My take on the Prince EXO3

September 5th, 2011

Tennis racquet technology continues to have a large impact on the game of tennis. Players now seek, almost on an annual basis, the latest designs—hoping they will gain an edge over the competition. Tennis racquet manufacturers, wishing to gain market share and improve the game, work vigorously to create and implement new features. They also aggressively promote their new products. Prince Tennis’ “EXO3” technology is one example of this technology “boom”.

Prince EXO3 designs have been available for a couple years now and Prince has expanded it to be included in all of their “Tour Series” and “Thunder Series” performance racquets. These racquets, numbering about 17 racquets, include everything from pro-level “player’s” racquets to game-improvement designs. Prince must understand that ALL levels of ability can benefit from tech advancement.

Prince EXO3 design consists of relatively large holes, in lieu of grommets, where the strings pass thru the frame. This gives the strings the freedom to move (& return) more than conventional grommets allow. Since the strings are freed from the restrictive grommets they respond more freely—even at the outer edge of the frame. This design also increases the size of the functional hitting zone—which helps players hit better shots (larger sweet spot).

Prince EXO3 benefits the player as follows:

Tour Series: better ball response & more “pop” quicker head-speed via the increased hole size (quicker through the air); better accuracy.

Thunder Series: Larger sweet spot for more power, comfort, and control—even on off-center hits; the opportunity to play with a smaller head size for added maneuverability.

Prince EXO3 racquets also incorporate several other technologies and use high-tech materials. The EXO3 feature, however, is Prince’s namesake, and it is “technology that you can see”!

Some players say it isn’t the racquet that wins the game and dismiss much of the technology as merely “marketing”.It may be true that player’s skill is the most important factor in any tennis match—but if given the opportunity, I’ll add the latest racquet tech to my arsenal (at least it can’t hurt!). Prince EXO3 might just be right for you.