Review: Wilson Steam 99S

I'm not a born (or is that Björn?) tennis player. My backhand stroke looks more like I'm going ape-shit with a flyswatter.

Recently, I heard about a new tennis racket called the Wilson Steam 99S, which claims to add more spin to the ball for a wickedly precise shot. With visions of chalking up wins at the local community center, I was primed for total court domination.

I won the first match by dropping the ball in a swift arc over the net. Even my hapless backhand developed a newfound fidelity.See, over the past 10 years, ball spin has taken the spotlight away from the pure power stroke. Roger Federer wins by dropping the ball over the net like a magnetically controlled ping-pong ball. Wilson, in an effort to cash in on this trend, went to work on a new design intended to increase ball spin as much as possible. Normal rackets use 16 main strings and 20 cross-strings, a setup meant to deliver raw power. But the Steam 99S uses five fewer cross-strings (or 16x15 total) for a faster "snapback" – one of the key behavior variables of a racket that affects ball spin. The Steam's reinforced frame is designed to support a strikingly abrupt arc, and the whole racket, at 11.3 ounces, is much lighter than the average axe. The result is a secret weapon that Wilson claims adds between 200 and 500 more revolutions per minute to each shot.

To create this radical new design, Wilson set up a testing lab and recorded the exact position and velocity of the ball at all times using a Doppler radar. The company also used a "speed test dummy" ball that reported its exact spin and location during test shots. Experimenting with the cross-strings on the racket, the design team arrived at the ideal pattern, placement, and number to achieve the highest ball spin rate. Two years of research followed, including test matches and frame-by-frame analysis of shots hit by non-pro players.

When you look at the new design, it almost seems like there are too few strings. And the racket feels almost too light, as though it would be easier to drop or fling across the court by accident (Wilson also makes the Steam 105S, which has the same string arrangement but a slightly larger head size).

I was eager to find out if it worked. So, I grabbed my loaner Steam 99S and my old Wilson racket, and headed with my son-in-law to a local indoor court near Minneapolis. I gave him the cheap-ass racket ($15 at Walmart) and sprinted off into position for my first serve. Right away, I noticed the difference. On my first shot, there was a remarkable spin off the ball, as though Federer himself had taught me how to shoot with more precision. I won the first match by dropping the ball in a swift arc over the net. On returns, the racket worked wonders as well. Even my hapless backhand developed a newfound fidelity.

To make sure I wasn't just imagining things, I switched rackets. With the Walmart model, the ball lost some life and I hit the net repeatedly, losing the match.

A quick calculation on cost: The $220 Wilson Steam 99S adds at least 200 RPMs of ball spin compared to a normal tennis racket that costs $30. So, that's between $50 and $100 per 100 RPMs, depending on how much it changes your game. Based on how much the racket has improved my ability to crush my opponents, those extra spins are worth every penny.

This is the racket you want if you are struggling to win at tennis, because you don't need any retraining. From my first shot to the end of every match, the Steam 99S added an incredibly fast, accurate, and precise arc. And the 200 RPMs is on the low end. Wilson says some player might notice a bump of 500 RPMs or more. I don't have the fancy cameras required to accurately measure the spin I was getting, but seeing the ball snap straight down after passing over the net time and time again is all the proof I need.

For casual players, the Steam 99S is a good bet for improving your game. If you're already spinning the ball accurately, you might not benefit as much, but any extra spin can help. A true testament to the value: I've been playing tennis weekly and winning matches.

WIRED Radical new design adds massive ball spin to your shots. Lightweight. Doesn't require any retraining or game adjustment.

TIRED Expensive. Seasoned players already spinning like a pro won't notice a huge improvement. If you're fond of heavier rackets, the Steam's light weight may take some getting used to.

UPDATE, February 8: The original version of this review stated the price incorrectly. The racket costs $220.