Prince Rackets Guide: Tour, Phantom, Ripstick and More

On a spec sheet, a Prince Tour 100, Phantom 100X and Ripstick 100 look like close relatives: 100 sq in heads and similar static weights. On court, they should test three different ideas. Tour aims for balance. Phantom uses a thinner, more flexible frame to reduce free launch. Ripstick combines power and spin with Prince’s large O3 ports.

If you do not yet know what you need, use the Tour 100 290 available in your market as the reference point. Compare it with a Phantom 100X if you already create depth and need to contain the trajectory; a Ripcord 100 if you need help but prefer conventional grommets; or a Ripstick 100 if you want power and spin and need to find out whether O3 improves your ball. Beast occupies similar power territory in regions where it remains a core line.

This is a buying guide based on current catalogs, official specifications and independent technical reviews—not our own court test. That distinction matters with Prince because the available families, and sometimes the specifications behind the same model name, change by region.

Which Prince racket should you choose? A quick comparison

The Prince range sold through Tennis Warehouse is organized around Tour, Ripstick, Ripcord, Phantom, Warrior and Legacy. The official Japanese catalog gives more space to Beast, Prince X, Phantom Graphite and Emblem. These catalogs do not contradict each other; they represent different regional lineups.

Use the table to choose which family to demo first, not to crown an overall winner. Phantom can work against the needs of an advanced player who wants more help when stretched. Ripcord can be the better competitive racket for an intermediate who maintains depth more reliably with it. Skill level does not rescue a poor fit.

With Prince, the exact market and model matter

The name “Tour 100 290” does not identify one universal racket. The European version lists a 16x18 pattern, while the 2026 Japanese catalog shows a 16x19 version under a different product reference. Color, balance and availability can also differ.

Before buying or booking a demo, save five details from the exact unit:

1. product reference or code;
2. head size;
3. unstrung weight;
4. string pattern;
5. conventional grommets or O3 ports.

That also prevents an older discounted generation from being confused with the current frame. The deal may still be excellent, but compare it using its own specifications—not a review of another racket with the same family name.

How to read Prince racket names

Prince model names offer clues, not a universal dictionary. Use the suffix as a starting point, then verify the actual product page.

Published racket weights are only a starting point. Strings, overgrip and a dampener change both total mass and swing weight. Two 300 g frames will not accelerate the same way if their mass is distributed differently, and neither will respond the same with a firm polyester and a multifilament.

Prince Tour: the middle of the performance range

Tour occupies the practical center of the lineup: moderate beam profiles, open or dense patterns depending on the version, and less specialization than Phantom or Ripstick. The 2026 Prince Tour release brings together four main references in North American and European retail: Tour 98, Tour 100 290, Tour 100 310 and Tour 100P.

The Tour 100 290 opens the range with maneuverability. In its European configuration, it uses a 100 sq in head, 290 g unstrung weight and a 16x18 pattern. It suits an intermediate who already accelerates, wants margin and does not need Ripstick’s immediate launch. Its difficult test comes against a heavy ball: if the frame twists or the return loses depth, compare more mass before abandoning the family.

The Tour 100 310 keeps the 100 sq in head and adds 20 g. It is not automatically the “correct” version for a better player. It is for someone who gets the racket into position on time and benefits from the extra stability through a full match. If contact starts arriving late in the second set, the 290 may produce the better ball despite weighing less.

Tour 98 narrows the contact window and concentrates the response. It is a candidate for an all-court attacker who already creates depth and wants to direct a fast ball toward smaller targets. Tour 100P takes another route to control: it keeps a 100 sq in head but uses an 18x20 pattern. Instead of shrinking the head, it contains launch with a denser string bed.

The most useful Tour comparison is not 98 versus 100 during an easy rally. Return first serves, defend from outside the court and play points when tired. The racket that still arrives square to the ball offers more real control than the one that draws the prettiest trajectory for ten minutes.

Prince Phantom: flexible control, not free power

Phantom pushes flex and thin-beam geometry further. The European Phantom 100X 305 combines a 100 sq in head, 305 g unstrung weight, 16x18 pattern and a beam that narrows to 18 mm. That is unusual among modern 100 sq in rackets: the head remains reasonably forgiving without relying on the launch of a wide beam.

The combination makes sense for a player who already creates pace and wants to vary height or work with slice without the ball jumping away. It may also appeal to someone who dislikes a dry impact. That is not a medical promise. A racket does not treat an injury, and comfort also depends on frame stiffness, string, tension, technique, workload and quality of contact.

The Phantom 100X 290 retains a 100 sq in head and 16x18 pattern with less mass. It is quicker to prepare, but you need to check that it does not lose too much solidity on a blocked return. The 100X 305 provides a steadier base for a full swing. Models such as the Phantom 100P and 97P appear in certain markets and add a denser or more specialized response; they are not mandatory steps upward.

Tennis Warehouse’s Phantom 100X 305 review found control, comfort and access to spin, but also lower power and some instability. That summary is useful because it captures the entire trade-off: flex and a thin beam are not free benefits.

Choose Phantom if your swing already does the work and your ball needs order. If your common miss is leaving the ball short when pulled wide, try Tour before assuming a control racket will fix direction.

Prince Ripstick: power and spin with an O3 response

Ripstick is the power-and-spin family most closely tied to O3 in the Western catalog. Large ports replace part of the conventional grommet system and allow more string movement. Prince attributes a larger effective hitting area and lower aerodynamic drag to the construction. What you can verify in a demo is whether it changes launch height, acceleration and the information you receive at impact.

The current European Ripstick 100 300 uses a 100 sq in head, 300 g unstrung weight and 16x18 pattern. It is the reference for a player who already produces topspin and wants depth while staying at 300 g. The Ripstick 100 280 reduces the load; the Ripstick 98 narrows the window and concentrates the response.

An independent 2025 Ripstick 100 300 playtest highlighted power, depth and spin; testers were more divided about the O3 feel. That is why the racket should not be bought from the spec sheet alone. Some players enjoy the more muted response and extra string movement. Others want a more defined contact.

Do not judge Ripstick only by how many winners you hit. Check whether you can block a return without floating it, keep a slice low and control a flatter forehand when you cannot get fully under the ball.

Prince Ripcord: modern help with conventional grommets

On paper, Ripcord is Ripstick’s direct rival: power, spin and ease of use, but with conventional grommets. If Ripstick improves your depth but disconnects you from the contact, Ripcord helps reveal how much came from the power geometry and how much came from O3.

The official Brazilian Ripcord 100 300 uses a 100 sq in head, 300 g unstrung weight and 16x19 pattern. The 280 g version keeps the head and pattern with less load. Ripcord adds one cross compared with the Ripstick 100’s 16x18 layout, but that alone does not guarantee a lower launch. Actual string spacing, head shape, string type and tension also matter.

The editorial recommendation is straightforward: if you want a Prince power racket, demo both with comparable strings. Choosing Ripcord from a product page without putting it against Ripstick leaves the most Prince-specific question unanswered.

Prince Beast: power, but not always the catalog in front of you

Beast remains a core family in Japan and appears in parts of Europe and Latin America, although it does not hold the same place with every distributor. The official Japanese 2026 Beast range includes 300 g and 280 g Beast 100 models, O3 versions, Beast 98 and an O3 104 DB. The 300 g Beast 100 combines a 100 sq in head, 16x19 pattern and a 24–26–23 mm beam—figures consistent with a racket built for launch and depth.

Where does that leave it against Ripcord? They cover enough common ground that a universal hierarchy would mislead. Compare the exact references if both are available. If you only find an older Beast generation at a discount, treat it as its own model rather than an automatic substitute for the current Ripcord.

Beast 98 makes sense when Beast 100 provides more help than you need and you want a more concentrated response. Compare O3 versions by feel and trajectory rather than assuming the ports make the racket better.

Warrior, Legacy, Emblem and Prince X: when to look beyond the core

For an intermediate or advanced player, Tour, Phantom, Ripstick, Ripcord and Beast cover most sensible first demos. The other families answer more specific needs.

• Warrior offers accessible power at an entry price. It can be a sensible progression racket, but check the stability and construction of the exact version.
• Legacy uses large heads and low weight to generate depth with a compact swing. It makes sense for doubles, a return to tennis or maximum assistance.
• Emblem occupies similar territory in Japan, with light, oversize configurations. Do not assume each Legacy has an equivalent Emblem.
• Prince X uses an asymmetric throat that Prince designed to flex differently on its two faces. It is a regional, unusual proposition: confirm whether the frame is configured for a right- or left-handed player and demo it before buying.
• Phantom Graphite revives classic geometries and more demanding weights. It is a deliberate preference, not the automatic next step from Phantom.

A 110 or 120 sq in head is not “worse” than a 98. It solves another job. The guide to tennis racket head size explains why margin, maneuverability and control also depend on the swing you can repeat.

O3 deserves a separate demo

O3 is the decision that most clearly distinguishes Prince. The large ports let the string bed work differently and change hoop aerodynamics. The result cannot be reduced to “a bigger sweet spot”: sound, impact feedback and launch height may also change.

Try O3 if you want more tolerance, acceleration or spin, especially when a conventional power frame feels dry. Stay with conventional grommets if you value a more defined response or O3 makes your flat ball less predictable. The question is not which system is superior. It is which one preserves your trajectory when contact is no longer perfect.

If arm comfort is the priority, compare both rackets with the same string before crediting the ports. An O3 frame may feel less dry, but it does not prevent injury or neutralize a firm, dead polyester.

Keep string type and tension similar during the comparison. Fresh polyester in one racket and a used multifilament in the other can hide the hoop difference completely. If you string your own rackets, follow the instructions for the exact frame; some ported models require a different technique or equipment to keep the strings aligned.

Which Prince should you demo for your most common miss?

You do not need a bag with seven demos. Start with the error that appears when the point becomes difficult.

1. The ball lands short when you defend. Try Ripcord 100 300 and Ripstick 100 300. Add Beast 100 300 if it is available in your market.
2. The ball flies long when you accelerate. Start with Tour 100P or Tour 98. Move to Phantom 100X only if you can maintain depth under pressure.
3. You are late with rackets over 300 g. Compare Tour 100 290, Phantom 100X 290 and Ripcord 100 280. The quickest racket will not necessarily be the most stable.
4. You want spin, but your swing already travels steeply upward. Ripstick may add height and launch; Ripcord provides a conventional reference. Do not expect the frame to manufacture the path for you.
5. Your arm dislikes dry impacts. Phantom and an O3 model deserve a demo, but change the string and tension comparison too. If there is pain, buying a racket is not a substitute for clinical assessment.
6. You have a compact swing and want help for doubles or a return to tennis. Look at Legacy or Emblem between 105 and 110 sq in before jumping to 120. Check maneuverability close to the body and stability on returns.

If you still do not know which error matters most, first identify whether weight, head size, power or control is causing the problem. Change one variable between demos and record defensive depth, long errors when attacking, return stability and serve timing late in the session.

Run the demo in two rounds

Putting Tour, Phantom, Ripstick, Ripcord and Beast into one session makes the differences blur together. Narrow the problem first.

In round one, put the Tour 100 290 against one alternative: Phantom for less launch, Ripcord for more depth, Ripstick to test O3, or Beast when that is the power family available in your region. Take only the winner and its closest rival in weight or string pattern into round two.

Play points with comparable strings and score four situations: blocked return, defense when pulled wide, attack on a short ball and serve after an hour. Eliminate the frame that makes you shorten your swing to avoid missing long or that arrives late when the pace rises. The right Prince may not produce the most spectacular shot of the warm-up. It should preserve depth, direction and preparation time when the match stops being comfortable.