Tennis Warehouse: Solinco Racquet Playtest

[mad dog1]

oh man.. shot in the dark joke...

In 2007 they launched the video game "Crysis" which was a fantastic game but it was so intense that it would crash the computers due to advanced graphics.. so it became a benchmark of performance to test computers processing power and graphic cards etc... anything that would come out would be "ohh that's awesome but can it run crysis?" just a bad joke.. never mind..

here:

Crysis (video game) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

ok now that I completely derailed the thread I will show myself out.

Looking forward to all of your reviews. Racket does look pretty.

dunno if it can run Crysis, but i'm sure it can hit tennis balls!

 

[HypnoticLasagna]

Solinco Blackout 300

Strung specs (with no overgrip)
Static weight: 320g / 11.3oz
Strings: Volkl Cyclone Tour 1.30/Prince Diablo 1.30 @ 47/45# strung on an electronic constant pull machine
Swingweight: 318
Balance: 32.7cm / 12.875"
Buttcap: standard

Is this the hybrid setup you normally use?

 

[mad dog1]

Is this the hybrid setup you normally use?

I use it in my 2012 Pure Drive with great success.

 

[taylor15]

eventually put 2 g at 12 and 5g of silicone cubes under the trap door.

Tell me more about these silicone cubes

 

[djNEiGht]

Tell me more about these silicone cubes

I removed silicone from a racquet I didn't want it in anymore. I had tied cotton balls as the anchor to keep the silicone from going too far. When I decided I didn't want the silicone anymore, I pulled on the string and the silicone slid out. Staples were removed and I used an Awl to help separate the silicone from the walls of the racquet. In the end, I had about a square 1cm x 1 cm or so from each port after I cut off the bottom portion that cured with the cotton.

For the install into the Solinco, I put cotton again into the hairpin first. I pushed the silicone cubes in and closed the trap door.

 

[taylor15]

I removed silicone from a racquet I didn't want it in anymore. I had tied cotton balls as the anchor to keep the silicone from going too far. When I decided I didn't want the silicone anymore, I pulled on the string and the silicone slid out. Staples were removed and I used an Awl to help separate the silicone from the walls of the racquet. In the end, I had about a square 1cm x 1 cm or so from each port after I cut off the bottom portion that cured with the cotton.

For the install into the Solinco, I put cotton again into the hairpin first. I pushed the silicone cubes in and closed the trap door.

So in theory, one could make silicone cubes in maybe a silicone ice tray, and then use that for putting in handle.

 

[the_faceless_player]

So in theory, one could make silicone cubes in maybe a silicone ice tray, and then use that for putting in handle.

yes. I’ve made silicone cubes in ice cube trays lined with wax paper for years. Cut to weight and shape for the handle chamber and insert. I usually will still put some cotton ball in first just to block the chamber. Less tedious work than injecting silicone and much easier to remove.

 

[taylor15]

yes. I’ve made silicone cubes in ice cube trays lined with wax paper for years. Cut to weight and shape for the handle chamber and insert. I usually will still put some cotton ball in first just to block the chamber. Less tedious work than injecting silicone and much easier to remove.

Awesome!!

 

[djNEiGht]

So in theory, one could make silicone cubes in maybe a silicone ice tray, and then use that for putting in handle.

I thought about doing that too as I heard someone doing that. I had these cylindrical ice cube trays for my bicycle water bottles at one time but couldn't find them. I have these disposable shot glasses and thought about using those.

 

[djNEiGht]

yes. I’ve made silicone cubes in ice cube trays lined with wax paper for years. Cut to weight and shape for the handle chamber and insert. I usually will still put some cotton ball in first just to block the chamber. Less tedious work than injecting silicone and much easier to remove.

Nice. Haven't thought about wax paper to line the tray.

 

[warney]

I strung my whiteout with full bed of Velocity MLT (my test string before I go gut/poly) 16 @50/52. It came out to 319 grams. Swinging it at home I felt little too heavy in head so I ended up using 5gm module provided by Solinco. So current specs of Whiteout are 324 gm, 31.4 cm balance, singweight seems to be in mid 320 (No over grip).

I played 2 and half sets last night with White Out. Here are first impressions.
The launch angle is significantly higher than my normal setup (Dunlop CX200+ and Ezone 98+ with gut-poly). During warmup I was just trying to hit normal rally ball and it was landing within a foot of the baseline and had significant jump after the bounce. My partner commented on it right after 4-5 shots. I have one Dunlop CX200+ strung with Head Velocity and launch angle is low on that one.

During the set play, it seems like I played and won more points on my second serve. I missed quite a few flat first serves long. Kick serves were nasty. Last time I hit such good kick serves was when I demoed Pure Aero 2016 (4-5 years back).

On groundstrokes I preferred hitting safer shots. I was not trusting racquet to go full force. Slices were going in deep albeit not staying as low as I would like. Drop shots were surprisingly good (even when tried from not the best position in the court). Volleys were okay (but this is least developed part of my game, so I will defer judgement here until further testing). Heavy topspin players can get lot more out of this racquet.

I will hold judgement on racquet power until I use gut-poly.

I was winning in third set when we stopped (clearly better than my most first sessions with a new racquet).
I am going to cut the strings and restring at higher tension (same Velocity 16) with crosses about 4 pounds tighter than the mains for my next stringjob. I need to control the ball launch bit more to suit my normal play style.

 

[djNEiGht]

Kick serves were nasty. Last time I hit such good kick serves was when I demoed Pure Aero 2016 (4-5 years back).

I found good rhythm on my kickers too

 

[Vicious49]

My Whiteout showed up today. Their QC seems pretty good as mine is right on spec.
305 g
8pts HL
288 SW

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

Please post pictures of the whiteout when you can.

 

[warney]

Here are some pics. White paint has glossy finish until top 11 crosses and matt finish for rest of the racquet.

https://imgur.com/a/Aiq0Bdp

 

[mad dog1]

First hit with the Blackout so I wanted to briefly share my initial impressions. If you’re someone who likes the Babolat Pure Drives and Pure Aeros, you’re going to feel right at home with the Blackout. One of my favorite sticks is the PD12 with lead added from 8-10 on both sides of the frame to achieve a SW between 318-321 depending on string setups. Another one of my favorite sticks is the PA19 (mine are 319-322SW depending on string setups). I picked up the Blackout and there was no adjustment period necessary. The transistion was seamless with the SW of my Blackout at 318. My hitting session was 2.5 hours. I used the blackout for the entirety and only briefly grabbed the PD12 for 5-10 mins to compare. No adjustment needed. My partner and I rallied from the baseline. I took some volleys. Then we played some points alternating between serving and returning. If this had a Pure Drive paint job, i would have no trouble believing that it was a Babolat.

 

[Rentege]

If this had a Pure Drive paint job, i would have no trouble believing that it was a Babolat.

Does that include the propensity to wreck arms or did Solinco somehow manage to create Babolat playability while maintaining comfort (and feel???)?

 

[mad dog1]

Does that include the propensity to wreck arms or did Solinco somehow manage to create Babolat playability while maintaining comfort (and feel???)?

The Blackout has a 71RA but feels softer than that to me. Compared to my 2012 Pure Drives which are 69RA, the Blackout feels more comfortable. It’s definitely more dampened and more muted. Feel is closer to my 2019 Pure Aeros which are 67RA. I don’t have any issues with either the PD12 or PA19 though, but I feel the Blackout offers a more comfortable hitting experience. I did demo the 2021 Pure Drive on the TW demo court at Indian Wells and I would say the muted and dampened feel of the Blackout is more similar to that of the 2021 PD.

 

[mogo]

Solinco Blackout 300 (SBO 300)

Received Saturday and was so excited to get the chance to try this out. Currently my main stick is the Babolat Pure Aero plus. I like this frame as it is light and produces a lot of spin along with free power. I also hit with a Yonex HD and D which are significantly heavier, but for a majority I use the PA plus. I strung this frame with Solinco Hyper G 17 @ 42pds. This has been my setup for some time and I wanted to keep things the same. As pictured I have strips of lead tape at 3 and 9 on my PA plus. The first 15 minutes I used the same setup with the SBO 300 but I thought it slowed down the head when trying to add spin to the ball. I took off the lead tape and played with it at stock specs and it felt great. I did not have as high as a launch angle as I do with my PA plus but I did get free power and good control. I really liked the slice this frame had, the ball was low and had good bite. Directional control was the same as my PA plus. I did not get the chance to serve or use the added weight packs but plan on trying them soon. The SBO 300 was stable and very comfortable for me. This of course was my first hour with the frame so only time will tell, but I felt like this was a great transition frame and I was right at home hitting without adjustment to my strokes. Pretty much plug and play from the start. I really hope that the extended versions feel the same way! I am grateful to be able to review this stick and thank both Solinco and TW for the opportunity. I think that the strings are very similar to the PA frame as you can see in the picture provided. Stringing the SBO 300 was very easy as well, the grommets have big spacing so the string does not get stuck when pulling. Solinco added the rubber ring at the top of the grip which I like to use and not use tape to secure the overgrip.

Current specs strung and a Solinco overgrip are.
11.3 oz and 32.45 balance point which is pretty close to spec. From reading the other post, QC has been really good and this could set them apart on the market. Will update as I get more time on court.

 

[mad dog1]

Hit with @snoflewis Solinco Whiteout today…stock setup, no lead. Not sure what the exact specs are. Think snoflewis may have posted the specs above already. this, IMHO, is so similar to the PS98 Gen 3 and new TF40 16/19. It’s less muted, less dampened and more crisp feeling than the PS98 so the connection to the ball is better. Compared to the new TF40 16m, the whiteout feels more solid. I felt the TF40 had a hollow feel that many of the modern sticks seem to have. I really enjoyed hitting with the Whiteout a lot. Great stick!

 

[mad dog1]

Played both Saturday (1.5 hours) and Sunday (3 hours) with the Blackout 300 and happy to share that my impressions are still unchanged from the first hit. I find the Blackout to be more comfortable than my PD12s and a bit more comfy than my PA19s. The ball it hits is between that of my PD12 and PA19 according to @snoflewis. Launch angle is lower than the PA and higher than the PD12. I feel Solinco has really nailed it with these new sticks.

 

[snoflewis]

Had initial hits with both the Blackout 300 and Whiteout 305... these two are awesome rackets. very easy to pick up and play with both. both sticks are very comfortable to play with (not just relative to their RA). the whiteout does a great job retaining a crisp clean feel without feeling harsh at all. the bigger surprise was the blackout, which has a ginormous sweetspot and feels nothing like its 71 RA. these are more than worthy competitors to the babolat counterparts. full review on the whiteout to follow in the next several weeks.

 

[warney]

Played 2.5 hour over the weekend with Whiteout after restringing it with Velocity MLT 16 @52/55 and it reined in the ball launch I experienced with first stringjob. I had complete control on my shots at my normal hitting speed. I am surprised I gelled in so quickly with this racquet. Normally it takes me 5-8 hitting sessions to feel at home with any racquet.

 

[DJTaurus]

the power of whiteout with which racquets is comparable?

 

[mad dog1]

the power of whiteout with which racquets is comparable?

Pure strike 98

 

[taylor15]

I’m just staring out my window, waiting for a brown truck. You guys have got my excitement level up more than anything I’ve tried lately

 

[Vicious49]

I’m just staring out my window, waiting for a brown truck. You guys have got my excitement level up more than anything I’ve tried lately

 

[HypnoticLasagna]

I’m just staring out my window, waiting for a brown truck. You guys have got my excitement level up more than anything I’ve tried lately

I can wait for the truck on your behalf if you would like

 

[djNEiGht]

@taylor15 I'll ask any of the brown trucks pulling up to the dock if they know what's going on

 

[taylor15]

@taylor15 I'll ask any of the brown trucks pulling up to the dock if they know what's going on

No need, the eagle is in the hen house!

 

[taylor15]

Received my whiteout, was 306g unstrung. Didn’t get a chance to measure balance before I strung it with Kirschbaum Multifibre mains and evolution crosses at 56/52. Strung weight was 321 and right above 4pts HL by almost exact. Really great quality control! I’ll be adding a tournagrip and hitting the courts tomorrow.

 

[snoflewis]

Received my whiteout, was 306g unstrung. Didn’t get a chance to measure balance before I strung it with Kirschbaum Multifibre mains and evolution crosses at 56/52. Strung weight was 321 and right above 4pts HL by almost exact. Really great quality control! I’ll be adding a tournagrip and hitting the courts tomorrow.

Looking forward to your review!

 

[mad dog1]

Spent another 2 hours hitting with the Blackout. Still no change in my impressions. Able to seamlessly switch back and forth between my modded PD12 and the Blackout. By the end of the first hour or so, balls started landing a little long because the crosses had flattened out and the string bed wasn’t gripping the ball as well anymore. Looks like Cyclone Tour 1.30/Diablo 1.30 lasted about 8 hours which is a few hours longer than strings last in the PA and not quite as long as strings last in the PD12.

 

[mad dog1]

Solinco Blackout 300 has been restrung with Volkl Cyclone (black) 1.30/Prince Diablo 1.30 @ 47/45# on an electronic constant pull machine. Next hit is Thursday morning...

 

[ClaudTT]

Willing to test the Whiteout to compare to other player's rackets I have.
Don't know how to get into the playtests, please advise. Thanks.

 

[TW Staff]

@ClaudTT,

Playtest opportunities will pop up from time to time at the top of each forum (racquet, shoes and strings). There is typically a 1-3 day window where you can apply for the playtest (information for how to sign up will be in the first post). Racquet playtests happen every 1-2 months. String playtests are much more common as they happen 1-2 times a month. Once we close the application window, we will select playtesters between 6-15 for racquets and 10-20 for strings.

Here are some helpful hints for being selected:
Apply for string playtests first and leave detailed, thorough reviews. We generally have a larger amount of strings to send out for playtests and your chances are much higher of being selected. Additionally, it helps if you have a good history on the message board and are participating in a positive way especially in the shoe, string and racquet sections.

Hope that helps,
Brittany, TW

 

[Addxyz]

@CGTTT,

Yes, the racquet will come with the weighted butt caps (+5 and +10 grams) to customize.

Thanks,
Brittany, TW

Are only the play test racquets coming with the weights or do all retail racquets come with the weighted butt caps?

 

[TW Staff]

Addxyz,

The first 100 Solinco racquets purchased from TW came with a gift pack that included the weighted butt caps. However, we have sold through the gift packs as of last week. Going forward, the weighted butt caps will be sold separately.

Thanks,
Brittany, TW

 

[mad dog1]

Solinco Blackout 300 has been restrung with Volkl Cyclone (black) 1.30/Prince Diablo 1.30 @ 47/45# on an electronic constant pull machine. Next hit is Thursday morning...

More observations:
Had a 3 hour early morning session today. Blackout with Cyclone/Diablo plays well, but I think Cyclone Tour/Diablo is a little better. Still grooving with the Blackout in stock form. Have not found a need to change out the buttcap for a weighted one at all. I just got a 2015 Pure Drive and the string spacing on the Blackout is extremely similar. There are some very minor differences. As a result, I expected the two sticks to perform very similarly and they do. The PD15 offers a crisper feel while the BO is more dampened and comfortable.

 

[fullwesternforehand]

By when is the deadline for the review?

 

[taylor15]

Been playing the whiteout exclusively this week. Was able to measure strung SW with 17g multi/Poly and it’s 321.5. As light as the kirschbaum strings are that’s probably on point.

very impressed so far. Absolutely great stick. Going to get more hours stick and then add 10g buttcap to get balance where I like it

 

[datsveryinterestin]

I demoed the Whiteout on my own. Very firm which equals tons of first serve power. With hyperG it felt a bit brassy and not great for arm health. It felt nice and powerful on mid speed swings..but the faster i swung the harsher it felt and the ball sprayed all over.
It is a great serving racquet but the stiffness feels like 70+.
With a hybrid i could see it being good but i switched back to my vcore98 and appreciated the comfort immediately.

It feels close to Strike98 but just needs some refinement in the feel department. Definitely feels WAY firmer than 66ra to my elbow!

Still good to see more options in the racquet industry!

 

[HypnoticLasagna]

I demoed the Whiteout on my own. Very firm which equals tons of first serve power. With hyperG it felt a bit brassy and not great for arm health. It felt nice and powerful on mid speed swings..but the faster i swung the harsher it felt and the ball sprayed all over.
It is a great serving racquet but the stiffness feels like 70+.
With a hybrid i could see it being good but i switched back to my vcore98 and appreciated the comfort immediately.

It feels close to Strike98 but just needs some refinement in the feel department. Definitely feels WAY firmer than 66ra to my elbow!

Still good to see more options in the racquet industry!

I could not agree more. What string tension did you use?

 

[Vicious49]

I demoed the Whiteout on my own. Very firm which equals tons of first serve power. With hyperG it felt a bit brassy and not great for arm health. It felt nice and powerful on mid speed swings..but the faster i swung the harsher it felt and the ball sprayed all over.
It is a great serving racquet but the stiffness feels like 70+.
With a hybrid i could see it being good but i switched back to my vcore98 and appreciated the comfort immediately.

It feels close to Strike98 but just needs some refinement in the feel department. Definitely feels WAY firmer than 66ra to my elbow!

Still good to see more options in the racquet industry!

I could not agree more. What string tension did you use?

My arm hasnt felt anything and my Whiteout is strung with the 16g HyoerG that was provided. To me the WO feels firm yet soft at the same time. Theres zero harshness when I hit the ball.

The one issue I am having with my WO is that its lacking the plow through that I usually look for in a frame. Im going to try adding some lead to the hoop and counterweighting with the 5g buttcap before my next session.

 

[BallBasher247]

I demoed the Whiteout on my own. Very firm which equals tons of first serve power. With hyperG it felt a bit brassy and not great for arm health. It felt nice and powerful on mid speed swings..but the faster i swung the harsher it felt and the ball sprayed all over.
It is a great serving racquet but the stiffness feels like 70+.
With a hybrid i could see it being good but i switched back to my vcore98 and appreciated the comfort immediately.

It feels close to Strike98 but just needs some refinement in the feel department. Definitely feels WAY firmer than 66ra to my elbow!

Still good to see more options in the racquet industry!

Interesting findings. I think your preference is for muted frames; VCore & Strike are rlly muted and dampen almost all of the vibration from ball impact. Wout has foam filling which does that to an extent but still lets enough vib. thru for some players to “feel connected” to the ball, but if you have arm sensitivities or like a “thud” feeling w/o vib. Wout isn’t the stick for you. New Clash v2’s looking interesting esp. the 16x20 98/100 Pro; those will be super comfy.

 

[A_Instead]

2022 has been a new racket blitz so far and it's only 2 months in..
Clash 2.0 and Speed in days..and hopefully soon the updated Pure Aero that doesn't seem to get the attention..

 

[chrian]

Really interested with the weighted buttcap, does it fit other brands?

 

[StringStrungStrang]

Yes. @TW Staff stated in a different thread (can't seem to find it now), that the extended versions of both lines will be available later in the year.

I like extended length rackets and if given the choice would always use them. Would love to see how Solinco's stacks up. I'd like it if Babolat made extended length versions of the Pure Strike or Wilson the Pro Staff. They are not for everybody but they suit my game.

 

[Vicious49]

I wanted to give the WhiteOut a bit more oomph so I added 1.5g lead each at 3 and 9 and switched to the 5g buttcap to counterbalance. I was originally also going to add 1-2g at 12 but this already brought the SW up quite a bit. I'll give this a shot before modding further.
Stock with OG and dampener the specs were:
329g
32.5 balance
322 SW

After mods it changed it to:
336g
32.2 balance
328 SW

 

[mogo]

Added the 10 gram butt cap to the Blackout 300. Really like the feel it gives. It seems to help add spin from my perspective. Will continue to test out, but these caps are awesome to have and pretty easy to switch out.