Comments: This racquet and the liquid metal are the best 2 racquets ever made.
From: Anonymous, 10/19

Comments: Rashid, Try Head Megablast 17. I find 32lb tension to be good for power and control. Don't wait too long between string jobs. You might even consider buying a basic drop weight stringing machine and do it yourself----it's not that hard. You could also search craigslist for a great deal on a nice string machine like a Prince Neos 1000. Will pay for itself relatively quickly. Hope this helps. I've been playing with this racquet since it came out and love it.  Good luck.
From: Brett, Tacoma, WA, USA, 12/16
Skill-level: Elite
String type and tension: Head Megablast 17, 31-33#

Comments: I have this Racquet from last two years, last year I change the factory string with "Gamma Live Wire 17 String" with 29lb tension. The sale person told me its good for power but I lost the control at all. Now since it been year the string lose the tension and power also reduce. Any help suggestion for the string and tension which give me excellent control and power.
From: Rashid, Leesburg, 11/16
Skill-level: B
String type and tension: Gamma Live Wire 17 String, 29 

Comments: Hi, I have had this racquet for close to 2 years now and love it. The weight is perfect for me and I can play for 2 hours straight at times with no fatigue in my arm or wrist. I've often wanted to try the more expensive racquets but really don't see a need when this one really does everything I like. Thanks head for making a great product that stands the test of time and plays as good today as it did 2 years ago when it was new. No issues with string breakage or any other malfunction. Very happy with it to say the least
From: Jeff, 07/16
Skill-level: C+B
String type and tension: Head 

Comments: Well, what can I say. I've been playing with the i165 since it came out many years ago.  You just can't beat the control of this racquet.  No wonder Head still sells this model.  Recent price history on RbW, $79, 69, 59, and now back up to $89!! This racquet is catching on again.  Sudsy used to play with this one back in the day and I know none of us will ever be at his level-----just sayin!  One hell of a racquet and still a bargain.  Grab a couple.  Highly recommended.
From: Brett, Tacoma, WA, USA, 06/16
Skill-level: Elite
String type and tension: Megablast 31-33# 

Comments: I actually bought this racquet as an interim racquet while I searched for a new one. Fell in love with it. It's by far the best racquet I have ever played on. If you are a light racquet player, you must try this stick. No string breakage issues. Head...if you are reading this...please don't do anything stupid....like discontinuing or changing this product!!
From: Jonas, Houston, TX, USA, 11/15
Skill-level: B
String Type and Tension: Factory 

Comments: Most players don't realise how important string and tension are. Yes thinner string and more tension have more control BUT I just tried this beauty at 26lbs and a friend said use 15 gauge AG Fantasy tennis string. Now I have power serves, great passing and touch. Can't believe the difference from the factory specs. Just bought 2 more racquets at this low price.
From: Nick, Peoria, AZ, USA, 06/15
Skill-level: A
String type and tension: 26lbs 15 gauge AG Fantasy tennis string 

Comments: I bought one for a back up or a loaner.  I played with it and decided to keep it for my main racquet, and just ordered another one for back up.  I loan my others out, but not this one!  It can be unforgiving, but when I'm on it's awsome. Love it, love it.
From: Mike, Stockton, CA, USA, 01/15
Skill-level: Hacker
String type and tension: Factory 

Comments: I have 2 broken racquets in two years.  Love the play, but not very durable.  Always cracks by the yoke.  Called Head, and too bad.
From: John, Lafayette, CO, USA, 04/14
Skill-level: B
String type and tension: Standard
[John,  All racquets purchased from Racquetball Warehouse have a one year manufacturer warranty against manufacturing defects. If either of your racquets are still under warranty you may send them to us for warranty consideration. - RbW Staff]

Comments: I have 3 of this racquet and the longest for 12 years.  No issues, no breakage, it is a wonderful racquet.    
From: Fred, Lakewood, CO, USA, 03/14
Skill-level: B 

Comments: I've have this racquet around 12 months...and play 2 times a week. plenty of power and no real issues with vibration. Sweet spot is a little tight...but when you connect, (As Jeff mentions below) she screams!  Not sure why so many have had issues with strings breaking??? I hit the ball plenty hard..and haven't broken a string yet. You can't beat this one for the money...
From: Andy, Winston Salem, NC, USA, 03/14
Skill-level: c/b
String type and tension: factory strings 

Comments: I have the Racketball since black Friday 2013 and I brake the strings 5 times already I will restringed one more time with a different tension
From: Jesus, Chicago, IL, USA, 02/14
Skill-level: B
String type and tension: 36 

Comments: After cracking my Ektelon O3 Blue, I decided it was time to get another racquet. I was unhappy with the clunky feel of the Ektelon and decided that it was a good time to try a different brand. My rball buddy bought one and he seemed to do very well with it. I found a used i.165 for a good price, so I decided to do that while I saved up for a nicer racquet. Well, that was almost 2 years ago and I have no pressing need to upgrade. The i.165 is light (great for front court work) and I am able to generate enough power from it. I feel that it has helped to improve my game because its a bit unforgiving. The sweet spot feels smaller than my old Ektelon O3 Blue and if I don't hit it right from the back court, I will skip. However, when I am using good technique, this racquet really screams! I feel I have great control and more and more I play with it, more and more I feel like my shots are going exactly where I need them to go. Its almost like I can feel where the ball will go.  Like others, my strings did not last very long and the grip eventually wore out. I view those items as consumables anyway. I upgraded to Ektelon Premier strings and a Python grip and I feel I have a racquet that I can enjoy for years to come (or until the frame breaks).  This is a great racquet for the price! Noticeably better than the Ektelon O3 Blue! 
From: Jeff, TX, USA, 01/14
Skill-level: B- lunchtime warrior 2-3 times a week
String type and tension: 17g strung more for control 

Comments: I've been playing for this racquet 3 months now, and I'm really happy with the results. I improved my gameplay ALOT!!, I'm a hard hitter, and the strings for me, are great. I love the frame, the way it feels when I hit the ball, and the swing power I get with this racquet.
From: Pedro, San Antonio, TX, USA, 09/13
Skill-level: B+ 

Comments: Great racquet for all skill levels, probably the best value out there. Very durable. Factory strings do break quickly, mine broke after 2nd game. Very head heavy, although that is purely a matter of preference.
From: Arian, 03/13
Skill-level:A
String type and tension: Factory

Comments:  Love this racquet. Using it for 5 years or more. Yes I break stings but I also break them on my back up Ektelon/I don't always hit flat. Very good control, like the light weight, great for up close in doubles, my favorite position. Have broken several other Eforce and Ektelon frames trading off, but this one holds up better than the others for me and I like it much better.
From: JR, Dallas, TX, USA, 01/13
Skill-level: B/A
String type and tension: Cheap and Tight

Comments: I just started playing a month ago, so far for the price I still believe is a great buy, the only issue is the strings, gone after about 10 games, not sure if it has anything to do with me hitting the ball with a tennis technique or simply because they're not good enough.
From: Anon, 01/13

Comments: Good racquet.  I'm not sure if you'll find a better combination of power and control for the price.  I have a couple friends with the same racquet and everyone has had good things to say about it.  I haven't had problems with the strings breaking, but if you're a hard hitter you probably will.  No problems with elbow or shoulder pains playing with this stick and I play 2-5 hours a week.  My only complaints are that the sweet spot is quite small and I get more skip balls when trying for a kill shot than my first racquet I learned on.  But for the value, I don't think you'll find anything better.
From: Michael, Rexburg, ID, USA, 04/11
Skill-level: Beginner
String type and tension: Factory

Comments:  Not a good racquet for me. I had a horrible time with the strings breaking and had lots of vibrations and developed a very sore elbow from it.  Brought it back a very short time after purchasing.  My former doubles partner used it and got me to try it.   Glad I was able to return it.  Not a bad racquet to graduate "up" to from the $20-30 department store racquets, it is much nicer than those, but control and power were not there for me compared to the E-Force Bedlam I owned prior.  This was several years ago.
From: Jeff
City, State, Country: Sioux Falls, SD 03/10
Skill-level: B
String type and tension: Factory/Factory

Comments: Just starting playing the game. Have only played 2 months but really like it. I was using a cheap racquet at the start but was got this one for a Christmas gift. The power was noticeable right from the start with good accuracy. This is a great racquet to start off with. I recommend it..
From: Daniel
City, State, Country: Portland, OR 01/09
Skill-level: Beginner
String type & tension: factory

Comments: I'm an open player in Louisiana with 29 years of playing. I bought my first one in 2001 and found the perfect fit to my game, the control was there along with the power. I enjoy the teardrop shape along with the thin frame. I use the gamma 16 and 17 gauge string at 36 lbs of tension. I use the 36 lbs because I get the control I want.
From: Louis Ferrari
Slidell, LA 11/08

Comments: I bought this racket about one month ago and the strings just broke. But I like the racket, so i brought it back and got a new one. I've been playing for 22 years. But just started playing again after an eight year hiatus. I played top of the line Ektelon for years and this is the first new generation racket I've bought. Boy things have changed, but this racket is closer to the old style than most. Bottom line is good power and maneuverability i.e. you can scoop those close in corner shots out and make it to the front wall.
From: Sid
City, State, Country:baton rouge, LA USA
Skill-level: C

Comments: I have had two of these racquets and they are a real joy to play with but the durability is not what you come to expect with Head racquets. I'm 215 lbs and have been playing since the 70's so I may be a little heavy to play with this racquet because I busted both of them. The store I bought them from replaced them under warranty but wouldn't let me have the same model the second time. So I ended up with a Liquidmetal 170. I'm still thinking I need a little bit heavier model. Overall this is a great racquet, I have 4 to 5 other people playing with this racquet and have found good success with it.
From: Ken Miller
Longmont, CO 04/08

Comments: I have had two racquets of this kind. The first one when I first started playing (2 years ago) and the second one for Christmas. The first one broke when I hit somebody else's racquet. The second one is still alive and I have been enjoying it. The weight is perfect and very manageable. I will keep playing with this racquet until I get tired of it.
From: Alex Iturra-Rios
Lumberton, NC 02/08

Comments: Love the racquet, hate the strings. I played ten games and the string snapped. Had this for about 3 months total. Grip is good but started falling off after game 3. We will have to wait and see what will happen with the racquet.
From: John, Bakersfield, CA, USA, 10/07

Comments: Bought this one to get a lighter racket and the price was good. The sweet spot is smaller than others I have used and it does not have as much power as cheaper rackets I have used, however the control was good and the lighter weight easier on my arm. The factory strings are worthless -- broke within a week on 2 rackets. You should plan on restringing this one pretty soon after purchase if you want to keep it.
From: Dennis
Austin, Texas 06/07

Comments: I bought the i.165 as an upgrade after trashing an el cheapo. I am a new player to the sport and can see and feel the difference! I cant afford to buy an expensive racquet at this time. I would recommend the I165 to any and all beginners.
From: James
Jacksonviille, NC USA 01/07

Comments: I have not been playing long but knew a better racquet would better my game. The only problem was to find a high end racquet without the highend price. This is what I found and am impressed. I challenge another $65 racquet to better this one!
From: Anonymous 01/07

Comments: I bought this racquet a little over a year ago as a replacement for a $20 junker that I used to use. It took a while for me to adjust my swing to fit the i.165, but that took about all of a month. The strings it came with only lasted about 2 months, but I got it restringed for $20 with a different type of string. I haven't busted any strings since. If you have a fast swing and are looking for a good racquet that can perform, this thing is a steal.
From: Jason
Hudson, OH, USA 12/06

Comments: I have been using a "museum piece" for about 8 yrs - not that time has improved my game. The first try on an i.165 I found the ball going where I wanted, even when my swing was less than pretty. Though the quick, light play style this racquet most benefits is not mine, it's a great upgrade for the price. One friend bought his i.165 when they first came out and it's still going strong. Another bought hers just this year and between the two, I can't tell that his has lost anything with age.
From:Ben Durham, NC, USA

Comments: I just bought the i. 165 a couple of weeks ago. So far, it has proven to be a very good raquet. It has started to vibrate some, put that is probably just normal wear. The power is decent, and so is the control. My only complaint would be that while it is a decent performer in every category, it doesn't seem to be a master of any. This raquet is great if you have a faster swing speed, but if not, you may want to reconsider. Also, it has worn my arm down a couple of times, but I'm planning to get a different string put on it, and that should help.
From:Nick Saint Peter, Minnesota String type and tension: Factory

Comments: I'm an open player that has been playing for approximately 25+ years. The i-165 appears to be a nicely, well rounded racquet. I will say that it does produce vibration, and does lack in the power department. The factory strings last about 10-15 games if your are a hard hitter. The racquet is light, and does have great manueverability on close shots. Overall, the racquet is exceptional for the price, and weight, but if you're looking for an over-powering experience, look at a larger racquet, i.e. Metallix 170, or E-Force 150. To date, I presently play with two i-165's and seem to enjoy the end result.
From:Derek Ithaca, NY, USA String type and tension: 16 gauge @ 34#.

Comments: I purchased this racquest as an upgrade to my Ektelon, my mistake! When it worked, it performed fine. Nice grip. Very responsive. But, it is not very durable. My first racquest lasted 28 days. The strings shattered. My second one fell apart in less time. This is after great care for both. It's the strings!!!
From:David Chino Hills, CA, USA

Comments:I have had this racquet for 2 months and the frame has fractured for no apparent reason. The racquet plays well but lacks durability.
From:Ken, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Comments:I thought that this is a high-tech racquet absorbing vibration using piezoelectric material in the frame. But the string looked thin, and did not last two months. The racquet itself is too right, in my opinion. I was not impressed with this racquet.
From: Insoo, Peoria, IL, USA 6/06

Comments: I'm probably about a B- player playing 2-3x/week. Just started playing with this racquet a couple weeks ago (upgrading from an old-skool Ektelon Arc2 Neuro, circa 1995), and I'm loving it, even though I'm still getting used to the bigger hitting area & higher power. Had tried a cheap Ektelon racquet whose vibration was killing my arm, forcing me back to my 13-year-old sticks. No such problems with the i.165--it's stable and my arm loves it!
From:Rob, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 2/2006 String type and tension: (Factory)

Comments:I just purchased this racquet, and after playing with it 4 times, it's an incredible racquet. My game has progressed immensly, and that's without really adjusting to the racquet. Even for an older model, it's the best racquet i've played with.
From:Brad Withers

Comments: I have used this racquet for one year and IR019m very proud of the performance. I will not use another one. I have just recently hit with the new 185. It does not have the same power, also too much flex. This racquet did take some time to get used to. By shortening up my swing and changing my grip to an over grip on both forehand and backhand my game has improved immensely.
From: Steven, Handen CT, USA. 9/03


Comments: I have played with this racquet and loved it for 1 year, up until I somehow cracked the frame yesterday in the middle of a low key doubles match. No banging the racquet at the ground or wall, no diving with it. Didn't even notice it immediately, so I really have no clue why the frame just cracked. First cracked frame I've had. It was a great value until it broke. Unfortunately it did so outside the head 6 month warranty. 
From: Colin, Charleston, SC, USA, 03/19
Skill Level: B