2012 Luxilon Playtest

[Praprad]

Full set or hybrid- Hybrid w/ Synthetic Gut 17

Tension used for playtest- 54lbs

Regular string set up- Luxilon Alu Power w/ Synthetic Gut 17 @54lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test- Prince Exo3 Tour 16X18

Power of test string- It was on the lower end power wise for polys. Definitely lower than my normal set up but let me swing at the ball without worrying about it going out.

Feel- The feel was not the best but manageable and took some getting used to.

Spin- The spin on this string was disappointing. Spin potential much different than my usual set up but when I began swinging a little more flatter the string felt much better.

Comfort- Good comfort. Nothing bad about it other than it might have been a little too soft.

Durability- Durability is nice but can’t say much now. 6 hours of play so far.

Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable)- Surprisingly not much tension has been lost, much better than most polys I have played with.

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)- Great control after I began hitting a little more flatter. Felt like I could hit any ball anywhere aggressively. Slice stayed low. Drop shots were good. The one drawback might have been not getting much action on the ball when it came to topspin.

Compare to the string you use most often- Alu Power has more power and spin but the control of this string was really nice. I would rank this inferior to my usual set up due to solely the spin. In order to get deep shots with good pace it was almost necessary to flatten your balls.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) If anything I would drop it a pound or two to see if that gave me a little more spin.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.
I loved the control of this string and how you could just swing at the ball without having to worry whether it would go out or not but I wish it had more spin potential. That would make it as perfect as a string could be.

Thanks to Tennis Warehouse and Luxilon for this enjoyable string test. Looking forward to ones in the future!

[amsingh]

You must include the following in your review

Full set or hybrid - hybrid with wilson sensation
Tension used for playtest - 60 lbs
Regular string set up - mains: kirshbaum competition 17L and cross: prince synthetic gut w/duraflex @64 lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test - prince tour diablo mid
Power of test string - power was average with this string which worked out well for me as I prefer a string that isn't too powerful. Still felt I could get enough behind the ball with a little lower tension than I usually string.
Feel - I thought the feel was incredible. Really pocketed the ball well and allowed me to direct shots with ease. Especially liked it on my backhand slice. Felt very soft which I thought I wouldn't like but ended up working well for me.
Spin - Spin was decent. Wasn't overwhelmed with the spin potential. I feel other shaped poly's have more spin potential but don't always need that depending on the surface I'm playing on.
Comfort - very comfortable. As I mentioned with the feel portion of the review, pocketed the ball well. For some reason felt more comfortable at the baseline with the string and not too much at net.
Durability - can't really comment as I used with sensation crosses on those snapped on me after a week of play
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable) - I felt very little if at all tension loss in the week the strings lasted me
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) - control was very nice. made up for the power being average. Did not really matter what type of swing I was taking. However, volleys (even half volleys) have felt better on other strings. I do not think I would use this string set up in a doubles match.
Compare to the string you use most often - It was a nice change of pace, but I'm not sure it is enough to stray me away from my current string set up.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) - 60 lbs was great for me (which is lower than my usual) I feel a few pounds lower is a good idea with an luxilon strings as they can feel stiff, especially when fresh.
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.
Likes: 1) tension maintenance was a big thing for me. If I had used a more durable cross string, I don't think I'd have to cut the strings out due to lost tension 2) complemented my style of play
Dislikes: 1) color - did not mesh well with my racquet 2) anticipate it being very pricey, which will keep me from keeping the option open of switching from my current poly mains to this.

[tennis_enthusiast]

Full set or hybrid-I used a full set of string for the playtesting.

Tension used for playtest-51 lbs.

Regular string set up-typically I use either Tecnifbre Black Code in an 18 gauge or Solinco Tour Bite in a 17 gauge, both at 51 lbs.

Racquet brand and model used for test- I stuck with my usual Babolat aero storm gt racket.

Power of test string- I received a really average amount of power. If anything it was definitely less than what I am used to. The Black Code and Tour Bite both seem to have more pop.

Feel- this was clearly a little bit thicker of a gauge than I am used to, so I didn't get as much feel as I would have from a thin poly. However for a standard poly there was a little bit of feel.

Spin-average in this department as well.

Comfort- at 51 lbs I didn't have any arm problems. Strings were a little bit stiffer than my normal set up.

Durability- I didn't manage to break the string during my playtesting period.

Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable)- this seemed to be the kicker because I will ony leave my normal polys in for about 5-6 hours of playing time but I felt the same feel for about 10 hours on this racket before it didn't feel good.

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)-I received pretty consistent feedback from the strings providing me with enough control. I did need a little bit of time to adjust but it was a good amount of control.

Compare to the string you use most often-thIs didn't have near the feel or sPin potential of my normal Black Code set up. I found more power and better performance in all categories with my Black Code.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I thought that this string would perform better at low tensions, 51 seemed to Be a good tension because if it were higher I could see ark problems developing.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes. The tension maintenance is obviously going to be a big selling point forthe string. It did perform well at my usual tension of 51 lbs. I could see a lot of people switching to this string.

[bspitch1]

Full set or hybrid?: Full Set
Tension:45
Regular string set up: X-one 16, SPPP 16L crosses
Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Pure Storm Tour
Power of test string:The string was very low powered. The string had a little pop but wasnt enough for what I am used to.
Feel: A TON OF FEEL. The feel in this string is ridiculous. Placement was great too
Spin: I was able to get a decent amount of spin with this string but was far less than most strings. This string made me try to hit spin if I wanted it rather than some spin coming from the string itself.
Comfort: Very comfortable from my tests. I definitely would recommend it.
Durability: String lasted 11 hours of play before it broke. It broke in the middle of the string bed. Lasted as well as most polys
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable): It lasted as well as my current strings. I liked it
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?):Good control. I was able to predict the trajectory pretty well after a few times of hitting.
Compare to the string you use most often: Much better! I definitely would use this as my normal setup.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): Keep it the same. I wouldnt change anything. The string was everything that I wanted.
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.: I wish there was more power. But I LOVED the feel and control!

[Torres]

Originally Posted by Laney Tennis

Etc

(And to anyone else who's tried this string), how long did it take before it went dead?

And how does it compare to Alu and Savage?

[sports4eva115]

Full set or hybrid
full set for this playtest

Tension used for playtest
54lbs with vibration dampener

Regular string set up
full bed of RPM Blast 16g at 54 lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test
Head Microgel Prestige MP 18x20

Power of test string
This is a low powered string for sure, meaning that this is usually for more intermediate to advance players who like to take a huge cut at the ball. Power feels similar to my usual RPM Blast, in that I can take a big swing and the ball won't fly as far as one would expect.

Feel
In my opinion, there are two types of feels for polys: strings that feel "hard" (like the alu big banger) and strings that feel "soft" (like rpm blast). Polys in general are more stressful on the arm, but soft polys are much more forgiving than hard polys. This string feels very close to my RPM setup, in that it feels much softer than alu big banger, and that I feel great ball pocketing when playing. That being said, it does feel a little less forgiving than my RPM, as off centered shot would result in the racket vibrating pretty bad. On center hits feel like heaven tho, much better than my RPM.

Spin
Although the feel is similar to my RPM, the spin potential is not the same. Using RPM, I occasionally go to the nadal whipping forehand, as it works well when I have a high ball and I want to draw the opponent off the court with a spinny crosscourt forehand. With these strings, I havent been able to create the angles I wanted and felt very frustrated at teh begining. However, I discover that, with my eastern-semiwestern forehand grip, its much easier to flatten out balls with this string than my RPM. Sometimes with the RPM, the ball seems to dip too much when I try to flatten it and it either ends up short or into the net. With these strings I'm able to push the ball much closer to the baseline, keeping my opponent back.

Comfort
The comfort could be related to the feel, as in that these strings are considered "soft" polys and therefore feel much easier on the arm. On the other hand, while most soft polys are also easy on the arm on off centered hits, this one seems to act like a hard poly on off centered hits and could be an issue. Overall though, when playing recreational (and therefore not swinging hard at the ball all the time), this string feels very nice.
Durability
While the strings themselves have not snapped yet, they seem to hold up as long as my RPM Blast. I usually go through a set in around a month and a half, and I've had a month to playtest these. That said, these strings do seem to move around occasionally, more than I'm used to (rpm hardly moves at all!) but nothing too serious.

Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable)
I'm not a player whose too fussy about tension maintenance. Even though RPM Blast is known for its poor tension maintenance, I usually dont switch out the strings until it broke from playing (except when I cut them out to string up these Luxilon 4G!). I usually adjust to the tension drop, so when the tension drops I tend to noticably hit the ball with more spin and less pace, as lower tensions for me feel a little out of control at times. These strings seem to hold tension better than my RPM Blasts, as they don't lose tension right away, and in a month into the playtest I feel like my game hasent changed that much.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
I feel like there is great control with this racket. Although my dipper shots have been disappointing, corner to corner shots have been amazing. I feel like I'm able to control the ball really well at the baseline, hitting flatter than I usually do and the ball still going in. Its just for approach shots, when I'm trying to open the court and get the opponent on the run to hopefully create an easy volley, that I struggled to place the ball correctly. Often I send the ball long, or hit it jsut wide, but this could simply be due the fact that i'm not completely used to the lower spin generation of the strings. Great control from the baseline though!
As for serves, these strings have a nice pop that helps me create pace but still keeps the ball in the service box. I'd say I enjoyed these strings the most on serves.

Compare to the string you use most often
I've been comparing to the RPM for this whole review, but in a nutshell these strings have excellent feel, soft like the RPM yet not too shabby on the spin potential. These strings would be great for flattening the ball out, as I'd say the power generation and spin potential lies somewhere between teh alu big banger (my old strings) and the RPM Blast (my preferred string now).

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
I would say I would lower the tension a little more than I usually do. I used to play with the big banger, and when I did I had to string at around the high 40's cuz the string is so stiff. When I switched to the RPM, the softer string bed along with its infamous spin generation superpower made me increase my tension up to 55. With these strings, I would probably drop it by 3-4 pounds, just go get a little extra spin generation and power from the strings. The control has been excellent for them, so hopefully at a lower tension I'll still be able to get the same precision.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.
the two things I really love about this string is its comfort and control. Like i stated above, this string is soft like the RPM yet its not TOO soft. Sometimes with the RPM I feel like I'm hitting with strings with cotton inside, cuz its so soft. These strings have felt great just about every time i played, so I'm very satisfied with them. Control is excellent when hitting flat shots, just the occasional misses due to the smaller spin potential compared to my RPM. However, becasue I'm trying to transition from a baseline grinder to an aggressive net approacher, these strings met my needs pretty well
2 things I didnt enjoy as much was as I stated, the smaller spin potential, but this could simply be due to I'm not used to the strings yet (its only been a month, verses 2 years of RPM usage!). The other would be how the string moves around occasionally and I have to fix them up after points. Sometimes I forget to check and keep playing with the strings all screwy and eventually I found out the strings arnt even aligned.
Overall I would definitely give this string a second or third shot, and maybe when I'm more used to it, compare it side by side with my RPM (i havent used the RPM in a month now because I'm trying to get used to these strings!)


thanks to tennis warehouse and luxilon for giving me this opportunity to playtest! I really enjoyed trying out new strings, and felt honored to be able to try this out before most people! thanks again, look forward to future playtests!

[drkplayer122]

I used the 4G in my leaded up IG radical MP at 40 #s. I will compare this string with Tour Bite 16 at 40 also.

Power= The power of this string test was on the lower end of polys for me. I tended to push the ball a little bit to get the same depth I had with a more powerful setup.

Feel= I would say it has a pretty the same feel as many Lux strings. It was more on the stiffer side of polys but it felt very crisp when I hit the ball cleanly.

Spin= I would say it was pretty average for a poly. I had to get accelerate more to get more RHS to get the same spin I was used to with shaped strings like TB.

Comfort= As stated earlier, 4G is on the stiffer side of polys. Unfortunately, I did feel something the next morning after playing with this string. It was my fault since I was trying a bit too hard by pushing the ball more and arming the ball trying to get more spin on the ball.

Durability= Durability was no issue with me.

Tension maintenance= Tension maintenance was not so bad with this string. I did feel a pretty big tension drop around the 3rd to 4th hr. I cut the strings out at about the 10th hr since it was died. For a Lux string, I say it was a very nice adjustment from most of the string died within 5 hrs of play for me.

Control= I thought this was where the string shined. I felt like I was playing a video game with the setup. I had pinpoint accuracy and became a line painter overnight. I couldn't miss whether I was hitting CC or DTL shots.

Compare to the string you use most often
Power= TB>4g
Spin= TB>4g
Control= TB<<4G
Tension M= TB<4G

I think I would go maybe 2 #s lower to get a little more power from the string. I don't think those 2#s wouldn't really affect the control that much.

Summary:
Likes: I loved the control I got with this string. I would love to be a painter again.
Everything was pretty average for a poly so it really didn't have any weakness.

Dislikes: Again it was average for a poly so it really doesn't have much pros either.
Honestly, I probally won't get this string because of the price. At like 16 USD, I can really burn a hole in my wallet.

Thanks TW and Luxilon for the playtest and shirt.

[drkplayer122]

Originally Posted by Torres

(And to anyone else who's tried this string), how long did it take before it went dead?

And how does it compare to Alu and Savage?

Since I'm not a big hitter like most of the posters, but I get about 4-5 hrs with ALU power and rough. With 4g I got about 9-10 hrs. It doesn't have that holy grail-like play when you play with the ALUs in those first 2 hrs or so.

[SteveI]

Originally Posted by Torres

(And to anyone else who's tried this string), how long did it take before it went dead?

And how does it compare to Alu and Savage?

My two setups really never went dead... the string was never really alive. String was muted, low powered and nothing like ALU Power. Sorry never played Savage. All of the Tourna Poly Strings are better than this string as was the last multi-sided string I playtested for TW. I know this string will be $15.00 from Lux... not a winner in my book.

[TennezSport]

We would like to thank TW for giving us the opportunity to test Lux' new 4G string.

Full set or hybrid
Tension used for playtest = 45/43lbs
Regular string set up = Tec Duramix/Ruff Code @ 52/44lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test = Yonex VCore 98
Power of test string = low powered throught test
Feel = almost non existent on anything not hit hard
Spin = good, but normal for a co-poly string
Comfort = not very comfortable at first, but did soften up a little with use.
Durability = while notching did become an issue the durability was decent.

Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable)
While we strung this string low we still had good control because of the high stiffness index (269). Loss was only 6lbs over the 10hrs that the string lasted at which time the string went dead.

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) Control was very good and took a good solid swing in order to produce decent spin and power. Touch shots were almost non existent if not stuck with some effort; counter productive in that area.

Compare to the string you use most often
4G delivers a good deal of control but suffers from lack of feel on delicate touch shots. The string combo that I regularly use offers more in that department. However, used in a hybrid 4G might do very well.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
Depending on your racquet and string pattern, we recommend string as low as you can control as the string offers great control on its own due to the high stiffness index and low elasticity. Lower tensions will also increase sting life slightly.

Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.
This string is really good for Big Bangers and advanced players looking for good control and spin. While lower tensions will help the string last longer, we still found the feel and life span lacking.

Cheers, TennezSport

[purple-n-gold]

Full set 2 piece job

Tension 54 mains 52 cross'

Regular string: My go to is Lux ALu but I like to try the latest and greatest

Racquet: A tuned Yonex Vcore 100

Power of test string: Fairly low, once the string settled in it had a little more pop. Very similiar to the other Lux strings, slightly lower powered than fresh Alu.

Feel: It felt supple and slick out of the pack, also like it had some sort of coating on it. Strung up with no issues. It has a solid and predictable response..not a metallic or brassy feel like Alu or BBO, but a unique feel all to it's own. I would compare it to a combination/cross of Savage and BB Original in one string. I think the string felt and played better at the end of the first week after it had settled in a bit.

Spin: Good spin..not crazy like fresh Alu Rough or Tour Bite, but definitely not lacking in the spin department.

Comfort: Good comfort for a co-poly, better than Alu to me.

Durability: Still going strong after 2 weeks and at around 8-10 hours of use. String was slightly notched before the end of the first week but nowhere near breaking yet. I generally cut out poly before it breaks.

Tension maintenance: Great, I think this will be 4G's strong point. After my 2nd and 3rd outing the string bed settled in with no noticable drop in tension nor playability. Now at the end of its 2nd week and finishing a weekend tournament, it still has a crisp and controlled response. I also want to add that I initially played with it straight off the stringer where I typically let my strings settle in for a least one day.

Control: A very good control string with a predictable response on all shots. Backhand slices were especially nasty and like all Lux strings it really rewards faster swings.

Compared to Alu it had a slightly more muted feel, not brassy, but unique. Not as much spin and pop as fresh Alu, but really no weakness' playability wise. MUCH better tension maintenance than Alu.

Tension recommendations: Would string it up again at the same tension.

Summary:Really have enjoyed the strings long lasting playability, impressive. Nothing I can really knock about this new 4G.

Thank you TW for another playtest opportunity and Luxilon for the string and Tee!

[DrewRafter8]

Thanks to TW for the opportunity to test this string. I have not played as much as I would like but I was able to get some quality time with it over the past two weeks.

Full set or hybrid-
Strung up in a full set

Tension used for playtest-
56 on an Alpha Revo

Regular string set up-
Currently don't have one, I have yet to find a string that I really liked in my racquet. BHBR and BH7 have been my favorites thus far.

Racquet brand and model used for test-
2012 BD+

Power of test string-
Low powered, but I had no problems with this. I've read where some noted the lack of pop on the serve. I never experienced this, but I have a pretty strong serve.

Feel-
Great for a poly. It's hard for me to think of another poly that felt this good. It still lacks feel compared to gut and other non-poly choices, but I thought it felt the best out of the many poly strings that I've used.

Spin-
Typical for a poly, but not as good as Tour Bite or BH7. I was able to get some really good spin when I really took a good cut at the ball. The low power allows you to swing out a bit which is nice.

Comfort-
No problems here. It's a much more comfortable poly then some. It's hard for me to think of very many poly's (if any) more comfortable.

Durability-
Seems to the same as a typical poly. I have yet to break it so I really can't comment here.

Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable)-
This has been remarkable for a poly. I've yet to have it go loose or unplayable. I expected a drop off after the first 4 hours on court and it hasn't dropped off.

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)-
As I mentioned earlier, you need a healthy amount of racquet head speed to really reap the rewards of this string. I found good control and hit the angles I wanted with it.

Compare to the string you use most often
Tour Bite- 4G is lower powered and the TB has more spin. I also found 4G to have a better feel then TB. I've used 16L TB.

BH7- Spin goes to BH7, 4G is lower powered, but feel is tough here. I don't know which feels better.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)-
Probably would string it a little higher then some of the stiffer poly strings. I use TB and BHBR at 50-52. I treated the 4G like BH7 and strung it at 56.


Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes.
Really like this string thus far. I'll probably buy a couple of sets because 4G seems to be the first poly I've had that I didn't start to hate after 4-6 hours on court. I also like the lower power in a rocket launcher like the BD+. I'd be interested to see how it would work in a more control oriented stick. The only negative would be the little lack of spin I noticed on kick serves. BH7 has spoiled me and I did notice a little drop off here. I would note that I served like crap in a couple of testing sessions. I was able to bust some yesterday and really got some good kick when I was aggressive. But again, BH7 is nasty when it comes to serving with spin so....

Thanks again to TW and Luxilon. It's a very unique string and I enjoyed the chance to try it. But as it's been noted on this forum millions of times, your feelings probably will be different, but I would recommend trying this out in a playtest.

[duffman]

Here is my review for luxilon's 4G. I'm a 5.0 with a one handed backhand and generate lots of spin and hit with good pace. I use a babolat pure storm tour gt and usually string a hybrid of babolat tonic ball feel and a softer polyester such as weiscannon black edge or tourna big hitter black. I strung up the hybrid at 56 for the gut mains and 48 for the 4G cross.

Initially the power level for 4G felt rather low, but the tension dropped after my 1st hit and the power came up quite a bit. It now feels on par with my usual set up.

Feel for this string is very good, especially for a polyester string. Comfort is also top notch. I have to say that this was one of the best poly strings I've used for feel and comfort, keep in mind I didn't use it as a full bed but as a cross with gut mains.

Spin was about the same as my usual setup, no noticeable difference either way. I was able to produce a lot of top spin off my forehand and get good action and height on my kick serves. No complaints.

I had no issues with premature breakage or notching. Tension maintenance, while not as good as my usual setup, was tolerable. There was a drop of about 2% 24 hours after stringing and then another 10% after my first hit. The tension then stabilized at this point and held tension well. This setup had great ball pocketing and super consistent trajectory from my racquet. Very pleased with these aspects.

As I primarily use natural gut in the mains for my setup I prefer a poly that holds tension well so that I can maximize the playability of the gut. While at first I was a bit disturbed with the initial tension loss, it did stabilize and was very playable for the duration of the test. Much better than lux alu in this regard. I might string a couple pounds tighter on the 4G crosses next time around to offset some of the initial tension loss. I was also very pleased with the comfort and feel of this string. I could definitely see myself using this in a hybrid. I'd also like to test a full bed to get a better idea of its properties, but as a hybrid I have to say its another great offering from Luxilon. Thanks to TW for letting me test this string!!!

[ejdtennis]

I am a 4.5 player with moderate topspin and have been hitting with a hybrid of 4G mains and 16 gauge VS Team crosses for the past 2 weeks (in a Volkl C10 Pro) - mainly on har-tru clay. I'm most impressed with the tension retention of the 4G. In contrast to the RPM Blast/VS hybrid in my other frame, the 4G frame lost very little tension after the first 24 hours. This is a great asset for amateur players like me who can't afford to restring as often as the pros. Playability-wise, the 4G/gut hybrid had a firm feel with great control and decent spin. Due to the tension maintenance, I might string it a bit lower (or try gut mains) next time to soften up the feel. I strung it at 53 mains, 55 crosses, which still felt firm. Don't know when that will be though since durability also seems very good and the strings show relatively little sign of wear at this point. Thanks for the opportunity to try 4G!

[ejdtennis]

Originally Posted by ejdtennis

I am a 4.5 player with moderate topspin and have been hitting with a hybrid of 4G mains and 16 gauge VS Team crosses for the past 2 weeks (in a Volkl C10 Pro) - mainly on har-tru clay. I'm most impressed with the tension retention of the 4G. In contrast to the RPM Blast/VS hybrid in my other frame, the 4G frame lost very little tension after the first 24 hours. This is a great asset for amateur players like me who can't afford to restring as often as the pros. Playability-wise, the 4G/gut hybrid had a firm feel with great control and decent spin. Due to the tension maintenance, I might string it a bit lower (or try gut mains) next time to soften up the feel. I strung it at 53 mains, 55 crosses, which still felt firm. Don't know when that will be though since durability also seems very good and the strings show relatively little sign of wear at this point. Thanks for the opportunity to try 4G!

Full set or hybrid - Hybrid with VS Team 16
Tension used for playtest - 53 main, 55 cross
Regular string set up - RPM 17/VS 16 (same tension as above)
Racquet brand and model used for test - Volkl C10 Pro (TW McEnroe pro stock edition)
Power of test string - low
Feel - average
Spin - average
Comfort - average/low
Durability - good
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable) - great
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) - good
Compare to the string you use most often - better tension maintenance, less power, less feel, less spin, less comfort
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) looser
Summary: List 1 or 2 primary likes and dislikes. - Likes: holds tension Dislikes: seems a bit stiff

[jason n]

Full set of 4G
Tension was m48 x46
Regular string set up is hybrid prince beast xp with wilson nxt control at m47 and x45

Racquet is aerogel 4d 300 tour

Power of test string was lacking. No real pop on it but the good thing is that you can really swing hard and the ball would still stay in. Maybe drop a few pounds or hybrid would help out the power issue.

Feel was good. It gave solid feedback with little to no vibration. Good pocketing but not mushy

Spin was about the same as my current set up. Not the greatest but it has some spin potential. Spin was lacking on my kick serve too.

Comfort was good with minimal vibration and just a good overall feel

Durability: have not played enough to give a good answer

Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable) played 4 hours and tensions has not changed

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) due to the low power it did have good control with all swing speeds. Serving had good control but not as much speed as usual

Compare to the string you use most often: It has similar control and spin but my current set up has more pop. This string has pretty much the same feel that is kinda crisp and not mushy

Tension recommendations: I would try on my racquet dropping maybe 2lbs on the mains.

Likes: control and feel where pretty good but thats about it

Dislikes: no power, probably will be priced to high for what the string offers and just nothing really that special about it

[Ace1443]

Strung my Head YT Prestige MP with the 4G and played with it about 7 hours this week. Strung @ 50lbs/47lbs (m/x), the tension I usually string the banger original rough.

Overall, this was a really fun string to play with. It reminds me of a lot of the Adrenaline I use when I string generic poly for friends/students. It's very playable for a poly, but provides enough control to keep big strokes in the court. The 4G is a tiny bit stiffer than the Adrenaline, which I liked a lot. Great step up for anyone who thinks that Adrenaline is too live. It also reminded me of the Zo Tour 17 (orange).

Only downside for me was spin potential. I'm always trying to get more spin w/ my strings (due mostly to the tight string bed- I may be switching over to the YTIG Prestige Pro this fall/winter) and the only reason I wouldn't switch to this one is that I didn't get the bite that I needed. If they made it in a rough or shaped version, I'd definitely consider making that my string. That said, it still pocketed really well and is a great option for someone who is looking for a bit more control. Tension maintenance has been great so far.

If I end up switching to the open string pattern of the Pro, I may revisit this one. Also, as stated, would love to give it another try if they shape the string or put it out in a rough version.

It's a must try for someone looking to get the best of both worlds with this playable co-poly. Thanks to TW for the opportunity to try it out!

[kittyglove]

Full set or hybrid: Full set 2 piece sting job. For me this was easier to string than other polys. I was able to fly on my crosses.

Tension used for playtest: 60 pounds

Regular string set up: Luxilon Alu. Power Rough @ 60 pounds

Racquet brand and model used for test: Head Youtek Speed MP 18/20

Power of test string: Average for a poly. I hit harder shots so do like the low power of a poly such as this one. My ground strokes looked the same to me.

Feel: All around good feeling poly. I have used Prince Beast before, which is what prince is going for in a softer poly, I do like the 4G better because the Beast do feel a bit strange and it could spray.

Spin: Average there is nothing special in this area. I was not expecting something like a Solinco TB from this, but the spin is good enough to keep balls inside the court and them form floating to much on my slice.

Comfort: For sure better than ALU and Solinco TB, this is one of the most comfortable poly I have played with. I could hit with it right of the bat,with minimal adjustment required.

Durability: I cant say for sure yet but its been hold me for time being

Tension maintenance: Defiantly the greatest strong point in this sting, there was hardly any tension loss and the playability was constant even in the summer heat.

Control: I could predict its trajectory easy. I do like to have more control in my game than any other aspect. This worked perfectly on all shots, on my ground strokes I do have a fast swing speed so it was just fine at the baseline. I say its best up net though, my volleys go perfectly where I want them to go.

Compare to the string you use most often:
Compared to Alu Rough this string is much more comfortable and tension maintenance also. This would be great to play with during tournaments because of those aspects.

Tension recommendations: I would sting it perfectly where you want it to be since the tension maintenance is that good.

Summary: I am very happy to play with this string maybe I will get a reel of it. Like: this sting really is gold. Dislike: nothing

[Nostradamus]

Did Luxilon make the mistake of catering this string to the likes of the pros and not the amateurs ? They should have known what works great for the Pros doesn't always translate down to the amateurs which will be their main buyers.

[mpournaras]

I had this in a hybrid with x-1 in the crosses. 50#M and 54#C. I usually use this same tension just with OGSM in the crosses but i thought i would bump it up for this playtest This was all in an nBlade 98 18x20

The POWER was on the lower level... but that is expected of a poly like this. But I strongly feel that the insane amount of pocketing I got from this string allowed me to hit heavier shots without having to necesarily brush up on the ball much harder. This also meant I was able to aim a little higher over the net. The FEEL was spot on without a damper. I was able to tell exactly where on the string bed i was hitting and when I did hit off center, I did not feel as though the sting would snap (which is more than can be said about ALU Power). Spin I would say is on par with any other softer non shaped poly. THe racket head speed will get you SPIN not this string. COMFORT is great for a poly, no issues for me. DURABILTY: The crosses are fraying but the 4G is holding strong, so is the tension (it feels fine at least).

It is still playable after 12 sets of tennis and I hit moderately hard. My onehanded backhand is pocketing the ball better than ever with this string and that is reason enough for me to keep using it!

I used to use cheaper soft polys like Weis. Scorpion and Big Hitter Black and this is just as comfy as the Scorpion but a lot more playable. The spin is not on par with BHB but this is expected of a non shaped poly. But it is more than enough spin for me. I like it at 50, maybe a little bit lower if going full poly.

I REALLY like how this looks with a white cross. It looks like a players string and looks great on any racket. I know it is silly to care how it looks but it really is a sharp looking string. I also like how darn easy it was to string. It was a touch waxy almost and I weaved the crosses through this like a beast

The forecasted price is the only thing that might turn me off of this string. I really dont like spending more than 12 on a set of strings... that is what turned me off of my last favorite poly (prince beast xp). But using it as a hybrid makes it a little more affordable and increases how long i can use it... so i will manage i suppose.

THANKS TW FOR SENDING ME THIS STRING. I WOULD MARRY YOUR COMPANY IF I COULD

~Mike