Yonex VCore Pro 97 HD review...

[FuzzyYellowBalls]

Yonex VCore Pro 97 HD

Whoah, this is a pretty special racket

Strung with Yonex poly tour pro 125 at mid tension

Easiest for me to compare it to last years Vcore Pro 97 330g since I played with the 330 g all weekend. This is a special racket because it feels much much lighter than it really is, it feels very maneuverable and still has pretty good plow through. The sweetspot hits are easy to come by and it feels fantastic when that connection is made. It doesn't feel heavy at all. Now, if you are a lover of plow through and heft, the 330g is probably still the Yonex for you, but if you like a very maneuverable racket, demo this one. I could almost compare it to the Pure Strike 16x19 as far as a heavier racket that still feels maneuverable, but I think the HD is actually heavier in weight, yet feels lighter than the Pure Strike to me ( I just peaked at the stats on the website and sure enough the Pure Strike is one point higher in swing weight than the HD). Fantastic volley racket and yet still beefy enough to hit nice groundstrokes. Let me know if you have any questions.

Oh, almost forgot, yes the green, to me, isn't that great. Racket color doesn't matter that much to me, but still, the green leaves me thinking, "bleh".

 

[AA7]

Yonex VCore Pro 97 HD

Whoah, this is a pretty special racket

Strung with Yonex poly tour pro 125 at mid tension

Easiest for me to compare it to last years Vcore Pro 97 330g since I played with the 330 g all weekend. This is a special racket because it feels much much lighter than it really is, it feels very maneuverable and still has pretty good plow through. The sweetspot hits are easy to come by and it feels fantastic when that connection is made. It doesn't feel heavy at all. Now, if you are a lover of plow through and heft, the 330g is probably still the Yonex for you, but if you like a very maneuverable racket, demo this one. I could almost compare it to the Pure Strike 16x19 as far as a heavier racket that still feels maneuverable, but I think the HD is actually heavier in weight, yet feels lighter than the Pure Strike to me ( I just peaked at the stats on the website and sure enough the Pure Strike is one point higher in swing weight than the HD). Fantastic volley racket and yet still beefy enough to hit nice groundstrokes. Let me know if you have any questions.

Oh, almost forgot, yes the green, to me, isn't that great. Racket color doesn't matter that much to me, but still, the green leaves me thinking, "bleh".

Thanks for the review. Could you make some comparisons in control, power, spin, plow departments?

 

[FuzzyYellowBalls]

Control: More than the new Strike 16x19, about equal new Blade 18x20, not as much as the 330g Vcore
Power: Less than Strike, about equal to the new Blade, more raw power than the 330g Vcore
Spin: I am not qualified to comment, I feel like I get about the same spin from open and close string patterns and I prefer the control effects of 18x20. I guess I am ignorant or too old school to notice a ton of benefit from open strings on my spin shots.
Plow: More than Strike, a little more than the new Blade, less than 330g Vcore, about what you might expect if you look at the raw number statistics of all these sticks, based on weight.

 

[AGEE]

Control: More than the new Strike 16x19, about equal new Blade 18x20, not as much as the 330g Vcore
Power: Less than Strike, about equal to the new Blade, more raw power than the 330g Vcore
Spin: I am not qualified to comment, I feel like I get about the same spin from open and close string patterns and I prefer the control effects of 18x20. I guess I am ignorant or too old school to notice a ton of benefit from open strings on my spin shots.
Plow: More than Strike, a little more than the new Blade, less than 330g Vcore, about what you might expect if you look at the raw number statistics of all these sticks, based on weight.

Have you ever played with DR98. If so, any comparisons, especially on power.

Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk

 

[AA7]

Thanks again!.. i am surprised about the plow and power being more than blade v7 18x20... due to lower swingweight... anyways... good stuff.. so many good racquets flooded the market this summer

 

[Shangri La]

What's the ball feel like with the HD?

 

[stephenclown]

Really deep pocketing like classic HEAD or completely different?

More manoeuvrable would mean less weight in the throat?

 

[parasailing]

Exciting to hear that this racquet has more power than a Blade v7 18x20 but has a thinner beam which would make it a bit more maneuverable.

 

[AA7]

Exciting to hear that this racquet has more power than a Blade v7 18x20 but has a thinner beam which would make it a bit more maneuverable.

I suspect this racquet will feel quite more maneuverable due to (i) 7hl vs 4, (ii) slightly thinner and (iii) lower swingweight..

 

[JoaoN]

Thanks again!.. i am surprised about the plow and power being more than blade v7 18x20... due to lower swingweight... anyways... good stuff.. so many good racquets flooded the market this summer

I am quite impressed with that too, if true, i'm sure i will switch.

 

[mad dog1]

Thanks again!.. i am surprised about the plow and power being more than blade v7 18x20... due to lower swingweight... anyways... good stuff.. so many good racquets flooded the market this summer

I am quite impressed with that too, if true, i'm sure i will switch.

Yeah. The TW playtesters also mentioned the power. Sounds like this is a racquet I’m going to need to try.

 

[JoaoN]

This might be me holy grail, nice plow through while whippy and manurevable.

 

[Power Player]

Ill be surprised if it has more plow and power than the Blade for most players. I read other posters say the DR98 did as well, but in my experience it took a bit more work to generate a similar ball. I think some of this will boil down to how players swing and what SW and balance they are most comfortable with.

 

[FuzzyYellowBalls]

Ok some answers. Yes, I played 3 singles matches with the dr98 two weekends ago in a tournament. The dr98 has more power, maybe 10 to 15%, if you need power I think the dr98 has more. A demo is probably necessary, I'm not sure too many play styles will "need" more power than the HD provides, but some might prefer it.

2. The ball feels close to the 330, some of that heavy-ness, but the increase in swing speed and head lightness required a slight adjustment on my part for my forehand. It was pretty easy to adjust after 5 minutes of warmup, those rackets are pretty similar.

3. I played with the red head prestige pro and that is different than this stick, this is closer to a Strike 16x9 while then prestige is closer to the 330 or Blade and I think that is because of balance. I would also say the Strike Tour is closer to the classic Prestige line.

Upon reflection I will add that this racket feels about .5 ounces lighter than it is, it's a bonus in my opinion.

 

[CosmosMpower]

Thanks for the review, I'm going to demo one as I currently have the 2018 Vcore Pro 97 310, Ezone 98 and Vcore 95 but I like 18x20 sticks.

 

[FuzzyYellowBalls]

Thanks for the review, I'm going to demo one as I currently have the 2018 Vcore Pro 97 310 and Vcore 95 but I like 18x20 sticks.

Cosmo, post your review, look forward to it. I think this is a very nice um, "upgrade" from the Vcore 95 for my game, same maneuverability, but some more heft.

 

[Power Player]

If I was still into the classic weighted and balance frame, this would be an insta-buy for me. Glad Yonex made this one, and I hope it sells.

 

[CosmosMpower]

Cosmo, post your review, look forward to it. I think this is a very nice um, "upgrade" from the Vcore 95 for my game, same maneuverability, but some more heft.

Will do, I don't think the demos for TW will be ready for a few weeks.

 

[parasailing]

Ill be surprised if it has more plow and power than the Blade for most players. I read other posters say the DR98 did as well, but in my experience it took a bit more work to generate a similar ball. I think some of this will boil down to how players swing and what SW and balance they are most comfortable with.

If this plays like the DR 98 then it doesn't play like the Blade for me. I am intrigue by it being lighter and whippier while still having decent power.

 

[JoaoN]

Ill be surprised if it has more plow and power than the Blade for most players. I read other posters say the DR98 did as well, but in my experience it took a bit more work to generate a similar ball. I think some of this will boil down to how players swing and what SW and balance they are most comfortable with.

I had more power with the DR98 than with the blade, but plow is way better with the blade.

 

[Power Player]

I had more power with the DR98 than with the blade, but plow is way better with the blade.

Its the flexy neck of the DR98 that makes it feel like it's more powerful than it really is, IMO. What I mean by that it is easier for me to generate a heavy ball with the Blade.

 

[chrisberchris]

Looks amazing but I wish it was a little more head light. Will definitely demo though.

 

[JoaoN]

Its the flexy neck of the DR98 that makes it feel like it's more powerful than it really is, IMO. What I mean by that it is easier for me to generate a heavy ball with the Blade.

On the subject of "heavy ball", in my experience, only RF97 and VCP330 could compete with the blade. The DR98 came one tier below these three.

 

[Znak]

I asked Troy, he mentioned the HD has more control, and feel whereas the DR98 provides easier access to power, and spin. Curious to try this one out!

 

[Power Player]

On the subject of "heavy ball", in my experience, only RF97 and VCP330 could compete with the blade. The DR98 came one tier below these three.

Yeah thats one thing that I really need from my racquets. I also prefer more weight in the head, as a whippy frame is too easy for me to overswing with. I've been training on hitting a lot of consistent, heavy forehands and the Blade is a perfect fit for that.

 

[Chidoc]

I just hit with the 97HD today felt quite a bit more plush than my RF97A and much more maneuverable. The weight of my RF is like 365 the 97HD I played with was 345 strung with lead at 12:00. I may pull the trigger on getting this but first I may try the gravity pro.

 

[MajesticMoose]

97HD I played with was 345 strung with lead at 12:00

With an overgrip that frame should come in around 343ish. How much lead did you put at 12?

 

[Kozzy]

Mine arrives today - I'll string it up and put a leather grip on it, and maybe a touch of lead. Will be hitting with it tomorrow. Super excited to compare it to the ultra tour, which I love.

 

[Luke Yonex]

How arm friendly is it compared to the DR 98

 

[Chidoc]

With an overgrip that frame should come in around 343ish. How much lead did you put at 12?

You’re right it was 355, this was the store owners Racquet and the weight was under the grommet.

 

[FuzzyYellowBalls]

How arm friendly is it compared to the DR 98

I consider both very arm friendly

 

[Power Player]

I consider both very arm friendly

How do compare the feel of the DR98 to the HD? I liked the feel of the DR, but that throat flex makes it feel a bit like a catapult.

 

[FuzzyYellowBalls]

I the HD is much more similar to the Vcore 330 than the DR.

 

[RoarTT]

I liked the feel of the DR, but that throat flex makes it feel a bit like a catapult.

+1. Going for deep controlled top spin shots and the ball would fly on me. I could actually feel the head catapult from the throat and push the ball wide, even on slower swings. On flat shots it felt very good though.

 

[AA7]

Surprised there are already 3 customer reviews of this racquet at TW website

 

[FuzzyYellowBalls]

I predict an explosion of praise in the next month.

 

[JOSHL]

Just bought one. It will be a few days until I can hit with it tho....

 

[Power Player]

Just bought one. It will be a few days until I can hit with it tho....

Nice man, you are a true Holic. Interested in the comp to the Blade. They are different frames in some ways, so it may boil down to modern vs old school spec for you.

 

[wevin]

Just bought one. It will be a few days until I can hit with it tho....

Ok... so what do you think? Comparisons to the VCP330, 93P, PPP100 18x20? Thanks!

 

[Crocodile]

I hit with the HD today and found it to be very headlight and easy to swing with plenty of precision and control but you want to be prepared to work this frame all the time otherwise you won't get the best out of it.
It's comfortable in terms of arm safety which is good but many will find the new blade 16/19 an easier prospect.

 

[bngbox]

Let's keep this convo going for this racquet. I've been demoing it for the past couple days and I have been loving it overall. I was super hesitant about the 18x20 pattern but this thing is so balanced! I can really wail at the ball and still put a good amount of spin on it and get it in with great pace. I feel like I am getting more pace on the ball because of the launch angle. It gets over the net just enough but keeps the ball straight, low, and fast. Such a contrast to my Pure Strike 16x19 that has a lot more spin.

This racquet isn't super headlight after strings though. It's almost a balanced weight distribution at 4pts HL. It has great plow through but you really need to have a good,full stroke to make the most of the racquet. Make sure you move your feet and prepare for the ball as it isn't necessarily as quickly maneuverable as you might expect.

In terms of feel and comfort, it's my first time really hitting with an 18x20 in many years and I have to say I appreciate it a lot more now. The feel is perfect, the sweetspot does feel quite a bit better than my Babolat, and the flex and thin beam of this racquet make it so comfortable to hit with. It feels so much easier to hit a crisp shot.

I'm still getting used to this with my serve, so I'll get back to you on this. The spin is definitely still there, but I need to dial in my flat serve. I've gotten some great power through all my strokes and some serves though. I think that stringing with PolyTour Spin at 50 lbs really helped bring this racquet to life.

 

[bngbox]

Yonex VCore Pro 97 HD

Whoah, this is a pretty special racket

Strung with Yonex poly tour pro 125 at mid tension

Easiest for me to compare it to last years Vcore Pro 97 330g since I played with the 330 g all weekend. This is a special racket because it feels much much lighter than it really is, it feels very maneuverable and still has pretty good plow through. The sweetspot hits are easy to come by and it feels fantastic when that connection is made. It doesn't feel heavy at all. Now, if you are a lover of plow through and heft, the 330g is probably still the Yonex for you, but if you like a very maneuverable racket, demo this one. I could almost compare it to the Pure Strike 16x19 as far as a heavier racket that still feels maneuverable, but I think the HD is actually heavier in weight, yet feels lighter than the Pure Strike to me ( I just peaked at the stats on the website and sure enough the Pure Strike is one point higher in swing weight than the HD). Fantastic volley racket and yet still beefy enough to hit nice groundstrokes. Let me know if you have any questions.

Oh, almost forgot, yes the green, to me, isn't that great. Racket color doesn't matter that much to me, but still, the green leaves me thinking, "bleh".

I personally loved the color when I first saw it. I'm not usually a green person at all. It's my least favorite color for almost anything. But this racquet looks super nice and futuristic. The matter finish with shiny but matte gold looks awesome in the details!

 

[nn]

I the HD is much more similar to the Vcore 330 than the DR.

you nail it. I tried old vcore 97 330, new vcore 97 330 & HD.

HD (340 grams no lead or anything) is very flexy, arm friendly, a lot of control, nice pop, little less spin, less power (strung with ALU 1.25 @53) lot of directional control etc

I hated new Vcore 97 330 (350 grams no lead or anything) as it was heavy, not very maneuverable (TW review spot-on), clumpy feel (maybe similar to Dual G which I hated) also strung with ALU 1.25 at 52

Loved the old Vcore 97 330 (342 no lead or anything) strung with ALU 1.25 at @52. it has everything from HD + power + spin + easy to swing + serve got more kick (same technique for all three racquets)

I am coming from RF97A (RED to black) and now to Vcore 97 330 (old version).

 

[degrease]

Ordered one today

 

[pico]

How does this compare to the Gravity Pro?

 

[Daniel Waters]

This racquet isn't super headlight after strings though. It's almost a balanced weight distribution at 4pts HL. It has great plow through but you really need to have a good,full stroke to make the most of the racquet. Make sure you move your feet and prepare for the ball as it isn't necessarily as quickly maneuverable as you might expect.

Odd, I have two of the VCore Pro 97 HD, and strung with dampener and one overgrip on top of the original grip, my racquets both measure nearly 8 pts HL. Unstrung, they measure even more HL. If your frame is measuring 4 pts HL, that would seem very unusual to be that far out of spec (I think TW lists the frame at 7 pts HL when strung).

 

[matchpoint9]

How does this compare to the Gravity Pro?

GP feels slow / sluggish compared to HD. HD is low powered, easy to swing, more feel vs GP.

 

[matchpoint9]

The HD is a really nice frame especially if you're a doubles player. I also like that the string pattern is not too dense for 18x20.
I use a poly / low-powered multi hybrid and imo is a very good setup for this frame -- more power without sacrificing control, and enhances that connected feel at contact.

 

[Medicine69]

What would you prefer instead of a ProStaff 97 without CV 315g the 2017 version. Yonex HD or the 310 or maybe ezone 98 305?

 

[wevin]

The HD is a really nice frame especially if you're a doubles player. I also like that the string pattern is not too dense for 18x20.
I use a poly / low-powered multi hybrid and imo is a very good setup for this frame -- more power without sacrificing control, and enhances that connected feel at contact.

With the HD, I’ve noticed immediate improvement in volley quality and surprising ability to react at net and get the racket in position in time that has surprised my playing partners when they think they have smoked it by me.

Strung it with Klip Legend 17g mains at 53 and Yonex Poly Tour Fire 17g crosses at 45 and am really liking this combo.