It’s time to conclude the play-test of the Wilson Ultra Tour. I can already say it is one of the best new racquets I’ve played in the last five years.
I’ve written quite a bit about the Wilson Ultra Tour already (Wilson Ultra Tour First Impressions, the Wilson Ultra line and about the Wilson Ultra 100 CV) so there’s no point in repeating myself. I think Wilson has waited too long to release a frame that is so ripe for customization that a packet of lead tape and instructions should be included in the box! But I’m happy it’s here.
The point I want to make early on is that there’s no point in playing the Wilson Ultra Tour without adding lead to the head, because you won’t be able to put away balls easily enough or block back heavy shots. But with some strips of lead tape at 3 and 9 o’clock and a leather grip (if you like leather grips), you’ll have a formidable weapon in your hands.
Here’s a video review of the Wilson Ultra Tour.
Should Wilson have added some extra weight to it beforehand which would have required less work for the player? Possibly. I’m currently trying the HEAD Liquidmetal Radical Tour, a more than ten year old racquet which comes in at a rather hefty 325 grams unstrung and 330-ish swing weight. It plays really nice, but I could see how it is not for everybody. With the Wilson Ultra Tour coming in at 305 grams, Wilson gives the player the possibility to choose how much weight they want to put on the racquet.
Customizing a racquet is a process, you add some weight, test, add or reduce, move weight around, test again, try various strings, and hopefully you reach a conclusion. I did this for a while with the Wilson Ultra Tour and ended up at 345 grams with a balance of about 7 pts head light. This is of course highly personal and that’s why you have to commend Wilson for giving the player the option to find his or her ideal weight and balance.
When it comes to strings, I didn’t find the Wilson Ultra Tour
particularly string sensitive. It plays well with both multifilament and poly strings. If you got the dough and like a premium hitting experience, why not through in a set of Wilson’s Champions Choice
? I usually end up with the Solinco Hyper-G
, but that’s because it’s my go-to string of choice. I usually don’t like Luxilon Alu Power
that much, but in the Wilson Ultra Tour it played just fine!
If Wilson really wanted to raise their game to the “tour level” I think they should have offered the Wilson Ultra Tour in two string patterns: 16×19 and 18×20. Sometimes I feel like the 18×20 string bed doesn’t give me enough trajectory and makes me play with less margins than the more open pattern, but that is of course a highly personal thing.
As I wrote in previous posts, I’ve been playing the Wilson Ultra Tour and the Angell TC 97 Custom 18×20 head-to-head and it’s extremely difficult for me to make up my mind on which racquet to buy. What I like with Angell is that I can get a HEAD-shape grip which for some reason helps my one-handed backhand. I also might for the 16×19 string pattern to get that little bit of extra spin on the ball. But like I said, they’re both close calls and I’ll happily take either racquet out on court.
Summary
The Wilson Ultra Tour is a racquet for the semi-advanced to advanced player who’s open to playing around with some lead tape to find the ideal specs. If you like a racquet where you can really feel the ball on the strings, that doesn’t trouble your arm and doesn’t give you much for free but rewards what you put in to it, the Wilson Ultra Tour is very likely a great option for you.
Wilson Ultra Tour strung specs
| Balance | 6 pts. Head Light |
| Composition2 | Graphite (PS. No tech gimmicks! DS! DS. |
| Shared Holes | No Shared Holes |
| String Skips | Mains Skip: 9T, 8H, 10H |
| Weight Strung | 11.4 ounces (323 grams) |
| Head Size | 97 sq. in. |
| Length | 27 inches |
| Swing Weight | 319 |
| Flex | 63 |
| Power Level | Low |
| Swing Speed | Fast |
| Grip Type | Wilson Sublime |
| Weight Unstrung | 11 ounces (305 grams) |
Would you get the Wilson Ultra Tour? If you do, let us know what you think of it in the comments below!
WHERE TO BUY THE WILSON ULTRA TOUR
Europe
Racquet Depot
Pro Direct Tennis
USA/CANADA
Tennis Express
Do It Tennis
Amazon.com
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63 comments
Hi
Thanks for your review, you saved me 225 euros as I already have and love the Angell TC97, if anything I would like to have something diffrent in my bag beside it. So what is your top 3 now ? Any recommendations ?
Chris.
Hi Chris,
Good to hear! Yes, you will be happy with the Angell.
Something different in the bag is always fun. Here are a few ideas depending on your game style:
* Babolat Pure Strike 16×19 – if you don’t have sensitive elbows and string with a softer poly, this racquet is a lot of fun.
* Prince Phantom 100 – Ultra soft, mega spin, unique feel, thin beam promotes fast swing speeds.
* HEAD Graphene Radical Pro – Heard many good things about this modern racquet.
Cheers / Jonas
Hi Jonas
Thank You for your recommendations, the Phantom looks very interesting indeed, for the others I won’t venture above 64-65 RA. For now I just pick up some IG Radicals Pro to tinker with. I saw you used one also, can you share your thoughts on strings and the setup that worked for you ?
Thanks,
Chris.
Hi Chris,
The IG Radical is a nice stick. I put some lead on the handle to make it more head light and thought it worked well with Solinco Hyper-G strung at 23 kg. Good luck! Cheers / J
Hi!
You said the Ultra Tour “doesn’t give you much for free but rewards what you put in to it” — what other racquets would you say have that same character?
Thanks,
Charlie
Hi Charlie,
Most players racquets have these characteristics I think, but the number of them released today are quite low. Here are a few of my favourites with that character:
* Prince Textreme Tour 95
* Tecnifibre Tfight 315 Ltd
* Prince Tour 100 (Phantom)
* Yonex VCORE SV 95
* Any Angell racquet (95 or 97 sq inches would be my pick however)
* Babolat Pure Control 95
Hope this helps. There are a lot of old-school racquets with similar characteristics, but I picked ones you’d find in the store today.
Good luck and let me know how it goes! Cheers /J
Thanks for the great response!
Just out of curiosity, what do you think are the all-time best racquets in this category?
Charlie
I’ll try to list my all-time favourite player racquets:
* HEAD Pro Tour 630 (PT57A)
* Wilson Six One 95 (several generations)
* HEAD Prestige Classic 600 (PT10)
* Wilson Pro Staff 85
* HEAD Radical Tour (several generations, Candycane, Zebra, Bumblebee)
Feel free to ignore my most recent question, but I have a follow-up to the first one I asked:
The scenario is I’m a 6’4″ whippet-framed intermediate who learned to play with an ancient Wilson Ultra FPK 95. I love the amount of control I have with the racquet and how it forces me to mind my technique. Alas, that racquet has seen its better days.
In the vain of how you say it’s better to stick with a low-power racquet in order to improve through technique, what racquets would you recommend considering? Still the same ones? Would you add anything to the list?
Thanks again,
Charlie
Hi Charlie,
I believe that getting power for free can be detrimental in a player’s development. I feel it makes more sense to teach a player how to use your body to maximize power and spin, instead of using your body to reign in the power of a stiff racquet.
I completely understand the allure of a powerful and spin-friendly racquet however. Yesterday I hit with the new HEAD Extreme Touch MP strung with a co-poly string and it was a blast to try swing as hard as I could to maximize the spin and get the ball to dip inside the lines just in time.
My issue today is that my arm kind of “vibrates” and I felt some pain there last night (and I’m usually not that arm-sensitive). Also, when I look at some of the footage from the set I played, my technique looked contrived and unnatural and although some shots were spectacular, I simply wasn’t consistent with this kind of light-weight and stiff frame.
I’ve used most popular 300g+ frames released in recent years and I definitely feel that low-powered and heavier racquets fit my game better than what is typically labelled as a tweener.
I think the ones I listed are the best current ones that come to mind. You wouldn’t go wrong either with an Angell TC 97 (or 95), a Wilson Ultra Tour or a Prince Textreme Tour 95 for example.
Good luck! / Jonas
Thanks, Jonas!
One clarification question: Do you mean the Angell TC97 Pro or Tour?
Thanks,
Charlie
Hi,
I’m a fan of the Angell TC 97 Custom :) Cheers / J
OMG Tennisnerd. I never thought there are ppl out there would have similar picks than mine. =)
What’s in my bag:
– Angell Custom TC97
– Babo Pure Strike 16×19
– Prince Phantom 100
That’s 3 strikes, buddy !! =)
Hi Thomas,
Three great racquets in common then :) Enjoy your tennis! Cheers / J
Head Pro tour 630 (pt57a) or Wilson Ultra Tour?
Hi Paulo,
That’s the million dollar question! I’m not a hundred percent sure. The PT57A is a great racquet, but doesn’t automatically make you into a great player, hence I think it’s often a little over-rated (blasphemy!). Wilson Ultra is also nice, not as great in its “pocketing” but more power.
I think I might play a little better tennis with the Ultra, but it’s hard to say. Right now, I’m enjoying frames with high stock weight not to get lost in the customization game :)
Would be interesting to hear other opinions on this topic!
Cheers / Jonas
I recently concluded my demo of the Ultra Tour strung with all Solinco Tour Bite. I was impressed with how forgiving the racquet was while still having good touch. So nice on serves, overheads, and two-hand backhands.
Agree with your review that it offers zero free power. I also think it is grossly overpriced considering it requires so much customization. I’d be tempted if a used one became available.
I agree Ethan that new racquets today are often overpriced. Especially since you rarely need to buy just one. The Wilson Ultra Tour is a really nice racquet, but retailing at 249 USD the price point might not be for everyone. Cheers / J
Jonas,
Did you ever play with the Wilson K Six One 6.1 95? If so, what did you think? Is it the sort of low-power, plush player’s racket that we’re talking about?
Thanks,
Charlie
Can you compare vs Blade 98 18×20 (2015)?
Hi Marcus,
Sure! The Blade 98 is crisper and less flexible which means it’s more powerful, but also lacks that nice dwell-time on the string bed when you hit. Manoeuvrability are very close and both are perfect for some lead tape and leather grip. I enjoy both racquets, but feel the ball better with the Wilson Ultra Tour. If you want to hit a modern power game however, the Blade 98 might be a better choice. Two of the best Wilson racquets in recent years for sure!
Regards / Jonas
Just hit my first hour with the WUT. Solinco Tour Bite soft @25 kg, leather grip, 4 g lead at 3 and 9 and 1 g at 12. With og and dampener 334 g and 325 mm. Soo smooth and easy to swing. More power and spin than my Blade 98 18×20 with similar weight but Blade more HH. Did not think ut would feel this great. I’ll wait after the honeymoon before I finally decide. Might double the lead in the hoop
If I want to make this racket more powerful where should I add the weight to it
Hi Mikar,
I would recommend lead tape at 12 or 10 and 2. Start with a little and build if you want more. You can also string lower of course. Cheers / J
Is Ultra Tour a comfortable racket? Does she vibrate a lot? What is more comfortable and less than that, Ultra tour or K7?
Yes, the Ultra Tour is comfortable. The K7 is even more comfortable than that, but it’s flexible feel might not be for everyone.
And between the ultra tour and the K7, which one has the feel and comfort closest to the head PT57A?
I think the K7 is more comfortable than the Ultra Tour, but the feel of the Ultra Tour is closer to the PT57A in my opinion. The K7 flexes more uniformly, the Ultra Tour has a pretty distinctive sweet spot, similar to the PT57A.
Yesterday my Wilson Ultra Tour 97 arrived and I had the opportunity to test but I could not change her rope (Yonex Poly Tour 1.25). Actually the racquet has a feel very close to the Head Pro Tour 280, of course the weight difference and swingweight changes, but the feel is very close. I enjoyed control and comfort. In terms of power it leaves something to be desired compared to my Angell TC95. But I added 6 grams of lead at 3 and 9 o’clock (3 on each side). With that I got a swingweight extremely close to my Angell TC95. Today I will test and post more comments. Thanks
Today I tested the ultra tour with 6 grams of lead and with the Weisscannon scorpion rope with 48 lbs. These changes made the racket more powerful without losing control and also greatly increased stability and comfort. I’m really very impressed with her level of control, my volleys and smash have improved a lot in level of control compared to tc95. The only thing that loses for tc95 is a matter of potentician (little difference) and spin (I am improving the technique).
Nice to hear you’re enjoying the racquet! It’s a good one. Testing the TC 95 16×19 this week myself. Cheers / J
Hi, nice review, how many tension did use for your strings?
Hi Sergio,
I used Luxilon Alu Power at 22 kg. Really enjoyed the response! Cheers / J
Hello,
How the UT should feel, If you only change the main grip with a leather one – be more maneuverable? Do you have to make extra adjustments with lead at the hoop or 2-10/3-9 o’clock?
Also, what tension do you suggest with Solinco HyperG 17 (1.20) string?
Thanks
Hi,
Yes, I would suggest adding lead tape at 3 and 9 (4-6 grams in total should be fine) and a leather grip. I would string the Solinco string at 23 kg and you should have a great setup! Cheers / Jonas
Is it basically identical to the WIlson H19 pro stock?
Hi Jonas,
I enjoy your site, keep up the good work!
I’ve been playing with a Volkl Power Bridge 10 Mid for quite some time and it’s one of my favorites. I played with the Head Prestige Tour Mid before that and loved it as well, but as you know it was discontinued so I bought the Volkl to replace it. I like the flex and buttery soft feel of these racquets, but as I’m getting older I’m thinking I may need something a bit more forgiving and with perhaps a larger head size. I demoed a bunch of raquets recently and the ones I liked most were the Prince Phantom Pro 100 and the Yonex VCORE Pro 97 (330). The issue with the PPP100 was that it felt a bit unstable at times in the hoop, perhaps because of the large head at 100 sq in and the VCORE Pro 97 felt a little tinny, not as solid as my PB10 Mid. I haven’t tried this Ultra Tour yet and was wondering if you think it may hit and feel like the PB10 Mid with the right customization? If not, are there any other racquets you might recommend? Tennis Warehouse still sells the PB10 Mid and it’s on sale, so perhaps I just stick with my old faithful, but again, the head size is not forgiving. If you look at the specs on tennis warehouse it’s a very headlight stick and I suppose that’s one of the aspects I like about it as well. Softer on the arm and elbow is important to me as well though and the PB10 Mid is pretty comfy overall I think. I also hit with an extreme western forehand grip and like the 16X19 pattern on the PB 10Mid. Looking forward to hearing your feedback! Thank you!
Hi Tanner,
The Volkl PB 10 Mid is a great stick! If you would like to go up in head size but retain the feel you could look at the Donnay Hexacore Penta 97 in 16×19 (I just reviewed this racquet here: https://tennisnerd.net/gear/racquets/racquet-reviews/donnay-pro-one-penta-97-racquet-review/8580) It offers a similar feel to the PB 10 Mid in a larger head size package.
You could also try the Wilson Ultra Tour 97 and add a leather grip and some tape to the head. Another racquet that works well and has a nice flexible feel is the Angell K7 Red. You would need to customize it up to your desired spec but you will get more forgiveness there.
If you just can’t let go of the mids, there is the Prince 93P as well which is the same head size as the PB Mid but with a slightly larger sweet spot.
I hope you find what you are looking for!
Good luck!
Cheers / J
Do you have any used Ultra Tour’s for sale?
Sadly not! Good stick.
I bought the Ultra for the coming season. I have played the Tecnifibre TFlash 300 Last season but my ellbow and arm were so damaged the whole season so I must find a arm friendly racket. And now it is the Ultra. My stringer said the Yonex Monopreme could be great for this racket with 22/21 kg. Saturday first winter league match. I hope it will work.
Yeah, the tFlash 300 is rather stiff. Hope you feel better with the Ultra. It does need some lead tape to play more stable and with a better swing weight though. Good luck!
Can you compare prestige tour and ultra tour?
Which do you prefer?
Thanks
Hi Jonas,
I was about to buy the Ultra Tour 97 but looking at the playtests from TW, looks like the Clash 100 has all the good points of the Ultra Tour (comfort, control, touch) and on top of that has more power.
How would you compare both racquets as you tested both of them?
Thanks for your great work!
Hi,
The Ultra Tour will offer a bit more control and a lower launch angle. The Clash will be even more comfortable and offer more power and spin, but the string bed is really flexible and has a bit of a catapult-like feel. If there is any way to test the Clash before you buy, I would recommend you to do that. Two good racquets, but the UT is more controlled and the Clash is more like a comfortable Pure Aero. Cheers / Jonas
Thanks Jonas!
I’ll stick to the Ultra Tour for now. Will eventually consider the Clash when the 98 frame will be released this summer.
Hi Jonas.
If I wanted to up the weight to 330g but still keep it relatively headlight. Where should I be adding weight. If it gets too head heavy I struggle controlling the head of the racket. Just would like to hear your thoughts on how you would go about doing it?
Thanks in advance Jonas
Hi,
I would put four grams at 3 and 9 and two grams at 12. Then I would add six grams of lead tape on the top of the handle underneath the regular grip. Then you would have added 12 grams in total and you will have a really nice feeling and solid stick!
Cheers / Jonas
Hi Tennisnerd,
Just bought my first UT! Coming from the Wilson BLX Tour 95, quite a change.
Anyhow, I was thinking about a hybrid setup of Wilson NXT 1.30mm in the mains and Luxilon Alu Power 1.25mm in the crosses.
Would you mind sharing your thoughts on string tension or even swapping the Alu as the mains?
Love the video’s and interested to see what the Tennisnerd Academy will bring us!
Greets, Mick
Hi Jonas,
Interesting review as I played with several Angells (in this order) TC95 18m 63Ra, TC97 18m, TC100 and lately with K7 Lime.
Though I like the feel of the TC95 most of these ones I was looking for a little more forgiven racket with that similar feel.
Since a few weeks I own an used Wilson Ultra Tour that really impressed me. In contrast to your preference I prefer that distinct sweetspot feel of the Ultra Tour over the more muted K7 Lime.
I replaced the base grip with a leather grip that added 8 grams and 4 grams of lead at 3 and 9. Strung with Head RIP Control 1.20mm/MSV CoFocus 1.18mm, Yonex SuperGrap overgrip and O-dampener the total weight is still only 338 grams with a balance at 32 cm.
However this setup is still not perfect yet to me as it still plays a little too anemic to me. I want a little more power and stability. I was thinking to add another 2 grams at 10 and 2 and counterbalance at the top of grip with 4 grams.
Hi Gerald,
Thanks. I understand what you mean with the muted feel of the Lime and the Ultra Tour. I tend to like crisper racquets myself too. I think your idea with adding some more weight to the Wilson UT makes sense. Test and see how it feels! Cheers / Jonas
Nice review and discussion!
For what it’s worth, the Ultra Tour plays super stable for me with 4 gr of lead at 3 and 9, 6 gr at the top of the handle, 6 gr at the bottom, an overgrip and a 3 gr dampener, bringing the static weight to 346 gr, the swing weight to about 331, and the balance to 31.75 cm.
I’m debating about trying the new Blade 98 v7, as I just saw your review of it :) and with its soft flex I’m wondering how it’ll compare to the Ultra Tour… Looks like it should be possible to get similar specs with a bit of lead here and there, and I’m thinking about moving to a more head-heavy balance as well anyway.
Yeah, the Ultra Tour is a nice stick! It will be interesting to compare it to the Blade. You should definitely try it. Love your specs by the way, sounds spot on.
Bump 2019-10-02
These look to being dropped from the lineup. Online shoppes have them on clearance and some sizes are out.
If you are interested in a new specimen of the WUT, now is the time. Heck, you might even pay *more* later for a used one!
Cheers,
/Acey
If that is the case it is very strange, there are brilliant racquets. But you need to customize them and that might be the issue for most recreational players. Cheers / J
PS. If you feel like my advice is really useful, please consider becoming a patron for $2 at patreon.com/tennisnerd and get exclusive content every week. DS.
Thanks for you awesome review. I am a racket nerd as well and love trying different rackets all the time. For control oriented rackets I’ve tried the Prince Textreme Tour 95, Prince 93p, dunlop srixon 2.0 tour, SV95 among others. Tried this yesterday and it took me 15 odd mins before I got used to the power and launch angle (currently playing with the pure aero 2019 it was a very different experience) and while its definitely underpowered I loved being able to hit out with it and I could hit my targets in very windy conditions with decent power. While the prince 93p is much more stable i found this to be more maneuverable and there is a lot of room to play with regarding adding lead to customize. Not a racket for someone who is after free power for sure but if you bring your own power and have fuller strokes this racket will reward you. I bought mine used with Solinco Tour Bite at 50lbs which felt a little boardy on volleys – I think the racket will play even better at 45 and a bit of lead a 12
Thanks, happy you have found a good setup!
Hi, I just bought UT and strung with Wilson Revolve Spin at 23kg. I found its low-powered. So, I am thinking apply lead tape at 3-9 about 3gr total and I don’t want to change leather grip because I want head heavy for my 2 handed backhand. But this is my first time apply lead tape. Should I apply 3-9h (3gr) and 12h (1gr) or started only 3-9h (3gr) for the first time? Thank you Tennisnerd.
Hi,
I think it is best to start small. Go for 2 grams at 12 and if that doesn’t feel stable enough – add 3-4g at 3 and 9. Cheers / J
Hi Tenissnerd. Yesterday I bought a Wilson UT. I am very happy after the first game, but would like to add a little power, stability and sweet spot. What do you think, adding 3 grams per hour 3, 3 grams per hour 9 and 2 grams per hour 12 will be good not to lose control? What about the handle? is something added there too? how so what does it cause? What pulling force would you suggest for this racket? (I bought a hybrid: Wilson nxt power and Luxilon ALU Power Rough)
Can you giveaway this racket please?
^ lol yes pls tennis nerd give us free racket
I have two of these now, both L4 Grip. Leather on the handle, 4g weight total at 3&9, 2g weight at 12. I live in Singapore where it is 28-40C and humidity is >80% most of the time, so temperature may affect results if you are in colder climate. I am sharing my thoughts on strings to help build the body of knowledge on this great racquet. I swing full and flat, some spin, but more focus on control and moving the ball around the court. I rarely break strings.
Racquet A is strung with X-One Biphase crosses (51 lbs) and Babolat RPM Blast mains (51 lbs). In the first hour this was a stiff and underpowered string-job; frustratingly so. Shots that were over the net were landing mid court and effort was needed to reach the baseline. After that first hour the strings worked in and loosened up. Now there is sublime pocketing, smooth comfort and lots of power. The power is slightly excessive, not exactly faster, just more energetic, meaning the ball now often travels long. Serves have pace and reasonable placement. Drop shots / getting grip on the ball is good. It plays very close to a natural gut cross (I’ve compared against a blade pro v.7 with VS crosses) but slightly less feel than said gut. For the price differential the X-One/Blast hybrid is fantastic. 8 hours in and there is no fraying (I am not a string breaker). Spin is not high but also not expected on this 18-20 given how tight the center is. Off-center shots retain good energy. Final note: Next stringing I will up the tension to 54 lbs to increase accuracy and control and bring down the energy (reduce long-balls).
Racquet B is strung with Technifibre Black Code crosses (49lbs) and Hyper G 17 mains (49lbs). This combination has the clean pop/feel of poly. It feels more surgical than the hybrid cited above, in that there is a greater feeling of touch on the ball, but less pocketing feeling. It is easier to get more spin on the ball, but accuracy is slightly lower. During the first two hours this stringing was very stiff with some feedback, fast and confidence inspiring. As it breaks in the speed remains, the feeling increases slightly (less boardy) the ball starts to fly a bit far, though, and the accuracy falls off somewhat. It was an affordable set-up, there could be more bite on the ball, but there is certainly feel with this combination of string and racquet. Were I to do it again, I would up the tension to 51lbs and let it settle as these strings retain quite some energy for my play style, this would hopefully stop the ball flying long and give added control.
Final thoughts: for the extra cost and 8-10 hours playing on each stick, I believe the poly/multi hybrid is a fantastic setup and will last quite some time, while giving tremendous arm relief if you have tender wrists/elbows. The poly/poly has a bit of a faster feel and gives more prowess, whereas the hybrid is softer and smoother/pocketed, but the trade-off is less ability to cut sharp angles/add touch to the ball.