TW Racquet Reviews

[1stVolley]

I thought it would be interesting to get your opinions about the usefulness of TW's racquet reviews. Specifically, do you find that their opinions are confirmed when you demo or buy the racquet in question? Do you think their current numerical grading system is good or should something else replace it?
Personally, I've found these reviews somewhat helpful. That is, sometimes my experience agrees with their consensus, but other times no. Two of the categories I find the most divergence between their evaluation and my experience are spin and slice. I can't say that my spin and slice results are either consistently greater or lesser than the TW evaluation.

 

[High Lama]

I think they are useful however some of the play testers are better than others at reviewing. You have to take it with a grain of salt since they have there own preferences.

Brittany is a strong player but has a preference for very light racquets. Anything over 11 ounces strung and she claims the racquet cannot be swung. Mark’s video reviews are very different from his written reviews. He never gives racquets bad video reviews but is much more critical in the written reviews. Chris hardly ever gives anything a bad review. I can only think of the tour g 330, 95d and pro staff 97 with CV he didn’t like. Michelle prefers stiff heavy racquets so something like a Yonex Vcore 95 will get a bad review from her. She is not a gear head like the others and doesn’t go into much detail. She did have a point about the Vcore 330 new string pattern. I was disappointed when yonex discontinued the 16x20 for the 330s and was happy one of the play testers felt the same way. Andy was a bit too critical giving out 5 and 6 to racquets that weren’t that bad. Troy is perfect.

As far as spin and slice. The more open pattern racquets have more spin and dense pattern have less. I’ve never had trouble generating spin with racquets. The strings play a much larger role with spin in my opinion. The racquets that are heavy, head light and thin beamed get the highest scores for slice.

 

[BBM]

From personal experience, when you're in "performance" racquet territory, they are all great.. They're just different, and it's all a matter of taste. I think the reviews are nice to watch, but the main problem I have is that they don't do the best job out there linking the racquet to a specific game style. I don't think saying it's great for "baseliners" or "net rushers" is enough. There's much more to it, and from experience I find that the review alone is not enough to predict whether I'll like the racquet or not. For that, I've had better experience with Tennisnerd. He does a better job comparing racquets to other (often popular) racquets, which makes it a little easier to relate.

Also, I think they're overly biased towards positive.. It's a bit of a conflict of interest since they're also retailers. For example, they all gave great reviews for the TF40 with not much to dislike about it. Same happened with the Prince TT310, which is a completely different stick. Granted it was different people reviewing them, but I can't really make a decision based on that if everyone is loving them both, and there's no example of where these racquets would not fit the user.

I still really enjoy watching the reviews though.

 

[teitat]

I think they are fun to watch but I dont really latch on to some of the smaller details. They are really useful to gauge the big characteristics of racquets. E.g. Pure Aero = spin, Phantom = comfort + control, Pro Staff = stable + precision. However, I wouldn't worry too much about preferences like "I like a little more pop on the serve" or "I like a little more mobility at the net" unless all the testers share the sentiment.

 

[zipplock]

I enjoy watching them, but they are subjective. The comment I tend to ignore is "small sweet spot". I've tried too many racquets that are designated as having a small sweet spot and experienced the opposite. Phantom 97 is the most recent I can think of.

 

[TennisHound]

They’re reviews are fine, but you can subtract about 5 points from their Babolat reviews.

 

[1stVolley]

From personal experience, when you're in "performance" racquet territory, they are all great.. They're just different, and it's all a matter of taste. I think the reviews are nice to watch, but the main problem I have is that they don't do the best job out there linking the racquet to a specific game style. I don't think saying it's great for "baseliners" or "net rushers" is enough. There's much more to it, and from experience I find that the review alone is not enough to predict whether I'll like the racquet or not. For that, I've had better experience with Tennisnerd. He does a better job comparing racquets to other (often popular) racquets, which makes it a little easier to relate.

Also, I think they're overly biased towards positive.. It's a bit of a conflict of interest since they're also retailers. For example, they all gave great reviews for the TF40 with not much to dislike about it. Same happened with the Prince TT310, which is a completely different stick. Granted it was different people reviewing them, but I can't really make a decision based on that if everyone is loving them both, and there's no example of where these racquets would not fit the user.

I still really enjoy watching the reviews though.

I especially agree with you about Tennisnerd's reviews. The only problem with them is that usually he's the only reviewer so if your own technique and style doesn't line up with his, the report's utility is diminished.

 

[BBM]

I especially agree with you about Tennisnerd's reviews. The only problem with them is that usually he's the only reviewer so if your own technique and style doesn't line up with his, the report's utility is diminished.

If you DM him describing your game (or even with a short clip), tell him what you don’t like about your racquet, and what you do like about your racquet, he does a really fine job of recommending something else!

It’s only fair to pay for his consultation services, but he usually doesn’t deny a quick response to a comment or DM if it’s something simple.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Khoiifish]

I think with Tennis Warehouse reviews as mentioned by many here, you really have to read between the lines. One of the main questions that get asked on videos is if the newer version is better than the old, and playtesters reply "this is different blah blah, BUT it should be an easy transition". This immediately tells me that it's not better than the previous version and in fact, it might be worse in their opinion. The general vibe of the video when they love a racket it is quite obvious as they are overly positive compared to a racket they deem okay, which generates generic comments and remarks about the racket's performance.

Also, consider obvious factors like did the playtester consider switching to it? What is it like versus their current setup? And it's best to parallel your playstyle to a playtester, to see what they specifically had to say about it and read in between their lines.

Chris - Slice and dice, smart play with net approaches.
Michelle - Aggressive Flat baseliner
Julie - Aggressive Heavy Topspin baseliner
Troy - I don't know how to describe but he's more akin to heavy setups and doesn't hit with extreme Racket head speed
etc.

 

[Deleted member 768841]

I gave up on em when I heard the Clash was “Control”... I mean, come on. That’s like saying “if you use top spin, the pure drive is a control frame”

 

[McGradey]

I really enjoy the reviews as a rough guide. I pay the most attention to Troy's comments as I find his analysis the most relatable and practical.

On the downside, I'll admit that I bought the Pure Strike P17 largely off the back of the glowing review on TW, only to find that while it was awesome in some respects, it gave off some harsh vibrations and using it gave me a nasty case of tennis elbow after a few weeks. When I did some digging online, I found many people with similar concerns about this particular racquet. IIRC the review gave that racquet a top comfort score. Now, of course the racquet isn't the only contributing factor to TE, but if a racquet is firm enough to gather a reputation in the community as being risky for the elbow, it would be reassuring to see that addressed in the review somehow. Tennisnerd is good at doing this.

 

[Khoiifish]

I really enjoy the reviews as a rough guide. I pay the most attention to Troy's comments as I find his analysis the most relatable and practical.

On the downside, I'll admit that I bought the Pure Strike P17 largely off the back of the glowing review on TW, only to find that while it was awesome in some respects, it gave off some harsh vibrations and using it gave me a nasty case of tennis elbow after a few weeks. When I did some digging online, I found many people with similar concerns about this particular racquet. IIRC the review gave that racquet a top comfort score. Now, of course the racquet isn't the only contributing factor to TE, but if a racquet is firm enough to gather a reputation in the community as being risky for the elbow, it would be reassuring to see that addressed in the review somehow. Tennisnerd is good at doing this.

Oh man 100% this though, I do remember being quite salty since this is exactly me as well. I loved my projectone7 and when my elbow started to niggle, I was just like what??? Especially since I'm a pretty young player. People say stuff like oh it's your technique but I feel like you're gonna be slightly arming the ball on some desperate shots at high levels where it is fast-paced. Then I read customer reviews of the racket and so many people were voicing elbow pain concerns. So I switched to a blade v7 16x19, it's awesome but I do miss the slight edge in free power the pure strike gave me.

 

[Deleted member 768841]

Oh man 100% this though, I do remember being quite salty since this is exactly me as well. I loved my projectone7 and when my elbow started to niggle, I was just like what??? Especially since I'm a pretty young player. People say stuff like oh it's your technique but I feel like you're gonna be slightly arming the ball on some desperate shots at high levels where it is fast-paced. Then I read customer reviews of the racket and so many people were voicing elbow pain concerns. So I switched to a blade v7 16x19, it's awesome but I do miss the slight edge in free power the pure strike gave me.

Yup, reading the review the 18/20 sounds like the Jesus racquet. I hope Babolat moves towards lower stiffness ratings.

 

[mctennis]

I have not seen any reviews were they just didn't like the racquet they were reviewing. Makes me wonder if they are slanted with their reviews, I REALLY hope not. I've demoed some of the racquets they really liked and did not like them at all. Not all racquets play good for all players I understand that. I just would like to hear them say , for once, "this is not a very good playing racquet for me".

 

[PT280 Fan]

I have not seen any reviews were they just didn't like the racquet they were reviewing. Makes me wonder if they are slanted with their reviews, I REALLY hope not. I've demoed some of the racquets they really liked and did not like them at all. Not all racquets play good for all players I understand that. I just would like to hear them say , for once, "this is not a very good playing racquet for me".

Agreed. I regard these reviews a lot like fluff journalism. I have a really hard time knowing where these people stand most of the time as there is so much equivocating going on. And like commercial movie and music reviews, the blockbuster releases always get the most favorable reviews. I'm most inclined just to cut to the hard facts, i.e., weight, stiffness, swing weight etc., and ignore the noise from a bunch of corporate tennis nerds.

 

[Deleted member 768841]

Agreed. I regard these reviews a lot like fluff journalism. I have a really hard time knowing where these people stand most of the time as there is so much equivocating going on. And like commercial movie and music reviews, the blockbuster releases always get the most favorable reviews. I'm most inclined just to cut to the hard facts, i.e., weight, stiffness, swing weight etc., and ignore the noise from a bunch of corporate tennis nerds.

Their reviews of some Babolat racquets have been interesting in terms of the kindness, same goes with Wilson. Reading their review on the pure drive, it’s very interesting, they had to be pushed to the absolute extreme of power to say that maybe this doesn’t have the perfect blend of control (tm)

I would like to add that I do appreciate that they do all the reviews they do,because if not I wouldn’t have info on racquets I’ve never used.

 

[mctennis]

cut to the hard facts, i.e., weight, stiffness, swing weight etc.

Bingo, that is what I look at the most. Watching the reviews are nice but I look at the specs more than anything else. If it is in my spec wheelhouse then I will give it a second look and perhaps a demo.

 

[stephenpinkus]

They are helpful except they have a bias toward Prince - they apparently own the brand. Furthermore they never published the review of the Volkl VSense V1 MP although it was play tested and based on comments of the testers that appeared on the message board, it was very well received. The excuse TW gave was that would not be cost effective to do the video.

 

[1stVolley]

I enjoy watching them, but they are subjective. The comment I tend to ignore is "small sweet spot". I've tried too many racquets that are designated as having a small sweet spot and experienced the opposite. Phantom 97 is the most recent I can think of.

That's a strange phenomenon, Zipplock. You would think that the sweet spot is strictly a function of the racquet design and is independent of the user.

They are helpful except they have a bias toward Prince - they apparently own the brand. Furthermore they never published the review of the Volkl VSense V1 MP although it was play tested and based on comments of the testers that appeared on the message board, it was very well received. The excuse TW gave was that would not be cost effective to do the video.

My understanding is that TW has an exclusive marketing arrangement with Prince Tennis so that, in North America, they are the sole distributors. Prince Tennis is owned by Authentic Brands Group.

 

[High Lama]

They won’t call out racquets for their comfort issues since it’d be a hard sell. In their defense, I don’t think any playtesters aside from maybe Tiffany have ever had any arm problems. I know Chris hurt his shoulder at some point and had to change to an abbreviated serve motion.

Michelle plays with a stiff racquet strung with a thick stiff string (luxilon savage) at 58 pounds so if that doesn’t destroy your arm none of the playtest racquets will. Most of the reviewers use stiff setups also.

 

[1stVolley]

They won’t call out racquets for their comfort issues since it’d be a hard sell. In their defense, I don’t think any playtesters aside from maybe Tiffany have ever had any arm problems. I know Chris hurt his shoulder at some point and had to change to an abbreviated serve motion.

Michelle plays with a stiff racquet strung with a thick stiff string (luxilon savage) at 58 pounds so if that doesn’t destroy your arm none of the playtest racquets will. Most of the reviewers use stiff setups also.

I believe Jason has mentioned arm/wrist problems in the past. Yes, it's amazing that Michelle hasn't had arm problems using that stiff RF97A with a full bed of poly at a high tension. She hits so hard and flat that a high tension poly is the only setup she could probably use unless she switched to a really low powered stick.

 

[Deleted member 768841]

They are helpful except they have a bias toward Prince - they apparently own the brand. Furthermore they never published the review of the Volkl VSense V1 MP although it was play tested and based on comments of the testers that appeared on the message board, it was very well received. The excuse TW gave was that would not be cost effective to do the video.

For real?! That’s crazy! Thanks for the insight

 

[TW Staff]

Thanks for the comments. We are always looking for feedback so if anyone would like to see anything changed or different in reviews, please let us know!

We try to give the best feedback possible so we can to help customers choose the right racquet. There have definitely been racquets/shoes that have tested well and some that have tested poorly but for the most part there are a lot of really good racquets out on the market. Racquet like the Pure Strike ProjectOne7 or TF40 305 that tested extremely high, we actually had multiple playtesters switch to those racquets as their racquet of choice. We have had racquets test poorly as well (Gamma RZRs are the first that pop in my mind but there have been others). Additionally, we try to match playtesters with racquet specs in their wheelhouses to set the racquets up for success. We wouldn't put Troy or Michelle on an 11 ounce racquet as they prefer heavier racquets.

I also wanted to clear a couple things up. We do not own Prince. As another user mentioned, we are the US licensee/distributor of the brand. It is owned by Authentic Brands Group.

Also, regarding not publishing some reviews, you can check out my full answer here (the TW playtesters did not test the V1 MP so there was not any review to be published): https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/prince-vs-volkl.660738/#post-14003508

As always we love hearing from you guys and always happy to help if you have any additional questions!

Thanks,
Brittany, TW

 

[SteveI]

I love the reviews. The TW folks really seem to enjoy doing them. I might off myself if I had to do so many.. .

You have to know each player's likes and dislikes about frame and strings and take that into account when trying to get an accurate read on their scoring.

They are super professional and very skilled.

BTW... Brittany ... are you going to do an OUT TAKE video soon. The last one was so funny.

Is it possible to post the links to previous ones. All of us Talk Tennis fans would love to see them again. Thanks Brittany!

SteveI

 

[High Lama]

Personally, I’d rather listen to Tiffany review than RF 97 than hear Mark talk about being a boy and not a man blah blah.

 

[TennisHound]

Thanks for the comments. We are always looking for feedback so if anyone would like to see anything changed or different in reviews, please let us know!

We try to give the best feedback possible so we can to help customers choose the right racquet. There have definitely been racquets/shoes that have tested well and some that have tested poorly but for the most part there are a lot of really good racquets out on the market. Racquet like the Pure Strike ProjectOne7 or TF40 305 that tested extremely high, we actually had multiple playtesters switch to those racquets as their racquet of choice. We have had racquets test poorly as well (Gamma RZRs are the first that pop in my mind but there have been others). Additionally, we try to match playtesters with racquet specs in their wheelhouses to set the racquets up for success. We wouldn't put Troy or Michelle on an 11 ounce racquet as they prefer heavier racquets.

I also wanted to clear a couple things up. We do not own Prince. As another user mentioned, we are the US licensee/distributor of the brand. It is owned by Authentic Brands Group.

Also, regarding not publishing some reviews, you can check out my full answer here (the TW playtesters did not test the V1 MP so there was not any review to be published): https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/prince-vs-volkl.660738/#post-14003508

As always we love hearing from you guys and always happy to help if you have any additional questions!

Thanks,
Brittany, TW

We appreciate all you do

 

[BBM]

Thanks for the comments. We are always looking for feedback so if anyone would like to see anything changed or different in reviews, please let us know!

We try to give the best feedback possible so we can to help customers choose the right racquet. There have definitely been racquets/shoes that have tested well and some that have tested poorly but for the most part there are a lot of really good racquets out on the market. Racquet like the Pure Strike ProjectOne7 or TF40 305 that tested extremely high, we actually had multiple playtesters switch to those racquets as their racquet of choice. We have had racquets test poorly as well (Gamma RZRs are the first that pop in my mind but there have been others). Additionally, we try to match playtesters with racquet specs in their wheelhouses to set the racquets up for success. We wouldn't put Troy or Michelle on an 11 ounce racquet as they prefer heavier racquets.

I also wanted to clear a couple things up. We do not own Prince. As another user mentioned, we are the US licensee/distributor of the brand. It is owned by Authentic Brands Group.

Also, regarding not publishing some reviews, you can check out my full answer here (the TW playtesters did not test the V1 MP so there was not any review to be published): https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/prince-vs-volkl.660738/#post-14003508

As always we love hearing from you guys and always happy to help if you have any additional questions!

Thanks,
Brittany, TW

Wow thanks for taking your time to read over this and reply, it's amazing that you guys do this! To be clear I love your reviews and am addicted to watching them.

But let me try to use the TF40 as an example to what I think doesn't work...

I wonder if most people watching realize how much more advanced Julie's game (and to a lesser degree Erik's) are, when compared to Jason's or Tiffani's. They shouldn't all be liking the same racquet. I can understand (and clearly see from the video) how the first two can reap the benefits of a classic players frame with that much SW, handle a more head heavy balance, hit consistently with a small head size (true 95) and get spin and depth from a tight 18x20. With all due respect to them, I cannot understand how Jason or Tiffani would be able to consistently play well with that racquet... both relative to Julie or Erik, or relative to another kind of racquet that favors shorter swings and spin. After watching the review and hearing them all speak, it seems like this is a great racquet for everyone. It's really easy to see straight from the specs that it's not. I miss having a more down to earth, honest review that matches the level of play. It's ok for Tiffani to appreciate that racquet, but I don't think it's ok for her not to say that for someone whose game is closer to hers, this is more than likely not the best option out there (don't mean to pick on her, I see this case repeated elsewhere).

We need to remember that most viewers probably:
a) Don't have the fitness level to get to every shot well ahead of time over the course of an hour of play
b) Don't have a full swing and super extended follow-through
c) Don't hit the sweetspot that consistently
While this description seems like a nightmare, it is what it is, and that's the reason a lot of people rely on modern tweeners.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that the reviews are generally really good for someone who is a super advanced player, but do a suboptimal job of exposing the shortcomings of each racquet if technique/fitness are not fully there. That's how I found my way to a ProjectOne7 only to have to sell it later due to a lot of shoulder pain and tennis elbow. It's a great stick, but probably not one you should be missing around with if you're under a 5.0 level and/or prone to injuries...! It's totally my fault but I wish I knew that going into it, since other racquets worked out fine up to then.

 

[TW Staff]

Of course! We are always happy to help and clarify anything you need. Our main goal is to help you find a racquet that works best for you. If after you watch/read a review and still have questions, we have a racquet expert line you can call in to or simply post a question in our comments/questions section (you can even direct it to a specific playtester) and we are more than happy to help.

I could go into a lot of detail but I decided to keep it simple. We try to do our best to guide you in the right direction to find your perfect racquet. There are some guidelines we can give based on age, game style, level etc but it will ultimately come down to personal preference. And that's the beauty of having so many awesome racquets on the market. For someone like Jason, who has had elbow issues in the past, he didn't have any with the ProjectOne7 but he will mention it in a racquet review if he feels anything during play. He has used the Pure Strike racquet for multiple years now without any issues. Tiffani is a big fan of 18x20 racquets and has used the Prince Textreme Tour 100P for the last five years. She actually preferred the TF40 305 over the TFlash 300 she was also playtesting (which you would think is a racquet more suited for her game style). Whereas Chris used the TFlash 300 for a couple years even though he is a big fan of classic feeling racquets (smaller head size, heavier, etc). I guess my point is that there is no exact rules when it comes to liking a racquet.

We try our best to give our most honest opinions and we hope our reviews help guide you but nothing beats getting out on the court and demoing a racquet for yourself. That being said, we are trying to improve as well. One thing we are doing is looking to expand our reviews to cater towards more beginner to intermediate level players so look for that in the future.

Thanks,
Brittany, TW

 

[n8dawg6]

i find the reviews very useful, even more so when you know the level/playing profile of the tester. now, all yall need is a ubiquitous “3.5/4.0” rec hack playtester (i am available)

 

[Alexh22]

Tw reviewers stand out from many others because they actually know how to play plus they also used many models from the same line.

 

[teitat]

Of course! We are always happy to help and clarify anything you need. Our main goal is to help you find a racquet that works best for you. If after you watch/read a review and still have questions, we have a racquet expert line you can call in to or simply post a question in our comments/questions section (you can even direct it to a specific playtester) and we are more than happy to help.

I could go into a lot of detail but I decided to keep it simple. We try to do our best to guide you in the right direction to find your perfect racquet. There are some guidelines we can give based on age, game style, level etc but it will ultimately come down to personal preference. And that's the beauty of having so many awesome racquets on the market. For someone like Jason, who has had elbow issues in the past, he didn't have any with the ProjectOne7 but he will mention it in a racquet review if he feels anything during play. He has used the Pure Strike racquet for multiple years now without any issues. Tiffani is a big fan of 18x20 racquets and has used the Prince Textreme Tour 100P for the last five years. She actually preferred the TF40 305 over the TFlash 300 she was also playtesting (which you would think is a racquet more suited for her game style). Whereas Chris used the TFlash 300 for a couple years even though he is a big fan of classic feeling racquets (smaller head size, heavier, etc). I guess my point is that there is no exact rules when it comes to liking a racquet.

We try our best to give our most honest opinions and we hope our reviews help guide you but nothing beats getting out on the court and demoing a racquet for yourself. That being said, we are trying to improve as well. One thing we are doing is looking to expand our reviews to cater towards more beginner to intermediate level players so look for that in the future.

Thanks,
Brittany, TW

Thank you for actually reading these critiques. It really shows us how much you care, and is what makes the TW videos so endearing.
Personally, I have been enjoying the concrete datas comparing the performances of the racquet in review with the tester's preferred racquet that are included in some recent review videos like the Graphene 360+ Speed Pro review.For example, "good spin" becomes easier to understand when you see that the tester is getting 200 more RPM with the racquet than their preferred racquet.
I would love to see more applications of data like this, maybe with more collaboration with the TWU folks. You could compare the stats to a previous version, or between racquets of the same family, or even compare to some racquets with notoriously extreme properties (Pure Drive's power, Pure Aero's spin, Pro Staff's precision..etc)

 

[mctennis]

I enjoy the reviews and how you use the number system for each category ( spin, feel, serve, control, plus the specs). It makes is a lot easier to narrow down what to demo or buy. The reviews currently helps with the number system giving a total at the end. TY TW and staff.

 

[McGradey]

Thanks for the responses TW Staff, you guys all seem like a great bunch

 

[Deleted member 766578]

I use the rating system as a gauge on whether to try the racquets, after analysing the specs

My personal gauge from current (total ratings) is kind of like this:

83-85: May be only geared towards more specific play styles, so I will heavily consider specs and cosmetics, but if wide pool of testers, potentially just not a great racquet overall
85-86: Worth looking at, if I like the way it looks and if it's the specs are in my range, probably could be good if customized
87-88: Peaks my interest in giving it a demo or buying one and spending some time with it before I decide to sell it off
89+: Anomaly, from recent reviews, only the PS17 got higher than 88, so anything above 88, would be really eye catching just because of the clout

If I have multiple racquets in similar rating ranges and I have to decide, I will dive into the individual ratings, and i will compare each individual player testers rating on certain features, whilst considering their levels, and then compare that to racquet vs racquet

Surely not the most trustworthy system, but all this is a hobby anyway and I have fun looking at a number of racquets

 

[Deleted member 768841]

I use the rating system as a gauge on whether to try the racquets, after analysing the specs

My personal gauge from current (total ratings) is kind of like this:

83-85: May be only geared towards more specific play styles, so I will heavily consider specs and cosmetics, but if wide pool of testers, potentially just not a great racquet overall
85-86: Worth looking at, if I like the way it looks and if it's the specs are in my range, probably could be good if customized
87-88: Peaks my interest in giving it a demo or buying one and spending some time with it before I decide to sell it off
89+: Anomaly, from recent reviews, only the PS17 got higher than 88, so anything above 88, would be really eye catching just because of the clout

If I have multiple racquets in similar rating ranges and I have to decide, I will dive into the individual ratings, and i will compare each individual player testers rating on certain features, whilst considering their levels, and then compare that to racquet vs racquet

Surely not the most trustworthy system, but all this is a hobby anyway and I have fun looking at a number of racquets

The one that really caught my eye was the stability on the blade v7 18/20 being 91. That’s pretty high praise, I kinda agree, I for some reason like the balance of the stock 18/20.

 

[jmacdaununder2]

Thank you for actually reading these critiques. It really shows us how much you care, and is what makes the TW videos so endearing.
Personally, I have been enjoying the concrete datas comparing the performances of the racquet in review with the tester's preferred racquet that are included in some recent review videos like the Graphene 360+ Speed Pro review.For example, "good spin" becomes easier to understand when you see that the tester is getting 200 more RPM with the racquet than their preferred racquet.
I would love to see more applications of data like this, maybe with more collaboration with the TWU folks. You could compare the stats to a previous version, or between racquets of the same family, or even compare to some racquets with notoriously extreme properties (Pure Drive's power, Pure Aero's spin, Pro Staff's precision..etc)

Yep! The more data based and relative comparisons the better for me.

 

[jmacdaununder2]

i find the reviews very useful, even more so when you know the level/playing profile of the tester. now, all yall need is a ubiquitous “3.5/4.0” rec hack playtester (i am available)

TW Reviewer: 'Do you think the overall stiffness and head size would prove difficult for the less experienced to handle effectively?' n8: 'Umm, umm, THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!! I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY!!'

 

[haegger]

I think TW's reviews are great and they are a guidance to choose which racquet you want to demo or change.

However, the best review you get to a racquet is from you. You can't blame TW's reviews if you have poor experience when you demo a racquet.

Only you have the answer which racquet suits your style.

 

[TW Staff]

@SteveI,

Would something added to the profile pages (or profiles at the bottom of each review) of each playtester be helpful? Like an overall likes, dislikes? Or maybe a spec range they prefer?

Oh the outtakes video! We tend to do one every year around December/January so we have a couple more months to go of making mistakes (hehe).

Here are the last couple for your enjoyment:
2019-

2018-

2017-

2016-

Brittany, TW

 

[SteveI]

Thanks so much TW. Can't wait to see the new one! Glad to laugh! You guys and gals are the best! I hope you are healthy and safe!

 

[BBM]

I just took my time to actually extensively and carefully read through some of the written reviews. They’re actually a lot more down to earth and do a much better job explaining than the videos.

I think the videos are usually overly positive, especially when you compare them to the written review, where they do talk about the dislikes a little more.

I guess most people (myself included) don’t actually get around to reading them as carefully as they should. Woops.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[blablavla]

I gave up on em when I heard the Clash was “Control”... I mean, come on. That’s like saying “if you use top spin, the pure drive is a control frame”

if you use power, then pure drive is a control frame

 

[TW Staff]

@brunomartorelli

You are right, we tend to lean slightly more positive in video reviews some times. I think this is because we only have 60-75 seconds to give our review whereas we can be much more detailed in our written portions. However, this is something I can bring up to the playtesters to make sure to get a more balanced ratio of positives and negatives in each video review.

Thanks,
Brittany, TW

 

[Deleted member 768841]

@brunomartorelli

You are right, we tend to lean slightly more positive in video reviews some times. I think this is because we only have 60-75 seconds to give our review whereas we can be much more detailed in our written portions. However, this is something I can bring up to the playtesters to make sure to get a more balanced ratio of positives and negatives in each video review.

Thanks,
Brittany, TW

This is a very good idea, I actually really enjoy some of the reviews, especially the shoe reviews.

 

[Simplicius]

.
The TW video reviews are useful to me.
Above the words and text review, in the video I can observe the "rythm" of the play by each known reviewer.
That gives me a usefull info about the power, the control etc specs of the racquet compared to another with the same reviewer.

 

[1stVolley]

I like both the video reviews and the written ones. I have to say, regarding the former, that they appear to be edited so that the player in the court nearest the camera almost always wins the point being filmed. I assume that both players in the video are using the racquet under review so I'm not sure why this kind of editing is done.

 

[TennisHound]

All we want is for Booney to put his other hand on the racquet for his backhand takeback

 

[TW Staff]

@1stVolley ,

Points are definitely won on both sides but think of the footage of each playtester as a highlight reel. When one playtester is talking, they are on the near court so you can see them better. We then pick the best points as no one wants to see unforced errors. If you have any feedback on what you would like to see instead, let us know!

Hope that helps!
Brittany, TW

 

[SteveI]

All we want is for Booney to put his other hand on the racquet for his backhand takeback

He indeed has interesting strokes.. Creates some monster spin... but could use more of his body effectively. Guys body looks like it is carved out of a piece of granite. I assume he is a gym rat..

 

[SteveI]

I love the reviews. I miss Andy... He looks like a guy who played every sport when he was young. Guessing bball. Looks like he can throw a football 70 yards and a fastball about 85-90 mph. I would also guess is super fast and quick. Wonder who wins the 40 yard dash and the spider drill??