About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the tennis racquet, which I tested for one week in October of 2022.

My take

With the sleek, black finish, the Solinco Blackout 300 provides a great game for those who like hitting powerful groundstrokes.

About the racquet I tested

• Model: 2022 Solinco Blackout 300 XTD
• Grip Size: 4 ⅜ in
• String and Tension: Hyper G 52 lbs
• Head size: 100 sq. in
• Racquet Length: 27.5 in
• Any Customizations: Luxilon dampener

About me

• Height: 5’10”
• Weight: 210lbs
• Previous Racquet Played With: Babolat Pure Aero
• Experience: 23 years of tennis
• NTRP/UTA Rating: 5, 8.5

Test conditions

• When I tested these: October 2022
• Days tested: 1 week
• Court Surfaces: Indoor Hard Courts
• Match Play/Practice Session/Both: Practice Session
• Where I’ve used it: University of Utah Indoor Facility

How it performs

What I was looking for

I simply wanted to test out the Solinco racquet to get an idea of what they were offering. The XTD version provides a little longer length, which is supposed to help with serves.

Why I chose to test this gear

I wanted to try the Solinco racquets simply to learn more about this new product and see how it compares to other racquets.

What I love about it

• Power: Due to the high stiffness level of 70, the racquet is a clear winner for power. I can plow through serves, groundstrokes, and volleys.
• Stability: The 40T Carbon tech in the 3/9 o'clock spot of the racquet really helps remove movement on contact. It has a great sweet spot at contact.
• Versatility: This racquet is pretty ideal for the groundstroke hitter and the big server. The racquet gives a lighter feel, providing a good opportunity to get excellent racquet speed on my groundstrokes.
• Features: The extra half inch length in the racquet really helps get some great leverage on the ball, providing a little extra zing to the serve.
• Serves: With the additional half inch length to the racquet, the blackout provides a little more leverage on the serve, providing a little more extra power.
• Volleys: When it comes to volleys, all in all they aren’t bad. They feel light and crisp when I make contact on the ball. I feel like I can hit it pretty cleanly when getting a slow ball at the net. The faster balls are a little harder, but all in all the racquet gets the job done at the net.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Control: Apart from all the power, the racquet seems to add a little too much power to the racquet in which I tend to hit some long shots out. It took some adjustment in hitting the ball.
• Maneuverability: Due to the length, the maneuverability is a little tougher to deal with on the groundstrokes and volleys. One draw_ _back for the length
• Feel: The high stiffness level of the racquet provided good power, but I can really feel it in my arm if I don’t hit it right on the sweet spot of the racquet. The Hyper G string really helps taper that stiffness.
• Ground strokes: Ground strokes I have mixed feelings about, and I’m not sure if the cause is from the racquet itself or the string. I feel like I don’t have the firmest hold on the ball, especially my forehand. Balls land short or they are long and I can’t generate as much topspin as I would like.

Favorite moment with this gear

I just think about all the power I get. It feels effortless to hit the ball. So when it came to going for a winner, those moments were nice because they came in hard.

Value for the money vs. other options

For a racquet being released less than a year ago, it’s not a bad price for what one gets. It plays very similarly to the Babolat Pure Drive Plus and the Pure Aero Plus, which typically go for $20 and $30 more respectively. Not a bad option if one is looking to save a little bit of money.

Final verdict

This racquet has power and has great potential, but it really depends on the string one uses. So for those who love dictating from the baseline or love to mix in some serve and volley, this racquet is a great contender to consider. It is a new brand, and if one is open to new brands, they should check out the Blackout.