4.0+ player and still prefer racquets on the heavier side, but the RF made sure 3rd sets were a guaranteed loss. You can see how they measure stiffness below, and I do think its a better way of doing it compared to the traditional method done on the Babolat RDC machines. I went from the v11.0, non-Countervail to this. Wilson Pro Staff 97 V13 Tennis Racquet - Unstrung $279.00 $299.00* 4.6 (23) Grip Size: 4 1/4 4 3/8 4 1/2 Ship To Me Select product options Free Store Pickup Select product options Same Day Delivery Select product options ADD TO CART Buy in monthly payments with Affirm on orders over $50. In a Grand Slam? So making it heavier in stock form would narrow that even more. You can read about them here: https://www.perfect-tennis.com/power-pads-for-tennis/. Description. Wilson combines the unique Britto art with the Pro Staff 97 v13; a racquet suitable for club intermediate to advanced tournament players or simply those looking for exceptional control who can provide their own power. When you buy tennis gear through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. What is really strange is the feel, which is missing in comparison with VCORE Pro that I usually use or at least is very different. Thanks for the extensive review. What do you think about the new Pro Staff 97 V13? 35,200 () PRO STAFF 97UL V13.0 . Tennis warehouse was very organized starting from order placement and stringing to delivery and tracking. One needs to generate a lot of racquet speed to hit big serves though. Whereas the Pro Staff is a classic players frame. Similar control to the Prestige, but virtually no pain. More power in this frame, but still plenty of control everyone knows and loves about the Pro Staff. My bag now has two of these new 97s and two old school 85s. I can place my shots short or deep very easily and precisely. Then in 2013 I moved on to the BLX Pro Staff Six.One 95. I never stuck with the frames, but I thought they were pretty solid. Overall the new Pro Staff 97 is an excellent frame. I tried a hybrid with poly mains and syn gut crosses, but I still found it a bit stiff. I told them what I had. From: Rob, 1/20/21, Comments: It's an amazing racquet, just release your hand and it will make the job as longas you are hitting the correct way. Any string/tension recommendations would be appreciated. My punch volleys felt crisp, and when you got that racquet out in front to hit the ball on a downwards trajectory deep into the court, you get a lovely response and feeling you can land the ball where you want it. PRO STAFF RF 97 V13 Tennis Racket Frame - Wilson Australia Wilson Pro Staff 97 v13. Fast arm, aggressive players who are looking for plenty of feedback and feel on their shots who can manage a reasonably heavy, stiff frame. I think it looks top-notch, and with a white overgrip and the Wilson W stencilled on the strings its a very stylish looking frame. I have not demoed EZONE Tour and new Radical Pro. Holds up better against players who are big hitters. Better test it before buy it. WILSON PRO STAFF 97 V13 TENNIS RACQUET - Highlighted by a design that pays tribute to the historic Pro Staff series, the Wilson Pro Staff 97 v13 features a new Braid 45 construction that increases precision by adjusting the angle of the double braided fibers for enhanced feel and stability. I my opinion, it feel great as it has lower stiffness rating, too. Totally agree with you mate. I've been hitting with the Pro Staff for my whole life and am now a 50+ year old, 3.5 level male. Now just played with this new v13, 54 pounds on the mains and 51 pounds crosses and I love it. Because of the tech behind the racquet, the sweetspot is pretty much anywhere on the racquet. Let me know in the comments below. I feel WPF v13 very stable but underpowered .maybe I need to try more strings setup. If I have to camp at the baseline, it's consistent and stable. I cannot say that I can recommend this so, better test it and draw your conclusions before buying it. Give it a try.From: AJI, Walnut Creek, 2/21/22, Comments: Strung my brand new Pro Staff 97 v13 with Solinco Hyper G Soft (16g) at 52/50 lbs and a Gamma Razortac overgrip: exactly 12 oz. ABOUT PRO STAFF Similarly, higher racquet head speed helped generating more spin. Given that it's lighter than RF97, I find it better for serves and volleys, but miss the plow through and power in the groundstrokes. Best not to be so wasteful for the environment these days, while also blame yourself less for the sharp decline of the Prostaff series. I would recommend but also demo first. On all orders over $75! This year, after demoing racquets I decided to switch back to a Pro Staff. I dread to see both my red and blue Rod Laver editions getting chipped . It didnt take long to feel like you could hit precisely and that denser string bed due to the new drill layup helps in this regard. Generating racquet head speed is easier for v13 and so I liked it on serves. Thank you, the blog is really great. From: Anonymous, 8/19/21, Comments: I played with Wilson Pro Staff 90 that Federer used and then switched to the RF97 for many years.I tried this Pro Staff 315 grams, and did not like the very low swing weight. After trying the Federer signature model, I knew it had the feel I like, but was a bit too heavy for me. Exclusive Member of Mediavine Home. I am concerned about the power level, is the power level is improving from the previous model? Easier to get this racquet around as its an ounce lighter than the RF version. Perfect Tennis is reader-supported. Albeit with few injections of colour on the throat and with some exposed carbon fibre weave between 3 and 9 oclock on the hoop. I heard a lot of hype regarding this new version of the Pro Staff. With that being said, after playing with the racquet several times, I'm sad to report it was one of the most uncomfortable, jarring, and odd feeling racquets I've ever played with. Then in 2015 I tried out the Pro Staff 97 red and black model and honestly wasn't that much of a fan, so I stuck with the BLX model. Had to weight up the frames at the 3 and 9 position to increase the swing weight from 318 to Mid 320's and counterbalance with tail added weight for an 8 point head light balance. I have been playing with a variety of racquets from Babolat and Yonex over the years. Weve seen brands like Babolat go for the louder designs like on the new Pure Drive, but the Pro Staff 97 has a classy, minimalist look. Also, the tighter stringbed in the sweetspot they got by adjusting the positioning of some of the grommet holes is evident by the effortless spin and control you get when you hit the sweetspot. Nice review, thanks a lot. My raquet for life!From: Wayne, Bahamas, 12/31/21, Comments: Great racquet! Ok, thank you very much. We will match or beat any posted overall price advertised in-store or online on in stock items. While I am still fine-tuning the string tension and the grip size, I still nevertheless catch myself wearing a big grin each time I walk off the court given the control, the accuracy, the power, and the mere fun that hitting with it provides. I used to string that hybrid with gut/poly mainly, but I also used Ashaway Monogut ZX which is a good string https://www.perfect-tennis.com/go/ashaway-monogut, But its not the cheapest either. That would bring the weight to about 330 g and might feel a bit more comfortable. It is much easier to handle with less weight. I have bought two Pro Staff 97 v13 racquets, with Luxilon 1.15, as recommended by Wilson at 54 pounds, and am loving it. So it was back to the stringing machine. While the specs of the PS97 are very similar to the previous model, the racquet packs a denser string bed that improves string bed consistency and a new style butt cap to provide improved comfort and ergonomics. Ill be interested to see what some of the other reviews say about arm friendliness, but I would say if youre a player who found previous generations of this racquet too stiff, then you will likely have the same opinion of this one. I haven't had this racquet long but as of now, it is great. I can take full swings and control where it goes in the court compared to my previous racquets where my ball would sail somewhere. Serving with this racquet is also rewarding and I feel more confident serving with this racquet in my hand.From: Reyad, 12/4/20, Comments: I've played with every version of the Pro Staff 97 the last years and liked every model except the Countervails. Highly recommend this racquet. Need to swing fully to get power and definitely need good technique to realize the potential of this racquet. The other said that is fast enough, even faster than current stick he used, Blade v7 18x20. Wilson Pro Staff 97 V13 Wilson Pro Staff 97L V13 The new RF97 is simply a refresh of its predecessor and maintains Federer's exact specs, wheres the 97, and 97L get the new braided graphite, carbon weave on the hoop and the rounder Wilson grip. Some Restrictions Apply. But if you play more of a classic, all court type game, then Pro Staff 97 V13 is one for your shortlist. Ok, yes I know the channel, Osakas hitting partner. For the volleys I could volley deep and the next ball, drop volley. It has more feel than the Vcore Pro 97 HD. Stringing the racquet as a hybrid is a pain because the grommet placement and size is challenging. We offer 100% Price Protection for 7 days on all orders. It seemed fitting for 2020. Highlighted by a design that pays tribute to the historic Pro Staff series, the Pro Staff 97 v13 features a new Braid 45 construction that increases precision by adjusting the angle of the double braided fibers for enhanced feel and stability. It would be nice if they actually modify the racquet to make it say heavier etc. It hits precisely. That stiffness will give you plenty of power, but you need decent stroke mechanics to generate it. From: Abdulrahman, 2/11/21, Comments: I have been using mostly Wilson frames for the last five years and this new version of the Pro Staff is the best model I have used yet. Thats the reason why I chose this model to playtest as I know I will play better with it. Wilson Pro Staff 97 v13 - ATR Sports I tried them back to back over an extensive period of quite a few months. . Is surely looks pretty but judging from recent experience, I wont bet my life on the paint longevity. How do you think is this compared with the yonex vcore 97 pro hd? 97 sq. It doesnt have that same loopy launch angle of certain frames, but I was able to produce a heavy ball that clears the net with margin but still has some good pace on it. They don't get pushed around at all. Perfect Tennis delivers the latest tennis news, match reports, racket reviews, guides, and more. The frame and general build quality makes it a throw away choice. My testing of this racquet involved a short half-court / mini tennis warm-up using the service boxes, some gentle baseline hitting, a few volleys followed by some point play both handfed and with serves. I also prefer the rounded shape grip compared to the squarer/sharper-edged grip on the RF97, which even Federer has swapped out by Priority One. My two-handed backhand definitely requires some cleaning, but I am blasting winners from anywhere in the court with my forehand. This is the best Pro Staff 97 they've made. The racquet was strung at 50 pounds with yellow Yonex Poly Tour Pro 1.20 mm. While the 315 gram is really good, I feel the 340 gram is way better (if you can swing it). Wilson Pro Staff 97 v13 - Britto Hearts - Merchant of Tennis It works very good. I'm a 6'3, 190 lb. Like the guy said, it is for strong players who have good stroke mechanics and play regularly. Since then its gone on to be one of the largest independently owned website for tennis news and a platform for fans to share their views on the game. Very light in weight. Wilson Pro Staff RF97 v13 Racquet 4.9 19 Reviews $ 219.00 $279.00 You Save: $60.00 Or 4 payments of $54.75 by Afterpay Afterpay Info Notify Me If Price Drops Buy 2 or more for $209.00 each Grip Size: 4 1/8" (#1) 4 1/2" (#4) 4 5/8" (#5) Select A String Category Quantity: 1 Decrement Increment Add To Cart Wish list TW Reviews Demo Used Power Map So, overall, the backhand is okay, forehand still needs work, the volleys needs some training as well, the serve works great. Those of you are familiar with the legendary original Pro Staff 85, used by Federer at the start of his career, will instantly see how this latest V13 pays homage to perhaps the most iconic racquet of all time. One of the concerns that I have with the Six One 100 v13 is its head size (100) to compare to the one of the Wilson Pro Staff 97 v13 97 inches headsize. This new Pro Staff is a strange animal. The control level of this racquet is fantastic, and it's got a great feel to it. Love it! Im not sure if my clamp had damaged some of the gut while stringing, but it snapped almost clean. I am used to heave racquets, currently ProStaff RF97A so the weight should not be a problem. We'll start with the main version, the Wilson Pro Staff v13. This is a shotmaker's racquet, for a player that doesn't need help from the racquet to generate power. Featuring the same specifications and composition as its predecessor, this racket caters to avid Roger Federer and Pro Staff fans by maintaining the . Then, I like the smaller sized head of 97 v13 but am worried about its heavier 332 g (strung) weight. Second, it's control-oriented. I do like weighted tape at the top of the frame, but the racquet is well balanced on its own. Can you claim to have made the second week if that happens? I demo'd several Babolat and Yonex racquets, but couldn't make them work. However, they list the two racquets as having the same static weight, length and balance point. I watched the USO final. For someone who has several RF97As including two Rod Laver editions, im not at all tempted to purchase this v13. The headlight balance allows me to generate fast racquet head speed for a fast serve. The RF 97 Autograph is a pro style racket with a hefty 340g weight and a medium sized 97sq. From: John, 1/23/21, Comments: Amazing racquet, so glad they decided to go with the old school look of the 6.0 Pro Staff 85 square inch. It's plush feeling but gives great feedback and the ball goes where you tell it to. I use Black Code 16 orange and yellow at 56 pounds. The Pro Staff 97 finds a really great compromise on weight. Interactive weather map allows you to pan and zoom to get unmatched weather details in your local neighborhood or half a world away from The Weather Channel and Weather.com At launch, there are three new models available: The new RF97 is simply a refresh of its predecessor and maintains Federers exact specs, wheres the 97, and 97L get the new braided graphite, carbon weave on the hoop and the rounder Wilson grip. Your email address will not be published. The Pro Staff v13 has a more plush feel and better control than my past racquets. Interestingly, a couple of tennis friends say they find it quite underwhelming, but for me, I like the subtle cues. TW always helps when you need it. It feels like I don't even have to try. The racquet offers a great balance of power and precision. Nice transition. One thing I will keep an eye on is how the paint on this racquet ages. I also think the rounder grip and change in the grommet holes make this a good buy. Absolutely in love with this frame! Very impressed with this 97 v13: not as cushy as my Blade but a lot more stable. The Britto Hearts Pro Staff 97 v13 combines two incredibly popular subjects into one dynamite racket: the unique Britto art and the Pro Staff 97 v13. It somehow even feels more maneuverable, but that may just be because I have far more confidence using this racquet due to the forgiveness provided when you hit off-center so I tend to swing more freely. One thing to note, the change in the butt cap is easier on my hand. It looks so slick that you almost dont want to risk scratching the grommets up by playing with it, but itd be a rather pointless review without taking it onto the court . You get more feel, and the denser string bed offers you that bit more control. I love this racquet.From: Tristan, 11/12/20, Comments: I've been using the Pro Staff dating back to the original. Wilson Pro Staff RF97 v13. Both are strung with Solinco Hyper-G 18 at 55 lb. As usual, when I pick up a new racquet, its straight on the scales to see how much it weighs unstrung. It should also help with string durability as there is less movement. The thing that stood out to us was just how stable this stick is. From: Mikey, LA, CA, 8/11/21, Comments: I have both the 340 gram Pro Staff RF97 and this 315 gram Pro Staff v13. One more thing, Pro Staff always has that unique feel that no other racquet can provide. Whereabouts are you from in the world? I demoed a total of seven racquets. The best racquet from Wilson hands down!From: Justin, 10/18/20, Comments: In my honest opinion this is the worst Pro Staff 97 yet. The regular PS has been often criticized for an inconsistent stringbed response, so its nice to know that Wilson has worked on addressing that. More consistent response from the stringbed than previous models, Stiff frame, so something to be aware of if you have arm issues, Somewhat sceptical of the longevity of the velvet paint but no issues so far, Heavy composition ideal for advanced players with experience swinging substantial frames, Braided Graphite composition delivers a pure, consistent feel, The all-new design maintains a sleek look with a black elastic base, exposed carbon fibre weave with gloss finish at the tip, and grey/silver pinstripes along the throat, Lighter and more manoeuvrable Pro Staff at 290g, Braid 45 construction arranges the double braided fibres at 45-degree angles for enhanced pocketing feel alongside incredible stability, New string/grommet layout for a slightly denser string bed, New Ergonomic End Cap yields improved comfort and playability. Ok, I watched just now. . The moment I started hitting with this racquet, I knew it was the right one. Thanks! The volleys have great feel and put-away power. Wilson Pro Staff 97 Review (v13) in 2021: Don't Buy Before Reading! Your email address will not be published. Gloves. Copyright 2011 - 2023 - peRFect Tennis. Not powerful. I feel that if you can contact the sweetspot and can't handle the weight of the RF97, this racquet will reward with great feel, control, and power. So, I'm pretty dedicated to play with this new stick, I will try to give more time and attention on correcting that missing stuff, but I think the hype is too much for what this really offers. I strung mine up with Solinco Confidential 17 gauge at 54 pounds on the mains and Gamma Live Wire Professional 17 gauge at 56 pounds on the crosses for awesome feel, added pocketing, comfort, and easy access to spin.From: Joshua, 2/20/21, Comments: Best racquet I have ever had. I played with this one before switching to the new RF 97 and I hardly noticed a difference when it came to stability despite the fact the RF is 20 odd grams heavier. I sort of agree but I wouldnt say it is bad for one-handed backhands per se, it is just not the ideal racquet for beginners or players who dont play that often.