2012 Kirschbaum Playtest - Super Smash Orange 17

TW Staff

Administrator
Attention Talk Tennis Members:

We will be sending out sets of Kirschbaum Super Smash Orange 17 for a playtest.

We have finished taking requests for this playtest. We will not be sending confirmation emails.

Please post your review on or before November 23rd.

If you do not post a review, or if your review is clearly lacking effort, you will be excluded from future playtests.

** No Hybrids **

Note from manufacturer: as with all other Kirschbaum polys, this one has been pre-stretched by the manufacturer.

Include the following in your review:

Tension used for playtest
Regular string set up
Racquet brand and model used for test
Power of test string
Feel
Spin
Comfort
Durability
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
Compare to the string you use most often
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.

Happy hitting!

TW Staff
 
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pvaudio

Legend
TW, can I ask a question? Do these playtests actually influence whether you'll carry the string, or is it just more for exposure? Thanks! :)
 

TW Staff

Administrator
We use both in house testing and testing by Talk Tennis members to determine if a string will be carried at TW. In instances when we only have a couple of sets to test, we will give them to in house testers who are familiar with that genre of string.

In instances when a prototype string is offered up for playtest, the reviews provided by Talk Tennis members are used to help determine if the string is ready for market or if further development is needed.

Chris, TW
 

djNEiGht

Legend
Attention Talk Tennis Members:


Please factor this into your tension strategy: as with all other Kirschbaum strings, this one has been pre-stretched by the manufacturer.

I don't think I've every played with a pre-stretched poly. The only Kirschbaum string I've use was the yellow Spikey Shark and I don't recall that being said to have been pre-stretched.

Do you pre-stretched poly users string up differently from poly's not pre-stretched?

Thanks.
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
I don't think I've every played with a pre-stretched poly. The only Kirschbaum string I've use was the yellow Spikey Shark and I don't recall that being said to have been pre-stretched.

Do you pre-stretched poly users string up differently from poly's not pre-stretched?

Thanks.

i would string up prestretched poly a few #s lower since prestretched poly should have a lot less initial tension loss. by a few i mean 2-4#.
 
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pvaudio

Legend
I don't think I've every played with a pre-stretched poly. The only Kirschbaum string I've use was the yellow Spikey Shark and I don't recall that being said to have been pre-stretched.

Do you pre-stretched poly users string up differently from poly's not pre-stretched?

Thanks.
All Kirschbaum poly strings are prestretched by their words only. I string them exactly the same as all others and haven't found any difference in tension stability.
 

jim e

Legend
String set came in today, but with 45 cents postage due.
Postman fortunately enclosed an envelope to put it in so saves me a trip to post office, as thats more an issue than the change due.Not complaining, just stating that a miscalculation occured.I did not know that the postal service would still deliver without proper postage, as I thought that it would be returned to sender.
 
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D

Deleted member 232704

Guest
Received mine as well. Review shall be coming up sometime next week. Getting rainy down in Centralia.
 

Chace

Hall of Fame
I will pick mine up in a couple of days. I got a notice from the mail man to go to the post office to pick it up and to pay for the shipping and handling.
 

LanEvo

Hall of Fame
I will pick mine up in a couple of days. I got a notice from the mail man to go to the post office to pick it up and to pay for the shipping and handling.

That's rare. I know TW usually pays for the full shipping and handling for Playtest string, that's how they did it in the past for me.
 

rdis10093

Hall of Fame
did you get anything yet pvaudio? I would assume that when you get yours I would get mine. I also hope I dont have to go all the way to lafayette to pick it up and pay for shipping.
 

pvaudio

Legend
^^^I didn't sign up for this one since I'm demoing racquets. And Human Revolution is one of the greatest video games of all time. Seriously, it's up there with Half-Life IMO. Played through it like 4x haha.
 
String set came in today, but with 45 cents postage due.
Postman fortunately enclosed an envelope to put it in so saves me a trip to post office, as thats more an issue than the change due.Not complaining, just stating that a miscalculation occured.I did not know that the postal service would still deliver without proper postage, as I thought that it would be returned to sender.

Same thing here, mail man left a note to leave 45 cents in the mail box. They also send the strings to my old address and not the one in email but I got them at last. Will string up tonight or tomorrow.
 

swfh

Semi-Pro
Strung it up today, at 52 lbs. I didn't know how the prestretch would effect it, so I just strung it up at my normal benchmark tension. Not much stretch in the string when tensioning. Now a major pet peeve. These string companies need to start including more string in the package. A set of 40ft should have 45ft of string in it. For me to reach the tension head comfortably for the last 2 mains, I had to bridge the last 2 crosses. Tying the knot, I was left with a finger nail length of string to cut off. Just a thought.

I should be playing Saturday, but Sandy has launched a couple of trees onto my favorite local courts... I will have to relocate.
 

rofl_copter3

Professional
These string companies need to start including more string in the package. A set of 40ft should have 45ft of string in it. For me to reach the tension head comfortably for the last 2 mains, I had to bridge the last 2 crosses. Tying the knot, I was left with a finger nail length of string to cut off. Just a thought.

Just skip the last two mains and play it as a 16x20 ;)
 
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jason n

Rookie
I also received a note from mail man today stating that i have to pick it up at post office and pay $1.30. I've done like 6 of these playtest and this is the first time i had to pay but its no problem i was just wondering why the difference.
 

PBODY99

Legend
SUPER SMASH ORANGE 1.23mm, A Halloween TREAT

Arrived on Halloween, despite Sandy's impact. I hope everyone impacted recovers soon. The string will be tested on indoor clay and hard courts, unless the weather warms up before the deadline.


Tension used for playtest 48 pounds
Regular string set up sub 1.30 mm poly
Racquet brand and model used for test Prince Speedport Gold 110 strung two piece normal coil memory for a poly no problem with string length
Power of test string: average for a softer feeling poly
Feel: Drop shots were tricky as they all are with full poly for me.
Spin: A bit better than Super Smash yellow, a little less than Beast
Comfort :Fairly comfortable for full poly, but I have no string related injuries that cause many people to bash poly
Durability:, I do not break polys, the will start to slide on me, these strings have 10.5 hours on them as of Nov 10,2012.
Playability Duration: Spin production dropped of some at the 8.5 hour mark. As this was over eight days, I'm happy.After two weeks it lost some snap back, notching was minor just 14 hours total,mostly on clay
Control This string plays a bit better than Honey. It gave me predictable response on serves and ground strokes. As usual for me, the drop shot took some time to get the feel for
Compare to the string you use most often
Tension recommendations; For me the tension will be the same for me when I use this string again.
Summary:I would like this string in a thinner gauge, or perhaps in 1.40mm for the upcoming wider spaced frames. The color struck a positive chord with me
 
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I also received a note from mail man today stating that i have to pick it up at post office and pay $1.30. I've done like 6 of these playtest and this is the first time i had to pay but its no problem i was just wondering why the difference.
Might be USPS's new strategy to create additional revenue :twisted:
 

pvaudio

Legend
Strung it up today, at 52 lbs. I didn't know how the prestretch would effect it, so I just strung it up at my normal benchmark tension. Not much stretch in the string when tensioning. Now a major pet peeve. These string companies need to start including more string in the package. A set of 40ft should have 45ft of string in it. For me to reach the tension head comfortably for the last 2 mains, I had to bridge the last 2 crosses. Tying the knot, I was left with a finger nail length of string to cut off. Just a thought.

I should be playing Saturday, but Sandy has launched a couple of trees onto my favorite local courts... I will have to relocate.
Absolutely true. Companies should seriously adopt the standard 12m instead of 40ft. While many frames are fine, the past few sets of SPPP and SPPPure I've strung have required bridging on different frames. Interestingly, Dunlop seems to give like 12.5m of string because I always have an absurd amount left over. Don't even get me started on Alien who only gives you 38ft.

Before someone says it, yes, I know I can look up and see how many feet the mains and crosses will require for a given racquet.
 

PBODY99

Legend
Let us stay with US Standard units

12M = 39.3701 FT, part of the problem actually. Most of the world uses metric so if they set their machines to 12.20 m you get a shade over 40 ft. I measure twice, cut once whether it is a set or off of a reel.
I had ample string for my 16 x 20 110, with about 3 ft of tails.
 

LanEvo

Hall of Fame
Tension used for playtest: 52 pounds all around.

Regular string set up: Kirschbaum Pro Line X 17g 54/56

Racquet brand and model used for test: 2012 Babolat Pure Drive Roddick Standard

Power of test string: Definitely low powered, wish I had strung it in the low to mid 40's, even after break-in, still very low powered. It really forces me to swing through the ball, and harder than normal to get power into my shots.

Feel: Being one of the stiffer Co-Polys that I have used, the feel was a bit harsh in the beginning, but after a couple hours on it and some of the tension dropped off, the strings became softer. But even then, it feels the best when you are able to hit it on the sweetspot spot-on every time, if you are able to do that, it is one of the best feeling strings I have ever used. But hitting off center tended to be harsh at times, and I could really feel the vibration of the racquet through the stiffness of the strings.

Spin: One of the better co-poly spin strings out there imo, if not the best I have used, it was very easy to generate spin, and very easy to access. I doubted myself at times, it felt like a shaped/textured string as opposed to a regular round one at times because I could really feel the strings bite onto the ball and give it that extra oomph of spin and pace.

Comfort: This was the only thing I could not get used to, it was just a tad stiff for me when I mishit or hit outside of the sweetspot zone. Compared to other co-polys I have tried, including almost all the Kirschbaums, this is one of the stiffest ones I though. Even after break-in and compared to my current favorite Pro Line X setup, it was still definitely stiff.

Durability: Well in general, I would say Kirschbaum co-polys tend to last a good amount of time, 10+ hours for my level of game. And this one does the same, although I found this one to go dead right around the 10-12 hour mark, which is definitely low compared to the others of the brand. From Pro Line X and Pro Line II I always got into the 16 hours range before it went dead. As well, it has started to notch a little bit as well.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): When I first strung it up, it was definitely harsh and felt really stiff all around, it softened up after a couple sessions for a break-in which took around 2-3 hours, from then on it started to get a bit softer and softer as the tension dropped. I still feel the stiffness off off-center hits, but it definitely gets better and time went by, spin generation gets better, and so does control. So this string does definitely require a break-in period, after that, it starts to play better and better as tension drops and the string starts to soften up.

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): Control-wise, maybe it was my technique or I did not get quite adjusted, but I felt like I was just spraying my balls most of the time when I first started using these strings because the ball came off with so much spin and pace when I swung. I could keep the ball in the general area where I wanted it to go, but I found control to not come in until I had broken it in, around the my 3rd time out with it (5th hour or so), from then I could get better control because the tension had dropped off. Even then, I really had to adjust my swing and technique to work well with these strings, I had to stand back a little bit and use a shorter swing on the ball to keep control, spin and pace in check to go where I want.

Compare to the string you use most often: I currently am using the Kirschbaum Pro Line X 17g strings, and I have fallen in love with these. Compared to this string, Pro Line X is definitely softer overall, and provides a much softer feel compared to these strings. This string dominates in the spin category over the X, but in terms of power, they are about the same, low powered where you really have to push the ball.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): Well using a PDR, one of the more powerful racquets out there, I still recommend around 50 lbs. or lower, bc a stiff string and stiff racquet is just aching for problems. I strung it as 52, and even then that was really harsh physically, I did not get any injuries or anything from the playtest. So for tension range, I recommend something around 50 lbs. or probably lower depending on the frame.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.[/B]

Likes: Not sure which category this fits in, but there is definitely one topside to the stiffness of the string. I dominate at net with these strings, all balls comes off crisp and with plenty of control when I was volleying with this. As well on my topspin and slice serves, so much spin and smoothness just jumps out from these strings.

Dislike: I only have one dislike, the strings were a bit too stiff for me, even after break-in and tension drop, it was still too stiff.

Overall, if individual packs of these strings are made and sold, I would give them another try and mess around with tension to find a suitable setting for my game. I really enjoyed these strings though and could see myself getting a bump in my game from these strings.

Thanks TW for letting me in on the PlayTest and I hope to participate again in the future.
 
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mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
Tension used for playtest: 44#s strung on an electronic CP machine
Regular string set up: my regular string setup for this racquet is a full bed of syn gut @ 48# or syn gut/poly @ 48/46
Racquet brand and model used for test: Head PT280
Power of test string: low so i'm glad i strung it at 44#s. at 44#s, i was able to get the right amount of pop from the string bed. had i tried it at 46-50#s, i'm sure i would've been complaining about lack of power.
Feel: this string is all about control. directional and depth control were just super easy w/ this setup. you want to drive it deep? no problem. just swing freely and it lands a foot or 2 inside the baseline. you get a short ball and want to step in and hit a sharp angle? no problem, dial up a little more spin and the ball obliges. it offers good feel for a stiffer crisp poly. doesn't pocket the ball great. dwell time doesn't feel as long as with Discho Iontec.
Spin: compared to most other round polys, the spin is really great. topspin wise, it's not as good as the best TS string Tour Bite, but slices are awesome! slices stay low to the ground and have good bite and break to them.
Comfort: Average for a poly. This is a stiff string so the comfort is below avg compared to some of the softer polys. Not too bad, but comfort is not the stand out trait of this string.
Durability: i have hit for 4.5 hours with this string so far and no issues w/ durability. the string has lost most of its elasticity and its performance, but it's still playable. there are some signs of notching in the mains, but nothing too serious. given that the PT280 has a tight 18x20 pattern, the string died first just as i expected.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): This string plays great straight off the stringing machine. after about 60 mins of hard hitting, i could feel a bit of tension loss. control was still very good. the playability remains pretty consistent through 3.5 hours. i can feel the string bed losing tension and the strings start to stiffen up a bit at this point, but the control is excellent still - nothing that can't be adjusted for. i felt a little loss of comfort, but again, nothing too extreme. after the 3rd hitting session by 4-4.5 hours the string bed is starting to deaden. there's significantly less pop and less spin. good feel still but balls are starting to land long. i switched to another stick which was freshly strung at the same time as i strung up the PT280 with only a few minutes of play time on it and the control, spin, and pop was back confirming that the Super Smash Orange had indeed lost most of its elasticity.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): Great control. the ball went where i was aiming it. it was easy to hit a variety of shots. slice, topspin, flatten out the shot, sharp angles on both forehand and backhand sides. just so easy. on quick reflex volleys where the ball trampolines off the string bed and lands long with softer, more elastic strings, Super Smash was great. no trampolining. just great control.
Compare to the string you use most often: better control and spin, but less comfort.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): 44# was pretty spot on although due to the stiffness of the string, i would experiment stringing a 1-2#s lower next time to see if I can maintain close to the same amount of control w/ more comfort.
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes. This is a great string! I really enjoy hitting with it! Primary likes: CONTROL, CONTROL, and MORE CONTROL. I hope it's offered in a reel for ~$100-110. i'd definitely pick up a reel and experiment w/ some hybrids to increase the comfort and also to increase string life. Dislikes: other than comfort and short lifespan, none really. the comfort wasn't a huge issue as the lower tension allowed the string bed to play relatively comfortable.

Thanks, TW and Kirschbaum!
 
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db10s

Hall of Fame
Tension used for playtest: 44#s strung on an electronic CP machine
Regular string set up:
Racquet brand and model used for test: Head PT280
Power of test string: low
Feel: this string is all about control. directional and depth control were just super easy w/ this setup.
Spin: compared to most other round polys, the spin is really great. topspin wise, it's not as good as TB, but slices are awesome!
Comfort: This is a stiff string so the comfort is below avg compared to some of the softer polys. Not too bad, but definitely not as comfortable as the softer polys.
Durability:
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time):
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?):
Compare to the string you use most often:
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?):
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.

Ooooh... I think I'll like this. Considering my recently edited sig which includes a Kirschbaum preferred player deal... And how I LOVE the control of Black Widow 17. Can't wait.
 

swfh

Semi-Pro
Hit with it yesterday in 50 degree weather. I'll have to go indoors with it once I get power back. So far, stiffer than me strings in my sig, but not too stiff. Excellent touch and feel. Not the best for topspin, but I'll have another go just to be sure.

It is a really bright orange. Makes my iontec look dull.
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
Hit with it yesterday in 50 degree weather. I'll have to go indoors with it once I get power back. So far, stiffer than me strings in my sig, but not too stiff. Excellent touch and feel. Not the best for topspin, but I'll have another go just to be sure.

It is a really bright orange. Makes my iontec look dull.

it's stiffer than the iontec offerings for sure, but i didn't find the comfort to be too bad.
 
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ten11

Semi-Pro
String test feedback.

Tension used for playtest: 57/53 on Neos 1000 lockout
Regular string set up: mamba iontec 17g 52lbs /mcs 17g 54lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test: head pro tour 280
Power of test string: about right. This string plays very well on my pt280. Enough power to hit deep with control. It is not a powerful string but definitely not low powered.
Feel: good. I like the feel part. I really can feel my forehand volley and ground stroke. I can hit very controllable shot with the string.
Spin: fine, I hit mostly flat during play test. But for my BH and some of my FH hit with topspin, I can see the ball has decent spin coming from the shot. I will rate it decent in spin production.
Comfort: very good. Best part of this string. Enjoyed very much in a dense pattern racket strung in mid 50lbs.
Durability: good.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): Today I hit 7th hours with the string. I have not feel much difference with the string yet. The power, control and feel still plays very same as the fresh job.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): definitely had good time hitting with this string. when I hit FH through the ball, I can feel the ball and see the ball go deep with some pace. On my BH, the lift up definitely see the ball come up with spin. Volley also feel very good. very crisp and good control. I have pretty good power come off the serve.
Compare to the string you use most often: It definitely plays better than mamba iontec/mcs hybrid job. I always feel something is missing from that hybrid job but there is nothing I really don't like about this kirschbaum orange. For $89 a reel, this will be one of my favorite strings.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) 57 main/53 cross plays really well in 18x20 98 sq in. pt 280. pt280 is a flex racket so I actually feel the bed is not stiff at all. I might move up 1-2 lbs if I do it again.
Summary: The things I like is the overall performance. I don't have anything I do not like about this string. In particular, the comfort and feel is outstanding.
 
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ten11

Semi-Pro
Regular string set up: my regular string setup for this racquet is a full bed of syn gut @ 48# or syn gut/poly @ 48/46
Racquet brand and model used for test: Head PT280
I use pt280 too. Wondering what syn or syn gut/poly do you use? no mamba on this?
 

AC Tennis

Rookie
Just strung mine up. I also found that the string is short. I had to bridge my mains to finish the last string on both sides. I just cut my string in half as I usually do, so if you do the same, keep in mind that you may run short.

Also, it did string tighter than normal so in my opinion, the "pre-stretched" Kirschbaum did have a noticeable difference in tension. I would drop it 3-4 lbs to compensate.

Full review to come after playing more.
 
Tension used for playtest: 53 lbs. on my Neos 1000
Regular string set up: Tour Bite 16L and Pro Stacked 16 53/56 lbs.
Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Aero Storm GT
Power of test string: I strung this at the normal tension for my poly strings in a hybrid set up. Compared to my normal set up, this had less power, but that's mainly attributed to the fact that it's a fully poly set up. This isn't necessarily a really powerful string, but isn't underpowered either. I felt that it was slightly less powerful than a normal poly.
Feel: I thought that this string had a decent amount of feel. Stringing it at a lower tension definitely added feel. I didn't have any arm discomfort afterward which was a plus.
Spin: I have a pretty long swing, with a full western grip. I didn't have any trouble generating a good amount of topspin with this test string. It had substantially less string than the Tour Bite that I'm used to, but that makes sense because it isn't shaped. I found an average amount of spin coming off of my backhand when I wanted to hit spin.
Comfort: I was satisfied with this. Normally a fully poly set up would leave my elbow sore afterwards, but I have no discomfort so far. The thinner gauge and the low tension helped with this.
Durability: I replace strings every 2 or 3 weeks, so I usually don't break. I"d rate the durability as good.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): I think that the pre-stretching (I've heard Kirschbaum prestretches) helped with the playability. I played with the strings for about 10 hours and I only felt a slight decrease in playability around the last 2 hours of play. Control dropped a little bit and the ball popped off of the string a little bit less.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): I found a good amount of control on nearly all of my shots. Particularly my backhand and serve were both shots that I had a really good amount of control on.
Compare to the string you use most often: Not as much spin as my usual set up of Tour Bite and Pro Stacked. It played softer than a full set of tour bite would for sure. I found slightly better control with this string, my placement seemed to be better with this string.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I would recommend a low 50's tension if you are using it in a full set. It's a slightly underpowered string so the lower tension should compensate and provide a good amount of power.
Summary: The comfort of the string is a great selling point. The thin gauge and the comfort of the string make this a good option for people with arm problems that want to try poly. I also am a big fan of the orange color, pretty unique. My biggest complaint was that I didn't think that the string gripped the ball enough, I'm used to using a shaped string so this string had a lot less bite.

Thanks again TW for involving me in this string playtest. I look forward to helping with the next one!
 

FloridaAG

Hall of Fame
Received although by email I thought I was not getting these as I realized they are a stiff Poly and I prefer softer polys. Am going to string at extra low tension and see how that works. Will not have review up for 2 weeks or so.
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
I use pt280 too. Wondering what syn or syn gut/poly do you use? no mamba on this?

Gosen 16g mains/gosen 17g crosses. the PT280 w/ its tight 18x20 pattern offers plenty of control so i don't feel i need the added spin and control of poly in this stick. plus the PT280 is rather low powered so the extra pop of syn gut is nice. since the PT280 plays really well w/ the Kirschbaum, i'll give Iontec salmon 17g a try after the playtest.
 

db10s

Hall of Fame
Tension used for playtest 56 lbs.
Regular string set up Dunlop Black Widow 17, 56lbs.
Racquet brand and model used for test Dunlop Biomimetic Max 200G
Power of test string To me it felt a little too powerful, which made some of my balls that would normally land in a little bit deep. On some shots it also seemed like I couldn't get the ball deep enough and it would land inside of the service line.
Feel Nothing special here, average. Not crisp but not mushy either.
Spin Not as good as other smooth polys, but better than syn gut.... Felt like it was on the low side.
Comfort Best attribute of this string in my opinion, nice and soft for a poly.
Durability About average for a poly in 17 Gauge. Lasted about 7.5 hours
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) Very slight tension loss, not really noticeable, also a strong point for this string in my opinion. Not sure if this had to do with the factory prestretch.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) This is where I didn't think it was rewarding. It seemed like on some shots I could get it where I want it, but on other shots it seemed to spray the balls a little bit.
Compare to the string you use most often Not as much spin. Almost as comfortable. A bit more power. A bit less control.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I would try this at around 39 lbs. Not sure why, just seems like this is a string that would play better at low tension.
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes. I liked the comfort and tension maintenance, while I felt like it lacked the control I'm used to.

Thanks Guys! :)
 
D

Deleted member 232704

Guest
I have been testing the string this week so there should be a review coming next week.
 

nalvarado

Semi-Pro
Received today after having my father send them from my house to my dorm. Hopefully this is not an issue in the future. I will post my review ASAP.
 

djNEiGht

Legend
I'll be stringing up Sunday after mixed doubles tourney. Then I'll get a week to get used to the string (i'm sure I just need a game or two) and play with the 2nd 1/2 of the tourney if we advance.

Currently have beast xp 17g at 48 in my racquets
 
Tension used for playtest: 49

Regular string set up: Solinco Barb Wire or Tour Bite

Racquet brand and model used for test: Dunlop Bio Max200G

Power of test string: Fairly low powered in my opinion. Felt a bit more powerful than the Luxilon 4G I playtested recently but not nearly as much as say Tour Bite or Revolution. I felt like I needed to take big cuts at the ball to keep it deep.

Feel: Average feel for a full set of poly. Not as soft feeling as something like MSV Co-Focus or Focus Hex. I found volleying to be average. I wasn't quite able to drop the ball or angle it as much as I seem to be able to with Tour Bite or BW.

Spin: Average for a round, smooth poly. Spin felt about the same as Lux 4G. There wasn't nearly as much as I am used to as I play with shaped polys most of the time. There were shots where I felt more bite was needed and that the ball sailed a bit. Today I hit this and Barb Wire in the same session. Several balls with the Orange were just deep where as the shots with BW seemed to be dipping in more.

Comfort: Fairly comfortable for me. I found it more comfortable than 4G. I think the little bit of extra power didn't wear out my arm as much as the 4G did. I wouldn't string it any higher than I did as I suspect that would lead to some fatigue.

Durability: This seems to be a strength for this string. I am 9 hrs in with no real notching. I have been tracking the tension with Racquettune and tension maintenance is another strong point. It lost 5 lbs. after the initial 1.5 hrs of hitting but has only lost about 1.8 additional lbs in tension over the next 7.5 hrs of hitting. It is holding pretty steady at very small amounts of decline after each session.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): Now playability is a different story for me than the tension maintenance. Today the balls were sailing on me more than they did in previous sessions. I was still swinging out on the ball but now they were starting to sail out whereas in previous sessions I had to swing big to get the ball deep. The tension loss has not been huge but it has definitely lost playability after 9 hrs.

Control: String was easy to control up until the last 1.5 hrs of hitting today. It is starting to lose control now after 9 hrs. Prior to today, I had no issues controlling groundstrokes volleys or serves. I would have liked additional spin to get drop shots to bite a bit more and for giving that extra bit of kick on serves. Overall the control was solid for the length of time I expected the string to be playable (7-10 hrs).

Compare to the string you use most often: SS Orange wouldn't convince me to switch from Tour Bite or Barb Wire. I like the free power and spin from those strings too much to switch. While the Orange had good control and solid tension maintenance, I have been getting the same from Barb Wire recently along with the bonus of extra pop and the ability to generate larger amounts of spin.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would say something in the low 50's if not in the 40's is where you want to be with this string. Anything higher and I think I would have had more fatigue and soreness just as a result of the low power.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes: I liked the control and the tension maintenance of this string. I think I could compensate for the loss in playability that creeps in if I was on a budget and didn't want to cut it out after 7-9 hrs. I didn't like the low power of the string and I much prefer the access to spin that you get from shaped poly as opposed to this string's round, smooth profile.

Overall, I don't see myself making a switch. It just doesn't have the access to spin and extra pop I prefer in polyester string. Now if you are someone who likes something like Lux 4G, this would be a string to look at. To me, they play pretty similar but the SS Orange comes in at a bargain price and has just as good if not superior tension maintenance compared to 4G.

Thanks again Tennis Warehouse for the opportunity!
 

db10s

Hall of Fame
Spin: Average for a round, smooth poly. Spin felt about the same as Lux 4G. There wasn't nearly as much as I am used to as I play with shaped polys most of the time. There were shots where I felt more bite was needed and that the ball sailed a bit. Today I hit this and Barb Wire in the same session. Several balls with the Orange were just deep where as the shots with BW seemed to be dipping in more.

I agree 100% with this.
 
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