Steam 99S - Similar Racquets?

TripleB

TripleB

Hall of Fame
Which racquets, currently available, play similar to the Wilson Steam 99S?

I got a little frustrated with my play a couple weeks ago so I pulled out my POG Mid and started hitting with it again. Since then my partner and I have been on a 5 match winning streak (mainly due to his incredible play, especially at net covering up my horrible serving, some pretty good backhands by me, and then the rest of the time me being smart enough to stay out of his way).

So, being the demomaniac that I am, I ordered the Prince Classic Graphite 100, hoping for something the most similar to my POG Mid but with a larger head for more success at net and some much needed help on my pathetic serving with the POG Mid.

Looking for 3 more demos to fill out the order I went with the Yonex VCore Tour 97 310 and Yonex Ezone Ai 98 (both a bit larger and lighter than my POG Mid). For a 4th demo I really didn't haven anything else I wanted to try so I threw in the Wilson Steam 99S just because my game is so reliant on spin...not expecting to like this racquet at all---too stiff, low rating from TW on volleys/touch/feel/control, and a 333 swingweight....and nothing like a larger POG Mid.

Yes, the touch/feel with the Steam 99S leaves a good bit to be desired, but overall I'm really liking this racquet. My first serves (and second serves for that matter) are much improved over my POG Mid, yes the topspin in incredible, and power is there on demand. But the three areas that really surprised me with this racquet are: 1) how solid this racquet feels (especially noticeable at net and when blocking back fast serves/shots); 2) how well I hit flat and powerful shots with this racquet (nice, low, hard...probably the best flat shots I've hit in years)...a pleasant surprise to hit flat shots so well with a 'spin' racquet; and 3) the control...it didn't get high marks from T-W in control but overall I'm impressed by the control of this racquet.

I know, just the first day, which included and hour of hitting my 7 year old son, 2 hours of singles hitting (including one 'take it easy' set), and 2 sets (about 70 minutes) of doubles. We'll see how well it does tonight in league without my normal partner.

Thanks for any advice on a similar racquet.

TripleB
 
I can't think of much that would be similar… The Juice 100 S maybe. Otherwise perhaps the Prince Warrior ESP… I don't think you'll find much that plays similar.

I will warn you though, most people I have spoken with that have played the spin effect racquets for longer periods of time rave about them at first due to the completely different response, but as they get used to them, they really begin to notice the downsides of such extreme string patterns more and more. Before considering switching, test it for a longer period of time (1-2 months).
 
SpinToWin said:
I can't think of much that would be similar… The Juice 100 S maybe. Otherwise perhaps the Prince Warrior ESP… I don't think you'll find much that plays similar.

I will warn you though, most people I have spoken with that have played the spin effect racquets for longer periods of time rave about them at first due to the completely different response, but as they get used to them, they really begin to notice the downsides of such extreme string patterns more and more. Before considering switching, test it for a longer period of time (1-2 months).
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I've had my Prince Tour 100T ESP for almost 6 months now. The idea of testing for 1-2 months is a good one. I knew from day 1 it was for me though.
 
TripleB said:
But the three areas that really surprised me with this racquet are: 1) how solid this racquet feels (especially noticeable at net and when blocking back fast serves/shots); 2) how well I hit flat and powerful shots with this racquet (nice, low, hard...probably the best flat shots I've hit in years)...a pleasant surprise to hit flat shots so well with a 'spin' racquet; and 3) the control...it didn't get high marks from T-W in control but overall I'm impressed by the control of this racquet.
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Have you hit the Blade 98 16x19? It hits all three of these marks very well. At least it did when I hit it. I found it played great with a hybrid and merely OK with a full bed of Wilson Sensation (a string I don't like.)

At the very least it's worth a demo.
 
I used SET frames for 6+ months. (Namely the 99S) I haven't found anything that is similar outside the Pure Drive Plus, which I think gives better performance on serve, at the cost of being a bit less comfortable. It's kind of a harsh ride for many, but I like it a fair amount more.

-Fuji
 
SpinToWin said:
Before considering switching, test it for a longer period of time (1-2 months).
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I wish I could get an extended (1-2 month) demo with this racquet. If I would have been able to do that with several racquets over the past 15 years I probably wouldn't have bought half the racquets I did. Maybe T-W will come up with a 7 week Demo Program instead of a 7 day Demo Program :)

mikeler said:
I've had my Prince Tour 100T ESP for almost 6 months now. The idea of testing for 1-2 months is a good one. I knew from day 1 it was for me though.
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How does this racquet 'feel' in play? I've gotten where I like a crisp feeling to my racquets and post of the 'port' racquets I've tried from Prince lack that crisp feel.

SmilinBob said:
Have you hit the Blade 98 16x19? It hits all three of these marks very well.
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I have not...although I should. I loved the BLX Blade 98 and it had 18 mains. I think the only 1 point headlight and the 331 swingweight turned me off to this racquet - but, the Steam 99S has a 333 swingweight so that's no longer a good indicator or what racquet I might like.

Fuji said:
I haven't found anything that is similar outside the Pure Drive Plus, which I think gives better performance on serve, at the cost of being a bit less comfortable. It's kind of a harsh ride for many, but I like it a fair amount more.

-Fuji
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Have tried the standard and the Roddick Pure Drives but never the Plus. Something about the 99S (maybe it's the swingweight) makes it feel like a longbody.

Thanks for everyone's input and advice!

TripleB
 
I played with it for months and eventually moved to the Juice 100s. Much more relaxed a racquet, higher power, more forgiving. You should try it before you settle. Note: tension on the J100s is 10lbs higher than on my 99s and still hits bigger.
 
TripleB said:
1:I wish I could get an extended (1-2 month) demo with this racquet. If I would have been able to do that with several racquets over the past 15 years I probably wouldn't have bought half the racquets I did. Maybe T-W will come up with a 7 week Demo Program instead of a 7 day Demo Program :)



2:How does this racquet 'feel' in play? I've gotten where I like a crisp feeling to my racquets and post of the 'port' racquets I've tried from Prince lack that crisp feel.
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1: Go to a local tennis shop, they usually allow long demos for a fee.

2: The Tour 100 ESP is very plush. It will not be crisp or stiff. I recommended the Juice 100S and the Warrior ESP for that reason. The difference in stiffness is nearly 10 points if that's an indication. Some play with such racquets just fine, but others call them noodles. If you like the Steam 99S, I doubt you'll like the ultra plush Tour 100 ESP.
 
SpinToWin said:
1: Go to a local tennis shop, they usually allow long demos for a fee.

2: The Tour 100 ESP is very plush. It will not be crisp or stiff. I recommended the Juice 100S and the Warrior ESP for that reason. The difference in stiffness is nearly 10 points if that's an indication. Some play with such racquets just fine, but others call them noodles. If you like the Steam 99S, I doubt you'll like the ultra plush Tour 100 ESP.
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Good description of the Tour 100 ESP. It is so plush that I can use full poly in it with no arm issues.
 
TripleB said:
I wish I could get an extended (1-2 month) demo with this racquet. If I would have been able to do that with several racquets over the past 15 years I probably wouldn't have bought half the racquets I did. Maybe T-W will come up with a 7 week Demo Program instead of a 7 day Demo Program :)



How does this racquet 'feel' in play? I've gotten where I like a crisp feeling to my racquets and post of the 'port' racquets I've tried from Prince lack that crisp feel.



I have not...although I should. I loved the BLX Blade 98 and it had 18 mains. I think the only 1 point headlight and the 331 swingweight turned me off to this racquet - but, the Steam 99S has a 333 swingweight so that's no longer a good indicator or what racquet I might like.



Have tried the standard and the Roddick Pure Drives but never the Plus. Something about the 99S (maybe it's the swingweight) makes it feel like a longbody.

Thanks for everyone's input and advice!

TripleB
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No worries! Yeah I used to use the PD and than the PDR+. The regular plus just fills the niche nicely with a bit more SW. When it was all said and done, near my end stint with the 99S, I had 20g of tac in the handle, and about 10g of lead right at noon. Added a bit more plow on the ball, and changed my ball to be a bit more penetrating. The 99S definitely takes mods well if that's a route you're willing to go down.

-Fuji
 
Three recommendations: Juice 100S, juice 100L, and Steam 99LS. Juice 100S is my current racquet of choice. I got addicted to the power of the Juice 100L (older version), but couldn't get the balance exactly right by tweaking it. Add a leather grip with some lead under the grip and you have similar specs to the Steam 99S. Juice 100L has a different string spacing than standard Juice and hits with 98% as much spin as Juice 100S.

Juice 100LS is horrible stock, but it's great if you add about 16g to the handle (leather grip and over grip) and about 15g of lead to the hoop distributed from 9 to noon to 3. Brings swing weight up to about 328. Hits better than standard Steam due to softer flex.

ProlineX at 53 is about perfect in Juice 100L. I'm using Baseline 15L in the Juice 100S at 58. Tempers the power and have about 7 hours on the strings. Looks like I will get around 12 hours out of it which is great for a spin frame.
 
The Prince Tour 100T ESP is a good racquet. I liked it better than the EXO3 Tour 100 16x18, but it's still a bit too soft for a lot of players. I picked the Tour 98 ESP. It was more crisp and had a more traditional feel.
 
Had a chance to play with the Steam 99S in a league match last night and overall played very well with it.

Standout Positives: 1) Serves: good pop, excellent spin, very good control (0 double faults for probably the first time in years), held serve easily every time, very few balls were returned 'with authority'; 2) Put Away Volleys: amazingly solid feel, excellent pop, great directional and depth control; 3) Flat Groundstrokes: perfect amount of pop, great control, super solid feel; and 4) Solid Feel: groundstrokes or volleys, this is an extremely solid feeling racquet

Areas That Need Work: 1) Touch Volleys: with stiffness and power this was expected, not as bad as I thought though, just struggled a bit when trying to barely drop a volley over the net; and 2) Returns: they got better as the night went on but to start with I struggled keeping my backhand slice as low as I do with my POG Mid

Overall, still really liking this racquet a lot. Definitely have several others (the ones you mentioned) I would like to compare it to.

As far as other racquets I've got with the 99S:
- Yonex VCore 97 310...too low powered for me
- Yonex EZone Ai 98...just didn't find the control I was hoping for with this racquet (although it is strung with a multi while the other demos are poly) and even though it comes in as pretty headlight it seems very slow in play
- Prince Classic Graphite 100...not quite enough power and it seems to flexy (of course compared to the 99S this is expected)

For those of you who have used the 99S: do all polys move as the Luxilon 4G strings in this demo?

TripleB
 
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TripleB said:
Had a chance to play with the Steam 99S in a league match last night and overall played very well with it.

Standout Positives: 1) Serves: good pop, excellent spin, very good control (0 double faults for probably the first time in years), held serve easily every time, very few balls were returned 'with authority'; 2) Put Away Volleys: amazingly solid feel, excellent pop, great directional and depth control; 3) Flat Groundstrokes: perfect amount of pop, great control, super solid feel; and 4) Solid Feel: groundstrokes or volleys, this is an extremely solid feeling racquet

Areas That Need Work: 1) Touch Volleys: with stiffness and power this was expected, not as bad as I thought though, just struggled a bit when trying to barely drop a volley over the net; and 2) Returns: they got better as the night went on but to start with I struggled keeping my backhand slice as low as I do with my POG Mid

Overall, still really liking this racquet a lot. Definitely have several others (the ones you mentioned) I would like to compare it to.

As far as other racquets I've got with the 99S:
- Yonex VCore 97 310...too low powered for me
- Yonex EZone Ai 98...just didn't find the control I was hoping for with this racquet (although it is strung with a multi while the other demos are poly) and even though it comes in as pretty headlight it seems very slow in play
- Prince Classic Graphite 100...not quite enough power and it seems to flexy (of course compared to the 99S this is expected)

For those of you who have used the 99S: do all polys move as much as what's in this demo? (have no clue what's in the demo...no name and is medium/dark tan color...possibly Luxilon 4G)

TripleB
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Only when they are dead, because brand new polys move THEN snap back. If you are a big hitting 5.0+ they will be moving a lot (and very soon thereafter broken) in about 5 hours of play. If you are a soft hitting rarely playing 3.0 the poly will be moving a huge amount by the end of the month.
 
GoudX said:
Only when they are dead, because brand new polys move THEN snap back. If you are a big hitting 5.0+ they will be moving a lot (and very soon thereafter broken) in about 5 hours of play. If you are a soft hitting rarely playing 3.0 the poly will be moving a huge amount by the end of the month.
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Some of the best polys resistant to movement do start to stray out of place at that 5 hour mark but nothing major.


Boricua said:
Did you demo the Prince Tour 16x18? If si how does ir compate with the ESP model?
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I have not tried it, not really interested in doing so since I'm loving the ESPs.
 
mikeler said:
Some of the best polys resistant to movement do start to stray out of place at that 5 hour mark but nothing major.




I have not tried it, not really interested in doing so since I'm loving the ESPs.
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Did you put lead un your ESP to ncrease the swingweight? Its only 301 stock. And are you getting good control with the 16 x 16? I got too much power from the Steam 99s but maybe the ESP has better control. I bought the Tour 16 x 18 that will get to me tomorrow but this ESP looks rather interesting.
 
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mikeler's comments seem about right for movement in these frames. A really slick poly like Prince Tour xc takes about 8-9 hours before it won't snap back effectively for me in one of these frames. Baseline 15L has started to not move all of the way back at around 6 hours and is still very playable at 8.5 hours-- but it was pretty dead and stiff to begin with.

The real achilles heel of these racquets is stringing expense if you don't string your own. I'm personally not a fan of any of the Luxilon strings. I tend to prefer Kirschbaum. I am trying to find availability of Super Smash Spike in 1.35mm but no luck yet. That string in 1.20 lasted about 10 hours in a very open pattern 16x19. I have not had good luck with durability of Ripspin. I snapped it very early.

A friend of mine is getting some of the RAB poly which is supposed to have a lubricated coating. It may be a good fit for these frames as well. I can send you a set of Baseline 15L if you like.
 
KYHacker said:
The real achilles heel of these racquets is stringing expense if you don't string your own. I'm personally not a fan of any of the Luxilon strings. I tend to prefer Kirschbaum. I am trying to find availability of Super Smash Spike in 1.35mm but no luck yet. That string in 1.20 lasted about 10 hours in a very open pattern 16x19. I have not had good luck with durability of Ripspin. I snapped it very early.
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I have easy access to the string in 1.30, 1.325 and 1.35, but I guess that's because I live in Germany :-P
What can I say, Google is your friend ;) I'm sure you'll find some helpful result with the all-knowing search engine :lol:
 
Boricua said:
Did you put lead un your ESP to ncrease the swingweight? Its only 301 stock. And are you getting good control with the 16 x 16? I got too much power from the Steam 99s but maybe the ESP has better control. I bought the Tour 16 x 18 that will get to me tomorrow but this ESP looks rather interesting.
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No lead, I'm playing with it at stock weight. The thicker 15g poly strings add a little more weight to it. Control is good with the frame.


KYHacker said:
mikeler's comments seem about right for movement in these frames. A really slick poly like Prince Tour xc takes about 8-9 hours before it won't snap back effectively for me in one of these frames. Baseline 15L has started to not move all of the way back at around 6 hours and is still very playable at 8.5 hours-- but it was pretty dead and stiff to begin with.

The real achilles heel of these racquets is stringing expense if you don't string your own. I'm personally not a fan of any of the Luxilon strings. I tend to prefer Kirschbaum. I am trying to find availability of Super Smash Spike in 1.35mm but no luck yet. That string in 1.20 lasted about 10 hours in a very open pattern 16x19. I have not had good luck with durability of Ripspin. I snapped it very early.

A friend of mine is getting some of the RAB poly which is supposed to have a lubricated coating. It may be a good fit for these frames as well. I can send you a set of Baseline 15L if you like.
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I just heard about that RAB poly this week but I don't know anything about it.
 
mikeler said:
No lead, I'm playing with it at stock weight. The thicker 15g poly strings add a little more weight to it. Control is good with the frame.




I just heard about that RAB poly this week but I don't know anything about it.
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Interesting. I remember you used in the past a heavy Pro Kennex racket. You find the ESP stable? I am having second thoughts on my Tour 16 18 purchase
 
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mikeler said:
Yes. Probably German so you can just walk across the street and pick some up at the factory. :)
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just checked it up…

RAB Enterprises
Rexon Meadows
Broadwoodwidger
Lifton, Devon
PL16 OJJ
UK
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not quite german ;)

I found a german company called OEHMS though (no idea what kinda cluster**** that is, but maybe I'll check it out, seems to be relatively cheap).
 
TW sells RAB for $6 a set and I think it been out for about 6 years. It's under The Alpha strings section. A friend of mine is a string nerd and mentioned it. I plan to try it when I restring my Juice 100S, but I have been pretty happy with Baseline 15L. For $6, RAB is worth trying. I am allergic to any string that costs more than $10 a set.
 
Has anyone tried Cyclone, RPM Blast, or Tour Bite 16g in the Steam 99S (or Juice 100S)? If so, how did they play and how long did they last?

Currently my three favorite set ups are Cyclone, Tour Bite, or RPM Blast mains with Gosen OG Sheep Super 16L crosses. Obviously I wouldn't be using the same gauges (1.20mm) I use now with either S model.

TripleB
 
TripleB said:
Has anyone tried Cyclone, RPM Blast, or Tour Bite 16g in the Steam 99S (or Juice 100S)? If so, how did they play and how long did they last?

Currently my three favorite set ups are Cyclone, Tour Bite, or RPM Blast mains with Gosen OG Sheep Super 16L crosses. Obviously I wouldn't be using the same gauges (1.20mm) I use now with either S model.

TripleB
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I tried RPM. I got less life than my normal set up of Snakebite, but it was alright. I felt as though RPM was almost "too" slick. Like it slid ridiculously well, but it just put extra wear on the string and didn't really "grab" the ball all that well. The ball kind of just skidded off the string bed and really didn't do anything that great.

-Fuji
 
I tried tour bite 16 on prince 100t ESP 16X16,at 57lbs. It perform GREAT.but after 6 hours if start moving and goes a little dead(still playable though).
But for the first 6 hours is really INSANE spin,control and power on a ESP/SET racquet.
Beside of that,anyone worried about string breaking on those frames should try iontec salmon 1.35mm. Mikeler managed to break the 1.30mm version(on same prince esp 16x16 of mine) within 4 hours if I remember,but I cannot break the 1.35mm after 10 hours of play.and, incredibly, it still plays sufficiently good,not moving from position!just losing some spin,power and control,but still playable. I play with heavy spin,maybe I just shank less than mikeler.
So, at the end,if you are not a heavy string breaker you can go well with 1.35mm iontec on those super open pattern frames. Tb 16 for best performances but less durability.
 
Bhairava said:
I tried tour bite 16 on prince 100t ESP 16X16,at 57lbs. It perform GREAT.but after 6 hours if start moving and goes a little dead(still playable though).
But for the first 6 hours is really INSANE spin,control and power on a ESP/SET racquet.
Beside of that,anyone worried about string breaking on those frames should try iontec salmon 1.35mm. Mikeler managed to break the 1.30mm version(on same prince esp 16x16 of mine) within 4 hours if I remember,but I cannot break the 1.35mm after 10 hours of play.and, incredibly, it still plays sufficiently good,not moving from position!just losing some spin,power and control,but still playable. I play with heavy spin,maybe I just shank less than mikeler.
So, at the end,if you are not a heavy string breaker you can go well with 1.35mm iontec on those super open pattern frames. Tb 16 for best performances but less durability.
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Yeah Cyclone was great but only lasted about 4 hours. Cyclone Tour has lasted quite a bit longer but the magic seems to be gone from the string around the 6 hour mark.
 
mikeler said:
Yeah Cyclone was great but only lasted about 4 hours. Cyclone Tour has lasted quite a bit longer but the magic seems to be gone from the string around the 6 hour mark.
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Wow...I guess the Spin Effect racquets really take their toll on string playability and durability.

Had a league doubles match tonight on clay against a couple guys that were bumped down from 4.5 last year. Warmed up with the 99S but the balls really seemed to be flying. I decided to play with my old stand by (POG Mid).

It was strange to see exactly how the POG Mid compares with the Steam 99S:

Really missed the power the 99S gives me on groundies and serves, net play was somewhat troublesome with the POG Mid (much better touch at net but volleys were a lot less solid and it was very difficult to put the ball away with the POG Mid); missed the consistency on serve with the 99S as well (had probably 6 double faults with the POG Mid while I had zero the other night with the 99S).

So, you're asking yourself why did I play with the POG Mid with all the great attributes of the 99S:

2 main reasons: 1) the dipper at my opponents feet with heavy topspin was much easier with the POG Mid (probably because I've used it for years in the past), and 2) overall I believed I would be much more consistent (especially on my returns) with my POG Mid

Results: we won 6-4, 6-7 (6), 11-9 in the 3rd set tiebreaker

Thinking about ordering the Steam 99S demo again along with the Steam 99, and then maybe the Juice 100S and then a 4th (possibilities: Juice 100, one of the Blades, Extreme MP 2.0, or maybe one of the Pure Drives)

TripleB
 
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TripleB said:
Thinking about ordering the Steam 99S demo again along with the Steam 99, and then maybe the Juice 100S and then a 4th (possibilities: Juice 100, one of the Blades, Extreme MP 2.0, or maybe one of the Pure Drives)

TripleB
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I've hit just about everything on your list, save the Juice 100 for the Juice Pro (which is no longer available). The Extreme 2.0 is the thunderstick of the bunch and was surprisingly comfortable for the RA flex. The head shape is a bit odd though - Much rounder. The Blade 16x19 is pretty solid and if you are OK with poly in the crosses, you'll get plenty of power and control. As for the Pure Drives, I gotta say I just don't like the feel of the Babolat racquets. Very tinny and hollow and with poly, a recipe for arm trouble. In fact, the one big surprise for me with the Steam 99S was how solid it felt.

I might also recommend the Graphene Speed MP. It's a pretty solid stick in it's own right and with a gut/poly combo, the spin is pretty insane. Not quite 99S level, but you get a lot more predictable response and control in return. It's a bit temperamental at least for me (I'm looking for a very particular feel and I'm a serve-and-volleyer) so it's taken me some time to get the right lead and string combo, a journey that continues.

If I were you, I'd go Blade 98S and/or 16x19, Speed MP, and maybe Extreme Pro 2.0, just so you can see what hitting a tennis ball with Thor's hammer is like.

After that, start logging time in the Racketholics thread. It's a disease you know.

Check out my reviews:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=464942
 
TripleB said:
Thinking about ordering the Steam 99S demo again along with the Steam 99, and then maybe the Juice 100S and then a 4th (possibilities: Juice 100, one of the Blades, Extreme MP 2.0, or maybe one of the Pure Drives)

TripleB
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I will admit that I am slightly confused that you liked the response of the POG Mid enough to switch to it when playing with the Steam 99S is a match and yet you are now looking at racquets that play a LOT like the Steam (some even more uncontrollable)…

If I was you I'd look for a compromise of the two. The Six.One 95S, the Pro Staff 95S (may need some customizing/lead in the hoop), the Blade 98S and the infamous Savage Banana (Prince Tour 98 ESP) look like good fits.
 
SmilinBob said:
As for the Pure Drives, I gotta say I just don't like the feel of the Babolat racquets. Very tinny and hollow and with poly, a recipe for arm trouble. In fact, the one big surprise for me with the Steam 99S was how solid it felt.

After that, start logging time in the Racketholics thread. It's a disease you know.

Check out my reviews:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=464942
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Yea, I tried the newest Pure Drive (twice) and newest Pure Drive Roddick and didn't find a great deal I liked about either one...thought now that I'm looking for more power and spin in that 11-11.5 oz range they might be worth another shot - although the sub 310 swingweight seems way to low to offer a solid feel with it's weight. Somebody mentioned the extended version of the PD but not sure about going to a longbody.

I hit with the Steam 99S and about 7 other racquets in the 11.2 to 11.7 ounce range and nothing matched the stability of the 99S - the Pure Strike 16x19 came close but didn't have power or spin of the 99S.

I appreciate the link and the reviews.

SpinToWin said:
I will admit that I am slightly confused that you liked the response of the POG Mid enough to switch to it when playing with the Steam 99S is a match and yet you are now looking at racquets that play a LOT like the Steam (some even more uncontrollable)…

If I was you I'd look for a compromise of the two. The Six.One 95S, the Pro Staff 95S (may need some customizing/lead in the hoop), the Blade 98S and the infamous Savage Banana (Prince Tour 98 ESP) look like good fits.
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I'll admit that I'm confused as well...but then again I'm not. The 99S seems to give me exactly what I'm missing with the POG Mid...powerful shots, confidence in my serves, and a solid feel at net. Last night the POG Mid just offered the confidence in control that I needed. Hit some singles today with the 99S and was really impressed by the control I was getting from it.

I have tried the Six.One 95S and struggled serving with this racquet and it seemed to lack a solid feel....two things that the 99S seem to excel at for me.

Thanks for the advice on other racquets to try.

TripleB
 
Pro Staff 95s, it doesn't have the power of the 99s, but it has more control, same amount of spin, and more plowthrough.
 
Got to hit with the 99S about 9 times (although twice was with my 7 year old son...who's pretty good for his age :) and once was just serving) this week and loved the racquet more each day.

The last time out a teaching pro asked me to come work with three of his players who are going to regionals this week...we went through some drills and I had a chance to really concentrate on the feel of the racquet since it wasn't a match situation.

Such incredible spin and so amazingly solid for it's weight (my demo was 11.2 ounces strung) - you can pull off every type of shot with this racquet with ease (except maybe the touch volley with a full poly set up). I guess the thing that surprised me was the control it offers in such a powerful, and wide opened string pattern, racquet.

Probably going to try it again in the future just to see if I still play as well with it the second time around.

TripleB
 
TripleB said:
Has anyone tried Cyclone, RPM Blast, or Tour Bite 16g in the Steam 99S (or Juice 100S)? If so, how did they play and how long did they last?

Currently my three favorite set ups are Cyclone, Tour Bite, or RPM Blast mains with Gosen OG Sheep Super 16L crosses. Obviously I wouldn't be using the same gauges (1.20mm) I use now with either S model.

TripleB
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I'm putting 16g Tour bite in my Juice 100s, just as soon as I've had another session or two and killed the ripspin that came in it.
 
SpinToWin said:
So you did get the Juice 100S! How are you liking it? :D
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I'm so busy with work that I have only had two short chances to hit with it. I'm going to do a first impression review in a bit, but what immediately jumps to mind is the strange combination of insane power with decent control (thanks to the awesome spin). I could never get along with the PDR as it caused me to miss-hit long non-stop, but even though this has the same amount of power (or more) I've found that so far I can rally fairly consistently with it. It also lets me hit the biggest flat serves I've ever hit by a good 5mph, there were two flat serves I hit when practising which hit which hit 5-6ft up the back wall (which is quite difficult when you aren't that tall), which I think were at least in the mid-high 120s. I am struggling a bit with the sluggishness of the movement so I might counterbalance it a little, but I've got to avoid putting too much weight on it or I'll start stressing my shoulder again!
 
GoudX said:
I'm so busy with work that I have only had two short chances to hit with it. I'm going to do a first impression review in a bit, but what immediately jumps to mind is the strange combination of insane power with decent control (thanks to the awesome spin). I could never get along with the PDR as it caused me to miss-hit long non-stop, but even though this has the same amount of power (or more) I've found that so far I can rally fairly consistently with it. It also lets me hit the biggest flat serves I've ever hit by a good 5mph, there were two flat serves I hit when practising which hit which hit 5-6ft up the back wall (which is quite difficult when you aren't that tall), which I think were at least in the mid-high 120s. I am struggling a bit with the sluggishness of the movement so I might counterbalance it a little, but I've got to avoid putting too much weight on it or I'll start stressing my shoulder again!
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sounds like my review of the pros of the racquet hit the spot 8)
 
GoudX said:
I am struggling a bit with the sluggishness of the movement so I might counterbalance it a little, but I've got to avoid putting too much weight on it or I'll start stressing my shoulder again!
Click to expand...

I added leather grips to my 99s' about a month ago. IMO improves tactile sense and the 10gm addition to the handle is perfect.
 
mikeler said:
I've had my Prince Tour 100T ESP for almost 6 months now. The idea of testing for 1-2 months is a good one. I knew from day 1 it was for me though.
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So are you still using this frame? Any idea on stringing tensions? DO you go pretty low? I use 48# of full poly in my 105S and not sure what tension I need to do in the 100T ESP I just picked up.

THanks
 
Goudx, I completely agree with your comments about the Juice100S. I constantly missed the put away down the line forehand long with the APD, PDR, and the Juice100L. I rarely miss that shot long with Juice100S. I added a leather grip and 10g of lead under the grip. 345g and 8pts HL. Just about perfect. Completely eliminated any remaining sluggishness.
 
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