18x20 Wilson Shift prototype

I'm a Wilson lifer and I'm a sucker for racquet cosmetics, which explains why I have a Blade v8 18x20 Roland Garros. On an impulse purchase, I picked up the Shift 315g 18x20 version. Love it for looks but having a really hard time dialing it in for play. I think if you're coming from a Blade or something similar, the transition would be alright... but for me coming from a Pro Staff, it has too many Blade-like qualities for my taste. Part of the problem is that I have it strung up with a full poly (Technifibre Black Code) and I never thought I'd say it but I am producing way too much spin with little effort. I need to give it some more play time before fully passing judgement on it. One thing is for certain... it's a beautiful looking stick!

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Wilsonbro said:
Played with this a little more not bad. Definitely a attacking racket
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My suggestion is to increase the length and quality of your "review" posts. Dont think so? Check your your last 10-20 posts.

But I might have set myself to be attacked.... Apologies in advance if you think that I am not being fair.
 
ressling said:
I'm a Wilson lifer and I'm a sucker for racquet cosmetics, which explains why I have a Blade v8 18x20 Roland Garros. On an impulse purchase, I picked up the Shift 315g 18x20 version. Love it for looks but having a really hard time dialing it in for play. I think if you're coming from a Blade or something similar, the transition would be alright... but for me coming from a Pro Staff, it has too many Blade-like qualities for my taste. Part of the problem is that I have it strung up with a full poly (Technifibre Black Code) and I never thought I'd say it but I am producing way too much spin with little effort. I need to give it some more play time before fully passing judgement on it. One thing is for certain... it's a beautiful looking stick!

7a2pZ7t.jpg
MSf4H1q.jpg
Click to expand...

What is your tension at? I think this racquet will really shine at lower tensions. When I can get back out on the court, I am going to restring at 42/40 and see what happens. My wife has 3 matches this weekend, and she is going to take it for a spin, so getting her feedback will be nice.
 
The thing is that this sticks hits 1 good ball then next ball fly out . I played on clay so it was much better on clay then hard court
 
ressling said:
55. I definitely want to restring it with something else.
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I would definitely go lower. Maybe start at 51/49 if hybriding. It will pocket the ball more, and contrary to instinct will give you some more control. Lower tensions make a racquet more predictable in my open, since it is less boardy. So far this is a more predictable version of a Clash, and that is definitely a good thing.
 
Just ordered a 315…excited about it, probs will string it up lower based on feedback on this forum. I’ve play tested a lot of racquets recently, and love my new extreme mp but hoping for something with a little more control. Trying to decide if I should stick to the extreme mp, switch to the new vcore 98, or this new shift frame. Arm issues are also part of my concern with the extreme, and the vcore and shift should be more comfortable. Just wish these new racquets weren’t all so muted - I grew up playing in the late 80s / early 90s and I miss the feel of the old frames. Will post impressions once I get a chance to hit with it.
 
Fighting phoenix said:
Just ordered a 315…excited about it, probs will string it up lower based on feedback on this forum. I’ve play tested a lot of racquets recently, and love my new extreme mp but hoping for something with a little more control. Trying to decide if I should stick to the extreme mp, switch to the new vcore 98, or this new shift frame. Arm issues are also part of my concern with the extreme, and the vcore and shift should be more comfortable. Just wish these new racquets weren’t all so muted - I grew up playing in the late 80s / early 90s and I miss the feel of the old frames. Will post impressions once I get a chance to hit with it.
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First time I hit with it was really muted. Also playing in 80s I don't use a dampener. I want to feel the racquet. Blade pro definitely harkens back to that era.

Once I added 4g total of lead to the Shift at 10 and 2 it felt way more responsive. Way less muted. Initially it felt like a Speed Pro. With the lesd snd lower tension, it feels like a better Clash but with more feel.
 
Looks like the 315, there are 10 mains in the throat which I have never seen before. I took a few swing in the store with the 315 and it feels heavy for a 315.
 
I was not the only one who didn’t like this stick on Serves .
Also the flat control is not great .

It’s a good stick by meant for very high players
 
Anyone have a summary they can provide re the pros and cons of the 300 vs the 315? Which racquets are they most similar to, and who are each of them for? I’m more drawn to the specs of the 300, but the 315 seems to be a better racquet overall (balance, feel, etc).
 
Wilsonbro said:
Yea 315 not very forgiving . Not easy to whip .
.
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I have the 300, and it’s the best serving racket I’ve had in a long time. I can serve with lots of pop while being accurate at the same time. Kick serves are also great. When you see your opponent struggling to position themselves correctly on the return, you know it’s some good kick. Pretty good slice, too. I just had to adjust a little to aim higher than normal.
 
I have the 315 for about 2 weeks now. really liking it and probably making a switch to this. 2 things.. it is really comfortable frame for having RA in mid/high 60s, it is muted and comfortable on groundstrokes and only time i feel the stiffness is on flat serves and volleys... i typically play with a dampener but play without it on this frame and love the sound. it plays amazing stock, don't feel it needs customization for me, i got lucky and unstrung spec was spot on (no way to measure sw but guessing around 320s strung).. for an 18x20 racket, it produces really good spin, good power, and control kind of like technifibre iso305 18x19 but a lot less taxing in a match play. played with alu power / rexis comfort at 48/50.. it was good but little too much power.. now have a full bed of volkl v-torque tour at 53/51 and loving it so far more spin/control.. going to try head hawk power next
 
Lone review of 315 on tennis point titled "Exotic power and spin" says "It’s like nothing before with this racket. The effortless spin and power makes you rethink tennis. Never going back to pro staff." - Xavier
 
Received my Shift 315 just over a week now.
Unstrung: 314.3g, 31.3cm SW299
Strung with 4G at 50/47: 332.6g 32.4cm SW334

I am really enjoying hitting with it. There's a comfortable forgiving feel to it, especially for me right now, dealing with a slight elbow problem. Even though it is 18x20, I felt I was still able to get a decent amount of spin on my shots, compared to other tighter 18x20 rackets. The racket has a lot of easy power, and very maneuverable. A drawback is the paint used in the throat area. As a one hand backhand user, my left hand is always on the throat of the racket, and the feeling from the paint is quite slick. I guess once your hands have a little moisture, it is not as noticeable. As an RF97 user, I tend to like the heavier rackets. So over the weekend, I added about 3-4 grams at 12 to give it more plow through. It made a big difference for me. When on the run, i had more control over the racket, and made it easier to swing through the ball. Next up, thinking about throwing on a leather grip.

My buddy, currently using the V8 Blade 18x20 is seriously considering a switch to the Shift. He likes the easier power from the racket, the spin is comparable, but says control is slightly lacking compared to the Blade. But it is something he can learn to get used to.
 
Aestheticsaboveallelse said:
Lone review of 315 on tennis point titled "Exotic power and spin" says "It’s like nothing before with this racket. The effortless spin and power makes you rethink tennis. Never going back to pro staff." - Xavier
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But but but... does it produce exploding balls?
;):-D
 
gold325 said:
But but but... does it produce exploding balls?
;):-D
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-IMO, i would think it does!, since it is a lighter stick than the 18/20 blade!?! (again just my thoughts, i cant wait to try it)
-a lighter stick would allow you to flick/spin the ball more and get it through the air/contact zone quicker, thusly creating a heavy spin ball
-at 315g it should have enough mass to not feel like a total toy!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
 
A_Instead said:
Is the Shifts head shape unique or is it similar to other Wilson rackets?
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I think its unique primarily due to the ultra wide throat & the head is more round. The shape of the top of head is very similar to the Ultra V4 but the widening of the throat ended up rounding out the sides and the bottom of the head and reducing the lengths of the mains a little also.

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gold325 said:
I think its unique primarily due to the ultra wide throat & the head is more round. The shape of the top of head is very similar to the Ultra V4 but the widening of the throat ended up rounding out the sides and the bottom of the head and reducing the lengths of the mains a little also.

rs.php
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also think its more unique rounder shape than other wilson offerings.. hope they keep this pj b/c i think any string color will look great and compliment the pj! this is with white v-torque tour
ibb.co

IMG-7568 hosted at ImgBB

Image IMG-7568 hosted in ImgBB
ibb.co ibb.co
 
I was expecting 2 turds with the PS V14 and Shift but unbelievably the 97, X, Shift300, Shift315 all are great racquets on their own right.

Exciting times for Wilson lovers and possible new Wilson heads.

PS - MRT or Spec check all racquet purchases especially Wilson.
 
gold325 said:
I was expecting 2 turds with the PS V14 and Shift but unbelievably the 97, X, Shift300, Shift315 all are great racquets on their own right.

Exciting times for Wilson lovers and possible new Wilson heads.

PS - MRT or Spec check all racquet purchases especially Wilson.
Click to expand...
Exactly, at this point I'm like I may as well narrow down to using wilson only and narrow down my choices. Even the pro stocks they have the great ultra pro and blade pros. No need to do another brand this one is best
 
New to the Forums, but because this racquet is so new I thought I would throw in my two cents…

Just spent two hours on the court with the 315, strung with Volkyl Cyclone 17g @52lbs. 30 minutes of hitting around, then two sets to get a real first impression.

From the BASELINE:
Easy to swing... So comfortable and even fun to swing. It took a few games to find my returns, but when I settled in the racquet seemed to come alive.
Easy power... When I would just let the racquet do the work I found it wanted to send a heavy ball. Coming from a pro staff i sometimes tried to bring the power myself which had mixed results.
You could feel the pocketing… i liked that. Not everyone will. One of the club pros with me, wasn’t so sure. Again, I have loved my pro staff, but wanted a bit more easy everything and this checked all the boxes for me on the spec sheet.
For me, it lived up to the hype (on a first hit).

At the NET:
Quick… This took some adjusting for me. I framed a lot while just hitting around. Coming from a significantly heavier stick, the Shift 315 just moved to everything so fast.
Solid… Never felt pushed. Never felt overly bendy. But I did love the touch. My drops had so much feel and slices coming in had real bite.
Less precise than I am used to, but I expected as much… Also, volleys are not something I am afraid of, but not the strength of my game. It may be my shortcomings and not the racquet.

Serve:
This really took the most adjustment. Having read all the reviews and watched all the videos, I expected to love this while serving. It wasn’t bad, but it is going to take some work for me.
Flat had a lot behind it. The Kicker had some jump, but nothing that really caught my attention. And the slice just didn’t really go for me. I was playing a lefty, so it didn’t really hurt me, but I would have gone away from it against most of the people I play.
I think it is just the adjustment from a really different racquet to this, but I double faulted significantly more than usual, missing 4-6” long far too often.

Overall, I had a blast with the Wilson ProLabs Shift 315. From a specs standpoint it is exactly what I have been looking for. Eager to get out there against a bigger hitter to keep putting this racquet through its paces. But the first hit lived up, maybe even exceeded my expectations. I thought there would be more of an adjustment and there really wasn’t.
 
Hit with the 315 with a ball machine for about an hour today - first impressions:

Got the demo from TW, and it was brand new with the plastic still on the grip! Very nice. The strings were ALU Power, strung pretty low (40s) based on the sound and feel of it.

GREAT experience from the baseline - plow through was there, lots of control (much more control than my normal Extreme Auxetic MP), and if I hit all out and in the sweetspot, I could just add a little topspin and the racquet did a great job bringing the ball down into the court. Lots of depth, comfortable, and I found the sweetspot pretty forgiving (different that some other reviewers - maybe this is due to the low tension).

Volleys were stable and controlled, and I could tell that I had easy put away power and touch if needed.

Serves - tbd on this, as it's not as whippy as my normal stick so didn't feel like I could get the same pop/kick that I usually do. However, it still felt like a heavy ball with lots of control.

Great so far! When I play with a human being, will be interesting. I also plan to try the 300, so can't wait to compare the two.
 
CPuck said:
New to the Forums, but because this racquet is so new I thought I would throw in my two cents…

Just spent two hours on the court with the 315, strung with Volkyl Cyclone 17g @52lbs. 30 minutes of hitting around, then two sets to get a real first impression.

From the BASELINE:
Easy to swing... So comfortable and even fun to swing. It took a few games to find my returns, but when I settled in the racquet seemed to come alive.
Easy power... When I would just let the racquet do the work I found it wanted to send a heavy ball. Coming from a pro staff i sometimes tried to bring the power myself which had mixed results.
You could feel the pocketing… i liked that. Not everyone will. One of the club pros with me, wasn’t so sure. Again, I have loved my pro staff, but wanted a bit more easy everything and this checked all the boxes for me on the spec sheet.
For me, it lived up to the hype (on a first hit).

At the NET:
Quick… This took some adjusting for me. I framed a lot while just hitting around. Coming from a significantly heavier stick, the Shift 315 just moved to everything so fast.
Solid… Never felt pushed. Never felt overly bendy. But I did love the touch. My drops had so much feel and slices coming in had real bite.
Less precise than I am used to, but I expected as much… Also, volleys are not something I am afraid of, but not the strength of my game. It may be my shortcomings and not the racquet.

Serve:
This really took the most adjustment. Having read all the reviews and watched all the videos, I expected to love this while serving. It wasn’t bad, but it is going to take some work for me.
Flat had a lot behind it. The Kicker had some jump, but nothing that really caught my attention. And the slice just didn’t really go for me. I was playing a lefty, so it didn’t really hurt me, but I would have gone away from it against most of the people I play.
I think it is just the adjustment from a really different racquet to this, but I double faulted significantly more than usual, missing 4-6” long far too often.

Overall, I had a blast with the Wilson ProLabs Shift 315. From a specs standpoint it is exactly what I have been looking for. Eager to get out there against a bigger hitter to keep putting this racquet through its paces. But the first hit lived up, maybe even exceeded my expectations. I thought there would be more of an adjustment and there really wasn’t.
Click to expand...
Nice review I have been wondering about getting a demo thank you!
 
first impressions after a hour and half hitting session strung with Solinco Confidential 16L @ 53lbs.

It reminds me of the Speed Pro, but more balance towards the head. Initial feel was firm like the Solinco White out, but kind of softens up on groundstrokes. It’s like an M&M stiff candy coating but if you swing hard the outer shell breaks and it’s a plush experience. (Yeah it took me a good 5 mins to come up with that analogy). I don’t really vibe well with Wilson stringbeds when it comes to spin. I don’t feel as if I can manipulate the ball in the moment because i cant feel it dwell. That could be a me issue though. Didn’t really notice any difference in sweet spot size… and coming from testing the Aero 98 and Vcores the racket wants to swing through more then up. It doesn’t cut through the air forward as well as the Ezone or babolats, but I felt as if it does swing fast.
 
Fighting phoenix said:
Hit with the 315 with a ball machine for about an hour today - first impressions:

Got the demo from TW, and it was brand new with the plastic still on the grip! Very nice. The strings were ALU Power, strung pretty low (40s) based on the sound and feel of it.

GREAT experience from the baseline - plow through was there, lots of control (much more control than my normal Extreme Auxetic MP), and if I hit all out and in the sweetspot, I could just add a little topspin and the racquet did a great job bringing the ball down into the court. Lots of depth, comfortable, and I found the sweetspot pretty forgiving (different that some other reviewers - maybe this is due to the low tension).

Volleys were stable and controlled, and I could tell that I had easy put away power and touch if needed.

Serves - tbd on this, as it's not as whippy as my normal stick so didn't feel like I could get the same pop/kick that I usually do. However, it still felt like a heavy ball with lots of control.

Great so far! When I play with a human being, will be interesting. I also plan to try the 300, so can't wait to compare the two.
Click to expand...
Do it! Try the 300 and let us know
 
A friend of mine played with shift 315. He is a solid 5.0. He told me that it plays great but even for him the SW and 315 of weight is more than enough and he makes him go slow at contact. I don’t know why Wilson offered this stick and pro staff X at 315. It should be a 295 / 310 combo like with clash. They are giving an option of pro staff feel to a wider audience with X and instead of 305 they went for 315….
 
their goal might be to make something less of a platform racket to differntiate from their Blade and Ultra pro 18x20. perhaps 305 would've made the weight class quite crowded for Wilson but who knows
 
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