2012 Kirschbaum Playtest - Super Smash Orange 17

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
well, the string lasted me about 4.5 hrs. definitely lost its elasticity as the spin was reduced and the ball started going long on me tonight.
 

tyu1314

Semi-Pro
Tension used for playtest:52lb
Regular string set up: tourna big hitter blue rough: 16G 52lb
Racquet brand and model used for test blx six one 95 16x18
Power of test string It feels average for a poly, but i can generate power myself,so i kinda like it because its not too powerful.
Feel: It have a decent feel for a poly, i can feel the ball better than others polys i tried, it might be because i always use 16gauge, so 17just feels much better.
Spin Pretty nice spin for a round poly, of course if people want a string for spin, they should go for the shaped or textured poly, Luxilon alu rough or BHBR can produce much more spin.
Comfort I do not have any discomfort playing with this string. 17gauge really make a poly less stiffer and more armfriendly.
Durability It last me about 2weeks , pretty normal for a poly.
Playability Duration It plays really nice in the first two three hours, feels ok after five six hour, feels like its time to cut it after 12,13 hours:twisted:
Control Decent control, allow me to take a big swing at the ball and keep it in.
Compare to the string you use most often compare to my bhbr 16g, it has less spin, about the same power, better feel, and a bit less control.
Tension recommendations I might go up for 2-3lbs because i am too used to playing with 16g poly.
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.
I never use orange color string before,so the color of the string make me want to use it and give my racquet a fresh look.
Really notthing special about this string, for this price there are plenty of good string available at TW .
 

martyr444

Rookie
Tension used for playtest-60lbs

Regular string set up-Genesis Razor Mains 16G, Solinco TB Mains 17G and Ashaway Kevlar 18G Mains-Crosses on all 3 WC Silver at 60lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test-Donnay X-White

Power of test string-First hits in cold mornings (40 degrees) low power, power picked up each time with sun bringing temps to 60 degrees.

Feel-Once it heated up feel was good for a poly (I'm more of a power player verses a feel and touch shot player)

Spin-Not as heavy as normal but still brought enough for control

Comfort-Comfort level was good especially once temps got higher

Durability-Got one week’s worth of use averaging 2 hours daily before it snapped

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)-As I got to the middle of the week I could feel the tension loss, but was still controllable.

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)-Lower trajectory compared to my usual setups, so this was good for flat shots and slices. Towards the end of the week I started to lose some confidence on predictability.

Compare to the string you use most often-This was better for flat shots but not as good for spin.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)-If I were to use this string this time of the year, I would drop my tension down to 55lbs to offset the cold weather and even lower if it's damp outside.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.-I liked it for flat hitting and not as much for my spin. Some reason I loss some of the control I usually have on my flat server, something I could have gotten use to with time.

Thanks for the test TW!
 
Tension used for playtest: 54lb main, 52lb crosses.

Regular string set up: Kirschbaum ProLine II at 54 lb. Also use Luxilon M2Pro

Racquet brand and model used for test: Head Microgel Extreme MP

Power of test string: About the same as Pro Line II. Good power for a poly.

Feel: Not bad for a poly. Good feel at the net as well.

Spin: Good spin provided good technique is used. Much better than the Gamma test string. About equivalent to P II and Lux M2Pro

Comfort: Excellent. I used to have TE and shoulder problems. None with this string.

Durability: I am not a string breaker but it is equivalent to ProLine II. Good durability

Playability Duration: Very good. Have used for 6 hours and there doesn't appear to be any significant drop off.

Control: Excellent as per most poly strings. I can swing out without fear.

Compare to the string you use most often: I use Kirschbaum ProLine II. This string is very similar. Similar feel, great control. Good feel.

Tension recommendations I would recommend less than 55 lb on a 100 sq inch racket.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.

Likes: Control, power, and feel (in that order).
Dislikes: None really.

I definitely would buy this string to use if it was cheaper than Pro Line II
Thanks for TW for allowing me to participate in this string test!



Update: Played some doubles over the weekend with it. Still great playability. I now think that I should have strung maybe a pound or two looser(around 50). Still everything I said above is true.
 
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D

Deleted member 232704

Guest
Finally got it strung up. Sorry it took a while.
Tension used for playtest : 55 lb

Regular string set up : Babolat Revenge 17g

Racquet brand and model used for test : Babolat Pure Drive Team

Power of test string : Somewhat similar power level compared to my Babolat Revenge strings. Not too low power, not too much. Just right, but still, I wouldn't switch to this string based on this factor alone.

Feel : Feel felt solid and not too bad. But with all the strings i've previously used, this would probably be a pretty average one i would just pass on using.

Spin : I was getting a little bit more, but its hard to tell because i use an eastern grip. I'm occasionally hitting flat but I've tried my best to figure this section out since my main racquet was still strung with revenge it was easier to compare.

Comfort : Nice pop on the ball, felt nice. My arm must have loved this string :D. This would have made me switch but the other categories just don't fit with me. Felt better than my Revenge.

Durability : Lasted me about 2 days, 3 hour hitting sessions per day. Kept at room temp. while not playing. Temp. outside was about 50'ish degrees.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) : Lost a significant amount of tension after being left for a while. Still wasn't too bad. Played just fine the day after but had to adjust a bit.

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) : This was very easy for me to judge. I have somewhat big strokes and still played like federer as always! ( joking here... I played normally. [ I've been working on control over the fall ] )
Compare to the string you use most often : Similar power, feel was different. Revenge felt a lot more stiff. Spin potential was slightly the same compared to Revenge. Power similar.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) : maybe 53, since i've seen the power was just fine i felt like i wanted MORE OF DAT POWER. Control wouldn't effect me much, but hey, i can always adjust.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.
Like : The feel. Dat feel... I like it. Crisp and solid for me. Something i would like in my freaking revenge. That i get twang sounds from.

Dislike : Spin. I wish this had more potential for this category.
OVERALL, not a bad string, I would definitely recommend it to a couple of my friends in search for some strings.

Thanks TW for giving me the opportunity to test!
 

trek5000

New User
Tension used for playtest: 52 lbs
Regular string set up: Kirschbaum pro line 2 at 52 lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Aeropro Drive
Power of test string: Good power. A little more dead than the pro line 2.
Feel: Good feel and good ball pocketing which is what I look for.
Spin: Good spin potential. About average for full poly.
Comfort: Less comfortable than pro line 2. On a softness scale for poly I would give it a 7 (relative to pro line 2 at 9).
Durability: I need more time playing with it for better assessment but after an hr on a ball machine tension was still good.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): Playability was consistent over the 1 hr I hit with them on a ball machine.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): Control was great on this mostly because of the reduce power vs. pro line 2.
Compare to the string you use most often: Overall, I'd prefer pro line 2 because it's softer and has a little more pop.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): Instead of stringing at 52 lbs I'd go lower to maybe 50 lbs.
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes. Likes: control, feel. Dislikes: soft but not as soft as I'd like, feels a little dead.
 

gtshark1

Rookie
Review

Tension used for playtest- 59# I'm one of those odd people that likes poly at the higher tensions
Regular string set up- Beast XP hybrid with GOGSM
Racquet brand and model used for test- Prince Ozone Tour
Power of test string- Mid power with this one. One of the better factors of the string for me. Felt like it wasnt dead but it also had some pace when I hit my regular ground strokes. I didnt care for the power on the serve, but again ground stroke power was in the middle which is what I like.
Feel- Unfortunatly my biggest complaint about this string was the feel. I didnt like it on any stroke from serve, ground, volley. It just never felt sweet hitting in any spot.
Spin- Like power, this was a positive for me. It didnt add extra spin but I was happy with what I got out of my efforts to produce spin and the regular spon rate of my normal strokes. Many polys I have tried have dissapointed me lately and I was very happy with this string in this area.
Comfort- Nothing to report here as far as negative or plus. Pretty average but not getting a good feel led me to be a little uncortable playing with the string if I was playing a high stakes match. Mentally, the lack of feel might bother me.
Durability- I'm not a big string breaker so I have no problems with durrability. This string was the same as others for me.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)- Tension drop was not significant and the racquet felt fine after a few hours of play. I still have the string in my racquet and its fine.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)- Another positive here. I felt depth was easily controlled and actually helped me. The trajectory was great with the ease of spin. Flattening out shots was no problem and heavy top was just as good.
Compare to the string you use most often I found it similair to Beast but the feel wasnt as good. Spin, power, etc was extremely near my experiences with Beast.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I might drop it down a few #'s to see if the feel improves. I have tried that with other polys in the past and just dont like the lower tensions but again, I liked the power and spin so I would give it another try to see if feel improves.
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.- Very happy with the spin opertunities. That has been a big factor in my search for the perfect string. I know the thought of the player producing spin but I also like a string that is helpful. This string fits the bill. Dislike would be the feel. Maybe another go round at a slightly lower tension.
 

USArmyTennis

New User
Tension used for playtest-38lbs
Regular string set up-Prince Beast XP 16g 38lb
Racquet brand and model used for test-Head MG Extreme Pro
Power of test string-Power was good out of this 17g string. More then my beast strings, but it still felt controllable. Depth was easy to find after I adjusted to the strings, I had to be a little careful not to really lay into a ball or it would want to sail on me.
Feel-This string started off with great feel, as I expected from dropping gauges, but the feel went away fast for me. 1 hour into hitting I didn't get that nice response anymore and it felt dull again. The same goes for good pocketing of the ball, it did well early, but I wore that out quickly.
Spin-Just average for spin. Nothing special at all. Once the feel started dropping I noticed some spin loss as well. I realyl didn't get a lot of good spin twisting my 2nd serve or power slicing my first serve.
Comfort-Very comfortable for a full poly string. I have had a recent wrist injury and this string did not irritate my wrist much. I'm still laying back on my serve but I feel it will remain comfortable even with my big serve going.
Durability-1 hour of play and showing visible notching. I'm not the greatest at hitting the exact same spot on my racquet, but the notching was evidient after one trip out, I'd guess 10-20% depending on where I checked. Once this string started to notch I felt a lot of the characteristics of this string fade.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) It went from a good string to an avereage string for me within an hour of play. Everything from power to spin to feel all fell once the string started notching. After 40 minutes my main strings were no longer snapping back into place
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) Good control out of this string. I was really able to cut some corners and play sharp angles and keep them at the line, even with a 3/4 swing at the service line.
Compare to the string you use most often- Less durable and more powered then the Beast XP 16. Comfort was just as good but this isn't a string for me. Just not enough playability time unless I felt like stringing all the time.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I'd take this string up on tension, maybe around 45 to get a bit more control and less power. I wanted to use my normal tension for this just to have an accurate comparison.
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes. Playability and durability aren't going to pan out for me. Maybe for someone less of a ball basher it would work well for, just not me.
 

tennisinoc

Semi-Pro
Tension used for play test : 48lbs
Current string set up: Tour Bite 18 @ 50lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test: Pro Kennex Ki5
String opinion upon initial view and stringing experience (Drop Weight):
The string seems thicker than other 17g poly strings I have strung and played with. I would say it feels and looks more like a 16L g. I don't know if it’s the color or what that makes it look and feel thicker than 17g, but it does to me. (I need to get a calibrator?)
String it up was very easy. Not much coil memory, which makes it easy to handle and alleviate kinking. The string has a bit of elasticity and give making it easy to weave crosses.
Hard weaves were easier to do due to this.
Power of test string: This is one of the LOWEST Powered poly strings that I have hit with in a while.
Correction: I would say IT IS the Lowest Powered poly string that I have hit with.
Even strung at 48lbs. I cannot generate as much power as other poly strings I have been testing. I can swing wildly out of my pants and I still cannot not get enough depth and power out of it. I feel that I have to over swing just to get somewhat close to the type of ball I usually hit.
Feel: It is under average feel for me. Very boardy and dull on impact. Touch shots are hard for me to determine due to the lack of feel and dullness. Volleys felt the same way. Not crisp upon impact.
Spin: Average spin for a typical round poly. Nothing noticeable in increase of spin from these strings. Compared to Tour Bite, Tour Bite beats it hands down in the spin department. There isn't the same grab feeling like you get with Tour Bite.
Comfort: Boardy and dull feel I don't like, so I don't find it comfortable for those reasons.
Durability: Some notching but they most likely will not break before I cut them out. So durability seems to be on par with most poly strings. (I usually cut out poly strings first as they go dead vs. break them in play)
Playability Duration: I was hoping the strings would soften up a bit more and give me more feel, power, and feedback. But they have been feeling the same since the first stroke, boardy and dull.
I guess playability could be good if someone likes this type of feeling string because it doesn't change its characteristics much. I have played with strings that feel crisp for the first 2 hours and then go dead afterwards. Or vice versa: play stiff the first 2 hours then break into a crisp feeling string. These strings seem to play more consistent. Tension maintenance is good and perhaps contributes to its consistent playability. I have only measured an 8% tension drop so far. So it seems the pre-stretch of the string works in this department.
Control: This string would definitely benefit a control player better vs. power player style of play due to the lack of power. I would say it's a better fit for the counter puncher, grinder, pusher type of player. None of those are my style though.
Comparison to Tour Bite and other textured strings I have been playing with: Textured poly strings vs. round poly strings fits my preference better due to the fact that I like the feeling of the strings grabbing the ball then throwing it back. Round poly strings don't have that feeling to me for some reason. And this string in particular had even less feel than other round poly strings I have tried. I would like to have tried it in hybrid cross string with Gut mains though. I can see this string working better for me in this kind of string set up.
(TW if you send another set of these, I would happily like to try this play test out and give feedback used in a hybrid ;) )
Tension recommendations: For me, I think possibly stringing it lower around 44 lbs might have given me more depth and power I was seeking.
Summary: Only Like: Tension maintenance is above average than other poly's possibly due to the pre-stretch. Dislikes: Low powered, not enough bite and spin, dull & boardy feel.
Thank you for the opportunity to test this string.
But Sorry Kirschbaum, I wasn't a fan of this string.
 
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jim e

Legend
Tension used for playtest 48 lbs.
Regular string set up Wilson Nat. gut full set 64lbs.
Racquet brand and model used for testHead Radical OS Agassi Ltd.
Power of test stringPower was about medium for a poly, but combined with the control was a decent balance. 3/5
Feel Was not dead or harsh, but more between crisp and soft.I would have preferred a little more lively of a feel. 3/5
SpinI am more of traditional old style flat ball hitter, but spin was there when needed, and did last for the duration of the strings life, even though it did break rather fast.4/5
Comfort For a poly it was very easy on the arm. 4/5
Durability
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) Well, the string broke on a shanked serve on the 5 hour mark (2 hours of doubles, and 3 hours of singles). really did not seem to change during this period so...
tension stability seemed great for the duration the string lasted, but only lasted for 5 hours before it broke, tension stability 4/5, durability 2/5
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) This is a great control string. I really liked this feature of the string.Baseline shots had good predictability, as well as serves.4/5
Compare to string used most often Compared to Nat. gut the control was wayup there, this had good control, and I would think this should be rated as a control string, but as comfort is good for a poly as it is easy on arm, it is not in same category as nat. gut. and as to power, and feel compared to nat. gut it is really no comparison as nat gut has it beat. Not sure if it is fair to compare this string to nat. gut, but that is what is asked for here.The control is about the only thing this string may have on nat. gut, but no comparison to other features.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) For the control and feel I would keep the same at 48 lbs.
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.
Dislikes, short durability, as shanked serve snapped it at 5 hour mark.I have hit shanks at times with nat. gut and the nat gut still lasted longer.I liked the control, but would still prefer nat. gut due to its super feel, comfort, and power, especially for my more flat style of play.
Thank you for playtest.
 
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seekay

Semi-Pro
Tension used for playtest: 45 lb
Regular string set up: Tourna Big Hitter Black 7 17 @ 45lb
Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Pure Storm Tour GT
Power of test string: Pretty much right where I like it. It had above average power for a poly, but still in the range where it was easy to control. So it gave me plenty of ability to hit hard while maintinain some confidence that the ball would go in.
Feel: I found it a little on the dead side, though it didn't hinder my ability to hit touch shots.
Spin: Pretty good, even compared with other 17g polys. For whatever reason, this string gave my slice some extra bite.
Comfort: Excellent. The sweet spot felt plush even on big swings.
Durability: Not quite as good as I'm used to, but it's a fair trade off for the things the string does well.
Playability Duration: The string seemed to lose tension more slowly than I expect from a poly. Whether that's the material or the factory pre-stretch, I can't say. But playability stayed pretty consistent throughout the test.
Control: As I'd expect with above average power, control was a little below average, but the string allowed me to make up for that with spin.
Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to BHB7, Super Smash Orange is less explosive but more comfortable.
Tension recommendations: 45lb felt right to me. I'd string it right there again.
Summary: The only other Kirschbaum string I've hit with is Pro Line II, and Super Smash seems to share its strengths. It's controllably soft and powerful and hitting with it is a lot of fun. I'm tempted to buy another set to try in a hybrid, so I guess the playtest worked!

Thanks to Kirschbaum and Tennis Warehouse for the playtest.
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
jim e, based on your review and my experience, this string sounds like it might be perfect in a hybrid. gut mains crossed with super smash orange. :)
 

Hao2Pro

New User
Tension used for playtest : 55
Regular string set up : Topspin Cyber Blues, Luxilon Black Savage
Racquet brand and model used for test : 2009 Pure Drive Roddick Plus
Power of test string : Right on the spot. Not too much, or too little. It had around the same amount as other polys, and when combined with the control, it made a pretty good blend.
Feel : It felt crisp. I would've liked a more lively feel to it though.
Spin : The spin was there. It had just enough, althought I'm a pretty flat hitter.
Comfort : Was pretty comfortable. It started hurting after playing 4 matches in a tournament, but that was expected.
Durability : The durability was pretty under average. It popped right around 6 hours.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) : Stayed pretty consistent till it popped. Didn't notice any change in anything really.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) Control was pretty average.
Compare to the string you use most often : Compareable to my other strings. I actually sort of like it more. Might switch if the price was lowered. I got my cyber blues for 5$ in a reel.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I'd actually stay the same. Got a perfect blend of everything.
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes. : I liked the perfect blend of everything on it. I hated the durability.
 

jim e

Legend
jim e, based on your review and my experience, this string sounds like it might be perfect in a hybrid. gut mains crossed with super smash orange. :)

You are probably correct. It's ashame they don't send a set and 1/2 to use on playtesting, one full set, and another 1/2 set hybrid with usual set up. That could prove to be a selling point of a string.
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
You are probably correct. It's ashame they don't send a set and 1/2 to use on playtesting, one full set, and another 1/2 set hybrid with usual set up. That could prove to be a selling point of a string.

yeah, i agree. after playing w/ a full bed of it, i really want to try it out in a hybrid now. fortunately, it's reasonably priced so i'll probably go ahead and order a reel to play around w/ different hybrid set ups. even if it doesn't work out in hybrids, it works well enough in a full bed that i'd be able to use it up.
 

swfh

Semi-Pro
Kirschbaum Super Smash Orange Review

Tension: 52lbs, my usual test tension for polys

Regular string set up: Discho Iontec Hexa 1.25 @ 46 lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test: Dunlop Aerogel 4d 300 Tour with leather grip + over grip and 27 grams of lead

Power of test string: Compared to other polys at 52, it was a bit lower powered. Probably because of the pre stretch, which i ignored because I didn't know how to consider the effect of it. It was probably the equivalent of 54-56 lbs. It certainly was not powerful, and at no stage did it become a cannon. I'll harp on that later..

Feel: This is its shining attribute. Excellent pocketing, and touch at net. It is tough to describe. Muted but crisp. Stiff yet soft. I don't know how to explain it. On groundstrokes, I felt like I know exactly where the ball was going to go depth wise. Drop shots were also hit to a great success. Nonetheless, feel was something that stayed with me throughout the playtest.

Spin: Being a round string, I knew not to expect much in terms of spin. However, I didn't really notice a lack of spin. I never once hit a ball long and said that it was because I didn't have enough spin. I felt I got less spin than an Isospeed baseline, and less of a penetrating bounce, but because I had the excellent feel, I never once needed the extra spin.

Comfort: I have never had any wrist/elbow/shoulder problems, and it stayed that way throughout the playtest. It did feel a bit stiff the first time I played with it, but it softened up for my second outing.

Durability: It is tough for me to comment on durability, because I rarely break strings in my 18 x 20 dunlop. However, I did not notice notching, so it should be fine for anyone.

Playability Duration: Kirschbaum really hit the nail on the head with this string. It played the same from the first hit to the last. Tension maintenance was also excellent. According to racquettune, right off the stringer it was 48 lbs. After a week in the bag and a hitting session, 44lbs. It astonishes me how it only lost 4 lbs. The prestretch definitely helped.

Control: This is why I loved this string. Perfect in this category. I felt that I could do whatever I wanted with the ball. Trajectory wise, the flight path was quite flat. I didn't get much of a grabby feeling with the ball, so I ended up swinging through the ball more, creating a flat trajectory. Nothing wrong with that; I think it in fact helped my game a bit.

Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to Iontec Hexa, it was worse. But not by much. WIth iontec, I get more feel, and the ability to change the trajectory of the ball. Not only can I hit flat with it, I can hit with a loopy spin. With the KSSO, I got a little less of everything, except tension maintenance. Compared to another round string, isospeed baseline spin, I got a little bit more in every category, especially tension maintenance. I think that with synthetic gut crosses, we could have something special.

Tension recommendations: After seeing how the prestretch effected the set up, I would string it a bit lower, maybe 48 or 50 lbs. Stringing it lower might open up some new doors, but at the very least it will help with the low power.

Summary: Hmmm. This is a string mainly for someone who doesn't want any help. You'll have to swing through, and you will find yourself up at net taking advantage of the exceptional feel. I do know that it is a round poly, but I would have liked a bit more ability to grab the ball. I felt that changing direction wasn't the best due to the lack of grab.

Looking at the reel price, this is certainly a contender for my next reel. I do think that there are better string for less $.
Also, the orange is a bit too fluorescent. :)
 

dangitaaa

New User
Tension used for playtest: 48 lbs
Regular string set up: Volk Cyclone M & Prince SG X @ 48/55
Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat PS Tour

Power of test string: Low-Medium power, takes more effort to drive the ball on ground stoke. 4.5/10

Feel: It was crisp and somewhat soft. At slightly off center contact there are some unusual vibrations on the string bed. 6/10

Spin: Average. The combination of low power and spin give this set-up an above average conrol. 5.5/10

Comfort: Good, even when played for long hours. 8/10

Durability: Good, string snap-back in place after 7hrs of play. 7.5/10

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): Very good. The string feels stay consistent for 9 hrs of play and slow gradual drop-off thereafter. 9/10

Tension stability: Very Good 8.5/10

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) Good, ground strokes, volleys and serve had good predictability and control. 8/10

Compare to string used most often Compared to Volk Cyclone M & Prince SG X @ 48/55, this string has more control and that’s it. Volk Cyclone M & Prince SG X @ 48/55 is superior in every other category (comfort, spin, feel..etc).

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) String it at 40lbs, to see the string would produce more power.
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.
Likes: it’s Orange, Control, and durability
Dislikes: Nothing really
Overall, it’s not a bad string; I would definitely try it in a hybrid for more power and feel.

Thanks TW
 

OldFedIsOld

Professional
Tension used for playtest: 56lbs, one piece strung
Regular string set up: Solinco Tour Bite in mains, Gosen OG sheep crosses
Racquet brand and model used for test: ProKennex Silver Ace 90
Power of test string: Average on groundstrokes, it would have been more powerful if I had dropped a few pounds. On serves and volleys they were just the right amount of power.
Feel: Great feel when at net or hitting half-volleys.
Spin: Great on spin, I liked how the regular rounded 17g was able to produce almost as much spin as I usually get with my squared shaped Solinco Tour Bite. On groundstrokes I had to adjust my strokes so I hit more outwards than up.
Comfort: It was pretty stiff, however it was my fault for not adjusting the tension a little lower because I know how these sorts of polys feel in the racquet. Didn't hurt my wrist or anything.
Durability: Durability is pretty average, it broke on the second/third week of playing with it. As usual it was due to notching, so a off center hit wouldn't break these. For a 17g it had pretty good durability.
Playability Duration: The first session with the newly strung racquet was stiff and took a little hitting to get it to a more comfortable feeling. The tension didn't drop too much with this 17g string, so I was happy how it played well during the last week of playing.
Control: On groundstrokes the control was great, cross court forehands were my favorite shots with these strings. On volleys I could redirect the ball pretty easily, but on the lower volleys I had some trouble getting it where I wanted it to go. On serves they went where I wanted them to, excellent on the slice serves.
Compare to the string you use most often: Less spin, slightly less comfortable, and didn't quite have the power I usually get with my hybrid.
Tension recommendations: I would definitely drop the tension at least 2 lbs, it would have played a lot better in my opinion at lower tensions.
Summary:
Likes: I liked the tension maintenance and the control on groundstrokes.
Dislikes: I didn't quite like the stiffness, but again it would definitely have played better in my opinion if I had dropped a few lbs in tension or hybridized it with a softer cross.
 

FloridaAG

Hall of Fame
Tension used for playtest 47 Pounds


Regular string set up - Had been Pro Supex Big Ace at 52-53 - Recently changed to Genesis Black Magic at 52


Racquet brand and model used for test - Dunlop M-Fill 200+

Power of test string - Average, which is what I am looking for in a Poly. If anything, perhaps slightly underpowered

Feel - I thought the stings had excellent fell. Far better than the other Polys I have been playing with lately. Frankly, I enjoyed the feel at the net I had with these strings.

Spin - Average for topspin, better than average for slice. I hit forehands with extreme western grip so topspin is never a problem and this produced good amount

Comfort - I knew that this was a relatively stiff poly which tend to aggravate by elbow and shoulder so I dropped the tension below where I normally play. It turned out to be fine for me - Actually quite comfortable - far more comfortable than the Volkl Cyclone that I had tried recently and was far to harsh for me.

Durability - No issues after 5 hours of play.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) - I did not notice much if any change at all in the 5 hours I have on the strings.

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) - Excellent control, directional, height, few mis-hits - I felt the string was quite strong.

Compare to the string you use most often - Was a reminder to me of how much I liked Kirschbaum in the past. I am likely switching although may try-out Proline II (which I used to use) and X before deciding

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) - I think I chose the right tension.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.
- No dislikes. I liked the comfort, control, playability, feel, everything about the string.

Thanks TW. While I tried to opt out of these after relaizing how stiff they are, I am glad I did not as I will likely be switching.
 
Super Smash

Tension: 51/49

Regular string set up: Weiss CANNON Scorpion 16L (1.22) String at 51

Racquet brand and model used for test: Prince Ozone Tour, Lead up to 12 Ounce

Power of test string: My first impression of the string reminds me of Match power, another German string I played, the color of which is lighter. While playtesting it, i felt the power kind of lacking, I had to make a full swing, but the control is awesome. It reminds me of Iontech Black when strung at 54 the first time I played: I could never hit it out, not due to spin, but due to lack of power...

Feel: Excellent pocketing, Great touch at net, very good control. After 3 hours of hitting, I felt no pain at wrist or shoulder. Just a bit of tiring as I tried to swing at every shot. It is also kind of mute, not sure if it is the racquet I use, which is known for its mute feeling, or the string.

Spin: With appropriate technique and the right racquet, you will get decent spin. It is nothing like tour bite or even scopion when it is fresh. Spin is something I actually miss from this string. Given that it is not shaped, nor too stiff, I did not expect the spin from this string in the first place.

Comfort: it is stiffer than the Match Power, but quite comfortable for a poly. No wrist or shoulder pain after playing.

Durability: after a weekend of playing, about 6hours, I don't see or feel too different. It looks like it could play for at least another week or so. I usually cut out poly after 10 hors of playing.

Playability Duration: I felt somewhat the same as it was freshly strung after 6 hours. It seems to hold tension really well.

Control: great control. I would say it is a perfect hybrid string with guts. Decent tension maintaining, smooth round surface, and lack of power.

Compare to the string you use most often: It is not scorpion for sure, Scorpion got decent amount of power, very good control, spin nicely when fresh. Nevertheless, the touch at net is there.

Tension recommendations: I would string lower, maybe 46 or 48 lbs. I hope it will increase the power by lowering the tension.

Summary: I felt it would be best to hybrid it with some other string or even guts. By standing alone, it require a player with apporiate swing technique, and flat hitting style. With the current price range, it would be interesting if I could try to hybrid it with Alu power rough to mute its power somewhat,increase the comfort level and maybe the spin potential too.

Overall, it is a decent string at a decent price, maybe best to hybrid with other more expensive strings to lower the overall cost.

Thank Tenniswarehouse for letting me test the string. It is always fun to test new strings.
 
Tension used for playtest: 60 lbs.
Regular string set up: Luxillon 4G same tension
Racquet brand and model used for test: Wilson Prostaff six one 95, customized
Power of test string: Average power, just enough i guess to get you out of a sticky situtation
Feel: WOW, awesome, not too many polys can actually match the feel of this, felt good on serves no really harsh vibrations just a nice clean soft poly
Spin: good here too, just seemed to dip into the court really well and then pop up nicely
Comfort: like i said earlier its a nice combo of clean and soft feeling string, no really harsh vibes here
Durability: never broken a poly usually just cut them out so problems here
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): this may be the biggest concern to me, the first 3 or 4 days the string felt great, spin good, feel good, then all of a sudden one morning most of it went away, couldnt get as much spin as i wanted to, and the feel was slightly different
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): muy bueno!!! haha i felt like my slices werent floating as much and i could place my topspin one hander very well without me overhitting it
Compare to the string you use most often: very different feel, spin may have been a bit better but just the amount of time playability duration wasnt there, and i did prefer the feel of the kirschbaum
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): i chose the right tension the string settles down nicely those first few hours
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.: likes would definetly have to be feel, comfort, and control,while the big dislike would be playabilty duration, i just would like a few more hours out of it

Thank you TW and Kirschbaum for the oppurtinity to playtest this string
 
I am using my modded up Head IG Radical MP at 40 #s
Power of test string= I thought that this string was pretty medium powered compared to the many different polys I tried. I got pretty good depth on my shots but it is still a little bit lower than my usual TB.

Feel= I thought the string was pretty muted compared to other polys. You can feel there is a slight feeling of crispness but it just didn't satisfy my needs of crispness
Spin= I thought this was average for a smooth poly. I had to adjust my strokes a bit but nothing major.
Comfort= I thought this what i really liked about the string. It is very comfortable and "plush" for a poly. In hand, it seemed that it was going to be pretty stiff but that wasn't the case.
Durability= I typically dont break polys so I can't really judge it. I do see couple of places where notching is occuring after 6 hrs of play.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)= Despite the "pre-stretch" by KB, I felt a tension drop at the 3rd hour of play. It was a really big drop off but it was enough to be noticed.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)= This is another plus side to this string. I thought that I knew where the ball was going every time. I really liked hitting a moderate topspin shot with it DTL with the string. So much precision and decent spin
Compare to the string you use most often= TB16 at 40 is my go-to full poly job. SSO gives me a more predictable ball compared to TB. SSo is better than TB for me is control and comfort. The rest TB is the hands down victor.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
I think i would've strung a # or 2 higher to tighten it up to get a better response off the string bed
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes
Liked= Control
Comfort
Dislike= I would say spin since I don't really enjoy smooth polys as much.

Thanks again to TW and KB for the playtest!
 
Tension used for playtest- 48 lbs on a Constant Pull machine.
Regular string set up
- Currently trying Multi Mains(@58lbs) and Poly crosses(@52lbs), Last had Babolat Addiction M and Lux 4G C
Racquet brand and model used for test- Head Youtek Speed Pro
Power of test string- I would not really say this string is powerful but it did have some pop, and for a Poly it had some power as well.

Feel
- For my liking the feel was slightly muted but not to a point that I was bothered or would not play the string. I looked at it as a little trade off, although this was really a slightly muted feel.
Spin
- I really liked the string in this category. Although I would not categorize it as a spin string I felt I did get ample spin from this string and has a nice pace on the spin as well. Like the string both for Top Spin and slice but would give the edge to topspin.
Comfort- I think this is the area were the string really shined. I was a little bit reserved for the full bed of Poly as I had some elbow tenderness after an injury but I really did not have any issues at all and was really surprised. I really enjoyed the comfort of the string.

Serve-
I really like this string on serve. Great control and spin for my kick serve, and pace and control on flat 1st serves.
Volleys –
On volleys I did miss that feel a little bit. Although control was there and I would say it was good, I personally prefer a bit more feel at the net.
Durability
- Not an issue for me so far. I have about 4 hours on the string now and have not noticed that the string has gone “dead” or lost playability. I will update this at a later point. I noticed some tension loss around the 6 hour mark but not to a point where the playability suffered noticeably just a bit loser string bed.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)-

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
- I really like the string on control and that was another area were the string shined in my opinion. I really enjoyed the control I had with the string, both directionally (tight/left) as well as controlling the depth of the shots.
Compare to the string you use most often

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
[FONT=&quot] The tension worked for me, I would not go any lower but also did not feel the need to go higher. I would maybe try it @50 and @52 incrementing but I had no tension complaints @48. Worked for me.
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.-
I really enjoyed the comfort this string gave me especially for a full bed poly. I thought this was a solid string all around and I liked that the string performed in all areas. I think I really like the string on serve and will definitely get some sets to try out in some hybrid setup as well. I would definitely recommend this string.

Thank You TW for the opportunity.

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Chace

Hall of Fame
Tension used for playtest-52lbs

Regular string set up-Black Magic at 52lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test- Tecnifibre tfight 320 16x19

Power of test string- For a poly it was about average. I would say it had about the same power as black magic.

Feel- I liked the feel. It's hard to describe, but I would have to say crisp yet soft if that makes sense.

Spin- Compared to black magic I would say it had more spin. Spin was above average. I really liked the spin on my backhand slice. Really stayed low to the court.

Comfort- For a poly it was really comfortable. I would put it on par with black magic which I feel is really comfortable for a poly.

Durability- To me this is the downside. The string broke after about 5 hours of hitting.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)- The playability was great for the first 4 hours or so. Held tension great. Good spin and bite on the ball. After the 4th hour it seemed to lose a bit of its playability. Didn't get the same spin or bite on the ball for the last hour until the string broke around the five hour mark.

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)- control was great. I had confidence going after all my shots. Good pace on flat serves and excellent spin on slice serves and kick serves. The serves seemed a little heavier in terms of spin or the amount of action on the ball. Felt great at the net. Excellent touch and feel on drop shots and volleys. String bed was predictable and honest.

Compare to the string you use most often- It was very comparable to black magic in terms of comfort. I liked the feel of the test string better, felt a little more crisp. The test string seemed to have a tad more spin and bite on most shots. Black magic seems to retain its playability until it breaks around the 6 hour mark whereas the test string dropped off after 4 hours or so and then broke around he 5 hour mark.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)- No I wouldn't change the tension.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.- liked the feel and the spin and bite it provided on all shots. Dislikes would be drop off in playability and breaking around the 5 hour mark.

Thank you to TW and Kirschbaum for the opportunity.
 
E

Ess

Guest
Tension used for playtest-52 lbs
Regular string set up-NXT Control @55 lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test-HEAD IG Prestige Pro
Power of test string-Lower powered than what I was used to, but this really allowed me to take big full cuts. Perhaps a bit less pop on my serve, but I could adjust.
Feel-Touch shots were spot on and the string absorbed pace on vollys allowing a tad more directional control at net.
Spin-Access to spin was better than the NXT control, but I was still able to flatten shots out when needed, a plus over my standard.
Comfort-Much better than expected, I have hit with this string about eight hours now and have had no arm or elbow pain. I have had a history of TE, but not with my current set up. I have been reluctant to go with a full bed poly, but may make the switch based on the comfort here.
Durability-I never break strings. I have about eight hours of heavy hitting and am only noticing a small bit of notching. Not a concern of mine.
Playability Duration-I believe it lost a bit of tension in the first hour or two, but has remained stable since then. I cannot wait to see how it hits going out past the eight or ten hour mark, but had hernia surgery yesterday so it may be a bit before I know.
Control-Best characteristic of this string in my opinion. I felt confident taking full cuts and allowing follow through. String was oddly controlable and instilled confidence with shot placement exceeding my regukar set up.
Compare to the string you use most often-Few disadvantage over my NXT Control. Other than pop on the serve I would rank it somewhere between better and much better in every catagory. The possible exception being in comfort where they seem about equal (neither causing pain or sorness)
Tension recommendations*I would drop it down to 50 lbs, or possibly 48 lbs. I feel you would easily maintain the control at this tension and maybe add a tad bit more pop on the serve.
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.-There was nothing I disliked, well, maybe the color. I loved the control and touch/feel of this string, and was surprised how arm friendly it was. I will be buying Kirschbaum in the future and look forward to a longer term go with this string.

Thanks Tennis Warehouse and thanks Kirschbaum!
 

AC Tennis

Rookie
OK, here's my review:
Tension used for playtest: 47 lbs

Regular string set up: none right now. Other racket has a 17g multi on it so no real comparison.

Racquet brand and model used for test: Yonex VCore 100S

Power of test string: Pretty good. After the break in period, the string had nice pop for a poly. In fact, it had about as much power as my 17g multi, but the ball came off faster and did not dwell on the strings as long.

Feel: Again, pretty good for a poly. It did give some and had pretty good feedback. Touch was not as good as a multi, but the trade off for more spin was a good trade in my opinion.

Spin: Good spin. I would compare it to Prince Beast XP for spin and feel. No complaints.

Comfort: Pretty good comfort. No arm issues after playing and no pain during play. I would note that this was only after the break in period. The first few hours the string was VERY stiff and did hurt my arm a bit. But once it broke in, I liked the comfort.

Durability: I've had it on for about 3 weeks, so about 15 hours of play, 1/2 singles and 1/2 doubles. So far it has not lost much tension (other than during initial break in period)

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): Again, it was very stiff for the first few hours, then loosened up nicely and has maintained tension for the last few weeks. Has not broken yet.

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): Control is good. Ball comes off the stings pretty quickly and spin is good. As with most polys, the faster you swing, the better the control. Touch shots are OK for a poly, but spin shots are much more controlable.

Compare to the string you use most often: Don't have a normal string set up right now. I would compare it most to Beast XP. Similar feel, power and duribility.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I think 47lbs works well for this string. I would not change the tension.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.
Liked the feel, spin, and power of this string. The thin gauge helped quite a bit with spin.
Did not like the initial stiff feeling, but that did go away after a few hours.

If the price is right, I would play with this string, but probably in a hybrid with a soft, thin multi.

Thanks TW for the chance to playtest!
 

TheLambsheadrep

Professional
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hopefully we all can be thankful for something, an to start off, thank you TW for the importunity to do a string review.

First off, I have used some Kirschbaum strings in the past, and while they were probably on the early side of the first poly productions, I didn't find them that appealing. I have heard better things about Super Smash Orange, and would have to agree for the most part.

Tension used for playtest: 57lbs

Regular string set up: Forten Thin Blend, 57lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test: Head Ti. Carbon 6000

Power of test string: It was just about right for polys I like. Pretty good depth, but it probably bc i didnt get as much spin as the kevlar and it sailed farther but stayed in. I was still able to rip a few and keep them in, so thats always good in my book.

Feel: What I like for poly, on the crisp side and not springy. Was able to do touch shots with ease, and I think the feel is due to the pre-stretching...

Spin: average, didn't compare to my kevlar. it didnt grab the ball as much either, which was ive come to expect with anything but kevlar

Comfort: no arm problems, a nice crisp hit

Durability: didn't notice any drop off in tension, and is still in the racquet so I'd say good

Playability: Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): very playable, could do what every other decent poly does and maybe a little more. I felt confident in any of my shots after i got the feel of the string. I didnt notice a change over time, but im not that sensitive to those kind of things i guess...

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): as mentioned above, my shots seemed to go longer because of less spin. this can be seen as less control, and was something i had to adjust to. after i got used to the string it was ok, but some poeple dont want to make an adjustment.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I like polys a little higher than normal, so i may tell someone else to string it in the more typical range.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes - i liked the feel and the familiarity with similar price range polys. I didnt like the lower spin and lower bite than my kevlar. Overall, a decent poly and def worth trying
 

jonnyjack

Semi-Pro
I played six sessions for a total playtest time of just over 12 hours over a 15 day period. I have an indoor tournament this weekend and plan to use these strings but it won't be part of the review since it's after the deadline.

Tension used for playtest
47 lbs, strung on a Klippermate with no issues though I don't like weaving poly crosses.

Regular string set up
Mains: Signum Pro Poly Plasma 17 at 51 lbs
Crosses: Wilson Synthetic Gut Extreme 17 at 53 lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test
Yonex RDS 003

Power of test string
Moderate power to me, which is good. Was able to generate pace easily on sitters with full swings.

Feel
Crisp, wasn't as stiff as I thought it might be since I normally play hybrids. I'm tempted to try my usual SPPP in a full bed to see if it's similar but weaving poly crosses is a pain! Felt great hitting with spin since it felt like it was catching the ball on the strings. The response to the ball on the string was great.

Spin
I don't like textured strings since I already hit with a lot of spin and it messes up the feel for me so I definitely liked that this was a smooth string. Slice serves and forehand slices are my go to shots and they felt great. I like to put a lot of action on the ball and it put the amount of spin I expected. I also hit with extreme topspin since I have an uppercut swing and my hitting partners said the ball jumped up a lot using this string.

Comfort
I don't normally play full bed poly because I hear it's harsher on the elbow but no pain here. I played three days in a row at one point and felt no ill effects.

Durability
Tough to say since I usually cut my hybrid string setup out at 30 hours. Some notching since it's settled in now but it's poly so it should last me awhile. I'd expect it to last past 30 hours but who knows, currently at just over 12 hours.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
So far, so good. I always like poly after it settles in around the one hour mark and it hasn't felt any different since.

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
Great control, I could hit my usual shots with confidence. I value placement over power since I play mainly doubles. Touch shots around the net were good with a low swing speed and high swing speeds at the baseline for dipping pass shots or top spin lobs also went where I wanted it to go. I vary my serve a lot with big flat serves, slower flat serves, and slice serves all around the box and I was able to control my serve very easily with the string.

Compare to the string you use most often
Honestly, it feels like I'm hitting with my usual Signum Pro Poly Plasma hybrid with Wilson Synthetic Gut Extreme. The fact that they're both orange, I wouldn't have known the difference if someone told me it was SPPP. I really liked this Super Smash playtest that I'm going to have to try Signum in a full bed. It's cheaper than SPPP so I may even switch to this when I'm done with the reel. I'd like to try it in a hybrid setup first though.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
No change, 47 lbs seems to be perfect for full bed poly in this racket. No issues with power, control, or comfort so I'm sticking with this tension.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.
Likes: Control and comfort, exactly like my usual SPPP. Very little string movement too!
Dislikes: Honestly, nothing.

Thanks again Kirschbaum and TW! Definitely my favorite playtest so far.
 

stewfoo412

New User
Tension used for playtest:60
Regular string set up:16g blackcode at 60
Racquet brand and model used for test:babolat aeropro drive
Power of test string:It was about average for most polys maybe slightly below average.
Feel:pretty soft feel for a poly. it didn't lack the crispness on groundstrokes though so that's good. drop shots were tough.
Spin: Once again about average for a poly.
Comfort:felt pretty nice i don't typically have elbow issues though
Durability:great as far as i could tell. i typically don't break my string of choice and this seems to have similar durability. slight notching by the time the playability left.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time):this string played great for the first 4 hours but after that it lacked spin, control, and feel. it got stiff and lost some tension. But this is normal for poly.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): i feel like this string is meant for high level players who can fully expose the string characteristics. One must have a fast swing speed in order to get the spin/control wanted. I enjoyed its control.
Compare to the string you use most often:this is softer with less spin/control. I'm a huge fan of my current string.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?):i like 60 because i'm used to the stiffer feel and i prefer the control because generating power for me is no issue.
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.:Overall this is a great buy if the reel is around 100 dollars. I just thought it was somewhat average in spin,control,and playability. I did like the softer feel though!
 

jason n

Rookie
Tension used for playtest; 44lbs
Regular string set up; beast xp mains 47lbs/ nxt control crosses 45 lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test; dunlop aerogel 4d 300 tour
Power of test string; it was kind of hard to tell because i was playing in the wind and tried playing both side of court but it seems that the racquet had pretty good power. For me if it had just the right amount of power where i could swing hard and not worry to much about it flying out.
Feel; For a full bed of poly it was actually not as hard as i was expecting. It had good touch on drop shots and in general felt just right, not to soft or mushy and not stiff.
Spin; i dont think i was getting as much spin as i normally do but it still was acceptable.
Comfort; not stiff and not mushy, just right
Durability; hit for 2hrs with this string and didnt notice any notching or movement of the strings. Tension seemed to stay the same.
Playability Duration(share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time);Playability stayed constant through out 2hr test
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?); The ball came off my racquet faster with slow swing speed than my normal set up and i actually liked that aspect. control was good with all swing speeds
Compare to the string you use most often; This string has a tad more power, about the same control and feel with a little less spin
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?); i would still string at 44lbs as it played really well at that tension
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes. I liked everything about the string, it was good in all category's and no dislikes as of now but ill wait to see the price and maybe that might change my dislikes.

Thank you TW for chance to test this string.
 

bigserving

Hall of Fame
Thanks to Tennis Warehouse and to Kirschbaum for the opportunity to try this string.

The string was used in strung one full set, at 50 pounds, on a lockout machine. The racket was used for the first time about one hour after stringing. The string was on the easy side for a polyester string and there was plenty of string for the 16 x18 pattern.

My regular string setup is Dunlop Black Widow, full and / or hybrid, in a Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 Tour. As expected, the overall power of the Kirschbaum was on the low side of average. The Kirschbaum string had a little more pop than my normal BW string which is also a control and spin string.

This string strung and played like a very good quality poly. Low-power, great control and great spin are some of the characteristics. It had a stiffness like a normal poly but the comfort level was still quite good. Did not experience any string related arm stiffness or soreness from this string. The soft racket may have contributed to that result.

I really liked the precise control that the string provided on both volleys and on serves. Spin on kick serves was expectedly tremendous and it was nearly impossible to hit long. It would take a little tinkering with the tension to keep the control but maximize the power from ground strokes.

This low powered string had very good tension maintenance. The strings remained playable and felt some, but not extensie tension loss during three two-hour hitting sessions over a six-day period.

If need be, I might recommend players try this string at lower than their usual tension to get more power out of a very good control oriented string. A drop in tension would add power without sacrificing any control or feel.

The only downside was the expected low power aspect of the string. The color is a little odd as well!

This Kirschbaum string is one that is easy to recommend. The price will, of course, have some influence on how much it is used by some players. The playability features make this string one that players of any level would be able to use.
 

djNEiGht

Legend
Tension used for playtest - 48 lbs

Regular string set up - Beast XP 17g for poly (all comments will be compared to Beast XP or 4G) / Gamma Live Wire XP 17 for syn/multi

Racquet brand and model used for test - Borris Becker DC London

Power of test string - Had a very rewarding pop on ground strokes, punch volleys, and serves

Feel - String bed had good feedback. It was crisp after a very quick break in (possibly due to the pre-stretch).

Spin - Rewarding spin with full strokes. There was a nice "ripping" sound when hitting a slice or kick serve. I think this had a bit more bite than Beast XP and even the recently tested Luxlilon 4G

Comfort - This was fairly comfortable and I would rank similar to Beast XP and 4G. Granted that it has been a bit colder that past couple of weeks and would rank just a bit lower than the two compared to.

Durability - This seems a bit more durable than the polys listed above. There wasn't as much notching as I had expected over a 2 week period. I was playing 2-3 doubles sets about 5 days a week. I was however swapping racquets every other day but still got a good amount of rallying.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) - I wish this test was done during the summer. I feel that poly's suffer most during colder times of the year. Granted I am in Southern California, there was a cold spell where I was playing in the 60s. The string bed felt boardy and stiff the first game. It settled after that and the playability has lasted since.

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) - Very predictable and control oriented string. It gave back what you put in. If you got timid on a swing you would pay for it by going into the net or flying long. It was also very nice at the net with drop and touch shots.

Compare to the string you use most often - It played fairly similar to Beast XP and 4G. I would say where it shined more was in the spin department and length of playability. Would one say that the pre-stretch that Krishbaum does have anything to do with it? The tension maintenance was about the same as well. For me to judge this against the polys I've mentioned would be to play them all during the same time of the year.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) - I would probably restring 2 lbs lower just due to the colder time of the year. Had this string been in my racquet during the summer I would string the usual 48 lbs. The string was strung at 48 lbs and about 12 hours or so after stringing it showed it was 46 lbs on racquet tune. It is now at 43 lbs.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes. I would have liked to try this string in a hybrid set up this time of the year. It's not really a dislike in the string but more so in the rules of the test. I have been lucky with the strings offered of late for testing (4G and this string). The strings have been good. I would probably buy this string over 4G due to the price and it had slightly a bit more bite. There is just something about hearing the felt of the ball tear on a kick serve.


Thank you Tennis Warehouse and Kirshbaum for this play test.
 

purple-n-gold

Hall of Fame
Tension: I strung it up at 60lbs on my Eagnas 'Tank' 800. No issues stringing except that I too ran a little short and had to be creative.

Regular string set up: Currently playtesting various co-polys at 56-60lbs.

Racquet brand: yy Vcore 100

Power of test string: A low powered control oriented poly.

Feel: Feel is on the firmer side, a crisp response is how I would describe it currently. Initially a little boardy but not harsh though. It broke in a little after an hour of hitting and the overall feel improved.

Spin: Average for a round string, generous rhs is a must strung at 60lb.

Comfort: Decent comfort for a firm poly strung at 60.

Durability: No issues at 2-3hrs in, strings are notched.

Playability Duration: Has not changed in the few hours I've used it. Actually playing better after an hour, less boardy. Measured DT after 2 hours on my Tourna string meter and it's showing mid to upper 50's.

Control: Great control, aim and shoot. When trying to put a little "work" on the ball the string performed nicely.

Comparison: Definitely reminded me of the Kirschbaum strings, ProLine I and ProLine II. Really like these strings on the volley, such a nice crisp and predictable response every time.

Tension recommendations: I would drop down 5-6 lbs if I had it to string over. It did not drop any tension a day after being strung which is unusual, hence it came off a little boardy initially.

Summary: I thought that I had not gotten into this playtest due to only receiving the string about 2 weeks ago; so it has not given me alot of time to give this a thorough test. I would say however during my brief time with it, I prefer ProLine II hands down over this one. Also would take a few other co-polys in the same price point over it as well. Liked the control and tension stability, disliked the boardy feel.

Thank you Kirschbaum and TW for this opportunity!
 
L

Laney Tennis

Guest
Kirschbaum Playtest – Super Smash Orange 17

Tension used for playtest – 57lbs

Regular string set up – BHBR 16mains/17cross

Racquet brand and model used for test – Wilson Pro Staff Tour 95

Power of test string – power was good, not too low that I had to put something extra into it, not too high where everything is sailing out. I’d say it’s a medium powered poly. Probably a bit less powerful than bhbr

Feel – feel is solid, strung it up at 57lbs, same as my usual string bhbr and it feels quite a bit stiffer, this string has a very firm and solid feel to it.

Spin – when hitting out, it grabs the ball nicely creating ample amount of spin. The balance of power and spin is good enough to which I am not sailing my shots long for lack of spin but still getting enough power to penetrate the court. This is not a spin specialty string but don’t get me wrong, it is no slouch in this category, performance is more than satisfactory.

Comfort – this is a relatively stiff string compared to the latest generation of co-polys, it is nowhere near the stiffness level of alu power but enough to where I have to make sure good technique is used when playing. Bottom line is comfort level is acceptable for a string designed for big hitting, I would recommend this string for big hitters and not for older players or players at a lower level or anybody with a sensitive arm/elbow. Comfort level can be achieved by lowering tension with this string.

Durability – so far so good, after dishing out some big shots and absorbing some, its holding up nicely. Notching is minimal and no big initial tension drop as in the 4g.
I’m getting the feeling that this string is designed with bit hitting in mind.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) – after a few hit sessions, the string is holding up really well and playability has not changed much. If you are a string breaker, this is for you!

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) – control is very good in my opinion, I didn’t have to make too many adjustments going from bhbr to this string other than it’s a bit stiffer. Trajectory stayed relatively the same, shot are going where I intended for them to go, some shots went in when I thought it sailed out. The power/spin combination is at a good balance for me.

Compare to the string you use most often – playability compared to bhbr is slightly behind but not by much. In return, durability is increased dramatically. BHBR have great playability but it last for only a couple hours. To me it’s a give and take, more durability for less playability, you cannot have the best of both worlds. I am looking for this string to sustain its current playability past 6 hours, if it can get into the 6-8 hr mark then it’s a sell for me.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) – Next time I would drop tension 3 pounds from 57 to 54, may drop more if necessary. This is a relatively stiff co-poly compared to bhbr but not in the range of alu power. For reference, I had to drop alu power from 57 to 52 to be comfortable with it.



Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.

Interestingly the more I hit with this string the more I like it. The firm feel provides the string bed with a solid base to work with.
One of the negatives is off center hits could be very jarring, those with sensitive arm/elbow beware.
Durability seems to be amazing with this string, we’ll see how it holds up after one week of hitting.
Big hitters, string breakers that do not have a sensitive arm or elbow, this string is a must try.

This string performs well in many areas, spin, power, control, tension maintenance, durability, comfort leaves a bit more to be desired but I guess it is difficult to have a firm/ solid string bed and have it be easy on the arm at the same time. Lowering the tension should help in that area.

One issue here, I’d like to purchase a reel of this stuff to try out on some players but if I was to give them an orange string, they may think I have something against them, personally I like the orange but not when stringing for others. Please offer this in black or some other neutral color.

Ok after the third hit session, I’ve decided to cut out the strings, control, feel and spin are great but it’s just a bit too unforgiving. My elbow is starting to get sore, continue to hit with this string may have serious consequences for me, too bad it didn’t work out. One thing is for sure, I cannot string this at my normal tension.

The color is a bit tacky but that depends on individual taste. Personally I like it but could be a problem when stringing for others.
 

briianxd

New User
Tension used for playtest: 57 lbs for mains 54 lbs for crosses
Regular string set up: Kirschbaum Proline II main at 51 lbs and Tourbite cross at 47 lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test: Volkl Pb10 Mid
Power of test string: Provided generous power for a poly, but less if compared to my default Proline II/Tourbite set up.
Feel: Quite comfortable for a poly, even when strung at this tension range. Though, I would definitely drop down to the lower 50s for added feel.
Spin: Does not have the bite of Tourbite, but it is still sufficient when taken into account the added comfort.
Comfort: I would recommend this string even for those with arm problems, but they should string it at a lower tension or hybrid it with a multifillament. At 57/54 lbs, I did not find it too demanding on the arm.
Durability: Did not break within the 18 hours rigorous play
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): The first few times hitting with this string felt incredible. I could really feel the ball's contact with the string bed. It was almost as if ball settled on the strings just long enough for you to place it with great angles. At the 12 hour mark the strings became much stiffer and muted.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) Not too good for serving but the feel the strings provided on ground strokes won my vote. Gave me ample time to place it with good precision. Typically, I lose control as my swing speed increases, but not too much in this case. Also a must try string for volleys for its depth control.
Compare to the string you use most often: When compared with Kirschbaum Proline II and Solinco Tourbite, this string had much better feel and control, but less spin. And in regards with power, I would choose this set up over my default.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I would not recommend a different tension for those with healthy arms (cant sacrifice anymore spin), but definitely drop for the lower 50s for those with arm problems.
Summary: The exceptional feel of this string compensated for the lack of spin and playability.
 
Tension used for playtest: 48 lbs

Regular string set up: Babolat Tonic 15L at 54lbs (mains) and Babolat RPM Team 17 at 54 lbs (crosses)

Racquet brand and model used for test: Head Youtek Radical Pro

Power of test string: I felt that the string was low on the power side. Similar to my experience with Proline 2 and B5E in full string beds and less powerful than RPM Blast and Team. Before this test I was unaware that Kirschbaum pre-stretched their strings with would be my guess why this seemed so low powered.

Feel: I enjoyed the feel of this string and compare it favorably to Proline 2 and RPM Blast except it maintains its feel longer than the latter. I didn't feel as though this required a break in period and I was pleasantly surprised considering I normally play a gut hybrid.

Spin: I felt this was one of the string's stronger qualities. I play with a lot of spin as it is and this accentuated it in a good way. I was unafraid of taking large swings even with a tension lower than I'm used to. I am very much looking forward to trying this as a cross with the gut mains.

Comfort: Again I was pleasantly surprised with this string. Comfort was very good and despite having a gimpy wrist I was able to play pain free throughout the two weeks the strings held up.

Durability: String broke after 2 weeks of play. Three times a week about 2 hours plus each session. That's about normal for me when playing a full bed of poly.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): The string maintained what I consider adequate playability until it broke. For the entire two weeks the strings snapped back into place and very little adjustment if any was required after a tennis session. The string maintained comfort and spin the entire playtest which I think is due to the string being pre-stretched. I know it's said pre-stretching poly is a bad idea but who am I to tell Kirschbaum that?

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): Control for this string was top notch the entire play test. No surprises with trajectory and there were no hot spots. Very consistent string which rewards you with very consistent play for at least two weeks and possibly longer.

Compare to the string you use most often: It's hard to compare it to a gut hybrid but I felt like my normal string had more comfort (obviously) but was less predictable. Sometimes the gut can send one flying if you're not careful where that was not the case with the test string. As I mentioned before this could be a good candidate for a cross string to help tame the gut. The test string was firm, controlled and comfortable.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would stick with the same tension but anyone playing this in a full bed I would recommend tensions in the 40's. The string is low powered and a full bed in the 50's would require more work than I'm prepared to give and I think it would be the case with most players as well.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.: I really enjoyed the control this string provides and the amount of spin it helped me generate. I think it would make and EXCELLENT cross with gut but is still a great string for players who like full poly. I also enjoyed the way the string maintained playability for the length of the playtest. My only dislike (if it could be called that) is the comfort is not on par with my usual string setup and I feel like my days with a full poly are over. Overall I would say this is an excellent string on par with the best offerings from Kirschbaum and this will get a further look from me when released.
 

nalvarado

Semi-Pro
Tension used for playtest: 54 lbs constant pull

Regular string set up: Zo power 56/ Gamma FXT 52

Racquet brand and model used for test: Gamma RZR 98T

Power of test string: I found this string to be a bit higher than average for a poly, however this may be due to me stringing at a lower tension due to the prestretch.
Feel: I was able to pick up the racquet and play without any major change or adjustment in technique. Able to hit touch volleys on command. I felt very "connected" to this string if that makes sense, where I wanted the ball to go, it went.

Spin: I was able to hit with adequate spin on groundstrokes with my normal strokes. My coach noticed a bit more spin off of serves compared to my normal hybrid setup. Overall very enjoyable in the spin department.

Comfort: I had no discomfort while playing with this string.

Durability: Played for 8 hours of practice sets, ball machine, drills, and serving with no issue, but I usually do not break poly before it dies.

Playability Duration: The string played the same over the course of my test, I could see myself getting a few more hours out of it before I restring.

Control: Like I said before, I felt very "connected" to this string. I was able to play my normal shots with no issue. Groundstrokes with a high RHS were beautiful, when I approached volleys were spot on.

Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to my normal hybrid, I noticed more spin at the expense of power, as expected.

Tension recommendations: 54 lbs was very enjoyable for me, I would not change the tension.

Summary: I really enjoyed this string, provided ample spin and power for my game. My volleys did not suffer at all. The only dislike was the color of the string paired with the blackout rzr 98T, however this should not influence any purchase.
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
wow. that is a great deal! i, too, really liked this string. was planning to order a reel, but this is a better deal. thanks for the heads up!
 

jonnyjack

Semi-Pro
Just finished playing an indoor tournament this past weekend with my playtest string. Playability is still there and it's been 18 hours.

I actually went ahead and bought a bunch of packs since I saw the $16 four pack deal the weekend after Thanksgiving.

I'm switching to this for the time being over my SPPP/synthetic gut hybrid. I've even updated my signature!

Here's my original review: http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showpost.php?p=7029322&postcount=87
 
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