SmilinBob's Racquet Reviews

[SpinToWin]

Understood. I just don't want anybody to think they won't be seeing a Gamma Big Bubba review in this thread soon.

Speaking of new reviews...................

I have FOUR MORE sticks arriving from T-Dub tomorrow that I'm very excited to hit. Stay tuned...

oh oh oh may I ask which racquets are coming?

 

[MikeHitsHard93]

Smilinbob is the man.

 

[spinovic]

You should still try the TFight 315 Ltd Bob. If for no other reason than I'm a big fan of your reviews and would like to see your thoughts on it. I think you'd like it.

Put some lead on it though.

 

[SmilinBob]

You should still try the TFight 315 Ltd Bob. If for no other reason than I'm a big fan of your reviews and would like to see your thoughts on it. I think you'd like it.

Put some lead on it though.

Ah, so you're going to make me give one of 'em away because I don't want to fly blind with the lead. But yes, one of the four coming is the TFight 315 LTD 16 with a multi in it. I'm thinking I'll go with some lead at 10 and 2 and maybe a little at 6. Any thoughts on amount? I haven't fired up the racquet customizer from TW but I think I'll try to get the swingweight up to 320-325.

 

[JackB1]

Understood. I just don't want anybody to think they won't be seeing a Gamma Big Bubba review in this thread soon.

Speaking of new reviews...................

I have FOUR MORE sticks arriving from T-Dub tomorrow that I'm very excited to hit. Stay tuned...

Which ones are u demoing next?

 

[spinovic]

Ah, so you're going to make me give one of 'em away because I don't want to fly blind with the lead. But yes, one of the four coming is the TFight 315 LTD 16 with a multi in it. I'm thinking I'll go with some lead at 10 and 2 and maybe a little at 6. Any thoughts on amount? I haven't fired up the racquet customizer from TW but I think I'll try to get the swingweight up to 320-325.

My recommendation would be 3-5 grams at noon.

Although, it is worth hitting in stock form as well, IMO. Lead just gets the power and plowthrough up to a better level. A few grams at the top did it for me without sacrificing much in terms of balance/maneuverability.

Strung, with lead and overgrip, mine are all around 12 oz, 6 pts HL and 330ish SW.

Interested to see your thoughts on it. Good luck.

I don't think it needs lead at 6, but we are all different, so it may work for you. I do have a little at 6 on one of mine, but that was solely to get it matched to the other two.

 

[corners]

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Wilson_Pro_Staff_100L/descpageRCWILSON-PS100L.html

First Impressions:

I had very much wanted to demo the prior version Pro Staff 100 with a bunch of lead in the hoop (see earlier posts in this thread) to see how the extra ¼” and larger head size would play. I went with the non-S pattern and threw over 10 grams of lead in the hoop bringing the swing weight from 303 to over 325 and a static weight of 11 ounces (from 10.6). It was strung with NXT 16 and like the others, appeared to be new. I did not hit this frame unleaded.

Groundstrokes:

From first contact is was obvious that this was a different Pro Staff: The feel of the racquet was much livelier and less plush than the 95S. While I’m sure some of it was due to a tighter string pattern, the beam also felt a little stiffer. (I did check and the grips on the 100L and 95S were the same.) I was getting merely OK depth on shots but control was good. I was expecting a little more power from the extra length and ever-so-slightly thicker beam than I got out of it. It didn’t have nearly the spin of the 95S, but it was still good. Directional control was good but slices were a bit floaty. It felt like it needed some lead in the handle as well.

Volleys:

Of any place on the court, the 100L performed best at the net. From the ground the 100L didn’t feel any longer at all, but from the net I felt like I was catching the ball in the sweet spot a little better (my common miss is high on the string bed.) The extra ¼” seemed to help. Directional control was good but the feel again was firmer than the 95S. It wasn’t harsh, but what I would call “brighter”. In some ways, the 100L felt a lot like the Slazenger V98 Team, without the grin-inducing contact you get from the V98. Maneuverability was good, but I would probably move the lead around lower in the hoop. Stability was good, something I would expect given the lead at 3 and 9. I would speculate that unleaded, the racquet would be pretty unstable at the net.

Serves:

Flat serves worked pretty well with the 100L however I found it difficult to cut a big slicer out wide to the ad court (for whatever reason.) Unlike at the net, I really didn’t notice the extra length when serving, except when trying to turn a serve wide to the deuce court (lefty) where it felt like I was higher at contact and had a better angle. Overall control was OK, but I did give up a break.

Second/spin serves were good, but for whatever reason my opponent was really dialed in on his returns and hit some true lasers past me. I felt like I was getting good hop on the ball but not anywhere near the 95S. When really trying to spin the ball in I didn’t notice the extra length at all.

Serve Returns:

Returns were…OK. For whatever reason, the brighter feel of the frame was slightly off-putting when I was trying to return a hard serve and I noticed that some returns where I was reaching and caught the ball outside of the sweet spot there was a noticeable lack of pop, more so than on many other racquets I’ve demoed. My chip/block returns were not getting as deep as I would have liked, but I think it was more a matter of me expecting more given the amount of lead I put in the hoop. Slices floated a little bit and sat up a little on the bounce, but it didn’t seem like they were getting crushed back at me.

Overall:

It was a fun experiment to try a leaded up 100L and compare it to the 95S (which I also leaded up, see earlier in this thread) and I was surprised how different the two Pro Staff frames felt. The 100L felt firmer and livelier. I’m tempted to try the 100LS to see if the spin pattern plays a little softer and has better spin (I imagine it would) but I think I would need to tinker with the lead placement. If I could find the right way to weight the hoop to keep volley performance up (but softer) and keep returns and slices more penetrating, it could be a winner. A 100LS leaded up is probably a future demo. For those of you that hit the 95S and want something with a livelier feel, give the 100L (or LS) a try.

Bob, I haven't hit the newest version of either the PS 95 or 100, but I did try both of the previous versions. Of those, I felt the 100 actually felt "more like a Pro Staff," because it had a crisper response. The PS 95 actually felt softer than any Pro Staff that's come before it. As a longtime Pro Staff guy, I preferred the 100. But again, those were the previous versions.

Anyway, if you still have the demos, I suggest adding significant lead to the handle of the 100 before writing it off. A good deal of the softer response of the PS 95 comes by virtue of the extra 20-30 grams of mass it has in the handle as compared to the 100. That handle mass reduces the dynamic flex of the frame dramatically. Tailweighting the 100 should bring these two sticks much closer together in terms of feel. The stability will also be greatly improved.

 

[SmilinBob]

Bob, I haven't hit the newest version of either the PS 95 or 100, but I did try both of the previous versions. Of those, I felt the 100 actually felt "more like a Pro Staff," because it had a crisper response. The PS 95 actually felt softer than any Pro Staff that's come before it. As a longtime Pro Staff guy, I preferred the 100. But again, those were the previous versions.

I never was a big Pro Staff guy in the past (I went to the dark side with the Skunk 6.2) so thanks for the heads-up that the 100 might be closer to "classic" Pro Staff feel than the 95S. I will say the current generation PS 95S played much softer than the prior BLX PS 95, yet the 95S still felt "firm enough", unlike say the Prince racquets that are really soft. I'm guessing most of the softness comes from the much more open string bed. The more open bed also upped the low power level of the PS 95. I liked the BLX PS 95, but I really liked the 95S.

I personally liked the feel of the 95S better than the 100L. I might try the 100LS to see if in fact the more open string bed softens it up, and I'd of course put a bunch of lead on it, however it was out of stock when I ordered up my latest four.

 

[SmilinBob]

My recommendation would be 3-5 grams at noon.

Although, it is worth hitting in stock form as well, IMO. Lead just gets the power and plowthrough up to a better level. A few grams at the top did it for me without sacrificing much in terms of balance/maneuverability.

Thanks for the tip. 3 grams at noon is how I've leaded a lot of racquets in the past, so I'll start there with the 315. I'll of course hit it bone-stock too, outside of a Wilson Pro overgrip.

Is the 315 a pretty touchy frame with the lead? I've found the Graphene Speed MP has a strong case of Multiple Personality Disorder when it comes to both lead placement and strings, and while I really like the frame, it's been really hard to find the config that's just right with it. I'm currently rocking 3 grams of lead at 12 with a hybrid of natural gut mains and poly crosses. The spin is insane off it, the power is good, but the lead at 12 destabilizes it and the poly crosses make it feel a little firmer than I would like. I've tried with lead at 3 and 9 which fixes that, but then I find it's not the best for serving (S & V'er here, remember.)

 

[SmilinBob]

Which ones are u demoing next?

So the T-Dub demo box just showed up! Here's what's in it:

Technifibre TFight 315 LTD 16
Yonex VCore Tour G 310
Wilson Pro Staff 95S (redux)
.........AND.........
Wilson Pro Staff 6.0 85 TW Re-issue (I'm a serve-and-volleyer that's NEVER hit this racquet. That's blasphemy, isn't it?)

 

[JackB1]

So the T-Dub demo box just showed up! Here's what's in it:

Technifibre TFight 315 LTD 16
Yonex VCore Tour G 310
Wilson Pro Staff 95S (redux)
.........AND.........
Wilson Pro Staff 6.0 85 TW Re-issue (I'm a serve-and-volleyer that's NEVER hit this racquet. That's blasphemy, isn't it?)

You seem like you are moving more towards pure players racquets now.

Only one I would like to hear about is the Tour G 310, although I would probably have preferred the VCore 310 due to it's higher stiffness.

Re: the Graphene Speed MP. I loved it with Volkl Psycho hybrid at around 52/55. I also swapped the grip with a Wilson shockshield and added a little weight at 3/9 and it was perfect. You should try a setup like that.

 

[spinovic]

Thanks for the tip. 3 grams at noon is how I've leaded a lot of racquets in the past, so I'll start there with the 315. I'll of course hit it bone-stock too, outside of a Wilson Pro overgrip.

Is the 315 a pretty touchy frame with the lead? I've found the Graphene Speed MP has a strong case of Multiple Personality Disorder when it comes to both lead placement and strings, and while I really like the frame, it's been really hard to find the config that's just right with it. I'm currently rocking 3 grams of lead at 12 with a hybrid of natural gut mains and poly crosses. The spin is insane off it, the power is good, but the lead at 12 destabilizes it and the poly crosses make it feel a little firmer than I would like. I've tried with lead at 3 and 9 which fixes that, but then I find it's not the best for serving (S & V'er here, remember.)

I don't think so, but again, that's me. It didn't take a lot to make a pretty big improvement for me. I never tried lead anywhere else, for one reason I wanted to stay around 12 oz and with a reasonably HL balance. I figure any lead on the sides is going to force a choice between those two things.

I've tried a few different strings and I think it responds well to pretty much anything. I typically like gut or multis, but I enjoy trying different strings, so I usually have one of my frames strung with poly. I really like the Ashaway Kevlar/ZX hybrid lately. That has been my main setup since I strung it up for the playtest. I currently have MonoGut ZX in one and Focus Hex in the other. My favorites thus far (of each type) - Wilson Natural Gut, Biphase, Focus Hex and the kevlar hybrid.

Of course, VS/Red Code was great, but gut/poly just doesn't make sense for me.

 

[SmilinBob]

You seem like you are moving more towards pure players racquets now.

I'm finding, particularly after the last tournament I played, that something that is closer to 11.5 ounces oriented more towards control is what helps me win matches. The roughly 11 ounce sticks like the Graphene MP and V98 Team are great, but my return game suffers, especially against bigger servers.

Only one I would like to hear about is the Tour G 310, although I would probably have preferred the VCore 310 due to it's higher stiffness.

I hit around with all four sticks on Saturday for quite a while. The Yonex really surprised me in a couple of good ways. When I get a chance to write up my full reviews, I'll get them posted. Cliff notes on it are that it's pretty solid, well controlled, and hits some pretty penetrating ground strokes.

Re: the Graphene Speed MP. I loved it with Volkl Psycho hybrid at around 52/55. I also swapped the grip with a Wilson shockshield and added a little weight at 3/9 and it was perfect. You should try a setup like that.

I played with a very similar setup, the only difference being the strings. I had Natty Gut/4G strung at 56/52 with 3 grams each at 3 and 9. It really ups the spin but the weight on the tip is better for serving. I really like the frame, particularly how open the pattern is and how solid it feels for its weight, but I can't seem to get it just right. I've been through a number of different strings and lead placements and just can't seem to get it all to connect.

 

[SmilinBob]

I don't think so, but again, that's me. It didn't take a lot to make a pretty big improvement for me. I never tried lead anywhere else, for one reason I wanted to stay around 12 oz and with a reasonably HL balance. I figure any lead on the sides is going to force a choice between those two things.

Had a chance to hit with the TFight over the weekend and will get a full review posted later this week. Just wanted to say thanks for the leading advice. 3 grams at 12 is exactly what the frame needed. It really helped on serve, got the ball deeper on ground strokes, and moved the sweet spot up the strings just enough to improve where I was catching my volleys.

 

[spinovic]

Had a chance to hit with the TFight over the weekend and will get a full review posted later this week. Just wanted to say thanks for the leading advice. 3 grams at 12 is exactly what the frame needed. It really helped on serve, got the ball deeper on ground strokes, and moved the sweet spot up the strings just enough to improve where I was catching my volleys.

I agree. And based on the 315 thread, most others found that to be the case as well. Looking forward to your review as always. Good to have you back.

 

[SmilinBob]

Yonex VCORE Tour G 310

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Yonex_VCORE_Tour_G_310/descpageRCYONEX-YVCTGL.html

First Impressions:

I was eager to try another Yonex stick after my disappointment with the VCORE Tour 97 330. The specs of the 310 seemed nice, particularly the weight and stiffness. It had a very bright orange paintjob, almost as obnoxious as the Juice Pro. It came strung with Yonex Tour Super 850 16G, and both strings and racquet appeared to be brand new.

Ground strokes:

The Tour G 310 was an easy swinging racquet and hit some very penetrating ground strokes. I noticed the trajectory of the ball was much lower than many other sticks, but I really hit some low lasers off my forehand side. It was easy to keep the ball deep, but I wasn’t getting a lot of net clearance. I caught the tape more than I would have liked. On my backhand side I wasn’t getting a lot of spin, most likely due to a 16x20 pattern that seemed to play pretty dense. I struggled with a few shots long on the backhand side trying to give myself enough net clearance. Directional control was very good but rolling tight cross-court angles was difficult. The low flight was very apparent on both forehand/backhand sides. Slices stayed really low, uncomfortably so, with some good skid and didn’t float.

Volleys:

The Tour G 310 was a stable stick at the net. Directional control was good and I was getting good pop on deep volleys to the corners. The frame itself felt very nice, especially on some defensive volleys. It felt just soft enough, but not overly mushy. The sweet spot seemed like it was a good size. Maneuverability felt about middle-of-the-road, nothing that stood out but it didn’t necessarily feel sluggish.

Serves:

I was getting some good heat with the Tour 310 and hit a few bombs up the T in both courts. I was having a bit more trouble swinging serves out wide, particularly to the deuce court, however it’s the serve I struggle with the most. Slices wide to the ad court just didn’t have a lot of sauce on them, possibly due to the tighter string pattern.

I had a lot more trouble with second serves, particularly when really trying to kick the ball up. The racquet didn’t give me a lot of spin, but for some reason, I just wasn’t connecting well when trying to really go up at the ball. I’m not sure if it was the weight distribution, head shape, moon phase or what, but I just couldn’t dial it in. I dropped two breaks with the Tour G 310.

Returns:

The Tour G 310 was a good returning racquet and absorbed pace well. My typical chip/block returns were finding good depth and I felt like I had pretty good control. I had a little bit less success when really trying to go after a ball as the low flight was giving me a pretty tight margin of error. I did hit a blast of a backhand up-the-line for one return, but dumped a few aggressive returns in the net as well.

Overall:

I was pleasantly surprised by the feel and control of the Tour G 310 and really enjoyed the lighter weight and softer feel than the Tour 97 330. The low flight had me hitting some real bombs from the baseline, but the low flight left a narrow margin for error. It some ways, the Tour G 310 played a lot like a Wilson Juice Pro junior, capable of hitting some big shots like the Juice Pro, but also a lot lighter and more maneuverable. Watching some forehand and serve boomers go blasting by the guy on the other side did put a smile on my face. I would have really liked better spin out of the frame though as it cost me serving and a slightly loopier ball flight would have been nice, maybe doable with different strings, particularly something with a poly in the cross.

A side note: I hit the Tour G 310 on two pretty windy days, and the penetrating ball flight was fantastic in the wind, holding its line very well. If you are a player that plays outside in windy conditions a lot, the Tour G 310 is definitely worth a demo.

 

[SmilinBob]

Technifibre TFight 315 LTD TP ATP 16

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Tecnifibre_TFight_315_Ltd_TP_ATP_16_Main/descpageRCTFUSA-315L16.html

First Impressions:

After MANY people on the TT boards suggested I give the 315 16 a try, I finally added it to my latest demo pack. I hit it twice, once completely stock (except for a Wilson Pro Overgrip) and a second time with three grams of lead at 12 o’clock. I noticed before even hitting though that the grip handle was really short. It came strung with Technifibre NRG2 16G 1.32 which appeared to be fresh.

Ground strokes:

Played stock, I found it difficult to keep the ball deep with the 315 LTD 16, however it was a very fast-feeling racquet and very maneuverable. It seemed like the 315 LTD 16 offered good spin off both sides. I was able to turn over a few nice angles on my forehand side with the racquet stock. When leaded up with three grams at 12 o’clock, the racquet played very different. I was able to keep the ball a lot deeper and the sweet spot really opened up. I was getting better pace on both sides, however I did catch a few fliers on my backhand side. The racquet also played soft, especially when hitting the ball hard. The lead didn’t seem to harm the frame’s maneuverability too much, and a lot like the Pro Staff, the 315 LTD 16 seemed to take lead very well.

Volleys:

I noticed something slightly odd when volleying with the 315 LTD 16: It had two different “feels” depending on how hard the shot was. When taking a ball with lots of pace the racquet felt very soft, almost Pacific-like, but a little less thuddy. When hitting a softer shot or trying for more of a touch volley, the racquet felt a lot tinnier. It didn’t seem to change based on where the ball hit the strings, but on how much pace it had. The lead muted the feel a lot and made the racquet more stable on volleys, but it was still there. I much preferred the softer feel on harder shots and felt the racquet was a much improved volleyer with lead. Directional control was about middle-of-the-road.

Serves:

When leaded, I hit some fantastic flat serves with the 315 LTD 16 and actually found it to be a very good racquet for moving flat serves around the service box. It had excellent directional control both up the T and out wide to both courts. Without lead, I found the racquet had a tendency to get “lost” during my motion as I like to feel tip weight in the frame when I go up at the ball. Unleaded my flat serves also had a little more of a fluttering or airy flight to them. With lead, flat serves were much more penetrating.

Second serves were good too and I was getting decent but not great hop on my kick serves. I wasn’t getting fantastic depth with the stock racquet though and my opponent started moving in a little. The lead improved the depth of my kick serves and also the feel of the racquet during my motion.

Serve Returns:

Unleaded, the 315 LTD 16 was not the best returning racquet for my chip/block return game. I was leaving returns short and wasn’t winning many points. More aggressive returns fared much better, with my forehand being the stronger side. My backhand is flatter. When leaded, the roles practically reversed with my chip/block returns getting much deeper but I had less success on more aggressive returns.

Overall:

The TFight 315 16 LTD was an interesting racquet to hit, especially given how different it played with and without lead. I would personally only play with some lead at 12 o’clock as depth control just wasn’t there stock. It was a good serving racquet but the split-personality feel at the net and a ho-hum return game were negatives. The feel thing was weird, and I even gave it the bounce-test, which felt a lot tinnier than when hit hard. Strings maybe? I have no idea. In a lot of ways, it played like a heavier but softer BLX Six.One Team or a toned-down (and less impressive) Graphene Speed MP, albeit softer. I would say though if you play with a two-handed backhand, the short handle might be very bothersome.

 

[SmilinBob]

Wilson Pro Staff 6.0 85 (TW Re-Issue)

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Wilson_Pro_Staff_60_85/descpageRCWILSON-W6085.html

First Impressions:

With absolute cult-like status on the TT boards and the fact I’m a serve-and-volleyer, it seemed almost blasphemous that I hadn’t ever hit the legendary 6.0 85. I thought I’d repent and give it a shot. It came strung with Wilson NXT 16. The frame itself was pretty beat up but the strings looked new. Man, 85 square inches sure looked small.

Ground strokes:

The most demanding area I found with the 6.0 85 was from the baseline. The small head really required good timing for good results and the racquet was not at all forgiving. I was getting merely OK spin off both sides, with my forehand being the better of the two. I was finding excellent depth control though and when hit cleanly, the racquet just went right through the ball and kept the ball very deep in the court. Directional control was very good when hit flush, but not at all forgiving. Slices were excellent without any float and good skid. My common miss with the 6.0 85 was long.

Volleys:

The 6.0 85 was a fantastic racquet at the net. In terms of feel, touch, and pop, it was every bit as good as the IG Prestige MP or any of the Pro Staffs I’ve hit, while also being ultra-stable. I also noticed something about the 6.0 85 which I think lends to its cult status: It has a sweet spot, and then it has a SA-WEET spot. When caught right in the middle of the strings, the feel off the racquet is incredible and un-matched with anything I’ve demoed. While having a large sweet spot for the frame size, I did find the SA-WEET spot to be small, but much like hitting a pure golf shot, it keeps you coming back for more. The small head size was not at all forgiving, especially on half-volleys. It was a demanding but rewarding net racquet.

Serves:

The 6.0 85 really surprised me serving. I was expecting the weight and frame size to really work against it but when hitting big first serves it really delivered. The small head size went through the air well and I was able to place the ball well with a surprising amount of pace given the beam width. Spin was merely OK though and slices out wide to the ad court (lefty) were effective but not extraordinary.

I struggled much more with second serves when really trying to go up for a big kick serve. The frame was just very small and the margin for error wasn’t big. Spin was OK but not great. Depth control was very good and I was keeping the ball deep in the box, but I had a few mishits and double faults when catching the ball outside the sweet spot. Again, a very demanding but rewarding frame.

Serve returns:

My chip/block serve return game was good with the 6.0 85 as the mass of the racquet absorbed pace very well and kept my returns deep in the court. Slices stayed nice and low with good skid on them. I found it more difficult to be really aggressive with returns as the racquet did feel a little sluggish when trying to take a cut at a serve that still had some pace on it and it required really good timing.

Overall:

I can understand why the 6.0 85 has the reputation it does, particularly when hitting big first serves and the way it performed at the net. It moved fast through the air and was surprisingly maneuverable for its weight. It was however a very demanding racquet and the 85 square inch head didn’t offer much in the way of forgiveness. While impressive and a lot of fun to hit, it’s not something I would take into a match. It’s just not forgiving enough.

 

[spinovic]

Good stuff as always Bob.

Any idea what tension the NRG was strung at?

 

[SmilinBob]

Any idea what tension the NRG was strung at?

Not sure, but it was a TW demo so I would guess it was strung at or near mid tension. When the four sticks showed up I did the "sound test" on the strings and one was noticeably higher pitched than the others, but honestly I couldn't tell you which one. I should have made a note. It could have been the TFight though. Really tight strings might explain the weird dual feel going on.

It was an OK stick, but nothing really blew me away about it. A better server than I expected given the flex, but pretty middle-of-the-road for me everywhere else. It demands some weight in the hoop though, like many of the TFight/Racketholic threads have called out.

Here's a picture of the racquet grips too, with the TFight at the bottom. The grip is a solid inch+ shorter than everything else. The others (from top to bottom) are the Wilson PS95S, Yonex VCORE Tour G 310, and the PS 6.0 85.

 

[JackB1]

Bob...you seem to try racquets that have specs all over the range. Are you trying to find something for yourself or do you just enjoy trying/reviewing all different types of racquets?
I am curious if you are still searching for your preferred specs or are still open to anything? If so, what exactly are your preferred specs?

 

[spinovic]

The grip is definitely shorter, but I use a OHBH, so not an issue for me. In fact, I kinda like it.

I didn't see much I would dispute in your analysis. It is a great serving frame. Superb for me, probably the best I have used in that category. After that, I would not say it is exceptional anywhere else, but it is solid in all areas for me. It is consistent and reliable.

So for me, a solid frame that serves great and feels better than anything else to me is money.

I guess my only difference is that I have not experienced any difference like you noted with the volleys. But, I am not a S&Ver. I'm not allergic to the net, but I don't venture there enough to give a comprehensive analysis. But, I have no issues for my game.

 

[SmilinBob]

Bob...you seem to try racquets that have specs all over the range. Are you trying to find something for yourself or do you just enjoy trying/reviewing all different types of racquets?
I am curious if you are still searching for your preferred specs or are still open to anything? If so, what exactly are your preferred specs?

Two ways to answer this:

First off, demoing racquets, especially as I've hit more and more frames, is actually pretty fun. I'm finding it much easier to notice the differences of frames having hit so many. Also, there's a lot of really good sticks out there. When I started demoing racquets from my local shop, I was just keeping a notebook of my thoughts so I could go back and see how frames compared. Once I found TT, I figured others could benefit so here they are.

Second, when it comes to specs, I'm finding a couple different things hold true for me: I'm looking for a particular feel in a racquet and any similarity in specs is a byproduct of trying to find that feel. Tip weight when I serve, sweet spot a little higher on volleys, soft-yet-firm contact, and good depth control from the baseline are my primary "feel" buckets. The only spec I've really become hung up on is stiffness, as once I cross the 66/67 threshold, I start to feel it in my arm, despite never having prior issues. Swing weight, static weight, string pattern, etc. don't matter as much, however I have felt that 18x20 patterns are a little too "boardy". A good example of the feel is that when I leaded up the new Pro Staff 95S to a swingweight in the 320s, it swung way too heavy, despite my other sticks being leaded up to swing weights up near 330+. When closer to 315-317, the thing plays amazing.

The other thing, which is more recent, is I want to find a frame that helps me win matches. I keep two stats, and only two stats when I play: Hold and break percentage. I've played tournaments now with five different frames and been holding serve at a 93% clip, however I've only seen my break rate climb above 15% with the BLX Pro Staff 95. Circling this back to specs, I've found lower power frames with a static weight near 11.6 ounces is what gets my break rate higher than the 11 ounce mid-power frames I've been playing. The frame that keeps my hold rate high and ups the break rate will see a lot of time in my bag.

Right now, the king of the hill is probably the new Pro Staff 95S with 3 grams of lead each around the 9:30 and 2:30 points. It serves pretty good (not quite the power but good control and excellent spin) and is a really good return stick that helps my chip/block return while still letting me take a cut at second serves.

...Except Every once in a while I wake up in cold sweats after dreaming about the Juice Pro.

 

[JackB1]

Two ways to answer this:

First off, demoing racquets, especially as I've hit more and more frames, is actually pretty fun. I'm finding it much easier to notice the differences of frames having hit so many. Also, there's a lot of really good sticks out there. When I started demoing racquets from my local shop, I was just keeping a notebook of my thoughts so I could go back and see how frames compared. Once I found TT, I figured others could benefit so here they are.

Second, when it comes to specs, I'm finding a couple different things hold true for me: I'm looking for a particular feel in a racquet and any similarity in specs is a byproduct of trying to find that feel. Tip weight when I serve, sweet spot a little higher on volleys, soft-yet-firm contact, and good depth control from the baseline are my primary "feel" buckets. The only spec I've really become hung up on is stiffness, as once I cross the 66/67 threshold, I start to feel it in my arm, despite never having prior issues. Swing weight, static weight, string pattern, etc. don't matter as much, however I have felt that 18x20 patterns are a little too "boardy". A good example of the feel is that when I leaded up the new Pro Staff 95S to a swingweight in the 320s, it swung way too heavy, despite my other sticks being leaded up to swing weights up near 330+. When closer to 315-317, the thing plays amazing.

The other thing, which is more recent, is I want to find a frame that helps me win matches. I keep two stats, and only two stats when I play: Hold and break percentage. I've played tournaments now with five different frames and been holding serve at a 93% clip, however I've only seen my break rate climb above 15% with the BLX Pro Staff 95. Circling this back to specs, I've found lower power frames with a static weight near 11.6 ounces is what gets my break rate higher than the 11 ounce mid-power frames I've been playing. The frame that keeps my hold rate high and ups the break rate will see a lot of time in my bag.

Right now, the king of the hill is probably the new Pro Staff 95S with 3 grams of lead each around the 9:30 and 2:30 points. It serves pretty good (not quite the power but good control and excellent spin) and is a really good return stick that helps my chip/block return while still letting me take a cut at second serves.

...Except Every once in a while I wake up in cold sweats after dreaming about the Juice Pro.

Thanks for the detailed answer. I understand your situation now.

Personally, I am much more sensitive to racquets out of my spec range and don't even bother with them anymore. Especially static weight. I am much more sensitive to static weight changes, that swingweight changes. Anything above 330 grams and I struggle with serves and overheads. Anything less than 65 stiff and I struggle with power. It took quite a while, but I am very dialed into what my preferred specs are and I am sticking to them. Of course everything is always ever evolving and subject to change

 

[SmilinBob]

It took quite a while, but I am very dialed into what my preferred specs are and I am sticking to them. Of course everything is always ever evolving and subject to change

Remind me - You went from the Blade 104 to what? I'm still debating giving the 104 a try.

 

[JackB1]

Remind me - You went from the Blade 104 to what? I'm still debating giving the 104 a try.

Blade 104 to:

Volkl V1 Mp
Graphene Speed MP
Warrior 100 Pro

Blade 104 is a great racquet but definitely needs customization. Not sure why they made it 290 grams unstrung and not 300.

 

[RetroSpin]

Two ways to answer this:

First off, demoing racquets, especially as I've hit more and more frames, is actually pretty fun. I'm finding it much easier to notice the differences of frames having hit so many. Also, there's a lot of really good sticks out there. When I started demoing racquets from my local shop, I was just keeping a notebook of my thoughts so I could go back and see how frames compared. Once I found TT, I figured others could benefit so here they are.

Second, when it comes to specs, I'm finding a couple different things hold true for me: I'm looking for a particular feel in a racquet and any similarity in specs is a byproduct of trying to find that feel. Tip weight when I serve, sweet spot a little higher on volleys, soft-yet-firm contact, and good depth control from the baseline are my primary "feel" buckets. The only spec I've really become hung up on is stiffness, as once I cross the 66/67 threshold, I start to feel it in my arm, despite never having prior issues. Swing weight, static weight, string pattern, etc. don't matter as much, however I have felt that 18x20 patterns are a little too "boardy". A good example of the feel is that when I leaded up the new Pro Staff 95S to a swingweight in the 320s, it swung way too heavy, despite my other sticks being leaded up to swing weights up near 330+. When closer to 315-317, the thing plays amazing.

The other thing, which is more recent, is I want to find a frame that helps me win matches. I keep two stats, and only two stats when I play: Hold and break percentage. I've played tournaments now with five different frames and been holding serve at a 93% clip, however I've only seen my break rate climb above 15% with the BLX Pro Staff 95. Circling this back to specs, I've found lower power frames with a static weight near 11.6 ounces is what gets my break rate higher than the 11 ounce mid-power frames I've been playing. The frame that keeps my hold rate high and ups the break rate will see a lot of time in my bag.

Right now, the king of the hill is probably the new Pro Staff 95S with 3 grams of lead each around the 9:30 and 2:30 points. It serves pretty good (not quite the power but good control and excellent spin) and is a really good return stick that helps my chip/block return while still letting me take a cut at second serves.

...Except Every once in a while I wake up in cold sweats after dreaming about the Juice Pro.

Pretty insightful. Hold % and break % tell the story. For pros second serve points won seems to be a very important metric as well.

Regarding returns, I would have thought the biggest, most forgiving frame possible would be best for a chip/block return, not a control oriented players type frame. Seriously, give the o/s POG a try.

It's your arm, but I just don't feel the harshness with a Pure Drive Roddick, strung full poly in the low 40's. An 18x20 is far boardier and uncomfortable to me, no matter how flexible it is. It's funny how polarized people are about Babolats, but it does seem to me the PDR would be an ideal fit for you.

Perhaps I missed it, but did you ever say what level you play? I'm guessing open, but it would add a bit to know.

 

[SmilinBob]

Pretty insightful. Hold % and break % tell the story. For pros second serve points won seems to be a very important metric as well.

I really focus on these two because it's what seems to be the match x-factor for me, a serve and volleyer, and it's also one I can keep in my head. It's not hard to count breaks. I'd agree on second serve %, but keeping track of that in a match? Yikes. Maybe if I recorded the match on video...

Regarding returns, I would have thought the biggest, most forgiving frame possible would be best for a chip/block return, not a control oriented players type frame. Seriously, give the o/s POG a try.

It's your arm, but I just don't feel the harshness with a Pure Drive Roddick, strung full poly in the low 40's. An 18x20 is far boardier and uncomfortable to me, no matter how flexible it is. It's funny how polarized people are about Babolats, but it does seem to me the PDR would be an ideal fit for you.

I'd agree on the 18x20 vs. racquet flex. Even the Radical MP felt very firm to me despite a super-low flex. Of all the Babs, I'd say I liked the PDR+ the best (I never did hit the regular length PDR.) While a good server, I found it just had too much power for me, especially on the backhand side and after I hit with it I could feel it in my arm.

As far as strings, I've never played poly at very low tensions, but I've been finding my game isn't one that a full bed of poly really helps. I'm not a string breaker, play relatively flat by today's standards, generally can find enough control with a multi strung at the right tension, and vastly prefer the feel of a softer feeling strong. My Graphene Speed MP is currently rocking Tonic mains (natty gut) at 56 lbs with 4G in the crosses at 52 lbs. It's a pretty good combo for the MP.

Perhaps I missed it, but did you ever say what level you play? I'm guessing open, but it would add a bit to know.

I've been reluctant to say, only because I don't want my level to influence anyone else to say "well he's a x.x and I'm a y.y." however if it helps...

For those of you who might be biased, look away....

Before I took a long hiatus I was playing open doubles with a right-handed serve-and-volleyer and 5.0 singles. Since my return to tennis the past year or two I've been playing 4.5 singles (with moderate success...Still too many UEs that I need to get out of my system) and haven't yet played a doubles tourney.

 

[JackB1]

Bob, try the new Gamma Rzr 100 M. I really think you will like it.

 

[SmilinBob]

So last week, I did something I might regret. It involves my earlier analogy that the Juice Pro is like a somebody you date but would never marry. Here's what happened:

I've been traveling for the past week and ended up out at a brewery for happy hour with some friends. After many beers (I stress the many part), later that evening, I saw the Juice Pro at a different site on an absolute fire sale.

Well...

I now have two Juice Pros in my bag with that morning-after regret feeling going on. I've got 'em strung up with some Dunlop Hexy Fiber 17 so we'll see how that goes. Hopefully the inevitable break-up isn't too messy.

To Wilson's credit though, the Juice Pro is spec'd at 324g un-strung. Both frames showed up and were the exact same length and within a 1/4 gram of each other, one weighing in at 324.0 and the other at 323.75. So I'm happy with the QC of these two frames.

 

[corners]

To Wilson's credit though, the Juice Pro is spec'd at 324g un-strung. Both frames showed up and were the exact same length and within a 1/4 gram of each other, one weighing in at 324.0 and the other at 323.75. So I'm happy with the QC of these two frames.

Whew!! They're the same length. Good job Wilson!

Buying frames after returning from the bar. You know, they say that Persian kings would never make an important decision until they had deliberated on it sober, and then drunk. I think you gotta trust your tipsy self on this one.

 

[SmilinBob]

Whew!! They're the same length. Good job Wilson!

I figured it was worth mentioning given the number of threads here about QC on different manufacturer's frames, with differing weights, lengths, paint, etc. The Juice Pros are identical, sans a 1/4 gram weight difference.

Buying frames after returning from the bar. You know, they say that Persian kings would never make an important decision until they had deliberated on it sober, and then drunk. I think you gotta trust your tipsy self on this one.

Have y'all have seen the Scottish Sobriety Test?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNn-6FzTimY

 

[RetroSpin]

Bob, I feel you've hit the point of diminishing returns, as much as I've enjoyed your reviews. Actually, Tw should make them a sticky thread, as your reviews are better than the ones their own playtesters conduct.

You know you want the Juice Pro. How can it be too much stick for you when girls use it? Man up and go big.

ps. If I were you I would try another PDR but strung with TourBite at 40. The one you tried was probably strung way too tight.

It took nearly a year, but this was inevitable.

 

[SmilinBob]

It took nearly a year, but this was inevitable.

So is the future breakup. Hey, I'm not proud of what I've done.

 

[Power Player]

Bob, nice stuff. For the record the yonex tour G can give you a high trajectory, it really matters your grip and how you like to swing.

I played a guy who hates loopers to his backhand so I just got a little more towards western and am able to achieve rather high net clearance this way. The kick off the bounce is excellent considering the pattern.

Its a really versatile racquet for me.

Agree with your findings on the Tec. I leaded 5 grams at 12 and then weighted the handle on mine to get the balance better.

Those are 2 sticks that simply take weeks of demo time to really unlock the potential.

 

[SmilinBob]

Bob, nice stuff. For the record the yonex tour G can give you a high trajectory, it really matters your grip and how you like to swing.

I played a guy who hates loopers to his backhand so I just got a little more towards western and am able to achieve rather high net clearance this way. The kick off the bounce is excellent considering the pattern.

Its a really versatile racquet for me.

Agree with your findings on the Tec. I leaded 5 grams at 12 and then weighted the handle on mine to get the balance better.

Those are 2 sticks that simply take weeks of demo time to really unlock the potential.

Have you hit the 310 yet? I saw in the other Tour G thread you were going to pick one up. For it's weight, it felt really solid and I did like the thinner beam and softer flex. It felt beefier than its weight suggested, at least to me. Some have said it feels like a polarized racquet, but I actually felt quite the opposite, like it had some mass in the lower hoop/throat.

As far as trajectory, I am a pretty flat hitter by today's standards, going semi-western on my forehand and the reverse on my backhand, but neither is all that extreme. I'd bet just changing the strings in the Tour G would give it a little more personality on the ball flight. I hit it with 16g Yonex 850 in it. I've generally preferred 17g strings as I'm an S & V'er and I don't break strings too often, my only shift away from that being what's in my Graphene Speed MP at the moment, which is 16g Tonic gut in the mains, just so they don't get sawed through too fast.

 

[spinovic]

Remind me - You went from the Blade 104 to what? I'm still debating giving the 104 a try.

I would also recommend trying the 104. I got one for my wife and I really like it. It is right up there among my favorites to play with. Easy to use, feels great, forgiving.

 

[Power Player]

Bob, I will probably get a 310 in a month or so. I really like the 330 a lot. There is no grail, but this raquet is basically a bit easier to use than my Tec, and thats what I was looking for.

 

[JackB1]

Bob, I will probably get a 310 in a month or so. I really like the 330 a lot. There is no grail, but this raquet is basically a bit easier to use than my Tec, and thats what I was looking for.

I u really like the 330, why get a 310?

 

[Power Player]

I u really like the 330, why get a 310?

Because i really like the frame, am getting another 330 plus a 310 that i want to tweak a little. Not very confusing

 

[SpinToWin]

Because i really like the frame, am getting another 330 plus a 310 that i want to tweak a little. Not very confusing

ahhh do you want to experiment with polarization and depolarization on the frame? If yes, I'd be much obliged for any feedback once you do so and try out

 

[Power Player]

ahhh do you want to experiment with polarization and depolarization on the frame? If yes, I'd be much obliged for any feedback once you do so and try out

Exactly. I think it could worth having some fun with. I am sold on the frame so it's not a huge loss for me to send it back for another 330. I'd get the 310 up to 340 grams with some lead in the tip and see how it goes.

 

[SmilinBob]

I think you'll have some fun w/ the 310 PP. If the Yonex reacts to lead anything like the Speed Graphene MP, I might encourage you to try lead at 3 & 9 to start to see if it ups the spin a little. I still think it feels incredibly solid for its weight.

 

[Power Player]

Nice, Im thinking 2 and 10. The 330 has some serious power. I love it. Not a lot of pop, but the power level is bludgeoning.

What I am noticing is the spin I can generate is really messing with weaker players and helping me get easier wins without using too much energy. So I'm interested in if the 310 gets me even more of that due to the lighter weight. Ill mess with it about 10 grams or so lighter than the 330 and see. If not, whatever, I gave i a shot. Its just cool when you can buy the EXACT same frame at a different weight and have options.

 

[jackcrawford]

Have you hit the 310 yet? I saw in the other Tour G thread you were going to pick one up. For it's weight, it felt really solid and I did like the thinner beam and softer flex. It felt beefier than its weight suggested, at least to me. Some have said it feels like a polarized racquet, but I actually felt quite the opposite, like it had some mass in the lower hoop/throat.

Big time - I like the 310 and love the 330, but they are not polarized at all - lots of mass in the lower hoop/throat, it works really well on these frames.

 

[SmilinBob]

Graphene Speed MP Update

A quick update on the Graphene Speed MP...

I'm still finding that the Speed MP is a racquet that has Multiple Personality Disorder and I've had a heck of a time getting it dialed in. I've tried a number of different strings and have re-weighted it several times over with enough lead to sink a battleship. My current setup with it is 3 grams of lead at 12 o'clock strung with Babolat Tonic 16 gauge natural gut in the mains at 56 pounds and Luxilon 4G 17 gauge poly in the crosses at 52 pounds.

I'll tell you the combo of natural gut mains/smooth poly crosses in the Speed MP makes for some pretty wicked spin given how open the string pattern is and it definitely ups the control of the frame. I'm not sure if it's the materials they use in the frame or how they've distributed the weight though, but for some reason any stiffness in the stringbed is immediately felt on off-center shots. When struck pure it's pretty heavenly, but when off, it starts to feel pretty harsh, and yes, that's even with natty gut mains. I'm sure part of that is due to the 4G crosses, but since I'm not much of a string breaker, it's tough to want to use a poly that will die so much faster than the gut, and I don't do my own stringing.

When I move the weight around more towards 3 and 9 it helps the stability but saps a lot off my serve. I've tried a number of different combos on 3 and 9, 2 and 10, 12 and 6, and just about every variation thereof and just can't seem to find something that gives me the feel I'm after on serve and maintain playability around the court. To it's credit, I've found that it really isn't a string sensitive frame, at least for me, and I've had a number of different multis and have hit it with a few different hybrids, all playing pretty well. That's different than my experience with a racquet like the Blade 98 16x19 which played fantastic with a hybrid and terrible with a full bed of multi.

There's an excellent racquet in the Graphene Speed MP just trying to get out.

 

[SmilinBob]

Wilson Juice Pro Update

So now that I've sobered up and have two matching Juice Pros in my bag, I figured it was time to hit the court and see how they played. I had them both strung with a full bed of Dunlop Hexy Fiber 17 gauge at 54 pounds on a Babolat Star 5 constant pull machine.

Groundstrokes:

The Juice Pro remains to me one of the easiest racquets to hit deep, penetrating ground strokes. The racquet just crushes the ball and really let me play offensively from the baseline. It was still a pretty beefy stick though, and getting it around took plenty of early preparation and my timing was a little off to start. Once I got the club moving though, it just went right through the ball. Slices were awesome, without any float and some nice skid. Tight angles were hard to come by though as the high swingweight made it difficult to really whip the racquet around.

Volleys:

The Juice Pro played much softer than its RA would suggest and feel off volleys was pretty good. Deep punch volleys were excellent and little shoestring pickup half-volleys were pretty good too, as the weight of the racquet did most of the work. I did find it wasn't that maneuverable though, and I noticed it most when having to quickly chase down a few well-placed topspin lobs. It was tough to get the racquet up on the ball quickly.

Serves:

The gold star for serves still goes to the Juice Pro. The extra 1/4" length, while tiny, is noticeable and gives the feeling of hitting down into the court. I was bombing away with first serves with my best success up the T, however I was moving the ball around out wide as well.

Second serves weren't bad, but much like my earlier demos, it became a lot of racquet to move around after while. I was getting some good kick off the court and my serves were staying pretty deep in the box.

Serve Returns:

The Juice Pro played pretty well for my chip/block return game, however I noticed more this time (against a better player) that reacting quickly for a reaching serve or taking a more aggressive cut at a weak serve was difficult as it is just a lot of racquet to move around. As long as I played conservative on the returns and/or simply got the racquet on the ball I could keep them deep, however going after the ball or chasing a good serve was much more difficult.

Overall:

I do slightly regret my purchase, however I managed two frames for half the price of what a single frame was going for originally, so it really wasn't much of an investment. While still a serving cannon, it is a LOT of racquet to move around. If anything though, it probably forces better technique and preparation so it's something I might use regularly when working on my game but less so in matches.

 

[SmilinBob]

Wilson Pro Staff 95S Update

I took the day off on Friday with nothing in particular on the agenda until I received an email from the local pro shop that they were having a fantastic Memorial Day Weekend sale on all their frames. Well, that was enough for me so off I went. I picked up two frames that weighed in identically and to spec and had them strung with Prince Premier Control 15g (1.40mm) mains at 59 pounds and Head Sonic Pro 16g poly crosses at 55 pounds on a Babolat Star 5 constant pull machine. I leaded up the racquets at roughly 9:30 and 2:30 with three grams in each spot bringing the total weight to somewhere around 11.8 ounces, balance to about 4.5HL, and swingweight up to 319.

Groundstrokes:

While by today's standards I am certainly a flatter ball hitter, the extra spin off the 95S is simply addictive. I had a few shots I was certain were headed long dip in for outright winners. The Pro Staff 95S had fantastic directional control and I felt like I could stay on the gas, especially on my newly converted one-handed backhand. The Pro Staff 95S really needed the lead to get the power, but the frame took lead like a champion, unlike the Graphene Speed MP, which is neurotic with lead in the hoop. The 95S really opened up the angled shots for me as well, as the spin could get the ball down before crossing the sidelines. It made the court my opponent had to cover significantly larger.

Volleys:

Unlike the Steam 99S, which I found to be a little unpredictable at the net with the really open pattern, the 95S was fantastic and might be one of the top two or three volleying racquets I've hit. Directional control was precise, deep volleys (with lead in the hoop) were crisp, and touch volleys were downright wicked. I managed to catch one half-volley that was headed past me with kind of a stabbing swing and the spin on the ball stopped it dead when it bounced on the other side of the net. My opponent shook his head and laughed. The feel off the frame and string bed was downright sublime.

Serves:

My only complaint with the Pro Staff 95S is that I wasn't hitting my first serves with the same kind of pace as many of the other racquets I've hit, even with lead in the hoop. Despite that, I had great control and was really able to swing serves wide to the ad court (lefty). The kicker into the body with the 95S became a true weapon, especially combined with a traditional slicer in the same direction as one would jump up and in, with the other swinging away. While I would really like a little more pace, the spin made up for it.

Second serves, when I got them deep enough in the box, were, well, awesome. Hitting kickers into the box all but guaranteed my opponent would be playing a ball at least shoulder to ear high, if not higher. I even managed a few second serve aces by swinging the ball out wide or spinning it up the T. I did leave a few short in the box which let my opponent take a few steps back and get the ball in his strike zone, and he hit several amazing passing shot returns. I actually dropped several breaks. I will need to spend a little more time with the frame and possibly add just a hint more lead at the tip to get a little more depth on the serve.

Serve Returns:

With lead in the upper end of the hoop, the 95S is quite simply the best return racquet I've ever played with. I was finding enough mass that my chip/block returns were effective, but I could also be aggressive on second serves and still had great control. The spin off the string bed was fantastic, and I even managed not one but two drop-shot return winners from the baseline, which I'm not sure I've ever done twice in one match. In the first full match I played with the 95S and managed to break all but three service games which is off the charts for me.

Overall:

The Pro Staff 95S is to-date the best frame I've hit. The blend of control and power (when leaded) is downright amazing and the spin from the open pattern really let me stay on the gas, opened up the angles, and didn't give up any control. Unlike some of the other open pattern frames, response off the string bed was very predictable and felt very forgiving. Even with thick multi mains, a poly cross in the 95S almost feels like cheating with great all-court performance. Fantastic frame.

 

[SpinToWin]

I took the day off on Friday with nothing in particular on the agenda until I received an email from the local pro shop that they were having a fantastic Memorial Day Weekend sale on all their frames. Well, that was enough for me so off I went. I picked up two frames that weighed in identically and to spec and had them strung with Prince Premier Control 15g (1.40mm) mains at 59 pounds and Head Sonic Pro 16g poly crosses at 55 pounds on a Babolat Star 5 constant pull machine. I leaded up the racquets at roughly 9:30 and 2:30 with three grams in each spot bringing the total weight to somewhere around 11.8 ounces, balance to about 4.5HL, and swingweight up to 319.

Groundstrokes:

While by today's standards I am certainly a flatter ball hitter, the extra spin off the 95S is simply addictive. I had a few shots I was certain were headed long dip in for outright winners. The Pro Staff 95S had fantastic directional control and I felt like I could stay on the gas, especially on my newly converted one-handed backhand. The Pro Staff 95S really needed the lead to get the power, but the frame took lead like a champion, unlike the Graphene Speed MP, which is neurotic with lead in the hoop. The 95S really opened up the angled shots for me as well, as the spin could get the ball down before crossing the sidelines. It made the court my opponent had to cover significantly larger.

Volleys:

Unlike the Steam 99S, which I found to be a little unpredictable at the net with the really open pattern, the 95S was fantastic and might be one of the top two or three volleying racquets I've hit. Directional control was precise, deep volleys (with lead in the hoop) were crisp, and touch volleys were downright wicked. I managed to catch one half-volley that was headed past me with kind of a stabbing swing and the spin on the ball stopped it dead when it bounced on the other side of the net. My opponent shook his head and laughed. The feel off the frame and string bed was downright sublime.

Serves:

My only complaint with the Pro Staff 95S is that I wasn't hitting my first serves with the same kind of pace as many of the other racquets I've hit, even with lead in the hoop. Despite that, I had great control and was really able to swing serves wide to the ad court (lefty). The kicker into the body with the 95S became a true weapon, especially combined with a traditional slicer in the same direction as one would jump up and in, with the other swinging away. While I would really like a little more pace, the spin made up for it.

Second serves, when I got them deep enough in the box, were, well, awesome. Hitting kickers into the box all but guaranteed my opponent would be playing a ball at least shoulder to ear high, if not higher. I even managed a few second serve aces by swinging the ball out wide or spinning it up the T. I did leave a few short in the box which let my opponent take a few steps back and get the ball in his strike zone, and he hit several amazing passing shot returns. I actually dropped several breaks. I will need to spend a little more time with the frame and possibly add just a hint more lead at the tip to get a little more depth on the serve.

Serve Returns:

With lead in the upper end of the hoop, the 95S is quite simply the best return racquet I've ever played with. I was finding enough mass that my chip/block returns were effective, but I could also be aggressive on second serves and still had great control. The spin off the string bed was fantastic, and I even managed not one but two drop-shot return winners from the baseline, which I'm not sure I've ever done twice in one match. In the first full match I played with the 95S and managed to break all but three service games which is off the charts for me.

Overall:

The Pro Staff 95S is to-date the best frame I've hit. The blend of control and power (when leaded) is downright amazing and the spin from the open pattern really let me stay on the gas, opened up the angles, and didn't give up any control. Unlike some of the other open pattern frames, response off the string bed was very predictable and felt very forgiving. Even with thick multi mains, a poly cross in the 95S almost feels like cheating with great all-court performance. Fantastic frame.

your experience with the 95S sounds like my experience with the regular 95 :lol: Glad you like it!

 

[thejuice]

Hey Bob, how did you get your lead to stay on the frame? I agree the 95S is a beast with lead but it won't stay on for me.