Looking for an upgrade from the Wilson Rok

Passion4Tennis

Passion4Tennis

Rookie
Hello. I'm currently using a Wilson Rok, and while I like the control, comfort, and maneuverability it gives me, I would like to find a racquet that is a little more powerful. The Rok has been good for groundstrokes/volleys, but a little too demanding for serves.

I've looked at the specs of other midsize frames, and there are a few that look interesting: Volkl DNX 10, PK Redondo, Prince Tour NXG. Would any one of these be an upgrade from the Rok in terms of power, but still have plenty of control on tap?
 
Passion4Tennis said:
Hello. I'm currently using a Wilson Rok, and while I like the control, comfort, and maneuverability it gives me, I would like to find a racquet that is a little more powerful. The Rok has been good for groundstrokes/volleys, but a little too demanding for serves.

I've looked at the specs of other midsize frames, and there are a few that look interesting: Volkl DNX 10, PK Redondo, Prince Tour NXG. Would any one of these be an upgrade from the Rok in terms of power, but still have plenty of control on tap?
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The Redondo is exactly like the ROK with a smidge (and I mean a lesser player won't notice any difference at all) more power, so I would look into it. It also creates spin a little easier, IMO. The NXG is a little too stiff for me, but the DNX 10 is also worth a demo.
 
racquet_jedi said:
Also, do not forget the Wilson KBlade Tour (93 sq. inch), unless you do want to move out of the Wilson Family...
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Why didn't I think of this racquet, nice catch. I'm pretty sure that this is the reincarnation of the ROK, but I have to demo it to be sure.
 
Although I haven't hit with it yet, I hear the new K-Blade Tour is almost like the ROK with a different paintjob.
 
All of those rackets are control oriented frames. I have owned the nxg, currently use pk redondo mid and have hit w/ the dnx 10
 
BreakPoint said:
I agree. I loved the ROK for everything except serves as well. Something to do with the not so headlight balance, I think.
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Yeah, and the spin potential was great for everything BUT my kickers. This racquet was definitely one of the enigmas in tennis.
 
how is the ROK? how does it play? i am very interested in getting one, and im looking for one if anyone has one for sale
 
LanEvo said:
how is the ROK? how does it play? i am very interested in getting one, and im looking for one if anyone has one for sale
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Sorry, don't have it anymore, but if you've played with the PK Redondo, it's that racquet but even more flexy. It's also like the M-fil 200 but not as good with serves and less powerful.
 
kBlade Tour 93 is not a Rok

I have 7 Roks and love 'em, but I'm switching too. Tried the kBlade Tour and it's stiffer and not as forgiving on off center hits. The Rok has better feel for me. I prefer the MG Prestige Mid and Yonex RDX 500 to both. If you want more pop, I'd go with the RDS 001 or the MG Prestige mid.

Harry
 
BreakPoint said:
Although I haven't hit with it yet, I hear the new K-Blade Tour is almost like the ROK with a different paintjob.
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Jonny S&V said:
Cool, my assumption appears to be right, now I'll have to try it (I loved the ROK, but serves sucked with it...).
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So I guess everyone responding doesn't have a Valentine to have dinner/spend time with? ;) As for the topic I'm responding to, the kBlade Tour and ROK are nothing alike. Totally different string pattern, weight distribution, flex, construction, and feel. The ROK has more mass and feels like a solid frame--with the drill holes/string pattern being the only let down. The kBlade Tour seems to have a stiffer throat, with a more hollow feel to it. If I had to recommend a frame, it'd be a the kBlade Tour because of the better string pattern, and since it is lighter than the ROK, you will have room to add lead.
 
AlpineCadet said:
So I guess everyone responding doesn't have a Valentine to have dinner/spend time with? ;) As for the topic I'm responding to, the kBlade Tour and ROK are nothing alike. Totally different string pattern, weight distribution, flex, construction, and feel. The ROK has more mass and feels like a solid frame--with the drill holes/string pattern being the only let down. The kBlade Tour seems to have a stiffer throat, with a more hollow feel to it. If I had to recommend a frame, it'd be a the kBlade Tour because of the better string pattern, and since it is lighter than the ROK, you will have room to add lead.
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Yeah, but the earliest I could demo it is late May, as tennis season is coming up and I want NOTHING to screw up my game (much like what has happened to Ljubicic, IMO).
 
Jonny S&V said:
Yeah, but the earliest I could demo it is late May, as tennis season is coming up and I want NOTHING to screw up my game (much like what has happened to Ljubicic, IMO).
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So what does that mean? You're going to buy the frame without demoing? lol, what's your personal preference in a frame, and do you hit with heavy/moderate top, or are you a flat hitter? Are you looking for more ball feel, or a lively string bed? There are lots of things to consider if you are actually going to buy a racket before a demo session.
 
AlpineCadet said:
So what does that mean? You're going to buy the frame without demoing? lol, what's your personal preference in a frame, and do you hit with heavy/moderate top, or are you a flat hitter? Are you looking for more ball feel, or a lively string bed? There are lots of things to consider if you are actually going to buy a racket before a demo session.
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No, I'll demo it first for sure, but I won't have the time until May. I worded my OP a little wierd. :confused:
 
AlpineCadet said:
The ROK has more mass and feels like a solid frame--with the drill holes/string pattern being the only let down.
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The ROK 93 felt anything BUT solid to me.
It felt like a flimsy toy compared to the Prestige Classic 600, iPrestige Mid, and nCode Six-One 90.
 
Deuce said:
The ROK 93 felt anything BUT solid to me.
It felt like a flimsy toy compared to the Prestige Classic 600, iPrestige Mid, and nCode Six-One 90.
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If you hit with the ROK 93 and the kBlade Tour back to back, you'll know exactly what "solid" means.
 
AlpineCadet said:
As for the topic I'm responding to, the kBlade Tour and ROK are nothing alike. Totally different string pattern, weight distribution, flex, construction, and feel. The ROK has more mass and feels like a solid frame--with the drill holes/string pattern being the only let down. The kBlade Tour seems to have a stiffer throat, with a more hollow feel to it. If I had to recommend a frame, it'd be a the kBlade Tour because of the better string pattern, and since it is lighter than the ROK, you will have room to add lead.
Click to expand...

Well, they both are 11.8 oz. strung, have 93 sq. in. heads, and have 18x20 string patterns so I'm not sure how "totally different" the string patterns can be:

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageRCWILSON-KBL93.html

http://web.archive.org/web/20030801121553/www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpage.html?PCODE=ROK92

"Totally different" would be like 14x16 vs. 18x20 or diagnonally strung vs. horizontally/vertically strung. :shock:
 
Thanks for all of the replies. I wasn't expecting so many this soon! I think I'll demo the DNX-10 mid for now. The Wilson Kblade tour has a stiffness rating of 65, which is too high for me. The Redondo looks promising, but TW doesn't have that to demo in the mid.

The best racquet that I ever owned was the Prestige Classic mid. I've also used a Wilson PS Tour 90, which had great control and good pop, but it was too stiff. I liked the Volkl tour 10 V-E mid, but I've noticed that TW isn't stocking grommets for it, and I can't seem to find them anywhere.
 
BreakPoint said:
"Totally different" would be like 14x16 vs. 18x20 or diagnonally strung vs. horizontally/vertically strung.
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Try playing with both frames and then come back with a better response. Have you even seen the string pattern for the ROK 93 vs the kBlade Tour IRL? :shock:
 
AlpineCadet said:
Try playing with both frames and then come back with a better response. Have you even seen the string pattern for the ROK 93 vs the kBlade Tour IRL? :shock:
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You don't need to play with the racquets to know how different the string patterns are.

The nSix-One Tour 90 and the K90 both have 16x19 patterns that are only slightly different in the middle. The difference only being 5 crosses at the PWS versus 4 crosses at the PWS. The ROK and the K-Blade Tour both have 18x20 string patterns. For their patterns to be "totally different", they would have to be drastically different than the slight difference in patterns between the nCode 90 and K90, such as a huge hole in the middle of the stringbed with no strings whatsoever. I have never seen two racquets with the same exact headsize and the same exact number of mains and crosses to have "totally different" string patterns unless one of them was strung diagonally.
 
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I read the kblade tour is very similar, but the strings are slightly less dense and there is slightly more power. How about going up 2 sq inches to one of the 6.1 models?
 
theone said:
I read the kblade tour is very similar, but the strings are slightly less dense and there is slightly more power.
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That is accurate. I think Alpinecadet is trying to say that too but he didn't word it correctly. Deuce and BP, don't tag team him. He means well.
 
to Deuce and BP

Deuce-
I really think you may have tried the early version of the Rok with "Wilson" on the side, which was half an ounce lighter than the later version and less stable. The later version was heavier and very similar to the PC 600, which I used for about 10 years and know
extremely well. I also used the prestige tour and grey and green prestiges. The later Rok is anything but a flimsy toy. And like you, I've been playing over 30 years at a high level, and I have hit with plenty of frames and owned dozens. At the same time, I may like flexier frames than you-- current favorite is the RDX 500 with customization.

BP-
The string density of the Rok is pretty different than the kBlade, believe it or not. Center mains practically touch, and the head shape is more squarish than the KBT. Not drastically different, but the frame is drilled differently than the Rok due to it's shape.

HZ
 
BreakPoint said:
You don't need to play with the racquets to know how different the string patterns are.

The nSix-One Tour 90 and the K90 both have 16x19 patterns that are only slightly different in the middle. The difference only being 5 crosses at the PWS versus 4 crosses at the PWS. The ROK and the K-Blade Tour both have 18x20 string patterns. For their patterns to be "totally different", they would have to be drastically different than the slight difference in patterns between the nCode 90 and K90, such as a huge hole in the middle of the stringbed with no strings whatsoever. I have never seen two racquets with the same exact headsize and the same exact number of mains and crosses to have "totally different" string patterns unless one of them was strung diagonally.
Click to expand...

If you have at least seen the ROK 93 and the kBlade Tour in person, you'd know that the ROK 93 has a very dense concentration of mains near the center/throat. Because of this, the ROK 93 has a huge difference is ball response compared to the kBlade Tour--even though they are both 18x20.
 
I switched from the ROK to the Volkl Tour 10 MP Gen 1. I've found that the Volkl 10 MP series shares many of the ROK's positive attributes with added pop and versatility.
 
harryz said:
Deuce-
I really think you may have tried the early version of the Rok with "Wilson" on the side, which was half an ounce lighter than the later version and less stable. The later version was heavier and very similar to the PC 600, which I used for about 10 years and know
extremely well. I also used the prestige tour and grey and green prestiges. The later Rok is anything but a flimsy toy. And like you, I've been playing over 30 years at a high level, and I have hit with plenty of frames and owned dozens. At the same time, I may like flexier frames than you-- current favorite is the RDX 500 with customization.
Click to expand...
I don't know what version I hit with... but it's hard to imagine a half ounce of weight making that huge a difference in an otherwise identical frame. Perhaps I hit with the lighter version - and if that is the case, then I might have disliked the heavier version less, but I doubt very much that I'd like the heavier version. I just didn't really like anything about it.
I, too, have played with flexible frames throughout - I love the feel of the XRC, which is one of the most flexible non-wood frames you'll find. Other racquets I've used and enjoyed over the years have all been flexible frames, often with a high content of fiberglass (Dunlop Blue Max, Kennex Copper Ace, Donnay CGX 25, Head Graphite Edge, Prince Magnesium Pro 90...). That said, I still didn't like the ROK at all - so my dislike of it likely has nothing to do with the flexibility.
 
Deuce said:
After more than a quarter century of playing, I think I know "exactly what solid means".
Click to expand...

Can you read? When I said "solid" and used those quotation marks, I was actually talking about what you quoted from my statement on the kBlade Tour vs the ROK. If you haven't played with either frames back to back, then I don't think you should try to correct my opinion on the matter in any way.
 
Jonny S&V said:
Yeah, and the spin potential was great for everything BUT my kickers. This racquet was definitely one of the enigmas in tennis.
Click to expand...


I thought kick serves were great with the rok. Better than ps85 and n90 imo. But my can opener on the deuce side that i like to hit was not too good. N90 rules at that serve.. Good racquet the rok, some lead in the handle helped alot. One loss to a player was unbelieveably my reason to stop playing with them.
 
Deuce said:
After more than a quarter century of playing, I think I know "exactly what solid means".
Click to expand...

Stock rok was only 11.9 strung without a leather grip. Adding a leather and a little lead tape totally changed the racquet. More power and feel. And i would say very solid. A more open string pattern it would have been a keeper and one of the better wilsons. Certainly better than the n90.
 
AlpineCadet said:
Can you read? When I said "solid" and used those quotation marks, I was actually talking about what you quoted from my statement on the kBlade Tour vs the ROK. If you haven't played with either frames back to back, then I don't think you should try to correct my opinion on the matter in any way.
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I never mentioned anything about a KBlade. I've never even seen one.
You might want to at least try to stop being a jerk with me.
 
Deuce said:
After more than a quarter century of playing, I think I know "exactly what solid means".
Click to expand...

If you are going to quote someone, you should realize what it actually means to use those same exact words in the same context.

Deuce said:
I never mentioned anything about a KBlade. I've never even seen one.
You might want to at least try to stop being a jerk with me.
Click to expand...

Is there something wrong with you? Try reading post #14 and # 19 again. (By the way, are you a drama queen? That is a serious question. No offense either.)
 
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Despite sound advice given to you, I see that you've made a seemingly conscious decision to continue being a jerk.

You must see some benefit in the action that I don't.
 
Deuce said:
Despite sound advice given to you, I see that you've made a seemingly conscious decision to continue being a jerk.

You must see some benefit in the action that I don't.
Click to expand...
When you start making sense, people will stop hurting your feelings with logic.
 
Goldenyama, here is a link (the second one) for the Wilson ROK.
BreakPoint said:
Well, they both are 11.8 oz. strung, have 93 sq. in. heads, and have 18x20 string patterns so I'm not sure how "totally different" the string patterns can be:

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageRCWILSON-KBL93.html

http://web.archive.org/web/20030801121553/www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpage.html?PCODE=ROK92

"Totally different" would be like 14x16 vs. 18x20 or diagnonally strung vs. horizontally/vertically strung. :shock:
Click to expand...
 
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