Wilson Pro Staff V14.0
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wheaties
New User
Picked up a PS v14 Noir recently. Came in at 316g, 30.7cm, 282sw... Strung SW was 309.
Had to add around 5g @12 to get it to 325sw. Final spec w/overgrip: 339g, 31.7cm.
Would have liked to lower the balance a little, get the SW closer to 330 but I just can't deal with the extra weight on serves. Wilson QC man
Had to add around 5g @12 to get it to 325sw. Final spec w/overgrip: 339g, 31.7cm.
Would have liked to lower the balance a little, get the SW closer to 330 but I just can't deal with the extra weight on serves. Wilson QC man
I had the exact same issues with my PS X. I had to add 6g of weight at 10 and 2, leather grip and even more lead under the grip and 2g in the cap to wake it up.Picked up a PS v14 Noir recently. Came in at 316g, 30.7cm, 282sw... Strung SW was 309.
Had to add around 5g @12 to get it to 325sw. Final spec w/overgrip: 339g, 31.7cm.
Would have liked to lower the balance a little, get the SW closer to 330 but I just can't deal with the extra weight on serves. Wilson QC man
I don't mind heavy rackets, but the purpose of buying the PS X was to experience it in it's intended spec range which I was never able to do as it was 20pts under spec in SW.
wheaties
New User
Yeah that's exactly what I had in mind as well. My Shifts are around 334g static, both of them also came in really underspec but they don't start at 315g unstrung. Was hoping I wouldn't need to customise the PS at all.
Oh well. Can't say I regret the purchase yet, first session with it was so much fun. Let's see how long the honeymoon lasts.
I highly doubt you would regret it. It’s a really good racket either way and I would’ve ended up making it heavier. Either way. It’s a good antidote to a slightly softer more forgiving Pro staff 97 with a higher launch angle and more counterpunching ability at the baseline it’s a shame they’re discontinuing it but the specs kind of remind me of the microgel radical Pro 100 in.² which is also 315 g static I bought three from Japan. I’m going to Black them out and see what they’re about almost identical specs to the PSX. i’d imagine the biggest difference would be the layup so just flex and feel and stiffness I suppose.
Everyone complained about the last paintjob not being blackout like Fed and noone bought the X/Six One etc... models so now you get "classic"
I bought 4 of the v14's! I'm fine with the paint job just didn't like the font - FFS, Wilson should just hire me. The V13 was designed by an outside desginer who presented it to Wilson and they loved it, so they used it for the RF97 v13 - that's the best looking Pro Staff ever made. I also think the coloured Laver Cup editions are really cool - They should have maybe tried silver, or a red / silver combination would have been an interested evolution.
yourtennisfit
Professional
I don't know - I think it hits exactly the sweet spot for Pro Staff lovers
Not about new tech, the fanciest paintjob, but rather something vintage with an oldschool feel to it. Much better than the v14, even though I prefer the v13 still
The black paintjob is fine on the new one, it's that 80s disco font which I think is a big mistake. They've taken what has always been a future facing serious players stick and turned it into a retro-limited thing which no longer looks like it's supposed to be played with, but rather aquired for collecting purposes. That's the part that annoys me. Which makes me believe the 'Classic' is what they're showing is now, because (and I hope) the proper paintjob is being kept a secret. If thats what they're doing, then it's brilliant. Otherwise, it signals the end of the Pro Staff line for good, because why at this point would you make it look like the PS85?
I think it looks great. Sure it would have been cool to give us something more exciting, but if this actually is the last version, I can see why they went with something inspired by the PS85. Nostalgic, classic, close-the-circle/end of life kinda thing. It's not exciting, but it's classy. Just like a ProStaff.
Now this is an interesting theory - It's the only thing that kind of makes sense?And they can now use the Pro Staff name for the Python prototype, since they added that 'Classic'
Suddenly they would have a lot of Pro Staff players on tour
Say Chi Sin Lo
G.O.A.T.
If the new one sells a lot better than the doodoo butter colored V14, sort of proves a lot of what I've been saying about the doodoo butter Pro Staff.
(But I doubt it, appealing to old, aging players who's came to their senses about BS marketing isn't the right strategy for racquets manufacturers.)
(But I doubt it, appealing to old, aging players who's came to their senses about BS marketing isn't the right strategy for racquets manufacturers.)
Yeah now even the v15 label for the Classic makes sense lol
Moving on from the Pro Staff v14, it was a short playtest for me. Ultimately It boiled down to
1. Too polarized in stock form, I knew recoil weight mattered but I really felt the sluggishness of the racket because I went waaay above my usual recoil weight. I'm normally around 161-162 (I'm 5'7) but the Pro Staff came with 165-166 stock and after I got the SW to where I wanted I was around 168 which I felt slowed my swing down too much. This would be great for someone who is taller but it was too much for me.
2. I liked the denser string pattern at first because it gave me a precise volley but I thought it ultimately lacked spin potential on groundstrokes when hitting in the center and I felt myself missing the spin potential of my previous frame which is a 95. If I'm going to move up in head size I'd want something a little more spin friendly than what I'm currently using. I thought the string bed aged a bit weirdly too with the denser pattern. I'm not sure the reasoning behind it so much now when the Blade already has a controlled string pattern?
Nothing crazy bad and I did play some good tennis here and there I just never felt like I was having fun on court and life is too short.
If wilson wants to sell more of these I think going down with the SW to about 318-320 would be ideal to give it a 159-160 RW in stock form like the previous version and also open back up the string pattern a little. If someone wants an 18x20 they'll just buy a frame that has that pattern.
1. Too polarized in stock form, I knew recoil weight mattered but I really felt the sluggishness of the racket because I went waaay above my usual recoil weight. I'm normally around 161-162 (I'm 5'7) but the Pro Staff came with 165-166 stock and after I got the SW to where I wanted I was around 168 which I felt slowed my swing down too much. This would be great for someone who is taller but it was too much for me.
2. I liked the denser string pattern at first because it gave me a precise volley but I thought it ultimately lacked spin potential on groundstrokes when hitting in the center and I felt myself missing the spin potential of my previous frame which is a 95. If I'm going to move up in head size I'd want something a little more spin friendly than what I'm currently using. I thought the string bed aged a bit weirdly too with the denser pattern. I'm not sure the reasoning behind it so much now when the Blade already has a controlled string pattern?
Nothing crazy bad and I did play some good tennis here and there I just never felt like I was having fun on court and life is too short.
If wilson wants to sell more of these I think going down with the SW to about 318-320 would be ideal to give it a 159-160 RW in stock form like the previous version and also open back up the string pattern a little. If someone wants an 18x20 they'll just buy a frame that has that pattern.
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mhkeuns
Hall of Fame
What was the main reason that X was unpopular? I find the frame much easier to use than Gravity Pro, especially in doubles. Was it the feel? Was it the paintjob? It’s not the most powerful 100” racket but is very maneuverable and easy to swing fast. Not a bad racket at all, imo.
The weight most likely.
mhkeuns
Hall of Fame
The static weight? Are people avoiding anything above 305 grams nowadays?
Yes lol. Marketing.
ozbikebuddy
Professional
Marketing yes.....but a 305gr pro staff would match up nicely with the TF-40 etc, which would be very interesting when both foam filled
ZeroandOne
Semi-Pro
Having played with all the versions except the V11, I think the best versions are the V10 and V13. I'm a bit disappointed they didn't update the v14.
As @aaron_h27 said, 100% everyone is now convinced anything over 305 is a "heavy" "old school" or "players" frame.
Admittedly though, they should've dropped the weight to like 310g for the X to "compensate" for the larger hoop size. Probably would've sold well and there's no lineage of the 315g weight so silly to not lower it for more mass appeal.
I thought they actually did make the X more head-light than the 97 for that reason. Aside from that though, I think the bigger issue for the X and PS line overall is that the demand for more spin and power is booming while the market for precision and control seems to be stagnant.
Same spec as the 97
Well I assume the idea with the 100 was to add some forgiveness and a bit of power.
But a slight weight reduction could've moved the needle on the interest level.
ZeroandOne
Semi-Pro
What's everyone's string setup these days? I think 4G and Lynx tour are S tier strings. Alu too but you gotta pump up the tension to account for tension loss. Testing rpm team right now which is super nice off the stringer, curious to see how tension will hold up. Worst setup has to be poly tour pro. Felt yucky in the staff. Recently tried hawk power which turned out to be very uninspiring as well.
You can't go wrong with Alu Power.
My last string job in the wet season I did Alu 1.30 mains and Alu Rough 1.25. It was excellent for around 3 weeks and then it dropped off significantly as we know.
Previoulsy i'd done Klip Gut Mains 1.25, 4G Bronze 1.25 Crosses which I really liked.
Now i'm testing out Luxilon Gut Mains 1.30, Restring Sync 1.25 Crosses - I think 1.30 doesn't work as well in the PS97 as it does in the RF97.
Tension always at 24.5 / 23 kg for gut mains / poly crosses
23.5kg for poly / poly.
My last string job in the wet season I did Alu 1.30 mains and Alu Rough 1.25. It was excellent for around 3 weeks and then it dropped off significantly as we know.
Previoulsy i'd done Klip Gut Mains 1.25, 4G Bronze 1.25 Crosses which I really liked.
Now i'm testing out Luxilon Gut Mains 1.30, Restring Sync 1.25 Crosses - I think 1.30 doesn't work as well in the PS97 as it does in the RF97.
Tension always at 24.5 / 23 kg for gut mains / poly crosses
23.5kg for poly / poly.
TwinCinema
Hall of Fame
Just sold my PS97 v14 (on my way to UPS store to ship it off now)
But my favorite string setups over the years were:
- razor code white 1.20
- Alu Rough
- 4G desert bronze 1.25 (looks the best in it)
Crisp is the way to go, so it makes sense PTP isn’t good in it.
ZeroandOne
Semi-Pro
Yeah I think Hawk Power comes alive if it's strung tight
sebash
Rookie
I bought 3 PS97 Classic from TW with RM. Which ones would you choose considering the PS97 has caused me TE in the past I'm considering the 3 67 RA rackets. Thanks!!
Racket 1 : 312,8 290 31,9 69
Racket 2 : 311,8 290 31,9 69
Racket 3 : 314,1 290 32,0 67
Racket 4 : 313,5 291 31,7 68
Racket 5 : 313,1 288 31,6 67
Racket 6 : 312,2 289 31,7 67
Racket 1 : 312,8 290 31,9 69
Racket 2 : 311,8 290 31,9 69
Racket 3 : 314,1 290 32,0 67
Racket 4 : 313,5 291 31,7 68
Racket 5 : 313,1 288 31,6 67
Racket 6 : 312,2 289 31,7 67
julianokay
Rookie
Did you specifically ask for higher balance? Just asking because I recently got 2 PS97 Classics and they both were much closer to 32cm unstrung whereas the advertised spec is 31cm unstrung.
sebash
Rookie
No I did not lol and could not anyway because they just take 6 random rackets I believe... Yeah that 31,7-32mm unstrung balance is surprising, way too high :/
I might just ask for 4, 5 and 6 because of the lower and similar balance with low stiffness. Wdyt?
julianokay
Rookie
None of them are even remotely close to advertised spec, and balance is such a huge part of how a racquet swings. Seems a little crazy to me that they don't even give you that option.
ZeroandOne
Semi-Pro
Don't buy them! Balance is wack!
yourtennisfit
Professional
obviously using one of the P98/100 frames
sebash
Rookie
Yeah I cancelled. I just won't get my 20€ of matching back
You should, they were anything but matched.
