Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Tourna Tac XL Overgrip
Following is my review for Tourna Tac XL overgrip. I received the 3 pack in mail on Thursday. Used one for my hitting session that evening for a couple hours, on Friday for two and half hours, Saturday for an hour of drills, and today (Sunday) morning for practice/drills followed by a long, ardous match (3 hours total). The overgrip is pretty much done and I will be changing it in my next session. Not my usual usage but I played a lot of tennis in last few days. Racquet used was Babolat Pure Storm Tour with Babolat Skinfeel replacement grip.
Do you typically use an overgrip? If yes, which one do you use?
Yes. I always use an overgrip on both synthetic and leather replacement grips. My preferred overgrip is Wilson Pro. Not picky about colors.
Was the test grip easy to apply (any wrinkles during install, did the grip lay down nicely?)
Yes, fairly easy as I am used to wrapping overgrips. No wrinkles. I much prefer tapered end on one end though and this was not tapered (like all other Tournas). For Tourna types of grips, I alway cut slightly at an angle for a nice finishing look. Either way, was not that bothersome. Only took me maybe a minute extra to cut the finishing end and apply tape for a flush finishing look.
Was it sized appropriately (e.g., was it long enough? Too thick/Thin?)
Yes, it was sized appropriately. It was long enough and was wider than Wilson Pro. Thickness wise, it was thicker than Wilson Pro and Yonex Supergrap both. Comfortable and soft.
Level of tackiness (did your hand stick/slip too much?)
Very tacky. More tacky than Wilson Pro. It was more tackier in the beginning when it was fresh (tackiness was more similar to Tourna MegaTac than Wilson Pro). Same soft and spongy feel however. The tackiness became less and less after some vigorous usage.
Longevity of tackiness:
On par with Wilson Pro. White got dirty quicker than usual. I am weird, sometimes I don't sweat but sometimes I sweat buckets - I was sweating a lot last two sessions and maybe thats why it got dirty quicker. I can see it actually wearing out a lot from butt area where base of my palm rubs it. When I am playing aggresive tennis, Wilson Pro lasts about the same too.
Level of sweat absorption:
Pretty decent. I was sweating profusely last night (must be the cold I am trying to get over) and it felt good. Hands remained dry. It did not have the regular Tourna towel level of dryness but still. I played indoors however and real test will be outdoors.
Would you consider using this overgrip?
Sure. If it is offered at a good price point, definitely. It has all the attributes I like and it lasted the same to me as my usual overgrip. Price would be a deciding factor as I buy overgrips in bulk. I can overlook the packaging nuisance.
List any additional thoughts on the overall performance:
1. As mentioned above, one observation I have is that it was more tackier than Wilson Pro - but that became onpar with Wilson after maybe 15-20 mins of usage. After that, it was the same.
2. As some posters mentioned above, packing was a slight pain. The plastic film was hard to get off. If I was on court changing overgrips chances are I would get annoyed and the non tapered ends would bother me. Thankfully I get all my racquets ready before my tennis session at home so not a concern for me.
3. Personal preference but I like individually wrapped overgrips over a roll. Nothing big, but I feel it is less hassle. Just something I am used to. I also like tapered end on one side. I like finishing my grip with that tapered end for a cleaner finish without having to use scissors.
4. Performance wise it lasted me the same time as my usual overgrip (Wilson Pro). For me concern almost always is not the drop in tackiness but the grip actually starts wearing off actually deteriorating.
I would like to conclude my playtest by thanking Tennis Warehouse
@TW Staff for giving us equipment freaks chances like these to try out new things. Always much appreciated.