Official TW String Playtest: 2012 Wilson String A
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
Some strings just let you know that you're in for a fun time stringing it up, and this was one. For those of you out there who don't know (thinking about making a thread of just general stringing tips, but for now, this), here's the best and easiest way to get around uncoiling any type of string. Doesn't matter if it's poly, syn gut, gut, whatever. This doesn't apply if it comes on a reel, however, because when you cut from a reel, it's already uncoiled for you. Anyway, take the set of string, and clip the zip-tie holding it. Keep it in place, and slide it over your wrist like a bracelet. It will expand down the length of your arm. Grab the nearest cut end, and begin to pull it off your arm, making sure the rest of the string stays on your arm. It will come off smoothly as all that you're doing is unraveling it. Once you do this, you'll usually end up with a pretty circle of string on the ground with the same radius as the zip-tied package. This, was just a snake of banana-flesh colored nightmare still.
retlod
Professional
Gotta try that. I usually just grab the colied monster tightly, clip the zip-tie, find an end, and unravel it one loop at a time. With lots of syngut or multi, I'm left with a nice coil on the floor, but with this stuff I had to deal with a stiff, 40-foot corkscrew of string rolling all over the place! :evil:
Yep, learned that trick a few years ago. Once you remove the zip tie, just put the coil on your arm and it'll expand up and down the length of your forearm. If you start with a cut end, it'll unravel all on its own!
rabidturtle
Rookie
I’m a 4.5 baseliner whose normal set up is 16g Tecnifibre Red Code 57/54 lbs. What I like about this string set up is crispness while striking the ball and control to power ratio (65/35). The string is nice when it is warm above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but plays a bit stiff when it is cold below 60 degrees. For comparison this is how I rate my current set up.
Tecnifibre Red Code 16g
Power (7.5/10)
I can generate my own power, but the strings give me extra pop when needed.
Feel (7/10)
Depending on the temperature, the racket will pocket the ball and give a crisp feedback. Good on groundies and volleys. Not much feeling on touch shots
Tension (7.5/10)
I leave the string in until they break or until a big tournament. I can go up to 3 months on a set.
Overall (8/10)
After playing the string it for over two years it’s an economical set up that meets the requirements for my game play.
Now onto the review…
Wilson String A:
Stringing
For an accurate test of the Wilson string, I used the same set up, full set strung at 57/54lbs in a Microgel Prestige Pro; I use a gamma progression st II, lock out stringer.
Stringing Wilson String A I noticed that the string seemed soft and stretchy. The string has lots of coil memory and ends up in tangled mess on the floor.
First Impression – First Hit
Played at Husky Tennis Club, ground stroke games and king of the court against 3.5 ~ 4.0
Power (8/10)
Had a good amount of power on 80% pace ground strokes. When I tried taking a big cut at the ball it always seemed to go a foot deep.
Feel (8/10)
Nice feel, reminds me of Kirschbaum Proline 2. It has the plush “broken in” feeling that you get after a few hits immediately after stringing. On volleys I was able to hit touch shots with a normal amount of feel.
Tension Maintenance N/A
Overall (7/10)
I was able to hit angles that I usually struggled with due to more spin on 70 – 80% power ground strokes. On full cuts of the ball, that extra bite from the textured string seemed to disappear and let the ball fly too much. It seems like the trajectory of the ball is a bit higher off the string bed than my normal set up for ground strokes which may explain why I’m hitting shorter angles and the ball deep.
Final Review – Second Hit
Practice Singles Match against a 4.5
Power (6/10)
During the warm up I noticed it was difficult to get the ball past the service line consistently. In my first hit, I was hitting against medium pace shots, but my opponent today could hit a heavier ball with more pace. During match play the lower powered strings help me be more consistent while playing defense (but perhaps I was playing defense because I couldn’t keep the ball deep enough). Lobs didn’t seem to go as deep for the amount of power applied. First serves didn’t have enough pop in the second set after the balls were worn in.
Feel (8/10)
Still feels great, the strings pocket the ball longer (this may explain for the higher trajectory of the ball off the string bed) than my current set up. It reminds me of playing with a multifilament. I was able to get a lot feedback from my racket on drop shots and generate a good amount of spin as well. On my second serve the ball would stay too long on the string bed resulting in 3 double faults. What you gain in feel you lose in spin.
Tension Maintenance (7/10)
Comparable to other co-poly, tension maintenance isn’t the forte of this type of string.
Overall (6.5/10)
I wouldn’t switch to this string from my normal set up. It has some good qualities like extra spin on 70-80% powered ground strokes and above average feel for touch shots. It also has bad qualities like: low power serves, low power ground strokes, and lack of bite/spin on 90-100% power ground strokes. I would recommend this string to a high 3.5 player who prefers just rallying over playing matches. I value this string at $7 and wouldn’t pay more than $10 for a set.
Tecnifibre Red Code 16g
Power (7.5/10)
I can generate my own power, but the strings give me extra pop when needed.
Feel (7/10)
Depending on the temperature, the racket will pocket the ball and give a crisp feedback. Good on groundies and volleys. Not much feeling on touch shots
Tension (7.5/10)
I leave the string in until they break or until a big tournament. I can go up to 3 months on a set.
Overall (8/10)
After playing the string it for over two years it’s an economical set up that meets the requirements for my game play.
Now onto the review…
Wilson String A:
Stringing
For an accurate test of the Wilson string, I used the same set up, full set strung at 57/54lbs in a Microgel Prestige Pro; I use a gamma progression st II, lock out stringer.
Stringing Wilson String A I noticed that the string seemed soft and stretchy. The string has lots of coil memory and ends up in tangled mess on the floor.
First Impression – First Hit
Played at Husky Tennis Club, ground stroke games and king of the court against 3.5 ~ 4.0
Power (8/10)
Had a good amount of power on 80% pace ground strokes. When I tried taking a big cut at the ball it always seemed to go a foot deep.
Feel (8/10)
Nice feel, reminds me of Kirschbaum Proline 2. It has the plush “broken in” feeling that you get after a few hits immediately after stringing. On volleys I was able to hit touch shots with a normal amount of feel.
Tension Maintenance N/A
Overall (7/10)
I was able to hit angles that I usually struggled with due to more spin on 70 – 80% power ground strokes. On full cuts of the ball, that extra bite from the textured string seemed to disappear and let the ball fly too much. It seems like the trajectory of the ball is a bit higher off the string bed than my normal set up for ground strokes which may explain why I’m hitting shorter angles and the ball deep.
Final Review – Second Hit
Practice Singles Match against a 4.5
Power (6/10)
During the warm up I noticed it was difficult to get the ball past the service line consistently. In my first hit, I was hitting against medium pace shots, but my opponent today could hit a heavier ball with more pace. During match play the lower powered strings help me be more consistent while playing defense (but perhaps I was playing defense because I couldn’t keep the ball deep enough). Lobs didn’t seem to go as deep for the amount of power applied. First serves didn’t have enough pop in the second set after the balls were worn in.
Feel (8/10)
Still feels great, the strings pocket the ball longer (this may explain for the higher trajectory of the ball off the string bed) than my current set up. It reminds me of playing with a multifilament. I was able to get a lot feedback from my racket on drop shots and generate a good amount of spin as well. On my second serve the ball would stay too long on the string bed resulting in 3 double faults. What you gain in feel you lose in spin.
Tension Maintenance (7/10)
Comparable to other co-poly, tension maintenance isn’t the forte of this type of string.
Overall (6.5/10)
I wouldn’t switch to this string from my normal set up. It has some good qualities like extra spin on 70-80% powered ground strokes and above average feel for touch shots. It also has bad qualities like: low power serves, low power ground strokes, and lack of bite/spin on 90-100% power ground strokes. I would recommend this string to a high 3.5 player who prefers just rallying over playing matches. I value this string at $7 and wouldn’t pay more than $10 for a set.
samprasbackhand
Semi-Pro
Racket: PS85, usually strung with Hurricane 17 in the mains, NVY 16 in the crosses, both at 60 lbs.
Yeah, this string was a pain in the butt to string, it kept getting tangled and coiled up so it was pretty frustrating. Used a full set, no hybrids here and strung it at my usual 60 lbs.
Groundies were ok,decent power and good spin but the string didn't feel as playable as my regular setup since I'm not usually a fan of going all poly but the string was pretty soft so it didn't feel as harsh as most polys would.
Volleys again were not bad since it's a pretty soft string, I was able to pull off volleys reasonably well.
I felt my serves lacked some of the normal power I get, and since I usually go for pretty highly spun serves, the lack of power hurt me by having a spinny serve with little power.
My review might not be that great of an indication of this string, especially since it would've been better if I only replaced my Hurricane 17 mains with this string and kept the crosses as my usual string but I ran out of NVY so I had to do my playtest with a full poly setup which is why I may have not liked this string that much. I wouldn't mind giving it another try by hybriding it with NVY, but if it costs more than Hurricane 17 I wouldn't bother.
Yeah, this string was a pain in the butt to string, it kept getting tangled and coiled up so it was pretty frustrating. Used a full set, no hybrids here and strung it at my usual 60 lbs.
Groundies were ok,decent power and good spin but the string didn't feel as playable as my regular setup since I'm not usually a fan of going all poly but the string was pretty soft so it didn't feel as harsh as most polys would.
Volleys again were not bad since it's a pretty soft string, I was able to pull off volleys reasonably well.
I felt my serves lacked some of the normal power I get, and since I usually go for pretty highly spun serves, the lack of power hurt me by having a spinny serve with little power.
My review might not be that great of an indication of this string, especially since it would've been better if I only replaced my Hurricane 17 mains with this string and kept the crosses as my usual string but I ran out of NVY so I had to do my playtest with a full poly setup which is why I may have not liked this string that much. I wouldn't mind giving it another try by hybriding it with NVY, but if it costs more than Hurricane 17 I wouldn't bother.
TennisNewb
New User
Taking these things out for another spin tonight. Hit with them for about an hour already. Will report back after tonight. 
Nuke
Hall of Fame
Strung it in the mains at 55 lbs, with Gosen OG Sheep-Micro 16 at 55 lbs as the crosses, in a Prince OS Warrior. Yeah, I know some of you might object to playtesting with a hybrid, but my usual setup is Cyber Flash or Big Hitter Silver mains with OGSM crosses, both at 55 lbs, so the playtest is pretty similar to my usual, just substituting the test string for my regular mains. I almost always use a syngut cross with a poly main, so this is really a fair test for me.
Stringing was a bit of a pain. As others have noted, the twisted nature of this string makes it want to tangle itself up on the floor while you’re trying to install it. I used a different string for the crosses, so I did not have to deal with weaving this string.
On the court, directional control was pretty good, but power was a bit less than I expected. This is a fairly low-powered poly. My usual setup is generally regarded as low-powered, but I felt like I had to swing faster to get the ball as deep with the test string. I did switch back to an identical racquet with Cyber Flash a couple of times for reference, and was getting more power with the CF. That’s not a knock on the test string, if low-powered is what you want, but I missed some of the pop from my regular setup.
Feel was pretty good for a poly. It was less jarring than my usual setup, and didn’t bother my elbow or shoulder at all. I’m not much of a net rusher, but volleys weren’t terrible with this string, with a slightly softer feel than my regular setup. Of course, this is a poly string, so everything's relative. It's not "soft" compared to, say, a multi, but it's not boardy like some polys.
For a textured string, the spin I was getting was pretty ordinary. Not terrible, but less than I’d expect from a three-sided twisted string. I was getting better bite on the ball from the untextured Cyber Flash, when I’d switch off. So, for the additional nuisance in stringing this tangle-prone string, there was no big payoff in the spin department.
It's too early to tell about tension maintenance and durability. I've only got a couple of hours on the string so far, with no problems evident yet. I'll play it again a couple more times and update when I see how it holds up.
Overall, I'm not overly impressed so far. I like a firmer string with a bit more pop than this, but obviously that's a personal preference. This one's a no-sale for me, I'm afraid, as there are lots of inexpensive polys that suit my game better.
Update: I've got about 12 hours on the strings now, and it's done. That's pretty typical for poly, so I'm not seeing any quantum improvement in any particular area.
Stringing was a bit of a pain. As others have noted, the twisted nature of this string makes it want to tangle itself up on the floor while you’re trying to install it. I used a different string for the crosses, so I did not have to deal with weaving this string.
On the court, directional control was pretty good, but power was a bit less than I expected. This is a fairly low-powered poly. My usual setup is generally regarded as low-powered, but I felt like I had to swing faster to get the ball as deep with the test string. I did switch back to an identical racquet with Cyber Flash a couple of times for reference, and was getting more power with the CF. That’s not a knock on the test string, if low-powered is what you want, but I missed some of the pop from my regular setup.
Feel was pretty good for a poly. It was less jarring than my usual setup, and didn’t bother my elbow or shoulder at all. I’m not much of a net rusher, but volleys weren’t terrible with this string, with a slightly softer feel than my regular setup. Of course, this is a poly string, so everything's relative. It's not "soft" compared to, say, a multi, but it's not boardy like some polys.
For a textured string, the spin I was getting was pretty ordinary. Not terrible, but less than I’d expect from a three-sided twisted string. I was getting better bite on the ball from the untextured Cyber Flash, when I’d switch off. So, for the additional nuisance in stringing this tangle-prone string, there was no big payoff in the spin department.
It's too early to tell about tension maintenance and durability. I've only got a couple of hours on the string so far, with no problems evident yet. I'll play it again a couple more times and update when I see how it holds up.
Overall, I'm not overly impressed so far. I like a firmer string with a bit more pop than this, but obviously that's a personal preference. This one's a no-sale for me, I'm afraid, as there are lots of inexpensive polys that suit my game better.
Update: I've got about 12 hours on the strings now, and it's done. That's pretty typical for poly, so I'm not seeing any quantum improvement in any particular area.
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Day 1:
Started with some doubles (two sets) - a mix of guys (varied ~3.0 to 4.0), finished with one set of singles at 4.0 level. Impressions as a side-by side...
BHBR: My normal setup. Not much of a break-in window, and it was just another day like normal. For a copolymer, BHBR is widely known to be quite a soft one, so bear that in mind as my baseline for this.
Wilson 'Prosthetic Limb' String: strung at the same tension, this stuff is significantly stiffer than BHBR. As I alluded to earlier, the break-in period of it felt similar to BHSR (although maybe a little bit softer than that). Not the most comfortable break-in period I've had, but with my low flex (52) I didn't experience any problems. If anything, I think this string would be well served to string a couple pounds lower than the 48/46 CP I did on it.
Power: This is a lower powered string, certainly lower than the glue-eating relative BHBR. You need to increase your bat speed to really make this string perform, and I think preferably with a swing-path favoring a spin-oriented shot. Once I got used to doing that, it was actually a pleasure to use, because using the faster head speed opened up some options in play. Advantage, up to you - this is a total trade-off.
Spin: Definitely less than BHBR, however due to the low power of the string, and the increased bat speed you need to have to use it - the spin production is certainly adequate. BHBR for outright spin production.
Control: Stiff strings make for good control strings I think, and this is where I thought I was doing better than with BHBR. I did not have the easier access to power, or quite the zany spin production, but my control felt better - and I tended to stay more 'on top' of the point. Advantage, Wilson.
Volleys: I'm not much of a volley player, but this performed like most full beds of copolymers I've used. Combined with being in my EXO3 Tour, volleys seemed to just get lost in terms of feel. That said, volleys were not exceptional at least for me - but volleys generally aren't anyways. I didn't have any problem getting some real short touch volleys in, but punching through (where I struggle) was more difficult. Advantage, BHBR.
Serves: Follows the rest really - if you can deal with being lower powered, and generate your own spin, then this really isn't a bad choice. For me though, I really need a bit more power out of my bed - especially as my serves are well, pathetic, in a word.
Day 2:
Both strings have about 1.5-2 hours of play on each. Picking up from what I left off, today was just a one hour session with a 4.0 guy - but the Santa Ana winds were just taking us apart. You'd be ok for a few rallies, then the wind would kick in and blow the balls to the side of the court (including the one you were playing with).
We only really baselined today - but in general the above held true. The Wilson mystery string was actually preferable for me today, with a bit of tension loss it seemed to be much closer to where I'd like it, and while I was working harder for the spin and depth, I felt like I was generally controlling the point better than when I played with my regular set - but it's difficult for me to be really sure with the winds today. Played about half an hour on each setup.
Took in some snips of BHBR, BHSR, and Wilson's string to see if I can get them under a microscope when I've got some time - just to see if I can't get some nice photographs of them side by side.
My thoughts so far is that this string would be particularly good for someone with a high speed who doesn't need the assistance to deliver shot after shot. To me, that puts it more as a contender to BHSR (from the little I've played of it) than my regular BHBR setup.
Started with some doubles (two sets) - a mix of guys (varied ~3.0 to 4.0), finished with one set of singles at 4.0 level. Impressions as a side-by side...
BHBR: My normal setup. Not much of a break-in window, and it was just another day like normal. For a copolymer, BHBR is widely known to be quite a soft one, so bear that in mind as my baseline for this.
Wilson 'Prosthetic Limb' String: strung at the same tension, this stuff is significantly stiffer than BHBR. As I alluded to earlier, the break-in period of it felt similar to BHSR (although maybe a little bit softer than that). Not the most comfortable break-in period I've had, but with my low flex (52) I didn't experience any problems. If anything, I think this string would be well served to string a couple pounds lower than the 48/46 CP I did on it.
Power: This is a lower powered string, certainly lower than the glue-eating relative BHBR. You need to increase your bat speed to really make this string perform, and I think preferably with a swing-path favoring a spin-oriented shot. Once I got used to doing that, it was actually a pleasure to use, because using the faster head speed opened up some options in play. Advantage, up to you - this is a total trade-off.
Spin: Definitely less than BHBR, however due to the low power of the string, and the increased bat speed you need to have to use it - the spin production is certainly adequate. BHBR for outright spin production.
Control: Stiff strings make for good control strings I think, and this is where I thought I was doing better than with BHBR. I did not have the easier access to power, or quite the zany spin production, but my control felt better - and I tended to stay more 'on top' of the point. Advantage, Wilson.
Volleys: I'm not much of a volley player, but this performed like most full beds of copolymers I've used. Combined with being in my EXO3 Tour, volleys seemed to just get lost in terms of feel. That said, volleys were not exceptional at least for me - but volleys generally aren't anyways. I didn't have any problem getting some real short touch volleys in, but punching through (where I struggle) was more difficult. Advantage, BHBR.
Serves: Follows the rest really - if you can deal with being lower powered, and generate your own spin, then this really isn't a bad choice. For me though, I really need a bit more power out of my bed - especially as my serves are well, pathetic, in a word.
Day 2:
Both strings have about 1.5-2 hours of play on each. Picking up from what I left off, today was just a one hour session with a 4.0 guy - but the Santa Ana winds were just taking us apart. You'd be ok for a few rallies, then the wind would kick in and blow the balls to the side of the court (including the one you were playing with).
We only really baselined today - but in general the above held true. The Wilson mystery string was actually preferable for me today, with a bit of tension loss it seemed to be much closer to where I'd like it, and while I was working harder for the spin and depth, I felt like I was generally controlling the point better than when I played with my regular set - but it's difficult for me to be really sure with the winds today. Played about half an hour on each setup.
Took in some snips of BHBR, BHSR, and Wilson's string to see if I can get them under a microscope when I've got some time - just to see if I can't get some nice photographs of them side by side.
My thoughts so far is that this string would be particularly good for someone with a high speed who doesn't need the assistance to deliver shot after shot. To me, that puts it more as a contender to BHSR (from the little I've played of it) than my regular BHBR setup.
TennisNewb
New User
Alright...my review after hitting with this string for about 4 1/2 hours with it so far...
I personally didn't have an issue stringing this string, even snipping the zip tie not once did it knot up. Must be a fluke considering all of the complaints about stringing it. I strung it in my APDGT full bed at 60#s with a Klippermate Drop weight stringer (laugh if you will but it does fine for what I need)
Power: I feel like this string has low-medium power. I'm 26 SWFH and play with a lot of spin and found it pretty easy to hit deep into the court at about 75-80%.
Feel: The first hour I hit with it fresh after stringing it felt like a board. Probably because it was strung so high (I'm used to a poly main, nylon cross hybrid now) and it was 50 degrees outside. Tonight after hitting with it for about 3 hours I really started to enjoy the feel more and more. Maybe settle in time, or drop in tension but it was in the upper 40s tonight but I felt the ball great. It let me know when I miss hit but what poly doesn't?
Groundstrokes: I loved hitting groundies with these. Great in the sweet spot, not so much in the outside of the sweetspot but you aren't supposed to hit there anyway My fh and bh both has great topspin.
Volleys: Same as groundstrokes, great feel if you hit the sweetspot.
Slices: My slices seemed to have a lot more action on them after they bounce. Not that my normal slices don't jump away but these strings really seemed to accent that part of my game. Could just be my imagination though.
Serves: My flat serve seemed to bomb pretty well. Didn't really notice much of a difference on my side spin serve. Topspin serve seemed to jump higher on a few occasions. I remember my opponents (we played doubles tonight) saying they had to hit a couple from eye level.
All in all I think its a pretty decent string. Would I switch to it? who knows? I'm always trying different stuff. Compared to the other polys I've tried (Pro Hurricane, PHT, Cyclone, BHSR, Gamma ZO Twist) I would say that the stiffness is in between Cyclone and PH. Not really stiff but does seem to stiffen a bit in the colder climates.
Any questions just ask
I personally didn't have an issue stringing this string, even snipping the zip tie not once did it knot up. Must be a fluke considering all of the complaints about stringing it. I strung it in my APDGT full bed at 60#s with a Klippermate Drop weight stringer (laugh if you will but it does fine for what I need)
Power: I feel like this string has low-medium power. I'm 26 SWFH and play with a lot of spin and found it pretty easy to hit deep into the court at about 75-80%.
Feel: The first hour I hit with it fresh after stringing it felt like a board. Probably because it was strung so high (I'm used to a poly main, nylon cross hybrid now) and it was 50 degrees outside. Tonight after hitting with it for about 3 hours I really started to enjoy the feel more and more. Maybe settle in time, or drop in tension but it was in the upper 40s tonight but I felt the ball great. It let me know when I miss hit but what poly doesn't?
Groundstrokes: I loved hitting groundies with these. Great in the sweet spot, not so much in the outside of the sweetspot but you aren't supposed to hit there anyway
My fh and bh both has great topspin.Volleys: Same as groundstrokes, great feel if you hit the sweetspot.
Slices: My slices seemed to have a lot more action on them after they bounce. Not that my normal slices don't jump away but these strings really seemed to accent that part of my game. Could just be my imagination though.
Serves: My flat serve seemed to bomb pretty well. Didn't really notice much of a difference on my side spin serve. Topspin serve seemed to jump higher on a few occasions. I remember my opponents (we played doubles tonight) saying they had to hit a couple from eye level.
All in all I think its a pretty decent string. Would I switch to it? who knows? I'm always trying different stuff. Compared to the other polys I've tried (Pro Hurricane, PHT, Cyclone, BHSR, Gamma ZO Twist) I would say that the stiffness is in between Cyclone and PH. Not really stiff but does seem to stiffen a bit in the colder climates.
Any questions just ask
tennisace515
New User
I strung the string up on my Dunlop Biomimetic 100 at 60 lbs. My usual strings are the Solinco Tour Bite 16 strung at 60 as well.
The string was pretty typical for a spin orientated poly. I got easy access to spin, but for people who want a lot of feel, this isn’t for you. I am a fan of the stiff poly string bead, so it was perfect. Topspin ground strokes were perfect and I had great placement. Where the string really shined was with slices. The ball came off the racquet crisp and had the perfect low trajectory that skidded when it hit. Drop shots were difficult but I eventually learned how to use all of that spin to my advantage to get it to stop on a dime when it hit.
At the net the strings packed a nice punch and I was able to put balls away with ease.
Serves with this string were on and off for me. It took me awhile to get my flat serve figured out, but my kick was jumping like it never has before. To bomb the flat serve, I would like to take a couple pounds off and see what that does for me.
It had the perfect amount of power for me and as it began to loosen after a couple hours of hitting it really came in strong. After about 10 hours of play on it, I did notice it becoming dead.
If I were to try this string out again, I would be curious to drop the tension a couple 5-7 pounds and see how much more pocketing and spin I get. Just a little worried if I would get the trampoline effect....
All in all I would give this string a 8/10 and suggest this to the player who doesn't mind a stiff string but has a lot of access to spin. Definitely worth a test if you are in the look for a new string.
Nice work Wilson.
The string was pretty typical for a spin orientated poly. I got easy access to spin, but for people who want a lot of feel, this isn’t for you. I am a fan of the stiff poly string bead, so it was perfect. Topspin ground strokes were perfect and I had great placement. Where the string really shined was with slices. The ball came off the racquet crisp and had the perfect low trajectory that skidded when it hit. Drop shots were difficult but I eventually learned how to use all of that spin to my advantage to get it to stop on a dime when it hit.
At the net the strings packed a nice punch and I was able to put balls away with ease.
Serves with this string were on and off for me. It took me awhile to get my flat serve figured out, but my kick was jumping like it never has before. To bomb the flat serve, I would like to take a couple pounds off and see what that does for me.
It had the perfect amount of power for me and as it began to loosen after a couple hours of hitting it really came in strong. After about 10 hours of play on it, I did notice it becoming dead.
If I were to try this string out again, I would be curious to drop the tension a couple 5-7 pounds and see how much more pocketing and spin I get. Just a little worried if I would get the trampoline effect....
All in all I would give this string a 8/10 and suggest this to the player who doesn't mind a stiff string but has a lot of access to spin. Definitely worth a test if you are in the look for a new string.
Nice work Wilson.
TennisNewb
New User
Is there a problem with that?
Up&comer
Hall of Fame
Well, yes. Unless you are generating some serious racket head speed, all that stringing that high will give you is arm problems.
Strung mine at 56
tennisdj
New User
Tension it is strung: 57 full set 2 knots
Regular string setup: Unique Big Hitter Blue 17 @ 57 (last reel and a half)
Racquet: Yonex Rdis 300
Power: 6/10 There's a noticeable lack of power. Even that my racquet is power frame it cost me an extra effort to put the ball deep on the baseline. I started to hit more flatter to see if I can manage it better but again a lot of short balls.
Feel: 8/10 Its a stiffer string but no arm problems side effects. Normal pocketing but you can feel it biting the ball on every power shot. The spin was amazing. Very nice slices, body shots (haha) and serving i could notice that the ball was spinning like crazy. On the net with a little more of touch Ill be happy, sometimes feels like trampoline.
Tension: 9/10 Excellent, it holds very well. No string movement at all. I played 6 hours and this is enought to submit an opinion about the tension loss on a poly.
Overall: 7/10 Nice string. It impressed me on how well holds the tension and the good amount of spin that produce. It will be a hit if Wilson release this string on black and other colors (because the white is ugly) and fixed the price for $100 for a 660 reel to be the first big brand (no MSV, Golden Set) to offer a good shaped poly for a good price. Thks..
TennisNewb
New User
I suppose that I produce adequate racquet head speed to alleviate arm problems because I've played with full bed polys for 3 years now and haven't had a bit of a problem...minus PHT in the serious cold weather.
I prefer the high tension because it allows me to take a full swing 85-100% swing and place it where I want
mrtrinh
Professional
I usually hybrid my polys so I did the same with this playtest string. Had it strung up on my youtek prestige pro with poly/ogsm17 at 52/54. I am a 4.5 all arouond player.
My normal set up is usually redcode18/ogsm17
7/10
Groundstrokes: Found this string pretty low powered, I had a hard time at first creating depth and pace. But after 20 min. I fully adjusted. Spin was moderate, I was really unimpressed, seeing how the string was twisted I was hoping for wicked spin. Reminded me a lot of genesis typhoon but with less power.
6/10
Feel: Pretty stiff, but I didnt really mind. I tend to like stiffer strings. The string lacked pop which I usually get from red code.
8/10
Volleys: I really enjoyed this string for volleys, got a really crisp response from the stringbed and can really punch the ball. I only had a tough time with touch shots.
8/10
Serves: Had no problems with serves, I could easily generate fast paced flat serves as well as keep my high kick serves.
7/10
Tension Maintenance: Ive been hitting with the strings for at total of 8.5 Hours and it has just finally begun to lose tension. So the tension maintenance is pretty unpar with my red code set up.
7/10
Overall: Stiff, low powered, and control string up. If you elbow can handle the stiffness and you're a big hitter looking for lots of control this is the string for you. Spin is nothing to brag about but it does the job like other polys.
Would I ever switch to this string? Absolutely not, I prefer a crisp powerful poly that has feel and the only strings to ever give me that are red code and signum pro tornado.
My normal set up is usually redcode18/ogsm17
7/10
Groundstrokes: Found this string pretty low powered, I had a hard time at first creating depth and pace. But after 20 min. I fully adjusted. Spin was moderate, I was really unimpressed, seeing how the string was twisted I was hoping for wicked spin. Reminded me a lot of genesis typhoon but with less power.
6/10
Feel: Pretty stiff, but I didnt really mind. I tend to like stiffer strings. The string lacked pop which I usually get from red code.
8/10
Volleys: I really enjoyed this string for volleys, got a really crisp response from the stringbed and can really punch the ball. I only had a tough time with touch shots.
8/10
Serves: Had no problems with serves, I could easily generate fast paced flat serves as well as keep my high kick serves.
7/10
Tension Maintenance: Ive been hitting with the strings for at total of 8.5 Hours and it has just finally begun to lose tension. So the tension maintenance is pretty unpar with my red code set up.
7/10
Overall: Stiff, low powered, and control string up. If you elbow can handle the stiffness and you're a big hitter looking for lots of control this is the string for you. Spin is nothing to brag about but it does the job like other polys.
Would I ever switch to this string? Absolutely not, I prefer a crisp powerful poly that has feel and the only strings to ever give me that are red code and signum pro tornado.
Jonny S&V
Hall of Fame
Alrighty, got about 4ish hours under my belt...
Background: 20 y/o male, Open level (DII college), all-court, variety based player
Hitting partners: 2 (4.5 and Open level)
Stringing: A pain, not as bad as Twisted Razor, but up there on list of least favorite strings. Took 18 min 32 sec (avg. about <15 min). 4/10
Groundies: Pretty dead, but very controllable with the spin production. Had a very noticeable 'pop' at impact, so I felt like I was hitting bigger than I was in reality. Flattening shots out took some adjusting at first, but once I got it down, it was pretty easy. My only complaint were slices were a bit too spinny, but small adjustments and I could make-do. Pretty easily my favorite part of the test. 8.5/10
Volleys: This is where the string came down to earth, so to speak. The control was slightly-above-average, but the touch was lacking enough that I never really felt that comfortable coming in with it. 6/10
Serves: Eh. Nothing special, nothing bad. Kickers were kicking and flats were hard. Pretty typical. 7/10
Durability: I typically break co-polys in the 4-6 hour range, and this one hasn't broken in 4ish hours, so we're doing pretty well in that respect. I reckon I could probably pop it in another hour or two of decent hitting tho. 8/10
Overall: A nice string, if it A) Weren't such a pain to string, and B) Not going to be overly-expensive like Wilson strings are typically, I might consider carrying it. But as it is, the lack of feel is something that I'm not comfortable parting with, and the one-dimensional feel of the string didn't lend itself to my game. 7/10
Background: 20 y/o male, Open level (DII college), all-court, variety based player
Hitting partners: 2 (4.5 and Open level)
Stringing: A pain, not as bad as Twisted Razor, but up there on list of least favorite strings. Took 18 min 32 sec (avg. about <15 min). 4/10
Groundies: Pretty dead, but very controllable with the spin production. Had a very noticeable 'pop' at impact, so I felt like I was hitting bigger than I was in reality. Flattening shots out took some adjusting at first, but once I got it down, it was pretty easy. My only complaint were slices were a bit too spinny, but small adjustments and I could make-do. Pretty easily my favorite part of the test. 8.5/10
Volleys: This is where the string came down to earth, so to speak. The control was slightly-above-average, but the touch was lacking enough that I never really felt that comfortable coming in with it. 6/10
Serves: Eh. Nothing special, nothing bad. Kickers were kicking and flats were hard. Pretty typical. 7/10
Durability: I typically break co-polys in the 4-6 hour range, and this one hasn't broken in 4ish hours, so we're doing pretty well in that respect. I reckon I could probably pop it in another hour or two of decent hitting tho. 8/10
Overall: A nice string, if it A) Weren't such a pain to string, and B) Not going to be overly-expensive like Wilson strings are typically, I might consider carrying it. But as it is, the lack of feel is something that I'm not comfortable parting with, and the one-dimensional feel of the string didn't lend itself to my game. 7/10
String review,
First up I decided to put in the full bed as it were, normally when using a poly i'll hybrid it at a low tension so it's easy (er) e arm but for the purposes here i didn't want the other string to have an impact on this test so it's my first full poly for a while!
The actual stringing of the racquet wasn't as bad as i had expected after seeing what others had said on here, I did find some memory from the coil caused the odd kink but as long as i kept my eye on it it was alright.WEaving the crosses had it's moments due to the stiffness of the string but all in all it didn't add enough time to my stringing to make me discount it straight away!
Lately i have been playing mostly doubles so get the chance of a fair bit of net time and returning, I found volleys to be completely unaffected by this string, don't often use shaped strings so i wasn't sure if it would do much but with the traditional punched or touch volleys i in all honestly didn't find any differences to well any other poly i'm afraid.
REturn of serves and groundstrokes however seemed to be where having a sided string made more of a difference, I found that i was getting more dwell time on the ball which translated into (i think) a bit more spin imparted into my shots. (I used the 18 by 20 frame and while i do use topspin it's in no way what you'd call the modern version of the game!) A couuple of my hitting partners noted the ball came up a bit more on them which whilst suprised them they also said it did slow the ball down a little. Slice shots (backhand really this relates to) which i find easy with the ex03 tour still bit well and stayted low but i was finding it easier to put more on the side of the ball at the same time thereby making the ball drop low and skid as usual but also fade a bit more away from the right handers forehand,(I liked that!)
Serves, I did once try a 5 sided string that I never looked into who made it after the test I found with that i got a lot more spin on the ball but to the detrement of speed (i don't hit serves that fast-mostly placement for tactical reasoning in doubles I find works well)
Happily I didn't get that with this string, it felt like when i tried to serve out wide with either topspin or slice, i was getting some assistance over a rounded string which is always good, but when i tried flattening out a serve i didn't feel i was loosing out there.
Also of note that my elbow asn't sore after using it which if i string a duralast in a full bed I wouldn't last long playing.
I did feel like i could feel the ball better on volleys,, some polys i've used in the past i've been left wondering even after the ball has left the strings if it's going to go where i thought it would, this felt more akin to a syn gut than an older stiff poly, which i was greatful for esp when trying to play at the net in doubles.
I only used it twice so far after so i shall hit again next weekend in a match and see how it compares in a competitive situation for me and will learn how it holds it's tension too.
I haven't done a blind test like this in ages, it was good fun and i did enjoy using the string to the point where I would consider trying it again but i'd really like to have a go in a hybrid to compare it to others i've been trying recently.
If using a full bed i'd probably have to hit a bit harder on groundstrokes, (or string looser that half way tension) to flatten it out though the control on return of serves could well help many of us getting just a bit more onto the ball to bring it down quicker. The one shot that seemed much better to me was my overheads, I managed to hit three into the court and bounce them over the fenceit's always nice to see opponents leaping up to the top of a fence to try and recover a ball! In conclusion, nothing in this test made me think i wouldn't go back and try it again sometime when (if ) it becomes avaliable, hopefully it'll get a new colour, (I like orange!
thanks for the chance TW if i've missed anythig please ask away Tt-ers!
First up I decided to put in the full bed as it were, normally when using a poly i'll hybrid it at a low tension so it's easy (er) e arm but for the purposes here i didn't want the other string to have an impact on this test so it's my first full poly for a while!
The actual stringing of the racquet wasn't as bad as i had expected after seeing what others had said on here, I did find some memory from the coil caused the odd kink but as long as i kept my eye on it it was alright.WEaving the crosses had it's moments due to the stiffness of the string but all in all it didn't add enough time to my stringing to make me discount it straight away!
Lately i have been playing mostly doubles so get the chance of a fair bit of net time and returning, I found volleys to be completely unaffected by this string, don't often use shaped strings so i wasn't sure if it would do much but with the traditional punched or touch volleys i in all honestly didn't find any differences to well any other poly i'm afraid.
REturn of serves and groundstrokes however seemed to be where having a sided string made more of a difference, I found that i was getting more dwell time on the ball which translated into (i think) a bit more spin imparted into my shots. (I used the 18 by 20 frame and while i do use topspin it's in no way what you'd call the modern version of the game!) A couuple of my hitting partners noted the ball came up a bit more on them which whilst suprised them they also said it did slow the ball down a little. Slice shots (backhand really this relates to) which i find easy with the ex03 tour still bit well and stayted low but i was finding it easier to put more on the side of the ball at the same time thereby making the ball drop low and skid as usual but also fade a bit more away from the right handers forehand,(I liked that!)
Serves, I did once try a 5 sided string that I never looked into who made it after the test I found with that i got a lot more spin on the ball but to the detrement of speed (i don't hit serves that fast-mostly placement for tactical reasoning in doubles I find works well)
Happily I didn't get that with this string, it felt like when i tried to serve out wide with either topspin or slice, i was getting some assistance over a rounded string which is always good, but when i tried flattening out a serve i didn't feel i was loosing out there.
Also of note that my elbow asn't sore after using it which if i string a duralast in a full bed I wouldn't last long playing.
I did feel like i could feel the ball better on volleys,, some polys i've used in the past i've been left wondering even after the ball has left the strings if it's going to go where i thought it would, this felt more akin to a syn gut than an older stiff poly, which i was greatful for esp when trying to play at the net in doubles.
I only used it twice so far after so i shall hit again next weekend in a match and see how it compares in a competitive situation for me and will learn how it holds it's tension too.
I haven't done a blind test like this in ages, it was good fun and i did enjoy using the string to the point where I would consider trying it again but i'd really like to have a go in a hybrid to compare it to others i've been trying recently.
If using a full bed i'd probably have to hit a bit harder on groundstrokes, (or string looser that half way tension) to flatten it out though the control on return of serves could well help many of us getting just a bit more onto the ball to bring it down quicker. The one shot that seemed much better to me was my overheads, I managed to hit three into the court and bounce them over the fenceit's always nice to see opponents leaping up to the top of a fence to try and recover a ball! In conclusion, nothing in this test made me think i wouldn't go back and try it again sometime when (if ) it becomes avaliable, hopefully it'll get a new colour, (I like orange!
thanks for the chance TW if i've missed anythig please ask away Tt-ers!
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Hey everyone,
I just wanted to do a follow up on the string since I strung it on the 24th. Since then I've hit with it about 8 times over the past 15 days since I strung it. Last Saturday I had a pretty intense hitting session with it, which was 10/29/11. The next day Oct 30th, I went out and hit with it again and I could feel a noticeable tension loss. Albeit, the weather went from 80's down to low 70's/upper 60's in the past week, but the stringbed has definitely become less responsive.
I've yet to break the string, but I'm going to rough it and hit with it a few more times to see if it changes playability again as it gets closer to breaking. If It doesn't pop in the next couple hours of hitting I fear it'll just begin the awful full-on trampoline effect and it'll need to be cut out.
I just wanted to do a follow up on the string since I strung it on the 24th. Since then I've hit with it about 8 times over the past 15 days since I strung it. Last Saturday I had a pretty intense hitting session with it, which was 10/29/11. The next day Oct 30th, I went out and hit with it again and I could feel a noticeable tension loss. Albeit, the weather went from 80's down to low 70's/upper 60's in the past week, but the stringbed has definitely become less responsive.
I've yet to break the string, but I'm going to rough it and hit with it a few more times to see if it changes playability again as it gets closer to breaking. If It doesn't pop in the next couple hours of hitting I fear it'll just begin the awful full-on trampoline effect and it'll need to be cut out.
xtennisloverx
Rookie
Hi TW,
When would you like my review to be submitted by?
When would you like my review to be submitted by?
I've put in quite a few hours with the string so here we go.
I strung the racquet at 53 pounds in my K Six-One Tour. My regular setup for now is WeissCannon Mosquito Bite 1.16 at 52 lbs.
Stringing the racquet up was a nightmare. High coil memory combined with the ridges make for a torturous string job. It isn't as bad as Luxilon ALU Spin but it's still a tough string job
Power- The string provided very low power. I'm a flatter hitter of the ball and my shots were definitely landing shorter compared to my regular setup. I had to take an even bigger swing just to get through the court and because of this I tried not to spend so much time at the baseline (but this strategy proved to be futile)
Control- The string was very good in this area. The ball didn't fly on me, I was able to hit my spots consistently with minimal difficulty. No surprises here.
Feel- Uber stiff. Didn't feel great. Because I started coming in a bit more, I got to hit a lot of volleys. This was a tough strng for volleys and touch shots. I had a lot of trouble feeling the ball. My touch shots felt the same as my groundstrokes which is a big problem for me when it comes to using most polyester strings. I like a crisp stringbed, but with this string it was like hitting the ball with a piece of iron.
Tension Maintenance- This string had a very nasty dropoff in tension like most of the polyesters. It was from uber stiff to uber mushy in no time. This string reminds me of RPM Blast in that regard. After the first session it's all downhill from there.
This string would be perfect for a big hitting baseliner who hits with heavy spin and isn't concerned with feel. Definitely not for an all-court player like myself.
I strung the racquet at 53 pounds in my K Six-One Tour. My regular setup for now is WeissCannon Mosquito Bite 1.16 at 52 lbs.
Stringing the racquet up was a nightmare. High coil memory combined with the ridges make for a torturous string job. It isn't as bad as Luxilon ALU Spin but it's still a tough string job
Power- The string provided very low power. I'm a flatter hitter of the ball and my shots were definitely landing shorter compared to my regular setup. I had to take an even bigger swing just to get through the court and because of this I tried not to spend so much time at the baseline (but this strategy proved to be futile)
Control- The string was very good in this area. The ball didn't fly on me, I was able to hit my spots consistently with minimal difficulty. No surprises here.
Feel- Uber stiff. Didn't feel great. Because I started coming in a bit more, I got to hit a lot of volleys. This was a tough strng for volleys and touch shots. I had a lot of trouble feeling the ball. My touch shots felt the same as my groundstrokes which is a big problem for me when it comes to using most polyester strings. I like a crisp stringbed, but with this string it was like hitting the ball with a piece of iron.
Tension Maintenance- This string had a very nasty dropoff in tension like most of the polyesters. It was from uber stiff to uber mushy in no time. This string reminds me of RPM Blast in that regard. After the first session it's all downhill from there.
This string would be perfect for a big hitting baseliner who hits with heavy spin and isn't concerned with feel. Definitely not for an all-court player like myself.
TW Staff
Administrator
Hi Playtesters,
I hope you all have enjoyed hitting with the new Wilson string. We are starting to wrap up this playtest so get your last hit or two with this string and come back to this thread to report your findings. Please be as detailed as possible as we look to finish this playtest by Friday, November 25, 2011.
Thanks,
Brittany, TW
Okay spent some good time playing with this string and here are my impressions:
First I had the string professionally strung by a local tennis store on my Head YOUTEK Prestige Mid. I havn't played much with the racquet in quite a few months but I just had my Prince EXO Tour restrung just before receiving this string and did not want to cut it out yet. I had it strung at 54#.
Stringing - Not done by myself but my stringer said it was not too bad.
Power - 7/10: Not exceptionally powerful but I didn't think it was necessarily dead type of string either.
Ground Strokes - 8/10: I hit fairly flat ground strokes and like to rip at the ball. The textured pattern of the string did seem to increase spin for me especially for a tight string pattern such as on the Prestige Mid. I could swing away with this string and most of my balls landed just within the baseline. Pace was not uber fast but felt good.
Volleys - 9/10: Very good control and nice punch.
Serves - 7/10: First serves had good pace but they may have been helped by the racquet in use. Some extra spin on second serve but not exceptional.
Control - 9/10: Ball went where I wanted almost every time except when I mis hit the ball.
Tension Maintenance - 7/10: Seemed to hold tension pretty well even after 6 hours of play time.
Overall - I really like the string in this particular racquet. Much better than the previous hybrid string setup I had. I would restring my racquet with this again when it becomes available. Nothing really outstanding about it but I like the way it played on ground strokes and volleys. Not hard on the arm but fairly stiff feel and crisp.
Thank you TW staff for allowing me to play test this string! I enjoyed it!
First I had the string professionally strung by a local tennis store on my Head YOUTEK Prestige Mid. I havn't played much with the racquet in quite a few months but I just had my Prince EXO Tour restrung just before receiving this string and did not want to cut it out yet. I had it strung at 54#.
Stringing - Not done by myself but my stringer said it was not too bad.
Power - 7/10: Not exceptionally powerful but I didn't think it was necessarily dead type of string either.
Ground Strokes - 8/10: I hit fairly flat ground strokes and like to rip at the ball. The textured pattern of the string did seem to increase spin for me especially for a tight string pattern such as on the Prestige Mid. I could swing away with this string and most of my balls landed just within the baseline. Pace was not uber fast but felt good.
Volleys - 9/10: Very good control and nice punch.
Serves - 7/10: First serves had good pace but they may have been helped by the racquet in use. Some extra spin on second serve but not exceptional.
Control - 9/10: Ball went where I wanted almost every time except when I mis hit the ball.
Tension Maintenance - 7/10: Seemed to hold tension pretty well even after 6 hours of play time.
Overall - I really like the string in this particular racquet. Much better than the previous hybrid string setup I had. I would restring my racquet with this again when it becomes available. Nothing really outstanding about it but I like the way it played on ground strokes and volleys. Not hard on the arm but fairly stiff feel and crisp.
Thank you TW staff for allowing me to play test this string! I enjoyed it!
I've managed to get about 8 hours of play with the string before I broke a cross (hybrid setup) so I guess it's time for my review.
Some background info: 24 year old 4.0 all court player
Racquet of choice: Youtek Prestige MP
Usual string setup: Volkl Cyclone 18g (57lb) Gamma Syn Gut 18g (58lb)
Stringing: Strung on my Laserfibre MS200FX machine at 57lb with Gamma Syn Gut 18 in the crosses at 58lb. It was just as troublesome to string as any other polyester, but seemed to be softer than most other sharp edges polyesters I've strung (Volkl Cyclone, Solinco Barb Wire, etc.)
Power: This string definitely needed a break in period of about a half hour. My usual setup feels great right off the machine, but the Wilson 'prosthetic limb' string was too stiff at first and lacked power. After a short break in period it became just powerful enough for me to swing 100% on the forehand side while placing the ball where I wanted it.
Feel: More on the stiff side of the spectrum, this string did not provide much feel especially around the net. The spin and control from this string were amazing from the forehand side and while serving, but the lack of power provided a challenge for my one handed backhand and forced me to resort to slicing many shots that I typically would not. Slices were easy to place where I wanted them, but did not have as much bite as expected.
Tension Maintenance: It's hard for me to comment on tension loss since my cross strings break before the stringbed becomes like a trampoline, but it seemed to hold up well to 8 hours of play over the course of one week.
Overall Impression: This string is for people who take full, aggressive swings at the ball. I hit some of my best serves and forehands with this string when I was playing aggressively, but the lack of power is too much of a sacrifice to the rest of my game.
Power: 7/10
Feel: 7/10
Spin: 8/10
Control: 9/10
Comfort: 8/10
Some background info: 24 year old 4.0 all court player
Racquet of choice: Youtek Prestige MP
Usual string setup: Volkl Cyclone 18g (57lb) Gamma Syn Gut 18g (58lb)
Stringing: Strung on my Laserfibre MS200FX machine at 57lb with Gamma Syn Gut 18 in the crosses at 58lb. It was just as troublesome to string as any other polyester, but seemed to be softer than most other sharp edges polyesters I've strung (Volkl Cyclone, Solinco Barb Wire, etc.)
Power: This string definitely needed a break in period of about a half hour. My usual setup feels great right off the machine, but the Wilson 'prosthetic limb' string was too stiff at first and lacked power. After a short break in period it became just powerful enough for me to swing 100% on the forehand side while placing the ball where I wanted it.
Feel: More on the stiff side of the spectrum, this string did not provide much feel especially around the net. The spin and control from this string were amazing from the forehand side and while serving, but the lack of power provided a challenge for my one handed backhand and forced me to resort to slicing many shots that I typically would not. Slices were easy to place where I wanted them, but did not have as much bite as expected.
Tension Maintenance: It's hard for me to comment on tension loss since my cross strings break before the stringbed becomes like a trampoline, but it seemed to hold up well to 8 hours of play over the course of one week.
Overall Impression: This string is for people who take full, aggressive swings at the ball. I hit some of my best serves and forehands with this string when I was playing aggressively, but the lack of power is too much of a sacrifice to the rest of my game.
Power: 7/10
Feel: 7/10
Spin: 8/10
Control: 9/10
Comfort: 8/10
Small followup. At the 3 hour mark, strings have stopped gridding back up. Not dead, but tension and elasticity are also lost. Spin production is down, and that uncanny feel I was talking about is 100% absent. Control is still high. Power is about the same. At the 4 hour mark, death is only a few hours away. This is definitely not a poly that when dead, just loses all power. This is one of the unpredicatable ones like BHBR. Shots were flying when they shouldn't have been, and since the spin was lower, there was nothing to bring them in. Hitting partner even said: "At the beginning your shots had me all over the place behind the baseline, then towards the end, they just weren't heavy. When you switched back to the other stick (WhisperTouch/CoFocus), the heaviness was there with even loads more pop than there was with the poly". I agree 100%. Will hit with once more to see if it dies. I think that if this came in a very small gauge, it would be good. But in the 16 gauge that this looks like, it really should have durability to go along with its less than stellar attributes. All in all, a good poly that doesn't have a cliff-like death, but definitely isn't for someone who restrings once a month.
Six.one.touring
New User
Wilson Strings
Wait it can't end I just got the strings today! I'll string them up this weekend and hopefully, weather permitting I'll hit with em!
Wait it can't end I just got the strings today! I'll string them up this weekend and hopefully, weather permitting I'll hit with em!
My playtest
Tension it is strung - Wilson A - 55lbs mains. Prosupex maxim touch 17 - 55lbs.
Your regular string set up - Golden Set Hex Poly 17 - 55lbs mains. Prosupex maxim touch 17 - 55lbs.
Racquet brand and model string is installed in - Wilson Ncode N1.
Power - Less power
Feel - Less feel
Tension maintenance - about the same - 2 days.
Overall comments and feedback
Stiff. Feels like Golden Set Snake Bite. Textured, but not as much as snake bite. OK. I wouldn't pay more than 5/set.
Tension it is strung - Wilson A - 55lbs mains. Prosupex maxim touch 17 - 55lbs.
Your regular string set up - Golden Set Hex Poly 17 - 55lbs mains. Prosupex maxim touch 17 - 55lbs.
Racquet brand and model string is installed in - Wilson Ncode N1.
Power - Less power
Feel - Less feel
Tension maintenance - about the same - 2 days.
Overall comments and feedback
Stiff. Feels like Golden Set Snake Bite. Textured, but not as much as snake bite. OK. I wouldn't pay more than 5/set.
With all due respect, could you please provide a bit more detail? If for no other reason, I honestly cannot think of a poly worth playtesting that is under 5 dollars. The only ones that come to mind are Gosen Polylon, Wilson Enduro Tour, Gamma Monoblast and Isospeed Baseline....all of which are simply terrible. Only the Polylon is usable as its performance is good enough. Not great, but good enough. All of the other ones are just polyester bandwagon strings. So your implication that the playtest string is worse than Enduro Tour is, quite simply, appalling in every way.
My apologies if I offended you with my post. I know I made you angry with my comment on mamba string when I used the wrong words to describe the high ROIs their strings provided.
My $5 comment is a personal opinion. And I am basing that on how much I pay for snake bite and hex poly from golden set (in reels). we are in a recession. and even though my income is at the xyz percetile level I am not taking a chance with my money.
I also play tested the beast. I wouldn't pay more than 6 for that. And i think they were selling at that price.
I would pay 30 or 40 for babolat vs natural gut if that's what i need to win a match. It's nice.
but most usta guys are wankers anyways. all self rated.
Faster
Hall of Fame
Wilson is giving away test sets of their 2012 Spin Cycle string on twitter
...You didn't offend me in the slightest. I'm just saying that for the 98% of people who will buy strings from the large retailers, putting that price on it implies that it's straight garbage. That's why I asked for a bit more explanation. I couldn't care less about how you actually feel about it nor do I recall in the slightest our previous interactions. All I'm saying is that your review didn't say anything other than it was awful.
edit: On second thought, nevermind. I'm not Tennis Warehouse, so if they think that's good enough then whatever.
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Cool, and I always enjoyed reading your posts.
Wilson's string is just not that much better than what I am using - Hex Poly. $5/set. Also, it's very stiff. That's why I didn't like the snakebite. Stiff strings = more spin. The textures don't really do much for ya. That's all.
BabolatFever
New User
I strung my set as a full bed at a tension of 60 lbs. I usually string my Yonex RDS 001 MP with kevlar in the mains and synthetic gut in the crosses at a tension of 60 lbs. During my playtest, I have found adequate power from the stringbed while also having the touch when I need it. I have hit with the string for around 10 hours and the tension has maintained well. My normal set up looses tension extremely fast, however, this wilson string maintaines its tension substantially better. When this string comes on the market, I will for sure be picking myself up a set of it.
mikeler
Moderator
What if it costs $20/set? I think it would be helpful to TW to understand what you feel the string is worth.
tennis_goose
New User
Finally got to hit with a racquet strung with these strings, this review is only on how they felt on the first day(I'll follow up on what happens next after a few days of thorough hitting.
Tension it is strung: 52lbs, as a full set
Your regular string set up: Have tried a lot of strings and a lot of racquets over the past 2 months, most regular being the prince duraflex at 60(full set) on my fischer Pro one.
Racquet brand and model string is installed in: Wilson PS 6.0 85
Power (or lack there of): Felt dead initially, but was surprised at the pop I could generate after I was warmed up.
Feel: Kind of lacking, coupled with the cold and the fact that I was a little out of practice.
Tension maintenance (how long it holds its tension): for 2 hours of hitting on day 1, didn't feel any change at all.
Overall comments and feedback:
Might just be a great match for the PS 6.0 85 at the tension I got it strung at. I'm a short guy, yet I was serving bombs all over, hit 5 aces in my first 3 service games. Good spin on the second serves too. Felt really nice taking full swings on returns, and the topspin felt amazing, especially coming from a mid. I thought the PS 85 was a harsh mid( compared to the Pro Kennex Silver ace, or the head composite pro), but today changed that. I was impressed with the control and comfort on the groundies that the string gave, and did I mention the topspin(and I use an Eastern grip)?
The dwell time on the strings also seemed just right, not too less, not too much. One thing I didn't like was the lack of "feel"on touch volleys. It didn't stop me from making my usual plays at the net, but the touch was a little iffy. With the Pro Staff, that shouldn't happen. Frozen fingertips might have contributed a little, but so did the strings.
To be honest, if these strings hold up a full week from now, they'll be my new strings of choice.
Tension it is strung: 52lbs, as a full set
Your regular string set up: Have tried a lot of strings and a lot of racquets over the past 2 months, most regular being the prince duraflex at 60(full set) on my fischer Pro one.
Racquet brand and model string is installed in: Wilson PS 6.0 85
Power (or lack there of): Felt dead initially, but was surprised at the pop I could generate after I was warmed up.
Feel: Kind of lacking, coupled with the cold and the fact that I was a little out of practice.
Tension maintenance (how long it holds its tension): for 2 hours of hitting on day 1, didn't feel any change at all.
Overall comments and feedback:
Might just be a great match for the PS 6.0 85 at the tension I got it strung at. I'm a short guy, yet I was serving bombs all over, hit 5 aces in my first 3 service games. Good spin on the second serves too. Felt really nice taking full swings on returns, and the topspin felt amazing, especially coming from a mid. I thought the PS 85 was a harsh mid( compared to the Pro Kennex Silver ace, or the head composite pro), but today changed that. I was impressed with the control and comfort on the groundies that the string gave, and did I mention the topspin(and I use an Eastern grip)?
The dwell time on the strings also seemed just right, not too less, not too much. One thing I didn't like was the lack of "feel"on touch volleys. It didn't stop me from making my usual plays at the net, but the touch was a little iffy. With the Pro Staff, that shouldn't happen. Frozen fingertips might have contributed a little, but so did the strings.
To be honest, if these strings hold up a full week from now, they'll be my new strings of choice.
Just killed it last night. This is a spraying poly: shots go off uncontrollably. My hitting partner though could easily tell the difference in my ball going from the Wilson when it was fresh to when it was dying. He said starting out, the incoming ball was extremely spinny, but not penetrating. After it broke in about an hour or so later, the balls were coming hot and heavy. During the last hour, the balls were coming with the pace, but not the spin anymore. They were clearly moving around everywhere and no longer were literally charged from the displacement (if you play full poly and hit with good spin AND pace, put your hand on your strings after a good shot. You'll feel a large amount of static electricity that no other string type will give. Just an intrinsic property of polyester/polyester.". All in all, I think this would be a great string for those who string for themselves and don't need to worry about premature death OR who get it for cheap.
Six.one.touring
New User
Finally got time to string these up and try them out!
Tension: 53 Full set
Regular Set up: Luxilon ALU Rough at 53
Racquet: Wilson Six.one Tour
Power: 7/10 This string lacked the power I usually get from the luxilon series that I am accustomed too. I think it could've provided more and if I had another set I would lower the tension.
Feel: 5/10 This is not the string for touch shots or volleys. The strings did not provide any feel.
Tension maintenance: 7/10 I felt this string had equal or better tension maintenance than the luxilon ALU series. It lasted the 3 hour hitting session I had with it, but I it was starting to drop. I assume the next hitting session the tension will be significantly lower.
Spin: 8/10 Definitely better spin results, probably due to texture. This is probably the most enjoyable aspect of these strings. I was able to get good topspin and slice shots off this bed.
Overall Comments and Feedback
This string is not exactly a game changer so I don't think I will be switching to it unless more improvements are made. I think Wilson is trying to add a staple spin string to its range of strings. Overall, I think I expected more from Wilson's string A. I think a solution might be a smaller gauge.
Tension: 53 Full set
Regular Set up: Luxilon ALU Rough at 53
Racquet: Wilson Six.one Tour
Power: 7/10 This string lacked the power I usually get from the luxilon series that I am accustomed too. I think it could've provided more and if I had another set I would lower the tension.
Feel: 5/10 This is not the string for touch shots or volleys. The strings did not provide any feel.
Tension maintenance: 7/10 I felt this string had equal or better tension maintenance than the luxilon ALU series. It lasted the 3 hour hitting session I had with it, but I it was starting to drop. I assume the next hitting session the tension will be significantly lower.
Spin: 8/10 Definitely better spin results, probably due to texture. This is probably the most enjoyable aspect of these strings. I was able to get good topspin and slice shots off this bed.
Overall Comments and Feedback
This string is not exactly a game changer so I don't think I will be switching to it unless more improvements are made. I think Wilson is trying to add a staple spin string to its range of strings. Overall, I think I expected more from Wilson's string A. I think a solution might be a smaller gauge.
XFactorer
Hall of Fame
Tension it is strung: full set at 55 lbs
Your regular string set up: Luxilon BB ALU Power, at 55lbs
Racquet brand and model string is installed in: Yonex RQiS 1 Tour
Power (or lack there of): 7/10
Feel: 7/10
Tension maintenance (how long it holds its tension): 8/10
Overall comments and feedback
When I first got the string, I immediately noticed the shape of it. Looks liked a twisted, extruded heptagonal/octagonal string. It looked pretty cool, but the color was bland. Upon stringing the racquet, though, the shape got in the way. Stringing the mains was fine, but moving on to the crosses was a lot harder. There's a lot more tension when pulling through an extruded string.
The string performed 'just fine.' It didn't have more spin, more feel, more anything that I'm not already used to. It's holding its tension a lot better than some other strings I've tried. So, kudos to that. Power level is on par with the average poly. Spin production was that of an average poly as well. Didn't add any more spin to my shots. Feel also is that of an average poly. The only thing that sets this string apart is the twisted, extruded shape.
As for pricing, I estimate it will be at $13-18. I personally wouldn't pay must for this string - if at all, considering I have a lot of other strings to play with at half the price.
Your regular string set up: Luxilon BB ALU Power, at 55lbs
Racquet brand and model string is installed in: Yonex RQiS 1 Tour
Power (or lack there of): 7/10
Feel: 7/10
Tension maintenance (how long it holds its tension): 8/10
Overall comments and feedback
When I first got the string, I immediately noticed the shape of it. Looks liked a twisted, extruded heptagonal/octagonal string. It looked pretty cool, but the color was bland. Upon stringing the racquet, though, the shape got in the way. Stringing the mains was fine, but moving on to the crosses was a lot harder. There's a lot more tension when pulling through an extruded string.
The string performed 'just fine.' It didn't have more spin, more feel, more anything that I'm not already used to. It's holding its tension a lot better than some other strings I've tried. So, kudos to that. Power level is on par with the average poly. Spin production was that of an average poly as well. Didn't add any more spin to my shots. Feel also is that of an average poly. The only thing that sets this string apart is the twisted, extruded shape.
As for pricing, I estimate it will be at $13-18. I personally wouldn't pay must for this string - if at all, considering I have a lot of other strings to play with at half the price.
Faster
Hall of Fame
It seems like a marketable product yes with the packaging. However, it is just a test-set provided by Wilson (they gave a couple of them away via twitter). Did not find it in a store or something like that.
Final Update from me: Still haven't popped the strings and I'm playing 3x or more weekly with my 18x20. Guess I hit too flat. Anyway, other than the one day when I felt the tension loss, I still like the string overall. I'd pay at the very most 12 bucks for it. I'm hoping it will be cheaper than that. Anywho, I can't wait to test what else they may be coming up with. If anyone knows, keep me updated!
Last update (of 3):
Had my finals last night. Temperature was just below 50F at the end of it, not sure at the start - pretty darn cold for me personally, the last match I had played was at least 15F warmer than that was. I've put on about 10 hours on these strings, and last night felt like I really had lost a lot - I was certainly not moving as well, and my preparation for shots just was not there. That said, towards the end of the second set I was really noticing movement occur in mains - usually my sign that it is time for string to go.
Overall, the durability is comparable to that of BHB/SR I think - within a small enough timeframe that differences between the two is not a deciding factor for me. I noted that there is a sharp dropoff in the first hour, a nice 'sweetspot' of tension that is relatively stable, then the elasticity seems to be gone and the usual happens.
This string really has to compete against Unique for BHSR. Overall, I think it is a bit softer than that one, but not the glue-snorting crazy action of BHBR. If you're looking for something that is between the two, this is a nice string. For hybrids, I would be tempted to try this with a stiffer synthetic gut (play to the advantages of the string, understanding that this is a stiffer copoly to start with). Start with Gosen and move up or down from there.
As far as price, I wouldn't be surprised to see it hit at $12/set - but in price, for me it would really need to compete against Unique at $8/set (for regular packs) - but as I string my own, I'm always looking at different manufacturers. The difference in the pricing can mostly in my mind be explained by the fact that it is Wilson, and their name does carry that sort of clout in this world. I can not personally see paying more than $8/set, however I could see some of my team paying $12-$15/set (strung a copoly in January? It's probably still good).
As for seeing the package above, it is of no surprise to me that they had started packaging these strings. These aren't 'alpha' or 'beta' tests, from my experience with them you are looking to start building a customer base in a new market segment, or to offer a reason for retainment in a current segment. The opinions may help drive the next step (do we concentrate on features, price, service, etc), but the bulk of the design testing would (or should) have occurred a few months ago.
Had my finals last night. Temperature was just below 50F at the end of it, not sure at the start - pretty darn cold for me personally, the last match I had played was at least 15F warmer than that was. I've put on about 10 hours on these strings, and last night felt like I really had lost a lot - I was certainly not moving as well, and my preparation for shots just was not there. That said, towards the end of the second set I was really noticing movement occur in mains - usually my sign that it is time for string to go.
Overall, the durability is comparable to that of BHB/SR I think - within a small enough timeframe that differences between the two is not a deciding factor for me. I noted that there is a sharp dropoff in the first hour, a nice 'sweetspot' of tension that is relatively stable, then the elasticity seems to be gone and the usual happens.
This string really has to compete against Unique for BHSR. Overall, I think it is a bit softer than that one, but not the glue-snorting crazy action of BHBR. If you're looking for something that is between the two, this is a nice string. For hybrids, I would be tempted to try this with a stiffer synthetic gut (play to the advantages of the string, understanding that this is a stiffer copoly to start with). Start with Gosen and move up or down from there.
As far as price, I wouldn't be surprised to see it hit at $12/set - but in price, for me it would really need to compete against Unique at $8/set (for regular packs) - but as I string my own, I'm always looking at different manufacturers. The difference in the pricing can mostly in my mind be explained by the fact that it is Wilson, and their name does carry that sort of clout in this world. I can not personally see paying more than $8/set, however I could see some of my team paying $12-$15/set (strung a copoly in January? It's probably still good).
As for seeing the package above, it is of no surprise to me that they had started packaging these strings. These aren't 'alpha' or 'beta' tests, from my experience with them you are looking to start building a customer base in a new market segment, or to offer a reason for retainment in a current segment. The opinions may help drive the next step (do we concentrate on features, price, service, etc), but the bulk of the design testing would (or should) have occurred a few months ago.
