Racquet junkies all over the world are raving about the experience of playing with a HEAD PT57A or Wilson H19, pro stock versions resembling the legendary HEAD Pro Tour 630.
I’ve been testing the racquets side to side and here are my personal opinions about these two great frames. You can read more about the HEAD Pro Tour 630/PT57A here.
First of all I want to repeat that NO racquet is a magic wand that will immediately upgrade your game a level or two. The right racquet for your game and style will help your results, but it won’t fix issues with your technique or physical ability. Just to make that clear.
What is nice about playing these two pro stock racquet side by side is that there is no fancy technology involved. Yes, racquetholics talk about the twaron* fibre that is in the PT57A as a “decisive” ingredient, but in essence this is all about high-quality graphite, no bullshit tennis racquet.
*Twaron (a brand name of Teijin Aramid) is a para-aramid. It is a heat-resistant and strong synthetic fibre developed in the early 1970s by the Dutch company AKZO, division ENKA, later Akzo Industrial Fibers.
With all the current technologies being marketed as the perfect ingredient to create the ultimate combination (and oxymoron?) of control and power, such as Graphene, Countervail, Dynacore to name a few, it’s nice to be without the marketing lingo. But let’s look at a comparison between the PT57A and the H19.
The Wilson H19 is meant to be Wilsons copy/imitation/iteration of the Prestige/Pro Tour line and it comes close. However, I didn’t feel that the ball “pocketing” was on par with the PT57A. In my mind that is what makes the PT57A and the HEAD Pro Tour 630 unique – it grabs the ball in a way that really makes you feel on the strings. I’m not saying that will automatically make you play better, because it doesn’t for me, but if you that’s what you’re looking for in your tennis racquet, there are few sticks that come close.
What the Wilson H19 does better is give a slightly bigger sweet spot (it is 97 sq inches, while the PT57A is 95) and more power. My H19 is a heavy beast, with similar specs to what Djokovic was hitting when he was with Wilson in the past, but for comparison that is great since my PT57A and H19 were close.
When you get a racquet at close to 360 grams you’re likely going to get good power because of the weight (not always, the HEAD Radical Tour “Candycane” is probably the most low-powered racquet I’ve ever hit with), but the H19 played more like a tank with big power, while the PT57A made me want to play like Andy Murray and caress the ball into the corners until my opponent didn’t know what to do.
The H19 really surprised me here. It felt more like an attacking weapon, but I needed to hit with good spin to have my shots land in, while I could built up the points better with the PT57A. I have sadly never hit with a H22, but from what I’ve heard it is supposed to be even more powerful than the H19. Yowza! to that…
Don’t get me wrong, the H19 is no Babolat, but it is no PT57A either. It is just a damn fine racquet on its own. I would say the Wilson Ultra Tour and the H19 come extremely close. I’m going to lead up my Ultra Tour to the same spec as the H19 and see exactly how close they are, but it should be a coin-toss. Thanks Wilson for releasing the Wilson Ultra Tour
to the public (okay, I will stop raving about that racquet now).
I’ve been playjng pretty much all of the racquets likened to the PT57A such as the Tecnifibre Tfight 315 Ltd
and the Angell TC 97 Custom. As you know I loved both the Tfight 315 and the Angell TC 97 Custom, but when it comes to playing close to the PT57A, the Angell wins in my opinion. Paul Angell has really managed to find that pocketing feel in his racquets. Kudos to him for that!
So…if you’re on a budget and looking for a HEAD PT57A – look for a Angell TC 97 Custom and if you’re on a budget and looking for a Wilson H19 – check out the Wilson Ultra Tour. They are both close enough in my opinion not to warrant those extra dollars. Not to mention that pro stock racquets are often hard to find.
What is your pro stock racquet history? Please comment below!
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25 comments
on a budget?
the Ultra Tour is US$ 250/
Angells are Expensive too, 200$ + shipping
Hope you didnt get these as expensive, these are on the high end retail prices.
gotta get lucky on the bay for me then ;)
Yes, racquets are expensive these days. Nah, I’m not on a budget when it comes to racquets. I know a lot of suppliers and some manufacturers and get either review samples or good discounts, but pro stock racquets can be really expensive and cost double that of a retail Wilson Ultra Tour if they’re new. Cheers / J
Anyways, thanks for the good read, I always wanted to know the subtle differences between the two.
Since I think you know more than I do with pro stocks:
Do you know the various differences of the PT57 range? Ive seen PT57A, PT57A#, PT57E, there is a PT57B too?
I have heard the PT57E came out as the i.Prestige MP, but is the pro stock the same as the one sold, or was it a racquet based on the pro stock the customized for retail? I somehow cant conceive this, so I get confused how they say a pro stock the same as a retail one. Guess the same can apply to the Pro Tour. Is that pro stock or not? it doesnt weigh like one unless is a layup version of the pro stock? only way I can think of it, but once the weighs are different than pro stock, why called the same on the forums , etc?
so im trying to conclude, by my own logic, but not sure if proven correct, that the PT57 as is the pro stock base mold and the letters after it denote a retail variation for public sale?:
PT57 = pro stock layup and mold?
PT57A = Pro Tour layup off the pro stock mold?
PT57E = I.Prestige layup off the same pro stock mold?
But also read the A and E are pro stocks themselves and one is stiffer than the other? Hope you can clear this up a bit for me.
Thanks a great deal!
Thanks for your comments Luis. There is also a PT57F actually. Will create a post about this shortly so await my reply :) Regards / J
Nice article! And objective, too, considering it says that pro stock racquets are no magic wands which will automatically make you a better player…
Anyway, my history goes like this : I’ve been a pro tour 630 user for almost 2 years, and those racquets were great, the feel was exceptional but they had a small sweetspot and they were pretty heavy. Sold those, now i play with 2 TGK 260.1, youtek radicals pro stock which are about 340 g strung and a little headlight. I also happen to own Nole’s personal Liquidmetal radical, customized in Austria (around 345 g, finest calfskin grip, almost even ballanced) and play with it as well, especially if i want a little more power and plowtrough. Strung it with RPM blast 1.25 mm @ 24/23 kg and the feel is great, although I plan to go even lower with the tension. So it’s Radicals for me, I find them a nice blend of playability and feel, being a little more forgiving than PT 630 and still have tons of control. I also own a PT57A (350g with lead and silicone) wihch is a great racquet but a little too demanding for me, as it practically gives no credit on off shots… But it’s my fault not the racquet’s :)
Thanks for your comment and sharing your experience. Appreciate the kind words. You have a nice history of racquets! Would be great to see some pics of the Liquidmetal Radical that Djokovic played with since I’m using that stick myself but it weighs more. The TGK 260.1 are rather flexible I guess?
I just want to say that I really appreciate your blog. I have learned so much from your articles.
I just purchased my first “Classic” racket today. I found a Head Radical Candy Cane brand new on Prostocktennis. What is the difference between the Candy Cane and the original Pro Tour 630? My understanding is that it is similar, just a bit heavier and beefier swing weight. My reasoning for this purchase is the sweet 58 RA rating.
I have been hitting with the RF 97. I love it so much, but the stiffness has gotten to me I think. Taking it’s toll on my elbow and arm. So I thought I would try a classic racket hoping for better health!
Regards.
Thanks! Yes, they’re quite similar, I do feel that they flex differently and that the PT57A flexes more in the throat than the PT57B (Radical Tour/Candycane). The PT57B also feels more low-powered to me, really the ultimate control stick.
I hope you enjoy the Candycane. It’s worth the love and you’ll feel like you can really swing out compared to the stiff RF 97. Also, so much better for your body.
Good luck / Jonas
PS – I know you have hit with Candy Canes before. Any recommendations for string and tension? Thanks so much!
Hi Bryce,
For the Candycanes I’ll go with a more powerful poly or even a multifilament since they’re so low-powered.
I enjoyed Weisscannon Silverstring in mine. A hybrid with natural gut and poly string should also be golden!
Great sticks so good luck! Cheers / J
Forgot about tensions – I’d go with a poly at 22 kg to open up the power and spin more. /J
Hi Jonas! Love your blog. Great work for all us racquetaholics.
Currently playing prince phantom (also have a 6.1 95 (2014) 16×18) which is a keeper for sure. Looking to try a soft 18×20 frame (I don’t mind the lack of power, but I do mind high stiffness). What do you think between wilson ultra tour and technifibre tfight 315 atp ltd (have you tried this version or only 16×19)?
Hi Alex,
Thanks! I think you’d be happy with either of my go-to racquets: Tecnifibre Tfight 315 Ltd (both are great, but most love the 18×20), the Ultra Tour or the Prince Textreme Tour 95. If you like Prince, maybe a Textreme Tour 95 would be the way to go…
Good luck and let me know where you end up! Cheers / Jonas
I have a head pro tour 280, and an Angell custom tc95 and I can tell you that both are very similar in every aspect, but mainly in the matter of comfort and feel. I’ve never played with Angell custom tc97, so I can make a comparison and tell you which one comes closest to the head pro tour 280, whether the Tc95 or Tc97. Today my current racket is the Angell custom tc95, and I’m very happy with it.
What kind of set up to an ultra tour would put in close to an H19.
How many grams and where?
Just purchased an ultra tour and want to try the above.
Hi,
This is highly personal, the mold is a H19 already. I would put a leather grip and add quite a bit of lead tape around the hoop. This is something you should experiment with. If you like a depolarized setup that is stable but doesn’t give as much spin, I would go with a double strips at 3 and 9. This is usually what I like. If you’re good at hitting the ball in the sweet spot and want to open up more power, I would go with strips around 12. I like to reach around 345-50 grams strung weight and 5-6 pts head light balance. But I even played the Ultra Tour in stock form and did okay with it.
Good luck and let me know how it goes! Cheers / Jonas
The Wilson Ultra Tour is not a H19. It may be made from the same mold, but the H19 is made from completely different materials. Retail frames and Pro Stock frames are not the same.
I have 3 H19’s in the rare 16X19 pattern. I briefly had the Ultra Tour and the frames are not the same.
Yes, same mold, slightly different construction. Personally I have had a H19 too and to me they did not feel that different. But not the same, no.
Wow, i’m surprised as my H19’s are way stiffer than the Ultra Tours. They are beautiful, very solid, and exceptionally built. The UT’s felt very cheap and delicate. There have been many many complaints of chipped paint on the frames after contact with just a tennis ball. The paint and finish were not very good.
I would put forth that the materials moreso than the mold really make the frame.
Hey tennisnerd, if some offered you the choice of either PT57A or the H19 and you could only choose one which would you take?
Also, a lot of people say the Pro Stock H19 has much better feel than the Ultra Tour, did you also find that to be the case?
Hi,
I think the H19 is a bit nicer feeling than the Ulta Tour. It is plusher and more flexible due to the lower stiffness rating.
I would go with a PT57A though, it is a little bit sweeter. But I also love the PT113B that Djokovic and Verdasco uses.
Cheers / Jonas
Hi Tennisnerd,
I have become a avid racketholic thanks to you!
For the past 4 months I’ve been switching between a Head Prestige graphene touch mp, Wilson Ultra Tour 97 and Wilson BLX blade tour 93.
Now I have the chance of getting a Head Radical Tour 630 (Candy cane). How playable is the Candy cane compared to the other three rackets? And what are your experiences with it?
Thanks in advance and keep up the great work!
Is the retail Ultra Tour an H19?
Thanks for the great comparison! Not meant to hijack your article for the comparison between H19 and PT57A. Have you tried the new Wilson Ultra Pro 16×19 racket? I have been playing with the H19 16×19 rackets strung at 45lbs and liked them. I saw Ultra Pro 16×19 became available on Wilson’s website and the rep told me they are using the same mold and materials as the H19. However, the cosmetics are quite distinctive as my H19 rackets were with the Ultra Tour paint job (of the wrong 18×20) and in leather grips. Are they play the same?
Hi Jonas- can you tell me how someone outside the UK might demo an Angell? I’m really interested in trying one, but I’m in the US