Artengo is perhaps one of many lesser identified tennis manufacturers on the market, however they’ve the complete complement of tennis gear, together with rackets, strings, luggage, sneakers, balls and equipment.
The massive promoting level of their tennis division is the pricing, and within the seek for merchandise that match all budgets, I’ve examined a number of of their gadgets in current weeks.
One of many first rackets I made a decision to check was the Artengo TR960 Precision racket, developed in partnership with former ATP gamers Steve Darcis, Oliver Marach and Nicolas Escudé.
The result’s a 300g racket aimed toward superior gamers who need management and stability.
How does it play?
Artengo TR960 Precision Cosmetics
The Artengo TR960 Precision has a easy color palette with a white hoop, black grommets, and a purple accent on the throat.
In comparison with a number of the rackets we’ve seen these days, just like the Excessive line from Head and Prince’s ATS Textreme Tour line, it’s a extra impartial design, and I prefer it.
The Artengo branding on the throat additionally appears good, and I believe the typeface for his or her brand works effectively.
Artengo TR960 Precision Specification
The TR960 Precision racket comes pre-strung, and the one change I made earlier than playtesting the body was the addition of an Artengo Take up overgrip.
When strung, my racket weighed 323g (with out the overgrip).
After eradicating the strings and overgrip after a number of hitting classes, I put it again on the scales, and it is available in at 305.9g unstrung, so 2% over the 300g goal. Not unhealthy.
Nonetheless, swingweight was a distinct story. When strung, the TR960 had a swing weight of 326 kg/cm2, so I knew that the unstrung swing weight had zero likelihood of being near Artengo’s goal of 270 kg/cm2.
As soon as I minimize the strings out and bought it on the Briffidi SW1, the unstrung swingweight got here in at 295 kg/cm2.
25 swing weight factors off spec is disappointing as that discrepancy is simply too excessive.
Is it a one-off? Probably.
The Artengo TR960 Management Tour I’ve additionally been playtesting, which is barely costlier, was close to good on the standard management checks.
And on this video from the Tennis Man, his TR960 Precision was barely over 300g however had a swing weight of 305 kg/cm2, which is exactly what you’d anticipate for a goal unstrung swing weight of 270 kg/cm2 as strings add round 30-35 swingweight factors.
Curiously, the Prince ATS Textreme Tour 290 I reviewed had the identical problem, so this drawback will not be essentially because of the cheaper price ticket and plagues most tennis racket manufacturers.
| Artengo TR960 Precision | My Artengo TR960 Precision | |
|---|---|---|
| Head Dimension | 100 in / 645.16 cm | 100 in / 645.16 cm |
| Size | 27in / 68.58cm | 27in / 68.58cm |
| Unstrung Weight | 10.6oz / 300g | 10.79oz / 305.9g |
| Strung Weight | Not measured | 11.4oz / 323.1g |
| Unstrung Stability | 12.4in / 31.5cm / 8 pts HL | 12.8in / 32.4cm / 5 pts HL |
| Strung Stability | Not Measured | 13.1in / 33.2cm / 3 pts HL |
| Unstrung Swingweight | 270 kg/cm2 | 295 kg/cm2 |
| Strung Swingweight | ~305 kg/cm2 | 326 kg/cm2 |
| Twistweight | Not Measured | 13.22 |
| Stiffness | 69 | 69 |
| Beam Width | 24 / 24 / 24mm | |
| Composition | Excessive Modulus Carbon | Excessive Modulus Carbon |
| Racquet Colours | White/Purple | White/Purple |
| Grip Sort | Artengo Artificial | Artengo Artificial |
| String Sample | 16 Mains / 19 Crosses | 16 Mains / 19 Crosses |
First Impressions
This was my first time utilizing an Artengo racket, and it’s not a racket I’ve learn a lot about beforehand, so I didn’t have many expectations earlier than taking part in with it.
The massive query mark for me was how it could evaluate to increased worth level rackets. The TR960 is £89.99 within the UK or $99.99 within the US, which is a extremely wallet-friendly worth.
In comparison with the rackets from Wilson, Head, Babolat and so forth., which it’s immediately competing with, that is nearly a 3rd of the worth. So wouldn’t it be comparable?
Holding the racket and giving it a number of shadow swings, it felt like another racket, and I may inform it had fairly a beefy spec once I was practising forehands with it, which was no actual shock given the 326 swing weight.
The paint job high quality is cheap; it doesn’t look ultra-premium like a Yonex EZONE 98, for instance, and I may see a number of chips across the grommets, however to the contact, the paint looks like most different matte-finished rackets.
I additionally just like the added contact of including the rubber ring to cover the grip ending tape, which appears neater, and I want extra corporations equipped these as normal.
Artengo TR960 Precison Playtest
Given the swing weight being 25 factors off the beneficial specs, then, in impact, I used to be taking part in with a personalized model of the TR960, the place weight has been added to the pinnacle.
Because it occurs, extra superior gamers would possible make this variation to bump up the swing weight so as to add stability.
However on the flip facet, it does make my evaluate a bit deceptive. In the event you purchase this body with a swing weight of 305kg/cm2, your expertise can be barely completely different from mine.
After hitting a number of groundstrokes, my first ideas have been the racket sounded nice acoustically.
It had that ‘thud’ sound even once I wasn’t attempting to tear the ball. That is at all times a mixture of layup and string selection/rigidity, so that is possible a mixture of the gentle poly and the gentle really feel expertise, which makes use of some balsa wooden.
In some ways, it performed like the brand new Prince ATS Textreme Tour 290 I’ve been utilizing just lately, however with a extra oval head form and a thicker beam close to the throat.
The TR960 has respectable spin however not a spin machine (the string sample isn’t tremendous large on the ‘candy spot’), respectable energy, good stability with that 326 kgcm/2 swing weight and simply an all-around good taking part in body.
With a decrease swing weight of round 305, which the racket ought to have, the TR960 could be a superb different to the Pure Strike 100 or Tecnifibre TF40. There’s additionally a contact of Pure Drive in there.
So if you happen to like these rackets however favor the worth tag of the TR960 (who doesn’t?), this could be a great different.
The TR960 has a stiffness score of 69, and most of the people imagine that increased stiffness = much less consolation (I urge to vary, however that’s one other submit); nonetheless, I discovered the racket very snug.
There aren’t any harsh vibrations, and Artengo has “Delicate Really feel Absorption Expertise” within the racket; this makes use of some balsa wooden, which appears to work.
So from my expertise, you get a really snug setup if you happen to pair the TR960 with Artengo’s gentle poly TR960 Energy string at low rigidity (~44lbs).
What You Can Anticipate
- Good acoustics at affect
- Good mix of energy and spin
- A snug arm pleasant racket
Who is that this Racket For?
Given the £89.99/$99.99 price ticket, this racket has numerous use circumstances.
For outright learners to superior intermediate gamers on a finances, the TR960 will ship a stable hitting expertise.
Whereas the racket is extra suited to intermediate gamers, I believe it is usually a superb selection for learners getting some teaching.
Moderately than shopping for a less expensive ‘newbie’ body for £50, you may get a high-quality body for only a contact more cash at £89.99.
It’s a bit heavier than most learners usually go for, however 300g unstrung is manageable for many grownup gamers, and given the pinnacle mild steadiness (if you happen to get it shut to focus on spec), it’s not troublesome to swing.
The benefit of getting this as your first racket is that TR960 will final for much longer and can help you develop higher strokes from the outset. You’ll develop into it slightly than shortly develop out of it.
It additionally comes pre-strung with Artengo’s TR960 Energy string. This can be a gentle polyester string, so it’s unlikely to trigger arm points and is one other plus level for learners as they’ll play instantly with out discovering a stringer.
The caveat right here is that the above solely applies if the racket is near the goal specs. A 326 swing weight like my racket is unwieldy for a newbie.
Comparable Enjoying Rackets
Remaining Ideas
Regardless of the problem of high quality management with the racket, I believe one of the best ways to explain the TR960 Precision is an effective racket, however at a terrific worth.
£89.99 / $99.99 for a racket of this high quality is a whole steal, making the sport rather more accessible for a lot of gamers who don’t need to spend £250 / $300 on a racket.
The specs additionally make numerous sense for lots of gamers. 300g unstrung is an effective weight for grownup female and male gamers, and with a swingweight of ~305 kg/cm2, it is rather manoeuvrable, which means you’ll be able to choose it up after a number of weeks away from taking part in with none points.
I’m undecided I see it getting used on the superior degree because the TR960 Management Tour or the TR960 Precision Professional (98 sq. inch model of this racket) fits that participant extra.
Nonetheless, the TR960 Precision is a stable selection for increased intermediates, and I anticipate to see extra Artengo rackets in use on the membership degree throughout the UK, USA and Europe.
Professionals
- Very good worth level
- Similar to rackets which are 3 times the worth
- Good mix of energy, spin and management
Cons
- Disappointing high quality management on this explicit body
- Not one of the best design grommets (however given the worth level and goal market, not a giant problem)
Have you ever tried the TR960 Precision or another Artengo rackets? Let me know within the feedback.