Appreciate the comparison and breakdown. I started playing at 4yo (52 now) and getting ready to return to the game after 15yr. I bring my own power, so I used to just get giddy over my ProStaff 85. To be able to paint lines and not have the ball jumping off the racket made for a very satisfying experience. And then because it was less forgiving than other rackets, it forced me to become a better player in terms of technique.
Spot on with the leather grip on the blade. Really adaptable rackets. I’ve added the leather grip and weighted mine up to 12.6 and they’re amazing frames
They 100% are. It's funny because they actually do play really well in stock form; even the 18x20. It's more so just a change in what you want from the racket rather than an optimal weight, which is one of my favourite things about the Blade line.
Best reviews out there, thank you! I was thinking, you really need to explain why a stiffer racket like the Pro Staff would be considered precise and how that compares to a control racket like the Blade...and then you did.
Burn 4 100S is a POWER & SPIN MONSTER slighlty high launch 16x18..318g strung With 3g at 12 and dampener a lot of plough through better than Ultra 100 v3 to me. And surprise on volleys
Too bad you weren't able to include the Blade 100. It's incredible to me it's so under-promoted and underappreciated. It's excellent--excellent control, yet more forgiving and a bit more spin than the 98. I have both in my bag and love both of 'em, but the 100 is pretty amazing. Like the 98, though, you have to be able to put the sweet spot on the ball.
I play with the Blade and the Pro Staff. The Blade is easier to use and is better at the net. It’s fantastic on the volley. However I do love the Pro Staff and it’s my favourite racquet ever. A bit hard to play with though.
@@IvanChan1804 it has a very small sweet spot but when you hit the ball correctly you know exactly where it’s going. I’m completely connected to the ball. When your technique is off it punishes you and I’m a bit older now so I’m not always in proper position especially when I’m running around. I need a racquet that is more forgiving. I really miss my Pro Staff though.
I have been using the blades since v7, now v8, so last 5 years playing with blade. Great raquet. But now I decided to try pro staff v14. I heard is a great racquet
It's a great frame as well, but definitely different to your Blade. It's going to be a little bit harder to swing but it has a lot of very addictive characteristics.
This is an excellent point. If we're going to talk about it in the context of this review then the 18x20 is even more "Blade" than the 18x20 compared to the Pro Staff.
@@RacketsRunnersVancouver Can you please clarify what you mean by "more Blade"? I play the Blade v8 18x20, and I'm curious how it differs from the Pro Staff v14 97. I'm also still confused about "precision" and "control." If you can control the ball, then the shot is precise, no?
@@petel1201 agree more explanation needed, particularly 18x20/16x19; is the difference "directionally precise" as opposed to "length precise", perhaps?
@@racketman2u I demoed both the 18x20 and 16x19 Blades. I enjoyed noticeably better control with the 18x20, meaning that I'm able to hit my target spots on the court more readily vs the 16x19. The 16x19 is also a good racket, but in my experience, the 18x20 is better in every respect.
I have 2 RF 97 autographed (340g) 2019 and 2021 versions, blade sw 104 (18x19 304g) autographed, and 2 hyper hammer 5.3 110. Nothing is lighter than the hammer (240g). I’ve just bought an H2, a newer version of the hammer. There are L and UL versions to pro staff, blade, clash. In a game situation, guess which racket I use? It’s easier to maneuver. I’m going to add lead tape to it. Because it’s head heavy, it still generates power.
Good breakdown, I'd agree with the PS/Blade comparison. Hey curious, thoughts on the Vapor 11 vs the 2s? Are both holding up? I've been reading the 11s are tearing through the toebox on alot of players
Thank you! The Vapor 11 is significantly less durable than the Pro. That toe part of the 11 gets shredded pretty quickly when you drag your back foot during a slide. The Pro on the other hand is surprisingly very, very durable. It's my go to shoe right now, I've put in a ton of hours and the rubber is holding up really well and the shoe isn't softening up nearly as much as older Vapors. Also, the outsole durability is incredible on both.
Should I buy a used Wilson blade? I’m eyeing one that is $80. Definitely considering it after watching this video. They’re also selling the clash but not really what I’m looking for.
I’m looking for a new racket and have nailed it down to these lot : Yonex Ezone 98 Yonex Vcore 98 Babolat Pure Aero Wilson Blade Wilson pro staff (Maybe other Wilson ) Which would you say is best for my style of play which is very briefly an agressive player that hits serves flat or with spin, backhands flat, for hands flat and with topspin, If I can’t finish the point quickly then I love to add slices to my game… I really like playing at the net to finish a point quickly. Overall I like playing all over the court. Thanks for the help and great vid again
@@RacketsRunnersVancouver considering I have a quite large swing, and often don’t hit the ball very high over the net ( skims it ) and that I haven’t got the best endurance meaning id need a racket that is still easy ish to swing towards the end of a really long match or training. Would that change anything, also are there any other racquets other than the ones I listed maybe like head technifibre or something else ?
By saying adding a leather grips on the blade makes it really good.. I wonder can i add more stiffness and swingweight by adding leather grip which added 10 grams or so to the racket.. Looking for guidance 🙏🙏 thankyou
To me, the way you compared the blade with the pro staff, sounded like the blade is like the pro staff and the other way around with the only difference that the blade is better and control.
Tweeners are rackets with a 99 to (I believe) 104 square inch head size and they fall "between" mid plus and oversized rackets. 45 Braid is a technology used by Wilson in the Graphite's layup.
Like their line. But they should watch the quality control. Used to play with pro staff 100. But gave up as i had 4 rackets and all 4 very different from each other by a lot. So i gave up…
As a beginner which one I should go for, Pro Staff 97 315g V14.0 626sq.cm frame, or Blade 100 V9, 300g 645sq.cm, or Blade 100 V9, 305g, 632sq.cm ? I’m 188 cm tall, 80 kg, athletic male
As a social weekend player - was coached as a kid but been a while getting back into it, i wanted the pro staff, but now im thinking to get the clash. just for comfort - don't want to end up with injuries. Thoughts?
@@rrkk773 you should add the shift to that list. I’ve enjoyed my hitting experience with it, I don’t think it would be my daily racquet but it is loads of fun.
I am currently using blade 98 18x20 with 1g lead tape on each 3&9 o’clock, I like the feel of control and i like to play flatter shot, i am considering to give the new pro staff 97 a try, should I?🙏🏼
@@RacketsRunnersVancouver yeah i tried the new Pro Staff, it is little bit heavy for me and hard to control the ball compare to blade 98, but both two are definitely awesome rackets!
As much as I agree that it's probably the most spin oriented racket in Wilson's line, I still don't think that's going be its true identity. I guess we'll find out if the final release cosmetic is yellow 😂. The reason I say that is because the 315 is just not spin friendly, to be honest. It has the tightest string bed I have ever seen, and yes, it's more spin friendly than that string bed might look, but it's still very much 18x20. The 300 is great for spin (way more than the 315), but still not quite as high as an Extreme, Aero or VCORE.
@@RacketsRunnersVancouver Do you remember the Wilson Steam99S, now that was a spin machine, but it lacked directional control due to its very open sting pattern!
Absolutely, and to be honest, I think that the "S" project is part of why Wilson is so hesitant in making another spin racket. It wasn't the most popular because they went a little bit extreme with it and I think the Shift being a little more toned back is in part because of those rackets.
Most of this stuff is marketing. The grommets may be large, but the ball doesn't stay on your string bed long enough to get a snap back. The string patterns don't make a difference. Most of this racket technology is pure marketing. There is no such thing as a spin racket; or a control racket. At the end of the day, it all just comes down to ''feel''. Some rackets feel better to individuals than others. The rest is garbage.
I recently started Tennis (from scratch) with the thought "meh, nice hobby" and bought a 97 Pro Staff (RF Signature) because I only intended to play recreationally. But I got hooked as I learnt the game over the past months. I play 6 days a week now and am serious about getting gud. Learning things here and there, I feel now that swinging Federer's 340 gms (unstrung) is too much but still not sure as this is my first time playing Tennis and I've never swung a lighter racket. What do you think? Should I get some other racquet (any recs) or is Pro Staff RF97 fine for a total noob?
It's funny because it won't feel like too much if it's your first racket, in fact if this was 20 years ago that would be the normal weight and you'd get used to it. I still think you should switch though - if you want to speed up your stroke and use more modern, windshield wiper technique, going for something in the 300-315 gram weight range is a must at least when you're learning.
@@RacketsRunnersVancouver Ordered a Wilson Ultra 100L after watching your 14 min long video on best racquets for each type of player. Thank you for your awesome content and I hope going for this one over your other recs (i.e. EZone 100L / Pure Drive Team) works out well for me.
Blade / ProStaff analysis is spot on
this is exactly the video I was looking for in a long time
Appreciate the comparison and breakdown. I started playing at 4yo (52 now) and getting ready to return to the game after 15yr. I bring my own power, so I used to just get giddy over my ProStaff 85. To be able to paint lines and not have the ball jumping off the racket made for a very satisfying experience. And then because it was less forgiving than other rackets, it forced me to become a better player in terms of technique.
I was so confused which racket to go and after watching this I think I will go for Blade. 😊
Great! Glad I could help!
I’ll be picking up a couple of those L3 noir blades this Sunday from your store! Thanks for the nice explanation 🤙🤙
Awesome! Thank you so much for your support.
Spot on with the leather grip on the blade. Really adaptable rackets. I’ve added the leather grip and weighted mine up to 12.6 and they’re amazing frames
They 100% are. It's funny because they actually do play really well in stock form; even the 18x20. It's more so just a change in what you want from the racket rather than an optimal weight, which is one of my favourite things about the Blade line.
Did you add more weight besides the leather grip?
Best reviews out there, thank you! I was thinking, you really need to explain why a stiffer racket like the Pro Staff would be considered precise and how that compares to a control racket like the Blade...and then you did.
Haha thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it.
Wilson range is fine particularly with the addition of the Shift. Only lines which are a bit muddied are the Ultras and Burns which are too similar.
Burn 4 100S is a POWER & SPIN MONSTER slighlty high launch 16x18..318g strung
With 3g at 12 and dampener a lot of plough through better than Ultra 100 v3 to me.
And surprise on volleys
Particularly when you include the Blade 100 and the Blade 104, which aren't heavily promoted--sadly--but are excellent racquets.
Too bad you weren't able to include the Blade 100. It's incredible to me it's so under-promoted and underappreciated. It's excellent--excellent control, yet more forgiving and a bit more spin than the 98. I have both in my bag and love both of 'em, but the 100 is pretty amazing. Like the 98, though, you have to be able to put the sweet spot on the ball.
Wilson’s old line was so much better with the juice, steam, blade, pro staff and had head sizes ranging from 85-105
Those were some great rackets!
Who would be crazy enough to play with a 85 these days?
@@miguelroda8779I would.
I play with the Blade and the Pro Staff. The Blade is easier to use and is better at the net. It’s fantastic on the volley. However I do love the Pro Staff and it’s my favourite racquet ever. A bit hard to play with though.
I find the pro staff really not pleasant for the 2HBH
good for you..zero people I know play with prostaff
May i ask why you like the pro staff that much even though you said it is a bit hard to play with?
@@IvanChan1804 it has a very small sweet spot but when you hit the ball correctly you know exactly where it’s going. I’m completely connected to the ball. When your technique is off it punishes you and I’m a bit older now so I’m not always in proper position especially when I’m running around. I need a racquet that is more forgiving. I really miss my Pro Staff though.
@@kevinle5460I love it lol
I have been using the blades since v7, now v8, so last 5 years playing with blade. Great raquet. But now I decided to try pro staff v14. I heard is a great racquet
It's a great frame as well, but definitely different to your Blade. It's going to be a little bit harder to swing but it has a lot of very addictive characteristics.
It's fantastic, I've been using it for the last 6 months. It's hard to play though, very unforgiving. Get the spinniest strings you can find on it.
One major point is that the Blade has a 16x19 and 18x20, and these are very different frames in my experience.
This is an excellent point. If we're going to talk about it in the context of this review then the 18x20 is even more "Blade" than the 18x20 compared to the Pro Staff.
@@RacketsRunnersVancouver Can you please clarify what you mean by "more Blade"? I play the Blade v8 18x20, and I'm curious how it differs from the Pro Staff v14 97.
I'm also still confused about "precision" and "control." If you can control the ball, then the shot is precise, no?
@@petel1201 agree more explanation needed, particularly 18x20/16x19; is the difference "directionally precise" as opposed to "length precise", perhaps?
@@racketman2u I demoed both the 18x20 and 16x19 Blades. I enjoyed noticeably better control with the 18x20, meaning that I'm able to hit my target spots on the court more readily vs the 16x19. The 16x19 is also a good racket, but in my experience, the 18x20 is better in every respect.
@@petel1201 I think we can say that 18x20 is even more controlling and used for flat shots. 16x19 should be more spin friendly. But I'm not sure tho
Love the clash 1.0. It's easy on my arm
I have 2 RF 97 autographed (340g) 2019 and 2021 versions, blade sw 104 (18x19 304g) autographed, and 2 hyper hammer 5.3 110. Nothing is lighter than the hammer (240g). I’ve just bought an H2, a newer version of the hammer. There are L and UL versions to pro staff, blade, clash. In a game situation, guess which racket I use? It’s easier to maneuver. I’m going to add lead tape to it. Because it’s head heavy, it still generates power.
Wilson shift is available at Racquet guys. I have not found Wilson blade sw 102 autographed available yet.
Good breakdown, I'd agree with the PS/Blade comparison. Hey curious, thoughts on the Vapor 11 vs the 2s? Are both holding up? I've been reading the 11s are tearing through the toebox on alot of players
Thank you! The Vapor 11 is significantly less durable than the Pro. That toe part of the 11 gets shredded pretty quickly when you drag your back foot during a slide. The Pro on the other hand is surprisingly very, very durable. It's my go to shoe right now, I've put in a ton of hours and the rubber is holding up really well and the shoe isn't softening up nearly as much as older Vapors. Also, the outsole durability is incredible on both.
Should I buy a used Wilson blade? I’m eyeing one that is $80. Definitely considering it after watching this video. They’re also selling the clash but not really what I’m looking for.
Go for the Blade then!
I’m looking for a new racket and have nailed it down to these lot :
Yonex Ezone 98
Yonex Vcore 98
Babolat Pure Aero
Wilson Blade
Wilson pro staff
(Maybe other Wilson )
Which would you say is best for my style of play which is very briefly an agressive player that hits serves flat or with spin, backhands flat, for hands flat and with topspin, If I can’t finish the point quickly then I love to add slices to my game… I really like playing at the net to finish a point quickly. Overall I like playing all over the court.
Thanks for the help and great vid again
The Blade would be the best bet if you can't demo any rackets! Fantastic all-court racket still based on control which sounds like you would enjoy.
@@RacketsRunnersVancouver considering I have a quite large swing, and often don’t hit the ball very high over the net ( skims it ) and that I haven’t got the best endurance meaning id need a racket that is still easy ish to swing towards the end of a really long match or training.
Would that change anything, also are there any other racquets other than the ones I listed maybe like head technifibre or something else ?
Pro Kennex - is known for Comfort
Blade woth leather grip and 2 inch lead tape at 12oclock.
Yoir welcome!
By saying adding a leather grips on the blade makes it really good..
I wonder can i add more stiffness and swingweight by adding leather grip which added 10 grams or so to the racket..
Looking for guidance 🙏🙏 thankyou
To me, the way you compared the blade with the pro staff, sounded like the blade is like the pro staff and the other way around with the only difference that the blade is better and control.
i understand 99% of terminology in your videos. but im just curious, when you say “tweeners” what do you mean by that? im lost on that 😅
ok make that 98%, what is “braid”
Tweeners are rackets with a 99 to (I believe) 104 square inch head size and they fall "between" mid plus and oversized rackets.
45 Braid is a technology used by Wilson in the Graphite's layup.
Thank you for this video! I'm trying to find a replacement racket for my babolat pure drive 2017 model and the wilson line up caught my eye.❤
Pure drive is super stiff so if you wanted something similar, demo the ultra, shift and pro staff.
Is there a possibility you can talk about Serena’s SW102 Autograph racket
We don't cary the racket so not right now, but if we ever do I'll definitely include it in a video!
Like their line. But they should watch the quality control. Used to play with pro staff 100. But gave up as i had 4 rackets and all 4 very different from each other by a lot. So i gave up…
Yes, I agree. I do think things are supposed to get better soon though.
I was always considering clash. Which is better for me clash or blade or new RF future? I’m a beginner recreational player
You can't go wrong with either and your game will develop with the racket so pick whichever you prefer!
As a beginner which one I should go for, Pro Staff 97 315g V14.0 626sq.cm frame, or Blade 100 V9, 300g 645sq.cm, or Blade 100 V9, 305g, 632sq.cm ? I’m 188 cm tall, 80 kg, athletic male
I would stay away from the Pro Staff and Blade 98 and go for the Blade 100. It's better to keep it forgiving when you're starting out.
how would you compare the pro staff 97 with the blade v8 16x19 in terms of power and control?
The Pro Staff is a little more powerful and the Blade a little more controlled and easier to control as well.
Clash 100 v2 minions is the best racket ever
As a social weekend player - was coached as a kid but been a while getting back into it, i wanted the pro staff, but now im thinking to get the clash. just for comfort - don't want to end up with injuries. Thoughts?
You should demo both
Thanks. Might demo pro staff, clash, and ultra!!@@tenniswithandy
@@rrkk773 you should add the shift to that list. I’ve enjoyed my hitting experience with it, I don’t think it would be my daily racquet but it is loads of fun.
Try them both but unless you've had issues in the past, I wouldn't be too worried about that.
👏👏👏👏
I am currently using blade 98 18x20 with 1g lead tape on each 3&9 o’clock, I like the feel of control and i like to play flatter shot, i am considering to give the new pro staff 97 a try, should I?🙏🏼
A customized Blade is fantastic but if you want a more demanding racket in stock form, the Pro Staff is definitely worth a go.
@@RacketsRunnersVancouver yeah i tried the new Pro Staff, it is little bit heavy for me and hard to control the ball compare to blade 98, but both two are definitely awesome rackets!
Try the Blade Pro 18x20.
What string that i have to used for prostaff? And what tension?
The store recomend luxilon 4g with tension 48-50.
That sounds like a great set up to me! For a bit more feel you can go for Alu Power at the same tension.
I use pro staff 315g and am really liking the feel of 52lbs
you forget the Burn 100s v5 ..is a spin rackets
i alkready have a shift, would it makes sense to try the ultra? or would the differences be minimum?
Stick to the Shift, the Ultra is very different. It's much more user-friendly but much less precise.
@@RacketsRunnersVancouver I'm a rec player that started 1 year ago and I was looking for a more beginner raquet and more forgiving thant the shift
Then it's definitely a good idea to try the Ultra!
It looks like the Shift is Wilson's new spin line but does the 300 or 315 actually deliver more spin, in your opinion?
As much as I agree that it's probably the most spin oriented racket in Wilson's line, I still don't think that's going be its true identity. I guess we'll find out if the final release cosmetic is yellow 😂.
The reason I say that is because the 315 is just not spin friendly, to be honest. It has the tightest string bed I have ever seen, and yes, it's more spin friendly than that string bed might look, but it's still very much 18x20. The 300 is great for spin (way more than the 315), but still not quite as high as an Extreme, Aero or VCORE.
@@RacketsRunnersVancouver Do you remember the Wilson Steam99S, now that was a spin machine, but it lacked directional control due to its very open sting pattern!
Absolutely, and to be honest, I think that the "S" project is part of why Wilson is so hesitant in making another spin racket. It wasn't the most popular because they went a little bit extreme with it and I think the Shift being a little more toned back is in part because of those rackets.
Ummm... the Burn and Shift are both Spin focused racket lines....
Yes they are.
What do you think about the Wilson Blade 98S?
I have never played with it, unfortunately.
What us tour perdonal racket?
They need to reintroduce RF97 or I am not buying any wilson racquets again
Would you compare the blade with gravity?
I may compare those rackets in the future!
@@RacketsRunnersVancouver i dont unstertand very well The diferences on porpouse of blade and clash 98 too.
When will the blade pro H22s come out ?
They’re only available on Wilson’s website but I believe they are out now.
I play with the pro staff. I have had almost every version. I do not like the color of of the new pro staff.
Most of this stuff is marketing. The grommets may be large, but the ball doesn't stay on your string bed long enough to get a snap back. The string patterns don't make a difference. Most of this racket technology is pure marketing. There is no such thing as a spin racket; or a control racket. At the end of the day, it all just comes down to ''feel''. Some rackets feel better to individuals than others. The rest is garbage.
Don’t hold back 😂 agree lots of BS talked about rackets as long as it doesn’t smash your arm you are good to go 👌
What, I prithee, is a TWEENER racket ?!
Usually a racket with a 99-103 square inch head size.
Are you Brazilian?
No, French and American.
shift is really sexy tho
I recently started Tennis (from scratch) with the thought "meh, nice hobby" and bought a 97 Pro Staff (RF Signature) because I only intended to play recreationally. But I got hooked as I learnt the game over the past months. I play 6 days a week now and am serious about getting gud.
Learning things here and there, I feel now that swinging Federer's 340 gms (unstrung) is too much but still not sure as this is my first time playing Tennis and I've never swung a lighter racket. What do you think? Should I get some other racquet (any recs) or is Pro Staff RF97 fine for a total noob?
It's funny because it won't feel like too much if it's your first racket, in fact if this was 20 years ago that would be the normal weight and you'd get used to it. I still think you should switch though - if you want to speed up your stroke and use more modern, windshield wiper technique, going for something in the 300-315 gram weight range is a must at least when you're learning.
@@RacketsRunnersVancouver Ordered a Wilson Ultra 100L after watching your 14 min long video on best racquets for each type of player.
Thank you for your awesome content and I hope going for this one over your other recs (i.e. EZone 100L / Pure Drive Team) works out well for me.
they wanna capture market share, thats all. look how many head rackets there are. its all graphite.