stiffness ratings (wilson; i know we've done it before)

[tom-selleck]

sorry, i know we've done this general thread before, but this time i have some specific questions and new racquet choice.

here are the racquets i am looking at (in both cases 95 sq inches):

Wilson nCode nSix-One 95
Strung Weight: 12.2oz / 346g
Balance: 10pts Head Light
Swingweight: 330
Stiffness: 65

Wilson ProStaff 6.1 Classic
Strung Weight: 12.6oz / 357g
Balance: 11pts Head Light
Swingweight: 326
Stiffness: 72

anyhow, i read some people say the ncode 95 is too powerful, but it's pretty heavy and and has a low stiffness rating, whereas the prostaff 6.1 is supposed to be a very low powered racquet but it's very stiff.

i thought stiffness was huge factor in power.

BTW, i have demo'd ncode 6.1 and i didn't find it too powerful, but i want a racquet i can grow with and my demo periods are usually one day (hardly definitive so i wanted to get some people's insight on it).

what am i missing in the equations for power (weighting, mass, stiffness, size of head = any others)....

thanks in advance for any responses!

 

[tom-selleck]

sorry,

i also meant to ask the importance of stiffness.

i've read alot of basic stuff about stiffness... basically it seems stiffer racquets are more powerful, and less stiff are better on elbow and have more feel for the shot (and feel for volleying)... is that more or less correct? or is it much more complex than that??

 

[meh]

myself, i feel that the Ncode 6.1 plays a bit stiffer than it is rated. out of all of the 6.1 family, the Classic is by far the stiffest, but the HPS and the Ncode are very close together, despite the 3 point differential. As for power, the Ncode is only slightly more powerful than the Classic. Wilson has done a good job of retaining consistent playing abilities over the generations of the 6.1 (although the 0.2 oz weight drop trend is slightly alarming, especially if it continues to the next 6.1), and the Classic, because of the high stiffness & greater mass, remains close to the Ncode.

And regarding stiffness characteristics, yes, you are correct. A stiff racquet will bend less on impact, transferring more of the ball's initial velocity back than a flexible racquet. Stiff racquets may aggravate joint/elbow/shoulder injuries, while flexible racquets are easier on the body. And flexible racquets have more feel for the ball, while IMO stiff racquets are crisper & more responsive. If you don't have health issues, then the stiffness shouldn't be taken into too much consideration, unless you have a preference for the feel of a stiffer/flexier racquet.