Wilson Hits Homerun with Wilson Steam 99S (mini review)

[pshulam]

I hate to be a party pooper. Didn't most Prince 90 racquets in the 80s have 18 x 14 string patterns for spin access?

[purple-n-gold]

Originally Posted by pshulam

I hate to be a party pooper. Didn't most Prince 90 racquets in the 80s have 16 x 14 string patterns for spin access?

yep..old is new again, think Wilson has had some very open ones as well in the past.

[nickarnold2000]

Excellent! Here's hoping that other racket companies also come out with their own very open string patterns.

[racertempo]

Originally Posted by srvnvly

racer tempo, have you tried the Steam 99 (non-S)? I like the TW listed swing weight of 328, vs. the 333 for the S version - in your opinion, do you think the S swings in the low 330's? Thanks!

Unfortunately the local shop has not even seen the non-S version. They really don't even have the demo's in, but the local Wilson guy gave the shop "his" S frames because the shop sells tons of Wilson frames. I agree with just about everyone else on here who has commented on the SW, there is no way that it it is low 330s. I think someone on here a few pages ago did his own measurement on a machine and got mid-high 320s. I usually play frames in the 310s, my Rdis200 Lite is a 316....and the 99s really feels ind the mid 320s to me. If you normally play a 328 I know you will find this SW to feel the same, maybe a tiny tiny bit lower from the S.

[Bartelby]

This racquet will run out of steam even before it's launched with all this hype.

[drak]

Originally Posted by racertempo

Played a singles tournament match last night and today for the 99s with MSV Focus Hex Soft 17 as a full bed and loved it. It was a demo that the owner allowed me to restring to my liking for the tourney because he needed to restring anyway, so he is just going to cut mine out after for his hybrid restringing.

Much more noticeable kick on the serves then my Rdis 200 lite which is similar in weight specs, but is a 16x19. Great control and comfortable feel, which might be from the amplifeel and the softer poly. After 2 matches I had no noticeable string movement which was a major positive. When I demo'd 3 weeks ago it was a hybrid and the poly mains were not snapping back to place after just an hour play, they were sticking out of place and I had to adjust after every point.

To me, Focus Hex Soft is gear shaped, but not as sharp as some others I use I Pro Super Blue gear and Wilson Spin Cycle, and it snapped back to place even in the last few games of the second set of the second match. I loved the feel of the full poly and felt like so much more spin and control compared to the hybrid setup from before.

what tension did you string it?

[pshulam]

Originally Posted by Bartelby

This racquet will run out of steam even before it's launched with all this hype.

That's funny!

[Anton]

Originally Posted by pshulam

I hate to be a party pooper. Didn't most Prince 90 racquets in the 80s have 18 x 14 string patterns for spin access?

yes, but poly strings, 99" head size and stiffer, lighter racket spec was not in the 80s.

[gd!]

Originally Posted by Anton

poly strings, 99" head size and stiffer, lighter racket spec was not...

...invented by Wilson, too...

I agree with bartelby; looks like a kind of the hare and the hedgehog race...it wants to be the hare and it will end as the story tells....

[racertempo]

Originally Posted by drak

what tension did you string it?

Sorry, should have included that, 50 pounds on the 99s.

Played 4.0 doubles in the tourney today and went back a forth a little with the 99s and the rdis 200 lite. Really went back and forth a little just to see where they stood and the SW felt in the better and the racquet felt so much more precise then my Yonex, and I love that Yonex and have a lot of confidence with that frame.

So much of the game is between the ears, and I just had a little more confidence with the control and spin from the steam for my game, especially on serves. I am a normal flat ball hitter just starting to add good spin the last few months, but not a flat ball that is pounded. If anything, the Steam forehand for me drops a little too short due to the spin. I almost never flirt with the baseline on groundstrokes, so the Steam is dropping even far shorter. I just need to tell myself every point right now to hit the ball deeper then my body is used to right now.

Once i get my own and get hours on the ball machine the depth will come, so so happy with this frame.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Anton

yes, but poly strings, 99" head size and stiffer, lighter racket spec was not in the 80s.

In the early 90's (around 93) Sfida produced a stiffer, lighter version of the Snauwert Hi-Ten 50 (100sq head size) and the standard string of choice was poly (I think the brand was Polystar). Naturally, not as light as the Steam but only a bit over 11oz.

[ChicagoJack]

Originally Posted by pshulam

I hate to be a party pooper. Didn't most Prince 90 racquets in the 80s have 18 x 14 string patterns for spin access?

1. LOL. The Steam 99s is like the Leonard Cohen of tennis. Both very likely to be misunderstood without the proper introduction.

2. The Prince frames of the 80's - 90's with the very open patterns (POG Classic, Micheal Chang Titanium, Micheal Chang Longbody, the Prince Precision 730, Prince Spectrum 630, Thunder 750, Graphite Comp LX and XB, CTS Approach) were all 14 x 18, not 18 x 14. By the way, Prince seems to always have an open pattern somewhere in the lineup, hence the more current EXO3 Warrior DB Team at 14x18. The Steam 99s (16x15) has fewer crosses than mains. The typical string patterns 14x18, 16x18, 16x19 16x20 and 18x20 all have more crosses. The open patterns of the 80's - 90's were created out of the concept that high ball to string friction (ball bite) is tantamount to spin enhancement.

3. What we've learned in the past few years, (beginning with high speed film study in Japan 2005-2008, followed by research done by the ITF, followed by more study by our very own Crawford Lindsey 2009-2011) is that ball to string friction, "bite" is only one of two factors. It has been observed in all three studies that additional spin can be imparted to the ball if the mains slide and snap back as the ball exits the string bed. Having fewer crosses facilitates the mains sliding over the Xs. In a way, this is not Wilson's concept at all. They are just the first to exploit what the Tennis Physics Community at large has been piecing together since 2005. It has also been observed that gut mains with poly crosses have the among the lowest COF (coefficient of friction) of any string combination, even lower than than full beds of the slickest Polys.

Funny really, a random bit of video posted on a website in Japan by two dudes just hoping to make a quick buck by inventing a spray to revive old, notched strings, caught the eye of the Tennis Physics community in a big way. What was revealed in that one low budget video, (strings sliding and snapping back) might seem intuitive now. But back then it was a world shaker. Wilson had nothing whatsoever to do with the early discoveries, but we know know that they took some of those concepts back to their in house R&D for implementation, are now currently seeking patent rights.

4. The central design concept of the 99s is not based merely on concepts of the 80's ... high string to ball friction, it also seeks to implement the much more recent concept of low inter-string friction to add incremental spin.

By the way, nice frame. I cant quite call it comfortable, but it's way more comfy than you'd expect from a 71 ra. A lot more head heavy than I'm used to, but it seems to work somehow. One thing really memorable from the demo event, even mishits way outside the sweetspot near the edges of the hoop seemed to drop in with spin. I don't think I hit a single ball out long the whole time. At one point I was just trying to hit moon balls as deep as a could, my partner and I were both laughing it up at the crazy arcs I was able to get, 10- 15 feet over the net and still dropping in. When a player has little fear of hitting long, that's the golden zone right there. That's when you can really open up your technique and let em rip. Unfortunately, my arm is not happy with that frame at all. Great stick, just not for me. Different saddles for different butts dontcha know.

Jack

[pshulam]

Originally Posted by ChicagoJack

1.
2. The Prince frames of the 80's - 90's with the very open patterns (POG Classic, Micheal Chang Titanium, Micheal Chang Longbody, the Prince Precision 730, Prince Spectrum 630, Thunder 750, Graphite Comp LX and XB, CTS Approach) were all 14 x 18, not 18 x 14.

What I meant was 18 cross & 14 main.

Thanks for the detailed explanation of the subtle difference between the two open patterns. Reduction in number of crosses as a way to increase spin potential does not appear to be an innovative breakthrough - sorry to disappoint.

[ChicagoJack]

I don't sense confusion (ie, blue frowny face with question marks) anywhere this thread. I sense a high level of bitter skepticism and cynicism in the thread. Wilson did not discover the effects of low interstring COF. They are just the first to design and sell a racquet around that discovery. Yes, they are attempting to market that discovery. No argument over that. When people (myself included) feel they are being "marketed to" there is often a deep, gut level reaction. I've exactly zero interest in persuading those of you who have stopped in here for a quick sneer and giggle, likely operating from that reaction. The central issue at hand is that, reducing the number of crosses dramatically reduces string bed friction. There is nothing to believe or disbelieve about that statement. It's just a confirmed, observational fact.

-Jack

[gplracer]

What is the swing weight of the 99s?

[Disneos]

I would love to try it, but I'm a but of a hipster when It comes to racquets, I don't like to have the same racquet as every other player and it seems like this racquet might become just that, though it seems like it would compliment my game very well so I'll be trying it out regardless once it available for demo.

[racertempo]

TW told me on the phone a little while ago that they expect the Steam 96, Steam 99s and 105s in on January 17th. She said it is usually a couple of days before they are strung and shipped out from there, so should be January 20-22 before they are in our hands as our own and not a demo

[thecrusher956]

Theres a steam 96? What are the specs anyone know?

[JackB1]

If you go to TW's "racquet finder" and search for the Steam 99s, you'll see a link to the written review. Seems like almost all the playtesters are ecstatic about the extra spin. Also some comments about the racquet's swingweight being an issue. This has me a little worried. My demo felt perfect to me but I am worried if I buy a couple new one's, I could end up with one heavier than I would like.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by couch

Funny thing is my 99S came in at 304g unstrung. Exactly what the specs state. Didn't check the balance though.

Couch....what does 304 turn into when strung with overgrip and dampener?
My demo was 330 fully dressed and I want to order a new one exactly the same but don't know what to ask for unstrung?