FX500 Review

Drew

— 4 min read
FX500 Review
Photo by Eduard Ott / Unsplash

This review first ran on Talk Tennis, Tennis Warehouse's forum for discussing the sport. It follows their recommended format. I was given a free racquet, free string, and some free overgrips as compensation for the review.

String and tension used for test: Hyper-G 125 @ 50lbs
Current racquet/string setups: VCORE 95 w/ PolyTour Strike or PS97 w/ 4G
Hours played with racquet: Approx. 10

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke

  • Groundstrokes: Groundstrokes were lovely with this racquet, backhands surprisingly so. The forehand was great, as I expected. I didn’t have to think about depth at all and instead could really try to whip the ball a bit more. I did not have any problems with hitting long. On the backhand, I was stunned. It was a really great stick with my one-handed backhand. I want to explain: it does not have that classic head-light, ultra-maneuverable feel often preferred by my people (OHBHers). Still, it was more than doable and felt good. If you have a 2HBH but are OHBH curious, this is a great stick to pick up.
  • Serves: I am not a fantastic server, so sticks like this are always appreciated. Power was effortless and I was never framing the ball like I do with my VCORE 95s from time to time. Even with the major change in overall ball feel from my racquets of choice, it did not take long for my serve to adjust to this racquet. It had the power I needed, without really feeling a loss of accuracy.
  • Volleys: This racquet is plenty capable for volleys. Volleys were not all that crisp, but the racquet was also not bending much at all. It was a very nice middle ground. I felt in complete control of where the ball was going, even though it lacked that sort of volley punch feeling I get from my other racquets. This racquet is exceedingly competent at the net.
  • Serve returns: The racquet is stable enough against big hitters. Still, as someone coming from heavier (in some cases, much heavier) frames, I could never quite get used to the feeling of making contact with an exceptionally strong serve with this 300 gram racquet. Comparing it to other 300 gram options I’ve used for a few hours, I do feel it is a notch up in feel and stability. Once again, incredibly competent.

Comments on racquet performance categorically

  • Power/Control: The FX500 had a perfect mix of power and control. It was punchy and powerful in a way that makes me smile, but did not lead to a surplus of long balls. I think this racquet really is the one to beat if you want the best of both between power and control. It does what you ask of it, but with a little additional flair. It is very fun without feeling like a racquet that you only want to use for casual sessions.
  • Top Spin/Slice: Top spin was very, very good. I felt that the spin I was getting off of this racquet was largely what made the “control” so impressive. It wasn’t overly loopy, and really responded when you drove through the ball. The spin profile clicked so much with the rest of the frame – it really make the FX500 a complete and unique package.
  • Comfort: Comfort is adequate. This racquet is much more connected feeling than other frames in its class, and it does that while maintaining a sense of comfort. I rarely had the feeling that this racquet didn’t absorb enough vibration when my wrist was in an odd position at contact. It was plenty comfortable without being a mush-fest. What more can you ask for in this aspect?
  • Feel: Feel has been a big area of coverage in reviews for this frame. It is good. I would go so far as to say it is quite good! However, it is nothing like a Pro Staff, older Blades, or other “classic” feeling racquets. To me, it feels more like the rare undampened power frame, like the Pure Aero Rafa. There’s a lot to love: you can feel where the ball is on the strings and it gives you a full-bodied response that is not artificial feeling. On the flip side, it does not feel like a thin, flat beamed player’s stick. In my opinion, that is just fine. As much as players (including myself) want that “classic” feel, it just isn’t right for this category. I think this racquet absolutely sings at contact, especially compared to its peers.
  • Maneuverability: Maneuverability is a definite downfall for this racquet. Let me be clear, it isn’t bad. This racquet excels at many things, and something had to give. It simply does not have world class maneuverability – but I do think it is plenty maneuverable for most players. This is an aspect that I believe will keep devout OHBHers from switching to the FX 500 full-time.
  • Stability: This racquet is very stable. Its stability allowed me to go for shots in the mid-court with my arm in a sort of t-rex position that I never would’ve attempted with my daily drivers. Good stability in a racquet is a salve for lackluster technique. I am only an intermediate player, but I do feel that almost all of us have technique that breaks down every once in awhile, or towards the end of a long hitting session. This racquet really shines in these situations: when you’re asking for more from it than you can give in return. So much of that is due to its stability.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:

I loved this racquet! Will I switch to it? No. I just love my tiny, inaccessible, low-power player’s frames. That doesn’t mean that I don’t have a ridiculous amount of affection for Dunlop’s FX 500. It is, to me, the platonic ideal of the 100 sqin power frame. Often, I think, the community thinks of this category as being the ideal entry point for those growing into a 300g stick. 100sqin frames, as a category, have loads of forgiveness, tons of power, spin, and something for just about everyone. For a newbie, though, or a kid getting used to an adult racquet, there is nothing more frustrating than constantly hitting out. This racquet addresses that frustration better than any of its brethren. You get that zip, that confidence, and that panache trademark in the category, but with enough zero-effort spin to keep the ball in the court. For many players, that feeling is priceless. I think Dunlop has really created the 100sqin power frame with this edition of the FX 500. I’m just hoping they can market this great product effectively.