The Dunlop Aerogel 5Hundred Tour 

Dunlop’s taken a huge step forward with its Aerogel series, and now offers players of all levels a line of racquets that blends power, comfort and control into one package. With its 100 sq. inch head and 11.1 oz. weight, the Dunlop Aerogel 5Hundred Tour is a head-light racquet that’s a great match for developing, intermediate and advanced players alike. 

This is a racquet that offers options form all areas of the court. Hitting rallies with the Aerogel 500 Tour model were a pleasure, and I was impressed with how easily the racquet absorbed the heaviest of pace and remained firm and stable in its response. This gave the Tour model an advantage over its non-tour twin, which weighs 10.3 oz. and swings a bit more easily, but lacks the same degree of stability that impressed me with the Tour edition.  

The Aerogel 5HundredTour also provides plenty of opportunity for topspin and slice without sacrificing pace on ground strokes, and the 3 pt. head light design makes it very easy to maneuver at the net, where its responsive string bed adds depth without any strain. 

Serving is also a strength, with easy access to racquet head speed that can add some extra kick and slice, especially on second serves.

Additionally, I found it relatively easy to place the ball with accuracy in the corners of the service box without sacrificing power. This consistency was a confidence builder during match play. 

When returning serves I found the same virtues that impressed me at the net: clean, accurate strokes, and an impressively stable frame. 

The only exception was on backhand returns, where blocking the ball may result in a less satisfying result that the racquet’s power rating might indicate; but this was a very minor issue. 

The sweet spot on the Aerogel 5Hundred Tour seems larger than on Dunlop’s previous models, and the racquet is more forgiving on off-center hits. This is one of the most versatile and well-designed racquets I’ve hit with during the last year. If you’re looking for an upgrade, you should seriously consider the Dunlop Aerogel 5Hundred Tour.