Key Specifications (Unstrung)
- Head Size = 97 inch
- Weight = 310g
- Length = 27 inch
- String Pattern = 16x19
- Balance = 310mm
Introduction
Welcome back to the String Sports blog! After a small break from posting our racket reviews, we’re back with a new 2 Minute Review – featuring the brand new Yonex Percept 97! Designed to replace the Yonex VCORE Pro, the Percept’s first edition is finished in a cool green. The introduction of the Percept range will also be beneficial to customers, who may have in past years been confused by the VCORE and VCORE Pro lines.
Cosmetics
Moving onto the playtest now, and Jordan got to hitting to get a feel for the racket. Yonex aimed to create a super balanced racket with new technologies packed into the Percept – one of which being the new “FLEXCON SYSTEM” designed to control the ball without sacrificing power generation. This new technology aims to keep the racket head stiff and stable through contact whilst allowing the throat of the racket to flex to create power.
Playtest and Review
Considering that the Percept 97 features a 97 sq. inch face – Jordan did find that this was a quite forgiving frame to play with despite the smaller head size. He felt that the smaller head size was balanced out by the ISOMETRIC shaping of the racket – a key defining feature of Yonex rackets. Designed to have a slightly squared shape to the racket head, Yonex promises that this creates a larger sweetspot across the racket face – which in this case feels very clear.
Final Thoughts
Jordan found that the new Percept 97 will best suit advanced players who swing fast and are looking for precision and control. The racket is forgiving too, allowing players to swing hard and fast without feeling out of control. Due to the smaller head size, the Percept is also quite useful around the net due to its manoeuvrability.
Check out our video review below:
And check out the our range of Yonex Percept rackets below...