I scratch my head when people criticize a racket’s specs. Let me explain.
I believe the only thing that matters when selecting a new racquet is how it feels to you when striking a ball (including the feeling of the flex throughout the racket, not the RA number).
Caveat 1: You can “dampen” the feel with mods inside the handle. Some people swear by this, others don't. I just wrap lead tape on the handle instead of injecting silicone since lead can be removed, but silicone removal is much more difficult.
Everything else can be adjusted/ modified with some lead tape.
Caveat 2: The only thing you can’t adjust is making a racket lighter or decreasing the swing weight. I believe the only valid criticism of a racket's specs is if its too heavy for you.
So, if someone asks me for advice on what racket to buy, I ask “Forget about everything else. How does it feel? Because we can tweak it for you later.”
Racket feels great, but
-Not enough power... we'll add lead to the top until you feel like its powerful enough
-Not stable enough... add lead to 3/9 until you feel its stable enough
-Not maneouverable enough, add lead to handle until it feels right
-On and on, except when its too heavy for you.
I believe the manufacturers are hoping sell more rackets by constantly changing specs, but this is actually hurting racket sales because customers are actually getting confused. Its like looking at the packaged foods aisle in grocery stores and trying to pick a peanut butter... Low-fat, low-sodium, natural, organic, gluten free, on and on. So, I just buy the one I got the last time. Except you can't do that with tennis rackets, because they've changed it.
I like the customization angle some of the larger racket manufacturers are heading, but there has to be a better business model that prioritizes racket customization over endless spec adjustments.
