I'm (finally) switching rackets!! How to Pick a Tennis Racket (Part 1) | Rackets & Runners

[@amirjon]

Imagine rolling up to club with a set of blade v8 Noirs, a black wilson DNA bag. The ladies would lose their minds.

[@SangAcquiescentFroid]

I really appreciate you mentioning to pair the racquets up based on their type. I've been demoing for a long time now, and it's only recently that it occurred to me to compare racquets by type, rather than within a brand or by specs or simply across brands.

[@chanlegend]

i would be very interested to see how the blade compare to the tfight 305, look forward to your next video

[@TennisObsessed]

I liked hearing about your process. I have started collecting racquets and need to narrow it down. I love the Boom MP so I'm going to use that as my benchmark. But I like the idea of playtesting 2 at a time. Great video!

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

Thank you very much!

[@stuartlloyd-jones9583]

switched from pure strike 16x19 to blade v8 16x19 last year. Not regretted it for a second. Tension/ string combo just as important. I'm using Wilson gut on mains and Alu power 16 on crosses @52 mains/50lbs crosses. It works very well for my game. Keep up the great video's Luca.

[@amirjon]

Agreed. Full bed polys around 46lbs work well for me. Specially lynx tour champagne.

[@Wes1128]

Have you ever made a video on choosing string tension? If not, can you? I think it'll be very insightful

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

Looking to do that very soon.

[@vwmusicplaylist1935]

I like this dude. Excellent videos.

[@yzerguy]

Hoping you'll review the Percept line when available, meantime great content, thx!

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

Same here! And thank you!

[@poseydon6375]

loved the concept of the video! just had a question, what string and tension were you using on the aero?

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

Thank you! RMP Rough 17 @ 53 pounds.

[@seank1847]

Dude - GREAT video! I'm in the middle of trying to find a new racket. Used to play with Fischer Pro Number One in HS, but now that I'm 40 I'm trying to find something modern that matches my age and game. Playing with the Pro Staff currently, but man I get tired after a while. It came down to the Blade, Pro Staff, and the Boom for me. Though to this day I still dream about the feel on that Boom. Might end up having to go back to it. We'll see, haha. Anyway, you hit everything to look for right on the head (no pun intended). Must make sure to keep an analytical mind when choosing a new racket and most importantly, be honest with yourself!

[@benjaminjensen111]

Try Babolat Pure Strike 100

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

Thank you! Gotta give that Boom another try 😉

[@jeroen9169]

Awesome videos you have! You mentioned that the Gravity Tour had been your go to racket for some years, how did you modify it? Did you also play with the Gravity MP for some time?

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

I just have a leather grip and the swing weight at around 328 on my Tours! Could never figure out the MP, unfortunately.

[@megzy184]

Luca and gravity; a modern romeo and juliet tale

[@petershort936]

Good advice about finding out what spec range works for. For me, I've been looking for a Blade V8 replacement, something a bit more powerful. What I've found is I have a SW, Stiffness and Beam size thresholds.

[@caioandrade2747]

I play with a tf 40 18x20 305g and it is an amazing stick.

[@gilmillan1909]

Totally agree with you, the feel is incredible and I was able to play with a lot of precision and spin with my forehand, extraordinary in volleys and dropshots, but unfortunately due to the shape of the grip I couldn't adapt with my one-handed backhand. I really felt really bad not being able to switch to this racket.

[@SY-it7xs]

I got the 305g 16x19 and 315g 18x20. Just used the 315g 18x20 with razor soft at 52 lbs (45 lbs off the stringer) and the feeling when you hit the sweetspot is unreal. Unfortunately as you said switching grips to an Eastern backhand with the thin bevel was a nightmare. I really want to play with technifibre 😢.

[@caioandrade2747]

Yes, i have seen lots of people complaining about the grip shape. I am really happy i was able to adapt really well on my two handed backhand and forehand. What a racquet. The precision is out of this world. What racquet are you guys using?

[@gilmillan1909]

@@caioandrade2747 im totally a tennisnerd and I'm right now looking for my go to racquet, testing Pro Staff RF 97, vcore 95, Head Pro Tour 2.0, and waiting for the new Yonex Percept 97 (as a plataform racquet).

[@nglfmark1]

Excellent honest reviews and agree with your selections.

[@qhfei]

Love your video very much, I would like to ask you to compare the five rackets of Boom mp, Extreme mp, Speed mp, Clash100 and Ezone100. Which two rackets have the best fault tolerance and better overall ability in competition? Looking forward to your reply

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

Thank you! I think the Speed and the Boom are the two best for what you're looking for.

[@qhfei]

@@RacketsRunnersVancouver thank u very much

[@LL-kz1qe]

You are so right about the procedure and yes the gravity pro is nice racket make you feel sequre but when you want to swing faster an be more aggresive in a rally it takes time from the forehand phase. On the backhand no so much though

[@Mewborne89]

I’ve done the switching non stop game over the last year or so and I always come back to three sticks… Blade V8 (either pattern is amazing), Gravity Pro, as well as the TF40 (both patterns in 305). So I could be a little bias, but you have great taste in racquets haha besides the Boom, that is sort of out of left field lol I think the TF is just like a Blade but plusher. Just not a huge fan of the grip shape. Good luck, excited to hear what you end up with 👍🏻

[@brunis_m]

I have a pro stock gravity pro and I feel the same way lol. I want to use it because it feels so good, but to be efficient I have to go back to my Speed MP. Your level is way above mine so glad that you can sanity check it being a very advanced players racket

[@aqewara1]

Hi , I am playing with the V8 16x19 and I like it a lot. 1 month ago , I tested for 1 one hour the Gravity Pro and I dindt like it so much ,like everybody says. I couldn't go around the ball and spin the ball only flat balls were possible. After that I changed to my other Blade the Blade Pro 16x19 and it felt better in all disciplines

[@lanersm56]

Boom Pro is very underrated. Great all around stick

[@paleoartist6289]

Could you give the specific specs with led tape mods on the shift and where you put it on the hoop. I like the shift but 300 is way too lite for me

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

I had it weighted up to 312 grams unstrung with a leather grip and 3 grams of lead @ 3/9!

[@frankojudoka]

I just got an H2 so I have 3 hammers. My RF 97 autographed is 340 g. I get tired playing games with it. It became my warmup and training racket. Hammer and H2 are only 240 g.

[@Richibald1]

I'm a doubles guy, your video while hard to believe did raise my eyebrows on Gravity Pro. It felt great, better than anything else, a little head heavy but you were right a very GOOD racquet. I caught hell from buddy apparently I played well with ProStaff X version 14 because he was reading the riot act that I should have bought it. Fair comment but the Gravity Pro felt far more comfortable and yes I play up to it but still like it. Might pop over for a leather grip but happy to choose it. I'm making so many shots I never could before and pain free! I played Blade 1 game ONE GAME... Shoulder was so sore I picked up Gravity Pro. The pain subsided instantly. Look I know better players will get more out of it but I'm enjoying the challenge as much as the benefits. No free power does take time though and my game had to make adjustments. My God that Blade killed my arm and* shoulder, Gravity Pro? Happy Days, thanks Luca. Tell Kevin I said your show is invaluable in making the right decision, that's no bull!

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

Thanks a lot! Glad it worked out, the kind of story I love to hear! And thank you, I'll let Kevin know 😅

[@outcometechnology]

For the Pro Staff v14, I think a much better choice for you, and quite frankly most rec players, would have been a spec'd up 97L or 97UL -- you get the same string pattern but extra free power, lateral stability and counterpunch capability from the 23mm beam, while being able to spec it up inside a fairly wide customization window. Not sure why such an approach doesn't get talked about more in the Pro Staff circles... TL;DR - This is straight from of the school of Justin Henin, who used a 23mm 95" Wilson mold (Hyper Hammer 5.3 Stretch MP with Power Holes, Euro-only edition) to help her create one of the most clean and effective one-handed backhands the game has ever seen (John McEnroe thinks she has the greatest one-handed technique ever, man or woman). Besides the similar beam thickness versus the PS 97L/97UL, it had a very stiff 75RA flex, she used full bed natural gut at 60lbs and spec'd it to a 350 strung swing weight (!), which altogether had the makings of an ultra-precise howitzer!

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

I totally understand where you are coming from and while I think it would potentially be a fun project to take on, I didn't want to venture too far from the stock playability path.

[@lsfire3489]

Why no aero 98?

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

As good as it is, I've never fully meshed with it.

[@mrfisham3208]

i ve been using gravity pro for 2 years, its a phenomenal racket !.. switching from Prestige MP to Gravity pro is a piece of cake..gravity pro is a more powerful ,forgiving an better feel than the prestige mp

[@vwmusicplaylist1935]

Problem with the Boom range is the terrible name/ marketing / paint job by Head. Doesn't come across as a serious racquet line even though the Boom Pro is actually pretty good to use.

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

I agree with the marketing, and hopefully they can make the paintjob a bit more Pro for the next one.

[@thecat4272]

It's like Wilson Juice line from 10 years ago where sales were ruined because of the silly name (what is Juice??) and the pretty ugly paint job even though there were good racquets the range - I thought the Juice Pro 96 for example was better than the iconic Six One 95.

[@steveschaeffer5999]

Add the Yonex Percept 97D to your list. You know you want to!

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

I can't wait to get my hands on one!

[@jorgetirado3201]

Curious - why the regular aero and not the 98?

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

I struggle a lot with the Aero 98 for some reason.

[@julestennisuniverse]

alleeeeezzz !!! aero vs blade, je me demande celle que tu va choisir. Je serais surpris que tu prenne la technifibre. Encore plus la boom. Super vidéo comme toujours. J'ai une question si tu as un peu de temps : j'ai acheté deux speed mp 2022 auxetic en 2022. On me dit de les trader maintenant car le graphite se délite rapidement et ces raquettes font mal au bras au bout d'un an ou deux. Devrais-je changer maintenant ? Dernière question : pourquoi pas de yonex dans ta sélection ?

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

Je ne suis pas sur qui vous ont dit des traders mais croyez-moi, après un an la racquet est presque comme neuve. Ça prendra 15-20 ans de tennis avant que le graphite soit vraiment ramolli. Il y a plein de joueurs qui utilisent encore les mêmes racquets après 15 ans alors ne vous inquiétez pas. J'ai un peut parlé du cas Yonex dans la prochaine video mais je n'aime pas trop les sensations quelles me donnent.

[@julestennisuniverse]

@@RacketsRunnersVancouver thx ✨👍🏻🙌

[@andrehalim469]

Solinco whiteout 290 .... Ooooo yeahhhh. Boom n xtreme in rotation too. Eyeing tfx1 coz puredrive is boohriink.

[@johnp1]

Good video. However, it would be helpful to have another reviewers whose tennis level is similar to that of the majority of your customers/viewers. Racquets that are good for advanced players like you might not be good for intermediate or beginner players.

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

Thanks for the feedback, we'll be releasing a "best rackets for beginners" video soon.

[@Le-Chuck]

Hi. Little question, why don t you go for the Gravity tour instead of the pro ? And please, would you make a video comparing these two ? I m really interested in that because Incan play with a 305/310g stick but 315 is too much for me. Right now I m wondering testing a speed pro / Gravity tour...

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

I cover this a bit in the next video, but basically, I'm switching from the 360+ Gravity Tour for that exact reason. If you can get your hands on one (we can't in Canada) go for it, it's the perfect racket if you think the Pro is just a little too much.

[@mathieu08912]

Unfortunately i have the same feeling as you did with the Gravity Pro. I play so well with it but only half of the time. If I’m tired and my footwork isn’t there and my swing is half assed, it becomes a liability 😢

[@petershort936]

re: Gravity Pro: It's an amazing racquet. Maybe among the best feeling racquets out there right now. Technifibre's foam filled racquets come close. The same of it is that it's 315 grams and 100", which makes it a relatively slow racquet in your hand, unless you're very strong. Unfortunately, the magic of the Pro dissipates when you downshift to the Gravity Tour and MP.

[@shawnerie]

Why don’t you go with the gravity tour (lighter swingweight) or the gravity mp, instead of the gravity pro?

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

I discussed this a little in the next video but the racket I'm switching from is the Gravity Tour for this exact reason.

[@MatsRamos]

I am a one handed backhand player, playing with pure drive 100 with confidential 52 for 2 years, but my BH is out of control. Which racquet should I demo? Thx from brasil

[@mustafa_sakalli]

Pure Strike 3rd Gen 16x19 maybe? Altough it can feel a lot muted compared to PD

[@MatsRamos]

@@mustafa_sakalli i will try, thx!

[@gzc9394]

Try the Blade 16x19 at a lower tension for example 48lbs. I bought the latest Solinco Whiteout 18x20, yet to receive, looking forward for it.

[@FHslicefan]

Nao aconselho ir de pure strike, destruidora de cotovelos. Iria de blade 16x19 (perfeita pra uma mao), se a blade for muito controle pra vc diria radical mp ou yonex vcore 98.

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

I wish I could help but my 1 handed backhand simply doesn't exist even when I try so I really can't say.

[@testtestph]

Hopefully youll be able to put the percept review after, man you that forehand looks like its for a vcore or pa100. End of the World bruh! C'mon atleast add the Gravity Tour and Percept 100D. Hehe

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

Hopefully we get the Percept ASAP!

[@benjamingray4488]

Why no Yonex frames?

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

I talk about this a little bit in the next video!

[@TomSmith-il6pz]

I think the aero is going to be the switch 🎉

[@Ramenscooter]

Dunlop SX 300 missed opportunity 😢

[@Dre3010]

Hey Luca, what do you recommend if racket testing is not an option in my area?

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

Match your gamestyle with the best racket you can think of.

[@Dre3010]

@ That’s what I was thinking. I currently use an Extreme Pro from 2016 but I find it too light and quite crazy at times. I play with a decent amount of spin on my forehand, pretty flat backhand, love to slice and do dropshots so I’m thinking about getting a 2022 Speed MP but taking that leap of faith is pretty scary

[@zxbillfo]

My main racket is tecnifibre iso 306 but in 2nf set its too much of a SW for me.i allways have a 2nd racket (now its vcore 100) but i m thinking of speed pro 100 mord and more.i havent tested the auxetic one only 360 midel that hurt a lityle my elbow.But i found good oower and stability with the old model .So what do you think allthough it was not on your list but in another review.

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

The Speed Pro is fantastic but it's just (ironically) a little bit too slow for me. If it's worked for you in the past the Auxetic is a great update, though!

[@iamyarita]

Is the boom pro too heavy for a 3.0 girl?

[@FHslicefan]

yes, try the mp first and you be fine. Too much wheight to handle for a entire session the pro one

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

It's a bit heavy for any 3.0; requires a full/fast swing which most 3.0s haven't developed. Try the MP!

[@dukies0799]

With being able to measure several and take your pick, why not just go with a lower sw gravity pro? As bad as Head’s QC is, I’m sure there’s a wide range in SW

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

I understand where you're coming from but I think the Gravity Pro requires that high swing weight to play as well as it does.

[@DG-zy9dr]

Why not gravity mp instead of pro to address the issues you mentioned?

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

I struggle with the MP and the Tour is my old racket but no longer available in Canada.

[@bushmenaa]

what strings were you using with the gravity pro and tension ?

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

Lynx Tour 17 @ 49 pounds!

[@2394098234509]

Is this channel a psy-op to get me to buy the gravity pro? Because it's working

[@voornaam4171]

I have been playing with the gravity’s pro for the last few months. It is a really good racquet, but your footwork has to be on point for it to work perfectly as mentioned in the video. Make sure you can handle the SW

[@allanlam339]

How about Kennex ?

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

We don't carry them, unfortunately.

[@leossptm]

Which racquet is the best of easy sweetspot?

[@FHslicefan]

In my opinion, after hit with almost every racket in the store here, would be yonex vcore 100. You just cant miss. But if you talking about the rackets in this video is easy to say the shift, in my opinion again.

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

The Aero or Boom Pro in this list!

[@jpwjpwjpw]

I love your channel but I think you could work a bit on your forehand (hope you take this the right way). You are lacking power - it lands short and its not a heavy ball. Your take back is too complex, the tip of the racket is not pointing forward á la Kyle Edmund, Thiem, Kyrgios) which is natural due to your full western grip, instead the tip points towards 10 o'clock and in front if your face and you are not using your strong body to lean towards the ball but instead using your weight to the side or backwards. Have a look and see if you agree :) Cheers

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

You hit the nail on the head with pretty much everything there. I just don't know if I have the time/consistency with one racket to work on it anymore 😅

[@michaelenns8872]

I don‘t understand these differentiating between rackets. One being for spin and the other more so for control…..doesn‘t spin equal control??

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

Ahhh yes, a fantastic question. Traditionally speaking spin does not equal control as traditional control has more to do with frame softness, precision and feel. But yes, in today's tennis, spin absolutely helps with control.

[@bigrobsydney]

Dafug. No Yonex?!?

[@alainquattrin6453]

And what about Speed mp?

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

It's a great racket as well, just not perfect for me.

[@alainquattrin6453]

@@RacketsRunnersVancouver thanks,do you prefer the pro One?

[@brunis_m]

TF40 or Tfight 305?

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

Sorry, I meant the TF40.

[@leblood]

That's all good but from experience, everytime I've rented a racket, it's strung with something you would never use and the strings are always worn-out..

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

This is something that, unfortunately, I don't see a solution to at the moment.

[@Javi_C]

👍

[@paoloschillaci9398]

Bro 3 wilson at the beginning, 0 chosen

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

😅

[@rodolfolumbang4118]

You demo a racquet but they only use the cheapest string & not the tension you prefer.

[@benjaminjensen111]

Pro Staff needs a more of a full "wind mill" swing and and less of a Rafa prep. You use a lot of time and energy to do the Rafa prep. With Pro Staff you just need to let the racket fall and use the Newton Gravity to hit the ball in the b*tt. It's not necesary with the Rafa prep with the prostaff and it takes actually power and control away if you dont have the right timing. You need a more oldschool swing for the Pro Staff. look at Roger F. So ofcourse that Pro Staff is a struggle for you. When you use a less complicated prep and just let the racket fall it will rocket the ball like butter over the net. Right now you depend to much on your arm/muscles to hit the ball bc you want to brush. Right now you are not using the gravity. Try hit a ball by just let the racket fall from high and then accelerate through. Spin is overated.

[@blazejbetkowski420]

Answer: gravity tour 🍀🍾

[@lucasmastelarocunha1670]

booommmmmm!

[@mteca5093]

Take grommets out of gravity pro and sand the inside of the hoop to the graphite...it doesn't change the look but turns the gravity pro into GOD MODE GOAT of a racket

[@danielm.m.7654]

How to choose a Tennis Racket? 1- Pick up an ezone 2- you succeeded

[@RacketsRunnersVancouver]

😂 I like it