Xamsa Racquet Comparisons: FBO-110 (former VBO 135), PXT-110 and PNT-110 (former CNT 135) HD

My name is Tim Burganov (co-founders of Xamsa Squash). First of all, let me start by saying that I am not a professional squash player but rather a passionate provincial low A player ranked around 30 in Quebec. I took 3 racquets to the court: FBO-110 (former VBO 135, exactly same racquet and paint job, just a new model name), PXT-110 and PNT-110 (former CNT 135, exactly same racquet and paint job, just a new model name). All three racquets performed about the same. It was a simple almost flat shot so I didn’t have much problem adjusting the speed of the swing for a particular racquet. In the next series of shots, I would feed myself a loose ball in the middle and would do a backhand drop. With FBO-110 I could feel when the ball touched the strings and I could slice but could not really direct the ball very well. The shots were good when hit in the middle of the racquet but inconsistent on off-center shots. I could easily overhit the ball. Overall, my drop shots were more or less OK and I know if I played more with it, I could potentially develop a better touch. With PXT-110 I was not very impressed in the beginning. I could not feel the ball nor could I slice. After hitting a few tins, I tried to adjust the height which resulted in a low quality high drop. I then tried to hit with less slice and it worked. Not perfect but quick and consistent. This is what I have to do if I want to hit drop shots with PXT. You can still apply pressure on your opponent with this shot but I would not consider it perfect. With PNT-110 I could feel when the ball touched the strings, then I would do a slight slice and would feel the moment the ball was about to leave the racquet and would direct it with my short follow through. Those might not be the perfect drop shots but the best I can produce. Then I tried to do some volley kills. With FBO-110, it was quite good. The racquet is powerful enough and quick in the air which allowed me to hit volley kills without much effort. With PNT-110, not great and I knew it - after all I have been playing with it for quite some time now. I could certainly push and try my very best to hammer it down but I could not do it nice and easy. Just not quick enough. It’s either aerodynamic of the racquet or the speed of my swing or both but I could not generate enough power unless I spend a lot of energy. I usually opt for volley drop with this racquet trying to ensure the ball hits the floor first and then lean to the side wall but we are discussing volley kills now so I will leave it for another test. With PXT-110 I had a blast on this shot. I hit a series of shots, Some were very good and some were perfect. So quick and consistent. You don’t need to aim 1 inch above the tin for this shot. Just ensure the angle is right. By the time you finish your follow through the ball is already dead. Almost a guaranteed winner at our level. Here is my conclusion: FBO-110 is the most popular racquet among 3 racquets we had before