Great review! I’ve been hitting with the ultra V3 for the last few days for the review I’m making. I agree with you, for a relatively light racquet it comes through the ball beautifully Wilson did something special with the balance of this one!
Clash is better for anyone under 4.0, Ultra is better for anyone over 4.0. When you play big hitters with the Clash, the extreme flex leads to an unpredictable response, while the Ultra is very predictable throughout its range. The Clash has a sweeter feel on impact due to the lower stiffness, especially good for sub-4.0's who often suffer from tennis elbow.
@@CourtsideSportsLTD Very reasonable and helpful, I have played with Clash 100, tour, 98. When hitting pretty hard, the racquet bend too much. I am not sure if it can be tamed by training more with them
Great review. I'm torn between this racket, a wilson blade 98 v7 or a head extreme pro. I'm a baseline true and true so i really want something that compliments my game when i want to be aggressive. I currently play with a wilson pro staff 97 v11( the red one) I love it but i want a little more pop on my shots. After seeing your review on the head extreme i am leaning towards the extreme. I just worry about what to string it with due to the stiffness.
According to TW, the Wilson Prostaff actually has a strung stiffness of 66 which is right around the spec of the Extreme Tour (I assume this is what you meant, not the Extreme Pro). I worry the Ultra would be too much of an increase in power and the Blade won't be enough of an increase. I personally find the v7 Blades to be extremely low powered. The Extreme Tour is nice because it swing fast light the Prostaff, yet still has great plow through. The new VCORE 95 would be worth a look as well.
@@CourtsideSportsLTD thank you I appreciate the reply. I said pro because my local pro shop still has a couple of the yellow and black extreme in store. They have the new yellow and grey ones as well. I’m not sure they have a tour yet so far all I have seen are MPs, and a PWR.
@@juliusgladney1188 ok, the MP and the Pro are very powerful and spin friendly. They are like the Pure Aero but more powerful. It would be a huge change for you
Currently using Blade 98 V7 16x19. I’m a 4.5 player. Decided to try this Ultra V3 particularly for Doubles matches. I struggled to carry the Blade in Volleys. Hope this Ultra V3 will help. I might need to tweek this racquet given the swingweight is relatively light.
Hi, sorry for the late reply. I would definitely recommend this for flat hitters. I thiink you'll enjoy the stability and extra power, but you'll still get the control you'd want from a consistent stringbed.
How long did you test this racquet out? I'm curious if you got any hand, wrist , arm or shoulder pain either during or day or so after? Some say people get pain cause they dont have proper mechanics when playing and some say it's because of a stiff racquet. What's your thoughts. Thank you. Great videos btw.
Thanks for watching! I usually test my racquets out for a few hours over a couples days, this was no exception. In this video, I was lucky enough to play with a hard hitting D1 college player and I did not experience any pain whatsoever. I believe arm pain is most often caused by biomechanics. For example, Nadal used a 300g, 70RA Aeropro Drive for the beginning of his career without any major issues. I used a similar setup to him from the ages 13-20 . If your pain comes from impact, go through this list in order, as it can be cured by one of three things: 1. Technique. Usually you need to be hitting it earlier. Late hits can cause a lot of stress on the wrist and elbow, off every shot from forehands to backhand volleys. 2. Use a softer string. The ball usually impacts the strings, not the racquet. When it comes to comfort, string make a HUGE difference. 3. Add weight to the handle. More mass means you can "win" the collision against the ball more easily. Would you rather be in a semi truck or a smart car during a car crash? Putting it in the handle means you'll have a minimum effect on the racquet's inertia.
@@CourtsideSportsLTD What strings would you recommend for players with shoulder pain (preferably from Luxilon lineup) at what tension for good pop and control balance? Used the previous version Ultra 100L and it was very precise and had awesome off-center forgiveness but was very hard on my shoulder (compared to the Instinct S or the Speed S that I played with). Thanks
@@TestAndReview With racquets under 300g, or 10.6oz, I avoid using full polyester. Poly is quite stiff and many players using lighter racquet do not have a faster enough swing to see the snap-back qualities. Generally, you will get better all-around performance out of a hybrid. Nylon strings with minimize the shock compared to a hybrid, but pairing it with a poly should keep it controllable. It you need to stay Wilson, I'd go Luxilon Element Mains with Wilson NXT Control crosses. For a budget, try Wilson Revolve mains with Wilson Sensation cross. If you absolutely need full poly, try Luxilon Smart.
@@CourtsideSportsLTD Thanks, haven't used these but I will definitely check them. Currently I have my setup with the Luxilon Element on the Instinct S and I would say its quite controlled string on mid to high tension, not the softest though. Thanks and keep up the good work!
great review. Thanx. Iam thorn between a couple of racquets for my daughter and I would appreciate your expert opinion. She'll be playing college tennis next year. For the past few years she's been playing with Blade BLX 104 (289g). I'm thinking of this one- Ultra V3.0, Ultra 100 CV (but as I understood this is an old version, am I right?) or Blade 98 V 7.0. Blade is heavier, head is smaller, and I'm worried about the weight so she doesn't get wrist pain. But I guess, will adjust to it after a few hours of practice. Which one would you recommend? Thanks very much.
If she's about to go to college, I would expect her to be strong enough to handle the 16x19 Blade 98 in terms of weight. I definitely prefer the Ultra 100 to the CV version. It's been a while since the CV was discontinued, so you may not be able to find it. If you are comfortable with experimentation, you could get her the Blade 99L and add lead tape until she feels like the weight is right for her. This is a good compromise in power/control when compared to the Ultra 100 and the Blade 98, and will also ensure she is using something that is the desired weight.
What was your old string setup? I'd bump it up 3-5lbs. If you'd like a more control oriented string than ALU Power, try Hawk Touch, it's more muted but a great all-around performer.
For under 4.0 players, the Clash. For over 4.0 players, the Ultra. If you are 4.0, a power player will prefer the Ultra and the versatile player will prefer the Clash. I prefer the Ultra.
hi, i tried this racquet yesterday , it's very easy to use, lot of power, i'm very impressed when i hit the ball on the second serve, the spin is not as bad as you say, it's also easy on defence , only thing is drop shot , it's not easy to do, i tried just few minutes new burn 100 v4 , big spin and big power , maybe more than ultra, but not easy to use as the first, i come from pure strike 100, and i need a racquet more comfortable and powerful, What do you suggest?ultra or burn? Wich string do you suggest? Im forty and i play with one hand backhand , forehand flat or spin, all court play. Thanks
I havent tried the new Burn, but I never liked previous versions. Mostly due to the firm, hollow feel. For string, I recommend trying a hybrid set up. This will help you with feel and should make drop shots easier. I like Wilson Revolve mains and Head Velocity crosses for this setup.
What are your thoughts on the Ultra Pro I know you didn't review it but in terms of specs and compared it with the previous version (ultra tour), what do you think it would be the biggest update? I'm coming out of a six one 95 and I'm looking for a new frame
Havent tried it. Pretty much impossible to get in Canada. A lot of our customers who have been long time 6.1 users have really enjoyed the current Prestige Pro. It's a relatively powerful 95 with a crisper feel than the VCore 95.
@@CourtsideSportsLTD That is amazing. However, I will be on a trip where I may have difficulty accessing TH-cam for a long while. I am basically making my decision between 360 Extreme pro and 360+ Speed peo. Would like to hear your suggestions. Did you find stability issue in extreme like the top hoop thing in speed? I find it is hard to make the trade-off between huge spin potential of extreme and laser-like penetration of speed
@@jlan6723 I do not have the same stability issues with the Extreme Pro. For my game, the launch angle on the Extreme is too high. The pattern is very open, which helps with spin, can makes it hard to control. The owner of Courtside, Al, however, uses the Extreme Pro, so it is definitely a good racquet (he used to use Prostaffs and Prestiges). In my opinion, the Head Prestige Tour sits in between the Extreme Pro and the Speed Pro. You get better control than the Extreme due to the tighter pattern, but the frame is more forgiving than the Speed Pro. It is quite stable and flies under the radar in Head's huge lineup.
@@CourtsideSportsLTD Thanks. I am a big fan of Novak. I know he changed his pattern to 18/19, so I have considered prestige tour seriously. My biggest concern is the stiffness on that one. How you find the comfort level of prey tour. I cannot handle the harsh feeling of Pure strike 17 and firm RF97.
@@jlan6723 much more comfortable than the racquets you mentioned. The G360+ tech seems to absorb a lot of harsh vibrations, plus the RA is 3-5pts lower depending on the racquets you get.
TL;DR: if you hit out a lot, the Blade is better. If you struggle with depth, the Ultra is better. In general, the Blade is going to work better for the type of player who likes to pressure their opponent by taking time away. Goffin, Raonic and Tsitsipas all have pretty different play styles, but they all use the Blade 98 (in some form) to take time away from their opponent. The 16x19 pattern is pretty denser which means it's less susceptible to in coming ball spin and pace, making it easy to take the ball early and swing fast with confidence. The Ultra 100 is better for the 4.0 player who pressures their opponent by using the dimensions of the court. It's easy to use the power and stability of the stiffer frame to pull off defensive shots from tricky positions, using spin to create angles or height over the net.
For my game, I would add at least 10g in the handle (probably concentrated at the 7 inch mark) and at least 6-8 grams at 12 o'clock. The racquet is plenty stable, so I'd mostly be trying to increase the swingweight.
Great review! I’ve been hitting with the ultra V3 for the last few days for the review I’m making. I agree with you, for a relatively light racquet it comes through the ball beautifully Wilson did something special with the balance of this one!
Great review. Love your rating system. Interesting how this stacks up in your book with Clash.
Clash is better for anyone under 4.0, Ultra is better for anyone over 4.0. When you play big hitters with the Clash, the extreme flex leads to an unpredictable response, while the Ultra is very predictable throughout its range. The Clash has a sweeter feel on impact due to the lower stiffness, especially good for sub-4.0's who often suffer from tennis elbow.
@@CourtsideSportsLTD Very reasonable and helpful, I have played with Clash 100, tour, 98. When hitting pretty hard, the racquet bend too much. I am not sure if it can be tamed by training more with them
@@CourtsideSportsLTD agree, Clash feels great. Just dont play good hitters!
Great review. I'm torn between this racket, a wilson blade 98 v7 or a head extreme pro. I'm a baseline true and true so i really want something that compliments my game when i want to be aggressive. I currently play with a wilson pro staff 97 v11( the red one) I love it but i want a little more pop on my shots. After seeing your review on the head extreme i am leaning towards the extreme. I just worry about what to string it with due to the stiffness.
According to TW, the Wilson Prostaff actually has a strung stiffness of 66 which is right around the spec of the Extreme Tour (I assume this is what you meant, not the Extreme Pro). I worry the Ultra would be too much of an increase in power and the Blade won't be enough of an increase. I personally find the v7 Blades to be extremely low powered. The Extreme Tour is nice because it swing fast light the Prostaff, yet still has great plow through. The new VCORE 95 would be worth a look as well.
@@CourtsideSportsLTD thank you I appreciate the reply. I said pro because my local pro shop still has a couple of the yellow and black extreme in store. They have the new yellow and grey ones as well. I’m not sure they have a tour yet so far all I have seen are MPs, and a PWR.
@@juliusgladney1188 ok, the MP and the Pro are very powerful and spin friendly. They are like the Pure Aero but more powerful. It would be a huge change for you
Currently using Blade 98 V7 16x19. I’m a 4.5 player. Decided to try this Ultra V3 particularly for Doubles matches. I struggled to carry the Blade in Volleys. Hope this Ultra V3 will help. I might need to tweek this racquet given the swingweight is relatively light.
Best of luck with the new frame! For doubles, adding weight in the handle or a leather grip could really take it to the next level!
la recomiendas a alguien que va a iniciar y tiene muy buena condición física?
Excellent detailed review. Do you recommend this for flat-hitting jimmy connors type players?
Hi, sorry for the late reply. I would definitely recommend this for flat hitters. I thiink you'll enjoy the stability and extra power, but you'll still get the control you'd want from a consistent stringbed.
Hi, I'm thinking of learning tennis! :D How does this version compare against the v2 without counterveil?
How long did you test this racquet out? I'm curious if you got any hand, wrist , arm or shoulder pain either during or day or so after? Some say people get pain cause they dont have proper mechanics when playing and some say it's because of a stiff racquet. What's your thoughts. Thank you. Great videos btw.
Thanks for watching! I usually test my racquets out for a few hours over a couples days, this was no exception. In this video, I was lucky enough to play with a hard hitting D1 college player and I did not experience any pain whatsoever. I believe arm pain is most often caused by biomechanics. For example, Nadal used a 300g, 70RA Aeropro Drive for the beginning of his career without any major issues. I used a similar setup to him from the ages 13-20 . If your pain comes from impact, go through this list in order, as it can be cured by one of three things:
1. Technique. Usually you need to be hitting it earlier. Late hits can cause a lot of stress on the wrist and elbow, off every shot from forehands to backhand volleys.
2. Use a softer string. The ball usually impacts the strings, not the racquet. When it comes to comfort, string make a HUGE difference.
3. Add weight to the handle. More mass means you can "win" the collision against the ball more easily. Would you rather be in a semi truck or a smart car during a car crash? Putting it in the handle means you'll have a minimum effect on the racquet's inertia.
@@CourtsideSportsLTD thank you for the reply. Your wealth of knowledge on this is amazing. Keep up the great videos. Peace..from Canada
@@CourtsideSportsLTD What strings would you recommend for players with shoulder pain (preferably from Luxilon lineup) at what tension for good pop and control balance?
Used the previous version Ultra 100L and it was very precise and had awesome off-center forgiveness but was very hard on my shoulder (compared to the Instinct S or the Speed S that I played with). Thanks
@@TestAndReview With racquets under 300g, or 10.6oz, I avoid using full polyester. Poly is quite stiff and many players using lighter racquet do not have a faster enough swing to see the snap-back qualities. Generally, you will get better all-around performance out of a hybrid. Nylon strings with minimize the shock compared to a hybrid, but pairing it with a poly should keep it controllable. It you need to stay Wilson, I'd go Luxilon Element Mains with Wilson NXT Control crosses. For a budget, try Wilson Revolve mains with Wilson Sensation cross. If you absolutely need full poly, try Luxilon Smart.
@@CourtsideSportsLTD Thanks, haven't used these but I will definitely check them. Currently I have my setup with the Luxilon Element on the Instinct S and I would say its quite controlled string on mid to high tension, not the softest though.
Thanks and keep up the good work!
great review. Thanx. Iam thorn between a couple of racquets for my daughter and I would appreciate your expert opinion. She'll be playing college tennis next year. For the past few years she's been playing with Blade BLX 104 (289g). I'm thinking of this one- Ultra V3.0, Ultra 100 CV (but as I understood this is an old version, am I right?) or Blade 98 V 7.0. Blade is heavier, head is smaller, and I'm worried about the weight so she doesn't get wrist pain. But I guess, will adjust to it after a few hours of practice. Which one would you recommend? Thanks very much.
If she's about to go to college, I would expect her to be strong enough to handle the 16x19 Blade 98 in terms of weight. I definitely prefer the Ultra 100 to the CV version. It's been a while since the CV was discontinued, so you may not be able to find it. If you are comfortable with experimentation, you could get her the Blade 99L and add lead tape until she feels like the weight is right for her. This is a good compromise in power/control when compared to the Ultra 100 and the Blade 98, and will also ensure she is using something that is the desired weight.
I'm coming out of a six one 95 as I'm getting older. Im a 4.5. Just ordered one of these. Any string suggestions? I'm thinking alu at 50.
What was your old string setup? I'd bump it up 3-5lbs. If you'd like a more control oriented string than ALU Power, try Hawk Touch, it's more muted but a great all-around performer.
@@CourtsideSportsLTD with the six one I played 4g. Ill try the hawk at 55 with this powerful frame.
Comparison to the NEW HEAD Graphene 360+ Extreme PRO?
How is the ultra pro v3 and how does this compare to ultra tour 2.0? Thanks
Unfortunate I have not had a chance to try the new Ultra Pro v3. This racquet is very hard to acquire as its only available through Wilson directly.
1. Would you add any lead to this frame?
2. Did stiff frame hurt your arm at all? Need to use softer poly or multi?
3. Thanks
which 100 frame 16x19 you think it has the best control?
Do you think this better or the clash racquets?
For under 4.0 players, the Clash. For over 4.0 players, the Ultra. If you are 4.0, a power player will prefer the Ultra and the versatile player will prefer the Clash.
I prefer the Ultra.
Hi, multi filament or monofilament for this frame? Thanks
I used a polyester mono filament, but a nice multifilament nylon would be great for players looking for more forgiveness and comfort.
hi, i tried this racquet yesterday , it's very easy to use, lot of power, i'm very impressed when i hit the ball on the second serve, the spin is not as bad as you say, it's also easy on defence , only thing is drop shot , it's not easy to do, i tried just few minutes new burn 100 v4 , big spin and big power , maybe more than ultra, but not easy to use as the first, i come from pure strike 100, and i need a racquet more comfortable and powerful, What do you suggest?ultra or burn? Wich string do you suggest? Im forty and i play with one hand backhand , forehand flat or spin, all court play.
Thanks
I havent tried the new Burn, but I never liked previous versions. Mostly due to the firm, hollow feel. For string, I recommend trying a hybrid set up. This will help you with feel and should make drop shots easier. I like Wilson Revolve mains and Head Velocity crosses for this setup.
What are your thoughts on the Ultra Pro I know you didn't review it but in terms of specs and compared it with the previous version (ultra tour), what do you think it would be the biggest update? I'm coming out of a six one 95 and I'm looking for a new frame
Havent tried it. Pretty much impossible to get in Canada. A lot of our customers who have been long time 6.1 users have really enjoyed the current Prestige Pro. It's a relatively powerful 95 with a crisper feel than the VCore 95.
Would like to hear your comparison towards Clash tour and Head extreme pro. Thx
Ok, comparison video coming by the end of the week.
@@CourtsideSportsLTD That is amazing. However, I will be on a trip where I may have difficulty accessing TH-cam for a long while. I am basically making my decision between 360 Extreme pro and 360+ Speed peo. Would like to hear your suggestions. Did you find stability issue in extreme like the top hoop thing in speed? I find it is hard to make the trade-off between huge spin potential of extreme and laser-like penetration of speed
@@jlan6723 I do not have the same stability issues with the Extreme Pro. For my game, the launch angle on the Extreme is too high. The pattern is very open, which helps with spin, can makes it hard to control. The owner of Courtside, Al, however, uses the Extreme Pro, so it is definitely a good racquet (he used to use Prostaffs and Prestiges). In my opinion, the Head Prestige Tour sits in between the Extreme Pro and the Speed Pro. You get better control than the Extreme due to the tighter pattern, but the frame is more forgiving than the Speed Pro. It is quite stable and flies under the radar in Head's huge lineup.
@@CourtsideSportsLTD Thanks. I am a big fan of Novak. I know he changed his pattern to 18/19, so I have considered prestige tour seriously. My biggest concern is the stiffness on that one. How you find the comfort level of prey tour. I cannot handle the harsh feeling of Pure strike 17 and firm RF97.
@@jlan6723 much more comfortable than the racquets you mentioned. The G360+ tech seems to absorb a lot of harsh vibrations, plus the RA is 3-5pts lower depending on the racquets you get.
What about 285 g, is it the same?
I know they’re different racquets, but how would you compare the Ultra 300 to a Blade 98, particularly for a 4.0 baseliner?
TL;DR: if you hit out a lot, the Blade is better. If you struggle with depth, the Ultra is better.
In general, the Blade is going to work better for the type of player who likes to pressure their opponent by taking time away. Goffin, Raonic and Tsitsipas all have pretty different play styles, but they all use the Blade 98 (in some form) to take time away from their opponent. The 16x19 pattern is pretty denser which means it's less susceptible to in coming ball spin and pace, making it easy to take the ball early and swing fast with confidence.
The Ultra 100 is better for the 4.0 player who pressures their opponent by using the dimensions of the court. It's easy to use the power and stability of the stiffer frame to pull off defensive shots from tricky positions, using spin to create angles or height over the net.
@@CourtsideSportsLTD That’s a really helpful answer. Thank you!!!
@@jonmnelson No problem!
Would you a add any weight to this frame? If so amount and locations? Thanks
For my game, I would add at least 10g in the handle (probably concentrated at the 7 inch mark) and at least 6-8 grams at 12 o'clock. The racquet is plenty stable, so I'd mostly be trying to increase the swingweight.