Yeah, the RF97 definitely feels and plays that way. Unfortunately it was killing my elbow and shoulder and I’m having to sell my matched pair off. A pity. I actually just bought the Yonex Vcore Pro 97 330g and it plays much softer and is half an oz lighter
I remember when the Pete Sampras autograph 88 came out. I demoed it and I couldn't generate anything out of that stick. I had a chance to hit with the Prostaff RF and couldn't believe how Roger had the control, timing and strength to swing that stick. Both of those racket, to me, are novelty rackets. For me the regular Prostaff would be for me. I agree with you on the racket selection. I play with the Volkl C-10, the Dunlop 200G, Head Speed MP and ProStaff 85 and 95. It seem like manufactures are going back to 11-12 ounce and softer rackets. Out of commonsense.
Thank you, excellent video... I have three RF97's in the bag, but looking for a lighter backup for certain matches when I have to hit a lot of overheads or sharp angled passing shots. For overheads, and net play in general, can't go wrong with the Volkl C-10 Pro with it's wider head shape. For sharp angles and finesse play, I like the Head Graphene MP 93, very easy to swing, feels "shorter" than the RF97. I tried the Pure Strike V3, feels light, but too "head heavy", harder to get around. To emulate a RF97, you need at least a 7pt head light racquet. I may try the Prince in this video, or one of the current Kennex's. I wish Wilson would bring back the PS90 series, that was best feeling racquet since the Stan Smith woodie strung with natural gut.
@@Felipe-mr6iy I'm playing with the 2021 Head Prestige 93-Mid. It comes in at about 320g, and I weighted it to about 330g. It feels "shorter and lighter" than the RF 97, and less power, but I feel like I win more points on placement and touch shots with it. Unfortunately, it's out of production already, but probably could find some on eBay.
You’ll probably enjoy the Yonex Vcore Pro 97 that Michelle talks about first. It comes in at half an oz lighter than the RF97 (346g strung as opposed to RF97’s 357g) and 7 pts head light strung.
I love mine. It's the best racquet I've ever played in my 50 years of playing. The question is, Michelle, would you ever switch to one of these from your RF97?
@Dan Gaskell, Good question! Ahhh I'm quite bonded to my RF97 at the moment and every time I entertain leaving it, I pick up the RF and remember why it is my racquet of choice :) But, I do enjoy the Prestige Pro and I have one other in my top 3 that isn't on this list and hasn't come out yet...or did come out a while ago but hasn't come back out ;) Michelle, TW
@@tenniswarehouse I've liked some of the Prestige Pros, too but I can't change racquets. I've commented to my buddies that my RF97 gives me no excuses because it's that precise. The ball goes where I tell it to!
@@jamesgibson3823 The Prince Original Graphite lineup is one that comes to mind for me. They've had the 100, 100LB, and 107 like 10 years ago, and now there's a phantom version of them coming out supposedly in fall for the US market (Japan already has them).
Recently picked up an older Yonex tour G 330 (Wawrinka's real racquet) and was surprised how easy it was to swing (very head light). Serves and ground strokes just jump off the strings. It's also a top spin monster with ease. Not putting down any of these racquets and of course the tour G 330 is long out of production, but what a racquet. It's a true weapon on court.
@@RigMaster_ You're right. I was fooled by the marketing. Anyway, the Tour G 330 is very close in specs to the RF97 in question and, IMHO, swings a little faster. It's great racquet!
They are very close in spin potential. Wilson made the string spacing a bit more dense in the sweet-spot area, which makes it very close to the 360+ Prestige Pro. Troy, TW
@@tenniswarehouse thanks for the reply, hard to demo rackets when you live in a small Scottish town so need all the info i can get lol, how does the new radical pro compare to the the prestige pro in terms of spin, power, and control? Think i will get the radical then try out the prestige once i feel i have mastered the radical
@@rf10is, I see, and yes it can be difficult to demo racquets in certain locations. The Radical Pro is a bit more forgiving than the Prestige Pro, in that the slightly bigger 98 headsize provides a bit bigger sweet-spot, and a bit easier access to power. It is still more of a control and feel racquet in the overall spectrum, but the Prestige Pro is pretty much at the top of the charts for control, feel, and precision. Spin potential is pretty close between the two, although the slightly bigger head of the Radical helps a bit when aggressively swinging low to high. They both have a fairly hefty, and solid feel, but as far as maneuverability goes, the Prestige Pro has just a slight quicker feel with the swingweight being a bit lower. I hope that helps. Also, by the way, which racquet have you been using, or one that you have used most consistently over the years? Troy, TW
@@tenniswarehouse I currently use the Vcore 98 but would like something with better feel more control and stability, it is very easy to use but unless i put a lot of spin on the ball it seems too erratic and powerful so i want a more versatile racket. I also would like the challenge of a new harder to use frame with access to higher levels of creativity but more punishing on sloppy footwork. I currently have 7 grams in the hoop for stability and 12 in the handle to help with my one hander which helps but at the end of the day i think i need a new frame
@@rf10is, I see. The Radical MP or Pro could be a good option for you. Also the Yonex VCORE Pro 97 (310) maybe with some added weight. I would also consider the Wilson Blade 98 16x19 v7, Dunlop CX 200 or 200 Tour 16x19, and Prince Phantom 100G, or Prince Textreme Tour 95. I know a lot of options, without being able to demo, but some good options out there. Troy, TW
@Arjuna, It really is a matter of personal preference. Many players prefer a lower stiffness rating for that more flexible feel. A softer racquet can still provide control, spin and power as well -- a lot of the more classic racquets are more flexible; as well there are some Prince Phantoms that are very flexible (some with very open patterns too)! At the end of the day, mechanics really help determine power and spin. Michelle, TW
@@tenniswarehouse Awesome, thanks a lot for the reply! Of course there is preference, and psychologically one might actually play better with a softer racket than a stiffer one. But in theory would someone with the exact same swing not produce a better ball trajectory with a stiffer racquet? There are some 76 RA rackets, so material wise it's possible to go stiffer- but most racquets rarely do. The thing I'm most curious about is why manufacturers don't make them stiffer, there has to be another reason!
@@Apoz I'm not too sure you are right when you assert that stiffness=power,control and spin; power maybe, but control is normally aligned towards more flexibility, and spin towards stringing type and pattern.
@llamawizard, I know I have once or twice, but I'm not a huge fan of natural gut (I know, I shouldn't say that outloud!). I wish I loved it because I would love to have a similar setup as Roger!! Michelle, TW
I have tried it as well, and I love the feel, I think it is just a matter of dialing in the tension. I know that Roger will adjust tension throughout the year depending on conditions, however I have seen that he uses a tension in the upper 50's, close to 60 pounds in certain cases. I preferred the tension somewhere around 55 to 57 pounds, as the gut in the mains makes for a powerful response. The main thing for me is that I feel like the RF97A plays a bit boardy with a full bed of poly, but with the gut hybird I find more feel, ball pocketing and comfort. Troy, TW
Hello, I am looking at getting a Wilson pro staff 103 and cant find any reviews or anything about it, would you be able to help me choose wither or not it is a worthy upgrade over the cheap $25.99 head ti tornado I got as my starter racket?
We never carried that racquet, as it was likely sold in sporting goods stores, I don't believe it one of their performance racquets. Of the racquets we sell, we would recommend something like the Prince Warrior 100 or 107, and the Head Graphene XT Radical S. Troy, TW
I am a former Six One 95 user, but mostly played with the 18x20. I would say that the closest racquet in stock form, would likely be the Yonex VCORE Pro 97 (330), which is the racquet that I eventually settled on after Wilson stopped producing the Six One 95 (although they now have a re-make of the 18x20 on their site). There isn't much in our Wilson inventory that would be all that comparable, maybe a Blade 98 16x19 with some customization, or weight added to it, but a bit different feel. Another one I have been hitting a lot lately is the Yonex VCORE 95, which has a bit more dense pattern 16x20, but is still pretty spin friendly, especially since the Six One 95 16x18 is pretty dense in the middle of the string-bed. I have added weight to the VCORE 95 to get specs similar to the Six One 95, and it plays really nice, maybe a bit more powerful and a bit bigger sweet-spot, but still has good feel and precsion. Those are my favorites, but some others you might consider, and may need to add weight to: Dunlop CX 200 Tour 16x19, Prince Textreme Tour 95, Head Graphene 360+ Prestige Pro, and Volkl V-Feel 10 (320). Troy, TW
Thanks for your reply Troy, I watched lots of your reviews, good stuff, will try those racquets out. I had both 18x20 and 16x18, loved them both. Six one 18x20 is the best when I am not behind. 16x18 gives me a little free power and easy swing. I have DEMOed RF97, didn’t like the stiffness and too powerful for my liking.
@Christos Cholevas, Are you looking for 300-305 grams strung or unstrung? Either way -- the Babolat Pure Strike (the Team will be the lighter model) and the Head Speed (the MP Lite will be the lighter model) have great options! Michelle, TW
We are close to being sold out for most grip sizes, www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpage-PSRF97.html. The new version is coming soon, stay tuned. Troy, TW
Which of these racquets is closest in weight and balance to the Pro Staff 6.0 85. I am basically after a racquet that swings like the PS 85 but with a bigger head size. I tried the first gen RF97 and found it a bit too hard to swing even though the weight and balance are similar to the PS 85. How about the standard Pro Staff V13?
I would likely try to find one that has a swing weight closer to the 320-325 range. The PS 6.0 85 maneuvers very easily through the air for being in the mid 12 ounces strung. The Pro Staff 97 v13 has a swingweight that should be in that range, or can be with a bit of weight tape in the hoop, and a leather grip would be a nice touch on that racquet. I would also consider the Yonex VCORE Pro 97 310, which could be doctored up like the Pro Staff 97 v13, or the 97HD is one that feels pretty good stock, but likely has room for a leather grip to be added. I would also consider the Dunlop CX 200 Tour, Head Prestige Pro, and Prince Phantom 97P. Troy, TW
@@tenniswarehouse Thanks for your detailed reply, Troy. I was curious why the swingweight on the RF97 is so much higher than the 85 despite the weight and balance being very similar. Does the bigger head size of the RF97 naturally give it a higher swingweight?
@@goldencalf5144, there are a lot of factors that can contribute to swingweight, headsize, aerodynamics, string bed density, can all play a subtle part. I don't know if the headsize, and thicker beam make up for all that difference in swingweight. One thing that we don't have a spec for, that plays a big part in swingwight is overall weight distribution. For example, say a 27" racquet is 11 ounces, and has a "even" balance. You could achieve that balance by having five ounces at both ends of the racquet, and one ounce throughout the mid section (structurally this would likely be weak but just an example). You could also have an equal amount of weight dispersed at every inch of the racquet to cover the 27" frame, and still get an overall even balance, but the swingweight will be very different between those two layups of the frame. So hard to say how much difference the weight is distributed between the two, but definite difference in how they swing. Troy, TW
@@goldencalf5144 Also, once you know which swingweight feels best for you, it is one of the main factors that determines how a racquet feels when you swing it. The downside is that not everyone has access to a machine to measure it, but if you have a pro shop or store locally that can measure it for you, making note of whether it is strung or not, that is a good thing to know. Reason being is that when someone buys a racquet from us, we can go through a batch of racquets to search a for a particular swingweight. Reason I mention this is that we have measured many racquets, and specifically many RF97's over the years, and have found swingweights ranging from the low 320's all the way up to the high 340's, so based on that the racquet will perform quite differently. Hope that helps. Troy, TW
@@tenniswarehouse Thanks Troy, that was super helpful. It's great that TW employs such knowledgeable staff. One more question, will the V13 have the same sort of plow through as the 85 despite its lower overall weight? Is swingweight a bigger factor in how much energy is transferred to the ball than total weight?
@Ricky Kanai, We no longer have that racquet, so it was hard to include and suggest to check out! :) Plus, the Countervail mutes the feel a bit, which hasn't been our favorite technology. But still a great option if you can get your hands on one! Michelle, TW
@@konnrinzai That's right....but the comments from Michelle make it sound as if it's a discontinued line and that's certainly not the case. Not sure why TW hasn't got them months after release. At first I assumed supply and usual Covid reasons, but it's way too long for it to be just that. Kinda odd!!!
I hate to tell you, Michelle - but later in life you'll have to forego the Wilson Pro Staff RF for a lighter racquet. I used to use the Wilson 6.1 90 for years - until one night I won the first set and I was done! My arm was like a stuffed shirt. That's when I started looking for a lighter racquet. (Now - Babolat Aero Pro, Solinco Tour Bite, 51lb .... I'm OLD!)
Michelle has been killing it since day 1! Still remember her debut. Amazing game and insight
Yes - Michelle is awesome!
I love the RF97! Might need to try these other racquets out.
A classic from yesteryears in that spirit is the Six One 95 by Wilson
yeah, me 2.
Yeah, the RF97 definitely feels and plays that way. Unfortunately it was killing my elbow and shoulder and I’m having to sell my matched pair off. A pity. I actually just bought the Yonex Vcore Pro 97 330g and it plays much softer and is half an oz lighter
I remember when the Pete Sampras autograph 88 came out. I demoed it and I couldn't generate anything out of that stick. I had a chance to hit with the Prostaff RF and couldn't believe how Roger had the control, timing and strength to swing that stick. Both of those racket, to me, are novelty rackets. For me the regular Prostaff would be for me. I agree with you on the racket selection. I play with the Volkl C-10, the Dunlop 200G, Head Speed MP and ProStaff 85 and 95. It seem like manufactures are going back to 11-12 ounce and softer rackets. Out of commonsense.
Thank you, excellent video... I have three RF97's in the bag, but looking for a lighter backup for certain matches when I have to hit a lot of overheads or sharp angled passing shots. For overheads, and net play in general, can't go wrong with the Volkl C-10 Pro with it's wider head shape. For sharp angles and finesse play, I like the Head Graphene MP 93, very easy to swing, feels "shorter" than the RF97. I tried the Pure Strike V3, feels light, but too "head heavy", harder to get around. To emulate a RF97, you need at least a 7pt head light racquet. I may try the Prince in this video, or one of the current Kennex's. I wish Wilson would bring back the PS90 series, that was best feeling racquet since the Stan Smith woodie strung with natural gut.
I miss the maneuverability I had on the pro staff 85. In your opinion, which racket should I test?
@@Felipe-mr6iy I'm playing with the 2021 Head Prestige 93-Mid. It comes in at about 320g, and I weighted it to about 330g. It feels "shorter and lighter" than the RF 97, and less power, but I feel like I win more points on placement and touch shots with it. Unfortunately, it's out of production already, but probably could find some on eBay.
You’ll probably enjoy the Yonex Vcore Pro 97 that Michelle talks about first. It comes in at half an oz lighter than the RF97 (346g strung as opposed to RF97’s 357g) and 7 pts head light strung.
I love mine. It's the best racquet I've ever played in my 50 years of playing.
The question is, Michelle, would you ever switch to one of these from your RF97?
@Dan Gaskell,
Good question! Ahhh I'm quite bonded to my RF97 at the moment and every time I entertain leaving it, I pick up the RF and remember why it is my racquet of choice :) But, I do enjoy the Prestige Pro and I have one other in my top 3 that isn't on this list and hasn't come out yet...or did come out a while ago but hasn't come back out ;)
Michelle, TW
@@tenniswarehouse I've liked some of the Prestige Pros, too but I can't change racquets. I've commented to my buddies that my RF97 gives me no excuses because it's that precise. The ball goes where I tell it to!
@Dan Gaskell,
Exactly! It makes you a better player!
Michelle, TW
@@tenniswarehouse Which is the racquet that has been out, but isn't back out you're not talking about the new RF97 due in Sept?
@@jamesgibson3823 The Prince Original Graphite lineup is one that comes to mind for me. They've had the 100, 100LB, and 107 like 10 years ago, and now there's a phantom version of them coming out supposedly in fall for the US market (Japan already has them).
Recently picked up an older Yonex tour G 330 (Wawrinka's real racquet) and was surprised how easy it was to swing (very head light). Serves and ground strokes just jump off the strings. It's also a top spin monster with ease. Not putting down any of these racquets and of course the tour G 330 is long out of production, but what a racquet. It's a true weapon on court.
Wawrinka uses a yonex vcore 95D old model
@@RigMaster_ You're right. I was fooled by the marketing. Anyway, the Tour G 330 is very close in specs to the RF97 in question and, IMHO, swings a little faster. It's great racquet!
@@RigMaster_ Yup, this.
thanks for the info!!
i wanna try some rackets u recommend
Thank you for this video and awesome enthusiasm!
any updates on the new prostaff coming out this october? is there any technology change? The only thing i know of is that the PJ is 80s inspired
Which has more spin potential, the prestige pro 360+ or pro staff 97 v13?
They are very close in spin potential. Wilson made the string spacing a bit more dense in the sweet-spot area, which makes it very close to the 360+ Prestige Pro. Troy, TW
@@tenniswarehouse thanks for the reply, hard to demo rackets when you live in a small Scottish town so need all the info i can get lol, how does the new radical pro compare to the the prestige pro in terms of spin, power, and control? Think i will get the radical then try out the prestige once i feel i have mastered the radical
@@rf10is, I see, and yes it can be difficult to demo racquets in certain locations. The Radical Pro is a bit more forgiving than the Prestige Pro, in that the slightly bigger 98 headsize provides a bit bigger sweet-spot, and a bit easier access to power. It is still more of a control and feel racquet in the overall spectrum, but the Prestige Pro is pretty much at the top of the charts for control, feel, and precision. Spin potential is pretty close between the two, although the slightly bigger head of the Radical helps a bit when aggressively swinging low to high. They both have a fairly hefty, and solid feel, but as far as maneuverability goes, the Prestige Pro has just a slight quicker feel with the swingweight being a bit lower. I hope that helps. Also, by the way, which racquet have you been using, or one that you have used most consistently over the years? Troy, TW
@@tenniswarehouse I currently use the Vcore 98 but would like something with better feel more control and stability, it is very easy to use but unless i put a lot of spin on the ball it seems too erratic and powerful so i want a more versatile racket. I also would like the challenge of a new harder to use frame with access to higher levels of creativity but more punishing on sloppy footwork. I currently have 7 grams in the hoop for stability and 12 in the handle to help with my one hander which helps but at the end of the day i think i need a new frame
@@rf10is, I see. The Radical MP or Pro could be a good option for you. Also the Yonex VCORE Pro 97 (310) maybe with some added weight. I would also consider the Wilson Blade 98 16x19 v7, Dunlop CX 200 or 200 Tour 16x19, and Prince Phantom 100G, or Prince Textreme Tour 95. I know a lot of options, without being able to demo, but some good options out there. Troy, TW
I'm not looking for racquets "like" the RF 97, I'm looking for "the" RF 97🤣
Pure Strike with lead tape?
how about the pure strike?
Why not Prince 97P? 93 feels more like comparable to PS 90 than 97
Hi, what is your opinion on stiffness? Besides injuries, is there any reason to want a lower stiffness? Stiffness gives you control, power and spin..
@Arjuna,
It really is a matter of personal preference. Many players prefer a lower stiffness rating for that more flexible feel. A softer racquet can still provide control, spin and power as well -- a lot of the more classic racquets are more flexible; as well there are some Prince Phantoms that are very flexible (some with very open patterns too)! At the end of the day, mechanics really help determine power and spin.
Michelle, TW
@@tenniswarehouse Awesome, thanks a lot for the reply! Of course there is preference, and psychologically one might actually play better with a softer racket than a stiffer one. But in theory would someone with the exact same swing not produce a better ball trajectory with a stiffer racquet? There are some 76 RA rackets, so material wise it's possible to go stiffer- but most racquets rarely do. The thing I'm most curious about is why manufacturers don't make them stiffer, there has to be another reason!
@@Apoz I'm not too sure you are right when you assert that stiffness=power,control and spin; power maybe, but control is normally aligned towards more flexibility, and spin towards stringing type and pattern.
How in the world do you swing that racquet??? I know you can because I’ve seen you play test a lot of racquets , and you can really smash the ball!!!!
@Major Price,
🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️
Michelle, TW
I'm curious if Michele or anyone else has tried Champion's Choice in the RF97
@llamawizard,
I know I have once or twice, but I'm not a huge fan of natural gut (I know, I shouldn't say that outloud!). I wish I loved it because I would love to have a similar setup as Roger!!
Michelle, TW
I have tried it as well, and I love the feel, I think it is just a matter of dialing in the tension. I know that Roger will adjust tension throughout the year depending on conditions, however I have seen that he uses a tension in the upper 50's, close to 60 pounds in certain cases. I preferred the tension somewhere around 55 to 57 pounds, as the gut in the mains makes for a powerful response. The main thing for me is that I feel like the RF97A plays a bit boardy with a full bed of poly, but with the gut hybird I find more feel, ball pocketing and comfort. Troy, TW
Hello, I am looking at getting a Wilson pro staff 103 and cant find any reviews or anything about it, would you be able to help me choose wither or not it is a worthy upgrade over the cheap $25.99 head ti tornado I got as my starter racket?
We never carried that racquet, as it was likely sold in sporting goods stores, I don't believe it one of their performance racquets. Of the racquets we sell, we would recommend something like the Prince Warrior 100 or 107, and the Head Graphene XT Radical S. Troy, TW
Head Pro tour 2.0 really feels like and RF97 for me
and what racquets are similar to the prostaff 97 (old prostaff 97, non the cv version)??
Yonex VCORE Pro 97 (310), Dunlop CX 200, and ProKennex Ki Q+ Tour Pro 315. Troy, TW
I choose f) pro staff 97 cv tho I’m intrigued by that Head Prestige Pro’s low RA
65 isn't low RA in my opinion...
クリームイカ agreed! I think I mixed up the RA of the Prestige and the Phantom. Thought it was 60 or 61
@@nicolewb24 lol
just wonder if you guys can recommend a racquet which close to Wilson Six in one 95, 16x18?
I am a former Six One 95 user, but mostly played with the 18x20. I would say that the closest racquet in stock form, would likely be the Yonex VCORE Pro 97 (330), which is the racquet that I eventually settled on after Wilson stopped producing the Six One 95 (although they now have a re-make of the 18x20 on their site). There isn't much in our Wilson inventory that would be all that comparable, maybe a Blade 98 16x19 with some customization, or weight added to it, but a bit different feel. Another one I have been hitting a lot lately is the Yonex VCORE 95, which has a bit more dense pattern 16x20, but is still pretty spin friendly, especially since the Six One 95 16x18 is pretty dense in the middle of the string-bed. I have added weight to the VCORE 95 to get specs similar to the Six One 95, and it plays really nice, maybe a bit more powerful and a bit bigger sweet-spot, but still has good feel and precsion. Those are my favorites, but some others you might consider, and may need to add weight to: Dunlop CX 200 Tour 16x19, Prince Textreme Tour 95, Head Graphene 360+ Prestige Pro, and Volkl V-Feel 10 (320). Troy, TW
Thanks for your reply Troy, I watched lots of your reviews, good stuff, will try those racquets out.
I had both 18x20 and 16x18, loved them both. Six one 18x20 is the best when I am not behind. 16x18 gives me a little free power and easy swing.
I have DEMOed RF97, didn’t like the stiffness and too powerful for my liking.
Hello TW! Is there a much lighter racquet (300-305 grams) that reminds a little bit of RF97 ? Thanks
@Christos Cholevas,
Are you looking for 300-305 grams strung or unstrung? Either way -- the Babolat Pure Strike (the Team will be the lighter model) and the Head Speed (the MP Lite will be the lighter model) have great options!
Michelle, TW
What grip size does Troy use? Thanks!
I typically use 4 3/8", or grip #3. Troy, TW
What happened with the RF97? there is none on your site! :O
We are close to being sold out for most grip sizes, www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpage-PSRF97.html. The new version is coming soon, stay tuned. Troy, TW
Which of these racquets is closest in weight and balance to the Pro Staff 6.0 85. I am basically after a racquet that swings like the PS 85 but with a bigger head size. I tried the first gen RF97 and found it a bit too hard to swing even though the weight and balance are similar to the PS 85. How about the standard Pro Staff V13?
I would likely try to find one that has a swing weight closer to the 320-325 range. The PS 6.0 85 maneuvers very easily through the air for being in the mid 12 ounces strung. The Pro Staff 97 v13 has a swingweight that should be in that range, or can be with a bit of weight tape in the hoop, and a leather grip would be a nice touch on that racquet. I would also consider the Yonex VCORE Pro 97 310, which could be doctored up like the Pro Staff 97 v13, or the 97HD is one that feels pretty good stock, but likely has room for a leather grip to be added. I would also consider the Dunlop CX 200 Tour, Head Prestige Pro, and Prince Phantom 97P. Troy, TW
@@tenniswarehouse Thanks for your detailed reply, Troy. I was curious why the swingweight on the RF97 is so much higher than the 85 despite the weight and balance being very similar. Does the bigger head size of the RF97 naturally give it a higher swingweight?
@@goldencalf5144, there are a lot of factors that can contribute to swingweight, headsize, aerodynamics, string bed density, can all play a subtle part. I don't know if the headsize, and thicker beam make up for all that difference in swingweight. One thing that we don't have a spec for, that plays a big part in swingwight is overall weight distribution. For example, say a 27" racquet is 11 ounces, and has a "even" balance. You could achieve that balance by having five ounces at both ends of the racquet, and one ounce throughout the mid section (structurally this would likely be weak but just an example). You could also have an equal amount of weight dispersed at every inch of the racquet to cover the 27" frame, and still get an overall even balance, but the swingweight will be very different between those two layups of the frame. So hard to say how much difference the weight is distributed between the two, but definite difference in how they swing. Troy, TW
@@goldencalf5144 Also, once you know which swingweight feels best for you, it is one of the main factors that determines how a racquet feels when you swing it. The downside is that not everyone has access to a machine to measure it, but if you have a pro shop or store locally that can measure it for you, making note of whether it is strung or not, that is a good thing to know. Reason being is that when someone buys a racquet from us, we can go through a batch of racquets to search a for a particular swingweight. Reason I mention this is that we have measured many racquets, and specifically many RF97's over the years, and have found swingweights ranging from the low 320's all the way up to the high 340's, so based on that the racquet will perform quite differently. Hope that helps. Troy, TW
@@tenniswarehouse Thanks Troy, that was super helpful. It's great that TW employs such knowledgeable staff.
One more question, will the V13 have the same sort of plow through as the 85 despite its lower overall weight? Is swingweight a bigger factor in how much energy is transferred to the ball than total weight?
how about the ultra tour 95 cv?
@Ricky Kanai,
We no longer have that racquet, so it was hard to include and suggest to check out! :) Plus, the Countervail mutes the feel a bit, which hasn't been our favorite technology. But still a great option if you can get your hands on one!
Michelle, TW
Tennis Warehouse Don’t worry I got my hands on five of them just before they sold out :)
@@konnrinzai Well....they are current stock...v3 been out for months!!
nostro1001 unfortunately not in the US tho...
@@konnrinzai That's right....but the comments from Michelle make it sound as if it's a discontinued line and that's certainly not the case.
Not sure why TW hasn't got them months after release. At first I assumed supply and usual Covid reasons, but it's way too long for it to be just that.
Kinda odd!!!
I hate to tell you, Michelle - but later in life you'll have to forego the Wilson Pro Staff RF for a lighter racquet. I used to use the Wilson 6.1 90 for years - until one night I won the first set and I was done! My arm was like a stuffed shirt. That's when I started looking for a lighter racquet. (Now - Babolat Aero Pro, Solinco Tour Bite, 51lb .... I'm OLD!)
Clash is an amazing raquet. I bought my friends after using it one day because he never could like it. Alu power at 57pds. Its a dream weaver!
I wish I watched this earlier cos I just bought a new racquet!
I thought RF is Rafa
In other words, racquets that recreational players shouldn’t be using.
First!