The Clash Pro is 310g unstrung, and you have added 32g of weight taking it to 342g unstrung, 360g strung, 12pt HL and 342 SW. The result is very similar to a Pro-Staff 97 RF. It would be interesting to know if the other characteristics of the Clash have been retained or if adding the lead has also changed the flex and vibration frequency. Another racket with similar specs and low flex would be the Volkl C10 Pro. How about a 3-way comparison?
Am I going out on a limb here by saying, maybe, there is another racquet with characteristics you like already out of the box that would require minimal Frankenstein Lab time.
I tried out your way of customizing a raquet. I used way less weight though. I did it on a Head graphene touch tour. The final weight is 339 grams. It plays better than the stock form. I did not use a shrink sleeve, but a standard grip with an overgrip. I also want to keep experimenting because it is so mych fun.It is now a very controlled tweener. It is a cheater prestige, but has a lot of potential for intermediate players. Thanks for the tips.
Based on your videos of you playing, if I were a coach, I'd say that your groundies are often a tad on the late side and you're catching up with a quick short movement. Surely a high momentum frame like this helps with that, but I can't help but think restarting with a lighter racket that requires a bigger swing and training up your mechanics to swing out a bit more might be beneficial for your game over all?
Yep. Prepare earlier, more shoulder and hip turn, and “get the racket back” a little more to take a slightly more full swing! I’m surprised his friends haven’t fixed this. Same on backhand, needs more shoulder and hip turn
The customized racquet is too heavy. Watch him play with it - despite having a Western forehand grip, he gets hardly any spin because he can't generate sufficient racquet head speed for spin. As customized, the frame is stable and powerful and probably plays stiffer but he really gets very little spin. It's good for compact strokes but it appears that the actual playability is reduced.
@@jluc1079 Putting lead tape under the grip makes the racquet more headlight and more stable, that is, the frame is less likely to twist in your hand especially on off-center hits. In this instance, it also seems to counterbalance the lead tape he puts in the head and throat of the frame. Generally, if I want to make a frame heavier in the handle, I replace the synthetic grip with a heavier leather grip. That is all the extra weight I usually need. Some people also will remove the butt cap of the racquet and insert silicone to make a frame more grip heavy as that technique does not affect the grip size or the grip shape. You might find this informative: ruclips.net/video/L7nHXz7TNWg/видео.html
@@tedneanderthal7373 i also like heavy racquets and customize them heavier also. and i don't need that extra spin, i like to hit mostly flat, if i need spin i can generate it myself, but heavier racquets are good for a full classic movement, not compact modern strokes, make mostly by wrist.
TIP: i put down electrical tape first then the lead on top of that, then another strip of electric tape on top (adjust weight accordingly). looks better (esp. on a black frame) and easy to remove for reuse or repositioning
I have the 98 and added just a little weight to the handle and changed the crappy grip and added overwrap and it feels better but haven’t hit with it yet. Didn’t add much, but may take a little lead off handle. I wanted it a little more headlight, not sure I’m just experimenting
Another approach to tail-weighting is to inject with silicon and then use nails to fine-tune the weight. You can use heavy 3.5 or 4 inch nails or thin and light brads. You can pull them out with pliers so the nails are reversible.
All the lead tape on my Clash 98 started to come off pretty quickly because the hoop is so flexible that the lead-tape starts to crumple up. I was forced to put all of it under the grommet to keep it in place. PS. I reckon you've got about 10g too much in the handle. A 30.5cm balance is way too headlight ... you'll end up shanking balls or not come through heavy enough.
Not sure how helpful this video really is. Seems mostly ad hoc lead tape application to areas he’s decided he likes over time with trial and error. Far more useful would be a video demonstrating proper customisation to match up say two or three rackets to a specific weight/BP/SW. This approach won’t work if one is trying to match rackets. Way too random. He didn’t even measure the specs prior to loading up on lead. 🤷🏼♂️ I’d like to see him measure up his four Clash Pros and show us how closely this shoot by feel customisation method gets him. We get you like weight. But this is about customisation, which ultimate goal is a matching set of rackets to one’s specs. There are online customisation calculators that allow for determinations of weight and location to achieve a weight/BP/SW target. If I wanted a heavier stick without close matching, I could just randomly pick three rackets of a model that’s heavier by design. Far better than messing with random strips of lead.
You're right. Hence why he was so surprised that the balance was 30.5cm, way more headlight than he had imagined (though to most, as we watched in horror, we could guess what the outcome was going to be) ... He should have measured first, customised to some target and remeasured to fine tune.
One nice thing about older Heads is you can hide the tape under the CAP Grommets. Or you can put most of the lead under them and fine-tune on the inside. That frame must be really light for you to have to add so much. I've actually not seen anyone else with lead in the throat. My main racquets are polarized and you get better spin with it. I also have a set of racquets with a lot of lead (12 grams) at 3/9 and the feel is that you tend to hit flatter shots with it. Tape at 3/9 is also better for your arm as it increase twistweight.
He most likely chooses that tension because he is using solinco confidential which is a very stiff poly a little less stiffness that tour bit, but more than hyper g and with those string usually people tend to string their racquets at a lower tension because the strings are more for being able to control shots from big hitters, and because of the deadness of the strings a lower tension is great to add a little power to the string still with great bite on the ball and control. For a while I've been stringing my racquets (2020 Ezone 98) at 54 with strings like Poly tour pro, then went to a 6 sided poly known as advantage slash which was surprisingly great, and I went to 56- 57 with that and it was great. Now currently I am back to hyper g at 50 - 53 range which is usually lower than I would ever go but I would consider myself a big hitter, and am loving the hyper g right now more than I ever have at the lower tension of 50-53. Also take into consideration that the wilson clash 100 has a low tension recommendation range which I believe is 47-57 or 45 - 55.
@@davidglover9210 I think before I have heard him mention that he has a few different racquets that he strings a couple lbs tighter and looser depending on what he is felling in his shot. Another thing is when you are ready to restring you can feel in your game what you were liking for example you are using your racquet a few weeks after it was strung and you are playing very well with the lower tension you can start the tension lower the next time around so you get to that range you like quicker, or say your tension has dropped some and you aren't liking the way you are playing with it you feel it is too loose for you, you can start the tension higher so you have more time in that range of your liking.
I am glad I found this video. The more I play with the Clash the less I like it . I am going to add some lead like you did to see if it improves. It is way to head light.
I hit with a clash demo last weekend. It was lighter but It gives much more power than any of my pro staffs. Good info on how people can make their stick more head light. Thanks! Your edges are as Billy Crystal says, marvelous! That is a ton of lead. You may get a visit from the EPA😊.
I have the normal clash and i have added 1,5 gram to the top under the grommet and 6 grams at 6 o'clock and also 6 grams in the throat of the racket and also other places. My racket now adds up to 355 grams static weight, 304 mm balance and 321 swing weight. That's how i customise all my rackets, high static weight (350 to 360), low balance (304 to 309 mm) and a swing weight between 320 and 325. A swing weight above 330 makes me slower and it's too heavy on my joints. The static weight makes it more stable, the low balance makes it manouverable
I used to like a heavy racket but now I think it feels good to have a lighter racket so o can maneuver it easily. 🤷🏼♂️ I am getting older so I’d like help with power BUT I need help with control too. I used to use RF model but now I use either a regular PS or Clash 98 or Tour
Heavy is good .... "Play with the heaviest racquet you can wield". And if you're finding it difficult to wield, just make it headlight enough to make the head more manoeuvrable.
Unless one is a real good player 4.5 and above all lead does is cover wrong technique because it stabilizes raquet. When i saw him hit I realized not to listen to this guy.
ummm, I'd politely disagree with you, if you grew up with old school player rackets they were all around 12oz or above. It's just over the last 10-15yrs that we've seen the majority of the market be below that 12oz mark with Fed's 97 being "omg 12.5oz it's so heavy" but it's also head light which is what ends up affecting playability on heavier racket. Personally, that's the first thing I do as well when getting a new racket, as a player you know the feels you're after. We would see far fewer incidents of tennis elbow if peeps played heavier rackets
You should do a show where your two coaches try out a stock racquet and compare it to your customized racquet. It would be interesting to hear what they say.
I tried my new Clash 98 with Triax string @ 55lbs and I kind of like it BUT I’m not confident with my strokes. I need to get out and hit and just bang balls for an hour or so. Might possibly need a little lead tape to help with control but I don’t want it too heavy. I also think I’ll continue using Luxillon smart in the clash because I think they go great together! I think the pro staff is a slightly better racket for me (control) but I have the Clash and I kind of like it so I’ll try to dial it in.
@@tae912 what??? Never said that heavier is better I literally just said that I like the weight on my racket and I can still swing hard with it. Guess wherever you came from didn’t teach you basic English 🤷♂️
Take his advice and replace the stock grip right away. I just picked up a new Clash 100 yesterday (my first nice racket) and have a hydrosorb pro on order arriving tomorrow. Of course I couldn't wait for the new grip to arrive so I took the new Clash to the park this morning to try it out with the stock grip. It was very humid and the grip got very slippery. On one of my serves the racket slipped out of my hand and hit the court HARD! I think I got lucky and the damage is only cosmetic, but it could have been much worse. Lesson learned. Now I just need to learn how to serve.
Hello..the Wilson Clash Tennis racquet is a great racquet to customize and a great way to improve this frame is to Stretch it,,that's to lengthen it longer than the current standard 27 inch length that it comes in..And the best easiest way of adding a half inch extension is to remove the factory butt cap and installing the XTP Xtended Tennis Product butt cap on this racquet..this now makes the Wilson Clash racquet a XL version of itself, more spin,more power.lots of pros now using XL model rackets, and by just changing the factory butt cap can bring many different models of standard length to now be a XL model and at very nominal cost if your handy with simple hand tools,and many tennis shops can install the XTP butt cap for you if your so inclined..thx..john
The reason for me to move to clash was it was one of the softest rackets available And I didn't want to risk TE. When you are adding weight to it does it impact TE in any way would not I be making tennis racket stiffer and causing me to have TE?
Great video and thank you. I think he's showing this instruction as a template about "How to..", not exactly what to do with your own...so all the customization (i.e. weight, placements, locations etc) are all personal preferences that we have to figure out on our own if we want to customize...
That's what I thought! If you're going to bump up the weight from the handle, to the throat, all the way to the head, just get a heavier racquet. The only reason to do that is if he doesn't have any other racquet and don't want to buy a new racquet; but clearly he has infinite options considering he's a tennis store owner
Yes that is definitely the easier option, but the Clash is a different racquet than others by a huge margin, where he maybe likes the feel of the racquet better than other heavier racquets. The lead tape is going to change a lot of the way the racquet feels when you swing, but the racquet is still made of the crazy clash technology that no other racquet has.
I am disappointed that Wilson does not sell any model of the Clash with a 4 5/8" grip size. They charge $250 for this racquet and don't sell it in my grip size. Unbelievable!
@@erichuang2310 If you are paying $250 - which is more than most frames cost - then it should come in your grip size. Those grip enlargement shrink wraps throw off the balance and will crack over time. They also tend to round off the bevels of the grip. At that price, Wilson should not cheap out on grip size offerings. BTW, the amount of lead tape that Mr. Tennis Spin adds to his frame in insane! He does not measure the weight of the tape before he puts it on. All that weight may be good for groundies but it must not be easy to maneuver on volleys, serves and overheads.
I guess I'm curious about what you see in the Clash that makes all of this modification worth the effort. What's special about that racquet and is that magic not lost under all that lead?
He broke down the clash and demonstrated that it was a very flexible racquet. Said it was the top selling racquet too. He also said he uses a vcore so who really knows.
@@gomasonpatriot1 The clash is not a very flexible racquet but it does have a very flexible throat. Wilson compensates for this extra flexibility with a very stiff hoop so that the racquet still has power.
@@PolKsio It's because of how stiffness is measured. On a RDC machine stiffness it's measured by locking the handle and applying a force to the tip to see how much the racquet deflects - the more it deflects at the tip the less rigid it is, and the lower is its stiffness rating (which in the RDC machine is called RA). If you look RDC machine on youtube you'll get a good feeling on how this works. All this to say that this RA number would be much more meaningful if the racquets all had similar bending profiles but that isn't the case. Frames can bend more or less uniformly (angell tc95 is a good example), or bend more in the hoop (wilson pro staff 95 comes to mind) or bend in the throat (as the wilson clash does). A racquet that's flexible in the throat will bend more regardless of everything else and have lower RA. If you've played with the clash you can easily perceive the racquet being very confortable and apparently soft but also with a very stiff response. It's a strange racquet I'm not saying it's bad but when people say it's 55 RA and therefore very soft I smile because this racquet feels nothing like other sub 60 RA racquets to me (and here I'm thinking about landmark racquets in terms of softness such as the PT57A or the dunlop MW 200g).
@@PolKsio re-reading I'm not sure I explained myself very well. I'm saying that because of how the RDC machine works, the clash benefits from an abnormally low RA that does not tell the whole story. If the standard for measuring stiffness in the tennis industry was to measure deflection of the tip by locking a few different points of the racquet (say the handle, the throat and the mid section of the hoop) and taking an average, the clash would be nowhere close to the flexy end of the spectrum.
Hey Mr Spin this time u got it all wrong... first u do that with the strings on , second 6g at 3 and 9 and 10g at the butt cup is all u need.without altering the nature of the racket. Good luck!
@Beaner but in this case he is changing everything, from the grip size to the balance of the racket. Generally you put dome weight on the head to get a bit extra power not the case here. That's why manufacturers have different models with different specs, isn't it? The pros tend to have the rackets set all the same weight and balance so they can be consistent in the game when they need to change it during the game.
I used to use the ProStaff (heavy one) and I went to the reg PS because it’s about an oz lighter and the older I get I feel like the RF was too heavy...but I do kind of like heavy. Anyway, I think this is all too much and unnecessary BUT maybe it’s good and he really does benefit from it. 🤷🏼♂️ I liked the weight for control but the reg 11.5 (ish) PS is heavy enough, and when I do add weight to it it just doesn’t feel right adding it only to the head, and if I’m gonna add a lot of lead tape then I may as well use the RF. I don’t know, I am into the customization and I enjoy the conversations but sometimes I just can’t find something that really improves my shots and is worth the while. I’m always open to suggestions. I’m currently using the clash 98 and normally I’d put Luxillon smart @ 55 lbs tension because the string and racket really compliment each other, but this time I tried a full bed of Triax from Technifibre because there has been a lot of good things said about it. I’m gonna try it tonight for first time. It’s strung at 55lbs too
With the way the handle was modified, how was the handle size changes before and after? In other words, if I have a 4 3/8 handle, what would it become after the modifications? TIA
Sorry Lorenzo from Bologna (Italy). I bought this racket 5 month ago, I play with semi western grip and I try to achieve also an Eastern grip for more flat and power shots to be sometimes more aggressive and gain some winners. I arrive to this racket after 2 old Wilson SixOne 20x18 333gr and the 16x18 SixOne K Factor and after testing Blade v7, Yonex Wawrinka, Rf97 white 315g, old PureAero Lime and a fantastic Pure Strike 3rd gen 300gr (that I didn't buy cause the first pandemic lockdown). This Clash Pro it's really easy to use, fast, why you have to personalize it to 369gr like a strung RF97 with less RA, what you gain? I think Wilson made this ClashPro to have a different racket don't you? What will I gain if i decide to copy your customization? THANKS YOU BOSS!
@@tedneanderthal7373 Lmao....I had one of them also...no longer on my collection. But, I still do have a Fischer with that odd shaped head. Actually, I've got two of them..different models!
Hi there! İt is really good one, thanks for making this piece!!! I have a question; I put on leather replacement grip on my Head Radical Pro and then, over-grip; Head HydroSorb. That customization added 10 gram more weight to my Radical Pro. So, instead of using lead for grip side weight, isn’t it better idea just wrapping it with leather replacement grip before an over-grip? If it is not, why wouldn’t be? Thanks again a lot!!!
For me, that worked brilliantly: much more comforting, right and firm way of gripping, that means to me, much more feeling, consistency and easy shifting between grips.
The leather grip does add around 10g if not 12g and gives the racquet a very stable, solid feel. However, after trying that out on my prestige tour I returned to the hydrosorb grip. The reason was I'm in my 40s now and I'm just not strong enough to swing it like I want to - my serves suffered most. I reckon just a couple of extra grams under the stock grip on the handle along with barely 0.5 - 1g at 3 & 9 on the hoop is all I need. Just because it's headlight doesn't mean all that extra mass is beneficial. I want just enough mass for a "solid" feel, whilst maintaining maximum manoeuvrability meaning I can swing fully for long in my matches
So the final weight of this racquet is what, like 360 grams? How could the gray areas at 3 and 9 just happen to be the exact correct, length/weight for the lead? Why not remove lead from the handle rather than add weight to 12 o'clock to make it more head heavy? You said yourself, that the Clash is head light, yet you add a ton of lead to the handle. This seems really random.
I learned a lot from this channel but this video completely confused me. If I have to make so many modifications, shouldn’t I just get a different racket instead? Sorry for the dumb question.
I guess, if you like a really heavy racquet, then not many brands make those anymore. RF97A being one of the few. However, here, I don't know what's going on. This racquet must be so heavy now. I think a lot of older players are still wedded to this idea that a men's racquet needs to be 370grams+ strung. Most young pros now are playing around 340g.
@@transamination Thank you very much, you answered my question. I did not know few rackets are that heavy nowadays. Since he wants a heavy racket that’s not available, he has to build it up himself.
I have the same wilson ntour that you have in the background (orange-white) one, what would be the current equivalent of that model? (doesnt have to be wilson, more likely same feel performance, mine is like 10 years old now)
Can you include in the description which strings you used? Also, why not the Smart strings? Is it because Luxilon Smart doesn’t perform as well or is it just personal preference? Just wondering.
My Wilson Kfactor 6.1 95 has similar specs. You should do a comparison and hitting comparison between your racket and a 6.1 95. They have similar specs but it is new school vs old school.
Dene Freeland I clean the area I’m planning to tape with rubbing alcohol. I cover the lead tape with black vinyl tape (electrical tape) that is slightly wider than the lead tape (3/8” or 5/8” depending on the lead tape width). People like that so they never have to touch the lead and it also matches the racquet paint job better.
Hey there, i have a question. I am a 5.5 to 6.0 Tennis Player. And i actually never modified any Racket i baught. Maybe its cause i am to lazy but when i test a racket and i like it with the weight it has while testing, why would i add weight after that? I mean why dont you just use a havier racket or a racket with a higher swingweight etc instead of modifying it so much? there are plenty of rackets out there, probably 1 would fit your playstyle without customizing i guess. Does it still make a huge difference, or is this just kinda part of the fun for you? :) Thanks for all the videos, really have been enjoying those ;)
Its all personal customization, personally I don't like the clash and don't add lead to any of my racquets. Haven't experimented with it much, but he is making his racquet the way he likes it there is a reason he does it he doesn't just do it to add 3 oz to his racquet. While I'm sure he does it to add weight he also mentions many times that he want to get the racquet head to feel a certain way when he swings that's almost the whole point of adding lead to the head of the racquet is to customize it to his liking.
So maybe I can add lead tape like you did BUT use less? I don’t usually add lead to head and not the handle so if I add all that weight in all those spots maybe I should just use less? ? ?
out of curiosity, wondering why you don't use a heavier stock racquet rather than adding a lot of lead. is the clash that unique in terms of feel / play?
If you haven't tried the clash go to your local tennis shop and see if they have demos where you can try before you buy. The clash is really a different racquet than all others and I personally feel it is a hit or miss. People either love the racquet, or they hate it. I have noticed that it is mainly more experienced players that hate it. Not saying anybody that uses the clash isn't experienced just saying that the people I have noticed that don't like it is usually more experienced players.
Wilson makes bad replacement grips? Could not live without the Shockshield grip. Nice vid. I make it a lot more polarized and higher sw but appreciate a different approach. You can tune how the head pulls through contact by adjusting weight at 12pm and at 7” up the handle.
Is it fine if I just put the lead tape (under the grip) on two parallel sides across the grip? I am not going to put it on four sides that is too heavy.
Good job but why didn't you put the lead tape underneath the grommets from 3 to 9 all around and used a leather grip it's not tacky and its soft.For your style of play a #tan Wawrinka setup with 6 inches of 1/2 gram on each side at 3 and 9 for plow trough and stability would be good.
I understand the concept of adding extra weight to give more stability/power, etc. But I don't get when if you're switching to a lighter racquet was to avoid arm issues or tiredness and now this added weight pushes almost 360g....isn't that almost counter intuitive? Maybe someone help me explain?
Hey man, why don't you spec your rackets to specific specs? What I do is I buy a racket and spec it to my specs (then decide if the racket is for me or not) I use Angell TC95 335g 305mm and work from there with my own customization. Any other racket I buy, I spec to my specs first. All are 348g, 305mm and a swingweight of 350 strung
I like all your videos, but if you're going to add that much lead tape, why not use the pro staff RF to start? It's about the same weight and much better distributed and balanced on the racket? I don't understand, why buy a light racket and add so much weight?
Pros use it for many reasons, but the main reason is that it dampens vibration and it adds swing weight without adding too much weight at the top. In other words it makes the racquet headlight without reducing swing weight.
The Clash Pro is 310g unstrung, and you have added 32g of weight taking it to 342g unstrung, 360g strung, 12pt HL and 342 SW. The result is very similar to a Pro-Staff 97 RF. It would be interesting to know if the other characteristics of the Clash have been retained or if adding the lead has also changed the flex and vibration frequency. Another racket with similar specs and low flex would be the Volkl C10 Pro. How about a 3-way comparison?
👍🏻 That’s a lot of weight added! I wonder too if it’s even the same racket. I’m sensitive to feel so even just a little bit I can feel it
Am I going out on a limb here by saying, maybe, there is another racquet with characteristics you like already out of the box that would require minimal Frankenstein Lab time.
I tried out your way of customizing a raquet. I used way less weight though. I did it on a Head graphene touch tour. The final weight is 339 grams. It plays better than the stock form. I did not use a shrink sleeve, but a standard grip with an overgrip. I also want to keep experimenting because it is so mych fun.It is now a very controlled tweener. It is a cheater prestige, but has a lot of potential for intermediate players. Thanks for the tips.
Based on your videos of you playing, if I were a coach, I'd say that your groundies are often a tad on the late side and you're catching up with a quick short movement. Surely a high momentum frame like this helps with that, but I can't help but think restarting with a lighter racket that requires a bigger swing and training up your mechanics to swing out a bit more might be beneficial for your game over all?
Yep. Prepare earlier, more shoulder and hip turn, and “get the racket back” a little more to take a slightly more full swing! I’m surprised his friends haven’t fixed this. Same on backhand, needs more shoulder and hip turn
That may be great advice. Having played with racquets as little as 280g on up to 422g i personally can hit late with any racquet...
The wilson clash 100 LEAD
The customized racquet is too heavy. Watch him play with it - despite having a Western forehand grip, he gets hardly any spin because he can't generate sufficient racquet head speed for spin. As customized, the frame is stable and powerful and probably plays stiffer but he really gets very little spin. It's good for compact strokes but it appears that the actual playability is reduced.
@@tedneanderthal7373 can I ask you a question. Why do we put lead tape in the grip ?? Does it help to generate more spin??
@@jluc1079 Putting lead tape under the grip makes the racquet more headlight and more stable, that is, the frame is less likely to twist in your hand especially on off-center hits. In this instance, it also seems to counterbalance the lead tape he puts in the head and throat of the frame. Generally, if I want to make a frame heavier in the handle, I replace the synthetic grip with a heavier leather grip. That is all the extra weight I usually need. Some people also will remove the butt cap of the racquet and insert silicone to make a frame more grip heavy as that technique does not affect the grip size or the grip shape. You might find this informative: ruclips.net/video/L7nHXz7TNWg/видео.html
@@tedneanderthal7373 thanks a lot for your reply. Really appreciate and help
@@tedneanderthal7373 i also like heavy racquets and customize them heavier also. and i don't need that extra spin, i like to hit mostly flat, if i need spin i can generate it myself, but heavier racquets are good for a full classic movement, not compact modern strokes, make mostly by wrist.
It's no longer a tennis racket, it's a bodybuilding tool 😂😂😂
Exactly!!!😂
Thats a shit tonnalead
Man! You made my day 😂
TIP: i put down electrical tape first then the lead on top of that, then another strip of electric tape on top (adjust weight accordingly). looks better (esp. on a black frame) and easy to remove for reuse or repositioning
👍
Wow! la verdad es que es todo un mundo nuevo lo de personalizar la raqueta. Se nota que lo lleva haciendo mucho tiempo. Interesante video.
I have the 98 and added just a little weight to the handle and changed the crappy grip and added overwrap and it feels better but haven’t hit with it yet. Didn’t add much, but may take a little lead off handle. I wanted it a little more headlight, not sure I’m just experimenting
Another approach to tail-weighting is to inject with silicon and then use nails to fine-tune the weight. You can use heavy 3.5 or 4 inch nails or thin and light brads. You can pull them out with pliers so the nails are reversible.
30g to the handle/throat?? Wow, that just seems like a crazy amount of weight to add to the handle and throat area. Each to their own I guess!
I’m surprised you don’t use over grips, my hands my would slipping like crazy
19:42 I think the girl in the background is possessed...
tiktok is the true demon
All the lead tape on my Clash 98 started to come off pretty quickly because the hoop is so flexible that the lead-tape starts to crumple up. I was forced to put all of it under the grommet to keep it in place. PS. I reckon you've got about 10g too much in the handle. A 30.5cm balance is way too headlight ... you'll end up shanking balls or not come through heavy enough.
Not sure how helpful this video really is. Seems mostly ad hoc lead tape application to areas he’s decided he likes over time with trial and error. Far more useful would be a video demonstrating proper customisation to match up say two or three rackets to a specific weight/BP/SW. This approach won’t work if one is trying to match rackets. Way too random. He didn’t even measure the specs prior to loading up on lead. 🤷🏼♂️
I’d like to see him measure up his four Clash Pros and show us how closely this shoot by feel customisation method gets him. We get you like weight. But this is about customisation, which ultimate goal is a matching set of rackets to one’s specs.
There are online customisation calculators that allow for determinations of weight and location to achieve a weight/BP/SW target. If I wanted a heavier stick without close matching, I could just randomly pick three rackets of a model that’s heavier by design. Far better than messing with random strips of lead.
You're right. Hence why he was so surprised that the balance was 30.5cm, way more headlight than he had imagined (though to most, as we watched in horror, we could guess what the outcome was going to be) ... He should have measured first, customised to some target and remeasured to fine tune.
This is how not to customise properly. Completely random. I bet everyone of his sticks plays differently.
He had separate vids on matching rackets
One nice thing about older Heads is you can hide the tape under the CAP Grommets. Or you can put most of the lead under them and fine-tune on the inside. That frame must be really light for you to have to add so much. I've actually not seen anyone else with lead in the throat. My main racquets are polarized and you get better spin with it. I also have a set of racquets with a lot of lead (12 grams) at 3/9 and the feel is that you tend to hit flatter shots with it. Tape at 3/9 is also better for your arm as it increase twistweight.
Harry, I love this video. My favorite video of yours. Great job.
Can you please explain why you choose 50lbs for your default tension?
Especially when in another video you say you use 48Ilbs.
A little more tension slightly increase the control. Not much of a difference to be honest.
He most likely chooses that tension because he is using solinco confidential which is a very stiff poly a little less stiffness that tour bit, but more than hyper g and with those string usually people tend to string their racquets at a lower tension because the strings are more for being able to control shots from big hitters, and because of the deadness of the strings a lower tension is great to add a little power to the string still with great bite on the ball and control. For a while I've been stringing my racquets (2020 Ezone 98) at 54 with strings like Poly tour pro, then went to a 6 sided poly known as advantage slash which was surprisingly great, and I went to 56- 57 with that and it was great. Now currently I am back to hyper g at 50 - 53 range which is usually lower than I would ever go but I would consider myself a big hitter, and am loving the hyper g right now more than I ever have at the lower tension of 50-53. Also take into consideration that the wilson clash 100 has a low tension recommendation range which I believe is 47-57 or 45 - 55.
@@davidglover9210 I think before I have heard him mention that he has a few different racquets that he strings a couple lbs tighter and looser depending on what he is felling in his shot. Another thing is when you are ready to restring you can feel in your game what you were liking for example you are using your racquet a few weeks after it was strung and you are playing very well with the lower tension you can start the tension lower the next time around so you get to that range you like quicker, or say your tension has dropped some and you aren't liking the way you are playing with it you feel it is too loose for you, you can start the tension higher so you have more time in that range of your liking.
I am glad I found this video. The more I play with the Clash the less I like it . I am going to add some lead like you did to see if it improves. It is way to head light.
can you in depth explain what adding weight to different parts of the racquet does?
Google it.
in short - it changes the balance of the frame and the easiness/difficulty of the swing...
in depth - anyone good in physics here? I'm not :)
He has .. do a search..
I hit with a clash demo last weekend. It was lighter but It gives much more power than any of my pro staffs. Good info on how people can make their stick more head light. Thanks!
Your edges are as Billy Crystal says, marvelous! That is a ton of lead. You may get a visit from the EPA😊.
I have the normal clash and i have added 1,5 gram to the top under the grommet and 6 grams at 6 o'clock and also 6 grams in the throat of the racket and also other places. My racket now adds up to 355 grams static weight, 304 mm balance and 321 swing weight.
That's how i customise all my rackets, high static weight (350 to 360), low balance (304 to 309 mm) and a swing weight between 320 and 325.
A swing weight above 330 makes me slower and it's too heavy on my joints. The static weight makes it more stable, the low balance makes it manouverable
I used to like a heavy racket but now I think it feels good to have a lighter racket so o can maneuver it easily. 🤷🏼♂️ I am getting older so I’d like help with power BUT I need help with control too. I used to use RF model but now I use either a regular PS or Clash 98 or Tour
Heavy is good .... "Play with the heaviest racquet you can wield". And if you're finding it difficult to wield, just make it headlight enough to make the head more manoeuvrable.
I used a heavy raquet but not like the Clash 98.
Use to play Dunlop 4d 200 tour
frank mancuso 👍🏻
Unless one is a real good player 4.5 and above all lead does is cover wrong technique because it stabilizes raquet.
When i saw him hit I realized not to listen to this guy.
Yeah. I agree. Bad swing and too much weight in that racquet. This is just silly imo.
Who plays with a racquet that weighs around 12.5 ounces???
ummm, I'd politely disagree with you, if you grew up with old school player rackets they were all around 12oz or above. It's just over the last 10-15yrs that we've seen the majority of the market be below that 12oz mark with Fed's 97 being "omg 12.5oz it's so heavy" but it's also head light which is what ends up affecting playability on heavier racket. Personally, that's the first thing I do as well when getting a new racket, as a player you know the feels you're after. We would see far fewer incidents of tennis elbow if peeps played heavier rackets
You should do a show where your two coaches try out a stock racquet and compare it to your customized racquet. It would be interesting to hear what they say.
wow that racquet is a beast... kudos to you Harry in knowing how to mod to your taste...
If you ever break that racquet you can recycle the lead to buy a new one.
Great video! Thank you for continuing to do new ones! Do you ever have wrist pain/problems because of the extra weight in the handle?
he made the tennis elbow video shortly after ;)
I tried my new Clash 98 with Triax string @ 55lbs and I kind of like it BUT I’m not confident with my strokes. I need to get out and hit and just bang balls for an hour or so. Might possibly need a little lead tape to help with control but I don’t want it too heavy. I also think I’ll continue using Luxillon smart in the clash because I think they go great together! I think the pro staff is a slightly better racket for me (control) but I have the Clash and I kind of like it so I’ll try to dial it in.
Very neat work there ...nice
“How much lead tape you want on this racket?”
: “Yes”.
That’s a lot?
I do like 2x more
@@FeetLov3r69 then u have zero racket head speed
@@BullyGarfield. no I just like the weight
I can still swing hard without it
@@FeetLov3r69 with this logic, my 20lb racket is better than yours.
@@tae912 what???
Never said that heavier is better
I literally just said that I like the weight on my racket and I can still swing hard with it.
Guess wherever you came from didn’t teach you basic English 🤷♂️
Take his advice and replace the stock grip right away. I just picked up a new Clash 100 yesterday (my first nice racket) and have a hydrosorb pro on order arriving tomorrow. Of course I couldn't wait for the new grip to arrive so I took the new Clash to the park this morning to try it out with the stock grip. It was very humid and the grip got very slippery. On one of my serves the racket slipped out of my hand and hit the court HARD! I think I got lucky and the damage is only cosmetic, but it could have been much worse. Lesson learned. Now I just need to learn how to serve.
Check out Ryan 2minuitetennis you will have a perfect serve 👌
Where do get the shrink sleeves at? 6:30
Question, does the weight added changes the stiffness in any way?
Hello..the Wilson Clash Tennis racquet is a great racquet to customize and a great way to improve this frame is to Stretch it,,that's to lengthen it longer than the current standard 27 inch length that it comes in..And the best easiest way of adding a half inch extension is to remove the factory butt cap and installing the XTP Xtended Tennis Product butt cap on this racquet..this now makes the Wilson Clash racquet a XL version of itself, more spin,more power.lots of pros now using XL model rackets, and by just changing the factory butt cap can bring many different models of standard length to now be a XL model and at very nominal cost if your handy with simple hand tools,and many tennis shops can install the XTP butt cap for you if your so inclined..thx..john
Cool
Nice
The reason for me to move to clash was it was one of the softest rackets available And I didn't want to risk TE. When you are adding weight to it does it impact TE in any way would not I be making tennis racket stiffer and causing me to have TE?
I love your videos, keep up the good content! Could you please tell me exactly what shrink sleeve you used for your Racket?
Interesting customization! May I ask what part of your tennis shoes worn out first? My guess is the heel.
So, what were the final specs when you finished? Just curious.
32:25
@@unathleticremi Thanks. Didn't get that far. Just seemed ridiculous to make those kind of changes. How does he play with that. Lol. But, his choice.
Good question, but he never seem to answer questions. So, what’s the point in asking????
That Ncode N1 sitting back there brings back many good and bad memories. Idk how I used to hit with that thing lol
can you please give a link for the white hose for the handle? Thanks.
Great video and thank you.
I think he's showing this instruction as a template about "How to..", not exactly what to do with your own...so all the customization (i.e. weight, placements, locations etc) are all personal preferences that we have to figure out on our own if we want to customize...
Have you considered hitting with a heavier racquet like a Pro Staff?
That's what I thought! If you're going to bump up the weight from the handle, to the throat, all the way to the head, just get a heavier racquet.
The only reason to do that is if he doesn't have any other racquet and don't want to buy a new racquet; but clearly he has infinite options considering he's a tennis store owner
Pro staff and clash play so differently and the flex is way softer in the clash.
Pro Staff Classic...Best racquet ever made! If you can swing it.
Would it just be easier to get a racquet which closest meets the weight specs one desires???
This. Why change the Clash so much when there are heavier racquets?
Yes that is definitely the easier option, but the Clash is a different racquet than others by a huge margin, where he maybe likes the feel of the racquet better than other heavier racquets. The lead tape is going to change a lot of the way the racquet feels when you swing, but the racquet is still made of the crazy clash technology that no other racquet has.
I am disappointed that Wilson does not sell any model of the Clash with a 4 5/8" grip size. They charge $250 for this racquet and don't sell it in my grip size. Unbelievable!
Easy to build it up to that size! He shows how to do it here ruclips.net/video/yTqKRNWllWo/видео.html . Or just ask your stringer.
@@erichuang2310 If you are paying $250 - which is more than most frames cost - then it should come in your grip size. Those grip enlargement shrink wraps throw off the balance and will crack over time. They also tend to round off the bevels of the grip. At that price, Wilson should not cheap out on grip size offerings. BTW, the amount of lead tape that Mr. Tennis Spin adds to his frame in insane! He does not measure the weight of the tape before he puts it on. All that weight may be good for groundies but it must not be easy to maneuver on volleys, serves and overheads.
Believe me, there are many other better sticks. I had owned one and change it by a Tecnifibre
I guess I'm curious about what you see in the Clash that makes all of this modification worth the effort. What's special about that racquet and is that magic not lost under all that lead?
He broke down the clash and demonstrated that it was a very flexible racquet. Said it was the top selling racquet too. He also said he uses a vcore so who really knows.
@@gomasonpatriot1 The clash is not a very flexible racquet but it does have a very flexible throat. Wilson compensates for this extra flexibility with a very stiff hoop so that the racquet still has power.
@@msalvs What did you mean by this comment? How can the clash be stiff but have a very flexible throat?
@@PolKsio It's because of how stiffness is measured. On a RDC machine stiffness it's measured by locking the handle and applying a force to the tip to see how much the racquet deflects - the more it deflects at the tip the less rigid it is, and the lower is its stiffness rating (which in the RDC machine is called RA). If you look RDC machine on youtube you'll get a good feeling on how this works. All this to say that this RA number would be much more meaningful if the racquets all had similar bending profiles but that isn't the case. Frames can bend more or less uniformly (angell tc95 is a good example), or bend more in the hoop (wilson pro staff 95 comes to mind) or bend in the throat (as the wilson clash does). A racquet that's flexible in the throat will bend more regardless of everything else and have lower RA. If you've played with the clash you can easily perceive the racquet being very confortable and apparently soft but also with a very stiff response. It's a strange racquet I'm not saying it's bad but when people say it's 55 RA and therefore very soft I smile because this racquet feels nothing like other sub 60 RA racquets to me (and here I'm thinking about landmark racquets in terms of softness such as the PT57A or the dunlop MW 200g).
@@PolKsio re-reading I'm not sure I explained myself very well. I'm saying that because of how the RDC machine works, the clash benefits from an abnormally low RA that does not tell the whole story. If the standard for measuring stiffness in the tennis industry was to measure deflection of the tip by locking a few different points of the racquet (say the handle, the throat and the mid section of the hoop) and taking an average, the clash would be nowhere close to the flexy end of the spectrum.
I love your videos. Thank you for making them.
Hey Mr Spin this time u got it all wrong... first u do that with the strings on , second 6g at 3 and 9 and 10g at the butt cup is all u need.without altering the nature of the racket. Good luck!
Hi. Wouldn't it be better to choose a different racket instead of changing so much of it?
@Beaner but in this case he is changing everything, from the grip size to the balance of the racket. Generally you put dome weight on the head to get a bit extra power not the case here. That's why manufacturers have different models with different specs, isn't it? The pros tend to have the rackets set all the same weight and balance so they can be consistent in the game when they need to change it during the game.
Great content. As some have already asked, with the quantillion racquets available, why don't just choose a different one?
Love these videos. That's a lot of lead over 30g added (1g = 1 in).
I used to use the ProStaff (heavy one) and I went to the reg PS because it’s about an oz lighter and the older I get I feel like the RF was too heavy...but I do kind of like heavy. Anyway, I think this is all too much and unnecessary BUT maybe it’s good and he really does benefit from it. 🤷🏼♂️ I liked the weight for control but the reg 11.5 (ish) PS is heavy enough, and when I do add weight to it it just doesn’t feel right adding it only to the head, and if I’m gonna add a lot of lead tape then I may as well use the RF. I don’t know, I am into the customization and I enjoy the conversations but sometimes I just can’t find something that really improves my shots and is worth the while. I’m always open to suggestions. I’m currently using the clash 98 and normally I’d put Luxillon smart @ 55 lbs tension because the string and racket really compliment each other, but this time I tried a full bed of Triax from Technifibre because there has been a lot of good things said about it. I’m gonna try it tonight for first time. It’s strung at 55lbs too
Watching This really makes me jealous. Keep up the good work
Too many recreational player add weight to their frames, not because it helps them play better but because pro's do it.
Hi, thanks for your video. Can you compare Wilson Clash 100 tour versus Prokennex black ace 300?
Get the RF97 instead. It is an awesome racket!! :)
With the way the handle was modified, how was the handle size changes before and after? In other words, if I have a 4 3/8 handle, what would it become after the modifications? TIA
Sorry Lorenzo from Bologna (Italy).
I bought this racket 5 month ago, I play with semi western grip and I try to achieve also an Eastern grip for more flat and power shots to be sometimes more aggressive and gain some winners.
I arrive to this racket after 2 old Wilson SixOne 20x18 333gr and the 16x18 SixOne K Factor and after testing Blade v7, Yonex Wawrinka, Rf97 white 315g, old PureAero Lime and a fantastic Pure Strike 3rd gen 300gr (that I didn't buy cause the first pandemic lockdown).
This Clash Pro it's really easy to use, fast, why you have to personalize it to 369gr like a strung RF97 with less RA, what you gain?
I think Wilson made this ClashPro to have a different racket don't you?
What will I gain if i decide to copy your customization?
THANKS YOU BOSS!
could you please do a video on how to customize thr Babolat Pure Aero?
8:03 I can't believe you have a Rossignol racquet. I haven't seen one in ages!
I still have a mats willander that I use for fun once or twice a year.....that is really flexible with a small sweet spot
I thought i saw a Yamaha racquet right next to the Rossignol on his videos.
@@tedneanderthal7373 Lmao....I had one of them also...no longer on my collection. But, I still do have a Fischer with that odd shaped head. Actually, I've got two of them..different models!
Hi there! İt is really good one, thanks for making this piece!!!
I have a question; I put on leather replacement grip on my Head Radical Pro and then, over-grip; Head HydroSorb. That customization added 10 gram more weight to my Radical Pro. So, instead of using lead for grip side weight, isn’t it better idea just wrapping it with leather replacement grip before an over-grip? If it is not, why wouldn’t be?
Thanks again a lot!!!
I use a leather grip, both for weight and feel. Some don't like leather cause it's a bit firmer in feeling
For me, that worked brilliantly: much more comforting, right and firm way of gripping, that means to me, much more feeling, consistency and easy shifting between grips.
The leather grip does add around 10g if not 12g and gives the racquet a very stable, solid feel. However, after trying that out on my prestige tour I returned to the hydrosorb grip.
The reason was I'm in my 40s now and I'm just not strong enough to swing it like I want to - my serves suffered most. I reckon just a couple of extra grams under the stock grip on the handle along with barely 0.5 - 1g at 3 & 9 on the hoop is all I need.
Just because it's headlight doesn't mean all that extra mass is beneficial. I want just enough mass for a "solid" feel, whilst maintaining maximum manoeuvrability meaning I can swing fully for long in my matches
So the final weight of this racquet is what, like 360 grams? How could the gray areas at 3 and 9 just happen to be the exact correct, length/weight for the lead? Why not remove lead from the handle rather than add weight to 12 o'clock to make it more head heavy? You said yourself, that the Clash is head light, yet you add a ton of lead to the handle. This seems really random.
Can you do a video on how to customize a Wilson Clash 100 to a Clash 100 Tour/Pro?
Where do you by the shrink wrap, what isnit actually called?
I learned a lot from this channel but this video completely confused me. If I have to make so many modifications, shouldn’t I just get a different racket instead? Sorry for the dumb question.
I guess, if you like a really heavy racquet, then not many brands make those anymore. RF97A being one of the few. However, here, I don't know what's going on. This racquet must be so heavy now. I think a lot of older players are still wedded to this idea that a men's racquet needs to be 370grams+ strung. Most young pros now are playing around 340g.
@@transamination Thank you very much, you answered my question. I did not know few rackets are that heavy nowadays. Since he wants a heavy racket that’s not available, he has to build it up himself.
I have the same wilson ntour that you have in the background (orange-white) one, what would be the current equivalent of that model? (doesnt have to be wilson, more likely same feel performance, mine is like 10 years old now)
Can you include in the description which strings you used? Also, why not the Smart strings? Is it because Luxilon Smart doesn’t perform as well or is it just personal preference? Just wondering.
My Wilson Kfactor 6.1 95 has similar specs. You should do a comparison and hitting comparison between your racket and a 6.1 95. They have similar specs but it is new school vs old school.
I always find the glue on the lead tape is quite weak and the tape falls off after about 15 minutes of play. Do you have a fix for that?
Dene Freeland I clean the area I’m planning to tape with rubbing alcohol. I cover the lead tape with black vinyl tape (electrical tape) that is slightly wider than the lead tape (3/8” or 5/8” depending on the lead tape width). People like that so they never have to touch the lead and it also matches the racquet paint job better.
I don’t know much about this but why not just add weight on the head side of the racquet instead of the handle since it’s head light?
It’s good u put a new vid everyday .somethinf to watch
Ive gone much lighter on my sticks now that im in the seniors.
Hey there, i have a question. I am a 5.5 to 6.0 Tennis Player. And i actually never modified any Racket i baught. Maybe its cause i am to lazy but when i test a racket and i like it with the weight it has while testing, why would i add weight after that? I mean why dont you just use a havier racket or a racket with a higher swingweight etc instead of modifying it so much? there are plenty of rackets out there, probably 1 would fit your playstyle without customizing i guess. Does it still make a huge difference, or is this just kinda part of the fun for you? :) Thanks for all the videos, really have been enjoying those ;)
Its all personal customization, personally I don't like the clash and don't add lead to any of my racquets. Haven't experimented with it much, but he is making his racquet the way he likes it there is a reason he does it he doesn't just do it to add 3 oz to his racquet. While I'm sure he does it to add weight he also mentions many times that he want to get the racquet head to feel a certain way when he swings that's almost the whole point of adding lead to the head of the racquet is to customize it to his liking.
hi tennis spin, what kind of lead tape is that? whats the brand? thanks
So maybe I can add lead tape like you did BUT use less? I don’t usually add lead to head and not the handle so if I add all that weight in all those spots maybe I should just use less? ? ?
should i string my 100 clash regular the same? salinko confidential 16L at 48 lbs?
out of curiosity, wondering why you don't use a heavier stock racquet rather than adding a lot of lead. is the clash that unique in terms of feel / play?
If you haven't tried the clash go to your local tennis shop and see if they have demos where you can try before you buy. The clash is really a different racquet than all others and I personally feel it is a hit or miss. People either love the racquet, or they hate it. I have noticed that it is mainly more experienced players that hate it. Not saying anybody that uses the clash isn't experienced just saying that the people I have noticed that don't like it is usually more experienced players.
Wilson makes bad replacement grips? Could not live without the Shockshield grip.
Nice vid. I make it a lot more polarized and higher sw but appreciate a different approach.
You can tune how the head pulls through contact by adjusting weight at 12pm and at 7” up the handle.
Can't find the half size white shrink wrap grip anywhere..... Tw, TE, out of stock. Other source? Thanks
I have a random question. So what do you think he does with that racket he just customized. does he just have an extra he can use?
Isn't lead quite toxic? I don't know if it is a good idea to have it in your hand, or in the handle of your racket.
Hey,I'm really interested what can I do to make my swingweight higher in my racket,I have a new yonex vcore pro HD 320 grams,please answer....
Do one show with your family as well!!
need to try this, some of these light frames are no use when up against a heavy hitter, racket just gets pushed back by the ball or twists!
True but better to buy a heavier stock frame.
For the lead underneath the overgrip, why don't you directly replace the original overgrip with a leather one which is around 10g heavier.
I use a leather grip on my Ezone 98, but I think he might not like the feel of the leather grip because of how he said he doesn't use overgrips.
Is it fine if I just put the lead tape (under the grip) on two parallel sides across the grip?
I am not going to put it on four sides that is too heavy.
Yes, perfectly fine.
The last bit of tape at the top shouldn’t be determined after the strings?
What are the differences between Clash 98 305grams and prostaff 97 countervail. 315 grams???
Good job but why didn't you put the lead tape underneath the grommets from 3 to 9 all around and used a leather grip it's not tacky and its soft.For your style of play a #tan Wawrinka setup with 6 inches of 1/2 gram on each side at 3 and 9 for plow trough and stability would be good.
Is weighting the racquet better than buying a heavier version of the racquet?
I understand the concept of adding extra weight to give more stability/power, etc. But I don't get when if you're switching to a lighter racquet was to avoid arm issues or tiredness and now this added weight pushes almost 360g....isn't that almost counter intuitive? Maybe someone help me explain?
He is overthinking things and covering up bad technique with a super stable tank of a racquet.
You were saying that rf97 is too heavy but yours is even slightly heavier. :)
Hey man, why don't you spec your rackets to specific specs? What I do is I buy a racket and spec it to my specs (then decide if the racket is for me or not)
I use Angell TC95 335g 305mm and work from there with my own customization. Any other racket I buy, I spec to my specs first. All are 348g, 305mm and a swingweight of 350 strung
The 348g and 305mm are unstrung
I like all your videos, but if you're going to add that much lead tape, why not use the pro staff RF to start? It's about the same weight and much better distributed and balanced on the racket? I don't understand, why buy a light racket and add so much weight?
Very good new raquet
Must be great to have such precise feel of your racket. Are you that good with wines too?
Naa raman guro na sa abilidad daghan pakay kag arti
What purpose does silicon in the handle serve? Why not just use lead tape in handle vs silicon?
Pros use it for many reasons, but the main reason is that it dampens vibration and it adds swing weight without adding too much weight at the top. In other words it makes the racquet headlight without reducing swing weight.
Would it being headlight help with spin?
How do u onow how much each strip weighs. Don’t u have to weigh it?