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Price:

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Upsides

  • A Very Maneuverable 175
  • Powerful
  • Great Feel

Downsides

  • A lot of String Feedback
  • Lack of Control on Mishits
Read about the ProKennex 2012 KM FFT F165 Racquet | Read about the ProKennex 2012 KM FFT F185 Racquet

Coming off one of the most popular Pro Kennex racquet lines of all time, the 2012 KM FFT Series is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Due to its proven popularity, the 2012 FFT Series again features Pro KennexÕs Force Flow Technology. Located in the throat, this technology is engineered to force energy that is normally lost from the frame, back into the string bed of the racquet, making it livelier and more powerful than ever. Hitting the scales at 175 grams, a 2-point head heavy balance, and a swing weight of 155, the 2012 KM FFT F175 was designed to the exact specs of the #1 player in the world, Kane Waselenchuk. The F175 has a good mix of feel and stiffness, while still offering necessary power to blast the ball by your opponent.

Power: 90/100

Having hit the previous model of the F175, the RbW team had a good feeling about the power they would get from the 2012 F175. Croft kicked it off with, ÒOnce I got on the court, I loved the weight of the F175. It was balanced almost perfectly to my swing speed to generate a lot of power. The 175-gram weight and 2-point head heavy balance allowed me to not only be able to rip the ball on setups, but to also be able to blast it past my opponent in the frontcourt.Ó Ben L. shared the same sentiments adding, ÒWhile the overall swing weight of this racquet was underpowered relative to my general preference, I really enjoyed the power that it did generate. I spent a lot of time with the KM 700, a control-heavy racquet, so the move to the F175 was substantial. If I had more time to really dial in my timing, I know the power would be there when I needed it.Ó

Control: 87/100

The team scored the control of the F175 the lowest out of all categories. They felt the big hitting zone didnÕt quite overcome the tight stringing pattern designed to maximize control. Ben L. said, ÒI had some trouble controlling this racquet consistently, and found myself spraying the ball more than usual. The new frame design and Force Flow Technology definitely added to the string bed response and movement, but I found that this added dwell-time made it harder to place my shots. The F175 was great on setups, but I suffered a little on defensive shots.Ó Croft was on the same page saying, ÒI felt great hitting down the lines and cross courts, but couldnÕt seem to keep my pinches and splats down. I donÕt hit many splats so it wasnÕt that important to me, but I did struggle with controlling them when I went for those shots. That being said, I felt a definite increase in my ability to hit arrow-straight down the lines and cross courts.Ó

Feel: 91/100

The feel of this racquet edged out power to score the highest marks from the playtest team. Croft started saying, ÒI loved the feel of this racquet. I think it was a perfect fusion between stiffness and flexibility. The major gripe that I had with it was the amount of vibration I got from the strings without a dampener. This was fixed quickly and easily with the use of a vibration dampener, and once I installed the dampener, the feel of this racquet was fantastic.Ó Ben L. mentioned, ÒFeel was the best part about the FFT racquets. Pro Kennex really solidified their line of racquets with these sticks by taking the best aspects from their Kinetic and Quad technology racquets, which sometimes played too dampened, and adding positive string bed response back into the frame. The 175 had the right feel to let me know when I was dead center and to adjust when I wasnÕt. I liked it without a dampener, but one could be added for those who prefer it.Ó

Overall: 89/100

Overall the team was pleased with the performance of the 2012 KM FFT F175 racquet. They scored the racquet high in feel and power, but felt there was a little to be desired in control. Ben L. ended with, ÒI would never attribute KaneÕs success to a piece of equipment, but I can certainly understand his racquet choice. The F175 had a great feel and plenty of power potential.Ó Croft wrapped it up saying, ÒI was very pleased with the overall playability of the F175. The racquet really shined in the control and power categories, and I liked the mixture of stiffness and flexibility. Overall, I think Pro Kennex did a great job fine-tuning this stick.Ó