asifallasleep
Hall of Fame
I started a similar thread about the K90 and since I occasionally use my PS88's I wonder how many people have stuck with this frame as their main stick.
Still Using the Wilson PS88 Club
- Thread starter asifallasleep
- Start date
roundiesee
Hall of Fame
Yes, I have both the K90 and the KPS88, and I still use them in singles play (normally just hitting up) and occasionally in doubles (the other day my team won unexpectedly 6-1 6-4 in 4.0 doubles, granted the opponents were not really playing to their usual level, ha ha). I think both rackets are very solid and its very difficult to find such rackets nowadays in a market overcrowded with tweeners. 
The KPS 88 is still my go-to racquet when I want to win. I'll play with the PS 6.0 85 when I'm out to have fun, but it's clear how ~25 years of racquet development has paid off in the 88.
I feel like the KPS 88 was designed to use modern co-poly strings. I love hitting heavy groundstrokes that clear the net by ~6 feet and kick back at my opponents. It may be a limitation to my technique, but I have a much harder time doing that with any other racquet, so the KPS 88 is here to stay.
I feel like the KPS 88 was designed to use modern co-poly strings. I love hitting heavy groundstrokes that clear the net by ~6 feet and kick back at my opponents. It may be a limitation to my technique, but I have a much harder time doing that with any other racquet, so the KPS 88 is here to stay.
roundiesee
Hall of Fame
Very interesting indeed
How much weight did you manage to lose using this ingenious method?
TennisLovaLova
Hall of Fame
I can play 2 months with my kps88 and then pick my K90 and play 5 months with it, and vice versa.
I love them both but the KPS88 has something special, even radical I'd say.
I love them both but the KPS88 has something special, even radical I'd say.
asifallasleep
Hall of Fame
It is kinda nutty with this racquet that you can hit such high topspin shots that nose dive on the baseline at the last second.
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
I finally bought a kitchen scale so that I could measure my racquets accurately. I had the three KPS88s that I bought from TW weighed at the post office where the accuracy was to the tenth of an ounce. I bought the other two from another TW member that bought them from TW. The TW member's customizer said that the racquets were 12.6 oz and 12.8 oz from TW and I measured those too.
The three bought directly from TW are 365 (12.88 oz) , 368 (12.98 oz), 359 (12.66 oz) grams. The readings from the post office were 12.9, 13.1 and 12.7 oz. The two frames purchased from another TW member came in at 365 (12.87 oz) and 366 (12.91 oz) grams. There was a big chunk of lead under the handle of one of the frames so it appears that the two frames were customized to 12.9 oz. So it looks like the stock range is 12.6, 12.7, 12.8, 12.9 and 13 ounces and what I have now is 12.7, 3x12.9 and 13.0 ounces.
At least I have enough info to consider selling them now.
The three bought directly from TW are 365 (12.88 oz) , 368 (12.98 oz), 359 (12.66 oz) grams. The readings from the post office were 12.9, 13.1 and 12.7 oz. The two frames purchased from another TW member came in at 365 (12.87 oz) and 366 (12.91 oz) grams. There was a big chunk of lead under the handle of one of the frames so it appears that the two frames were customized to 12.9 oz. So it looks like the stock range is 12.6, 12.7, 12.8, 12.9 and 13 ounces and what I have now is 12.7, 3x12.9 and 13.0 ounces.
At least I have enough info to consider selling them now.
Disgruntled Worker
Professional
Too heavy for me. The best thing it does is touch shots. But with so much baseline-bashing these days, I rarely find myself coming to net.
Love it and always will play with it. It's everything the 85 was and everything it wasn't. I have mine leaded on the PWS and handles and use Signum polys. Absolutely LOVE it. I can't imagine playing with anything else but I am a little curious about the new Fed stick. I'll demo it for sure. Great looks and if it plays stiffer and harder and heavier than the BLX I might get one. The BLX feels flimsy after playing with the 88.
Anyone who wants to sell theirs let me know....jpr224atgmail....
Anyone who wants to sell theirs let me know....jpr224atgmail....
paul_tennis
Rookie
Although I recently bought a N90 and this week is coming BLX90, I'm still using KPS88. No racquet compares with this monster frame :twisted:
I picked up my PS88 today and I look forward to giving it a go tomorrow! I am beyond excited
I expect that I will need quite a few strokes to get into the grove since I normally play with the ultra lightweight Head TiS1. It is a good thing that I played with the heavy Profile 3.6si for the majority of 2011 so playing with a heavy stick won't be foreign to me.
I expect that I will need quite a few strokes to get into the grove since I normally play with the ultra lightweight Head TiS1. It is a good thing that I played with the heavy Profile 3.6si for the majority of 2011 so playing with a heavy stick won't be foreign to me.
thug the bunny
Professional
Happy happy joy joy! I got my 88 back! She came back wtih a little more tape rash which I wiped off for the most part, and I put a new grip on her. Took some shadow swings, and the feel is unlike any other stick in the universe. Can't wait to eat some fuzz!
thug the bunny
Professional
Played with her yesterday. Definitely took some adjustment. Just a fraction more lag time needed bringing her forward to the ball. And you definitely can't jerk forward from the takeback, you need a nice smooth acceleration. But when you do this, POW!! The feel is so addictive. You just feel a little buttery nudge from the ball as it is getting crushed. Also, on blockbacks, she just stays in place at contact, no jolt or getting pushed back. What a dream.
Finished the session with little bits of yellow fuzz all over her beautiful face.
Finished the session with little bits of yellow fuzz all over her beautiful face.
Fuji
Legend
Have you tried the KPS88 with full gut yet? Best feeling in the world! Serving with that is what I used to hit my fastest serve.
-Fuji
CDestroyer
Professional
All you had to do is put lead under the handle and that would have done the same thing. Now you dont have a bumper guard and are going to be scraping the top of the head all to hell.
thug the bunny
Professional
Have you tried the KPS88 with full gut yet? Best feeling in the world! Serving with that is what I used to hit my fastest serve.
-Fuji
I just ordered a set of Klip natty gut to replace the X1 BP for my 88. I can't fuchen wait to hit with it!
Fuji
Legend
That's awesome! I use Klip in mine as well! It's a bit on the stiffer side for gut, but it compliments it nicely. So much free power, it's ridiculous. If I could use that set up outdoors it'd be my main set up without a doubt.
-Fuji
fattsoo
Semi-Pro
wait...are we still talking about ps88???
I tried it when it came out a few years back...i can't handle the weight, just can't get enough consistency using it...let my best friend tried it out, he LOVE it...gave it to him as a gift and just found another one for him as a backup
asifallasleep
Hall of Fame
And now i return home again to my PS88's. Sold my 3 blxps90's, 3 k90's back to storage along with the 2 prince exo tours. I had 4 PS88's sold/traded two, thank goodness I held on to two of them.
So after messing around for nearly a year with the Youtek Speed Pro and the Prince Exo3 Graphite Mid, I took my kps88's to the court last week and damn did it feel nice to hit with them. I forgot how wonderful the feel is and the rockets I can just hit with this stick. I'm pretty glad that I still have 4 of them seeing as how they're so hard to come by nowadays.
PrinceMoron
Legend
Still a few fakes floating around. Always seemed a poor choice of frame to copy, limited market and users are pretty clued up.
http://sites.google.com/site/sixonetour90/wilson-k-factor-kpro-staff-88
http://sites.google.com/site/sixonetour90/wilson-k-factor-kpro-staff-88
PrinceMoron
Legend
If you ever have any ex's for sale........
asianxtreme
New User
Been my main stick for just over a year now.
I have an extra new one for backup
Great stick, definitely easy power. Single hander is awesome with this racket.
Lately looking to get into something with a little larger racket head size...Anyone have any ideas on similar plow through and heft with larger racket head?
Had the K90 but couldn't hit with it after the KPS88- too head light.
I have an extra new one for backup
Great stick, definitely easy power. Single hander is awesome with this racket.
Lately looking to get into something with a little larger racket head size...Anyone have any ideas on similar plow through and heft with larger racket head?
Had the K90 but couldn't hit with it after the KPS88- too head light.
See that's what I thought too, that I needed to get into something with a little larger head size. The Head Youtek Speed Pro is 98 in with a swingweight that is the same on paper as the KPS88. The static weight is just slightly lower however. So I used it for almost a year but I came to the realization that I wasn't really anymore consistent with a larger head size. So it seemed like I was giving up the KPS88's slightly better control for nothing. Hence why I went back to it.
I used the KPS88 for the first time today and was pretty facinated by this racquet. I was scared at first just due to how heavy it was, but the increased inertia actually gave me more control of the ball, the larger sweet spot than a PS85, and I barely had to exert any effort in serves and ground strokes.
My backhand did suffer as I just started up tennis again and my arms aren't as strong as before. So my head speed is too slow to utilize this racquet to its potential =[
My backhand did suffer as I just started up tennis again and my arms aren't as strong as before. So my head speed is too slow to utilize this racquet to its potential =[
asianxtreme
New User
Yea I mean i play pretty well with the KPS88 but I do find myself shanking some balls here and there. Did the Head Youtek Speed Pro is 98 feel the same as the 88? Does feel like a light stick or does it feel solid?
Also it's 8.8 head light while the 88 is only 6 pts. I think that's probably a deal breaker for me since the K90 was 9 pts.
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I hav a 1/2 for sale in excellent condition (hardly used)
also listed in FS section
pn911816@gmail.com
OTMPut
Hall of Fame
Headsize of 88 is deceptive in the sense that it has a relatively large sweetspot (can be compatable to most MPs).
I think the real issue could be SW. Hit the gym and get stronger, for you will never get a comparable exp with another stick.
asianxtreme
New User
I definitely have no problem swinging the stick; even the single handed bh. I just want to get a larger head size to reduce occasional shanking...
Say Chi Sin Lo
G.O.A.T.
There was a post somewhere here showing the kPS88 has the same measurement as the PS 90.
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=295535&highlight=actual
yes.. I've done it.. I used to use K90 grommet on my KPS88.. the bumper guard protect a little bit better.. the KPS88 a little thinner few millimeters but the grommet fit nicely.. U can't barely see the difference..
mltaylor
Rookie
Kps 88 - All The Way
Well, just like I said last year I couldn't put the racquet down for good the other night.
I just love the extra power I get from it when I'm in position. Very smooth.
I was also hitting with a PS Classic 6.1 and it didn't seem to be close to the heavy ball I was getting with the KPS on my serves as well as other shots. Also, suprisingly the KPS doesn't bother my shoulder/arm at all whereas with the Classic I'm very sore the next day.
I guess I better stay in good shape because I'm a KPS 88 addict!
I don't play with it regularly. But it sure is hard to put down for good.
It's truly a special racquet in my opinion.
Well, just like I said last year I couldn't put the racquet down for good the other night.
I just love the extra power I get from it when I'm in position. Very smooth.
I was also hitting with a PS Classic 6.1 and it didn't seem to be close to the heavy ball I was getting with the KPS on my serves as well as other shots. Also, suprisingly the KPS doesn't bother my shoulder/arm at all whereas with the Classic I'm very sore the next day.
I guess I better stay in good shape because I'm a KPS 88 addict!
Tar Heel Tennis
Professional
I use VS gut - string at 61 lbs...
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