Downsizing: PS 95 to 85?

[kimbahpnam]

So I just got my first PS 85 (non SV) secondhand off e13ay for $99. I have been on a racquet quest for the past year...going through the K90, PDR+, MG Prestige, n6.1 95, and finally finding the most suitable racquet with the PS 95. I thought it'd be nice to have a PS 85 in my arsenal for backup and hitting around with for fun.

My had my first hit with the racquet today (being pre-strung with Babolat Attraction). First thing I noticed was the increased weight from the 95. I guess the beam is denser than the 95 which is why it can be thinner yet heavier? It felt like the beam had a more solid, steel-like feel to it.
I noticed right away that the weight of the racquet does so much in itself! Much more so than the 95. Slices felt very nice. Accuracy was there. Plowed right through the ball.
The thing I was worried about most was my 2BH because of the smaller headsize, but I actually didn't feel like I was hitting a lot more mis-hits because of it. The small head made me focus more on looking at the ball until contact.

I don't think I am going to permanently downsize to the 85 right now, but I'm gonna keep hitting with it for the next few weeks to see if I can adjust to it.

Anyone else have success downsizing?

 

[Thor]

I started using a ps 85(SV) a few months back,cant believe all of those people who have trouble finding the sweetspot - even easier than with 95" and 100" racquets.Even played a competitive 4.0 match so i could determine whether its a honeymoon phase or not - I won easily.
I have found the perfect racquet for my game,the SV seems to fit my strokes perfectly.

 

[Deuce]

Despite their common name and graphics, the PS 85 and PS 95 are two very different racquets.
There are far more differences than just the head size.

 

[VGP]

yeah......balance, beam width, flex....on top of weight and headsize.

Totally different rackets.

I hit with one years back and hated it. I use the PS85 and when I used my friend's PS95, I thought......"what the hell is with this thing? It sucks."

 

[tennis_hand]

PS 95 stock really isn't good, because its sweepspot is just too small and it's dead in most of the upper hoop. mishitting is uncomfortable. you need some lead to make it more stable and solid and less jarring.

 

[BreakPoint]

yeah......balance, beam width, flex....on top of weight and headsize.

Totally different rackets.

I hit with one years back and hated it. I use the PS85 and when I used my friend's PS95, I thought......"what the hell is with this thing? It sucks."

I wouldn't say they're "totally" different. If you want a PS 6.0 85 that's 10 sq. in. bigger, the PS 6.0 95 is really the only game in town. They do share that same "raw ProStaff box-beam" feel. Sure, the 95 swings much lighter, plays flexier, and is more headlight, but I can't think of another 95 sq. in. racquet that feels any closer to the PS 6.0 85.

 

[Keifers]

^^^

Yeah, the box beam and composition of the PS 85 and 95 definitely make these two racquets members of the same family, imo. That 80% graphite/20% kevlar is one of the great formulations in all of tennis. (Head's graphite/twaron would be another one.) Too bad Wilson went on to fancy HyperCarbon, nCode and K-Factor materials -- none of them provided the feel and control of the graphite/kevlar, in my book.

 

[onehandbh]

To me, the PS85 and PS95 are totally different. The PS95 has
way less stability. It may be a box frame, but it's wider and thinner.
I actually like the PS85 much more.

 

[Keifers]

So I just got my first PS 85 (non SV) secondhand off e13ay for $99. I have been on a racquet quest for the past year...going through the K90, PDR+, MG Prestige, n6.1 95, and finally finding the most suitable racquet with the PS 95. I thought it'd be nice to have a PS 85 in my arsenal for backup and hitting around with for fun.

My had my first hit with the racquet today (being pre-strung with Babolat Attraction). First thing I noticed was the increased weight from the 95. I guess the beam is denser than the 95 which is why it can be thinner yet heavier? It felt like the beam had a more solid, steel-like feel to it.
I noticed right away that the weight of the racquet does so much in itself! Much more so than the 95. Slices felt very nice. Accuracy was there. Plowed right through the ball.
The thing I was worried about most was my 2BH because of the smaller headsize, but I actually didn't feel like I was hitting a lot more mis-hits because of it. The small head made me focus more on looking at the ball until contact.

I don't think I am going to permanently downsize to the 85 right now, but I'm gonna keep hitting with it for the next few weeks to see if I can adjust to it.

Anyone else have success downsizing?

Sounds like you're playing well and happily with the PS 95. That's great. I have a couple and I won't be selling them.

Compared with the 85, it doesn't have the same solid, steel-like feel (what racquet does?), but the bigger head size offers definite advantages. And that relatively soft upper hoop -- I actually use that softer response to hit killer drop shots. (It didn't affect my serves at all.)

Agree with your observations of the 85, btw. What BreakPoint and many of us really wanted was a PS 90 from Wilson that split the difference between the 85 and 95 in terms of weight, balance, flex and swing weight. Same 80/20 composition, same box beam. That would have been nirvana!

 

[BreakPoint]

To me, the PS85 and PS95 are totally different. The PS95 has
way less stability. It may be a box frame, but it's wider and thinner.
I actually like the PS85 much more.

But do you know of another 95 sq. in. racquet that feels or plays even closer to the PS 6.0 85 than the PS 6.0 95 does? I can't think of any and I've hit with hundreds of different racquets.

 

[BreakPoint]

Agree with your observations of the 85, btw. What BreakPoint and many of us really wanted was a PS 90 from Wilson that split the difference between the 85 and 95 in terms of weight, balance, flex and swing weight. Same 80/20 composition, same box beam. That would have been nirvana!

Yes, exactly!

The K90 came close, but not close enough. Hopefully, the new "Sampras" racquet will be even closer to a true PS 6.0 90.

 

[Deuce]

The iPrestige Mid has a very similar feel to the PS 85.
Different string pattern, different head size, etc. - but a very similar feel upon impact.

The iPrestige Mid feels much, much more similar to the PS 85 than does the PS 95.

 

[BreakPoint]

The iPrestige Mid has a very similar feel to the PS 85.
Different string pattern, different head size, etc. - but a very similar feel upon impact.

The iPrestige Mid feels much, much more similar to the PS 85 than does the PS 95.

I guess you can say that iPrestige Mid has a similar "type" feel to the PS 6.0 85, but if you say that then you can also say that the AG100 shares that same quality. However, I disagree that the iPrestige Mid feels "much, much more similar to the PS 85 than does the PS 95", especially since the PS 6.0 95 has the same string pattern and uses the same composition of materials and braiding technology as the PS 6.0 85 and the iPrestige does not.

 

[pianotennis]

To me, the PS85 and PS95 are totally different. The PS95 has
way less stability. It may be a box frame, but it's wider and thinner.
I actually like the PS85 much more.

Yes, they are very different, especially the headlight and feel upon impact. I used PS95 before PS85 for 1 year in the early 90's, I remember in the beginning when I used PS85 for several times I immediately disliked PS95 for it's unstability, and I liked the feel upon impact of PS85 much more than PS95.

 

[Deuce]

I guess you can say that iPrestige Mid has a similar "type" feel to the PS 6.0 85, but if you say that then you can also say that the AG100 shares that same quality.

No, I can't say that because I've never hit with the AG 100.

However, I disagree that the iPrestige Mid feels "much, much more similar to the PS 85 than does the PS 95", especially since the PS 6.0 95 has the same string pattern and uses the same composition of materials and braiding technology as the PS 6.0 85 and the iPrestige does not.

Even so, the PS 95 felt nothing like the PS 85 to me. Two entirely different animals.
The iPrestige Mid, on the other hand, immediately brought thoughts of the PS 85.

 

[luv2volley]

To me, the PS85 and PS95 are totally different. The PS95 has
way less stability. It may be a box frame, but it's wider and thinner.
I actually like the PS85 much more.

Well, I have 5 PS6.0 85 and 5 PS 95 so you guys are both right. If you have the flexy PS6.0 95, then it plays differently than the PS6.0 85. Flexy PS 6.0 95 even plays differently to the stiffer PS 6.0 95. If you have the stiffer PS6.0 95, you can't tell much different accept more headlight and it's easier to swing. Access to top spin is easier with the fast swing speed with PS6.0 95. Serves and laserlike accuracy're belong to the PS 60 85 (IMO).

 

[morten]

wrap a heated shrinksleeve over the 95, leave for 10 minutes and you end up with a 85, easy...