Comfort racquets are hard to put in their own category, but I wanted to highlight some racquets and brand that really focuses on comfort. If you suffer from tennis elbow but it’s possibly to play, you should ideally switch to a comfort-oriented racquet and use it with a softer string like a multifilament, gut or soft poly at a lower tension.
Donnay Allwood 102 Unibody
This racquet is incredibly flexible and arm-friendly (50-ish RA), but still packs some power thanks to the 102 sq inch head size and the 22 mm beam. My review.
Multifilament or gut string: string around 55 lbs for decent control
Poly string: string around 50 lbs for a balance of comfort/control
ProKennex Ki Q+5 300
It’s rare to find 100 sq inch racquets with tighter string pattern, but the 16×20 of the ProKennex makes it an enjoyable racquet to use with a good balance of spin and control. The Kinetic tech moves mass around the racquet head for improved shock resistance. My review.
Multifilament or gut string: string around 53 lbs for decent control
Poly string: string around 48 lbs for a balance of comfort/control
Wilson Clash 100
The Wilson Clash line took the world by storm. The technology allowed good power despite the low flex rating and arm comfort. It was perfect for players with shorter swings and potential elbow issues. For more control, go for the Clash 98 instead. My review.
Multifilament or gut string: string around 56 lbs for decent control
Poly string: string around 52 lbs for a balance of comfort/control
HEAD Gravity MP
An often overlooked racquet. Comfortable, nice feel, decent power, large sweet spot. If you want a bit more weight, you can always customize it. HEAD Gravity Auxetic Review.
Multifilament or gut string: string around 53 lbs for decent control
Poly string: string around 49 lbs for a balance of comfort/control
Wilson Blade V8 104
This racquet is longer (27.5 inches) which allows for more plow-through, power and stability despite the lower weight. It has a good balance of maneuverability and solid feel and a large sweet spot. My review.
Multifilament or gut string: string around 55 lbs for decent control
Poly string: string around 50 lbs for a balance of comfort/control
String recommendations
Here are some multifilament strings to consider:
I’d go for the 1.30 gauge (16) for multifilament strings for improved durability and control.
Tecnifibre X-One Bi-phase – Tecnifibre make excellent multifilament strings.You can also go for NRG 2 for example.
HEAD Velocity MLT 1.30 – Great string for the price point.
Babolat Xcel – A nice and comfortable option.
Yonex Rexis Comfort (Rexis Speed will give you more control)
Wilson NXT – a legend in the game.
You don’t have to be super picky with your multifilament string, but it’s usually worth paying a few extra bucks and getting better performance.
Softer poly setups
If you’re an intermediate player, you’re probably keen on playing polyesters or hybrids. Here are some good strings and setups.
Softer polyesters (for players who want more power/spin and might be concerned with stiffness)
Solinco Hyper-G Soft 1.25 – Classic that works well in more control-oriented racquets (gets too lively in power frames). Tour Bite Soft is also a good choice, with a slightly higher stiffness.
Wilson Revolve Spin 1.25 or 1.30 (for more durability) – This string offers a nice and soft feel, but drops tension a bit too fast in more open string beds.
Volkl Cyclone Tour 1.25 – A solid and comfortable choice for control-oriented racquets.
HEAD Lynx Touch 1.25 – Extreme plush string that can be a bit too mushy for open string beds.
Yonex Poly Tour Pro 1.20 yellow – Slightly stiffer than some of the ones above, but still a generally soft polyester with great performance.
Babolat RPM Power 1.25 – A softer polyester that still offers good control and spin potential. Used by Thiem for a while.
Luxilon Element 1.25 – Element is pretty comfortable, but I like it best it in a hybrid together with Alu Power 1.25 for a bit more spin and control.
You can hybrid any of these strings with a quality multifilament or gut string like:
- Tecnifibre X-One Bi-Phase 1.30
- Wilson NXT 1.30
- Babolat XCEL 1.30
- Natural gut (any brand really)
- Yonex Rexis Speed
For more power, put the multi or gut in the mains, for more control, put the polyester string in the mains.
My favorites
I would say my favorite comfort racquet is the Wilson Clash 98. I prefer the V1 over the V2, but they’re both good. For a slightly easier-to-use racquet, the Donnay Allwood or HEAD Gravity MP are both great options.
