Blade V8 Official Thread.

[DJTaurus]

I'm new to customisation but love the idea of a slightly less head-light and therefore more stable version of 98s v8. When you say you lead up at 3 and 9, how exactly do you measure where to place the lead, how much lead do you apply and what are the racket specs post-customisation? I also typically add a leather grip, would that change what you do to the 98s?

Thanks a lot.

I don’t do it by myself. I send it to a stringer and ask him to retain 32,5cm which is my go to unstrung balance and add weight where is needed in order to bring it up at 298/300grams unstrung and swingweight also unstrung between 290-295…. I also tell him that i prefer lead to be placed at 3/9 and if can do it he proceeds. So for this to happen before i buy a Wilson racquet i apply matching service of 6 racquets on WEARHOUSE Europe and i choose the one which is suitable for my customisation.

 

[DJTaurus]

Second playtest today against a better player from me. It keeps getting better.

It’s a lot better even than V5 on cheap n charge, first and second volleys…. effortless depth. Same defence abilities with V5….definitely more power than V7 on every aspect of the game. It doesn’t have the raw power of V5 but but but…. it’s more solid and stable…. better byte on the ball and if you can time it…. it can crush the ball even harder. So which one is more powerful it depends.

Still my only issue is that I haven’t found my flat game. But i am very happy that finally power is back. I still haven’t lead it up so i am playing with a 293gr stick…. at 300gr I would definitely have even more push. Look guys it’s not the honeymoon this is a very good offering from Wilson….I tested it on special shots, defence tactics, changing pace, serve n volley and it delivered. Power is there and also the control. To be honest it’s only inferior to V5 in terms of feel…. next test would be against a pusher.

 

[cristic]

ok, so I just demoed the v8 18x20. I demoed it alongside my v7 18x20 and the gravity pro. I think my review will be quite a contrast to the previous few on the last few pages of this thread, but nevertheless, here it is.

The V8 18x20 was a complete disappointment and was easily my least favourite racket of the session. It was strung lower than my v7 18x20 but I felt like it had LESS power, and it definitely was not as precise. In fact, it was easier for me to switch from my v7 to the gravity pro, than it was to the v8!!! The gravity pro was what surprised me the most. It's a completely different racket from the tour and mp (both of which I tried and disliked).

The gravity pro was also strung a little lower than my v7, and it had more power. Serves definitely felt more powerful, and groundstrokes too. Only thing it was missing was the precision of the V7. I was playing match tie-breaks with my friends, and I found that when I was under pressure, I needed to switch back from the gravity to the v7, because the V7 just paints those lines and gives me the amazing angles and control (however maybe this is because the gravity pro was strung lower, but then again if it was strung higher, it wouldn't have felt so nice power wise!).

I mean, I really wanted to get a 2nd V7 18x20 with a matched spec, but all in my size are sold out in Europe, so I am looking for a replacement to keep my V7 as a backup, especially as I plan on getting back into tournaments. I was hoping V8 would be an easy choice, but so far it has disappointed a lot! Gravity Pro seems to be first in line (although at this point I still like my V7 more).

Strings were Alu Power roland garros for v8 18x20, hyper-g 1.15 for v7 18x20 (23/22 kg but has loosened up since playing. I checked this with a friend who was freshly strung with 23/22 and my v7 definitely lost some tension when we compared). Not sure about the strings on the gravity pro.

Power: GPRO > v7 => v8
Precision: v7 > v8 = GPRO
Manouverability: v8 > GPRO=v7
Serve: GPRO > v7 = v8
Control: v7 > v8 = GPRO
Groundstrokes: v7 > GPRO > v8

I intend to play again a few times more this week and will update if things change! But yeah, quite disappointed

You really need to measure to understand what are you demoing, on my last two demo sessions I got really bad under spec rackets with 10 to 20 points difference in swingweight. Any racket with 300 swingweight strung with poly will play really bad and this was a Wilson Blade V8, I also got a Yonex with 305.

 

[Fuzzy]

Sorry if this has been discussed already.

Anyone in the US know how to get the 98s??

I was able to order my v7's through Stringer's world and have them shipped internationally for a very fair price. To date they do not have the 98s available at all.

TW Europe DOES have the 98s but i get a manufacturer's warning when i try to ship to the US. Same with Wilson direct, when i switch to a UK version of the site there is no international shipping.

So far my best idea is to find someone in the UK to ship to and then have them forward to me but in that scenario i'm paying double shipping AND VAT...which will easily make these sticks like 300+ each.

Any ideas???

 

[nyc]

There it is.

 

[Dasol]

There it is.

I have to say that I do not like his reviews.

Of course, everyone's review is personal and subjective, but there are simply too much exaggerations in his reviews.
And he tends to generalize his personal experiences with racquets and strings, ignoring or disregarding others' views.
I know it is from his own YouTube channel, but I do not like his judgmental approach based on his personal/subjective experiences.

He said in the previous review that the blade 18X20 v8 is the greatest racquet ever for backhand slice, and in this review the 16X19 is a horrendous racquet for slice?? The blade 18X20 v8 is the worst racquet ever for return of serve?? Has he tried every racquet existing so far? Is his current racquet a open or a dense pattern? How long has he tested the blade v8? Has he tried different tensions and strings?

Every racquet has pros and cons, but how can one say that this is the worst racquet for a certain category ever?? Just too much exaggeration in the review for me, and it is just hard to trust it...

 

[TimePlease]

I have to say that I do not like his reviews.

Of course, everyone's review is personal and subjective, but there are simply too much exaggerations in his reviews.
And he tends to generalize his personal experiences with racquets and strings, ignoring or disregarding others' views.
I know it is from his own YouTube channel, but I do not like his judgmental approach based on his personal/subjective experiences.

He said in the previous review that the blade 18X20 v8 is the greatest racquet ever for backhand slice, and in this review the 16X19 is a horrendous racquet for slice?? The blade 18X20 v8 is the worst racquet ever for return of serve?? Has he tried every racquet existing so far? Is his current racquet a open or a dense pattern? How long has he tested the blade v8? Has he tried different tensions and strings?

Every racquet has pros and cons, but how can one say that this is the worst racquet for a certain category ever?? Just too much exaggeration in the review for me, and it is just hard to trust it...

Agree, too many superlatives and he's too quick to judge. It's a shame because his video production is first class. And I wish all reviewers would spend more time experimenting with adding lead before reviewing. How often does a frame feel ideal at stock specs, and how much of a difference does it make when we customise them? So drawing conclusions straight off the bat like they tend to do, needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.

 

[nov]

Agree, too many superlatives and he's too quick to judge. It's a shame because his video production is first class. And I wish all reviewers would spend more time experimenting with adding lead before reviewing. How often does a frame feel ideal at stock specs, and how much of a difference does it make when we customise them? So drawing conclusions straight off the bat like they tend to do, needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.

True about exaggeration, but frames should be reviewed in stock form.

 

[DJTaurus]

I have to say that I do not like his reviews.

Of course, everyone's review is personal and subjective, but there are simply too much exaggerations in his reviews.
And he tends to generalize his personal experiences with racquets and strings, ignoring or disregarding others' views.
I know it is from his own YouTube channel, but I do not like his judgmental approach based on his personal/subjective experiences.

He said in the previous review that the blade 18X20 v8 is the greatest racquet ever for backhand slice, and in this review the 16X19 is a horrendous racquet for slice?? The blade 18X20 v8 is the worst racquet ever for return of serve?? Has he tried every racquet existing so far? Is his current racquet a open or a dense pattern? How long has he tested the blade v8? Has he tried different tensions and strings?

Every racquet has pros and cons, but how can one say that this is the worst racquet for a certain category ever?? Just too much exaggeration in the review for me, and it is just hard to trust it...

He is a casual tennis reviewer. Don’t be hard on him. Also take notice that this review comes from a guy that he wasn’t a blader in the past…. those people mostly don’t like Blades but nevertheless he liked 16x19 by a lot. What he says for slice is pretty accurate btw and yeah he exaggerates a lot…. it’s his style no problem with that…. at least his review is not generic if you know what i mean…

If you want the hard truth specially for Blades don’t watch any review….only if the reviewer has given the specs of the racquet he has on his hands. Even a small balance difference can change the whole experience…. this can happen to any racquet but it’s more crucial to Blade…. a racquet that is mostly build around feel/connection and weight on the head.

 

[nov]

He is a casual tennis reviewer. Don’t be hard on him. Also take notice that this review comes from a guy that he wasn’t a blader in the past…. those people mostly don’t like Blades but nevertheless he liked 16x19 by a lot. What he says for slice is pretty accurate btw and yeah he exaggerates a lot…. it’s his style no problem with that…. at least his review is not generic if you know what i mean…

If you want the hard truth specially for Blades don’t watch any review….only if the reviewer has given the specs of the racquet he has on his hands. Even a small balance difference can change the whole experience…. this can happen to any racquet but it’s more crucial to Blade…. a racquet that is mostly build around feel/connection and weight on the head.

I dont know how TW review racquets, did they choose racquet with specs average from many samples or just random. But i think quality control nowadays affect review a lot if racquet choosen random.

 

[Dasol]

He is a casual tennis reviewer. Don’t be hard on him. Also take notice that this review comes from a guy that he wasn’t a blader in the past…. those people mostly don’t like Blades but nevertheless he liked 16x19 by a lot. What he says for slice is pretty accurate btw and yeah he exaggerates a lot…. it’s his style no problem with that…. at least his review is not generic if you know what i mean…

If you want the hard truth specially for Blades don’t watch any review….only if the reviewer has given the specs of the racquet he has on his hands. Even a small balance difference can change the whole experience…. this can happen to any racquet but it’s more crucial to Blade…. a racquet that is mostly build around feel/connection and weight on the head.

Totally agree with you!

No problem with him, but I just do not like his style of reviewing! Just too authoritative and judgmental review from a casual tennis player!

 

[ChanterRacquet]

If he can dish it, he *should* be able to take it. Fire away!

 

[TimePlease]

True about exaggeration, but frames should be reviewed in stock form.

Oh yes, I agree. I wasn't suggesting that reviewers stop describing how frames play in stock form. Of course, that should always be the start and main crux of the review, but towards the end I think it would be nice to hear how the frame plays when customised to what the reviewer is used to, so we can really compare like with like. This is especially important for higher rated reviewers who would normally play with a much heavier frame than the average stock Blade V8, for example. The only reviewer that I've seen going into this much detail is AC Tennis. I look forward to his thoughts on the V8's.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

@DJTaurus @Dasol

-all i know, is that these blades are gonna sell well!! (16/19, 18/20)
-i need to test out the 104 and the 98s
-first racquet I've been able to put luxilon.4G at 50lbs and it is not killing my arm
-the racquet tech just feels NICE!!

 

[CosmosMpower]

I have to say that I do not like his reviews.

Of course, everyone's review is personal and subjective, but there are simply too much exaggerations in his reviews.
And he tends to generalize his personal experiences with racquets and strings, ignoring or disregarding others' views.
I know it is from his own YouTube channel, but I do not like his judgmental approach based on his personal/subjective experiences.

He said in the previous review that the blade 18X20 v8 is the greatest racquet ever for backhand slice, and in this review the 16X19 is a horrendous racquet for slice?? The blade 18X20 v8 is the worst racquet ever for return of serve?? Has he tried every racquet existing so far? Is his current racquet a open or a dense pattern? How long has he tested the blade v8? Has he tried different tensions and strings?

Every racquet has pros and cons, but how can one say that this is the worst racquet for a certain category ever?? Just too much exaggeration in the review for me, and it is just hard to trust it...

That guy is a tool. He complains that the launch angle is bad/the lowest ever while putting a 16 gauge poly in a 18x20. I guess he’s never hit with a prestige MP before.

 

[oldSchool]

Can you please share experience hitting with 104 v8 and compared to 104 v7 ? Thanks.

Have not played with a 104 v7 or any 104 previously before trying the 104 v8, which is now my racquet of choice. I would describe the feel and performance as a mix of v7 Blade 100L, Pro Staff Six One 100, and Dunlop CX 200 OS. String mine at 52 lbs with NXT 17 natural. Stability, feel, control, comfort, sense of connectedness and size of sweet spot is better than any other frame I've tried, and I've tried most of them. As the pace goes up, there are no shortcomings with this. Kicking myself for never trying a Blade 104 before. Senior 3.5 singles and doubles player. Most Clash players that want more connection could benefit from this IMO - the "sleeper" in the Wilson line.

 

[bwongman]

That guy is a tool. He complains that the launch angle is bad/the lowest ever while putting a 16 gauge poly in a 18x20. I guess he’s never hit with a prestige MP before.

I don't know why it is necessary to call the guy a tool. It's his channel and his review, if you don't like the video you don't have to watch it. Or maybe give some constructive criticism on what you think would improve the reviews.

We always ask to see more reviews and more people playing, but when people put themselves out there everyone is so quick to criticize.

 

[AA7]

He complains that the launch angle is bad/the lowest ever while putting a 16 gauge poly in a 18x20. I guess he’s never hit with a prestige MP before.

Yeah. You can't put a 16g into 18m blade. He must have not played with v7 before .. of course it will be extremely low... That is also why he says everything stays in..i do think people confuse launch angle with power or control at times . To me control is predictability of the stringbed directionally . It goes and behaves as you expect, which blade does fantastically.

I am not a fan of different tension on mains and crosses but in blade it does help launch angle . If he strung this up with 17 (even 18g) HG and string it up mid to high 40s and also maybe loosen the crosses a bit vs mains.. he would solve all that problem and open up the sweetspot more etc..

 

[CosmosMpower]

I don't know why it is necessary to call the guy a tool. It's his channel and his review, if you don't like the video you don't have to watch it. Or maybe give some constructive criticism on what you think would improve the reviews.

We always ask to see more reviews and more people playing, but when people put themselves out there everyone is so quick to criticize.

Quantity does not equal quality.

 

[JOSHL]

Have not played with a 104 v7 or any 104 previously before trying the 104 v8, which is now my racquet of choice. I would describe the feel and performance as a mix of v7 Blade 100L, Pro Staff Six One 100, and Dunlop CX 200 OS. String mine at 52 lbs with NXT 17 natural. Stability, feel, control, comfort, sense of connectedness and size of sweet spot is better than any other frame I've tried, and I've tried most of them. As the pace goes up, there are no shortcomings with this. Kicking myself for never trying a Blade 104 before. Senior 3.5 singles and doubles player. Most Clash players that want more connection could benefit from this IMO - the "sleeper" in the Wilson line.

I felt the same way about the V7 104. Sleeper and better than the clash.

 

[Red Bird]

I’m able to get demo racquets locally of Blade 98 v8 m16 and m18 but I’m also interested in the 98S 18x16 which I’d have to buy and have shipped to me. I’d be interested if anyone has hit with the Blade v8 m16 and/or m18 as well as the 98S and could provide a comparison of the 98S with either or both of these frames. Kind of wary of committing to buying a frame and shipping from Europe without more intel.

 

[sb94]

For anyone that’s interested, I emailed Wilson the other day about when we’ll be able purchase customised Blade v8s via their website and they responded with the below:

The new Blade V8 line will be available for customization at some point during the first part of 2022 so January/February range.

 

[Jouke]

I don't know why it is necessary to call the guy a tool. It's his channel and his review, if you don't like the video you don't have to watch it. Or maybe give some constructive criticism on what you think would improve the reviews.

We always ask to see more reviews and more people playing, but when people put themselves out there everyone is so quick to criticize.

Amen. No need to be disrespectfull towards Mark Sansait. To be honest; I love what he does. It is a totally different approach, and yes you should take some things with a little salt but he has a good sense of humor and stirs things up a bit.

I think the main reason for so many reviews being so different is wilson QC. I used the matching service on my V7 18x20 and got 2 sticks with a swingweight of 328 strung. I love them, even more so than my PT57A.

My guess is Mark Sansait got a 310-315 swingweight Blade. That is just too low..

 

[nov]

Amen. No need to be disrespectfull towards Mark Sansait. To be honest; I love what he does. It is a totally different approach, and yes you should take some things with a little salt but he has a good sense of humor and stirs things up a bit.

I think the main reason for so many reviews being so different is wilson QC. I used the matching service on my V7 18x20 and got 2 sticks with a swingweight of 328 strung. I love them, even more so than my PT57A.

My guess is Mark Sansait got a 310-315 swingweight Blade. That is just too low..

It could be the case. Im still cant figure out if Blade V8 is stable enough by watching and reading reviews on youtube/TTW. So many mixed opinions. If ill decide to buy this frame, im going to use matching service for sure!

 

[Christoforos Giatzakis]

Wilson Blade 98 18x20 v8 Racket (3)
Racket	Weight	Swingweight	Balance	Stiffness
1	307,6	289	32	61
2	307,1	285	31,6	61
3	306,1	291	32,2	61
4	306,8	289	32	59
5	306,8	287	32	60
6	305,6	284	31,5	60

Wilson Blade 98 16x19 v8 Racket (3)
Racket	Weight	Swingweight	Balance	Stiffness
1	305,4	288	32,3	59
2	304,7	288	32	61
3	308,5	285	31,7	60
4	304,6	287	32	59
5	304,2	288	32	60
6	307	288	32	60

FYI plastic on handle specs.

 

[mhkeuns]

Have not seen a racket with such mixed reviews. Some absolutely praise the new Blade, whereas some call it trash with pretty paint. Iirc, most complaints on Blade 98‘s have been the balance and sluggishness on swinging. The playability has remained pretty much the same/similar being one of the most popular control rackets. Having played the Blade 98 18x20 since the 2013 version, I’m pretty certain that it isn’t too far off from the previous version in actual playability. So, what is reason for the mixed reviews on this version? Is it because of the real high expectation of the V8 because the V7 was a big success?

 

[tennis347]

Have not seen a racket with such mixed reviews. Some absolutely praise the new Blade, whereas some call it trash with pretty paint. Iirc, most complaints on Blade 98‘s have been the balance and sluggishness on swinging. The playability has remained pretty much the same/similar being one of the most popular control rackets. Having played the Blade 98 18x20 since the 2013 version, I’m pretty certain that it isn’t too far off from the previous version in actual playability. So, what is reason for the mixed reviews on this version? Is it because of the real high expectation of the V8 because the V7 was a big success?

IMO, from the feedback and reviews that I have seen, Wilson lowered the sw dramatically on the V8 which has caused alot of mixed reviews. Alot of Mark S. complaints are related to the lack of stability and the need for lead tape to improve playability. The V7 had a much higher swingweight which offered better stability and plow through. I also believe that alot of players were complaining that the V7 had too high of a sw. The V8 just offers more room for customization. I always thought of the Blade as a platform racquet. You add some weight to the V8 and you are good to go.

 

[mhkeuns]

I don't know why it is necessary to call the guy a tool. It's his channel and his review, if you don't like the video you don't have to watch it. Or maybe give some constructive criticism on what you think would improve the reviews.

We always ask to see more reviews and more people playing, but when people put themselves out there everyone is so quick to criticize.

He is obviously a passionate tennis player with strong opinions. It’s his style of presentation that some may be put off by, but I don’t mind it. It’s easy to criticize someone’s work, but the actual production takes time and effort. I appreciate all reviews because not only they are entertaining and informative, tennis racket review videos are hard work with very little rewards.

 

[nov]

Wilson Blade 98 18x20 v8 Racket (3)
Racket	Weight	Swingweight	Balance	Stiffness
1	307,6	289	32	61
2	307,1	285	31,6	61
3	306,1	291	32,2	61
4	306,8	289	32	59
5	306,8	287	32	60
6	305,6	284	31,5	60

Wilson Blade 98 16x19 v8 Racket (3)
Racket	Weight	Swingweight	Balance	Stiffness
1	305,4	288	32,3	59
2	304,7	288	32	61
3	308,5	285	31,7	60
4	304,6	287	32	59
5	304,2	288	32	60
6	307	288	32	60

FYI plastic on handle specs.

Thats very low SW on all of them. How much strings would add to Blade 16 x 19?around 20?

 

[AA7]

Thats very low SW on all of them. How much strings would add to Blade 16 x 19?around 20?

16gr static... 28 or so SW

 

[Christoforos Giatzakis]

Thats very low SW on all of them. How much strings would add to Blade 16 x 19?around 20?

IME with V7 and 1.20 poly strings plus 2gr dampener, add 33 for 18x20 and around 31 for 16x19.

 

[AA7]

IMO, from the feedback and reviews that I have seen, Wilson lowered the sw dramatically on the V8 which has caused alot of mixed reviews. Alot of Mark S. complaints are related to the lack of stability and the need for lead tape to improve playability. The V7 had a much higher swingweight which offered better stability and plow through. I also believe that alot of players were complaining that the V7 had too high of a sw. The V8 just offers more room for customization. I always thought of the Blade as a platform racquet. You add some weight to the V8 and you are good to go.

This is true but at the risk of sounding like a broken record.. V7 16m just had stability issues that were unbearable for me. I much much prefer the 18m. I played with v8. It's not too dissimilar to v7 with less SW and slightly less pocketing and more direct feel. I decidedly prefer v7 18m. I did have launch angle issue with v8 18m and did suck at return (i sucked not the racket) but that is bc i had too high tension and a bit thick string myself. (Lynx tour 1.25mm is a bit chunkier than others his category). I will lower the tension and report again. V8 is totally fine by me but if i can continue to wield the v7 competitively i will stick with it as I do prefer the feel and pocketing etc a bit more there...

 

[tennis347]

This is true but at the risk of sounding like a broken record.. V7 16m just had stability issues that were unbearable for me. I much much prefer the 18m. I played with v8. It's not too dissimilar to v7 with less SW and slightly less pocketing and more direct feel. I decidedly prefer v7 18m. I did have launch angle issue with v8 18m and did suck at return (i sucked not the racket) but that is bc i had too high tension and a bit thick string myself. (Lynx tour 1.25mm is a bit chunkier than others his category). I will lower the tension and report again. V8 is totally fine by me but if i can continue to wield the v7 competitively i will stick with it as I do prefer the feel and pocketing etc a bit more there...

I also agree that the v7 16m also suffered from stability issues and needed customization. I used the v7 16m version for about a year but needed a more user-friendly racquet. The feel of the v7 is spectacular. I just bought the v7 Blade 100 to tinker with.

I am sure that the V8 line is also good but the feel is crisper than the V7. I really prefer the very plush feel and the ball pocketing. The Blade 100 should be very user-friendly and there is room to add weight due to the lower static weight. At 54, I need a more forgiving and user-friendly stick.

 

[nov]

IME with V7 and 1.20 poly strings plus 2gr dampener, add 33 for 18x20 and around 31 for 16x19.

Only 2 SW difference between 18x20 and 16x19?My Gravity Tour (18x20) with 16.3gr strings add 29 SW by my calculations.

 

[AA7]

I also agree that the v7 16m also suffered from stability issues and needed customization. I used the v7 16m version for about a year but needed a more user-friendly racquet. The feel of the v7 is spectacular. I just bought the v7 Blade 100 to tinker with.

I am sure that the V8 line is also good but the feel is crisper than the V7. I really prefer the very plush feel and the ball pocketing. The Blade 100 should be very user-friendly and there is room to add weight due to the lower static weight. At 54, I need a more forgiving and user-friendly stick.

please do report how v7 100 goes. I am curious about that one...

 

[tennis347]

please do report how v7 100 goes. I am curious about that one...

Absolutely will! It looks like a very interesting frame!

 

[Jouke]

IMO, from the feedback and reviews that I have seen, Wilson lowered the sw dramatically on the V8 which has caused alot of mixed reviews. Alot of Mark S. complaints are related to the lack of stability and the need for lead tape to improve playability. The V7 had a much higher swingweight which offered better stability and plow through. I also believe that alot of players were complaining that the V7 had too high of a sw. The V8 just offers more room for customization. I always thought of the Blade as a platform racquet. You add some weight to the V8 and you are good to go.

Thats weird, I always thought of the Blade as a pick up and go type of racket that needs no customisation (because of the high swingweight). By drastically lowering the swingweight wilson has turned it into a racket that in most cases would need customisation (like the Ultra Tour).

 

[nyc]

At 320ish SW and 330g strung, the new Blade is certainly no anorexic model. It’s more accessible than the V7, yes, but it’s not far off the prestige line, for example. Slap on a leather grip and you’re very close to the specs of a prestige Pro. So I don’t think “most” people will need to customize it.

 

[mhkeuns]

Thats weird, I always thought of the Blade as a pick up and go type of racket that needs no customisation (because of the high swingweight). By drastically lowering the swingweight wilson has turned it into a racket that in most cases would need customisation (like the Ultra Tour).

In my case, most who enjoy using the Blade usually add some weight to the handle, either with using the leather grip, or adding some weight under the grip, as well as the buttcap. It isn’t a full on customization but just making the balance a bit less HH. The Blade 98 definitely does not need the customization that a Ultra Tour/Pro would need.

 

[liftordie]

Who tried the Blade 104 v8? Does the handle longer than standard v8?

 

[Yamin]

please do report how v7 100 goes. I am curious about that one...

Clash had better control IMO.

 

[Dasol]

Just finished my 6th outing with the blade v8 18X20, and my initial impression has not changed much:

* The blade v8 18X20 is not at all a whippy frame, but it definitely feels head-lighter than the v7 18X20.
* A little firmer and direct feeling than the very plush v7, and the ball pocketing sensation is therefore little less than the v7 IMO. V8 is less 'clash-like' for me.
* It might be just my personal feeling, but the speed of the outgoing ball seems to be a little faster with v8 because of the firmness of the head.
* The ball might be heavier with the v7 due to its mass in the head, but v8 can create more spin due to its maneuverability.
* V8 does not have the rock solid stability of v7 due to the lack of mass in the head, but it is not unstable, and it can handle quite well with heavy groundstroke exchanges and serves (I play with 4.0-4.5 guys).
* The best shot v8 18X20 produces, in my opinion, is backhand slice! I am a two-hander and have not considered my backhand slice as weapon, but with the v8, I am slicing the ball more than ever!

I can see now why the reviews are mixed with the v8. As I said before, if you love the v7 because of the stability, super plush feeling, deep ball-pocketing, and the mass/weight of the head, I think there is no reason to switch to v8.

However, if you want more maneuverability, direct feeling, less ball pocketing sensation, more spin potential, the v8 might be a good demo for you.

Both of them are great for me, and I think it depends on your preference and need.

 

[tennis347]

please do report how v7 100 goes. I am curious about that one...

I played my first hitting session with the Blade v7 100 today. My initial impression is quite favorable. Coming from the v 98 16 x 19, the 100 has a bit more power, bigger sweetspot, more user-friendly, better spin potential, control is pretty close, the stability is quite better with the 100, the comfort level and feel are pretty identical but the 100 might play a touch firmer but this helps improve stability. I changed the stock grip to the Wilson Contour and added 1.5 grams to the handle and 1.5 grams total around 10 and 2. The total strung weight with a dampner came to 327 grams. I would estimate a sw around 325 which is perfect. I strung it with Gosen Micro 16 at 56lbs which was about right. I want to play with it a few more times but I could be making the switch.

 

[jdx2112]

IMO, from the feedback and reviews that I have seen, Wilson lowered the sw dramatically on the V8 which has caused alot of mixed reviews. Alot of Mark S. complaints are related to the lack of stability and the need for lead tape to improve playability. The V7 had a much higher swingweight which offered better stability and plow through. I also believe that alot of players were complaining that the V7 had too high of a sw. The V8 just offers more room for customization. I always thought of the Blade as a platform racquet. You add some weight to the V8 and you are good to go.

If on spec at 320ish, the 16/19 is a great racquet. My demo was too light and yet I still found enough power. It’s a quick attacking racquet. Defensive players like Sansait (his own words) should use a heavier/stiffer stick for easy depth. The Blade, for me, is about stepping inside the baseline and dictating the point.

 

[ImportPer4mance]

Ok update on my test review and holy **** was I wrong. So I forgot to mention that when I got the v8 to demo, it still had the plastic on the handle, so I’m assuming the first day of playing was maybe breaking the strings in. Today I played with another friend who is quite good and ****ing hell it was amazing. Powerful, consistent and precise.

Towards the endmy elbow got really bad (but this was due to me doing a 90 minute serving session without breaks yesterday…. Not the blade!). As a result, I definitely lost consistency and wasn’t playing my best, but the v8 became my go to stick. I preferred it even more than the v7, which is the first time ever….. it was amazing haha. Maybe I was just having a bad day with the v7 but **** the v8 was great. Gravity pro was completely out of the equation tbh.

 

[jdx2112]

At 320ish SW and 330g strung, the new Blade is certainly no anorexic model. It’s more accessible than the V7, yes, but it’s not far off the prestige line, for example. Slap on a leather grip and you’re very close to the specs of a prestige Pro. So I don’t think “most” people will need to customize it.

On paper, yes. But I think a lot of the demos have been under spec

 

[jdx2112]

Ok update on my test review and holy **** was I wrong. So I forgot to mention that when I got the v8 to demo, it still had the plastic on the handle, so I’m assuming the first day of playing was maybe breaking the strings in. Today I played with another friend who is quite good and ****ing hell it was amazing. Powerful, consistent and precise.

Towards the endmy elbow got really bad (but this was due to me doing a 90 minute serving session without breaks yesterday…. Not the blade!). As a result, I definitely lost consistency and wasn’t playing my best, but the v8 became my go to stick. I preferred it even more than the v7, which is the first time ever….. it was amazing haha. Maybe I was just having a bad day with the v7 but **** the v8 was great. Gravity pro was completely out of the equation tbh.

Gravity Tour is a closer comp.I play with the gravity tour and am seriously considering adding the v8 blade…just need to demo one or two more times…I do wish the distributors would proved specs on the demos

 

[ImportPer4mance]

Gravity Tour is a closer comp.I play with the gravity tour and am seriously considering adding the v8 blade…just need to demo one or two more times…I do wish the distributors would proved specs on the demos

already tried grav tour, didn’t like it at all tbh. Grav Pro is my fav from the line

 

[emaz8724]

already tried grav tour, didn’t like it at all tbh. Grav Pro is my fav from the line

Felt the same. Love the 20 mm box beam on the pro. The tour just didn’t feel as good as the pro, but it’s an ok frame.

 

[jdx2112]

Felt the same. Love the 20 mm box beam on the pro. The tour just didn’t feel as good as the pro, but it’s an ok frame.

I think the Tour rep suffers from how amazing the Pro is. Problem is the Pro is incredibly demanding and few rec players can use it regularly.