mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
Istringing in temple city has one.
2019 Wilson Blade
- Thread starter TennisCounrty
- Start date
WillGinRVA
Rookie
Played a doubles match with my new on-spec v7 18x20. I think I'm too low of a level such that the high swingweight hampers me haha. I'm only a 3.0 (will probably be 3.5 in a year or two though) and the balls that came to me were so light and at the service line such that I had trouble not hitting the ball long while going for winners. I have it strung with NXT at 57 lbs.
I may need to go back to my Clash 100 haha.
I may need to go back to my Clash 100 haha.
n8dawg6
Legend
stick w that blade. it can carry you through wherever you need to go w your game
I do not. Took the rackets to a shop that had an RDC
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Its not the racquet. Just keep playing. You can grow with the Blade (if you like it, of course) and since you stated you are working to advance to another level, the Blade will be great for you.
Over hitting soft balls is not happening because of swingweight. You have all day to set up and hit the ball, so you can execute this shot easily with a wood frame once you know what you are doing. I’d just stay with the blade if you like the frame and not worry about the racquet.
If you aren’t really feeling the Blade, disregard everything I just said, but don’t be intimidated by the higher SW. That is a great thing to have, and you will learn to wield it over time.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
What’s the highest SW one you have on the 2015s? Curious how much it varies.
range was 291-305 on a batch of 12
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Wow thats crazy, but thats Wilson for you. If you don’t want a 305, please let me know.
gutfeeling
Hall of Fame
I bought the 305 from @snoflewis lol. Reading on my Alpha Accuswing was actually 300. So either his RDC is coming in high or my Alpha is coming in low. Go figure.
n8dawg6
Legend
the interesting thing about soft balls is that you have time to think about where youre putting your feet ...
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Damn, ok. Well if you don’t use it much, please let me know.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
I feel like this is an ”adult“ joke I am walking into, but actually - yes! Quote honestly the best thing I ever did was start thinking feet first on every shot. I get to the ball before I worry much about what my upper body is doing. I find that for me, the upper body turn happens anyway so no need to think about it.
A ton of players think top down instead of bottom up when they prepare for a stroke. And thats one easy way to overcook short balls.
gutfeeling
Hall of Fame
Will do. It's a beaut. The mold is actually slightly different than the v7. It is the same mold as the pre-2015 blades, except this one has parallel drilling.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
I always liked my previous 2015 blade. Best version of the blade ever except it wasn’t as maneuverable as my UTs. This new one I got from snoflewis is UNREAL. Best blade period. Totally connected feel with the ball. I can hit the sharp short angled shots no problem. I can flatten out my shot. Hit loopy. It’s just the perfect frame.
think I mentioned it before that I thought you’d really love the 2015 blades.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
I can do all that with the v7..lol. Blades are just great racquets.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
I actually think you would like the way the 2015 feels more.
gutfeeling
Hall of Fame
The 2015 is basically a firmer v7 that is slightly head heavier (32.5 vs 32). The head weighting is almost identical. Can't go wrong with either.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
Not mine. Mine is under spec so it is essentially a platform frame like my Ultra Tours that I can customize to my preferred specs. The difference between my Blade and Ultra Tour is the blade is just more stable at net. Also has a bit more power because it is stiffer around the throat area. I’ve finally been able to mod it so it’s HL enough (31.8cm balance) with a ~325-328SW strung.
gutfeeling
Hall of Fame
Have you hit the 18x20 v7? The 2015 18x20 is less muted and more stiff, otherwise they feel/play pretty similar to me.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
Yes.
gutfeeling
Hall of Fame
How would you compare them?
gutfeeling
Hall of Fame
Correction: the 2015 is MORE stiff.
i only have one left, but it's on hold for a friend. i have another potential buyer if that falls through, but if both pass on it, i'll let you know
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
2015 is less muted. More direct feedback from the stringbed which I prefer. A bit stiffer.
I imagine I could get along fine with a v7 18/20 if it has an unstrung SW around 290-295. I prefer to use 16g poly mains in the blade due to the more open string pattern so a lighter SW allows me to keep the string SW around 325.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
I don’t think your friend is going to pass. Just a feeling.
gutfeeling
Hall of Fame
I had an underspec v7 at one point, I thought it was a little anemic due to the flex and not enough weight in the head. I agree 100% with your comparison to the 2015 and thoughts on the string pattern...it is fairly open for an 18x20.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
I’m used to low powered frames. Ultra tour, prestige mp...the blade has more power than these 2.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Maybe so, but I'm mainly looking for a backup frame that is close to my v7s, which I am sure the 2015 is. Tracking down old frames can be rough, just look how many buyers snowflewis has for these Blades already.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
That’s only because @snoflewis is a nice guy. If he was an @$$, no one would be interested.
It’s actually not hard for you because you don’t have the same low SW requirement like me
gutfeeling
Hall of Fame
@snoflewis is the GOAT new old stock procurement specialist!That’s only because @snoflewis is a nice guy. If he was an @$$, no one would be interested.
It’s actually not hard for you because you don’t have the same low SW requirement like me
Power Player
Bionic Poster
I actually have the opposite and prefer higher sws. A blade with a sub 330 sw is not very appealing to me and i dont really like adding lead. The 2011 blx was a monster frame it was just too stiff and got to me over time.
The new v7s 18x20a are generally coming in to tw at 307-310 sw unstrung. I really like that a lot.
The new v7s 18x20a are generally coming in to tw at 307-310 sw unstrung. I really like that a lot.
n8dawg6
Legend
yep. strangely i was not baiting with my post. if you can position your feet correctly around the ball, its interesting how well everything else follows
Power Player
Bionic Poster
If you think about it, its why athletic pushers with crap strokes beat guys who are all proud of their atp pat the doggie swings.
An athletic pusher just thinks about running to the ball and getting it back over while the opposite type is thinking about their upper body the whole time and not moving or getting balanced before hitting.
The Technique area of the site is loaded with guys like that. They will study every detail of a pros swing and then practice it flat footed the whole time. Lol.
Holdfast44ID
Semi-Pro
Well, as a former teaching pro and college player, I always felt footwork was a fundamental to focus on to ensure one is in position to hit optimal strokes and recover for the next ball. This is especially true if you rip the ball and are just a tad late getting to and/or setting up for shots on the run. Movement and footwork are skills. Speed isn't.
Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk
well..... it turns out i was quick to (mis) judge hyper-G 18g (1.15). But there are few variables at play that may make my experiment inconclusive. First of all, I strung it about 2 weeks ago at, what I remember to be, roughly 50/48 (not too far from that.. i always go around that). After that, I had to go out of town for a work trip for a week... . And then hit with it for like 20 minutes and it felt little too wild then. Today, I gave it a full 2.5 hours. So, first of all, let me say that the tension was 44lbs after 2 weeks w/out really playing with it. By the time i was done today it was 42.5lbs. So that is low for a 18g string (for me). What I noticed was huge comfort step-up vs 17g (could be the lower tension hence why i said too many variables). Regardless, hyper G 17g or even alpha lets me know that I just played 2 hours of tennis... no TE but some stiffness/little tightness on the forearm. With this 18g hyper-G there was ZERO pain... nothing...... stiffness per TWE is 180s so maybe that explains the softness (regardless of tension). I think blade is a very comfortable frame but i do play almost 4 times a week (about 7 hours)...so no matter how comfy the racquet is, any poly could take a toll... so it's nice that 18g is comfy. Anyways, what else.... launch angle picked up a bit more... how i know is that low, flat balls are easier to pick up. You can stab or just get the racquet on the ball when you are on defense.... With that... power is higher and finally control is not as good as 17g. The problem is that all this could have been the case with hyper-g 17g at similar lower tension.. I tested hyper-G 17g at 47lbs for the most part. What is also really good with 18g is spin. It's felt very easy to generate spin... and you can feel the ball dwell.. bite... pocket and redirect. it was fun. On the negatives, I did hit more long than usual. I like to go all out/full swings but with 18g i had to be careful. If i didn't have the racquet face at right angle, it was harder to keep it in...(yes... again... could be the tension).... but similarly i had some crazy last second dippers... it was quite fun.. My accuracy went down a bit.. So I think it's either hyper-G 18g at around 47lbs or maybe 17g at 45 to 44 lbs could be a really good place to be comfort/power/spin/control wise. Will update for the sake of science. HyperG 18g was so good that even though i initially was going to cut it out for the next string at the end of the session... i ended up cutting the alpha out from my other blade. I am trying x-perience next which i know to be a very comfortable poly ... It has too much pop for TT100 (310) but it could be a good fit for v7 18x20.
parasailing
Legend
I just got Hyper-G 1.20mm so time for me string my Blade v7 in the mains at 44lbs and crosses at 40lbs and will try it out the entire week to see how it goes.
I had a couple hours hitting with Black Code 4S today and didn't find the same type of spin I got from Hyper-G 16L so it is off my list.
I had a couple hours hitting with Black Code 4S today and didn't find the same type of spin I got from Hyper-G 16L so it is off my list.
Played for 4 years with the Ezone DR 98. Great racquet but I want to try something new.
Recently i bought the Wilson Clash Tour 100. First playtest was great so I bought one. But it is a bit disappointing. Somehow it feels sluggisch on serve and it is missing control on mny single handed backhand and slice.
I am now going to playtest the Wilson Blade 98 16*19 V7. How will this compare to my DR98 and the Clash Tour 100?
Recently i bought the Wilson Clash Tour 100. First playtest was great so I bought one. But it is a bit disappointing. Somehow it feels sluggisch on serve and it is missing control on mny single handed backhand and slice.
I am now going to playtest the Wilson Blade 98 16*19 V7. How will this compare to my DR98 and the Clash Tour 100?
edelp
Semi-Pro
This is not the former steam 100 mould, is it?
time_fly
Hall of Fame
Much more similar to the DR98, but noticeably higher swing weight than either.
WillGinRVA
Rookie
I'm the 3.0/3.5 from a few posts ago who initially had trouble with this racquet (18x20, unstrung 311g, 7pt HL, 307 SW). I practiced a bit tonight and felt better with it. I'm thinking I just need to keep with it and this is a racquet that can stay with me as I improve. I keep buying and trying out different racquets and can't decide, but I'm getting tired of that and want to stick with something for more than a match haha.
I feel like I COULD go back to something that helps me out more at my current level, maybe a 100" racquet that's a little lighter, but I'd eventually have to move away from it as higher-level opponents no longer constantly hit softies the way they do in my current 3.0 league lol. Which sidenote I'm only 32 and just got back into tennis in the spring after not playing for 15-20 years, so feel I've got potential to move up some.
So overall I feel like this 18x20 isn't a noob racquet but also isn't reserved for super advanced players. It seems to hit consistently with good stability, such that I won't be able to blame the racquet if I play poorly or don't hit an alley shot I was aiming for. Whereas my various Clashes (100, Tour, 98) seem to be less predictable in how the ball comes off the strings.
Thoughts? Really I'm just looking for someone to tell me that I should stop my search for "the one" racquet, and instead focus on getting more familiar and better with this racquet and it'll be there to grow with me to the higher levels. And that just because I had trouble serving with it for 60ish practice serves doesn't mean I should give up on it haha.
I feel like I COULD go back to something that helps me out more at my current level, maybe a 100" racquet that's a little lighter, but I'd eventually have to move away from it as higher-level opponents no longer constantly hit softies the way they do in my current 3.0 league lol. Which sidenote I'm only 32 and just got back into tennis in the spring after not playing for 15-20 years, so feel I've got potential to move up some.
So overall I feel like this 18x20 isn't a noob racquet but also isn't reserved for super advanced players. It seems to hit consistently with good stability, such that I won't be able to blame the racquet if I play poorly or don't hit an alley shot I was aiming for. Whereas my various Clashes (100, Tour, 98) seem to be less predictable in how the ball comes off the strings.
Thoughts? Really I'm just looking for someone to tell me that I should stop my search for "the one" racquet, and instead focus on getting more familiar and better with this racquet and it'll be there to grow with me to the higher levels. And that just because I had trouble serving with it for 60ish practice serves doesn't mean I should give up on it haha.
gutfeeling
Hall of Fame
It's a great racquet. If the 18x20 is difficult to wield, you may want to try the 16x19. It has less weight in the head and more weight in the throat. So it's easier to swing, but it won't be as stable/solid feeling. Tradeoffs. Also, keep in mind manufacturing variance in case your particular frame is heavier/more head heavy than Wilson's target specs. Best thing you can do is get your frame measured on a diagnostic machine so you know what you are working with.
My Clash 100 Tour came in at 338 swingweight strung which is higher than my 18x 20 blade. Go figure.. wilson QC
Hankenstein
Hall of Fame
I dont have access to the Steam 100 so i cant confirm, but i would say the Blade 100 is more round in the head compared to Steam 100
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Changing racquets a lot wont help you get better. Honestly if you save that money and use it on 1 on one lessons you will benefit far more. Plus the coach will tell you if you need a different frame, which I doubt you do.
n8dawg6
Legend
yes, do that. do as i say dont do as i do
Wall Ball Wizard
Rookie
Sorry. But if you initially thought it was too heavy, it probably is...
Fxanimator1
Hall of Fame
It's a great racquet, just stick with it.
Rather than spending tons on different racquets, spend a ton on a ball machine.
ChaelAZ
G.O.A.T.
I am almost comfortable enough with the V7 now I might be selling my 2015's. Well, maybe two of them and keeping two. I already have 3 different folks asking about them. lol. They are the most popular Blade for sure.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
At 3.0-3.5, the racquet won’t matter much as long as it doesn’t hurt your arm. I recommend you choose a racquet that is easy to swing and do like PP recommended and get some lessons. That will do you more good than switching racquets.
