No no, I'm not implying in the slightest that it's Twisted Razor. All I'm saying is that it's the only other 3 sided poly I know of, and the profile looks identical. Ergo, I agree with retlod in that I think it's a 3 sided, twisted poly.
Official TW String Playtest: 2012 Wilson String A
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
retlod
Professional
After playing with it, I'm 99.9% sure it's not Twisted Razor.
Haha man, I know, it doesn't even feel similar to TR in the hand. It looks nothing like it either as the shaping is less severe. All I'm saying is that 3 sided polys when twisted have a unique look to them that no other twisted poly does. Twisted Razor is the only other 3 sided poly I could think of that's twisted, which is why I was agreeing with you. 
Oh, and you never did finish reviewing those strings I sent!
Oh, and you never did finish reviewing those strings I sent!
To those who've tried this already, and I guess more specifically to those who do a lot of stringing, have you found a good settling time? I typically like about 4 hours before I hit with a fresh strung racquet. Pros obviously have a settling time of about four minutes. I'm wondering, to get the best out of this stuff, if anyone has noticed that it settles into place (NOT break-in, completely different) and tension after a certain period. This is really only a phenomenon with polyester as syn gut, multi and definitely gut are incredibly linear playing strings even from the get go (we'll ignore X-1 Biphase for now heh ).
).
P
Pavlo
Guest
How would one be able to conclude the ideal settling time for any string? I've always heard that the contraptions that measure string tension aren't accurate. That being said, I string a good number of rackets and always say to let them "rest' before use
retlod
Professional
'Tis an experiment I'd love to try...but I'd need to string four racquets back-to-back then go hit. I don't have either the fingers or the patience for that!
And, yes, your A & B sets of round poly are still hanging on my board. I'll get to them!
Stringing difficulty was mild in my Pure Drive Roddick GT with it's open 16x19 string pattern. Stringing was preformed on a crack stringing machine using a two-point mounting system. Both mains and crosses were tensioned at 60lbs
Like square or other twisted strings, such as Solinco's TourBite and BarbWire, you have to make sure there are no coiling at the grommets before pulling the main or cross all the way through.
Neglicting to do so will result in the string being overly twisted when tensioned giving a rope-like effect. As long as this only happens intermittently it should not effect string playability. However, it just simply looks shoty.
Weaving crosses was not nearly as difficult as with Barbwire, which has a much more gnarly profile to it. As well, there was a good amount of stretching when tensioning.
-SF
Like square or other twisted strings, such as Solinco's TourBite and BarbWire, you have to make sure there are no coiling at the grommets before pulling the main or cross all the way through.
Neglicting to do so will result in the string being overly twisted when tensioned giving a rope-like effect. As long as this only happens intermittently it should not effect string playability. However, it just simply looks shoty.
Weaving crosses was not nearly as difficult as with Barbwire, which has a much more gnarly profile to it. As well, there was a good amount of stretching when tensioning.
-SF
Obviously, up to you but personally, I'd always like to see strings - including this one - evaluated as full beds so as to isolate the string and not introduce any other factors into the equation. String also looks a bit thick - is it a 16 gauge? Also any chance you could make a comparison with say, Scorpion and B5E?
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To me this mystery string seems noticeably more powerful and elastic than BarbWire. Someone coming from a multi like NXT, X-One Biphase or the like will probably appreciate this string more than BarbWire.
-SF
yes- my setup will be NXT18@58lbs and WS"A"@ 56- this is the same tension as my current setup(sig) if anyone thinks that i should put the WS'A" at 58 id be willing to change
The stuff has been sitting on my piano bench, just saying "string me.......striiiiiiiiiing meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!".....but unfortunately, graduate school has been yelling STUDY ME! instead. I folded due to the latter
But I will get around to it, I am interested to see what they bring to the table, hmmmmm....
But I will get around to it, I am interested to see what they bring to the table, hmmmmm....
mikeler
Moderator
I think full bed is most important but hybrid reviews still have some value. Look at B5E, most people don't seem to enjoy it in a full bed but many of us like it in a hybrid.
-Tension: 52lbs in a full bed
-Normally string Pacific classic gut at 55lbs
-Strung in Wilson BLX 6.1 95 16 x 18
Other (co)polyesters used: Weiss Cannon Black5Edge; ALU Power Rough; and Babolat RPM Blast
Wilson's new string was okay. It provided a solid, but not soft, feeling when hit in the center; and on some off center shots the ball found its way into the court. The string did not provide ample power; however, enough that shortly after hitting with it, balls were landing comfortably close to the baseline. It had controlled power. Unfortunately, the string did not excel in any area: it could not match the softness of RPM Blast or the incredible spin generation of ALU Power Rough. This string was very similar to Black5Edge. Average.
Too soon to comment on tension maintenance.
-Normally string Pacific classic gut at 55lbs
-Strung in Wilson BLX 6.1 95 16 x 18
Other (co)polyesters used: Weiss Cannon Black5Edge; ALU Power Rough; and Babolat RPM Blast
Wilson's new string was okay. It provided a solid, but not soft, feeling when hit in the center; and on some off center shots the ball found its way into the court. The string did not provide ample power; however, enough that shortly after hitting with it, balls were landing comfortably close to the baseline. It had controlled power. Unfortunately, the string did not excel in any area: it could not match the softness of RPM Blast or the incredible spin generation of ALU Power Rough. This string was very similar to Black5Edge. Average.
Too soon to comment on tension maintenance.
P
Pavlo
Guest
Strung at 50 lbs as a hybrid with wilson extreme at 58 lbs in a Dunlop mfil 300
I usually use wilson extreme and isospeed baseline control at the same tension.
I thought stringing was neither more or less difficult than other stiffer strings. It didn't take any more time and I liked that I didn't have black fingers with this like I do after stringing up the isospeed.
I am not a fan of this string. It is hard, harsh, very low-powered, and doesn't seem to give me nearly as much spin as my normal string setup. Overall, but especially on serving, I didn't feel like this string gave any positive feedback when a shot was well struck. Serving was particularly awful. I usually am able to get a lot of (top)spin on my serves, but with this that was not the case. Volleys were fine, but nothing special and certainly not good enough to make up for how this string was lacking in other areas.
I have used isospeed baseline control, luxilon adreneline, becker bomber, and kirschbaum super smash either as full bed or as a hybrid, and this string was much worse than all of these. Sorry for this seemingly harsh review, but this is really how I feel about the string
I usually use wilson extreme and isospeed baseline control at the same tension.
I thought stringing was neither more or less difficult than other stiffer strings. It didn't take any more time and I liked that I didn't have black fingers with this like I do after stringing up the isospeed.
I am not a fan of this string. It is hard, harsh, very low-powered, and doesn't seem to give me nearly as much spin as my normal string setup. Overall, but especially on serving, I didn't feel like this string gave any positive feedback when a shot was well struck. Serving was particularly awful. I usually am able to get a lot of (top)spin on my serves, but with this that was not the case. Volleys were fine, but nothing special and certainly not good enough to make up for how this string was lacking in other areas.
I have used isospeed baseline control, luxilon adreneline, becker bomber, and kirschbaum super smash either as full bed or as a hybrid, and this string was much worse than all of these. Sorry for this seemingly harsh review, but this is really how I feel about the string
Racket- Dunlop Aerogel 200 4D
Strung as a hybrid with NXT Tour 18(crosses) at 58lbs and the ??? string at 56lbs.
Well today I happen to have a tournament and I strung it yesterday. So I was warming up and used this setup and I LOVED it!!!!!! I dont now why some of y'all to dont like it. I came from RPM at same tension.
Serves: very good, gave me alot more spin on my slice serves
Forehand/backhand: good, although alot of my forehands i usually make went out.
volleys: same, dont volley that much
DISLIKEs: on the stiffer side, definitly not as soft as RPM. If im going to switch to this string next year, than wilson BETTER MAKE A BLACK COLOR, when its strung with nxt it looks like a cheap poly
No, there is no lack of power
Strung as a hybrid with NXT Tour 18(crosses) at 58lbs and the ??? string at 56lbs.
Well today I happen to have a tournament and I strung it yesterday. So I was warming up and used this setup and I LOVED it!!!!!! I dont now why some of y'all to dont like it. I came from RPM at same tension.
Serves: very good, gave me alot more spin on my slice serves
Forehand/backhand: good, although alot of my forehands i usually make went out.
volleys: same, dont volley that much
DISLIKEs: on the stiffer side, definitly not as soft as RPM. If im going to switch to this string next year, than wilson BETTER MAKE A BLACK COLOR, when its strung with nxt it looks like a cheap poly
No, there is no lack of power
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Personally, I don't mind what you compare it to, as I'm familar with all three of those strings.... ;-)
If you want your comments to have the widest relevance, then you could compare it to whichever one of those three strings you think the largest number of people have experience with - the greatest number of people will then have a point of reference with regard to your review/comments. Equally, why not compare it to all three of those strings since you've played with all three?
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iamnewhere123
New User
Tension it is strung: Full set 55 lbs.
Your regular string set up: Vokl Cyclone 17g at 55lb
Racquet brand and model string is installed in: Microgel Prestige MP
Power (or lack there of): Power seemed alright possibly a 7/10, but not as much power as I would have liked. This is possibly due to the spin factor of this string.
Feel: The feel was also pretty good 7/10, it just didn't have the pop that I like. I had to really follow through to get that popping sound and feel when the ball is struck.
Tension maintenance (how long it holds its tension): It held tension pretty well 8/10. I played for probably 6-7 hours before the tension drop was really felt.
Overall comments and feedback: A pretty good string. Love the spin potential and durability. Serves were really great! Kicked really wide and high with this string! Volleys felt comfortable and controllable. Overall, a pretty good string. Hopefully, it will be pretty cheap when it comes out!
Your regular string set up: Vokl Cyclone 17g at 55lb
Racquet brand and model string is installed in: Microgel Prestige MP
Power (or lack there of): Power seemed alright possibly a 7/10, but not as much power as I would have liked. This is possibly due to the spin factor of this string.
Feel: The feel was also pretty good 7/10, it just didn't have the pop that I like. I had to really follow through to get that popping sound and feel when the ball is struck.
Tension maintenance (how long it holds its tension): It held tension pretty well 8/10. I played for probably 6-7 hours before the tension drop was really felt.
Overall comments and feedback: A pretty good string. Love the spin potential and durability. Serves were really great! Kicked really wide and high with this string! Volleys felt comfortable and controllable. Overall, a pretty good string. Hopefully, it will be pretty cheap when it comes out!
Andrew2016
New User
Tension it is strung : 58 full set
Regular setup: Luxilon ALU Power Rough Mains 58, Tecnifibre X1 57
Racquet brand and model: Wilson BLX Six.One 95 16x18
Power : moderate, definitely didn't jump off the stringbed. Neither too powerful or underpowered.
Feel : Minimal, volleys were normal, didn't pocket the ball as it is a poly but didn't expect it to anyways
Tension maintenance : too early to tell. I've been hitting with it for around 10 hours and it's holding up fine.
Overall: Decent string! With great racquet head speed and contact you can easily generate enough spin to keep the ball in but it doesn't give you easier access to spin like Luxilon ALU Rough or RPM. Solid on contact but not soft at all. Overall a control oriented string with decent power. If you're looking for massive spin look elsewhere.
Regular setup: Luxilon ALU Power Rough Mains 58, Tecnifibre X1 57
Racquet brand and model: Wilson BLX Six.One 95 16x18
Power : moderate, definitely didn't jump off the stringbed. Neither too powerful or underpowered.
Feel : Minimal, volleys were normal, didn't pocket the ball as it is a poly but didn't expect it to anyways
Tension maintenance : too early to tell. I've been hitting with it for around 10 hours and it's holding up fine.
Overall: Decent string! With great racquet head speed and contact you can easily generate enough spin to keep the ball in but it doesn't give you easier access to spin like Luxilon ALU Rough or RPM. Solid on contact but not soft at all. Overall a control oriented string with decent power. If you're looking for massive spin look elsewhere.
davedomart
Semi-Pro
BHBR is probably the most known out of those three...
agreed about stiffness, even as a hybrid its pretty stiff
davenporttennis
New User
Wilson Strings
I finally got out to try out the UIWS (Un-identified Wilson string) and I found it be a really nice playtest for me.
Racquet : Wilson K Factor K Tour
String: The wilson string for playtest
Tension: 60 pounds. Full set.
Serve: The serve feels great with these strings. They provide a nice power serve and I felt like the placement of the ball was pretty good as well. I really liked the way the serve came off these strings. Nice power, spin and fell.
9/10
Groundstrokes: Groundstrokes are one of the biggest parts of my game, and these strings did wonders for me on the groundstrokes. I felt like I could put the ball anywhere in the court because I could feel the ball so much better compared to my previous strings (Wilson NXT 16). Groundstrokes it rocked.
10/10
Volleys: All I'm going to say on volleys is that they were crisp and placement was A++. I'm not much of a net player so this area didn't get tested much, but when it did it performed with the strings.
9/10
Power: Power with these strings seemed effortless, as I was able to generate lots of power on all my shots around the court.
10/10
Spin: Spin with these new strings I felt like the spin was greatly improved from the NXT16's I was using before. These new ones provided better spin.
10/10
Feel: This to me was the best part of the playtest of these new Wilson strings. The strings had feel that I've never experienced before. If I want to put my forehand crosscourt, I can feel it coming off the racquet in that direction I'm trying to direct it in. The feel is outstanding and the biggest improvement for me.
10/10
Overall: I really enjoyed this playtest. Now I'm dying to find out what they are so I can buy some for my other racquets. Best strings I've played with so far in my few years.
I finally got out to try out the UIWS (Un-identified Wilson string) and I found it be a really nice playtest for me.
Racquet : Wilson K Factor K Tour
String: The wilson string for playtest
Tension: 60 pounds. Full set.
Serve: The serve feels great with these strings. They provide a nice power serve and I felt like the placement of the ball was pretty good as well. I really liked the way the serve came off these strings. Nice power, spin and fell.
9/10
Groundstrokes: Groundstrokes are one of the biggest parts of my game, and these strings did wonders for me on the groundstrokes. I felt like I could put the ball anywhere in the court because I could feel the ball so much better compared to my previous strings (Wilson NXT 16). Groundstrokes it rocked.
10/10
Volleys: All I'm going to say on volleys is that they were crisp and placement was A++. I'm not much of a net player so this area didn't get tested much, but when it did it performed with the strings.
9/10
Power: Power with these strings seemed effortless, as I was able to generate lots of power on all my shots around the court.
10/10
Spin: Spin with these new strings I felt like the spin was greatly improved from the NXT16's I was using before. These new ones provided better spin.
10/10
Feel: This to me was the best part of the playtest of these new Wilson strings. The strings had feel that I've never experienced before. If I want to put my forehand crosscourt, I can feel it coming off the racquet in that direction I'm trying to direct it in. The feel is outstanding and the biggest improvement for me.
10/10
Overall: I really enjoyed this playtest. Now I'm dying to find out what they are so I can buy some for my other racquets. Best strings I've played with so far in my few years.
I cannot describe in words how simply suspicious and ridiculous this review is.I finally got out to try out the UIWS (Un-identified Wilson string) and I found it be a really nice playtest for me.
Racquet : Wilson K Factor K Tour
String: The wilson string for playtest
Tension: 60 pounds. Full set.
Serve: The serve feels great with these strings. They provide a nice power serve and I felt like the placement of the ball was pretty good as well. I really liked the way the serve came off these strings. Nice power, spin and fell.
9/10
Groundstrokes: Groundstrokes are one of the biggest parts of my game, and these strings did wonders for me on the groundstrokes. I felt like I could put the ball anywhere in the court because I could feel the ball so much better compared to my previous strings (Wilson NXT 16). Groundstrokes it rocked.
10/10
Volleys: All I'm going to say on volleys is that they were crisp and placement was A++. I'm not much of a net player so this area didn't get tested much, but when it did it performed with the strings.
9/10
Power: Power with these strings seemed effortless, as I was able to generate lots of power on all my shots around the court.
10/10
Spin: Spin with these new strings I felt like the spin was greatly improved from the NXT16's I was using before. These new ones provided better spin.
10/10
Feel: This to me was the best part of the playtest of these new Wilson strings. The strings had feel that I've never experienced before. If I want to put my forehand crosscourt, I can feel it coming off the racquet in that direction I'm trying to direct it in. The feel is outstanding and the biggest improvement for me.
10/10
Tension stability: Too early to tell if these strings hold their tension well, but so far they haven't dipped much, if any in nearly 4 hours of playing with them.
Overall: I really enjoyed this playtest. Now I'm dying to find out what they are so I can buy some for my other racquets. Best strings I've played with so far in my few years.
Up&comer
Hall of Fame
I doubt it, as it doesn't have that lux feel.
Just an update, I cut it out at 7 hours because it was dead. It gets better as you play it, but it was still average in virtually all aspects. Didn't have incredible spin, and power wasn't easy to come by.
I'd give it maybe 7.5 out of 10.
Just an update, I cut it out at 7 hours because it was dead. It gets better as you play it, but it was still average in virtually all aspects. Didn't have incredible spin, and power wasn't easy to come by.
I'd give it maybe 7.5 out of 10.
Up&comer
Hall of Fame
Definitely. No way this stuff is anywhere near that good. Not to mention power and feel would not be any good at 60 pounds.
Up&comer
Hall of Fame
davenporttennis
New User
I like the string. Everybody has their own opinions. Some will like it and other aren't going to like it. I heard some people on this thread like it and some don't. Obviously, you don't like it but that's fine. They wanted me to give a review of what I thought.
You can think what you want, but my review is my review.
I just strung it. I will have my review in about four hours. My point was that you had zero criticisms of the string. That simply is not possible. You also had contradictory statements like the polyester has more feel than one of the best multifilaments out there for feel. That makes no sense. The descriptions were vague and 100% glowingly positive. If that's truly your viewpoint, then please, carry on. If anything, however, it's giving credence to my controversial remark a page or so ago. I'm not going to argue with you about whether your review is accurate or not. I'm just saying that it isn't helpful especially for Wilson or Tennis Warehouse who would carry it. You gave no details which would indicate that you even tried it. If people bash this post as being mean, please, feel free to. But there is no perfect anything, let alone polar opposites like soft multifilaments and stiff polyesters.
There's definitely no such thing as the perfect string. When you have more of one characteristic, you tend to have less of another, and so on and on.
In post #129 for example, I don't see how any string can produce 10/10 for power and also 10/10 for control. The more power the string produces, the less control it usually has, and vice versa. Either that or the poster doesn't understand relative scoring.
Everything's about achieving the right sort of balance in my view, for the player's particular equipment setup and playing style.
In post #129 for example, I don't see how any string can produce 10/10 for power and also 10/10 for control. The more power the string produces, the less control it usually has, and vice versa. Either that or the poster doesn't understand relative scoring.
Everything's about achieving the right sort of balance in my view, for the player's particular equipment setup and playing style.
Jeepers
Professional
Tension it is strung: 55 pounds
Your regular string set up: BHBR at 55 pounds
Racquet brand and model string is installed in: Babolat Aeropro Drive GT +
Power (or lack there of): Power seemed pretty average for a poly, less than BHBR but there was enough there
Feel: Again, pretty average for a poly, i dont often venture forward to the net but when i did volleys/touch shots felt pretty nice
Tension maintenance (how long it holds its tension): No drastic tension drop felt, played about 7 or 8 hours and the string is going pretty dead, ill update this when it breaks
Overall comments and feedback: A nice string, good spin potential, good tension maintenace, pretty good all round, as some have said it isnt as soft as some of the newer co-polys but its not too harsh on the arm. Not sure id switch to it as i think BHBR suits my game pretty well, but its a good option for those who want something a little less powerful than BHBR
Your regular string set up: BHBR at 55 pounds
Racquet brand and model string is installed in: Babolat Aeropro Drive GT +
Power (or lack there of): Power seemed pretty average for a poly, less than BHBR but there was enough there
Feel: Again, pretty average for a poly, i dont often venture forward to the net but when i did volleys/touch shots felt pretty nice
Tension maintenance (how long it holds its tension): No drastic tension drop felt, played about 7 or 8 hours and the string is going pretty dead, ill update this when it breaks
Overall comments and feedback: A nice string, good spin potential, good tension maintenace, pretty good all round, as some have said it isnt as soft as some of the newer co-polys but its not too harsh on the arm. Not sure id switch to it as i think BHBR suits my game pretty well, but its a good option for those who want something a little less powerful than BHBR
alupower125
New User
Tension it is strung: 62 lbs, full poly
Your regular string set up: 62 lbs, full luxilon alu power 1.25 or other polyester strings that I can get
Racquet brand and model string is installed in: Head Flexpoint Radical Tour
Power (or lack there of): The power was decent for a poly at 62 pounds. It was a bit on the stiff side, which I like.
Feel: The feel was pretty average for a polyester string. I found that I was cutting into the ball more on slices and drop shots on both sides. The spin on groundstrokes weren't phenomenal but was still enough to make the ball dip down. My only complaint is the lack of touch I got from these strings on volleys. It was a bit hard to place the ball sometimes. Kick serves were really nasty with these strings. However, I could not get as much bang on my first serve as I could with Luxilon.
Tension maintenance: The string has been holding up pretty well after about 10 hours of hitting. There is no sign of string movement.
Overall comments and feedback: Pretty good string! I'd give it a 8/10. I wish there were more colors!
Your regular string set up: 62 lbs, full luxilon alu power 1.25 or other polyester strings that I can get
Racquet brand and model string is installed in: Head Flexpoint Radical Tour
Power (or lack there of): The power was decent for a poly at 62 pounds. It was a bit on the stiff side, which I like.
Feel: The feel was pretty average for a polyester string. I found that I was cutting into the ball more on slices and drop shots on both sides. The spin on groundstrokes weren't phenomenal but was still enough to make the ball dip down. My only complaint is the lack of touch I got from these strings on volleys. It was a bit hard to place the ball sometimes. Kick serves were really nasty with these strings. However, I could not get as much bang on my first serve as I could with Luxilon.
Tension maintenance: The string has been holding up pretty well after about 10 hours of hitting. There is no sign of string movement.
Overall comments and feedback: Pretty good string! I'd give it a 8/10. I wish there were more colors!
rdis10093
Hall of Fame
cool, looking forward to the review
Tester String Review
SO I had the string I received put on my Head Youtek Instince racket since it needed to be restrung anyways It was strung at 56lbs.
When I started playing with it I focused on playing with more power rather than a slower game with more slices and junk shots so to speak.
Serves felt good when I focused strictly on power serves instead of slice or a kick serve when I tried to slice it I just couldn’t get a good feeling when I hit the ball it just seemed to let the ball die to early before it crossed the net.
power serve 9/10 slice or kick serve 6/10
Forehand & Backhand
Playing for power with my forehand and backhand felt amazing I felt like I couldn’t miss the ball was just catch ever corner and line it came near.
for power shots I would have to give it a 8/10
but when it comes to slice and more of a finess game I would give it a 6/10
Overall I enjoyed testing the string if I ever get to find out what kind it is I would definitely purchase it for some of my other rackets. Overall rating 8/10
SO I had the string I received put on my Head Youtek Instince racket since it needed to be restrung anyways It was strung at 56lbs.
When I started playing with it I focused on playing with more power rather than a slower game with more slices and junk shots so to speak.
Serves felt good when I focused strictly on power serves instead of slice or a kick serve when I tried to slice it I just couldn’t get a good feeling when I hit the ball it just seemed to let the ball die to early before it crossed the net.
power serve 9/10 slice or kick serve 6/10
Forehand & Backhand
Playing for power with my forehand and backhand felt amazing I felt like I couldn’t miss the ball was just catch ever corner and line it came near.
for power shots I would have to give it a 8/10
but when it comes to slice and more of a finess game I would give it a 6/10
Overall I enjoyed testing the string if I ever get to find out what kind it is I would definitely purchase it for some of my other rackets. Overall rating 8/10
2012 Wilson String A
Stringing: Awful. I mean, fingertip pain awful. I don't push weave, and I still get done in under 20 minutes typically. This took me about 25 because it was just so recalcitrant. To those who know, this is worse to string than BHBR. It's very stiff, and loves to coil. This would be one of those strings that gives people angst about full poly stringing. Strung at 47/47.
Groundstrokes: Off the ground, this is a great poly. I can't over hype it, but it's very unique because it's so...dull. It reminds me of the early polyester strings like Super Smash in that they did absolutely NOTHING well, but in this stuff's case, it just turns out to be good. You have access to plenty of spin (poly/poly spin, not hybrid type spin), and it's great for the counter punching type of player. If you're offensive and want to close out a point, you'll have to work harder than you'd like because you REALLY need to get under the ball to get this thing going. Even on feeds, what would otherwise be a normal service line rally-starting feed will fall shorter because power is low. This, however, lets you swing out tremendously and not have as much fear about the going long. Note: that's the reason why people play full poly in the first place, and this does it no better than any others. Comparison to relevant strings: BHBR, B5E, Tour Bite
BHBR: Superior in all aspects. More spin, more power, similar control
Tour Bite: Superior in all aspects. Much more spin, more power, less control, but the extra spin negates that
B5E: Absolutely superior in all aspects. Same spin, more power, much more control
It's interesting that this stuff looks like almond colored appliances that your grandmother might have or even a prosthetic limb. It plays with that same sort of dullness. It's not bad in any regard, it's not harsh at all, it's not soft, and it certainly doesn't excel in any area off the ground. Just good.
Overall: 8.5/10
Serves: This string will get you through your service game. That's about it. It won't make it any worse, you won't get any more feet on your kicks, any more angle on slices and any more MPH on your flats. It doesn't have that tasty cannon sound that Tour Bite can make either, so really, this isn't meant to please the full-poly user who relies on his or her serve.
Overall: 8/10
Volleys: This, actually, is stupidly surprising. This poly does not have a great amount of feel per se, but it allows you to hit touch shots not possible with any other poly. It's great at the net, no question. But on touch shots where you simply want the ball 2 feet from the net, it lets you do that. How? I haven't the faintest idea. Would I trade it for my reference WT/CoFocus? Not in the same league. We're talking about multifilament levels of touch, but not necessarily feel. It's a strange conundrum: you cannot tell that you've hit a great touch shot like you can with a great multi or natty, but you do see that it's happened. If I had to guess, I'd say it's because it has just enough power and no more. Think of hitting touch shots with this stuff like a bunt in baseball. You don't necessarily know how well you've done it, but you see that the ball did in fact die just where you needed it to. This does NOT hold for drop shots hit from the baseline. Please take crucial and careful note: difficult drop shots are not included. I am saying touch shots only: short angled volleys, drop volleys, half-volleys. Any touch shot hit past the service line is great.
Overall: 9.25/10
Durability: Only got a couple of hours on it, and no notching or otherwise. Strings have started to displace slightly, however, but I can't comment on the durability. Given how much the strings snap on each shot (only Tour Bite gives you similar levels of static cling when you touch the stringbed after a groundstroke or spin serve), I do not imagine that durability would be great. I also hypothesize that this string would be useless in a hybrid because it is not uncomfortable, not smooth to be used as a cross, and would likely shred any synthetic or natural gut cross. Full bed poly like Adrenaline or Black Venom.
Overall: 8.5/10
This was a fun string to playtest. It took some getting used to the fact that my normal stroke just wouldn't clear the net because I was used to gut mains. Once I started just generating more RHS, the ball did get into the court, but it simply wasn't as heavy. More spin? Possibly. Heavier? Absolutely not. This is a low-powered poly string, with good control, average spin and well above average touch-shot ability (but NOT the same thing as feel). Would I try it again? No. Would I carry it? Yes, because it is the perfect counter-puncher's poly who has no arm issues and just wants to beat the ball. Not for the offensive minded player, no serve-volley here because you don't get the feel at the net that you need, and certainly not for the pusher/defensive player because the racquet does no work for you. Overall, just an above-average poly string.
Overall: 8.75/10
For reference, here are my full bed poly ratings to compare:
WC Scorpion 1.22: 9.5/10
WC B5E: 9.5/10
BHBR: 9.25/10
MSV CoFocus 1.23: 9/10
Genesis Typhoon: 9/10
Stringing: Awful. I mean, fingertip pain awful. I don't push weave, and I still get done in under 20 minutes typically. This took me about 25 because it was just so recalcitrant. To those who know, this is worse to string than BHBR. It's very stiff, and loves to coil. This would be one of those strings that gives people angst about full poly stringing. Strung at 47/47.
Groundstrokes: Off the ground, this is a great poly. I can't over hype it, but it's very unique because it's so...dull. It reminds me of the early polyester strings like Super Smash in that they did absolutely NOTHING well, but in this stuff's case, it just turns out to be good. You have access to plenty of spin (poly/poly spin, not hybrid type spin), and it's great for the counter punching type of player. If you're offensive and want to close out a point, you'll have to work harder than you'd like because you REALLY need to get under the ball to get this thing going. Even on feeds, what would otherwise be a normal service line rally-starting feed will fall shorter because power is low. This, however, lets you swing out tremendously and not have as much fear about the going long. Note: that's the reason why people play full poly in the first place, and this does it no better than any others. Comparison to relevant strings: BHBR, B5E, Tour Bite
BHBR: Superior in all aspects. More spin, more power, similar control
Tour Bite: Superior in all aspects. Much more spin, more power, less control, but the extra spin negates that
B5E: Absolutely superior in all aspects. Same spin, more power, much more control
It's interesting that this stuff looks like almond colored appliances that your grandmother might have or even a prosthetic limb. It plays with that same sort of dullness. It's not bad in any regard, it's not harsh at all, it's not soft, and it certainly doesn't excel in any area off the ground. Just good.
Overall: 8.5/10
Serves: This string will get you through your service game. That's about it. It won't make it any worse, you won't get any more feet on your kicks, any more angle on slices and any more MPH on your flats. It doesn't have that tasty cannon sound that Tour Bite can make either, so really, this isn't meant to please the full-poly user who relies on his or her serve.
Overall: 8/10
Volleys: This, actually, is stupidly surprising. This poly does not have a great amount of feel per se, but it allows you to hit touch shots not possible with any other poly. It's great at the net, no question. But on touch shots where you simply want the ball 2 feet from the net, it lets you do that. How? I haven't the faintest idea. Would I trade it for my reference WT/CoFocus? Not in the same league. We're talking about multifilament levels of touch, but not necessarily feel. It's a strange conundrum: you cannot tell that you've hit a great touch shot like you can with a great multi or natty, but you do see that it's happened. If I had to guess, I'd say it's because it has just enough power and no more. Think of hitting touch shots with this stuff like a bunt in baseball. You don't necessarily know how well you've done it, but you see that the ball did in fact die just where you needed it to. This does NOT hold for drop shots hit from the baseline. Please take crucial and careful note: difficult drop shots are not included. I am saying touch shots only: short angled volleys, drop volleys, half-volleys. Any touch shot hit past the service line is great.
Overall: 9.25/10
Durability: Only got a couple of hours on it, and no notching or otherwise. Strings have started to displace slightly, however, but I can't comment on the durability. Given how much the strings snap on each shot (only Tour Bite gives you similar levels of static cling when you touch the stringbed after a groundstroke or spin serve), I do not imagine that durability would be great. I also hypothesize that this string would be useless in a hybrid because it is not uncomfortable, not smooth to be used as a cross, and would likely shred any synthetic or natural gut cross. Full bed poly like Adrenaline or Black Venom.
Overall: 8.5/10
This was a fun string to playtest. It took some getting used to the fact that my normal stroke just wouldn't clear the net because I was used to gut mains. Once I started just generating more RHS, the ball did get into the court, but it simply wasn't as heavy. More spin? Possibly. Heavier? Absolutely not. This is a low-powered poly string, with good control, average spin and well above average touch-shot ability (but NOT the same thing as feel). Would I try it again? No. Would I carry it? Yes, because it is the perfect counter-puncher's poly who has no arm issues and just wants to beat the ball. Not for the offensive minded player, no serve-volley here because you don't get the feel at the net that you need, and certainly not for the pusher/defensive player because the racquet does no work for you. Overall, just an above-average poly string.
Overall: 8.75/10
For reference, here are my full bed poly ratings to compare:
WC Scorpion 1.22: 9.5/10
WC B5E: 9.5/10
BHBR: 9.25/10
MSV CoFocus 1.23: 9/10
Genesis Typhoon: 9/10
I'm going to split mine into a few mini sub-posts, with one final summary at the end... today, stringing:
Equipment:
Prince EXO3 Tour, 16x18 leather grip, 2g lead 3/9 (each side). 337g strung.
Normal setup: BHBR 48M, 46C on a Alpha String Pal (CP)
To try and make this fair as possible, I strung both racquets back to back - one a full bed of BHBR 48/46, and one a full bed of our Wilson unknown. BHBR first, Wilson unknown second. This stuff is definitely similar in profile to BHBR, but feels stiffer than BHBR does - more akin to BHSR (which I happened to have half a set sitting on my desk).
Just so you know what it looks like when I string...
Thoughts on Stringing:
Ok, this stuff is a real pain. Copolymers in general are a pain, and BHBR/BHSR as a full bed is not exactly fun (smooth copolymers aren't so bad). It's the nature of being a twisted profile, pulling crosses really makes having a Stringway cross helper look attractive. Since I strung the Wilson second, keep in mind my fingers were already pretty sore - not being a GS stringer by any stretch of the imagination, two beds of BHBR alone I would normally not do back-to-back. The Wilson string had a bit more of a tendency to try and kink up on me, so I had to certainly be more careful with it, particularly when doing the crosses. Mains were a breeze, as always.
Was it worse to string than BHBR? Yeah, I guess so - but really not too much worse than normal. They aren't my favorite type of string to do, but what can you do about it, no? It's really not a deal breaker in that regard. Some pictures, I apologize for the poor quality...
Tomorrow, I'll be hitting the courts with them, playing against one of our resident (and always available!) 4.0 guys. We are constantly back and forth - sometimes I'll slaughter him, but most of the time he'll flatten me 6-3 or 6-4.
I've saved the remainder of the string, and tomorrow I'm going to try and see if I can't get some photographs of the string under a microscope, next to BHBR for comparison. No guarantees, but what's the point of having a microscope if I don't use it for completely inane reasons?
Equipment:
Prince EXO3 Tour, 16x18 leather grip, 2g lead 3/9 (each side). 337g strung.
Normal setup: BHBR 48M, 46C on a Alpha String Pal (CP)
To try and make this fair as possible, I strung both racquets back to back - one a full bed of BHBR 48/46, and one a full bed of our Wilson unknown. BHBR first, Wilson unknown second. This stuff is definitely similar in profile to BHBR, but feels stiffer than BHBR does - more akin to BHSR (which I happened to have half a set sitting on my desk).
Just so you know what it looks like when I string...
BHBR, EXO3 16x18
Thoughts on Stringing:
Ok, this stuff is a real pain. Copolymers in general are a pain, and BHBR/BHSR as a full bed is not exactly fun (smooth copolymers aren't so bad). It's the nature of being a twisted profile, pulling crosses really makes having a Stringway cross helper look attractive. Since I strung the Wilson second, keep in mind my fingers were already pretty sore - not being a GS stringer by any stretch of the imagination, two beds of BHBR alone I would normally not do back-to-back. The Wilson string had a bit more of a tendency to try and kink up on me, so I had to certainly be more careful with it, particularly when doing the crosses. Mains were a breeze, as always.
Was it worse to string than BHBR? Yeah, I guess so - but really not too much worse than normal. They aren't my favorite type of string to do, but what can you do about it, no? It's really not a deal breaker in that regard. Some pictures, I apologize for the poor quality...
50/50 method
OK, sorry Wilson - I screwed this up as you can see...
Two fresh copolymers, strung either good or bad (but consistently!) and ready to go
OK, sorry Wilson - I screwed this up as you can see...
Two fresh copolymers, strung either good or bad (but consistently!) and ready to go
Tomorrow, I'll be hitting the courts with them, playing against one of our resident (and always available!) 4.0 guys. We are constantly back and forth - sometimes I'll slaughter him, but most of the time he'll flatten me 6-3 or 6-4.
I've saved the remainder of the string, and tomorrow I'm going to try and see if I can't get some photographs of the string under a microscope, next to BHBR for comparison. No guarantees, but what's the point of having a microscope if I don't use it for completely inane reasons?
Virtua Tennis
Semi-Pro
Oh my god I strung that new spin cycle strings and my hands slapped me in the face and said don't you love me anymore.
It it so bad to string with that I rather string with dunlop black widow or big banger rough. If I was to carry this string I may need to charge more to string this stuff.
It it so bad to string with that I rather string with dunlop black widow or big banger rough. If I was to carry this string I may need to charge more to string this stuff.
!<-_->!
Hall of Fame
Racquet: Dunlop Biomimetic 300
Usual String: Pacific Poly Soft 16L
Tension: 53lbs
Test string strung at 53lbs
Stringing: Didn't enjoy stringing at all and was much harder compared to my usual string. This string kinked numerous times. Weaving was also more difficult due to the twisted nature of the string. Felt like I could not string as fast due to the string's texture. Not the worst string to string, but not the easiest either.
Playtest 1: (Approx 30-45mins)
Groundstrokes seemed okay. Nothing out of the ordinary. Felt like there was a lack of power and feel. Perhaps moreso the latter than the former. I would hit the ball, but wouldn't be really sure of the result I would be getting. It wasn't dead per se, just lacked a certain liveliness that would enable to feel what I'm doing. Felt that I did have to swing harder to get the same impact I would normally get.
Volleyed a bit with it and again it was lacking in feel. Just could not figure out what kind of shot I would be getting after I made contact with the ball.
Did not serve and thus cannot give any opinion.
After the initial playtest, I can't say that I'm impressed with the string. Nothing really stood out, neither power nor spin. It wasn't uncomfortable, but I wouldn't call it soft either.
2nd Outing:
It definitely felt a lot better after letting the string sit for a week. With that said however, it was still nothing impressive. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Power is still definitely on the lower side, but that makes swinging out a bit easier. Spin generation was still average. Can't say the twisted feature of this string helped or hurt the spin production. The one thing I still wish was better was the touch/feel. I could volley and lob the same with my normal setup, but I would've liked a better response off the stringbed. It was just too muted for my liking. Durability seems pretty good. After 2 matches of doubles (4 sets), still no real signs of notching. If it was my regular string, I definitely would've started cutting away at the mains already. I can't say I would buy this string, unless it was really cheap, but it's not a bad string either.
Usual String: Pacific Poly Soft 16L
Tension: 53lbs
Test string strung at 53lbs
Stringing: Didn't enjoy stringing at all and was much harder compared to my usual string. This string kinked numerous times. Weaving was also more difficult due to the twisted nature of the string. Felt like I could not string as fast due to the string's texture. Not the worst string to string, but not the easiest either.
Playtest 1: (Approx 30-45mins)
Groundstrokes seemed okay. Nothing out of the ordinary. Felt like there was a lack of power and feel. Perhaps moreso the latter than the former. I would hit the ball, but wouldn't be really sure of the result I would be getting. It wasn't dead per se, just lacked a certain liveliness that would enable to feel what I'm doing. Felt that I did have to swing harder to get the same impact I would normally get.
Volleyed a bit with it and again it was lacking in feel. Just could not figure out what kind of shot I would be getting after I made contact with the ball.
Did not serve and thus cannot give any opinion.
After the initial playtest, I can't say that I'm impressed with the string. Nothing really stood out, neither power nor spin. It wasn't uncomfortable, but I wouldn't call it soft either.
2nd Outing:
It definitely felt a lot better after letting the string sit for a week. With that said however, it was still nothing impressive. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Power is still definitely on the lower side, but that makes swinging out a bit easier. Spin generation was still average. Can't say the twisted feature of this string helped or hurt the spin production. The one thing I still wish was better was the touch/feel. I could volley and lob the same with my normal setup, but I would've liked a better response off the stringbed. It was just too muted for my liking. Durability seems pretty good. After 2 matches of doubles (4 sets), still no real signs of notching. If it was my regular string, I definitely would've started cutting away at the mains already. I can't say I would buy this string, unless it was really cheap, but it's not a bad string either.
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Dollabillplz
New User
wilson string review
Background: Male 23 years old 4.0 baseliner, been playing for about 2 years competitively. Semi-western FH, 2H BH, more of a spin/placement type of player.
Stringing/Tension: Full bed @ 57lbs on Gamma X-2 stringer. Since these strings are polyester, they were definitely a pain to string. As others have said, it is doesn't like to be uncoiled and my fingers hurt from weaving.
Regular String Setup: Babolat VS Team Thermogut 17g (mains @ 59lbs)/ Luxilon Alu Power 16g (crosses @ 57lbs)
Racquet brand and model: Wilson BLX Blade 98
Power: The strings felt very low powered to me which is what I expected since I used it in a full bed instead of a hybrid. I am a baseliner with a heavy topspin semi-western FH. On my normal groundstrokes I just couldn't get any penetration into the court and most of my shots just ended up short being easy putaways for my opponent. I tried adjusting my racquet head speed and that gave me some very evident spin but still lacked the power I needed.
Overall the strings definitely provided the spin I thought it would with its textured shell but I am just not able to provide my own power to be effective with this set up in a full bed. This should definitely be used as a hybrid otherwise my arm would probably fall off from all the power I was trying to generate.
Feel: STIFF as a board. Once again, it is expected with a full bed of poly. It is definitely something I am not used to since I am so used to playing with natural gut hybrids. My game already lacks big power so feel is really important but these strings just do not offer any touch. These strings cater to the big hitters.
Tension maintenance: Not much movement, tension seems fine but I haven't played with it for very long. So far it has about 10 hours of play on it from over the weekend.
Overall comments and feedback: This is a string for the big hitters who can generate their own power and are looking for something to keep those longer balls in the court. It definitely isn't a string I would be buying unless Wilson is planning on marketing these as a low-cost budget poly. I wouldn't mind trying these out in a hybrid in the mains with a softer string in the crosses to see if I can get a little more feel and power.
Background: Male 23 years old 4.0 baseliner, been playing for about 2 years competitively. Semi-western FH, 2H BH, more of a spin/placement type of player.
Stringing/Tension: Full bed @ 57lbs on Gamma X-2 stringer. Since these strings are polyester, they were definitely a pain to string. As others have said, it is doesn't like to be uncoiled and my fingers hurt from weaving.
Regular String Setup: Babolat VS Team Thermogut 17g (mains @ 59lbs)/ Luxilon Alu Power 16g (crosses @ 57lbs)
Racquet brand and model: Wilson BLX Blade 98
Power: The strings felt very low powered to me which is what I expected since I used it in a full bed instead of a hybrid. I am a baseliner with a heavy topspin semi-western FH. On my normal groundstrokes I just couldn't get any penetration into the court and most of my shots just ended up short being easy putaways for my opponent. I tried adjusting my racquet head speed and that gave me some very evident spin but still lacked the power I needed.
Overall the strings definitely provided the spin I thought it would with its textured shell but I am just not able to provide my own power to be effective with this set up in a full bed. This should definitely be used as a hybrid otherwise my arm would probably fall off from all the power I was trying to generate.
Feel: STIFF as a board. Once again, it is expected with a full bed of poly. It is definitely something I am not used to since I am so used to playing with natural gut hybrids. My game already lacks big power so feel is really important but these strings just do not offer any touch. These strings cater to the big hitters.
Tension maintenance: Not much movement, tension seems fine but I haven't played with it for very long. So far it has about 10 hours of play on it from over the weekend.
Overall comments and feedback: This is a string for the big hitters who can generate their own power and are looking for something to keep those longer balls in the court. It definitely isn't a string I would be buying unless Wilson is planning on marketing these as a low-cost budget poly. I wouldn't mind trying these out in a hybrid in the mains with a softer string in the crosses to see if I can get a little more feel and power.
