Softest, most arm and shoulder/elbow friendly poly?
- Thread starter kaiotic
- Start date
3loudboys
G.O.A.T.
There are a few contenders for that but difficult to get all the qualities you need. Here’s a few I think might come close.
- Yonex Poly Tour Pro
- Topspin Cyber Blue
- Dunlop Black Widow
- Polyfibre TCS
- Tourna Big Hitter Black 7
- Volkl Cyclone
Hope that helps.
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- Yonex Poly Tour Pro
- Topspin Cyber Blue
- Dunlop Black Widow
- Polyfibre TCS
- Tourna Big Hitter Black 7
- Volkl Cyclone
Hope that helps.
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georgiahank
New User
Lots of options but my top 3 are:
1. Signum Pro X-Perience
2. Isospeed Cream
3. Gosen Sidewinder
1. Signum Pro X-Perience
2. Isospeed Cream
3. Gosen Sidewinder
isukatennis
Rookie
You made the first and most important step...admitting you have a problem...the world is still a fun place without poly. I can be your sponsor if needed 
Isospeed Baseline 1.20 mains/Prince Synthetic Gut Duraflex 1.30 crosses. Low tension, up two lbs on the crosses. String it as low as possible. After months off of the court I used this set up at 48/50 in a flexible frame, Head Radical IG Pro. Was playing 4.5/5.0 tennis in a short period of time.
You made the first and most important step...admitting you have a problem...the world is still a fun place without poly. I can be your sponsor if needed
Trust Natural Gut, Clean Out the Bag, Help others.
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Depending on how bad the arm is hurting. I tried Isospeed Baseline 1.20 mains and Polyfibre 1.10 during this time and it caused some pain at 50/50. Went back to ISO/PSG and then went to ISO/Klip Gut(Black) 1.30 (48/50) and was hitting a heavy ball, tons of spin and competing at the same level. Not the most durable but when the arm is rehabing..durability was my least concern.
JustTennis76
Hall of Fame
Tons of non poly options that would still give you almost the same control as poly. Prince Premier Control is on top of my list followed by Head FXP. You can also try a hybrid by putting the softer string in the mains and poly in the crosses. Of course, these are great choices if you have your own string machine. Otherwise, the cost of labor adds up. Natural gut is your best medicine for bad shoulder/elbow. Gut/Poly is another option.
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
Isospeed Cream
TierOne Ghostwire
TierOne Ghostwire
hahahha go Gut? but that's a lot of $$$ and i break stringsYou made the first and most important step...admitting you have a problem...the world is still a fun place without poly. I can be your sponsor if needed
TypeRx
Semi-Pro
Its a "pseudo-poly" but I haven't found anything more comfortable than Ashaway Monogut ZX Pro. Poly-like performance but elastic and comfortable similar to natural gut. However, this string benefits from pre-stretching before stringing and should be kept below 60 lbs for sure to avoid breaks while stringing. I would get ~15 hours of play out of a full-bed of this string...usually ~8-10 hours with a traditional poly like Volkl Cyclone.
1HBHfanatic
Legend
luxilon smart is a new unique poly, soft and arm friendly
head.lynx is also soft
head.lynx is also soft
tennistiger
Professional
There are NO soft Luxilons !! Look here: http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/learning_center/comparestrings.php
OldschoolKIaus
Hall of Fame
Kirschbaum Pro Line Evolution is really soft. The only poly I had to go up with (3lbs) because it was soft/mushy/lacked control. And: its durable. Other soft polys tend to die very quick.
Tourna Big Hitter Blue is another soft poly. Some says its identical to Topspin Cyber Blue (never played them side by side).
Tourna Big Hitter Blue is another soft poly. Some says its identical to Topspin Cyber Blue (never played them side by side).
CiscoPC600
Hall of Fame
Isospeed Cream!!! Do yourself a favor and get the 1.23mm gauge and string it at 43-48 depending on your frame. And if you have a babolat frame, get rid of it!
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Bad shoulder and bad elbow? Forget poly. Seriously. There are a ton of nice non poly strings. I mean do you plan on hitting 110mph serves or 90mph forehands with a bad shoulder and elbow? You don't need poly that badly. Get a nice soft multi or do a gut hybrid with a cheap syn gut to save some money if you need to.
FoldingChair
Semi-Pro
I'm with this comment above me as well. If you have bodily damage from the string, definitely don't use a poly because why put yourself through more damage? BUT of course this is the internet so if you're going to try a "soft" poly anyways: Volkl Cyclone Tour, Isospeed Cream, Head Lynx, Head Sonic Pro Edge are all polys ive had good experiences with. All the best of luck OP.
rafa_prestige89
Professional
RS Lyon
Tommy Haas
Hall of Fame
It doesn't exist. You're asking for a unicorn poly.
These are all softer than Isospeed Cream ?
Isospeed cream
How does Cream age ?
I mean, after reasonable playability time(when most juices out), does it goes dead like a poly or goes mushy like nylons ?
Thanks.
Cream lasts about a week if it’s kept in the fridge
Sorry...I couldn’t help myself.
I haven’t kept it in the racket long enough...I tend to cut strings out after about 8 hours.
But at around that time, it seems to loose a bit of control like most soft co polys as opposed to going dead like some of the stiffer ones...I’m assuming that trend would continue but I’m probably not the best person to ask.
Sorry...I couldn’t help myself.
I haven’t kept it in the racket long enough...I tend to cut strings out after about 8 hours.
But at around that time, it seems to loose a bit of control like most soft co polys as opposed to going dead like some of the stiffer ones...I’m assuming that trend would continue but I’m probably not the best person to ask.
3loudboys
G.O.A.T.
Not sure - my son played Cream for a short while. I hit his racket once and it felt no softer to me, however, my experience with it was limited. It broke very quickly when strung at 52 - my son hits a big (for his age) and spiny ball.
The options I suggested are strings I have used and appreciated.
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3loudboys
G.O.A.T.
I would add Weiscannon Red Ghost to this list as well.
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Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
Change frames to an 18x20 flexible frame. String Gut with soft poly cross like Cream or Tier One Ghostwire. Enjoy how your arm feels and the superlative touch and control.
jmacdaununder2
Legend
How's the tension maintenance? Heard it was pretty grim?
junior74
Talk Tennis Guru
Gosen Sidewinder (powerful, soft), Big Hitter Black 7 (similar-ish, better control), Topspin Cyberflash (soft, yet control oriented AND has nice feel)
My tip: Use a softer poly in the mains, and cross it with Monogut ZX. Helps comfort a lot, and makes the string bed stay fresh a little longer. This type of hybrid is as soft as the stiffer multis.
smalahove
Hall of Fame
Yes, it loses tension pretty quickly so there’s little point in stringing it at high tension imo. But Ime, with the exception of natural gut, all softer strings lose tension pretty quickly if you swing w pace and spin.
umm oxymoron. Take a break and do some physical therapy exercises and keep the muscle strength up even after you're healed. Equipment-wise, the closest thing which isn't that close that might help is switching to a more flexible racket and using basic synthetic gut. As others have said, for all out comfort, nothing compares to natural gut in at least the mains. With a full bed, you don't need to worry about restringing until it breaks. I don't even want to say how many years I'm going on mid-size rackets with 18x20, full bed of quality gut. You can go on a holy grail search for rackets or strings to help, but the simple answer really is physical therapy and using any racket that you like with a full bed of gut.
tennis347
Hall of Fame
There is really no such animal poly for arm problems. I have had elbow and shoulder problems and stopped using policy about 3-4 years ago. I now use a basic synthetic gut, Gosen Micro. My elbow and shoulder have been good! I will not use poly ever again to sacrafice arm health!
g4driver
Legend
@am1899 and @jmacdaununder2,
I was on the Babolat VS Aero Playtest with @am1889 and I was playing 7-9 times a day April, May, and until the middle of June with my VCT 1.30 Pure Aeros and the Babolat VS PA. I had to go back to work for two trips on Father's Day weekend. Right before the playtest started, my elbow starting to feel the effects of hitting so much. I am simply not used to hitting 7-9 times a week like a junior and I am now 53, not 17. I finished the playtest and am waiting for my XTP buttcaps to arrive this week to extend the VS PA to 27.5". In the meantime, I figured, I would take two of my four PAs and soften them up while I waited for my 342 gram 27.5" VS Aero
I put 1.35mm HDX Tour / Yonex Poly Tour Air (YPTA) 1.25mm in at 56M/53X and man is this a soft, powerful and spin-friendly setup. @jmacdaununder2 mentioned YPTA to me in another thread, since I use a lot of Isospeed Cream for clients with Head Velocity. I have been using VCT for 8 years now, and honestly, I could see switching to the HDX Tour / YPTA hybrid. I have never served better in my life than I have in the last two weeks. It is definitely a more powerful setup than VCT 1.30 and it honestly feels like a Lux Gut 1.30mm / Head Hawk 1.25mm. Calling it my 42% Poly Setup. I think YPTA and Isospeed Cream are 50% Rubber honestly, so not true polys and HDX Tour 34/33/33 percent poly, so 17+25% = 42%
I am now officially hoarding my remaining 70 packs of HDX Tour 1.35mm for myself and will be switching my clients over to HDMX 1.35
Happi
Hall of Fame
@am1899 and @jmacdaununder2,
I was on the Babolat VS Aero Playtest with @am1889 and I was playing 7-9 times a day April, May, and until the middle of June with my VCT 1.30 Pure Aeros and the Babolat VS PA. I had to go back to work for two trips on Father's Day weekend. Right before the playtest started, my elbow starting to feel the effects of hitting so much. I am simply not used to hitting 7-9 times a week like a junior and I am now 53, not 17. I finished the playtest and am waiting for my XTP buttcaps to arrive this week to extend the VS PA to 27.5". In the meantime, I figured, I would take two of my four PAs and soften them up while I waited for my 342 gram 27.5" VS Aero
I put 1.35mm HDX Tour / Yonex Poly Tour Air (YPTA) 1.25mm in at 56M/53X and man is this a soft, powerful and spin-friendly setup. @jmacdaununder2 mentioned YPTA to me in another thread, since I use a lot of Isospeed Cream for clients with Head Velocity. I have been using VCT for 8 years now, and honestly, I could see switching to the HDX Tour / YPTA hybrid. I have never served better in my life than I have in the last two weeks. It is definitely a more powerful setup than VCT 1.30 and it honestly feels like a Lux Gut 1.30mm / Head Hawk 1.25mm. Calling it my 42% Poly Setup. I think YPTA and Isospeed Cream are 50% Rubber honestly, so not true polys and HDX Tour 34/33/33 percent poly, so 17+25% = 42%
I am now officially hoarding my remaining 70 packs of HDX Tour 1.35mm for myself and will be switching my clients over to HDMX 1.35
Did you try YPTA in FB and how does it compare to VCT. Thanks
g4driver
Legend
I haven't yet. My two pure aeros have the 1.35mm HDX sliding around and sticking out of place after three sets last night on this court vs hard hitting 4.0s who all play up on a 4.5 team. Two of them get bumped back and forth between 4.0 and 4.5 or appeal down.
Will try to swap the mains / crosses and invert the setup in one frame first, then try a full bed of YPTA in another frame.
My elbow is still a little sore from playing 7 days. Played on this court last night. Team Kindness won 2&2 then we went 6-6 before we played a 1 pt TB Since we couldn't find the light switch [emoji28]
gutfeeling
Hall of Fame
Does anyone consider regular cyclone to be soft compared to stiffer polys like 4G, ALU, and max power? In a similar category, I would consider regular tour bite 1.20 to be soft compared to the 1.25 gauge or even hyper g 1.20-1.25 which imo is deceptively stiff.
WYK
Hall of Fame
The red Kirchbaums at highish tensions(57/58) make a great sound, too.
lucieisland
Semi-Pro
Kirschbaum Evo,Isospeed Cream, Yonex Poly Tour Air, Dyreex Whisper..
Happi
Hall of Fame
The softest I have tried are:
Cyber Flash 17L
Head Sonic Pro 1.25
Polystar Energy 1.20
Almost all Polyfibre strings
yet to try Yonex Air and Gosen Sidewinder
I did not like Cream, VCT and YTPP - I have a very sensitive elbow and wrist, and they played too stiff for me.
cheers, H
Cyber Flash 17L
Head Sonic Pro 1.25
Polystar Energy 1.20
Almost all Polyfibre strings
yet to try Yonex Air and Gosen Sidewinder
I did not like Cream, VCT and YTPP - I have a very sensitive elbow and wrist, and they played too stiff for me.
cheers, H
