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

[goeblack]

Perhaps TW is reluctant to send the ratings through the roof. Maybe guarding against those who will cry foul if they do not like this racket. Those who would say they jacked the ratings to sell rackets. Of course there will be those who are looking for something that no racket can do for them. They will be crestfallen regardless. Then too, there will be really good players who may not care for the extra spin because of the extended hang time. As for me I have high hopes but there will be no sour grapes if it is not all that.

[racertempo]

The 2 frames I use frequently are rated an 85.......the 82 if not totally horrible for the 99s. I was more referring to the 105s rating of a 77! Still, even the 82 is not great when you consider that one of the scores was a 98 for topspin. That means the rest were lower then a 'typical 82" if that makes sense.

[pshulam]

Ratings are not that relevant to me. The GAMMA RZR 98T has a low rating from TW, but I still like playing with it (the black prototype).

[NetNinja68]

Originally Posted by pshulam

>80+ is Low???????

Not low in general but low when compared to the APD. Why would any young, impressionable player ever seriously consider another brand of racquet with so much inflated hype around the APD racquet???

[NetNinja68]

Originally Posted by pshulam

Ratings are not that relevant to me. The GAMMA RZR 98T has a low rating from TW, but I still like playing with it (the black prototype).

Of course...It doesn't sell very well.

[T.P3D0R]

Originally Posted by pshulam

Ratings are not that relevant to me. The GAMMA RZR 98T has a low rating from TW, but I still like playing with it (the black prototype).

I have a black prototype if you are looking for more... my username at gmail will do the trick.

[pshulam]

Originally Posted by T.P3D0R

I have a black prototype if you are looking for more... my username at gmail will do the trick.

Thanks. One is good enough.

[onehandbh]

If the snap-back of the strings contributes to spin, then why
does Fed use string savers to prevent string movement?

He also changes racquets (to ones with fresh string jobs) fairly
frequently in a match.

Originally Posted by ChicagoJack

What Deformation and Impact Angle Means To The Ball "Bite" Issue: You cannot have any more, or any less ball bite, when the ball is already squashed into the string bed like a bug on a wind shield. One hundred percent ball bite occurs, every time you hit the ball, no matter what strings you use. What can be said is that there is biting a little bit sooner during the 3-5 milliseconds impact, and there is biting a bit later as the ball exits the string bed. However, this biting a little bit better as the ball leaves the string bed is important to spin production only if the mains have traveled over the crosses, leaving them positioned for the snap back. See photos [a] [b] provided below. Link here.

Quote [1] "String manufacturers have always marketed tennis strings according to their ability to grip the ball via sticky coatings, rough/grabby surfaces, or "biting" shapes. The underlying theory is that greater friction between the string and the ball will cause more spin. This was universally accepted as true until it was demonstrated that for all impacts less than 50 degrees away from perpendicular, the strings will bite the ball to the maximum extent possible, no matter the texture, shape, or material of the string. This is important because when biting occurs, friction ceases. This result assumes that the stringbed is laterally rigid — i.e., the strings do not move sideways, or, if they do, they do not snap back into position. This was the situation in the pre-polyester string days. As we will see below, polyester changed everything" [1] - Crawford Lindsey, How Ball to Spin Friction Affects Spin, Feb 2012. Link here.

Quote [2] "Friction is important to spin, but not in the sense that most people think it is. In the past, two assumptions were the foundation for the conventional wisdom that (1) a rough string surface creates more spin by increasing the string's bite, grab and push on the ball, and (2) that inter-string motion would lessen that grabbing and thus should be minimized. So, to gain maximum spin, the goal was to use a string with both a high ball-string friction and a high string-string friction to create a rigid surface parallel to the string bed. As so formulated, both of these assumptions have proven incorrect. First, experiments show that for a tangentially non compliant surface, the spin will be nearly the same for all magnitudes of string-ball friction for impact angles typical for tennis shots. For reasons explained below, both rough and smooth strings will produce the same spin on a laterally rigid surface. (2nd paragraph deleted for brevity) The role of ball-string friction in this process is that it influences both the amount of lateral string movement and the torque the snap-back exerts on the ball (though the magnitude of its contribution is yet to be ascertained by experiment). It is here that ball-string friction contributes to the difference in spin performance between string models, but only if the strings move. Otherwise, ball-string friction produces about the same spin for every string. And whether the strings move or not depends on the static and sliding friction between strings. [2] -- Crawford Lindsey, August 2010, Revised February 11. Link here.

-Jack

[racertempo]

Originally Posted by onehandbh

If the snap-back of the strings contributes to spin, then why
does Fed use string savers to prevent string movement?

He also changes racquets (to ones with fresh string jobs) fairly
frequently in a match.

Because Fed does not need additional spin help from the string like 3.5 and 4.0 players where this frame will be sold in masses. Fed creates spin with form, like all pros. He could create spin with a a solid paddle, while the rest of us club players could your some help. The technology and idea is not for the pros, that is clearly not the intention from Wilson here.

[Rafaboy]

Originally Posted by racertempo

Because Fed does not need additional spin help from the string like 3.5 and 4.0 players where this frame will be sold in masses. Fed creates spin with form, like all pros. He could create spin with a a solid paddle, while the rest of us club players could your some help. The technology and idea is not for the pros, that is clearly not the intention from Wilson here.

People keep implying this, but can we also consider that if the pro did use this, it would change his game immensly to the point that his shots would be unreturnable?

[racertempo]

Originally Posted by Rafaboy

People keep implying this, but can we also consider that if the pro did use this, it would change his game immensly to the point that his shots would be unreturnable?

I don't agree and I think most on here would not agree. The game is much much more then just spin. We are talking 10-15% more spin.....that would still put 99% of players RPM number below Rafa's RPM numbers. And players have learned to deal with his shots.....not easily but it is his weapon. 10% would still not put pros in the Rafa ballpark with spin RPM. Why would Djok want to add more spin from a string pattern? When he wants to spin a ball under the right situation he does so with his form. I would be quite a bit of money that not a single pro these day would even consider playing a 16x15 pattern, heck, very few play 16x18.

[atatu]

Well, I had some $$ in paypal, so I decided to just go ahead and pre-order the Steam 99S (unstrung) and I just got an email from TW saying that my frame is going to be shipped. I figure if I hate it I can sell it to one of you guys !

[quest01]

Originally Posted by atatu

Well, I had some $$ in paypal, so I decided to just go ahead and pre-order the Steam 99S (unstrung) and I just got an email from TW saying that my frame is going to be shipped. I figure if I hate it I can sell it to one of you guys !

I'm looking into ordering one of these too but I'm a little hesitant because I play really well with my aero pro drives. I'm always looking to improve my game but I'm not sure if this racquet, with the string pattern will end up being a game changer or not. I'm curious to know how this racquet will perform with the super open string pattern, if I can not only hit with massive topspin but also control my shots; for instance with the apdc, I can hit bone crushing groundstrokes for winners and killer serves on any given day. If I consider switching to the 99S , I need to perform at a higher level than my current racquet.

[parasailing]

Originally Posted by atatu

Well, I had some $$ in paypal, so I decided to just go ahead and pre-order the Steam 99S (unstrung) and I just got an email from TW saying that my frame is going to be shipped. I figure if I hate it I can sell it to one of you guys !

I might be in the market for one if the grip size is right so PM if you find you don't like it.

[Mongolmike]

Originally Posted by atatu

Well, I had some $$ in paypal, so I decided to just go ahead and pre-order the Steam 99S (unstrung) and I just got an email from TW saying that my frame is going to be shipped. I figure if I hate it I can sell it to one of you guys !

Yep, me too. In fact it might be at my house today... which is sweet cuz I can string it up and play with it this weekend. Also cool cuz I thought they weren't available til next week... but I ordered mine unstrung also... so maybe the unstrung orders can get sent out asap? In any case, LET THE EXPERIMENTING BEGIN!

[racertempo]

Let us know if you guys actually get these early. I will actually be ****ed off at TW if that is the case, I only ordered mine strung because there is no labor charge. I have my own machine like most on here and would have loved to get the frames early to string myself.

I honestly cannot believe that they will ship before the 15th though, please let us know what happens!

Thanks

[srvnvly]

Originally Posted by racertempo

Let us know if you guys actually get these early. I will actually be ****ed off at TW if that is the case, I only ordered mine strung because there is no labor charge. I have my own machine like most on here and would have loved to get the frames early to string myself.

I honestly cannot believe that they will ship before the 15th though, please let us know what happens!

Thanks

It looks like they are in stock right now: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/orde...l?pcode=STM99S

[racertempo]

Originally Posted by srvnvly

It looks like they are in stock right now: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/orde...l?pcode=STM99S

Hope that means they are working on stringing and shipping soon. I would love to hear a number of how many of those they have sold already.

[D-money]

I got a shipping notification it's "on route for delivery" according to Golden State Overnight. I ordered one unstrung. I was thinking it was due to a conversation I had with the Wilson rep for TW but she assured me she couldn't speed things up at all. Looks like I'll be hitting with the steam this weekend.!!!

[D-money]

Oh and "on route for delivery" with Golden state overnight, for those outside of CA means it's on it's way to my house right now. I'm pumped.