The Official Wilson Pro Staff 95s Fan Club

[gambitt]

I played a few sets with the 95S. Amazing feel, low power but so consistent. Having tried stiff powerful frames and over hitting far too often, I'm really starting to see the appeal of these low powered sticks for players will full strokes.

The higher trajectory will take some getting used to; I did feel like a moonballer for a few games... The spin didn't seem THAT much more pronounced than hitting with a 16x19 so I'm tempted to order the regular PS95 to compare.

It was my first time with a box beam and unless these are honeymoon feelings, it's almost certainly a case of love at first backhand.

 

[SCRAP IRON]

Keep in mind that the polys with the reputations for most "power" are those that lose the most tension, like TCS. If you look at the entire family of polys, their energy return varies from about 80% efficiency to 90% efficiency. This is one side of the "power" coin. The other side is string stiffness. Here there is more variation: At 50 pounds of tension you'll find some polys with stiffness of 300 pounds/inch and others around 200 pounds/inch. If you compare the stiffer polys with good tension maintenance and the softer ones with poor tension maintenance, the difference is even greater - maybe 280-150. Of the two qualities, stiffness is more important, if only because the variation is so much greater. If you're going all copoly and want as much power as possible in a 16x15, I would look at the copolys that hold tension well but also have low stiffness and high energy return. Ripspin looks pretty decent and the reports of very slow notching are very encouraging.

But you're always going to have less power with these patterns. When the mains are free to slide some of the string rebound energy that would launch the ball forward is diverted upward. If the tension is right this upward energy will be converted to spin. So you'll have a little less speed and a little more spin. A good tradeoff for some players. However, if the tension is too loose and the strings slide too far, that energy will go into launch the ball vertically, rather than into spin. This might give you depth, but the ball will still be slower than if the strings hadn't moved.

Gut/poly would be a nice solution (provided you got the tension right!), but as you say it's probably cost prohitivitive for most. (Unless you used aluminum string savers.

One thing you might try is copoly mains with Monogut ZX crosses. Monogut is more slippery and softer than any multi. Reports of poly/ZX in conventional patterns have been pretty positive. But, because it's so flexible, it would have to be strung up pretty tight, otherwise it might allow the mains to move too much in a 16x15 pattern. One of the nice things about ZX, though, as a Zyex string, is that its stiffness does not significantly increase as you increase tension, so it should still be soft and powerful at higher tensions. Higher tensions would also be beneficial for the copoly mains, as the rebound angle should be a little lower than normal with these patterns, so you might get more of driving spin than a fluffy spin. If you were to try it, I would definitely follow travlerajm's extreme pre-stretch protocol for ZX to more or less eliminate tension loss. Hope that makes sense.

Thanks once again for the very insightful response. I have used the Ashaway "Zyex" strings, but only in a full bed. Unfortunately, like many users of this unique string, I achieved only power from them and I had no touch whatsoever. It was the strangest experience that I ever had with a string as I had no connection with the ball. However, if my current set up does not work, perhaps I will use Zyex crosses with a stiff Poly in the mains. By the way, my current set up is a thin Kevlar string in the mains @ 52 lbs and natural gut in the crosses @ 56 lbs. Tonight is the first time that I will be trying this pattern, and I have never used Kevlar in all my years of playing tennis.

 

[asifallasleep]

i'm using 16g ripspin in a six one 95s, have to say i've used a lot of the well known poly strings over recent years & the Ripspin is up there, i'ts a good allrounder & had over 20 hours of play & showing no signs of wear, had it strung at 57 & it's maybe lost a bit of tension what i'd allowed for & plays perfect now. I hit pretty hard & some heavy topspin shots off both sides. Sounds to me like some of you guys are going through strings like a knife through butter with the prostaff 95s frame, Ripspin well worth a try as it's pretty cheap too.

Do you think i'd find that big a difference in the 16g vs the 15g of RipSpin? I do want a bit more longevity with my strings in the 95S which is the only reason i'm considering the RipSpin. The frame plays great and so much better with my Volkl Cyclone 16g. But they break after 8 hours.

 

[JuliusWinto]

I just finished stringing my PS95S with a full bed of Gosen Powermaster 1 at 50 pounds. Does anybody have an idea how it will play?

 

[ed70]

Do you think i'd find that big a difference in the 16g vs the 15g of RipSpin? I do want a bit more longevity with my strings in the 95S which is the only reason i'm considering the RipSpin. The frame plays great and so much better with my Volkl Cyclone 16g. But they break after 8 hours.

I'm not sure I've never had to use a 15g string, and to be honest I never will, I'll probably try the 17g next. Also I'm playing with the six one 95s so the rip spin may well last longer as its a different string pattern.

 

[TheSwissMaestro]

i'm using 16g ripspin in a six one 95s, have to say i've used a lot of the well known poly strings over recent years & the Ripspin is up there, i'ts a good allrounder & had over 20 hours of play & showing no signs of wear, had it strung at 57 & it's maybe lost a bit of tension what i'd allowed for & plays perfect now. I hit pretty hard & some heavy topspin shots off both sides. Sounds to me like some of you guys are going through strings like a knife through butter with the prostaff 95s frame, Ripspin well worth a try as it's pretty cheap too.

nice thanks! but im worried if i switched to 16g ripspin from 15g it might last less than 8 hours because u r using 6.1 95-s with 18x16 instead of our ps95-s with 16x15. anyone else using 16g ripspin lasting more than 8 hours with ps 95-s?

 

[Isn_fish]

Just tried a set of pacific poly force extreme, at 1.25, #55, 3 1/2 hours of hitting, and will possibly go to 1 more hour. Nice crispy feel, but maybe this is not the perfect setup for It. I'll be trying some hybrids and also a set of alu power 1.25 full bed to see where It goes....

 

[Jim1564]

I'm enjoying Luxilon 4G Rough at the moment. Four hours and just a little notching. Very inelastic string, by the way. Reminded me a bit of Kevlar on the stringing machine. So far the 4G Rough is one of my favorite strings in this racquet. Once this breaks I'm checking out Ripspin.

 

[asifallasleep]

I'm enjoying Luxilon 4G Rough at the moment. Four hours and just a little notching. Very inelastic string, by the way. Reminded me a bit of Kevlar on the stringing machine. So far the 4G Rough is one of my favorite strings in this racquet. Once this breaks I'm checking out Ripspin.

The Lux 4G Rough destroyed my arm in this frame. Played great, but the next day I had pain everywhere.

 

[asifallasleep]

nice thanks! but im worried if i switched to 16g ripspin from 15g it might last less than 8 hours because u r using 6.1 95-s with 18x16 instead of our ps95-s with 16x15. anyone else using 16g ripspin lasting more than 8 hours with ps 95-s?

I just ordered the 17g RipSpin. I may just cut the 15g RipSpin in the one frame I have.

 

[OTMPut]

I just got one, strung with tourbite at 48/45. Will be hitting over the weekend.

 

[OTMPut]

Hit for 90 minutes.
Comes around easy, good pop; sweet spot felt tiny, off center strikes did not feel good.
Struggled a bit on serves and volleys.

I have a league match tomorrow. Will see how it goes.

 

[asifallasleep]

Has anyone hit with the PS95 and the PS95S and can offer a comparison?

 

[OTMPut]

Played 2 sets on Sunday.
I went something like 2 of 10 at the net. I was struggling to control volleys. However, "action" on serves, returns and groundies made up more than what i lost at the net.
The addition to spin is real and that helped me to swing more freely and be aggressive. The extra spin was particularly useful on mid court forehands.

I am going to experiment with strings a bit more. Next iteration is Cyclone 16, strung a tighter than usual specs. I am thinking 52/49.

 

[martini1]

So can anybody tell me how much spin you get compared to the 90 tour and what else is given up? The 95s seems like less spin crazy than the 99s but maintaining most of the control and plowthru of the 95/90?

 

[OTMPut]

So can anybody tell me how much spin you get compared to the 90 tour and what else is given up? The 95s seems like less spin crazy than the 99s but maintaining most of the control and plowthru of the 95/90?

I briefly hit with 99S before. Didn't quite like it. Felt too light, stiff and unstable. I would probably need a lot of time to adjust to it.

95S seems like a happy compromise between the 85 and 99S.
Thin beam and flexibility + open pattern is an interesting concoction. And it seemed like not too difficult a transition for an ex 85/88/90 user.

 

[cjo128]

Loving the 95s, still experimenting with the addition of tape for some more pop. Started with minimal lead tape at the 12,3 and 9 spots, played a few sets with a heavy hitter and it felt pushed around a bit. Now have it with 3grams at each location and curious to see how that'll feel. Hybrid setup with addiction and hawk 59/57. Next time I would lower the tension to 56/54.

 

[Jim1564]

After six hours of hitting with Luxilon's 4G Rough I had to cut it out. It still had a few more hours to go before it broke, but the tension loss was too extreme and the lack of feel and feedback was confusing me too much, especially against the better, harder hitting players. Shame because for the first few hours it felt great. But by the end of this playtest the only sorts of swings that were paying off were big, spinny ground strokes. If I wasn't really concentrating as much as possible or going for a lot of spin, the balls were consistently sailing long. Serves as well.

I'm a 4.5 variety-style player and I suspect people with more skill at hitting hard topspin ground strokes will be able to get more out of this string than I can. I, however, like to mix things up a lot, something the 95S encourages, and for me this string after a few hours was a hindrance to playing that style. Still, worth looking into, I think, if you can afford it. This is one of the better strings I've used in my 95S so far. Perhaps a hybrid setup in the future.

 

[OTMPut]

Anyone tried gut/poly hybrid on this monster? How was the experience?

 

[gambitt]

I've played about 5 hours with the Ripspin that came in the racquet. There's no notching and it was nice for the first 3 hours but balls are flying on me now. I may have to switch to the standard PS95 16x19 because if this thing is eating 15g poly in 3 hours, it's going to be too high maintenance.

 

[Isn_fish]

As my 16 and 15 gauge strings hasn't arrived yet, I'm using all my 17 from my personal "stock".
Yesterday I've tried Head Hawk @53lbs, but just got 1:40 hours of intense hitting before string break. I'll have some ripspin ordered, as from what you're saying, It's showing a consistent performance on the durability side...

 

[chizzle]

Been hitting with this the last couple of days, surprising control and ease of use at the same time. Using 4G 16g. String moving a little bit. So far 3 hours of hitting on the 4G. I find the serves lacking some beef, but it's still unexpectedly predictable (1 typical DF today, and really that was a lack of intent/focus on my part).

Really pleased with the volley capability of this stick.

Mostly pleased with the directional control on CC groundies.

More to come....

 

[Fed Kennedy]

Question for Devilito... Hows it going for you with this frame?

 

[OTMPut]

An update. I have played a few more sets since last week.
Just a smidgen of lead at 12 and at butt cap has improved serving.
My 1hbh is back.

I am still struggling with the volleys. Next iteration is with gut mains and poly cross.

 

[Jim1564]

Just an update to say what most already know. I've tried a number of budget nylons and their tendency to get stuck in place negates the spin effect technology. I wouldn't recommend this racquet if you're looking on saving money on string by playing with inexpensive nylon. So far it looks to me like you really need to use at least a half-set poly or Kevlar to reap the benefits of the spin effect technology.

 

[RF_fan]

I added 5g under the bumper + 3g head tape. Then I changed to a Head leather grip which is heavier than TW brand but was more challenging to install, and also an overgrip (6g). The frame feels well balanced and the weight is 12.2 (348g). I strung it with PHT16/Xcel16 52/55 and I feel I'm getting more control than my other frame which is strung with VS16/PHT16. When I first tried a stock frame that came with Wilson Sentation it felt completely underpowered so adding some weight and strings will make a big difference.

 

[chizzle]

My first "uh oh" with this frame is on return of serve. The guy I usually practice/play 3 times a week hits a big serve, and I struggled big time in this area. I couldn't hit a good, penetrating return. Was either sailing or misfiring altogether. I could have gone to a fresh string job, except everything else was working. This was with 16g 4g, and had about 5 hours on it. More experimenting to come, but hoping it was just a bad day on return and the tension was way down (say low 40s).

 

[kaiser]

Stock this is a very light stick, have you considered adding some weight?

 

[Devilito]

Question for Devilito... Hows it going for you with this frame?

going good. So far the only added weight I've used is a leather grip. One big thing I found is that I mistakenly strung this tighter than my PS90 because I assumed the larger head plus open string pattern would make it much more powerful. Wrong I was. After I went back to stringing it at the same tension as my PS90 the magic returned. Sure its a larger head and more open but the lighter weight takes away from the power. So keeping the tension the same as my 90 really opened up the sweet spot, ball pocketing felt a lot better and the power returned back to normal. The only way I would string it tighter is if I decided to add weight to the hoop but the way I have it now I think it will be unnecessary.

 

[Fed Kennedy]

going good. So far the only added weight I've used is a leather grip. One big thing I found is that I mistakenly strung this tighter than my PS90 because I assumed the larger head plus open string pattern would make it much more powerful. Wrong I was. After I went back to stringing it at the same tension as my PS90 the magic returned. Sure its a larger head and more open but the lighter weight takes away from the power. So keeping the tension the same as my 90 really opened up the sweet spot, ball pocketing felt a lot better and the power returned back to normal. The only way I would string it tighter is if I decided to add weight to the hoop but the way I have it now I think it will be unnecessary.

What kind of string have you been using?

 

[microphage]

Just played with this demo with 4g strings last week. I didn't believe it would be so low powered despite literally everyone saying it was(trust issues...). Open pattern can be so low powered... Who knew.

On the plus side, loved the serve returns and being able to take big cuts without having to worry about going out. Serving on the other hand has tamed my speed quite a bit. I feel like my PS 6.0 85 has more power on serves.

Will play with it a few more times to see if I'm going to join the club.

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Just played with this demo with 4g strings last week. I didn't believe it would be so low powered despite literally everyone saying it was(trust issues...). Open pattern can be so low powered... Who knew.

On the plus side, loved the serve returns and being able to take big cuts without having to worry about going out. Serving on the other hand has tamed my speed quite a bit. I feel like my PS 6.0 85 has more power on serves.

Will play with it a few more times to see if I'm going to join the club.

I think the PS 6.0 85 would have more power on serves just because of its mass and how quickly one can swing it.

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

I haven't read all 7 pages, but is this 2014 "kevlar" update same or different as the 2012-2013 versions? (bloody q-tip looking thing)

Several accounts have said that the 90 2014 "kevlar" update is more or less as the 2012-2013 versions.

 

[OTMPut]

Just played with this demo with 4g strings last week. I didn't believe it would be so low powered despite literally everyone saying it was(trust issues...). Open pattern can be so low powered... Who knew.

On the plus side, loved the serve returns and being able to take big cuts without having to worry about going out. Serving on the other hand has tamed my speed quite a bit. I feel like my PS 6.0 85 has more power on serves.

Will play with it a few more times to see if I'm going to join the club.

I think the low power is partially due to 18mm box beam and flex in the low sixties.

 

[gambitt]

I put a few grams of lead at 3, 9 and 12, a leather grip and it's like a comfortable sledgehammer at ~350g. I get enough power on serves although I seem to get that with any racket.

 

[Devilito]

What kind of string have you been using?

Alu Power 138. String plays awesome but needs to be strung ultra low. I'm like around 40lbs with this thing. But it lasts a long time and feels great

 

[kaiser]

Has anyone hit with both the PS95S and the Dunlop 4D 200 Tour? How do they compare in terms of stiffness?

I've been reading that the 95S is still a bit too flexy for some (though less so than its predecessor, the BLX PS95?) and hence a bit anemic also given its low weight and SW.

I'm currently playing with the 4D200T which has a reported RDC of 60-62 compared to 64 for the PS95S, but of course packs a lot more weight and punch (SW high 340s-350s). Can I assume that if I lead up the PS95S under the bumperguard to a SW in the 340s (say ~12g) I would get similar power to my current sticks?

 

[microphage]

I think the low power is partially due to 18mm box beam and flex in the low sixties.

I normally play with a Donnay Silver with a thin beam of 16-18mm and flex at 62 so specs are fairly similar except for the 4 extra sq inches and the slightly closer pattern of 16x19.

Craving to get more court time with the PS95s to see if I can manage the racquet for a three setter. It does take quite a bit outta ya energy wise.

 

[cjo128]

Ok, looking for some string help. I have added 3 grams at the 12, 3 and 9 for a total of 9grams. I was able to communicate with the Paul who customizes frames at TW and he was very helpful. He matched that set up on a demo and came to 30 points more on the swing weight (335 from 305) and 2 point less head light on the balance (6 to 4 pts headlight). Like many who have posted, I have weighted it for more power / plow thru since it is by design a low powered frame but now working on string set up. Currently have multi (tourna quasi gut-cheap) crosses at 56 and head hawk 54 on the mains. After 3 hours the multi has shown significant wear. Like everyone else, I'm interested in a set up that maximizes power and have some decent durability. Another option is to buy a used string machine that a pro had offered.

 

[chizzle]

more thoughts on the PS95s

- First and foremost, at every level (yes I forget this...) DEPTH helps enormously (and wins a lot). (I know DUH).

- I've gotten over the serve return struggles I posted previously. My hitting partner was serving huge that day (when I posted my "uh oh"...) and I was also off.

Unfortunately, I had to play him in a league match today. We're pretty tight, so it was awkward (and yes we usually play on the same squad). Anyway...

i started with a 6.1 95 16x18.. I played OK, but was misfiring a little bit, was leaving balls short, mishitting and wasn't finding a lot of consistency. I really want to like this stick (and may not give up yet). Esp for doubles. For ref: I played with n6.1 95 for a couple of years 7 yrs ago...

Today: Lost first 4-6, and was down 1-0 and felt I was just hanging on...(it felt). So I pulled out the PS95s... Immediately started playing much better (depth!). I was serving fine, and continued to do so with the PS, winning some free points late as well, which was helpful. Second set (cont'd) Went up 3-1 and held out from there. 6-4... Really it was all depth and nice action. Nothing special.

In the third, I continued to play consistently well. Broke at 1-1 and went up 3-1.... I played a loose game at 3-2 and got broke. But still played well on my serve games and continued to put a little pressure on in my return games. We both held out to get to the TB then just played solid. ONce I got up, I committed to being more aggressive. Again with spin and depth. Pulled it out 7-4 after getting up 5-0... A much needed, very good win for me.

Impressions:
-Serves quite nicely. I think the first couple of times, I was grinding too much and really not "letting go" (more like muscling the serve).
-Volleys really (surprisingly) well. No control concerns at all.
-Returns - no longer a concern. Was much better today.
-Strokes - this is where I get immediate lift. Depth is there, directional control is there. I hit a 2HBH, this is nice too. And the slice is effortless as well.
-My only real negative at this point is fighting off a well hit ball, it can be tough to control on the BH side. This is also on me, and I think I'll be able to figure this out.

About my setup (I forged my setup based on what i saw in this thread or others (Thanks in advance)). Replaced grip with a Head Leather grip, 3 grams in the handle was also added. So its' more HL (haven't measured the balance). Today, I used Prince XC 15L.

I'm a passive -) not on purpose) all courter. I want to be aggressive but honestly, my transition game is not good enough. So I say that jokingly, but I tend to try to win from the back of the court.

Thanks for the mic; more to come.

 

[mk3alex10]

Two questions:

1. Has anyone noticed the middle arrow ruler marking doesn't always line up the same if you have multiple 95s? For example, the arrow lines up with the bottom of a grommet on 1 racquet, and a couple mm below that same grommet on my other 95s. The attached pic shows the arrow a couple mm lower than it is on my other 95s where the arrow is at the bottom of the grommet. Is this just poor QC?

2. Had anyone noticed pink frame under the paint in the ruler area of the 95s? See attached pic.

Thanks

 

[microphage]

Broke down and bought a PS95s. Just finished stringing it with red cyclone tour 16g.

Will try the 4g if this doesn't work out.

The paint job is really bad compared to other Wilson racquets(including the 99s). Already had a bunch of minor paint blemishes.

Like they say, it's what's on the inside that count. Yeah right.

 

[dmcb101]

Just tried a set of pacific poly force extreme, at 1.25, #55, 3 1/2 hours of hitting, and will possibly go to 1 more hour. Nice crispy feel, but maybe this is not the perfect setup for It. I'll be trying some hybrids and also a set of alu power 1.25 full bed to see where It goes....

I did a full bed of alu power and it was great (at least the hitting part). After 2-3 hours of hitting though it broke! I have a couple sets left so I am going to do Alu in the mains and a soft thick co-poly in the crosses (Pro's Pro Concept 1.38). The discussion on notching is interesting to me because I have noticed the ball flying when notching becomes prevalent especially with 4g. I am hoping that keeping the stiff Alu in the mains will give me the spin and the the thick soft co-poly in the crosses will reduce notching.

Not sure what others think about this but I feel having something softer in the crosses will reduce the notching. Also, what is the consensus on thick versus thin crosses. I would think that a thicker cross would reduce notching because it would be an increase in surface area and thus not focusing the friction on a smaller spot.

Thoughts here?

 

[cjo128]

I played with a fellow 95s owner who also was interested in accessing more power from the frame so he strung his with natural gut on the mains with polys on the crosses. I hit with it for a while and what a difference!

His was just a string setup (no weight added) compared to my 9 gms of lead tape with multi in crosses and poly in the mains. The question remains, how long will this setup last? Even though he used cheaper gut, it's a daunting cost to have to constantly string it. Anybody have any experience with this setup?

 

[drak]

I played with a fellow 95s owner who also was interested in accessing more power from the frame so he strung his with natural gut on the mains with polys on the crosses. I hit with it for a while and what a difference!

His was just a string setup (no weight added) compared to my 9 gms of lead tape with multi in crosses and poly in the mains. The question remains, how long will this setup last? Even though he used cheaper gut, it's a daunting cost to have to constantly string it. Anybody have any experience with this setup?

I would for sure suggest 15L gut mains if one tries this route unless you are mot a string breaker in any sense

 

[cjo128]

I would for sure suggest 15L gut mains if one tries this route unless you are mot a string breaker in any sense

OK, that's a thought. I will first try with 16 gauge to see how long it goes and then try the 15L. I checked TW website and they carry 2 economically priced 15L strings; Klip Legend and Titan. I guess I would lean toward the Klip.

 

[corners]

OK, that's a thought. I will first try with 16 gauge to see how long it goes and then try the 15L. I checked TW website and they carry 2 economically priced 15L strings; Klip Legend and Titan. I guess I would lean toward the Klip.

You might also try a flat copoly string like 4S in the crosses. This might prolong the life if the gut mains because the flat ("squoval") 4S crosses would slice less sharply into the gut mains. This is just a hypothesis, though; I haven't tried it.

 

[ed70]

Finally will be getting my hands on Prostaff 95s tomorrow, i'm currently using the six one 95s & can't really fault it. Looking fwd to seeing the difference between the two frames as both are similar weight & same head size, so hopefully i can swap between the 2 in a match situation until i decide which frame to double up on. If there was one minor drawback with the six one 95s it would be touch on volleys everything else is good & most importantly no elbow issues since returning to wilson from babolat.

 

[cjo128]

You might also try a flat copoly string like 4S in the crosses. This might prolong the life if the gut mains because the flat ("squoval") 4S crosses would slice less sharply into the gut mains. This is just a hypothesis, though; I haven't tried it.

Thanks, will definitely try that as I experiment further. I really like this frame, I just need to maximize power with decent string durability. I had it strung with gut (mains) and poly (crosses). I took some weight off except for 3gms at 12 and will make adjustments from there. Hoping to hit with it tomorrow morning.

 

[Isn_fish]

Thanks, will definitely try that as I experiment further. I really like this frame, I just need to maximize power with decent string durability. I had it strung with gut (mains) and poly (crosses). I took some weight off except for 3gms at 12 and will make adjustments from there. Hoping to hit with it tomorrow morning.

For me I'm almost reaching my final specs. I've placed prince calfskin leather grips, yonex overgrips (or tourna) and less than 2gr at 12.
For daily use, wilson ripspin (16G) is doing well, less notching than other strings, excellent durability and plays well on overall.
For tournaments, I'm playing Alu power full bed at 55lbs (but it lasts only 2 hours before It snaps).

coming next: volkl cyclone 16G / Solinco tour bite 16G / Lux 4G