Breakdown

Groundstrokes: 8.5

Our team was impressed by the easy depth and net clearance they were able to consistently generate with the Whiteout 305 XTD v2 during baseline exchanges. An added bonus was the great feel and stability, in addition to the uptick in power. Mark's affinity for extended-length racquets allowed him to easily jell with the frame's leverage and reach. He explained, “It didn’t take me long to feel very connected and comfortable hitting groundstrokes with Solinco's second-generation Whiteout 305 XTD. The extra half-inch in length made shot depth easy to create, and its open pattern helped me zero in on small areas of the court with effective pace and spin. I enjoyed hitting off either wing, but I will say that I could hit my backhand groundies with more variety and my forehand with more pace. Directional control was outstanding, and although I use topspin more often than slice, my backhand slice challenged my opponents more than usual." 

Michelle was captivated by how much this racquet offered her in terms of power and precision, and the uptick in stability. She said, "I remember loving the original version of this racquet, and I was hoping this version would be similar. I’m happy to say this playtest was just as positive! I had just wrapped up the playtest for the Yonex EZONE 98+, which was a great comparison because I thoroughly enjoyed that racquet as well. This update had a crisper feel than the first version. It definitely felt firmer than the EZONE 98+, and the ball was quickly in and out of the stringbed, but it was doing exactly what I asked of it. The stringbed felt controlled and paired well with my flatter swing to drill balls through the court. It was so fun to swing big with the Whiteout 305 XTD v2, and I had the balls landing within feet of the baseline. This racquet reminded me to keep things simple when hitting — simple take back, solid swings, aiming with intention, good footwork. There's no need to overhit because the racquet provided such good plow through.” 

The depth and plow through proved to be highlights for Troy. He explained, "When it came to hitting from the baseline, which is the largest part of my game, I liked most things about this racquet. Most of the specs on this racquet are right in my wheelhouse, so my control felt dialed in. The extra length and the swingweight of this racquet felt very familiar to me (almost identical specs to my EZONE 98+), so I was timing the ball well and liked the easy plow through on my forehand and backhand slice. I found easy access to topspin from the openly spaced 16x19 pattern, which gave me a high launch angle on my topspin forehand. However, there were times when I was hitting hard and trying to flatten out my shots, and I found it a bit difficult to control the ball; it would fly on me just a bit at times." 

For Oak, the Whiteout 305 XTD v2's changes were welcome, although the power proved hard to rein in. He described, "This new lineup of Whiteouts from Solinco features a significant change in feel compared to their predecessors. The previous Whiteouts were stiffer and offered increased feedback and connectedness to the ball. These v2s are markedly softer, with increased dwell time and more power. I mostly welcomed the changes, although the line didn't feel as control-oriented as it used to be, which left me wanting a little more precision at times. Where the previous XTD 16x19 could feel unstable through the air, this v2 feels incredibly solid. The balance point has been kept the same, but it seems like the swingweight has dropped, which helps offset the decreased maneuverability from the extra length. When combined with a noticeably softer RA and increased ball pocketing, the stability throughout contact feels incredible. It was easy to hit with topspin, and I enjoyed the overall spin capability of the frame for shaping balls back down into the court. Slices would cut hard and deep, keeping my opponents back or causing distress on the baseline. I definitely feel like this frame leans toward power more than its predecessor, but it’s still primarily a control-oriented geometry, even with its longer length."

Volleys: 8.4

Up at net, our team was happy to find that the Whiteout 305 XTD v2 was a seriously imposing racquet, offering more reach, of course, but without sacrificing feel. Troy enjoyed the pace and depth he could get with this racquet when looking to end points at the net. He said, "I found a firm feel on contact and pretty good precision on my volleys. There was plenty of stability when I was facing hard hitters, and the extra length and swingweight made it easy for me to get power and depth on my put-away shots. With that said, I found control and precision on my volley, and I felt confident placing the ball in the corners. The touch and feel aspect was pretty good, but the feel was slightly firm for my taste. I think when the 18x20 version of this Whiteout XTD is released, that dense string pattern will add even more of the connection and feedback that I look for in a racquet." 

Oak also found success when volleying with the Whiteout 305 XTD v2. He explained, "Volleying with extended racquets feels like a split-mind experience for me. On one hand, I appreciate the extra reach offered, but the decreased maneuverability is not as fun because I inherently have less time at the net. The feel of volleys with this XTD 16x19 was incredibly satisfying, and I enjoyed the solid nature through contact. Shaping shorter volleys felt highly doable, and I enjoyed going for aggressive overheads and poaches, perhaps more so than usual."

Mark was able to capitalize on what the additional length offered him on his volleys. He said, "I typically like volleying with 27.5-inch frames more than standard length racquets, and it was pure enjoyment volleying with the Whiteout 305 XTD v2. The extra half-inch benefited me when I was reaching for the ball, and I also like that I can choke up on the handle or hang off the end depending on the type of volley I am trying to hit. The overall performance of the Whiteout 305 XTD v2 at the net was obedient and predictable, whether I was keeping the ball in play with a softer volley or putting the hammer down with a point-ending drive.” 

The Whiteout 305 XTD v2 allowed Michelle to lean into her aggressive game. She noted, "I loved volleying with this racquet because it was stable and precise. The added reach is always helpful on those lefty swipes I tend to try, but swinging volleys and aggressive stabs were what I loved hitting the most. I felt like I could cover the net effectively with the Whiteout 305 XTD v2 in hand."

Serves: 8.6

Serves with any extended-length frame are typically a blast, and this Whiteout 305 XTD v2 certainly had lots to offer in terms of both power and feel. For Mark, the uptick in power didn’t mean a drop-off in control. He explained, "The pace on my serve did improve a little over the course of this playtest without sacrificing percentages. However, the thing I noticed most was my accuracy serving out wide or down the T." 

Michelle felt confident going after her targets, and she enjoyed the depth that came naturally. She said, "I liked how fluidly the racquet swung, and despite the extra half-inch, it never felt slow or behind when I was accelerating up and through the ball. Slice serves seemed extra effective as well; the racquet could just cut through the air, and my slice felt extra effective. This was a great racquet for serve-plus-one or first-strike tennis. I could generate a weaker return off a big serve and hit my next ball to the open court or behind my opponent."

The Whiteout 305 XTD v2 offered good power for Troy, perhaps a little bit too much at times when combined with the 16x19 pattern. He described, "As with most extended-length racquets that I have tested, this Whiteout 305 XTD v2 worked well for me on serves. I found plenty of control, precision and spin, but with a little more added pop on the ball compared to the standard-length version of the Whiteout. I found it easy to generate pace on my flat serve — maybe a little less pop than my Yonex EZONE 98+ and not as much as the Pure Drive Plus 2025, but it still packed a good punch. The open string pattern provided plenty of bite on the ball when I went for my spin serves, which I rely on heavily for my second serves and the occasional first serve kicker. The openly spaced strings made for a lively response when hitting hard and flat, so I found my flat serves shooting a little long at times."

Oak enjoyed the Whiteout 305 XTD v2's ball pocketing when he was starting points, but he had some issues with depth and consistency. He said, "I really enjoyed the deeper ball pocketing on serves because it felt like it increased my ability to shape the ball through the service motion. My favorite serves were flat body serves on either side. However, this was one area of the playtest where I thought the racquet would perform a little bit better. I'm used to getting easy swing speed and power with extended frames, and while that was still the case here, I noticed a decent amount of inconsistency in terms of depth and placement. I found the serving experience to be a little too unreliable for my taste."

Returns: 8.5

When it came to redirecting pace off a serve, the Whiteout 305 XTD v2 dazzled with its performance for our whole team. This racquet allowed Troy to lean into his most trusted shots on return. He noted, "On returns, this Solinco Whiteout 305 XTD v2 let me be aggressive on my two bread-and-butter return shots: the forehand topspin drive and my backhand slice. I don't typically think of my backhand slice return as an aggressive shot, but with this racquet, I could hit it with good pace and depth to help push my opponent back. With that relatively high swingweight, I could rip the forehand returns, hitting heavy with a lot of spin. When I wanted to attack hard and flat, I found success most of the time, but there were a few that got away from me, flying long. If I had my knock, it was that I wish this racquet was just a bit more comfortable or plush. There were times it felt a little firm, like when I hit slightly off-center when facing a big server (90-plus MPH)."

Similarly for Oak, the return experience was positive on the whole, although perhaps not as control-oriented when it mattered most. He said, "Returning with extended frames is always a lot of fun because I feel like I'm not as pressed for reach against wider serves, which allows me to take advantage of the shorter motion used on return. I really liked the pocketing on return. It gave me additional time to shape my shot or pick a different target at the last second. That said, I would've appreciated some additional control to make going after aggressive targets a little easier. I was missing wide on my backhand return more than I'd like."

For Mark, the Whiteout 305 XTD v2's topspin access proved delightful, and he was able to confidently go after heavier spin-based styles of returning. He said, "The higher the kick serve I faced, the easier it was for me to chop it down and return it with interest, all while maintaining directional control. When it came to returning hard first serves with the Whiteout 305 XTD v2, I was able to find the time to hit through the ball with topspin more often than with any other racquet I have tested." 

The Whiteout 305 XTD v2 allowed Michelle to hit returns authoritatively from the get-go, making her explosive shots even more devastating. She explained, "The Whiteout 305 XTD v2 felt really stable on returns and allowed me to focus on my timing and going after my returns in a positive way. I felt comfortable swinging big against weaker second serves, and I could try to win the point right off the bat. I also felt confident getting my racquet on a tough serve and floating a return deep to neutralize. Something about an extended racquet on my returns feels so good because I can keep the racquet out in front and simplify everything, which allows me to take an explosive swing. The swingweight is right where I like it, in that perfect sweetspot that allows me to find angles and accelerate forward without swinging too fast or getting in front of the ball."

Breakdown Summary