Wilson Steam 99S 18x16 with flex in the 64-66 range - Why not?

[g4driver]

So many frames on the market. Is there room for this one? I think so.

The Steam 99S is great for a lot of players, but there are some players who feel the Steam 99S is close but just missed for them. I'm one of those guys.

Two of the biggest knocks I see on the Steam 99S are:
a) lacking in control (inconsistent launch angles with such an open pattern)
b) too stiff for many

Wilson makes four different versions of the Six.One 95 (95L, 95S, 16x19, 18x20). Wilson makes five different version of the Blade (93 with 18x20, 98 with 16x19 and 18x20, a 98S - 18x16 and the 104 with 18x19)

So why not have a Steam 99S 16x15 and a 18x16 version? Wilson had great success with the Steam 99S. It seems there is plenty of room for a very popular frame with a little more flex and a little more control. Would this frame be for everyone? No. But I think it would find a nice home with many players.

Am I the only guy who wants a Steam 99S 18x16 and softer flex?

 

[Dgdavid]

you tried the Steam 99 Non-S? 16x18. Does a lot to help point a.
I have both for some time and much preferred the Non-S.

 

[g4driver]

you tried the Steam 99 Non-S? 16x18. Does a lot to help point a.
I have both for some time and much preferred the Non-S.

Yes, and it's stiffer than the 99S. There are plenty of stiff 16x18 and 16x19 patterns around. Babolat is a cash cow with this department. I like the Wilson Spin Effect designs, just want a less stiff frame than the Steam 99S I bought and tried for two months.

I've ordered two Six.One 95S frames, but really want the frame Wilson doesn't make. Love to read a Wilson insider reply with a "Be patient"

 

[v-verb]

Pro Staff 95S. Narrow beam, 16 x 15 pattern.

I'm hoping it's a Steam 99s with a narrower beam and a little more flex

 

[drak]

seems the 98S meets your criteria, 64 stiffness and 18X16 pattern

 

[RollTrackTake]

seems the 98S meets your criteria, 64 stiffness and 18X16 pattern

Yeah, Blade 98S or the Steam 99LS w/added weight. Maybe if you turn pro they'll make you a custom frame! Seriously though it would be cool if you could pay to have their pro room make you a batch of custom sticks. I'm sure a bunch of rec players would pay a kings ransom for that opportunity. Wilson offers more frames than any other company so you never know what they may toss out there.

 

[g4driver]

seems the 98S meets your criteria, 64 stiffness and 18X16 pattern

Drak, saw your post about the 18/15 Blade 98 you customized. Nice. If you have any pics, love to see you post them on that thread.

I tried a Blade 98S this weekend, unfortunately someone decided to put gut crosses in the frame which makes the entire Spin Effect worthless. The cyclone moved and stayed, it is shredding the gut and their is very little snapback if any at all. I'd hit one point then straighten the mains. After two games, I called "Uncle" and hit with the Blade 98 for the rest of the time on Sat and Sun.

The shop was busy on a Monday with tons of frames today, but I will offer to restring it for them tomorrow. They have some high school stringers in their store, and both guys that saw the gut today shook their heads like I did. I'd love to try the frame again with a softer bed of full poly. The Pro Staff 100LS interest me also.

The Steam 99S - so close. Just wanted it tweaked a little Heck, I gladly buy one in a 16x16, 18x16, or 18x15 if were made with less than a 67 stiffness measurement.

I could hear the Stones playing this for me as I typed this post. lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIX0ZDqDljA

 

[Anton]

Your wish is Wilson's half-command:

Head Size:
99 sq. in. / 638.71 sq. cm.
Length: 27in / 68.58cm
Strung Weight: 10.2oz / 289.17g
Balance: 13.13in / 33.35cm / 3 pts HL
Swingweight: 294
Stiffness: 64
Beam Width: 22.5mm / 24mm / 23.5mm /
Composition: Basalt
Power Level: Low-Medium
Stroke Style: Medium-Full
Swing Speed: Medium-Fast
Racquet Colors:
Red/ Black/ White
Grip Type: Wilson Sublime Grip
String Pattern:
16 Mains / 15 Crosses
Mains skip: 8T 8H
One Piece
No Shared Holes
String Tension: 54-64 pounds

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Wilson_Steam_99LS/descpageRCWILSON-STM99L.html

 

[g4driver]

The Steam 99LS still has a 16x15 pattern which leads to less control - than and 18x15 or 18x16 or 16x16 pattern APTBE.

The only reason the 99LS is appealing to me over a 99S is due to flex of 64- it is extremely light for someone looking for a 11.7+ oz strung frame.

Review :
Five Blade versions
Four Six.One 95 models
Three Steam S models 99LS, 99S, 105S -

I think there is room for a 4th version and 5th version in the Steam Line - the 99S and 105S with 18x16, 18x15 or 16X16 patterns and 64-66 flex and roughly 320 Swingweight, and 305 grams unstrung seem like a great edition.

The Six.One 95S, Pro Staff 95S, and Pro Staff 100LS (with a lot of weight added) all see like better options for me than a 99LS.

 

[thejuice]

OP, I'm just curious but have you ever tried the Prince Tour 100 16x18?

 

[g4driver]

Pro Staff 95S. Narrow beam, 16 x 15 pattern.

I'm hoping it's a Steam 99s with a narrower beam and a little more flex

V-Verb,

This should be a sweet frame. I played with 95sq inch Wilson Skunk 6.2 frame for five years, and wonder what it will be like switching back from a 100 / 99 / 98 inch frame. I hit a few times a week with the Blade 98 (16x19) so I'm comfortable with the 98 inch frame. Just hoping I hit clean enough to transition back down to the 95.

If Wilson is making 18x16 patterns in the Six.One 95S frame, and a 16x15 in the Pro Staff 95S, it seems Wilson is acknowledging 16x15 isn't the only option for it's Wilson Spin Effect designs. Wilson is bringing Spin Effect to the Pro Staff, and Six.One lines, but only introduced one new frame in the Steam Line - the 99LS (16x15). Seems to me Wilson is missing the opportunity to get a little more control in the Steam 99S/105S frames by only including the 16x15 patterns.

Just hoping Wilson might produce a tighter Spin Effect Pattern in the Steam 99S. A 18x16 pattern in a 99 square inch frame might have the equivalent control of an 16x15 pattern in a 95 square inch frame, with more spin the the standard 16x18/19/20 patterns.

The Pro Staff 95 (16x15) should produce more spin than the Six.One 95S (18x16) with the control being better in the Six.One 95S. Just love to see the same options in a 99 square inch frame. Currently if you want a Wilson frame in a 99 or 100 inch frame with Spin Effect, your options are: 99S or 99LS with only the 16x15 patterns.

Another thing I wonder is : why on earth would Wilson drop the weight on the Blade 98S to 294grams from the 304grams on the Blade 98? I get that you can add weight back to the Blade 98S. But what market was Wilson targeting with a sub 300 gram Blade 98S? ???

OP, I'm just curious but have you ever tried the Prince Tour 100 16x18?

Yes, nice comfort, but it doesn't have near the spin or power of the Steam 99S. I'll have the Six.One 95S frames soon from TW. Looking forward to trying these for a few months. By time the Aussie Open starts the Pro Staff S frames will be out.

 

[Anton]

The Steam 99LS still has a 16x15 pattern which leads to less control - than and 18x15 or 18x16 or 16x16 pattern APTBE.

The only reason the 99LS is appealing to me over a 99S is due to flex of 64- it is extremely light for someone looking for a 11.7+ oz strung frame.

Review :
Five Blade versions
Four Six.One 95 models
Three Steam S models 99LS, 99S, 105S -

I think there is room for a 4th version and 5th version in the Steam Line - the 99S and 105S with 18x16, 18x15 or 16X16 patterns and 64-66 flex and roughly 320 Swingweight, and 305 grams unstrung seem like a great edition.

The Six.One 95S, Pro Staff 95S, and Pro Staff 100LS (with a lot of weight added) all see like better options for me than a 99LS.

They invented lead a while ago.

In just minuets It lets you increase racket's weight to whatever you please.

So you are down to string pattern...

 

[g4driver]

They invented lead a while ago.

So you are down to string pattern...

Yep, and reading comprehension probably showed up around the same time.

Which means my original post still stands- and that you acknowledge this with "you are down to a string pattern" comment.

Lead doesn't solve a 16x15 pattern- and the Steam 99LS is a 16x15 pattern.

 

[drak]

"Another thing I wonder is : why on earth would Wilson drop the weight on the Blade 98S to 294grams from the 304grams on the Blade 98? I get that you can add weight back to the Blade 98S. But what market was Wilson targeting with a sub 300 gram Blade 98S? ???"

Big deal - 6 grams. The racket at 11 oz still has a very significant swingweight of 321. One of my issues with the 99S was the 333 SW and it affected my shoulder in a negative way as did the stiffness. There is somewhat more room for customization in the 98S which IMO was a smart move by Wilson.

Drak

 

[Veninga]

"Another thing I wonder is : why on earth would Wilson drop the weight on the Blade 98S to 294grams from the 304grams on the Blade 98? I get that you can add weight back to the Blade 98S. But what market was Wilson targeting with a sub 300 gram Blade 98S? ???"

Big deal - 6 grams. The racket at 11 oz still has a very significant swingweight of 321. One of my issues with the 99S was the 333 SW and it affected my shoulder in a negative way as did the stiffness. There is somewhat more room for customization in the 98S which IMO was a smart move by Wilson.

Drak

Lower weight and swingweight increases swingspeed and therefore the spin. That is the reason. Same is going on at Prince with their ESP models, lowering weight and swingweight (tour 98 and tour 100)

 

[g4driver]

"Another thing I wonder is : why on earth would Wilson drop the weight on the Blade 98S to 294grams from the 304grams on the Blade 98?

Big deal - 6 grams. The racket at 11 oz still has a very significant swingweight of 321. One of my issues with the 99S was the 333 SW and it affected my shoulder in a negative way as did the stiffness.

Drak

10 grams I know it's no big deal - just not sure why they dropped the weight - ?? going to try the Blade 98S again with full poly. Will try it tonight if the rain holds off.

I think the Blade 98S with more weight is certainly a frame that fits what I'm looking for. One of my clamps had to be replaced otherwise I would have cut that poly / gut out of the demo myself.

 

[g4driver]

Veninga,

Thanks for the explanation.

 

[skuludo]

"Another thing I wonder is : why on earth would Wilson drop the weight on the Blade 98S to 294grams from the 304grams on the Blade 98? I get that you can add weight back to the Blade 98S. But what market was Wilson targeting with a sub 300 gram Blade 98S? ???"

Big deal - 6 grams. The racket at 11 oz still has a very significant swingweight of 321. One of my issues with the 99S was the 333 SW and it affected my shoulder in a negative way as did the stiffness. There is somewhat more room for customization in the 98S which IMO was a smart move by Wilson.

Drak

Did you measure your 99s's swingweight? I found one that was 320.

 

[g4driver]

Did you measure your 99s's swingweight? I found one that was 320.

No.

I know they are suppose to be in the 333 range without looking at the specs. I just felt the TE and said "No Mas" going back to my tried and true Pro Opens and had a pretty good season.

Looking back on it, I did have shoulder pain for the first time ever. It really didn't occur to me to check the swingweight, but I could grab the frame from the friend who bought it and measure it. He's about to have a laser back surgery for a herniated disc.