Is the ProStaff 6.0 95 a viable alternative to the Wilson 6.1 95?

[RyanC]

My youngest son (23) had been playing with the Wilson Hyper Pro Staff 6.1 for the past 5 years when he broke the last of his racquets about 8 months ago. Since then he's been trying to adjust to the nSix-One 95 16x18 and kSix-One 95 16x18 but with absolutely no luck at all. Both of the racquets swing heavier than his HPS but the biggest problem he's had is the power. His old racquets gave him power IF he strung them loosely (he would use 50-53lbs) and or used a natural gut which he preferred to do for the extra comfort it gave his arm. The newer models force him to string tighter than he'd like to or use a dead string. He has tried the 18x20 versions but didn't like the feel of the tighter string pattern.

From all Ive read on this message board the ProStaff 6.0 95 is a low powered racquet with a low swingweight. In that, it sounds closer to the HPS than the racquets which should have been the natural replacements. He understands that it is a different line and doesnt expect a similar feel (not that the nSix-One or kSix-One feel similar to the HPS). All he wants is a sturdy Wilson racquet that he can operate at a lower tension and not feel the ball is going to sail over the back fence.

What do the many ProStaff 6.0 95 users on this message board think?

 

[Pathy01]

It's not recent, but I made the switch from the 6.0 95 to the HPS 6.1 95 several years ago, and found it to be a very minor adustment. I'd definitely say those two play very similarly and would recommend he try the 6.0 95. It's truly a great racquet and I still have a couple of them that I'll occassionally hit with, and think the feel and power level may be just what he's looking for based on your comments.

 

[garbage]

I've been using the 6.0 95 for about 9 months and recently decided to have a swing of the 6.1 95 (Classic). I know it's not what you're son's using now, but it's at least from the same line. I only played with it for 3 sets, but found it to be quite a big adjustment in my swing - pretty much all my groundstrokes were going more cross court than I'd intend due to the higher stiffness. Flat serves had more oomph to them though. As you may have already read, the 6.0 95 is a lot flexier than the specs would suggest.

 

[RyanC]

Garbage, how did you find the 6.0 95 compares to the 6.1 Classic for power?

 

[nickb]

Why not just get some new Hyper Pro Staffs? A certain seller on the big auction site has them for new in all grip sizes all the time...

 

[garbage]

Garbage, how did you find the 6.0 95 compares to the 6.1 Classic for power?

I found the 6.1 Classic more powerful all round, but most noticeably on serves. The 6.0 had natural gut at 53lbs and the 6.1 Prince Synthetic Gut Original at 53lbs.

 

[RyanC]

nick, I know the bloke you're talking about and we've been in contact with him. Trouble is the HPS he offers is the regulation spec and the one my son used ( I also played them for a couple of years) was the Japanese spec. Only marginally lighter (think ours were 12.2 ounces instead of 12.3 for the US) but the swing weight was around the 320 mark, which is quite a drop from the regulation version.

 

[nickb]

nick, I know the bloke you're talking about and we've been in contact with him. Trouble is the HPS he offers is the regulation spec and the one my son used ( I also played them for a couple of years) was the Japanese spec. Only marginally lighter (think ours were 12.2 ounces instead of 12.3 for the US) but the swing weight was around the 320 mark, which is quite a drop from the regulation version.

You could trim the bumperguard to lower the swing weight....a few posters do this with their sticks and find it works very well. Just a thought.

Nick

 

[AndrewD]

You could trim the bumperguard to lower the swing weight....a few posters do this with their sticks and find it works very well. Just a thought.

Nick

I was one of those guys who modified the bumper on my Volkl t10mp Gen2 and t10mp V-engine and had good results. However, when I tried to do the same thing to my nSix-One 95 (trimmed it the entire way around: only trimmed the Volkl to the 2 and 10 position), I was shocked by how flimsy the guard is. Trimming is only going to make a noticable difference on racquets like the Volkl 10 series where the bumper guard is substantial, not wafer thin.

 

[Supracool94]

The Pro Staff 6.0 95 is a great racquet and in my opinion has greater feel and control than the 6.1, however the 6.1 will definately have a little more power.

 

[Gundam]

PS6.0 95 is currently my favorite. I'd describe it a 'very user friendly player's racquet'. It plays flexible. My only concern was that sometimes I thought it plays too headlight (which is good for serving and volleying). Now my 95 has some lead tape on it and I am hitting heavier groundies too.

 

[BreakPoint]

nick, I know the bloke you're talking about and we've been in contact with him. Trouble is the HPS he offers is the regulation spec and the one my son used ( I also played them for a couple of years) was the Japanese spec. Only marginally lighter (think ours were 12.2 ounces instead of 12.3 for the US) but the swing weight was around the 320 mark, which is quite a drop from the regulation version.

RyanC,

Very interesting as I didn't know there was also a lighter "Asian" version of the HPS 6.1 95. I would have liked to have tried it myself since I liked the regular HPS 6.1 except that it was a tad too heavy in swingweight.

Anyway, I'm not so sure the PS 6.0 95 will do it for your son as it is lower powered, more flexible, and has a different feel (box beam vs. oval beam). It also swings quite a bit lighter.

I think the closest thing to an Asian spec HPS 6.1 95 may be the ProStaff Tour 95. This one: http://web.archive.org/web/20040606081622/www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageRCWILSON-WT95.html

If it's a tad lighter than what your son is used to but he could always add some lead tape to it. Despite what the specs say, it actually plays stiffer and has a bit more power than the PS 6.0 95, so it feels closer to the HPS 6.1 than the PS 6.0, IMHO (both have oval beams). It's discontinued but you may still be able to find some used or even new ones floating around.

Good luck.

 

[lilxjohnyy]

are u still able to purchase from tenniswarehouse old website

 

[Craig Sheppard]

RyanC, you didn't say what level your son plays, but I'm between a 4.0 and 4.5, and I'm 30 and have used one kind of Pro Staff 6.1 or another since I was 15 (PSC, HPS, n, k). My favorite one was the Pro Staff Classic, and unfortunately for you my least favorite was the HPS 6.1. However, I have hit a number of times on and off with a Wilson 6.0 95 and I don't find it hard to pick up and use at all. For that matter, the 6.0 85 isn't that difficult either. I feel like if push came to shove, I could use either of the 6.0's with no problem at all. While I don't know if it's exactly comparable to the HPS 6.1, it certainly wouldn't be hard to adapt to it, IMO.

 

[garbage]

are u still able to purchase from tenniswarehouse old website

Are you serious?

 

[paulfreda]

NCode6195

The nCode is quite different from the 6095 for sure.

Have you tried customizing the nCodes?
Try this;
1/ Add 20-30 grams of lead to the handle just above your top finger.
You can get great lead weights at any tire installation store.
They use them for balancing the tires.
They are bulky, but you can flatten them with a hammer if you
decide to keep them permenant.Note; handle weight will keep the
balance head light so it will not feel heavy.

2/ Add small amounts of lead at 12 oclock to tune in the feel.
You can also do 3 and 9 oclock if need be.

My nCodes play much more solid than my 6095 but with a little less feel.
But the powr and performance, especially on volleys is tremendous.

Gook Luck

 

[paulfreda]

Could not edit my post so ....
At 12 oclock you do not need lead.
3 inches of heavy duty duct tape will be enough to change feel.
I have 12 inches [2 x 6inch strips] on my nC6190.

 

[RyanC]

BreakPoint, indeed there was a lighter version of the HPS, just as there was a European version and just as there have been lighter versions of the nSix-One 95 and kSix-One 95, as well as the n90, k90 and I think, the PS85 and Tour 90. The HPS, unlike those other racquets was available here in Australia, along with the higher swing weight model. The weight difference was entirely negligable but the swing weight difference was very apparent, something like 320 vs 330. I'm sure if Tennis Warehouse put in a special order for the HPS 6.1, as they do with other racquets and as one on-line retailer does with the HPS, they could request them at a lower swingweight. Worth asking, if you have any pull with head office.

Craig, my son did play juniors at the Australian national level and now plays team competition with others at the state level plus the odd open tournament. He can certainly play well with any racquet he picks up and has had some laughs using my old PS85's (a few of them must be over 20 years old now) but he wouldn't take them into serious competition.

If he can't find what he's looking for, his ideal racquet, then he'll just look at other Wilson options (possibly the k90 or k95) and adjust to them. But, before he does that, why not see if there's a solution other HPS users have found. Hence this thread.

paulfreda, thankyou for the suggestion but adding weight will increase the swing weight and it's the higher swing weight of the nSix-One 95 that my son doesn't like. It also increases power far more than he could ever want with the nCodes. Thanks anyway.

 

[BreakPoint]

RyanC,

Yes, I knew about the lighter "Asian" versions of the nCode 90 & 95, K-Factor 90 & 95, and the PS Tour 90 and PS 6.0 85 (in fact, I play with the Asian nCode 90), but this is the first I've heard of the lighter HPS 6.1 95. The European version of the HPS 6.1, I believe, was the 18x20 version.

Unfortunately, TW has been unable to procure any of the lighter Asian versions of Wilson racquets. They have tried numerous times in the past without any success. Wilson has refused to bring any of these lighter racquets into the U.S. market for reasons only known to themselves.

Anyway, if your son is able to find a PS Tour 95 in Australia, it might be worth a try.

Good luck.

 

[RyanC]

BreakPoint, thankyou for the suggestion. I remember the Tour 95 from a few years ago and I know my son, and myself, didn't think very highly of it. Thanks anyway.

I know that there is a Japanese site on the internet that has a picture and specifications for the lighter HPS 6.1. We found it when looking to see if anyone was still selling it. I don't recall what their address is but it would only take a quick Google image search to find, if you were interested.

I thought you used a ProStaff 6.0 95. Why did you switch to the nCode 90?

 

[BreakPoint]

RyanC,

OK, I see. I didn't really personally like the PS Tour 95 either but I thought it might be more similar to the HPS 6.1 since it's also pretty stiff, powerful, and has the same oval beam. Personally, I prefer racquets with box beams.

I used the PS 6.0 95 for a few years and then eventually switched to the Asian nCode 90 (after playing with both for a long time) because I felt the smaller head and denser string pattern (16x18 vs. 16x19 in a smaller head) gave me a bit more control and the slighter heavier swingweight also gave me a bit more plow-through. However, the feel of the nCode 90 is not as sweet as the PS 6.0 95. But I guess you can't have everything. I've learned a long time ago that when it comes to tennis racquets, it's all about compromises.

BTW, I also find the PS 6.0 95 to be better for serving and volleying but the Asian nCode 90 may be a bit better for groundies.

 

[skraggle]

are u still able to purchase from tenniswarehouse old website

Yes, but only if you're using the Manfredi T2000 time machine.

 

[RyanC]

BreakPoint,

Despite having used Wilson racquets for 51 years and being sponsored by them for 38 years (Im mostly retired now) I can't say I've ever hit with a ProStaff 6.0 95. Played against guys using them but never actually swung one in anger. With your experience using the PS 95, what other racquets would you compare it to, as far as power on serve and groundstrokes goes?

 

[Craig Sheppard]

Craig, my son did play juniors at the Australian national level and now plays team competition with others at the state level plus the odd open tournament. He can certainly play well with any racquet he picks up and has had some laughs using my old PS85's (a few of them must be over 20 years old now) but he wouldn't take them into serious competition.

If he can't find what he's looking for, his ideal racquet, then he'll just look at other Wilson options (possibly the k90 or k95) and adjust to them. But, before he does that, why not see if there's a solution other HPS users have found. Hence this thread.

Ahh... your son is very good then, Ryan. ;-) Sure thing then, he could pick up anything and play with it. Your son is basically looking for the same thing I was, something easier to swing than an n6.1. I settled on the K6.1's for now, they seem a bit easier to swing to me. I have contemplated going back to a 6.0 95, but think a bump up to 100 sq in might be better for my game. (That doesn't help you of course...) But after hunting down rackets and poring over specs, I've pretty much come to accept that new rackets just aren't being made that fit that kind of spec (a easier to swing, very HL 6.1-ish racket), especially by Wilson. The k6.1 Team is 18x20, so I rule that out, since I only like 16 mains. When I want a racket that's easier to swing and just can't deal with the weight of my 6.1's, I always go back to my Fischer Pro No. 1. It's 16x20, which makes it a little less open, but it still fits the bill nicely. I know you're looking for a Wilson so that doesn't help much, and I too prefer Wilsons if I can get them (for the grip shape), but feel a little defeated after looking at what's out there. Good luck w/ it though.

P.S. I demoed the Tour 95 when it came out and didn't like it at all. The HyperCarbon aspect of it just made it too brittle & metallic feeling for me. It didn't feel solid to me at all, and after a session or two i finally wrote it off. Not saying you shouldn't try it though, to see for yourself.

 

[BreakPoint]

BreakPoint,

Despite having used Wilson racquets for 51 years and being sponsored by them for 38 years (Im mostly retired now) I can't say I've ever hit with a ProStaff 6.0 95. Played against guys using them but never actually swung one in anger. With your experience using the PS 95, what other racquets would you compare it to, as far as power on serve and groundstrokes goes?

RyanC,

The PS 6.0 95 is quite a unique racquet so there's not really anything that's exactly like it. However, out of the racquets that I have hit with, I would say the HPS 6.0 Tour 95 (Euro version) comes closest as it's basically the same racquet as the PS 6.0 95 but with some HyperCarbon added to the hoop. TW sold them for a limited time 4 years ago but are hard to find now. They had the same red paintjob as the HPS 6.1 95, except that it had a matte instead of glossy finish. This one: http://web.archive.org/web/20030401233514/www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageRCWILSON-TOUR95.html

Some other racquets that are similar to the PS 6.0 95 are: Slazenger Pro X-1, Volkl Tour 10 MP Gen II, Asian nSix-One Tour 90, Asian K-Six-One Tour 90. The last two are still available in Asia, and you may still be able to find the first two as well.

BTW, has your son tried the Yonex RDS 001 Mid or the RDX 500 Mid? The RDS 001 Mid may be a bit better for him since it's stiffer and more powerful than the RDX 500 Mid, so more similar to the HPS 6.1 95.

 

[RyanC]

Craig,

Two Wilson options, if you are willing to go lighter and slightly larger, are the the nPro Open and nSix-Two. I think you'll find each needs some extra weight but offer an excellent platform for customisation. I've heard some good things about the nPro Open in particular and it looks to be a racquet which can be used by anyone from the lower 3.0 level all the way to the pro tour, so long as they don't mind the stiffness. It is one Wilson racquet that I don't think is getting the consideration it deserves. Of course it wont have the feel or touch we're used to with the 6.1.

BreakPoint,

No, my son hasn't tried any Yonex racquets and I feel he'd be more inclined to adjust to another racquet than switch brands - perhaps that's just family tradition talking LOL.

 

[Craig Sheppard]

Craig,

Two Wilson options, if you are willing to go lighter and slightly larger, are the the nPro Open and nSix-Two. I think you'll find each needs some extra weight but offer an excellent platform for customisation. I've heard some good things about the nPro Open in particular and it looks to be a racquet which can be used by anyone from the lower 3.0 level all the way to the pro tour, so long as they don't mind the stiffness. It is one Wilson racquet that I don't think is getting the consideration it deserves. Of course it wont have the feel or touch we're used to with the 6.1.

Ryan, funny you should mention that, 2 weeks ago I demoed the nPro Open, Open X, Dunlop Aerogel 500, and 500 Tour. The 500 Tour was the best of the bunch (I posted a thread about it). I liked the nPro Open X a lot, but it started to twinge my elbow a little. Not sure if it was the extended length or just the switching rackets. But it felt pretty good.

 

[origmarm]

I have found a store online that claims to have new Hyper Pro Staff 6.1s for sale. If you want, e-mail me and I'll shoot you the address.

 

[rosenstar]

what other racquets would you compare it to, as far as power on serve and groundstrokes goes?

Ryan-
someone else might've mentioned this, so I apologize in advance if that's the case, but why not use TW's racquet finder? enter the specs you like and find similar frames. I think you should just demo as many new frames as possible, and hopefully you'll find something you like.