Racquet Playtest Comparison:
| About the play tester |
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Tester: Diredesire from the TTW Message Board
Playing Level: 4.0
Regular playing equipment: Fischer Pro #1 FT, String varies (I revisit Topspin Poly Polar quite a bit, though), tension varies b/w 56-59 lbs.
Game Style: : Loopy, long strokes, I swing very quickly, full western forehand, two handed backhand. I play a loopy game, and rarely flatten out the ball, unless going for a winner. I hit plenty of topspin and slice off both wings. I play primarily doubles, but do play singles frequently. I also have a tendency to rush the net, and am comfortable doing so.
Note: All frames strung with Wilson Sensation 17g
Initial Impressions Comments: (Quick results out of 10)
Dunlop AeroGel 300: (9.5/10), It seems kind of pointless to give a rating to the looks of a frame, but one should note that this is the overall initial impression. The Dunlop 300 impressed me right away. The finish was excellent, partly matte (the black sides), and partly glossy (white, red). I was impressed with the cosmetics. I've typically liked the cosmetics of Dunlop frames. The pain job isn't screaming for attention, but does a pretty good job of being noticeable. I thought having only the throat a different color was a new, fresh look, but would prefer the entire racquet to be of a certain color. The newest "Aerogel" accents (light blue at the tip and throat of frame) are done well, they look shimmery and a little bit braided. It is a very cool effect. The feel of the racquet was good just holding it. I like to try and maneuver it around as if I was at net to get a feel for how sluggish or how blade-like a racquet is. This racquet was definitely more in the blade-like side, but had a good bit of heft to it. I had high hopes from the beginning! Note: The photograph on TW as of 1/27/2007 is a little darker than the frame actually looks, the red on the frame is the same as before (M-Fil Series).
Volkl DNX 9: (9/10): Orange isn't really my favorite color, but the Volkl DNX 9 impressed me. The finish is classy, not overly complicated, and had plenty of racquet spec details on it. I like that in a frame. The V-engine hoop has always thrown me off a little, but I don't look at my racquet when I'm hitting, so I forgot about it quickly. The racquet is primarily glossy orange, with silver/gray accents. The 3/9 o'clock positions have a honey-comb looking pattern with a black background and gray honeycomb patterns. A little busy for my tastes, but you would never notice without looking closely. The Silver accents are pretty neat. My quick "volley" test felt as if the DNX 9 would be a little more sluggish at net, but a little more easy to swing through on groundstrokes. Overall, even though it wasn't a racquet that played to my tastes, it looked better than I had imagined.
Yonex RDS001 MP: (8.5/10): This racquet has been a little controversial due to it's extremely LOUD cosmetics. It is painted in bright, bright yellow, and has a slight, slight glitter effect, which makes it hard to photograph. The glittery paint makes it glow a little bit in real life. It's a subtle change, but it is noticeable. The cosmetic has gone a little more straightforward, with bold lines. Though I thought the paint job was ugly at first sight (judging from pictures and other frames I've seen), it grows on you. This racquet at first swing seemed as if it'd be the most sluggish at net, but also the most "plow-y" at the base-line, meaning once you get it moving, it'll get the work done for you.
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Power Comments: (Again, out of 10)
NOTE: This scale is a little confusing, 1-4 very low, 5-7 right where I'd like it, 8-10 high side)
Dunlop AeroGel 300: (6.5): This frame was not overly powerful, great depth control from the baseline. I could swing away when I needed to, and on the other hand, I could also get plenty of pop when I was at a stretch. When I hit very hard, the racquet seemed to flex just a slight amount, giving me a little added control. It was also stiff enough, however, to get me through the slower swings. I'd say this frame strung at about mid-tension was just right without customizations. Groundstrokes were about average, some sailing slightly long, but most of them right in the range I prefer. On off center strokes, the ball landed a little short, but this was less often than more often. On volleys, the racquets stiffness helped get the ball deep, half volleys were directed deep in the court with little effort, and overheads and serves were great! A lot of pop was generated from the slightly stiff lay up of the frame, coupled with the fact that it was easy to get around.
Volkl DNX 9: (7.5): This racquet was a little more powerful due to it's higher static weight. I was able to get it moving pretty comfortably, and it did a lot of my work for me. Due to this extra weight, there was a little too much power to me. It did flex about the same as the Aerogel, but it felt overall slightly firmer (on average). I still had plenty of depth control from the baseline. Groundstrokes responded just right, with plenty of stability from the baseline, I found it easy to keep the ball deep. It was not too common to overstroke the ball due to the "just-right" maneuverability. Volleys were excellent, I had an easy time getting the ball deep when I set up, and on half volleys and stabs, the stability led to a nice, deep response. Serves and overheads were slightly less powerful than the Aerogel 300, due to the slightly heavier frame, and a slightly more sluggish start.
Yonex RDS001 MP: (7.5): Very similar to the DNX9, the Yonex's high static weight was a little more trouble to get around. I'd say if the DNX 9 was just right, the RDS001 was a little too heavy, and the Aerogel was a little too light. The head-light balance gave me a little room to get this racquet under control. Groundstrokes were as plow-y as I had originally thought, and once this racquet got going, it swung plenty fast. As a result, balls flew a tiny bit more than the other two frames. Overall, groundstrokes were good, excellent stability led to plenty of pop regardless of how I struck the ball. Volleys were very comfortable and gave plenty of depth, even more so than the other frames. Even on half volleys, and mishit volleys, I found plenty of help from this frame due to it's mass. Overheads and Serves were a little bit less than stellar, due to the difficulty of getting this racquet really moving through the air. Overall, a decent mix.
Control Comments: (out of 10, 10 being "ideal")
Note: Comments will be similar to power, as I find they are typically inversely proportional to each other.
Dunlop AeroGel 300: (7.5): This frame is a little on the lighter side, although for it's category (A tweener leaning more towards a player's frame), it is just right. I play with some big hitters at times, and the balls move pretty quick. I need a frame that will help me move the ball where I want it wherever I hit in the bed. The Aerogel 300 was an admirable performer in this category. I found the blend of power and control to be just right, as it is pretty close in specs to my normal frame. Control is related to multiple variables, including weight (resistance to bad torque, giving more control all over the bed), spin (spin control), and of course power (depth control). The spin control was excellent for this frame, the weight was a little low for harder hitting. I found good directional control due to the maneuverability, and depth control was excellent due to the "just right" (for me) weight, and the added control from the spin. Groundstrokes were overall very good, with the exception of the hardest of rallies. I felt the control was sucked out a little bit due to the frame's stiffness. For some reason I lost a little control when the ball was struck especially hard. Volleys had excellent touch control as well as a good push control. The racquet was a little light for really blocking the ball, but it was easy to get around and position. It was just heavy enough to get a good response from the ball with no bad vibes. Serves and overheads were a pleasure to hit, getting the racquet in the right position was a breeze.
Volkl DNX 9: (8): For some reason, this racquet and I hit it off very quickly. I had initially thought this racquet would be a little unwieldy for me, due to the feel that it would be hard to get swinging, which would result in many unforced errors, but it turned out to be a pleasant hit! I felt that the feel was solid, and that I could direct the ball very well both in depth and direction. I felt that this racquet showed a pretty ideal blend of spin control, stability, and maneuverability. It didn't seem to me that the racquet was really doing anything in particular extremely well, but the synergy of all things clicking gave me a great impression! Feel confident wielding this stick, it's got a great blend of all things that lead to good "control." Overall, groundstrokes were a pleasure to hit, the flex was just right for most any situation. The stability led to great control, even on very hard rallies, and was an admirable performer on sitters. I could place the ball deep, or go for the short angle when necessary. I felt very comfortable at the net with this frame, too. It was just right to get into place and pop a ball deep, with low, skidding slice. I felt that the response of this frame was very familiar and uniform. Overheads and serves were very under control, with a good blend of both power and control.
Yonex RDS001 MP: (7.5): Where the Dunlop 300 shines, this racquet seemed to perform poorly, but they get the same rating, because the converse is true. When I was hitting against a ton of pace, the RDS001 was as solid as a rock. This gave me excellent directional and depth control because of it's consistent response. I was able to control the ball well when I had little time to respond. On the flip side, when I had plenty of time to prepare, I wasn't able to accelerate the racquet as quickly as either of the two other frames. I felt myself contacting the ball late at times, and early at times. This racquet definitely had many things going for it, but it was a little sluggish when I was a little lazy. Groundstrokes were mostly under control, especially on the run. I felt as if the racquet would do plenty of work for me. On the slower rallies, with a ton of time, I could not execute my usual aggressive stroke due to the added weight giving me a lot of trouble. It wasn't an overly heavy racquet, but just a little difficult to get it accelerating properly. Volleys were excellent, blocking the ball back deep was no trouble. Serves and overheads gave me a lot of trouble, as I couldn't find the right rhythm with this frame. I have a longer swing on my serve, and getting the racquet really going to impart spin was much more of an effort than I am used to.
Maneuverability Comments: (out of 10)
Dunlop AeroGel 300: (8.5): This racquet is easy to get around, a little TOO easy. At net, it took no effort to position my racquet where I wanted it, but I found that on stab/reflex volleys, I'd be a little early to get to the ball. This obviously is not a bad thing, but it takes a little bit of adjustment to get used to the feel. Groundstrokes had the same problem as my net game, I was able to swing away with ease, but I tend to swing late, and swing fast, so this racquet fit me very well. Serves and overheads were excellent in this aspect, I was able to generate plenty of spin, and had some screamers coming off my racquet when I flattened it out.
Volkl DNX 9: (9): Excellent maneuverability. The swing weight is manageable, on just about every type of stroke. Easy to get around both over the head, side to side, and on loopy groundstrokes. My groundstrokes needed no timing adjustments, which is probably why I liked this frame a lot, I could time my aggressive swing easily, even on sitters, as well as a full stroke on a speedy low skidder. I could whip this frame when really necessary, and I could also swing in a nice, controlled, more linear stroke path when necessary. Volleys were excellent. I had imagined at the beginning that I'd be caught late with this frame at the net, but the only time this happened was when my opponent would get on top of the net and hit a sitter at me. Serves and Overheads were great with this frame, as well. Timing was no problem, but swinging very fast was. I felt that it lent itself to a great overall spin/power ratio.
Yonex RDS001 MP: (6.5): Like it has been mentioned above, I found this frame to be slightly sluggish overall. I had trouble getting this racquet going, although it swung very light for it's static weight. My major problem was accelerating this racquet from stationary. Groundstrokes were fine, I had trouble with the timing of my strokes, but maneuvering it into a block position was no problem. Overall, the head-light balance helped out at the net, as well as short, blocking strokes from anywhere on the court. At net, although I had initially anticipated troubles, the volleys were smooth and punchy. When rushed, I felt a little pressure to prepare as early as possible. Overheads and serves were a real bother for me. Although the swingweight isn't abnormally high (322 g), I just had a hard time really positioning my racquet well over the head. I always ended up late.
Stability Comments: (Out of 10)
Dunlop AeroGel 300: (8): For my game, the Dunlop Aerogel performed pretty admirably. It never seemed like I was playing with a feather-light toy racquet, but at the same time, it never felt like I was playing with a really solid stick that wouldn't be pushed around. I found the response to be more or less satisfactory, except against really hard hitters, and returning fast strokes. I felt a few bad vibes on really off center shots, but the balls typically landed about where I wanted, so no complaints there. Groundstrokes were good overall, I found plenty of pop, even on slightly off-center strokes.As mentioned before, when I really went for a crack at the ball, I felt a few bad vibes. Volleys were mostly solid, a stable response for the most part. Shots hit very off center were slightly jarring, but that is to be expected with a racquet of this weight. I found the overall slightly head light balance to lead to a better response than a medium-weight highly head-light frame. Serves and overheads were remarkably stable, even when the ball was struck very hard. I felt a little bit of twisting when the ball was struck in the very upper part of my frame, but otherwise, I have no complaints.
Volkl DNX 9: ( 9): I had a very smooth hit with this frame. I'm not sure if the good comfort of this frame led to such a good rating, but I never felt that the racquet twisted or vibrated too much on off center strokes. Overall, everything felt good, any strokes that were off center didn't feel like my racquet twisted in my hand. Groundstrokes were solid, steady and true throughout the play test. This racquet really impressed me in this aspect. I have a testy wrist (and shoulder), but never felt any pain hitting with this frame. Volleys were solid, except on off center strokes, the frame gave a bit of twisting, but I have yet to find a frame that does not. Serves and overheads were stable and gave a great response no matter where in the string bed. I hit a few near the tip of the frame, but had no bad vibes. I am really impressed with the dampening tech of this frame!
Yonex RDS001 MP: (9): Like the DNX 9, this racquet was also very smooth and comfortable even during off center strokes. Groundstrokes gave an excellent response when I struck them. Many of my strokes were not clean with this frame, helped along by the maneuverability issues mentioned earlier. I hit several strokes out of the sweet spot, and although the negative feedback was there, I never felt any pain. Volleys were excellent from a stability standpoint, I think Yonex's isometric head is a great tech as far as stability and even feel across the string bed is concerned. Serves and Overheads were stable and comfortable, even if I could never find my rhythm or a sweet/hot spot.
Comfort Comments: (Out of 10)
Dunlop AeroGel 300: (7): This frame felt a little raw, tinny and hollow at times. This was one of the only gripes I had with this frame. Although overall this frame felt solid, and had a good response, when I hit with some big hitters (which is unfortunately for me, more often than not), I had a bit of wrist discomfort. When striking the ball cleanly (which is not hard to do with the ease of maneuverability), this frame gives a nice feedback, groundstrokes, volleys, and serves are no different. Comfort is an important aspect to me, but so is good ball feel, although this rating is a little low, I found a good trade off between the two.
Volkl DNX 9: (9.5): This is one of the more comfortable racquets I have hit with in my tennis career. I've hit extensively with one of the "benchmark" comfort racquets, the POG OS, and the DNX 9 gives a similar feel. Although slightly muted, the DNX 9 seems to absorb shock, and transmit minimal amounts to your hand. This is not to say the feel is bad, but instead it smooths out the response quite a bit. Groundstrokes had good feedback, but never hurt, Volleys were the same. I knew when I struck the ball outside of the sweet spot, but it never gave me twinges of pain to realize it. As in the stability section, serving was a treat, no bad vibes!
Yonex RDS001 MP: (9.5): This racquet, although it seems I'm giving it plenty of negatives does perform admirably in the comfort category. The string bed is very even across the entire face, and responds nicely. Off center shots are not jarring to my joints, and strokes struck in the string bed are simply a treat. Groundstrokes struck well have plenty of pop, zip, and a sweet response. Volleys are a treat to hit, as this frame is very solid, and has plenty of stability and comfort to boot. I felt that strokes struck in the very upper bed on any over-the-head shots were a little buzzy, which annoyed my wrist, but overall were very good. I have no reservations rating this frame very high in the comfort category!
Spin
Dunlop AeroGel 300: (9): Great spin production from this frame. The maneuverability and light(er) weight lend themselves to a quick stroke speed, which translates to great spin. All the frames in this playtest are relatively open in pattern, so my spin ratings are high. I got plenty of bite on slick backhands, could drive a nice topspin ground stroke deep into the court, and experienced nice stick on vollies. Slice and topspin serves were a pleasure to strike. Paired with a poly or thinner gauge string, this frame could be a monster.
Volkl DNX 9: (7.5): Although stable and comfortable, I didn't find this frame to be particularly spin friendly (although it's not bad!). I played all frames with Wilson Sensation 17g, so spin was friendly, although it could have been better. I think this frame paired with a poly would be another great frame to consider. Backhand slices lacked a little bite, but instead went deep into the court. I found ample and satisfactory spin on my groundstrokes. My volleys had more punch than bite, but I was happy with this fact. Spin serves were mediocre, but smooth.
Yonex RDS001 MP: (7.5): Spin generation was not difficult with this frame. It felt more smooth to me than spinny. Groundstrokes felt slightly "buttery." I think this frame paired with a firmer syn gut (such as Prince's Syn gut w/ Duraflex) would be a good pair. My groundstrokes had much more punch than bite, slice backhands, however, had excellent bite. Volleys, like the DNX 9 were more punchy and blocky rather than my usual skidding slice volleys. Slice serves simply did not work for me, due to the slow acceleration, but top spin serves had a lot of bite to them when I used my legs.
Overall
Dunlop AeroGel 300: (8.5-9.0): Overall I think this an excellent frame for up-and coming players making the transition from a tweener racquet to a player's frame, or even from lower levels into a higher level of tennis. I found an excellent blend of power, control, spin, and comfort. The feel of this racquet was raw, which I prefer, but had an admirable amount of stability for it's weight. I found the racquet a little bit tinny when striking the ball hard. Very maneuverable frame, good for doubles, and crafty spinsters. I feel like this frame would be a worthy frame of customization. It's got a little room for weight, which would probably add a great amount of stability with little effort.
Volkl DNX 9: (9.0): This racquet truly gave me a pleasant surprise. I don't normally like Volkl racquets much, but the DNX 9 gave me a great ride. Power and control were in balance, not too much or little of either. Spin production was average, but just right paired with the other frame characteristics. I served well with this frame, and the maneuverability at the net was excellent. A very solid, comfortable offering with a great feel. Changing the strings up on this frame may be refreshing if you don't like it at first. Good, solid, all around frame. Definitely worth a look!
Yonex RDS001 MP: (7.5-8.0): Although I had a lot of trouble playing with this stick, it offered great stability, comfort, and power when I lacked it myself. Groundstrokes were rock solid, but getting this racquet moving through the air took a little more effort than the other two. Volleys were very solid, blocking back tough shots was a breeze. I had a really hard time serving with this frame, but I think this was just an adjustment period sort of issue, which could be overcome with work. Yonex frames offer a different feel across the string bed, which takes a little getting used to. I don't normally like Yonex frames too much, but I felt that the RDS001 had a lot to offer, I just couldn't harness them.
| Power |
| Yonex RDS001 MP | 88 |
| Dunlop AeroGel 300 | 87 |
| Volkl DNX 9 | 85 |
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| Control |
| Volkl DNX 9 | 87 |
| Dunlop AeroGel 300 | 83 |
| Yonex RDS001 MP | 79 |
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| Maneuverability |
| Dunlop AeroGel 300 | 94 |
| Volkl DNX 9 | 86 |
| Yonex RDS001 MP | 78 |
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| Stability |
| Yonex RDS001 MP | 93 |
| Volkl DNX 9 | 90 |
| Dunlop AeroGel 300 | 85 |
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| Comfort |
| Volkl DNX 9 | 96 |
| Yonex RDS001 MP | 87 |
| Dunlop AeroGel 300 | 78 |
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| Touch/Feel |
| Volkl DNX 9 | 84 |
| Yonex RDS001 MP | 80 |
| Dunlop AeroGel 300 | 79 |
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| Groundstrokes |
| Dunlop AeroGel 300 | 83 |
| Yonex RDS001 MP | 80 |
| Volkl DNX 9 | 78 |
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| Volleys |
| Yonex RDS001 MP | 87 |
| Dunlop AeroGel 300 | 85 |
| Volkl DNX 9 | 84 |
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| Serves and Overheads |
| Dunlop AeroGel 300 | 90 |
| Volkl DNX 9 | 88 |
| Yonex RDS001 MP | 72 |
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| Serve Returns |
| Volkl DNX 9 | 86 |
| Dunlop AeroGel 300 | 84 |
| Yonex RDS001 MP | 80 |
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| Slice |
| Volkl DNX 9 | 89 |
| Dunlop AeroGel 300 | 88 |
| Yonex RDS001 MP | 88 |
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| Topspin |
| Dunlop AeroGel 300 | 92 |
| Volkl DNX 9 | 86 |
| Yonex RDS001 MP | 85 |
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| Overall |
| Volkl DNX 9 | 90 |
| Dunlop AeroGel 300 | 85 |
| Yonex RDS001 MP | 82 |
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| Playtest date: August, 2007. |
| All content copyright 2007 Tennis Warehouse. |