Apacs Lethal 100 Review

I have been testing the new Lethal 100 for the past couple of weeks, along with 3 other Apacs rackets, so now its time to post my review of the 100. The specifications are as follows:-

Frame Material 30T HM Graphite + Chrome Braided Graphite
Shaft Material 50T Japan HM Graphite + Chrome Braided Graphite
Flex Stiff
Weight 3U (86-89g) G2
Length 675mm
Balance 290 ± 3mm (Head Heavy)

Max String Tension
33lbs Main, 36lbs Cross

Special Features :-
ISO frame New shaft and t-joint design for lower torsion.
Ultimate stability racket
All New Chrome Braided HM Graphite frame

The racket was strung at 28lbs tension with Apacs 66 slayer string, and i stuck on an apacs pu grip for good measure. The key things to note are the balance, head heavy, and the flex, which is stiff. String tension can also go above 30lbs if you want this.

I will get right to the point here and say the lethal 100 is by far the most head heavy racket i have tested from Apacs. The head also has extra stability on each side and at the top of the head. This tells me this racket is designed for power. It is like a sledge hammer when you pick it up and start playing with it. If you don't like a head heavy balance then this is not for you. Clears and smashes required a bit more effort than i thought i would need. This is mostly down to me getting used to such a head heavy balance, but there was something missing. I would have expected to be bale to hit these overhead shots very easily, but the racket did not feel responsive for some reason. The stability points on the head did do their job, and combined with the heavy head the control was there, but again, not as much as i expected.

Around the net, hitting fast defensive shots, and drives, well the extra weight made this a lot more difficult to handle. It is not an easy racket to manoeuvre around the net, so i would suggest the lethal 100 is more suited to players who like to smash and play at the rear court. In time you could get used to the weight, so all is not lost, but it is hard work. For singles it would probably be best put to use. What let me down was the lack of power. It is not as responsive as the lethal 70 or the tantrum 300, which i have tested in the past.

I will give the lethal 100 a 7.5/10 It gets this mark because it lacks response and power from such a head heavy racket. Use it for singles or from the rear court if you play doubles, but you will need to put in some effort to get the power.

Next up is the Apacs Slayer series, i have the 88, 95 and 99 to review.