Jason: Steam"s stiffness

[Boricua]

HI! Heard you switched to the Wilson Steam 99s. How are you dealing with the stiffness? Are you using a soft poly like TCS to soften the stringbed? And, how does the spin generated by the Steam compare with the one that the new Aeroprodrive helps generate?

[TW Staff]

Where'd you hear that from? TMZ?! But yes, the rumors are true, I have made the official switch to the Steam 99S. The crazy spin I could put on the ball was just too tempting.

With regards to the stiffness, I haven't really notice any arm pains. I think it might be due to the fact that I do use softer polys like a TCS and also that I don't string it up too tight. Even with the 16x15 pattern, I usually keep it around 55-58 lb range.

Spin with the 99S isn't comparable to any regular string patterned racquet, not even with the Aero Pro Drive, in my opinion. I love that racquet, but it doesn't put the crazy, last-second-drop-in-right-at-the-baseline spin that the 99S does.

I'm going to be experimenting with some customization very soon. I want to lower the swingweight just a tad, to the mid to low 320s. We'll see how that goes. But I'm very excited to start customizing the 99S!

Jason, TW

[Veninga]

Originally Posted by TW Staff

I'm going to be experimenting with some customization very soon. I want to lower the swingweight just a tad, to the mid to low 320s. We'll see how that goes. But I'm very excited to start customizing the 99S!

Jason, TW

Jason, how are you going to lower the swingweight? Really interested. Thanks.

[TW Staff]

Originally Posted by Veninga

Jason, how are you going to lower the swingweight? Really interested. Thanks.

Ha, sorry. Can't really do that. Meant to say, I'm going to change to balance and make it more head light.

Jason, TW

[Federerkblade]

Lol jason.....

[ollinger]

Can't lower swingweight??? Have done it a number of times with my Dremel tool, grinding tiny grooves in the headguard.

[KoolTennisKid]

Just a quick question about string tension, I usually play at around 62-64 lbs so if I ever do decide to get this frame, will I have to go up because of the very open string pattern?

[Veninga]

Originally Posted by ollinger

Can't lower swingweight??? Have done it a number of times with my Dremel tool, grinding tiny grooves in the headguard.

Some grooves will lower the weight of the racket only 2 grams or something? So Swingweight will decrease with 4 to 5 points?

Or remove a bit of the lower sides of the headguard? Then it would be possible to remove more, but the racket could get unstable..

Jason, tell us?

[TW Staff]

Originally Posted by Veninga

Some grooves will lower the weight of the racket only 2 grams or something? So Swingweight will decrease with 4 to 5 points?

Or remove a bit of the lower sides of the headguard? Then it would be possible to remove more, but the racket could get unstable..

Jason, tell us?

The only real way to lower swingweight would be to remove the head guard and/or grommets. That will reduce swingweight by a significant amount, but then you're playing without a bumper guard.

Jason, TW

[Federerkblade]

Jason have you tried 4gs 1.42 or has anyone on the team
If so what tension and how was it

[TW Staff]

Originally Posted by Federerkblade

Jason have you tried 4gs 1.42 or has anyone on the team
If so what tension and how was it

Yes, tried the 4G in regular gauges and the thicker 1.42 gauge. Loved them all! With 4GS, I could string up the Steam 99S at a lower tension (which is good for making it easier on the arm). Usually around 56-57 lbs.

Jason, TW

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by TW Staff

Yes, tried the 4G in regular gauges and the thicker 1.42 gauge. Loved them all! With 4GS, I could string up the Steam 99S at a lower tension (which is good for making it easier on the arm). Usually around 56-57 lbs.

Jason, TW

Hey J,
There is A LOT of complaining going on in the racquet forums about the Steam S and poly's. People are saying whatever poly's they put in there lose tension really quickly and then the racquet becomes unplayable until you restring. What have you foound and do you agree/disagree with these accusations? I know people exagerrate a lot and I am hoping this is the case, since I just purchased 2 of these from TW Also, what is your favorite setup so far in the 99S?

[TW Staff]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Hey J,
There is A LOT of complaining going on in the racquet forums about the Steam S and poly's. People are saying whatever poly's they put in there lose tension really quickly and then the racquet becomes unplayable until you restring. What have you foound and do you agree/disagree with these accusations? I know people exagerrate a lot and I am hoping this is the case, since I just purchased 2 of these from TW Also, what is your favorite setup so far in the 99S?

Tension loss does seem to be greater in these racquets than in typical string patterned racquets. Is it as extreme as people say it is? I don't think so. Poly's are polys. They'll lose tension at a higher rate anyways. Right now, I have Luxilon 4GS in mine, and it's holding tension pretty well. But 4G holds tension better than most polyester strings to begin with.

I will be putting in Weiss Cannon Black 5 Edge in my other Steam 99S today and we'll see how it plays and holds tension.

As for my favorite string setup, it's 4GS. I love my Polyfibre TCS but the tension lost is magnified in these racquets. I don't think anything but a full bed of polyester would work well in these racquets.

Jason, TW

[hisrob777]

I'm interested in what customization set up you settle on. Keep us posted!

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by TW Staff

Tension loss does seem to be greater in these racquets than in typical string patterned racquets. Is it as extreme as people say it is? I don't think so. Poly's are polys. They'll lose tension at a higher rate anyways. Right now, I have Luxilon 4GS in mine, and it's holding tension pretty well. But 4G holds tension better than most polyester strings to begin with.

I will be putting in Weiss Cannon Black 5 Edge in my other Steam 99S today and we'll see how it plays and holds tension.

As for my favorite string setup, it's 4GS. I love my Polyfibre TCS but the tension lost is magnified in these racquets. I don't think anything but a full bed of polyester would work well in these racquets.

Jason, TW

Thanks J. Let us know how the B5E works out. I am thinking that the 4Gs is probably the best choice for the 99s. Glad to hear the 99s is working out well for you. Could u ask Spence how things are going for him with the S and what's his best string setups? I just ordered 2 99s's and can't wait to see how they work out for me in competitive league play. My 1 week with my demo went very well.

[Veninga]

Jason, how do they compare?

I had played the former Drive for a while and loved it. The power, the spin and also the feel. But then, my shoulder got sore. Probably as a result of the period I played with a poly in reserve APDC (which is from nature more vibrating imo).

How do the Steam and new APD compare in terms of stiffness and feel? And is the new APD really more arm friendly? Or should I find my power/spin/feel somewhere else, for example TFlash 300 or new F5.0 Tour?

Thanks..

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Thanks J. Let us know how the B5E works out. I am thinking that the 4Gs is probably the best choice for the 99s. Glad to hear the 99s is working out well for you. Could u ask Spence how things are going for him with the S and what's his best string setups? I just ordered 2 99s's and can't wait to see how they work out for me in competitive league play. My 1 week with my demo went very well.

thanks!.................

[Stroke]

I have tail weighted my 99s, adding about 1 oz. Chris did a blog on tail weighting customization several months ago and he really praised the benefits. I think the 99s is a prime candidate for tail weighting.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Stroke

I have tail weighted my 99s, adding about 1 oz. Chris did a blog on tail weighting customization several months ago and he really praised the benefits. I think the 99s is a prime candidate for tail weighting.

The 99s is a light racquet (11.3 oz) that needs some weight in the head.
Make it too headlight and you take away that punch. Balance is a very personal and tricky thing. You can't just say "all racquets will play better with weight in the handle". Otherwise racquet mfg's would make all their racquets very headlight if that produced better results.

[corners]

Originally Posted by JackB1

The 99s is a light racquet (11.3 oz) that needs some weight in the head.
Make it too headlight and you take away that punch. Balance is a very personal and tricky thing. You can't just say "all racquets will play better with weight in the handle". Otherwise racquet mfg's would make all their racquets very headlight if that produced better results.

Jack, the 99S has 335 swingweight. Swingweight is a measure of how much mass is distributed to the head of the racquet. The 99S has more mass in the head than 90% of racquets on the market today. Adding mass to the handle of such a racquet does not reduce "punch"; the mass in the head is still there after adding mass to the handle. Regarding balance being a tricky thing, I agree, but with Wilson's trap door it's very easy to stash 10 grams or so in the buttcap and then remove it if it's not to one's taste.