The Gear Drop

New swing sticks, fresh treads, and strings that hold tension — the desk has been digging through the gear wires so you don't have to.

✅ Actually used by Naads

the only section on this page that is personally tested — daily, in anger

racquetYonex VCORE 98spin, control, no notes. the one.

strings · she strings it herselfHead Lynx Tour @ 48 lbsix-sided, crisp, holds tension.

shoesMizuno Wave Exceed Tourfast and comfy. zero regrets.

kitMizuno apparelhead to toe. matching is a tactic.

two years on the stringing machine — she'll do YOUR racquet, any string you like: £25, book here →

🎾 Top 5 racquets

1 Yonex VCORE 98 Hers. The bias is the point.

2 Head Boom MP Explosive and forgiving — a modern all-court pick.

3 Wilson Blade 98 v10 Control frame with a Sabalenka inspired cosmetic.

4 Babolat Pure Aero 98 Spin-friendly, used by Jan Choinski of GB.

5 Yonex EZONE 98 Trusted all-rounder, now with lead at 3&9.

👟 Top 5 shoes

1 Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour On her feet right now — the one entry that IS tested.

2 ASICS Court FF 3 Top of the lab tests for stability and support.

3 Nike Vapor Pro 3 Light and fast — the court feel favourite.

4 adidas Barricade 13 Durable tank that never quits on hard courts.

5 ASICS Solution Speed FF 4 Speed-focused, endorsed by the lab's quick movers.

informed by RunRepeat's lab tests ↗

🧵 Top 5 strings

1 Head Lynx Tour Her string, her tension, her verdict: keeper.

2 Solinco Tour Bite Sharp spin and control — a tour staple.

3 Yonex Polytour Pro Smooth and consistent for the EZONE crowd.

4 Luxilon Element Soft feel without losing that crisp response.

5 Tecnifibre Razor Spin Aggressive bite for those who shape every ball.

the desk's rankings — equal parts gear press, opinion and loyalty. argue on the wall.

🎾 Racquets

The Wilson Blade 98 v10 "Saby Tiger" Edition, Inspired by Sabalenka

desk takeThe Saby Tiger paint job is wild but her VCORE stays loyal.

read at Tennisnerd ↗

Head Boom MP vs Head Extreme MP – Which One Fits Your Game?

desk takeBoom vs Extreme — pick your poison, both bring punch.

read at Tennisnerd ↗

Jan Kumstat’s Racquet – Player Profile

desk takeJan Kumstat's EZONE gets lead and the editor nods.

read at Tennisnerd ↗

Jan Choinski’s Racquet – Player Profile

desk takeChoinski's Pure Aero 98 — one for the British-Polish fans.

read at Tennisnerd ↗

🧵 Strings

5 Durable Polyester Strings for Frequent Breakers (Without the Boardy Feel)

desk takeDurable polys without the boardy feel? The desk appreciates.

read at Tennisnerd ↗

Best Budget String Setups That Still Perform Like Premium Poly

desk takeBudget strings that don't suck — a public service.

read at Tennisnerd ↗

Are You Stringing Your Racquet Too Tight?

desk takeTension myth dismantled — too tight is a thing.

read at Tennisnerd ↗

Top 5 Toroline Tennis Strings for Maximum Spin and Snapback

desk takeToroline's slick co-polys get the spin nerds talking.

read at Tennisnerd ↗

👟 Shoes

Wilson Rush Tour 5 Tennis Shoes Review – Speed and Stability

desk takeRush Tour 5 for movers — but Mizuno still leads.

read at Tennisnerd ↗

Babolat’s New Propulse Storm Tennis Shoes

desk takePropulse Storm enters the ring — but the lab says ASICS.

read at Tennisnerd ↗

👕 Apparel

adidas Cushioned Crew Socks Review: Good Enough for Tennis?

desk takeSocks with cushioning — court feet deserve better.

read at TennisCompanion ↗

adidas Core Club Shirt Review: Court Ready With Climacool

desk takeClimacool shirt — sweat management for the grind.

read at TennisCompanion ↗

📊 RunRepeat they cut shoes in half in a lab and measure everything. the shoe rankings above lean on their data. deep-dive before you buy. 📚 Racketpedia the encyclopedia of racquets and strings — specs, comparisons, everything. where the desk goes to settle arguments.

below "actually used": everything is ON THE RADAR — gathered automatically from the gear press, commented by the AI desk (editorial, not product tests)
she has personally tested only the gear in "actually used by naads" · updated 9 Sept 2026 · sources always linked, always credited