It’s been difficult to get a hold of Volkl demos, but I finally got a demo to create this Volkl VCell 10 Review.
This Volkl VCell 10 review deals with the 300-gram version and was made possible thanks to my affiliate partnership with Tennis Warehouse Europe. If you buy anything through the link, I get a small commission at no cost to you (thanks).
Intro
Can I recommend the Volkl VCell 10 300? As always, it depends on you as a player. If you’re a higher-level intermediate to advanced player who likes whippy and fast-swinging racquets with some good power, this frame is worth checking out. It’s stiff (although well-dampened), so players with elbow issues might want to look elsewhere.
The racquet reminded me of the recently reviewed Iga Swiatek signature from Tecnifibre, which is a good thing. Easy to swing through, good stability despite the low swing weight, and a connected feel to the ball.
Specs and tech
What is V-Cell? It’s a cellulose-based carbon that is placed in the shaft and the head of the racquet for a “more comfortable, stable and responsible hitting response.” (Quote from Volkl).
This racquet also comes with the REVA-based handle system, which is supposed to dampen vibrations.
Below are the specs from Tennis Warehouse Europe. Mine aligned really well with these average specs. The swing weight is really low for a player frame, so I would consider adding some weight to the handle and the head to bump up the racquet stability a bit. About 3 grams at 12 and 6 grams in the handle for a more head-light balance would be my approach for customization.
I tested this frame with a shaped black poly that came with the demo racquet (it played really nice so I didn’t cut it out), my guess is that it is an MSV Co-Focus Hex 1.25.
| Head Size: | 98 in / 632 cm |
| Length: | 27in / 68,5cm |
| Strung Weight: | 315g / 11,1oz |
| Unstrung Weight: | 300g / 10,6oz |
| Balance: | 33,48cm / 3 pts HL |
| Unstrung Balance: | 32,5cm/6 pts HL |
| Swingweight: | 311 |
| Stiffness: | 68 |
| Beam Width: | 20,5mm / 22,5mm / 21mm |
| Composition: | VCell/Graphite |
| Racket Colours: | Yellow |
| Grip Type: | Volkl VSENSE Grip |
| String Pattern: | 16 Mains / 19 Crosses Mains skip: 8T,8H |
| Tension: | 22-27kg / 50-60lb |
How does it play?
I mentioned some of the playing characteristics in the intro, but let’s look at some pros and cons.
+ Fast
+ Spin potential
+ Nice power for a 98
– Stiff (I haven’t felt it to be harsh though)
– Might need customization (low SW)
– Smallish sweet spot
Overall, I really enjoyed playing with this frame and played some good tennis with it. It became a clear rival to racquets like the Iga 298 and the Extreme Tour that I’m enjoying at the moment. The stiffness hasn’t bothered me yet, but it might build up over time so that’s always a small concern. It’s possible that the dampening tech in the Volkl VCell 10 300 works well enough to prevent arm issues, but at this point, I can’t be sure.
If this sounds like a frame you’d enjoy, make sure to demo it. Here is the link to Tennis Warehouse (US) and their review.
If you have tried this frame, let me know what you feel about it in the comments below.
2 comments
I played with a previous version and liked it; so this review is of interest to me.
Also, there is a coming update to the V1 Classic (Novemberish) with a softer flex and 305 grams.
I’d be interested to see that you think of it.
Hopefully you could play test the new Volkl V-Cell V1 Pro. I played a few years with the Vsense version and really loved it. The V1 Pro has a very unique beam shape, 23mm-20mm-23mm , which makes it very controllable as the thinnest part is where one mostly hits the ball. I would love to see how you compare it to other 98 inch frames such as the Ezone 98 etc.