Hi, I am a high school player and have been using yonex rackets all my life (armortec 300, arcsaber 7, armortec 900 power) and am rather displeased with the durability of these rackets. Now I am interested in the Wilson K factor series, which I have heard to be more durable than the yonex rackets, and also even better looking (I like cool rackets ) Does anybody have any suggestions for a racket I am willing to buy? Remember that I was willing to pay $200 + for yonex rackets, so I can pay for the highend wilson rackets (which I believe to be less than $170 US). Currently I am thinking about the K brave and the Ktour, simply because teh Kbrave has a nice design and the K tour has been getting good reviews. any good sleepers out there? Thanks! p.s. I also have found that my playing style varies from racket to racket. with the arc7 I was a competent net player, with 900 power I became a smash player. I want a hybrid of control and power (I am a doubles player/ sometimes singles)
Wilson [K]ontrol Factor [K]Tour Well, most head heavy racquets are great for smashes, but when your not beating the strength out of your opponent with your power-smashes, it just feels like excess weight, The KTour eliminates that, I dont know how though. Control isnt a problem with this racquet, actually im known to hit the birdie precisely where my opponent doesent expect it, so I know what you mean when you ask for control. I play doubles and singles, depending on which my coach wants me to. Mainly singles though.
I got a Wilson [K]ontrol Factor [K]Tour and i love it. My coach has the whole [k]facor shebang and he got me to try all of 'em out before i picked one, and I love the [K]tour. The blaze is a slight too head heavy and you feel the excess weight when your not smashing, the the lite is too head light, the strike lacks power, and the brave and power just seem like collectables, actually, the stores manager says its wilson's cheaper line, along with the strike. When, i first used the ktour, it just felt...right. I'll leave that up to you to decide what it means, but once you buy it, you'll know exactly what it means. -Wilson Shuttler (lol it accidentally got quoted in the last message ^^)
Never heard of K brave. Can you show me a link where I could find out what it is ? Are you really focusing only on Wilson racquets ?
1 view of the K-brave, coming right up... i say the K-blaze/tour is a good all-around choice.the Blaze is a little shorter, but a good clip faster. the tour is a little more powerful.
I have never heard of the K[Brave] before and from the link above, the color looks like the K[Blade]. From the specs of the K[Blade] it is head light, 3U and flexible. If you are a advanced player, I don't think those specs are suitable.
It's in the head shape - it's more aerodynamic. It's also one of the first things I noticed in the [K] series which made me want to get them.
If it is the older version of the K[Tour] then the Yonex equivalent would be the 3U AT700 but if the newer version of K[Tour] then the Yonex equivalent would be the 3U Arc10. However, the K[Tour] doesn't feel as stiff as the Yonexes. Only the weight and the bp is similar. But I must say, it is quite a powerful racquet.
Yes, the older version has a bp of 298mm and weighs between 87 - 91gm. The new version has a bp of 290mm and weighs 87.5gm, this is from the website and I have not verified it at the shops. I got my old version by trading with my friend.
the ktour should suit you quite well. it's similar in some sense to the arcsaber 7 (i used it before my current ktour). smashes are real decent and control is excellent. i also stopped using yonexes and went to wilson because of durability issues. my arcsaber 7 snapped like a soggy twig one day when i swung it, and i'm usually quite careful. the other kfactor rackets are a little too exaggerated in whatever they intend to be marketed as. the ktour's just right for me at least. anyway, i'm happy with it. it feels familiar. hope that helps!
I agree with Teoky. I used to and is still using from time to time my AT700. Since I got my Wilson K Tour about 8 months ago, it is now my main racket. Switching back and forth between AT 700 and K Tour, I didn't feel any much difference. Both of my rackets are strung 30 x 32 lbs. I got a second one but it didn't feel the same as my older version. It feels like even balance with a little towards head heavy and less stiff. Between my 2 K Tours, I still prefer the older version. Also, I'm waiting for the arrival of the K Brave. Would love to try out that one.
30-32 pounds! I have never strung above 23 pounds. how is it at that tension? I heard that it has annoying vibrations - is this true? and is the ktour an easy transition, especially from my armortec 900 power? thanks for the comments!
Im about to go ahead and order a Ktour i hope its as good as you guys say it is lol.. Unless i should get something else? lol
I still am attracted to the K brave because I am a doubles player, and it is newer. has anyone compared these two?
Let me make it more confusing lol. Has anyone tried the APACS Tantrum 200? Im trying to find something similar to the yonex arc 10.
Seems like for 2009, there's 2 new models, K[Brave] and K[Rival]. Initially I thought the K[Brave] might be a updated version of K[Blade] or a different name for different region but it seems that the specs for K[Brave] is very different. Anyway, K[Tour] is a singles racquet and K[Brave] is a doubles racquet, so you can't compare this 2 apples to apples.
oh, then I probably would want the k brave considering I am a doubles player. and by the way, what makes a racket a "doubles racket" vs. a "singles racket"?