Can any of you Ektelon fans tell me how the Ektelon racquet Power Levels are determined?

Just received my issue of May/June Racquetball magazine and on the back cover it shows the O3 Black as having a Power Level of 3000 and the Red & Silver at 2700.

Before I say it’s a marketing gimmick and bunk, I’m willing to listen to a technical/scientific explanation of what these numbers mean, how they were determined, and what calibration standards were used…ie traceable to the NIST?

IMO, it's a gimmick. Maybe there's some truth to them as to how there own sticks compare to each other. But, honestly, when I demoed the 2700 rated O3 Red last year, I noticed no power difference between it and my 1950 rated More Attack. In all fairness to Ektelon though, my game was in a serious funk at the time of the demo.

Power level is determined by headsize, stiffness and length. This is a direct quote from Ektelon's site. But I still have no idea how they come up with the actual numbers.

i'm still waiting for the Power Level to hit 1,000,000 before i get one...

wonder what color it will be...

Until all racquet manufacturers come to an agreement on a uniform power rating, I will believe it's all hype. Ektelon's power rating seems to be their only way to differentiate one Ektelon racquet from a better Ektelon racquet. Why not just use price? I have a $200 racquet and a $100 racquet. I'm guessing the $200 racquet is better.

lol yeah go by price. "Hey did you hear about the new $500 Ektelon... that MUST be powerful!"

Even the brand independent are kind of sketchy to me- like by racquetworld. I've noticed the ratings of the old models DECREASE as new models come out! (so that every time the new line comes out it is in the 90's, the old will eventually slide into the 80's).

What can you do but keep buying them lol? I mean unless you're a pro, the slight increase in power from year to year might not be worth it, but if you compare every few years the upgrade is probably considerable.

Until all racquet manufacturers come to an agreement on a uniform power rating, I will believe it's all hype

.

Why should all the Racquetball manufacturers have to come to an agreement before consumers can figure out which one really has more power? Seems like it could be rather easy to determine. Use a machine like baseball bat manufacturers use that will swing at a particular speed and can drop a ball for the racquet to hit. Same speed, angle, & ball for every racquet and the force with which the ball is hit against a sensor (Wall) would tell you which is more powerful (force). The tests could be run at increasing/decreasing racquet rotational speeds to account for age and we could get an accurate set of standards..... Hmmmm I wonder if money could be made as an independant racquet tester with certified results.... :-k

I'm no expert, but I think it's a gimmick. Even within their own line of racquets. Say for example you're comparing an "older" Ektalon that was rated a 1,500 on their power level (top of their line at that time) to the new 03 Black that now has a 3,000 power level (top of their line now), does that mean a player using their newer racquets will hit the ball twice as hard (since it is rated twice the power level)? If that was the case, there would be many "average players" who were hitting the ball between 120-140 mph with the older racquet that would now be hitting it between 240-280 mph (hmmmmm). Rather unrealistic to think that. I'm not saying their newer racquets don't generate more power, but their rating is deceiving.

100% gimmick. Do you remember the triple braid Copper, Tungsten, something else? Make sure you don't scratch that part of the racquet becuase it was just a sticker. :^o


Not that other manufacturers don't do the same.... :-"

It's all hype, IMHO. The racquet you use has very little to do with power generation. Egan Inoue (spelling?) and Cliff were hitting serves >170mph with 19 1/2" and 21" racquets with head sizes <100sq in. in the early 90's. I think the newer/longer frames make it easier to generate power on lazy or off-balance or quick reaction shots but when you have time to set up and hit the ball with proper form, I think it's all pretty relative. To be honest, I still think that I hit harder serves with my old TRS Bad Influence, which was <21" with a 100sq in head and weighed about 220g, than with any racquet I've tried since.

jasonwright77

Not that other manufacturers don't do the same.... :-"

Not EFORCE...100% genuine...no fillers or artificial sweetner added! :cheesy: :lol:

I'm currently playing with the O3 Black, and I can tell you that i'm hitting the ball around 280 mph, the power level is for real folks!!!!!!:cheesy:

Once the power levels are a 6000, you'll be hearing the sonic boom of my forehand when the sound barrier is broken!!!!

reid
I am getting my O3 black next week. What tension and strings are you using?

that is why you can go to racquetworld.com for their reviews.
i think they're a little more realiable than than ektelons power levels.
the super dc 170 has the highest power rating. while the ektelon o3 is far behind in the power ratings.
so basicly, it's all a hype, their good racquets however

Here's a glimpse of the future... prototype 25,000 power level.



:cheesy:

lol

GOOD ONE, SIRCRUNCH! LMAO!!

mimper

reid
I am getting my O3 black next week. What tension and strings are you using?

After breaking the string it came with after 4 sessions of playing, I've strung my Ashaway at 35 lbs. It loses a little tension so it'll probably end up at like 33 lbs, I'm also using the Vibe Damp worm that the racquets come with. Love the racquet though, it does smash the ball pretty hard.

I wish every brand would come up with some sort of power rating for their racquets. You look at a dozen racquets and have no idea what sort of power or control this thing is supposed to have. All you can go by is the price. If your not getting the TOP of the LINE you don't know what to go by except the ads the brand puts on the frame.
In one post someone said E Force is 100% pure ? Look at the frames, they are painted head to throat with "special effects" the frame is supposed to have. I've had the exact same logo pattern to paint in the E F after restringing. It fits the same frames today as it did in 1995. I am sure the power and feel has changed a LOT even though the shape and size hasn't.
But what sort of comparrison do you get to go by? NADA , Zip , Zilch, so its buyer beware. Finding a store to demo a racquet is rare these days but what about all the brands that don't even try to help the customer? What's up with that? I can put together a client and price with an idea as to what he/she is going to end up with by having the power rating to compare to other racquets. NOT everyoe can afford the Newest top of the line, or even wants to pay that much.
Another post mentioned the 1500 power rating probably the Air Drive model to the 03 Black at 3000 power rating. And YES there is that much difference. Flex is probably the most tellable difference right off the first hit. The most telling is each individual players ability to control where their shots go than just having RAW power anyway. The harder you hit the lower you'd better be hitting cause the ball comes off the back wall and someone is going to get a set up.
Everytime I watch a TV show I see HYPE or commercials and I don't believe each one of those either, but they keep coming up with the strange attributes anyway, go figure. Almost every sale I make is due to another player making a recommendation and that is the best sales pitch bar none. As I said I wish every brand would make an attempt to rate their racquets so price isn't the only way of determining if it is supposed to be any better than another.

Perhaps Racquetball World will divulge their way of producing the power rating they came up with and the scientists on the forum can run some independant tests of their own.