Yonex EZONE Blast Blue vs Espresso Brown: What Actually Differs
Two colourways of the same racquet are on our shelves right now, and they are not priced the same. The Blast Blue is the 2025 EZONE, now down to its last few frames. The Espresso Brown is the 2026 release. If you have been circling an EZONE, this is the moment the decision actually matters, because one of them is about to disappear.
The EZONE is Yonex's bestselling racquet and has been shaping professional tennis since the early 2000s. Espresso Brown is the eighth generation of it. This guide sets out the full range in both colourways, what is actually in stock today, and which one is the better buy at the price you would pay.
Table of Contents
What the EZONE range is, and how the models differ
EZONE is a family, not a single racquet. Every model shares the same head shape, the same materials and the same feel. What changes between them is head size, weight and balance, and that is what decides which one suits you. The numbers below are Yonex's published specifications as listed on each product page.
Once you know which number suits you, the only remaining question is which colour to buy it in, and that is where the price gap opens up.
The 2026 Espresso Brown models
Espresso Brown is the 2026 colourway and the eighth generation of the EZONE. Yonex describe it as a warmer, more considered expression of the racquet's power, and position it as Blast Blue's more composed sibling. It is not loud the way the Blue is. It is the same racquet in a quieter suit.
All five models are $429. Two are in stock as we write this and three have sold out, and they are all listed here so you can see the whole range.
The 2025 Blast Blue models
Blast Blue was the 2025 colourway and it is nearly finished. Yonex made ten EZONEs in it, from the Junior 25 up to the 98 Tour, and six of those are now completely sold out. The four below are what remains, each down to a single grip size, and once they go they are not being restocked.
Two things the Blue has that the Brown does not: the plus-length frames, the 98+ and 100+ at 27.5 in, which Yonex did not carry over into 2026, and the junior frames.
Every EZONE, side by side
Here is the whole range, both colourways together, with what is in stock as we write this. Sold out models stay on the list because stock does come back, and because it shows you where each frame sits in the range.
| Model | Unstrung | Price | Stock |
|---|---|---|---|
|
EZONE 98 Espresso Brown 2026 |
305g | $429 |
In stock Grip 3 |
|
EZONE 98 Tour Espresso Brown 2026 |
315g | $429 | Sold out |
|
EZONE 100 Espresso Brown 2026 |
300g | $429 | Sold out |
|
EZONE 100L Espresso Brown 2026 |
285g | $429 | Sold out |
|
EZONE 100SL Espresso Brown 2026 |
270g | $429 |
In stock Grips 1 and 2 |
|
EZONE 98 Blast Blue 2025 |
305g | $399 |
In stock Grip 2 |
|
EZONE 98+ 27.5 in Blast Blue 2025 |
305g | $399 |
In stock Grip 3 |
|
EZONE 98 Tour Blast Blue 2025 |
315g | $399 | Sold out |
|
EZONE 98L Blast Blue 2025 |
285g | $369 | Sold out |
|
EZONE 100 Blast Blue 2025 |
300g | $399 | Sold out |
|
EZONE 100+ 27.5 in Blast Blue 2025 |
300g | $389 | Sold out |
|
EZONE 100L Blast Blue 2025 |
285g | $369 | Sold out |
|
EZONE 100SL Blast Blue 2025 |
270g | $359 |
In stock Grip 2 |
|
EZONE Junior 25 Blast Blue 2025 |
240g | $189 |
In stock Grip 0 |
|
EZONE Junior 26 Blast Blue 2025 |
250g | $219 | Sold out |
The useful comparison is the 98 and the 100SL, because those are the two models we still stock in both colourways. Put the published specification lists next to each other and there is nothing between them.
EZONE 98: Blast Blue vs Espresso Brown
| Specification | Blast Blue 2025 | Espresso Brown 2026 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head size | 98 sq in | 98 sq in | None |
| Length | 27 in | 27 in | None |
| Unstrung weight | 305 g | 305 g | None |
| Balance | 315 mm | 315 mm | None |
| Beam width | 23.8 / 24.5 / 19.5 mm | 23.8 / 24.5 / 19.5 mm | None |
| String pattern | 16x19 | 16x19 | None |
| Price | $399 | $429 | $30 |
EZONE 100SL: Blast Blue vs Espresso Brown
| Specification | Blast Blue 2025 | Espresso Brown 2026 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head size | 100 sq in | 100 sq in | None |
| Length | 27 in | 27 in | None |
| Unstrung weight | 270 g | 270 g | None |
| Balance | 330 mm | 330 mm | None |
| Beam width | 24.5 / 26.5 / 23 mm | 24.5 / 26.5 / 23 mm | None |
| String pattern | 16x19 | 16x19 | None |
| Price | $359 | $429 | $70 |
So what actually differs? The colour and the year. On both models we stock in both colourways, every published specification is identical. Yonex's own 2026 product copy calls it a refined colour update and says the frame keeps the performance refinements introduced in the previous release. We are not going to invent a performance gap that the specification sheets do not show. If you buy the Blast Blue 100SL you are buying the same racquet as the Espresso Brown 100SL, in last year's colour, for $70 less.
One honest caveat on grip sizes. The Blast Blue 98 is grip 2 only and the Espresso Brown 98 is grip 3 only, so on that model the colour decision may be made for you by your hand rather than your wallet.
Which should you buy
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Espresso Brown actually a better racquet than the Blast Blue?
On the two models we stock in both colourways, the 98 and the 100SL, every published specification is identical: same head size, same length, same unstrung weight, same balance, same beam, same string pattern. Yonex's own 2026 copy describes it as a colour update that keeps the refinements from the previous release. So no, not on paper. What the Espresso Brown gives you is the current colour and, on the 100SL, a second grip size.
Why is the Blast Blue cheaper than the Espresso Brown?
The Blast Blue models are run-out stock of the 2025 colourway, so they are priced to clear. That is a stock position, not a comment on the racquet. Once they go they are not being restocked.
What is the 7% larger sweet spot about?
That is Isometric, the square head shape Yonex have used on the EZONE for years. A square-ish head optimises where the main and cross strings intersect, which produces a sweet spot about 7% larger than a conventional round frame of the same head size. In practice it means slightly more forgiveness when you do not find the middle, which is most of us for most of a match.
Should I get the 98 or the 98 Tour?
Ten grams and five millimetres of balance separate them. The Tour is the heavier, more head-light frame, and it rewards a player who already generates their own pace and wants stability against a big hitter. If you are not sure you want the extra weight, you want the 98.
What is the difference between the 98 and the 98+?
Half an inch of length. The 98+ is 27.5 in against the 98 at 27 in, which gives you more reach and more leverage on serve, at the cost of a slightly slower frame through the swing. It is a difference in the model, not in the colourway, and Yonex only made it in Blast Blue.
Do the racquets come strung?
The adult frames come unstrung, so choose one of the string options before you add to cart. The Junior 25 is the exception and comes pre-strung with Yonex synthetic gut.
The Bottom Line
If the model and grip size you want exists in Blast Blue, buy it. The specification sheets are identical, the racquet is not a year older in any way that shows up in your hand, and you keep $30 to $70 depending on the model. The 100SL at $359 is the standout on this page for that reason.
If it does not exist in Blue, and for most models it no longer does, buy the Espresso Brown without feeling like you have been upsold. Six of the ten Blast Blue models are already gone and all four survivors are down to a single grip. That is not a range you can shop from any more, it is what is left of one.
The one thing we would not do is choose between a 98 and a 100, or a 100L and a 100SL, from a table. Colour is easy to decide from a screen. Weight and balance are not.
Come and see them in Epping
You are welcome to come and handle the frames before you commit. Racquet World in Epping has the EZONE range in, and the team will talk you through head size, weight and grip size properly rather than pointing at a spec sheet.
| Visiting us | |
|---|---|
| Where | Racquet World, Shop 4/59 Willandra Drive, Epping VIC 3076 |
| What is in | Two Espresso Brown EZONE models and four Blast Blue, confirmed in stock at variant level on the day this was written |
| Stringing | Adult frames ship unstrung, so pick a string option at checkout or talk to us about what suits your game |
| Grip sizes | Five of the six available frames are down to a single grip size, so check before you make the trip for a specific model |
| Delivery | Everything above ships Australia wide |
If you cannot get to Epping, order online and pick the grip size shown on the product page. Each in-stock link on this page is already pinned to a size that is available.
