Category Archives: Technology
Wilson Shift 99/300
After the success of the Wilson Labs version of the Shift technology, Wilson decided to make a retail version. We have received the retail version of the unique racquets and certainly want to share!
Just looking at the racquet, you may ask, “What is unique about it?” Even though the term AI is overused, in this case, it was just used! Some of the concepts of the designers were fed to AI, and it went to work!
Wilson Shift 300
We don’t know the details of the AI prompts, but we do know the very wide throat will accommodate the in-plane flexure of the shaft, which lets the head move downward upon impact and then move back while the ball is in contact with the string, therefore, contributing to “spin.”
This 99-square-inch racquet comes in two (2) versions, the 300-gram and 315-gram “Pro,” with an 18×20 string pattern.
We can feel some flex in the shaft; however, the real test is hitting with this concept, so come in and try the demo. In the meantime, take a look at the numbers.
| Manufacturer | Wilson |
|---|---|
| Racquet Model | Wilson Shift 300 |
| Reference Tension | 58 |
| String | PEEK 7710 |
| Machine Used | True Tension Professional |
| String Bed Stiffness - RDC | 53.0 |
| String Bed Stiffness -FlexFour | 63.5 |
| String Bed Stiffness - SBS | 43.0 |
| String Bed Stiffness - ERT | 35 kg/cm |
| Racquet Flex, RDC | 69 After Stringing |
| Racquet Flex, FlexFour | 43.0 |
| Racquet - In Plane Stiffness | 400.0 Lbs/In |
| Weight, Grams | 330 |
| Weight, Ounces | 11.64 |
| Balance, mm | 325 |
| Balance, Inch | 12.80 |
| Length, Cm | 68.6 |
| Length, Inch | 27.03 |
| Head Width | 9.82 |
| Head Length | 12.75 |
| Head Area, cm2 | 634.0 |
| Head Area, Sq. Inch | 98.3 |
| Beam Height @ Grip, mm | 23.0 |
| Beam Height @ Mid, mm | 24.0 |
| Beam Height @ Tip | 24.0 |
| Beam Width @ Grip, mm | 12.75 |
| Beam Width @ Throat, mm | 12.8 |
| Beam Width @ Mid, mm | 11.1(PWS) |
| Beam Width @ Tip, mm | 13.0(including bumper) |
| Number of Main Strings | 16 |
| Number of Cross Strings | 20 |
| Ratio Cross/Mains | .616 |
| Main String Grid | 7.25 |
| Cross String Grid | 10.81 |
| Density (% of head filled with string) | 71.7 % |
| Average Cross String Space | .494 |
| Average Main String Space | .446 |
| Dynamic Tension, Kp, ERT MasterTensometer | 35 kg/cm |
| Dynamic Tension, Lbs/in | 195.78 |
| First Moment, Nm | .826 |
| Polar Moment | 337.0 |
| Torsional Stability | 17 |
| Swing Weight, Kg/cm2 | 320 |
| Swing Weight, Ounces | 11.29 |
| Swing Weight Calculated | 348.6 (full-length) |
| Power, RDC | 54.0 |
| Control, RDC | 48.0 |
| Manueverability, RDC | 73.9 |
| Power, Calculated | 2191.7 |
| Head Points | 5.67 |
| Head Weight, % | 47.4% |
| Center of Percussion | 20.9 |
| Dwell Time, ms | 8.74 |
| Efective Stiffness - lbs | 30.0 |
| K, Lb/In | 159.87 |
| Recoil Weight | 155.31 |
| Twist Weight | 237.78 |
| End Weight | 133.1 |
| Tip Weight | 194.6 |
| 9 O'Clock | 98.4 |
| 3 O'Clock | 100.6 |
| Butt Cap | 129.0 |
| COF, Main | .396 |
| COF, Cross | .319 |
So, here IS the difference!
This table will clarify the differences between the Pro Staff Six-One and Pro Staff X models. While numbers are important, it is equally important to actually hit with the racquet(s) setup as you will be using them.
Pro Staff Six-One versus Pro Staff X
Click here to see the Wilson Pro Staff X
Click here to see the Wilson Pro Staff Six-One data
Pro Stock Limited Reserve
This is a high-performance string that has gone unnoticed for a while and I don’t know why!
Pro Stock Limited Reserve is a string we purchased because it has interesting characteristics that appealed to us however the client base is small. Recently, however, with the number of players that are moving away from a polyester string, this has become a popular alternative!
Pro Stock Limited Reserve
In a word, this plot looks very much like that of natural gut, and whatever you think natural gut is still considered the best performance material for racquet string!
What are we seeing here:
- Linearity, the more linear the string the more consistent (predictable)
- Elongation, at 33.1 mm at 50 pounds
- Elasticity, 71.9 %
- This is the area where the advantages of pre-stretching will be seen.
- The curve will become essentially one line meaning the string returns to a nominal length after stretching.
- Ultimate Tensile Strength, 163.6 pounds to fail (high), @107.2 mm deflection
- Knot strength, @102.4 pounds, and surpasses natural gut in this property.
What we can’t see in the plot is the construction of this multifilament string. Each strand is a thin, flat ribbon of polyolefin material. The ribbons are much like the natural gut.
The plot below is a comparison of natural gut string and is included as a visual to compare to Pro Stock Limited Reserve and show how much natural gut fibers are the same for any string manufacturer. Of course, manufacturing techniques, bonding agents, and coatings make the difference between a good gut and a not-so-good gut!
If you compare the Pro Stock Limited Reserve to natural gut you can quickly see why it may be a good string to try!
Wrong Planet?
Yesterday a good friend was in the World Headquarters, and as usual, our discussion turned to player training, the necessity, and the over-training of players, mainly juniors!
This training may include the wrong equipment setup, unnecessarily stiff strings, and sometimes stiff, light racquets. This may cause injuries at every level of player from recreational to professional!
My friend, by the way, is a Collegiate All-American, a professional player, and a coach!
After we discussed how to change this behavior, she said something quite interesting;
“John, you are on a different planet!”
Yikes!
So two things can happen;
- Abandon my planet
- Invite you to join our planet!
We have chosen number 2!
- to invite you to our planet!
There will be no need for interplanetary travel right now, but we do need to pick a name for our planet, so, the person presenting the best name will be the Mayor of our planet (your name here)…for a while.
We hope you will join us and make our planet a place we can all go to discover, learn, share, and understand as much as we can about tennis equipment, customization, stringing, and “best practices”.
Please use the “Leave Comment” tab below to submit your name for our new planet!
Wilson Pro Staff Six One 100, v14
As you know the Wilson Pro Staff Six One franchise has been around about as long as wooden racquets have been gone! A long time!
Many racquets have come and gone. Some should not have “come” and some should not have “gone”, in my opinion.
This racquet, to me, is the epitome of the Pro Staff Six One series for a few reasons.
- The 100-square-inch head size is ideal.
- The thin 22mm beam is perfect.
- The Shiny Rust finish is the best of all Pro Staffs!
- The geometry and proportions are perfect.
- The stiffness (flex) is satisfyingly low.
Wilson shiny Rust Pro Staff Six One 100
The specifications will tell us more about the racquet, but here are some things that don’t appear on the “spec” sheet.
- This is a foam-filled racquet.
- The FORTY-FIVE layup is used in this racquet.
- The grommet barrels are large enough to allow string movement.
- The bumper guard “string valley” is very deep.
Let’s take a look at the specifications.
| Manufacturer | Wilson |
|---|---|
| Racquet Model | Wilson Pro Staff Six One |
| Reference Tension | 55 |
| String | PEEK 7710 |
| Machine Used | True Tension Professional |
| String Bed Stiffness - RDC | 52.0 Units |
| String Bed Stiffness -FlexFour | 58.6 Pounds |
| String Bed Stiffness - SBS | 50.6 pounds |
| String Bed Stiffness - ERT | 35 Kg/Cm |
| Racquet Flex, RDC | 63 - After stringing |
| Racquet Flex, FlexFour | 50.0 |
| Racquet - In Plane Stiffness | 487.2 Lbs/Inch |
| Weight, Grams | 332 |
| Weight, Ounces | 11.71 |
| Balance, mm | 330 |
| Balance, Inch | 12.99 |
| Length, Cm | 68.6 |
| Length, Inch | 27.03 |
| Head Width | 9.87 |
| Head Length | 12.82 |
| Head Area, cm2 | 641.2 |
| Head Area, Sq. Inch | 99.4 |
| Beam Height @ Grip, mm | 22.0 |
| Beam Height @ Mid, mm | 22.0 |
| Beam Height @ Tip | 22.0 |
| Beam Width @ Grip, mm | 12.85 |
| Beam Width @ Throat, mm | 12.65 |
| Beam Width @ Mid, mm | 12.38 (PWS) |
| Beam Width @ Tip, mm | 12.27 (including bumper) |
| Number of Main Strings | 16 |
| Number of Cross Strings | 19 |
| Ratio Cross/Mains | .648 |
| Main String Grid | 7.20 |
| Cross String Grid | 10.06 |
| Density (% of head filled with string) | 72.9% |
| Average Cross String Space | .529 |
| Average Main String Space | .450 |
| Dynamic Tension, Kp, ERT MasterTensometer | 35 |
| Dynamic Tension, Lbs/in | 195.76 |
| First Moment, Nm | .847 |
| Polar Moment | 343.0 |
| Torsional Stability | 16 |
| Swing Weight, Kg/cm2 | 327 |
| Swing Weight, Ounces | 11.53 |
| Swing Weight Calculated | 361.5 (full-length) |
| Power, RDC | 51.0 |
| Control, RDC | 50.0 |
| Manueverability, RDC | 69.0 |
| Power, Calculated | 2067.9 |
| Head Points | 4.00 |
| Head Weight, % | 48.1 % |
| Center of Percussion | 20.8 |
| Dwell Time, ms | 8.82 |
| Efective Stiffness - lbs | 28.5 |
| K, Lb/In | 166.67 |
| Recoil Weight | 153.88 |
| Twist Weight | 241.58 |
| End Weight | 131.0 |
| Tip Weight | 201.5 |
| 9 O'Clock | 100.9 |
| 3 O'Clock | 102.3 |
| Butt Cap | 128.6 |
| COF, Main | .340 |
| COF, Cross | .366 |
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