Maybe the best players racket on the market today

[djarvik]

[Rob ITST]

talking about grips, Volkls have a very special grip, they're more rectangular than the rest of brand grips, quite similar to Head's, love it or hate it i guess, i'm used to Heads, so no problem.

I love it on forehands, serves, and volley, but not at all on backhands.

BTW: You can change the grip on a Head racquet. The Head Extreme has a more traditional "square" grip, and you can use it on the Prestige or Radical.

And yeah, the "Intelligence" racquets were probably the dumbest. Head has a reputation for very gimmicky "technologies" - FlexPoint was pretty bad too.

[jayl0ve]

Just don't be fooled into thing the "Biomemetics" is anything special. I mean, c'mon, it's supposed to be aerodynamic because it's like a shark skin........

Not saying they aren't good racquets, because they are, but I just get a little sick of all the BS marketing crap.

@ Jay. Be careful which 200 you try. Yours has an 18x20 string pattern, and one of the new models is 16x18 (or 16x19?). They still make it in an 18x20, just make sure you know which one you're getting. Of course, you may actually like the 16x18 better - it should be a little softer feeling, and maybe a little more spin. The biggest drawback might be control on flat shots.

Yeah I'm with you I wish they would just cut the crap...and yeah I would always check the string pattern before I got a new racquet, that's one of the most important things to me, I definitely prefer 18x20 (or similarly dense on a different racquet) patterns, I just like the way they feel. It feels way more solid to me

[emate007]

And yeah, the "Intelligence" racquets were probably the dumbest. Head has a reputation for very gimmicky "technologies" - FlexPoint was pretty bad too.

Head is so retarded with their marketing, it's like they hire 14 year olds to invent a new term/technology.

Liquidmetal, the newest allow that the military uses to shoot through tanks because it's super awesome in every way! And also great for tennis rackets! Release date 2003-2004!


Liquidmetal stock price:

http://chart.finance.yahoo.com/z?s=LQMT ... &region=US

[Rob ITST]

Yeah, it seems there is very little left to do that can really improve a tennis racquet. In the past 10, maybe even 20 years, it's 99% marketing. Widebodys and oversized heads helped beginners and old ladies, but other than that, it still mostly comes down to the weight, and how it's distributed.

I do think the racquets made today are probably the best ever, but year to year, the improvements are tiny. Rushing out to buy a BLX ProStaff to replace your KFactor is really just a waste of money. But don't tell my customers I said that.

[Coolhand Texas]

I demoed the BLX blade 98 and found that I did not like it all compared to the Kblade 98

[Rob ITST]

I'm betting you compared it to a KBlade you've been playing with for a while, which has probably lost a lot of it's stiffness, and feels better because it has more flex.

If you had a brand new KFactor, you probably couldn't tell a difference. That, and your KBlade is probably strung with your favorite string, and at the tension you like - the BLX was probably strung with whatever string the store had too much of.

[Coolhand Texas]

I'm betting you compared it to a KBlade you've been playing with for a while, which has probably lost a lot of it's stiffness, and feels better because it has more flex.

If you had a brand new KFactor, you probably couldn't tell a difference. That, and your KBlade is probably strung with your favorite string, and at the tension you like - the BLX was probably strung with whatever string the store had too much of.

Good point.

Did you ever test out the BLX blade 98, Rob or djarvik?

[Rob ITST]

I did - like I said, it felt just like the KBlade.

The thing you have to realize, is that they aren't going to make any significant change to a good racquet. They'd be foolish if they did. And if a racquet isn't a top seller, they're just going to replace it with something completely different.

[jayl0ve]

I'm probably just gonna end up buying like 30 Aerogel 200's and be set for life, I like the idea of just sticking with one racquet and becoming super comfortable with it...that's all that matters really, as long as your strokes are good you can hit good shots with almost any racquet/string combo.

I love the AG 200, it is just a sexy beast of a stick

[VillaJ100]

I'm betting you compared it to a KBlade you've been playing with for a while, which has probably lost a lot of it's stiffness, and feels better because it has more flex.

If you had a brand new KFactor, you probably couldn't tell a difference. That, and your KBlade is probably strung with your favorite string, and at the tension you like - the BLX was probably strung with whatever string the store had too much of.

Good point.

Did you ever test out the BLX blade 98, Rob or djarvik?

I use that racket

Has anyone here played/can play with a wooden racket? I imagine some of the older guys would have.

[Moralspain]

I'm betting you compared it to a KBlade you've been playing with for a while, which has probably lost a lot of it's stiffness, and feels better because it has more flex.

If you had a brand new KFactor, you probably couldn't tell a difference. That, and your KBlade is probably strung with your favorite string, and at the tension you like - the BLX was probably strung with whatever string the store had too much of.

Good point.

Did you ever test out the BLX blade 98, Rob or djarvik?

I use that racket

Has anyone here played/can play with a wooden racket? I imagine some of the older guys would have.

i played with my dad's dunlop years ago, a Dline 505, i can't remember how it felt, sorry, but loved when i tested his Dunlop Max200G



I used to play with a Nblade 98, 2-3 years ago, and i don't have good memories, too stiff for me, surprisingly it's one of most people's favorite stick

[Rob ITST]

I have two Wilson Jack Kramer's, and one Donnay Bjorn Borg that's in pristine condition. The Donnay is quite a bit easier to use - it's stiffer, and about half an inch shorter than a standard racquet, making it more maneuverable.

I always found them to be pretty powerful, just because they're so heavy. Controlling them was the big issue, and trying to hit with a lot of topspin is tough. I used to keep a wood racquet in my bag all the time, and I think they're good to hit with occasionally - they definitely expose flaws in your strokes, give you a lot of feedback about what you're doing wrong, and I find I watch the ball better after just a few minutes of hitting with them.

[jayl0ve]

I'm betting you compared it to a KBlade you've been playing with for a while, which has probably lost a lot of it's stiffness, and feels better because it has more flex.

If you had a brand new KFactor, you probably couldn't tell a difference. That, and your KBlade is probably strung with your favorite string, and at the tension you like - the BLX was probably strung with whatever string the store had too much of.

Good point.

Did you ever test out the BLX blade 98, Rob or djarvik?

I use that racket

Has anyone here played/can play with a wooden racket? I imagine some of the older guys would have.

I own a wooden racquet that I strung with modern poly strings...it's really not that different, the main difference is the incredible weight and the fact that you'll frame more balls. Other than that I can still put a lot of spin and pace on the ball with the wood racquet.

[djarvik]

Jay, you really embraced that poly ah?

"I own a wooden racquet that I strung with modern poly strings"


I am currently stringing myself and I already bought so many different poly strings I wanna try I wish I had more time to play