On the planet of tennis, gear critiques have change into a staple for gamers of all ranges. Whether or not you’re a leisure participant or an aspiring skilled, chances are high you’ve turned to YouTube or numerous web sites like this one for recommendation on which racket to purchase.
However right here’s the uncomfortable fact: most racket critiques aren’t neutral, and even when they’re – are they helpful?
The Monetary Actuality Behind “Impartial” Critiques
To know why most racket critiques can’t be trusted, you need to observe the cash—or fairly, the dearth of it.
Many YouTubers and bloggers who overview tennis rackets don’t make sufficient cash from their content material to afford to purchase each new mannequin in the marketplace. This monetary actuality creates a dependency on producers, who typically ship them rackets totally free in trade for a overview.
Sadly, if an impartial reviewer slams a racket too harshly, the model could reduce them off: they may now not obtain free rackets, content material, or views.
The opposite distinguished racket reviewers are sports activities retailers who’re there to promote you the rackets, so the probabilities of them criticising a brand new launch are close to zero.
The result’s a cycle by which reviewers really feel pressured to endorse the merchandise they obtain not less than partially, resulting in glowing critiques that won’t replicate the racket’s true high quality or efficiency.
Take the latest launch of the RF 1.0 racket, for instance. Each distinguished racket reviewer had a video up inside hours of the launch, most of them singing its praises. Had any of them even performed it for an prolonged interval?
A number of savvier reviewers sprinkled in some delicate critiques to keep away from wanting too keen, however the total tone was overwhelmingly constructive. This synchronised wave of content material isn’t a coincidence; it’s a well-orchestrated effort to create buzz and drive gross sales, which is truthful sufficient, however the movies aren’t at all times clear about that.
The Damaged Mannequin of Racket Critiques
Past the problem of economic dependence, racket critiques have a basic flaw. Tennis is an intensely private sport, and the racket that works wonders for one participant could be a nightmare for an additional.
This is because of a myriad of things, from muscle reminiscence and play fashion to private preferences and even the particular situations on the day of the check.
Whenever you learn a overview, you get one particular person’s subjective expertise closely influenced by their distinctive circumstances.
I’ve acquired hundreds of emails asking for racket suggestions over time, and I’ve seen this play out repeatedly.
Gamers will typically ask for racket suggestions, anticipating a definitive reply. However the actuality is, with out seeing somebody play (only a few individuals are keen to share footage regardless of stating they’re a 5.0 when requested 😄)—and even then—it’s almost unimaginable to suggest the proper racket.
When reviewers check rackets, they typically check with their most popular strings, at their most popular pressure, and with the right grip measurement. Which means that even their expertise is tailor-made to them, and their suggestions won’t apply to you in any respect.
The Phantasm of Attributes
One other problem with racket critiques is overemphasising attributes like spin, energy, and management. Virtually each racket is marketed as providing distinctive ranges of all these items, however the fact is, no racket could make up for deficiencies in your recreation.
Spin, as an illustration, is essentially a product of method, not gear. The identical goes for energy and management. A racket might need a slight affect, however the participant makes the shot, not the racket.
That is why studying racket critiques is usually a waste of time. You’ll discover glowing reviews about the identical attributes for nearly each mannequin, including to the confusion.
In actuality, the variations between fashionable rackets are refined, and any well-trained participant may possible change between them with little affect on their recreation.
From my testing, if rackets have comparable specs, they play just about identically, and in the event that they had been blacked out, I’m not certain I may inform you which is which, particularly if they’ve an analogous profile/form.
The most important distinction maker is the string, and also you don’t see as many critiques of strings as a result of rackets are the place the cash is.
The Actuality of Fashionable Racket Manufacturing
Including to this farce is that almost each racket launched as we speak is sweet. There’s hardly ever something inherently improper with any of them. Why? No matter model, most rackets are manufactured in the identical factories, utilizing the identical processes in China.
They’re primarily the identical product, simply branded otherwise. Whereas some corporations tout their proprietary “know-how” and minor variations in manufacturing processes, there’s solely a lot you are able to do with carbon graphite and a mould—particularly when it’s the identical firm making the racket for numerous manufacturers.
The times of some grasp craftsman meticulously making a racket within the Austrian Alps are lengthy gone. Solely Yonex nonetheless has its manufacturing unit in Japan, so its high quality management is thought to be the very best within the business.
However even with Yonex, the variations are sometimes marginal for the typical participant. The uniformity in manufacturing signifies that the actual variations between rackets are a lot smaller than the advertising and marketing would have you ever consider.
One other side that complicates the racket-buying course of is the business’s brief improve cycles. Most main manufacturers launch a brand new mannequin from the identical line each two years, typically accompanied by heavy advertising and marketing that just about discredits the earlier model. The options as soon as touted as groundbreaking within the final mannequin all of the sudden change into out of date, changed by “new” know-how that guarantees to be higher.
This fixed cycle of upgrades can frustrate customers, who could really feel pressured to purchase the newest mannequin even when their present racket remains to be performing effectively.
It’s a advertising and marketing technique that performs on the worry of lacking out fairly than a real want for brand spanking new gear. To be sincere, it’s only ProKennex stands out as an exception, guaranteeing that the cosmetics of their rackets received’t change for a set interval. I like the actual fact they don’t appear to replace theirs each 18 months or 2 years, and it does assist retailers handle their stock extra effectively.
What Ought to Customers Do?
So, when you can’t belief critiques, what must you do? The reply is easy: check the rackets your self. Most tennis retailers supply demo applications that assist you to attempt a number of fashions earlier than committing to a purchase order. That is the one method to discover out what certainly works for you.
Whenever you demo a racket, string it along with your most popular string at your regular pressure and make sure the grip measurement is appropriate.
Spend time hitting with the racket in numerous situations, and take note of the way it feels throughout totally different photographs and actions. This hands-on expertise will inform you way over any on-line overview ever may.
By all means, use critiques to create a demo shortlist, however don’t simply purchase them primarily based on it. The costs are too excessive now ($250) to only take a punt.
Solely Artengo can be the exception right here. They’re the one firm I inform folks to only purchase (sure, shadow swing them in your native Decathlon), as their worth factors are very engaging.
The opposite exception can be sale rackets from previous inventory. For instance, the IGA 298 racket, which is grime low-cost now, is one just about anybody can play effectively with.
Bear in mind, it’s not the racket that makes the participant—it’s the participant who makes the racket work for them.
