movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
This is as close as I can do
Good candidate for the RF97.
Tennis Warehouse Playtest: 2016 Wilson Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
Good candidate for the RF97.
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
Thanks.
I assume that the 90 would be the same as the RF97 (I don't see any reason why they should be different).
Geoff
Hall of Fame
Actually I have a 97S that I can measure.
Circumference 3 1/16"
Length (cross section) 1"
Width (cross section) 11/16"
Top and Bottom 7/16"
Left and Right 3/4"
4 Angled Bevels 3/16" (each)
Would love to hear what you have in mind to use for extending the hairpin. I have had a hard time extending past 1/4" and having the pallets last. The lack of a hairpin makes my extended pallets weaker than the ones with a hairpin underneath them. I extended pallets an extra 1' for @BounceHitBounceHit with very good success.
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
I'm considering rectangular metal tubing with a piece of hairpin from another racquet. Aluminum tubing would be quite cheap to use - the questions would be the thickness of the tubing (1/8 to 1/4 in) and the length required to keep the sections together. I have a friend that dabbles in metal sculpture (along with several other forms of art) and he has metalworking and woodworking machines and he could probably figure out what the strength requirements would be (he has an engineering degree too). The biggest problem with using metal tubing around the hairpin, of course, would be the added weight. I think that it would be doable if I could keep the added weight to an ounce but I don't know whether or not that's possible. I could handle two ounces at the bottom for probably everything but the serve.
One way to lighten the tubing would be to drill holes in it (I got this idea from bicycle chainwheels - high-performance chainwheels are often drilled out in strategic areas to reduce weight while maintaining strength). It occurs to me that I should try this on some old frames first to see how it works out instead of on the RF97. I wish that there was a forum around to discuss this sort of thing as I imagine a lot of people have done some amount of work on it.
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
I may have. I'll go look for it.
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
http://www.lampwick.co.uk/how-to-lengthen-a-frame.html
Yup, I do remember seeing it. The use of chemicals turned me off the approach though it does look pretty clean.
That page is helpful in that it provides information on how much length inside the frame is needed for a two-inch extension (three inches).
Update: I think that I'd just have this guy do it as a service if he were stateside. I really don't like shipping racquets overseas.
Yup, I do remember seeing it. The use of chemicals turned me off the approach though it does look pretty clean.
That page is helpful in that it provides information on how much length inside the frame is needed for a two-inch extension (three inches).
Update: I think that I'd just have this guy do it as a service if he were stateside. I really don't like shipping racquets overseas.
v-verb
Hall of Fame
Got my PS RF97 2016 today. One word- Beautiful! The feel, the black colour...details.. Awsome, so much more beautiful when holding it in my hand than when i was looking it on internet pics.
Strung it with black MSV Focus Hex 1,23.. Wil try it today..
Looks really nice! Enjoy!
DelPeric
New User
Played last night for about an hour.. Than the rain started.. I am very satisfied with the racquet, ..big power incrase compared to my pro staff 97 (2014 315 g.) was something i felt from the first touch. I was absolutley amazed with how the racquet was responding to my strokes-when i prepared for the shot early and made full fast swing there was a torpedo going to my friends side of the court.. He was amazed too.
I strung it with full bed of poly at 55/53lbs(25kg mains, 24kg crosses) but maybe i could have gone down 1 or even 2 kg.. All in all.. Great great feeling to play with it...
I will post my review when i get more playing time...
I strung it with full bed of poly at 55/53lbs(25kg mains, 24kg crosses) but maybe i could have gone down 1 or even 2 kg.. All in all.. Great great feeling to play with it...
I will post my review when i get more playing time...
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Soul_Evisceration
Hall of Fame
So based on the reviews, the RF97A 2016 is more or less the same racquet as the 2014 with a better paintjob, more feel on the ball especially on volleys, a little less powerful and a lot more maneuverable is that correct?
Say Chi Sin Lo
G.O.A.T.
Corrected for you
Soul_Evisceration
Hall of Fame
Oh really? So nothing has changed at all except for a Wilson paintjob and charge 260$ for it? Not impressed if that's the case.
I agree, the same bút a bit better. The SW is defenitely a bit lower, and the stick plays a bit softer than the 2014 version no matter why...
Paint job is beautiful, but the first two points was just what the stick needed imo. My 2016 version even though only marginally certainly does plays nicer, easier, and has more touch and feel than my 2014 version.
Soul_Evisceration
Hall of Fame
That sounds very intriguing since I do like my RF97a and just wish it was just a little more maneuverable on really difficult passings and volleys but if the 2016 rectifies those problems, that could be a tempting switch. I will demo first before passing any judgements.
TennisHound
Legend
In case you're wondering the black one plays exactly the same as the red one (IMO).
macattack
Professional
This. I don't think it's any more or less maneuverable and the SW on mine isn't lower. It's higher actually. Remember, the specs on both the 2014 and 2016, especially swing weight, have kind of been all over the place.
TennisHound
Legend
They're bada-s racquets.
briancheng
Rookie
I played with the black version last night and I had previously played with the red version for a few months. I think they are pretty much the same racquet - my black version was actually a bit heavier than my red versions and hitting with them felt the same. My partner plays with the red version full time and agreed - no real differences. It's a fantastic racquet - amazing plow and stability and one of my favorite serving racquets of all time (right up there with the prestige Mid and PS 85) - if it wasn't for my sensitive elbow, I would consider switching.
could be very truth; than I have a pretty light one this time which is very nice
I've been pining for this racket ever since I saw the updated cosmetic. Superficial? You bet, but I wanted one even if it didn't end up being my daily driver. Last night I gave in to my compulsion and made the jump to the RF97 and played about 3 hours with it. For reference, I'm a 5.0 former college player, OHBH, all court game. Two words describe my experience, "Rock Solid." I was a little worried about the weight and how I'd feel in hours 2 and 3, but it didn't play nearly as heavy as I thought it would. Strung, with OG, and damp mine weighed in at 367gr (~12.9oz). I didn't measure the balance, but it felt like it was btw 7-9 pts HL. I'm guessing it was pretty close to spec. The unstrung weight was spot on 340 grams. This was a considerable step up from the 97S I had been using which weighed about 11.8 strung. However, bc the old 97S has close to even balance, the SW was around 335 which made the RF97 SW feel normal to me, while actually feeling more maneuverable than the 97S. I definitely had to make some adjustments on my groundies. I couldn't play as whippy as I normally do, but this may have actually been a blessing on disguise because I was hitting a much more penetrating ball instead of the heavy (but loopier) topspin ball I normally hit. The slice was absolutely insane. Easily my favorite racket ever in that department. Serving is the one area that I think will take the longest adjustment. When I time it properly I was getting very nice pace, but serving was the one shot where I did notice more fatigue by the end of my session than the rest of my strokes. This is normal and to be expected my first time out with the stick. Returns, especially my OHBH return, were phenomenal. This racket just absorbs pace and shoots it back in with extra. Volleys were also rock solid. Not much swing required. Just place the racket out in front and let it do the work. After 3 hours of playing I'm hooked. Only reason I'll stop using this racket is if my shoulder/arm start to dislike it after prolonged use. I have bone spurs in my shoulder and a tendency to get elbow pain with very stiff rackets, but I did not feel any pain while playing or this morning, just a little fatigue from the serving. I didn't notice this racket feeling very stiff while playing, but I also took a preventative measure by stringing it with nat gut main, syn gut cross at 53lbs to make sure I had a as soft an experience as possible. Overall I thought this racket was awesome, and certainly a weapon for a skilled player. I'll try to upload some video one of these days.
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
The serve is the biggest adjustment with this racquet because it's loaded weight that you have to lift and accelerate. On groundstrokes, the racquet pivots around the top of your hand so the weight in the handle isn't much of a factor but it is on the serve. I'm used to much higher swingweights - my first service attempt with the RF97 went into the service line on my side of the court because I was used to something with a much higher swingweight.
I also have a sensitive elbow and had to take six months off back around 2010 while using the K-Pro Staff 88 - I think that it was just too stiff for me back then or my arm was weak. I didn't have any problems at all with the RF97. It felt a lot like my IG Prestiges. I've read pieces here and there that many of the racquet manufacturers have increased the twistweight on frames in the last couple of years which has the effect of making stiffer frames feel more comfortable. So maybe that's what's happening with the RF97.
I think that the PJ is great too.
It shouldn't matter; but it does.
parasailing
Legend
Great assessment. My first racquet when I started to play tennis was the KPS 88 and though I loved that racquet, I do agree it is a tad stiff. The problem is WIlson's QC is pretty bad so some of the reviewers here mention that this is better than the red is due to poor QC and specs all over the map. I prefer they not mess around too much with twistweight as that tends to have the opposite effect of making it harder to generate more racquet speed. I guess it's a trade off and something that every player should consider.
I agree that static weight in the handle doesn't make too much of a difference on ground strokes but definitely you feel it when you trying to serve on it.
Swingweight is all over the place. Not lower. I measured 7 frames and they differed as much as 31 swingweight points. Terrible.. lets get real guys it is just a paint job. With the same lousy quality control by Wilson. The frame is a club imo with too much power and bad for the arm. And i am used to heavy frames.
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
You should look for Geoff's review on this thread as he's used them both and customized them both to his specs.
Thanks movdqa! Geoff's review is probably the most comprehensive review of the 2 models with similar specs that I have seen. Seems to me that perhaps the silicone in the handle plays a small role in the feeling of the newer RF97 as well. I had a couple of red and black versions in L4, but I was getting a cramping type pain in my hand that I have never experienced before. When I got my new 2016 versions, I went with an L3. No more pain, but was curious if there were other factors to consider.
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
I have heard of hand pain with the wrong-sized grip before. I went from 4 3/4 - 4 5/8 - 4 1/2 - 4 3/8 and then 4 1/4 with the RF97. I was originally a flat strokes player and have transitioned to much more of a topspin player and smaller gripsizes are more amenable to more of a topspin game and modern strokes. I can go back and forth on grip sizes without any problems but I think that my style of hitting changes too.
Grip shape is a factor as I found that 4 1/4 in Wilson is comparable to 4 3/8 in Head due to the rectangular shape.
I think that Geoff would be the best person to answer these questions generally as he's used both with the same specs and because has done and continues to do professional modification work on these frames.
I agree that the grip size plays a role here in my hand pain. I have played mostly Wilson and Head all with 4 1/2 grip & Tournagrip on ProStaff 85's, various Prestige frames, TXE's etc. Even a full 5 inch grip on an old Snauwaert racket! I tend to think that with anything over 88 sq in, I naturally have to use more topspin when hitting full out to keep the ball in.
Federette33
New User
Has little to do with the discussion, but I would like to know why there is no grip size 1 in Europe for the RF97 Autograph while the others PS have it and if Wilson foresee to sell them in the future.
If someone from Wilson could answer, that would be very kind
If someone from Wilson could answer, that would be very kind
Nice review. Mine strung, with damper and overgrip weights 360 grand spot on and I think it was 335 unstrung. Bit lighter than moderate, plays more or less the same concegning heaviness or SW as my PS 6.1 classic, however, more comfortable and worn more touch. Perhaps I am lucky but this light one plays very nice..
UhhCanJenGo
New User
I play a lot, but generally consider racquets pretty subjectively, much like wine--I either like it or don't, to varying degrees, without being able to pin down the specifics. I recently switched from the Yonex DR 98 to this sweet baby, and I think I've found my Holy Grail of racquets finally. The theory behind making the switch was that while I love to rip the felt off the ball, this at times leads to me overhitting (particularly on serve returns and high forehand put-away), so maybe a heavier racquet would discourage that tendency. Theory has been proven correct (at least for me). Some background: 4.5 doubles specialist, OHBH, western grip, attacking style. As far as I can tell after about 5 hours of playtime so far, every aspect of my game has improved--in particular, serve returns (able to take it super early and flatten it out), overheads, and volleys (half volleys, reflex volleys, and put-aways). Drop shots and touch volleys still taking some adjustment. Just bought 2 more.
Has anyone noticed the Twistweight difference between RED and Black RF97 versions.New one seems to have lower TW and that's probably the reason some folks felt it's easier to swing the black one.If this is true then it's a great news atleast for me.
Taken from TW:http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/cgi-bin/twistweight.cgi
Wilson Pro Staff 97 14.52
Wilson Pro Staff 97 (2016) 14.86
Wilson Pro Staff 97 LS 13.86
Wilson Pro Staff 97 LS Black (2016) 13.06
Wilson Pro Staff 97 RF Autograph 14.9
Wilson Pro Staff 97S 14.72
Wilson Pro Staff 97S (2016) 14.64
Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph (2016) 13.94
PS: I haven't tried the new one yet.
Taken from TW:http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/cgi-bin/twistweight.cgi
Wilson Pro Staff 97 14.52
Wilson Pro Staff 97 (2016) 14.86
Wilson Pro Staff 97 LS 13.86
Wilson Pro Staff 97 LS Black (2016) 13.06
Wilson Pro Staff 97 RF Autograph 14.9
Wilson Pro Staff 97S 14.72
Wilson Pro Staff 97S (2016) 14.64
Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph (2016) 13.94
PS: I haven't tried the new one yet.
moon shot
Hall of Fame
The twistweight of a individual frame will follow the swingweight the further it gets from spec. If you check the frames out on the compare tool ( http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/cgi-bin/compareracquets.cgi ) you will see the new version TWU measured has a very low swingweight, which would lead to the low twistweight.
TWU only measures a single frame so it does not tell us what the average spec is, but in this case what a light sample might be.
briancheng
Rookie
I've haven't measured it but its fairly thin - in the same realm as TW's thin leather grip. Its definitely lighter than the old grip - weights about 20-21 gms, vs. the old grip which was closer to 25-26gms.
I agree it is just a matter of which particular racket you have picked. Having said that I do think there are more rackets out there this time with a rekatively low SW, mine included. I heard several people at my club saying this and mine swings relatively light (haven't measured it); lighter than my PS 6.1 25th ann for example and defentitely lighter than my RFA 2014 which is not heavy (static unstrung weight 336 picked a light one by then )
Agree with you after I hit with RF97 Black today with a kid not really my regular partner even then the difference is obvious right away.Demo racquet is strung with some multi and racquet swings so much easier compared to RED one atleast that's how I felt when I was swinging both Wilson Kfactor 6.1 and Black RF97 alternately.What a joy to hit with this new black one as this is what I really wished on the old one but the RED one was so tough to maneuver.
It's only one hit so I don't want to get ahead of myself but i really had fun esp how easy it swung despite it's weight.I came back home to check the specs thinking swingweight is probably low for this one but to my surprise they are higher than the specs I had on the RED one when I demoed few years ago.
Weight:364grms
SW:346
Balance:31.7
I have to agree with the feedback left by many players that this black version swings way easier then old one and I really don't know how all these specs or layout plays a role in how racquet plays.Hopefully my honeymoon continues when I hit with my regular partners.
You are probably right and I have a feeling that this racquet is probably even more closer to Roger's customized racquet from P1.
But at the end of the day how racquet feels and plays for us is more important than having Roger's exact specs to the tee.
Going by one session at least I'm happy with this new one and hopefully can enjoy my Tennis even better
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Tennis is GOAT
New User
There is a lot of talk about the maneuverability of this racquet, so I'm looking for a bit of advice. I have hit the 2014 PS97A, but I found it too heavy for those long 3 setters, and since I play a lot of doubles, maneuverability and having the ability to have quick hands at the net is big for me. Currently I play with a stick in the mid 11 oz. range, but I do also like racquets around the 12oz mark. Is this a racquet that is easy to wield and adjust to over time, or should I try the lighter PS97 option? Being a smaller guy i need something easy to maneuver, but don't really want to give away that amazing power and plow of the PS97A. Any opinions?
UhhCanJenGo
New User
My $0.02: yes, a heavier racquet will be harder to maneuver compared to a lighter racquet--that's just physics. So, maybe you'll be literally a split second slower on reflex volleys; but, in my opinion, you'll only see those sorts of volleys maybe 3-5 times in a 3 set match. Where the RF97 shines (for me), is everywhere else in doubles: half volleys, overheads, standard volleys, all of those really shine with the stability that the RF97 offers. I serve and volley 90% of the time, and I've never felt so confident coming in behind my serve at with this racquet.
Shroud
Talk Tennis Guru
My 2 cents is that its not heavy and with time you can adapt. I went from normal sws to 370+ pretty much overnight and adjusted. I used to shadow swing every shot with a hammer doing 2-3 sets of 10. I recall doing 3 sets of 20 or more toward the end. I lost my hammer and just bought one, but am pretty much adjusted now.
If you do this do go slow especially if doing serves. That made my shoulder sore and might have hurt it a tad at first
If you can shadow volley and serve and hit fhs with a 2lb hammer the rf97 will be light.
moon shot
Hall of Fame
If you are comfortable with 11oz-ish going to 12.5-13 is a jump. If your usual frame has a low swingweight and twist weight then it will be an even bigger jump. Not only is it slower to move the frame into place robbing time but the twistweight makes it tougher to get the angle on reaction volleys and such.
I really like the RF and play 3.5 doubles in a city league, but I can see where it would get in the way of how many of the other guys play.
How long did it take you to get used to maneuvering the racquet on fast, hard balls? I found that I can basically get my racquet head speed at contact close to where I was before (10.2 ounce racquet) if I get set up well, but when I'm rushed, I tend to slap at the ball.
asifallasleep
Hall of Fame
IMO the new one is way way more maneuverable and easier to play with. You should def demo and I'd suggest going one grip size lower than what your previous RF97 had.
ThirdEye
Semi-Pro
Or maybe QC is all over the place, since Wilson says it's the very same frame with a different paintjob.
kingcheetah
Hall of Fame
They're identical. If there was a change to the layup, you know Wilson would be advertising the "improvement"-- only difference I could tell between the 14s I have vs the new one was that the new one felt like a new racquet vs one that's been strung 25 times.
Yup people let their mind wonder...haha. They probably just got one off spec a little.
