Racket Review: Wilson Steam 100 BLX and Wilson Juice Pro BLX
Thursday, August 2, 2012 at 9:14PM 
We got a chance to play around with the new Wilson Steam 100 BLX (left) and Wilson Juice Pro BLX (right) for a couple of weeks, and now we are ready to give you all of our opinions from how they look to how they play. Here we go!
What they (Wilson) say:
Steam: The new Steam 100 is a unique racket providing a lighter-weight, modern and crisp feel for all-around power and spin. This newly developed model with its forgiving mid-plus head and lighter-weight maneuverable design will be the new generation favorite for a wide range of players. Perfect for players who want more power and spin for added control with a new, outstanding feel to win from all locations on the court.
| Length | 27.25" |
| Pattern | 16x20 |
| Cross Section | 23 mm Flat Beam |
| Grip Sizes | 4, 4 1/8, 4 1/4, 4 3/8, 4 1/2, 4 5/8 |
| Balance | 5 pts. HL |
| Head Size | 100" |
| Unstrung Weight | 295g |
| Strung Weight | 311g |
Juice: Aggressive players can hit through the ball with big power and spin with this unique Juice model. Very stable in a newly designed racket that provides a new, unique modern feel for the big hitting power and spin player.
| Length | 27.25" |
| Pattern | 16x20 |
| Cross Section | 24.5mm Dual Taper |
| Grip Sizes | 4 1/8, 4 1/4, 4 3/8, 4 1/2 |
| Balance | 8 pts. HL |
| Head Size | 96" |
| Unstrung Weight | 324g |
| Strung Weight | 340g |
What we say ("We" meaning two intermediate recreational players and a USTA Professional):
First impressions:
"Very colorful and modern. I loved the white grip!"
"These are the prettiest rackets I've ever seen, especially the Juice - I look snazzy with this in my hand."
"They are both surprisingly light. I know the Juice is a little heavier (29g difference) but I really couldn't appreciate the difference."
On The Court:
"I seriously have never played with such powerful rackets, but I have to admit my current racket is a little old."
"I feel like I don't expend as much energy on the court because I don't have to hit as hard as I do with my current racket to get the same power, the fact that is also so light puts much less strain on my arm."
It only takes a couple of swings with this racket to feel the immense power and control they both add to your strokes. The Steam allows for great topspin, which is so important in today's game.
Our Top Pick:
"Although I liked the look of the Juice better, the Steam suits my game better overall. With both rackets you get a ton of power off the baseline, but I felt like I had more control with the Steam and got heavy topspin."
"I actually liked the look of the Steam more than the Juice, but I like to hit from the baseline and the Juice gave me a little more power than the Steam."
"I would recommend both of these rackets to players. I think the Steam has more control (espceially at the net) and allows you to generate more topspin, but, if you love the baseline, the Juice does give you more power. I personally prefer the Steam because I am an all-court player."
Would we buy them ($189)? Yes!
Summary (Out of 5 stars):
Juice
Style 4.5 stars
Power 5 stars
Control 4.5 stars
Spin 4 stars
Price 4 stars
Steam
Style 4.5 stars
Power 5 stars
Control 5 stars
Spin 5 stars
Price 4 stars
Final thoughts: We really loved these rackets guys. If it is that you just want to look super cute on the tennis court, or you need a racket that is going to up your game, no matter what your level, these are it.
Where to buy:
Click here to see who sells these rackets in your area.
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