. I didn’t have any problems flicking the racket around when pressed for time, or on quick reflex volleys.

Stability-
For its weight and swingweight, this racket is remarkably stable. Shots hit outside of the sweetspot didn’t feel dead or torque the racket undesirably. Even facing against heavy hitters I could feel the hoop pancake and snap back against the ball. Adding a leather grip did wonders to help with the plowthrough, and really woke the racket up without a commensurate loss in maneuverability.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:

I feel like the foam fill works. Relative to the BO v1 XTD+, with the same string setup, the v2 feels more muted, but not as muted as the 2012 PDR+ or the 2021 PD+. It is, however, rawer than the 2022 Ezone 100+, and significantly more so than the 2025 Ezone 100+ (which I did not like). I will add weight to match the swingweight of the v2 to the 2022 Ezone 100+ and do another comparison from there.

The grip shape is more rectangular than Yonex, or even the TK82S. I prefer Yonex’s small buttcap flare, and the shape is comparable, albeit slightly bigger.

Thanks so much to Solinco and TW for including me on this review. I look forward to tinkering with the racket more, and definitely look forward to the Vice City grommet and bumper colors.

Awesome job, really great review. I still haven't gotten my hands on one of these rackets, but I still want to give it a try. Thanks

 

[tennisreflectslife]

Playtest review for the Solinco Blackout XTD V2 16x19

String and tension used for test: Hyper G 16L / 125 , 52 lbs
Tennis experience/background: USTA 4.5 male, Playing tennis single high school years, played club tennis at Uni, now play USTA leagues
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Mostly a baseliner when playing singles, but do tend to play more doubles recently. One hand backhand. Always looking for opportunities to attack.
Current racquet/string setups: Current racket Pro Staff 97 V14, Usual strings: Hyper G 16L, Otoro Tour 17
How many hours did you play with the racquet?: about 15 hours (5-6 hours of hitting/drills, rest is match play)

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):

-Groundstrokes: Very easy to hit great depth with this racket on ground strokes. Full swings are rewarded with both power and control. I have a flatter one-handed backhand and a spinner forehand, and both the shots responded great to this racket. The racket has almost all the good attributes you look for in modern racket: a huge sweet spot for forgiving off center hits and easy defending, predictable string bed to simply hit through the ball and not be surprised, great spin potential to have the ball dip with spin and solid comfortable feel (looks like the foam filling really works). Of course it is still a power racket but it is the first one for me which has a lot of unique control and feel built in. I have hit with pure drive, pure aero and ezone 100/98 recently, and each of those lack something to compensate for another thing. Even the slice feels really solid and penetrating. But I would say if I tensed up my swing or didn't complete it, the ball sometimes popped up a bit too much. This doesn't happen in a more control oriented racket like ProStaff. But then the defensive capability and the ability to hit the ball deep from any position in the court using this racket is awesome. I think this racket can definitely be adopted by users of prestige/blade/prostaff users who want a little more help from the racket.

-Serves: Serving was amazing with this racket. It had pure drive type power on the serve but didn't feel harsh at all. I could hit all three serves flat, slice and kick with it with no problems. The extended length is not apparent at all. I still needed to remind myself of following good serve mechanics, as it is easy to try to muscle the ball with this and still get great power. But for control with power, one needs good fundamentals of the serve. The racket however rewards and accentuates all your qualities in serving that you possess.

-Volleys: Successful volleying with this racket required the "point and direct" approach. As long as I was catching the ball firmly and pointed the racket in the right direction, I didn't need to do anything else in the volley. The racket in stock form is extremely stable and agile. I was able to hit some very solid volleys. But if you bring bad technique to it and start having backswings in volleys then they sail long.
-Serve returns: I had to dial in my returns a bit especially while playing doubles (due to tighter margins), but once done I was able to have great depth in my returns immediately. You can hit block returns or hit back topspin returns well with this racket. As long as you don't hesitate, the ball goes where it's supposed to. Indecisive jabs sometimes sailed long, but that's just because it is a power racket at the end of the day.

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum):

Power/Control- I believe this is the aspect where the racket shines the most! It has pure drive 100 or ezone 100 level power, but control of a 98 square inch racket. I could swing with a 40% swing speed, have clean contact and have the ball land at the baseline. The defensive bunts / flick / push when I was out stretched wide in the court would land deep easily as long I was balanced and controlled the racket face. In the other hand, I could hit a 100% full speed swing and have a massive ball which goes in. The only thing is if you tighten up or don't have good control of your racket face (too open or too closed at contact based on swing, court location etc), then the inherent power will just accentuate what you are already doing wrong. I mean with power does come big responsibility

Top Spin/Slice- The racket has inherent access to topspin. But it can't be called a spin racket. It doesn't have a naturally high launch angle, but more a neutral one. However, whenever I was taking big cuts on the forehand and giving the ball some air, it would always dip down near the baseline. It have the "grabbing" feeling in the string bed. I was using Hyper H 16L at 52 lbs as mentioned before. Slice was very smooth too. I could hit deep and heavy. Since the racket has some power, in slice all I had to focus on was cutting down on the ball while stepping in. Tentive slices sometimes floated long, but that will happen with any racket. Somehow I did struggle with low slices (ball went into the net), but it's only 2-3 instances that come to mind. Am sure with more play time I can tune that in.

Comfort- As everyone probably knows this racket is foam filled, so comfort is not an issue as well. But I wouldn't call it a soft racket. It has some crispness to it but the off center hits still don't feel jarring. In all my time with the racket I never felt any arm/wrist discomfort. It is not as dampened as the Ezone 100 just for reference for folks. But you do feel the flex in the racket slightly, not boardy like pure drive.
Feel- The feel is very unique for this racket. I never tried the BO V1 so I can't comment if it has changed from the previous version, but I can't think of any other racket which has a similar feel. It has a combination of flex, power, forgiveness and predictability in the stringbed which is rare in a 100 sq inch racket. My guess is if coming from a power racket there might be no adjustment needed to tune in and if coming from a traditional control racket you need to spend some time to understand the strengths of the racket and fix any kinks in your game to get the most out of it.

Maneuverability- There was some concern I had around maneuverability given its an extended length racket, but i noticed none! I have a one handed backhand, so issues on that side as well. It basically played like a regular length racket. It didn't feel chunky or difficult to swing based on beam thickness as well, probably because of head light balance. I swung more smoothly and naturally for me than a regular length pure drive. I didn't feel twist weight was too high either (I didn't measure, but just from feeling based on swings).

Stability- The racket is plenty stable like any other thick beam 100 sq inch racket. Trading ground strokes from the baseline or on defensive balls I never felt the racket flutter. At recreational level, I highly doubt this racket needs any lead tape for more stability. On volley as well, if I just gave a firm face to the ball, it just deflected easily with good pop. On return as well against big flat serves, the racket does not flutter. I could take short backswing and time the ball deep on returns.

General reaction/comments on overall performance: Overall this is a racket which will surprise and delight a lot of people. Whether they are coming from modern power racket side or a control racket side. Solinco has put together a lot of great attributes in a single racket and made something special. I highly recommend folks to try it if they get an opportunity. Definitely don't be deterred by the extended length, you don't feel it while playing. It adds a little bit extra to every shot so it will be fun to experience that. A great offering by Solinco and a racket I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to a variety of players. I will be spending more time with it the upcoming holiday season and potentially making a switch.

Thank you so much TW and Solinco for the playtest opportunity and an amazing racket.

 

[ne1410is]

Solinco Blackout v2 XTD 16x19

String and tension used for test:
Solinco Hyper Mach BD (BrainDead) 1.20 (17g)


Tennis experience/background:
Started at 7yo, played 4y High School tennis team, JV and Varsity, then recreationally after. Regular league play since 2020.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
All court player, coming into the net more these days as I’ve really gotten more comfortable with my volleys the past few years. Serve bigger and more reliable in my younger years, yips more recently but this racket helped me improve that.

Current racquet/string setups:
Babolat Aero 98
Solinco Mach 10 17g

How many hours did you play with the racquet?
18 hrs

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):

-Groundstrokes:
Groundstrokes are delightful. Recently using heavier rackets like aero98, but the lighter blackout helps me prepare and adjust last second, getting the racket through contact that tiny extra bit. My cross court backhand thus pulls my opponent out that extra step or two, which makes a big difference, giving me a great setup to come into net for put away. Felt really solid with great control, almost feels like a 18-20 to me.

-Serves:
Serves are absolutely excellent. I used a Prince Michael Chang in the late 90s which is similar although 28 in rather than 27.5 for Blackout XTD. Michael Chang also light but more flexible. The stiffer Blackout gives more pop but doesn’t sacrifice control. Reminds me of lessons learned with the Michael Chang. You can swing through and muscle the ball, but it’s actually even better when you use rhythm and timing while keeping loose — you get the same power but slightly better placement. I like that it can accommodate different serving styles because as I get tighter I tend to muscle it, so it really helps me no matter how I’m feeling in a match. The stiffness also gives me a better sense of where I’m trying to place the ball, so my kicker out wide felt easier.

-Volleys:
Volleys were good, required slight adjustments. With my aero 98 I get the racket going and it’s weight stabilizes the racket and zips the ball back, even if I’m not as accurate. With the Blackout, it doesn’t forgive quite as well on off center volleys, but the lighter weight makes it much easier to make adjustments last minute. Found this really helpful for doubles where I change my mind on where I’m going at the net. I also felt high backhand volleys/overhead type shots were much easier to direct either by popping them or slicing them. It definitely gives me tons of options up at the net with both power and great control.

-Serve returns:
Exceptional control, but also amazing power. Could really lace returns back and overpower people, jamming them on their serve followthrough, but the excellent control also let me aim for the lines and get the ball just inside the lines. Lighter weight really helps me adjust to whatever serve comes at me, it’s a bit better leaning in and attacking rather than hanging back a bit and waiting for serves to come to you.

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)

Power/Control-
The blend of power and control is something I haven’t experienced in any other racket over the past 20+ yrs. Subjectively I initially thought it wasn’t that powerful, but the pace of the ball off my strings, and the ball not coming back, tells me it’s good good juice. I think it’s the comfort, it’s taking me a bit of time to understand that power doesn’t have to “hurt”. That being said, the first time or two I played, I did notice my forearm muscles were a smidge more sore. I think it’s because I made more adjustments because the lighter weight afforded me the time and energy to do that. As others have mentioned it’s a bit better on your front foot, when attacking and being more aggressive, the power and control increase and the ball goes where I want it to. Amazing feeling!

Top Spin/Slice-
Decent ability to spin serves, hit topspin and slice. I didn’t try spin as much honestly because it had enough to make my shots dip just in, and I had so much fun banging winners or harder shots to force errors. When I tried to hit extra spin, it responded well, but it doesn’t have that extra arc built into every shot like an aero98, but then again, I think that’s what makes the Blackout so predictable and reliable when attacking even with power.

Comfort-
Superior comfort for me. As I’ve gotten older and with Poly strings everywhere, this is somewhere I’m a bit extra sensitive and the Blackout delivers in spades. It’s a comfortable, dampened feel, so I was not afraid to swing out on any shot, but I still had good feedback and knew where my ball was going. Really no sustained elbow or shoulder soreness or pain at all.



Feel-
Excellent feel. Hitting the sweet spot and also off center hits all felt comfortable. I got good feedback to know where I was on the racket but it was never painful. I was able to easily adjust easily subsequent playing because of the lighter weight. Probably my favorite feeling was overhead smashes. Have had persistent yips on this shot, but picking up the blackout had me hitting smashes confidently from literally ball one. It just feels so satisfying with a perfect amount of flex and tons of controlled power.

Maneuverability-
Incredibly maneuverable. I have played with 28in and am quite comfortable but I don’t think the 27.5 feels long at all. It’s quite easy to get contact where I need it even for balls that are unexpectedly faster. The one area where lighter mass was a bit tough was if a ball was slower and farther out in front of me. There I missed mass to help me keep the racket steady but that might be more my user error.

Stability-
A little bit less stable for me than heavier rackets, on off center hits, but the lighter mass helps me to make late adjustments that help me keep the ball in the sweet spot. As above, for serves and overheads, this racket was a dream for me, helping me nearly eliminate my yips. Honestly that alone would have made me switch but the incredible blend of power and control make the Blackout next level.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:
Apologies if my review is too effusive, but it’s an excellent stick. Beat a player I’ve never beaten before and also easily won against another arch rival.

I had heard through the TW message boards how amazing this racket was while they were developing it, I think the reality lives up to the rumors. It’s such a pleasure to actually feel what people were talking about.

For me, this racket’s versatility makes all parts of the game easier and more fun. I feel like I can change my mind even when the ball has bounced already, whether it’s changing direction or changing from defensive to offensive shot selection.

Looking forward to trying those different colored grommets that match Solinco string colors. Makes the racket even more fun and interesting!

Thank you TennisWarehouse and Solinco for the opportunity to playtest the Blackout v2 XTD.

 

[atatu]

Playtest Review Solinco Blackout 300 V2

String and tension used for test: Hyper G 16L@ 48 lbs; Hybrid Wilson 16 Gut @ 50 mains, Hyper G round 16 @46.

Tennis experience/background: 63 yo male, NTRP 4.5 rated, I've been playing tennis for approximately 50 years.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Singles primarily baseline, I favor my 2HBH, in doubles I'm a serve and volleyer. Returns and volleys are my strengths.

Current racquet/string setups: Pro Kennex Black Ace 105 strung with gut/poly, also use a 2025 Pure Drive with a soft poly.

How many hours did you play with the racquet? Approximately 12 hours, including one singles match and four doubles matches.

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):

-Groundstrokes: I really enjoyed hitting my forehand with this frame, it provided adequate power and good spin. I liked the way this racket moved through the air, which made my forehand a bit better that with my other rackets. Initially I struggled with my two handed backhand, I was hitting the ball too early as the swing weight on this racket is noticeably lower that my Black Ace. However I adjusted to it after a few hours and it felt much better.

-Serves: One of my favorite shots to hit with this racket, it was easy to move the racket through the air and generate some good power. Slice serves were easy to place and kick serves had some good jump on them. Initially I was hitting my serves long, but I went out with bucket of balls one day and was able to dial in the power with a minimum of effort.

-Volleys: If my opponent was hitting the ball hard at me, the Blackout delivered some nice deep volleys if I was able to get the racket out in front with my weight slightly forward. On the other hand if my opponent sliced a slow ball my way I struggled a little to get much punch on my balls and left a few short. Drop/touch volleys were not a strong suit for this racket but I did like the fact that is was easy to get into position. On the other hand I was able to "reflex" balls back nicely as well as snapping off high backhand volleys angled cross court.

-Serve returns: Similar to my groundstrokes, my forehand return was rock solid going either cross court or down the line. A few times I would hit a return and expect it to go long, only to see it drop in. By far my best shot is my backhand cross court return and I was missing that shot a bit more than usual the first few times I played with this frame. I ended up adding a little weight to the hoop at 3/9 and that fixed the problem for me.

Power/Control- I'd say the Blackout is a medium high powered frame. To me it has a little bit less power than my Black Ace 105 and a touch less power than the 2025 Pure Drive. The difference is pretty slight, I'd say 3-5%.

Top Spin/Slice- I enjoyed hitting slice backhands with this racket, it felt very natural and if I prepared early and got my weight moving forward I was rewarded with some nice bite. With respect to Topspin the Blackout has a decent launch angle and topspin comes fairly naturally, but it's not like an Aero or Vcore. I was able to hit some nice topspin backhand passing shots due to the easy maneuverability of this racket.

Comfort- This racket is more comfortable that the 2025 Pure Drive. The foam filling is noticeable and I recommend this one to anyone who wants a more comfortable PD.

Feel-This might be the one area where I did not gel with the racket as I struggled a little to get a good feel. However I have to confess that I'm not really a feel oriented player. I feel like the added comfort with this frame is worth sacrificing a bit of feel. I did like the satisfying "thud" when hitting a forehand volley out in front.

Maneuverability- This frame really shines in terms of maneuverability. The Blackout moves through the air easily and it's easy to get it into position for volleys. The increased maneuverability really helped me on the forehand side, where I usually late. Even when I was late, the Blackout allowed me to "catch up" to some balls that got behind me.

Stability-It's rock solid, I never felt like the racket was getting pushed around I did not feel any lack of stability when hitting groundstrokes. This is particularly impressive given the lowish swingweight of this racket. Even hitting returns off heavy serves, the one very very solid.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:-The Solinco Blackout 300 V2 is a medium high powered racket with a bit more comfort and noticeable maneuverability. It's very easy to play with and I think players from a wide range of abilities could pick it up and play well with after a few minutes of adjusting to it. The foam filling seems to really do a good job of absorbing vibration and the spin production is good, whether you prefer to hit slice or Topspin. I think the cosmetics are unique and it sounds like the new Prizim grommets will allow players to really add some individuality to this racket.

Thanks to TW and Solinco !

 

[thebigz]

Wish I have bit more time spent with the 2nd string job but I have a pretty good idea after around 14 hours on court! Hitting the 10K character limit so breaking down into 2 posts lol

For BLACKOUT V2 Standard Length:

String and tension used for test: Head Lynx Tour 1.25mm at 52/51lbs, and Solinco Hyper G 1.25mm at 52/51 lbs

Specs for my copy:
Unstrung Stock: 301g, 290 SW
Lynx Tour 1.25mm: 319g, 320 SW
Hyper G 1.25mm 318g, 219 SW

Tennis experience/background:
27 years old male. USTA 4.5 level. Started in high school about 12 years ago, improved a lot towards the end of high school training alongside competitive juniors in IL that are way better than me. And I'd say now in my late 20s I'm playing my best level and being the strongest I've been.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
Aggressive Baseliner. I'm not very tall being 5'8 but I feel pretty confident about my serve for being that height. I can hit all type of serves to all the spots I want, and I have been working on adding more variety to my 2nd serve. I generally try to control the point with my serve and forehand. The school I learned under is trying to accelerate as much as I can for every shot at the baseline to get control, power, and spin. So I usually prefer spin racquets that rewards racquet head speed. And as I keep improving my movement and swing speed in the last few years I've actually have went lighter over time in both weight and swingwieght, which corresponds to trends we see on tour as well. When I accelerate my forehand is pretty heavy and has consistent depth, but I sometimes don't find the angels to open up the court enough. My 2HBH is solid but I wouldn't consider it a weapon. I improved a lot on return consistency as well as variety with hitting slices off both forehand and backhand wing.

You can see some hitting footage of me here:
Solinco Blackout V2 First Impressions

Current racquet/string setups:
Wilson Shift 99 300g, weighted up to 330g strung with overgrip, 315 SW. Strung with Head Lynx Tour 1.25mm at 53/52 lbs

How many hours did you play with the racquet?
11 hours roughly strung with Lynx Tour, 3 hours with Hyper G

-Groundstrokes:
It is one of the best frames on the baseline for my tennis. I prefer it instantly over the Shift on my backhand side while the forehand took me a few hours to adjust due to the lower maneuverability than my Shift 99. BOV2 does not give you as much free depth at lower racquet head speed as Pure Drive, Aero, Ezone 100, to name a few. But it rewards higher racquet head speed big time. It was commented by my opponent that the balls were jumping off much heavier than when I'm switching off with the Blade V9, and I notice the same when I have him hit with the BOV2 vs. his Pro Staff 97L. It has that similar effect to an Aero racquet with a topspin shot jumping off heavier while having lower launch angle than Aero and easier to flatten out shots. Compare to when I just the Shift 99, my baseline shots are more penetrating after I was able to make adjustment on timing for the forehand side. It is one of the best frames for my 2HBH. At 320 SW, its stability punches way above its weight class and it shines in both redirecting pace as well as accelerating myself on that wing. I always find it a bit awkward to get a clean strike on the 2HBH with my Shift, while it works great for other parts of my game that are more important. I also find that the stability is very noticeable on the stretch when I need to reach for a slice just to get the ball back in play, compare to Blade 98 V9 or Shift 99 which I need to do more than just putting the strings on the ball in those situations. Strung with Lynx Tour which is a control first string, I find a lot of predictability in the stringbed. It has the top end power and I rarely find an unexpected launch. It is also surprisingly good for me on drop shot, the stability from the frame combined with the response from Lynx Tour give me a lot of confidence to take pace off. It is also excellent for me going from defense to offense, I never feel like I'm out of a point.

I'd rate forehand A, 2hbh A+, offensive slices B-, defensive slices/blocks A+, drop shot as A. I can do everything I want on the baseline strung with Lynx Tour. The biggest downside I can point to is that the frame does not give me as much positive feedback from the feel on contact when I hit a great ball as I do with some other frames. But results doesn't lie and the performance is excellent in terms of effectiveness. If you are someone who values that feel and feedback a lot from the frame then this might not be your cup of tea.

-Serves:
Overall A+ frame for serves, I would put this right up there with some of my favorite frames to serve with like Shift 99, Ezone 98, Vcore 98, and Pure Drive. I can hit every type of serve I know how, and I find the frame giving me a bit extra on all serve types. PD might have a bit more pop on flat serves but BOV2 rewards spin serves a bit more. Serving is the only area where I prefer the Hyper G over the Lynx Tour out of the 2 string set ups. It just gives my spin serves a bit of extra jump than the deader Lynx Tour. Overall I find the balance performance for all serves gives me similar results and confidence as I get with my Shift 99 after adjustments to the lower maneuverability.

-Volleys:
Volleying is probably the weakest area for this frame for me due to the muted feel, which doesn't affect my performance as much as in the baseline. I find that it does not has the same pop and crisp feeling as I get with the Shift at net, and I'm always unsure of the depth and pace coming off my racquet based on the feedback I get on contact. That leads to me not knowing sometime how to adjust to get more precisely what I wanted based on the last volley.

-Serve returns:
Another A+ area where the stability and power/spin/control combination shines. I 320 swingwieght I have no problem with returning slow or faster balls. I know many people here prefer heavier specs but I personally think this frame plays great stock on returns. I can get first serves returns back consistently deep and rips some 2nd serve returns. This again is an area where I find it shines more naturally on my backhand than forehand.

 

[thebigz]

PART 2 Following post above.

Power/Control-
Overall power wise, I put it just below Pure Drive and Ezone 100 on the baseline, but with better control and comfort. But when you fully go for your shots the top end power is much higher than something like the Speed MP. I find it to slot right in between of a true power 100 like Pure Drive and a true spin 100 like the Pure Aero. I find better shape and heaviness of shot than a pure power frame while being a lot easier to control launch angle and flatten out balls than Pure Aero/Diadem Axis 100. Compare to my Shift 99, it has more plow due to the heavier spec but I can get similar top end power on my forehand side after I adjust my timing and swing. It especially shines at depth control since I think it response more truely to what you put in your swing and doesn't have as much easy depth at lower swing speeds as the Ezone 100 or the Shift 99 let's say.

Top Spin/Slice-
For topspin shots, it has that Aero effect of the balls jumping off heavier for the opponent after bounce, while giving naturally a lower launch angle. The launch angle is medium overall and more true to what you input. I find higher launch angle naturally from both my Shift 99, Diadem Axis than the BOV2. It is certainly designed to reward players with modern aggressive topspin strokes overall. For slices, I don't have the most confidence going for low skidding aggressive slice yet. I think most would prefer a thinner beam racquet for that. As I mentioned in the baseline section, it is however one of the best frames for getting that ball back on the dead stretch due to the excellent stability. Easy to take pace off for drop shots imo with the right string set up. It has very consistent stringbed response for a power frame.

Comfort-
Comfort is excellent for me. Strung fairly tight with stiffer polys was no problem for me after long sessions. Compare to the category it competes in it is probably the most dampened and comfortable frame. I find the comfort better than my Shift 99 slightly(I generally also don't have issues with unless I string it tighter than 53lbs) and a bit better than Diadem Axis 100 which is also foam filled.

Feel-
The feel is muted like other foam filled racquet with a lot of stability tech, which is also what provides the comfort. I almost don't need to put a dampener on it. This is probably the biggest negative of the frame for those who place high priority on the frame giving you the positive or negative feedback. I found less of both than competing power frames. There's other racquets that makes you feel like you are hitting a bigger ball due to the sound and feedback on contact but the results aren't as damaging as what you can get with the BOV2, if that makes sense. The only areas where the muted feel hindered performance for me was at net. It feels extremely solid for its weight and swingweight. If you prioritize overall performance/results over feel I don't think you will be disappointed. I found the Lynx Tour set up to provide a bit more feedback while the hyper G initially feels even more muted but has a livelier response.

Maneuverability-
Maneuverability is average for its spec and what you'd expect for the beam width. I don't find it cut through the air faster than spec would suggest like Aero, Vcore, or extreme pro shape. The Shift 99 I main also isn't the most aerodynamic but I play with it at a lower swingwieght than this BOV2 stock. I am used to having a faster frame on my forehand side, which is what took the longest to adjust for me. If I were to purchase this frame, I would try to get one that is below the 290 unstrung swingweight mine came with. I would have no problem playing this frame at a slightly lighter spec due to how stable it feels. If you are coming from smaller head size frames with thinner beam, I would say BOV2 at 320 SW will be as maneuverable as those at 325 SW let's say. If you are used to something like the Pure Drive, this should feel right at home in the same spec range.

Stability-
A+ for this frame. Stability to weight ratio is the biggest improvement in modern racquets. If you have revisited frames from 10 years ago recently you will notice most of them needs 5 if not higher swingwieght points to feel as stable as the newer racquets with more stability tech. I know people complain from that the feeling isn't as raw but overall racquet performance has increased a lot in lighter specs that suits the modern game better. The BOV2 is another step in that direction. It will have more plow and stability than the 320 swingwieght would suggest especially if you are coming from thinner beam frames. It benefits just about every part of my game, from baseline, defensive shots, to return of serve.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:
Overall, I am pleasantly surprised with the BOV2! It is a high performance frame that I'll have no problem taking into a competitive match in. I think it can be great for a wide range of skill level from intermediate players to advanced players who are trying to compete and win matches. It would be best suited for players who can generate good racquet head speed and control the rally from the baseline. It produces some of the heaviest balls for me on groundstrokes while having very good control. It offers better comfort and control compared to other frames that has the same top end power. It is one of the best frames for serving and returning for me as well. It is not the type of racquet I would pick up for friendly hitting or coaching, but one that helps you put your opponents on their heels to defend. I also would prefer it for singles than for doubles play, since there are other power frames that I enjoy and feel more confident at net with similar performance in other areas. Out of the 2 string jobs, I prefer Lynx Tour which had just a bit more feedback and the overall more controlled response gave me better confidence on aggressive groundstrokes and touch shots, I would probably string that a couple lbs lower next time to get a slightly more lively response. The Hyper G was livelier at the same tension with a more muted feeling, which only benefited me on serving, where I noticed more action on my spin serves. I would like to try some of the crisper feeling stiff strings on the market with this frame.

Thanks again TW for this opportunity! I will follow up with a full video review with more hitting footage in the coming week hopefully

 

[Pronate]

Playtest review for the Solinco Blackout XTD V2 16x19

String and tension used for test: Kirschbaum Syn Gut, 51 lbs


Tennis experience/background: NTRP 4.0, Played tennis competitively in singles and doubles for 15+ years

Describe playing style: I’m a counterpuncher with solid ground stroke fundamentals and efficient movement. I enjoy variety in my rallies, both my forehand and backhand are reliable.


Current racquet/string setups: Current racket Babolat Pure Drive, Usual strings: Syn Gut or a hybrid with Poly Mains and Syn Gut in the Crosses

How many hours did you play with the racquet?: about 15 hours (It was only in casual rallying and doubles)

Groundstrokes: I got to say going into this review I noticed quite a few comments about how the racquet could be a clone of the Pure Drive, and I could tell the similarities. When hitting the racquet felt powerful and had spin at the same time. I need to hit with it in more scenarios but I really enjoyed the easy power.


Serves: Serves felt good in terms of the easy power. Like the Pure Drive, one aspect that I felt could help the racquet’s feel on contact for flat balls was the balance, making it more head heavy. I might try adding lead tape at the 10’ and 1’ o clock.


Volleys: Volleys felt ok, but nothing substantially better when using this frame. I felt volleys were dependent a lot more on my footwork. This is a powerful stick, so if you’re like me who uses touch volleys after hitting approach shots I suggest relying less on the racquet for control. I can see why some posters said they stuck the racquet on contact. I went with something in the low 50s, and I’m sure the 60s should be enough for a syn gut or multi.

Power/Control: This racquet had a good amount of power. Just like the Pure Drive. Control could be a bit better in terms of depth, but I’ll try a few different setups to tell the frame’s control. Like most racquets it’s a bit difficult to have deep penetrating shots without loopy launch angles.

Top Spin/Slice: The top spin was also solid. I only had time to try one setup with syn gut, but from first impressions, the launch angle was great. Slices also felt smooth on the backhand side.

Comfort: The racquet has average comfort using the setup above. I will try experimenting with the Solinco strings provided to see how it feels during match play. I sometimes get some discomfort in my elbow with stiff racquets and didn’t this time.


Maneuverability: The racquet has good balance and felt easy to swing off any stroke. Backhands felt good. In singles matchplay I’ll try more on the run shots. Also from the baseline the middle rallying was fine, but I need more time to see if the racquet was maneuverable enough to manage longer backswings.


Stability: I’d say it’s stable from first impressions. Having a 100 sq in helps the racquet have less frequent off hits. Also, the frame itself is fairly stiff and has enough mass for neutral rallying. I was hitting with people in the 3.5 range, so I’ll update once I get a chance to play 4.5 and 5.0s.

General comments on overall performance: I have to start off saying it was a great experience. Sadly due to a delivery delay, I was not able to test the racquet for as much matchplay as I would have liked. But I plan to soon and provide an updated review. I have similar power racquets like the Pure Drive, and having something fresh, reliable and nearly interchangeable with my current frames would make it an easy add to my current rotation of frames.


Lastly, thank you TW and Solinco for the opportunity!!

 

[Addxyz]

Solinco Blackout V2 16x19 Review

String and tension used for test: HyperG 1.25 46/44#, Lux gut 1.25/Ghostwire1.22 53/50#

Tennis experience/background: 3.5 singles, 4.0 doubles player. I play exclusively doubles. I do a lot of social tennis, occasional USTA.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): All court player. I can play almost any style (SV, baseliner, junkballer). More adept at the net since I'm usually playing doubles. I like quicker endings to the point. Mostly rely on a kick serve, but I can mix up serves as needed. Can hit 1 hand backhand, 2 hand backhand, 1 hand forehand, and 2 hand forehand.

Current racquet/string setups: Rotated a lot of racquets this year including the Gravity Tour 98, TF305s, Ultra Pro 99, and the new Speed MP. I usually use Lynx Tour, PTP, Pure Rush, and Otoro around 46# and gut/poly at 53/50.

How many hours did you play with the racquet? 12

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: The Blackout felt great on groundstrokes. I was expecting a ton of power, but at the lower stock swingweight, I felt power was just average. The racquet felt amazingly stable and I had no problems with stability playing it stock against hard hitters. It was very neutral in launch angle and had above average spin. I could hit angles easily and dip groundstrokes in front of net players. The racquet didn't feel exceptionally whippy through the air compared to thinner beam racquets.

-Serves: Serves with the Blackout were excellent. I could hit flat serves down the T or body for free points. Flat serves were accurate. Spin for kick serves was above average similar to groundstrokes. I could bounce kick serves to chest / shoulder level. I think I still prefer a softer racquet for hitting kick serves, but this racquet's flat serves made up for the perceived lack of spin. I don't hit a lot of slice serves, but I thought slice serves were fine. I could dip a short angle slice and let the ball pull the receiver wide.

-Volleys: I had a lot of fun volleying with the Blackout. The racquet was stable and I could easily control angles with it. I was able to hit insane half-volleys with the racquet. My preference of softer sticks helps my drop volleys, but the Blackout was not bad in that department. Lobs off volleys were also easily controllable. The balance was spot on for the maneuverability. I did not have to add handle weight to the racquet. The stick was very quick through the air for volleys.

-Serve returns: The stability of the Blackout shines here. I could block, chip, slice, or hit regular returns easily. Chip returns were maybe a tiny bit anemic at the stock swingweight (319). Adding a bit of tip weight helped the power levels. With the stability it has, I was able to stretch on returns and still put a decent ball back into play.

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- I was expecting this to be a power racquet, but it had far less power than like an Ultra 99 Pro. Once I got the swingweight up to around 325, it felt great. There was plenty of power on serve. Groundstroke power felt less than expected. Control was above average. I had to rely on spin to keep things in. The string spacing looked smaller than a Gravity Tour 98.

Top Spin/Slice- Topspin was above average. I think I do prefer a shaped poly main to get even more spin (compared to gut/poly) just to get a little extra lift on the ball. Slices started out a little floaty, but I was able to dial that in eventually. I was able to finally keep slices low and biting.

Comfort- I was initially worried about comfort as I'm usually playing 60-65RA racquets and I have a sensitive arm. I did not have any arm discomfort playing with HyperG 1.25mm. The foam filling helps and it has that thud similar to the TF305s. On mishits, there was no significant jarring. The racquet felt forgiving with a good-sized sweet spot. I would not hesitate to keep playing full poly in this racquet.

Feel- I guess the foam gives it a slightly muted feel. I don't think it's as muted as an Ezone. I was able to do all sorts of touch shots with the racquet and it felt great when hitting in the sweet spot. I'd still prefer the TF305s feel over the Blackout v2 feel, but it's not far off.

Maneuverability- I was surprised at the balance of this version compared to the previous version. This definitely helped add racquet head speed, though I don't think the racquet felt very aerodynamic. The racquet felt very agile at net. I did not get a chance to tail weight this racquet to see if that helped increase maneuverability.

Stability- The racquet felt stable at the stock weight and even more so with a little tip weight. This was probably due to the thick beam? It felt like it magically was stable at the low static and swing weight. Of course, it's not like a Blade Pro, but I could appreciate the inherent stability it possesses. I did not think it needed any weight at the sides for my game.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:
I really enjoyed this play test. The Blackout v2 is very easy to use and performs well in many areas. As a 300g racquet, there's room to customize. Mine came in at 303g, 31.3cm and 287SW unstrung. I ended up adding 2g at 12 to get the swing weight up to 324-325. The racquet felt more potent after that. I think the Ultra Pro 99 still hits a bigger ball with the additional power, but the Blackout is far more well-rounded. I owned the Whiteout v1 many years ago and I think I'd prefer the Blackout v2 over it.

My final specs with OG were 325g, 32.3cm balance, 324SW.

I look forward to further customizing it with tail weight and the colored grommets at a later time.

Thank you Tennis Warehouse and Solinco for the opportunity to play test the Blackout v2!

 

[mogo]

My XTD was 314 with a fairway and no other mods. Granted, the fairway is pretty beefy as far as leather grips go.

I received one V2 XTD strung 312SW
Will test out tomorrow and then add lead tape to adjust.

 

[HypnoticLasagna]

Solinco Blackout v2 [Standard Length]
String and tension used for test: Confidential 1.25 (48lb) & Mach-10/Restring Sync (52/50lb)
Tennis experience/background: NTRP 4.0. Played for 20 years, mostly recreational and some USTA now.
Describe your playing style: Aggressive baseliner. 2HBH.
Current racquet/string setups: Solinco Whiteout v2 with either Mach-10/Tourbite (52/50lb) or Confidential (48lb)
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 15+ hours of singles and doubles matches and casual hits

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke:

-Groundstrokes:
I feel right at home with the blackout. It didn’t take much if any time to adjust to it coming from the whiteout. It is pretty easy to swing and you can hit with spin or hit flat, it is no problem for the blackout v2. I found that it was easy to get good depth on shots rallying from the baseline and it can hit some pretty crazy angles. The forgiveness of the stringbed has helped with off-center shots and those days where you have to play defense for the entire match.

-Serves:
Serving was very good with the BOv2. I had easy access to power and my serves were in control. For me, some frames trigger some elbow pain, but I have yet to experience any with the blackout. My flat serves got a little boost from this frame even though I have felt like I haven’t fully adjusted to serving with it yet. Kick serves had lots of shape and good bounce. [I will say my swing speed feels a bit slower than my WO as it feels like I am getting air resistance. But I have only tried serving with added weight so I will keep optimizing.]

-Volleys:
It’s so nice to volley with the blackout v2. Due to the stability power, volleys can easily go deep into the court. I found myself coming to the net more with the BO than I normally do as I feel like I have a bit more confidence. (Or maybe I am trying to be a Bryan brother) [I don’t hit many or any drop volleys, so I cannot comment there.]

-Serve returns:
Blackout is quick to maneuver so it definitely works well to return serves. I’ve used it against six different servers and have really trusted it to hit deep returns against them thanks to the power of the frame. The stability of the frame again shined here as it has the plow to return anything.

Power/Control-
There are days where I am looking for a more powerful frame than the WOv2. Moving into the BOv2 was a natural progression and provides the power boost I was seeking. I felt I was able to retain control over the ball despite the extra pop, but I had some accuracy loss with the BO… as expected (YMMV). The power is not over the top, and the frame is thankfully not a cannon. It definitely rewards the player when they get things right. I thought the BOv2 had an excellent balance of control and power for a marketed power frame.

Top Spin/Slice-
Top spin is an area where the BOv2 excels. Maybe it’s the open string bed or some magic inside the layup, but this frame can produce some serious spin. Hitting partners have mentioned bigger bounce that drives thru the court more than they are used to seeing from me. It has the tendency to look like it is going out, but it somehow always dips down in the line.

I have also seen what more technically inclined players are capable of with the BOv2, and just insane. Borderline unplayable. The ball just explodes after bouncing and there is no way to prepare for that.

Comfort-
I think this is an area where the BOv2 shines. It's not too stiff and it does have some flex. My struggle with some of the competitors is that they are too stiff and have no give to them, sometimes this hurts my arm depending on the setup. I haven't had any issues with the BO since it was released. After trying the BOv1 a few years ago, I didn't like the vibration in the handle when hitting. The updates with foam and the new layup really helped eliminate that from the experience.

Feel-
The racquet has a good feel as it is connected but is slightly damped from the foam filling. Racquet provides a good amount of feedback and can be adjusted to the player’s needs with the string selection.

Maneuverability:
The frame is plenty maneuverable and does not feel sluggish. It doesn’t cut thru the air as fast as say an Aero, but I don’t think this frame needs to. Stock or weighted up, this racquet can meet demands, even if you are late to the ball.

I demoed the XTD and found it to be slightly slower but wasn’t a burden to swing either.

Stability:
Amazing stability! I played it stock quite a bit at 283SW and the frame was plenty stable. I never felt the frame twisting or getting pushed around by the ball. Never any jarring sensation when hitting a volley or return on the outside of the string bed. With added mass, the frame was super solid.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This is truly an amazing racquet that I think more folks should check out, especially if playing with a Pure Drive, Ezone, or even an Aero. I think it is pretty versatile for many different playstyles and have seen many folks with it in my local community. I don't typically play with 100 sq inch frames as I have preferred 98s, but the BO may be converting me over. Out of the 100s I have tried: PD, Aero, Ezone, Axis, Pure Strike, Nova, Clash, and probably more, I have definitely felt most at home with the blackout v2. It is super fun to play with, extremely rewarding, and I am confident with it. I plan to keep using the BOv2 and see if it can unseat my trusty WOv2 as my racquet of choice.

Thank you for the Test, this one was a blast! I can’t wait to see what else Solinco has up their sleeves. Since I am here, and maybe they read this... I think the color orange is pretty cool.

 

[Boubi]

That's like saying the plates are too small at buffet.

If its too light just add weight as other suggested.

The spec was there and if not as heavy as you used to play then probably shouldn't even try at first place.

I don't like to customize racquets
I try for my pleasure and I did not like it, no drama

 

[DariaGT]

The guy from PH tennis says aero 2026 will have a new thinner mold and it plays really really well. So some hype there. If BO v2 does not replace my aero 98, maybe the 2026 version will.

Makes sense, PAVS/PA98 are the most refined versions of the 1988 OG PK Destiny which some had 24mm beams.
I asked Solinco to make a 100" version of the PAVS/PA98 using 21-24-23 mm in Chrome or heated Inconel like PJ
add a unique invasive Python skin leather grip by Solinco and call in the XO100. Id buy 1 just for my wall collection.