What Racquet and Shoes are you using? What would you recommend?

I love my current racquet-Head Ti.S2, but those frames are very fragile. I've had several of them break or crack, some in mid swing. I don't throw my racquets or take my frustrations out on them, so it's not that I abuse them or anything. I am thinking about changing, but I don't like to spend too too much on racquests. I was looking at the Wilson H Rival. I might try to find one to demo. I hit a hard serve and heavy groundstrokes. I am trying to volley more too.

And what about shoes? I have a hard time finding tennis shoes. I take a 14 or 15 depending on the brand, and most stores just don't have those on the shelf. I'm left to order online, without getting to try them on. I have been getting cross trainers instead, but I'm not sure that's good for my feet. I have been having problems with the balls of my feet, and I wear out the inside bottom of my shoes pretty quickly. I guess I drag my feet pretty bad, on both sides. I can get a pair of shoes to last about 8 to 10 weeks before they start to hurt my feet. I hate that!

Any suggestions from the tennis players out there.

I buy racquets and shoes that are pretty.

Of course you do, G4G!

Shep, buying a racket is one of the most personal journeys you can go through so it's tough to give a recommendation off the cuff. I just bought new rackets this year, and incidentally, new shoes. Sooo... I can at least help you with your purchasing strategy.

You absolutely have to demo multiple rackets. You've been playing for long enough and with enough success (judging by the GLTA thread) that you should take the time to find a racket that suits your game. My search was pretty long because I decided I wanted to change some elements of my game. I have always hit with sooo much topspin and wanted to flatten out my shots a little. I found some rackets with a bit more weight and a denser string pattern made a huge difference.

If you liked your previous rackets and are happy with your game, ask someone at a proshop what rackets are similar to what you have now. Take two or three to demo at a time. It's all about personal preference.

The biggest deciding factors are probably weight and stiffness (we are still talking about rackets, kids). Generally, players moving from 4.5 and up like a heavier, more flexible racket. These players can generate enough racket speed on their own. I'm guessing if you swing hard already, you may not want one of the lighter rackets, although there are some improvements in the lighter rackets lately. Tennis Warehouse has a great explanation of all this. They also have an EXCELLENT demo program, if you haven't tried it. It's as easy as Netflix, I swear.

But I didn't fit the typical mold. I wanted a heavier racket with more stiffness. That used to be crazy talk. The Babolat Pure Drive rackets gave me what I was looking for. Trust me, my tennis shop carries everything except Babolats so I tried them all. I went with the Roddick Pured Drive + to be specific. Not just for the celebrity endorsement (although Roddick is one of the few pros that actually plays with the racket he endorses, not just one painted like it).

I love this racket, but it's not for everyone. It's heavy, but not inordinately heavy like the K-Factor rackets.

If you have a sense of the feel you are looking for (light, heavy, stiff, flexy), let me know and I can tell you what I demo'd in that category that I liked. I seriously searched for over 6 months.

As for tennis shoes, I'm an Adidas fan. The A3's are great if you want something light, but they run narrow. The new Barricade (4, i think) is finally a bit lighter than previous models, but isn't as light as the A3's. It is wider, though. Both these shoes carry warranties for the sole of the shoe. So if you wear through the sole in 6 months, Adidas will replace them. But they are both going to price at just over $100. If you play a lot, the warranty is a great deal.

I think the most important thing, besides comfort, is that the sole suits the surface you play most on. Don't get a soft nubby cross trainer and expect it to last on hard court or slide on clay.

Tennis Warehouse is also good for buying shoes. They'll tell you before checkout if they have your size. Returning shoes that don't fit is easy if you haven't worn them outside.

Whew, hope that helps.

If you're really good, you'll find comfy shoes that match your new racket, right G4G?

Exactly. I couldn't have said it better myself, except to add that you should mindlessly stick with brands popularized by your favorite player.

Actually, in all seriousness, the demo program at Tennis Warehouse is *fabulous*. Not to besmirch my rep here, but I may have done it once. But I didn't inhale!

Thanks for the info fellas!

I do like a lighter racquet and currently my stick is a little flexible and I was thinking of going to something a bit more stiff. I was looking on tennis-warehouse.com yesterday and was looking at the demo program. I probably will just go ahead and do it, but the cost for shipping, which is the only cost was close to $20 for one raquet for me. That part just sucked. That said, I do think it's important to demo though, so I will probably do it.

It's funny the shoes you mentioned, because the barricade is the shoe I have been looking at...those and some of the wilsons with the outsole warranty.

It's funny...for the first time in a while, I want to do work to improve my game-fitness, strokes, movement, and equipement. Y'all better watch out!

Thanks again for the info guys.

I think it's so sweet that you included me in your thank yous, when clearly Curt was the man with all the information while I chimed in to be a smart ass. You're the best, Shep!

Light but stiff... You could get the new Hingis racket which swings fast and is super trendy right now, BUT before I opted for heavy, I almost bought the Nano Speed RX7. If it helps, it's the racket Hantuchova plays with. Gaby will be quick to point out the fact that its color scheme will make accessorizing difficult. It is one of those Yonnex rackets that feels longer, so it may not be for everyone. The Hingis racket, while prettier, is endorsed by Hingis and you'll have to cope with jibes from your hitting partners (It's okay, my last set were Hingis rackets and I loathe her.).

$20 for shipping?? Yikes. I live in California so shipping was ridiculously cheap for me. BUT, I believe shipping for 2-3 rackets is the same as just 1 because they put them in one box. So, if you're gonna pay that much, get more than one racket. I don't know your 'hood, but there must be a tennis shop in your area with a demo program. Every shop's deal is different, so you have to ask. Sometimes they will apply your demo fees toward the purchase of your racket(s).

My last tip is to consider the condition of the strings in your demo when judging the racket. All the rackets I demo'd from Tennis Warehouse were pretty freshly strung. A demo with beat up strings will probably not have great tension and play with a little less control.

Thanks again. Those reviews read similarly to the Wilson I was looking at. I might have to just suck it up and do the demo from their. I can demo at some places around Charlotte, but most of the sports stores have such a limited selection. There is a tennis shop in town here that I use for stringing and such. I will check there too.

I feel so whiney about this, but it's so easy to make a mistake and then be stuck with something. The stick I'm using now a friend was using first. I used it once when my strings popped, and I loved it. I switched right away.

Shep, don't feel bad about asking this question! I certainly appreciate the advice from Curt. I feel extremely stupid when I go into a tennis store, and they're like, do you want power or touch, and I'm like "BOTH, DUH!" and they're like, well, which do you want MORE, and I'm like "LOOK, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY THIS NICELY, BUT I'M A HORRIBLE TENNIS PLAYER WHO NEEDS ALL THE GOD DAMN HELP HE CAN GET!" It's caused more than one frustrating discussion with my boyfriend, as well. This happens with stringing as well.

To top it off, since I've gotten back from Spain the bf found a crack in the neck of my racquet. This is far too close to Louisville and the winter doubles playoffs for my liking.

I'm just surprised nobody made a comment about the size 14 shoes!!!

I second that.

For what it's worth, I used Tennis Warehouse and some demo-ing to get a racquet for my bf for his birthday recently. We tried a Yonex stick, a Wilson n-Code that Federer recently used (not his new model) and some others. We both liked Volkl DNX (3, 4, or 8) the most though. The DNX3 has an endorsement from Tennis magazine. The Volkls have some real sting and control.

You can never try out enough racquets! I'd like to try some more Yonex's and Prince's the next time I get a racquet, because I generally like the feel of the racquets they produce. The Wilson n-Code felt really unflexible.; I thought it would give me tennis elbow. But someone 4.5 who regularly whips me right now plays with it and likes it. I have a Babolat Aero Pro Drive and have yet to find a string tension that I like for it. My serve is the weakest part of my game and it got much better and more reliable with the Volkl. But I'm going to stick it out with the Aero Pro for now.

For shoes and clothes I tend to like Adidas the most. Nike's (and some other companies') manufacturing ethics give me the creeps. I'm currently using the Babolat brand -- size 11 -- Roddick used to wear before he switched to his own shoe this year. They were rough going the first day or two but very durable. I guess they're a bit heavier than most shoes being made but I haven't lost speed and they're good for traction. Some of the lighter shoes almost feel too light on the court in my experience. But I want to try some Adidas Barricades next. Only Safin can get away with the silly bling of those Black/Gold Accelerators, and they don't seem to be doing much for his game.

In closing, my main concern with gear is that I wish the sportwear companies would make more shorts like the ones Canas has been wearing of late.

That's pretty funny. The shoes are the one thing that really stuck out for me!
But not in the same way.


Basic answer: Don't @#%^ around with your shoes. Seriously. Speaking as someone who's rolled her ankle before, shoes make a big difference. You really run the risk of injury by playing in anything other than tennis sneakers, and even then, w/o the right shoe you can really get hurt. I was wearing improper tennis shoes, thus my ankle problem. And it took forever to heal.

Lecture aside, both my brothers are big guys, who wear sizes 13 and 14 respectfully. I also know what a pita it is for dudes your size to find shoes, no less decent ones. The larger of the two of them used to live in Oregon and he would drive to Beaverton to buy them at the Nike HQ. No joke.

While it's probably okay to buy some sneakers from TW and then return them, you're probably going to have to do quite a bit of that, some solid research, and spend some time on it to find the right fit. Dick's has a pretty good rule-of-thumb buying guide that can help get you off on the right (wait for it)... foot. (Ouch, quit hittin!)

Good luck, and rem don't @#%^ with your feet. They're the second most imp equip you buy, but they'll last you a lot longer.

i am a big fan of Adidas Barricade II. i have worn these for maybe 7 yrs now. i know Adidas has later Barricade models, but once i find a good thing, very hard to consider moving on. these shoes are cut narrow and seem to run a bit short, so here is another vote for a 14, though my regular shoe size is 12.5. so, recommend getting your first pair from a dealer where you can try on and check the fit. after that, can be ordered online to save a few bucks. unless you play 8 hrs a day, you will not wear these out in the 6 months they are guaranteed. i play daily about 2 hrs, and still these shoes last me maybe 9 months. these shoes are like a tread on the bottom of my feet, no slippage or sloppiness. just put them on and forget it. hope these shoes are made forever.... you see these shoes or other Barricade models on maybe 25% of the pros.

I'm going to have to check out those Barricades for sure.

Thanks again to eveyrone for their input. I'm going to take a closer look at that guide Lynn-thanks!

And Jake...you know what they say about a size 14...