Comments: Love this racquet! I tried using it without any plugs but it was just too light; two black plugs seems to be the best fit for me. I've cracked and broken my share of Ektelon racquets but what can I say, I just play my best with Ektelon. I tried switching to the Head extreme 170 recently but I have nothing good to say about that experience. I hope this racquet holds up!
From: Britt, Spring, TX, USA, 07/10
Skill-level: B
String type and tension: Ektelon Premier 16, 32lbs

Comments: I love this racquet!  Great balance.  And couldn't be happier with the weighting system.  I play 15-25 games per week and haven't had and issues with frame cracks as others have.
From: JP
City, State, Country:LA, CA 06/10
Skill-level:C
String type and tension: Factory

Comments: This is a great racquet for overall total power and control.  I have played with many equally priced racquets from e-force, wilson and also other ektelon products (Speedport Red) and this O3 White is the best balanced, and most powerful i've used. The downfall is that i have cracked 5 O3 Whites and one Speedport Red. So im going to move to Head or Wilson simply for a more durable racquet.
From: Chuck Hoops
City, State, Country: Ft. Bliss, TX 03/10
Skill-level: A

Comments: Good playability, nice feel, constantly broke. I've never gone through so many strings and racquets in my life, 4 Ektelons in the last year alone (3 whites and 1 black), they play well but the frame is so brittle, dont expect these to wear like a wilson, head or prokennex, one wrong hit and the frame is toast.  Im not a huge hitter and I stay off the walls. if you dont mind going through $1,000 a year on racquets, then this is very good. Most players are aware of the problem at my club and are switching to other brands as their racquets break.
From: Dave
City, State, Country: Pittsburgh, PA 03/10
Skill-level: Open (entry level)
String type and tension: 29x28

Comments: Ethan, I have an O3 White and I've noticed the same crack.  Haven't had any problems yet, and will probably stick with the White due to the string pattern option (16x17 instead of 14x17).
From: Michael Fitzgerald
City, State, Country: Citrus Springs, FL 01/10
Skill-level:B
String type and tension: Ektelon Premier Power @ 33lbs

Comments: Racquet is one of my favorites. Definitely the stiffest racquet I've ever used. After coming across a comment on this post regarding the hairline fractures at handle/head I checked mine and, sure enough, it had some tiny cracks. After I played it for several months, I thought it seemed to vibrate more. I constantly checked for cracks, but never found any. But, now I think I've found the source. ...now, what to do about it. I still like the racquet.
From: Chris, Birmingham, AL, USA. 8/09
String type and tension: Prince Premiere 17 / 34lbs

Comments: I own the O3 RG. I bought this racquet as a substitute but wow, it is going to be my main racquet now. Excellent control, maneuverability, and kill shots were easier. I am playing with all the plugs in, making it a 174g racquet and 2 points head heavy. The racquet is awesome. It performs excellent from the front and back of the court. I am a heavy hitter and I usually play center mid court. The racquet has better control even with more power than the O3 RG. I was playing the RG with only the 2 red plugs making it even balanced. I highly recommend this racquet. I have tried the E-Force NXT Gen 170 and yes it has good control but it is too head heavy for me. Personally I don't like it as much. I prefer the O3 white.
From: Carlos
Davie, FL 06/09
Skill-level: B
String type and tension: lighting XX 16g

Comments: I upgraded from the O3 Red to the O3 White about a month ago. So far I have been happy with the results. I have been playing with all 4 plugs in, but I am going to try playing with just 2 plugs. The only complaint is that the factory strings are already starting to "fray".
From: Steve
Ottawa, IL 06/09
Skill-level:B/C

Comments: I have noticed that almost every single O3 white that has been used past a month or so will obtain a hairline fracture crack were the handle meets the body of the frame. So far I have not seen any actual breaks in this area. Even with the minor manufacturer defect I will not be switching to any other racquet any time soon. If you have a white look in this area and post a comment to say if what i am saying is true.
From: Ethan Wadsworth
Skill-level:B 04/09
String type and tension: Ektelon Premier @ 35 lbs

Comments:This is a very powerful racquet. With this stick you can tear balls down the line but still have power to do touch shots. Using lightning xx 17 does have a power and playability gain, but it is too easy to break strings.
From:Drew
City, State, Country:Bismarck ND
Skill-level:B
String type and tension:lightning xx 16 30lb

Comments: I first demoed the Copper in the pre-release time then the O3 White and felt it doesn't get any better than this. I ordered 2 that night. Easy to control on soft shots and all the power never before available from past models. Durable as hell; haven't broken one in a full year even with the high string tensions of 40lbs. Lovin it!
From: Charlie
Orange, CA 06/08
Skill-level:B ;)
String type and tension: Prince Premier 17g 38lbs.

Comments: I tested this racquet with the Black when I was looking into a new racquet and if you like the Black you'll love the white. Great power and control. Tried it with no plugs, 2 plugs, and 4 plugs. There are definitive differences depending on your preference. I prefer the racquet with no plugs making it very quick up front and it still had more power than the black. Huge sweet spot and very solid. My only complaint is that the vibration dampening device that comes with it commonly pops off.
From: Mark
Gaithersburg, MD 05/08

Comments: I was playing with the Wilson nCode racquet and broke it unexpectedly Saturday morning. I was very happy with it but was unable to find one on short notice for a game Sunday. I purchased the O3 white and all I can say is WOW. The power is exceptional and it has as much control as the Wilson (even with all 4 plugs in). I will not be switching back to the Wilson any time soon. Great job Ektelon.
From: Don
North Hollywood, CA 02/08

Comments: The only thing I didn't care for was the grip other than that I can't see myself using anything else!
From: Anonymous
01/07

Comments: Hated it. I am a control player and tried to move from the More Attack to this racquet. What a difference! This racquet is all about the power but really lacks control. I ended up sending one back (and don't know what to do with the used one).
From: Don
Winter Springs, FL 01/07

Comments: I was not very impressed with this racquet to be honest. I liked it for a little while until I got my hands on the new Head Extreme racquet which is AMAZING by the way. However, the grip on this racquet is always slipping so the racquet is always turning when you go to hit the ball which was really frustrating. I never felt like I had the control that I was looking for in this racquet. It is all about power and not so much control.
From: Anonymous
11/07

Comments: It is a very good racquet but its all about power. I thought that Ektelon was the best racquet that i could ever have, then E-Force started to sponsor me and what a big difference it was. I saw the difference in just the first swing, it has a lot of power, control and you can make a swing too fast. Its not about weight or plugs, its all about the swing and the technique you have to make it.
From: Alejandro Martin
El Centro, CA 11/07

Comments: I was told that E-Force lacked control but was all about power. I had the opportunity to put the Lethal NXT Gen 170 to the test. We tried the Head Extreme 170 and an Ektelon O3 White up against the E-Force and the NXT Gen Lethal 170 by far was superior, not only in power but in control. If you are going to spend the money for a top of the line racquet, you must try the Lethal NXT Gen 170.
From: F. Reed
Marina Del Rey, CA 10/07
Factory Strings

Racquetball Warehouse Play Tester: Jeff Kettering
Excerpts from a racquet comparison soon to be posted:

"First swing I could feel a definite increase in power from my previous racquet. I initially played with all four plugs in, and have also tried it with two, and then with none. With all four plugs, the racquet felt a bit head heavy, which is not my preference. With no plugs in there, the racquet was a bit light, but still had quite a bit of power. My preference with this racquet is to play with the two black (outside) plugs in."

"This racquet gives you excellent power and great maneuverability in the front court. I played several games of doubles with it and had no problems with shots in the front court."

"The only criticism I would have with this racquet is the factory strings. I’ve never played with Ektelon strings before, but they felt stiff. Once I replaced the strings, I felt more power in the racquet and did not lose any control."

"It is by far the best Ektelon racquet that I have played with...I would highly recommend this racquet to anyone who is buying a new racquet for the upcoming year."

Comments: Ektelon has done it again, just with a lot more power! As I stated in 2006, the DPR Lite was the best racquet that I have ever had the pleasure of playing with. The same holds true for this new arrival. This racquet is truly remarkable! High power with control is what dreams are made of and can be a real nightmare for ones opponent. Lately the dreams keep coming and the nightmares are few and far between. I already have two and will pick up a third soon so there will be no chance of playing with anything else this year :-)
From: Efrem
Easton, PA. 08/07
Factory Lightning XX 16 gauge

Comments: I am an Ektelon retailer here in Las Vegas. This town is kind of unusual since it does not have any actual stores that carry the higher-end racquetball gear. Anyhow, the response to Ektelon's new racquets here in Las Vegas has been incredible, I have sold four O3 White's within a couple of days, and everyone who gets their hands on one wants to buy it! I have experimented with the plugs in, and with the plugs out, and I can say you will love the racquet either way, depending on your technique.
With the plugs in, the power from this racquet is incredible, a little bit head heavy, and when you hit the sweet spot, it's awesome. When you take the plugs out there is still plenty of power, but more maneuverability for a front-court or "touch" game. It really is like having several different racquets at your disposal, depending on whether your arm is tired or not, or depending on what sort of game you wish to bring to the court on that day, if your ability is at that level. The O3 Reuben is a great racquet as well, but 5 grams lighter, different weighting, and a different string pattern.
From: Paul
Las Vegas, NV 07/07
Ektelon factory string/tension

Comments: Nice job Ektelon!! For the fans of the O3 red, you can now play the O3 white. Same balance and weight as the Red, but pop in the plugs and you're off!! Excellent power and control.
From: Aaron
Johnstown, IN, USA 07/07

Comments: Excellent racquet. The difference between having the plugs in or having them out is night and day. The power difference is very real. Granted, you do lose some manueverability with the plugs in, but the stability and power you gain more than makes up for it. The only complaint I really have is when I take all the plugs out. It's such a light frame, and having the balance at head-light really puts a strain on my elbow after a few games. I really like the DPR string pattern however.
Overall I couldn't be happier with this racquet. I'd suggest it to anyone looking for a racquet that be can modified. It's like having a few racquets, without having to adjust to a different grip each time you switch out. It also comes with the ability to string it with 16 mains rather than the factory stringing of 14 mains (there are holes at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions left open). Again, wonderful racquet.
From: Rick
Wisconsin 07/07
Factory Lightning XX 16 gauge