Diary of a Racketaholic

tim-ay

Legend
What’s it called? Pre-Covid my wife and I came down to South Beach at least once a year.
If you’re in south beach you have a ton of options anyway. But if you find yourself in coconut grove, I like happy wine in the grove. Haha. Goofy name but a great place with great people working there.
 

tim-ay

Legend
Dang. If I ever fall into any money, I think I’d live in Miami. Probably right in that grove area. It’s a little more laid back than beachside, if anything can be laid back in Miami. Lol.
 

Vicious49

Legend
I’m thinking I should add some lead to the H22. Maybe adding 12 grams Or so by changing Grips and adding an overgrip changed the balance too much, I may try adding 4 grams to the hoop and try again tomorrow.
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Dang. If I ever fall into any money, I think I’d live in Miami. Probably right in that grove area. It’s a little more laid back than beachside, if anything can be laid back in Miami. Lol.

yeah its a great spot. Its a crazy city for sure but ive had fun here. I Just need to escape the heat and humidity of Fl. Im over it that. Housing costs are pretty crazy as well considering that many areas of the city flood and its getting worse each year.
From a tennis perspective it is amazing. Tons of great players. You never know who will be hitting next to you.
 

gutfeeling

Hall of Fame
yeah its a great spot. Its a crazy city for sure but ive had fun here. I Just need to escape the heat and humidity of Fl. Im over it that. Housing costs are pretty crazy as well considering that many areas of the city flood and its getting worse each year.
From a tennis perspective it is amazing. Tons of great players. You never know who will be hitting next to you.
Do you hit at Flamingo? Any other spots worth checking out next time I’m down there?
 

SaaKha

Semi-Pro
Tonight brought a pickup game with a couple of younger 4.5 players. We warmed up with a little California doubles and then one of them agreed to play a set with me. It was a tough match as this guy was in way better physical condition than I am. He hit a heavy ball with a lot of spin and loved the sharp angles. I was able to use his spin against him and really drive the ball back at him deep into the court. I also pulled out the Delpo down the line forehand a few times. It was a close set but I managed to win this one 6-4.

I only hit with the 6.1 tonight.

At no point did I find myself wanting the UT.

Was this with the nCode or the new black one?
 

ryushen21

Legend
@JGads You were saying something?

UVbywmw.jpg
That sir, is strong pornography.

the six one just loves playing heavy hitters. Man, you send it back with interest. PP mentioned level up, I just don’t think there is a better frame for playing someone better than you. Not saying that was your case here. I always find my way back to six ones, at least part time.
There is just no bossing the 6.1 around. Being able to return his shots with flattened out and driven was what made the difference in that set. The other thing is that my serve just clicks with the 6.1 in a way that it hasn't with the UT.

More matches are needed but I am vibing for sure with the 6.1.

I love the 6.1 but ill take a pure drive or similar. Faster to line the shot up. Big power and spin. My serve will stay big the whole match.

only thing with the 6.1 is 2-3 sets it can get heavy.But i play in oppressive conditions.
One of the major differences in our game is that you are a heavy spinner. I tried that years ago and it wasn't for me. I much more prefer to hit flatter and drive the ball through the court.

It's also almost perfect tennis weather here in North Texas right now. In the dead summer heat, it would be a different story.

Was this with the nCode or the new black one?
This was the nCode. I'll get Darth Delpo strung up this weekend probably.
 

esm

Legend
I’m thinking I should add some lead to the H22. Maybe adding 12 grams Or so by changing Grips and adding an overgrip changed the balance too much, I may try adding 4 grams to the hoop and try again tomorrow.
do you use the customisation sheets from Tennis Warehouse University?
do you have a desired spec for your racquets? this simple one is rather handy and can let you play around to your desired spec..

this one needs more tinkering if you need to explore more "options"... lol
 

guilhermefdc

Semi-Pro
Holics: Is it normal to buy 2 frames até once, out of fear they will go out of stock or that you won’t be able to find more of them?
I bought 2 360+ PMP (great price and both exactly on spec), 2 Blade Pros (who knows if it will stick around) and 2 Microgel Radical Pros in nearly mint condition for a bargain on an auction site...
 

esm

Legend
Holics: Is it normal to buy 2 frames até once, out of fear they will go out of stock or that you won’t be able to find more of them?
yes if it is released as "limited edition"... no if it is a general release.
personally, i'd like to try first, before buying the second, third or the fourth one... lol
 

Vicious49

Legend
do you use the customisation sheets from Tennis Warehouse University?
do you have a desired spec for your racquets? this simple one is rather handy and can let you play around to your desired spec..

this one needs more tinkering if you need to explore more "options"... lol

I've seen that link before but I don't have desired 'specs' yet. At this point all I can tell is 'this feels good' or 'this won't work for me'.

The BP felt a bit sluggish to me and the ball didn't have the same pop. I will probably add 4 grams to the head to see how that feels. I may try different strings after that as I know Hyper G is more muted and doesn't help a lot with power. Would S7T provide more pop than HyperG?
 

JGads

G.O.A.T.
Alright, party people. Back from a first proper hit with the Blade Pro 16m. Recently I've been breaking out into cold sweats, regretting not going with the 18m version instead due to early feedback, but today's hit pretty much put those fears to bed. I think the 16m (with a built-up handle to get it HL enough) is a great stick, and things weren't getting overspinny as I'd feared. Nor did I feel any of the claims of there being instability. On the contrary low pickups where I met the ball on the lower half of the stringbed were flicked back without issue, even with some authority. Didn't volley much, but when I did, there was no flutter. Honestly I don't feel like any lead is necessary in the hoop of this frame. Perhaps it's my frame compared to those others. I don't know.

However: I do wish the stick was just a little less firm. Perhaps I've gotten so used to butter and softness, but that firmness combined with a swingweight that I would guess to be somewhere in the 333-335 range meant that I was hitting comfortably big (and not overhitting, thankfully) but occasionally struggled to 'gear down', if that makes sense; like when I would actually want to throw in some touch or draw the opponent in with a shorter ball, I didn't feel like I had the feel to pull these maneuvers quite like I do with my other frames. Once I described the Ultra Tour as like a yoyo in your hand, one that you can pull the string on early or let it unspool fully, play with depth and shape, etc., just so wonderfully. More difficult to do that here with this Blade. I also feel like I have a better feel for this kind of 'shifting down' with my Blade 104, though still not close to King Ultra in this department. After awhile I switched to the 104 today and felt like I was hitting roughly the same as I was with the Blade Pro, but it was easier. The lower SW of the 104 (high 320s) and what I perceive to be some added flex and softness than the BP just seemed to make the game more easy. Of course I've been hitting with this stick primarily for awhile now, so I know it a helluva lot better than the BP. At the same time, there is a satisfying 'quality of build' aspect to Blade Pro feel on ball contact that you don't get with the standard 104. To be expected, of course. But my initial gut feeling is that the quality-of-build aspect probably won't be enough to push the Blade Pro over top the Grandpa Blade in terms of what I would reach for if I really need to, say, win something.

However I'm still working my way back from injury and not playing competitive matches just yet, so there is a certain joy factor to hitting the completely solid Blade Pro. But that joy factor is also not as high as the Ultra Tour, which I reached for to finish up my session with. Again and again I'll shout this to the moon: the Ultra is an absolute pleasure to hit tennis balls with. The thinner beam and buttery goodness is, for me, another level up from the Blade Pro in terms of feel alone. I like that the Blade Pro offers more controlled pop by comparison, but the inner holic in me, who's tried countless frames, will always beat the drum on the brilliance of the Ultra Tour. Anyone who can't appreciate the beauty of it, who nitpicks about its layup not being exactly that of a real H19 or whatever such garbage you want to say, to me knows nothing of tennis racquets. Or at least he's someone I'll never agree with on taste, on the finer things in life. And yeah, I'm feeling more and more like the 16m Ultra will be an instant purchase for me. I just have to try it.

So the JGads update:


Wilson Blade v7 104 (weighted up)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->
Easy, breezy. Just so solid. One of the best last-second pivots / impulse purchases I have probably ever made.

Ultra Tour / Ultra Pro Lust
------------------------------------------------------------------------->
"We told you, ***hole."

Head Speed Pro pro stock (on loan)
-------------------------------------------------------------->
More hitting with this next week I hope. Need to finally figure out if there is something to work with there, or whether it should head back to its owner, the gentleman and scholar Mr. 808.

Blade Pro 16m
----------------------------------------------------->
Happier than I thought I'd be a couple days ago. But not quite as happy as I'd hoped when I made the purchase. Deserves more hits, though, as getting to know it more may yet open up deeper feelings. The other BP will remain firmly untouched for a likely return, in exchange for an Ultra Pro 16m whenever that does become available.

*Overall, what I'm most happy with is just finding some form again. The game is coming back to me. The bionic knee is feeling pretty strong and pretty good.
 

haqq777

Legend
DFW area, yeah.
Graduated from the best university in the 200 mile radius from you (go north on 35 a couple of hours, not south). Have relatives in Richardson that I visit sometimes and I am very familiar with the area in general. Will be sure to look you up for a hit when I am there next.
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Alright, party people. Back from a first proper hit with the Blade Pro 16m. Recently I've been breaking out into cold sweats, regretting not going with the 18m version instead due to early feedback, but today's hit pretty much put those fears to bed. I think the 16m (with a built-up handle to get it HL enough) is a great stick, and things weren't getting overspinny as I'd feared. Nor did I feel any of the claims of there being instability. On the contrary low pickups where I met the ball on the lower half of the stringbed were flicked back without issue, even with some authority. Didn't volley much, but when I did, there was no flutter. Honestly I don't feel like any lead is necessary in the hoop of this frame. Perhaps it's my frame compared to those others. I don't know.

However: I do wish the stick was just a little less firm. Perhaps I've gotten so used to butter and softness, but that firmness combined with a swingweight that I would guess to be somewhere in the 333-335 range meant that I was hitting comfortably big (and not overhitting, thankfully) but occasionally struggled to 'gear down', if that makes sense; like when I would actually want to throw in some touch or draw the opponent in with a shorter ball, I didn't feel like I had the feel to pull these maneuvers quite like I do with my other frames. Once I described the Ultra Tour as like a yoyo in your hand, one that you can pull the string on early or let it unspool fully, play with depth and shape, etc., just so wonderfully. More difficult to do that here with this Blade. I also feel like I have a better feel for this kind of 'shifting down' with my Blade 104, though still not close to King Ultra in this department. After awhile I switched to the 104 today and felt like I was hitting roughly the same as I was with the Blade Pro, but it was easier. The lower SW of the 104 (high 320s) and what I perceive to be some added flex and softness than the BP just seemed to make the game more easy. Of course I've been hitting with this stick primarily for awhile now, so I know it a helluva lot better than the BP. At the same time, there is a satisfying 'quality of build' aspect to Blade Pro feel on ball contact that you don't get with the standard 104. To be expected, of course. But my initial gut feeling is that the quality-of-build aspect probably won't be enough to push the Blade Pro over top the Grandpa Blade in terms of what I would reach for if I really need to, say, win something.

However I'm still working my way back from injury and not playing competitive matches just yet, so there is a certain joy factor to hitting the completely solid Blade Pro. But that joy factor is also not as high as the Ultra Tour, which I reached for to finish up my session with. Again and again I'll shout this to the moon: the Ultra is an absolute pleasure to hit tennis balls with. The thinner beam and buttery goodness is, for me, another level up from the Blade Pro in terms of feel alone. I like that the Blade Pro offers more controlled pop by comparison, but the inner holic in me, who's tried countless frames, will always beat the drum on the brilliance of the Ultra Tour. Anyone who can't appreciate the beauty of it, who nitpicks about its layup not being exactly that of a real H19 or whatever such garbage you want to say, to me knows nothing of tennis racquets. Or at least he's someone I'll never agree with on taste, on the finer things in life. And yeah, I'm feeling more and more like the 16m Ultra will be an instant purchase for me. I just have to try it.

So the JGads update:


Wilson Blade v7 104 (weighted up)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->
Easy, breezy. Just so solid. One of the best last-second pivots / impulse purchases I have probably ever made.

Ultra Tour / Ultra Pro Lust
------------------------------------------------------------------------->
"We told you, ***hole."

Head Speed Pro pro stock (on loan)
-------------------------------------------------------------->
More hitting with this next week I hope. Need to finally figure out if there is something to work with there, or whether it should head back to its owner, the gentleman and scholar Mr. 808.

Blade Pro 16m
----------------------------------------------------->
Happier than I thought I'd be a couple days ago. But not quite as happy as I'd hoped when I made the purchase. Deserves more hits, though, as getting to know it more may yet open up deeper feelings. The other BP will remain firmly untouched for a likely return, in exchange for an Ultra Pro 16m whenever that does become available.

*Overall, what I'm most happy with is just finding some form again. The game is coming back to me. The bionic knee is feeling pretty strong and pretty good.

awesome stuff. I agree about the UT. Ppl who complain about that layup don’t understand fine frames. Period. Its the most pleasurable hit of any frame i have owned.

that said, another thing that brings me pleasure is the amount of time i can play marathon levels of high intensity tennis. I was doing 2.5 hour sessions with the ut and burning close to 2000 cals. still in many ways worth it.

But today i will continue with the pure drive and pure strike. 2 frames that i so far have been enjoying immensely, and seem to have no weakness when it comes to executing shots with authority in tough conditions.
 

gutfeeling

Hall of Fame
But today i will continue with the pure drive and pure strike. 2 frames that i so far have been enjoying immensely, and seem to have no weakness when it comes to executing shots with authority in tough conditions.
Pure Drive --> Pure Strike --> Extreme Tour? You're getting closer...:p
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Pure Drive --> Pure Strike --> Extreme Tour? You're getting closer...:p

true, but for some reason it doesn’t appeal to me. I have used prior versions and liked them but always moved on rather fast. If i was going to go with demoing a head frame it would probably be the speed mp.

i suspect the pure strike has more boom to it than the extreme tour. Really liking that power.
 

JGads

G.O.A.T.
awesome stuff. I agree about the UT. Ppl who complain about that layup don’t understand fine frames. Period. Its the most pleasurable hit of any frame i have owned.

that said, another thing that brings me pleasure is the amount of time i can play marathon levels of high intensity tennis. I was doing 2.5 hour sessions with the ut and burning close to 2000 cals. still in many ways worth it.

But today i will continue with the pure drive and pure strike. 2 frames that i so far have been enjoying immensely, and seem to have no weakness when it comes to executing shots with authority in tough conditions.

I see we have again lost you to that sultry seductress, the woofer.

Good on ya. If you can wield/harness it, Babs are beasts.

The Blade 104 to me almost feels like it has Bab qualities in pop and ease of use, but the feel is delightful. I seem to be firmly back in Wilson's grasp.
 

gutfeeling

Hall of Fame
i suspect the pure strike has more boom to it than the extreme tour. Really liking that power.
I agree, the 16x19 PS has more power and higher launch. You can make the ET more powerful by redistributing some weight to the hoop to keep static weight the same while raising the balance point. ET has lower launch relative to the 16x19 PS.
 

esm

Legend
But today i will continue with the pure drive and pure strike. 2 frames that i so far have been enjoying immensely, and seem to have no weakness when it comes to executing shots with authority in tough conditions.
(y)
i was hoping there will be some sort of Wimbledon edition/PJ for the Gen 3 PS 98... that'd be pretty cool, me thinks.
(cos i think the normal release PJ is kinda "boring"... :laughing:)
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
(y)
i was hoping there will be some sort of Wimbledon edition/PJ for the Gen 3 PS 98... that'd be pretty cool, me thinks.
(cos i think the normal release PJ is kinda "boring"... :laughing:)

As an older Pure storm user, I like this PJ. It's not the best ever, but it is a shoutout to the old Storms and I appreciate that.
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
I see we have again lost you to that sultry seductress, the woofer.

Good on ya. If you can wield/harness it, Babs are beasts.

The Blade 104 to me almost feels like it has Bab qualities in pop and ease of use, but the feel is delightful. I seem to be firmly back in Wilson's grasp.

They finally removed the woofer! I think thats what makes the new Pure Drive so damn good, quite honestly. Instead of that springy feeling on drop shots, its just a very direct ball feel. I still can't get over the touch that I can finally put on the ball with these new babolats. I have better dynamics with them than any frame, including the UT. It's very easy to go from big deep FH's to short droppers.
 

ryushen21

Legend
Graduated from the best university in the 200 mile radius from you (go north on 35 a couple of hours, not south). Have relatives in Richardson that I visit sometimes and I am very familiar with the area in general. Will be sure to look you up for a hit when I am there next.
Not sure what you mean. There's nothing north of DFW until you hit Kansas. Maybe you're confused about direction.

But, the next time you're in this area, let me know and we'll see if we can't get together.
 

esm

Legend
As an older Pure storm user, I like this PJ. It's not the best ever, but it is a shoutout to the old Storms and I appreciate that.
yeah that makes sense and i can see the relationship. (y)
i like neon colours and especially green colour.... so it was cool to have found these.
was also excited to have found a NOS neon red/blk bag during the lockdown to match one of the PS too - i think that will be more durable in outdoor environment and i will see less dirty bits. lol
everyone loves a picture, so here is one 8-B

3559-E28-F-45-C7-46-E3-9902-EA264059793-F.jpg
 

JGads

G.O.A.T.
They finally removed the woofer! I think thats what makes the new Pure Drive so damn good, quite honestly. Instead of that springy feeling on drop shots, its just a very direct ball feel. I still can't get over the touch that I can finally put on the ball with these new babolats. I have better dynamics with them than any frame, including the UT. It's very easy to go from big deep FH's to short droppers.

They Hoover’d the woofer!? Wow. Brilliant. That was the thing that always killed those sticks for me, in addition to the more hollow feel: the unpredictable trampoline effect of the woofer. That’s great that they removed it.
 

haqq777

Legend
yeah that makes sense and i can see the relationship. (y)
i like neon colours and especially green colour.... so it was cool to have found these.
was also excited to have found a NOS neon red/blk bag during the lockdown to match one of the PS too - i think that will be more durable in outdoor environment and i will see less dirty bits. lol
everyone loves a picture, so here is one 8-B

3559-E28-F-45-C7-46-E3-9902-EA264059793-F.jpg
Very underrated stick the OG Strike. Yours are pretty! Are they 16x19 or 18x20?
 

Vicious49

Legend
I just added about 6 grams of lead to the hoop of the BP around 3 and 9. The weight is now at 345 grams. I'll hit with it a bit and may add 2 grams at 12 if it still doesn't feel right. I think this is a racquet that can't be too HL.
 

pyrokid

Hall of Fame
Hitting tonight with a guy who has a 3rd gen strike, gonna ask him if I can nab it for a little bit.

Just thinking about so many racquets here lately, it's getting kinda wacky.
The APD and PD are both pretty well established as frames I can play my game with, PA is a big ???, PAVS is something I think I could be fun if I wanted to change how I play a little, and now I'm wondering if the strike might do what I was hoping for from the PAVS a little better? I assume it'll be immediately disqualified though - the PD is already on the low end of what I want, spin-wise. Kinda fun to get caught up on all the new babolats though.

If I could get the APD to drive slices like the PD does that'd be great. That (and maybe volleys) are my only hangups with it, and it's becoming increasingly clear whenever I use the PAVS or PD that I actually do enjoy coming to the net and rarely do it because my slices suck with the APD.
 
Last edited:

Jay Winzenz

New User
Alright, party people. Back from a first proper hit with the Blade Pro 16m. Recently I've been breaking out into cold sweats, regretting not going with the 18m version instead due to early feedback, but today's hit pretty much put those fears to bed. I think the 16m (with a built-up handle to get it HL enough) is a great stick, and things weren't getting overspinny as I'd feared. Nor did I feel any of the claims of there being instability. On the contrary low pickups where I met the ball on the lower half of the stringbed were flicked back without issue, even with some authority. Didn't volley much, but when I did, there was no flutter. Honestly I don't feel like any lead is necessary in the hoop of this frame. Perhaps it's my frame compared to those others. I don't know.

However: I do wish the stick was just a little less firm. Perhaps I've gotten so used to butter and softness, but that firmness combined with a swingweight that I would guess to be somewhere in the 333-335 range meant that I was hitting comfortably big (and not overhitting, thankfully) but occasionally struggled to 'gear down', if that makes sense; like when I would actually want to throw in some touch or draw the opponent in with a shorter ball, I didn't feel like I had the feel to pull these maneuvers quite like I do with my other frames. Once I described the Ultra Tour as like a yoyo in your hand, one that you can pull the string on early or let it unspool fully, play with depth and shape, etc., just so wonderfully. More difficult to do that here with this Blade. I also feel like I have a better feel for this kind of 'shifting down' with my Blade 104, though still not close to King Ultra in this department. After awhile I switched to the 104 today and felt like I was hitting roughly the same as I was with the Blade Pro, but it was easier. The lower SW of the 104 (high 320s) and what I perceive to be some added flex and softness than the BP just seemed to make the game more easy. Of course I've been hitting with this stick primarily for awhile now, so I know it a helluva lot better than the BP. At the same time, there is a satisfying 'quality of build' aspect to Blade Pro feel on ball contact that you don't get with the standard 104. To be expected, of course. But my initial gut feeling is that the quality-of-build aspect probably won't be enough to push the Blade Pro over top the Grandpa Blade in terms of what I would reach for if I really need to, say, win something.

However I'm still working my way back from injury and not playing competitive matches just yet, so there is a certain joy factor to hitting the completely solid Blade Pro. But that joy factor is also not as high as the Ultra Tour, which I reached for to finish up my session with. Again and again I'll shout this to the moon: the Ultra is an absolute pleasure to hit tennis balls with. The thinner beam and buttery goodness is, for me, another level up from the Blade Pro in terms of feel alone. I like that the Blade Pro offers more controlled pop by comparison, but the inner holic in me, who's tried countless frames, will always beat the drum on the brilliance of the Ultra Tour. Anyone who can't appreciate the beauty of it, who nitpicks about its layup not being exactly that of a real H19 or whatever such garbage you want to say, to me knows nothing of tennis racquets. Or at least he's someone I'll never agree with on taste, on the finer things in life. And yeah, I'm feeling more and more like the 16m Ultra will be an instant purchase for me. I just have to try it.

So the JGads update:


Wilson Blade v7 104 (weighted up)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->
Easy, breezy. Just so solid. One of the best last-second pivots / impulse purchases I have probably ever made.

Ultra Tour / Ultra Pro Lust
------------------------------------------------------------------------->
"We told you, ***hole."

Head Speed Pro pro stock (on loan)
-------------------------------------------------------------->
More hitting with this next week I hope. Need to finally figure out if there is something to work with there, or whether it should head back to its owner, the gentleman and scholar Mr. 808.

Blade Pro 16m
----------------------------------------------------->
Happier than I thought I'd be a couple days ago. But not quite as happy as I'd hoped when I made the purchase. Deserves more hits, though, as getting to know it more may yet open up deeper feelings. The other BP will remain firmly untouched for a likely return, in exchange for an Ultra Pro 16m whenever that does become available.

*Overall, what I'm most happy with is just finding some form again. The game is coming back to me. The bionic knee is feeling pretty strong and pretty good.
Alright, party people. Back from a first proper hit with the Blade Pro 16m. Recently I've been breaking out into cold sweats, regretting not going with the 18m version instead due to early feedback, but today's hit pretty much put those fears to bed. I think the 16m (with a built-up handle to get it HL enough) is a great stick, and things weren't getting overspinny as I'd feared. Nor did I feel any of the claims of there being instability. On the contrary low pickups where I met the ball on the lower half of the stringbed were flicked back without issue, even with some authority. Didn't volley much, but when I did, there was no flutter. Honestly I don't feel like any lead is necessary in the hoop of this frame. Perhaps it's my frame compared to those others. I don't know.

However: I do wish the stick was just a little less firm. Perhaps I've gotten so used to butter and softness, but that firmness combined with a swingweight that I would guess to be somewhere in the 333-335 range meant that I was hitting comfortably big (and not overhitting, thankfully) but occasionally struggled to 'gear down', if that makes sense; like when I would actually want to throw in some touch or draw the opponent in with a shorter ball, I didn't feel like I had the feel to pull these maneuvers quite like I do with my other frames. Once I described the Ultra Tour as like a yoyo in your hand, one that you can pull the string on early or let it unspool fully, play with depth and shape, etc., just so wonderfully. More difficult to do that here with this Blade. I also feel like I have a better feel for this kind of 'shifting down' with my Blade 104, though still not close to King Ultra in this department. After awhile I switched to the 104 today and felt like I was hitting roughly the same as I was with the Blade Pro, but it was easier. The lower SW of the 104 (high 320s) and what I perceive to be some added flex and softness than the BP just seemed to make the game more easy. Of course I've been hitting with this stick primarily for awhile now, so I know it a helluva lot better than the BP. At the same time, there is a satisfying 'quality of build' aspect to Blade Pro feel on ball contact that you don't get with the standard 104. To be expected, of course. But my initial gut feeling is that the quality-of-build aspect probably won't be enough to push the Blade Pro over top the Grandpa Blade in terms of what I would reach for if I really need to, say, win something.

However I'm still working my way back from injury and not playing competitive matches just yet, so there is a certain joy factor to hitting the completely solid Blade Pro. But that joy factor is also not as high as the Ultra Tour, which I reached for to finish up my session with. Again and again I'll shout this to the moon: the Ultra is an absolute pleasure to hit tennis balls with. The thinner beam and buttery goodness is, for me, another level up from the Blade Pro in terms of feel alone. I like that the Blade Pro offers more controlled pop by comparison, but the inner holic in me, who's tried countless frames, will always beat the drum on the brilliance of the Ultra Tour. Anyone who can't appreciate the beauty of it, who nitpicks about its layup not being exactly that of a real H19 or whatever such garbage you want to say, to me knows nothing of tennis racquets. Or at least he's someone I'll never agree with on taste, on the finer things in life. And yeah, I'm feeling more and more like the 16m Ultra will be an instant purchase for me. I just have to try it.

So the JGads update:


Wilson Blade v7 104 (weighted up)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->
Easy, breezy. Just so solid. One of the best last-second pivots / impulse purchases I have probably ever made.

Ultra Tour / Ultra Pro Lust
------------------------------------------------------------------------->
"We told you, ***hole."

Head Speed Pro pro stock (on loan)
-------------------------------------------------------------->
More hitting with this next week I hope. Need to finally figure out if there is something to work with there, or whether it should head back to its owner, the gentleman and scholar Mr. 808.

Blade Pro 16m
----------------------------------------------------->
Happier than I thought I'd be a couple days ago. But not quite as happy as I'd hoped when I made the purchase. Deserves more hits, though, as getting to know it more may yet open up deeper feelings. The other BP will remain firmly untouched for a likely return, in exchange for an Ultra Pro 16m whenever that does become available.

*Overall, what I'm most happy with is just finding some form again. The game is coming back to me. The bionic knee is feeling pretty strong and pretty good.

What's you're current set-up on the UT?
 

esm

Legend
Very underrated stick the OG Strike. Yours are pretty! Are they 16x19 or 18x20?
Thanks dude. They are 16x19. With the 8 mains at the throat and upped SW, they play well for me.
I have a few PT57A/PT2.0 18x20s I need to try out when I get back, hope they live up to the expectations. Lol.
 

JGads

G.O.A.T.
What's you're current set-up on the UT?

Heavier grip (Head softac traction), 2.5-3 grams at 10 and 2 each, and a long single strip of lead on alternating sides at 3/9 covering the whole of the light blue sides. Thinner Hyper G strung low, 46#. Mine's 337 grams, loaded up.
 

pyrokid

Hall of Fame
Holics: Is it normal to buy 2 frames até once, out of fear they will go out of stock or that you won’t be able to find more of them?
I bought 2 360+ PMP (great price and both exactly on spec), 2 Blade Pros (who knows if it will stick around) and 2 Microgel Radical Pros in nearly mint condition for a bargain on an auction site...
This is my issue with trying new stuff, I feel like I've gotta be restringing a LOT unless I have 4.
 

pyrokid

Hall of Fame
You can probably get a stringing machine and then you can cut down to maybe two... then you can string yourself to your hearts content!
I already have a stringing machine, actually

I've been using S7T lately though and it doesn't break nearly as easily as baseline does, so it probably doesn't make sense.
 
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danbrenner

Legend
awesome stuff. I agree about the UT. Ppl who complain about that layup don’t understand fine frames. Period. Its the most pleasurable hit of any frame i have owned.

that said, another thing that brings me pleasure is the amount of time i can play marathon levels of high intensity tennis. I was doing 2.5 hour sessions with the ut and burning close to 2000 cals. still in many ways worth it.

But today i will continue with the pure drive and pure strike. 2 frames that i so far have been enjoying immensely, and seem to have no weakness when it comes to executing shots with authority in tough conditions.
That is a great playtest. pd vs strike.
the launch is considerably lower on the strike. and so is the power level.
lets not forget that the poster boy (Thiem) for the strike is using a hybrid .. so his power gets a boost.
so the question remains can the strike hang with the drive. ?
coming from a UT you actually would still feel alot more power with the strike in comparison
but apples to apples. the pd vs the strike with a full bed is a great showdown.
keep us posted on your thoughts.
i personally always loved the strike.. but with a full bed had to work that much harder and use more rhs to achieve my pa output.
but of course some addiitional control will be gotten from the strike. so that is the question .
 

Pneumated1

Hall of Fame
... After awhile I switched to the 104 today and felt like I was hitting roughly the same as I was with the Blade Pro, but it was easier. The lower SW of the 104 (high 320s) and what I perceive to be some added flex and softness than the BP just seemed to make the game more easy.

My journey started months ago in search of easy, but ...

Again and again I'll shout this to the moon: the Ultra is an absolute pleasure to hit tennis balls with. The thinner beam and buttery goodness is, for me, another level up from the Blade Pro in terms of feel alone. I like that the Blade Pro offers more controlled pop by comparison, but the inner holic in me, who's tried countless frames, will always beat the drum on the brilliance of the Ultra Tour. Anyone who can't appreciate the beauty of it, who nitpicks about its layup not being exactly that of a real H19 or whatever such garbage you want to say, to me knows nothing of tennis racquets.

yes ...

And yeah, I'm feeling more and more like the 16m Ultra will be an instant purchase for me. I just have to try it.

and Yes! ...

Heavier grip (Head softac traction), 2.5-3 grams at 10 and 2 each, and a long single strip of lead on alternating sides at 3/9 covering the whole of the light blue sides. Thinner Hyper G strung low, 46#. Mine's 337 grams, loaded up.

and YES!! "... my brother, my captain, ..."
 

Pneumated1

Hall of Fame
I just added about 6 grams of lead to the hoop of the BP around 3 and 9. The weight is now at 345 grams. I'll hit with it a bit and may add 2 grams at 12 if it still doesn't feel right. I think this is a racquet that can't be too HL.

Dude ... please put the stock grip back on this and take the gobs of weight off of it. It might need a smidge at 3/9 and the same under the butt cap or wrapped just above. Hit it a few weeks as close to stock as you can ... please?
 

Vicious49

Legend
Dude ... please put the stock grip back on this and take the gobs of weight off of it. It might need a smidge at 3/9 and the same under the butt cap or wrapped just above. Hit it a few weeks as close to stock as you can ... please?

I've already installed a leather grip so at this point it's easier (and cheaper) to add lead than to swap grips. If it doesn't work or it's too much weight for me of course I'll go back to the drawing board and reverse all the changes.

I've never had a racquet that was balanced like this as most everthing else I've used is usually 6-10 points HL. It's quite a different feeling.
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
That is a great playtest. pd vs strike.
the launch is considerably lower on the strike. and so is the power level.
lets not forget that the poster boy (Thiem) for the strike is using a hybrid .. so his power gets a boost.
so the question remains can the strike hang with the drive. ?
coming from a UT you actually would still feel alot more power with the strike in comparison
but apples to apples. the pd vs the strike with a full bed is a great showdown.
keep us posted on your thoughts.
i personally always loved the strike.. but with a full bed had to work that much harder and use more rhs to achieve my pa output.
but of course some addiitional control will be gotten from the strike. so that is the question .

I just logged 2 hours with them again. To be honest, the power level on the Strike is not that much lower than the new PD. It really matters how you hit the ball.

The Pure Strike really impressed today. This is for the hitter that uses a SW grip, hits with a lot of spin, but likes to drive through the ball as well. I say this because that's how I like to hit my FH. And in stock form I was just constantly drilling it in the center over and over. It was the cleanest hitting I have experienced in a long time. Something happened where the string bed must have opened up and the grommets settled, because the muted feeling was still there but it had given away to some really nice explosion on the sweet spot. It's not a UT but if you like that type of frame but want to work a lot less hard, and hit bombs than the Pure Strike is a winner. It was loud as hell and I felt in complete control of my shots like I would with the Ut or Blade. The difference was that I could hit with heavier spin and pace. Clean winners were more common. I played for 2 hours in crazy heat and while it sucked, I still wanted more after. I enjoyed the feel of this frame a lot more today.

Backhands - not sure what it is but I really can hit them well with this frame. Brushed defensive loopers have kick to them but I am also able to drive the ball more than usual and hit with some real power off that side. The slices and droppers are really special as well.

The serve is a standout. This is basically the frame for anyone who loves to use the Prestige, Ut, Blade, Phantom..etc but doesn't want to be out gunned or tired out too fast. If you use a heavy western grip and hit thin, its not for you. But if you use a more SW or Western grip and still drive it, this is a Lamborghini. Your shots will kick like a mule off the bounce. When you need to brush the ball to defend, it delivers as well. Hell, you could probably play like that the whole match, but it will be tough to resist the velocity you can generate off the ground when you drive it a little more. For the record, I do not have a very flat swingpath. I hit with a SW grip and I "paint the rainbow" with my swingpath as my coach likes to call it.

BTW, I also hit with the PD and it was great too. the only weakness with the PD I can find is that it can be a little easier to lose confidence with it if the balls start flying on me. That said, I am getting better at quickly adjusting with it. I also played both of these frames stock, and I honestly don't think they need any mods. They both weigh 328 with everything. The advantage of course over the Blade and Ut is I can hit a bigger ball with a little lower SW, which means more tip speed and less energy used.

Store I grabbed my PS on sale from had another that weighed the exact same and had the same balance. Thats rare QC, so I grabbed it as I am highly impressed with the frame. They string for free, so I am going to try Solinco Confidential in it. Ill have that one tomorrow.
 

JGads

G.O.A.T.
Please report back on Confidential; really curious about that string compared to Hyper G and S7T. Loved S7T, but since going away from my full beds of it back to Hyper G the elbow has stopped barking entirely, so I think it was the s7t that was not agreeing with me. Sad, as I really liked it. Will revisit one day in a hybrid like MD is currently enjoying.
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Please report back on Confidential; really curious about that string compared to Hyper G and S7T. Loved S7T, but since going away from my full beds of it back to Hyper G the elbow has stopped barking entirely, so I think it was the s7t that was not agreeing with me. Sad, as I really liked it. Will revisit one day in a hybrid like MD is currently enjoying.

Damn that is a bummer. The S7t is a stiff string and I can see it causing some twinges in the wrong frame. Did you try it in the UT? It's amazing in that. I think a hybrid could solve some issues, but honestly if hyper G is working, I'd probably stick with that.

Hyper G day 1 in the brand new Pure strike was rather muted but today it was lively and cracking loud. I can only imagine what S7T will play like.

On Confidential, I honestly know nothing about this string and have no idea what to expect. Just figured it could be a nice one to try. This will be a fun little blind test.
 

Pneumated1

Hall of Fame
I just logged 2 hours with them again. To be honest, the power level on the Strike is not that much lower than the new PD. It really matters how you hit the ball.

The Pure Strike really impressed today. This is for the hitter that uses a SW grip, hits with a lot of spin, but likes to drive through the ball as well. I say this because that's how I like to hit my FH. And in stock form I was just constantly drilling it in the center over and over. It was the cleanest hitting I have experienced in a long time. Something happened where the string bed must have opened up and the grommets settled, because the muted feeling was still there but it had given away to some really nice explosion on the sweet spot. It's not a UT but if you like that type of frame but want to work a lot less hard, and hit bombs than the Pure Strike is a winner. It was loud as hell and I felt in complete control of my shots like I would with the Ut or Blade. The difference was that I could hit with heavier spin and pace. Clean winners were more common. I played for 2 hours in crazy heat and while it sucked, I still wanted more after. I enjoyed the feel of this frame a lot more today.

Backhands - not sure what it is but I really can hit them well with this frame. Brushed defensive loopers have kick to them but I am also able to drive the ball more than usual and hit with some real power off that side. The slices and droppers are really special as well.

The serve is a standout. This is basically the frame for anyone who loves to use the Prestige, Ut, Blade, Phantom..etc but doesn't want to be out gunned or tired out too fast. If you use a heavy western grip and hit thin, its not for you. But if you use a more SW or Western grip and still drive it, this is a Lamborghini. Your shots will kick like a mule off the bounce. When you need to brush the ball to defend, it delivers as well. Hell, you could probably play like that the whole match, but it will be tough to resist the velocity you can generate off the ground when you drive it a little more. For the record, I do not have a very flat swingpath. I hit with a SW grip and I "paint the rainbow" with my swingpath as my coach likes to call it.

BTW, I also hit with the PD and it was great too. the only weakness with the PD I can find is that it can be a little easier to lose confidence with it if the balls start flying on me. That said, I am getting better at quickly adjusting with it. I also played both of these frames stock, and I honestly don't think they need any mods. They both weigh 328 with everything. The advantage of course over the Blade and Ut is I can hit a bigger ball with a little lower SW, which means more tip speed and less energy used.

Store I grabbed my PS on sale from had another that weighed the exact same and had the same balance. Thats rare QC, so I grabbed it as I am highly impressed with the frame. They string for free, so I am going to try Solinco Confidential in it. Ill have that one tomorrow.

This is the kind of 'easy' I was looking for when I left the TC95 18x20. I had an impressive 20 minutes or so with a friend's P17 a few years ago, so I know exactly where you're coming form here, but I'd read the warnings about inevitable arm damage and let the idea die. It let me play my game without any adjustment, but the ball was through the court MUCH quicker than with the Angell. It was the ball quality that impressed me the most with the Strike, but you're right in that the control was almost in there with the premium control frames. A bit of a paradox, really.

And if I remember correctly, his had a leather grip even, which I don't think it needed.
 
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