Experience with Wilson Clash 98

nvr2old said:

I’m demo’ing one currently. Want to like it but so far not gelling with it. Can’t get used to its feel on contact.

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racquetjunkie said:

Been away for a LONG time......getting back in the game finally. Was a 4.0 back in the day (on a good day....)
Had no idea about all the changes in technologies and new racquets available these days. Researched for a week and ordered a Clash 98 to play with..... too lazy to demo and put in the time.
Been using a pair of Volkl C10 Pro's for the past 10 years or so, when I did play. Weighted to 366 grams, still very headlight and easy to swing. Poly in the mains and syn gut in the crosses. 53lb or so.
I just wanted to see what is out there that is flexible and offers more power and decent control. Decided on the Clash 98 with plans to add weight (to no more than 350g strung) and to experiment with strings and tension.
I thought I'd be brave and try a full bed of poly due to the crazy low RA. Had it strung with Solinco Hyper-G Soft 17g at 50lb. Leather grip and a bit of lead. 345g all in.
Wow, talk about power..... not something I was used to. My forehand has always been the weakness and that was AMPLIFIED. In the net or just flies. Take you pick. Horrible technique esp under pressure.
Backhand slices (my most reliable shot) and drives (1HBH) were decent. Racquet felt good overall and was relatively comfortable.... but then it was a short doubles game. Didn't get to hit a lot of groundies.
Serves were the highlight, esp compared to the C10 Pro. I only tried slice and kick serves and both were effortless with great depth (the first 4-5 flew..... but after that it was awesome). Some of the kicker body serves were barely touched. Impressed, knowing I need to put in a lot of work on the forehand. Hope to play again Sat/Sun. More to come.

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teachingprotx said:

I’ve been currently working with a few 5.0 men here in Dallas , we have been demoing frames and all have ended up with 98 clash and loving them , BUT, NOT AT FIRST.. BALLS flying long spraying out erratic string bed . So.. I’ve added some nice weight to the handles and strung loose with v square and all problems solved and well on there way to wins

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teachingprotx said:

I’ve been currently working with a few 5.0 men here in Dallas , we have been demoing frames and all have ended up with 98 clash and loving them , BUT, NOT AT FIRST.. BALLS flying long spraying out erratic string bed . So.. I’ve added some nice weight to the handles and strung loose with v square and all problems solved and well on there way to wins

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teachingprotx said:

I’ve been currently working with a few 5.0 men here in Dallas , we have been demoing frames and all have ended up with 98 clash and loving them , BUT, NOT AT FIRST.. BALLS flying long spraying out erratic string bed . So.. I’ve added some nice weight to the handles and strung loose with v square and all problems solved and well on there way to wins

Click to expand...

racquetjunkie said:

Been away for a LONG time......getting back in the game finally. Was a 4.0 back in the day (on a good day....)
Had no idea about all the changes in technologies and new racquets available these days. Researched for a week and ordered a Clash 98 to play with..... too lazy to demo and put in the time.
Been using a pair of Volkl C10 Pro's for the past 10 years or so, when I did play. Weighted to 366 grams, still very headlight and easy to swing. Poly in the mains and syn gut in the crosses. 53lb or so.
I just wanted to see what is out there that is flexible and offers more power and decent control. Decided on the Clash 98 with plans to add weight (to no more than 350g strung) and to experiment with strings and tension.
I thought I'd be brave and try a full bed of poly due to the crazy low RA. Had it strung with Solinco Hyper-G Soft 17g at 50lb. Leather grip and a bit of lead. 345g all in.
Wow, talk about power..... not something I was used to. My forehand has always been the weakness and that was AMPLIFIED. In the net or just flies. Take you pick. Horrible technique esp under pressure.
Backhand slices (my most reliable shot) and drives (1HBH) were decent. Racquet felt good overall and was relatively comfortable.... but then it was a short doubles game. Didn't get to hit a lot of groundies.
Serves were the highlight, esp compared to the C10 Pro. I only tried slice and kick serves and both were effortless with great depth (the first 4-5 flew..... but after that it was awesome). Some of the kicker body serves were barely touched. Impressed, knowing I need to put in a lot of work on the forehand. Hope to play again Sat/Sun. More to come.

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teachingprotx said:

I’ve been currently working with a few 5.0 men here in Dallas , we have been demoing frames and all have ended up with 98 clash and loving them , BUT, NOT AT FIRST.. BALLS flying long spraying out erratic string bed . So.. I’ve added some nice weight to the handles and strung loose with v square and all problems solved and well on there way to wins

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CosmosMpower said:

Where do you teach out of in Dfw?

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ngoster said:

Same experience as others. It took me several months to commit and learn to harness the power. Again, similar feeling as others, I'm not a fan of wider body racquets. I feel the thickness impacts maneuverability and gets in the way of volleys. I've since fallen in love with and moved on to the CX 200 Tour 16x19.

Another interesting find, when I recently hit with a 2015 Pro Staff 97 v10, I noticed that it felt similar to the 98 without the thicker beam. It made me curious about the v13. Has anyone else tried both?

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Wilson Pro Staff 97 Black Racquet

www.tennis-warehouse.com

antony said:

I just got one to try out and it’s not bad!! Pretty easy to hit with

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nvr2old said:

True feel is subjective also. Nothing I guess. I prefer some feeling of softness, control, and dwell time of ball on the strings. To each his own.

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nvr2old said:

I guess weight/tape is a personal issue as with all racquets (just ask TW Troy). Friends 100L’s were strung one at 55 with full Luxilon poly and other was strung with Wilson champion choice hybrid at 59/55 I think. Played surprisingly well. 55 full poly in most sticks would feel like a board.

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nvr2old said:

My update on demo. Added tungsten tape copiously (3 g at 12 and handle and about 3 g at 3 and 9 and throat). Whole different stick obviously. More plough and solid and seemed to mitigate fliers more. Downside not as good serving. Tried a friends 100L with weight in grip. Wow what a difference. Serve monster and despite overall light weight which I cringe at, a really fun experience. Hate to admit it but teallly liked the 100L modded. I’m usu a box beam thin beam players stick feel type. Just bought a vcore pro 97 in fact. Embarrassingly considering changed to the clash as everything was easier. Maybe I am getting old!

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tennis347 said:

The Clash 98 is the first wide beam frame that I have played with in over 30 years of playing. I am also used to thin box beam frames that are relatively low powered but provide great control. 6 grams of lead is probably a little too much. I would take a few grams off. I added a total of 2 grams at 3 and 9. The playability and stability improved but the control is still a little bit of an issue. I have not played with poly strings in a number of years due to some elbow and shoulder issues. I will try a few other synthetic strings but this racquet just makes the game easier at 54. It might be a complete switch but the Clash 98 will remain in the bag. I have been using the Blade v7 98 16 x 19 but the control and stability are a bit lacking for me against big hitters. I still have my Prince Phantom 100p frames which I may go back to for match play. Lastly, I did notice that the Clash does eat strings so anyone making a complete switch will need a few of them.

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WYK said:

He may be OK with 6 grams. I just had to add 5 grams to the hoop of one of my 100's simply to balance it with the other one I have. They are 8 grams off and the heavier one is 1pt more head heavy. It wouldn't bother me except the more HL one I rather liked. Took me a few sets to get used to both of them at the new balance, but I don't think much of it any more.
Another thing is, although I only maybe have 10 matches on the first Clash I bought, it is noticeably more flexible than the new 'reverse' scheme one I got on sale. So, after balancing them both, I am only using the new one to break it in as much as possible until maybe they feel closer. It's annoying, but I mostly bought a second one in case I lost a string, so it'll do for now. In any case, I like the idea of getting the silver one eventually to round out the grouping. Maybe even grab an RG eventually when used prices come down.

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saman13 said:

I'm a very casual recreational player, 3.0 on a good day. I decided it was time to upgrade from using my mom's old 80s Wilson Profile when my elbow started hurting. I demoed 10 racquets and the Clash 98 was the clear winner for me. Tried the Clash 100 in there and it had too much power for me. Kinda erratic. Ordered the 98 and it had significantly more control but kept the same feel as the 100 (which my elbow appreciated). And it was a great middle ground in power between something overpowered like the Pure Aero and something with low power like the Blade. I have it strung with Gosen Sheep Micro at 53 and I like the feel. I can play without any discomfort for hours.

Answering an earlier question about the pro staff, I demoed a V13 too. I liked it as well, but it feels completely different from the clash 98. More control, lower power. Very fun to play with though.

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ichaseballs said:

clash 98 is good for a beginner younger player who can swing fast.
the 100 may leave too little room to grow into. and for someone who wants to swing fast, it may be too powerful.
clash really works best imo with a medium swing speed.

that said i have seen plenty of 4.0-4.5 players using the 98, so it could really be a racquet you use from start to end.

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Ryebread said:

I had a lot of good times with the clash 98

Like a hot ex-boy/girlfriend.... there is more to a long-term relationship than being fun in the sack.
Well, I did go back to the clash 98 more than a few times.

But in the end, I needed more and better consistency from my serious (take her home to mom) relationship.

At that time, I went to the Speed MP. Similar metallic feel, BUT better overall feel. solid put away power, more consistent string bed. Nice stability and plow "for the weight".
not as headlight, so you would have to add a couple grams to the handle to make it more whippy.
MUCH lower static weight. Not too much lighter SW. - > will feel lighter on your wrist and in defensive situations.

But I swore up and down that I loved the Clash 98 for a bit. Ah, sometimes love is blind.
In the end, I wanted more maturity. I wonder if the version II Clash 98 (which we may see late 2021) will be worth a netflix and chill....

There is a great thread on the Clash 98.... https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/better-option-for-clash-98.685631/

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Ryebread said:

I think the issue with the clash 98 or pro, maybe all of them, is in the flex tech.
with the blade v7 (supposedly similar flex tech), I don't experience ANY of the string bed issue, with regard to it being inconsistent.

there is something that is happening in the clash that is unique to the blade.
whatever that thing is, will prob be corrected next time.
just my opinion!

fwiw there are a lot of awesome advantages with the clash.
I just didn't like that one thing!

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eb_tennis_247 said:

I had 100 Tours and now three Clash 98s (elbow and shoulder injury, playing every day).

I played with other frames to compare (EZONE 98 Tour, Prince TT 310, Blade v7, ...)

Overall, Clash 98 is very good but ... you do need to add spin to maintain control, and on slower, flatter hits, the racquet flexes and it feels unpredictable. If you hit hard, it stiffens much more and, honestly, it feels almost as Blade with ~62 RA.

The problem is that flex-stiff effect messes with everyone, so you feel you cannot really trust the frame. The problem is that Clash 98 is fantastic for top spin, spin serves and defensive shots. It really saves your arm and gets you out of play trouble when you have to hit back a very deep, jammed, defensive backhand or forehand. Blade v7 was really hurting me on those with its SW and RA.

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tennis347 said:

What kind of string and tension are using in the Clash 98?
How often do you restring since you are playing frequently?
Did you add any weight?

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eb_tennis_247 said:

Right now, I use Wilson nat. gut in one frame (came with it, love it), and Triax, Velocity in others at 55/54 just to keep everything ultra arm friendly while it is still 45-55 F in the mornings when I play (and to test Triax vs. Velocity). I switched to Clash 98 over the winter because a) elbow needed serious healing, and b) I wanted to stay with 98 after switching from Blade 98.

Otherwise,I will probably go back to straight Solinco Hyper G 16L at 50/52.
I had no arm problems with it in my Wilson Tour, and loved the combination of control and spin it added to Tour.

No modifications to 98 yet, but I feel that I will need to add the tape to 10/2 for stability on returns (I heard on TW podcast TWU expert recommending adding weight to 10/2 instead of 9/3)

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Ryebread said:

I think it's worth mentioning that with the clash, it's ok to go higher in tension with poly.
for example, I was at 50 or 51 or 52 lbs in my first stint with the clash98.

now I'm at 54/53.
the racquet is flexible enough for it not to bother me, 46yo playing 5-10x a week, 4.0 4.5 level ball.
I find solid access to easy power with this stick, so I was looking for more control.
and I'm happy now.
more consistent string bed too.

also, I am stringing after each week now.
I tried to stretch it to a week and a half, and it didn't work out.
strings were dead, I was launching balls.

I'm currently using cyclone tour red 18G in the mains 54lbs
the red looks like the burned org in the clash, so it works out.
isoSpeed professional 17G in the crosses 53lbs, this is a natural color
recently bought a ton of this after a few the first week went so well.

between shifting to more of a semi western grip, the clash 98, with the somewhat higher tension (for me)....
I'm set. I'm content.

fwiw, this is what makes the clash unique
in that it has the power, but the RA is low, so you can go higher in tension.
you get stability, head light balance, power, comfort, and control with the right approach (and perhaps with the right tension).

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tennis347 said:

I am considering making a complete switch to the Clash 98 if I can find the right string set up. The Blade v7 98 16 x 19 is a really good frame but tough to play consistent with for long matches and hitting sessions. My other stick, Prince Phantom 100P is also a really good racquet but you have to work very hard to get any power and when it gets hot, it's too draining physically.The Clash 98 makes playing defense so me easier with less effort. At 54, I need to make things easier on myself. Going to try the Gosen Micro 16 on the mains with Head Velocity on the crosses at around mid 50's tension. I will report back within the next week after I get the Clash 98 strung.

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eb_tennis_247 said:

I’d say go fo it.

Overall, the trade off of mostly subjective (flexy, different feel) vs. objective (arm comfort/safety, spin potential, playability) is really on the latter side.

All things considered, there is no real reason why one cannot play a very advanced tennis with this racquet. I still sometimes debate myself, look for other racquets, but honestly - Clash 98 is just fine (I.e. great).

Protects my body, and lets me play some good tennis, including some tricky spins.

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tennis347 said:

I find a full bed of Gosen Micro 16 to play well but I have a set of Velocity sitting around and will try it on the crosses to see if it helps improve playability and spin.

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tennis347 said:

The Clash 98 is definitely very user-friendly but the control and thickness of the beam are the negatives for me. Easy spin and power along ease of serving for me as well. Need to experiment with different string set ups to get more dialed in. My main frame is the Blade v7 98 16 x 19 as there is better control and a more connected ball feel. I do so that Wilson did create an interesting racquet line with the Clash.

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tennis347 said:

I am considering making a complete switch to the Clash 98 if I can find the right string set up. The Blade v7 98 16 x 19 is a really good frame but tough to play consistent with for long matches and hitting sessions. My other stick, Prince Phantom 100P is also a really good racquet but you have to work very hard to get any power and when it gets hot, it's too draining physically.The Clash 98 makes playing defense so me easier with less effort. At 54, I need to make things easier on myself. Going to try the Gosen Micro 16 on the mains with Head Velocity on the crosses at around mid 50's tension. I will report back within the next week after I get the Clash 98 strung.

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