You probably had many racket suggestions, but given what you like on a racket, I think you would love the Dunlop Fx 500. It is very close to the Pure Drive but is more controlled and better from the baseline. Give it a go and you won't be disappointed ;)
Thanks for this series Nick, I think a very valuable lesson you taught is that lighter rackets (around 280-290g) can still work for non-beginners. While watching this series I noticed some symptoms of my own racket being too heavy which I wouldn’t have considered before.
He’s gonna find a good racquet then decide to sell it then have a video about his favorite racquets and have second thoughts about selling said racquet.
I think the difference is that Jonas doesn't really seem to be looking for "the one" he's quite happy switching around, maining 3-4 at a time and doesn't have the mental commitment issue a lot of us seem to get.
Your personal test struggle and nightmare saved me a lot of doubt and time. 🙂 Thanks a million for narrowing down to a couple of options. I picked Yonex for both: a racquet and a racquet bag, and went down from L5 to L3 grip size.
If you played well with the Percept 97D and like the 100 version, I’d strongly suggest to try the Percept 100D. Best of both worlds. I used to play with the VcorePro 97HD and have recently bought the Percept 100D. Easier power at the same time as the control is maintained.
@ I borrowed a test racquet but was dubious. After an hour with it I was pleasantly surprised. The only downsize is that it feels too light on the backhand side but that can be fixed with some weight. Plus, slicing and volleying isn’t as good.
Yes, the psychology. I have three racquets that I’m trying to choose between. A Babolat, a Yonex, and a Wilson. When I start hitting with the Wilson, every time, I immediately say, “Oh, yes-this just makes it easy.” It just seems like I’m so much more consistent with it. But when I test myself, and hit 50 balls from a machine with each racquet, counting only ‘well-struck,’ in-play balls, I get the same number from each racquet. The difference is in the feel of them. I am not in a place where I can demo new racquets, unfortunately. I really would like a new racquet that has the consistent ‘illusion’/feel of the Wilson but the spin and power of the Babolat. Unfortunately, I don’t know whether I should buy a new Wilson or a new Bab….
Right there with you, I am a lower level but can't find one I'm happy on, when I do find something that feels like it is going well I get complacent so then try something new to see if it is better than the one that felt better, then after doing that a few times I have then fallen out of love with the one I initially liked!
I had the exact same experience some 25 years ago. I was playing against some guy who was the number 1 player in his High School. I had not been liking my racquet for a while, but on that day, everything went in. I barely missed anything, including first serves. I ended up bagelling him. Next time we played, I didn't feel good, missing quite a bit and lost 2-6. I immediately blamed the racquet with which I won 6-0 the previous week.
Important to play many times - a week or two - with a single racquet.. they change. Had that thought when you were talking about the blade. I'm a big yonex guy, i have 5 different yonex racquets (incl Percept 100D which is the best imo), tried the blade and it immediately put it down. Later tried it again and really liked it.
I switch between my 100D and the Blade 100 V9. Depending on the day for some reason if I'm not jelling with the Blade I can hit with the 100D well and vice versa.
Nick, you need to give the Shift Pro another try. You played the best with it from the play test series and the fatigue gets better as you get use to the weight
I might be a bit biased since I spend most of my days at the tennis wall, but I do believe there is actual objective truth to what I'm about to write: Testing of rackets (especially when seeking a new "bestie") should be done on the practice wall. There are too many variables in a match, I think it's much better to spend 2 hours a day for a week with 1 racket and then play a match.
If you almost fell in love with the Percept, then the VCore 98 or VCore 98 Tour is calling to you. Still fairly flexible and has a Yonex-y feel with the squared off head, but much more power and spin. It's an unusual spin racket in that it's not excessively spinny and it's not very stiff. The 2023 versions of the VCores are extremely different from the previous 2019 models, so don't let a poor experience with the 2019 version dissuade you.
Hello, Nick. Might you consider the Wilson Ultra Tour? Nishikori model. I believe the specs to be 309 grams, 27.25 length, 16/20 string pattern, 95 head size. It’s comfortable to play with all day while teaching, but has a great range of gears for playing. Volleys, slices, & serves are all super crisp and it’s got a very manageable twist weight so ground strokes and passing shots are not a chore. I like to string with a blend of Wilson NXT Power and Luxilon 4G Soft for easy power and fantastic touch. Coming from the Old Hyper carbon 6.1 95 18/20 27.50 the Tour keeps up with the modern spin much better but still has a bit of that Delpo drive to it.
Did you see the pure drive extended “Wimbledon” edition on tennis warehouse? It’s a beautiful white racket and it’s it your pure drive which seems best of both worlds ? And it’s limited edition Wimbledon
When switching and testing racquets there is sometimes a 'honeymoon' phase where it feels good for a few hits, because the new racquet has characteristics lacking in your previous one, and then afterwards it goes away. So it pays to actually test the racquet for a few weeks if it's possible.
To be honest, you look the most comfortable with the Wilson. Not that it means that you are uncomfortable with me others, it's just that you really seem to enjoy the Wilson a lot before the intrusive thoughts start seeping through
Great video. Some people can switch rackets easily but for me it's a mess. Always used the 2015 pure drive plus and love it. Recently tried the radical xt pro and pure drive plus 2018 for 2 months. Both amazing rackets that do some things better than the 2015 pd+ , but were driving me crazy in point play, I'd miss short balls I'd never usually miss and would keep thinking about the racket. Back to 2015 pd+ now, it feels like an extension of my arm and can fully focus on the tennis again.
Hey Nick, before this series comes to an end, it might be worth trying out some racquets from ProKennex. I feel like the Ki 10, Ki Q+ 5X Pro, and Ki Q+ 5 might all be decent fits for you. The only issue is that the swingweights for these racquets might be a bit high.
I wish I had the time and the money to play test multiple rackets. I think I would learn a lot about my game. I did wonder if it wouldn't be better for you to use one racket you knew well on each day as a baseline for the quality of your play vs the assistance/hindrance of the rackets being tested. Anyway, it has been fun to hear your thoughts on the rackets.
Hi Nick, i am recently following your channel and also in my journey to find a new racket. I will be replacing my 9year old BB deltacore London due to my 57 years age. The process I went through when i changed before from Yonex Rqis tour lite 95 to the BB London 98, is to reset my muscle memory by having balls fed to me, hitting as many forehands and backhands and find the right timing, including my service before playing matches, usually doubles. Is this a good way for mortals like me? From the country where I come from, there is almost no chance to demo a racket leaving me no choice but to rely on comparing racket specs and reviews. I decided to go lighter and bigger head size with Blade 104 V8. Eagerly awaiting the Wilson wand arrival to test and hopefully be successful.
2:48 This is me right now. I stopped playing tennis for around 15 years and now I can't play with my old racquet like I used to. I'm 46 now. I have a few racquets, but none of them feel relatively solid on most shots. The racquet I feel comes close is the Tecnifibre TF40, but even that one does not feel right some days.
It took me a year of playing with my new racket before I dominated every part of my game. I did try a few times to go to my old racket and I did fine, but not great. Lesson learned is to give yourself lots of time and play various player types ❤
@@IntuitiveTennis My bet is on this one that you really liked. Bc I was in the same boat, played with the pure drive growing up, loved the pure drive. FX500 just felt like a more stable, easier to swing Pure Drive, perfect for old men lol
Great video - the psychology aspect of this is huge! Color of the racquet seems to matter to me as well, which of course if purely mental/emotional. Question - have you considered the Vcore line at all? Not sure if those have entered the picture yet along this journey of yours.
@@IntuitiveTennis I use the radical pro and that racket does everything well. But it doesn't stand out for a particular shot. I like it a lot. It feels especially very good on my 2 handed BH. Good all round racket.
Agree about blind play tests. There is a company in Australia that paints all the racquets black to create a 'blind' test. The other thing which makes it a little tricky is string set ups. Some strings work better on one type of racquet but not so much on another. I find responsive strings on a Shift make flat shot a bit too wild. Dont get me wrong, responsive strings feel great off the baseline on a shift, but fly off put away shots. Super smash might not be the best combination to play test a shift as those strings are quite responsive. Racquets like RF and Percept will probably be more predictable. I had to find strings that offered a bit more control for the shift, which I have done.
Can you tell about your Shift journey.. what all racquets you tried out, on what parameters did you compare and make the choice ? What set up do you find best for your shift ?
@Kaps_KB I was looking at tweener and power racquets that weigh around 300 to 305 grams unstrung. I was using the dunlop fx500 that weighed slightly above spec. It is a good racquet that offers power and control but was never 100% happy with spin generation. What helped find my preferred specs was a session at tennis lab which gave me a blind play test of 8 racquets which included clash, sx500 and others. That's how I ended up with the fx500 and knowing my specs. I tried other racquets such as the wilson ultra, ezone, aero 98 and shift. The aero 98 is a nice racquet but didn't offer much more than my Dunlop. The shift felt great but was a bit punishing on off centre shots so I added a couple of grams to 3 and 9 to aid with off centre shots but not so much to affect the manoeuvrability. I also like the shifts balance more for Single handed backhands because it's a touch more head light than the fx500. I previously have owned radical, instinct, speed, pure strikes before. I used the set up I had on the fx which was a zero/kirshbaum super smash at 40 but found it too wild on flat shots. I like feeling good ball pocketing and responsiveness. I have ended up using grapplesnake tour m8 at 40 as it offers great pocketing and more control.
@@marcg-rj8co thanks for such detailed answer. I have been using Ezone100 for almost last 3 years . It has been a great power racquet, I have enjoyed it so far, but I am also looking to get, if I may, a little bit more spin too from my racquet . I have tested 2024 Boom MP and Speed MP, they are good racquets but somehow I am not convinced to make the switch. Still have to try Shift99 and Pure Aero100. Anyways, I hope you find what you are looking for in your new shift.
It actually is kind of nice to see that you're a head case like the rest of us when it comes to this stuff. Have you tried a Solinco Whiteout 16x19? Very similar ball to the Percept 100, but better feel and 98 in2.
Radical MP is a universally solid and versatile racket. I don‘t really like the paintjob but it came out as clear winner after testing 10+ rackets, 3-4 at a time. 98, 300g, 16/19, maneuverable, good power and control.
Your funniest video ever. Couldn't stop laughing! The challenges of charmed life in paradise. “Dig deep within yourself, for there is a fountain of good tennis racquets ever ready to flow if you will keep digging.” ―Marcus Aurelius
This sort of reminds me of those golf club fitting videos. The problem with fittings is that you select the proper clubs for the 'you' who shows up that day. You maybe receive the new custom clubs a few weeks later and proceed to play your first round. Then a different 'you' shows up to play that first round.
I recommend you play test all your preferred racquets on same day, back to back against a ball machine to eliminate many variables. It’s similar to watching 2 tv screens side by side in same store with same content. Best wishes in your hunt and keep up the great content!
And when you finish selecting a raquet the new PureDrive will arrive and you'll jump to it 😂. Now being serious, strings and tension play a big part; so it's even tougher to compare racquets. I myself like the Solinco Confidential on my PureAero right now but don't know if I should commit to a whole reel ... :)
I can relate so much. I had a racket I loved but it was off spec. When I went to get a matching racket I got all messed up. That led to years of experimenting and demoing, and I’ve never been 100% satisfied since. Ultimately I found I need to find a racket that doesn’t make me want to control it, which takes the small muscles out of the equation. Now I have 3 different rackets and they all play the same for me.
Agree and sometimes it's actually the strings on the racquet. You buy the racquet and put your favourite strings and the tension you like and it feels nothing like the demo. The pitfalls of demo racquets.
Nick - maybe you should try a Paradigma Variostar S-Code 280 (they are still in stock). I use a 310 g version which will be sold again from spring 2025 again and I like it a lot!!! Just google it. These racquets are bend but it is no difference to find the sweet spot since geometricly it is in the same place as in a straight racquet. The bend grip gives unique feedback about the angle of the head. Racquet feels longer a bit like 27 1/2 inch but it isn't. Serve, forehand and volleys are great and my one handed backhand is great for topspin and slice too. But I don't know how it is one a THB. Stringbed and frame feel a bit like a Dunlop SX300 but I can hit much harder with the S-Code. Very arm frindly raquet because of the bend although the frame is on the stiffer side. The bend also makes it easy to perform "trick(y) shots" like a drop shot forhand from a bounce above the head, forehand slice "badminton style defence shot" and full blown backhand slice bombshell. It is a small German company. I think the owner is a former east German "Oberliga" player (Emmerich I think is his name). By luck you get himself on the phone. I asked via Email through the website about further models of my stick and received instant answer. Maybe it is the thing you are looking for.
Nick . Thanks for your info! Im from the land of Mel Purcell!!… i need your advice .. i demo the wilson shift and loved it .. bought one .strung with synthetic gut . 55 pounds . Put a leather handle on it … Felt like i was hitting with a 2 by 4 wood board :(((. .. should i try super smash string with lower tension??
Hey Nick, what are your thoughts on customization? Also do you think that you'll try different string combinations with the racquets you test, as some racquets might not mesh well with the Kirschbaum super smash you like
I hope you experiment with adding weight at 12 and the butt cap to make the rackets more polarized and maintain balance. A lot of taller players seem to prefer more polarized rackets, and I definitely think you should try it out!
Great story Nick, you make it sound like the search of a woman.😃 I recognize myself in your extensive playtesting. After playing with the Pure Drive, Dunlop FX500 (that seems like a great racket for your style of play, have you tested it?), Head Gravity Pro, Speed and Radical I finally settled for the Ezone 98 and Blade v8 98 (18x20). Two great rackets of whom I like the Blade even better. But than I started teaching my daughter and did a few serves with her racket which is much lighter and that went and felt so fantastic that I am now testing the Blade 100l, Vcore 98L and Wilson Future RF (again). Somewhere I have to settle this testing once and for all, because it is fun, but not so good for my game and mindset.
Hi Nick!, from your racquet choises, it looks you are omiting one important option: the Prince Tour 100P if you liked the Yonex you are going to love the Prince. With Solinco Confidential 1.25 at 53lbs.
The player adapts to their equipment. I find it hard to believe that sudden and frequent racquet changes will help any player to find their "ideal" racquet. If it was me having a bunch of racquets to try, I'd go for one for a month, another for another month and so on. Nonetheless, strings are a bigger deal when it's about shot performance and feel, so I'd also try different string setups.
This phenomenon is called selection bias. Most effective way to reduce selection bias is to not only cover up recognizable details on the rackets, but also add in the identically covered up old racket
I know it's rare and expensive, but have you tried the Yonex Regna 98? After trying so many rackets (Wilson, Technifibre, other Yonex, Head) and always finding flaws that prevented me from being confident in my game, I took the plunge and bought a Regna from eBay. Oh my God! It was night and day. I was shocked how I was able to return powerful shots that I normally wouldn't think I'd be able to return. My game became very consistent: perfect lobs, drop shots that just died, drives that zoomed in, serves that were unreturnable. The Yonex Regna 98 is the best racket I've ever used. Nothing compares to it. It has power, control, touch, spin. The best!
I’m 70. 4.0 …Tall thin and can run effectively .. which racket should I be playing for doubles?... I don’t have the time or energy to look through all the rackets.Thanks
Recently switches racquet and tried different ones, the ones I liked the most were the pure drive and ezone, but then I stepped into Radical MP and couldn’t let it go. Give it a try!
i can play with almost any racquet for intermediates and advanced player prety similar but i cant play good when racquet and the string are not complementing one each other well, this is the worst and i just cant win in this situation matches, so my conclusion after 16 month of testing over 30 racquets and strings is that the most important things is to find the right string right gauge and right tension for the racquet u testing.
Kind of crazy how sensitive your game is to your racket. I have to wonder how much of this is in your head. What comes to mind is the high level juniors and college players that have no idea about the specs or even the strings in their rackets. I understand that it is similar in the pros where some players are very sensitive to their rackets and setups where others don't seem to care beyond just sticking with what is currently working.
Best way to test imo is to check video footage of the same shot. If you are doing the exact same thing but 1 racquet is shanking all the time and the other is going in. Then you can see which one is a go. Esp when it's over hundreds of balls. I thought I loved the shift the first few times I played. Then I played a guy similar lvl I usually play with and did horribly. Didn't give up on the racquet and did drills with a coach. Hit hundreds of forehands. Shanked so many. Tired the aero 98. Did an hour of forehands. Did not shank a single ball. Proceeded to play tennis against the same friend and it was even again. Definitely was the racquet. Shift sweet spot was too small. Against easy players any racquet works. Against the same lvl. You really gotta find one that suits your swing path.
You seems to like powerful frame ,but the 97d is ...dense => you could try prince ats tour100 p (18x20 but strings are spaced) or percept 100d (18x19) or purestrike 100 16x20
oh man. not to muddy the water here, but considering the reasons you've disregarded the tecnifibre and the bolt, i think you might like, of all things, the tf40 16x19. unlikely seeming, but i moved to it from a pure aero, and an excellent pro i play with liked it coming from your same pure drive (though not a plus)
honestly, i bought the tf40 on a lark, because it was on super sale. i KNEW it wasn't the racquet for me. i played a leaded up pure aero 100" 300g. a spin/power racquet. not a 98" "control" frame. i kept it in the bag because i thought it might be fun to use as a "warm up" stick, with what i imagined was a smaller sweet spot, less power, and less spin. one day i grabbed it and warmed up. and i've not looked back. it's a remarkable racquet, in my stupid opinion, and has great control, power and spin. tons of feedback as to where on the strings you're hitting the ball, but with decent comfort and forgiveness as well. if you haven't tried it, all i can say is don't read the specs. like that percept 97D which worked in your hands, it might be a winner. it's not on a lot of radars these days, but it should be. thank you for all the great content, and keep it up!
The solution is simple. Retail rackets come with preset weight. You need to find the stiffness that you like in a super ultralight frame that you can add weight to customize yourself.
Send me the old racquets!!! I’ll play with anything! Just have to adjust on the court. All modern racquets are good and just have to make the adjustments necessary. It makes you a better tennis player when you can adjust! Adapt and overcome
When you are selecting these rackets, are you trying to find a racket that you will love to use in stock form? Or are you considering finding one that you might have to tinker with lead tape customizations etc?
I suggest to try the Solinco Blackout racquet too. They have a 285 grams, 300 and 300 extend versions. That is a power racquet, the style you're looking for.
I would definitely try the Babolat Pure Aero PLUS. It is a bit softer and more controlled the Pure Drive Plus, with better spin. I would also try the Solinco WHITEOUT 18x20 XTD. That racket is sort of like if you crossed your percept with your old Pure Drive and came up with a more controlled better feeling extended racket with excellent spin.
I don't know how much tinkering you like to do but I currently use the Shift 99 300g and I find that it plays horrible stock. It's too ligh and unstable the minute you're pushed back. If you add a little bit of weight you get the stability of the Pro version but retain the "whippy" or faster feel still.
Nick the timing of your racquet testing is a tad awkward because we are coming into a new year where there are some big generational upgrades to some frames. 1. The new Pure Drive 2. The New Ezone 3. Head Gravity 98 Tour Those three would be worth trying before you make your final decision. Jonas aka Tennis Nerd probably send a demo version of the Pure drive.
I've also been on a journey. Funny I was about to sell my shift from having one bad outing. Took it off ebay and played with it again and i was like wow, its great on my back hand and easy to hit balls. So, Bad days and good days can ruin it and string selection. I hated the pro staff, and then i dropped the tension and put a med stiff poly at 45 lbs and it a totally different racket. Its still heavy and hard to use over time but there is so many variables. My next racket im trying are the head extreme. You may like them since you liked the shift. I think i cant handle the prostaff 97 and its hurting me on my back hand. Its going to be between the shift and extreme pro. I think I've tried over 20 rackets.
I'm the same, been testing rackets, made the switch, and then a year later felt the 300g pure strike was too heavy after 2 sets, so changed for a lighter racket. I can feel even with a dampener the racket can feel too heavy, l but it depends on how I feel on the day, they definitely feel heavier the longer i play 😂
This is pretty funny Nick, I’ve purchased my 15th racquet this year which ended up exactly where I started but just the new version, absolute headache😅…I wonder what the 2023 Prestige MP is like…99sq 18x19, 21.5mm beam and apparently a hidden gem of a racquet, maybe not stiff enough for your liking but I’m not sure how it actually plays
I am truly surprised you didn’t try the Dunlop SX600. Lighter weight and extended in a PureAero type beam. Not quite a Pure Drive but very close. Also a bit surprised you haven’t considered sending your Pure Drives to one of the top tier customizers who would sand the frames before a paint job so your weight specs won’t change.
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You probably had many racket suggestions, but given what you like on a racket, I think you would love the Dunlop Fx 500. It is very close to the Pure Drive but is more controlled and better from the baseline. Give it a go and you won't be disappointed ;)
Thanks for this series Nick, I think a very valuable lesson you taught is that lighter rackets (around 280-290g) can still work for non-beginners. While watching this series I noticed some symptoms of my own racket being too heavy which I wouldn’t have considered before.
💯
"I can't find a racquet I love yet"
"Hold my beer" - Tennisnerd.
He’s gonna find a good racquet then decide to sell it then have a video about his favorite racquets and have second thoughts about selling said racquet.
😅so true
Just unlucky he cant be a Tennis warehouse playtester where he can change his racquets like his Jocks.
I think the difference is that Jonas doesn't really seem to be looking for "the one" he's quite happy switching around, maining 3-4 at a time and doesn't have the mental commitment issue a lot of us seem to get.
I hope this series goes forever 😂
Well, he doesn’t play competitively anymore so he could go that route. Then again, he wouldn’t want to put the Tennisnerd out of business would he?
You know it will!
That’s literally the opposite of what he’s expressing in this video. He doesn’t seem to be enjoying this at all
The search for the perfect racket is endless 😅
If you are a player you know it will 😅
Your personal test struggle and nightmare saved me a lot of doubt and time. 🙂 Thanks a million for narrowing down to a couple of options. I picked Yonex for both: a racquet and a racquet bag, and went down from L5 to L3 grip size.
If you played well with the Percept 97D and like the 100 version, I’d strongly suggest to try the Percept 100D. Best of both worlds. I used to play with the VcorePro 97HD and have recently bought the Percept 100D. Easier power at the same time as the control is maintained.
i agree, i love the percept 100D, plus everything he is saying about the percepts he's used so far, is pointing towards the 100D as being a good fit.
@ I borrowed a test racquet but was dubious. After an hour with it I was pleasantly surprised. The only downsize is that it feels too light on the backhand side but that can be fixed with some weight. Plus, slicing and volleying isn’t as good.
I have used the perfect 100d for a year and it’s incredible easy power + control amazing
agree. 100D is one great design this yeae
Yup I'll put money that if he tries the 100d then it'll be in his top 5 and very likely be his top choice
Yes, the psychology. I have three racquets that I’m trying to choose between. A Babolat, a Yonex, and a Wilson. When I start hitting with the Wilson, every time, I immediately say, “Oh, yes-this just makes it easy.” It just seems like I’m so much more consistent with it. But when I test myself, and hit 50 balls from a machine with each racquet, counting only ‘well-struck,’ in-play balls, I get the same number from each racquet. The difference is in the feel of them. I am not in a place where I can demo new racquets, unfortunately. I really would like a new racquet that has the consistent ‘illusion’/feel of the Wilson but the spin and power of the Babolat. Unfortunately, I don’t know whether I should buy a new Wilson or a new Bab….
Right there with you, I am a lower level but can't find one I'm happy on, when I do find something that feels like it is going well I get complacent so then try something new to see if it is better than the one that felt better, then after doing that a few times I have then fallen out of love with the one I initially liked!
I had the exact same experience some 25 years ago. I was playing against some guy who was the number 1 player in his High School. I had not been liking my racquet for a while, but on that day, everything went in. I barely missed anything, including first serves. I ended up bagelling him.
Next time we played, I didn't feel good, missing quite a bit and lost 2-6. I immediately blamed the racquet with which I won 6-0 the previous week.
You should try the Dunlop or Prince racquets
Important to play many times - a week or two - with a single racquet.. they change. Had that thought when you were talking about the blade. I'm a big yonex guy, i have 5 different yonex racquets (incl Percept 100D which is the best imo), tried the blade and it immediately put it down. Later tried it again and really liked it.
100% and you must play matches with it
I switch between my 100D and the Blade 100 V9. Depending on the day for some reason if I'm not jelling with the Blade I can hit with the 100D well and vice versa.
13:55 summaries
Glad to have the shift on the list. I’ve bought 2 and i’m loving it.
Hi Nik, I think you would really like the Volkl Vostra V9 305. Good luck on your new racket search Coach!!
Nick, you need to give the Shift Pro another try. You played the best with it from the play test series and the fatigue gets better as you get use to the weight
I might be a bit biased since I spend most of my days at the tennis wall, but I do believe there is actual objective truth to what I'm about to write:
Testing of rackets (especially when seeking a new "bestie") should be done on the practice wall. There are too many variables in a match, I think it's much better to spend 2 hours a day for a week with 1 racket and then play a match.
Ist ein 100sq okay für die einhändige Rückhand?
Ist ok
If you almost fell in love with the Percept, then the VCore 98 or VCore 98 Tour is calling to you. Still fairly flexible and has a Yonex-y feel with the squared off head, but much more power and spin. It's an unusual spin racket in that it's not excessively spinny and it's not very stiff. The 2023 versions of the VCores are extremely different from the previous 2019 models, so don't let a poor experience with the 2019 version dissuade you.
Hello, Nick.
Might you consider the Wilson Ultra Tour? Nishikori model.
I believe the specs to be 309 grams, 27.25 length, 16/20 string pattern, 95 head size. It’s comfortable to play with all day while teaching, but has a great range of gears for playing.
Volleys, slices, & serves are all super crisp and it’s got a very manageable twist weight so ground strokes and passing shots are not a chore. I like to string with a blend of Wilson NXT Power and Luxilon 4G Soft for easy power and fantastic touch. Coming from the Old Hyper carbon 6.1 95 18/20 27.50 the Tour keeps up with the modern spin much better but still has a bit of that Delpo drive to it.
I tried it. Vid coming soon
Did you see the pure drive extended “Wimbledon” edition on tennis warehouse? It’s a beautiful white racket and it’s it your pure drive which seems best of both worlds ? And it’s limited edition Wimbledon
I miss trying some Dunlop, lines 400 and 500. I think they would suit you well.
When switching and testing racquets there is sometimes a 'honeymoon' phase where it feels good for a few hits, because the new racquet has characteristics lacking in your previous one, and then afterwards it goes away. So it pays to actually test the racquet for a few weeks if it's possible.
To be honest, you look the most comfortable with the Wilson. Not that it means that you are uncomfortable with me others, it's just that you really seem to enjoy the Wilson a lot before the intrusive thoughts start seeping through
Great video. Some people can switch rackets easily but for me it's a mess. Always used the 2015 pure drive plus and love it. Recently tried the radical xt pro and pure drive plus 2018 for 2 months. Both amazing rackets that do some things better than the 2015 pd+ , but were driving me crazy in point play, I'd miss short balls I'd never usually miss and would keep thinking about the racket. Back to 2015 pd+ now, it feels like an extension of my arm and can fully focus on the tennis again.
Hey Nick, before this series comes to an end, it might be worth trying out some racquets from ProKennex. I feel like the Ki 10, Ki Q+ 5X Pro, and Ki Q+ 5 might all be decent fits for you. The only issue is that the swingweights for these racquets might be a bit high.
I will try
Great analysis!
🙏
I wish I had the time and the money to play test multiple rackets. I think I would learn a lot about my game.
I did wonder if it wouldn't be better for you to use one racket you knew well on each day as a baseline for the quality of your play vs the assistance/hindrance of the rackets being tested.
Anyway, it has been fun to hear your thoughts on the rackets.
Have you tried the Solinco blackout?
Try the Vcore95 strung at a around 46lbs
Hi Nick, i am recently following your channel and also in my journey to find a new racket. I will be replacing my 9year old BB deltacore London due to my 57 years age. The process I went through when i changed before from Yonex Rqis tour lite 95 to the BB London 98, is to reset my muscle memory by having balls fed to me, hitting as many forehands and backhands and find the right timing, including my service before playing matches, usually doubles. Is this a good way for mortals like me? From the country where I come from, there is almost no chance to demo a racket leaving me no choice but to rely on comparing racket specs and reviews. I decided to go lighter and bigger head size with Blade 104 V8. Eagerly awaiting the Wilson wand arrival to test and hopefully be successful.
Nick you are looking great, you got yourself in great shape!
2:48 This is me right now. I stopped playing tennis for around 15 years and now I can't play with my old racquet like I used to. I'm 46 now. I have a few racquets, but none of them feel relatively solid on most shots. The racquet I feel comes close is the Tecnifibre TF40, but even that one does not feel right some days.
It’s fun to hear people talk about different rackets and confess their footwork and technique did a head trick on them. 👍👍👍
It took me a year of playing with my new racket before I dominated every part of my game. I did try a few times to go to my old racket and I did fine, but not great. Lesson learned is to give yourself lots of time and play various player types ❤
Spec wise would the normal pure drive make the most sense? Since you like normal handle sizes now.
Nice show
Thank you for doing this 👌
🙏
Nick, did you try the Dunlox FX500 series? That is probably the closest racket to à PureDrive which in my hands felt better than the Pure Drive.
I did, vid coming soon
@@IntuitiveTennis My bet is on this one that you really liked. Bc I was in the same boat, played with the pure drive growing up, loved the pure drive. FX500 just felt like a more stable, easier to swing Pure Drive, perfect for old men lol
Have you tried the Stiga Supreme? Same mold as the pure drive.
Great video - the psychology aspect of this is huge! Color of the racquet seems to matter to me as well, which of course if purely mental/emotional. Question - have you considered the Vcore line at all? Not sure if those have entered the picture yet along this journey of yours.
Color matters 💯
I will consider vcore
Pick head extreme it’s made for your game clearly
Have you tried the head radical?
Not yet
@@IntuitiveTennis I use the radical pro and that racket does everything well.
But it doesn't stand out for a particular shot.
I like it a lot. It feels especially very good on my 2 handed BH.
Good all round racket.
Just test the Pure Strike 100 16x19 and be happy
Agree about blind play tests. There is a company in Australia that paints all the racquets black to create a 'blind' test.
The other thing which makes it a little tricky is string set ups. Some strings work better on one type of racquet but not so much on another.
I find responsive strings on a Shift make flat shot a bit too wild. Dont get me wrong, responsive strings feel great off the baseline on a shift, but fly off put away shots. Super smash might not be the best combination to play test a shift as those strings are quite responsive. Racquets like RF and Percept will probably be more predictable.
I had to find strings that offered a bit more control for the shift, which I have done.
Can you tell about your Shift journey.. what all racquets you tried out, on what parameters did you compare and make the choice ? What set up do you find best for your shift ?
@Kaps_KB I was looking at tweener and power racquets that weigh around 300 to 305 grams unstrung.
I was using the dunlop fx500 that weighed slightly above spec. It is a good racquet that offers power and control but was never 100% happy with spin generation.
What helped find my preferred specs was a session at tennis lab which gave me a blind play test of 8 racquets which included clash, sx500 and others. That's how I ended up with the fx500 and knowing my specs.
I tried other racquets such as the wilson ultra, ezone, aero 98 and shift. The aero 98 is a nice racquet but didn't offer much more than my Dunlop. The shift felt great but was a bit punishing on off centre shots so I added a couple of grams to 3 and 9 to aid with off centre shots but not so much to affect the manoeuvrability. I also like the shifts balance more for Single handed backhands because it's a touch more head light than the fx500.
I previously have owned radical, instinct, speed, pure strikes before.
I used the set up I had on the fx which was a zero/kirshbaum super smash at 40 but found it too wild on flat shots. I like feeling good ball pocketing and responsiveness.
I have ended up using grapplesnake tour m8 at 40 as it offers great pocketing and more control.
@@marcg-rj8co thanks for such detailed answer. I have been using Ezone100 for almost last 3 years . It has been a great power racquet, I have enjoyed it so far, but I am also looking to get, if I may, a little bit more spin too from my racquet . I have tested 2024 Boom MP and Speed MP, they are good racquets but somehow I am not convinced to make the switch. Still have to try Shift99 and Pure Aero100. Anyways, I hope you find what you are looking for in your new shift.
It actually is kind of nice to see that you're a head case like the rest of us when it comes to this stuff. Have you tried a Solinco Whiteout 16x19? Very similar ball to the Percept 100, but better feel and 98 in2.
Will try Solinco
Why not a normal length pure drive?
Radical MP is a universally solid and versatile racket. I don‘t really like the paintjob but it came out as clear winner after testing 10+ rackets, 3-4 at a time. 98, 300g, 16/19, maneuverable, good power and control.
Your funniest video ever. Couldn't stop laughing! The challenges of charmed life in paradise.
“Dig deep within yourself, for there is a fountain of good tennis racquets ever ready to flow if you will keep digging.” ―Marcus Aurelius
With the Hannibal Lecter tone of voice.
This sort of reminds me of those golf club fitting videos. The problem with fittings is that you select the proper clubs for the 'you' who shows up that day. You maybe receive the new custom clubs a few weeks later and proceed to play your first round. Then a different 'you' shows up to play that first round.
Whiteout
I recommend you play test all your preferred racquets on same day, back to back against a ball machine to eliminate many variables. It’s similar to watching 2 tv screens side by side in same store with same content. Best wishes in your hunt and keep up the great content!
And when you finish selecting a raquet the new PureDrive will arrive and you'll jump to it 😂. Now being serious, strings and tension play a big part; so it's even tougher to compare racquets. I myself like the Solinco Confidential on my PureAero right now but don't know if I should commit to a whole reel ... :)
I can relate so much. I had a racket I loved but it was off spec. When I went to get a matching racket I got all messed up. That led to years of experimenting and demoing, and I’ve never been 100% satisfied since. Ultimately I found I need to find a racket that doesn’t make me want to control it, which takes the small muscles out of the equation. Now I have 3 different rackets and they all play the same for me.
Agree and sometimes it's actually the strings on the racquet.
You buy the racquet and put your favourite strings and the tension you like and it feels nothing like the demo. The pitfalls of demo racquets.
Nick - maybe you should try a Paradigma Variostar S-Code 280 (they are still in stock). I use a 310 g version which will be sold again from spring 2025 again and I like it a lot!!! Just google it.
These racquets are bend but it is no difference to find the sweet spot since geometricly it is in the same place as in a straight racquet. The bend grip gives unique feedback about the angle of the head. Racquet feels longer a bit like 27 1/2 inch but it isn't. Serve, forehand and volleys are great and my one handed backhand is great for topspin and slice too. But I don't know how it is one a THB. Stringbed and frame feel a bit like a Dunlop SX300 but I can hit much harder with the S-Code. Very arm frindly raquet because of the bend although the frame is on the stiffer side. The bend also makes it easy to perform "trick(y) shots" like a drop shot forhand from a bounce above the head, forehand slice "badminton style defence shot" and full blown backhand slice bombshell. It is a small German company. I think the owner is a former east German "Oberliga" player (Emmerich I think is his name). By luck you get himself on the phone. I asked via Email through the website about further models of my stick and received instant answer.
Maybe it is the thing you are looking for.
Nick . Thanks for your info! Im from the land of Mel Purcell!!… i need your advice .. i demo the wilson shift and loved it .. bought one .strung with synthetic gut . 55 pounds . Put a leather handle on it … Felt like i was hitting with a 2 by 4 wood board :(((. .. should i try super smash string with lower tension??
Hey Nick, what are your thoughts on customization? Also do you think that you'll try different string combinations with the racquets you test, as some racquets might not mesh well with the Kirschbaum super smash you like
Might test some string, but not really a concern rn
I hope you experiment with adding weight at 12 and the butt cap to make the rackets more polarized and maintain balance. A lot of taller players seem to prefer more polarized rackets, and I definitely think you should try it out!
Great story Nick, you make it sound like the search of a woman.😃 I recognize myself in your extensive playtesting. After playing with the Pure Drive, Dunlop FX500 (that seems like a great racket for your style of play, have you tested it?), Head Gravity Pro, Speed and Radical I finally settled for the Ezone 98 and Blade v8 98 (18x20). Two great rackets of whom I like the Blade even better. But than I started teaching my daughter and did a few serves with her racket which is much lighter and that went and felt so fantastic that I am now testing the Blade 100l, Vcore 98L and Wilson Future RF (again). Somewhere I have to settle this testing once and for all, because it is fun, but not so good for my game and mindset.
Hi Nick!, from your racquet choises, it looks you are omiting one important option: the Prince Tour 100P if you liked the Yonex you are going to love the Prince. With Solinco Confidential 1.25 at 53lbs.
Will try Prince
I wonder why not try Babolat Pure Drive 300 gr 2024 model?
The player adapts to their equipment. I find it hard to believe that sudden and frequent racquet changes will help any player to find their "ideal" racquet. If it was me having a bunch of racquets to try, I'd go for one for a month, another for another month and so on. Nonetheless, strings are a bigger deal when it's about shot performance and feel, so I'd also try different string setups.
This phenomenon is called selection bias. Most effective way to reduce selection bias is to not only cover up recognizable details on the rackets, but also add in the identically covered up old racket
You need to try the solinco blackout
Will do
When Agnes Szavay got the test rackets from Wilson, they were all black with a code on it. Once she chose the one she liked they sent them painted.
Sinner recently practiced with blacked out racquets wo knowing the specs
Hey Nick, really liking this series. I'd be interested to see your take on the yonex vcore range added to this play test.
I will test 🙌
Any chance you tried the Whiteout XTD ?
Not yet
I know it's rare and expensive, but have you tried the Yonex Regna 98? After trying so many rackets (Wilson, Technifibre, other Yonex, Head) and always finding flaws that prevented me from being confident in my game, I took the plunge and bought a Regna from eBay. Oh my God! It was night and day. I was shocked how I was able to return powerful shots that I normally wouldn't think I'd be able to return. My game became very consistent: perfect lobs, drop shots that just died, drives that zoomed in, serves that were unreturnable. The Yonex Regna 98 is the best racket I've ever used. Nothing compares to it. It has power, control, touch, spin. The best!
I thought you have really liked the Yonex Percept 100... what caused the change of mind?
I still like it. It’s in consideration for sure
Have you considered trying a percept 100d? Given your experience with the 97d that might be just the ticket and should feel more like your babalot
I’m 70. 4.0 …Tall thin and can run effectively .. which racket should I be playing for doubles?... I don’t have the time or energy to look through all the rackets.Thanks
Recently switches racquet and tried different ones, the ones I liked the most were the pure drive and ezone, but then I stepped into Radical MP and couldn’t let it go. Give it a try!
i can play with almost any racquet for intermediates and advanced player prety similar but i cant play good when racquet and the string are not complementing one each other well, this is the worst and i just cant win in this situation matches, so my conclusion after 16 month of testing over 30 racquets and strings is that the most important things is to find the right string right gauge and right tension for the racquet u testing.
Love the hubris.
Kind of crazy how sensitive your game is to your racket. I have to wonder how much of this is in your head. What comes to mind is the high level juniors and college players that have no idea about the specs or even the strings in their rackets. I understand that it is similar in the pros where some players are very sensitive to their rackets and setups where others don't seem to care beyond just sticking with what is currently working.
Great video Nick 👍👍👍!
Thank you Hans
I am using the tecnifiber 298 and love it. I didn't even play test it. I recognize all of my tennis problems are "Operator error"
Best way to test imo is to check video footage of the same shot. If you are doing the exact same thing but 1 racquet is shanking all the time and the other is going in. Then you can see which one is a go. Esp when it's over hundreds of balls.
I thought I loved the shift the first few times I played. Then I played a guy similar lvl I usually play with and did horribly.
Didn't give up on the racquet and did drills with a coach. Hit hundreds of forehands. Shanked so many.
Tired the aero 98. Did an hour of forehands. Did not shank a single ball. Proceeded to play tennis against the same friend and it was even again.
Definitely was the racquet. Shift sweet spot was too small. Against easy players any racquet works. Against the same lvl. You really gotta find one that suits your swing path.
So have you made the switch to aero 98 ? Or is the journey still going on to find the best suitable racquet for ur game ?
You seems to like powerful frame ,but the 97d is ...dense => you could try prince ats tour100 p (18x20 but strings are spaced) or percept 100d (18x19) or purestrike 100 16x20
We feel your pain... Keep going and stay strong, you'll find your way 🫶🏻
🙏
Have you tried more niche rackets like the Furi Arma or Carve All Court?
I have not
oh man. not to muddy the water here, but considering the reasons you've disregarded the tecnifibre and the bolt, i think you might like, of all things, the tf40 16x19. unlikely seeming, but i moved to it from a pure aero, and an excellent pro i play with liked it coming from your same pure drive (though not a plus)
honestly, i bought the tf40 on a lark, because it was on super sale. i KNEW it wasn't the racquet for me. i played a leaded up pure aero 100" 300g. a spin/power racquet. not a 98" "control" frame. i kept it in the bag because i thought it might be fun to use as a "warm up" stick, with what i imagined was a smaller sweet spot, less power, and less spin. one day i grabbed it and warmed up. and i've not looked back. it's a remarkable racquet, in my stupid opinion, and has great control, power and spin. tons of feedback as to where on the strings you're hitting the ball, but with decent comfort and forgiveness as well. if you haven't tried it, all i can say is don't read the specs. like that percept 97D which worked in your hands, it might be a winner. it's not on a lot of radars these days, but it should be.
thank you for all the great content, and keep it up!
try solinco!!!
The solution is simple. Retail rackets come with preset weight. You need to find the stiffness that you like in a super ultralight frame that you can add weight to customize yourself.
Send me the old racquets!!! I’ll play with anything! Just have to adjust on the court. All modern racquets are good and just have to make the adjustments necessary. It makes you a better tennis player when you can adjust! Adapt and overcome
When you are selecting these rackets, are you trying to find a racket that you will love to use in stock form? Or are you considering finding one that you might have to tinker with lead tape customizations etc?
Stock, customizing to my liking does not work
You have tried all the Percepts except 100D. I'm sure we are all curious how would you feel about the 100D. Please give it a play test!
I suggest to try the Solinco Blackout racquet too. They have a 285 grams, 300 and 300 extend versions. That is a power racquet, the style you're looking for.
I have. Vid soon…
I would definitely try the Babolat Pure Aero PLUS. It is a bit softer and more controlled the Pure Drive Plus, with better spin. I would also try the Solinco WHITEOUT 18x20 XTD. That racket is sort of like if you crossed your percept with your old Pure Drive and came up with a more controlled better feeling extended racket with excellent spin.
Didn’t he just come from a pure drive??
I don't know how much tinkering you like to do but I currently use the Shift 99 300g and I find that it plays horrible stock. It's too ligh and unstable the minute you're pushed back. If you add a little bit of weight you get the stability of the Pro version but retain the "whippy" or faster feel still.
Worth a try
Hi Nik, Have you tried the prince beast 100, if you like the pure drive you will like this 👌✔️
Will try
Nick the timing of your racquet testing is a tad awkward because we are coming into a new year where there are some big generational upgrades to some frames. 1. The new Pure Drive 2. The New Ezone 3. Head Gravity 98 Tour Those three would be worth trying before you make your final decision. Jonas aka Tennis Nerd probably send a demo version of the Pure drive.
This will most likely continue into 2025
I will see
Nick is a rrcovering Babolat addict, he cannot demo the new Pure Drive!😂
Looks like head boom next.
Yes
You should do a blind racket test next time you play. And then you guess which one it was after a few games. Curious if youll even know.
Nick!!! Tecnifibre ISO 305 pleaseee
Will try
Try the Babolat Pure Strike 100 16x20 for your final test.
It’s a control racquet. He likes power racquets.
I've also been on a journey. Funny I was about to sell my shift from having one bad outing. Took it off ebay and played with it again and i was like wow, its great on my back hand and easy to hit balls. So, Bad days and good days can ruin it and string selection. I hated the pro staff, and then i dropped the tension and put a med stiff poly at 45 lbs and it a totally different racket. Its still heavy and hard to use over time but there is so many variables.
My next racket im trying are the head extreme. You may like them since you liked the shift. I think i cant handle the prostaff 97 and its hurting me on my back hand. Its going to be between the shift and extreme pro. I think I've tried over 20 rackets.
Put a piece of tape over the "Percept 97 D" and try to forget about it, and that may be the new racquet for you! 😁😁😁
I started looking for a new racquet this week and have been doing lots of web research and testing. Reckon I’ll find one before you do.😂
Yonex Ezone plus???
I'm the same, been testing rackets, made the switch, and then a year later felt the 300g pure strike was too heavy after 2 sets, so changed for a lighter racket. I can feel even with a dampener the racket can feel too heavy, l but it depends on how I feel on the day, they definitely feel heavier the longer i play 😂
This is pretty funny Nick, I’ve purchased my 15th racquet this year which ended up exactly where I started but just the new version, absolute headache😅…I wonder what the 2023 Prestige MP is like…99sq 18x19, 21.5mm beam and apparently a hidden gem of a racquet, maybe not stiff enough for your liking but I’m not sure how it actually plays
what you like is what you get use to feeling you like.
I am truly surprised you didn’t try the Dunlop SX600. Lighter weight and extended in a PureAero type beam. Not quite a Pure Drive but very close. Also a bit surprised you haven’t considered sending your Pure Drives to one of the top tier customizers who would sand the frames before a paint job so your weight specs won’t change.