The Lacoste LT 23 is a racquet aimed at intermediates who want a stylish racquet. Here is our Lacoste LT 23 Review.
Lacoste racquets are not made by Lacoste but by their daughter company Tecnifibre. And we know that Tecnifibre make nice racquets. Our favorite Tecnifibre racquet so far is the TF40 series, but those racquets are more for intermediate to advanced players. This Lacoste LT 23 Review should appeal to a much larger audience. It can be used from beginners to pros and comes in the most standard specification on the market.
Lacoste LT 23 Specifications
The L23 specifications are from the Tennis Warehouse website. I strung up the racquet with Toroline Wasabi Carbon 1.24 gauge and mine measured at 327 swing weight strung, which is a bit above average. This falls within the regular quality control range, though.
| Head Size: 100 in² / 645.16 cm² |
| Length: 27in / 68.58cm |
| Strung Weight: 11.1oz / 315g |
| Balance: 12.9in / 32.77cm / 5 pts HL |
| Swingweight: 318 |
| Stiffness: 69 |
| Beam Width: 23mm / 25mm / 23mm |
| Composition: Graphite |
| Racket Colors: Green |
| Grip Type: Lacoste Synthetic |
| String Pattern: 16 Mains / 19 Crosses Mains skip: 7T,9T,7H,9H |
Technologies
The outstanding tech to consider in the Lacoste LT 23 is the re-engineered handle dampening tech (as invented by Rene Lacoste many years ago) to improve comfort.
They have also made the string pattern denser (thank you very much) compared to the Lacoste L20 and the beam is not quite as thick as most power racquets on the market (Pure Drive is 26 mm and Lacoste 25 mm). The frame is also more narrow than most spin racquets like the Babolat Pure Aero.
How does it play?
How does the LT 23 play? It plays well! I liked the feel of the L20, but that one was just a little too light and you needed to add lots of weight to it to boost the stability. This one feels very solid (swing weight is perfect for my game) and the dampening is felt. It plays more comfortably than most racquets in the category without being a Clash noodle.
What it does a little bit similarly to the Clash is pocket the ball. The ball stays on the string bed quite long on the Lacoste L23 and there is a slight trampoline effect. Not as excessive as in Clash or Bolt racquets and I did not struggle with control.
I played this one alongside the new STIGA racquet and this one has better comfort than that racquet. It also offers a bit more control, while the STIGA gives you more pop.
This is a category of spec that has so much competition, but it’s not easy to name a better racquet in the spec range. I liked the denser pattern, the feel on impact and overall I find it hard to fault. It was very easy to play with.
For more putaway power, I’d go with the STIGA, but overall I think I like this one more for its comfort and denser pattern.
Summary
The Lacoste L23 is an excellent frame for intermediate tennis players. Despite the slight trampoline effect, it is hard to fault it compared to other racquets in the category. It’s not a feel-and-control racquet overall, but despite generally preferring that category of racquets, I had a lot of fun with this one. And it has become my favorite racquet to coach with where I want easy playability.
Recommended. Have you tried the Lacoste L23?
