Prince Textreme Tour 95/Blade 98

[UtahTennisAddict]

Would like some feedback or expiernces with these 3 sticks.

I am trying to decide between blade 98 18x20, Blade 98 16x19 or Prince Textreme tour 95

I am 5.0 player in Utah two handed backhand. Hit a heavy ball but no crazy topspin. I played doubles all through high school so I look to be aggressive with a big first serve and get to net.

I understand I can demo them and likely will but just looking for some insight from those who may have used or have these racquets.

Thanks in advance for the info.

Scott

 

[A_Instead]

If you are 5.0 and want to hit a heavy ball with heavy top spin... TT95 with a textured poly strung around 50 lbs is your best bet...you wont be disapointed..

 

[bobombom]

Would like some feedback or expiernces with these 3 sticks.

I am trying to decide between blade 98 18x20, Blade 98 16x19 or Prince Textreme tour 95

I am 5.0 player in Utah two handed backhand. Hit a heavy ball but no crazy topspin. I played doubles all through high school so I look to be aggressive with a big first serve and get to net.

I understand I can demo them and likely will but just looking for some insight from those who may have used or have these racquets.

Thanks in advance for the info.

Scott

Your playstyle and tennis history sound similar to mine. I don't know my USTA rating. I switched to a blade 98 18x20 recently and it's been one of the best decisions in recent history. Huge flat shots, but I can get great spin from it. Big serves. Highly recommended!

 

[asifallasleep]

If you are 5.0 and want to hit a heavy ball with heavy top spin... TT95 with a textured poly strung around 50 lbs is your best bet...you wont be disapointed..

Listen to this guy. I purchased a used TT95 with Volkl Cyclone Tour at 50, the amount of spin was unreal. Really nice pace as well. I've never been a spin player.

I had another TT95 strung with regular Volkl Cyclone 18g at 45. My usual string. The Cyclone Tour has loads more spin and power compared to the regular cyclone. Going to cut the brand new regular cyclone out and have it restrung with the Cyclone Tour.

IMO the TT95 stock is a far superior to the Blade 98 in any iteration in stock form. Now with mods, you can tailor any frame to do what you want.

In another thread i basically said the TT95 is a combination of the Blade 98 and the Wilson K90.

 

[zhang]

I just demo-ed the TT95 last week. Came strung with Head Gravity. Wow. Super stable, precise, and has power when you need it. Great for volleys as well. A better version of the Blade imo.

 

[avocadoz]

TT95 for sure. I played with the Blade 18x20 exclusively over the summer last year and can say that it's a solid racquet. However, the pattern is too dense causing low launch angle and really lacks spin. Like you, I mostly hit a flat heavy ball and not a big amount of topspin. Even then, I found myself craving for more spin from the Blade. I find the TT95 to have better control than the Blade despite the Blade having a denser pattern. As a mostly doubles player, I also find that the TT95 performs much better at the net as it's more stable and maneuverable compared to the Blade's low HL balance.

 

[avocadoz]

Listen to this guy. I purchased a used TT95 with Volkl Cyclone Tour at 50, the amount of spin was unreal. Really nice pace as well. I've never been a spin player.

I had another TT95 strung with regular Volkl Cyclone 18g at 45. My usual string. The Cyclone Tour has loads more spin and power compared to the regular cyclone. Going to cut the brand new regular cyclone out and have it restrung with the Cyclone Tour.

IMO the TT95 stock is a far superior to the Blade 98 in any iteration in stock form. Now with mods, you can tailor any frame to do what you want.

In another thread i basically said the TT95 is a combination of the Blade 98 and the Wilson K90.

That is also my exact string setup and it is a perfect combination. I don't think I'll experiment with other strings as the TT95 plays superb with the Cyclone Tour at 50 lbs. Plenty of spin, power, and control.

 

[ShahofTennis]

Of course you'll demo, but I think that you'll hit bigger with a Blade than a TXT95. Especially at 5.0 where you'll need the action.

On the one hand the TXT95 is a spectacularly well balanced and solid frame with great feel. The Blades, on the other hand are faster, equally as solid, have slightly less feel than you'd desire, but hit much bigger and generate spin easier. The TXT95 would be, overall, a more enjoyable and rewarding frame to use, and the Blades would win points alot easier. Usually the latter would be more important

 

[mhkeuns]

Gotta demo. I preferred the feel of the Blade 9818x20 over the Textreme Tour 95, but they both are great all-around sticks. There really wasn't much difference in spin potential, and both provide excellent control with surprising pop and power. Can't go wrong with either frame.
Honestly, though, I prefer the AI 98 over both of those frames because it offers similar playability but with way more power.

 

[asifallasleep]

Gotta demo. I preferred the feel of the Blade 9818x20 over the Textreme Tour 95, but they both are great all-around sticks. There really wasn't much difference in spin potential, and both provide excellent control with surprising pop and power. Can't go wrong with either frame.
Honestly, though, I prefer the AI 98 over both of those frames because it offers similar playability but with way more power.

I never tried the AI 98, but I didn't like the feel of the Blade 98 at all. In stock form it had a detached toy like feel. Also, I get loads and I mean loads more spin with the TT95. Interesting how frames are so subjective.

 

[sma1001]

Demo if you can. But measure the specs of the demo as QC on the Blades is very poor. I've demo'd the 98 18/20 and 16/19 and the 104. The 18/20 and 104 were way below in swingweight and were awful - no oomph and felt tinny. The 16/19 was above swingweight and was a monster (too much so). My conclusion is that all can be very good racquets if you can get one on spec. TW matching service can do this for you.

TT95 is a really nice stick to hit with - for the reasons given above. It seems to achieve a balance of characteristics that other of a similar weight don't But I think which is best is a personal decision because i think all of your options have a lot of potential if on spec. One comment i would make is this: the Blades are less head light and hence need good footwork and technique. At your level this should be no issue for you.

 

[asifallasleep]

Demo if you can. But measure the specs of the demo as QC on the Blades is very poor. I've demo'd the 98 18/20 and 16/19 and the 104. The 18/20 and 104 were way below in swingweight and were awful - no oomph and felt tinny. The 16/19 was above swingweight and was a monster (too much so). My conclusion is that all can be very good racquets if you can get one on spec. TW matching service can do this for you.

TT95 is a really nice stick to hit with - for the reasons given above. It seems to achieve a balance of characteristics that other of a similar weight don't But I think which is best is a personal decision because i think all of your options have a lot of potential if on spec. One comment i would make is this: the Blades are less head light and hence need good footwork and technique. At your level this should be no issue for you.

I actually preferred the feel of the previous generation of the Blade series. Loved my Blade 93's.

For now I have 3 of the Prince TT95's and am going to play with these for now. I've sold one of my RF97's. Trying to decide if I'll keep them as well or let them go.

 

[sma1001]

For now I have 3 of the Prince TT95's and am going to play with these for now. I've sold one of my RF97's. Trying to decide if I'll keep them as well or let them go.

What's your thinking on the TT95s? And what string set up?

 

[n8dawg6]

in a nutshell: either the tt95 or the blade 18x20 is the greatest racquet crafted by the hand of god, depending on whose opinion you accept

 

[bobombom]

in a nutshell: either the tt95 or the blade 18x20 is the greatest racquet crafted by the hand of god, depending on whose opinion you accept

Haha honestly if you're good enough, the racquet doesn't make too too of a difference. I agree, we put too much emphasis on the stick. I've tried both, like both, but the blade felt better. If I could endorse a racquet, it would be the pure storm tour, but they don't make it anymore

 

[ed70]

Blades 18x20 more powerful than tt, has bigger sweet spot but needs to be strung low unless you like a racquet that feels like a frying pan, same goes for the blade 16x19 which I thought wasn't much different to the 18x20 tbh,bit more spin but nothing too different.
The tt was a nice stick but I'm a 4.5, and found it had a small sweet spot and no power outside it. Loved it on volleys and slice backhands tho.

 

[ed70]

Just to add prefer the 100p over all of them

 

[n8dawg6]

we put too much emphasis on the stick

thats what she said.

ive been playing 18x20 pattern lately strung with synthetic gut. coach said you dont need poly OR an open pattern to generate topspin. reluctantly decided to listen to him and, lo and behold, he's right. (course, the strings dont last long but its still a valid point)

 

[bobombom]

thats what she said.

ive been playing 18x20 pattern lately strung with synthetic gut. coach said you dont need poly OR an open pattern to generate topspin. reluctantly decided to listen to him and, lo and behold, he's right. (course, the strings dont last long but its still a valid point)

I can 100% agree with that. At least, in regards to string pattern, there's at least one study I can think of that showed no appreciable difference in spin. I'm not sure about differing types of string, but when I was in school, no one really payed attention to what they were using. We'd ask for the cheapest string from our stringer, and be on with it. No one ever noticed a difference. We played just as well as if we'd cared about what we were using.

 

[asifallasleep]

What's your thinking on the TT95s? And what string set up?

Volkl Cyclone Tour 16g at 50lbs is awesome. I actually think this frame has easy power and hits loads of spin. It's just so easy to swing. It has a relatively low swing weight, but with a static weight of over 12ounces and the ability to easily generate RHS it packs a punch. Remember, a players frame used to be defined as a low powered frame with a smaller sweet spot. They were made for 5.0+ players who were fundamentally sound who didn't need or want tons of help from the frame. They could and preferred to generate their own power, and their strokes were very precise. If you can hit on the rise with the TT95, you'd be using your opponents power to knock them off the court because it really is a solid frame.

I think it's unfair to compare a player's frame to a modern frame designed for power. So yeah, of course in comparison to a larger more modern frame designed for power, a player's frame with a 95 head would have less power. No shock there.

It's a great frame, but not for everyone, just like the Wilson 90's. It's what the Pro Staff 95 should have been. More stable with more power, with great feel.

 

[A_Instead]

Solinco Barb Wire or Diamond Rough works well too....I just prefer Volkl strings...
TT95 is the gold standard for that frame segment..
Just like PD is the gold standard for that segment..

 

[rsmith]

Solinco Barb Wire or Diamond Rough works well too....I just prefer Volkl strings...
TT95 is the gold standard for that frame segment..
Just like PD is the gold standard for that segment..

I demoed the 95 with (used) barbwire and absotely love it.
Bought it with new 16l barb, but this string freshly strung at 52 kills my wrist. Would you say volkl or diamond rough (or another string) would play like barb (only, softer)?

 

[robok9]

I've been a long time blade user (mainly Kblade with the Blx black and gold version also). I just demoed the TT95 alongside the new Blade 18x20, and I can say there is something special about that Prince. The feel is incredible, and it is super stable for its weight. It's just an all around great racquet. If you wanna see my full thoughts, I posted a thread about my demos a couple weeks ago and just got around to giving my full thoughts on the Prince compared to the Yonex DR 98 last night.

 

[parasailing]

I prefer the Blade 98 over the TT 95 mainly because it has a bigger sweet spot and is a bit more plush than the TT 95. The TT95 is solid but was not as forgiving on off center hits.