Wilson Blade 16x19 v7, more powerful alternative

swiss_cheese

New User
Do you have any recommendations for a Blade alternative that is similar in specs (nice for the arm, good feel) but offers a bit more power?
 

Leen

Rookie
Head Boom Pro
Head Extreme Tour

I personally switched from the Blade to those two rackets. I was looking for more spin myself in my journey.

Extreme Tour - needs weight and just could not find a customization I liked. Also felt like my shots were not as penetrating again could of required more customization.
Pure Aero VS - Great Power and Spin, but got wrist and elbow issues 1 month in. Off center shots are punishing imo with this racket comfort wise.
Boom Pro - Good mix of spin and power. Not as spinny as extreme and PAV, but better control then PAV, and comfortable to hit with which became a new priority after my stint with the PAVS. Settling on the boom as of now. I don't need to customize it and its a very forgiving racket. Was an easy transition for me from the blade.

I would add the V8 model on the list. It has more power and spin from my understanding if you just want a smidge more and not a complete change with a new racket.
Ezone and strike I would consider if you don't care about spin and just want power, better for flatter hitters.
 

Tranqville

Professional
Ezone 98 - probably your best bet in terms of combination of comfort, control and more power with specs that match Blade well.
Pure Strike Tour 3d Gen - offers control, power and, surprisingly, good comfort. The racquet is heavier at 320g but the SW is very manageable due to smart weight distribution. The racquet plays lighter than it's specs would suggest. The balance is different from Blade, obviously, more HL and will require adjustment.
The new Tfight ISO is a demanding racquet but also offers excellent control, power and comfort in 305g. It plays very different from Blade though.
 
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swiss_cheese

New User
Ezone 98 - probably your best bet in terms of combination of comfort, control and more power with specs that match Blade well.
Pure Strike Tour 3d Gen - offers control, power and, surprisingly, good comfort. The racquet is heavier at 320g but the SW is very manageable due to smart weight distribution. The racquet plays lighter than it's specs would suggest. The balance is different from Blade, obviously, more HL and will require adjustment.
The new Tfight ISO is a demanding racquet but also offers excellent control, power and comfort in 305g. It plays very different from Blade though.
Ezone 98 looks very promising. I see that is has higher frame stiffness, but like you said, it shouldn't produce any arm problems?
 

Tranqville

Professional
Ezone 98 looks very promising. I see that is has higher frame stiffness, but like you said, it shouldn't produce any arm problems?

Arm safety mostly depends on vibration frequency. You can use TW Racquet Comparison Tool to look it up. Ezone is measured at 144HZ, your Blade V7 16x19 at 133. As I learned from @socallefty, generally below 140HZ is safe. The community view on Ezone is that it's generally arm-safe, but causes issues in some players. The latest Ezone release from 2022 is reported to have improved arm safety.

Please note that foam-filled racquets, like Tfight ISO, provide additional comfort and arm safety beyond what the frequency numbers may suggest. With comfort as priority, you may want to consider Technifibre TF40 305g 16x19, Babolat Pure Strike VS, Solinco Whiteout, Price ATS Textreme Tour 98 - but they won't give you the big boost in power you're craving.

On paper, Tfight ISO looks like your best bet, but it's a demanding racquet. Maybe the previous Tfight, the RS, will work. Ezone, Pure Strike, TF40 are more accessible.
 

fuzz nation

G.O.A.T.
Do you have any recommendations for a Blade alternative that is similar in specs (nice for the arm, good feel) but offers a bit more power?
I was using wood racquets as a kid, so my tennis DNA still has some splinters in there. If you want more power than what you have with a Blade, I'd say try a Volkl C10 sometime. My arm can't tolerate poly, but I can teach and/or slug pretty much every day using my Volkls strung with a snug bed of 16 ga. syn. gut no problemo.

Yes these are a little on the hefty side. I put a little weight on the handles of my pair for more comfortable balance and they work great for me at 10-11 pts. head-light. These frames fit my game and swing mechanics nicely, but I know that they're not necessarily for everyone.

The reason that I'm mentioning them here is that I've sampled a number of frames through recent history. I struck out with an earlier generation of the Blade 98 (I think the 2015 generation), but the C10's have never disappointed me. And their power for me is enormous. Swing one of these at a ball and the C10 will win the collision every time.

If the C10 is going a little too far of the map, I'd say sample something that's a little heavier than the Blade. Maybe a Head Prestige or the Prince Phantom 97 with comfortable balance. Yonex has a couple of possibles, too (maybe a not-too-heavy VCore Pro 97 310).
 

swiss_cheese

New User
As I reflect on all of your suggestions, I'm thinking that instead of switching the racquet it would be easier to just switch to a more powerful poly. As I'm actually loving Blade in general, just looking for a slight increase in power. I'm currently using some random poly, don't even know the name of it.
 

socallefty

G.O.A.T.
As I reflect on all of your suggestions, I'm thinking that instead of switching the racquet it would be easier to just switch to a more powerful poly. As I'm actually loving Blade in general, just looking for a slight increase in power. I'm currently using some random poly, don't even know the name of it.
Or lower your tension. Most soft polys play well at 40-45 lbs. You could also use thinner gauges.
 

Tranqville

Professional
As I reflect on all of your suggestions, I'm thinking that instead of switching the racquet it would be easier to just switch to a more powerful poly. As I'm actually loving Blade in general, just looking for a slight increase in power. I'm currently using some random poly, don't even know the name of it.

Hybrid setup with natural guts in the mains and poly in the crosses will increase power, comfort and feel.
For poly, may I suggest Hyper-G or Hyper-G soft, as it's not only powerful and spin-friendly, but also matches the frame.

The biggest source of power is actually the swingweight, why not add a couple of grams of lead tape at 12 and a leather grip for balance?
 

swiss_cheese

New User
Hybrid setup with natural guts in the mains and poly in the crosses will increase power, comfort and feel.
For poly, may I suggest Hyper-G or Hyper-G soft, as it's not only powerful and spin-friendly, but also matches the frame.

The biggest source of power is actually the swingweight, why not add a couple of grams of lead tape at 12 and a leather grip for balance?
Those are great suggestions. I can try them.
 

PaulC

Professional
Do you have any recommendations for a Blade alternative that is similar in specs (nice for the arm, good feel) but offers a bit more power?

Why not test-drive the re-issued V6 16X19 (non-Countervail) currently available on TW?

WAY more powerful than V7 or V8 (noodles for me personally). The supposingly high RA rating of the re-issued V6 is grossly misleading, many users actually find it on the slightly muted side.
 

Trip

Legend
@swiss_cheese - I would first try to lower your string tension, and/or move to a narrower gauge for a bit more trampoline effect, and/or try slightly more powerful strings at the same gauge, and/or add some lead at 12 to increase plow-through (or 10 & 2 to add a bit of twist weight as well).

If you exhaust all of the above and still can't find a solution, here are the frames that get the closest:

Blade v6 Re-Issue (non-CV) - Per @PaulC's suggestion, this may get you enough power, while retaining most of the other qualities (besides a higher RA stiffness).

Blade Pro 16x19 (H22) - Only available from Wilson direct, may need customization, a bit more demanding, but more stable and powerful if you can wield it.

Prince Synergy 98 - Easiest playing option of the three, soft RA, same balance, more generous sweet spot, larger spin window, slightly more dense 18x18 pattern, similar full flex but more rigid and thicker upper hoop. If you do switch away from the Blade, Pro or otherwise, IMHO this is the frame you should focus on first.

Strong maybe's:

Head G360+ Radical MP - Slightly more power, but also a fair bit more stiff and higher Hz (like the Boom Pro), plus a more concentrated sweet spot. String bed is very calm and consistent, though. Swing weight is a tad lower, and the flex doesn't bend or bow as much as the Blade, nor is the mass distribution as biased towards the top of the hoop. So the overall feel will be different, and probably require a tweak to your swing mechanics.

Head Boom Pro - More power, yes, but it's noticeably more stiff, the layup is a bit less dense, mass distribution is spread a bit more equally across the hoop and throat, and as a result stock balance is 2 points more head-light and swing weight is 2-3 points lower (mostly addressable with a bit of lead at 12). So the overall feel is a bit different and the natural fulcrum is moved closer to you, which may require a slight retooling of your stroke mechanics. Is it a close enough fit? Maybe. I'd demo first if you can.

Pure Strike Tour - Layup is much more crisp, swing weight is on the high side and like the Boom Pro the balance is 6pts HL strung, so material distribution will be different, but it's stable, powerful and comfortable. Could be worth a look.

Pure Strike VS w/ customization - 97", great medium-density pattern, supremely maneuverable, awesome flex and pocketing, a bit more easy pop than the Blade, will need lead on the hoop to get swing weight into the 320's -- a few grams split between 12 and 6, at minimum.

Hope that helps!
 
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swiss_cheese

New User
@swiss_cheese - I would first try to lower your string tension, and/or move to a narrower gauge for a bit more trampoline effect, and/or try slightly more powerful strings at the same gauge, and/or add some lead at 12 to increase plow-through (or 10 & 2 to add a bit of twist weight as well).

If you exhaust all of the above and still can't find a solution, here are the frames that get the closest:

Blade v6 Re-Issue (non-CV) - Per @PaulC's suggestion, this may get you enough power, while retaining most of the other qualities (besides a higher RA stiffness).

Blade Pro 16x19 (H22) - Only available from Wilson direct, may need customization, a bit more demanding, but more stable and powerful if you can wield it.

Prince Synergy 98 - Easiest playing option of the three, soft RA, same balance, more generous sweet spot, larger spin window, slightly more dense 18x18 pattern, similar full flex but more rigid and thicker upper hoop. If you do switch away from the Blade, Pro or otherwise, IMHO this is the frame you should focus on first.

Strong maybe's:

Head G360+ Radical MP - Slightly more power, but also a fair bit more stiff and higher Hz (like the Boom Pro), plus a more concentrated sweet spot. String bed is very calm and consistent, though. Swing weight is a tad lower, and the flex doesn't bend or bow as much as the Blade, nor is the mass distribution as biased towards the top of the hoop. So the overall feel will be different, and probably require a tweak to your swing mechanics.

Head Boom Pro - More power, yes, but it's noticeably more stiff, the layup is a bit less dense, mass distribution is spread a bit more equally across the hoop and throat, and as a result stock balance is 2 points more head-light and swing weight is 2-3 points lower (mostly addressable with a bit of lead at 12). So the overall feel is a bit different and the natural fulcrum is moved closer to you, which may require a slight retooling of your stroke mechanics. Is it a close enough fit? Maybe. I'd demo first if you can.

Pure Strike Tour - Layup is much more crisp, swing weight is on the high side and like the Boom Pro the balance is 6pts HL strung, so material distribution will be different, but it's stable, powerful and comfortable. Could be worth a look.

Pure Strike VS w/ customization - 97", great medium-density pattern, supremely maneuverable, awesome flex and pocketing, a bit more easy pop than the Blade, will need lead on the hoop to get swing weight into the 320's -- a few grams split between 12 and 6, at minimum.

Hope that helps!
Lot's of great suggestions, thank you!
 

Tranqville

Professional
Lot's of great suggestions, thank you!

@swiss_cheese - I would first try to lower your string tension, and/or move to a narrower gauge for a bit more trampoline effect, and/or try slightly more powerful strings at the same gauge, and/or add some lead at 12 to increase plow-through (or 10 & 2 to add a bit of twist weight as well).

If you exhaust all of the above and still can't find a solution, here are the frames that get the closest:

Blade v6 Re-Issue (non-CV) - Per @PaulC's suggestion, this may get you enough power, while retaining most of the other qualities (besides a higher RA stiffness).

Blade Pro 16x19 (H22) - Only available from Wilson direct, may need customization, a bit more demanding, but more stable and powerful if you can wield it.

Pri - Easiest playing option of the three, soft RA, same balance, more generous sweet spot, larger spin window, slightly more dense 18x18 pattern, similar full flex but more rigid and thicker upper hoop. If you do switch away from the Blade, Pro or otherwise, IMHO this is the frame you should focus on first.

Strong maybe's:

Head G360+ Radical MP - Slightly more power, but also a fair bit more stiff and higher Hz (like the Boom Pro), plus a more concentrated sweet spot. String bed is very calm and consistent, though. Swing weight is a tad lower, and the flex doesn't bend or bow as much as the Blade, nor is the mass distribution as biased towards the top of the hoop. So the overall feel will be different, and probably require a tweak to your swing mechanics.

Head Boom Pro - More power, yes, but it's noticeably more stiff, the layup is a bit less dense, mass distribution is spread a bit more equally across the hoop and throat, and as a result stock balance is 2 points more head-light and swing weight is 2-3 points lower (mostly addressable with a bit of lead at 12). So the overall feel is a bit different and the natural fulcrum is moved closer to you, which may require a slight retooling of your stroke mechanics. Is it a close enough fit? Maybe. I'd demo first if you can.

Pure Strike Tour - Layup is much more crisp, swing weight is on the high side and like the Boom Pro the balance is 6pts HL strung, so material distribution will be different, but it's stable, powerful and comfortable. Could be worth a look.

Pure Strike VS w/ customization - 97", great medium-density pattern, supremely maneuverable, awesome flex and pocketing, a bit more easy pop than the Blade, will need lead on the hoop to get swing weight into the 320's -- a few grams split between 12 and 6, at minimum.

Hope that helps!

Many great insights! I remember Prince Sincery 98 kept popping up when I was searching for my ideal spec, but I ended up with the Pure Strike Tour, which is described accurately here. I know that as a Blade player, you look for that special direct feel on contact, and with PST I could get quite close to replicating that, though unfortunately not as sweet.
 
I switched away from the Blade 18x20 last year for the same reason -- wanted a bit more power, particularly when pulled wide. I tried rackets like the VCore 98 and Speed MP, but I never felt any connection to the ball with them. I was tempted by the Extreme Tour, but it seemed a bit underpowered and adding weight didn't seem to work for it. I settled, somewhat randomly, on the Dunlop CX400Tour. It's my first 100sq in head, but it doesn't feel like it (with a relatively thin beam, and it works fine for my OHB and has a really nice slice). It's a bit more accessible than the CX200Tour, but it still has a great connection to the ball. Might be worth a try.
 

nyc

Hall of Fame
As I reflect on all of your suggestions, I'm thinking that instead of switching the racquet it would be easier to just switch to a more powerful poly. As I'm actually loving Blade in general, just looking for a slight increase in power. I'm currently using some random poly, don't even know the name of it.
Before opening a can of worms with demos, I suggest trying Hyper-G 18 at 50lbs. That hit the sweetspot for me in terms of additional spin and power.

As far as the Ezone, I'm one of the lucky ones(?) that got elbow issues that went away after switching to the Blade V7
 

maromad89

New User
Before opening a can of worms with demos, I suggest trying Hyper-G 18 at 50lbs. That hit the sweetspot for me in terms of additional spin and power.

As far as the Ezone, I'm one of the lucky ones(?) that got elbow issues that went away after switching to the Blade V7

Hey NYC, interested in hearing about your elbow issues with the EZone 98. Really loving it but having elbow issues after 3-4 hours of demoing it through a couple of weeks. Were you using Poly? Did you stay with the same string and tension when you switched to the Blade? (thinking of the Blade as a more arm-friendly alternative).
 

nyc

Hall of Fame
Hey NYC, interested in hearing about your elbow issues with the EZone 98. Really loving it but having elbow issues after 3-4 hours of demoing it through a couple of weeks. Were you using Poly? Did you stay with the same string and tension when you switched to the Blade? (thinking of the Blade as a more arm-friendly alternative).
Yes, same poly (hyper G 17 @48lbs), I believe it's the vibration frequency that someone mentioned. oh and this was the Ezone 98 (2020) version

It's a good racquet, but unfortunately it didn't work for me.
 
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