2012 BLX Pro Open...?

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Power Player

Jack, do you mod ur beckers or pro opens when you had them?

I feel like this could be a slept on frame for sure. Not so stiff, wilson grip shape, and more control than a pd.

I add 4 grams to hoop and 2 to handle for my Becker's. I didn't feel the need to add weight to the Pro Open but it could use a little. Neither frames require lead, its just personal preference.

[Limpinhitter]

Originally Posted by BlakeAF

Yeah i am not sure if they are trying to change it because the juice 100 has similar stats and they are pushing juice. I love juice pro, much more than pro tour, but the pro open is better than juice 100.

The new pro open i have seen priced at 159 instead of 189 which makes me feel more like they are phasing it out or something.

Here is a pic http://www.google.com/search?q=2012+...twfD5KH5Dw#i=6

The Pro Tour was a complete dog! Did Wilson discontinue it yet? The Pro Open is a very good frame. Wilson's answer to the PD with a bit less power. I haven't tried the new PO, but, if it's more powerful, then I don't see a distinction from the PD.

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I add 4 grams to hoop and 2 to handle for my Becker's. I didn't feel the need to add weight to the Pro Open but it could use a little. Neither frames require lead, its just personal preference.

Very cool. I am going to give one a run since they are so inexpensive. Such a slept on stick, but as Limpin just said it is supposed to be like a PD, but much more comfortable.

[BlakeAF]

Originally Posted by Limpinhitter

The Pro Tour was a complete dog! Did Wilson discontinue it yet? The Pro Open is a very good frame. Wilson's answer to the PD with a bit less power. I haven't tried the new PO, but, if it's more powerful, then I don't see a distinction from the PD.

Yeah I really didn't like it, and yes it is discontinued. The only Pro racquet coming back is the Pro Open. The Juice Pro is sooo much better than the Pro Tour. I mean really the most improved racquet for Wilson imo. I felt like the new PO played the same as the old PO. A great racquet for sure. If you like the old paint better though no reason to switch.

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by BlakeAF

Yeah I really didn't like it, and yes it is discontinued. The only Pro racquet coming back is the Pro Open. The Juice Pro is sooo much better than the Pro Tour. I mean really the most improved racquet for Wilson imo. I felt like the new PO played the same as the old PO. A great racquet for sure. If you like the old paint better though no reason to switch.

cool. I bought an old PJ and if I like it Im just going to continue to do that.

[BlakeAF]

Also I may be the only one, but I love the Juice Pro paint job. Something about it strung up with grey ALU power makes me smile. One of my favorite racquets ever. I don't get the same feeling from the Juice 100 though because of how big the frame is. Weird I know, but I don't like the Pro Open 11 or 12 paint job all that much. Never really liked a black/yellow combo.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Power Player

Very cool. I am going to give one a run since they are so inexpensive. Such a slept on stick, but as Limpin just said it is supposed to be like a PD, but much more comfortable.

The DC Pro is one of the most underrated racquets around here IMO. Everyone that I let try it always wants one.

[Power Player]

Yeah I bet. It looks like it is nice. I am just so into the Wilsons grip shape..ease of stringing..the feel..etc. I just am pretty much sticking with a 6.1 and a pro open to see what I like more.

[jbTennissee]

Wilson's marketing is strange as usual. Why did they need to update from the 2011 BLX Pro Open? I have two and luuvvvvv them, just ideal for my 3.5-4.0 all-court game.

I had used K Tour until a year ago, the Pro Open is much more forgiving (not that the K Tour is overly demanding, still a very good racquet), just makes it easier to hit quality shots. I definitely like the moderately head-light balance of the Pro Open, to me it means you can swing with good racquet speed and acceleration without worrying too much about driving it long.

BLX Pro Open with 4 g lead tape under grip, to make it 4.0 pts HL
VS Touch 15L mains 60 Lbs / WC Black5Edge crosses 52 Lbs
Try it you'll like it!

[Power Player]

Im playing it stock right now. Great racquet..awesome feel. I think this thing feels better than a babolat tweener by far. The control is better, and it is easier to keep the ball in consistently.

While it is very light compared to my 6.1s, I have not modded it yet. I think the beauty of the racquet is that it hits a pretty big ball at such a light weight. Anyway, I will tinker with that over time and figure it out.

This is a very slept on stick. I'd put it in PK 7G territory almost.

[TimothyO]

Any arm issues with the Pro Open 2012? My wife and 10 y.o. are trying it now and both love it. My wife's family has weird joints incapable of aging or damage...their joints are made from rubber. No worries there.

With a 72 flex I'm worried about my son adopting it. Should I be concerned? I must admit that when I fooled around with it I didn't feel a flex of 72...the demo is strung with NXT 17 and feels good. I noticed the throat is thinner than the hoop so maybe that rating isn't the whole story?

It's not my cup-o-tea but it felt so forgiving it seems perfect for my son who really enjoys it.

[TimothyO]

Originally Posted by Power Player

Im playing it stock right now. Great racquet.. I think the beauty of the racquet is that it hits a pretty big ball at such a light weight. Anyway, I will tinker with that over time and figure it out.

This is a very slept on stick. I'd put it in PK 7G territory almost.

Very true! I picked it as a demo for my wife purely on the basis of TW's data...very high twistweigt and plow for its relatively low static and swingweights. And it's still HL!

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by TimothyO

Any arm issues with the Pro Open 2012? My wife and 10 y.o. are trying it now and both love it. My wife's family has weird joints incapable of aging or damage...their joints are made from rubber. No worries there.

With a 72 flex I'm worried about my son adopting it. Should I be concerned? I must admit that when I fooled around with it I didn't feel a flex of 72...the demo is strung with NXT 17 and feels good. I noticed the throat is thinner than the hoop so maybe that rating isn't the whole story?

It's not my cup-o-tea but it felt so forgiving it seems perfect for my son who really enjoys it.

It's not a 72 flex, it's listed at 68..its actually the same stick as the prior release, so it's more like 66 in flex.

anyway, it has been very very easy on my arm..no issues there so far at all. I am trying full poly and also full RIP control to see which I prefer. I have gut poly in my 2nd one..awesome power and spin, but I don't need gut in this stick because it is so comfortable and powerful. this stick plays unreal with a more controlled string setup, which is why the RIP is so killer in it.

I ended up putting some lead at 12 and on the handle to get it around 330 grams. Still very light but it now hits even bigger.

[athleticstennis]

Timothy,

I also think is very comfortable frame. As long as you don't put very stiff polys I don't see any problem in the racquet. The racquet allowed me to play a lot like from 14 to 17-18 years old, and I still love it. The BLX is still much more comfortable than the back ncode that I used.

[li0scc0]

My $0.02.
I hated it. Demo'd it over the weekend, and didn't like it at all.

Here is what I liked: Looks are better than the previous version. That's all I liked.
Here is what I didn't like: Feel. Horribly boardy and stiff feeling, and no ball feel. Power was less than a Pure Drive. Feel was less than a Pure Drive. Control was less than a Pure Drive.

Perhaps the string and tension played a part in it...it was a basic 16 gauge synthetic strung a tad too high for my tastes, but I have hit with a Pure Drive with the same tension and there is no comparison.

Of racquets in this range, my top choice would be Yonex or Tecnifibre, with Babolat and Gamma close behind. My bottom choice is the Wilson Pro Open.

If you can modify with lead, I would far more recommend the Wilson Pro Staff 100...nice racquet. Or the Juice 100...a FINE racquet. I thought the Steam with some lead was very nice as well.

[etd]

If you want a racquet with a little more flex and touch, try out the new Wilson BLX 6.1 Team. It is a huge improvement over the previous version.

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by li0scc0

My $0.02.
I hated it. Demo'd it over the weekend, and didn't like it at all.

Here is what I liked: Looks are better than the previous version. That's all I liked.
Here is what I didn't like: Feel. Horribly boardy and stiff feeling, and no ball feel. Power was less than a Pure Drive. Feel was less than a Pure Drive. Control was less than a Pure Drive.

Perhaps the string and tension played a part in it...it was a basic 16 gauge synthetic strung a tad too high for my tastes, but I have hit with a Pure Drive with the same tension and there is no comparison.

Of racquets in this range, my top choice would be Yonex or Tecnifibre, with Babolat and Gamma close behind. My bottom choice is the Wilson Pro Open.

If you can modify with lead, I would far more recommend the Wilson Pro Staff 100...nice racquet. Or the Juice 100...a FINE racquet. I thought the Steam with some lead was very nice as well.

You are the first to say that so maybe the string was just that bad. I don't get it, but that was definitley not my experience.

Its just not a stiff or boardy racquet at all..has tons of ball feel for me. I don't know, but I have so far had a complete opposite experience luckily..lol.


Btw, I saw the 2012 pjs in person and expected to be hating on the paint, but it looks very good in person. Basically if you like the APDCgt paint job, this is the same vibe. Definitley not as hideous as you would think...but that is usually how it is.

[Recoveringhobo]

I demoed a 2009 BLX Pro Open after hearing your (PP) rave reviews on the racquet. I could not get in a groove with the racquet. Yes, it was softer and less powerful than a Pure Drive but I didn't experience the more feel that everyone talks about. Part of the problem may have been that I demoed it next to a 2012 Pure Drive Roddick which easily blew it out of the park. The PDR did everything a little better for me than the Pro Open. It didn't have any of the hollowness that the Pro Open had.

Take my review with a grain of salt, though. I am probably not the intended user base for the Pro Open as my racquets of choice for the past few years have been Dunlop 200s and Pure Storm Tours.

[Power Player]

Yes defintley a different feel when you go up an ounce in weight like that too.

The pro open felt solid in stock form for me, but I have leaded mine just a little and it changes the stick a little. It always has felt solid to me and never hollow though.

Coming from ur background You most likely prefer a heavier stick and would probably need the POpen leaded to your specs to really be into it.

Great screen name by the way..lol.

[TimothyO]

Originally Posted by Power Player

Yes defintley a different feel when you go up an ounce in weight like that too.

The pro open felt solid in stock form for me, but I have leaded mine just a little and it changes the stick a little. It always has felt solid to me and never hollow though.

Coming from ur background You most likely prefer a heavier stick and would probably need the POpen leaded to your specs to really be into it.

Great screen name by the way..lol.

My frame of choice is modded to about 12 ounces which I really enjoy but I agree with PP...in spite of its lower weight the BLX Open feels very solid to me. Very stable too.

Re: the 72 flex... I got that from TW's OTHER frame database...the TWU racquet finder DB. It shows the Juice 108 and 2012 Open as having a flex of 72. Again, it didn't feel like that at all. I've tried a friend's Pure Drive and it felt like a frying pan. The Open felt very comfortable, at least for the brief time I hit with it. It also shows the previous Open with a lower flex so maybe that would work too since it's probably available at a lower cost.

If we buy it for my wife and son it would be strung with gut mains and a soft co-poly cross.