Tested racket/specifications:
Brand: Wilson Model: Clash 98 V2 Headsize: 98 sq/inch Weight: 310 gr Balance: 30.6 cm Stringing pattern: 16×20 Length: 27 inch Beam: 24 mm RA: 60 Swingweight: 327 Stringing: Diadem Pro X 17 at 23/22 kg The Wilson Clash 98 V2 is now available in our webshop, including free stringing of your choice.
Tester:
Name: Mike Playing strength: 4/4 Player type: somewhat classic player, flat groundstrokes, doesn't generate a lot of spin himself. Had shoulder problems in the past. Player's racket history: Head Ti Fire, Babolat Pure Drive, Prince EXO3 Rebel Team, Wilson Steam 100 BLX2, Head Graphene Radical MP, Prince Textreme Warrior 107 , Diadem Elevate FS 98, Tecnifibre T-Fight RS 300 and Wilson Blade 98 16x19 V7 . Other favorite rackets: Head Graphene 360+ Speed MP and the Babolat Pure Strike 100 .Intro:
I was really looking forward to this playtest. The Clash V1 was a kind of game-changer in racket land. A racket family completely dedicated to power and comfort. The Clash 100, 100 Pro and to a lesser extent the 100L were the bestsellers. The 98 was always a bit of an outsider: usually not stable enough for the competition player, but a frame with a lot of ease of use, comfort and decent power, without flying off the handle, which was sometimes the case with the 100 sq/inch versions. So now it's time for the 2nd version of the Clash 98. Did Wilson succeed in giving this racket a bit more control and stability?
Test scores Wilson Clash 98 V2:
Power: 8.5 Control: 7.5 Spin: 8 Comfort: 9 Agility/Speed: 8 Touch: 7.5
Technology:
For the Clash V2, Wilson uses the Braid 45 technology as used in the latest Pro Staff and Blade series. This technology is located in the hoop (the top) of the racket blade. The carbon fibers are 'braided' at a 45 degree angle for more stability higher up in the blade and for more ball pocketing/connection with the ball. This is actually the most important technical update of the Clash V2. In addition to a fancy new paint job, this Clash 98 V2 gets a 16x20 stringing pattern. One extra cross string for more control and consistency and a less 'loopy' ball path. Let's see if this also makes a difference in practice. For this playtest, we also included the Clash V1 for the most fair comparison possible.
Baseline:
With my groundstrokes, the soft, comfortable, 'typical Clash playing feel' is immediately noticeable. The racket is very forgiving and comfortable. I easily get length in my strokes. Because the racket is so flexible, it also grips the ball in the blade, as it were, for easy access to spin and slice. The spin potential is therefore neat. The Clash 98 V2 can also be brought into position very quickly due to the low balance. So even if you are a bit late, you can still get away with it with this racket, thanks to the low RA (flex), which means the racket does not immediately hit your arm, but also because of the low balance point. Then the control. Do not expect the Clash 98 V2 to have the control and stability of a Blade or a Pro Staff . That is comparing apples and oranges. Where a Blade and Pro Staff are super solid under pressure, this Clash 98 V2 is a little less so. However, the stability higher up on the blade has improved. With the V1 you sometimes had strange swings because the frame is so mega flexible. At the top of the blade this V2 feels more robust and stable which is a good thing. The 16x20 stringing pattern ensures a slightly higher string density, which is especially visible and noticeable in the sweet spot. In my opinion this gives the racket a slightly better control over the ball. You also don't get such a huge ball trajectory with spin balls. Everything just a little more controlled.Service:
Serving is easy with the Wilson Clash 98 V2. The balls all come off at a good speed and kick (not my strongest point) and slice serves were also easy to do. I personally prefer the robust feel of the Blade 98 16x19 V8 or the Head Boom Pro , but that is personal preference. It is easy to serve with this 2nd version of the Clash 98 in any case.
Just:
Here I miss a bit of stability to be honest. Balls by feel are easy to put away (stop volleys etc.), but with hard incoming balls you notice that the racket is quite flexible. Smashes are very easy to put away.Power/control Wilson Clash 98 V2:
It's still power over control with the Clash 98, although less so than with version 1. The extra cross string makes for a slightly more compact string bed in the sweet spot, which makes the balls come off a bit more consistently. As mentioned before, this racket doesn't offer the control of a Blade or Pro Staff, but it has been improved in this area. The dose of free power you get with this racket is very nice. You easily get life and speed in the ball and all that just a bit more controlled than with the 1st version, which felt a bit wobbly every now and then.Comfort/arm friendliness :
Great! The Clash is and remains one of the most arm-friendly racket lines on the market and so is this Clash 98 V2! So if you are sensitive on the arm/shoulder/elbow, then this racket is highly recommended. Trade-off is that you may lose some control, but the comfort is insane. The Wilson Clash 98 V2 is now available in our webshop, including free stringing of your choice.