Wilson Kobra Tour

[Rjgregory]

I bought a Wilson Kobra Tour and I love the feel, control and spin I can get from it. While I can get some decent power from the baseline I cant get anywhere near the power on my serve that I get from my pure drive. Right now I have it strung with SPPP and Babolat Exel Power (crosses). Should I just go back to my Pure Drive, get an Aero Pro Drive or is there a different string combo I could use to boost the power. Like I said I really like the racquet from the baseline but the lack of pace on my serves hurts my game. Any comments would be great.

[executor]

The (K)obra Tour is quite a pro weapon...maybe the string combo you've put on is too stiff-or too tight-or both..consider it a weighted-up clone of the APD with all tha advantages-and disadvantages. If you prefer hybrids, i can suggest you ProSupex Blue Gear at 54lbs. (Ms)/Wilson (K)Gut Pro 17 at 58lbs (Xs)or alternatively TF Black Code 1.24/TF NRG2 17 always at the same tensio (54/58); or substitute the Xcel crosses with something like TF Multifeel 16..let me know ;)

[Rjgregory]

I will try that combo of the K Gut Pro and the Blue Gear with the tensions you recommended. I have a pack of Blue Gear around here so I will be excited to try that combo out. Bringing the tension down on the crosses might help out. What do you mean by saying it is quite a pro weapon? Thanks for the help.

[executor]

Being a Babo APD wannabe but working on quite diffent specs (higher weight/flex/balance-lower swingweight) the (K)obra is extremely helpful until you need 100% of his potential..at that point, if you don't want to shoot the stars you have to stiffen your stringbed, or work with lead to adapt the balance...at that point...more fatigue from the player, i.e. a more trained player to obtain the same..and this becomes more evident when you play it on clay...BUT...nevertheless...still a veeery good frame, one of best of the last bunch from the Big W...i think you'll work fine with the new strings... :)

[ArchEtech]

I bought the Kobra because I kind of liked the Babolats and this had a similar feel right off the rack.

I changed the grip from the leather then added 10 inches of 1/4" gamma lead tape under the new grip. I had a similar issue with the serve but this has helped. Also be sure you're not hitting to far towards the tip of the racquet. I find the Kobra very forgiving, but you loose a ton of pop on your serve if you get to high towards the tip. If you stay in the sweat spot you'll have plenty of power.

I tend to hit toward the tip, so its just made me pay attention and watch the ball more. The tip isn't dead, but you can tell a big difference in power depending on where you hit the ball. I think it just takes a little getting used too. I find the Kobra more forgiving than most racquets hitting out of the sweet spot on ground strokes which is better for me. You really SHOULD be hitting the sweet spot on your serves anyway. All racquets loose a bunch of pop towards the tip, I just think that being used to a racquet as stiff as the babolat pure drives you don't notice it as much or you can power through, with the kobra its so head light that you can just feel it in your stroke more. Its not necessarily a bad thing.

Try adding a bit of weight under the grip. Its made it even more solid than it was off the rack. Part of the reason I chose it is I thought it would be a good platform to mess with some customization, and I actually liked the look. If you still feel a little dead on serves, add some weight a 10 and 2 or just at the 12 O'clock position and see if that helps. I was going to try that but adding the weight into the handle has made an already whippy racquet even more headlight, and I hit better spin now with ground strokes and serves.

[cheezhdinil]

I've got 3 of them, matched weight, balance and swing-weight. Mostly it was evening out as 2 were a little light. The lead is (mostly) in the outside of the throat, and they now weigh in at 12 oz. It makes it swing like the Babolats but have the punch of a 6.1.

I've strung them everywhere....57 SPPP and 54 Sensation was a good start point. Currently I'm working with them at pretty low tensions, due to some feedback from Future's players I know.

Anyway they all swing 8.5 HL and heft 12 ounces. If you need more info, I can provide it.

Good luck, Cheez

[ArchEtech]

I can't believe how much moving weight around the frame changes the properties.

I put about .15 grams on the handle to up the static weight. It made it feel more head light instantly. Today I put .2 grams at 12, 9,3 and at the throat to feel the effects.

At the throat, it made the frame feel just a tad more solid, but mostly just heavier in the hand.

At 12 it made the swing weight WAY heavier even though it was much weight - I was really surprised by this. It also made the hits towards the tip more stable. I was surprised how much .2 grams made.

At 9,3 the racquet gained some power and was more staple when outside the sweet spot again - I was very surprised it made that much difference. I was putting it on and off during ground strokes and serves and there is no question about the effects on the feel of the racquet.

What I found out isn't anything new, and basically follows what people say the weight at these postions will do. I was just surprised that it made THAT much difference. It didn't make me play better or worse, it just really changes the feel.

[cheezhdinil]

I MUST be missing something... .2 grams is a fifth of a paper-clip's weight! All these years of playing (over 41 now, I started 12's at 6) and I CAN'T feel something that tiny.

I do my customizing with scales, balance boards and a swingweight test and I'll continue to do so. To me, it's refreshing knowing that there is something backing up my work. If left purely to conjecture, I'm certain I could believe that I felt it, LOL

[ArchEtech]

I think you are missing something lol - .2 oz may not feel like much at the handle ( though for sure I can tell 10" of 1/4 tape is under my grip!) ; however .2 oz 25" from you hand feels a lot more. Sorry I meant .2 oz not grams!

[cheezhdinil]

My 3 Kobra Tours have between .6 oz and .45 oz on them. The issue started with matching the heaviest to the lighter two. But, the 'heavy' one wasn't as HL (about 1 point off) as the others.

In creating HL consistency, I had to make the heaviest one a bit heavier. Then, started on the swing-weights...damn! I'm glad I'm done. The only variable is what I put in the stringbed and THAT I'm going to live with.

Cheez

[Racqueteer]

Any more recent stringing suggestions for this racquet? I have the same issue with wanting just a tad more power. The APD's I've tried seem more powerful but that could be the multi string jobs they're wearing.

I normally string with a hybrid of MSV Focus Hex and Signum Ultra Power SF because I like the feel and spin. I've found that if I string the MSV in crosses (54/52 or 54/50), it eats up the Signum mains very, very quickly so I'll probably stick with using MSV for mains.

I've read that Tsonga ran Luxilon Rough at 57 in this racquet but imagine power was the least of his concerns. Being 51 years old and 170 lbs soaking wet means I can't whack the ball that hard. This also means I don't want to weight up the racquets since I already hit late sometimes.

My most recent tensions were MSV/SUP (54/58) which I like except for the power issue. I just ordered a second Kobra so I can string one at a higher tension and one lower. I'm thinking of stringing one at 52/55 and the other at 58/62? Comments?