Running Soccer Shoes

 Had a look in soccer.com archives of 1999/2000 and found them, hybrid running and soccer. Did not buy them, I wish I had. I was more toward adidas but this are cool, supper comfortable for walking and kicking balls.

TW Archive Dunlop Hot Melt 200G

 

Valerian Movie

 I have now read Valerian comic series book 1-15. Hopefully, soon the complete series for book 18-21 will be available. Compare to the movie, the casting is quite far, the main actors for Valerian and Laureline looks too young. They should be in late 30s or early 40s. The depictions from the comic is great but quite far from my expectation as the comic fan. Below is the movie poster.

Dampener

 Dampener has weight: long silicon around 6 grams, small ones are 3 grams, while rubber band less are 2 grams. Need to try rubber band so it does not add weight significantly. Dampener dampens the string particularly the ping sound, it does not dampens the racquet vibration.

A racquet makes a difference

 The other day one of my regular session mate asked me, compare to how I played 6 years ago, he said "you have improved a lot". Then I said, "found the right racquet". 

So, what changed? I have to admit that ever since I use Pro Staff 97 v10 in 2017 my game changed. But the racquet has changed too. When I first started using it, still has the original grip but added two overgrips (one thick and one thin), the bevel feels very round. I remember the racquet being heavy but has good plow through, no arm/wrist pain though. In 2019, I changed both with leather grip. In 2020 with new string Prince Duraflex Syngut at 55lbs, I got wrist pain from using this racquet. I use to play with this racquet everytime especially when playing tough opponents. 

I have now opt friendlier racquet when playing, but less powerful than this one. Using this racquet, when you hit properly: proper forehand, proper backhand, proper volley, it felt good. However, when you hit on transition at the time when you need to adjust your wrist, that is when you feel it; I dont feel when using other softer frame.

The benchmark

 This is the racquet thats sets the weight benchmark: Hot Melt 200G. This racquet in stock form serves as the bench mark for hitting incoming ball in fast court. I can hit the ball nicely square with this racquet. The ball just dwell nicely in this one, you can just block fast past ball in this one. Strung it with syngut at 50lbs and still low power. Best with leather grip due to the frame low stiffness (<60lbs).

Pro Staff 97 v10 current set up

Been using this racquet since early 2017 and bought another one in 2018. I changed the grip with leather grip last year because the original has frayed. From my posting in 2019, it mentions that the racquet was softer than SOT and it was started to send shocks to my arm. Replaced it with leather grip, got better control from the bevel feel, uses multi on both racquets and got less control, change one back to prince syn gut 16g at 55lbs. After a month long hyatus due to pandemic, back with it and got wrist pain. Two causes: tight string and (prob) bad technique of wrist lag. Changed my technique now and change the grip. The racquet now uses synthetic grip, thin overgrip, and long dampener. Now, mostly use this racquet on indoor court where the ball slides more; this racquet fits well on terms of power and weight. To compensate the weight during serves, raise both hand the same time, dont use modern technique because the power is already there.

  

Most innovative manufacture

 The most innovative tennis racquet manufacture is not Wilson or Babolat, but Prince. Seeing Prince racquet from 80s with CTS, OG, DB, Textreme, are very innovative. The others are very much traditional constant beam.

Racquets weight

 So I weight all my racquets with same digital scale, here are the results:

Racquet	Weight (grams)	Unstrung weight (TW weight) + Add. info
PS97 #1	336 (21/7)	315 (329): synthetic grip, overgrip, rb dampener
PS97 #2	338 (21/7)	315 (329): synthetic grip, overgrip, rb dampener
CX200Tour 18x20	337 (22/5)	315 (332): leather grip (incl.), 24 inch lead, overgrip
CX200Tour 16x19	336 (26/10)	310 (326): leather grip, 12inch lead, overgrip
HM 200G strung	346 (24/9)	322 (337): leather grip, overgrip, rb dampener
HM 200G unstrung	320 (-2)	322 (337): synthetic grip, unstrung
Aerogel 300	320 (30/11)	290 (309): leather grip, overgrip, 12inch lead
Radical OS	325 (30/10)	295 (315): leather grip, rb dampener
Warrior 107	328 (28/10)	300 (318): leather grip, overgrip, rb dampener
Tour 100L	300 (30)	270: leather grip, overgrip, 18inch lead
Six One Team	303 (14/0)	289 (303): synthetic grip, bab leads

The biggest jump would be the Radical OS: 30 grams from string (18x19) and leather grip and overgrip. For singles, I am now using the 100L and so far with the added weight is good for baseline play and topspin forehand. While the Six One team is just about the same as TW strung spec.

Hot Melt vs CX 200 Tour on Singles

So, I tried using modified HM in singles game. For the first six games, I can gel it but the weight starts creeping after that; few mistimed forehand and backhand. Then back to CX200T. For the next day singles game, I modified the grip with synthetic grip and no overgrip because already thick enough. I can play more game with it but in the end still change to CX200T. Using the HM is pretty good, can hit flat but feel enough pace and plow through, not getting push around. Once get little tired just can control the power and that is where CX comes in. In summary, both are comfortable racquets.

Tennis.com: GEAR Q&A: WEIGHTY MATTERS

https://www.tennis.com/gear/2020/10/gear-q-weighty-matters/91467/

Taken from article above:

... The traits of a heavy ball are open to interpretation, but it’s essentially a shot that carries a wicked combination of speed and spin that make it more onerous to return; all that rotation feels like a weight vest on the ball and it takes greater effort to turn it around. If one gets above your shoulders it can seem like you’re hitting a brick.

It’s different than a shot that only has a lot of pace. That kind of ball can travel through the court quickly, but lacks in “substance"—it doesn’t fight your racquet at contact quite the same way. It needs the accompanying spin to make it heavy. That means you need significant racquet head whip up and through contact. When that is combined with stiff polyester strings designed for spin, the ball compresses and stays on the string bed giving more of an opportunity to put work on it.  

...

And the truth is, the difference between 300g and 305g frames can be difficult to detect. For some players, the more mass translates to a heavier shot. But as long as you’re generating the requisite swing speed (and spin), there’s no reason your shots can’t carry serious weight.

[end from article]

From my experience, my hitting partner is using a 249 unstrung racquet but he can generate heavy ball. I agree with the article above except that it does not mention plow through.

Tennis Forehand: Classic, Modern, NG

 There were classic forehand (Edberg, Lendl, etc), then modern forehand (Agassi, Federer, Nadal, Murray, etc), the next gen (Kyrgios, Sock, etc). The take backs for them are different: classic - straight back, modern - racquet drop/tap dog, and next gen - whip/lasso. The grip are also different: classic - continental/eastern, modern - easter/semi, next gen semi/western. And then, I saw TW videos with Marcos Giron and he has sort of combination between next gen take back and modern grip; he uses eastern/semi grip but next gen take back. Current racquet manufacture is geared or suited toward modern or next gen. My modern technique felt suited to W PS 97 or Dunlop Hot Melt 200G  but I still coulf not maximize my Dunlop CX 200 Tour. Seeing Giron forehand and he uses Yonex Vcore 95 which is similar to 200X Tour, I think I might try his style. The different techniques produce different result, the next gen style produce more spin with less wrist snap. See his form in below picture.

So I had 2 sessions trying to apply a new FH techniques. The 1st session with Hot Melt 200G and PS97: the new technique is pretty hard to apply with HM (too heavy) and PS97 (erratic result). On the 2nd session with CX 200 Tour: better due to fast swing racquet but need to be careful due syngut unspin-friendly string. The new technique certainly works well to generate power while the modern/classic is more consistent and flat hit.

Session review (1 Nov 2020) - singles and doubles - HM 200G and CX 200 Tour 18x

 I played 4 games, 1 single and 3 doubles with results: 4-3, 6-4, 6-5, 6-5. The playing level was close, a bit above or lower. On the several sets, I started with CX 200 18x but then changed to Hot Melt 200G. The ball was new, playing outdoor, I thought the CX would perform better but the result shows that (I) felt more confidence using Hot Melt. Overall, the plow though was better; however, overhit two overheads. The softer but heavier Hot Melt can be very bouncy at times. 

PS97 v13 vs v10 (comparing TW scores)

The result from TW is out; v13 scored 85 while v10 was 83 though from averaging out the v13 is 83.9 while v10 is 83.1 (so 1 point different). The biggest difference between the two is the control which is 9 points more in v13. And one more important point, the v13 scores lower in power by 3 points (79). In my opinion, not much different; more control, less power, maybe tiny bit of comfort; still a modern player's frame.

 

Hot Melt 200G vs Pro Staff 97

I tested both racquet, but this time with modified Pro Staff 97. I changes the grip with synthetic ones (no leather grip) to reduce the static weight and put long Dunlop dampener. The result was that the Pro Staff is less stiffer, the power still there. Now that I have accustomed of using low powered 95 square inch raquet, using PS97 feels like using oversize with its power. However, the stiffness still there. Also, we did not use new balls, so the balls are softer/mushier and prefer PS due to HM low power. 

Prince Warrior 107: slice and dicer

Hitting out with Warrior 107 yesterday, the racquet is such a slice and dicer. It has a lot of power, unless you like to generate massive spin, slicing and dicing could be the way to tame this racquet. Lost the game because could not push opponent just with slice and dice.

 

Balancing Hot Melt 200G and CX 200 Tour

I added more lead to the CX 200 Tour and put it to the test at Friday night on the indoor court where ball slides hard. Played with HM 200G first and then try the CX 200. The verdict is that, the CX still lighter than the HM but not as lopsided as before. 

The HM is very good with groundstroke but feels heavy when serving, CX 200 is easier on when serving without as plow through. Sunday morning where I played outdoor, I test the CX 200 again. Played 4 sets doubles, winning just 1; was playing easy but the opponents coming out hard and played against higher rating opponent. 

Verdict is that the CX 200 Tour leaded up does not need high swing speed, you can but the weight is already there unlike before the lead.

Dunlop Hot Melt 200G and Head Pro Tour 2.0

I recently got myself a new old stock Dunlop Hot Melt 200G and the specs are close to recently released Head Pro Tour 2.0, see below table for comparison. I change the leather grip of the Hot Melt. Stiffness still lower in HM and lower swing weight too. So, 6 out of 8 is about the same. So, I can say yeah, I got a Pro Tour 2.0 for a bargain. Comparing, the string pattern, the Pro Tour is much tighter in the center area and thinner loop and throat.

	Hot Melt 200G	Pro Tour 630/280	Pro Tour 2.0
Head size (sq inch)	95	95	95
Weight (strung grams)	331 (synth grip)	340	343 (synth grip)
Length (inch)	27	27	27
Swingweight	316	n/a	335
Balance	5 HL	8 HL	6 HL
Strings	18x20	18x20	18x20
Stiffness	60	58	65
Beam width (mm)	20	20	20

Grip pallet

The grip pallet taken from TW website: Pro Staff, Radical, Textreme Tour, VCore. Noticed the Radical shape is very rectangular.

     

Dunlop Hot Melt 200G and CX 200 Tour

I just bought a brand new old stock, Dunlop Hot Melt 200G. The unstrung weight are 322g. I changed the grip to leather and strung it up with Prince Syn Gut Duraflex 17g at 50lbs. Played with the HM on Friday night, it felt good: plow through yet plush. Afterward, I hit with CX 200 Tour 18x20 and the CX felt so light. The next day, I weight them (HM and CX) and added 3 grams to the CX to make the balance the same. I weight them and about the same at around 345-350grams. Played using the CX on Sunday and the racquet changed from low and flexible to more plow, more power (not over) though not as plush, more modern feel, no need for 2 handed backhand because the power already there. Take away, HM 200G is such a gem, a bit on the heavy side but could be pro stock none the less. Picture below: leaded CX from tennisnerd.