I have been testing the new Diadem FS Racquets – Elevate Tour and Nova 100. The racquets are updated with a Flex Stabilization System.
I reviewed the previous version of the Diadem Elevate and Elevate Tour and liked them a lot, but this is the first time I tried the Nova. The Elevate is the “Blade” or “Pure Strike” of the Diadem racquet line, while the Nova is the “Pure Drive” or “Instinct”. You might think it sounds like clones of other popular racquet lines, but Diadem have really created some high-quality racquets.
Diadem FS Racquets – Tech
The new Diadem FS Racquets come with Impact Shield (reducing overall vibration), high-modulus carbon, and a patent-pending rib system throughout the frame that they call a Flex Stabilization System. Not actually sure what this does, but the racquets flex uniformly and feel really comfortable and stable. If you like foam-filled racquets, I am sure you will really enjoy these new Diadem FS racquets.
Diadem FS Nova 100
The Diadem Nova is created for beginners to intermediate players who like an easy-to-use frame with free power and spin, but without skimping too much on comfort and feel. The specs are Pure Drive-like but the stiffness is lower which in my opinion creates a better connection to the ball and a higher level of comfort. The beam is also thinner as you can see in the specs sheet below which is from the Diadem sports website.
I strung up the Diadem Nova with Diadem Solstice Power
(link to Amazon) at 53 lbs or 24 kg. This star-shaped string worked really well in this racquet and they also look great together. My strung specs were: 314g, 32.5 cm and 304 SW.
I am pretty sure I got one with a lower spec as a 304 SW seems very low. This type of racquet should have a swing weight of around 315-320 to play stable and with good power so I think this might have been a problem with quality control. Most manufacturers suffer from this issue and it is a problem for most consumers. The racquet was still enjoyable and playable with the low swing weight, but when I added 4 grams of lead tape to it and bumped up the swing weight to 320 – it played much better.
Diadem FS Nova 100 – How does it play?
I really expected to be more of a fan of the Elevate Tour, but the Nova 100 really surprised me. Easy access to power, but not too much, good spin, but still some directional control and no issues whatsoever with comfort. I was really happy with how easy this racquet was to use. It dealt with pretty much any shot in a good manner, slice, groundstrokes, touch, volleys and serve. It felt a bit unstable in stock form due to the low specs I got, but when I added lead tape the stability was very good.
The power level is a bit lower than most racquets in this category, but only slightly so. And in my opinion, this is a good thing, as it becomes easier to control. I also really appreciated how nimble this racquet was at the net. Just an overall performer that I could easily recommend to beginners and intermediate players. Some players might want a bit more heft and control though and that is where the Elevate comes in.
Diadem FS Elevate Tour – Specs
As you can see the specs of the Elevate Tour are more control-oriented and demanding. I strung up my Elevate Tour with Diadem Elite XT @51 lbs and got the following strung specs: 338g, 31.5 cm and a 330 SW. Specs that will look very appealing to a lot of advanced players. But how does this racquet play?
How does it play?
The Diadem Elevate definitely requires more from the user than the Nova. The swing weight is higher, the string pattern is tighter for better directional control and the power comes more from the weight than the slightly higher stiffness. I really thought it was highly competent as a racquet and a good competitor to higher spec frames like the HEAD Graphene 360+ Speed Pro and the Babolat Pure Strike Tour. The racquet lands somewhere in between those two racquets, a bit better comfort and feel than the Tour, but offering a bit more power than the Speed Pro.
Foam-filled racquets are usually very solid and comfortable and it is the same thing with the Elevate Tour. But not everyone likes that feel as it can be perceived as a bit more sluggish/slower through the air. If you are an advanced player though, this should not be an issue.
Like with the previous version, I really enjoyed the Elevate Tour. Not sure I detected much of a difference from the FS tech, but the racquet remains a very solid and playable frame for players who like heft and control. It did not offer any standout features as the Pure Strike Tour did with its dangerous power level, but it does most things well and offers better comfort and feel.
Summary
Diadem Sports is definitely a brand to keep your eyes on if you are looking for a new racquet. I enjoyed both the Diadem FS Nova and the Diadem FS Elevate Tour and I do like that there only two series of racquets to choose from. Simplicity wins for many customers. It also shows that there is room for new brands also on the competitive tennis gear market if you create quality products with a strong customer focus.
Have you tried Diadem racquets?
23 comments
I am interested in your comments that adding 4g of lead-tape changed the SW from 305 to 320. What frame location was the lead? When you consider that a typical vibration absorber weighs 5g, do you know what is the difference in SW using an absorber in the usual bottom of strings position? Thanks.
The nova and elevate have a very nice looking paint job. I am happy the company is doing well. I am really interested in the Nova as well due to the softer feel mentioned in the review. I also really enjoy the 16×20 stringbed. It could be cool to have a Nova with that pattern as well in the tweener style. Those types of rackets suit my abilities better, but a more controlled hybrid could be interesting.
Sounds like an interesting racquet, Diadem Nova 100.
I recently tried the new Pure Strike 100 and really liked it.
Would like just a bit of power still…..
How would you compare the Nova 100 and the Pure Strike 100 (3rd generation) ?
The Nova is more comfortable, controlled and offer less dampening so better feel. The Pure Strike gives you raw power and a bit better stability.
How does the FS Nova 100 compare to the new Graphene Speed 360+ MP? Excellent article/review, as always!
They play pretty close. The Nova will be slightly less stable, but easier to swing.
I read a few times that foam filled racquets can feel sluggish. Since the Nova 100 has a swing weight under 320, one would assume that despite it having foam in the frame, that it still swings just as easy as a racquet without foam……”?
Or is there something I don’t understand ?
Yes, this one swings pretty fast, but when it comes to the Elevate Tour – they do feel a bit more sluggish compared to some racquets with similar swing weight but without the foam-filling. At least to me. Cheers / J
And the 305 g version of elevate? What do you think of her?
A very nice frame, probably prefer that from the Tour as it is a bit easier to use and gives more room for customization. Similar to HEAD Radicals for sure.
I just bought the Diadem Nova FS 100 and played a few times with it. It feels really, really good. What a nice racquet. It is definitely powerful but definitely has more control than the “Pure Drives” and other tweeters with thicker frames. Sure, it is not as powerful but I really enjoyed playing with it. The thinner frame definitely gives it a better feeling. As Jonas experienced, my racquet had a bit lower SW (278 unstrung) but with a few grams of lead tape it feels great. it also feels really comfortable. I have it strung with Diadem Solstice Power at 24 kg. This is exactly the type of racquet I have been looking for: Powerful but still with decent control that allows for full swings without holding back for fear of ball flying long. Well done Diadem:)
I was fortunate to be one of the first in Europe to try the new Elevate FS 98 (not Tour) as well as the Nova FS 100 reviewed above – here are a few observations.
The FS technology and foam fill made both of them comfortable. The Nova is powerful and has a large sweet spot, making it easy to rally with, but I could not control my serve with it. It was strung with Diadem Flash, a soft round poly – possibly with a more spinny string I would have more success there. Strung up and with overgrip it weighed 320g. It did feel a bit more hefty than its ~310 swingweight.
The Elevate FS 98 is a fine control frame, which is more my style. With a 98 sq in head, thin flat beam, 16×20 pattern and low flex it is a competitor to the Pro Staff 97 & Blade 98, Vcore Pro 97 and perhaps the Pure Strike 98 and some Phantoms. Control was indeed good and it did not hurt my sensitive arm, while sufficient power was available. Strung up (with Solstice Power and Evolution) and with overgrip it weighed 322g. With a swingweight of ~315 it is more maneuverable than the Blade 98 and PS, which makes it preferable for me. It can be played in stock form or used as a platform for customization.
Given circumstances, I have not tried many new frames recently, only the Speed MP and Ezone 98. I would choose the Elevate FS 98 over either of those.
In the Netherlands one can get testers now from mijnracket.nl, which is the distributor for the Benelux, though given that there is no other Diadem distributor for Northern Europe shown on the Diadem web site, they also have customers in, for example, Germany. Apparently the Elevate FS 98 will be available for sale in a few weeks while the Nova FS 100 is in stock now.
[I have no commercial relationship with Diadem or mijnracket.nl other than as a customer]
Hey Jonas! How would you compare the FS Nova to the Gravity MP?
Hi Kevin,
The Nova is more powerful and spin-friendly, the Gravity a bit more controlled.
Hey Jonas – I’ve just hit with the Diadem Elevate Tour and love the feel, but not 100% convinced on the weight in the long run. If I buy and mod the regular Elevate do you think they will come to a similar feel (with flexibility to reduce weight in the long run if required)?
@Johnson. I bought my Elevate Tour from mijnracket.nl as well. Fantastic retailer if you’re in Europe. Great customer service too – they even offered to string it for me and threw in a free set of Diadem string.
I have now hit with the Nova + and the Nova, I have strung with both the Solinco Tour Bite hybrid and a hybrid of the Diadem Solstice and Diadem Elevate both at 52 lbs. When combined with the Diadem strings I found a noticeable amount of more spin. I will be adding some lead tape on the Nova for sure but overall tremendous racquets and string combination that will stay in my bag for a long time. Highly recommend
Yes, it’s a nice stick!
I am an advanced junior, and I am looking to switch rackets. I like the nova, but you said it is for beginners and intermediates… Is it also good for advanced players?
It can be played as an advanced player, but you might need to customize it. I think the Elevate is probably a bit more suitable for advanced players.
TN..Thank you for all of your great reviews. I’m learning a great deal about specs through your reviews. Trying to replace a great racket that has worked for me…Prince Beast 100 O3. Any racket recommendations?…this Diadem Nova looks inviting. Thank You- Jeromy
hi Jonas,
i m an Italian player( 3.5 fit…should be about 5 itr) . I’m looking for a similar raquet to my 2015 prince tour 100p, but with a little help on long rallyes. Sometimes I feel the 100p is a bit too much work, during 2 hour matches; not because of the lack of power, but once the legs are burning, i feel like i would prefer a 16×19 scheme to help me with the lounch angle and breath longer…:)
That being sayd i’m looking at the nova fs, as well as the cx400 tour, and a vcore100, that i’ve already tested and appreciated due to the huge sweetspot and for the vibration dampening that I due consider pretty important playing with quite lot of spin, and always attacckeing.
Thank’s for you help and your passion.
Marco
Hey Marco,
I’d go for the VCORE 100, it’s a very good racquet. I use the Ezone 100 myself when I get tired. Cheers / J