Review: Volkl C10 Pro Racquet · Unstrung · 2022
By Tennis Expert
Brandon M.
Volkl C10 Pro Racquet (2022) · Unstrung
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$260.00
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11 photos
The Curated Take
3.9/5
The Volkl C10 Pro racquet is well-suited for high-level, big-hitting players seeking control and stability. Its thin 19mm beam and open 16x19 string pattern aid in accuracy, while its 330g static weight contributes to its mass-based power. Despite lacking modern dampening systems, the C10 Pro offers excellent comfort with its flexible, stable frame. Its small sweet spot demands consistency, but rewards with excellent ground strokes, spin, and feel. This racquet's overall weight may affect its maneuverability over time, making it a demanding but highly rewarding option for skilled players.
Ideal for
- Outstanding at the net due to rock-solid stability and touch
- Plush, comfortable response
- Great stability to handle the biggest-hitting opponents
Not ideal for
- Sweet spot is small and demands consistency
- Demanding swingweight takes a strong player to use effectively
Control
The thin 19mm beam on the Volk C10 Pro teams up with an open 16x19 string pattern to give big-hitting advanced players all the control they are looking for. The...Read more
Volley
The Volkl C10 Pro is one of the best volleying racquets I've ever used. The rock-solid stability gave me confidence that no matter how hard passing shots were hit at...Read more
Maneuverability
The swingweight of the Volkl C10 Pro is quite moderate for a racquet with a 330g static weight, which really helps generate racquet head speed on groundstrokes and makes serving...Read more
Stability
My previous Head Gravity MP suited my game quite well in almost every way, but I always found the stability to be a bit lacking when playing my bigger-hitting opponents....Read more
Feel
The Volkl C10 Pro forgoes modern dampening systems that Volkl uses in their other performance racquets. Instead, it relies on old-school construction techniques like the thin 19mm beam. This gives...Read more
Comfort
The C10 Pro is part of Volkl's Icon line and has remained virtually unchanged for 25 years since it was first released. It lacks some of the new comfort-focused technology,...Read more
Sweet Spot Size
The Volkl C10 Pro is definitely geared towards high-level players when it comes to sweet spot size. It's one of the smaller sweet spots I've played with and requires a...Read more
Durability
Volkl prides itself on using higher quality materials than other companies, which they achieve without passing extra costs onto customers by forgoing the large sponsorship budgets other brands give out...Read more
Ground Stroke
The Volkl C10 Pro really rewards long, fast swings with outstanding ground strokes. The ball pocketing and spin gave me the confidence to go for small targets, and the mass-based...Read more
Serve
The C10 Pro was sort of hit or miss for me in terms of serving. I liked the accuracy and solid pace I found when hitting the sweet spot. The...Read more
Power
The C10 Pro is designed for big-hitting, advanced players who bring their power. Therefore, it lacks a lot of inherent power in the frame construction. It makes up for this...Read more
Versatility
The Volkl C10 Pro is versatile in that it can be used for any style of play in the right hands, but those hands must be quite capable. The C10...Read more
Expert Reviews of the Volkl C10 Pro Racquet (2022)
Brandon M. The Volkl C10 Pro is a classic player's racquet that has gone nearly unchanged outside cosmetic updates for 25 years. It offers an old-school experience with lots of control, a plush connected feel, and a high swingweight for mass-based power and stability. It is definitely targeted at high-level players who have the consistency and strength to handle it over the length of a match. The sweet spot was quite small and low on the racquet face, which didn't suit my preference of contacting the ball higher on the strings for my ground strokes. After some adjustment, I could dial in my shots and found more than enough spin with the open 16x19 string pattern to couple with the power from the 12oz strung weight and 326 RDC swingweight and make my ground strokes drive through the court. The outstanding touch and feel from the thin 20mm beam and solid stability impressed me at the net, where I could easily hit all types of volleys. I struggled a bit on serve with the small sweet spot, especially on my second serve. As a result, I had to play more conservatively than usual. All in all, the Volkl C10 Pro stands the test of time and would make a great choice for any advanced player who predicates their game on control and feel.
Product Specs
| Age Group | Adult |
| Stringing | Unstrung |
| Head size (sq in) | 98 sq. in. |
| Length (in) | 27" |
| Balance | Head light |
| Beam width | 19 mm |
Review Ratings
Control
5/5
Brandon M. gave 5 of 5 stars. The thin 19mm beam on the Volk C10 Pro teams up with an open 16x19 string pattern to give big-hitting advanced players all the control they are looking for. The flexible frame does not give much free power and relies on the player to bring their own. I found plenty of topspin on my strokes to help bring the ball down into the court no matter how hard I was swinging.
Volley
5/5
Brandon M. gave 5 of 5 stars. The Volkl C10 Pro is one of the best volleying racquets I've ever used. The rock-solid stability gave me confidence that no matter how hard passing shots were hit at me, my racquet would be up to handle that pace. The really soft yet responsive feel of the ball on the strings let me use touch on drop volleys that I generally don't have the soft hands for—just a great racquet at the net.
Maneuverability
3/5
Brandon M. gave 3 of 5 stars. The swingweight of the Volkl C10 Pro is quite moderate for a racquet with a 330g static weight, which really helps generate racquet head speed on groundstrokes and makes serving much more manageable. I could get the racquet moving on the run and when at the net for most of my test periods, but I struggled as matches wore on, and I tired.
Stability
5/5
Brandon M. gave 5 of 5 stars. My previous Head Gravity MP suited my game quite well in almost every way, but I always found the stability to be a bit lacking when playing my bigger-hitting opponents. The C10 Pro really illustrates what I have been missing and absorbed and redirected their big shots with ease.
Feel
5/5
Brandon M. gave 5 of 5 stars. The Volkl C10 Pro forgoes modern dampening systems that Volkl uses in their other performance racquets. Instead, it relies on old-school construction techniques like the thin 19mm beam. This gives players more direct feedback of the ball on strings, but the flexible frame removes any harshness. I was a big fan of my ability to feel the ball on the strings of the C10 Pro, and it gave me the confidence to use more touch shots than usual.
Comfort
5/5
Brandon M. gave 5 of 5 stars. The C10 Pro is part of Volkl's Icon line and has remained virtually unchanged for 25 years since it was first released. It lacks some of the new comfort-focused technology, such as V-Cell found in other Volkl models, but it still remains an incredibly comfortable racquet. The thin, flexible beam combines with the stability of a 12+oz strung weight to be buttery smooth at impact. I never experienced a harsh feeling while playing with the C10 Pro, even when strung with polyester strings.
Sweet Spot Size
2/5
Brandon M. gave 2 of 5 stars. The Volkl C10 Pro is definitely geared towards high-level players when it comes to sweet spot size. It's one of the smaller sweet spots I've played with and requires a lot of consistency to get the most out of the racquet. Without a thicker beam to give some pop to balls that miss the sweet spot, the C10 Pro punishes inconsistent contact with weakly hit balls that my opponent could take advantage of.
Durability
4/5
Brandon M. gave 4 of 5 stars. Volkl prides itself on using higher quality materials than other companies, which they achieve without passing extra costs onto customers by forgoing the large sponsorship budgets other brands give out to top players. The C10 Pro carries on this tradition with really nice build quality and paint job, which should stand up to the demands of any high-level tennis.
Ground Stroke
4/5
Brandon M. gave 4 of 5 stars. The Volkl C10 Pro really rewards long, fast swings with outstanding ground strokes. The ball pocketing and spin gave me the confidence to go for small targets, and the mass-based plow-through power helped drive the ball through the court. As I tired in matches, I struggled with it a little due to the small sweet spot, but overall I really enjoyed hitting with the C10 Pro off the ground.
Serve
3/5
Brandon M. gave 3 of 5 stars. The C10 Pro was sort of hit or miss for me in terms of serving. I liked the accuracy and solid pace I found when hitting the sweet spot. The ball penetrated the court well on the first and second serves. I struggled with consistency, though, due to the small sweet spot.
Power
3/5
Brandon M. gave 3 of 5 stars. The C10 Pro is designed for big-hitting, advanced players who bring their power. Therefore, it lacks a lot of inherent power in the frame construction. It makes up for this with a 330g static weight which gave me plenty of mass-based power to help drive my groundstrokes through the court.
Versatility
3/5
Brandon M. gave 3 of 5 stars. The Volkl C10 Pro is versatile in that it can be used for any style of play in the right hands, but those hands must be quite capable. The C10 Pro is not a racquet for an intermediate player or lower, thinking that a pro-level racquet will help get them pro-level skills. It requires polished strokes and a strong body to unlock its versatility.
FAQs
What was your favorite moment with this gear?
Brandon M. My slice backhand was my favorite shot to hit with the Volkl C10 Pro. Playing a match against my friend Brian who typically gets the better of me, I used the slice backhand both defensively and offensively quite well. There was a nice bite, and the ball stayed low, which let me get back into points when out of position, and I used it as an approach shot quite effectively.
Why did you choose this product?
Brandon M. The Volkl C10 Pro is a bit too demanding of a racquet for me at this stage in my playing career. I have lost some of the explosiveness and racquet head speed that I generated in college and high school, and I need something a bit easier to swing, which gives me a little more free power to make up for it. I loved the soft feel and pinpoint control of the C10 Pro, but ultimately, I decided to switch to the Volkl V1 Pro instead.
What is the value for the money versus other options?
Brandon M. The Volkl C10 Pro offers really good value for a high-level player's racquet on the market. It is priced $50-60 less than comparable racquets such as the Babolat Pure Strike VS, Head Prestige Pro, and Yonex VCORE Pro 97H.
What do you love about this product?
Brandon M. The Volkl C10 Pro offers a buttery smooth feel, pinpoint accuracy, and lets me hit nice penetrating groundstrokes. The old-school, thin beam is flexible for outstanding ball pocketing and comfort, which suits my game well.
