Pro lab blade v9?
- Thread starter borgpro
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naturalexponent
Hall of Fame
Wilson dot com
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Deleted member 775108
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BLADE PRO 16x19 Is
- Typically 10 Swing weight Points Heavier
- More Open String Pattern & Power
- Thicker Beam
- Not a Blade - Its a modified H22 Pro stock mold with a different layup that was slightly stiffened up (to make it more user friendly) with a paint job to look like a Blade
- Less / No Fancy Technologies - so not as forgiving
- It need a stronger player technique and footwork as a result
- Different Balance typically and definitely Flex Profile
- GLOSS PAINT JOB
- BOXY BEAM
- Tighter String Pattern than 18x20 Blade.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Its essentially Wilson's version of a Head Radical Pro. Think earlier, flexier versions like the youtek and prior. They made it to get Head players to switch.
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Deleted member 775108
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The Radical Pro from those generation was a 100si head 16x19 and was quickly dropped by Head (Youtek and Microgel)
What PP probably meant to say was made to be similar to the older Radical Tour (specifically the LM Radical Tour)
Power Player
Bionic Poster
No, I know what I said. The Radical Pro youtek was a 98 and was used by a decent amount of Pros. And yes, the Liquid Metal was also a prior version.
Tennis Warehouse - Head Youtek IG Radical Pro Racquet Review
www.tennis-warehouse.com
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Deleted member 775108
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No, I know what I said. The Radical Pro youtek was a 98 and was used by a decent amount of Pros. And yes, the Liquid Metal was also a prior version.
Tennis Warehouse - Head Youtek IG Radical Pro Racquet Review
The Wilson H22 (2006 or earlier) was "released" BEFORE the Youtek IG Radical Pro (2012) to yes switch Radical Players.
The LM Radical (2003) was never released as a "Radical Pro" - Only the MP and Tour.
The First Rad Pro was the MG from 2007 - 100si 16x19. The Second Rad Pro was the Youtek (no IG in the name yet) from 2009. Also 100si 16x19... Finally with the 2012 Youtek IG model they made the Pro from the same mold as the MP - a 98.
Yeah the H22 and H19 both appeared a to get Head players over to Wilson from their classic Radical and Prestige frames - the Flexpoint Radical Tour was 100sq in and made for Ferrero (and I guess an early forebear of the Speed/Gravity) which supplanted the LM Radical Tour which was a heavier LM Radical, and became the Microgel Radical Pro (to keep in line with the Extreme Pro) carried on with the 100sqin Ferrero derived frame, and then as Murray became the key Radical player (and Berdych who switched to a Youtek Radical with a 16x19 string pattern), the Rad Pro became a heavier Radical with a 16x19 string pattern to tie in with Berdych/Murray's frames starting with the Youtek IG
@gold325 is correct here on MG and YT rad pros being 100si (different molds because of the beam shape but same dimensions and drill IIRC). And in my experience blade pro and IG Rad pro are not that similar. Much different flex and feel, likely due to the pointed-oval beam shape on the IG rad vs a true box on the BP. BP is closest to older LM and FP head radicals for me, but who am I to say your experience is wrong…you feel whatever you feelNo, I know what I said. The Radical Pro youtek was a 98 and was used by a decent amount of Pros. And yes, the Liquid Metal was also a prior version.
Tennis Warehouse - Head Youtek IG Radical Pro Racquet Review
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Yeah I mean I wasn't trying to get granular. My point is that it plays like an older Radical frame. The youtek reminds me of it due to the high SW and head heavy balance. Agree the feel is not the same. I understand that they made the H22 earlier to get Liquid metal and flexpoint players over to Wilson.
Mainly was just speaking in general to describe the differences from a regular blade. After the IG the radicals got a lot stiffer and the general characteristics of the frame changed a lot.
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I mostly popped in to back up @gold325 because the youtek rad pro was a 100…
Power Player
Bionic Poster
I was thinking about the model that I linked above, that’s why I mentioned it. It was a 98 with 62 ra and a 3 pts hl balance along with a high sw and strung weight of 323. Total beast of a frame. I owned one for a while and the blade pro always reminds me of it. Mercifully the sw on my blade pros are 333 or so. I think my head rad pro was easily in the 340s.
Anyway in terms of spec, very similar. I am sure the feel is not like the BP. Feel of the BP is very similar to my radical bumblebee . Tough to describe but it has the head DNA.
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Deleted member 775108
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Honestly man... its nothing that other worldly special or anything. The standard Blade is a more practical racket with better results for almost everyone.
You’re probably right. I’ll keep enjoying the regular 98’s with some extra weight
Konik_1982
Rookie
I can definitely agree to this. Got a V8 16x19, Blade Pro 16x19 and was on a testing day with all the V9 versions...and ordered 2 of the 18x20´s since they played the best for me.
The Blade Pro isn´t any holy grail. It is a great racquet indeed with wider beam for more power but it´s not an easy frame to swing with. You need to be a on a higher level to really unlock its potential. Additionally it is almost necessary to customize it to your need and your gamestyle. It´s basically a platform frame for higher level players
not saying a 4.0 cannot enjoy swinging it but the standard Blade is much easier for the game. And the current V9 versions are REALLY very well made. I wasn´t a Blade fan in the past but I liked the V8 a lot and now with the V9 Wilson absolutely nailed it.Don't let these naysayers say nay at you
The Blade Pro is special, it has a very nice flexible feel, very pure and direct, good ol graphite sans marketing tech or wizardry.
Quite different from most other racquets out there now.
Will you play the best tennis with it?...I don't know, I don't know your level.
Can it be difficult to play with?..absolutely yes but, again, kind of depends your level and what your interest is in playing (having fun vs competing).
It is a very fun racquet.
I had the 16x19 for awhile but the power and launch angle was too much for my play style. (I don't hit enough topspin.)
I only modded with a leather grip and really liked it.
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Deleted member 775108
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He just told us he cant get it where he lives - so I really dont want to hype him up to get something that is not going to be easy to get for him anyway.
I use the Wilson Ultra Tour (same as UP v3, v4) which is also "special racket" - I could replace BP with UP in your description above and it would sound just as good - but would I recommend it to anyone who cant get it in their market knowing that there is a high chance of disappointment/ failure especially if paying well above market price? Nope.
Isn't tennis supposed to be fun?
A. There's dozens of people on this forum who get racquets "not available in their market"
B. Yes, I used to play the Ultra Tour it is a special racquet too. Unadulterated tennis racquet purity. I still have a hangover from leaving it.
C. You don't have to hype him up, I am
D. If the guy said "I'm impoverished and can only afford one racquet, should I get the BP?" No I wouldn't hype him up on it, I'd tell him to buy the best condition used racquet he can find.
Tennis is a luxury and alot of people's only hobby, enjoy it more.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Agree. I say get the BP but I have an alt solution. He is in Europe, the home of cheap pro stocks. I’d suggest tracking down an h22 instead since he can’t find a blade pro. They come in different configurations but he will get the same experience.
College kid I played with in Miami had the handle break off his h22 and I let him hit my blade pro. we both agreed it played and felt pretty much the same. He was excited that he could buy them from Wilson. Think he ended up doing just that.
College kid I played with in Miami had the handle break off his h22 and I let him hit my blade pro. we both agreed it played and felt pretty much the same. He was excited that he could buy them from Wilson. Think he ended up doing just that.
usually the prostock racquet is very different than the regular, typically wider beam and heavier but you have to ask wilson. my experience with the Blade 98 v7 and BladePro 98 v7 was that the Prostock was heavier and had a wider beam, besides the gloss paint job, but
it played a bit different that the regular.
for my game it made my shots more consistent and hit a heavier ball.
i got the BladePro 98 v8s without trying the regular.
the balance and weight was different than the v7s, and they play slightly different
its more than just the paintjob.
i heard the BladePro 98 v9s are stiffer and heavier, but i have no experience with them
i will have to get some to find out
z
Just to avoid confusion, Blade Pro is not a "pro stock" Blade. Actual pro stocks are not sold by the manufacturer to the public or retailers. There are actual pro stock Blades, but they are Blade molds (usually K-Blade), not H22 mold frames like the Blade Pro. The H22 and Blade mold produce entirely different racquets. And it makes no difference what the RA number is, the H22 mold racquet is always stiffer feeling than a pro stock or retail Blade. But yes Blade Pro is for sure a little heavier in SW and much stiffer feeling than the regular retail Blade 98. BP also has a little more power. There is no crossover appeal from Blade to Blade Pro IMO. Totally different frames.
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To further clarify, the Blade Pro is an H22 mold with a specific retail layup that is pretty stiff. There is additionally a prostock H22 that has various layups depending on who it is being produced for and are usually lower RA than the Blade Pro, but can be as stiff as the Blade Pro.
most of the H22's on the site that sells such things seem to be around 62 (though probably unstrung so might be 60ish), TW list the BP at 61 but there are of course softer layups available for pros - but not a hugely profound difference at least by the numbers
TennisManiac
Hall of Fame
This is really hard for me to believe. A 16x19 will always produce more power and spin compared to it's 18x20 counterpart. No exceptions
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