Comparing the BLX six.one tour with the Prostaff six.one 90 BLX

In a post that I wrote last week that discussed the Pro Staff BLX Six.one 90 , I discussed some basic specs regarding the new frame.  In a continued discussion my goal is to understand the differences/ similiarities between the new Wilson Pro Staff six.one 90 BLX and its predisor and how this can help you make in informed decision about whether to switch to the new frame, buy another of the original because they are now 'on sale' or go to different frame all together.

This comparison will show the key components of each frame:

                                    Racket comparison

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	BLX six.one tour -old	Pro Staff six.one 90 BLX
Head Size	90	90
Strung weight	12.5oz / 354.37g	12.6oz / 357.20g
Balance	9 pt HL	8 pt HL
Swingweight	333	327
Stiffness	65	65
String Pattern	16 x 19	16 x 19

This table was created with Compare Ninja.

By first glance you can see that the comparison does not yield significant differences between the two frames.  Wilson kept the head size, stiffness and string pattern equal.  The new frame became 1 pt head heavier, swingweight lighter and 1 oz heavier overall.

So at this point you might be asking yourself why someone would go out and purchase the new frame rather than keep the older version. 

Lets look at a few other important factors and see how they play out.  In regards to technology used, both frames integrate the BLX composite and each have an additional handling / feel system built in.  The older version had the kompact yoke system and the new version has the amplifeel system - each basically addressing the same issues. 

HERE IS THE KEY DIFFERENCE:  Swingweight and balance.  I will discuss the specifics about swingweight in another post but basically a frame that has a higher number (200-400) will have more power coming off the frame but have a slower swing speed.  A higher number will also be easier on the arm because it will have less shock that transfers to the body.  Although the swingweight is not significant, add this with balance difference and you might be able to feel the difference.  In order to make this racket a bit more user friendly to a wider audience, the adjustment to a heavier racket with less swingweight might make it a bit easier to maneuver. 

If you basically like the feel of the older version than you might not gain significant benefits from switching but if you are in the market to adjust the weight, balance or maneuverability than you might take a look at the new version of this frame.