Here's some of my analysis on the 6.1 lineage from another thread, would love to hear if you resonate/agree with any of this. And how some of these frames might compare to the 2015 6.1 Team.
Thanks Chris
Here are my Wilson 6.1 95 16x18 power rankings
1. K-Six.One 95
2. Pro Staff Classic 6.1
3. n-Six.One 95
4. BLX Six.One 95 2012
5. BLX Six.One 95 2010
6. Hyper Pro Staff 6.1
Pro Staff Classic 6.1 16x18
This is a special frame. One of the most solid feeling classic players frames to ever be produced. Despite a stiffness rating of 69/70, I find that my PS Classics play much softer than the stiffness rating may indicate. Granted they are quite old, I find them to feel like a 62-64 RA depending on the string setup. This frame has enormous spin potential for a 16x18 pattern and I found it to have the highest spin potential of any 6.1 95 I've used (aside from the 95S). This frame also feels super stable and maneuverable at net, which allows you to put some extra stick on a volley that I might not get from a thick/stiff/light modern frame. Serving with the PS Classic can be a chore, as the hefty swingweight seems to feel heavier the longer you play. I really enjoyed the ability to switch from defense-to-offense with this frame, as one potent flat groundstroke or a looping topspin ball allowed me to take advantage of the next ball. I also found that the PS Classic 6.1 has tremendous plow-through and stability, not the best of any 6.1, but surely enough to warrant some discussion.
Hyper Pro Staff 6.1 16x18
I only played with this racket for a few months, and I loved the feel, it was so long ago it's hard for me to recall much about it. I played my first competitive tennis with this frame from age 11-12. I am interested in finding one of these on **** and taking it out for some serious hitting. Considering the last time I swung this frame was 10 years ago, I defer my analysis to frames I have competed with for years.
N-Code Six.One 95 16x18 (used 2006 to 2007) 2 years
The n-code variant was one of the softest feeling 6.1 95's ever made (65 RA). It played much softer than it's RA rating indicates and gave me easy power on my topspin one-hander. It's heavy swing weight provides it with easy power and plow-through. The most potent shot with this stick is the forehand in my opinion. The ball dwells on the strings nicely and pockets the ball as well as any Six.One ever made. The spin potential is a little low with this stick, imo, and I had to flatten out shots to be more consistent with this frame. Don't get me wrong, the slices still bite and the stick is best suited for a player who has flatter groundstrokes and can utilize the heft and plow-through of this frame. Serving with this racket is pretty enjoyable, and I found that slice serve and kick serves really dug into the court and let me go after the ball. The only issue I've ever had with this stick is the lack of consistent response, at times outside of the sweet spot, the ball can really fly on you and take off. It hurts the confidence a bit when you're looking to blast a winner and you remember a few points ago that you launched one, but nothing a tighter strung poly wouldn't fix.
K-Six.One 95 16x18 (used 2007 to 2010) 4 years
The K-Six.One 95 is my favorite frame of all time, so I find it hard to not overrate this stick and its qualities. Most racket-historians and experienced player's racket users on TT would point to the HEAD Prestige/TGK Pro Stock/PT57 Pro Stock as rackets that posses the best plow through, heft, and soft feel. I disagree. A HEAD Prestige lover myself (used microgel-youtek ig iterations), I truly believe the K-Six.One (stock or modified) has some of the best plow through in the history of tennis rackets (along with the n-code version). I know what you're thinking, how can a frame with a 69 RA be plush and soft? Well swing one, because in my experience no other Six.One grabs the ball and flexes like this one does. The flex is mainly felt in the lower throat and it provides some nice snap into the oncoming ball. I always enjoyed this frame with a multi, but even strung with a full bed of poly, I found it to be comfortable and plush. The 69 RA is not indicative of this frames feel and it has a keen ability to absorb pace and redirect a tough ball. The K-Six.One also provides some of the best spin potential of any Wilson 6.1 frame ever made (aside from the PS classic). Topspin, slice, kick are all generated with ease. The slice is especially nasty, and really comes through the court. My favorite shots with this stick are the slice backhand, Aussie slice backhand (coming around the outside of the ball), my inside out forehand, and volleys. The aussie slice is truly potent, and my favored tactic is to come around the outside of the ball and chop it short into the ad court, waiting on a short or shallow response from my opponent, and pounding a forehand into the open court. The serve with the K-Six.One 95 is challenging, no doubt, but can be mastered with diligence and consistent racket head speed. Off-speed serves require almost more racket head speed than flat serves, as the frame is a lot to get around a few hours into a match. Flat serves really do penetrate the court and I found that picking up half volleys and low balls always seemed easier than anticipated. The K95 also has some incredible stability on off-center balls, which results in some added confidence when looking to crush a ball into the open court.
BLX Six.One 95 16x18 (used 2011 to 2012) 1 year
Wilson shifted their focus to providing a racket with a more lively and less plush response with the introduction of the BLX. Despite the advertised "benefits in feel" I felt this frame was one of the most lively and stiffer 6.1's Wilson has ever made. The frame itself gets through the air quickly, but doesn't provide nearly as much plow-through or penetration as a K-SixOne or an nSixOne. I played with this frame my freshman year in college and found it to be much tougher to generate spin than with previous Six.One's. The identical string pattern and almost identical mold should lend itself to a decent amount of spin, but I found that this iteration lacked in that department. The spin production was slightly less than the n-code version in my opinion, but provided me with some nice touch around the net. This frame has a quick and maneuverable feel to it for a 6.1 95, and really comes through the air when looking to hit a tough volley or dig out a half-volley at your shoes laces. In short, this iteration was much more lively than the K-Factor, and some subtle updates to the layup made it more powerful and quick than before.
BLX Six.One 95 16x18 2012 iteration (used 2012-2013) 1 year
The BLX Six.One 95 16x18 2012 iteration was a great change in direction from Wilson and I felt that they returned to the traditional plush 6.1 feel. The introduction of amplifeel really did make a difference when crushing a ball of center or playing defense, the improved feel helped to generate more pace and consistent responses when playing defense. I was also more trusting of this frame when looking to crush a winner or hit into the open court, and it helped me gain confidence when going for my shots. Spin production is drastically improved from the 2010 iteration and this frame feels thicker despite an identical 22mm beam width with the 2010 variant. I enjoyed slicing balls with this frame, and could really go after the slice down the line. My only issues with this frame are the inconsistent response on kick serves, depending on where you strike the serve on the stringbed, the ball will jump off of the stringbed at any given moment produce almost too much kick and fly long/wide. The amplifeel also provided some great improvements on touch volleys and high volleys, put-a-way shots feel easy with this stick as the weight and swing weight do the work for you. No doubt, this is a terrific addition to the line and my third favorite variant of all 6.1 95's. Paul Reed, master racket tech at TW, also customized three of these frames for me, so naturally I feel really comfortable with them as they are tuned to my liking.
