What are your favorite racket cosmetics of all-time?

[gino]

Take away the performance attributes of any frame. This is just a discussion about the best paintjobs in your personal opinion.

Curious if there are any that get a swell of support. If you can, add pics!

For me personally, see below for my top 5 (subject to change). I'm also going to add honorable mentioned frames to a few successive posts.

1. Wilson nCode pro staff
2. HEAD Youtek prestige
3. Wilson K-Factor pro staff
4. HEAD Microgel prestige
5. Babolat Pure Strike 2020

2004 Wilson nCode pro staffs

2010 HEAD Youtek prestige

2007 Wilson k-factor pro staffs

2008 HEAD Microgel prestige

2020 Babolat Pure strike

 

[socallefty]

Current Strike VS.

 

[gino]

1980-something Wilson Pro Staff 6.0 85

2003 Wilson HPS 6.0 90

2000 HEAD iPrestige

2007 Wilson K-Blade

2006 Babolat APD OG

1998 HEAD Prestige Tour 600

2019 RF97 Laver Cup

2019 Babolat Pure Aero

2015 Wilson RF97

2011 HEAD Youtek IG Speed

2010 Babolat Aero Pro Drive

2021 Wilson Ultra Pro

2018 Wilson Ultra Tour

Prince 2001 TT Warrior

2004 HEAD Liquidmetal Radical

2004 HEAD Liquidmetal Prestige

2007 Dunlop Aerogel 300

2007 Babolat Aero Pro Drive

2009 Wilson K88

 

[gino]

1997 HEAD Pro Tour 630

2002 Babolat Pure Drive Team

2003 Wilson Hyper Pro Staff 6.1

2014 Rafa proto Babolat Aero

2003 Slazenger Pro Braided

2012 Babolat Pure Drive Roddick

2009 Babolat Pure Drive Roddick

2009 HEAD speed pro

2007 Wilson nBlade

2014 HEAD Graphene prestige (hated these frames but the paint jobs are great)

to be continued........

 

[eric42]

Prestige Tour 300/600

 

[kevin qmto]

I got a few…

Ok I'm going to break this into 2 catagories. Understated, minimal classy paint jobs, and radical colors/graphics. I have favorites for each.

First up. subdued black with accents:

Head Graphite One (matte black)

Pro Kennex Kinetic Smi 10g (gloss black)

Now for flashy bright paint jobs.
Yamaha Proto FX (rainbow road of tennis rackets)

Fischer Vacuum Pro 90 (just great contrasts here, and love the scaly look)

 

[WYK]

Yonex RQIS 1

 

[heavyD]

There have been plenty of good looking frames over the years but IMO nothing touches the V8 Blade Pro and Ultra Pro V4. The gloss takes the colors of each to the next level.

 

[mixtape]

Prince CTS line. The gradient color and metallic flake look is my favorite.

 

[richdvng]

Yonex Vcore 95D

 

[Deleted member 775108]

#1 Aero Pro Drive Original

#2 Radical Oversize

#3 Pro Tour 280/630/2.0

@gino Love your placeholder concept. Hold spots for future posts in possibly awesome posts so that you look even better in the future. Im going to keep editing and adding my favorites to this post. But I will limit them to frames I own.

 

[naturalexponent]

PC600

 

[FuzzyYellowBalls]

The Regna, braids that are visible, especially in the sunlight

 

[gino]

loving the activity so far! keep em' coming!!

@Seth we need a pic of the dunlop

 

[gino]

I got a few…

Ok I'm going to break this into 2 catagories. Understated, minimal classy paint jobs, and radical colors/graphics. I have favorites for each.

First up. subdued black with accents:

Head Graphite One (matte black)

Pro Kennex Kinetic Smi 10g (gloss black)

Now for flashy bright paint jobs.
Yamaha Proto FX (rainbow road of tennis rackets)

Fischer Vacuum Pro 90 (just great contrasts here, and love the scaly look)

thanks for all the pics mate, awesome stuff

 

[gino]

#1 Aero Pro Drive Original

#2 Radical Oversize

#3 Pro Tour 280/630/2.0

@gino Love your placeholder concept. Hold spots for future posts in possibly awesome posts so that you look even better in the future. Im going to keep editing and adding my favorites to this post. But I will limit them to frames I own.

APD OG almost made my OP. Gonna add a few more to the placeholder posts later on

 

[TennisHound]

Current Babolat Pure Aero

 

[mavsman149]

Hard to pick just one, here’s a few of my favorites:

Pure Drive and Pure Control Swirly
Pure Storm Team 98 2004 version
KBlade Tour
Head IG Prestige Anniversary Edition
2021 VCore Pro
2022 Pure Strike VS

 

[naturalexponent]

In terms of nostalgic and emotional attachment, the nCode and K-Factor pro staffs, because I coveted them the most during their time.

Also, the emerald VCore Pros.

 

[Crocodile]

Dunlop Biomimetic 200 Tour
Babolat Strike Wimbledon edition.

 

[gino]

Dunlop Biomimetic 200 Tour
Babolat Strike Wimbledon edition.

Oooo strike Wimbledon deep cut ! Nice one

Biomimetic was underrated, cool texture too

 

[gino]

In terms of nostalgic and emotional attachment, the nCode and K-Factor pro staffs, because I coveted them the most during their time.

Also, the emerald VCore Pros.

If you asked me 5 or 10 years ago it’s kfactor hands down. The paint job hasn’t aged as well as I expected. The pro staff and blade kfactor stuff still GOATed IMO. nCode undefeated, couldn’t omit from OP felt wrong

 

[McGradey]

I think it’s the the Head Pro Tour. Any version. It’s timeless, oozes mystique and it’s a beautiful shade of blue. Definitely an inspired bit of work. (Not my one bellow).

I was tempted to go with the Prestige Classic/Pro, but I find blue things to have everlasting appeal, while red is more striking initially but sometimes the appeal fades over time.

90s paintjobs were elite in general.

 

[lelopez]

Another vote for the nCode. I always really liked the original pro staff's PJ as well.

 

[ariwibowo]

Shiny Wilson Ultra Tour v2 and Ultra Pro V3

 

[jmacdaununder2]

Early Fischers - stars & stripes version in particular; Fischer Vac Pro 90/98; Head Vilas.

 

[javitennis]

Donnay Allwood with brown leather grip

 

[stapletonj]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

Prince White Spectrum Comp 110 with the green and blue pinstripes and light gray leather grip.

perfection. class. elegance.

 

[SupahMan5000]

Biomimetic was awesome. I was in love with the *idea* of dunlop when those were out

Youtek IG Prestige was prob top of the top

 

[Rally]

My top 3 from 1st to 3rd:
1) Wilson Pro Staff Six.One Tour 90 BLX (2012-2013)

2) Wilson BLX Six.One Tour 90 (2010-2011)

3) Wilson nCode Six.One Tour 90 (2004-2006)

Please Wilson, reissue the k90 in any of its cosmetics from 2004 to 2013.

 

[gino]

My top 3 from 1st to 3rd:
1) Wilson Pro Staff Six.One Tour 90 BLX (2012-2013)

2) Wilson BLX Six.One Tour 90 (2010-2011)

3) Wilson nCode Six.One Tour 90 (2004-2006)

Please Wilson, reissue the k90 in any of its cosmetics from 2004 to 2013.

Thanks for the pics. nCode remains undefeated !

 

[Rally]

Thanks for the pics. nCode remains undefeated !

All time great cosmetic that I will forever associate with the greatest and most lethal forehand of all time. It's unfair to the rest of the racquet cosmetics in 2004-2006 to have to compete with it.

 

[mcenroe84]

Pro Staff Classic 6.1

i-img1200x900-1523302436thwxn536434.jpg

 

[mhkeuns]

First gen Prince Textreme Tour 95

 

[initialize]

Can't beat the K Factor imo

 

[gino]

All time great cosmetic that I will forever associate with the greatest and most lethal forehand of all time. It's unfair to the rest of the racquet cosmetics in 2004-2006 to have to compete with it.

Easily the most potent/powerful forehand ever

 

[gino]

Pro Staff Classic 6.1

i-img1200x900-1523302436thwxn536434.jpg

All time frame

 

[Underdog]

I gotta say 2021 Yonez VCore Pro. Amazing use of green and purple. I'm also a fan of the looks on the isometric headshape. perfect pack for me, aesthetically. The new Yonex Regna is also marvellous, maybe even better.
Honorable mentions to APD Original, K-Factor, RF97 v13, Pure Strike 3rd gen, Strike VS, Pure Drive (the latest).

 

[gino]

I gotta say 2021 Yonez VCore Pro. Amazing use of green and purple. I'm also a fan of the looks on the isometric headshape. perfect pack for me, aesthetically. The new Yonex Regna is also marvellous, maybe even better.
Honorable mentions to APD Original, K-Factor, RF97 v13, Pure Strike 3rd gen, Strike VS, Pure Drive (the latest).

Great list

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

I got a few…

Ok I'm going to break this into 2 catagories. Understated, minimal classy paint jobs, and radical colors/graphics. I have favorites for each.

First up. subdued black with accents:

Head Graphite One (matte black)

Pro Kennex Kinetic Smi 10g (gloss black)

Now for flashy bright paint jobs.
Yamaha Proto FX (rainbow road of tennis rackets)

Fischer Vacuum Pro 90 (just great contrasts here, and love the scaly look)

That Pro Kennex looks suspiciously similar to the new Angell React series.

 

[kevin qmto]

That Pro Kennex looks suspiciously similar to the new Angell React series.

Maybe, but Pro Kennex was doing that sculpted throat and bridge over 20 years ago lol.

 

[Rosstour]

POG
Wilson Hammer 5.2
Any Pro Staff in black/red/yellow
Blade V8
Clash v1 and v2

 

[gino]

POG
Wilson Hammer 5.2
Any Pro Staff in black/red/yellow
Blade V8
Clash v1 and v2

Clash somehow underrated, it's the best of the metallic wilson PJs imo

I like the "any pro staff in traditional colors" hah

 

[Rosstour]

Clash somehow underrated, it's the best of the metallic wilson PJs imo

I like the "any pro staff in traditional colors" hah

Covers the 6.0, 6.1, and the most recent ones. Love those racquets, always top my nostalgia list.

The green/purple Yonex is awesome I just know nothing about them so I don't know what it's called

 

[Fed Kennedy]

It is important to factor in the overgrip and string interplay. For example APDO doesnt look right without the Pro hurricane tour.
Slap a tourna on a bumblebee with silver poly and you have created art

 

[gino]

It is important to factor in the overgrip and string interplay. For example APDO doesnt look right without the Pro hurricane tour.
Slap a tourna on a bumblebee with silver poly and you have created art

ha! this is a hilarious consideration but i also agree. would be fun to list some iconic interplay between frames, strings, grips

PS85 + blue tourna = big pete energy?

 

[codonnell]

I love the pure drive and apd active cortex paint jobs, as well as the latest aero American pj . The blue laver cup RF was beautiful too.

 

[veelium]

Prestige 360+, glossy sexy red.

Everything Kfactor was cool too.

Also Tfight 305 Kabuki vo2 max.

 

[gino]

I love the pure drive and apd active cortex paint jobs, as well as the latest aero American pj . The blue laver cup RF was beautiful too.

Forgot about the laver RFs, two amazing ones were red and blue

 

[gino]

Prestige 360+, glossy sexy red.

Everything Kfactor was cool too.

Also Tfight 305 Kabuki vo2 max.

Any k-factor deep cuts you were fond of ?