Wilson Blade 16x19 "stock" vs countervail

[fenderiaris]

Hello

I recently came across a blade racket and i got to say i was really impressed by it. Problem is at the time i didn't check if it was the regular blade or the countervail (no idea wtf that is) version. All i know is that it was the 16x19 version and it was a v7.

Now i m considering buying one from the net, but problem is i'm confused between the two. Any idea what the countervail version offers or how it differs compared to the non countervail version? What i'm looking for more than anything else is feel ( i don't like muted rackets that feel like you re hitting the ball with a plank of wood) and comfort in a racket, plus the ability to be a decent all around stick, with a nice sweet spot. My current favorite one is the prince textreme tour 100T (295gr). Any ideas if i should gravitate towards the countervail or the normal version?

 

[JSeba11]

V7 is the newest blade, it no longer has Countervail. V6 is the Countervail version from 2017, it definitely feels more muted. If you demoed the V7 and likes it, then buy it. If not, the consensus seems to be that the V7 is better. (Note- the V7 should have a gray and green paint job, the V6 Countervail is black and green)

 

[fenderiaris]

Yup it had green on the top and two grayish lines at the sides. Since i only had the chance to play it once, so no long term memory here, how do you think it compares with my current textreme tour 100T playingwise?

 

[2nd Serve Ace]

"Plank of wood" is exactly what the CV blade was like. Stick with the new model.

 

[fenderiaris]

That might explain the fact that every blade i find for sale is a cv one.


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[n8dawg6]

That might explain the fact that every blade i find for sale is a cv one.


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yes, the ones on sale are the previous countervail model. compared to the v7 they are stiff and muted. i dont find them as distasteful as many here, but i prefer the feel of the v7. it has a noticeable bit of flex.

 

[fenderiaris]

So i got hold of a v7 blade and had a couple of games with it. Thing is that while i like the feel of it i find this racket a bit hard to control. I feel i really have to hit carefully and be restrained in order not to end long. I’m a bit puzzled cause the blade is not a power stick....The racket came with solinco hyper G string with which i m not familiar at all (never used them before and i’ll swap them out asap) but checking on the warehouses string database hyper g is not a powerful string neither. Switching back to my old faithful textreme tour 100t i can hit much harder and have much more control. Can’t tell if problem is down to the racket or me not being yet used to it.


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[snoflewis]

So i got hold of a v7 blade and had a couple of games with it. Thing is that while i like the feel of it i find this racket a bit hard to control. I feel i really have to hit carefully and be restrained in order not to end long. I’m a bit puzzled cause the blade is not a power stick....The racket came with solinco hyper G string with which i m not familiar at all (never used them before and i’ll swap them out asap) but checking on the warehouses string database hyper g is not a powerful string neither. Switching back to my old faithful textreme tour 100t i can hit much harder and have much more control. Can’t tell if problem is down to the racket or me not being yet used to it.


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i had the same feeling about the CV 16x19. The 18x20s play much better and have a more consistent response while not feeling too boardy, and I've been a lifelong 16x19 user. The CV isnt that bad. It plays well but has a very muted feel