Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
so if I had to pick one... hmmm Id probably go with Alu Power but would have to restring every match. I think it is the most balanced string there is.
MY POLY REVIEWS
- Thread starter Mareqnyc
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Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
What tension didi you use and what stick?
JoshAram
Rookie
If Alu power lasted longer than 2 hours it would be usable for me. As soon as it does I get ATM pain from it. Great overall string, I can definitely agree that while it lasts it is amazing.
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ReopeningWed
Professional
Can't believe your short clip gets you internet hate, your racket head speed is disgusting and the loop is impeccable.
ReopeningWed
Professional
Did the extra looseness help with your racket head speed?
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
haha thanks! It is the easiest thing to be an online critic
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
it certainly did. It is a major shift when you realize tennis is about speed rather than brute strength. It then takes some really focused, deliberate practice to start moving and swinging in a way that promotes speed. Loose forearm, and focusing on coiling from the legs - hips - torso is usually what I focus on. Also breathing and relaxing my face helps; one of the junior players I hit with got this advice from his coach "to take anxiety out of the shot" - very helpful stuff, your entire body is a lot less stiff.
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
it is the choice paradox. If we had 5 strings to choose from the job would be simple. When you have 500 there is always this thought of missing out...
YellowFedBetter
Hall of Fame
Hey sorry for the wait, 55 Pds in an APD. Used it in a hybrid with multi as well, was better that way.
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
Thats sounds like a firm ride
For ITF 13 y.o girl using Babolat Xcel 17 at 54lbs main/cross with Yonex 98 DR lite who wants to try some hybrid with Xcel 16(or other multi) for more control and durability, what would you recommend it? From your chart I could get Revolution 18 or Signum Pro Poly Deluxe 1.28(?)(Someone said it is the same as Pro Supex Big Ace) because they are comfortable strings.
YellowFedBetter
Hall of Fame
It is definitely. Best in a hybrid for sure for me. But a pretty good string though. Also the 16g isn't much different from the 17 unlike Blast.
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
I don't have much experience in hybrids and don't feel qualified to advise on how young competetive players should adjust their setups.
I can give general advice. If she has been using full bed of a soft 16g multi I think going Revolution 18g in mains might be too much of a change. Revolution is still relatively firm even in this thin gauge.
Best start would be a round soft 16g poly mains and Xcel crosses. Ive read about SPPP Deluxe being the same as Big Ace but haven't tried it myself. If you can find a cheap set definitely give it a shot and see how she likes it.
It will take some experimnting and it may affect her game negatively at the beginning but I think it is worth a shot.
Best approach would be to keep her regular setup handy so she can change the racquets every so often so she can really see the change on the spot and if it works.
Not sure what you have available but Weisscannon Silverstring, Yonex PTP, Isospeed Baseline, Head sonic pro, Kirschbaum PL2, Pro's Pro Hexaspin and Topspin Cyberblue are some of the strings that are soft, offer good control and might be a place to start.
You could also post this question as another thread. I am sure people experienced in hybrids and perhaps even coaching younger players could help out.
Having in mind her current setup, could you write gauges and tension in main/cross of your recommended strings such as SPPP Deluxe, Weisscannon Silverstring, Yonex PTP, Isospeed Baseline, Head sonic pro, Kirschbaum PL2, Pro's Pro Hexaspin and Topspin Cyberblue or others? Please write them in order from the best overall. You are great! Thx!
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
As I said in my first response I do not have much experience in hybrids. Additionally, I think that kind of list would be pointless. It would mirror my experience and trust me - my game and equipment does not resemble any 13 year old female tournament player you can name.
What you need is feedback from HER. If less power and more control is your goal, take a soft poly and put it in mains @50lbs to start with her Xcel in crosses @54lbs since that is the tension she is accustomed to. Have her use this setup for a hitting session or two and see if it is change for the better. If she likes what she sees then you can try a different poly in the mains. Experiment with few different setups, switch to whatever SHE determines works best for HER game.
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
I have 2 more sets of PHT sitting around, will definitely give it a shot at some point. I have to turn to some softer polyesters, Kirschbaum Pro Line X messed up my wrist yesterday...
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
HONORABLE MENTION: Babolat Origin. Not technically polyester and broke in less than 2 hrs but if you're new to the world of poly you should definitely try it. Plays very comfortably with decent spin and good control. Great feel.
NOT SO HONORABLE: Luxilon M2 Pro. Falls into "multi/almost poly".. why was this string ever made? Big disappointment. Died in a bit over 1 hr of hard hitting. Directional control was fine, spin just ok... meehh
Kirschbaum Max Power Rough - Excellent string with perfectly balanced spin, feel and control. Similar to Alu Power but remains playable much longer.
Gamma Zo Verve - Incredible spin and control. Firm feel and very consistent response throughout its life. Great fit for heavy spin based hitting. Lethal spin serves and slices.
Big Ace - super soft, great control and good spin. Best pocketing so far.
Solinco Revolution - Firm but plush, awesome spin and control, easy to manipulate angles and trajectory. Highly playable after 7hrs of heavy hitting. Very fun to play with. Great in 18g, not so great in 16g.
Diadem Solstice Power - Fantastic String! If you want crazy spin and power look no further. Soft feel is a cherry on top. Dead in 6hrs with gradual tension loss - not terrible but could be better. Again - fantastic in 18g, much firmer and less bite in 16g.
Luxilon Alu Power - The best string ever made for the first 2 hrs. Unparalleled balance of control, power and spin. Dies very suddenly after around 3hrs of big hitting.
Luxilon Alu Power Soft - Playable a bit longer than the regular version. Still dies very suddenly. Great, well balanced and reliable string with all the attributes of the regular Alu but more muted at contact.
Luxilon 4G - Excellent control and very solid, firm, low powered somewhat muted performance. Snapped in 6 hrs but did not drastically change over it's life.
Rs Lyon - low powered string for big hitters with unique soft feel. Spin and control are excellent, plays muted. Playability duration could be better.
Solinco Hyper-G - Is a better Volkl Cyclone
Luxilon Big Banger Original Rough - Excellent control with great depth, easy to maneuver the ball and hit your spots. Snapped in 6 hrs but played very consistently throughout its life.
WeissCannon Silverstring - Great control, one of a kind feel, adequate spin. String at 50lbs or less. Similar to Big Ace
Solinco Outlast - Very solid string, great control, decent pop. Worked very well in 18x20 stick. Settled nicely and broke after 12hrs right in the middle.
Solinco Tour Bite - Very boardy but spinny setup with great directional control. Best strung in mid 40's. Hurt my wrist a bit. Held up pretty nice for 4 solid sets. Gives in very little on fast swings.
Head Hawk - Very precise with good spin and trajectory control. I can use this as my benchmark firm round poly that does it all. 17g broke in 4 hrs... won't mind using again.
Signum Pro Poly Plasma - Fantastic directional control, low power and great feel. Lacks spin but makes up with overall balanced performance. Stays playable until it breaks.
Yonex Poly Tour Spin - very low powered (too low for me) with great spin and control. Firm stringbed, long playability. Crisp. Jarring on off center shots. Good for a powerful tweener.
Toalson ProFocus - Slick control oriented poly. Pinpoint accuracy, decent comfort, adequate spin.
Genesis Typhoon - Very powerful poly with crisp feel. Hits a spinny penetrating shot, string it higher than usual. Great for baseline play, finesse shots not so much since it might be bit springy. Nice fit for a low powered frame.
Wilson Revolve - Spinny, a bit plasticky feel, high trajectory ball. Takes adjustment but afterwords a very nice string for baseline play. Unique feel, great snapback and pocketing.
Tourna BHBR - Enjoyed the soft feedback and good pop, nice spin, low launch angle, a bit too powerful and snapped in 4hrs
Laserfibre Vorso - Soft feel, good spin and control throughout the life of the string. Very predictable, typical polyester behavior. I like.
Volkl Cyclone - Very good spin and control, crisp. Wish it was softer. Dies pretty fast and loses its properties quickly.
Dunlop Black Widow - Powerful, spinny, soft at impact. Big initial tension loss so do a pre-stretch. Good fit for an underpowered racquet.
Yonex Poly Tour Pro - Very muted feel, soft, lively. Decent control, spin not so much. Great for a stiff tweener, not so good for a flexy 18x20 Head.
Tier One Firewire - Good choice for someone who comes from multifilaments. Very soft and spinny poly and fun to use but falls short in the directional/trajectory control department.
Signum Pro Firestorm - Soft and powerful with above average spin. Reminded me of YPTP and SIlverstring. Bump up tension to at least 55lbs.
Head Hawk Touch - Great feel, comfort and performance but very short lived. I could use this if I restrung every time I play. Might work better in 17g.
Signum Pro Poly Megaforce -Firm, precise. Good all-around poly. This could be my "go to" cheap poly that does everything right. Died suddenly after ~7hrs.
Isospeed Baseline Spin - Very soft impact, above average power, solid control and spin. Very "user friendly" poly, perfect for those coming from synthetics looking for increased spin and control. Not for big hitters though - this is a brittle string that snapped in less than 3hrs
Pro's Pro Hexaspin - the bad: tension maintenance. The good - comfort, feel. Satisfactory in spin and control, above average in power. It is a nice poly and ridiculously cheap!
WeissCannon Turbotwist - Soft feeling, too much power for my taste. Control could be better, decent life.
Tecnifibre Pro Red Code Wax - Would make a great cross - powerful, slippery, soft. Lost too much tension too quickly, balls started flying long. Good comfort, not so good control.
Tecnifibre Ruff Code - Firm with good control but very short lived. Lost tons of tension after 3 hrs (very hot weather) Spin was a bit above average, power low and very controlled. Wish it last longer. good comfort.
Tecnifibre Black Code 4s - Very firm. Low power with heaps of spin but disconnected feel. Very low tension in a 100q inch tweeter might be needed for this one to shine. Hurt my arm.
Discho Mamba Iontec Hexa - Nice feel, very good on spin serves. Power level a bit high, took a big adjustment, also higher launch angle. Wish it was more precise. Similar to BHB7 but better in all areas.
Kirschbaum Black Shark - Very low powered and dampened feel. Ample spin, good control. Have to go all out on all swings - will string lower next time. (edit: dies quickly)
Gamma Moto - Surprised by this one. Solid performer, but wish it pocketed more. Firm, solid, good spin.
Toalson HD Aster Poly - starts like Pro Line 2 ends like Pro Line X. Springy string that stiffens fast. Effective and fun to use nevertheless.
MSV Focus HEX - Dull, but does everything right. Feel is not the best, everything else average. Firms up and deadens over time. Durable.
Polyfibre TCS - Soft unique impact, good control, above average spin. Very short lived. Dead in 4hrs.
Genesis Black Magic - Soft and powerful, didn’t trust it on big swings but had a nice feel. Everything else average.
Topspin Cyber Blue - Soft and powerful, erratic. Not enough spin and control to tame the power. Good playability duration, doesn't change much over time.
Volkl Cyclone Tour - High power, good comfort. Thats about it. Lacked in control, spin good for 2 hrs. Tension dropped like a sack of potatoes. Trampoline after 2 hrs.
Head Lynx - Allaround ok poly, good spin and plush feel. Control could be much better. Lost tension quickly.
RPM Blast - Good for 2 hrs, then things go south, looses tension quickly and is completely unplayable after 4hrs. When fresh performs well but I still think it is overrated.
Tourna BHB7 - Edges are so sharp that it grabs the ball funny, disconnected feel. Plasticky, but comfy. Mediocre control and tension maintenance.
Toalson Thermaxe - an uneventful string that does everything just fine. Reminds me of Tourna Big Hitter Silver.
Pro's Pro Vendetta - a mediocre string that dies fast. Control and spin average for poly. Feels nice at impact; comfort is about the only advantage.
Babolat PHT - mixed feeling on this one. Maybe needs to be strung lower, very firm at first with low power. Will come back to it.
Tecnifibre Red Code - very stiff, harsh feel, but does everything right. dead feel, medium/low power. Destroyed my wrist.
Pro's Pro Ichiban Spin - Liked it for the first hour, then it went downhill. It hit a penetrating ball with high launch angle but stiffened up and died quickly.
Prince Tour XC - strange balance of control and power, odd, muted feel at impact. Durable and quite comfortable. Mediocre spin and trajectory control. Might work well in a powerful tweener.
Polyfibre Panthera - Fail. Sticky string with zero snapback. Good control, firm response. Doesn't perform like co-poly at all. Plays like a very stiff multi.
Polyfibre Hitec Premium - soft, a bit plasticky feel. Lost all playability after one set. Ok spin and control at the beginning, shortly after strings got stuck and lost all control.
Strings that I found uncomfortable, aggravated my wrist (typically very firm low powered, very good control, just painful for me to use. Might work for others and perhaps might deserve higher spot on the list...):
Tecnifibre Black Code 4s
Tecnifibre Red Code
Babolat Hurricane Pro Tour
Kirschbaum Pro Line X
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Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
It did, big time. I strung it @ 53/51 and it caused pain on every hit the second time out! I put it aside and went back to Pro Line 2 and no pain at all. I have not used Max Power in a long time, I tried it when it first came out. Perhaps it is the combination of firm hoop in the PO7 and some firm polyesters that are quite painful? I woke up today and my wrist is fine which I am very happy about, last time I had pain in my wrist ( Pro Red Code takes credit) it lingered for 3 months.Pro Line X aggravated your wrist?!
I found it quite a bit more comfy than Max Power for instance and had no problems with it, always amazed at how different experiences can be!
SpinToWin
Talk Tennis Guru
Hm could be... Some strings and frames just seem to resonate in really bad ways.
Doc Hollidae
Hall of Fame
Google Pro Supex.
No such string any more. Look here: www.prosupex.com
Doc Hollidae
Hall of Fame
It's called Big Ace Revo on their site. It's the same thing as Big Ace. Look at the award, it's from 2007. The other big online tennis retailers will have it. Google is your friend.
Zavist
Rookie
If you Google Pro Supex Big Ace then click on the shopping tab, it will bring up retailers you can order from. I had no problem ordering it just yesterday.
Backhanded Compliment
Legend
yeah i was using poly tour pro in the pacific x feel pro 95... the lowest powered mp out there. i was using yptp to give it a bit more pop... xfp95 is no tweener, plays more like a midPro Line X aggravated your wrist?!
I found it quite a bit more comfy than Max Power for instance and had no problems with it, always amazed at how different experiences can be!
Zavist
Rookie
Big Ace not only pockets great, it's the way it pockets that makes it a top pick. Take Cyclone 18L or 19 for example. That string will pocket well but only a small area and the rest of the stringbed is inconsistent. Big Ace will have no part of that because it gives you great pocketing plus excellent control and spin over a large area.
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I got three reels of it. Hybrid it with gamma zo verve. And make zo the mains: 58/50
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Getting excited bro. How about the gauges for the strings?
YellowFedBetter
Hall of Fame
Hey @Mareqnyc I have a few of questions about Zo Verve (and prepare I'll soon be asking similar questions about Hyper G as well lol).
1. Is it a good string for a tweener type APD frame, and what about an PA VS or RF97?
2. What would a good starting tension in these frames (normally always have done 55 which feel like crap for an hour then gets much better)?
3. Does it come in black?
4. Is there much difference in the playability of the 16 gauge and the 17?
5. Finally is is worth the high price tag?
1. Is it a good string for a tweener type APD frame, and what about an PA VS or RF97?
2. What would a good starting tension in these frames (normally always have done 55 which feel like crap for an hour then gets much better)?
3. Does it come in black?
4. Is there much difference in the playability of the 16 gauge and the 17?
5. Finally is is worth the high price tag?
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
1. Its an excellent string for a tweener or a powerful frame. I have used APD and PA until they destroyed my tendons, never strung it with Verve for myself but I strung an APD for a buddy of mine with Verve and he actually texted me next day how amazing it played (that doesn't happen too often). Zo Verve grabs the ball like crazy and will bring the ball down like a sack a potatoes. Not sure about the RF, tried it once strung with multi so I can't really comment.
2. I used to do 55/53 on almost everything. Then I noticed some strings perform much better much lower. At the end of the day it depends on your game and strokes but I would reduce tension to 53/51 or even less with Zo Verve. If you feel like 55 starts off like crap then perhaps go down to 53 or even less than 50 and see if you can control it. You will have to experiment a little, there is no going around that.
3. There is black/burgundy and black/white. No all black as far as i know
4. 17g gives in a bit more, I liked it better than the 16g.
5. Hmm it is worth trying. I bought reels in Europe where it is cheaper, you can get sets much cheaper on the *bay once in a while. I did not take price into consideration when creating the list, It would complicate things too much if I did, I wanted to focus on performance alone. But If I have to be honest I think I wouldn't pay the price Gamma is asking. I love me a good deal and If you are price conscious I think you can find very good performing strings for recreational tennis that are cheaper ( specifically in reels).
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Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
First impressions of Pro's Pro Vendetta:
Played 2 sets with it. Everything about this string is just average. It feels nice, it is soft at impact but lacks directional control. Shots that typically would land where I want them would go too much to left or right. Kinda odd. I was going for a relatively big, safe target and I missed a bunch of shots outside of the line. And I had a good tennis day.
Still it is polyester and behaves like one. Kinda springy on slow swings (a matter of getting used to) but on fast hard shots you can feel the snapback and on topspin shots the ball arcs nicely and dives down. Not enough grab and control for me but for someone who just starts with polyester and wants something soft and quite playable it will do just fine. At the ridiculous price of $35 per reel (roughly $2 per string job) It would definitely work for someone on the budget.
Played 2 sets with it. Everything about this string is just average. It feels nice, it is soft at impact but lacks directional control. Shots that typically would land where I want them would go too much to left or right. Kinda odd. I was going for a relatively big, safe target and I missed a bunch of shots outside of the line. And I had a good tennis day.
Still it is polyester and behaves like one. Kinda springy on slow swings (a matter of getting used to) but on fast hard shots you can feel the snapback and on topspin shots the ball arcs nicely and dives down. Not enough grab and control for me but for someone who just starts with polyester and wants something soft and quite playable it will do just fine. At the ridiculous price of $35 per reel (roughly $2 per string job) It would definitely work for someone on the budget.
YellowFedBetter
Hall of Fame
Thanks again, appreciate it as always! So it does come in black/white combo? Don't really care for the burgundy.
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
yep. use your best friend google and both pop up
YellowFedBetter
Hall of Fame
Thanks.
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
True
Hi guys,
I bought Head Youtek IG Prestige MP x 2.
Can you please recomend me some strings to try in these racquets? I usually play with Yonex poly tour pro 1.25 and it was my go to string for the past 3 years. I'm not sure to try something different or just buy yonex poly tour pro 1.2?
Many thanks in advance!
I bought Head Youtek IG Prestige MP x 2.
Can you please recomend me some strings to try in these racquets? I usually play with Yonex poly tour pro 1.25 and it was my go to string for the past 3 years. I'm not sure to try something different or just buy yonex poly tour pro 1.2?
Many thanks in advance!
SpinToWin
Talk Tennis Guru
I'd recommend trying Kirschbaum PL II 1.15
Can you compare it to YPTP 1.2?
SpinToWin
Talk Tennis Guru
Sorry, I can't
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
That is one of my favorite racquets and one of the best Prestiges ever made IMO. I have tried a number of strings in this frame. What really matters is what you are looking for in your setup. Youth IG plays very muted, the power is low and control some of the best - that's something you already know.
Have you used the Yonex PTP in this racquet yet? You might it find too muted, unless that is what you are looking for. I found thin (1.15-1.20 mm) polyesters work best in it. If your objective is to add spin and grab I would go with a textured string ( Solinco Tourbite 18g, Volkl Cyclone 18g, Revolution 18g played very well in this frame wouldn't go more than 50lbs in general). If you hit flatter ball or prefer round poly Solinco Outlast 18g played very well in it and would be worth giving a shot (great control, medium firmness, crisp and decent spin) I also tried Head Hawk 18g and liked it in it as well.
For comparison I tried Yonex PTP 1.25 in Head PT630 which is the grandfather of the Youtek IG. I did not like the Yonex string in this low flex, 18x20 pattern stick. I much preferred thinner gauges and textured rather than round strings.
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
I would put PL2 and YPTP on the same shelf. Very similar characteristics, it's really like splitting hairs. Both great strings when tensioned correctly
Thank you for the reply!
I have not tried YPTP in these racquets. I played with yonex vcore tour 97 (310)g for last 4 years and love it! I have tried yonex poly tour spin and after that I decided not to play with textured strings ever again. It just grabs the ball to much, didn't like it at all.
I know it would be helpfull to play with textured poly in dense string pattern but I just prefer rounded poly more. Maybe I should try textured tring again, not sure.
I fell in love with YPTP because it is good on the arm, i like deader feel more over the springy, and the when you hitd hard is amazing, ball just explodes from the racquet.
But Prestige Youtek Ig Mp is very low powered so maybe help from the strings in terms of power sound good.
Personally I found PL2 (1.20, black, 53lbs) to be slightly firmer, slightly higher powered and slightly less spinny than YPTP (1.20, yellow, 53lbs), but there wasn't much in it. Both great strings. PL2 seemed to lose a lot of its snapback after only the first hour of hitting, which is maybe why the spin seemed a bit lower.
Regarding Head Youte IG Prestige MP racquets...
I tried them few years ago and I was impressed by the feel and the control Wha I liked the most is tha I could rip the ball without fear f sailing long. And the conrol was amazing. So I bought two of them few days ago.
I must say that Head quality control is terrible. My new Prestiges are 310g, and 315g unstrung, and they should be 320. I mean if the difference was 2-3g that would be ok, but 10g difference is absolutely ridicilous.
I tried them few years ago and I was impressed by the feel and the control Wha I liked the most is tha I could rip the ball without fear f sailing long. And the conrol was amazing. So I bought two of them few days ago.
I must say that Head quality control is terrible. My new Prestiges are 310g, and 315g unstrung, and they should be 320. I mean if the difference was 2-3g that would be ok, but 10g difference is absolutely ridicilous.
dimkin
Hall of Fame
I am able to play PLII (17g) till I break it, whereas YPTP changes drastically and (to me) isn't playable past the 4 hr point.
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
Vcore Tour 310 is a relatively flexible stick as well, low powered but more spin than the IG MP. Also a nice racquet but I didn't use it for long - not enough plow for me and playing around with lead is not something I personally enjoy in most cases - 1.5g on 3&9 or 3g on 10-2 and then perhaps counterbalance in the handle... too many options and I can never decide. Much prefer a solid stock form.
Anyhow please do not get discouraged by thethe Yonex Poly Tour Spin. It is thick and stiff with mediocre feel. You get a lot of control and "grab" in return. Try an 18g Revolution instead in your 18x20 @50lbs or lower and you might find a much more balanced performance.
