Gravity MP 23 vs Head Speed MP vs Blade 100v8

[The Topspin Man]

Hi everybody, finally back on the boards after a hiatus and keen to get some help. Looking for a new racquet and considering a switch to either the head gravity MP vs Wilson blade v8 100. Specs for the head gravity look amazing with a bit of customisation but people rave about the blade 100 so keen to hear a comparison of the two. Also wanted to throw into the mix the head speed mp but can’t say i was the biggest fan of them, something just didn’t feel right. Felt unstable and inconsistent and sensitive string bed. Coming from the ezone 100 2022 version which is a great racquet but just feels a little too powerful in some situations. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[drlim]

I haven't played with the Blade 100, but I can shed some light on the Gravity vs. Speed. I've also played with the Ezone 100 so I hope I can point you in the right direction.

Sounds like you've played with the Speed already, and in my experience I found it to be a bit muted, firm, and powerful.
I thought it was pretty stable, but this is coming from the perspective of someone who mainly plays with the Gravity MP (stock).

The main differences between the Speed and Gravity, is the stability, power, feel, and maneuverability. Even though the Speed is more powerful, you might get similar, or even more power, with the Gravity as it allows for a faster swing.
The string bed for the Speed is a bit more open than the Gravity, but they're both relatively open IMO. I find that I can generate a good amount of spin with both rackets.
Stability on the Speed was much more apparent for me compared to the Gravity. I find that directional control to be easier on the Speed because of the stability, but its launch angle is a bit higher so it doesn't give me that laser-like accuracy for flat driven backhands. Similarly for the Gravity, I don't feel as confident when aiming for the lines. For reference, I'd consider the Blade 18m to be one of the best rackets for this attribute.
However, the feel of the Gravity is much more direct. So if that's important for you, I'd pick the Gravity just for that reason alone.

If the Speed is not stable and consistent enough for you, I'd say you should consider the Percept 100D.
Also, from these rackets they don't have that much of an influence on the quality of my shot. I believe that slight adjustments to my technique would allow me to have similar results regardless of the racket I pick.
So, personally, I'd select the racket you like the feel of the most.

 

[The Topspin Man]

Thanks drlim, appreciate the detailed response. Yeah tried the speed and have never gelled with them, even in the past 2-3 generations. firm and powerful definitely indeed and didn't feel like they were that stable. which gravity MP are you playing with? how do you compare the power levels of the head gravity to the speed and ezone? the ezone i struggle sometimes with the power when i go for a putaway shot as i hit pretty flat but sometimes it's nice to rally with a some what powerful stick. def not fully going for my shots with the ezone with the fear of balls sailing to the back fence. the swingweight on the blade 18m scares me a little for such a light weigh racquet. any other racquet recommendations you think? might need to start considering the ezone 100.i'm serial racquet switcher....

 

[drlim]

I play with the G360+ Gravity MP, and I'd say the Gravity is noticeably less powerful than the Speed and Ezone. The power difference is much more apparent to me on the serve and feeding the ball.
Because the string bed for the Gravity is decently open, I do find it that I need to be a bit precise when I accelerate faster than usual. I often struggle with depth and will hit it a couple inches past the baseline if I'm not careful.
And if you'd like any recommendations, what kind of attributes are important for you in a racket? What are you willing to sacrifice for those attributes?

I find that playing with a maneuverable, moderately powerful, and a tight string bed racket works for my game. So, even though I play with the Gravity, I found that the Radical MP, Blade 16m, and PA 98 are good alternatives for my liking.

 

[Circa 1762]

I play with the G360+ Gravity MP, and I'd say the Gravity is noticeably less powerful than the Speed and Ezone. The power difference is much more apparent to me on the serve and feeding the ball.
Because the string bed for the Gravity is decently open, I do find it that I need to be a bit precise when I accelerate faster than usual. I often struggle with depth and will hit it a couple inches past the baseline if I'm not careful.
And if you'd like any recommendations, what kind of attributes are important for you in a racket? What are you willing to sacrifice for those attributes?

I find that playing with a maneuverable, moderately powerful, and a tight string bed racket works for my game. So, even though I play with the Gravity, I found that the Radical MP, Blade 16m, and PA 98 are good alternatives for my liking.

As a current Radical MP user who has a Speed MP as a backup, used to play with the last version of the PA98, and just demoed the Gravity MP, I agree with all of this.

Also, I demoed a Percept 100 last night and loved it. In between the Radical and the Speed in terms of power and launch angle, but had a very “honest” response, even more than the Radical. What you put in is what you get out.

 

[drlim]

As a current Radical MP user who has a Speed MP as a backup, used to play with the last version of the PA98, and just demoed the Gravity MP, I agree with all of this.

Also, I demoed a Percept 100 last night and loved it. In between the Radical and the Speed in terms of power and launch angle, but had a very “honest” response, even more than the Radical. What you put in is what you get out.

I'll have to try the Percept! I've been eyeing it recently after watching Hurkacz's run at the AO .

 

[Chuonfood]

Which one has more control, Speed MP or Blade 100 v8?

 

[p-ratziner]

Blade 100 V8

 

[leojramirez]

Blade 100 is an easier to use and slightly more powerful blade 98. I mean the blade feeling is there. Stable and solid. I have to add some lead as I'm not used to 300g rackets.

I demoed the gravity mp and set it down after 15 minutes. Didn't like the stability and feel. I demoed the previous vcore pro 100 and speed mp but i just cannot get used to the thickness of the beam and the power coming from 98s.

I come from having severe TE from a vcore 98 2023, I used the previous two iterations for over 3 years. After TE I was in between the blade 98 16x19 v8 and the boom pro. Chose the boom pro as it was more similar in playability to the vcore but after 4 months i was still feeling sore after every session. I remembered the blade 98 was more comfortable. I tried it again but after a couple of weeks I couldn't get it working for me defensively. It was a struggle if I wasn't aggressive and with that came more errors.

Tried the blade 100 as I saw online that the feeling was similar to the 98 but easier to play with which is correct. The blade is the first 100 I have played with more than two sessions. Its been a month. Digging the forgiveness coming from the 98s. I'm 36 and i think its the right time to switch to 100.

 

[The Topspin Man]

I play with the G360+ Gravity MP, and I'd say the Gravity is noticeably less powerful than the Speed and Ezone. The power difference is much more apparent to me on the serve and feeding the ball.
Because the string bed for the Gravity is decently open, I do find it that I need to be a bit precise when I accelerate faster than usual. I often struggle with depth and will hit it a couple inches past the baseline if I'm not careful.
And if you'd like any recommendations, what kind of attributes are important for you in a racket? What are you willing to sacrifice for those attributes?

I find that playing with a maneuverable, moderately powerful, and a tight string bed racket works for my game. So, even though I play with the Gravity, I found that the Radical MP, Blade 16m, and PA 98 are good alternatives for my liking.

Just sold my ezone 100's so definitely on the lookout for new sticks now! I'm after something a little less powered than the ezone and the speeds. i'd say my natural game is that i'm a flat hitter on both sides but rely on my kick serve a lot as i don't have the biggest serve but my kicker causes probably more problems than a fast first. the gravity pro is enticing but not sure if i can wield something with that high of a swingweight over few hours of tennis hence the MP is very enticing, with a bit of customisation. i've also tried the blade 98 v8 16x19 and found that it felt a little stiff and harsh and almost brassy but not sure if it was the string or not. i was using an ezone 98 and then tried my friends blade which was sturng iwth diadem solstice power and it felt harsh compare dto the ezone 98, which i know can feel pretty mushy. hence the blade 100 could be an enticing option....

 

[The Topspin Man]

Blade 100 is an easier to use and slightly more powerful blade 98. I mean the blade feeling is there. Stable and solid. I have to add some lead as I'm not used to 300g rackets.

I demoed the gravity mp and set it down after 15 minutes. Didn't like the stability and feel. I demoed the previous vcore pro 100 and speed mp but i just cannot get used to the thickness of the beam and the power coming from 98s.

I come from having severe TE from a vcore 98 2023, I used the previous two iterations for over 3 years. After TE I was in between the blade 98 16x19 v8 and the boom pro. Chose the boom pro as it was more similar in playability to the vcore but after 4 months i was still feeling sore after every session. I remembered the blade 98 was more comfortable. I tried it again but after a couple of weeks I couldn't get it working for me defensively. It was a struggle if I wasn't aggressive and with that came more errors.

Tried the blade 100 as I saw online that the feeling was similar to the 98 but easier to play with which is correct. The blade is the first 100 I have played with more than two sessions. Its been a month. Digging the forgiveness coming from the 98s. I'm 36 and i think its the right time to switch to 100.

if you've tried the ezone 98/100, how would you compare the blade 100? i'm looking for an almost combination of a 75% player's racquet, 25% tweener with a bit of power. i can generate my own don't get me wrong but just would prefer to be able to swing confidently without the fear of hitting and people have recommended the v8. how do you rate the power/spin/forgiveness? i use to use the vcore pro 97 (navy blue) and that was a great racquet although i felt like it got a little unstable against big hitters, due to the low swingweight

 

[leojramirez]

Sorry @The Topspin Man haven't tried the ezone as I don't feel comfortable with frames above a 22mm beam. If you are looking for control you would give the blade 100 a try, specially given how the new one just came out and you can probably find deals for the v8. For me theres enough put away power, but power is very subjective, mind that I play on clay in Spain on the coast so its challenging when the ball gets so humid and heavy with clay. Spin is not great like the vcore or boom but its there and as this is my first 100 i think the forgiveness is fantastic but thats coming from 97-98s. I used the 2021 VCP97 before it changed to percept while recovering from TE and it was great for comfort but its a noddle and its closer to a pro staff than a blade.

 

[The Topspin Man]

i went into the tennis shop today and held the blade 100 and it's def chunkier than the 98 which has a thinner beam. i know it's superficial but def felt noticeably larger. might have to try it out and demo it and see how it goes. appreciate the help! thank you!

 

[CVT]

Here are a few data points of racquets in that sphere:

Head Speed Pro - Really loved it. It just had great control and feel, and it had very managed power. It was great for both flat and topspin. It is stable and has a nice balance of crisp feedback and muted shock.

Blade 100v8 - too high powered for me with the thicker beam and the open string pattern. In retrospect, I should have tried it with a thicker gauge string, a more control oriented poly, and a bit tighter. Maybe I could have gotten there. I felt the chunkiness and launched a few too many balls. I tried a different string (again, probably the wrong one), and just couldn't make it stick for me. It does have more forgiveness and the Blade 98 feel. I just wish they kept the beam, the way they did with the Blade 100 v7. The word is that the Blade 100 v9 has the same beam as the Blade 98 v8.

Head Speed MP - A bit less control, but much easier power than the Speed Pro. These racquets are a pretty fair modification within the same family. The MP is just a bit more comfortable and gives a bit more free power. I liked the feel of the Speed Pro better, but ultimately thought I'd eventually need the forgiveness, extra power, and forgiveness of the MP.

Blade 98 v8 - Really a plush and beautiful feeling racquet. A bit underpowered, but that can be helped with added weight. I liked the 18x20 stringbed a bit more, but found the 98 just slightly less forgiving. I hit more frames and outside the sweet spot than I'd like. If I were a bit better of a player, I could definitely make the 98v8 my racquet.

If you are an intermediate to advanced player, I'll pitch for the Speed Pro. If you are more intermediate, then I'd lean towards the 100v8 or even better yet the Speed MP.

Just my two cents. I haven't played with the Gravity enough to give an opinion.

 

[p-ratziner]

Here are a few data points of racquets in that sphere:

Head Speed Pro - Really loved it. It just had great control and feel, and it had very managed power. It was great for both flat and topspin. It is stable and has a nice balance of crisp feedback and muted shock.

Blade 100v8 - too high powered for me with the thicker beam and the open string pattern. In retrospect, I should have tried it with a thicker gauge string, a more control oriented poly, and a bit tighter. Maybe I could have gotten there. I felt the chunkiness and launched a few too many balls. I tried a different string (again, probably the wrong one), and just couldn't make it stick for me. It does have more forgiveness and the Blade 98 feel. I just wish they kept the beam, the way they did with the Blade 100 v7. The word is that the Blade 100 v9 has the same beam as the Blade 98 v8.

Head Speed MP - A bit less control, but much easier power than the Speed Pro. These racquets are a pretty fair modification within the same family. The MP is just a bit more comfortable and gives a bit more free power. I liked the feel of the Speed Pro better, but ultimately thought I'd eventually need the forgiveness, extra power, and forgiveness of the MP.

Blade 98 v8 - Really a plush and beautiful feeling racquet. A bit underpowered, but that can be helped with added weight. I liked the 18x20 stringbed a bit more, but found the 98 just slightly less forgiving. I hit more frames and outside the sweet spot than I'd like. If I were a bit better of a player, I could definitely make the 98v8 my racquet.

If you are an intermediate to advanced player, I'll pitch for the Speed Pro. If you are more intermediate, then I'd lean towards the 100v8 or even better yet the Speed MP.

Just my two cents. I haven't played with the Gravity enough to give an opinion.

Blade 100 has more power than speed mp?

 

[Freshproduce]

Blade 100 has more power than speed mp?

imo the blade 100 is more powerful than the speed mp but not by much.

 

[CVT]

imo the blade 100 is more powerful than the speed mp but not by much.

I would agree with that, although I didn't compare apples-to-apples. I believe I hit with the Blade 100v8 with more powerful strings. It's strange, because the Blade 100 v8 felt chunkier to me, but it actually is listed with a smaller beam width (22.5 Blade 100 vs. 23 Speed Pro). It is possible that it felt that way to me b/c the Blade 98 v8 is listed at 20.6. I was expecting it to be more like the Blade98v8. The most likely reason for the difference in perceived power is flexibility. The Blade 100v8 had a flex rating of 68, vs. the Speed Pro at 62 and Blade 98v8 at 60. The stiffness probably translated into more power.

 

[Leen]

Blade 100 is an easier to use and slightly more powerful blade 98. I mean the blade feeling is there. Stable and solid. I have to add some lead as I'm not used to 300g rackets.

I demoed the gravity mp and set it down after 15 minutes. Didn't like the stability and feel. I demoed the previous vcore pro 100 and speed mp but i just cannot get used to the thickness of the beam and the power coming from 98s.

I come from having severe TE from a vcore 98 2023, I used the previous two iterations for over 3 years. After TE I was in between the blade 98 16x19 v8 and the boom pro. Chose the boom pro as it was more similar in playability to the vcore but after 4 months i was still feeling sore after every session. I remembered the blade 98 was more comfortable. I tried it again but after a couple of weeks I couldn't get it working for me defensively. It was a struggle if I wasn't aggressive and with that came more errors.

Tried the blade 100 as I saw online that the feeling was similar to the 98 but easier to play with which is correct. The blade is the first 100 I have played with more than two sessions. Its been a month. Digging the forgiveness coming from the 98s. I'm 36 and i think its the right time to switch to 100.

Did the blade cure your TE? I switch on and off with the Boom pro too but think that 310grams makes me over muscle and cause soreness. I use the ezone 98 but lately that has been flaring my TE too.

 

[leojramirez]

Did the blade cure your TE? I switch on and off with the Boom pro too but think that 310grams makes me over muscle and cause soreness. I use the ezone 98 but lately that has been flaring my TE too.

Switching rackets does not cure TE, you have to slow down, go to a physio and get therapy. Preferably dry needling with electric current and massages. Depending on how bad it is of course. For serious cases its a year, i had mine from march 2023, but at some point you just have to play through the pain. Obviously try to avoid the shot that gives you pain, in my case the 1hbh.
I can tell you that I was feeling sore on my forearm hitting with the vcore98 2023 but i did not listen to the pain and kept playing until i had full blown TE to the point that it hurt without playing and i couldn't event lift a full glass of water. I mean it did feel more comfortable during contact than the previous 2 versions but I guess the vibrations were hurting me. What I did was therapy as I mentioned above, rest for 2-4 weeks, then came back to just hit forehands with the vcore pro 97 2021. That racket is a noodle, super soft. Eventually after some more time and therapy i was able to hit backhands with the vcore pro until the point i became confident again with that shot. It did take a while.
From frustration as the vcore pro does not give you any help at all I tested the boom pro and blade 98 v8. The blade 98 v8 was closer to the vcore pro and boom pro closer to the red vcore so I switched to the boom pro as I was playing with the red vcores for the last 4 years.
The boom pro is a nice racket, very nice spin, used it for about 6 months, however if I played 2 days in a row i could still feel my forearm so i decided to change. I remembered from testing the blade 98 v8 and boom pro the blade was more comfortable so I picked a couple second hand for a good price. My arm felt absolutely better playing with the blade, little to no pain after hard sessions on consecutive days. However after a few weeks and after playing a tournament match I decided to change as it was tough playing with the blade 98. When you are playing and moving great its a good racket but it does not give you much when you are not playing so well. I decided to try the blade 100, my first 100, and at first i was not sure but after moving lead from 3 and 9 to 2 and 10 and a couple grams on the buttcap, I was able to feel comfortable with it and hit how I wanted.

To me the only advantage of the blade 98 vs the blade 100 is that it feels more stable. Theres more control with the 98 but control is subjective, theres people that can control a pure drive and for me its impossible. The blade 100 has all the attributes of the 98, is more forgiving, which is better for the arm, and has enough power not to feel overpowered by similar level opponents with pure drives and aeros. I live in Spain and I play on clay all the time. I'm 36 and I need some help from the racket, and honestly, for the sake of my elbow Im going to keep it and not switch around, even to the new version. Having suffered serious TE I can only advise people to listen to their bodies and take care of their arms when switching around rackets.

 

[elginspur]

Switching rackets does not cure TE, you have to slow down, go to a physio and get therapy. Preferably dry needling with electric current and massages. Depending on how bad it is of course. For serious cases its a year, i had mine from march 2023, but at some point you just have to play through the pain. Obviously try to avoid the shot that gives you pain, in my case the 1hbh.
I can tell you that I was feeling sore on my forearm hitting with the vcore98 2023 but i did not listen to the pain and kept playing until i had full blown TE to the point that it hurt without playing and i couldn't event lift a full glass of water. I mean it did feel more comfortable during contact than the previous 2 versions but I guess the vibrations were hurting me. What I did was therapy as I mentioned above, rest for 2-4 weeks, then came back to just hit forehands with the vcore pro 97 2021. That racket is a noodle, super soft. Eventually after some more time and therapy i was able to hit backhands with the vcore pro until the point i became confident again with that shot. It did take a while.
From frustration as the vcore pro does not give you any help at all I tested the boom pro and blade 98 v8. The blade 98 v8 was closer to the vcore pro and boom pro closer to the red vcore so I switched to the boom pro as I was playing with the red vcores for the last 4 years.
The boom pro is a nice racket, very nice spin, used it for about 6 months, however if I played 2 days in a row i could still feel my forearm so i decided to change. I remembered from testing the blade 98 v8 and boom pro the blade was more comfortable so I picked a couple second hand for a good price. My arm felt absolutely better playing with the blade, little to no pain after hard sessions on consecutive days. However after a few weeks and after playing a tournament match I decided to change as it was tough playing with the blade 98. When you are playing and moving great its a good racket but it does not give you much when you are not playing so well. I decided to try the blade 100, my first 100, and at first i was not sure but after moving lead from 3 and 9 to 2 and 10 and a couple grams on the buttcap, I was able to feel comfortable with it and hit how I wanted.

To me the only advantage of the blade 98 vs the blade 100 is that it feels more stable. Theres more control with the 98 but control is subjective, theres people that can control a pure drive and for me its impossible. The blade 100 has all the attributes of the 98, is more forgiving, which is better for the arm, and has enough power not to feel overpowered by similar level opponents with pure drives and aeros. I live in Spain and I play on clay all the time. I'm 36 and I need some help from the racket, and honestly, for the sake of my elbow Im going to keep it and not switch around, even to the new version. Having suffered serious TE I can only advise people to listen to their bodies and take care of their arms when switching around rackets.

Hi @leojramirez . Good narrative of your racket history - I can relate because I have TE too (currently recovering). I am using the Speed MP but playing with stiff strings definitely hurt my arm. What strings / tension do you use in your Blade 100? Thanks in advance

 

[leojramirez]

Hi @leojramirez . Good narrative of your racket history - I can relate because I have TE too (currently recovering). I am using the Speed MP but playing with stiff strings definitely hurt my arm. What strings / tension do you use in your Blade 100? Thanks in advance

Anything soft. I cant play multis because i would break it in 2 hours. What worked best for me was head lynx 1.25 green. Its muted, enough power and control. Low tensions, 21kg in the vcp97 or blade98 but a bit higher in the boom pro and blade 100.
I switched to lynx tour , it plays comfortable enough, better control and, helps more with spin and tension lasts longer but i don’t recommend it if you still recovering from TE.
I bought the new blade 100 v9 as i managed to get a good discount from a friend. V8 is slightly more comfortable, v9 a bit more stable and muted. Otherwise pretty similar.

 

[elginspur]

Anything soft. I cant play multis because i would break it in 2 hours. What worked best for me was head lynx 1.25 green. Its muted, enough power and control. Low tensions, 21kg in the vcp97 or blade98 but a bit higher in the boom pro and blade 100.
I switched to lynx tour , it plays comfortable enough, better control and, helps more with spin and tension lasts longer but i don’t recommend it if you still recovering from TE.
I bought the new blade 100 v9 as i managed to get a good discount from a friend. V8 is slightly more comfortable, v9 a bit more stable and muted. Otherwise pretty similar.

Cheers mate. Have you tried softer polys e.g. Volkl Cyclone Tour 16g / YTEX Quadro Twist in the Blade 100?

Though Lynx Tour is a great string, I will stay away from it due to the relatively high stiffness. Appreciate your input re the comparison between the v8 and v9 - I may just get the v8 since it is more comfortable and cheaper now.

 

[mauricem]

Have you tried softer polys e.g. Volkl Cyclone Tour 16g

My Blade 100 V8 came prestrung with Cyclone Tour 17G and felt nice and plush, no arm problems but with plenty of spin potential.

I've just recently restrung with CT mains and Wilson Sensation crosses just to see how the poly hybrid multi would feel as that's what I'd been using for last few years. The hybrid is as expected a bit softer, slightly more launchy maybe down on spin just a bit but still very playable. Undecided on the next restring as both options work well.

However before adding weight at 3 and 9 off centre hits were a bit jarring so for me the 100 definitely needs some minor tuning. The 98 on the other hand felt fine stock.

 

[elginspur]

My Blade 100 V8 came prestrung with Cyclone Tour 17G and felt nice and plush, no arm problems but with plenty of spin potential.

I've just recently restrung with CT mains and Wilson Sensation crosses just to see how the poly hybrid multi would feel as that's what I'd been using for last few years. The hybrid is as expected a bit softer, slightly more launchy maybe down on spin just a bit but still very playable. Undecided on the next restring as both options work well.

However before adding weight at 3 and 9 off centre hits were a bit jarring so for me the 100 definitely needs some minor tuning. The 98 on the other hand felt fine stock.

Thanks for your input. What's the lead weight that you placed at 3 and 9? And do you get more plow through with the added weight?

 

[mauricem]

What's the lead weight that you placed at 3 and 9? And do you get more plow through with the added weight?

Not much, just a couple of inches of 1/4" tape, static weight is now about 332g with overgrip and dampener. I'm rotating the Blade alongside an Extreme Tour so I've become sensitive to any potential sluggishness on the Blade otherwise I probably would have gone to 340 or beyond as previous frames were 370g.

Yes, the small extra weight definitely improved plow effect. FWIW I also added a bit of weight to the tail via a couple of 1 1/4" light nails in the foam under the butt cap. Swing weight I dont think is worth quoting as I have low confidence in the accuracy of manual measurements but it feels nicely balanced with this setup.

 

[leojramirez]

2g each at 2 and 10 for me as I find that to suit me better as normally hit above the middle of the frame and helps a bit more on accelerating the tip of the racket. Also 2g in the butt cap. I was used to playing with 305-310g rackets so that just about does it.

 

[mauricem]

2g each at 2 and 10 for me as I find that to suit me better as normally hit above the middle of the frame and helps a bit more on accelerating the tip of the racket. Also 2g in the butt cap. I was used to playing with 305-310g rackets so that just about does it.

Thats what Ive been doing more recently, either that or a small strip at 12 if using 3 and 9. Actually just looked at my Blade 100 and realised I'd forgotten that I did have about an inch of lead tape at 12 as well!

 

[The Topspin Man]

racquet journey update. So managed to get my hands on a pair of head gravity mp and I thought this was the racquet I was staying with (serial switcher). Unfortunately hit the courts and tried it for 2-3 sessions and i wasn’t a fan. Racquet flex was so low that it felt like a rubber band. Didn’t help that the racquet was strung with Wilson sensation compared to a slightly stiffer poly. Pros was that it was extremely comfortable and whippy and manoeuvrable but just lacked the low through and crisp response that I desire. I’ve come to the conclusion I like racquets where the balls get in and out, don’t stay on the racquet for too long and just want speed, and less concerned about dwell time etc. I think that’s why I loved my ezone 100 but finding these second hand is extremely difficult. Contemplating trying the blade 100v8 (as it’s on sale) but not sure if it’ll be too flexible too and will be in the same boat as the gravity? Seen the stiffness rating as 69 - is this right? I know few people say it doesn’t feel that stiff and plays like a low 60s flex. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated? These head speed mp (wasn’t the biggest fan) and speed pros are on sale in the black which is very tempting too….

 

[Federerkblade]

Stiffness is not 69 for v8 ? Where dod You see that

 

[The Topspin Man]

Stiffness is not 69 for v8 ? Where dod You see that

Tennis only in Australia (subsidiary of tennis warehouse. Link here

Wilson Blade 100 v8 Racquet | Tennis Only

www.tennisonly.com.au

 

[Federerkblade]

Everywhere else it’s much less

It’s around 61-63 strung depending on racquet variations

 

[Leen]

Maybe precept 100 or ezone 98? I keep trying other rackets too but always circle back to me ezone 98 in the end. Just a feel you really lock into after several years.

 

[The_Heat]

Hi everyone, thought I'd bump this thread rather than start my own. I have a similar question to OP and have appreciated the responses here, just wondering if anyone has updated thoughts.

I'm getting back into tennis after a ~20 yr hiatus. I previously played a pair of heavy, small prestiges and need something friendlier and more forgiving. I'm probably playing at around the 4.0 level now.

I've demoed several racquets already, in order of preference: Radical MP > CX 400 tour (2021 ed) > Blade 98 > Ezone 98 >>>> Speed MP.

I'm going to do one last demo run and want to compare the Radical MP vs. the Prestige MP L vs. one more. Trying to decide between the gravity MP and blade 100. Everyone seems to love the blade 100, but I really didn't like the speed MP, which it's often compared too. I found it erratic and hard to control. Alternative would be the gravity MP, seems well-liked although not reviewed quite as well.

Any updated opinions on these two racquets?

 

[Circa 1762]

Hi everyone, thought I'd bump this thread rather than start my own. I have a similar question to OP and have appreciated the responses here, just wondering if anyone has updated thoughts.

I'm getting back into tennis after a ~20 yr hiatus. I previously played a pair of heavy, small prestiges and need something friendlier and more forgiving. I'm probably playing at around the 4.0 level now.

I've demoed several racquets already, in order of preference: Radical MP > CX 400 tour (2021 ed) > Blade 98 > Ezone 98 >>>> Speed MP.

I'm going to do one last demo run and want to compare the Radical MP vs. the Prestige MP L vs. one more. Trying to decide between the gravity MP and blade 100. Everyone seems to love the blade 100, but I really didn't like the speed MP, which it's often compared too. I found it erratic and hard to control. Alternative would be the gravity MP, seems well-liked although not reviewed quite as well.

Any updated opinions on these two racquets?

I played extensively with Youtek Prestige MP from 2011 to 2013 and then IG Prestige Pro from 2014 to 2018-ish, and I’m currently a 4.0, so we’re probably coming from somewhat similar places. I’m actually in the process of moving on from the Auxetic Radical MP because it’s a little stiff for me with the strings I liked best in it (stiff poly) and I need a little more free spin in my game, but it’s a really good racket. I found the newest Gravity MP to have much easier spin than the Rad MP, but a much less solid feel, worse control, and surprisingly worse serve; I wanted to like it because I like the Gravity head shape, but I really didn’t. I haven’t hit the Blade 100 but I’m currently in an extended demo of the Blade 104 and will probably make it my next main racket; more muted than the Radical MP, but more solid and better control than the Gravity MP. Personally I’d try the Blade 100, if only because I don’t think you’d like the Gravity MP based on what you’ve said. Hope that helps a bit.

PS: To complicate things, if you can demo it, I might try the Gravity Tour rather than MP. I’ve never hit the Tour before, but from what I’ve read on the forum it seems closer to what you’re looking for than the MP, and TW now sells them in the US.

 

[The_Heat]

I played extensively with Youtek Prestige MP from 2011 to 2013 and then IG Prestige Pro from 2014 to 2018-ish, and I’m currently a 4.0, so we’re probably coming from somewhat similar places. I’m actually in the process of moving on from the Auxetic Radical MP because it’s a little stiff for me with the strings I liked best in it (stiff poly) and I need a little more free spin in my game, but it’s a really good racket. I found the newest Gravity MP to have much easier spin than the Rad MP, but a much less solid feel, worse control, and surprisingly worse serve; I wanted to like it because I like the Gravity head shape, but I really didn’t. I haven’t hit the Blade 100 but I’m currently in an extended demo of the Blade 104 and will probably make it my next main racket; more muted than the Radical MP, but more solid and better control than the Gravity MP. Personally I’d try the Blade 100, if only because I don’t think you’d like the Gravity MP based on what you’ve said. Hope that helps a bit.

PS: To complicate things, if you can demo it, I might try the Gravity Tour rather than MP. I’ve never hit the Tour before, but from what I’ve read on the forum it seems closer to what you’re looking for than the MP, and TW now sells them in the US.

Thank you, this is great insight.
I am tempted to look at the tour, that's a good thought...

 

[Kelly2131]

Hi everyone, thought I'd bump this thread rather than start my own. I have a similar question to OP and have appreciated the responses here, just wondering if anyone has updated thoughts.

I'm getting back into tennis after a ~20 yr hiatus. I previously played a pair of heavy, small prestiges and need something friendlier and more forgiving. I'm probably playing at around the 4.0 level now.

I've demoed several racquets already, in order of preference: Radical MP > CX 400 tour (2021 ed) > Blade 98 > Ezone 98 >>>> Speed MP.

I'm going to do one last demo run and want to compare the Radical MP vs. the Prestige MP L vs. one more. Trying to decide between the gravity MP and blade 100. Everyone seems to love the blade 100, but I really didn't like the speed MP, which it's often compared too. I found it erratic and hard to control. Alternative would be the gravity MP, seems well-liked although not reviewed quite as well.

Any updated opinions on these two racquets?

I am a 3.5 player and have both rackets - a 2021 Gravity MP and a V8 Blade 100. I prefer the Blade 100. It feels more solid on all shots, feels very stable, has good control, and is easy to maneuver. I find the Gravity MP a little fluttery against bigger hitters and needed a little weight at 3/9 to help improve stability. I have not hit with the newest Gravity MP to see if that feeling has improved. Comfort is very good with both - the 68 RA being reported on the Blade 100 is for the V8 100L, an entirely different racket. Once the V8 was finally listed for sale on TW, the RA was posted as 62, which feels right to me.

For what it's worth, I also liked the 2021 CX400 Tour. So my preference would be Blade 100, CX400 Tour, Gravity MP (all previous versions - have not hit with newest versions).

Good luck with your demos.

 

[The_Heat]

I am a 3.5 player and have both rackets - a 2021 Gravity MP and a V8 Blade 100. I prefer the Blade 100. It feels more solid on all shots, feels very stable, has good control, and is easy to maneuver. I find the Gravity MP a little fluttery against bigger hitters and needed a little weight at 3/9 to help improve stability. I have not hit with the newest Gravity MP to see if that feeling has improved. Comfort is very good with both - the 68 RA being reported on the Blade 100 is for the V8 100L, an entirely different racket. Once the V8 was finally listed for sale on TW, the RA was posted as 62, which feels right to me.

For what it's worth, I also liked the 2021 CX400 Tour. So my preference would be Blade 100, CX400 Tour, Gravity MP (all previous versions - have not hit with newest versions).

Good luck with your demos.

Thanks this is helpful.
I think I've decided to demo the blade 100 at this point, once this shoulder heals that is...

 

[timgus88]

I would agree with that, although I didn't compare apples-to-apples. I believe I hit with the Blade 100v8 with more powerful strings. It's strange, because the Blade 100 v8 felt chunkier to me, but it actually is listed with a smaller beam width (22.5 Blade 100 vs. 23 Speed Pro). It is possible that it felt that way to me b/c the Blade 98 v8 is listed at 20.6. I was expecting it to be more like the Blade98v8. The most likely reason for the difference in perceived power is flexibility. The Blade 100v8 had a flex rating of 68, vs. the Speed Pro at 62 and Blade 98v8 at 60. The stiffness probably translated into more power.

Blade v8 100 has a flex of 60, not 68