Li-Ning TP100C - The Giant Killer

Discussion in 'Racket Recommendation / Comparison' started by Easy Tiger, Feb 10, 2010.

  1. Easy Tiger

    Easy Tiger Regular Member

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    A few months ago I was sucked into the vortex that is the Li-Ning range of rackets, and swore at some stage I'd check out the lower to mid end offerings mostly because they were much cheaper than the N Series and a bit obscure.

    In an impulse buy, two weeks ago I bought a TP100C to try out, largely based on it's specs - an even balanced, stiff racket, with a large sweetspot. It's not an amazing looking racket, nor is it particularly well finished compared to the 200's and 300's, but the specs were generally what I've grown to prefer and it was very affordable, so thought I'd give it a shot.

    As per the title of the thread, this thing is a Giant Killer.

    The first few games on it were a bit of an adjustment period after coming off an AT00T which is noticably head heavier, but the 100C swings very much like and Arc10 so adjusting to it is a cinch.

    After 15 hours of court time, I can honestly say I am super impressed with this racket. Initially I thought this racket was 90% of the performance of a top end racket but at 60% of the cost, but now....in all honesty......and I'm a racket snob with the best of them.....I can't say this racket is even that.

    I'd go so far to say that it leaves very little on any top shelf racket.

    Now, some context. I only own top shelf rackets. I've only ever played [recently, not in 1988] with top shelf rackets, and when someone has a new one, I'm quick to snaffle some court-time with it.

    And this thing can hold it's own with any of them.

    This pains me. A lot.

    You see, because I love the ArcZ. It's stupid, it's loud, and I love that thing, but as mostly a doubles player, I need something versatile, fast, accurate, and forgiving to make up for the fact that after 9 games my eyeballs are hanging out of my head and I have enough sweat in my undies to hydro power a small country.

    The ZS doesn't help with any of that, so there it sits in my racket bag.

    I love the AT900T. It's a bit conservative, but it's very stable, forgiving, and when you wind it up it still packs a punch, but it's not as quick as you'd think it should be. It's also boring. So there it sits in my racket bag.

    So that leaves the TP100C. It's not blingy, it's relatively poorly finished, doesn't even have any metallic paint or gold chrome, and it's a design fubar in all honesty. It doesn't have any fancy grommets, it's not endorsed by anyone, and nobody I know of has even heard of it yet played with it.

    But there it sits, in my hand, on the court.

    It doesn't do anything wrong this racket. It's quick, has fantastic touch and feel at the net, and is powerful enough [BG80 @ 25/27]. The sweetspot is very big and you find some marginal shots somehow making it over the net much to your opponents disdain. My serving improved noticably to the point I'm forcing errors on the return of serve because many of my serves are now super tight.
    The specs are very nice for an intermediate mostly doubles player. The shaft stiffness is spot on giving you max control, and the net court feedback from touch shots is very, very sweet.


    I won't give this racket some arbitrary number rating. All I'm going to say is I'm mightily impressed with Li-Nings budget offerings. If any of the other rackets are like this, I think there's a whole bunch of people making big mistakes by only considering helping paying the Chinese National teams endorsement fees by only considering the N-Series rackets.

    If you're a club level player, you'd be insane not to save your pennies and try something down the Li-Ning list. I'd be shocked if you were disappointed.
     

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  2. druss

    druss Regular Member

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    Very nice review, makes me begin to wonder....

    I like high end yonex rackets as well but also am happy with my apacs, panda power and other low cost / high value rackets. This might be worth a try if I can find an english site that sells it. Only found bbesports so far....
     
  3. Ferrerkiko

    Ferrerkiko Regular Member

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    Hi Easytiger, how much you bought the racket ?
     
  4. Flexsis

    Flexsis Regular Member

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    I still like N 90 II =)
     
  5. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

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    this review isn't gonna help your custom racket endeavor:p
     
  6. twobeer

    twobeer Regular Member

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    Nice review. Have not tried the TP100c myself, but the other LN models i have tried have been superb.

    /T
     
  7. b.leung

    b.leung Regular Member

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    great review, it's definitely got me interested in the li-ning line.
    Unfortunately it means i'd probably have to buy it online.
    btw, speaking of the custom rackets... how's that coming along?
     
  8. gapperonduty

    gapperonduty Regular Member

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    i realize that from the nice list above, ALL stiff racket are singles, and all SOFT and some MEDIUM are doubles...
     
  9. Easy Tiger

    Easy Tiger Regular Member

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    Haha, different market. Anyway, the stars aren't aligned with that project so I've put it back on the backburner. As I mentioned in that thread, I'm going to do a couple of samples but I'm not expecting it to go anywhere unless interest increases.

    I bought the TP100C for AUD130/USD113/SGD160, which is not bargain-basement pricing, but it's a new local shop and I like to be able to fondle the merch.
     
    #9 Easy Tiger, Feb 10, 2010
    Last edited: Feb 10, 2010
  10. Easy Tiger

    Easy Tiger Regular Member

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    Tell that to the woman down the local that plays doubles with an AT700LTD.

    Just ignore the last column on that list, it's too generalised.
     
  11. singnflip4life

    singnflip4life Regular Member

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    Easy Tiger, which weight did you buy? Cuz it sounds like you and me have the same racquet preference, even-balance to slightly head heavy and stiff.
     
  12. Easy Tiger

    Easy Tiger Regular Member

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    W3, or 88g +/- 3g. Overgriped and strung, it's 102g.
     
  13. singnflip4life

    singnflip4life Regular Member

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    Mkk cool. Now I just need to find someone who stocks the TP series. The only ones that seem to be stocked by anyone is the N-series.
     
  14. Easy Tiger

    Easy Tiger Regular Member

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    Try camelsports.

    I reckon the 301C looks like an absolute cracker, too. That's next on my hitlist.
     
  15. kaifah

    kaifah Regular Member

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    what is the highest tension for this racket??? anyone from china player team who use this racket???
     
  16. szekt

    szekt Regular Member

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    Anyone has camelsports website? Thanks
     
  17. druss

    druss Regular Member

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    Seriously... that should be the last criteria for choosing a racket... Too many people choose a racket that does not suit them because of which pro uses it.
     
  18. Easy Tiger

    Easy Tiger Regular Member

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    Camelsports info can be found somewhere in here.
     
  19. LD rules!

    LD rules! Regular Member

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    @easy tiger
    What is the stiffness of the LN racket in comparison to the AT900t ?
     
  20. Easy Tiger

    Easy Tiger Regular Member

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    Through manual flexing it seems marginally less stiff than the 900T, but out on court it seems stiffer. I think that's because it's more even balanced so has less head weight.
     

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