Diary of a Racketaholic

[Power Player]

Gads going into demo overload is huge. Very risky holicy behavior, so he should be praised and thanked.

One thing about the Blade - You have been using heavier sticks now with those TGKs. So I think the Blade will possibly be a little light if you got one and matched it to your TGKs.

The good news is that my Blades are now both at 339/339 and a 4 pts HL balance, and they play incredibly well. Very simple mod. You put 2 screws in the foam in the handle for 4 grams.And you put 2 grams at 12. Done.

Racquet was swinging nice and smooth, but my backhand was getting the free power that the heavier, leaded up Blade I was using last week was giving me.

sounds like most people's 99s impressions are similar to mine. Awesome tweener..great feel. Not revolutionary like advertised, but still a very nice stick.

PED - the Blade provides easy depth for me even stock.

[PED]

Originally Posted by Power Player

sounds like most people's 99s impressions are similar to mine. Awesome tweener..great feel. Not revolutionary like advertised, but still a very nice stick.

This is true, lots of fun and I'm enjoying it and it's a nice step forward but it's not going to turn everyone into Rafa...lol

I hit today with mine strung with Tour bite soft 16g. It was about 3lbs tighter than usual and it was cold and windy but tour bite soft needs some Cialis to stiffen it up a bit.

Not a bad string but not something I would use. It lacked that cutting edge and BITE that TB regular provides.My elbow is twinging a bit after hitting(which it never does) with it so it looks like I'm going to really drop my tensions with the 16g stuff.

My buddy let me use his 99S demo strung with 4G in the 16g. Very nice string, I didn't find it any stiffer than TB but it's a bit lower powered. It was strung tighter than what I'm used to but I can see why PP likes it so much. My friend confirms your opinion, it holds tension like crazy.

Last brief hit of the day was with the Bro Staff 100. I had always dismissed this as being too light and never tried it but it hits a really nice ball. This one had 4G at 60lbs so you had to really hammer the ball but I was really surprised at how much I liked it.

[klementine79]

Great reviews Gads, really interested on more of your thoughts regarding the Pure Storm Team. Always thought this could be a mod-masterpiece. The low sw, flex, pattern, beam-width, etc.. are calling my attention.

Will be awhile until I myself enter the 'Steam Room'. The reviews in this thread is what I tend to adhere to when it comes to racquets, for all the obvious reasons.

Not just that. But I've requested a sterilization of the 'Steam Room' premises, due to certain rumors, eye witness accounts and tweeter feeds based on a gentleman of ill repute that has recently exited the 'Steam Room'.

[Hidious]

Can't wait for you holics to demo the new T-Fights 315. Looks like like an awesome platform.

[PED]

Originally Posted by klementine79

Ross has probably spent some time in the London steam room with George. Rumor was they partied together after the London Olympic closing ceremony.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Hidious

Can't wait for you holics to demo the new T-Fights 315. Looks like like an awesome platform.

I have zero interest in any of the new TF sticks. Very strage specs.....over 11.5 oz strung with swingweight around 300??? Seems like all the weigh will be near the middle or "depolarized", which I don't really care for.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by PED

This is true, lots of fun and I'm enjoying it and it's a nice step forward but it's not going to turn everyone into Rafa...lol

I hit today with mine strung with Tour bite soft 16g. It was about 3lbs tighter than usual and it was cold and windy but tour bite soft needs some Cialis to stiffen it up a bit.

Not a bad string but not something I would use. It lacked that cutting edge and BITE that TB regular provides.My elbow is twinging a bit after hitting(which it never does) with it so it looks like I'm going to really drop my tensions with the 16g stuff.

My buddy let me use his 99S demo strung with 4G in the 16g. Very nice string, I didn't find it any stiffer than TB but it's a bit lower powered. It was strung tighter than what I'm used to but I can see why PP likes it so much. My friend confirms your opinion, it holds tension like crazy.

Last brief hit of the day was with the Bro Staff 100. I had always dismissed this as being too light and never tried it but it hits a really nice ball. This one had 4G at 60lbs so you had to really hammer the ball but I was really surprised at how much I liked it.

How did you get a hold of Tour Bite Soft?

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by mad dog1

my steam room experience: i enjoyed the 99S more than i expected to. it feels more comfy than the high stiffness rating. i was expecting a stiff and potentially harsh stick, but the 99S is very solid and well dampened. did it provide more spin? in some cases yes. in other cases not really. on the receiving end of the spin effect, i didn't find it any harder to deal with shots. so game changer? i didn't think so. did i enjoy the frame? yeah, it's a nice solid tweener frame. offers good feel. offers easy power for defensive shots when drawn out wide allowing you to reset a point. the published 330s SW initially scared me a bit since i generally like 320s SW. this one swung more like 320s rather than 330s. similar to JGad's write up, i, too, found the stick to sometimes launch balls long on me unpredictably. i loved it on the I/O FH. was able to hit sharper angles.

string movt was a BIG issue. after 1 hr the center 2 mains were moving so freely that it felt like they had lost nearly all tension. i think stringing it w/ the JC method might do wonders for this stick.

it was a fun demo but bottom line, i prefer my BC20. i can hit with as much if not more spin w/ the flexy open patterned BC20 with more pace, pop and control.

What is the JC Method?

[Boricua]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I have zero interest in any of the new TF sticks. Very strage specs.....over 11.5 oz strung with swingweight around 300??? Seems like all the weigh will be near the middle or "depolarized", which I don't really care for.

TW playtesters were "nice" toward the racket in their video review but the only one that showed a bit of real interest was Andy I think. Besides the nice cosmetics, I dont have much interest either.

[Hidious]

Originally Posted by Boricua

TW playtesters were "nice" toward the racket in their video review but the only one that showed a bit of real interest was Andy I think. Besides the nice cosmetics, I dont have much interest either.

Yes, well, they have to play it stock in the reviews and a SW of 309 is of course far from ideal for any decent player. I like the fact that it's a platform but i did not consider the weight distribution and what appears to be a depolarized frame.

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I have zero interest in any of the new TF sticks. Very strage specs.....over 11.5 oz strung with swingweight around 300??? Seems like all the weigh will be near the middle or "depolarized", which I don't really care for.

Hate to bum you out, but the Dunlop you have is not exactly polarized either.

Also, google JayCee method. It's a stringing method some people use.

[Hidious]

Originally Posted by JackB1

What is the JC Method?

I believe it's John Cauthen's method who was a racquet "scientist" here à la Travlrjam. I can't find a link but I think he recommends a huge tension difference between some strings.

[Hidious]

Originally Posted by Power Player

Hate to bum you out, but the Dunlop you have is not exactly polarized either.

Also, google JayCee method. It's a stringing method some people use.

Looks like I was wrong...

[PED]

Originally Posted by mikeler

How did you get a hold of Tour Bite Soft?

Connections baby!

This string is nothing to get excited about IMO. Maybe it will play better when temps warm up but not loving it today.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by PED

Connections baby!

This string is nothing to get excited about IMO. Maybe it will play better when temps warm up but not loving it today.

Power Player and I have our 5 days of "winter" coming up and then it will probably be back to beautiful tennis weather again.

[Fuji]

Originally Posted by Boricua

TW playtesters were "nice" toward the racket in their video review but the only one that showed a bit of real interest was Andy I think. Besides the nice cosmetics, I dont have much interest either.

It seems as though they would be Waaaaay too close to my PSL's to be even practical for me to demo. Plus that awful grip shape I don't care for.

-Fuji

[JGads]

Originally Posted by PED

How does the Blade compare to the 99s in the power/spin department. Does it produce easy depth?

Yes. Early impression is that the Blade hit about what you'd expect, a more driving ball. Lower natural trajectory than the Steam, probably a bit more mph on the ball. The Steam ball is a bit higher, tad slower, and maybe flies through the air more before dipping down. Steam easier to rip impromptu cross court shots, create angles out of nothing. That's where this frame shines I think. But again, still early. More to come.

Like I said, I was genuinely impressed with each demo. The best feel actually came from the leaded up pure storm team. Even with an old multi in it.

[PED]

Originally Posted by JGads

Yes. Early impression is that the Blade hit about what you'd expect, a more driving ball. Lower natural trajectory than the Steam, probably a bit more mph on the ball. The Steam ball is a bit higher, tad slower, and maybe flies through the air more before dipping down. Steam easier to rip impromptu cross court shots, create angles out of nothing. That's where this frame shines I think. But again, still early. More to come.

Like I said, I was genuinely impressed with each demo. The best feel actually came from the leaded up pure storm team. Even with an old multi in it.

I used to have an old skool Pure storm team back in 07. Great stick and lots of fun.

Last q: did MD hit with both the Blade and the Steam and what was the ball like from him. I remember you said he was deadly effective with the APD 2013.

Had a nice talk with the modfather out at TW today and he said ALOT of the guys who work there are steaming now, it's a big hit.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Power Player

Hate to bum you out, but the Dunlop you have is not exactly polarized either.

Also, google JayCee method. It's a stringing method some people use.

My Bio Maxx 200G is 330 grams and 3 pts HL. When I swing it, I feel the weight towards the ends. Not a lot like some, but enough. I definitely dont notice much weight concentrated in the middle. I would call it "slightly polarized", IMO.

[Ross K]

Gads going into demo overload is huge. Very risky holicy behavior, so he should be praised and thanked.

"Ross likes this!"

I hit today with mine strung with Tour bite soft 16g. It was about 3lbs tighter than usual and it was cold and windy but tour bite soft needs some Cialis to stiffen it up a bit.

Not a bad string but not something I would use. It lacked that cutting edge and BITE that TB regular provides.My elbow is twinging a bit after hitting(which it never does) with it so it looks like I'm going to really drop my tensions with the 16g stuff.

My buddy let me use his 99S demo strung with 4G in the 16g. Very nice string, I didn't find it any stiffer than TB but it's a bit lower powered. It was strung tighter than what I'm used to but I can see why PP likes it so much. My friend confirms your opinion, it holds tension like crazy.

Great to get the lowdown off you re TB Soft... Yes, I agree with what you say re 4G, i.e., it's similar to TB. As you know, despite finding TB a touch too stiff, I've kept returning to it as the general performance is just right up my street, certainly in particular rackets. I need to get more time on the clock with it though, but, who knows, maybe it's just a perfect fit the 99s.

Ross has probably spent some time in the London steam room with George. Rumor was they partied together after the London Olympic closing ceremony.

The rumours weren't quite correct. That was actually Meaghan. Yes, for I can reveal that the reason behind his glaring absence from these diary pages for so very long is that he's never fully recovered from that night of craven debauchery. No, the evening I lost the plot was in fact the night of the opening ceremony... but that's another altogether shamefully humiliating story entirely.