Head Youtek IG Prestige Pro switch to 2013 Wilson Blade 98 18x20 or Blade 9816x19?

[WallBall]

Currently I play with the Prestige Pro, but am wanting to switch to a 2013 Blade 98. I like the Blade's balance much more, and the overall reduced weight seems easier to manage for the amount of tennis I play. Plus, I like the way the Blade racquet head can really produce a great groundstroke ball, and killer serve.

Some may reply to this saying to add lead to the Prestige Pro, but knowing how over analytical I am, I do not want to start down that path. Plus, I want to reduce overall weight. Some may suggest other racquets, but I really want to focus on the Blade 98 comparison.

So my ultimate question is, which 2013 Blade 98 string pattern do most prefer? Of course, a racquet may be different for each person, but for those who have hit both, which did you choose, and why?

Had the opportunity to play with a friend's older version Blade 98 18x20 today. Found it to be great on serves, but I played horrible after the point started. Admittedly, the strings in this racquet were a very old mono or syn gut. Coming from a 16x19 in my Prestige Pro, the Blade 18x20 was giving me no spin. Plus the trajectory of launch was different. Understandably, this would take time, but I could get use to the launch angle of the 18x20. I was just turned off by the spin performance. This left me thinking the Blade 98 16x19 may be the best of both worlds...?

In many reviews of the Blade 16x19, people mention the added power and lack of control compared to the 18x20. When one says this, do they mean it has the power of a Juice or Steam, or do they simply mean it has more power than the 18x20, but is still very much a control frame? My Prestige Pro has a 16x19 patter and I like it's power/control characteristics. Would the Blade 98 16x19 be similar to that power/control balance?

Thanks in advance to all who reply!

 

[Bartelby]

The new Blade 16/19 cometh in March so it may pay you to wait.

 

[WallBall]

Really do not want to wait. They have a lower stock swing weight, and I like the old paint job. Plus, my real reason, the 2013's are cheaper
Thanks tho!

 

[Bartelby]

Buy the sixteen mains one. The reviewers love the eighteen one so the sixteen suffers in the comparison.

The Blade is bound to be whippier than the Prestige. A leather grip on the Blade may be useful coming from a Prestige for solidness and balance.

 

[SpinToWin]

Buy the sixteen mains one. The reviewers love the eighteen one so the sixteen suffers in the comparison.

The Blade is bound to be whippier than the Prestige. A leather grip on the Blade may be useful coming from a Prestige for solidness and balance.

I found the Prestige to be whippier to be honest… The Blade's balance is just so wrong IMO.

 

[RalphJ]

The Blade's balance is all wrong. Its only about 1-2 points headlight. I tried it in stock form and my elbow hurt after about 30 mins. But once you weight up the butt by about .5oz, it is amazing. Of course, it doesn't have as much control, but is a sweet hitting racquet. I switched to it from the IG PMP.

 

[mhkeuns]

Ditched the Blade 98 18x20 after one set of doubles... Not that it was so bad..., but I didn't like the feel of its balance and wasn't anything I would recommend to anyone. I would rather get the AI 98, or the Pure Control Tour... Doesn't IG Prestige Pro compare or fare better against most newer sticks?

 

[Bartelby]

The Blade should improve for most with a leather grip or some lead under the grip or butt cap.

 

[Roland G]

I found the blade 18x20 to hit a fairly heavy ball in general and perform quite well. The tight string pattern will give you just enough spin, if you are looking for insane loopy shots this probably isn't the racket for you. I put a leather grip on mine which adjusted the balance a bit. It's a great serving stick and the control is just fantastic. It's a racket that gives back what you put in IMO. I changed to a Dunlop F3.0 Tour as it had more free power and better access to spin while still offering good control.

 

[El_Yotamo]

I wouldn't switch, but if you really want to, I'd recommend the 16x19 for the more similar string pattern. But make sure to either put a leather grip or more than one overgrip and even consider lead or tungsten tape.

 

[The forehand]

I much preferred the IG PP, i switched from the blade 98 16x19 which i had leaded up to 360g and a leather grip. By leading up the blade it significantly decreased the power.

 

[WallBall]

Appreciate all the replies everyone.
Personally, I really don't want to start delving into lead tape. I have been down that road, and just prefer to pick up a stick in stock form and go play.
I like the Prestige Pro a lot, but the head grip shape is annoying, and I want some more weight in the head of the racquet, but a lower racquet static weight. I played a set with the Blade 98 and then switched back to my Prestige, and the increase static weight was very noticeable while playing.

I'm hoping the Blade 98 16x19 is a serving beast like the 18x20...? Maybe with just a little less control.

Demo'ing both on Monday, so we will see what happens.

 

[RalphJ]

Lead tape around the handle of the Blades works wonders. I put about .25oz around the butt and it made all the difference.

 

[bktennis78]

I have both exact racquets and considering doing the same thing for the same reason - I needed something that was lighter overall but head heavier. I was also making that switch because I kept getting wrist injuries from the Prestige since it is both heavy and stiff. Using all poly didn't help but that's the string bed I like.

I'm a high 4.0 with a pretty fast swing and like to hit hard. The Prestige kept my shots heavy and deep but consistently in. The Blade I think has too much power. Relative to the extra power, the spin isn't enough to keep the ball in, which means I have to change my technique a bit and that's a hard thing to do outside of practice. Since I'm short, I am playing on thin margin so little things like this can create a very different outcome during matches. I really want to like the racquet but I am losing enough consistency that it breaks the deal. Also have an IG Radical Pro which was my main stick for the last 2 years.

I'm going to demo the new Prostaff 97 to see if it fits the bill.

 

[smalahove]

Try the Graphene Speed Pro. Might just be exactly what you're looking for, in stock form.

i've been through heaps of rackets the last couple of years, and the GSP is my fav Head. And in ltd ed, all black on black, it's as sleek as they come

Btw. I own (and enjoy) the IGPP, IGMP and GPP.