Wilson BLX help...

[joeellis]

I'm starting to play tennis again after a 2 year absence. Before I stopped, I primarily used 2 Wilson racquets, the K Factor K Blade Tour and the K Factor 6.1 Tour (Federer). I liked both racquets for different reasons, but at times had difficulties with each.

The K Blade Tour was a great all around stick, but in certain situations didn't offer enough pop. On the run passing attempts being one example. I loved the control and feel it offered, but I need more pop for sure.

The 6.1 was the most solid racquet I've ever used. I loved the awesome plow through and sturdy solid feel. The primary problem I faced with it however, was the overall weight. As long as I had sufficient time to set up, I could handle the weight, but on quick reflex shots, I was handicapped.

That is a short synopsis. Now on to my questions. I want a racquet that has low/medium power with a weight in the 11 to 11.5 range. I normally buy 2 racquets of the same type and have them professionally modified to match. I prefer a relatively high swing weight, with a substantial HL balance. The racquets I'm currently using weigh 11.6 ozs. with a 8 pt. HL balance. I will not name the racquet, I just want to get back to Wilson. They work best for me.

I want the best compromise I can find between stabilty from the baseline, maneuverability at the net and enough power to not compromise control. I know. That is what everyone wants:???:

I have access to a couple of demos at my club. I may have to domo others from TW. The racquets I've narrowed it down to are:
BLX Pro Open
BLX Pro Tour
BLX Blade 98
BLX Tour Limited
BLX Tour

I would love to receive feedback and suggestions from players that have tried some of these. I plan to domo them all at some point, but most seem to come strung with poly at a medium tension. I normally use natural gut crosses and multi filament mains, strung to give me a good combo of power and control, so I will not get a totally accurate idea.

 

[DevilsChildXD]

I personally have a BLX pro open and think I'm sticking with this racket for life! After you use it for awhile you'll notice it's a little light( I used lead at 12 and in the handle I have no idea how much I used lol ) but what I really love about this racket is the serves!! My god you get great control on the serves and it's pretty consistent. The volleys are also very nice and crisp the racket is maneuverable too. IMO the only thing this racket lacks is a deadly slice I can slice the ball but there's not enough pace on it to stop the ball and make it stop moving forward. On groundstrokes I can take a full swing without having to worry the ball will going long and the control is decent. The racket has pretty good spin potential too. I think this racket has a lot of potential but you have to have really good strokes. Overall it's a great racket and I think a poly hybrid is the right string for this racket and this is the most best feeling racket ever!!

 

[smucker007]

I switched to the BLX Pro Open as well..and have similar experience with DevilsChild. Everything is great with this racquet (I don't slice much so thats not an issue!) It is on the light side so the potential for adding lead and customizing is good.

Pro Tour has such a dense pattern..When I hit with it, it wasn't as forgiving and didn't feel as soild as the Pro Open.

I used to use Kblade 98 and wanted to switch away from the blades...so never tried the blx blade and won't ever after using the Pro Open.

You can try the 6.1 95s as well..might be on the heavy side but are solid racquets if you don't mind the weight.

 

[tarkowski]

I prefer a relatively high swing weight, with a substantial HL balance.

This requirement combined with the 11-11.5 weight requirement narrows things down considerably. The only one in your short list that really qualifies is the BLX Pro Tour... though I really don't think you'll like it coming from the KBlade Tour and K90. But I'm guessing... it could be worth a demo.

Ignoring for the moment the 11-11.5 requirement, reading what you like and dislike about the KBlade Tour and K90 leaves the obvious recommendation of the BLX 95 - in either string pattern. Have you tried these? They are both excellent sticks.

Not ignoring this requirement, I think perhaps your best option is tail-weighting the BLX Tour to give it some mass and make it more HL. The stick already hits very solid stock, but it could benefit from a little more mass in the handle.

The Pro Open is also a great stick. I play a K90 for reference, and I liked this more than the Pro Tour. It's more solid (firmer feeling) than the Tour and provides a great, clean, crisp response. I've tried many of the 100 16x19's and this is my favorite of the bunch. But it does swing very light and fast and I would want more swing weight. Problem with this is that it's already a fairly powerful stick and adding mass up there would make it more so.

I haven't tried the Tour Limited or BLX Blade 98 so can't comment on those. The BLX Blade Tour is very solid and I consider it an update to the KBlade Tour. However, I still don't think it's as solid as the 90's, and it also has a more muted response...making it a tougher go on defense.

Good luck!

 

[joeellis]

This requirement combined with the 11-11.5 weight requirement narrows things down considerably. The only one in your short list that really qualifies is the BLX Pro Tour... though I really don't think you'll like it coming from the KBlade Tour and K90. But I'm guessing... it could be worth a demo.

Ignoring for the moment the 11-11.5 requirement, reading what you like and dislike about the KBlade Tour and K90 leaves the obvious recommendation of the BLX 95 - in either string pattern. Have you tried these? They are both excellent sticks.

Not ignoring this requirement, I think perhaps your best option is tail-weighting the BLX Tour to give it some mass and make it more HL. The stick already hits very solid stock, but it could benefit from a little more mass in the handle.

The Pro Open is also a great stick. I play a K90 for reference, and I liked this more than the Pro Tour. It's more solid (firmer feeling) than the Tour and provides a great, clean, crisp response. I've tried many of the 100 16x19's and this is my favorite of the bunch. But it does swing very light and fast and I would want more swing weight. Problem with this is that it's already a fairly powerful stick and adding mass up there would make it more so.

I haven't tried the Tour Limited or BLX Blade 98 so can't comment on those. The BLX Blade Tour is very solid and I consider it an update to the KBlade Tour. However, I still don't think it's as solid as the 90's, and it also has a more muted response...making it a tougher go on defense.

Good luck!

Thanks for everyone's input. I will try some of these racquets very soon.

In reference to the overall weight, swing weight, and HL balance, I like to start with a racquet in the 11 to 11.5 oz. range because it gives me room to add weight in different locations to see what works best. Typically, once I've determined what works best for me, I send them off to have them professionally adjusted and matched very close to these specs.

I didn't do a good job of explaining this in my first post. If I start out with a racquet that in stock form weighs over 12 ozs., I don't have room to make adjustments. At my age, 12+ oz. racquets can bee too heavy overall. With that said, I love the solid feel and plow through a heavy racquet provides. I have to try and find the best compromise between weight and maneuverability. Not an easy task sometimes.

I'm leaning toward Wilson racquets because they seem to give me more of what I like than most other brands. I'll try and give some impressions once I've tried them, and I appreciate everyone's thoughts. I like to know what people have experienced even though the final decision is mine.

 

[joeellis]

tarkowski,

I just checked out the specs on the BLX 6.1 95's. Thanks for the suggestion. This is another I need to try. Although the static weight is at the extreme of what I would start with, it still may be the best option. I also install leather grips which will add to the weight, but it will also make the balance more HL.

 

[levy1]

I bought 3 of the BLX pro open. My favorite was the same as yours. Wilson 6.1 95 which after two months my arm fell off. I found the BLX pro open to have the same feel and close to the specs except for the weight. I added lead to bring them to 11.6. oz. This is the closest I have come to feelo the 6.1 95. Learn to use lead tape and buy it from a Golf store as it is twice as heavy as the tennis lead tape. Then you can lead up the demo. I put the same amount on the handle and the head at 3 and 9. Then I wrap a over grip over the handle, play with it, and remove the lead before I send it back. You cannot tell it was on the racket. I have a brand new pro tour sent to me as a pro open and could not get my money back. I tried it and did not like it at all. Good luck

 

[tarkowski]

tarkowski,

I just checked out the specs on the BLX 6.1 95's. Thanks for the suggestion. This is another I need to try. Although the static weight is at the extreme of what I would start with, it still may be the best option. I also install leather grips which will add to the weight, but it will also make the balance more HL.

Hey joeellis,

Sure thing man! I understand staring with a certain spec and going from there. The Wilson 6.1's don't really leave all that much room given the starting weight - but the good thing is they are pretty HL and swing quite fast for the spec.

Like you, I always have a leather grip installed, and a pro overgrip as well. I really enjoyed the BLX 95's and had two 18x20's customized with leather grip. If I didn't already get on really well with the K90 (or BLX 90), the 95 18x20 would be the stick I'd be playing with.

As long as you can get on with the Higher SW of the KTour, it provides a bit of room for adding weight to the handle. You could get it up to 11.5 or so without impacting SW and make the stick feel more maneuverable and with better mass. I think one of the TW play testers (Ryan?) had done this very thing but has since moved onto the 61 95 18x20.

Take care!

 

[Consolation]

tarkowski,

I just checked out the specs on the BLX 6.1 95's. Thanks for the suggestion. This is another I need to try. Although the static weight is at the extreme of what I would start with, it still may be the best option. I also install leather grips which will add to the weight, but it will also make the balance more HL.

The new pro hybrid grip is pretty nice. I'd try it before you peel it off and put a leather on. It really does feel like a leather grip with an over grip (thin, bevels clearly defined, firm with slight cushion). It weighs a little more than a synthetic, but still less than full leather.