Wilson H6 Racquet Review

A descendant of one of Wilson's most popular racquets, the Wilson Hyper Hammer H6 is the latest derivative of what started out as the Hammer 6.2. Introduced in 1993, the Hammer 6.2 was at one point discontinued, then was revived as part of the Hyper Hammer range as the Hyper Hammer 6.2. Along the way, technologies have come and gone, but the basic premise of the Hammer 6.2 has lived on - as has its black and white color scheme. The Hammer 6.2 model line has been a great success for Wilson. Available in two head sizes, the Hammer 6.2 had a universal appeal with its manageable weight, head-heavy balance and spin friendly stringbed. So popular was the Hammer 6.2, that one could walk into any tennis club and see anyone from an absolute beginner to the teaching pro wielding the distinctive black and white racquet, nicknamed the "Skunk". As mentioned in our 2002 review of the Hyper Hammer 6.2, this is the racquet that legitimized Hammer technology for many intermediate and advanced players. Prior to the 6.2, Hammer racquets were limited to "game improvement" models, designed for beginning level players. When Wilson reintroduced the 6.2 - along with a new line of racquets using Hyper Carbon technology - the Hyper Hammer 6.2 flooded the club scene once again. This time the racquet was not as head heavy, and included a vibration reducing Iso-Zorb grommet system, which placed soft polymer grommets at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions. The original Hammer 6.2 came in a standard length in both Midplus and Oversize head sizes. Subsequent stretch versions saw 28 inch length frames, but starting with the Hyper Hammer 6.2 we saw the 27.25 inch Midplus and 27.5 inch Oversize that we have today.

Wilson H6 Midplus

For our playtest we strung the H6 Midplus at 57lbs with Wilson NXT 17 and added an overgrip.

Groundstrokes

Off the ground, we found the H6 Midplus to offer some decent pop. Advanced players with an aggressive swing style can get away with taking just three-quarters of their regular backswing and still generate enough power and spin from the back court. Stronger players will find this useful when playing longer points as less effort is required to hit aggressively. Stronger players can still swing aggressively with the H6 Midplus, but must make sure they get below the ball and generate enough spin to tame some of the racquet's power. Medium paced swings produced good power with the H6 Midplus and we found this especially useful on the backhand slice. When hitting a backhand slice, we found plenty of spin and grip on the ball from the stringbed, and direction and depth were easy to gauge. We were also able to generate some good topspin with the H6 Midplus, which we found especially useful when hitting angles or lobs. If the H6 Midplus has any drawbacks off the ground, it is the inherent lightness built into Hammer System racquets. With its light, head-heavy frame, the H6 Midplus becomes less forgiving as swingspeed increases. With faster swings, there is a slight tendency for the racquet head to twist on off-center shots. When moving inside the baseline to hit short balls and approach shots, players that like to take a good cut at the ball will also have to exercise some restraint. Shortening up one's swing is easier said than done with the H6 Midplus as it plays quite light and whippy. Likewise, it is easy to become wristy and lazy with this racquet as it is easy to whip the racquet head around at the last minute. On the plus side, players who don't have the technique or strength to wield a 12 ounce (or heavier) player's racquet will be able to develop their game with the H6 Midplus and can add weight at a later stage, if so desired. The lightness of the H6 Midplus makes it a good candidate for weight customization. At only 9.8 ounces strung, the H6 Midplus leaves players plenty of room to create a weight and balance to suit personal tastes. However, for the duration of our playtest, we kept the racquet in stock form. Combined Score 75

Volleys

The H6 Midplus is an easy racquet to maneuver at net. We found the racquet to remain stable and power to be controllable in most volley situations. High put-a-way volleys need only a short punch - anything more could lead to over hitting. We found enough feel to be successful when hitting angle and touch volleys, while also finding enough pop to keep the ball deep. When punching volleys deep, we found a nice, crisp feel from the stringbed with good placement coming as a result. Stronger players may find the H6 Midplus a little too light and powerful, leaving little room for an extended volley swing. Combined Score 76

Serves and Overheads

Racquet head speed is easy to generate with the H6 Midplus. We found plenty of zip on first and second serves. One of our 5.0 players found the power made his second serves more penetrating, but slightly lowered his consistency. Slower swinging players benefit more from the power of the H6 Midplus and will find the racquet easier to manage than a traditionally weighted and balanced racquet. The H6 Midplus offered some good grip for spin serves with both slice and topspin serves being effective. While hitting overheads, the maneuverability of the H6 Midplus was a definite advantage when having to reach quickly for more of a defensive shot. We also found it easy to generate some good racquet head speed with put-a-way overheads requiring little effort. Combined Score 77

Serve Returns

While most 3.5 NTRP level players can swing away on the return with the H6 Midplus, stronger players will need to take more of a measured swing. Slice and chip returns worked well. We found good placement, depth and a solid feel when blocking faster serves. Players who like to crush the ball on the return will have to be 'on' to stop balls from flying long with the H6 Midplus. We also noticed less comfort when swinging aggressively on the return and felt like the racquet could benefit from some added weight. Combined Score 72

Overall

A good fit for the all court player with a classic stroke style, the H6 Midplus is a versatile racquet that should garner similar popularity as previous Hammer 6.2 models. Control oriented players should definitely give the H6 Midplus a try, as when swung at a medium pace, the racquet offers a good level of comfort and feel. Stronger players may want to beef up the weight of the H6 Midplus, and at only 9.8 ounces, there is plenty of room for customization. Combined Score 76

Wilson H6 Oversize

For our playtest we strung the H6 Oversize at 62lbs with Wilson NXT 17 and added an overgrip.

Groundstrokes

This is a powerful racquet best suited to players with medium paced swings. Spin is easy to generate, and we didn't have to swing fast to get it. If you like to slice and dice ala Fabrice Santoro, you really can't go wrong with a racquet like the H6 Oversize. The Oversize head shape produces a lively stringbed that takes little provocation to launch the ball with significant power. It's not that you can't take a decent cut at the ball with the H6 Oversize, it's just that you'd better give yourself some room to over-hit. When hitting groundstrokes with the H6 Oversize, we found much more success counter punching and moving the ball around the court with a variety of spins and angles, rather than loading up and trying to out power opponents. Players around the 3.0 NTRP level will enjoy the added pop and generous sweetspot found in the H6 Oversize. Even though the racquet is an extra .5 inch longer than standard, it's maneuverability makes it a suitable choice for players still developing their strokes. Combined Score 72

Volleys

The H6 Oversize is a great racquet to volley with. It's light and maneuverable making it easy to get the racquet to the ball, and there seems to be just enough weight in the head to keep it stable once you get it there. The Oversize head produces a very forgiving stringbed, a bonus when hitting low pick-up and half-volleys. High put-a-way volleys were easy to control and gauge. Even though the H6 Oversize is powerful, the power delivery is very consistent, with no noticeable hot or dead spots on the stringbed. With the consistent feel from the stringbed, there are no nasty surprises to make volleys fly long, or drop short into the net. The H6 Oversize is also very comfortable at net with little vibration or racquet shock transferred to the player's arm. The comfort of the racquet, combined with its maneuverability and power make it an excellent choice for serve and volley singles, or doubles players who would like to add some strength and power to their game. Combined Score 76

Serves and Overheads

As with hitting groundstrokes, we found the H6 Oversize offered plenty of zip from the stringbed. Decent kick serves take little effort as the open string pattern grips the ball well, and the racquet's maneuverability makes wrist snap and racquet head speed easy to generate. Slice serves also proved effective, and again, spin was easy to generate. When hitting flat serves, we found good pace with little effort required. Big serving players used to more of a player's racquet had the most success by easing up and letting the racquet do the work. Trying to go big, especially when hitting second serves, could easily result in over-hitting. The power of the H6 Oversize proved useful when hitting overheads, making it easy to put the ball away with the snap of the wrist. Again, trying to really crush the ball could result in over-hitting and the best results came from a medium-fast swing speed. Combined Score 75

Serve Returns

With a lively stringbed and powerful frame, the H6 Oversize needs little - if any - backswing when returning anything more than a medium paced serve. We found the H6 Oversize to offer all the power we needed to get the ball deep to the corners when returning hard hit serves. For accomplished players (4.5-5.0 NTRP), the most effective way to aggressively return faster serves was with little backswing, an acceleration through the contact zone and a long follow through. By producing racquet head speed with little backswing, we found we could drive the ball with adequate spin and not have to worry about over-hitting. When hitting slower serves, we found it important to not be tempted to take a significant cut at the ball. Unless we were "on", it was too easy to over-hit. We found the easiest returns to hit were the block and chip returns. With the forgiving, oversize racquet head, block and chip returns found their target, even when hit slightly off-center. The generous sweetspot and consistent power is also useful for slower swinging, 3.5 NTRP level players. Players at the 3.5 level will find that plenty of power can be generated even from a medium swing speed. Combined Score 70

Overall

The H6 Oversize packs some pop. Not quite game improvement power, but towards the more powerful end of the 'tweener spectrum. Players at all levels with a medium swing speed will find that the H6 Oversize can really add some zip and depth to their shots. As expected, our stronger players had to slow down their swing speed to prevent from over-hitting. However, the consistent nature of the H6 Oversize made it easier for our stronger players to match their strokes to the racquet. They were aware of the power, and could be confident that there would be no sudden drop-off if the ball was struck slightly off-center. The power and maneuverability of the H6 Oversize made it a useful tool for serve and volley play. We would rate the H6 Oversize as a good doubles racquet, especially if you like to mix up your game with a variety of spins. The H6 Oversize is also a good racquet for a player to develop with. It has enough power for stronger beginning players, and is a great choice for an intermediate player with a medium swing speed. We recommend the H6 Oversize to 3.0 to 4,5 level players. However, stronger 2.5 level players, as well as slower swinging 5.0 level players should also give this one a try. Combined Score 74

In an attempt to bring you more racquet reviews, we will be featuring select racquets that we were previously unable to review, in a mini review format. Although direct quotes from our playtest team members are not included in our mini reviews, their input has a direct impact on the comments we provide for each section of the review. If you have any comments or questions regarding this review, please e-mail us at info@tennis-warehouse.com.

Review date: October, 2003. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

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