ngoster
Semi-Pro
We were given until the beginning of April to provide a full review. I thought it was fantastic to allow me more play time since the weather hasn't been very favorable down here in Southern California.
Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Wilson Labs Shift Prototype
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
1HBHfanatic
Legend
@ngoster @Fighting phoenix
-i wanted to try different setups!, but mainly wanted to try different tensions!!
-a new frame is always hard to guess whats gonna work properly with it, what string and what tension
-my first setup was total shot in the dark, and i missed by a little
-i dont gel to well with multis, so i cut them out to try others, and correct the tension a bit more
-the FB poly i tried is pros.pro.KU-DE-TA, i wanted a WHITE copoly, matched the racquet well, played the best IMO at 40lbs
-i have more expensive polys and strings, but if i dont know the tension i like best on a racquet, i dont see a point in wasting good string, so i fall back on my test strings (pros pro/budget friendly color options)
-once i know what tension works best on a racquet, thats when i'll switch the racquet to the more expensive strings
-the 3rd setup was also all WHITE string combo, 1.30mm.head.syngut/1.20mm.pros.pro.concept(not good string, crap to be honest, but its one of the thinnest i had to use as a cross string)
-the 3rd setup was more for curiosity of the gut/poly combo hybrids people like a lot
-as you pointed out, this racquet is NOT a string eater, so gut, softer and/or thinner strings will/should work well!
My friend got a demo and let me use it. Amazing! My favorite racket I've ever played with. So maneuverable, but still stable. Very good spin, power, feel, comfort and control. I played with it for about 40 minutes. It had Wilson NXT 1.30 full bed. I don't know the tension. I played the 300 version. I hope they keep the cosmetic, it's not white, it's like a translucent bluish color over white, very good looking. It feels weird, it feels like a hard, smooth plastic to the touch, but the racket feels like a normal graphite racket when you play it. I think the new technology of bending laterally, but being stiff torsionally makes for great power and control at the same time - it has so much stability at such a light weight - you will be able to maneuver the racket so well and still have the stability of what a heavier racket has - Amazing! And it has so much control with a 99 head. I use a 95 sqin because I love the precision, but I have to suffer with a small sweet spot. With the Shift you get the precision of a 95 with the sweet spot of a 99 - Incredible! This is my new favorite racket. I will buy one in the future.
BBender716
Professional
Hit with it again last night and I definitely can confirm that my shots just seem to "dip" in if I adequately go low to high and swing out. It was amazing the consistency I had with my groundstrokes.
Volleys I still found somewhat to be desired. Less free power and stability but not horrible, better than the Babolats I had.
Return of serve was SOLID. Like the other reviewer said, I was actually looking forward to ROS with this racquet. I returned easily with depth and control.
Still need to perfect my serve with this racquet. Spin / kick is more than adequate but have a harder time generating the same pace and "feeling" my racquet moving across the ball.
Overall still very very intrigued by this racquet and it's arguably top 2 in my racquetholic inventory.
time_fly
Hall of Fame
Not a playtester, but I have been using the Shift 300g for a couple of weeks. Since I was free to modify mine, I put 4g of tungsten tape at 12. The TW customizing tool recommended 6g to hit closer to my usual specs, but that sounded like too much to start. I have it strung with Kirschbaum Max Power Rough (similar to Alu Power Rough) and Dunlop Iconic All (similar to NXT) in the mains and crosses respectively at 52. Currently I'm at a 327g strung weight (302g unstrung), 7 pt HL, 314 SW. As a point of comparison, recently I have been playing mostly 100" frames (FX 500, Prince Vortex 310g) with swingweights in the 322-328 range and 305g to 310g unstrung.
The stand-out feature of the frame so far is the feel. It is a bit muted, especially with the soft string I am running in the crosses. But it does have a strong feeling of pocketing the ball when swinging fast and imparting spin, while feeling stiffer and more powerful when blocking or otherwise hitting the ball flatter. If I had to guess the RA without knowing anything else about the special flex design, I would say it feels like 61-63 on my groundstrokes. The stability is pretty good for the light weight, but it's not quite as stable as my usual frames. Compared to my usual, this racquet feels faster but less stable / forgiving, especially at the net. Up there, it gets the job done but it doesn't have great feel or stability so I'd say that's the weakest area of performance versus my other frames.
Although I have the 16x20 string pattern in mine rather than the 18x20 of the heavier version, I do find the launch angle to be lower than most of my other racquets. That's probably because of the extra cross string and the fact that has 8 main strings coming up the throat area rather than the 6 strings of a more open 16x19. It does play spin-friendly, but I wouldn't call it a spin monster. If you like to hit with good topspin margin and some aggressive slice then it's a good frame, but if you like to build points around Nadal-like topspin bombs then there are better choices out there. Topspin players like me need to find the right tradeoff between net clearance and spin level to avoid accidentally dipping the ball short, but it's not a difficult adjustment.
I definitely like serving with this frame. It's easy to swing, but has just enough mass at the tip to come solidly through contact. The fact that it plays stiffer on flat swings means that it can hit a powerful flat serve, while also getting very good bite on spin serves. On the flip side of returns, it's very versatile. Blocked returns feel solid and have good energy return, and there's pocketing and feel available for bigger swings. The only downside is the slight lack of stability off-center; mishit returns are almost always going to be very weak.
In terms of comparable frames I've played recently, the first that pops into my head is the Prince ATS Tour 98. The Shift definitely has a more power and a bigger sweet spot, but the feel and behavior off the stringbed seems similar. It has been a couple years since I last tried a Head Speed MP, but I think there could be some similarities there as well with the power level and thick-but-flexible design. If I recall, the Speed MP was a bit more spin oriented.
Overall I think this is a great all-around frame with a nice blend of power, feel, spin, and control. The clever flex design lets it perform well for both flat and spin-oriented swing styles. The only players I would see NOT enjoying it are max-spin, Pure Aero type players, net rushers, and players looking for old-school feel, touch, and control. It's not outstanding in any one area but should suit a wide audience.
The stand-out feature of the frame so far is the feel. It is a bit muted, especially with the soft string I am running in the crosses. But it does have a strong feeling of pocketing the ball when swinging fast and imparting spin, while feeling stiffer and more powerful when blocking or otherwise hitting the ball flatter. If I had to guess the RA without knowing anything else about the special flex design, I would say it feels like 61-63 on my groundstrokes. The stability is pretty good for the light weight, but it's not quite as stable as my usual frames. Compared to my usual, this racquet feels faster but less stable / forgiving, especially at the net. Up there, it gets the job done but it doesn't have great feel or stability so I'd say that's the weakest area of performance versus my other frames.
Although I have the 16x20 string pattern in mine rather than the 18x20 of the heavier version, I do find the launch angle to be lower than most of my other racquets. That's probably because of the extra cross string and the fact that has 8 main strings coming up the throat area rather than the 6 strings of a more open 16x19. It does play spin-friendly, but I wouldn't call it a spin monster. If you like to hit with good topspin margin and some aggressive slice then it's a good frame, but if you like to build points around Nadal-like topspin bombs then there are better choices out there. Topspin players like me need to find the right tradeoff between net clearance and spin level to avoid accidentally dipping the ball short, but it's not a difficult adjustment.
I definitely like serving with this frame. It's easy to swing, but has just enough mass at the tip to come solidly through contact. The fact that it plays stiffer on flat swings means that it can hit a powerful flat serve, while also getting very good bite on spin serves. On the flip side of returns, it's very versatile. Blocked returns feel solid and have good energy return, and there's pocketing and feel available for bigger swings. The only downside is the slight lack of stability off-center; mishit returns are almost always going to be very weak.
In terms of comparable frames I've played recently, the first that pops into my head is the Prince ATS Tour 98. The Shift definitely has a more power and a bigger sweet spot, but the feel and behavior off the stringbed seems similar. It has been a couple years since I last tried a Head Speed MP, but I think there could be some similarities there as well with the power level and thick-but-flexible design. If I recall, the Speed MP was a bit more spin oriented.
Overall I think this is a great all-around frame with a nice blend of power, feel, spin, and control. The clever flex design lets it perform well for both flat and spin-oriented swing styles. The only players I would see NOT enjoying it are max-spin, Pure Aero type players, net rushers, and players looking for old-school feel, touch, and control. It's not outstanding in any one area but should suit a wide audience.
A lot of 300 came with low unstrung SW. Shift 300s in my local shop are around 270s unstrung SW.
I bought it from TW with MRT service, I got one on specs.
time_fly
Hall of Fame
Mine was 270 unstrung and unmodified. The weight was almost perfect at 299g, but it was a whopping 11pt HL, a spec you‘d usually see on a 315+ gram frame.
AC Tennis (@ACT), arguably the greatest racquet review channel on YouTube, reviews the Shift 315:
Key Take-Aways:
- Feel: Middle ground of direct/damp/semi-firm; can be manipulated with strings and customization
- Power: Less than EZ98, 305 ISO, Blade Pro, Gravity Pro; similar to a spec'd up Extreme Tour; more than than a Radical Pro or Speed Pro. Need good RHS to access top-end power.
- Maneuverability: Mediocre in stock form, most should look for under-spec frames, and/or handle-weight it; leather grip improved things greatly
- Control: Comprehensive - good manipulation level over depth, spin, power and launch angle.
- Spin: Similar to ISO 305 with good spin despite denser pattern; similar or slightly less than Extreme Tour; consistency of spin control.
- Serving: Stock form was OK; more handle weight was better; longer-than-normal adaptation time.
- Slice: Outstanding, better slices with less focused effort than needed with other frames. The best he's tried in a while.
- Forgiveness: Variable, per string material and tension. With full poly in the upper 40's-50-ish, it's direct, targeted and sweet spot is concentrated and precise. In the mid 40's and lower, everything opens up.
- Stability: Decent to good when on-spec in stock form. With leather grip, it significantly improves, more stable than ISO 305, putting it into Blade Pro, RF97 territory.
- Volleys: Effortless, stable, no excessive give, easy punch, still good touch.
- Who Is This For? Someone with good strength and fitness, who enjoys the likes of a weighted up Extreme Tour, or similar, otherwise, an over-spec'd Shift 300 may be a better fit.
- Overall: Longer-than-normal adjustment time, top-notch performer with leather grip, prefers it to the Blade Pro for a spin player who hits flatter, but prefers the BP for a flatter hitter outright.
Key Take-Aways:
- Feel: Middle ground of direct/damp/semi-firm; can be manipulated with strings and customization
- Power: Less than EZ98, 305 ISO, Blade Pro, Gravity Pro; similar to a spec'd up Extreme Tour; more than than a Radical Pro or Speed Pro. Need good RHS to access top-end power.
- Maneuverability: Mediocre in stock form, most should look for under-spec frames, and/or handle-weight it; leather grip improved things greatly
- Control: Comprehensive - good manipulation level over depth, spin, power and launch angle.
- Spin: Similar to ISO 305 with good spin despite denser pattern; similar or slightly less than Extreme Tour; consistency of spin control.
- Serving: Stock form was OK; more handle weight was better; longer-than-normal adaptation time.
- Slice: Outstanding, better slices with less focused effort than needed with other frames. The best he's tried in a while.
- Forgiveness: Variable, per string material and tension. With full poly in the upper 40's-50-ish, it's direct, targeted and sweet spot is concentrated and precise. In the mid 40's and lower, everything opens up.
- Stability: Decent to good when on-spec in stock form. With leather grip, it significantly improves, more stable than ISO 305, putting it into Blade Pro, RF97 territory.
- Volleys: Effortless, stable, no excessive give, easy punch, still good touch.
- Who Is This For? Someone with good strength and fitness, who enjoys the likes of a weighted up Extreme Tour, or similar, otherwise, an over-spec'd Shift 300 may be a better fit.
- Overall: Longer-than-normal adjustment time, top-notch performer with leather grip, prefers it to the Blade Pro for a spin player who hits flatter, but prefers the BP for a flatter hitter outright.
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ACT
Rookie
Should just get you to write my reviews, it would save 20 minutes of video time, and 30 hours of editing
Blade_X
Professional
As always AC tennis never disappoints. My favourite reviewer by far! We need more content from him
Indeed. Flat out review domination. I mean, they're so superior, it's almost laughable.As always AC tennis never disappoints. My favourite reviewer by far! We need more content from him
Blade_X
Professional
The way he breaks down every racquet parameter, also revisiting with different strings and playing with mods/lead is unmatched and on another level. Also to add his unbiased way of stating facts…. a class act! Such a great format….. 20 minutes of reviewing without a "single second" to get bored.
AC Tennis, tennis family, tennis taste and team tennis France the big 4!
Fighting phoenix
Professional
Question re my 315 Shift - Wilson's website says that they recommend 4G for this racquet, and I happen to have a set of 4G soft lying around. I'm experimenting with different strings in this racquet, and so far have tried alu power, alu power soft, and head Lynx tour, all around 48 lbs at 1.25g. So far I loved the alu power & soft, but only lasted about 6 hours before major tension dropoff, and lynx tour so far feels crisp and great. Any thoughts on whether 4G soft might be a good fit for this racquet (reg 4G would be way to stiff for me and my somewhat sensitive arm).
@Fighting phoenix - Short of someone chiming in who's actually played 4GS in the 315, going off of your preferences, I think 4GS would be play pretty well around 46 or 47 pounds -- a notch below Alu Power 1.25, as USRSA stiffness of Alu Power 1.25 is 242, Alu Power Soft is 185 and 4G Soft is 214. Hope that helps.
tim-ay
Legend
It’s hard to disagree with anything ACT says but I would put the Shift 315 with more power than my 4xBlade Pros v8 guise. Agree with all else except I’ve not broken through on serve yet. It’s still ‘meh’ but I’ll keep trying to find the magic.
- after watching the full review, I’m thinking I need to slap a leather grip on this thing. Been a while since I’ve wanted to do that to a racket.
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I actually agree with ACT here...I think the Blade Pro is touch more powerful than the Shift 315.
All things considered, it's a great frame. I'm likely switching. But I have a Elevate V3, Blade Pro, 2x Shift 315s, FX500, and PT2.0 in my bag....so I can pull any of these frames out and feel great.
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tim-ay
Legend
His point on spec differences is spot on. And maybe why I have a different perception. I used Durafluxx 123 at 46 , which is what I use in the BPs (same string, same tension… just frame difference)
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BBender716
Professional
This makes me want to see if I like the 315 better than the 300 I'm playtesting since I do still love my BP so much...
Just hearing about the swing weight on the 300s makes me think that frame would need quite a bit of lead to make it useable (for me at least)
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Fighting phoenix
Professional
Yeah - I went the route of getting two under-spec 315s...perfection for me - 328 swingweight, great balance and plow through, still have easy access to spin even in the 18x20.
ressling
New User
Agree about the comparison to the BP. I've actually owned the Shift 315 longer than my BP v8 18x20 but having exclusively played with my BP now for longer than the 315 Shift, I don't really find myself wanting to go back to the Shift.
I am glad I got the 315 vs the 300 though; I had a feeling it was going to be the better of the two offerings.
I am glad I got the 315 vs the 300 though; I had a feeling it was going to be the better of the two offerings.
BBender716
Professional
I don't feel mine is particularly light. I'll measure swingweight next week and report back, though I'll be measuring it strung.
I've been following along all the reviews and videos. Obviously Wilson QC (or lack thereof) taken into account, but still the consensus seems to be people are prefering either overspec'd on the 16x20's, or underspec on the 18x20's. I want to try this frame, just been on the fence whether to go with the 16x20 or 18x20. It will be interesting to see if that's been consistent feedback that's been shared with them through this prototype process and whether or not they factor it into the retail versions this summer (ie bump the 16x20 up to 305g and/or bring the 18x20 down the 310g).
I feel the same, they won’t change the current models, but probably will offer the third option, 305, 18x19, like iso 305. That would be a great addition imo.
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I doubt they change anything but the cosmetic. Maybe increase the 300 swing weight a bit. But more than likely I doubt any spec will change
Playtested the 300 with strung sw 303(strung it with confidential 16g), went for 4g at 3-9 and some lead to 12 to reach 325 with dampener. It reminded of pure strike 2nd gen, so much controllable power, I mean the power levels were off the charts, especially for the flat serve, and yet i could control it with the supreme spin potential if offers. Kick serve was pure aero level, and flat serve was like a power boosted rad mp. With forehands i could go flat with amazing power and they would never fly on me. With spinny forehands the launch angle was above average something like ps 2nd gen or pavs. Will post more, after i try it further.
1HBHfanatic
Legend
-its def. unique
-i felt like the BEST features of the racquets showed up when you needed them!
-it gave great control on volleys
-it gave good power on defensive shots from the baseline
-it softened up and/or became less powerful on baseline exchanges
-and it maintained good2decent spin, for a "18/20" frame!
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315 feels like a blend of the blade Pro and Pure Aero/PA98 to me....if I had to compare it to other frames
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
How did vdm make you feel?
With how much lb do you string your shift? thanks
23kg
I used measuring service! Which 2 rackets will you chose? i think number 4 and 7?
Weight Swingweight Balance
1) 303.6g 283.5 31.3cm
2) 303.1g 269 30.85cm
3) 305.1g 283.5 31.3cm
4) 300.8g 277 31.3cm
5) 304.3g 274.5 31.15cm
6) 303g 271.5 30.9cm
7) 301.2g 277.5 31.35cm
8) 300.8g 269.5 31cm
9) 300.6g 274 31.15cm
10) 303.1g 279 31.1cm
Swingweight is very low and i measured 10 ! Shift 300 !!! So why tw measured 320 SW strung?
I think i will chose nr.4 and 7 and will put 4 g lead on 12 oclock.
I will string it with Adrenaline at 50 pounds.
whats do you think? thanks
Weight Swingweight Balance
1) 303.6g 283.5 31.3cm
2) 303.1g 269 30.85cm
3) 305.1g 283.5 31.3cm
4) 300.8g 277 31.3cm
5) 304.3g 274.5 31.15cm
6) 303g 271.5 30.9cm
7) 301.2g 277.5 31.35cm
8) 300.8g 269.5 31cm
9) 300.6g 274 31.15cm
10) 303.1g 279 31.1cm
Swingweight is very low and i measured 10 ! Shift 300 !!! So why tw measured 320 SW strung?
I think i will chose nr.4 and 7 and will put 4 g lead on 12 oclock.
I will string it with Adrenaline at 50 pounds.
whats do you think? thanks
@zykoniko - For me personally, those swing weight numbers are already extremely low, so I'd probably go with #1 and #3, as I'd prefer as much extra beef as possible right from the start, and we're also hearing from most early reviews that a "higher spec" 300 (or lower-spec 315) is ideal in most people's eyes.
That being said, if those numbers are indicative of the global population, then #4 and #7 might not be a bad idea, for if you ever wanted to add more to your quiver, it might end up being easier to find that more "middle ground" spec from amongst the remaining herd.
Either way, gotta love (or hate?) Wilson for making it interesting!
That being said, if those numbers are indicative of the global population, then #4 and #7 might not be a bad idea, for if you ever wanted to add more to your quiver, it might end up being easier to find that more "middle ground" spec from amongst the remaining herd.
Either way, gotta love (or hate?) Wilson for making it interesting!
Fighting phoenix
Professional
Thx for the info! It is really strange that their posted avg swingweight is 320 strung, when this sample of ten racquets is more in the 305 range based on unstrung measurements. (Plus anecdotally many reviewers and our own experiences show 305 strung to be fairly common)
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
1 and 3. Add a full bed of 1.25 poly and that adds approximately 30 points of SW taking it to ~314 so still leaves some room to add weight without having to use up an entire reel of lead to make it playable.
loosegroove
Hall of Fame
I’d go 1 and 3 personally.
For me is sits between pavs and ultra.
powerrangers
Rookie
i want to try it but the reviews saying it caused arm and shoulder pain after awhile is concerning
