***Official K Blade Tour Club Thread***

thejuice

thejuice

Hall of Fame
***Official K Blade Club Thread***

Ok, I don't know how to make this the official page officially but I figured why not go ahead and start a thread where those that have seen the light and those in search of the light can come and share their experiences of the K Blade Tour, which quickly became one of my favorite new toys (along with my PING golf clubs).

Here are just a few helpful links for those that are interested in some comparisons...

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=180725&highlight=Blade dr325i

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=179834&highlight=Blade
K Blade Tour comparison to MG Prestige by Amiroquai

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=165203&highlight=Blade Chauvalito

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=179251&highlight=Blade CAM178

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=174143&highlight=Blade ROK vs. K Blade Tour

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=178224&highlight=Blade TheJuice

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=102323&highlight=Blade&page=105 KBT vs. Redondo Mid by TheJuice

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=178269&highlight=Blade KBT vs. KB98 by Vin2

http://www.tenniswarehouse.com/reviews/kbld98/kbld98review.html TW Review (80 KBT, 79 KB98)

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=180943&page=5 post #85----Bertrevert's Review of the K Blade 98

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=194693 Comparison to DNX 10 Mid by Wally

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=194693 Comparison to K90 by DonBot

K Blade users [open to Tour and 98]:
TheJuice--KBT
Exigency--KBT
Chowdhurynaveen--KBT
Vin2--KBT
BrN10is--KBT
Tarkowski--KBT
Ogruskie--KBT
Mad IX--KBT
JJordache--KBT
TheTyrant--KBT
Skipppppy--KBT
Phoenicks--KBT
Spencer (TW)--KBT
KBlade Pro--KBT
Carlos Pinky--KBT
Teyko--KBT
Mavsman149--KBT
Wally--KBT
String Guru--KBT
Kirko--KBT
ufg8r--KBT
Paulf--KBT
DonBot--KBT
Kerxny--KBT
Allrightguy--KBT (Defected)
joeellis--KBT
InSpire--KBT (Defected)
johnqadams--KBT
BullDog Tennis--KBT
Hot Sauce--KBT
Zidane339--KBT
bngnhal--KBT
HarryZ--KBT
Joke-a-vich--KBT
Skyonex--KBT
RyanQ--KBT
Necroblood--KBT
SafintheDjoker-KBT
pNoyr3D--KBT
RedRocket--K98
Bertrevert--K98
Frekclea--K98
Feyya--K98
Lobber--K98
Sup2Dresq--K98


Enjoy!!!
~Juice
 
Last edited:
hyogen said:
I can only contribute the comparison between a MG prestige MP, and the Kblade Tour. I know the kblade tour has a smaller head...

maybe no one wants it. I like the Kblade tour, but not with sensation 16 string. I think it's more suited to 4.5+ players like TW review says. I can play better with a kblade 98, but when I had better strings in the Kblade tour, I was hitting better with the tour. I dunno what strings they were--just know they were kinda poly-like...and not sensation 16. As for the MG prestige MP, I couldn't hit as consistently...couldn't get as much topspin if i recall correctly, but I could hit much better angled, driving shots that resulted in some impressive winners during a set. I haven't experienced that with the kblade tour yet.
Click to expand...

I thought this would be good info to have in this thread.
 
tarkowski said:
There is already quite a bit of info on these frames. Just wanted to add a few more comments as I got a chance to demo all of them the past 2 nights.

MG Prestige Pro and MP
Surprisingly light. After the first night I had to weigh them because I found them so light. Both were 11.7 strung with Sampras O-dampener (so the Pro was way off it's 12.1 spec). Both had very low swingweights, I'm guessing 310-315. However, they were both very comfortable given how light they were - very cushy and good power. Still not to my liking though - I'd definitely choose the n61 95 18x20 over either of these (haven't used the either K95 to say whether I'd like those more). Of the two, I liked the 18x20 more - just a little more solid at that weight.

MG Mid
Good weight but still pretty light for a Prestige Mid. Weighed this one too - this was true to spec at 12.2. Still, a 1/2 once lighter than my K90. Slower swings provided MORE power than my K90. Faster swings provided LESS power than my K90. I agree with those who have said if you can handle the K90, you can definitely handle this - it's very easy to swing. The stick and string bed is very 'springy' - very live. It has a bit more innate (non-swinging) power than I remember the LM version having, as well as a much easier swing. Very easy on the arm. Too springy for my tastes though. I prefer the K90 by a SIGNIFICANT margin.

KBlade Tour
Very nice stick. More solid (less springy) feel than either Prestige, and a more linear power curve. Agree with the postings that say the string bed is more dead feeling than the Prestige - though i would add that the frame is more inert as well (a positive for me). It's stiffer than the Prestige(s), but very comfortable (ie, not stiff in absolute terms). The demo was strung with 16guage Sensation which I didn't like - would have been much better with 17 VS gut. Out of all the Prestiges and the KBlade Tour, I would definitely choose the KBlade Tour but string it with something soft at mid-tension.

Biases
I've played the K90 the past 9 months and love it. Haven't found anything else I like more. Prior to that I played the n90's (like them more than a lot of folks on these boards), and prior to that it was the n61 95 18x20. I messed around with Fischer (original mSpeed 98 and mComp 95) and ended up not liking these as much as my Wilson's. The mComp 95 was springy like the MP Prestige mid, although unlike the Prestige, I found it to have a harsher, less comfortable feel.

It's late - so this is a quick review! Any questions, just fire away!

Thanks
Click to expand...

Hey Tarkowski, I hope you don't mind that I pirated your thread. I wanted to put most of the reviews I see for the KBT here so that when someone searches for them, they should be able to find them with no problem. Great review!!!
 
That whole "Tour" thing should have been edited. This club is for everyone and was started WAY before the bootleg club that IAMTENNISBOOTLEG started. With all do respect, and I mean with all do respect, that other club is worth as much as a velvet painting of a dolphin and a whale getting it on.
 
wow that was rude..people why would you want to join a club owned by someone who trashes comepetitors..i would never do that to anyone..even the juice..i am simply making a club open to anyone with k blades or people that just like the frame..it is the official club
 
^^^
I was joking. That last part was a quote from Talladega Nights. I figured someone would get that and laugh. I honestly don't care which thread is the main thread. I don't have time to keep up with member numbers and all that stuff.

Oh, and you're welcome for the links to all of the other threads about the K Blade and K blade Tour (I know all you did was copy that post from my thread).
 
I see you didn't mention the "you're welcome" part to my last post. You have the time to manage but will you be effective and sincere?
 
Love this racquet...i went through so many and finally settled, could not be happier. Strung at 54 lbs with pro hurricane tour, after about a 3 hour break in it is wonderful!
 
^^
Mine are strung at 57 with NXT Tour but I'm thinking of stringing around 54 as well. I don't have a problem with 57 but something is telling me to go low.
 
A question to the Tour owners:

Is the stringbed really as dead as people say it is? And would a 3.0 rated player be successful with this racquet?

I can't decide between the Tour or the 98.
 
I'd say you can resurrect the stringbed by using softer strings... thejuice uses NXT, I think that'll be good (I'm gonna try it with NXT now cos ran out of k-gut) or you can even use natural gut!

Just play with them and see how you go... I don't think 1 hour of play-test on each racquet will be enough though... I'd say give it 2 hours each before you decide...
 
After an extended demo, I got a KBlade Tour of my own, strung with VS Team (17) at 58 and am loving it!

Before I post more of my observations, I just want to state that I really do appreciate all of the feedback from people demoing this stick. Some think it sucks - others love it - and there seems to be a few in-between. Unfortunately for those looking for a solid conclusion, you're not going to get it if you've been following along. This is why I try to post my biases (the one's I'm aware of ) :-) - so that hopefully, if you have the same biases (desires, history of sticks, etc.) - it will be more useful to you. I happen to like both the K90 and this KBlade Tour - some only like the K90 and hate the KBlade Tour. A dichotomy for sure, but understandable given how different we all are.

What I like about this stick is how whippy it can be for creating sharp topspin angles - and yet how solid it can be for 'driving' the ball deep into the court, i.e., that plow-through factor. It feels like a Wilson, and it doesn't feel like a Wilson. The frame is stiffer and has a more solid, less springy feel (than MG Prestige Mid) - pretty much how I experience the K90. Yet the stringbed is a little more dead and there is more feedback - not like a Prestige, really not like anything I've tried. Maybe like a muted Fischer. But very, very nice - at least with the strings I'm using.

It can be compared to the Prestiges from a paper standpoint, but it is quite a bit different experience when hitting - at least from the MG Prestiges. Compared to the MP, it has a similar whippy feel (a tad less whippy), but a ton more plow-through. I really enjoyed the Prestige MP as well -liked the feel, liked the balance. But no plow-through - and a bit less stable at net. I would need to add weight - most likely to the head. Compared to the MG Mid, the KBlade Tour has less inherent power. It is less lively - but on the other side of lively, at least for me, is precision. This is one precise stick. The ball goes where you want it to go. There is enough plow-through to get it deep. There is a reasonable swingweight to generate spin. And there is great feel to keep it all going for an extended rally.

I play singles, doubles, low altitude, high altitude - and find this stick is great in all of these environments. The KBlade tour is especially great at high altitude. It's a faster game up here and I find with my K90, if I'm even just a little off or tired, I can be a little late. Really need to be alert. The lower power and lower swingweight (and larger head, though less of a factor) allow me a little more margin.

Some more Biases (in addition to my previous post)
- I seem to prefer a swingweight between 325 and 335. The Prestige MP and Pro were just too light-swinging for me (mid was great). I couldn't swing them any faster than I do my K90, so I was losing stability and power. Many may be able to compensate by swinging faster and enjoy this aspect of the Prestige MP and Pro.

- I don't like extremely stiff sticks, nor really flexible ones. The Wilson's ranked 62-67 seem to be just my cup of tea. I enjoy this range for power and control. (I have not tried the 95-K61's so do not know if these are too stiff as I have read)

- To draw an analogy to music - I like a racquet that has soft softs, and loud louds. K90 and KBlade Tour are both great in this regard. Both Prestiges seemed to play louder at slower swing speeds than I wanted. Prestige Mid was better at getting louder than the MP though. Unlike other posters, I have not had any trouble generating pace with the KBlade tour - though I can generate the most pace with my K90. Gotta be the weight thing!

- Wilson grip shape - love it.

I really do think this is an excellent stick and look forward to spending more time on the courts with my own, strung to my liking.

Demo it!

Take care
 
Last edited:
Mad iX said:
*Disclaimer: This comparison is purely my own opinion. If you think differently then so be it. Please note neither of my frames are stock.*

Have been playing with both of these for a while now. A little longer with the KBlade which I got during the Australian Open. Only had the Prestige a week now but I had a good hit with another which convinced me to get one of my own so all up about 4 hours playtime.

mgpmkbta.jpg

The angle of the pic makes the MG look a little bigger than it actually is.

As in my sig, I've been a Mid user for a while so I didn't have to get used to a change in headsize, just the tighter string patterns.
There's no NTRP here, so I can't say how good I am. I tend to stay at the back of the court but have no problem attacking the net. I don't hit with that much spin but can if I want to, I like to put a fair bit of kick on my 2nd serve, being lefty I also hit my fair share of slice serves.

I have modified both of them to my preferences. Both are leaded to 360g and strung with multi on the mains @ 58lbs (X1 on the MGP and Klip Excel on the KBT) and Big Ace on the crosses @ 56lbs.

Cosmetics
No doubt I prefer the KBT. I wasn't a fan of the K90 PJ but I'm a sucker for matt black. However, I would prefer a completely black headguard.
I thought the Microgel PJ's in general were quite bad, but the Prestige looks much better in person. I'm indifferent to the CAP grommets.

Groundstrokes
Coming from my Tour 90, and being no stranger to the K90, the KBT offered a familiar "K-Factor" feel. The string pattern gave me a very 'clean' feel on my strokes but lacking of the heft and 'plow-through'. I had very nice control and didn't notice any lack of power.
The MGP in comparison felt very lively and crisp. I've noticed a few reviews saying it's very muted compared to previous Prestiges but this is my first Prestige, being that I've always been a Wilson guy. I also noted a very clean ballstrike but less spin. When I put away my first 'sitter', I was hooked. When you hit the ball just right, it's a very, very nice feeling.
Both very nice from the baseline. I feel the KBT is more spin-friendly but I'm starting to get used to the MGP, only backhand slices seem to sit up a bit more than usual. KBT is probably more forgiving but hitting big forehands with the MGP is addictive. Both lack the plow-through that I'm used to but I didn't really miss it.

Serves
Both very nice for hitting flat first serves, offering plenty of control. However, the KBT had a bit more pop so I'm giving it the nod.
My 2nd serve suffered with both frames as I couldn't generate as much spin, especially with the MGP. Still plenty of control so I didn't miss any more than usual.

Returns
As mentioned earlier, I love the MGP for when I get to crush the ball. However, on the flip side it's not as good for defensive shots and when returning big, heavy serves I found it quite lacking. It could definitely do with a bit more heft, I was missing the stability from my Tour 90.
Even at the same weight, the KBT did a better job here, it's definitely the more solid, forgiving frame and helped out a lot when I just had to react to shots.

Volleys
Haven't really had too much time at the net with either of these, but I found I had to punch at my volleys a bit more than I expected. Both very accurate, tons of control but I had to work harder to put away some balls. I preferred the feel of the Prestige.

Grip shape
I got both of these in 4 1/2 which is my usual grip size. Which I then strip off the original grip and put on 2 overgrips as I prefer to feel the bevels as opposed to the cushy feel.
KBT is just another Wilson when it comes to grip shape. The Prestige, as expected (dreaded?), had the very rectangular shape which was weird but didn't bother me too much in actual play. I definitely prefer the Wilson shape but I can live with the Head.

Final Words
Overall, both excellent frames.
In the end, I felt the KBT was oh so slightly the better suited to me. It's more effective from all areas of the court in different situations, better serves and returns which are key in matchplay. Not to mention the familiar grip shape.
However, when hitting the ball right on the sweetspot, I have never loved a frame more than the Microgel Prestige Mid. I will be adding a bit more weight to give it more stability as it still feels quite light. Hopefully this will give me a little more pop on the first serve and stability on the returns. If I can get it right, it's a keeper. I'm interested in people's opinions on how the Mid compares to the MP or even the Pro. I've tried reading all the info on here but more is always welcome.
Click to expand...

Thanks Mad iX!!!!!!!
 
ogruskie said:
A question to the Tour owners:

Is the stringbed really as dead as people say it is? And would a 3.0 rated player be successful with this racquet?

I can't decide between the Tour or the 98.
Click to expand...

Not at all... I just ordered the KBT after playing 2 days (4-5hrs total) with it after demoing 10 other sticks before. Nothing else impressed me much but the KBT is simply amazing.
All my strokes are cleaner now and with a lot more precision than ever before.
You do need to take full swings at the ball if you want to get the "bang" out of it but for me that turned out to be a good thing because it improves my timing.

That being said I believe the strings make the whole difference in the world with this stick. The TW demo I got was strung with Wilson Sensation 16, which I didn't like at first but it's actually OK after playing a bit more with it.

Definitely worth a try!

PS: I'm not even ranked (probably I'm around 3.0-3.5 lvl) but I still found this racquet improved my game.

PS1: The KB98 is a good racquet too but it didn't bring me much more compared to my previous stick (Head LM Instinct)
 
Has anyone noticed that there aren't many K Blade Tours on the For Sale forum? I've seen quite a few MG Prestiges though. :shock:
 
^^^
I wish they were there last week. I just bought a third one last Thursday (although I am contemplating buying those two in the FS forum). I've never owned five of any frame and I'm not a racquet abuser but I wouldn't mind having a few backup sticks to mess around with.
 
I want to join this club, Just got mine 2 days ago and played with it yesterday, This racquet is simply solid and the topspin is simply amazing. Kinda regret 2 weeks ago, because could not wait long enough for it to arrive and bought my K Six One 95 on impulse !!!
I could have bought another KBT with that money!!!!
 
Just wanted to join the fray here. I got myself two of these about 3 weeks ago and I love hitting with them. I was using the LM Prestige Mid+, and the KBlade Tour felt like scalpel. I could swing away and hit my target. I have no problem generating spin and power (though it is player's stick). The bottom line is that it felt like an extension of my arm.... can't say that about any other racquet I have tried.

So am I in?
 
I think that it is pretty capable racquet (according to TW reviewers 80 pts)I am courious and going to test it this comming weekend.I don`t expect to switch from my K90 (just a reminder : it has received 85 pts from TW testers).
 
KBlade Pro said:
Just wanted to join the fray here. I got myself two of these about 3 weeks ago and I love hitting with them. I was using the LM Prestige Mid+, and the KBlade Tour felt like scalpel. I could swing away and hit my target. I have no problem generating spin and power (though it is player's stick). The bottom line is that it felt like an extension of my arm.... can't say that about any other racquet I have tried.

So am I in?
Click to expand...

You're absolutely in (your name gets you in by itself)!!!
 
iksmols said:
I think that it is pretty capable racquet (according to TW reviewers 80 pts)I am courious and going to test it this comming weekend.I don`t expect to switch from my K90 (just a reminder : it has received 85 pts from TW testers).
Click to expand...

I can't argue with that. The K90 is a great racquet (especialy when you hit the sweetspot).
 
damnnn, the tennis store i go to doesnt have any available yet
and the big stores which do (general sports stores like Rebel Sport etc) dont let you demo, because theyre not really tennis outlets

i just wanna demo it already
 
Sign me up too! This is the best racquet I have ever used! I have had my KBT for a couple of weeks and have not regretted it since. It has such pinpoint control, I'm so happy with it! Can I join?!:)
 
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