In 1989, Prince introduced their Extender technology, which elongated the sweet spot on its racquets by lengthening the center main strings down into the throat of the frame, and brought a new level of power to the masses of squash players.
In 2005, Prince introduced its O3 line of racquets featuring O-Ports—giant ports for the strings instead of tiny pin-holes—which again increased the size of the sweet spot while at the same time introducing innovative aerodynamic approaches to the sport.
The O3 SpeedPort Silver is a wonderful combination of both advances in racquet production. Featuring the Extender throat and the O-Ports, the Silver packs plenty of punch with solid feel for the ball.
According to Prince, the aerodynamic advantage of the O-Ports is that the racquets can move faster through the air (“up to 24% faster”) which means more power. And the O-Ports effectively expand the sweet spot (Prince calls it a “Sweet Zone” that is 54% larger) because the string can move more. In terms of power, that movement means there is greater rebound after the ball hits the string.
The other benefit of the O-Ports is that the frame is lighter but very stiff. The Silver weighed in at 153g (strung) and is slightly head heavy. Were it not for the O-Ports, this stick would be more like a club. Instead, the Silver swings easily, offers quick response when reaction time is minimal, and the balance provides just enough power to snap off aggressive volleys.
For more on the O3 SpeedPort Silver, and the rest of the Prince
line of racquets, visit www.PrinceSports.com.
