Well everyone.  It's that time of year again, the beginning of the new year and the upcoming Australian Open always brings about a new buzz to the tennis world, but most importantly, it brings with it new gear. Unfortunately, it is also the time of year when we say goodbye to some favorites that have either been replaced or simply discarded completely.  This year, Prince waves goodbye to the EXO3 Ignite line, but brings an updated variation of one of their most popular lines, the O3 and Ozone Tour line.

Every year when a company releases more racquets, one of the first questions to be asked invariably is, "what is new, and why should I care?"  This is of course an understandable thought because over the years, manufacturers typically will make very little if any changes to their most popular models.  The specs of the very first O3 Red and the newest EXO3 Red are basically identical, and yet, 2011 brings about the 5th iteration of the frame.  So to answer these questions, and perhaps confuse some even more, Prince has not adopted a new naming scheme for the 2011 models.

First, let's talk about the technology, and then get a few more details on the frames. The EXO3 Red 105, EXO3 Blue 110, and the modified EXO3 Silver 115 (yes, that's not a typo, they did change the headsize from 118 to 115), all feature what Prince calls as 3 improvements to the EXO technology.  The EXO3 technology advanced the original Port concept by utilizing a carbon fiber Energy Bridge that was an isolated piece from the graphite frame.  This allowed greater flex and an even larger sweetspot.  Some players mentioned that vibration was an issue because of the greater freedom of movement for the strings.  To combat this, Prince has now added a thermoplastic resin into the carbon fiber matrix.  The softer thermoplastic material acts to dampen string vibration.  Brought back from many years ago is the Double Bridge at the throat of the racquet, which acts as a built-in vibration dampener and also reduces shock.  For added stability, the area where the throat meets the head has been re-engineered and stiffen to reduce twisting from off-center shots.

The new EXO3 Tour line comes in with three models, the closest update to the favorite O3 Tour and Ozone Tour is the new EXO3 Tour 100 (16x18).  For players wanting even more control, or perhaps fans of the Head YouTek Speed MP 18x20 or the Dunlop Biomimetic 200 Plus, Prince offers the EXO3 Tour 100 in a denser 18x20 model, which has the same weight and specs, but the firmer feeling stringbed will offer a bit more control at the expense of some feel and spin.  An interesting model to be included in the line is the EXO3 Tour 100 Lite, which features a relatively thin beam, at a light weight of 9 ounces unstrung.  It should be noted that the Lite version does not feature the Ports at the top and bottom of the head, only at the sides of the frame.  This is specifically designed to keep this frame designed for control even at its light weight.  It should be noted that the Tour line does not have the re-engineered throat or the Double Bridge system in the throat.

Prince continues its relatively minimalist approach in their new line by only making small adaptations to their technology based on what players wanted. In doing so, they are releasing a smaller number of frames than some competitors, but importantly, all frames to be released either have a solid following, or a solid potential following.  I'm sure most want to know a little bit about the specs of these new frames though.

EXO3 Tour 100:
11.5oz strung
7pts. head light
19-20mm beam
27in
Both the 16x18 and 18x20 models have the same specs, the only difference is the string pattern.

EXO3 Tour 100 Light:
9.6oz strung
5pts. head heavy
23.5-25mm beam
27in
16x19 string pattern

EXO3 Red 105:
10.5oz strung
2pts. head light
24-25mm beam
27.25in
16x19 string pattern

EXO3 Blue 110:
10.0oz strung
2pts. head heavy
26-27mm beam
27.25in
16x19 string pattern

EXO3 Silver 115:
9.5oz strung
6pts. head heavy
28-30mm beam
27.25in
16x19 string pattern

These racquets are all scheduled to be released before the end of January, so check out the updated models. With many of Prince's pro players still using the Ozone Tour, it will be interesting to see how many make the switch to the EXO.