Comfort Rackets at Tennis-Point: Having Fun while Staying Healthy Playing Tennis

Today’s comfort rackets carry on a long tradition of manufacturing. As tennis became increasingly popular with a wider audience, clubs were welcoming large crowds of new members. However, those new players aimed largely for fun. Only a few picked up the sport with extensive ambition. Racket manufacturers took notice and designed frames that also helped those blessed with a little less talent and not as much strength in their hitting arms to accelerate the ball effectively.

They also equipped these new rackets with larger hitting surfaces, thanks to which players can hit the ball a little less accurately and still get it back over the net. However, the big revolution took place in the years of 1979 and 1980. Back then, market leader Wilson and Dunlop introduced the first graphite frames with a Y-shaped area between racket head and handle, thereby moving those wooden rackets that had so far been common to the back row.

Even more so, because even the aluminium frames that had been developed recently – everyone remembers the Wilson T-2000 Jimmy Connors used to make waves with – could hardly keep up with the qualities of those graphite frames. Thanks to their mix of low weight, stiffness, and arm-friendly properties, comfort rackets gained popularity in the wake of this invention.

What Makes a Comfort Racket?

Comfort rackets are light-weight, have a large head with a large hitting surface, plus a thick frame profile. Due to those characteristics, they go easy on the arm while accelerating the ball effectively. At the same time, thanks to their weight between 250 and 285 grams, they are easy to handle. Most comfort rackets are head heavy, which means that they are heavier towards the top. This setup supports bottom-to-top strokes, and, consequently, hobby players hit the ball more confidently.

To determine a racket’s balance point, you need to put it evenly on your outstretched index finger. If we assume an average racket length of 69 centimetres, a well-balanced racket, which is neither grip nor head heavy, has its balance point at 33 to 34 centimetres. Grip heavy rackets have a lower, comfort rackets a higher balance point. And then, there is the frame profile. When looking closely, you will realise that a comfort racket’s frame is considerably thicker than that of allround or tour rackets. This allows for more acceleration even if you do not hit the ball as hard as advanced or pro players.

These Features Distinguish a Comfort Racket:

• Size of the racket head: 645 to 690 square centimetres
• Racket weight: women up to 275 grams, men up to 285 grams
• Balance point: comfort rackets tend to be head heavy and have their balance point at 34 centimetres or higher.
• Thick frame profile up to a frame thickness of more than 27 millimetres 

Is there a Brand that is Primarily Known for Comfort Rackets?

Since there is a big market for comfort rackets, every known brand manufactures its own models. However, when looking for a comfort racket, it is crucial to test thoroughly first. Allround and tour rackets, on the other hand, are stiffer, heavier, and have smaller racket heads. Therefore, they resemble each other more closely, even if they are manufactured by different brands, making testing a little less critical. With a comfort racket, you want to support your game actively with the help of more acceleration and less effort. Hence, the feeling you have for the racket is essential, which is why it is best to order several comfort rackets at once. Then, you test each model for at least 30 minutes in relatively rapid succession — generally, players looking for comfort like to pick rackets by Prince and Wilson. Wilson’s “Six.One” series, with its characteristic red-and-white paintwork, is among the most used among clubs worldwide. Since they almost perfectly combine good acceleration with arm-friendly properties and easy handling, those rackets typify the idea of a “comfort racket.

However, the other brands you will find in our shop also produce great comfort rackets at fair rates that especially suit beginners, hobby, and senior players. To pick quickly and soundly, we recommend our “racket advisor,” which will limit the range of rackets worth considering for you. Then, you will select your preferred comfort racket from a chosen few that perfectly support your game.

Comfort Rackets – Again, Stringing is Essential

Just as other types, manufacturers string their comfort rackets ex-factory. The strings they use are solid and help you use the racket immediately without second-guessing. However, suppose you have chosen a comfort racket because you want to go easy on your arm. In that case, you should make sure that the next stringing – which you preferably schedule around six months after you bought your new racket – supports the arm-sparing properties of a comfort racket optimally. For if you string the racket with “tour strings” designed for spin and control, you limit your racket’s actual characteristics. Hence, when picking new strings, make sure to focus on comfort as well. Our Tennis-Point string advisor will help you find strings in tune with comfort rackets: simply enter that you prefer arm-friendly strings.

Enjoy looking for your new comfort racket in our shop.