Artengo is perhaps one of many lesser identified tennis manufacturers on the market, however they’ve the total complement of tennis gear, together with rackets, strings, baggage, footwear, balls and equipment.
The large 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 objects in latest 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 geared 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 pink accent on the throat.
In comparison with a few of the rackets we’ve seen recently, 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 seems 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 periods, I put it again on the scales, and it is available in at 305.9g unstrung, so 2% over the 300g goal. Not dangerous.
Nevertheless, swingweight was a special story. When strung, the TR960 had a swing weight of 326 kg/cm2, so I knew that the unstrung swing weight had zero probability of being near Artengo’s goal of 270 kg/cm2.
As soon as I reduce the strings out and received 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 count on for a goal unstrung swing weight of 270 kg/cm2 as strings add round 30-35 swingweight factors.
Apparently, the Prince ATS Textreme Tour 290 I reviewed had the identical situation, so this drawback isn’t essentially because of the cheaper price ticket and plagues most tennis racket manufacturers.
| Artengo TR960 Precision | My Artengo TR960 Precision | |
|---|---|---|
| Head Measurement | 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/Crimson | White/Crimson |
| 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 enjoying with it.
The large query mark for me was how it will examine to larger value level rackets. The TR960 is £89.99 within the UK or $99.99 within the US, which is a extremely wallet-friendly value.
In comparison with the rackets from Wilson, Head, Babolat and so forth., which it’s straight competing with, that is nearly a 3rd of the value. So would it not be comparable?
Holding the racket and giving it a number of shadow swings, it felt like every other racket, and I might inform it had fairly a beefy spec after 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 might see a number of chips across the grommets, however to the contact, the paint appears 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 seems neater, and I want extra firms equipped these as commonplace.
Artengo TR960 Precison Playtest
Given the swing weight being 25 factors off the really useful specs, then, in impact, I used to be enjoying with a personalized model of the TR960, the place weight has been added to the pinnacle.
Because it occurs, extra superior gamers would doubtless 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. For those who 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 after I wasn’t attempting to tear the ball. That is all the time a mix of layup and string alternative/pressure, so that is doubtless a mixture of the comfortable poly and the comfortable really feel know-how, 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 not too long ago, however with a extra oval head form and a thicker beam close to the throat.
The TR960 has first rate spin however not a spin machine (the string sample isn’t tremendous large on the ‘candy spot’), first rate energy, good stability with that 326 kgcm/2 swing weight and simply an all-around good enjoying body.
With a decrease swing weight of round 305, which the racket ought to have, the TR960 could be a wonderful various to the Pure Strike 100 or Tecnifibre TF40. There’s additionally a contact of Pure Drive in there.
So in case you like these rackets however choose the value tag of the TR960 (who doesn’t?), this is able to be an excellent various.
The TR960 has a stiffness ranking of 69, and most of the people imagine that larger stiffness = much less consolation (I urge to vary, however that’s one other put up); nevertheless, I discovered the racket very snug.
There are not any harsh vibrations, and Artengo has “Comfortable Really feel Absorption Know-how” within the racket; this makes use of some balsa wooden, which appears to work.
So from my expertise, you get a really snug setup in case you pair the TR960 with Artengo’s comfortable poly TR960 Energy string at low pressure (~44lbs).
What You Can Count on
- Good acoustics at impression
- Good mix of energy and spin
- A cushty arm pleasant racket
Who is that this Racket For?
Given the £89.99/$99.99 price ticket, this racket has a variety of use circumstances.
For outright freshmen to superior intermediate gamers on a price range, the TR960 will ship a strong hitting expertise.
Whereas the racket is extra suited to intermediate gamers, I believe it is usually a wonderful alternative for freshmen getting some teaching.
Fairly 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 freshmen usually go for, however 300g unstrung is manageable for many grownup gamers, and given the pinnacle gentle steadiness (in case you get it shut to focus on spec), it’s not tough to swing.
The benefit of getting this as your first racket is that TR960 will final for much longer and assist you to develop higher strokes from the outset. You’ll develop into it quite than rapidly develop out of it.
It additionally comes pre-strung with Artengo’s TR960 Energy string. It is a comfortable polyester string, so it’s unlikely to trigger arm points and is one other plus level for freshmen as they will 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
Ultimate Ideas
Regardless of the problem of high quality management with the racket, I believe one of the simplest ways to explain the TR960 Precision is an effective racket, however at an incredible value.
£89.99 / $99.99 for a racket of this high quality is a whole steal, making the sport way more accessible for a lot of gamers who don’t wish to spend £250 / $300 on a racket.
The specs additionally make a variety of 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 vitally manoeuvrable, which means you may choose it up after a number of weeks away from enjoying with none points.
I’m unsure 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.
Nevertheless, the TR960 Precision is a strong alternative for larger intermediates, and I count on to see extra Artengo rackets in use on the membership degree throughout the UK, USA and Europe.
Execs
- Excellent value level
- Akin to rackets which are 3 times the value
- Good mix of energy, spin and management
Cons
- Disappointing high quality management on this specific body
- Not the perfect design grommets (however given the value level and goal market, not a giant situation)
Have you ever tried the TR960 Precision or every other Artengo rackets? Let me know within the feedback.