Solinco Blackout XTD Review Intro:
In full disclosure, I should mention that I had demoed this frame alongside the Whiteout XTD and the 2021 Pure Drive Plus about a month before the playtest. I had fully expected to prefer the Whiteout, but found myself gravitating towards the Blackout during my demo session. I didn't care for the demo string/tension, so I was extremely happy to be selected in order to play around w/ different strings. After I had completed my first 2 weeks of the playtest I modified the frame a little to make it a little closer to the specs I lean towards (and will write a 2nd review w/ my mods detailed).
Unstrung the frame came in at 302g and a balance of 11 1/2pts HL:
String and tension used for test:
- Laserfibre JB Tour 100 17g/1.25mm strung at 52lbs
Tennis experience/background:
Have been playing for over 45 years (am 54 yrs old). Played D3 college tennis, and have coached high school tennis, as well as assisted at my local club w/ junior clinics.
Describe your playing style:
Singles: A 4.5/5.0 level player who plays an aggressive baseline style. Two handed backhand, hitting fairly flat shots.
Doubles: Serve & volley off both serves, attacking returns and looking to get to the net.
Current racquet/string setups:
2021 Yonex VCORE 98 + w/ 1.25mm Laserfibre JB Tour 100 @ 52lbs
How many hours did you play with the racquet?
About 12 hours (and counting), with a mix of singles, doubles, and drilling w/ my usual doubles partner.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke:
In stock form the Blackout XTD really delivered on the forehand side. I was swinging ~ 90% of my "normal" swing (vs the VCORE 98), but was getting the same amount of pace, and a bit more spin. Angled forehands crosscourt seemed effortless.
On the backhand I felt it was a tad light, and I did feel I got pushed around a little against a couple of heavy hitters. However, when I had time to setup, I was still able to generate good pace & depth.
Overall, the frame did its best work when I was attacking. When I stepped in & played aggressive shots, I was able to push my opponents back, and control the court. Defending, for me, was good, but I felt like the lighter weight really hindered me when I was pushed back off the baseline. Something I think can be easily remedied w/ a little extra weight.
Initially the serve felt a little off. I was having issues generating pace, and the serves were just sitting there for my opponent (My first double match I played, I was broken in the first 2 service games). I think it was the difference in weight/swingweight from my VCOREs, and as I adjusted I was able to get the MPHs up there, even hitting a couple aces in the end. Directional control was effortless, and there was plenty of spin to bring 2nd serves in.
Obviously the extended length helps a bit on serves, but I've been using extended frames for the past 20+ years, so I'm used to the timing. Being only 5' 9", I need all the help the racquet can provide.
Being as light as it is I was surprised at how solid/stable it was at the net. While not a "scalpel", I was digging out low volleys effortlessly, and fending off body shots with ease. In singles I don't come to the net much, but in doubles its pure "serve & volley"/return attack the net style tennis, so I was getting a lot of work up at the net. Unlike most players I don't "choke up" on the handle at the net, so I can be vulnerable to quick reaction volleys at times, but this frame is very nimble and I found myself coming out on top for most net exchanges.
Additionally, the few overheads really felt nice. That is probably my weakest shot, but the extra power the frame provides allows me to focus on positioning and just making contact. The racquet will do the rest.
The return is my probably my "signature shot", especially off the backhand. Even off big servers I'm rarely more than 3-4ft behind the baseline, and am always moving forward attacking the return. On the forehand side the lighter weight allowed me to really take bigger cuts off the return. I never felt late or rushed, and was able to hand hard, flat serves as well as some heavy kickers. On the backhand side, similarly to the groundstrokes, I felt on occasion I was not as stable driving though a heavy serve. But again, given time to setup, I did hit some nice drives, dipping them low at my opponent's feet.
Overall Racquet Performance
While billed as a power frame, I didn't feel as if it was 'off the charts' power. Definitely in the 'controlled power' category, and more power than my VCORE 98 +. As mentioned before, I felt that off the ground a 90% swing generated about the same pace as a full swing w/ my other frame. I think most of the "perceived" control comes from the added spin.
I'm not a huge topspin player, but I definitely felt there was more spin than w/ my VCOREs. The angles I hit, especially off the forehand, would have most definitely gone wide if not for the Blackout's added spin. Slice was good when defending, but I felt as if I floated a few too many when used as an approach shot.
I'm lumping these two together as I think they go hand-in-hand. Like many "modern" frames, the Blackout has a vibration dampening system, which gives it a bit of a muted feel. Luckily for me, I really like that kind of feel, and so had no issues w/ comfort. I'd also say it's a "crisp" feeling frame, but not nearly as stiff as the 70RA would suggest. I played multiple back-to-back days, and had no arm/shoulder/wrist pain to speak of.
- Maneuverability/Stability
Again, lumping these two together. The Blackout is extremely maneuverable, especially at the net. Don't even need to add the "for an extended racquet" qualifier. I was never late on a volley, even when getting drilled at by a solid 5.0. It's headlight balance and low swingweight (and here's the "for an extended racquet" qualifier) allow me to bring it around on the forehand side with no issues, but as mentioned before, the backhand could feel a bit "off". For me this has always been a catch-22: If it's really stable on the forehand, the backhand feels a little too light & wobbly. But if it's solid off the backhand, the forehand can seem a little sluggish. For my playing style, this frame falls into the former category. Luckily, that also gives me a little room to work with when it comes to customizing: I can add a little lead here & there until the backhand feels solid/stable, and hope that I didn't go past the "point of no return" on the forehand side.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
Overall this frame gets an A+ from me. If I didn't know better, I'd say the design engineers have been perusing the forums here: Aesthetically, it's a beautiful frame: Simple black, but a mix of gloss & flat black, with silver lettering and few accents here & there. As an added bonus, pretty much any color string looks good in it (I had silver, purple, and florescent green). Really a sleek looking frame. Stringing was a breeze: No blocked holes, and tieoffs were close to the last grommet.
Here were my measurements unstrung, strung, and strung w/overgrip & dampener:
| Static weight | Balance | Swingweight |
Unstrung | 302g | 11 1/2 pts HL | |
Strung | 317g | 8 1/2 pts HL | 320 |
Grip & dampener | 326g | 9 pts HL | 324 |