2012 Kirschbaum Playtest - Super Smash Orange 17

[gtshark1]

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

[USArmyTennis]

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

[tennisinoc]

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

[jim e]

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

[seekay]

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

Thanks to Kirschbaum and Tennis Warehouse for the playtest.

[mad dog1]

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

[Hao2Pro]

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

[jim e]

Originally Posted by mad dog1

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

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

[mad dog1]

Originally Posted by jim e

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

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

[swfh]

Tension: 52lbs, my usual test tension for polys

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[dangitaaa]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tension stability: Very Good 8.5/10

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

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

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

Thanks TW

[roadworkky]

How do you pick who gets the string for play tests? I would like to be added to the list.

[db10s]

Originally Posted by roadworkky

How do you pick who gets the string for play tests? I would like to be added to the list.

Who sends them an email first when the thread is posted..... And contributes to the forum....

[OldFedIsOld]

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

[FloridaAG]

Tension used for playtest 47 Pounds


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


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

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

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

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

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

Durability - No issues after 5 hours of play.

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Getting_Closer]

Tension: 51/49

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank Tenniswarehouse for letting me test the string. It is always fun to test new strings.

[KoolTennisKid]

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

Thank you TW and Kirschbaum for the oppurtinity to playtest this string

[drkplayer122]

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

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

Thanks again to TW and KB for the playtest!

[bigmalik76]

Tension used for playtest- 48 lbs on a Constant Pull machine.
Regular string set up - Currently trying Multi Mains(@58lbs) and Poly crosses(@52lbs), Last had Babolat Addiction M and Lux 4G C
Racquet brand and model used for test- Head Youtek Speed Pro
Power of test string- I would not really say this string is powerful but it did have some pop, and for a Poly it had some power as well.
Feel - For my liking the feel was slightly muted but not to a point that I was bothered or would not play the string. I looked at it as a little trade off, although this was really a slightly muted feel.
Spin - I really liked the string in this category. Although I would not categorize it as a spin string I felt I did get ample spin from this string and has a nice pace on the spin as well. Like the string both for Top Spin and slice but would give the edge to topspin.
Comfort- I think this is the area were the string really shined. I was a little bit reserved for the full bed of Poly as I had some elbow tenderness after an injury but I really did not have any issues at all and was really surprised. I really enjoyed the comfort of the string.
Serve- I really like this string on serve. Great control and spin for my kick serve, and pace and control on flat 1st serves.
Volleys – On volleys I did miss that feel a little bit. Although control was there and I would say it was good, I personally prefer a bit more feel at the net.
Durability - Not an issue for me so far. I have about 4 hours on the string now and have not noticed that the string has gone “dead” or lost playability. I will update this at a later point. I noticed some tension loss around the 6 hour mark but not to a point where the playability suffered noticeably just a bit loser string bed.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)-
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) - I really like the string on control and that was another area were the string shined in my opinion. I really enjoyed the control I had with the string, both directionally (tight/left) as well as controlling the depth of the shots.
Compare to the string you use most often
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) The tension worked for me, I would not go any lower but also did not feel the need to go higher. I would maybe try it @50 and @52 incrementing but I had no tension complaints @48. Worked for me.
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.- I really enjoyed the comfort this string gave me especially for a full bed poly. I thought this was a solid string all around and I liked that the string performed in all areas. I think I really like the string on serve and will definitely get some sets to try out in some hybrid setup as well. I would definitely recommend this string.

Thank You TW for the opportunity.

[Chace]

Tension used for playtest-52lbs

Regular string set up-Black Magic at 52lbs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you to TW and Kirschbaum for the opportunity.