Tennis Warehouse: Volkl V-Feel V1 Playtest
So a spark notes for my first time out with the V1 Pro
Overall, enjoyed round one! It's not the exact type of racquet I would usually gravitate towards, but it performs well so far and allows for big ground strokes and easy power
- Firm and responsive, but still confortable
- Good spin window, but I wouldn't call it above average
- It's more head heavy than I'm used to, which really allowed for easy depth and hard biting slices
- Racquet shined on defense for the afformentioned easy depth
- Didn't love the racquet at net, it didn't feel the most maneuverable, but it was very stable
Overall, enjoyed round one! It's not the exact type of racquet I would usually gravitate towards, but it performs well so far and allows for big ground strokes and easy power
. I would be doing a two piece.
@JordanWinning, after trying it stock for a bit, might want to try adding some weight to the handle. As someone who also is accustomed to more headlight rackets, I felt like that really made the V-Sense version work better for me.
Strung up the MP last night with Volkl SG and as @cluckcluck said, it's pretty straight forward in the string pattern. This too is more head heavy like the Pro that @JordanWinning has. Appears to be 2 pts HH unstrung...could be wrong. The paint job is nice @mpournaras but lets see how it survives life in a bag with other racquets and court time.
tipped the scales at 310ish with overgrip, volkl damp, and powerpads. The larger grommet holes makes me feel like this could be a string breaker. Will get my baseline feel with the SG then try a couple other strings that I'm familiar with before possibly adding weight. My wife shadow swung it and she liked the weight. I've been wanting to get her on a MP. She is currently hitting with a Prince DB Shark OS really well but it's something we might try out (going to a MP)
tipped the scales at 310ish with overgrip, volkl damp, and powerpads. The larger grommet holes makes me feel like this could be a string breaker. Will get my baseline feel with the SG then try a couple other strings that I'm familiar with before possibly adding weight. My wife shadow swung it and she liked the weight. I've been wanting to get her on a MP. She is currently hitting with a Prince DB Shark OS really well but it's something we might try out (going to a MP)
@volkltennis Tennis Warehouse #vfeelv1MPplaytest with #volklsyntheticgut strings for the baseline evaluation. Has that familiar volkl hoop shape, larger grommet holes and nice subtle graphics with a matte finish paint job. #tennisstringer
Have never hit with a V1 Pro... lots of time with the V1 Classic. How would a V1 Pro compare to a Dunlop 300 series frame or a Head Radical MP... Blade 16 x 19?
Thanks. I saw in one TW review of another model of the V1 Pro.. they strung it with a full bed of Cyclone 16G at 50 #s. Good place to start? I in general string a co-poly at 50/48 in my frames. Thanks!!
Thanks. I saw in one TW review of another model of the V1 Pro.. they strung it with a full bed of Cyclone 16G at 50 #s. Good place to start? I in general string a co-poly at 50/48 in my frames. Thanks!!
The Volkl racquets I've hit with were the PB10 MP, Melbourne, and London. I've strung some V1 Classics though. As for the comparison, I have the MP and not sure how much different it is from the Pro. Also I don't have experience with the Dunlop 300 and the Radicals I have are 18x20 MP or the Bumblebee / Blade 93.
This looks like a whole new adventure for me. What I'm hoping for is that it will have the volkl comfort. Light and somewhat thick beam frames aren't usually what I look for. However for long days of ball feeding this could work. I really don't want to relegate a frame just for that as I would like to play with it as well. I think this might help with rallying with students where I can have a slower swing. I rallied one time with a Prestige Microgel Mid with one of our better 10u students but had to step on the gas when using that racquet.
This looks like a whole new adventure for me. What I'm hoping for is that it will have the volkl comfort. Light and somewhat thick beam frames aren't usually what I look for. However for long days of ball feeding this could work. I really don't want to relegate a frame just for that as I would like to play with it as well. I think this might help with rallying with students where I can have a slower swing. I rallied one time with a Prestige Microgel Mid with one of our better 10u students but had to step on the gas when using that racquet.
I got my V1 MP late today. Really looking forward to this one because I have been using the Organix MP version for over five years. I have tried other V1 MP versions but none have stuck like the Organix. Going to use my normal string set up to start with which is Cyclone 18 at 52#s. Will string it up tomorrow on my Prince 3000 but we are about to get snow in the SE so may be few days before I get to hit with it. Look forward to comparing it to my Organix version. I really like the paint scheme. I think it is one of the better looking V1 rackets versus previous versions.
Got to play three sets of Dubs tonight with the Pro, so as promised, my running impression of the racquet with my newly acquired knowledge of the specs:
My arm is very picky about both arm and string, and I NEVER would have guessed thisbracquet has a 69 stiffness rating. It's comfortable but solid on contact. At the very tip of the racquet it's a bit harsh, but that's also not surprising and I really shouldn't be hitting the ball there anyway lol
- Serves like an absolute dream. The added mass in the head (as compared to PP100P) allows for heavy spin and the friendly sweet spot really feels nice when you crunch the ball
- This racquet is good at lots of thing (which I'll talk more about in just a second) but holy heck don't try a touch valley with it because it ain't happenin'
- This racquet is as "Point and Shoot" at the net as it gets. When I quit trying to play with touch and started just telling the ball where to go with the string bed, it was great
- Again, can't say how easy it was to get back in points with the effortless depth this racquet gives.
- Backhands are so easy with how the racquet comes through the strike zone. It feels to be a fair bit lower swing weight than my PP100P (later confirmed by TW stats), but the thicker throat and the relative HH balance make swinging effortless and rewarding
My arm is very picky about both arm and string, and I NEVER would have guessed thisbracquet has a 69 stiffness rating. It's comfortable but solid on contact. At the very tip of the racquet it's a bit harsh, but that's also not surprising and I really shouldn't be hitting the ball there anyway lol
The specs are up on TW for all the V1s and they look identical except a slight stiffness bump. 
IDK if this new layup material (v-cell) is supposed to make up for it. Have my MP strung up at 54-53 multi and will see how it hits tomorrow.
Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk
IDK if this new layup material (v-cell) is supposed to make up for it. Have my MP strung up at 54-53 multi and will see how it hits tomorrow.
Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk
Hit with the MP strung with Volkl SG at 55# last night against our 12u kids doing various drills and game scenarios. One drill that the kids like is where they get a pre-determined amount of ball feeds and try and beat the coach feeding from the service line or closer. We had two lines going with the other coach (deuce side) feeding with me (ad side). They really attack the ball especially when they get a chance to drill one through/past the coach.
I am not used to the lighter weight as well as the HH balance but was able to volley against the kids. Ball seems to be very lively off the bed and a bit of a challenge to soak up the ball for touch/drop shots. I hit the ball cart twice while rallying with the kids and the paint seems to be holding up well. I will look at it closer under some better lighting or the day time.
The string pattern isn't necessarily a tight pattern in the middle but also isn't the most open. From the baseline I noticed good control and zip off the string bed. Didn't really hit heavy top spin shots last night. The light weight got me thinking there might be lack of plow and stability. I'll try and keep an eye on that as I get to hit with strong players.
Towards the end of the night one of the stronger kids hit with it who normally hits with a Wilson Burn. I'm not sure which model. He was swinging away and was having a blast. He is usually one of the more vibrant kids in the group so his on court enthusiasm while hitting was normal. I'll ask him about it on the next class and see how he likes it.
I am not used to the lighter weight as well as the HH balance but was able to volley against the kids. Ball seems to be very lively off the bed and a bit of a challenge to soak up the ball for touch/drop shots. I hit the ball cart twice while rallying with the kids and the paint seems to be holding up well. I will look at it closer under some better lighting or the day time.
The string pattern isn't necessarily a tight pattern in the middle but also isn't the most open. From the baseline I noticed good control and zip off the string bed. Didn't really hit heavy top spin shots last night. The light weight got me thinking there might be lack of plow and stability. I'll try and keep an eye on that as I get to hit with strong players.
Towards the end of the night one of the stronger kids hit with it who normally hits with a Wilson Burn. I'm not sure which model. He was swinging away and was having a blast. He is usually one of the more vibrant kids in the group so his on court enthusiasm while hitting was normal. I'll ask him about it on the next class and see how he likes it.
I had demoed the V-Sense pro & mp about 2 mths ago and ended up buying the mp, so my initial comparisons of the newer V-feel mp is that it performs quite similar, but that it has a "cleaner" feel overall. Basically, just string connecting with ball. 
I'll be curious to see what the vibration # is for the frame.
This is my 1st impression from hitting around on my own today (team practice got cancelled)
I'll be curious to see what the vibration # is for the frame.This is my 1st impression from hitting around on my own today (team practice got cancelled)
When the thread is started, there are usually instructions to on emailing them with name, screen name, email, address. The applicants basically go into a selection process. Play testers are chosen through forum activity and previous play test report submissions. Keep a look out for the thread and apply ASAP.
What did you like best about the Organix? To me, that racket played the most old-school buttery of the bunch (not to say that it played like a classic racket). It seemed less stiff than its RA would indicate, while with the more recent models, they seem like stiffer frames that happen to be very comfy. I just couldn't get on with the original Organix's close to even balance.
But enough of what I think. Go play some tennis!
But enough of what I think. Go play some tennis!
Well, I have sad news to report about the V1 Pro. The High RA finally got to me tonight. After about five hours total with the racquet with the pro it really started to hurt my elbow tonight. I wasn't exactly taking advantage of the sweet spot admittedly, but even when I was tonight, the racquet felt very stiff.
I think the best comp I can come up with for this racquet is a more control oriented Pure Drive. That's not a negative at all, the Pure Drive tour is probably my second favorite racquet, but it's not exactly in the arm friendly family
I think the best comp I can come up with for this racquet is a more control oriented Pure Drive. That's not a negative at all, the Pure Drive tour is probably my second favorite racquet, but it's not exactly in the arm friendly family
Okay, so you preferred it to the others for reasons along the lines of what I said. Yeah, the new V1 Pro won't be what you're after. I think Volkl may have nudged it even more towards the Pure Drive realm as @JordanWinning just stated.
Hi:
Was hoping it would be softer.. Should not be an issue with my arm... I am not a fan of the Pure Drive. Lack of feel and control. I know the early versions of the V1 Pro tended to be much softer and played more like a players stick. If you look at the specs of the new one.. it is very close to a Pure Drive. The one I have will spec out about 11.4.. 4-5 points HL with overgrip. 16 x 19 and I am guessing 68-70 RA... thus a Pure Drive. Volkl does have a great handle system... so maybe that will help with feel. The beam is a bit thinner. Have to get out of my driveway and to a court to see. We are in the middle of a major winter storm.
Was hoping it would be softer.. Should not be an issue with my arm... I am not a fan of the Pure Drive. Lack of feel and control. I know the early versions of the V1 Pro tended to be much softer and played more like a players stick. If you look at the specs of the new one.. it is very close to a Pure Drive. The one I have will spec out about 11.4.. 4-5 points HL with overgrip. 16 x 19 and I am guessing 68-70 RA... thus a Pure Drive. Volkl does have a great handle system... so maybe that will help with feel. The beam is a bit thinner. Have to get out of my driveway and to a court to see. We are in the middle of a major winter storm.
@JordanWinning sorry to hear...
I did notice a decent amount of control even while using synthetic gut...
I did notice a decent amount of control even while using synthetic gut...