blx tour 95

The Wilson Tour 95 BLX is one of the most versatile Wilson tennis racquets I’ve played with. It has a Mid Plus head size, a moderate 10.8 strung weight, and an even balance. All combine to make this an all-around frame.

Groundstrokes The ground strokes weren’t any challenge. Whether I was confronted with a high-deep ball, or one at a sharp angle, I was able to do what I wanted. The racquet was maneuverable, and provided ready access to spin. I would have asked for a little more weight, but that could be solved with some lead tape.

Volleys The all-purpose capabilities of this racquet proved evident at the net as well. The extra .25 inches in length gave me greater reach, and allowed me to put my racquet on those tough volleys that were at knee-level or below.

Serve Starting with serves I became aware of this racquet’s ability. Used to a 95 square inch head size, I had no trouble adjusting to the hitting area, but adjusting to the balance took a few moments. The balance threw off my timing, which affected my ability to hit the ball. The Mid Plus head size provided plenty of precision. I was able to serve and place the ball anywhere. The power afforded by this racquet is minimal to moderate, but I found it sufficient.

Overall This racquet possesses all-court adaptability. I see this racquet suiting a wide range of intermediate to upper intermediate players. Even though this racquet exceeded my expectations, I prefer a frame with more weight. Regardless, if you’re looking for a stable and control-oriented 95-square-inch head size, then Wilson’s Tour 95 BLX could be your next frame gripped in victory.

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Wilson BLX Tour

In my last review I mentioned the new BLX technology Wilson is putting in their racquets. BLX uses fibers from the volcanic rock basalt to interweave with Karophite Black fibers to create great vibration reduction. Wilson claims this creates a racquet with perfect feel. Wilson improved one of their classics with BLX and created the new BLX Tour. This racquet was immediately put in the hands of comeback champion Justine Henin. Her return hit the tour on fire and she soon was at the elite of the game once again. Wilson Tour followers and Henin fans begged to know what stick was helping her win along the comeback trail.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

I got this racquet as a demo from Wilson strung with Hollowcore at middle tension of 55lbs.  This racquet features a bold bright orange and blue paintjob.  I liked this paintjob as it is bound to draw attention from the other players.  The racquet has technical specifications which make it a great all around performance racquet.  The stick weighs in at 10.9 ounces strung and has an even balance.  The frame has a mid size to mid plus head size at 95 sq. in and has a quarter inch of extra length at 27.25in.  The beam width is a straight 22.5mm which had a stiffness of 63 on the Babolat RDC.  The racquet also offers an ample open string pattern of 16×20 and a swingweight of 341.  As with the other BLX racquets, this racquet comes with a new grip, the Performance Hybrid Grip.  This grip is 1.8mm thick compared to 1.6mm of the Pro Hybrid Grip.  Instead of a leather base like the Pro Hybrid, the Performance Hybrid has a cotton base underneath the polyurethane outer.  Wilson claims this grip offers a balance of cushion and sensation.  Personally I wasn’t as big a fan of this grip as I was the Pro Hybrid, but many people will enjoy the cushion it offers.  After taking a few minutes to look over the stick, I was ready to get a taste of what this new version of one of Wilson’s most popular racquets had to offer!

Having little to no experience with the previous offering of this racquet I was eager to see why the Wilson Tour racquet is so popular.  I was a little skeptical about the BLX Tour’s ability at net after seeing the hefty swingweight of 341 and the extra quarter inch of length.  Normally a racquet with a swingweight in this range will give me trouble at net, as I find them hard to maneuver on reflex volleys.  I was pleasantly surprised with this racquet at net!  I found the racquet maneuvered great at net and I didn’t find the extra quarter inch of length to hamper this at all.  The swingweight of 341 seems high to me.  Volleys could easily have been my favorite shot with this racquet.  I found the racquet got around quickly on reflex volleys and I had no trouble punching volleys deep.  Even though the racquet has a lighter weight, I found it to offer good stability on harder hit passing shots.  The BLX Tour offered nice feel on half volleys and drop shots.  I can contribute this to the relatively soft flex of the frame and the string pattern.  I really enjoyed volleying with this racquet and found it to be a fun playtest at net.

GROUNDSTROKES

Many very successful baseliners on tour have used a version of the Wilson Tour including Lindsey Davenport and Justine Henin.  As these two hit some of the biggest groundstrokes in the women’s game, I was convinced before I even hit with the BLX Tour that it must be a good stick off the ground.  I normally hit with headlight racquets around 12 ounces, so when I picked up this racquet the balance took a little time to get acquainted with.  The first thing I noticed when I hit groundstrokes with this racquet was that it played heavier than 10.9oz.  The BLX tour swung and hit the ball more like a 12 oz racquet, which was really surprising but rewarding.  And by rewarding I mean it packed a punch.  This thing is powerful, yet I still got the control I’ve come to know with players racquets.  If there was one concern I had for this racquet coming into the playtest, it was that it would get pushed around by harder hit balls compared to a heavier racquet.  I found the Wilson BLX Tour to offer surprisingly good stability on hard, heavy hit shots from my opponent.  Sure I did think the stability could have been improved with a little more weight against the hardest hit balls, but this racquet did the job really well.  The most impressive quality this racquet offered off the ground was the amount of spin I could generate with it.  I found topspin was easily accessed and “Wow” was it good.  I hit so many balls with this racquet that felt like they were going to fly long, just to see them dip into the court at the last second.  The spin was also a joy when my opponent was at net as I could dip the ball quickly to their feet or pass them.  The racquet was strung with all Hollowcore but I would really like to try it with polyester in the mains to further enhance this spin.  The spin and power allowed me to hit out on the ball and easily keep it consistently deep in the court.  I really enjoyed the feel of the 16×20 string pattern on groundstrokes.  I normally play with a tighter string pattern and 16×20 patterns always intrigue me as I find them somewhere in the middle of an open and closed pattern.  I enjoyed the firmer feel of the 16×20 pattern compared to a more open 16×19.  The racquet offers good bite on slices.  I was really happy to see this as I find that many racquets with 16 mains seem to float slices more than a racquet with 18 mains.  Overall this racquet really shines on groundstrokes and it is easy to see why many top juniors and professionals choose this stick in a game dominated by baseline play.

The joy I found hitting with the Wilson BLX Tour continued with serving.  The good access I found to spin while hitting groundstrokes continued when hitting serves.  I really found that topspin serves jumped up off the court and slices really slid out wide.  I would attribute this great spin to the racquet being lighter then I am used to, so I really found it moved quickly through the air.  If I had one complaint about this racquet it was that I wish the racquet had a little more weight to it on serves.  I found I wasn’t hitting my spin serves with as much pace as normal and I felt like it was because the racquet simply didn’t have enough mass behind it.  I found I could hit flat serves with good pace, but I still would have enjoyed a little more weight behind the stick on serves.  Don’t get me wrong though, the Wilson BLX Tour was still a fun racquet to serve with and I found success on my serve by placing the ball well with plenty of spin instead of trying to blow the ball past my opponent.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS

Overall I think the Wilson BLX Tour lives up to the hype.  I was really impressed by this racquet from all areas of the court.  It was solid at net, the baseline, and on serves.  This racquet is really effective from all areas of the court and it is easy to see why this is the racquet of choice for Justine Henin.  I would especially recommend this racquet to people who are looking for the playability of a player’s racquet but want increased pop, in a lighter more manageable weight.  If you are a baseliner or an all courter I would highly recommend giving the Wilson BLX Tour a demo.

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Quick Review: Hit with the new Wilson ProStaff BLX 95

• Thread starter audioaffliction
• Start date Nov 13, 2011
• audioaffliction
• Nov 13, 2011

I'll make this short: this is going to be a racquet that a lot of long-time Wilson ProStaff peeps are going like, especially if you're an old-timer who's looking for something that's a little easier on your body. I got to hit with the 95 version yesterday. It was strung with NXT Control 16 at what felt like a low-50s tension. I'd previously hit with the 90 earlier in the week (impressions here: http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=402942 ) and thought that was pretty promising too. If you've played with the PS85 or 95, I think this will feel familiar. If you're looking for something that feels somewhat like the K90, but easier to tote around and less bulky feeling in your hands, this is it. The sticker on the inside of the throat says 11.0 unstrung, so there's plenty of room for customization. Even stock, I found it hit through the ball very easily. The feel is solid and a little less stiff feeling than the 90 version. Like the 90, there was very little harshness with this frame. Bottom line: the 95 truly feels like the ProStaff BLX 90 (and K90) on a diet. It retains a lot of the good attributes of those sticks, but is much quicker feeling in the hand. I will seriously consider this stick come January.  

Professional

Oh man, this is exactly what I was hoping for! I love the K90 but it is just a little too demanding for me. What do you think the SW was or a stick it was close to? Thanks!  

I would get it but the pj is horrendous  

^^^ Who cares what it looks like if it hits great? I would play with a racquet painted like a rainbow if it hit well!  

JDMasFCK said: I would get it but the pj is horrendous Click to expand...

I actually like the paint job of the new PS BLX 90, 95 and 100.. it looks weird in the pictures but it looks quite nice when u hold it.. .. I think the new Pro Staff BLX line is a big winner for Wilson..  

edman9898 said: Oh man, this is exactly what I was hoping for! I love the K90 but it is just a little too demanding for me. What do you think the SW was or a stick it was close to? Thanks! Click to expand...

Evelgest said: The paint job is that large a factor in your decision? Thanks for the quick review. It might be time to transition from my nCode 95s. 11oz is a little lighter than expected, but there'll be more room for customization. Click to expand...

audioaffliction said: Bottom line: the 95 truly feels like the ProStaff BLX 90 (and K90) on a diet. It retains a lot of the good attributes of those sticks, but is much quicker feeling in the hand. I will seriously consider this stick come January. Click to expand...

Hall of Fame

What's the string pattern? I saw the 100 and it was super-open 16x18...  

BobFL said: What's the string pattern? I saw the 100 and it was super-open 16x18... Click to expand...

borgpro said: Thanks! Have you ever played with the kblade tour, and could you compare it with this stick in terms of SW, stability, and plow? I have always liked the blade but found it a little flimsy; I am afraid the PS95 might have the same. I am probably the only one on this forum but I hate adding lead etc... Click to expand...

• Nov 14, 2011

audioaffliction said: From memory, it's at least as stable and I never found it wanting in terms of being able to plow through the ball. Click to expand...

borgpro said: thanks! you meant the PS BLX in the latter sentence right? if it is as stable as the kblade tour, with similar plow, I will absolutely try it; me too would like a slightly flexier racket but with the same control(made my elbow hurt a bit)! your input is much appreciated Click to expand...

audioaffliction said: Yes, those comments were meant for the PSBLX 95. I would not, strictly speaking, consider it more flexible than the Kblade Tour. It feels solid, but not harsh in the way that I normally associate with stiffer racquets. Click to expand...

definitely ought to put the thing on a scale with the strings in it. my ncode six one 95 strung weight: 352, my demo blx 6.1 tour: 352, my pro staff 6.0 85: 356. weights are damn near the same but completely different racquets.  

Can anyone estimate the swing weight yet? (of blx ps95) If it is not too low, and if the stick is not too head light, a leather grip may give it some very nice extra 5- 10 grams static weight..  

borgpro said: Can anyone estimate the swing weight yet? (of blx ps95) If it is not too low, and if the stick is not too head light, a leather grip may give it some very nice extra 5- 10 grams static weight.. Click to expand...

FuriousYellow

Thanks for the review audioaffliction. I'm looking forward to demoing it, but remain leery of the reduced weight. I'm so used to the weight and stability of 12.5oz 6.1 95, every time I try switching to something lighter I end up developing wrist pain after about a month and switch back.  

I have also played with the new PS95 I acquired a new 95 BLX PS95. My normal racquet is a CAP'd, and leaded up Youtek Radical Midplus. I could definitely notice the absence of weight in the PS95. Ground strokes and serves were fine but I didn't feel the control at net. The racquet will need some customizing. It has excellent feel and zero arm pain. I had it strung with Big Hitter Silver 17g at 58lbs. I'm going to play with it one more week in stock form and then will come the lead and leather. The racquet did have great spin and feel from the baseline. The racquet felt like it weighed about the same as a stock Radical. The paintjob is not bad at all. It is very high quality paintjob just takes some getting used to. I think this racquet is an excellent alternative to Radicals or Prestiges. Lots of room for customization.  

nkjwlf said: I acquired a new 95 BLX PS95. My normal racquet is a CAP'd, and leaded up Youtek Radical Midplus. I could definitely notice the absence of weight in the PS95. Ground strokes and serves were fine but I didn't feel the control at net. The racquet will need some customizing. It has excellent feel and zero arm pain. I had it strung with Big Hitter Silver 17g at 58lbs. I'm going to play with it one more week in stock form and then will come the lead and leather. The racquet did have great spin and feel from the baseline. The racquet felt like it weighed about the same as a stock Radical. The paintjob is not bad at all. It is very high quality paintjob just takes some getting used to. I think this racquet is an excellent alternative to Radicals or Prestiges. Lots of room for customization. Click to expand...

sent you pics Sent you eamil BobFL with pics  

Pics I sent 2 more pics from my cell phone that should be cooming. This was the best early Christmas present I ever got!  

The 2012 line shows Federer holding the old BLX racket on the middle cardboard thing-ma-jig. I wonder whether Wilson noticed that.  

How is this power-wise?...  

Not lacking for power. But I don't really notice a lack of power from most racquets. I only notice when there's too much--say, the Babolat AeroPro Drive for example. My regular old PS85s have plenty of power to me, so I'm probably not a good judge.  

• Nov 15, 2011

I'm starting to like the shape and the pj of the racquet now. It has this weird classy old-school look that's very pleasing to the eyes. Now i'm split between buying the old blx 95 and the new prostaff blx 95...  

saw this on **** http://www.*********/itm/Wilson-Pro...-PLUS-grip-4-3-8-NEW-2012-model-/330497140857  

oops, forgot no links, could the OP delete the post^. I just wanted to show that someone's selling this racquet for around $600 on **** and has pictures.  

So this is basically what grigor has been using for a little while now, correct? They are Just now releasing it to us mortals...  

Nice pics! Cant wait to try this one out myself. BTW: How do they choose who gets to try racquets earlier?  

Awesome thanks for the review. I'm trying to exit from my ncode 16 by 18 for various reasons but never can quite find the right fit and keep coming back to it. Maybe this will be the one with minor customization. Did you get a feeling of it's flex? I'm hoping it's in the low 60's. Thanks  

Geology_Rocks!

The specs look great but I just can't leave the prestige pro awsome PJ for this.  

Bionic Poster

dgoran said: So this is basically what grigor has been using for a little while now, correct? They are Just now releasing it to us mortals... Click to expand...

What about at net...how does it play?  

Also where can I purchase one of these racquet?  

duffguy808 said: Also where can I purchase one of these racquet? Click to expand...

Does the new Prostaff have the braided Kevlar?  

Argentinaten

BobFL said: Click to expand...

duffguy808 said: What about at net...how does it play? Click to expand...

• Nov 16, 2011

anhuynh16 said: January 1st 2012 Click to expand...

• Nov 17, 2011

The only frame tested and reported so far was from Drakulie, who found swingweight 306 on the stick he had. No flex reports yet. Swingweight is such an easy spec to change though. 4 grams at twelve or 5 at 11 & 1 gets you into the 320s.  

Not sure why everyone is complaining about the paint job. I think it looks cool. It's beautiful!  

Yourtenniscoach

Ugly as ugly can be!  

Similar threads

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Wilson Ultra Tour 95 CV Racquet Review

This Wilson Ultra Tour 95 CV Racquet Review will deal with the latest Ultra racquet as well as explaining why this is not the actual racquet of Kei Nishikori. Nishikori endorses the Wilson Ultra Tour 95 CV,  but plays with something else.

As you might know, I really enjoyed the Wilson Ultra Tour, that was low-powered and required some lead to play well. The Wilson Ultra Tour 95 CV requires no customization since the swing weight is already high due to the extended length. If you don’t know what CV means, it stands for Countervail and is the material that Wilson has chosen to dampen some of the shock and vibrations you get from stiffer frames. The dampening seems to work well, but the issue I have had with it previously is that it mutes some of the feel too much. Does it work better for the Wilson Ultra Tour 95 CV? Read on to find out.

The Wilson Ultra Tour 95 CV is endorsed by Kei Nishikori . Racquet manufacturers now use the word “endorse” instead of “use” which makes sense since in 99% of the cases the pro player actually uses something else. In Nishikori’s case, he uses a racquet that was released some years ago called BLX Tour. My guess is that he has perhaps been playing with both the Wilson BLX Tour which is 27.7 inches long and the Wilson Ntour Two which is 27.25 inches long. Both specs have been found on Nishikori racquets if you check prostocktennis.com. Perhaps he went from the stiffer BLX Tour to the nTour Two to save his elbow and wrist a bit since the BLX Tour is quite a bit stiffer as well as longer. I don’t know this for sure.

No matter what he actually uses, it is not the Wilson Ultra Tour 95 CV. But there are similarities since the Ultra Tour 95 CV is extended, 95 sq inches, and in case of the BLX Tour, has similar stiffness. The Wilson Ultra Tour 95 CV simply lands somewhere in between those two racquets.

Wilson Ultra Tour CV 95 Racquet Review – Specs

The reported swing weight of Nishikori is around 350, which sounds about right. The swing weight of the of the Ultra Tour 95 CV is not childish either at around 340. This means that this racquet plays quite stable and powerful, despite an unstrung weight of 309 grams. Extended length racquets naturally have higher swing weights and this one lands in my comfort zone, but a lot of players might find it too much to swing.

Before we head into the performance lets have a look at the listed specs of the Wilson Ultra Tour 95 CV:

Head size: 95 sq inch Weight: 309 g Length: 27.25 inches Balance point: 32.5 cm Tech and materials: Carbon fiber, BLX, Countervail, Crush Zone Beam width: 22.0mm String Pattern: 16×20 Stiffness (RA): 69

If you feel at home with the Wilson Six One 95, this could be an interesting choice to crank up the power, but I thought it was too powerful at times. And the extended length made it hard to get a bit more wristy with my shots. I had good results on the court with this racquet, but it required me to be tuned-in and focused at all time.

Wilson Ultra Tour CV 95 Racquet Review – Performance

I must say I do like this slightly extended length. Some of my tennis friends swear by extended length racquets, but I have always struggled a bit with them. This one though was quite easy to adjust to. Definitely a racquet for advanced players who like to get enough power to end points quickly. I would not feel confident enough to get into long rallies with this stick, but if you are an aggressive player this could work to your advantage. You will hit plenty of flat winners and unreturnable serves.

I think Wilson could go down a bit in stiffness with this racquet which would have held back on some of the power and created a more flexible and enjoyable feel. That would be my sincere recommendation because I think the extended length makes sense, the string pattern is good and the weight and balance works in the racquet’s favor.

Wilson Ultra Tour CV 95 Racquet Review – Summary

Or why not launch a Kei Nishikori Autograph model? More autograph models, please! I know the heft might not suit everyone though, but from a commercial standpoint, the Pro Staff RF97 Autograph sure was a success and you could perhaps imitate the strategy and release Light and Ultra-Light versions of the same racquet?

What do you think of the Wilson Ultra Tour 95 CV? Is it something you would be interested to try?

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To be exact this is the very same Burn 95 CV with the Ultra Tour paintjob just because the Burn line is discontinued.

I’ve played both lines and there is no difference at all except for the paintjob which I think the Burn it’s better looking, but that’s a personal preference.

It doesn’t make any sense to release it as a brand new model and price tag it accordingly when it’s not and you can get the same racket for half of the price.

I’d love to see your review of the Dunlop C200 +. As a user of the Burn 95 CV, I’d like to know if this Dunlop is contender for a replacement.

Thanks a lot and keep up with the good work. Cheers

Yeah, except for the Crush Zone it is the same stick. Would love to review the Dunlop CX 200+ – but not sure when that will be. Got a few reviews in the pipeline. I think it could well be a contender for the Burn! Appreciate the comment!

In older pictures Nishikori and Kavitiva played the 27.25” orangey and blue blx, not the longer white blue red one.

Hi Jonas Does anyone know what racquet Alex de Minaur plays with? It looks like a Wilson ? off the shelf thanks Ed

Hi Ed, I have heard the Steam 99 pro stock, but can’t confirm that. Cheers / J

Well although they do not have an autograph ,they do sell a Wilson Ultra Tour 95 CV JAPAN… With weight of 289 g and a Balance point of 34.0cm LOL

Very Tour-like specs… :)

You keep saying that the swing weight is high because of the extended length but I think it is more due to the balance and how much material that was use in the head when placed into the mold. The Serena Williams Autograph is a 28 inch racket with a swing weight of 341. The Blade 104 is a 27.5 inch racket with a swing weight of 318 so 1/4 inch on the Ultra tour 95 wouldn’t make that big of a difference in the swing weight.

You might be right, but extended-length racquets do bump up the swing weight naturally.

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Theatres in Moscow

Cultural life of Moscow city is various and rich! Operas, ballets, symphonic concerts... Russian composers have created some of the most beautiful classical music. Russian classical music is very popular in Moscow. It is performed in many beautiful historical venues. Do not forget to include a visit to a concert hall in your itinerary when you are planning your stay in Moscow! And do it in advance.

There are almost no restrictions on dress code in Russian theatres. Visitors may wear jeans and sports shoes, they may have a backpack with them. Only shorts are not allowed.

A typical feature of Russian theatre – visitors are bringing a lot of flowers which they present to their favorite performers after the show.

Here are some practical advices where to go and how to buy tickets.

The Bolshoi Theatre

The Bolshoi Theatre is the oldest, the most famous and popular opera and ballet theatre in Russia. The word “Bolshoi” means “big” in Russian. You can buy a ticket online in advance, 2-3 months before the date of performance on the official website . Prices for famous ballets are high: 6-8 thousand rubles for a seat in stalls. Tickets to operas are cheaper: you can get a good seat for 4-5 thousand rubles. Tickets are cheaper for daytime performances and performances on the New Stage. The New Stage is situated in the light-green building to the left of the Bolshoi's main building. The quality of operas and ballets shown on the New Stage is excellent too. However, you should pay attention that many seats of the Bolshoi’s Old and New Stages have limited visibility . If you want to see the Bolshoi’s Old Stage but all tickets are sold out, you can order a tour of the theatre. You can book such a tour on the official website.

If you want, following Russian tradition, to give flowers to the performers at the end of the show, in the Bolshoi flowers should be presented via special staff who collects these flowers in advance.

In August the Bolshoi is closed.

The Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre

This theatre is noteworthy. On one hand, it offers brilliant classical opera and ballet performances. On the other hand, it is an experimental venue for modern artists. You can check the program and buy tickets online here http://stanmus.com/ . If you are opera lover, get a ticket to see superstar Hibla Gerzmava . The theatre has a very beautiful historic building and a stage with a good view from every seat. Tickets are twice cheaper than in the Bolshoi.

The Novaya Opera

“Novaya” means “New” in Russian. This opera house was founded in 1991 by a famous conductor Eugene Kolobov. Its repertoire has several directions: Russian and Western classics, original shows and divertissements, and operas of the 20th and 21st centuries. It is very popular with Muscovites for excellent quality of performances, a comfortable hall, a beautiful Art Nouveau building and a historic park Hermitage, which is situated right next to it. You can buy tickets online here http://www.novayaopera.ru/en .

Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Center

The Opera Center has become one of the best theatrical venues in Moscow. It was founded in 2002 by great diva Galina Vishnevskaya. Nowadays its artistic director is Olga Rostropovich, daughter of Galina Vishnevskaya and her husband Mstislav Rostropovich, great cellist and conductor. Not only best young opera singers perform here, but also world music stars do; chamber and symphonic concerts, theatrical productions and musical festivals take place here. You can see what is on the program here http://opera-centre.ru/theatre . Unfortunately “booking tickets online” is available in Russian only. If you need help, you can contact us at and we can book a ticket for you. 

Tchaikovsky Concert Hall and The Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory

These are two major concert halls for symphonic music in Moscow. Both feature excellent acoustics, impressive interior, various repertoire and best performers. You can check the program here http://meloman.ru/calendar/ . You need just to switch to English. Booking tickets online is available only for owners of Russian, Ukrainian and Belorussian phone numbers. If you need help, you can contact us and we can book a ticket for you. 

Moscow International Performing Arts Center (MIPAC)

This modern and elegant concert hall houses performances of national and foreign symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles, solo instrumentalists, opera singers, ballet dancers, theatre companies, jazz bands, variety and traditional ensembles. Actually, it has three concert halls placed on three different levels and having separate entrances. The President of MIPAC is People’s Artist of the USSR Vladimir Spivakov, conductor of “Virtuosy Moskvy” orchestra. You can see pictures of the concert halls here http://www.mmdm.ru/en/content/halls . The program is impressive in its variety but is not translated into English. You can contact us at and we can find a performance for you.

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Best of Moscow by high speed train

By shuguley , February 15, 2014 in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.

Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?

My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

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If you are considering this on the 2015 June Baltic cruise on Voyager; my suggestion is don't. There is so much to do in St. Petersburg and although a train is one of my favorite ways to travel the time would be far better spent in St. P.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, this would be on the Voyager during the 2015 season but not yet sure exactly which cruise.

We did the Moscow excursion "on a different luxury line", but from your brief description it sounds very much like the same trip, so I will operate on that assumption. It is a VERY long day! We left the ship at 5:30 AM and returned at 12:30 AM. The highspeed train trip is comfortable, and while they call it "Business Class" it does not compare well to the equivalent class on say Rail Europe. When we did it in 2011, we did have highspeed both ways, and the trip back seemed much longer as the adrenaline and excitement had worn off!:D

Moscow itself is not that terribly different from any other big city in the world, but this Cold War kid never thought he would ever stand in Red Square, never mind walk the grounds of The Kremlin, or tour The Kremlin Palace, or see (but not visit) Lenin's Tomb, or visit The Armoury. But he did, and he loved every minute of it! Yes, it is a long day, and you barely scratch a scratch on the surface, but it is worth it. There is a tremendous amount to see in St. Petersburg, but every Baltic cruise goes to St. Petersburg, so you can go back if you choose to. Not every cruiseline offers you the chance to see Moscow.

I have not personally done this tour, but our last time in St Petersburg, the private guide that we hired for a day was leading the regent tour to Moscow on the high speed train the next day. He said it was way better than the previous alternative, which was flying to Moscow and back. He said that you actually got to Moscow faster because you didn't have to deal with airline checkin etc. it did seem like a very long day to me, and there is so much to see and do in st. Petersburg that I didn't consider doing it.

countflorida

We toured to Moscow from St. Petersburg via the hi-speed SAPSAN train last September, from a Baltic cruise on the Oceania Marina. You need to have a two-night, three day port call in St. Petersburg to take this tour because the tour typically leaves the ship around 5:00 - 5:30 AM and doesn't return until after midnight the next day. We didn't take the ship's tour; we made private arrangements with TravelAllRussia for three days of touring, the first and third days in St. Petersburg and the second day the tour to Moscow by train. Our cost for the private tour for three days was about the same as what the ship charged for the excursion to Moscow alone. There are a number of private tour agencies that operate in St. Petersburg and offer the Moscow train tours; we would strongly recommend them over the ship's tours.

All three days had private guides with car and driver. The second day, the driver picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, but we were alone on the train, and met in Moscow by the guide on the station platform. After our tour and dinner, we were brought back to the train and after the return train trip met by the driver and taken back to the ship. Because you are alone on the train you must have your own Russian visas.

If this is your first visit to St. Petersburg, I would agree there is much more to see there. We found Moscow somewhat a disappointment, particularly Red Square. The Kremlin and the cathedral in Red Square were also worth seeing. But the best thing we saw was the Moscow subway! I worked for the Washington Metro system back in the 1980s as it grew from 40 to 80 miles and although I was in the computer area, I learned a lot about the challenges of running a subway system. We used the Moscow system to get across the city from where we had dinner to the train station, and I was amazed at the cleanliness', speed of operation, the short headways maintained, and the courtesy of everyone involved. A very impressive experience!

We had been to St. Petersburg before, and so had the time to take a day and go to Moscow. Also, I really like trains, and the SAPSAN is a German train set running on Russian rails. Seats are like first class domestic air, spacious but not too plush or comfortable, but with enough room. Not too much recline, and almost 8 hours on the train in two shots is a lot for an old man. They come through and sell drinks, candy, etc. but the sellers don't speak English and no one around us helped, so we had just poor coffee once coming, and brought stuff with us for the trip back. Not too much to see from the train either, particularly on the return when it is night the whole way.

If you decide to go, take a private tour and avoid the overly expensive ship's tour. I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't bother to repeat the tour; we've seen Moscow.

Thanks so much to all of you for the thorough and thought insight. Yhe information you have provided is most helpful.

countflorida: Your detailed post is very helpful. We are not quite ready for a Baltic cruise but should do so within a year. Time enough to do our pre travel research, bookings and visa gathering.:) Thank you!

Emperor Norton

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.   Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?   My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

I did this on Seabourn. IMO DONT. Take Aeroflop (er Aeroflot). The train has non folding seats where you are literally knee to knee with your fellow passenger (facing each other). Further they don't believe in air conditioning. It's also the worlds slowed bullet train. I think I would have found more enjoyment wandering around the St. Petersburg and Moscow airports.

Countflorida,

This is a little off topic,, however we had planned a river cruise in Russia but decided we would rather stay on land and have booked about two weeks with Travel-All-Russia using the private guide and driver. I'm curious as to how you found them as a tour company.

The guides they provided were fine. We had a different guide each of the days in St. Petersburg, but both were flexible, pleasant, knowledgeable and spoke English very well, as did the guide in Moscow, incidentally. She was a bit aloof, distant, not too friendly, but otherwise fine. In fact, she was the one who suggested taking the Metro, which unexpectedly became one of the highlights of the Moscow excursion. If I have a complaint with AllTravelRussia, it is with their plan and its execution (more later).

I had requested emphasis on World War II (in Russia, the Great Patriotic War) sites and info. In scheduling us, they weren't careful about dates and a couple of the sites we wanted to see were scheduled on the third day, after we'd been to Moscow. But both sites were closed that day of the week, and that info was readily available, right on web sites describing them. Also, the included meals (lunches in St. Pete, dinner in Moscow) were not what we asked for: light meals with some choices, so we could avoid things we didn't like and choose things we did like. My request was ignored; we were given full Russian meals with a fixed menu, no choice. On the first day, a fish dish was the entre, but I am allergic to fish. Fortunately, I had the e-mail I'd sent with me and showed it to the guide, and she was able to change my entre to chicken, which was very good actually. But we didn't want a 3-4 course lunches or dinner (in Moscow). We had the guide drop the lunch the third day, although we never got any credit or refund. But, particularly in contrast to the ship's tours, the prices were so reasonable we didn't worry too much about it.

The people who were on the ship's tour to Moscow saw us boarding the same train for which they were forced to queue up and wait on the way back, and asked us what we had done. I was candid and open so they were not happy when I explained what we had arranged and particularly what it had cost. Also, when we returned to the ship, we found they had laid on a late supper for those who had gone to Moscow, so up we went and had something. Well, it turns out the late supper was supposed to be just for those on the ship's tour, but we and others on 'independent' tours, there were a dozen or more of us, crashed the party, actually got there first, and they didn't realize it until the larger group arrived and there weren't enough tables/places set. By that time, the 'independents' had all gotten served and were eating; what could they do?

A couple from the larger group sat down with us and asked us about our tour, and they were the ones I told about our arrangement and its cost. They turned to others who’d been with them and announced the details, loudly enough so the whole room heard, which started a lot of bitching and complaining. I gathered they weren't very happy with the ship's tour to begin with, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. We finished up and beat it out of there, but overheard later that one of the excursion staff came to check on something and ran into a real mess. I caught a cold on the trip, which forced me to bed the second day following in Tallinn, so by the time we reappeared we heard about the contretemps' but apparently no one recalled who started it, thankfully.

Because of what happened to us, I would probably not use AllTravelRussia if I were to go again, or if I did, I would be sure to get confirmation of every detail of the tour. They do have good reviews generally, and we were certainly helped by their visa department and liked the guides and drivers. Their weakness, I say now with full 20:20 hindsight, is that once the sales person who plans the tour, sells it to you and collects your money, he (or she) transfers the plan to their Russia office for implementation; there is no follow-up to make sure it gets done right. And that is where our problems arose; we paid for a custom tour but got a standard package with a few destinations switched, and no one checked them out, even to see when they were open the day we were scheduled to go. If you check every detail that’s important to you, it should be OK, but that’s a hell of a way to have to do business, in my opinion.

Thank you for the 20/20 hindsight observation on your Russian tour operator, and better priced than the ship's excursion cost.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

We had the same experience as you so far as price. We originally booked a Viking Cruise but, hearing some things about the river cruises that made us unhappy, looked into other options. T-A-R cost the same or less than a cruise and had us in hotels for 11 days. We opted for the private tour. They have three tour levels, based on hotels. We originally opted for the four star as it did not cost much more than the three star hotels. Finally we decided to throw it all in and upgraded to five star. In Moscow we will be at the newly opened Kempinsky which is two blocks from Red Square. In St. Petersburg it is the Grand Hotel Europe, one of the most vaunted luxury hotels in Russia. Location is important for us as the tours use up only part of the day so being in the center of everything for our independent touring is important. As with many other cities, the less you pay, the farther out of the center of town you are.

We have been working with our salesman in D.C. and he seems to get back to us with the changes we want. He recently returned from Russia so is up on everything. When I asked they said they paid the full TA commission if I wanted so I got my usual TA on board so he is watching our back and giving us that extra level of comfort. He also set up our air, which I know pays him little or nothing, and got us business class for much less than T-A-R wanted for economy, though it took working for a while with a consolidator. He's happy to get his 10 percent on this trip without having booked it. He also took care of the trip insurance. We've been doing a lot of research on the CC sister site Trip Advisor and will write a report there. We will, I guess, become a source of info for CC members after having spent 5 days in Moscow and 6 in SP.

• 4 months later...

scubacruiserx2

Anybody considering a day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg on the Sapsan may want to look at our travelogue filled with pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

Very informative. Thanks dor sharing. Jeff

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Home Page › Our tours › Towns of the Golden Ring. Trips out of Moscow › Dacha Tour

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Explore Russian Summer Life: Visit Russian Dacha!

People from Northern countries soak up every bit of pleasure out of summertime. Its days are numbered, and we do our best to store up the sunshine for the long, cold months that make up the rest of the year. Russians are among those who take full advantage of the brief, hot weather.

At summer’s peak, many Russians don’t venture far. The reason is dachas , our country houses. August brings the harvest for our small garden plots, but a dacha is much more than just an economic benefit: it embodies a culture dating back to Communist times.

The dachas is a unique phenomenon in the life of anyone who lives in the boundless expanses of the Russian Federation. A small plot – just 0.15 acres – with a few currant bushes, apple trees and a vegetable patch, a little wooden house with no telephone or running water and a discreetly located outhouse. I’d love to how you mine.

How we’ll get there:

I believe that it’ll be fun to experience the Russian suburban train (electrichka), which is very popular in our country. Electrichka is inexpensive and it might even be faster than a car as it doesn’t depend on the traffic. Travelling by commuter train you’ll be able to see ordinary people and possibly talk with them. Sometimes trains offer you such “free entertainment” as listening to numerous vendors and musicians. But local trains might be crowded at certain times of the day so in some cases we’d recommend you to go with us by car.

What we’ll do:

We start the trip with the tour of Dmitrov , an ancient Russian town, founded in 1147 and called Moscow younger brother. It is located 1 hour drive out of Moscow.

Learning how to prepare a Russianlunch:

First you choose the right meat, then the right recipe for the marinade.The fire has to be started and allowed to burn down until it’s almost out, but still smouldering. If you catch it at that moment, then the meat will roast evenly and not burn.

Meanwhile, the fire keeps threatening to go out, compelling family and guests to furiously fan it with pieces of cardboard. We serve sashlik with baked potatoes, pickled vegetables and of course Russian vodka. Lunch is followed by traditional Russian tea drinking .

You’ll be so involved, you won’t even notice when it’s time to go back to the city.

The tour cost is 200 USD.

Tour price is for 2 people but I can accommodate up to 6 people in this tour, however the price will change.

Transportationis extra.

Tour duration: 8 hours

We take part in BBC series of documentaries "World's Busiest Cities"(Moscow)

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Wilson Six.One Tour BLX Review

As if he needed any more of an advantage over his opponents on the ATP Tour, Roger Federer has a new and improved racquet.

Since his switch from the discontinued Prostaff Original 85, Federer's racquet of choice has always been the flagship Wilson Tour 90. Now he's using the Wilson Six.One Tour BLX. This version of the 90 gets Wilson's new BLX treatment, which involves weaving Basalt fibers into the composition for improved vibration resistance. Wilson claims its BLX technology allows a smoother signal to reach the player after impact for cleaner feedback and the "perfect feel."

Is it fair to give Federer, AKA the Magician of Precision, even more feel? If you play on the ATP Tour, your answer is likely no.

However, for us mere mortals, we'll take all of the additional feel we can get. When the feel is added to a racquet as impressive as the Tour 90 series, more feel sounds pretty darn good to us.

While we can't dominate like Federer, we hit the courts with the Wilson Six.One Tour BLX to see if we could find some magic and precision of our own.

Groundstrokes - Score: 84

From the baseline, the Six.One Tour BLX provided excellent stability and plow-through. Our testers were pleased with the court penetration they were finding.

"When I strike the ball with this racquet I know instantly where the ball is going," said Granville who was finding his usual accuracy. "No guesswork here, if I was prepared and in position, I was loving this racquet. There was simply great plow-through without a moment of hesitation. I could feel the strings elongating, then launching the ball unlike any other racquet. Truly a performance stick for the ages, it felt very much like its predecessor, but with a better cosmetic."

Spencer left us all wondering if he was getting any plow-through from the racquet? He said, "Plow-through, plow-through and more plow-through. To no surprise, this stick had tremendous stability. Forehands were pretty easy to dial in from the baseline. Shots penetrated the court well, and put-aways were more frequent. It was such a solid, plush feel when striking the ball with a smooth swing. With a static weight of 12.7 ounces and a swingweight of 333, this racquet took a while to get used to on my backhand side. Once adjusted, though, I really enjoyed the outstanding stability when coming over the top of the ball. The sweetspot isn't the largest, however, when hitting it in the middle the solid feel was second to none. I found my slice was divine, as this stick sliced through the ball like a hot knife through butter. The Six.One Tour BLX also handled hard hit shots quite well. If there was one downfall for me, it would be the difficulty I had getting the racquet into position when having to whip it around on a reaction shot."

Chris said, "Like its predecessors, this racquet offers excellent plow-through. I was able to generate a lot of pace and penetration with this racquet. Everything from slice to topspin was zinging. Interestingly, I used to struggle with this series from Wilson, but since switching to a two-handed backhand they seem much more manageable and easier to maneuver. Compared to the KFactor and nCode versions, the feel is more muted. I wouldn't say it was any more solid, just more dampened. On the feel front, I am more a fan of the KFactor version, as I felt more connected to the interaction between the ball and the strings."

Danny was very impressed. He said, "My first impressions of the Six.One Tour BLX were amazing. I didn't remember the KSix-One Tour 90 being as solid from the baseline as this one, so I had to make a revisit. I realized the difference between the old model and the new was minimal. I think the Basalt adds a slightly larger sweetspot and the feel is slightly more dampened. Overall, I thought my groundstrokes with the Six.One Tour BLX were amazing. I had great control, great plow-through and my backhand was rock solid. Due to the heavy weight and feel, having better racquet preparation helped. If I caught the ball a little late, it was at times somewhat jarring on my wrists when strung with a co-poly string."

Volleys - Score: 84

Federer likes to attack the net more than most on a Tour dominated by baseliners. However, if he agrees with our playtesters on the performance of the Six.One Tour BLX, he needs to get to net even more. Needless to say, our team was very impressed at net.

Danny's love for the Six.One Tour BLX continued at net. He said, "I loved this racquet at net. It was very firm, crisp, solid and consistent, and it offered great feel. If I could maneuver the racquet as fast as I would have liked, I would say that this was the best racquet out there for me at net. I had my good and bad days with this one. Some days my reactions were good and other days they were noticeably slower. I found the maneuverability similar to the KFactor version. If you are a customer who is moving from the old version to the newer version, then you should have no problem."

Finding the racquet to do the work for him was Spencer , saying, "At net, the mass of the racquet helped not only put balls away, but did it with direction and precision. There's not a whole lot of movement needed to be effective with this stick. As long as the racquet was in position, it essentially did the work for me. I felt the racquet was more effective at net in singles than in doubles. In doubles, the lack of maneuverability hurt my reaction volley attempts during heated exchanges."

"During doubles play I volleyed with authority," said Chris , who was very impressed at net. "I was punching the ball through opponents and loving the solidness of this racquet. The mass came in handy in defensive situations, too. I was able to still hit solid volleys even when stretched wide or forced to pick the ball up around my feet. Touch and feel were impressive as well. The feel was firm and crisp, but not as sharp edged as the KSix-One 90. This version felt a little more muted, and I just prefer the feel with the KSix-One Tour 90."

Granville said, "This racquet seems custom built for the volley. It has to be among the most stable racquets at net for me EVER. I found both extreme touch to bleed off the speed of a ball and enough punch to crush a penetrating volley deep to the corner. I could tell I was playing with a smaller head as opposed to my regular 95 head size, as about one in every four shots of my video footage were slightly off-center. When everything came together it was tennis nirvana. Yes, this one is a scalpel."

Serves - Score: 80

The Six.One Tour BLX continued to impress our testers when it came to serving. The combination of some useful mass and ample bite from the stringbed had our testers serving well.

"This was a nice racquet to serve with," said Chris . "The mass helped me hit a heavy, fast serve. I was able to get enough bite from the stringbed for spin so I was able to move the ball around well. It was not as fast feeling as my Volkl Powerbridge 10 Mid through the air, but it felt like I was getting some additional mass behind the ball."

Granville found precision over power with the Six.One Tour BLX, saying, "Here it got interesting. It was heavy enough to give me some pause and I was consciously holding on to the racquet a little tighter so it didn't fly out of my hand. Once I had become accustomed to the weight, I was placing the serves into the corners, just as I do with my regular stick. At this point I am unable to get any more MPH out of my serve - with practice, maybe. I'll take the precision and feel of this racquet over any extra power anyway. It was comforting to hold a massive racquet in my hand - it felt like the weapon it is."

Spencer struggled slightly with the mass of the racquet on serve. He said, "I never seemed to get comfortable with the weight of this stick when serving. Usually with heavier racquets, I'll look for a smoother motion while letting the racquet do the work. I didn't serve terribly with it, but I didn't find that comfortable 'go to' groove I was looking for. Not to mention, I wasn't feeling I was hitting as heavy a serve as I did with the KSix-One Tour 90."

Danny continued to be very happy with his level of play. He offered, "I loved serving with the Six.One Tour BLX! My first serve consistency was awesome. My deuce wide, deuce tee and advantage tee serves were consistent and accurate. They didn't have the speed of my normal first serves, but I didn't mind. When serving, I really focused on my technique and toss and I let the racquet do the rest."

Serve Returns - Score: 82

With ample weight, solid stability and lots of control, the Six.One Tour BLX proved to be the ultimate tool for returning serves.

"Shorter, more compact strokes, along with the heft of this racquet were the key for my returns," said Spencer . "It was a catch-22 with the racquet. It handled hard serves quite well, however, when I had to move the racquet a longer distance, the weight kept me from getting the racquet where it needed to be, causing a miss-hit or shank."

Chris found better results in defensive situations, saying, "The stability and solid feel impressed me on returns, and I was pleased with my results. I had success both driving the ball and blocking the ball back. I was very pleased with my ability to control the ball. The mass definitely helped me out when I was at full stretch as it helped the racquet stay stable and allowed some power to still be there."

"Swing away! That was my philosophy when returning serves," said Danny , who enjoyed stepping up to the plate with the Six.One Tour BLX. "Any deuce tee serve to my backhand was crushed ! Overall, I thought the Six.One Tour BLX was great for returning. It was very consistent and solid when taking big cuts at the ball. I loved it!"

Granville exclaimed, "It is easy to return serves with more mass! Wow, I was taking huge swings and ripping shots. More mass equaled less effort, assuming the basics of technique were in place. Whether taking a defensive 'punch volley' style swing on the return or a full swing to take the offensive, this racquet was an effective multipurpose tool."

Overall - Score: 84

As with other heavy racquets -- take the KProStaff 88 as an example -- you have to be able to utilize the mass of the racquet for the best results. With good preparation and technique, our testers found excellent control, power and spin with this racquet. The stability from all areas of the court came to the forefront of performance, with all of our testers singing praise for the plow-through capabilities of the Six.One Tour BLX. If you've tried previous versions of the Tour 90 series, you'll be happy to know Wilson has closely followed the performance characteristics, making switching between models easy. Playing most similar to the previous KFactor version, the Six.One Tour BLX offers a slightly different feel, with everything else being very comparable. Put one at the top of your demo list and feel the difference for yourself.

Chris - "I liked the level of power and control I was finding. As with previous versions, this one was rock solid and offered plenty of plow-through. I absolutely loved playing doubles with this stick. My volleys had so much punch to them."

Spencer "I liked the stability and plow-through power."

Danny "I liked the racquet from the baseline the most. I don't know? I liked a lot of things about this racquet. I think the Basalt is a good addition to the frame and I liked the stable feel."

Granville "I like the updated cosmetic. As always, I like the mass and balance, and if I am on my game, the 90 head size feels like 'buttah'!"

Chris - "I didn't feel as connected to the ball as I did with the KSix-One Tour 90. Out of all the versions of this racquet, the KFactor is still my favorite."

Spencer "The weight of this racquet makes it tough to wield at times."

Danny "The only thing that I would have to knock is the maneuverability."

Granville "I could use just a point or two more head light balance to enhance maneuverability."

Wilson Six.One Tour BLX Scores

(Scores are determined by averaging individual play test scores)

Playtester Profiles

Chris: 5.0 All court player currently using the Volkl Power Bridge 10 Mid. Chris uses a full-western forehand grip, has a fast swing style and hits a one-handed backhand.

Spencer: 4.5 Baseline player currently using a Wilson K-Blade Tour. Spencer uses a semi-western forehand grip, and hits with a one-handed backhand.

Danny: Open baseline player currently using a Volkl Power Bridge 10 Mid. Danny uses a semi-western forehand grip, a two-handed backhand and has a long swing style.

Granville: 5.5 all-court player currently using a Wilson K Factor Six-One 95. Granville is an aggressive player who uses an eastern forehand grip and goes continental on everything else, hits with a flat swing and a one-handed backhand.

Review date: December 2009. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

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