Mr Backhand
Rookie
Looks like a future star. Anyone know which racquet he's using and the specs? Saw a decent bit of lead on the sides.
Jakub Mensik Racquet
- Thread starter Mr Backhand
- Start date
theaceproman
Rookie
WIlson blade with lead at 3 and 9, not sure what mold or specs
D
Deleted member 775640
Guest
18x20
Looks like Alu mains x gut crosses
albatros_forehand
Hall of Fame
Any updates on the racquet?
D
Deleted member 775640
Guest
Alu and power pads
FootFault18
Rookie
Would be interesting asking he why he is using Power Pads.
I thought it was something from the past, and more in a poly string.
According to this forum, Power Pads don't provide power or a bigger sweet spot.
I thought it was something from the past, and more in a poly string.
According to this forum, Power Pads don't provide power or a bigger sweet spot.
PBODY99
Legend
@FootFault18
The slight change in the angle the string lays on the frame used to decrease breakage due to sharp angles.
The slight change in the angle the string lays on the frame used to decrease breakage due to sharp angles.
ChrisJR3264
Hall of Fame
For some reason I thought he was using an 18x19 but the photo is clearly an 18x20.
D
Deleted member 775640
Guest
It's the bowtie or maybe fedora of racket customization.
At some point it was said that he is, but every pic I find is 18x20.
Shaolin
Talk Tennis Guru
Alu and power pads
Epic.
Shaolin
Talk Tennis Guru
Because they look cool plus Pete and Fed used them. That’s enough reason.
galapagos
Hall of Fame
Oh no! He went back??!! I remember the interview where it was mentioned about the 18x19 pattern. He was looking for a bit more comfort. Made the racquet more headlight as well.
Holdingserve85
New User
Power pads act as a dampener to sound and you don’t have to worry about it flying out like a regular dampener
At least by the photo above, looks like gut mains to me (lighter translucent coloration), especially with power pads on the mains, which, AFAIK, are typically used with gut, more often than not.
But I'm sure his stringing data will be leaked soon enough.
That looks like a full bed Alu Power.
There's no gut. The funny thing about Alu Power is that depends on the angle it looks white. I'm looking at the match right now without the sun and there is no "white" in the racket.
But the director was only showing Novak the whole time so it's hard to see Mensik from up close at all.
There's no gut. The funny thing about Alu Power is that depends on the angle it looks white. I'm looking at the match right now without the sun and there is no "white" in the racket.
But the director was only showing Novak the whole time so it's hard to see Mensik from up close at all.
D
Deleted member 775640
Guest
The alu/gut guess was old. Notice I posted the first thing in 10/24 and the picture 2 days ago.
Uhh for some reason I thought this was a new thread as well...
Woops. Didn't look close enough. Sorry!
With pro stocks there is typically no such thing as a "version". They are not simply repainted retail frames, they are different and can also vary in stiffness.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
what string is that ? i want to switch. that racket sucks so i am buying that one
Alu and power pads
TNNSDR
Semi-Pro
Yes and no... Some pros still use the same retail version they played with as juniors!
I'd be curious if Wilson actually builds custom pro stocks that are exact replicas of some old retail version for certain players, including the BS "tech" materials/damping and all....and who they are actually doing this for. Even PU glossy finish changes the feel of a racquet a little compared to that rubbery velvet finish used on retail V6-V7 frames. Hard to imagine Wilson building a pro stock w/ glossy finish that feels exactly like the retail V6 w/ CV for example. I've played with a bunch of different pro stock Blades and none of them feel like any of the retail versions from V1 onward, yet they all still have a similar feel, mostly varying in stiffness a little. But it would be interesting if Wilson actually recreates exact copies of old retail versions. Most of the pros who use pro stock Blades have to acquiesce to the feel of the pro stocks...which is a very nice feel for sure.
Vibration reduction
AndrewUtz
Hall of Fame
fed fan boys like sinner do it for no reason.
AndrewUtz
Hall of Fame
fedora for sure
AndrewUtz
Hall of Fame
not true. a lot of the time they are repainted retail frames with commercial weights removed, layup is the same. however obviously lots of pros have custom layups.
I was talking Blades. Not aware of retail Blades having weights in them, the pro stocks are typically heavier in the hoop than retail, but I would be interested if anyone knows for a fact that Wilson actually builds exact reproductions of specific retail versions.
AndrewUtz
Hall of Fame
all retail racquets have extra weight added to them. check out prostocktennis website, most wilson blade prostock swing weights come in actually less than retail accounting for silicone and lead. Silicone is probably the biggest reason most pro stock layups feel different even if they are the same.
Fedaura.
TNNSDR
Semi-Pro
... Also the older Blades were glossy.
TNNSDR
Semi-Pro
... Also the older Blades were glossy.
They were, V2 thru V5. I have some of each. They were the best era of the Blade.
Pro stock static weights are the same as retail, but unless a pro stock Blade has an unstrung SW of around 310 or more, it's not gonna have lead under the bumper. Most are around 298-300 SW unstrung (unmodded) which is still more than the later gen retail versions.
I have owned all the retail Blade versions from V1 to V9 except for V8 and also have several pro stocks in different cosmetics and I can assure you that silicone is absolutely not the reason why the pro stock Blades feel different. The ones for sale on the secondary markets absolutely have different layups than the retail versions. I have silicone added to some of my retail and pro stocks and it makes only a miniscule difference in feel.
AndrewUtz
Hall of Fame
i’m looking at one right now that is an unstrung weight of 309, and weighs 308 grams with visible silicone. Weight of retail 305. It wouldn’t make any sense for pro stocks to have less room for customization than retail. I guess we may just have to agree to disagree my man.
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It's not really an agree or disagree thing, I'm just telling you how they come. I've measured the SW on eight different pro stocks made between V7 and V9 era and their unmodded swingweights ranged from 297-301. Retail V8 and V9 for example are low 290's SW unless you get one with major QC issues.
You gotta remember that in general the guys on tour using the Blade don't have this extreme next gen forehand technique which requires quite a low swingweight to get the racquet head speed. It's a fundamentally different racquet from a Pure Aero for example.
AndrewUtz
Hall of Fame
we just may have to agree to disagree. A lot of the pro stock sticks i’m talking about use the H22 mold. Current retail Blade Pro using H22 mold has a strung swing weight of about 340. Most pro stocks come in less than this.
I'd honestly be interested in the unstrung SW numbers from batches of retail and pro stocks that you've measured yourself.
AndrewUtz
Hall of Fame
I’m also looking right here at a non H22 blade pro stock with an unstrung swing weight of 296.
AndrewUtz
Hall of Fame
I’ve sent you a DM
I believe that, and 296 is on the low end. All I'm saying man is if you measure a batch of pro stocks vs retail, the pro stocks are going to average noticeably higher in SW number and feel - again, more around 300.
AndrewUtz
Hall of Fame
We may just have to agree to disagree.
AndrewUtz
Hall of Fame
I've linked you specific pro stock racquets in a dm. You can check them out yourself. Most of these pro stock racquets that you buy also have lead underneath the bumper that is not visible and silicone or foam in the handle. If you have a problem with the numbers ProStockTennis has measured, take it up with them, not me.
I've customized loads of Wilson Blade pro stocks for clients and myself. Sub-300 unstrung swingweight pre-customization is rare, as is sub-300g unstrung with a synthetic replacement grip. Before any lead, common unstrung spec ranges for the 7980 (KBlade - references its model number) is ~303-7g, 32.5-7cm balance, 300-310sw. Yes, there are some that come lower, but they're much more difficult to find, especially in the wild. They tend to get picked for pro players like Sabalenka whose swingweight preferences are lower, and there are fewer of them to go around and trickle down to us normies. The clear coat on pro stocks is often thicker than retail, sometimes significantly so. That can add a bit of swingweight and change the sound/vibration/feedback that we all call "feel." NBlades have dense foam in the hoop, as the retail did, which adds more mass & swingweight and makes them feel softer. Those are generally 340+ strung swingweight without any customization, and strung balances before overgrip push near 34cm. Yes, there are lighter spec ones, but it's all due to manufacturing variance and differences between the models under the paint.
Wilson does not make their pro stock frames "without commercial weights" like Head does. They're generally targeted to retail spec of what's under the paint and painted like the current model. Some lighter layups/factory specs exist like light spec H22s, Blade 98Ls, etc., but you'd be hard-pressed to find enough of those in our market at one time to fill out a bag. They're not insanely light without customization like most head pro stocks are. I doubt there is any lead under the bumpers of the lower-sw blade pro stocks on pro stock tennis. They're saying "none visible" as a default so they are covered for accuracy in their product descriptions and don't have to take off or peel back the bumpers on every frame they get in stock.
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