The Wilson Blade v8 has finally arrived and we have been fortunate enough to try the new racket in the 16 x 19 string pattern. Please stay tuned for our in depth video review and further details.
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Set up: Wilson Blade 98 v8 with Hyper G 17 at 53 lbs, within racket recommended tension.
The Blade v8 design is certainly a departure from the similar velvet paint designs of the Blade v6 and the Blade v7, and for us it is a welcome one. The iridescent paint shifts from an olive green to shades of copper in different lightings; definitely an eye catcher. If you are not already a fan of the design, we recommend waiting to see it in person before making final judgments.
The racket has a crisp response and we find the power to be slightly enhanced. Forty Five Degree technology seems to have successfully helped the pocketing sensation and excellent feel. The bottom of the grip remains flared like the V7.
Wilson has also included DirectConnect technology which "extends the carbon fiber handle to connect directly to the end cap for improved feel and enhanced torsional stability."
We found it fairly easy to find the sweetspot on groundstrokes which was much appreciated. There was excellent feel throughout the shots and no issues getting heavy topspin.
Volleys felt great with this racket, with good feel throughout the shots and no pain from vibrations.
We were most impressed with the Blade on serves. We found a noticeable upgrade in power and no loss in control and just a very clean feel overall.
Our only complaint is that the racket comes with the Wilson Pro Performance undergrip, which we are not a fan of. We find that this grip does not absorb sweat well at all and can move around even with an overgrip. We decided to replace the under grips on all the rackets to the trusty Wilson Sublime grip which solved this issue.
In comparison with the Blade v7, we have noticed very comprable control and feel, and slightly enhanced power. The signature responsiveness and control of the Blade line that players love is certainly maintained. This racket is certainly a worthy heir to the Blade line and we encourage players to give it a shot.
Wilson Blade 98 V8 16 x 19
Images: Decathalon.it
Specifications:
Weight (unstrung): 305 g
Weight (strung): 321 g
Balance (unstrung): 32 cm
Cross Section: 20.6 FB
Length: 27 inches
String pattern: 16 x 19
