Prince Premier Attack 16g Black: Arm friendly or not?

[KenC]

Mikeler says it is but RSI rates it with a stiffness of 205. It also doesn't seem to be that great for tension maintenance at 14.26. I am currently using the black Xcel 16g and really like it, but it is going to get expensive at €25 a stringjob and it lasting me only about 6 hours. OTOH I found PPA for €5 a pack online.

The million dollar question is: If you had early signs of TE would you put PPA 16g in your racquet?

[Ramon]

I've used PPA a lot (my go to string is natural gut now). I say don't pay attention to the RSI numbers. The short answer is: YES.

I'm anal retentive when it comes to strings. After every single outing, I record how many hours I played and then I measure the tension with RacquetTune. In the real world, PPA holds tension as well or better than any other string I've tested in the last 2 years, and that includes Klip Legend natural gut.

As for softness, it's softer than NXT at the beginning. For me, after about 8-10 hours, it starts to feel a bit stiffer (Premier LT does the same thing but sooner). You can cut it by then if you like, or you can leave it in and get a few more hours out of it. Either way, it gives you more playing time than most multifilaments because most of them would have broken on me by then.

BTW, if you break Xcel after 6 hours, you might want to try natural gut. It might actually be more cost efficient for you.

[mikeler]

Note that I tried the white version of PPA.

[t-bird]

As stated above, mikeler tried the white version of PPA. I have not tried the black, but have tried Volkl Power Fiber II in both white and black and found a significant difference between the two. Different colors can mean different playability.

[Ramon]

Originally Posted by mikeler

Note that I tried the white version of PPA.

I tried both natural and black. I couldn't tell the difference, aside from black marks on the balls.

[mikeler]

Genesis Thunder Blast is much softer as a white string then black. I also thought the black Xcel seemed stiffer than the white Xcel.

[Up&comer]

Originally Posted by mikeler

Genesis Thunder Blast is much softer as a white string then black. I also thought the black Xcel seemed stiffer than the white Xcel.

I can definitely vouch for the black xcel being stiffer than the white.

[KenC]

Originally Posted by Ramon

BTW, if you break Xcel after 6 hours, you might want to try natural gut. It might actually be more cost efficient for you.

I also break gut too easily. Its a shame because I really like it but VS Touch costs me €45 here. XR1 costs me €16. XCel costs me €25. My arm is getting much better and yesterday I was cracking BHs and this morning the elbow is fine. If not, I would still be using a full bed of VS touch.

Originally Posted by Up&comer

I can definitely vouch for the black xcel being stiffer than the white.

Interesting, I'm using the black Xcel but at low tensions. I went as low as 50lbs but have settled at 54. For me it plays about the same at these tensions but then I don't often use XCel natural so I am not able to judge well.



Thanks everyone for the responses, I think I will pick up 10 packs today. Worst case scenario is it is too stiff now and I can always go ahead with XCel until my elbow is 100%.

As an aside, quite a few people at my club are really liking how a racquet looks with black strings and are surprised to see that a multi is available in black.

What other decent multi strings are available in black? I know of Mantis Comfort. Is XCel black the holy grail of black multis?

[Steve Huff]

If you like gut, Klip Legend comes in 15g. It still plays well and should last quite a while longer.

[CaptinStiff]

Tried both the black and natural PPA 16. Surprisingly I can't really tell much if any difference between the two when hitting. The blank strings have a slightly different texture feeling (smoother, gummy) than the natural. Although after some hitting the smoothness wears off and the textures become near identical.

[Ramon]

Originally Posted by KenC

What other decent multi strings are available in black? I know of Mantis Comfort. Is XCel black the holy grail of black multis?

Don't get Mantis Comfort. If it lasted me 4-5 hours, it will probably last you 2 hours. I suppose you can't get a cheaper gut like Pacific or Klip?

[anubis]

I notice no difference in potential arm pain by using either the natural or black version of PPA. I think its a great string if you have arm issues.

[ced]

Originally Posted by CaptinStiff

Tried both the black and natural PPA 16. Surprisingly I can't really tell much if any difference between the two when hitting. The blank strings have a slightly different texture feeling (smoother, gummy) than the natural. Although after some hitting the smoothness wears off and the textures become near identical.

Agree, but I prefer the 17g black .... seems to hold tension well and is more comfortable than the 16ga .... I'm a flat hitter and durability is not a problem for me.

[saltair]

Its a great TE string. I string it in a Prince EXO 3 tour @58.

If anything to me the black seems slightly softer than the natural.

I have played both the natural and the black a lot since March. No problem with tension drop. Usually breaks for me around 10 sets with the string seeming slightly stiffer towards the very end, say the last two sets or so.

I keep one raquet in PPA and one in Rip Control. Prefer the PPA for singles generally.

[KenC]

Well I ordered 10 packs yesterday and they are backordered but should arrive early next week. I'll string one racquet with PPA at 24kg and one with XCel black at 24kg and do a little side by side.

I always liked the solid core strings like MultiFeel and XR1 so I am hoping PPA is the same. I really do like the XCel black and it plays like room temp butter but the cost is just too much for a string breaker. OTOH, €5 a pack for PPA seems like a great deal for strings. If I really like it I will probably immediately place another order for all they have.

[ricki]

Originally Posted by KenC

Well I ordered 10 packs yesterday and they are backordered but should arrive early next week. I'll string one racquet with PPA at 24kg and one with XCel black at 24kg and do a little side by side.

I always liked the solid core strings like MultiFeel and XR1 so I am hoping PPA is the same. I really do like the XCel black and it plays like room temp butter but the cost is just too much for a string breaker. OTOH, €5 a pack for PPA seems like a great deal for strings. If I really like it I will probably immediately place another order for all they have.

I was thinking myself to buy these from that german seller. Yesterday I srung one set of black PPA that I had for a while in a drawer.

The black color is coating by some elastic paint. After 10 minutes of hitting it startet to shred and my new balls are marked with black lines.

String itself played like magic for 30 minutes, then it became 100% same as prince synthetic gut - plyayability wise and more arm friendly than PSGDF.

One thing that I cant figure out is how to lay sliced ball with these strings - it jumps too high and long - too much power despite its strng at 26 kg in 16*18 95" stick...

After one hour of casual hitting all strings are all around stringbed and they dont slide easily - same as PSGDF.

I honestly dont see advantage of these strings vs other syngut.

[Ramon]

Originally Posted by ricki

I was thinking myself to buy these from that german seller. Yesterday I srung one set of black PPA that I had for a while in a drawer.

The black color is coating by some elastic paint. After 10 minutes of hitting it startet to shred and my new balls are marked with black lines.

String itself played like magic for 30 minutes, then it became 100% same as prince synthetic gut - plyayability wise and more arm friendly than PSGDF.

One thing that I cant figure out is how to lay sliced ball with these strings - it jumps too high and long - too much power despite its strng at 26 kg in 16*18 95" stick...

After one hour of casual hitting all strings are all around stringbed and they dont slide easily - same as PSGDF.

I honestly dont see advantage of these strings vs other syngut.

It must be your string pattern or tension or something. I know PSGD will move around like crazy on any racquet, but on my 16x20 100 sq in racquet the only thing that moves less than PPA is a good poly that hasn't died yet. It stayed straight on my APDGT also. I must have played with PPA at least 4-5 times, and it's one of the best multis around for staying straight in the stringbed.

[ricki]

Originally Posted by Ramon

It must be your string pattern or tension or something. I know PSGD will move around like crazy on any racquet, but on my 16x20 100 sq in racquet the only thing that moves less than PPA is a good poly that hasn't died yet. It stayed straight on my APDGT also. I must have played with PPA at least 4-5 times, and it's one of the best multis around for staying straight in the stringbed.

was it black? maybe paint has some influence?

[Ramon]

Originally Posted by ricki

was it black? maybe paint has some influence?

I've tried natural and black. They play the same to me. Maybe it's your tension? I string mine at 57 (confirmed with RacquetTune). I once asked someone to string it at 58 pounds, but RacquetTune kept saying it was less than 50 pounds. Now that I do my own stringing, I think RacquetTune was right.

[ricki]

Originally Posted by Ramon

I've tried natural and black. They play the same to me. Maybe it's your tension? I string mine at 57 (confirmed with RacquetTune). I once asked someone to string it at 58 pounds, but RacquetTune kept saying it was less than 50 pounds. Now that I do my own stringing, I think RacquetTune was right.

I pictured it minute ago - and listen to sound of strings and how they stay on place - I feel like it is PSGDF ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kULGSZU5heA