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Tecnifibre Carboflex X-Top 125

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Here comes the new Tecnifibre Carboflex X-Top 125. This is launching in 2022 and replacing the Carboflex Airshaft 125. The Carboflex 125 is Tecnifibre’s flagship model and I’m guessing their top seller across their whole range, so you can expect to see this racket everywhere soon.

Product Info

Release year: 2022
Price: US $240

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Racket Specs chart

Advertised weight (unstrung): 125 grams

For reference, the other rackets in the new X-Top range are:

Notes on the Carboflex X-Top 125

Tons of top pros will use this racket. Mohamed Elshorbagy was using it already at the Qatar Classic 2022:

Tecnifibre did a photo shoot at the Pyramids with some of their top players. Here’s Greg Marche:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CivSmDeovMV/

Fares Dessouky:

And of course we need one for Mohamed El Shorbagy:

Hania El Hammamy at the British Open:

Photo via Steve Cubbins →

Shoes: Asics Gel Fastball 3
Location: 2023 British Open

Reviews of the X-Top 125

Here’s a video from Paul at PDH Sports:

Paul says the Carboflex 125 is the best-selling squash racket on the market. He says the X-Top does not have a top plastic bumper strip. Instead, Tecnifibre have built Kevlar fibre reinforcement into the top of the frame itself, and then coated that with Teflon so that it glides better off the wall. Damn! It sounds like they’ve put a lot of thought into this model.

Here’s a comment from Jon Sharpe, ‘The String Doctor”:

I love every detail of this racket. The quality is insane. Check out the small details, the 3D logo, the polished Teflon/Kevlar head and of course the signature of the great man, @moelshorbagy

Here’s a review from Rob at Squash Gear Reviews:

He likes the design. He explains that Tecnifibre made the X-Top without a plastic bumper strip because in prior models of the Carboflex 125, Mohamed El Shorbagy would reportedly cut off the bumper strips of his racket in order to make them more head light. Technifibre leaned into that idea and decided to remove the bumper strip for the whole range.

Photos of the Carboflex X-Top Range

Here’s a promotional photo from Tecnifibre at the Pyramids:

Over on Reddit someone posted photos of all three of the new X-Top models. They will be the X-Top 125, X-Top 125 NS, and X-Top 130.

My Thoughts on the Tecnifibre Carboflex X-Top 125

So far I’ve only seen photos of this racket, never tried it myself. The cosmetics look great in my opinion. I like the white color scheme.

I like how Tecnifibre continue to innovate in small but important ways every time they release an updated racket.

Tecnifibre are not the first company to remove the bumper strip. Eye Rackets did this years ago, replacing the bumper strip with plastic “eyelets” in each grommet. But still, Tecnifibre have made something new here.

From the photos it appears the new X-Top models still have a grommet strip, it’s just been recessed a bit, below the level of the carbon X-Top bumper. I have a hunch this will be easier to string than the eyelets, while still removing some of the mass from the frame. Smart idea, in my opinion.

I look forward to hitting with this racket.

Thanks

Thanks Andrew for the tip!

9 responses to “Tecnifibre Carboflex X-Top 125”

  1. J

    a big fan of the NS version – its about the same size grip as a standard Dunlop racket

    Reply
  2. Alex

    Any news on the suprem x-top 120?

    Reply
  3. Rajiv

    Having always found Tecnifibre rackets to have more vibration and flex than Head rackets, I never previously used one. However, I found that the X-Top with its 14×18 pattern and strung at 125 lbs was crisp, did not suffer from too much flex/ dwell and, without the bumper guard, I found it manoeuvrable too. I wouldn’t say it was identical to my old Head Graphene Cyano 135 but it was closer than many others and, as you would expect, more powerful than the old Head. I have read reviews that the X-Top plays very similarly to its predecessor the 125 airshaft but I found that the latter and the NS version of that racket had noticeably more flex/ dwell than the X-Top. I have also seen variances of more than 10gm between models of the 125 X-Top so those looking for a lighter or heavier racket should weigh a few rackets and pick the right one according to preferences.

    Reply
  4. James

    Has one hit with the Nour Sherbini version with the thinner handle? is it fundamentally the same racket?

    Reply
  5. John

    I’ve finally bought this racquet, I’ve had one solo session with it, and I’ve also restrung it, cutting out the stock dynamix VP 1.25, and put in Ashaway Powernick that I’ve been strangely liking lately (normally TF 305 1.10 or 1.20 is my go to, but trying something new lately).

    I am coming from using the AirShaft 125 for the last 2yrs since its release, and before that I was on the X-Speed 125.
    To me, at least the one I got in the mail, the X-Top is a TOUCH head heavier than my AirShaft racquets when doing the balance test. In real world application though, I didn’t really notice when I was hitting with it on court.
    Again for now, although yes it was one solo hit with it, but it was for almost 2hrs — it feels pretty similar to the AirShaft 125. However the scenarios where the ball was pretty much riding the wall and had to dig those balls out, the elimination of the bumper does help glide and slide the racquet better along the walls for getting those wallpaper balls back in play.

    All in all though so far, it’s definitely got my seal of approval, again the quality and build of the racquet is top notch, the cosmetics are sleek and subtle, yet pack a punch. And the carbon top has somewhat of a shine on top and is smooth, very cool.

    For someone who has an Airshaft and is on the fence about getting an X-Top, I’d say if you’re completely happy with your game and the performance the Airshaft gives you, then no need to switch, again (and as Rob from the squash gear reviews says) the difference between the two are subtle.

    Reply
    1. John

      Oh follow up about the grommets at the top if anyone interested, yes there is a small plastic grommet strip in the middle of the top, that lies in a channel.
      It’s pretty much as if you’ve taken the top bumper strip/grommet piece when replacing it, and literally cut out the outside parts that is the bumper, and left the thin piece in the middle that houses the grommets, and put it back in.
      It is NOT like Eye where there is no bumper or grommet strip, but instead separate little grommet pieces for every hole… No. This still has a strip, so stringing these has not become easier nor harder.

      Reply
  6. Andrew

    They little machines
    Tecnifibre at the forefront again

    Reply
  7. Gugats

    Looks like a kevlar-carbon shield on the top

    Reply
  8. Marcin

    Decathlon has already won “the coolest no-bumber feature” with their aluminium ‘Shield Inside’ 🙂

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc7V0VcI22q/

    Reply

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