Blade V8 Official Thread.
- Thread starter J011yroger
- Start date
I think it’s a good racquet. Whole gravity line is really good and distinct in feel. I found the MP to be a bit light and unstable at times. Therefor I chose the Tour…but I do plan to demo the MP again and see how it responds to a bit of added weight. My ideal specs, with og and dampener, is 330g static and low 320s SW with a sub 65 RA…Gravity Tour, Blade v8, Extreme Tour, Phantom 305x, Clash 98, VCore Pro 310…this is my range…
ImportPer4mance
New User
I also tried that and didn’t like it. Pro was the best for me. MP and tour felt pretty similar. I like the blade v8 more atm. Though I could see the gravity pro being a good doubles racket because of that extra powahhhh
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liftordie
Hall of Fame
10g on the handle could be nice with the Gravity MP. What you think?
And how the comfort of the MP? Not too much vibrations?
It's been a while, so I can't say. I may place some weight in the handle and throat. We will see. Stability without adding SW is the question.
ChanterRacquet
Professional
Just to add to the specs sample, demos from the local shop:
Blade v8 98 16x19 4 3/8 + Wilson Pro OG + Wilson Sensation crosses & Babolat RPM Soft mains (prob all 16g-ish)
322 g 32.2 cm 312 sw
Blade v8 98 18x20 4 3/8 + blue, crappy Tourna OG + Wilson Sensation (prob 16g)
328 g 32.6 cm 321 sw
I'm shocked by the sw numbers, I figured they were higher from the feel on the court. Switching from the 18m, my v7 104 16x19 was immediately easier to swing and it has a sw of 322. I guess the extra 28 g of the v8 18m means more than the sw in my ability to whip it around.
I much preferred the 16m v8 but found it a little underpowered too. The pocketing feeling I remember from my demo of the v7 is gone, but the v7 wasn't the racquet for me due to its sw and I'm not sure this is either.
I'm looking forward to trying a 100 when they come out.
Blade v8 98 16x19 4 3/8 + Wilson Pro OG + Wilson Sensation crosses & Babolat RPM Soft mains (prob all 16g-ish)
322 g 32.2 cm 312 sw
Blade v8 98 18x20 4 3/8 + blue, crappy Tourna OG + Wilson Sensation (prob 16g)
328 g 32.6 cm 321 sw
I'm shocked by the sw numbers, I figured they were higher from the feel on the court. Switching from the 18m, my v7 104 16x19 was immediately easier to swing and it has a sw of 322. I guess the extra 28 g of the v8 18m means more than the sw in my ability to whip it around.
I much preferred the 16m v8 but found it a little underpowered too. The pocketing feeling I remember from my demo of the v7 is gone, but the v7 wasn't the racquet for me due to its sw and I'm not sure this is either.
I'm looking forward to trying a 100 when they come out.
racquetlab
Hall of Fame
My Blade V8 16x19 demo from TW was strung with Lux Alu Power, at what felt like low 40s, Yonex supergrab OG
330g 32.8 320 sw
Low tension really helped me with the frame, ended up being really forgiving, precise and ultra comfortable
Demoed another one from my club, strung with Hyper G @ 55lbs, came in at 328g - didn't measure sw or balance. Felt like a slog and really had to make sure every stroke had early prep and good timing to get the precision and depth, balance must have been way less HL.
I have one coming that I plan to string up in the high 40s, slap on a leather grip and go from there. See if we can get past the honeymoon stage before ordering more.
330g 32.8 320 sw
Low tension really helped me with the frame, ended up being really forgiving, precise and ultra comfortable
Demoed another one from my club, strung with Hyper G @ 55lbs, came in at 328g - didn't measure sw or balance. Felt like a slog and really had to make sure every stroke had early prep and good timing to get the precision and depth, balance must have been way less HL.
I have one coming that I plan to string up in the high 40s, slap on a leather grip and go from there. See if we can get past the honeymoon stage before ordering more.
liftordie
Hall of Fame
Did you test them? I'm also interested in that two specific frames!
FoldingChair
Semi-Pro
Has anyone tried the v8 16x19 without poly? What’d you think?
is that the one with the 320 SW? That's what I'm looking for.
Finished my 8th outing with the blade 18X20 V8, and I have been enjoying it so far!
If you think the V8 18X20 is less powerful and unstable, I would suggest you to drop the tension before you customize it with lead.
I first strung it with hyper g 17ga at 50lb, and as the string was loosened up, I feel like it has a good amount of power and pop, and it almost feels like a more maneuverable V7 to me.
I didn't feel any significant lack of stability and power today, and next time I will string it maybe at 48lb or even 46lb and see whether lower tension will open up the sweetspot and provide more power without sacrificing control.
Such a great frame with no significant weakness!
If you think the V8 18X20 is less powerful and unstable, I would suggest you to drop the tension before you customize it with lead.
I first strung it with hyper g 17ga at 50lb, and as the string was loosened up, I feel like it has a good amount of power and pop, and it almost feels like a more maneuverable V7 to me.
I didn't feel any significant lack of stability and power today, and next time I will string it maybe at 48lb or even 46lb and see whether lower tension will open up the sweetspot and provide more power without sacrificing control.
Such a great frame with no significant weakness!
ImportPer4mance
New User
yeah I am gunna test pure strike 18x20, but if that givesno real surprises then I will order 2 V8’s and put my V7 aside as a backup. It really is a fantastic frame.
JEDI MASTER
Professional
that's good to know.. i was thinking of getting the 18x20 and string with Confidential at around 48lbs.
racquetlab
Hall of Fame
Strung mine with Lux Alu Power at 48lbs and love it. Feels really plush and no sacrifice on control.
mooshooorson
New User
rv75
Rookie
Sorry. A buddy of mine who’s an instructor is getting one for me. I guess he can’t share it?
1HBHfanatic
Legend
-just strung 1 with 17g lux.4g 50lbs, feels good, and not hard at all
-might go up 1r2lbs next time
-i think its the v8 dampening that really dampens the hard feel from overly tight strings !?!
-i also just strung my other v8 with 16g tec.razor code(BLUE) 52lbs, waiting to hit with this one next
racquetlab
Hall of Fame
I like to have that extra pop from low tensions on defensive shots. Great for volleys too. Super comfortable setup so far. Let's see if this will last past the honeymoon stage - if yes, then I'll order more.
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
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.
I agree with the previous comments with the v8 18x20.
I demoed the v8 18x20 and used my usual Hyper-G 17 at 40pds. I really felt the weight of the v8 in the head which also made it feel more head light and I felt I could open the court up better because of it. Again slice and dropshots were the standouts on the v8 frame along with more directional control. I did however prefer my v7's as they are familiar to me and solid on groundies. I felt that power was lacking with the v8 and my ball sat up and didn't have much weight behind it. My initial though was to add lead tape but I didn't really want to go down that rabbit hole. In comparison I found that the v7 18x20 is more stable and has a solid feel where I was a little unsure with the v8 version at times.
I am currently demoing a v8 16x19 and feel these have more power. The slice isn't as good, but not terrible. Currently it has Confidential 16L, but when the strings break I will put Hyper-G 17 and see how it feels. I can say the v8 16x19 is way better than the v7 16x19 which I did not gel with at all. I feel I can spin or flatten out the ball easier with the v8 16x19 better than I could with the v8 18x20. The only trade off is the slice will not be as penetrating. I want to give these more time and then compare it to my v7 18x20 to see if I will make the switch.
ImportPer4mance
New User
ooooof. So I just found a store that has the v7 18x20 in stock in my grip size and they will configure the racquet so that it matches my current v7's unstrung specs (I have to pay $70 extra for the service but it'll still be cheaper than 2x V8). Do I buy the v7 or get 2x matched v8's. If this was after my first hitting session then it would be v7 no brainer. But the v8 really shone in the last few hitting sessions I had. It was even better than the v7 I think haha.
Decisions decisions....
Decisions decisions....
ImportPer4mance
New User
Did you like the 16x19 v8 more than the 18x20 v8? I am not sure if I should test the 16x19 v8 aswell. But yeah just wondering
I ask because I have now demo’d 2 v8 16/19s and have loved how versatile and maneuverable the racquets have been. But each time they seemed to make my shoulder very sore. This isn’t the soreness or pain you get from a stiff racquet. It felt like I threw my arm out trying to pass a nerf football 50 yards.
I play with two matched gravity tours with strung swingweight of 321.
I don’t think I’d feel this soreness with a 318 SW or something marginally lower than 321. Has anyone played with an on spec 320 sw v8? Similar or different experience?
mhkeuns
Hall of Fame
FWIW, the Blade 98 18x20 (*at least since 2015 model) has been the more stable and better performing Blade 98, imo.
Right now I prefer the v8 16x19 because of the easier power. The v8 18x20 is not bad, just didn’t feel as solid as my v7 18x20.
BomBomBecker
New User
How does Blade v8 play for a one-handed backhand? Is it better 18x20 or 16x19? I don't have the option to try it
Fluffy_Skye
Semi-Pro
As the GTs are still out of stock, I looked for a head heavy Pro Staff 100 with similar weight distribution as an under-spec GT through matching service. It’s incredible and I sold my old on-spec Pro Staff 100. This new one has the same swing sensation as GT, with more spin and power than GT. Of course the drawback is a little less comfort. Not as stable and plush in terms of feel. However, performance wise it is sufficiently stable and has the pro staff feel, which is very interesting.
It’s funny that with loose quality control, you can get a racket in a line that has similar weight distribution as a racket in a different line, and therefore has the same swing sensation. Of course they wouldn’t have the same feel, but it opens up a lot more possibility.
Drives me crazy that the racquet makers do not communicate the intended spec for SW.
ImportPer4mance
New User
TW Staff
Administrator
It's in the editing phase, but with staff out at the BNP, I'm not sure exactly of timing. I think it will be another week or two.
Thanks,
Tiffani, TW
racquetlab
Hall of Fame
I kinda agree with that assessment. It doesn’t easily generate a heavy, penetrating ball. It is precise and I love it on serves, slices, neutral and defensive shots, but it lacks a bit of the oomph you want on offensive shots. May have to try some lead.
FoldingChair
Semi-Pro
ImportPer4mance
New User
Just a quick thought to all the people who keep saying v8 doesn’t have plow etc. Have you guys measured your sticks?
Like if you can use the TW/TWE matching service and get a v8 with an unstrung swing weight between 297 & 305, it would render the lack of heavy ball/plow argument obsolete, no? A strung SW of approx 330/335 with this frame should give plow like the v7…. (Im talking about 18m)
Like if you can use the TW/TWE matching service and get a v8 with an unstrung swing weight between 297 & 305, it would render the lack of heavy ball/plow argument obsolete, no? A strung SW of approx 330/335 with this frame should give plow like the v7…. (Im talking about 18m)
alexg
Rookie
Yes, I have. 320 SW on the dot. Added 2g at 12 o'clock and am back to my v7 plow through.
And yes, if you find an unstrung at say 300 SW, you'd get to about 330 for a 16x19, and maybe 335 for an 18x20, give or take depending on string material and gauge.
racquetlab
Hall of Fame
Mine is 319 SW and 330g static, strung with OG and dampener. It’s a 16x19. No lead added yet.
ImportPer4mance
New User
Yeah exactly. Hmm I thought a 17g poly on 18x20 adds no more than +30 to SW. Then with a dampener maybe +31.
This is pretty amazing...I just got my two blade v8 16/19 demos measured on an RDC machine...here are the STRUNG swingweights...not a joke:
304 (syn gut)
308 (poly 1.25)
No wonder my shoulder was getting sore. Cut out the Big Banger Alu Power and put in a softer poly, same weight, and got the racquet tech to add some lead at 12. SW is now 314 with about 330 overall static weight (with og).
But come on...304 and 308?
ImportPer4mance
New User
Lol what the hell. To put that into perspective. My blade v7 18m came with 302 SW unstrung….
Wilson QC is one issue...TW not providing this data when sending out a demo is another
ImportPer4mance
New User
I also think it’s bu!!****. I contacted TW about my demos and their specs and they said they don’t measure demo specs. It’s ridiculous. The blade v8 18 I had felt quite nice, it could have maybe a tad higher SW but otherwise very very nice, and I have absolutely no idea what the specs are.
Exactly...providing the specs of the demos only makes me more likely to pay for a matching service and/or customization...but when I don't know, I end up rejecting a racquet that very well may be great.
I have loved playing with the V8 blade. It's fast and whippy and I win a lot of points playing with it. It's a far more maneuverable racquet than my gravity tours. But it left my arm sore as hell the next day. Not from stiffness, but from lightness, like you were trying to throw a nerf football 50 yards. So the question then is what's the SW and how much more weight can I add while maintaining the same whippy maneuverability? Lot of questions, but they are all in the service of potentially buying the racquet.
ChanterRacquet
Professional
Yeah, that’s ridiculous. The demo I had was at 312 I think and even then it was too light to have a stable thbh.
racquetlab
Hall of Fame
...and I picked the lighter and more HL of the two at hand in the shop...which is pretty close to spec of the demo I had from TW
TW responded to my post on the other board and said that they just have way too many demos out there to measure before sending out. I get it. Still, buyers are left in the dark a bit. That said, why can't Wilson indicate the intended swingweight? They do it for static weight and balance.
