I' really looking forward for this review. I have played with dr 98, but interested in buying phantom 100 pro
Ultimate Comfort Racquet - help me narrow it down
- Thread starter ashridge
- Start date
The problem with racquets today is bad quality control. So If 2 different persons tried the same racqut they could have different results. Off course, the strings also matters
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
I doubt the quality control is a significant factor in why two different people find the same racquet to produce different results. Playstyle, stringing, technique all are more profound variables than a few grams weight here and there.
I'm looking forward to comparing them. I tried the DR98 once already with full poly and was surprised at how powerful it was. Wasn't enamored of the flexy feel at the time, but that was before I started having the arm problems. I have a more open mind now.
Actually, the spoiler post was a joke! I've been told I have a flair for the obvious!
tennis_always
Rookie
My thoughts too. I have decided to use natural gut and poly hybrid, no matter which racquet I use. That said, no demo comes like that. And demoing a racquet with the wrong strings is the worst thing to do. Few years back, I demoed Wilson six one and really wanted to like it. But, with just 2 hours of hitting, it killed my elbow, and it took me 6 months to get back. In the same set, I tried Volkl pb10 as well. It came with horrible strings as well. But, I trusted the shadow swing feel and the specs and went with it. The best decision I made! It was a beauty with natural gut and poly hybrid.
Last month, without a demo, I ordered a Prince 93P. The specs just looked right for me. I feel I made the right decision again!
Now, I know I want a heavy frame (320+), head light, less than 95sq in. No more demos.
Please post your experience... Trying to decide whether to try the 93p or pb10mid next and the latter is no longer available as a demo..
tennis_always
Rookie
Volkl PB10-Easier to play, more easy topspin, not as stable(need to add weights at 2 and 10), more easier on arms.
93p-please have your A game ready, more stable, might need a technique change to maximize racquet potential(at least for me), physically more demanding. I think you need to be 4.0+, and play against 4.5+ ;-)
I play for fun. No tournament play. And I choose not to play against anyone less than 4.0. (I need the opponent to give me pace)
Note: I use natural gut and poly hybrid. Strings make a huge difference.
From my experience i would advise to try:
Volkl C10 Pro, the older model the better,
Donnay XeneCore racquets, they have many models with this technology,
Angell custom racquet, also have several models,
from ptevious models - Fischer Vacuum Pro Mid and old Head prestige, PT630.
Volkl C10 Pro, the older model the better,
Donnay XeneCore racquets, they have many models with this technology,
Angell custom racquet, also have several models,
from ptevious models - Fischer Vacuum Pro Mid and old Head prestige, PT630.
Yes, unfortunately we can't choose the strings we want in a demo beyond just "poly" or "multi". Seems like most of the "poly" demos I have gotten from TW have had Lux 4G, also, which is one of the stiffest poly strings on the market. Not exactly representative of some of the softer ones.
Both my RF97A and my Volkl VS8 315 still hurt my elbow/shoulder with SG or multi strings in full bed. Haven't tried the Prince Graphite II with full multi or SG, wouldn't last very long in that 14x18 pattern. I have Gut/poly in that racquet and it still hurts my elbow, though not as much as full poly I have tried in it previously.
What tension do you have the Gut/Poly hybrid at in your Prince 93p?
Unless I just absolutely fall in love with one of the 4 racquets coming next week, I probably will do at least one more round of demos and try out some of the other racquets mentioned in this thread that are available for demo from TW.
tennis_always
Rookie
50 gut main, 48 poly (Krishbaum Pro Line 2 red) cross.
What kind of spin do you get with that set-up? Do the Gut mains stay straight?
Interesting...I would have expected the opposite because the 93P's sweet spot looks wider from the TW review...should make the sweet spot bigger.
tennis_always
Rookie
I am mostly a flat hitter with minimal top spin. I love to use the plough through the racquet offers. So, others can comment better.
The guts stay straight more in the 93p as it is 18x20. Pb10 is 16x19. So, after a few days, it starts moving more.
There is also one very comfort racquet, Yonex RQ-180, produced in 1988-89.
Got my demo racquets in the mail today. Man, are those Phantom's thin beamed! Never held a racquet that thin before. Holding the 93p and 100 pro side by side in hand, can definitely tell the 93p is a little heavier. Will get to play with them on Thursday morning for first time. Will report back on my thoughts.
For similar reasons (TE, wrist, shoulder...) I only use relatively hefty, flexible rackets, low tension full poly but
always have some w/ synth gut when pain persists.
For the most part, I use the long discontinued Fischer MSpeed 105. I started w/ the PK5g when I first got TE
and still use it as well as the EXO3 Tour 16x18. They're all great rackets for me. I only have 1 EXO3,
but I have a big stash of the 5g and M105. Despite its higher RA rating, the 5g still feels pretty comfy.
The EXO3 is like a wet noodle, took some getting used to.
I also have seen micro cracks on the 5g but I think it's just the paint/coating. But I did have one
completely collapse near the throat while I was waiting to receive serve. Contacted PK and they
sent me a new one.
always have some w/ synth gut when pain persists.
For the most part, I use the long discontinued Fischer MSpeed 105. I started w/ the PK5g when I first got TE
and still use it as well as the EXO3 Tour 16x18. They're all great rackets for me. I only have 1 EXO3,
but I have a big stash of the 5g and M105. Despite its higher RA rating, the 5g still feels pretty comfy.
The EXO3 is like a wet noodle, took some getting used to.
I also have seen micro cracks on the 5g but I think it's just the paint/coating. But I did have one
completely collapse near the throat while I was waiting to receive serve. Contacted PK and they
sent me a new one.
Was going to have my first good hit with the demos this morning, but my playing partner had to cancel at the last minute with sickness. I went to the court anyway to just hit some by myself. I drop-hit balls for about an hour and served for about half an hour. I know this is in no way like playing a match with a live person on the other side of the net, but I did form a few impressions just from this session.
1) The Phantom 93p felt a little clunky and sluggish to me. It felt very solid, but like a bit of a club. Had a bit more of a solid/muted feel to me than the Phantom Pro 100.
2) I like the Phantom Pro 100. A lot. Light enough that I could really generate some racquet head speed, low-powered enough that I could really take a full swing and still control the ball, but not so low-powered that I couldn't easily drive the ball deep in the court. Could probably benefit from a little bit of lead, but it was pretty nice in stock form. Got pretty decent spin from it with PPC strung up at 52 lbs.
3) In terms of *perceivable* flex on ball impact, I would rank them this way: Yonex DR98>Phantom Pro 100>TT95>Phantom 93p. I'm not sure exactly how that translates to actual arm comfort over the long term, that's just what I noticed. I was kind of surprised the Phantom Pro 100 didn't feel *more* flexy considering it's very low RA. Just from the limited sample this morning, I'd say the *softest* feel was the DR98 and the least was probably the TT95. I did ice my elbow after playing, but right now, 5 hours after playing, my elbow feels pretty good.
4) I served for about half an hour, including some pretty hard 1st serves, and overall I liked the Phantom Pro 100 best. Good control, good kick on 2nd serve, and given the thin beam and low RA, I was able to hit the ball harder and more solidly than I expected. The 93p was very solid, but as I mentioned previously, it felt sluggish to me, heavy. Neither the DR98 or TT95 felt as solid and powerful to me on serves as they did on groundstrokes.
5) From a pure *power* standpoint, my ranking of them would be: DR 98>TT95>93p>Pro 100. Several times I was hitting one handed backhand groundstrokes crosscourt with the PP100 (dropping them in easily) and then put it down and picked up the TT95 or DR 98 and hit the same shots and they mostly went long. PP100 is definitely lower powered, but it never felt *under* powered to me.
6) In the "spin" department, I felt the PP100 and TT95 were the best, and pretty comparable even though the PP100 has a 16x18 pattern and the TT95 is 16x19. I felt the DR 98 was a little behind them (16x19 like the TT95), and the 93p brought up the rear (18x20).
Hoping to play at least 2-3 matches before I have to send these back next week, will probably have some more thoughts to share.
1) The Phantom 93p felt a little clunky and sluggish to me. It felt very solid, but like a bit of a club. Had a bit more of a solid/muted feel to me than the Phantom Pro 100.
2) I like the Phantom Pro 100. A lot. Light enough that I could really generate some racquet head speed, low-powered enough that I could really take a full swing and still control the ball, but not so low-powered that I couldn't easily drive the ball deep in the court. Could probably benefit from a little bit of lead, but it was pretty nice in stock form. Got pretty decent spin from it with PPC strung up at 52 lbs.
3) In terms of *perceivable* flex on ball impact, I would rank them this way: Yonex DR98>Phantom Pro 100>TT95>Phantom 93p. I'm not sure exactly how that translates to actual arm comfort over the long term, that's just what I noticed. I was kind of surprised the Phantom Pro 100 didn't feel *more* flexy considering it's very low RA. Just from the limited sample this morning, I'd say the *softest* feel was the DR98 and the least was probably the TT95. I did ice my elbow after playing, but right now, 5 hours after playing, my elbow feels pretty good.
4) I served for about half an hour, including some pretty hard 1st serves, and overall I liked the Phantom Pro 100 best. Good control, good kick on 2nd serve, and given the thin beam and low RA, I was able to hit the ball harder and more solidly than I expected. The 93p was very solid, but as I mentioned previously, it felt sluggish to me, heavy. Neither the DR98 or TT95 felt as solid and powerful to me on serves as they did on groundstrokes.
5) From a pure *power* standpoint, my ranking of them would be: DR 98>TT95>93p>Pro 100. Several times I was hitting one handed backhand groundstrokes crosscourt with the PP100 (dropping them in easily) and then put it down and picked up the TT95 or DR 98 and hit the same shots and they mostly went long. PP100 is definitely lower powered, but it never felt *under* powered to me.
6) In the "spin" department, I felt the PP100 and TT95 were the best, and pretty comparable even though the PP100 has a 16x18 pattern and the TT95 is 16x19. I felt the DR 98 was a little behind them (16x19 like the TT95), and the 93p brought up the rear (18x20).
Hoping to play at least 2-3 matches before I have to send these back next week, will probably have some more thoughts to share.
Waiting for this infernal rain (enough already!) to stop so I can get back out to hit with these racquets again. In the meantime, I decided to weigh them just to see how close they are to advertised specs. Original grips on all of them (no overgrips), and I took the string dampeners out also before weighing. The DR98 and TT95 were pretty much on the button with listed specs. The Phantom's were not. The 93p is supposed to be 12.2 oz. strung and was 12 oz. strung. The Pro 100 is supposed to be 11.4 oz. strung and was 11.15 oz. strung. Are those variations considered to be within "acceptable" tolerances?
tmc5005
Rookie
Racquets that are arm / elbow friendly tend to be comfort racquets here is a list to take a look at
Yonex EZone DR 98
HEAD XT Graphene Prestige MP
PACIFIC BXT X Tour Pro 97
Wilson Ultra Tour
Volkl Vsense 10 325g
Pro Kennex Q+ Tour Pro
Pro Kennex KI5 320
Head Graphene Touch Speed Pro
Wilson Countervale Blade 98 18×20
Dunlop Srixon Rev CX 2.0 Tour
Yonex EZone DR 98
HEAD XT Graphene Prestige MP
PACIFIC BXT X Tour Pro 97
Wilson Ultra Tour
Volkl Vsense 10 325g
Pro Kennex Q+ Tour Pro
Pro Kennex KI5 320
Head Graphene Touch Speed Pro
Wilson Countervale Blade 98 18×20
Dunlop Srixon Rev CX 2.0 Tour
Doppelganger
Rookie
If you're looking for comfort, your list is sorely missing out on one of the most comfortable racquet developers out there, Donnay. They are solid core racquets with lower flex ratings and a great response yet smooth, comfortable feel. You're selling yourself short by not checking them out: https://www.donnaytennis.com/demo-program.html
Well, I finally got to hit with the demo's against a live opponent last night for a few hours.
Random thoughts:
Prince Phantom Pro 100 - Nice sweet spot, good spin, surprisingly good stability for a light/thin beam racquet. Way underpowered for my topspin game at 52 lbs. with PPC 16. Didn't have much trouble keeping the ball in play, but did have trouble putting away winners and keeping my groundstrokes deep in the court. I'd definitely want to try a lower tension. Could use some lead to improve the plowthrough a bit. Not nearly as "flexy" as I thought it would be given the RA of 54. Had hoped for a little more "ball pocketing" feel.
Prince Phantom Pro 93p - Of the 4 racquets, the 93p had the biggest sweet spot and felt the most solid on ball impact. Probably tied with the DR 98 for most power. At 52 lbs. with PPC 16 I could hit the ball deeper in the court on a consistent basis than with the Pro 100. Amazing to me that the 93p has a *lower* power rating than the Pro 100, because it definitely feels *higher* to me. Unfortunately, this stick felt very clunky and heavy to me, felt like I was late getting it around on some shots. Actually felt less maneuverable to me than my RF97A, even though it's not as heavy as my RF was. Spin wasn't bad, though better with the Pro 100.
Yonex DR 98 - Had the most noticeable "flex" on ball impact. Balls felt good when hit in the sweet spot, but outside the sweet spot was a little jarring. Felt a little underpowered for my topspin game strung @ 55 with Yonex Tour Super 850 multi, would string it a little lower, though I did get a little better depth on groundstrokes and pace on my winners than with the Pro 100. Spin was better than the 93p, not as good as the Pro 100. Could use some lead to improve stability and feel outside the sweet spot.
Prince Textreme Tour 95 - Felt pretty good when hit in the sweet spot, but outside the sweet spot was jarring and unstable. A little more powerful than the Pro 100, but strung at 52 with PPC 16 I still felt like I could have used a little more power for my topspin game. Frame felt a little clunky to me, didn't swing through the air as fast and nice as the Pro 100. Spin was about on par with the DR 98. Wasn't overly impressed with this racquet overall.
Based on my time with these demo's yesterday, I think I've about eliminated the Phantom Pro 93p and the Textreme Tour 95 from contention. I'm going to put some lead on the Pro 100 and DR 98 before I play with them again on Tuesday and see how that improves the stability and plow.
From an arm comfort standpoint, my shoulder is a little sore this morning, but my elbow feels pretty good. I did ice both my shoulder and my elbow after playing. Shoulder was a little sore before starting play, also.
Random thoughts:
Prince Phantom Pro 100 - Nice sweet spot, good spin, surprisingly good stability for a light/thin beam racquet. Way underpowered for my topspin game at 52 lbs. with PPC 16. Didn't have much trouble keeping the ball in play, but did have trouble putting away winners and keeping my groundstrokes deep in the court. I'd definitely want to try a lower tension. Could use some lead to improve the plowthrough a bit. Not nearly as "flexy" as I thought it would be given the RA of 54. Had hoped for a little more "ball pocketing" feel.
Prince Phantom Pro 93p - Of the 4 racquets, the 93p had the biggest sweet spot and felt the most solid on ball impact. Probably tied with the DR 98 for most power. At 52 lbs. with PPC 16 I could hit the ball deeper in the court on a consistent basis than with the Pro 100. Amazing to me that the 93p has a *lower* power rating than the Pro 100, because it definitely feels *higher* to me. Unfortunately, this stick felt very clunky and heavy to me, felt like I was late getting it around on some shots. Actually felt less maneuverable to me than my RF97A, even though it's not as heavy as my RF was. Spin wasn't bad, though better with the Pro 100.
Yonex DR 98 - Had the most noticeable "flex" on ball impact. Balls felt good when hit in the sweet spot, but outside the sweet spot was a little jarring. Felt a little underpowered for my topspin game strung @ 55 with Yonex Tour Super 850 multi, would string it a little lower, though I did get a little better depth on groundstrokes and pace on my winners than with the Pro 100. Spin was better than the 93p, not as good as the Pro 100. Could use some lead to improve stability and feel outside the sweet spot.
Prince Textreme Tour 95 - Felt pretty good when hit in the sweet spot, but outside the sweet spot was jarring and unstable. A little more powerful than the Pro 100, but strung at 52 with PPC 16 I still felt like I could have used a little more power for my topspin game. Frame felt a little clunky to me, didn't swing through the air as fast and nice as the Pro 100. Spin was about on par with the DR 98. Wasn't overly impressed with this racquet overall.
Based on my time with these demo's yesterday, I think I've about eliminated the Phantom Pro 93p and the Textreme Tour 95 from contention. I'm going to put some lead on the Pro 100 and DR 98 before I play with them again on Tuesday and see how that improves the stability and plow.
From an arm comfort standpoint, my shoulder is a little sore this morning, but my elbow feels pretty good. I did ice both my shoulder and my elbow after playing. Shoulder was a little sore before starting play, also.
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I played for 2 hours this morning before sending back my demo's today. Played half the time with the DR 98 and half the time with the Phantom Pro 100. I put some lead at 10/12/2 and in the throat on the Pro 100, and was going to put it at 10/12/2 on the DR 98 but ran out of lead and only got it at 12. I noticed maybe a little bit of difference on both racquets when I played today, but overall my impressions were still pretty much the same. If I was someone who mainly hits the ball flat, either of these racquets would be very comfortable and had enough power as strung. However, I rarely hit the ball flat, I hit a lot of topspin, and I really struggled to get depth and pace on the ball hitting my normal amount of spin, moreso with the Pro 100 than the DR 98, but both to a large degree. With the multi strings in both racquets at a fair bit lower tension they might be ok for my game, but not as they came from TW for demo (PPC @52 for the Pro 100 and Tour Super 850 @55 for the DR 98). Unfortunately, I couldn't demo them with a lower tension and see for sure.
Planning to try another round of racquets shortly. Probably going to go for the Phantom Pro 100P, Prince Beast 98 O3, Volkl C10 Pro, and Wilson Ultra Tour. I know the Beast 98 has a pretty stiff RA rating, but I have seen several people comment that it was very comfortable despite that, maybe because of the o-ports?
Planning to try another round of racquets shortly. Probably going to go for the Phantom Pro 100P, Prince Beast 98 O3, Volkl C10 Pro, and Wilson Ultra Tour. I know the Beast 98 has a pretty stiff RA rating, but I have seen several people comment that it was very comfortable despite that, maybe because of the o-ports?
You have a good selection of racquets and should be able to make an informed choice after your 2nd set of demos. In reality, selection among a fairly similar group of racquets isn't going to make a difference in your level of play. Your game will adapt to whatever racquet you choose. Thanks for the reviews. I'll keep the Phantom Pro 100 in my radar in the future if I need to go with an even more arm friendly racquet in the future.
The O ports definitely help out, but also add a bit of vagueness/unpredictability on off center hits. I noticed this when I tried the Phantom 100...can't say I liked it but some people love the O ports...you'll have to try it yourself
Good selection of demos...if you thought the 93P was too heavy, I'm not sure you'll like the PP100P though that definitely has more spin w/ the more open pattern if they strung it low enough...
The O ports definitely help out, but also add a bit of vagueness/unpredictability on off center hits. I noticed this when I tried the Phantom 100...can't say I liked it but some people love the O ports...you'll have to try it yourself
Good selection of demos...if you thought the 93P was too heavy, I'm not sure you'll like the PP100P though that definitely has more spin w/ the more open pattern if they strung it low enough...
The dampened feel of the O-ports is also what makes them more arm friendly. As for off-center hits I actually think that's an advantage of the O-ports. You get better response when you hit the ball close to the edges because the strings have more movement. For some reason, O-ports also give you more spin. It's definitely a trade-off. I didn't particularly like it in the Prince Tour 100 racquets because I thought they lacked control, but in the Rebel and Tour 98 series the control was great even with the O-ports.
That's not too much of a surprise...they give the ball more dwell time on the strings. Played someone who used the Tour98 and he had crazy amounts of topspin
It's also the reason it's more arm friendly...the string movement absorbs impact. And also why it's unpredictable off center...I think the reflection surface is no longer parallel w/ the racquet face because of the string movement...it's more angled towards the center of the racquet.
Yeah, I think with enough string/tension experimentation (and some lead tape) I could make either the Pro 100 or the DR 98 work just fine for my game. I am looking forward to trying a few more demos as listed, though, as I hate to think I might miss out on a racquet I like better from the get-go without having to do a bunch of mods and experimenting, one that is very comfy on my arm even strung in the "normal" recommended tension range for that racquet.
The O ports definitely help out, but also add a bit of vagueness/unpredictability on off center hits. I noticed this when I tried the Phantom 100...can't say I liked it but some people love the O ports...you'll have to try it yourself
Good selection of demos...if you thought the 93P was too heavy, I'm not sure you'll like the PP100P though that definitely has more spin w/ the more open pattern if they strung it low enough...
Till now, I have only hit with one Prince racquet that had O-ports, and that was the Speedport O3 Black. I played with one for about an hour a few weeks ago during a doubles match, borrowed it from my doubles partner, it was his back-up. I didn't love the really thick beam of the stick, but I did like the feel of the ball impact a lot. It was very comfy on my arm with Prince Beast poly (had been strung at 48 lbs. but had been in a while and most likely was quite a bit lower), got easy spin and enough power, and great control. Excellent ball pocketing also.
Regarding the weight of the 93p and the 100p, I'm not sure I follow you? The 100p is almost 3/4 of an ounce *lighter* than the 93p.
The headlight difference makes them effectively the same to me...looking forward to your comments on the next set of demos
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
Virtually identical swingweights which is generally what makes a racket feel "heavy" or "clunky". Although admittedly you found the RF97 more maneuverable and it has a bit higher SW than the Phantom 93P. Possibly some recency bias. I found the RF just a bit too heavy for every day use (my limit seems to be 12.5 oz and/or SW around 340). Mostly got tired serving with it.
But the 93P is right in my upper range with Sw 330 and weight 12.2 oz. Don't tire serving with it, maneuverable enough for doubles. My Blade 104 SW and POG 107 are a bit outside my upper range so I only use them sparingly and mostly for just hitting.
In the end you are likely going to have to sacrifice some of your topspin for comfort if you want an ultimate arm friendly racket. Most people want a comfy racket that performs like a Pure Aero and that is not an easy find. If you do find it, let me know.
The RF really clicked for my game, good topspin, easy depth on my strokes, amazing stability, just ended up being too stiff, even with a full bed of Forten Sweet 16 SynGut (which I broke in 4 hours). 95% of my playing time is singles, so obviously I'm hitting a lot more shots than in a doubles match and over the course of a match it was just too hard on my elbow (and shoulder sometimes).
I'm not sure how a Pure Aero performs, but I'm hoping I can find a comfy racquet that has a decently open string pattern for easier spin. I was getting pretty good spin with the DR 98 16x19 and the Phantom Pro 100 16x18, both with full beds of multi (not the spinniest strings), I just wasn't getting good spin *and* pace/depth on my strokes with those sticks and string set-ups. Probably would be much better just stringing up those same sticks 8-10 lbs. less tension, or just a racquet a little heavier, with that type of string pattern and a very flexy RA will hopefully be the "sweet spot" for me. I'm very curious to see what I think of the Volkl C10 Pro, as I believe it ticks those boxes pretty well. Maybe it doesn't have a super flexy RA rating, but all I read from people is about how comfortable and noticeably flexy the frame is.
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Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
Lots like the C10 Pro but I'm not sure it will be any skinnier than the Phantoms or Yonex DR's of the world. Both those are acceptably spin friendly for me. They are not Aeropro's but I don't need that amount of spin to play well.
If it's *as* spinny as those, but with a little more plow weight, that might be what I'm looking for. We'll see. I'll update this thread when I receive them and spend some time hitting with the new batch of demos.
BlueB
Legend
mike schiffer
Semi-Pro
I've got a pair of used Volkl organix 5's and I siliconed the handles and cut out the poly before I hit ball one with them.....Strung with Gosen 18 and massage my tender top forearm like someone on Youtube suggested...ie trying to stretch and elongate the muscles...occasionally ice pack for an hour... and I can play almost every day....I can even swing my Head Tis1's with impunity... Forten sweet 17 is also soft on the arm...Good Luck!!!
Not sure if this is serious or not
I demo'd the Burn 100S CV and the Burn 100 CV back in the Fall. One had multi strings and the other had poly, and the power from both was more than I could handle and keep the ball in. Loved the dampened feel of the CV (similar to my Volkl VS8 315), but I'm pretty sure the high RA would have done my elbow in sooner than later.
I thought strings were going to be the ultimate answer to finding a soft set-up for my arm, but I've come to the conclusion now it's more likely to be the *racquet* that is the key. I strung up Forten Sweet 16 full bed in my RF97A and liked the way it played, but it still hurt my elbow a bit. Racquet was just too stiff for me personally, which was a shame because I loved the way it hit with my game. Also tried Volkl V-Torque 18 mains @ 38 with Forten Sweet 16 crosses @ 30 in my Volkl VS8 315, and it still hurt my elbow. Again, stiff racquet. My guess is if I tried that set-up in one of the Prince Phantom's it would feel a lot different on my arm.
I've been on a similar search as you and settled for the DR98 recently for its comfort. It's a strange racquet indeed. It's a somewhat stiff frame but somehow it's also feel very flexy and plush at impact. Along with its dampening system, its square shape and grommet system make its stringbed feels much bigger than the 98in spec. I tried natgut/poly in it and it's literary feel like hitting with a pillow. Didn't work as it's way too soft and smothery. It seems to play better with a crisper string setup to compliment its dampened feel. I play it because it's comfortable but I'm just not super happy with the way it plays for some reason.
Gave the Pure Strike 18x20 a try recently and bought one immediately. I was somewhat shocked how comfy it was even with poly. It has great control, feel, spin, and stability while being very light. Only thing though is that only the lighter spec of this racquet works for me. I've tried 4 of them and the lighter ones plays softer compared to the heavier specs. Crappy QC at work here as mine came in at 7gm less than spec but worked best for me. Anyway, it's my current stick now with some weight mods. With Head Hawk Touch 17 in it, it's almost as comfortable as the DR98 but with much better playability for me. Even with the 18x20 pattern, I'm getting better control and more spin with it likely due to faster RHS.
The 2 frames so far are the only ones I can use poly in. The DR98 can handle stiff polys while the PS17 is good with a soft poly. Have to use natgut/poly in my other frames to achieve comfort. I've tried the Phantom 100, Phantom Pro 100P, TT 100P, Volkl 8 & V1Pro, and a bunch others.
Gave the Pure Strike 18x20 a try recently and bought one immediately. I was somewhat shocked how comfy it was even with poly. It has great control, feel, spin, and stability while being very light. Only thing though is that only the lighter spec of this racquet works for me. I've tried 4 of them and the lighter ones plays softer compared to the heavier specs. Crappy QC at work here as mine came in at 7gm less than spec but worked best for me. Anyway, it's my current stick now with some weight mods. With Head Hawk Touch 17 in it, it's almost as comfortable as the DR98 but with much better playability for me. Even with the 18x20 pattern, I'm getting better control and more spin with it likely due to faster RHS.
The 2 frames so far are the only ones I can use poly in. The DR98 can handle stiff polys while the PS17 is good with a soft poly. Have to use natgut/poly in my other frames to achieve comfort. I've tried the Phantom 100, Phantom Pro 100P, TT 100P, Volkl 8 & V1Pro, and a bunch others.
Interesting. I demo'd the Pure Strike last Fall with poly and it hurt my elbow.
I would concur that hitting with the DR 98 does almost kind of seem like hitting with a pillow. Did you weight it up with lead or just use it in stock form? I don't mind the super pillowy/flexy feel at impact, though I prefer a more crisp feel. For the sake of my arm I may have to settle for the flexy feel in whichever racquet I end up with.
Did you own those various Phantom models or just demo them? Did you demo them with poly or multi? If poly, were they not comfy on your arm?
I would concur that hitting with the DR 98 does almost kind of seem like hitting with a pillow. Did you weight it up with lead or just use it in stock form? I don't mind the super pillowy/flexy feel at impact, though I prefer a more crisp feel. For the sake of my arm I may have to settle for the flexy feel in whichever racquet I end up with.
Did you own those various Phantom models or just demo them? Did you demo them with poly or multi? If poly, were they not comfy on your arm?
Anton
Legend
Suggestion for DR98:
Start with 2g on V Throat
then 1g at 12
and if you still want more stability add some at 3+9.
I only had enough lead left to put at 12, and I had to send the demo's back on Tuesday, but if I end up making the DR 98 my choice, I will give your suggestions a try, thanks.
You're not the only one. I bought the Pure Strike 98 16x19 (Project One Seven) because I loved the way it played when I demoed a friend's racquet. But I found out that it does hurt my elbow after about a set (and I was using soft strings, not poly), so it stays in the closet. It's more arm friendly than the Pure Drive or Pure Aero, but if your arm is sensitive, it can definitely hurt.
Only mod on the DR98 is a heavier grip. I have 2, one is lighter in SW than the other. My preference goes back and forth depending on the day and what brand and condition of the balls I'm playing with.
PS17 is super sensitive to what strings you use due to its stiff hoop. For that same reason, it's very stable considering the low weight. I might have stumble onto a setup that works rather well for me at 330gm after mods. It's lighter than my usual 340gm, with similar balance, but is just as stable with sufficient power. I played 5 sets of single with it yesterday and it more than passed the test for me as my elbow didn't complain too much. Being a much easier stick to wield with the lower SW, it might be helping as I don't have to work as hard swinging the racquet putting less stress on the arm and elbow tendons. This kinda defies the understood mantra that heavier racquets are better for your elbow.
Again, my PS17 is 7gm lighter than the spec 305gm. I wonder if this makes it flexier somehow which is what I noticed of the 4 frames I tried. The demo was 298gm. I bought a 305gm and it played nothing like the demo. Was able to exchange it for another 298gm which plays like the demo. I tried another used 305gm stick I though of buying, albeit with a different string, and found it stiff and didn't like either. This might be the QC mystery with this stick with how some find it comfy while others find it stiff.
I tried the Phantoms through some friends and demos. Didn't get to try the Phantom Pro 100.
PS17 is super sensitive to what strings you use due to its stiff hoop. For that same reason, it's very stable considering the low weight. I might have stumble onto a setup that works rather well for me at 330gm after mods. It's lighter than my usual 340gm, with similar balance, but is just as stable with sufficient power. I played 5 sets of single with it yesterday and it more than passed the test for me as my elbow didn't complain too much. Being a much easier stick to wield with the lower SW, it might be helping as I don't have to work as hard swinging the racquet putting less stress on the arm and elbow tendons. This kinda defies the understood mantra that heavier racquets are better for your elbow.
Again, my PS17 is 7gm lighter than the spec 305gm. I wonder if this makes it flexier somehow which is what I noticed of the 4 frames I tried. The demo was 298gm. I bought a 305gm and it played nothing like the demo. Was able to exchange it for another 298gm which plays like the demo. I tried another used 305gm stick I though of buying, albeit with a different string, and found it stiff and didn't like either. This might be the QC mystery with this stick with how some find it comfy while others find it stiff.
I tried the Phantoms through some friends and demos. Didn't get to try the Phantom Pro 100.
- Phantom 100 (Gut/poly) - Forgiving racquet but lacking in pin point control. Good comfort but slightly wild off center. I considered it but it didn't give me enough control for my 1HBH. This setup is probably best for 2HBH and heavy spin player to control it better.
- Phantom 100 (Head Hawk touch 17) - Didn't like it at all. Stiff feeling and fluttery. Tension might have been too high perhaps.
- Phantom Pro 100P (Gut/poly) - Hated it surprisingly. Jarring and not very stable off center. Had high hope for this as it's my usual spec but I stopped hitting with it after 10min.
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Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
Really hope this was sarcasm. The Burn is like the worst of the Wilson lineup.
