Review of the Volkl Organix 10 325

Since my current frame is the Volkl PB10 Mid, I was eager to try this racquet. I feel that my Volkl is probably the best racquet I have ever hit with and one that would be tough to match, much less beat. With the new Volkl Organix 10 325, Volkl promises that racquets with Organix materials “will be loaded up with kinetic energy during ball impact and release it back again immediately and better handling, due to extraordinary vibration-absorbing properties”. They also say that there is “up to 30% more dynamic power”. Lots of information to digest but I just wanted to see how it plays. This test model is 98 sq in and has a 16x19 string pattern. The stiffness rating is in the mid 60’s and around 12 oz strung.

Groundstrokes

When I began hitting with this racquet, it felt like I was hitting with an old friend and the larger head size (98 sq in) allowed my confidence soar. This is a heavier racquet but it didn’t feel too heavy as the weight seems to be distributed just right. My arm felt all warm and fuzzy as I felt no arm discomfort. The string in this racquet was a synthetic gut and is not known for explosive spin. However, I was still able to get excellent spin. I was impressed with it on both sides as I was able to come over the ball or slice and dice very well. I love to move my opponents back and forth on my groundstrokes and this racquet delivered. I controlled it nicely and spin it as needed. I had good, solid power on both sides. When given short balls, it was point over!

Volleys/Overheads

With the 98 sq in head, I felt very comfortable at net and I was able to power through both sides equally. Control was there whether I was trying to punch it hard or just feather it. Solid as a rock! Overheads were consistent and powerful as I had no issues. The head size provided all the confidence I needed to put the ball away every time.

Serves/Returns

Serving is the only area where I felt it was a bit lacking. However, it’s not a bad serving racquet. It just didn’t have the power I wanted when called upon. Spin and control wasn’t an issue, only power. When I really leaned on it to crank an ace (hopefully!), it just didn’t deliver. I would like to experiment with different strings such as a co-poly or even natural gut. A different string might change up the playing characteristics offering more power. Returns, however, were great. I think the size of the head along with how solid the racquet is combined for an excellent returning stick. I could block it with ease on a rocket serve or return it with pace on a floater.

Overall, this is an excellent racquet for a 4.5 and above player. Singles or doubles players will find this racquet solid, comfortable and reliable. Keep in mind that this is a heavier racquet and the faint of heart need not apply. Also, the handle shape is different than other brands as Volkls are more angular so there’s a brief adjustment period. For better players, you’ll see excellent results on groundstrokes, volleys, returns and overhead. Be willing to sacrifice a small amount

on power serves. The upside to that is that you’ll gain a bit of control, so it’s still good news! I don’t know if Organix is responsible for the excellent results I had, but it certainly didn’t hurt! I’m staying with my Volkl PB10 Mid’s but I could play with this racquet with very little adjustment.

Keep hittin!,

Dan

Review of the Prince EXO3 Tour 100 18x20

Donald Young switched to this racquet this year and his results are apparent. I don’t know if it’s just the racquet but there’s no denying the facts. His ranking has risen dramatically while using this racquet. Several other players are also using this racquet so it was time for me to take a look at why it’s gaining popularity. I was anxious to get this stick out on the court. This test racquet is about 11 ½ oz strung, 100 sq in, strung with a synthetic gut, an 18x20 string pattern and a stiffness rating in the low 50’s. This racquet had the open ports and not the optional grommets.

Groundstrokes

The first thing I noticed is that you can really feel the flexibility of this racquet. I currently use a pretty flexible racquet (Volkl PB10 Mid) but this one really bends on impact. It felt very comfortable and I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to generate good power, considering the flexibility. The flex allowed complete comfort for my arm. At first, I thought that I might need to add lead tape to the head to squeeze more power out of the frame. But after playing a set, that feeling went away. I found that with the extreme flexibility, I was able to control the ball and place it on a dime. Even with the larger head, it controlled the ball as well as my 93 sq in frame I currently have. Slice, flat or topspin, I could do it all. My confidence was way up every time I swung. The 18x20 string pattern contributed to the control factor and spin was excellent. I can imagine that if I installed a “spiny” co-poly, this might be considered one of the best frames out there (it still may be anyway). Frankly, other than possible lead tape, I don’t have any suggestions for improvement on groundies.

Volleys/Overheads

The light head and dense string pattern aided me in getting the racquet into position and control volleys but the lack of mass hurt me a bit in depth. I just needed to make sure that I punched through the ball to get the depth I needed. This is one area where lead tape would help. However, control was easy and I loved the touch. The flex allowed me to cup the ball and drop it where I wanted. Overheads were serviceable but I wouldn’t consider them powerful. The large head provided all the hitting surface I needed to put the ball away.

Serves/Returns

Even though I didn’t have all the power I wanted on serves, I was able to control the ball with ease. I was placing the ball in the deep outside corner on the ad side with ease and good pace on the ball. That’s a tough serve to hit but I was very consistent with it. Spin was good but not earth-shattering as I could hit a kick serve that was average in “kick-height”. Returns were as expected: fantastic! Whether blocking a big serve or blistering a weak serve, this racquet delivered. The tight string pattern helped keep the ball in play no matter the situation. Again, this is one area where lead tape may aid some in power and depth but I didn’t feel it would be necessary.

Overall, I loved this racquet. This is a great racquet for singles or doubles players in the 4.0 and above range and those who are looking for more control and/or comfort. If there is any thing to change, I might add lead tape to the head to beef it up a little. That is my only “iffy” thing about this frame. Additionally, there will be an adjustment period for most players coming from any of today’s stiff racquets. There will be a noticeable difference and they might feel that the racquet is bending too much. However, with persistence, you’ll see a great difference in the control of the ball and your arm will thank you for it. I want to lead the charge for players to switch from stiff racquets and play more flexible ones. This can help compensate for the stiff strings being used today and arms can be saved. I can see myself switching to this racquet which says quite a bit. It would be tough to rip my Volkl PB10 Mid from my hands but this racquet might be able to do it!

Better late than never to the Luxilon party

Luxilon is the company that began all this poly string stuff back in the 90's with the Original Big Banger. Gustavo Kuerten started it all when he strung up his racquet with the stuff and proceeded to win the French Open 3 times and get to number 1. When pros figured out that they could hit the ball as hard as they wanted and the ball would stay in the court, the poly floodgates opened. Heck, it was actually known as the "Luxilon dip" because of the pronounced dip the ball would take near the end on the court, seemingly on a string, and falling in at the last moment.

I'm sure that every tennis professional on the planet has tried Luxilon in one form or another, but I read and listened to the negative Nellys about these killers. I read about the horror stories about after hitting with them for only an hour, your arm will literally fall off! OK, maybe that's stretching the truth a bit but many people have avoided this string, some have been abused by this string but for those using it correctly, wow!

Many poly strings can cause arm issues if they are not strung properly. Too tight and the vibration will cause havoc with your tendons. Generally, you need to string any poly string 10% lower (or more) to reduce the effects these strings inherently cause. Also, not everyone SHOULD use poly strings. Beginners through intermediates shouldn't because they won't realize the benefits. They just don't have the racquethead speed to make it work properly. Also, if you have or are prone to have any arm issues, don't get any poly string in your racquet. It can mess you up for a long period of time. Face it, any tennis is better than no tennis due to arm problems.

The main reason for using this type of string is due to the low power they provide. They are generally more "dead" than synthetics and certainly more "dead" than natural gut. More on that later. The big deal with advanced players and pros is that they can swing harder and get more spin and control without fear of the ball going out.

On to my testing. I have been testing one of the most popular strings on tour, the Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power (I actually used the "rough" version but they are essentially the same string). Now, I have not gone all the way with this string as a full bed but rather, I used a hybrid in the cross. I used a soft, synthetic gut, Wilson Hollow Core. This does have a softening effect on the stiffer Luxilon. Using this combo, I was able to up the tension a bit to 55# in the mains (Luxilon) and 59# in the crosses (Hollow Core). Generally, for any hybrid, the main string will contribute 60-70% to the playability with crosses giving 30-40%.

After testing, I'm in love! This combination provides tremendous power, spin and control. I have never hit a more powerful, consistent and controlled serve. Also, my groundstrokes are powerful and quite spinny. The control is exceptional as I feel like I can put the ball on a dime no matter what position I'm in. All-in-all, this is a great setup and I have never felt a twinge in my wrist, arm or shoulder. I do plan to try this full bed and with other cross hybrids for comparisons.

When reading about Luxilon strings, durability problems have come up. When I say durability, I don't mean how long before they break. Poly strings are known for not breaking but they are known for "going dead". After a certain period of time, polys stretch out and won't return to the original position. Think of a rubber band stretching, coming back, stretching, coming back and finally stretching but not coming back. That's "dead". Most synthetics and natural gut strings stretch and come back for a longer period of time. Many felt like ALU Power strings go "dead" very quickly after only a couple hours of play. Obviously, this isn't a problem for the pros because they change racquets after only a few games. No big deal for them. But for the rest of us, durability is an issue, especially since these are not cheap strings. I was well into 12 hours of play and I did not detect any major changes in playability. Perhaps this was due to the hybrid effect since the Hollow Core will stay lively for a good amount of time in comparison to the Luxilon.

I must say that I am sold on this string and that it will stay in my racquet. At least until I find the next great string. ;) However, it's going to take a lot to top Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power. Sure, I may be late to the Luxilon party but at least there's enough time to have fun!

Review of the Genesis Twisted Razor string

Most of my experiences with textured strings have been less than exciting. The strings I have tested have had underwhelming results. Usually, they’re hyped and used as a great marketing tool but the texture makes little difference. Enter Genesis Twisted Razor 16L (1.27mm). Is this just another in the long line of twisted, shaped, textured, etc. strings? I took it to the court to experience it during a week-long playtest.

The setup racquet is my usual: the Volkl PB 10 Mid. I strung it near the middle of the racquet’s range at 55#. My usual setup is Kirschbaum PL II 17ga (mains) at 57# and Natural Gut 16ga (crosses) at 60#.

The first time I went for a playtest I actually hated the string. It felt boardy and had no feel. As time went on, however, I realized that it was my fault because I started out at too high of a tension. I nearly cut them out and thought that it’s the usual over-hyped string but thought twice and decided to give it one more try. I’m glad I did because it turned out to be one of the best, if not the best, string I have ever tested.

The test:

Feel:

Touch shots were very nice. I could feel the ball on the strings and drop shots, touch shots and those little feel shots were there for me. The ball pocketing is noticeable and appreciated. Not quite natural gut but it was getting close. 8.5/10

Power:

My playing partner remained the same for the 5 times I played with this string. He commented that the ball was getting to him quickly and it was difficult for him to do much with the ball. My serves were going through the court with excellent pace and I could tell the ball was traveling as fast as any other “power” strings I have played before. I can’t give this string a 10 because I have tested some rocket launchers. Those strings will get a 10 for power but a 2 for control. The Twisted Razor is the perfect blend of power with control. 9/10

Control:

I felt like I was in complete control on every shot and my confidence was riding high. I was placing the ball with an accuracy that usually only comes in streaks. Every time I played with this string I was placing it where I was aiming. I rarely lost control on anything within reach. My opponent really didn’t like how I kept hitting great shots but I loved it! 10/10

Spin:

This is where it got crazy. My opponent said that he had almost no chance on balls I could set up on and came over with heavy topspin. The ball would leave my racquet with its usual trajectory but would come down violently on the other side. It was quite remarkable to see the ball dive! My kick serves were jumping high and my backhand slice was staying so low that my opponent frequently couldn’t dig them out. I have a picture of one of the balls after 3 sets and the nap was coming through. I guess Razor is the perfect word for it. One word for the spin it produces: WOW! 10/10

Durability/Tension Maintenance:

After 5 playtests, there is virtually no wear on the strings and they haven’t moved. I have never had to straighten them during play. This isn’t that unusual for poly strings. I forgot to check the tension after the first time out but after the 2^nd time, the tension loss was only -10.4%. After the 4^th time, -15.3% and the 5^th time, -17.3%. Overall, tension maintenance is excellent and well within acceptable range. Like a fine wine, the feel, control and spin just keep getting better with time. 9/10

Arm Issues:

I have seen a slight increase in arm pain during this playtest, but certainly not alarming. I suffered a wrist injury from a few years ago and so polys in general do have a tendency to cause a flare-up. This is why I usually play with a poly/natural gut hybrid. It softens the blow. However, I’m not concerned since this has been very minor and seemed to go away after the first couple of times of play. I would contribute this to the tension loss and finding my personal best tension. Personally, I am planning to string this up at around 48-50# next time. This should take care of any arm/wrist issues in the future. 7.5/10

Overall, I’m am very impressed with this string. Luckily, I stayed with the string through that first time out and went back on the court to keep trying. I am getting great control, spin and feel from the ball. If you are a better player and are looking to increase power, spin and control (who isn’t?!), this might be your string. I would suggest that you string it a bit lower than a normal poly, especially if you have any arm twinges. This string comes highly recommended (except to my opponents! – shhh, don’t tell ‘em). Genesis keeps cranking out great strings dating back from their initial offering, Black Magic, all the way through to this string. They’re all winners.

Keep hittin’,

Dan

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Review of the new Head Youtek IG Speed Lite

Here's another playtest I did for tennisexpress.com - the Head Youtek IG Speed Lite.

Review of the Head Youtek IG Speed Lite

The first thing you notice when you pick up this racquet is that it’s light…very light. This racquet weighs in at nearly 2 ounces lighter than its big brother and current stick of Novak Djokovic, the Youtek IG Speed. As I prepared to test this racquet, I was wondering if it’s too light.

Groundstrokes

The overall lightness takes a bit of getting used to, especially if you’re used to a heavy racquet like I am. My current racquet weighs in at over 12 ounces and so there was an adjustment period. However, the adjustment was fairly quick and I found that I was able to generate deep shots with nice spin. This has a firm feel with the stiffness rating in the middle to stiff range (66). I did find that I needed to back off of my current fast swinging style as balls were hitting the back fence for a while. There isn’t much “plough through” like you get with a heavier racquet but if your strokes are short, there’s plenty of power to get the ball where you want it to go. I did find that I could direct the ball very well with a good amount of spin. The sweetspot is small compared to the headsize and shots outside that spot creates some stability issues, due mostly to the weight (or lack of) the frame.

Serves/Returns

Just like groundstrokes, there is an adjustment to this fast-moving racquet during serving. Even with the low weight, I found that I could get lots of power. Spin was good but not outstanding as my kick serves were average. The 102 sq in head gave me lots of confidence that I would find a large sweetspot but the sweetspot isn’t huge and I contribute it to the lack of weight in the frame. I did have a little problem getting the ball in the court on first serves. If I backed off the swing speed some, I could consistently get the ball in on first and second serves. Return power was there and a short backswing is your friend for control.

Volleys/Overheads

As you can imagine, this racquet was excellent around the net. It felt like a feather in my hand and quick reaction shots were a joy. For a minute, I thought I had the hands of McEnroe since my reaction time was so good! I came back to reality as soon as I realized that it’s the racquet, not my quickness. Darn! When struck in the middle of the racquet, volleys were solid and deep but since it’s pretty stiff and powerful, you need to keep it short and sweet. Overheads were solid and as long as I hit the middle of the racquet face, no problems. However, outside the sweetspot and the stability went down substantially.

This is a very light-weight racquet that provides an adequate overall blend of spin, power and control. Beginners through intermediates players will appreciate the strong points of the racquet – maneuverability, power, a firm feel and the 102 sq in size. My question at the beginning of this review about it being too light will depend on the type of player you are and what you’re looking for. If you’re a player that takes short, precise strokes, this could be a good version for you. Players looking for a light racquet with plenty of power and who can find the sweetspot pretty well will also enjoy this stick. If you’re a better player wanting a “player’s racquet”, you might want to step up to the heavier Youtek IG Speed.

Keep hittin'!!!

Dan

Review of the new Babalot Pure Storm Tour Plus

As a regular playtester for tennisexpress.com, I wanted to blog my playtest results here for everyone to see. Thanks for your support!!

Review of the Babolat Pure Storm Tour Plus GT

As the old saying goes, size does matter. With the additional ½” added to the length of the racquet, one might think that power would be the main feature. When you look at the racquet, it looks longer. When you play with it, you can’t tell the difference. As you will see, this racquet has more than size on its side.

Groundstrokes

I expected some loss of control with the plus version but I was very pleased that I didn’t even notice the added length. Groundstrokes were consistent and smooth and I got good results with my usual strokes (long and fast). Topspin was generated easily but it’s not a “topspin racquet”. I must say that this racquet was the best racquet I have ever hit on slice backhands. I was the surgeon and the court was my patient! My opponent frequently complained that the ball never came up and was very difficult to get a play on it. Ohhh, I like that!!

Serves/Returns

As much as I loved the slice backhand with this racquet, I also was in love with the serve. I got excellent kick and I frequently handcuffed my opponent with the jumping ball. I could generate excellent power and control, too. This was a true servers’ racquet. I’m sure the additional ½” helped with all this. On the return, I only needed short strokes to get the ball back with plenty of power and control. Since this is a fairly powerful stick, a shorter stroke on returns is necessary to get the job done. The extra reach came in handy on those wide serve returns. I surprised myself a couple of times on how far I could reach with this racquet.

Volleys/Overheads

With the midsize+ head, getting the racquet on the ball was no problem. Just don’t swing on the volley (you shouldn’t anyway!) because it’ll fly a bit. A short, sharp punch is sufficient for power and control. It was a tiny bit cumbersome on tight shots in close to the body but it’s not a deal-breaker, especially if you don’t visit the net too often. Overheads were a breeze and with the 98 sq in head, I felt confident that I would put the ball away every time.

This is a great racquet for the good to better player. The extra ½” was beneficial on those wide reach shots and serves, and the backhand backspin was like a little “slice” of heaven! As I was looking at the specs, I was surprised to see that it’s not a stiff racquet. However, it plays firm and no matter where the ball hits on the face, it feels very solid and with no elbow issues. A very unusual combination. This racquet has plenty of power, control and spin. If you’re a 4.0+ aggressive player who is looking for solid racquet with a bit of power, here’s your stick. Babalot really got it right with this racquet.

Keep hittin'!!

Dan

Prince Beast XP string review

In 2010, Prince began distributing this string to playtesters with no information accompanying the string samples. They even set up a website (beastxp.com) but no one knew for sure who the company was or anything about the string. Upon inspection, it was apparent that it was a poly and it was green, but nothing else. What they did was brilliant because it allowed Prince to find out what playtesters actually thought of the string with no pre-conceived notions.

I received my sample after all the hoopla was over (for the most part) and decided it was time to string it up and see if it lives up to the hype Prince generated. Prince claims that their string is the world’s first thermo-poly string, featuring a secret alloy additive, that delivers improved trajectory control and feel for extreme precision. Ok, every company claims their string is either the first or the best at this or that but the proof is on court, not in the ad campaigns.

Prince claims 5 basic points - trajectory control, spin, tension maintenance, power and feel. Aren't these the same claims as every string, or racquet or anything else related to tennis makes? As a stringer, I get tons of string samples wanting me to test drive their "new" technology but rarely do they deliver on their claims. Let's take it on the court to see how the Beast xp stacks up to their hype.

The test racquet setup is as follows: Volkl Powerbridge 10 Mid; Prince Beast xp 16ga (mains) at 57# and Gaucho natural gut 16ga (crosses) at 60#. Natural gut in the crosses is my favorite setup because it's simply the best at nearly everything. But, it's expensive so I keep it in the crosses only. I realize that this may be cheating a bit on the overall playability of the string by hybriding it, but that's the way I usually play, so it's a fair test as a comparison.

The playtest: I started the test by playing a total of 4 sets of singles. The first thing I noticed is that my groundstrokes felt very comfortable and reliable. By reliable, I mean that the length of stroke was very predictible. I felt I could take full strokes and the ball would stay in. Now, I have played with other strings that would do this too but they were generally very stiff and harsh and potentially hard on your arm. The Beast xp strings had the predictiblity and they felt firm but not harsh. I would say that they leaned toward the soft side without being "mushy".

I finished the test with 5 sets of doubles and I must say that the Beast xp performed as good or better as a doubles setup. Again, the serve, volley and returns were outstanding and I felt in complete control. In doubles, you need to be precise with returns and this was fitting the bill.

While at the net, the strings controlled the ball beautifully. I was shocked how consistently I was hitting the ball deep into the court and with good punch. It is probably some of the best volleying I have done in quite some time. Feel at the net was the most outstanding characteristic of the string. Not something that you usually find in a poly. I was placing the ball with amazing precision. I was checking to make sure I was the one hitting those volleys!!

I felt completely confident at the baseline as my full strokes felt wonderful. The spin potential is very good but it's not outstanding. I have found that usually the best spinning strings are the stiffest but they're also the hardest on your arm. The Beast xp is a good feeling string with good spin.

My serve and overhead had lots of pop, spin and control and I was putting the serve in the spot I was aiming with excellent consistency. The ball just felt good coming off the stringbed.

What I was most surprised about this string is that I didn't find any real weaknesses. I forgot to measure the stringbed stiffness with my meter before hitting but it felt like there was very little tension loss.

The 1 downside (or maybe 2). This string is a bit pricey. It's up there with some Luxilon strings on price. The other possible downside to some might be the green color. Actually, I quite liked it and it didn't clash with the color of my racquet. ;) No one pointed or laughed (at least not to my face!). One thing I was initially disapointed about was that it's currently only available in a 16ga. I always play with a 17ga string as I feel it provides more "bite" However, this playtest dispelled any issues I had with it only being a 16ga.

Ok, let's sum this up. Prince claims 5 things - trajectory control, spin, tension maintenance, power and feel. Does the Beast xp deliver on any of these claims? My answer is yes on all 5 counts. Unlike most of the other string demos I get, this string actually delivered on their ad campaign. Refreshing! I think this string will be a great addition to the better player who wants to add better feel, power and control to their game vs the ordinary poly they currently use. Personally, I may have found a new string to go in my racquet!

Thanks,
Dan

Keep hittin'!!