wilson steam 99s?

ga tennis

Hall of Fame
Im thinking about ordering one for my daughter to try out. Anybody tried it out yet? I noticed the swing weight is a little heavier than her babolat but i think im falling victim to the hype about the spin production.
 

arche3

Banned
Ha ha I'm thinking the same for my son. My only reluctance being my son has played with the various incarnations of the APD for almost 5 years. I'm reluctant to change anything. He has used the same racket same strings at the same tension since age 7. Why mess with it?
He doesn't think about gear i don't want him to have any thoughts that gear matters. Want him to only focus on his tennis skills.
 

ga tennis

Hall of Fame
Ha ha I'm thinking the same for my son. My only reluctance being my son has played with the various incarnations of the APD for almost 5 years. I'm reluctant to change anything. He has used the same racket same strings at the same tension since age 7. Why mess with it?
He doesn't think about gear i don't want him to have any thoughts that gear matters. Want him to only focus on his tennis skills.
I agree. One of the problems my daughter has is she sometimes hits too flat. Im thinking i can use the racket to do some mind tricks with her. If she knows her racket is made for hitting spin then she might think spin more often. I know im looking for short cuts. The same thing happened with me back when prince made the chang extended length racket. For some reason i really started to go after my serves because all the hype about the racket was with the longer racket you could serve bigger. Its funny how the brain works. Might just be a placebo affect.
 

arche3

Banned
I agree. One of the problems my daughter has is she sometimes hits too flat. Im thinking i can use the racket to do some mind tricks with her. If she knows her racket is made for hitting spin then she might think spin more often. I know im looking for short cuts. The same thing happened with me back when prince made the chang extended length racket. For some reason i really started to go after my serves because all the hype about the racket was with the longer racket you could serve bigger. Its funny how the brain works. Might just be a placebo affect.

I think as tennis parents we are kind of obsessed. Yesterday my son was running to his fh. Hopped one legged on his right foot and hits reverse fhs. Every time i hit cross court to him. For 5 minutes. I asked him wtf are you doing and to practice how you play matches. He told me to loosin up. He is just having fun. Oops, lol.
 

chalkflewup

Hall of Fame
I think as tennis parents we are kind of obsessed. Yesterday my son was running to his fh. Hopped one legged on his right foot and hits reverse fhs. Every time i hit cross court to him. For 5 minutes. I asked him wtf are you doing and to practice how you play matches. He told me to loosin up. He is just having fun. Oops, lol.

Post of the week! And thanks for sharing the tender moment.
 

ga tennis

Hall of Fame
I think as tennis parents we are kind of obsessed. Yesterday my son was running to his fh. Hopped one legged on his right foot and hits reverse fhs. Every time i hit cross court to him. For 5 minutes. I asked him wtf are you doing and to practice how you play matches. He told me to loosin up. He is just having fun. Oops, lol.

I feel your pain. Same thing happens with us. My daughter will hit some crazy shot and i will give her a wtf look and she will say im just having fun. She keeps me in check.
 
I agree. One of the problems my daughter has is she sometimes hits too flat. Im thinking i can use the racket to do some mind tricks with her. If she knows her racket is made for hitting spin then she might think spin more often. I know im looking for short cuts. The same thing happened with me back when prince made the chang extended length racket. For some reason i really started to go after my serves because all the hype about the racket was with the longer racket you could serve bigger. Its funny how the brain works. Might just be a placebo affect.

I do the same thing except when I change her strings. Give her a little speech about what these strings do. Cheaper than buying a new racket...
 

ga tennis

Hall of Fame
My daughters frames are over a year old. Im sure the 70flex is probably about a 60 now after being restrung weekly. I know she needs new frames. Im just trying to spice things up a little with the wilson.
 

arche3

Banned
My daughters frames are over a year old. Im sure the 70flex is probably about a 60 now after being restrung weekly. I know she needs new frames. Im just trying to spice things up a little with the wilson.

Plus you can try it too. They look cool. The steams always looked like chick sticks, match her outfit lol.
 

ga tennis

Hall of Fame
Plus you can try it too. They look cool. The steams always looked like chick sticks, match her outfit lol.

I just hate to demo the racket because demos are always strung with some god awful synthetic and play like a trampoline. I wanna get one and put my magic on it. 18G BLACKCODE MAINS 17G BIPHASE CROSSES 51LBS
 
GA she hits flat, let it be, if she hits flat with the 99S you and her are in for a big disappointment, get her a prestige mid and have her thumb the ball. :)
 
^^^authoritative :confused: you think GA has time to go through 1200 posts,:confused:

GA just get the stick used on bay or they pop up here in the classified, if you don't like it you can always sell it and get our money back, or just get a new one and try it, worst case you lose $50, better than waisting time reading all these threads and posts and are only subjective in the end, no one will know better than your 11 year old girl.
 

NLBwell

Legend
I think it is worth getting and trying out. Frames with less cross strings (with poly) might change the game. (I think for the worse, but we'll see)
If it does make a significant difference in your daughter's game, she will be a step ahead if she is an early adopter.
 
T

TCF

Guest
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sureshs

Bionic Poster
^^^authoritative :confused: you think GA has time to go through 1200 posts,:confused:

GA just get the stick used on bay or they pop up here in the classified, if you don't like it you can always sell it and get our money back, or just get a new one and try it, worst case you lose $50, better than waisting time reading all these threads and posts and are only subjective in the end, no one will know better than your 11 year old girl.

I would really leave it up to him if he wants to get more information or not from that thread. I was a Wilson playtester for the racket, along with many others.
 
I would really leave it up to him if he wants to get more information or not from that thread. I was a Wilson playtester for the racket, along with many others.

and as a playtester do you think a kid who hits flat with an eastern grip would like this frame:confused:
 

gplracer

Hall of Fame
My son loves it but he is 10 and the swingweight might be a little too much for him. Our club just got in the Juice light which is lighter than the juice but it is head heavy and has a higher swingweight. What will all of that mean?
 

gplracer

Hall of Fame
Ga come down to our club and your daughter can play with my son. We have a demo strung with 4g in the clubhouse. We were going to get the kids together anyway.
 

sureshs

Bionic Poster
and as a playtester do you think a kid who hits flat with an eastern grip would like this frame:confused:

Don't know. She might get some extra net clearance and spin for free.

BTW, I was not really a play tester. I was invited to test the rackets in one of their several events around the country. It is not as if I provided feedback during the design.
 

BMC9670

Hall of Fame
My daughters frames are over a year old. Im sure the 70flex is probably about a 60 now after being restrung weekly. I know she needs new frames. Im just trying to spice things up a little with the wilson.

I just hate to demo the racket because demos are always strung with some god awful synthetic and play like a trampoline. I wanna get one and put my magic on it. 18G BLACKCODE MAINS 17G BIPHASE CROSSES 51LBS

ga - some questions. Do you replace her frames each year? Do the frames really "need" replacing after a year? Also curious as to how you feel about poly hybrid at 10 years old. Do you think she really benefits from it? Do you worry about her arm?

Not being facetious here. It's just that I've not seen someone this age needing so much attention to equipment. If I didn't know, I would have thought you were talking about an ATP player.:)
 
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ga tennis

Hall of Fame
ga - some questions. Do you replace her frames each year? Do the frames really "need" replacing after a year? Also curious as to how you feel about poly hybrid at 10 years old. Do you think she really benefits from it? Do you worry about her arm?

Not being facetious here. It's just that I've not seen someone this age needing so much attention to equipment. If I didn't know, I would have thought you were talking about an ATP player.:)
Yes new frames every year. Yes she benefits from poly hybrid
Give it a try in your sons racket.
 

Bash and Crash

Semi-Pro
Yes new frames every year. Yes she benefits from poly hybrid
Give it a try in your sons racket.

Dang if she needs new sticks every year, I need to get some every three months :shock:. I know some college players that used same stick for over two years, didn't want to switch.
 

crosbydog

Rookie
Yep - got my 11 year old two of them after she demoed one. She's been hitting with it all week. I was on the receiving end of some of her hits and noticed an increase in pace and more of her balls hit with topspin stayed in. She doesn't want us to tell any of her opponents about her new racket :)
 

Bash and Crash

Semi-Pro
Yep - got my 11 year old two of them after she demoed one. She's been hitting with it all week. I was on the receiving end of some of her hits and noticed an increase in pace and more of her balls hit with topspin stayed in. She doesn't want us to tell any of her opponents about her new racket :)

Dang, going to see a bunch juniors kicking balls up over their opponents shoulders, Steam S may replace the Bab Pro Drive.
 
Don't know. She might get some extra net clearance and spin for free.

BTW, I was not really a play tester. I was invited to test the rackets in one of their several events around the country. It is not as if I provided feedback during the design.

yes some free shots but at the expense of others that will cost her. fact is she hits flat and open pattern for flat hitters is not so welcome let alone an extreme open pattern. Directional control is compromised with flat hitters using an extreme open pattern. She can use 15g string to somewhat make the stringbed more dense but then she will add weight to the frame and make it more head heavy. Ga said she likes 18g mains, she will have issues with directional control hitting flat. So maybe she will be forced to hit more tops to have more accuracy on her shots.:)
 
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Yes new frames every year. Yes she benefits from poly hybrid
Give it a try in your sons racket.

I replace my kids frame every year, I have a contract with head through USPTA. Kids abuse their frames more, especially boys and with the constant restringing the hoop can be compromised, thereby adding unnecessary vibration to the arm. Do not worry about her arm, you are using a CO poly which is soft, plus the softest string on the planet in the cross, plus at low tension, with one of the best coaches in the country for proper strokes,,,,,,,she is fine.
 

BMC9670

Hall of Fame
Yes new frames every year. Yes she benefits from poly hybrid
Give it a try in your sons racket.

I replace my kids frame every year, I have a contract with head through USPTA. Kids abuse their frames more, especially boys and with the constant restringing the hoop can be compromised, thereby adding unnecessary vibration to the arm. Do not worry about her arm, you are using a CO poly which is soft, plus the softest string on the planet in the cross, plus at low tension, with one of the best coaches in the country for proper strokes,,,,,,,she is fine.

Thanks, Pro_Tour. This is what I wanted to know. I think by the short answer, I annoyed ga tennis with the questions. Didn't mean to. Just wanted some info.

I've taken the approach of a very flexible racquet and only gut or super-soft multi to be safe, but as my son gets older I'm interested in other gear. As it is for most tennis dads, the gear is part of the fun for me.:)
 

andfor

Legend
yes some free shots but at the expense of others that will cost her. fact is she hits flat and open pattern for flat hitters is not so welcome let alone an extreme open pattern. Directional control is compromised with flat hitters using an extreme open pattern. She can use 15g string to somewhat make the stringbed more dense but then she will add weight to the frame and make it more head heavy. Ga said she likes 18g mains, she will have issues with directional control hitting flat. So maybe she will be forced to hit more tops to have more accuracy on her shots.:)

This the direction I was thinking. Good post. Flat hitters benefit more from a dense pattern, i.e. 18x20 mains.

I see a couple of choices here. 1. Help her swing path improve more from low to high. 2. Go with an 18x20 main pattern and help her be the best flat ball hitter she can be.

The majority of girls are flat ball strikers, not topspiners. Not saying spin can not be improved and implemented, just that girls tend to hit flatter and be a little more linear than the boys.
 

Soianka

Hall of Fame
yes some free shots but at the expense of others that will cost her. fact is she hits flat and open pattern for flat hitters is not so welcome let alone an extreme open pattern. Directional control is compromised with flat hitters using an extreme open pattern. She can use 15g string to somewhat make the stringbed more dense but then she will add weight to the frame and make it more head heavy. Ga said she likes 18g mains, she will have issues with directional control hitting flat. So maybe she will be forced to hit more tops to have more accuracy on her shots.:)


What sort of player do you think these new Wilson Steam racquets will benefit?
 

mimibighead

New User
String Set Up?

I'm going to have my 11 year old son (top ranked sectionally) try the Steam 99s. I was wondering what string setups for this raquet other juniors were trying. I'm starting with:
Mains: RPM at 52
Crosses: NXT at 54

Thoughts??
 

gplracer

Hall of Fame
My son is 10 and ranked pretty high in his section. This racket was just a little heavy for him. Although, he is going to try it again. He really likes the juice lite. Currently he is playing with the blade lite.

As for strings he uses babolat tonic+ in the mains and luxilon 4g in the crosses. The nxt breaks too quickly.
 

crosbydog

Rookie
I'm going to have my 11 year old son (top ranked sectionally) try the Steam 99s. I was wondering what string setups for this raquet other juniors were trying. I'm starting with:
Mains: RPM at 52
Crosses: NXT at 54

Thoughts??
My soon to be 12 y.o. daughter, ranked #36 in section, who has been using the racket for a week and is using it in a tournament tonight has:

Mains: Tour Bite at 52
Crosses: Poly Master One at 55
 

mimibighead

New User
Thanks. I would think in a hybrid you would want the poly in the mains so you have the snap-back effect for top spin AND a multi in the crosses to soften the string bed. Agree?

I know some (including Federer) puts the poly in the crosses but I don't get the logic of that.
 

crosbydog

Rookie
My soon to be 12 y.o. daughter, ranked #36 in section, who has been using the racket for a week and is using it in a tournament tonight


Racket helped my 11 y.o. daughter finish fourth in a Girls 16 tournament tonight (she beat someone who is on the varsity tennis team at her future high school). More balls dropped in that normally would have landed long :)
 

gplracer

Hall of Fame
I believe somewherevon here there isvavlink to an article stating thatvthe drag coefficient of the strings is less when the poly is in the crosses. That is when gut is used. We find that gut last much longer than a multi and ends up being cheaper in the long run. A full bed of gut has a much shorter lifespan.
 
My son loves it but he is 10 and the swingweight might be a little too much for him. Our club just got in the Juice light which is lighter than the juice but it is head heavy and has a higher swingweight. What will all of that mean?

Although the static weight is lighter, the racket will feel less manuverable (like a much heavier racquet) but generate a lot of power. I'm not sure why Wilson made this stick so head heavy as it would have been a great transition racquet with a lighter swingweight....
 

monomer

Rookie
Although the static weight is lighter, the racket will feel less manuverable (like a much heavier racquet) but generate a lot of power. I'm not sure why Wilson made this stick so head heavy as it would have been a great transition racquet with a lighter swingweight....

Yes, I would be surprised to see many of the Pure Drive, AeroPro or Juice crowd switching to the 99s. It swings much heavier than these because of the balance.
 
Thanks, Pro_Tour. This is what I wanted to know. I think by the short answer, I annoyed ga tennis with the questions. Didn't mean to. Just wanted some info.

I've taken the approach of a very flexible racquet and only gut or super-soft multi to be safe, but as my son gets older I'm interested in other gear. As it is for most tennis dads, the gear is part of the fun for me.:)
NO problem BMC

OK, I got the stick, and like I projected even without playing it that the stick has issues with directional control when hitting flat. I noticed this especially when hitting my flat serves down the T, I could not dial in so easily as with lets say an MP with dense pattern. My 4.0 wife who plays nationals liked it. My 10 year old son did not like it, he preferred the areo lite in 3/8 using thin co-poly at low. The areo Lite is light and will cut through the air fast because of it shape, and it really plays softer than the other aero's I have tested. I really like this frame alot. As for the steam99 I had wilson 16g for free in it will cut them out tonight and give it another go, maybe I will change my mind on it. I did not like the balance and the way it swung, something about the throat shape I did not like.grip is too short for double handed players, it is too throaty if you know what I mean.:confused: it does generate mucho arch have to try it in a high level double match to give better assessment.
 
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