VS Touch / Luxilon 4G 16g Review

[TimothyO]

Originally Posted by Nostradamus

VS/PHT is supercharged power for sure. Babolat has Xcel and Xcel power which is supposed to play like gut. what do you think about those ?

I really enjoyed Xcel Premium before moving on to gut. One of my favorite multis!

[Prostaffer]

For those that have used gut. Are you using the gut at 10% more than the poly, using the same tension or only a 2-3lbs difference in tension as I'm seeing in some of the pro stringing logs?

[TimothyO]

Originally Posted by Prostaffer

For those that have used gut. Are you using the gut at 10% more than the poly, using the same tension or only a 2-3lbs difference in tension as I'm seeing in some of the pro stringing logs?

I use gut mains 2-4 pounds higher than poly crosses depending upon poly and string pattern.

[JT_2eighty]

Originally Posted by maxpotapov

Alright alright, I will order a set
I played with Luxilon full bed or hybrids, I can see why pros are using it but they can afford frequent restringing and I can not. That's why I'm intrigued by "next gen resilience" claims. My dream setup would be 15+ hours of spin and comfort for $30 or less, so I really hope this 4G Luxilon will not go dead in 5 hours like they usually do

Try WC Mosquito Bite first before blowing $$ on Lux.

Spin & comfort with gut for 15+ hours = Gut/Mosquito Bite. As comfy as it gets (although not recommended for 16x19 or more open patterns), for dense 18x20 mid and MP racquets... perfection.

[TimothyO]

Well, here we are 15 days later and I've lost count of the number of hours on these strings. I practice serves and hit the wall almost every day for about an hour and play formal or informal matches about twice each week. So at least 9 or 10 hours per week and that doesn't include hitting with my sons in the late afternoon. During that time I've used some of my other frames too so this set up probably has about 12 hours on it.

The gut of course shows wear but the most impressive aspect of the 4G crosses is the level of control still present. Even in a relatively open pattern (AG 4D 200 Tour...95", 16 mains) control is perfectly fine. Comfort is good too. Not perfect but acceptable. Top spin is outstanding. I'm posting these comments because the spin and control were so amazing while hitting with my wife tonight.

I've been working on adding some side spin to my forehand and it was really easy tonight. Switching to my 200 Tour with Pro Red Code, which is fresher than the 4G, and the spin was much more difficult to achieve.

In other words, the 4G is aging nicely and consistent with reports from other TT members. Meanwhile the PRC which is only several hours old is less reliable. At least for open patterns I'm definitely sold on 4G. It has aged very nicely.

[maxpotapov]

Originally Posted by JT_2eighty

Try WC Mosquito Bite first before blowing $$ on Lux.

Spin & comfort with gut for 15+ hours = Gut/Mosquito Bite. As comfy as it gets (although not recommended for 16x19 or more open patterns), for dense 18x20 mid and MP racquets... perfection.

Ordered Mosquito Bite 18 Red to cross Wilson Natural Gut 16 and/or Pacific Tough Gut 16
Thanks!

I wonder is this Mosquito Bite bloody red?

[gavna]

Originally Posted by Prostaffer

For those that have used gut. Are you using the gut at 10% more than the poly, using the same tension or only a 2-3lbs difference in tension as I'm seeing in some of the pro stringing logs?

I strung up 4 of my BLX blade 98's - 2 full 4G at 50lbs and 2 with 4G in the mains at 48lbs and Wilson gut in the crosses at 52lbs - all 16L.......I strung them on a TF6000......wow i am in LOVE with the hybrid, I had to switch away from full poly about 6mos ago but would be willing to even use a full bed of 4G!!! i'm an open player and play ITF senior events on a regular basis -

The level of comfort and control really shocked me....i stayed away from any reviews posted just to assure i didn't go in with any preconceived notions. I have played 3 sets of singles (about 1.5 hrs) and 8 sets of doubles (4 hrs +) along with 2 hrs of drills this morning and 2 hrs this past Monday switching sticks every set or so.......so far i have measured less than a 3% tension loss - I also used a Babolat RDC machine to measure the stringbed stiffness 3x this week and found similar very low loss of stiffness.

[TimothyO]

Update on Luxilon 4G as cross:

I now have both of my 200 Tours strung with VS Tour / 4G 16.

I've noticed something interesting about how it ages. For the first few hours it's very comfortable, it then goes through a brief period of less comfort, and then settles in for the long haul to something close to a pillow!

When I had the first frame strung with 4G I was worried that it may not be all that comfortable over the long haul. I felt indications that it was becoming stiff, dead, and boardy. I was ready to give up on 4G and had the other Tour strung with VS / Pro Red Code 16.

After several more hours of play with both I noticed the PRC frame was hurting my arm while the 4G was becoming softer!

So I had the PRC frame restrung with VS / 4G. The second 4G frame has followed the same sequence: perfect comfort at first, a brief period of less comfort, and then it breaks in to perfectly soft and pillow like.

At all times the 4G provides amazing control and good spin potential. Of the many poly crosses I've tried with gut it provides the best combination of control and comfort (other provide equal comfort but not nearly as much comtrol). Spin potential is not quite as good as other but certainly good enough. I'm glad that I didn't panic and cut out the 4G when it went through that brief period of lower comfort (but never truly uncomfortable).

[filphil]

Originally Posted by TimothyO

Update on Luxilon 4G as cross:

I now have both of my 200 Tours strung with VS Tour / 4G 16.

I've noticed something interesting about how it ages. For the first few hours it's very comfortable, it then goes through a brief period of less comfort, and then settles in for the long haul to something close to a pillow!

When I had the first frame strung with 4G I was worried that it may not be all that comfortable over the long haul. I felt indications that it was becoming stiff, dead, and boardy. I was ready to give up on 4G and had the other Tour strung with VS / Pro Red Code 16.

After several more hours of play with both I noticed the PRC frame was hurting my arm while the 4G was becoming softer!

So I had the PRC frame restrung with VS / 4G. The second 4G frame has followed the same sequence: perfect comfort at first, a brief period of less comfort, and then it breaks in to perfectly soft and pillow like.

At all times the 4G provides amazing control and good spin potential. Of the many poly crosses I've tried with gut it provides the best combination of control and comfort (other provide equal comfort but not nearly as much comtrol). Spin potential is not quite as good as other but certainly good enough. I'm glad that I didn't panic and cut out the 4G when it went through that brief period of lower comfort (but never truly uncomfortable).

Sounds like I should give this setup a try on my next stringing. I hope that doesn't come along for another 2 months though.

In terms of power, or lack there of, how did it compare to your other hybrids? When I hybrid I usually go for the smallest poly cross I can find. I'm afraid the thicker gauges the 4g come in may rob me of some of that power and give me a boardy feeling.

Originally Posted by Prostaffer

For those that have used gut. Are you using the gut at 10% more than the poly, using the same tension or only a 2-3lbs difference in tension as I'm seeing in some of the pro stringing logs?

I use 10% differential when hybriding gut with a poly. I also do the yonex 5% cross differential also so I take a total of 15% off when I do a gut/poly hybrid.

[TimothyO]

Originally Posted by filphil

Sounds like I should give this setup a try on my next stringing. I hope that doesn't come along for another 2 months though.

In terms of power, or lack there of, how did it compare to your other hybrids? When I hybrid I usually go for the smallest poly cross I can find. I'm afraid the thicker gauges the 4g come in may rob me of some of that power and give me a boardy feeling.



I use 10% differential when hybriding gut with a poly. I also do the yonex 5% cross differential also so I take a total of 15% off when I do a gut/poly hybrid.

It's low powered compared to other poly crosses such as Black Ice 17g and 16g and Focus Hex 17g and 16g. I had generally avoided 16g poly for the same reason: fear of it being too stiff and boardy. But 4G is different. It does go through a period of lower comfort early in its lifespan. It then mellows out and feels plush. Not sure how it would feel in dense string beds. In my 16x19 it feels good.

[Maui19]

I finally tried some 4G (17g) hybrid with Classic gut today. I found it to be okay. For me, it isn't as good as the gut/Tour Bite hybrid I have been playing. It doesn't spin as well or feel as good. Don't get me wrong, it is a fine setup, and probably better than the gut/Hurricane Feel setup I had been playing, although the Hurricane Feel setup has set the standard for longevity in my gut/poly hybrid.

It's not a bad string for me, just not as good as some others.

[Federerkblade]

Timothy

where are you buying 4g from in the uk and how much for

[TimothyO]

Originally Posted by Maui19

I finally tried some 4G (17g) hybrid with Classic gut today. I found it to be okay. For me, it isn't as good as the gut/Tour Bite hybrid I have been playing. It doesn't spin as well or feel as good. Don't get me wrong, it is a fine setup, and probably better than the gut/Hurricane Feel setup I had been playing, although the Hurricane Feel setup has set the standard for longevity in my gut/poly hybrid.

It's not a bad string for me, just not as good as some others.

I agree the 4G spin potential is not as great as with other gut/poly hybrids. I found PHT much better in that department. Both seem pretty comfortable and durable. 4G definitely had the edge in control over PHT and other poly crosses I've tried. Definitely a trade off.

[TimothyO]

Originally Posted by Federerkblade

Timothy

where are you buying 4g from in the uk and how much for

I'm in the US. Is there a Dunwoody in the UK?

[neverstopplaying]

timothyO

Your review of this setup reminds me of what I currently experience with VS/Beast XP. Have you tried VS with XP? I'll give this a shot next time I order strings.

[TimothyO]

Yes. Found it a little hrash for my arm.

[neverstopplaying]

Thanks for the response. I'll definitely give 4G a try.

[Maui19]

I've been hitting the 4G a little and it has definitely gotten better. I think I am seeing marginally more spin but it definitely feels softer. Now that I've got about 4 hours on it, I would put it just slightly behind my gut/Tour Bite hybrid. Tension drop (4lbs) is comparable to the best "tension holding" polys I have tried.

[TimothyO]

Finally had to cut out the 4G in one of the frames. The gut looked worn and near breaking anyway but the 4G actually started to become just harsh enough that I didn't like it. Spin was still great and control was outstanding as always. Wasn't boardy or anything extreme, just a little unpleasant over a 2 hour hitting session. Effects quickly wore off but better safe than sorry.

In any case it certainly lasts longer than other co-polys and control is outstanding. Spin not quite as good as others but still excellent in this hybrid.

With my Tours on a diet (removed about 4 grams of material from the bumper for a nimbler 200 Tour...that's 16" of lead tape!) I'm going to have one of the frames strung with a favorite, Focus Hex 1.27, so I can compare head to head with 4G. The reduced SW also dropped the power so maybe the softer Focus Hex can provide both its superior spin potential and adequate control in this new configuration. There's no TWU data on Hex 1.27 but the 1.18 shows a tension drop of about 13# at 51# reference tension. With 4G around 10# the Hex 1.27 is probably similar based on my previous experience with it.

[Nostradamus]

Originally Posted by TimothyO

I really enjoyed Xcel Premium before moving on to gut. One of my favorite multis!

you didn't like the Xcel power too much. what was it about Xcel premium that you preferred ?