@@TheTobynorth So what do you think? I‘m coming from the 360+ Extreme Tour. Really nice racket but I’m a fan of Yonex QC so i always wanted a Yonex Frame which is as whippy as the Tour. Wanted a bit more Power, Forgiveness and pop on serves so i hope the ezone can give me that. Don’t mind if i sacrifice a bit of Spin Potential.
I already by the smallest size lol, so can't really help me there 😁, it's alright, i prefer Yonex over Babolat shape for sure, but like Wilson and Head the most
It's weird because I bought 2 Yonex grip size 3 or 4 3/8 and felt them awfully small, when I've always used size 3. When I bought 3 other Yonex, VCP 97hd i was hesitant on whether by a 3 or 4, decided a 3 as I can't reduce size grip but can increase it, and these size 3 were perfect, much bigger than the first 2 racquets. I know overall people say Yonex run big.
Thanks for the in depth comparison! I hope that the 2020 version of the ezone 98 still stays up to par with these, as I still haven't upgraded or demoed the latest stuff
2020 version i mean is not a crazy difference to 2022, but for me personally i liked the improvements, but if you are super keen on detail, you probably won't notice any big changes, because they are mostly the same shape (almost) with slight changes to the composition and beam width
Love your top notch reviews AND responses to comments. Can you please review the new Pro Staff v14 X model that seems like a potential replacement of the old 6.1 95 for those of us who loved them but find them too demanding with advanced age?
Wow thanks so much! I just receivef a demo of it and hitting with it for the week, i'll see how i go , still got a couple that i need to make in the meantime - appreciate it!
Thanks. As always the most helpful video on a new racquet. I would be happy if you also review the neu Vcore 100. I guess tweeners aren't your thing, but you might be surprised with Yonex 100 racquets. It takes some getting used to, but your opponents will curse the 100, especially on red clay. I'm currently playing the Ezone 98. I briefly tested the Vcore 100 and 98 and couldn't decide. I have now ordered both for a long-term test. I'm looking for a little more lift than with the Ezone 98.
I definitely know Vcore 100 would be a good racquet, not usually up my alley as you say, but was interested in getting it for my partner, but she also enjoyed the 98, i don't think i'd end up buying the 100 with the 98 in mind, but if i can get the demo i will
Hi! I've had the same racquet for two months. I'm trying to find the good tension of the chords. Can you give me some advice? In general I use gorilla string, banana, mono 1.25
@@ACTennis I've been sleeping on Wilson for a long time. How would you describe it? Any chance of a future video? 😉 Also lol found you on tennis warehouse forum at relevant Wilson Shift thread 😁
i totally agree with your review apart from what you say about power. New vcore is way more powerful than the previous version. After a month and still cannot get use of it.
It's a bit dependent on the specs - the old one defaulted to a higher stock swingweight, so it will by nature have more heft to the ball, but the new one is far more launchier and you need a more control string to dial it down
@ACTennis hadn't thought it like that. Maybe that is the case, and it confuses me a bit. It is close to vcore 100 2021. Maybe because of the shape of the head. I use tourna big hitter 7 silver and also have PTP yellow and hyper g regular reels. I might need to go 52 pounds from 50 pounds
@@nicolasX2602 I did like an unshaped string better in the VC98 and higher tension can help definitely since PTP is quite comfortable - every other string i tried (since my gf now uses it for a main) i struggle to control it lol, but i put lots of shape strings for her because she prefers the extra help with the spin
Haha fair point, super annoying to play with when it's that dry though! because Aussie clay courts is just like red sand over concrete, not a great playing experience, would love to play on true EU clay
@@ACTennis By the end of a dry summer it is the same here, even in the north of Germany. But I prefer it, as you do not have that many bad bounces as in the beginning of the season. Also, I prefer faster courts. But yeah, that squeeky clay courts can be annoying.
Really nice review! Since I see that you know a lot about racqutes, I would like to ask for your opinion, cause I will change my racquet in close future... Now I have ezone100, 2021. I am definetly considering to go for 98 cause I am one-hander...I like ezone100 a lot, but I found it a little bit unmanevuverable... Producing power was never my problem, also on serves. I just want something more suitable for one-handers, maneuverable and with good sping potential. Like overall racquet... In terms of Yonex, what are your thoughts? 98 better than 100 right? And.. is there any racquet of other brands worth trying? Thanks 😊
I personally like 98 because they are much faster to swing, suits my style - head makes alot of good racquets, lots of variety to choose from, Extreme Tour, Gravity MP or Tour (new one coming out), Radical MP all very good racquets
Thanks for your comparison! They seem to be very close to each other... I play the Ezone 2022 and think about trying the new VCORE.... The Ezone is a great racket but for me it just fits with stringing the Yonex Poly Tour Pro...
Something softer yes works well in the Ezone if you prefer more ball pocketing I use Poly Tour Pro and mix with Head Lynx Touch, is a really nice combo for that
Are you saying Lynx touch is softer and adds more pocketing or the softer PTP with the stiffer Lynx Touch is nice combo? Just trying to dial in my string combos… Great video BTW!!
vcore swing weight felt weird to me at first like it was all in the throat, was used to more weighty feeling at the tip that helps pull the racket through. On the ezone I decided to skip it on the RA alone, still wonder why it went from one of the more plusher rackets in 2020 and now the 22 is harsh again? Great review man good to see you on clay
I can't move like you on clay lol, these are like the first times i hit on it in years Everyone is trying dampening technology and trying to achieve high stiffness to make it as powerful as possible without the arm issues, but really it just hides the stiffness
RA is 65 for ezone 98 not the worst in terms of feeling when compared to sretchy babolats for example, I find it just perfect, my fav racket of the year for sure
Very good video thanks ! I prefer the maniability of the Ezone 98 but i prefer the higher launch angle and spin of the vcore 98. Vcore 98 is a bit too hard to swing for my shoulder. I used both with polytour pro at tension 51 pounds. Do you think it s possible to get the same launch angle of the core with the ezone if i use a spin string hyper g with lower tension at 44 pounds for instance ? Thanks a lot
I dont think the launch angle will increase, probably more to do with string spacing, might be if you choose a thinner string then it will be a bit higher
I always look forward to your reviews. (Not yet today, it takes time 🤣) For my part I abandoned the ISO, the shape of the handle... I found the speed mp auxetic incredible for me I keep two, but to achieve a One-handed backhand I'm looking for 98 or less but Ezone angle too low and Vcore 98 too high. I want to try the Vcore 95 maybe the angle is in the middle or an extreme tour.. but the color 😱 thank you.
Auxetic Prestige MP-L my man, customized up to 340g/31.5cm (~9pts HL)/327SW, via 4g lead total at 10 & 2, 5g tungsten putty under the butt cap and stock base grip + 2 overgrips. One of the greatest OHBH setups on the planet. You can thank me later!
I have had the Speed MPs for a long time, just never did a review on them - my partner switched to them for a while, very nice frame, basically a Pro Stock - it did everything nice, the only thing was that it just didn't suit our swingpaths, but highly recommended for alot of people
As always, a great in depth analysis of both racquets. There was a light touch on the WILSON Shift 315 - the newest to enter in these cross over spin / control / power frames. What is the comparison with the SHIFT 315 vs these two frames as currently I am using the Ezone 98 22 but feel I need a frame with a softer RA to save my arm long term and a bit more spin to keep my shots in play
Shift has a highish RA, you need a low tension or a soft setup to make it work, it still is a stiff racquet and can be felt for sure, it's not so Clash like in terms of plushness in my opinion unless you get the setup right I'm still figuring it out, i've played with it a few times now, but just the one string setup, so will continue to do more over the coming weeks
@@ACTennis an update to this. I ended up buying a VCORE 98 and my first impressions is that it is easy to swing on the forehand side however I am totally lost on top spin backhands - single hander compared to the Ezone. Is it fair to say you have to wait for the ball to come deeper into your hitting zone rather than being able to play out in front - which the Ezone seems to excel at ? As you described I felt off centre hits generating that 'cheap' feel, which may need something like the PT Pro to fix ? As I have order it with PT Fire at 52lbs and 1.25. On serve I found the VCORE wanted to slice the ball more if anything and personally I think the disparity between the EZONE and VCORE on serve is larger than you described. The EZONE is just a different animal The VCORE seems to be able to shape balls more while the EZONE was better at generating powerful bullet like ground strokes. I will continue to play with the VCORE but atm it's not as close to what I can do with the EZONE as I'd like. As always look forward to the next racquet review, cheers
@@jamieleong9381 At the end of the day it comes down to technique and playstyle - i can serve just as well as with any racquet provided the specs are within my realm to swing, and had no issues to serving from the get go on all serve types, footage here is my first time i ever served with the Vcore - i'm also very adaptable to any racquet and i can change my technique accordingly to make adjustments to suit the racquet to make my experiences better - most people need alot more time to gel with a new racquet to understand it's behaviour The hollow feel is not really going to be offset by anything but maybe you can mute the vibrations a bit more with a muted swing or lower tension The backhand on the ezone is a more handsy swing, so its going to be able to hit top spin easier but most one handers i know generally prefer to plow through a shot because it's more difficult to generate speed on that wing If ezone suits you better, then that just might be the case, or you are just very used to it
@@ACTennis thanks for the food for thought, and I’m pretty sure you’re right on all accounts. I’ll continue to work on the VCORE, as you say there are somethings it does differently than the EZONE that make it an interesting frame. Also I’ve literally come from watching your Wilson Shift 315 review and that has got me pondering again too 😂 keep up the brilliant content mate
@@jamieleong9381 Hahah best not to be a racquetholic my friend Ezone is super solid, if you have worries about the arm health, use softer string combos, if it was the only frame around, i'd happily use it, and use it at very well
In your opinion, if you had to choose one YONEX racquet to go to battle with for DOUBLES only, which would you choose? Would that change if you were 65 years old? I would be grateful for your thoughts.
Thanks for the video as always! Currently using Ezone 98 22 and experiencing some pain and looking to switch. How does the VCore 98 compare to the Aero 98 and how is the one handed backhand?
I liked the Vcore 98 better on the backhand , it just went through the ball easier, as in moving it forward, Aero comes up underneath the ball more , and i feel like you don't need so much of that one the OHBH
I’m probably the only person in the world that feels like the ezone is more powerful than the vcore. Also feel like i get better control from the vcore. I had the same conclusion on the 100 versions of the two. And I don’t even hit much spin.
You description of you the hoop stiffness bothered your wrist in spite of the pocketing feel reminds me of the DR98. That sound about right? Also, did you test the Vcore 100? Wondering if it's the same in terms of this.
Havent played with a DR98 in so so long, but the Vcore definitely has this hollow woodiness feel, i don't recall the DR having that, i do remember the stiffer hoop but Never got the chance with the 100, there's no demo available where i usually get it, i want to try it, but i don't want to buy it - if i see it ill demo
@@ACTennis thanks!I play only on clay and got a semi western grip with a pretty vertical swing path, been using the ezone but it feels kind of chunky sometimes. Gonna try the vcore and aero
What about the backhand between previous vcore 98, the new one and ezone? I bought 2 months ago vcore 98 2021. I did not like ezone 2022. So most probably I shouldn't upgrade to vcore 2021. Correct? Also, I love hyper g but I believe a softer string like polytpur plays better. Have you tried other string? Great review. Keep it up!
One hander on new vcore 98 is much better than both in my opinion, cant really say for you without seeing how you play though Poly tour pro yep is nice, i also like tier one strings like black knight, firewire boost - maybe just use hyper g soft if you want softer
@@ACTennis yes. I also liked firewire in vcore. I will try regural hyperg in mains and soft in crosses. 2 handed backhand. In backhand I care for stability above anything else
Great review! I have some elbow issues, would you say the new vcore 2023 would be a good choice? Also out of the vcore 98, babolat pure aero 98, and head extreme 98, which would be best for someone with elbow issues? Thank!!
Very curious to hear your thoughts on the 98 vs 100. I current have a 98 Ezone 2022. Just tried the Vcore 98 and 100. 100 seemed nicer to me but might be hard to control. Curious to hear your thoughts?
Haven't actually tested the Vcore 100, would like to but no demo available that i've found in my normal shops - i typically don't buy 100 sqin thick frames because it's not really my style, but i'm still keen to try
@@ryansolomon4178 Im definitely a baseliner haha, but i rely on self racquet head speed generation for power, i like racquets with power but not to sacrifice too much control, and racquets that are thinner in thickness suit me better
Love this video !! I currently have the Ezone 100 2022. I chose the Ezone 100 over the Blade v6 when I was trying to find a racquet. I loved it but now I find that it launches the ball sometimes which isn’t great, of course its not all the due to the racquet. Recently I demoed the Blade v8 and the feel is amazing compared to my Ezone. I am tempted to make the switch, but I am wondering if I would be sacrificing power or should go down to the 98 Ezone. It’s crazy as ones game evolves how you can grow out of a racquet
Yess evolving out of a racquet type is really good signs of great improvement Personally i think Blade v8 although a great racquet is a bit too underpowered and not alot of spin potential, i would try looking at the Ezone 98, it will definitely be in betwen the two choices
Hello! Could I ask which racquet would you prefer, this new Vcore 98 or the Babolat Pure Aero 98/VS? In terms or power, spin, maneuverability and serves? I heard that this new Vcore is different than the previous iteration.
Aero 98 is a bit slower to move but does everything else same or better, so better spin, power, serves are fine if you adjust to the shape of the racquet, little bit more head heavy and stiffer though - i prefer the Aero but Vcore is pretty good to be honest
@@ACTennis Thanks for the answer and quick response! I think i’ve got my answer now, the Pure Aero 98! They are both similar racquets aren’t they though?
No racquet modifications? I haven’t had enough time to demo the Vcore 98 but my son found the Ezone needed a 2g at 3/9. As always we love your detail reviews.
@@ACTennis : Thank you… I really do appreciate your reviews. I’m an all court 4.0 senior singles player with a one-hander, some spin, flat, and touch shots. I have my eye on three 98’s… VCore 98, Ezone 98, Pure Aero 98… I wonder which one would fit me best and be easier to use. Any recommendations, thoughts???🎾🎾🎾
How would you compare the blade 98 16x19 to these two racquets, I borrowed a blade from a mate and instantly I felt invincible with it, could swing completely loose and rip forehands in but on my old 95 Sq in ncode ProStaff 6.1 tour I felt like i have to work so much harder to get the same effect.
Blade V8 is a control racquet essentially, these Yonex racquets will give you alot more free something, whether spin, power, racquet head speed, and probably play better in stock form i'd say, so depends what you want from a racquet
@@ACTennis I felt the blade was very muted in terms of feel almost like a plank of wood but somehow hits incredibly well 😂 free something is good almost like a cheat code.
I prefer the Vcore 98, the Ezone is for a very handsy swing, like it feels like you can move too much too easily, if that makes sense - Vcore felt like it was simple and efficient 95 is also pretty nice, as per usual
currently using the blade 98 v8 18x20 and feel like its pretty unforgiving - looking at the new vcore 98 it looks pretty easy to use in comparison? reckon it could be a good switch for someone looking for something a bit more easy to use and easier spin / higher launch angle?
100% , Vcore is arguably more easier to use than the Ezone because it provides more height, more power, more forgiveness and similar amount of racquet head speed
@@ACTennis amazing thanks - do you find the power controllable in comparison to the ezone? i remember demo'ing the ezone a while back and thinking that it was definitely on my higher limits of power racquets
@@brentatkins167 Ezone will be actually the more controlled or tamed in comparison, but Vcore flattens the ball better consistently, but yea will technically have less control, if Ezone is too high powered but you want just a little more spin and forgiveness, go with Tecnifibre TF40 16x19 or Radical MP Auxetic
@@ACTennis i've landed on the vcore 98! i demo'd over the weekend and found it quite tameable and controlled for a "spin" racquet, as long as you're always brushing the ball. the demo string was like a pretty used ptp, so defs think with a fresher stiffer string it will be a weapon where i can swing out a big more. now to sell my blade 18x20's lol.
To me it's not that it's a bad one hander , because the throat is thin, you can move it easily, maybe too easily and it requires a full and big swing through the court, some weight and mods could definitely make it feel a little easier
Sooooo... 193 on a serve is quite a mark. And just 3 to 4 kph less with a racquet that is strung 4 lbs too stiff? Sounds almost like a draw, doesn't it? Besides, the footage looks like you know what you are doing, congrats on your clean swing style. After all, the Vcore looks promising to everybody, with a slight preference on spin. With only 3 main racquet lines, isn't this the way to go?
I just got mine Ezone 98 2022 and the swingweight is kinda weird. Strung with Tour Bite Soft 1.20, no overgrip, no dampener, foil on handle is 321.9g and 300.5 swingweight (274 unstrung with 306.5g) What is wrong there? It's not lacking any weight, it's even heavier than spec 305g but the swingweight is so low... Swingweight was measured in local store with Head RDC machine. I would like to return it coz it's fucked up somewhere but I don't know if I can. Even with heavier strings 1.25 (hyper g for example) it will only be +2-3 points to swingweight.
@@ACTennis i ve seen some examples where people got 310sw with their ezones 98 but 300.5 is ultra low... 4g of lead at 12" should bump the sw to approx. 315-318 right?
@@ACTennis so should I return it or tinker with it and add lead to bump up the sw to 315-320? For example 4-5g lead at 12". It will be 326-327g strung without overgrip and dampener which I use. The max range of weight for me is 335g. 340g and above I think would be to much for me.
@@ACTennis how do the 2021 models compare? seems like people like the older or 2023 ones better. They on sale right now so wondering if the 21 models are worth it
@@emilg9867 Talk about the 98 comparisons in the vid, 95 has little less precision, more power, higher launch angle, more stable without mods, better feel
Nice video, really like your content. but for me you are speaking like 1.5x speed without breathing. I would prefer to slow it down by a bit in order to make it a bit more comfortable to listen.. im not a native speaker though ;). Best regards
There is also a .75x speed option on youtube for both mobile and PC! I think using that option will allow you to have an easier time while still keeping the length of the video reasonably low :)
