Buying guide

Paint changes. Playability usually doesn’t.

An outgoing performance racket does not become worse when its colourway updates. Use this before you wait months for a launch you have not demoed.

Starting band

Many improving adults still land here.

As a shortlist filter — not a rule — many club players begin around 280–305 g unstrung and 98–105 sq in, then lock grip size and ready-to-play cost (frame + string + labour). Confirm every figure on the exact product page before you buy; strings add weight.

Buy previous-gen when…

  1. You have already demoed that generation (or a very close sibling) and liked the timing.
  2. The new release is mostly cosmetics, marketing, or a minor tweak you cannot feel in 30 minutes.
  3. UK stock of the outgoing frame is still new/unstrung (or clearly graded used) at a lower ready-to-play total.
  4. Grip size and stringing cost are confirmed — not guessed from a different head size.
  5. You would rather play this month than wait for a launch date and a first demo slot.

Wait (or demo first) when…

  1. The new generation changes weight, balance, beam, or pattern in a way that matters to your game.
  2. You have never hit the family — shortlist via the finder, then use the 30-minute demo checklist.
  3. Outgoing stock is only “used unknown” with weak photos — run A–D condition grades before calling it a bargain.
  4. You need a matched pair and only one outgoing frame is left in your grip.
  5. Clearance pricing is unclear (missing generation, strung vs unstrung, or ex-demo not labelled).
Ready-to-play maths

Compare totals, not shelf stickers.

  1. Note whether the price is unstrung, pre-strung, or ex-demo.
  2. Add labour + string if you will restring to your setup (see strings guide).
  3. Add grip/overgrip and bumper work if the used grade needs it.
  4. Compare that total to a currently verified new offer for the generation you would actually buy — dated dated price examples, not memory.
  5. If sold comps are thin or grades do not match, say the value is uncertain. Do not invent a discount percentage.

Quick identity check

  • Exact model name + generation / year code on the throat or spec label.
  • Head size, pattern, and published unstrung weight.
  • Grip size (L1–L5) printed or measured — do not assume.
  • For used: bumper, hoop, throat photos → A–D before you message the seller.

Published 15 September 2026. Practical checklist for UK club buyers — not hands-on testing, not launch hype, not live prices. Manufacturer references are not UK stock offers; historical prices stay dated.