Very Refined Racquet Question: PLEASE HELP!

[texcoug]

I am a mess. Here is what I have done so far:

Played Jr. tennis with Max 200g then Head Elektra Series. Neither served me as well as my friend's Prince Spectrum Comp.

***10 years off***

Playing hard and heavy again. And here is my racquet genealogy:

1. Bought Diablo Tour Mid after demoing RDX 500 and Prestige and Diablo. I assumed this is what I needed based on my past experience.

2. Bought Babolat PCZ 360 after reading countless reviews (rated extremely high). Also, wanted a lighter frame as I was playing a lot of doubles and the Diablo did not seem as maneuverable in quick exchanges.

3. Really liked 360 but wanted to go bigger. Bought 03 Red. Love it at the net and serving, but sometimes sail the forehand on it. Still use it a lot.

4. Bought Head FXP Radical Team with the idea that I wanted a larger head but thin beam and low powered as I have a big swing. It is ideal for my forehand, but a little too squishy for me and I notice the lack of crispness at the net (which I now play a lot in doubles). When I play singles, I tend to stay back.

5. Demod 03 White and 03 Tour O/S. The White feels great but I after playing with the 03 Tour with the extended length, love it too much for my 2hbh. However, the extra length makes it a little clumsy in my hands at the net. On the other hand, I love the accuracy I get with it. I wouldn't mind a little more power, but not as much as the 03 White. Also, I love the headsize and have figured out that's what I need.

Here is what I have learned:

1. I do better with stiffer frames v. flexy ones.
2. I do better with thinner beams than thicker ones.
3. I really like the 105 - 107" range for headsize.
4. I need low to low-medium power.
5. I like the headlight racquets at the net (lots of doubles).
6. The swingweight of the 03 Tour O/S affected me in quick exchanges in doubles. I need it a little less.
7. I prefer 16x19 string patterns and hit with a lot of topspin.
8. I want 27.25 - 27.3 length -- the 27.5 was too awkward for me at the net and on my fh (but it could be because the sw too)

Based on the above, here is what I have looked at:

1. Radical O/S (FXP, LM, and iRadical). FXP is too flexy and heavy (sw) and iRadical is an 18x19 pattern (otherwise, looks good). Both the LM and FXP are 58 flex/330+ sw -- neither of which I prefer)
2. 03 Tour MP: Looks great but I really want a little extra length and bigger headsize.
3. Head Liquidmetal Fire. This one may work, just wish it were 107".
4. Yonex RDS 003 or RDX 300. I like the looks of these but want the larger headsize. Assuming the shape makes it play larger, the 003 could be the perfect fit.
5. Wilson nBlade O/S looks great but it is brand new.
6. 03 Tour O/S and TT Warrior O/S: These look great but I assume that the TT Warrier plays the same as the 03 Tour O/S (a bit cumbersome on quick exchanges). They are similar in specs.
7. POG O/S. Looks great, just need to play with it and see if I can handle the quick exchanges. Also, wish it were extended length a little.
8. Fisher M Speed Pro #1 105". This one looks great but 56 flex -- I didn't like the 59 of the FXP so I assume I wouldn't like this either.

The ones that I see that are the closest are the iRadical O/S, nBlade (but unknown), RDS 003, or the POG.

If you have experience with any of these or any recommendations based on what I am looking for, I am very interested in what you have to say. Thanks in advance.

 

[Aeropro joe]

i used to use the lm fire and found it to be a great racket. it plays like a midplus while retaining the large ez to find sweetspot and is very maneuverable. has a crisp feeling to it and i used it for doubles, very good at net. open string pattern does suit spinners well and is a perfect compromise between standard and xl rackets being 27.3 inches. even balance is great for customizing. swings light, yet hits solid.

 

[ohplease]

In order of mass from high to low:

rdx 300 supermid
o3 red
lm fire
dnx v1 os
air db os
nano speed rq-5
catapult 4 gen II
o3 blue
turbo beast os

You're going to have a tough time finding a big hitting area with low swingweight, adequate mass, and head light.

Personally, I like the Ki15 PSE for doubles, but I tend to shorten my strokes up compared to singles play

 

[galain]

You could probably custom up a job very close to your desired specs with a Vantage frame.

 

[bluegrasser]

Tex my man, you are a true racquet wh$re, it's nice to have company I can hear the elbow Dr's now, but I'd try a Bab PD with NXT, swingweight close to the O3 red, but less power, great on the serve, maybe string it at 56lbs.

 

[Morpheus]

I wonder if maybe you want two racquets, one for singles and one for doubles.

 

[Pomeranian]

What about this vantage racquet.

Vantage Racquet
Frame size 100sq"
String pattern 16x19
Stiffness 70 RA
Length 27.25"
Weight & Balance 320g / 11.4oz, 305mm / 12pts HL
Beam Width 21 mm (good luck finding a thin beam racquet with 100+ headsize)

If you go to www.vantagetennis.com you can make your own racquet within the specs they have.

 

[texcoug]

Thanks Bluegrasser. I still play with the Red btw.

Pomeranian: I hear you on the thin beam 100+ headsizes. I am comfortable with up to 22 mm (that may not be thin to you). I bought the FXP Radical Team for that reason alone (and I love ripping the ball with it).

I have just come to realize, though, that I really like the O/S feel for my baseline game (and net play at doubles). I have looked at costs of extending grip lengths, but it seems cost prohibitive -- it costs more than some of the frames I am looking at (like the iRadical).

If someone tells me the iRadical is spin-friendly or the RDS 003 plays larger, I would probably look that way. Or, if the Fisher frame listed above isn't as squishy as it would appear (maybe my FXP is extra squishy b/c it is 59 flex with the flexpoint techs).

Thanks for the help.

/s/ You Friendly Neighborhood Racquet Wh$re.

 

[heycal]

The Ki 15 PSE does meet a lot of your spec requirements, and it appears many love it for doubles, so may be worth a demo. But, um, I wouldn't exactly call it low-to-medium powered... More like EXTREMELY-HIGH to EVEN-MORE-EXTREMELY-HIGH powered. But hey, how about that 27.25 length!

 

[Morpheus]

The Ki 15 PSE does meet a lot of your spec requirements, and it appears many love it for doubles, so may be worth a demo. But, um, I wouldn't exactly call it low-to-medium powered... More like EXTREMELY-HIGH to EVEN-MORE-EXTREMELY-HIGH powered. But hey, how about that 27.25 length!

The Ki 15 PSE is high powered (but not anymore than say the PD), but it is very stable and predictable. I don't have any trouble hitting big with this racquet. For me, it has the best combo of power / control available. It has some heft and it is arm friendly. I say give it a look.

 

[texcoug]

I happened across the Yones Nano Speed RQ 5. Anyone have any experience with this one? Here are the specs:

Head Size:
105 sq. in. / 677 sq. cm.
Length: 27.5 inches / 70 cm
Strung Weight: 10.3oz / 292g
Balance: 2pts Head Light
Swingweight: 317
Stiffness: 68
Beam Width: 24.5-25 mm
Composition: High Modulus Graphite / Nano Carbon
Power Level: Low-Medium
Swing Speed: Moderate-Fast

I am thinking of demoing this one. Tell me what you think if you know.

 

[Deleted member 6835]

hmm, look at the specs of the fxp 4. other than its thick beam you might like it. i have one and i love it

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageRCHEAD-HFP4.html

 

[brucie]

Large heads are less maneuvourable so why doyou want a big head iv have never used a racket more than 100 long term.

 

[texcoug]

hmm, look at the specs of the fxp 4. other than its thick beam you might like it. i have one and i love it

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageRCHEAD-HFP4.html

Looks great. How is it from a power level. I have an 03 Red and find that it is too much for me.

In terms of the maneuvarability of an O/S, I don't think that it is any less than a smaller head (depending on the weight, sw, etc.).

 

[Deleted member 6835]

hmm... i havent used any other racket except for a head ti and cheap walmart ones, cuz im only 15. but in terms of power, its just right, to me anyways. i use topsin forehand and backhand, but with my old racket, which was 18/20 pattern, i couldnt get much spin, but with this 16/19 pattern i can get tons

do you hit flat or with topsin? either way, if you find the right string, you'll probably like the racket (check my sig for what i use). like if you hit flat, get a control string instead of a power one on this racket and you'll enjoy it. btw its pretty nice to swing too, even though its headsize is large

 

[omniexist]

Wow your tough to please I think.

It seems you want a frame with "player racquet" characteristics but in a tweener to OS frame.

 

[bluegrasser]

Tex - I'd think about trying the Bab Storm, 11 0z strung, 64 flex, more pop than the average players stick, but some feel with the 64 flex.

 

[thinktowin]

The power level of the 15g PSE is managable. It's no hotter than a PD and the frame is much more solid........ in my opinion. Volleys are rock solid and there's enough mass to handle big pace. For doubles, it's hard to beat. I've added lead tape under the grip to make the frame a little more headlight and quicker in general. If you demo one, add 12-14 gms of lead tape under the grip and then try it without it.

 

[jaykay]

Sharing of experience...

Tex: I hv used the iRadical OS, Flexpoint4, LM Instinct, Flexpoint Instinct and my current weapon of choice - the LM Radical MP. I hv also demo-ed the Babolat AeroPro Drive, Babolat Pure Drive Team Plus among others.

I can relate to your predicament since I keep switching racquets for one of the following 2 reasons:
a) I get bored with my current set of racquets and want to try the latest/greatest out there, and/or
b) I tend to blame my my racquet for matches lost and consequently, I keep buying new racquets

If I diverted a fraction of the money spent regularly on buying new racquets, on getting coaching lessons from a pro, I probbly would hv a much better game today (wishful thinking). I am a 4.0/4.5 with strong strokes on both sides (with my 2H BH being my strength) and a decent volley.

Enough about me, since you are interested in the iRadical, let me tell you that it is a really great stick. You can take a really good swing at the ball and give the ball a huge whack and it'll still stay in. Control, direction, precision is excellent. I hv seen that every good stick has downsides and necessitates adjustments/modifications to your game (hence am still on the lookout for the 'holy grail'). So, the downsides of the iRadical is the relatively dense string pattern which inhibits spin to some extent (this could get mitigated with better strings perhaps) and the oversize head which somewhat hampers maneuverability at the net (in comparison to my LM Radical MP).

Positives on the Flexpoint4 include excellent maneuverability (inspite of it being an OS stick), (sometimes overly) generous amounts of power, 16x19 string pattern helping in prodigious amounts of spin and nice pop on the serve - which is why I fell in love with this stick. Negatives include loss of control (esply for players with long swings) with strokes going long and instability suffered while returning hard_n_heavy groundstrokes from strong opponents - which is why I quickly fell out of love with this racquet. I got rid of my Flexpoint4 and got me a Flexpoint Instinct recently.

If you need my opinion on any of the other sticks that I hv used b4, you know where to find me.

Good luck!

Cheers,
jaykay.

 

[cozmo5050]

I am a mess. Here is what I have done so far:

Played Jr. tennis with Max 200g then Head Elektra Series. Neither served me as well as my friend's Prince Spectrum Comp.

***10 years off***

Playing hard and heavy again. And here is my racquet genealogy:

1. Bought Diablo Tour Mid after demoing RDX 500 and Prestige and Diablo. I assumed this is what I needed based on my past experience.

2. Bought Babolat PCZ 360 after reading countless reviews (rated extremely high). Also, wanted a lighter frame as I was playing a lot of doubles and the Diablo did not seem as maneuverable in quick exchanges.

3. Really liked 360 but wanted to go bigger. Bought 03 Red. Love it at the net and serving, but sometimes sail the forehand on it. Still use it a lot.

4. Bought Head FXP Radical Team with the idea that I wanted a larger head but thin beam and low powered as I have a big swing. It is ideal for my forehand, but a little too squishy for me and I notice the lack of crispness at the net (which I now play a lot in doubles). When I play singles, I tend to stay back.

5. Demod 03 White and 03 Tour O/S. The White feels great but I after playing with the 03 Tour with the extended length, love it too much for my 2hbh. However, the extra length makes it a little clumsy in my hands at the net. On the other hand, I love the accuracy I get with it. I wouldn't mind a little more power, but not as much as the 03 White. Also, I love the headsize and have figured out that's what I need.

Here is what I have learned:

1. I do better with stiffer frames v. flexy ones.
2. I do better with thinner beams than thicker ones.
3. I really like the 105 - 107" range for headsize.
4. I need low to low-medium power.
5. I like the headlight racquets at the net (lots of doubles).
6. The swingweight of the 03 Tour O/S affected me in quick exchanges in doubles. I need it a little less.
7. I prefer 16x19 string patterns and hit with a lot of topspin.
8. I want 27.25 - 27.3 length -- the 27.5 was too awkward for me at the net and on my fh (but it could be because the sw too)

Based on the above, here is what I have looked at:

1. Radical O/S (FXP, LM, and iRadical). FXP is too flexy and heavy (sw) and iRadical is an 18x19 pattern (otherwise, looks good). Both the LM and FXP are 58 flex/330+ sw -- neither of which I prefer)
2. 03 Tour MP: Looks great but I really want a little extra length and bigger headsize.
3. Head Liquidmetal Fire. This one may work, just wish it were 107".
4. Yonex RDS 003 or RDX 300. I like the looks of these but want the larger headsize. Assuming the shape makes it play larger, the 003 could be the perfect fit.
5. Wilson nBlade O/S looks great but it is brand new.
6. 03 Tour O/S and TT Warrior O/S: These look great but I assume that the TT Warrier plays the same as the 03 Tour O/S (a bit cumbersome on quick exchanges). They are similar in specs.
7. POG O/S. Looks great, just need to play with it and see if I can handle the quick exchanges. Also, wish it were extended length a little.
8. Fisher M Speed Pro #1 105". This one looks great but 56 flex -- I didn't like the 59 of the FXP so I assume I wouldn't like this either.

The ones that I see that are the closest are the iRadical O/S, nBlade (but unknown), RDS 003, or the POG.

If you have experience with any of these or any recommendations based on what I am looking for, I am very interested in what you have to say. Thanks in advance.

my god.... and i thought i was a racquet vvhore. you ever watch Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory.. Veruca Salt....godspeed.

 

[Morpheus]

my god.... and i thought i was a racquet vvhore. you ever watch Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory.. Veruca Salt....godspeed.

Ha! Veruca of the "Make time go faster" or "I want another pony" mindset. Good call cozmo. And, of course, the best lyrics in the movie...

Veruca Salt, the little brute / Has just gone down the garbage chute / And she will meet as she descends / A rather different set of friends / A fish head for example cut / This morning from a halibut ... Who went and spoiled her / Who indeed? Who pandered to her every need? / Who turned her into such a brat? / Who are the culprits, who did that? / The guilty ones - now this is sad / Are dear old mum and loving dad.

 

[Vamz]

O3 White, good luck.

 

[thinkhard]

Have you looked at the More Presicion or any of the old Prince Extender series? The Extender Lightning seems to fit all of your criterea except for it's a pretty even balance, but with some lead it might be what you are looking for unless you despise the doublebridge.

 

[texcoug]

Thanks for all the replies. I have notified BlueGrasser that I am *temporarily* leaving the wh0re corp as I think I have made a find: Volkl Cat 8 VE. It does not hit all my issues above, but I am willing to sacrifice some stiffness and crisp for comfort and control. I love what this frame has done for my groundies -- not as squishy as the FXP Radical Team, but not a board either. I think 63 is good for me and I will mess around with strings and tension for different feel.

I had never played with a Volkl but demod it by chance (I was ordering the demo on the new nCode nPro Open and needed 1 more demo and the DNX 8 was unavailable). What happened was I fell in love with it -- couldn't put it down. In 5 outings, I maybe played 1 set with the Wilson. So, to sum up my decision:

1. 100" head with V tech -- racquet has the feeling of playing larger (larger than the Wilson) -- I think it is the V shape and open bottom. I like that.

2. Power level is appropriate. I am not afraid to rip the ball.

3. Stiffness is great for topspin groundies (63) and, although I wish I could have it 68 for the net and serve, I am willing to compromise. I will player with tighter string tensions.

4. I love the .25 extension. It is great for my 2hbh and for serves. It is not noticeable at the net.

5. 24 mm straight beam is fine -- yeah, I wish it were a bit thinner but I understand I would be compromising other places. It does not seem to get in the way. The nCode nPro Open, on the other hand, felt a little clumsy -- I kept hitting the frame. I think it is a combo of 26 mm straight beam + enclosed oval head (vs. V tech of Volkl).

6. SW is great. Weight is fine (10.7).

Thanks for your input.

 

[Puffdaddy]

I know it doesn't fit all your specs, but I would certainly consider the POG OS.