Review: Volkl V8 Pro Racquet · Unstrung
By Tennis Expert
Brandon M.
Volkl V8 Pro Racquet · Unstrung
$135.00
$270.00
50% off
7 photos
The Curated Take
3.7/5
The Volkl V8 Pro is designed for advanced players. It is a highly maneuverable racquet with a tight 18x20 string pattern and offers control and a surprising amount of spin. Its 317RDC swing weight facilitates quick groundstrokes and serves with ample power. Despite some inconsistencies with the sweet spot and reduced comfort due to a lack of V-Cell dampening, its customizability with lead tape makes it adaptable for varying playing styles. The V8 Pro is suitable for players seeking a blend of speed, power, and control.
Ideal for
- Great maneuverability
- A big boost on both first and second serves
- Lots of room to customize
Not ideal for
- String bed is a bit inconsistent with some hot spots
Control
With its 18x20 string pattern, the Volkl V8 Pro had a lower launch angle than my Gravity MP, and I struggled a bit to find the depth control I preferred....Read more
Volley
I found it easy to get the racquet on the ball with the V8 Pro, thanks to the maneuverability, but I feel like the stringbed was a little inconsistent at...Read more
Maneuverability
One characteristic of Volkl’s modern player's racquets is that they deliver great maneuverability and racquet head speed. The V8 Pro fits right in with the rest of the lineup and...Read more
Stability
The V8 Pro is much more stable than its 317 RDC swingweight would suggest. I was quite surprised since it’s even lower than my Gravity MP on paper, but on...Read more
Feel
The Volkl V8 Pro has a harsher feel than most other Volkl racquets, such as the V-Cell 8 line, a similar mold. The V-Cell racquets utilize additional V-Cell dampening materials,...Read more
Comfort
The tighter string pattern of the V8 Pro helps tone down the frame's stiffness a bit, but it’s not as comfortable as the V-Cell 8 racquets, which are a similar...Read more
Durability
The updated tiger-striped paint job for 2023 speaks to me. As a former ski racer, it harkens back to seeing that same orange/black on the feet of some of the...Read more
Sweet Spot Size
I found the sweet spot of the V8 Pro to be a bit smaller than other similar racquets. Racquets such as the Head Speed Pro, with a similar head size...Read more
Ground Stroke
The power and speed of the V8 Pro make it great for hitting aggressively from the back of the court. Once I adjusted for the flatter launch angle off the...Read more
Power
With a tapered beam that widens to 24mm at the shoulders, the V8 Pro makes generating plenty of pop on groundstrokes and serves easy. With a target audience of more...Read more
Serve
The Volkl V8 Pro worked really well for my serve. The low swingweight let me get the racquet head moving quickly, and the easy power helped make serving an absolute...Read more
Versatility
For an advanced players' racquet with a tight, control-focused string pattern, the V8 Pro has a quite low swingweight. In stock form, it's a racquet that works well for players...Read more
Expert Reviews of the Volkl V8 Pro Racquet
Brandon M. The Volkl V8 Pro is one of the most unique advanced-level racquets on the market. It has a tighter string pattern typical of many advanced players' racquets and a solid 305g unstrung weight, again right in line with modern players' racquets. Where it differs from these racquets is its 317 RDC swingweight. This low swingweight makes for a really fast-moving racquet that helped generate lots of racquet head speed on groundstrokes and serves. In stock form, it offers good pop, excellent maneuverability, and a surprising amount of spin for an 18x20 string pattern. Stability is good from the start, but high-level players can easily add some lead tape to the frame to help handle the biggest-hitting opponents. This customizability is a big selling point for the V8 as it lets a player really grow with the racquet and change the racquet along with their game. The string bed is a little inconsistent as I missed the sweet spot, with both hot spots and dead spots as the ball struck toward the frame. I also found that I was missing the V-Cell dampening material found in most other Volkl racquets to help tame some of the frame's stiffness. In the end, the Volkl V-Cell V8 Pro is a fast-moving weapon for advanced players who play with speed and power. The tighter string pattern gives the nod to better control, but the frame offers a lot of pop and easy access to spin.
Product Specs
| Age Group | Adult |
| Stringing | Unstrung |
| Head size (sq in) | 100 sq. in. |
| Length (in) | 27" |
| Balance | Head light |
| Beam width | 22/24/22 mm |
Review Ratings
Control
3/5
Brandon M. gave 3 of 5 stars. With its 18x20 string pattern, the Volkl V8 Pro had a lower launch angle than my Gravity MP, and I struggled a bit to find the depth control I preferred. I could adjust eventually, but the ball flew long on me if I wasn’t fully dialed in.
Volley
3/5
Brandon M. gave 3 of 5 stars. I found it easy to get the racquet on the ball with the V8 Pro, thanks to the maneuverability, but I feel like the stringbed was a little inconsistent at the net. When I hit the sweet spot, there was plenty of power to put the ball away and good control, but when I missed just a bit, the ball floated on me.
Maneuverability
5/5
Brandon M. gave 5 of 5 stars. One characteristic of Volkl’s modern player's racquets is that they deliver great maneuverability and racquet head speed. The V8 Pro fits right in with the rest of the lineup and lets me swing fast and generate a lot of topspin for an 18x20 string pattern racquet. This maneuverability also shone through on serves and overheads where I could get the racquet moving overhead quickly.
Stability
4/5
Brandon M. gave 4 of 5 stars. The V8 Pro is much more stable than its 317 RDC swingweight would suggest. I was quite surprised since it’s even lower than my Gravity MP on paper, but on the court, I never noticed an issue except for returning big serves out wide on my forehand. The stiff beam is likely a big factor in making it feel so stable on the court.
Feel
3/5
Brandon M. gave 3 of 5 stars. The Volkl V8 Pro has a harsher feel than most other Volkl racquets, such as the V-Cell 8 line, a similar mold. The V-Cell racquets utilize additional V-Cell dampening materials, which help tame their frames' stiffness. The V8 Pro has a very direct response at impact, letting one feel the ball quite well, but it can be jarring and harsh sometimes. I really prefer the feel of the V-Cell 8 over the V8 in terms of feel and comfort.
Comfort
3/5
Brandon M. gave 3 of 5 stars. The tighter string pattern of the V8 Pro helps tone down the frame's stiffness a bit, but it’s not as comfortable as the V-Cell 8 racquets, which are a similar mold to the newer V-Cell construction. As a result, the response can be a little harsh on the arm, which is unusual for Volkl racquets.
Durability
4/5
Brandon M. gave 4 of 5 stars. The updated tiger-striped paint job for 2023 speaks to me. As a former ski racer, it harkens back to seeing that same orange/black on the feet of some of the best racers in the world. Volkl uses really high-quality materials, and their racquets stand up to the demands of high-level tennis quite well. The paint looks great despite being a demo racquet, and the grips and grommets look to have held up well despite repeated use.
Sweet Spot Size
3/5
Brandon M. gave 3 of 5 stars. I found the sweet spot of the V8 Pro to be a bit smaller than other similar racquets. Racquets such as the Head Speed Pro, with a similar head size and string pattern, are a bit more forgiving and consistent when hitting more toward the frame. With the V8 Pro, I found that I could get some spots the ball jumped and was hard to control and others where it felt dead.
Ground Stroke
4/5
Brandon M. gave 4 of 5 stars. The power and speed of the V8 Pro make it great for hitting aggressively from the back of the court. Once I adjusted for the flatter launch angle off the string bed, I could swing away and drive the ball through the court quite nicely. There is ample spin, even with the tighter string bed, to help drop the ball into the court with proper mechanics.
Power
4/5
Brandon M. gave 4 of 5 stars. With a tapered beam that widens to 24mm at the shoulders, the V8 Pro makes generating plenty of pop on groundstrokes and serves easy. With a target audience of more advanced players who generate their own pace, the V8 Pro still adds a bit of its own, which is useful when stretched wide or on serves.
Serve
4/5
Brandon M. gave 4 of 5 stars. The Volkl V8 Pro worked really well for my serve. The low swingweight let me get the racquet head moving quickly, and the easy power helped make serving an absolute joy. I found good placement thanks to the tighter string pattern and more than enough spin on slice and kick serves to keep my opponents from being aggressive on second serves.
Versatility
4/5
Brandon M. gave 4 of 5 stars. For an advanced players' racquet with a tight, control-focused string pattern, the V8 Pro has a quite low swingweight. In stock form, it's a racquet that works well for players looking for speed and controllable power, but it also allows for lots of customization with lead tape. This makes the racquet even more versatile as advanced players can change it to suit their needs with more stability or plow through power.
FAQs
What was your favorite moment with this gear?
Brandon M. I hit one of the best down-the-line backhands of my playing career, playing with the Volkl V8 Pro against my brother-in-law Chris. It’s a shot that I sometimes struggle with, but on this occasion, I timed it perfectly and hit a clean winner, leaving him with no response.
Why did you choose this product?
Brandon M. The Volkl V8 Pro is one of the most popular racquets for Volkl-sponsored players, thanks to its modern racquet weight with a nod towards control with an 18x20 string pattern. It also takes well to adding weight to fine-tune the performance to suit the game of a high-level player. In stock form, it seemed like it would work quite well for my game with a thicker, more powerful beam than my Gravity but offering a tighter string pattern for control. After testing, I liked another Volkl racquet more that I will be switching to this season.
What is the value for the money versus other options?
Brandon M. The Volkl V8 Pro is priced quite competitively for advanced players’ racquets. It comes in slightly less expensive than competitors such as the Yonex Ezone 98 and Head Speed Pro.
What do you love about this product?
Brandon M. There are several things that I love about this racquet. I mentioned them above but will highlight them again. The Volkl V8 Pro is really easy to swing. One characteristic of Volkl’s modern players' racquets is that they deliver great maneuverability and racquet head speed. The V8 Pro fits right in with the rest of the lineup and lets me swing fast and generate a lot of topspin for an 18x20 string pattern racquet. Along with that easy maneuverability comes some solid power that I really liked. With a tapered beam that widens to 24mm at the shoulders, the V8 Pro generates plenty of pop on groundstrokes and serves easily. On serve, the low swingweight lets me get the racquet head moving quickly, and the easy power helps make serving an absolute joy. Besides being a great server, the V8 Pro is a lot of fun on groundstrokes as the power and speed combine to let me swing away and get good depth on the ball. Finally, the V8 Pro is much more stable than its 317 RDC swingweight would suggest. I was quite surprised since it’s even lower than my usual Head Gravity MP on paper; however, on the court, I never noticed an issue except for returning big serves out wide on my forehand.
