Isospeed Grey Fire Official Thread.

J011yroger

Talk Tennis Guru
Isospeed fairy has returned to Jollytown.

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J
 

PhilSki

Rookie
Guys, I require some assistance. I have a reel of 1.30mm gauge Grey Fire - I’m really into it and I do genuinely like it. I’m a prolific string breaker usually but this stuff seems pretty indestructible. I must have got 15-20 hours out of it at least, it is going thin in places now (just off centre in hitting zone) but it just doesn’t seem to want to pop.

It’s lovely when freshly re-strung but as it wears I’m less of a fan. I have a hard time kicking my second serve in which I’ve never had problems with before. My topspin forehand and single handed backhand are fine but lack a bit of a bit of oomph as the string becomes played in.

What would a sublime combination be with this string, I want durability as well as playability? Do I put the Grey Fire in the crosses or mains and do I drop my tension (normally do 56lbs).

P.S. I am a returner to tennis and had experience of Big Banger when I was a junior but the last 2 years I’ve been playing multis so I’m quite new to the poly world.

Many thanks!!
 

Aretium

Hall of Fame
Guys, I require some assistance. I have a reel of 1.30mm gauge Grey Fire - I’m really into it and I do genuinely like it. I’m a prolific string breaker usually but this stuff seems pretty indestructible. I must have got 15-20 hours out of it at least, it is going thin in places now (just off centre in hitting zone) but it just doesn’t seem to want to pop.

It’s lovely when freshly re-strung but as it wears I’m less of a fan. I have a hard time kicking my second serve in which I’ve never had problems with before. My topspin forehand and single handed backhand are fine but lack a bit of a bit of oomph as the string becomes played in.

What would a sublime combination be with this string, I want durability as well as playability? Do I put the Grey Fire in the crosses or mains and do I drop my tension (normally do 56lbs).

P.S. I am a returner to tennis and had experience of Big Banger when I was a junior but the last 2 years I’ve been playing multis so I’m quite new to the poly world.

Many thanks!!
I've put rpm in the mains, or as jolly said black Knight. Also no poly plays well after 8 hours. This one is above average though
 

ron schaap

Hall of Fame
whats so special about a round grey string? There are millions of it and a lot of them much cheaper too than the advised price of 180euro. I suspect some reviewers are not that unbiassed, lol
 

PhilSki

Rookie
Which country are you trying to purchase from?

Thanks for spotting my post! Basically, I’ve looked on Stringers World (I’m from England) but they are out of stock. I don’t know of any other UK based retailers who can sell me a reel. I obviously can use your European website but I need the reel fairly imminently and presumably it’ll take up to a 5-7 days?

P.S. What would you recommend to compliment Isospeed Grey Fire 1.30mm, mains/crosses and what tension? I’m used to multis at 56lbs, I hit with a lot of spin off both wings and I’m currently converting to the poly/co-poly world!
 
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Aretium

Hall of Fame
Thanks for spotting my post! Basically, I’ve looked on Stringers World (I’m from England) but they are out of stock. I don’t know of any other UK based retailers who can sell me a reel. I obviously can use your European website but I need the reel fairly imminently and presumably it’ll take up to a 5-7 days?

P.S. What would you recommend to compliment Isospeed Grey Fire 1.30mm, mains/crosses and what tension? I’m used to multis at 56lbs, I hit with a lot of spin off both wings and I’m currently converting to the poly/co-poly world!
Just try it on its own
I use Rpm blast in the mains. Lovely combo, feels crisp and soft with access to spin. Lasts a bit longer with the grey fire too
 
Tried some Jolly-inspired setups with Grey Fire.

The BK/GF hybrid is legit and produces a metric ****ton of spin. Hits a big ball. I found it a little harsh, and I couldn't get my serve dialed in for the life of me. Likely more my fault than the string's.

I really dig GF in a full bed though. Lots of pocketing, good spin for a round string, also hits a big ball. Bit more zip than I'm used to. Going to see how it settles and lasts, but it's the first string in a while that has a chance of tempting me away from Razor Code.

Both strung around 49# in a leaded up Ezone 98.
 

J011yroger

Talk Tennis Guru
Tried some Jolly-inspired setups with Grey Fire.

The BK/GF hybrid is legit and produces a metric ****ton of spin. Hits a big ball. I found it a little harsh, and I couldn't get my serve dialed in for the life of me. Likely more my fault than the string's.

I really dig GF in a full bed though. Lots of pocketing, good spin for a round string, also hits a big ball. Bit more zip than I'm used to. Going to see how it settles and lasts, but it's the first string in a while that has a chance of tempting me away from Razor Code.

Both strung around 49# in a leaded up Ezone 98.

FYI BK is harsh in the beginning and gets better as you play it. I don't understand how.

Give it some time.

Also the blend needs to be strung pretty loose.

J
 

AceyMan

Professional
I must have got 15-20 hours out of it at least
Piling on here to make the point ...

All poly should be cut out by the 12 hour mark (unless you are just batting the ball around coaching or something).

Unlike all the strings that came before it, poly is generally shot way before it breaks unless you go with a real light gauge (which makes a good case for trying out a thin gauge; some people love 1.15 mm and below).

/Acey
 

tomato123

Professional
Best part about grey fire either in the BK hybrid or full bed is the very loud and clear "crack" sound it makes like a whip when you hit the ball! Very satisfying from a sensory perspective. When you hit the ball hard, it really feels like you are hitting the ball hard and are rewarded for it.
 

J011yroger

Talk Tennis Guru
Best part about grey fire either in the BK hybrid or full bed is the very loud and clear "crack" sound it makes like a whip when you hit the ball! Very satisfying from a sensory perspective. When you hit the ball hard, it really feels like you are hitting the ball hard and are rewarded for it.

You should try Rexxxer!

J
 

Mischko

Professional
Black Fire is stiffer, total control string, needs lower tension. Kind of like stiffer Head Hawk, comparable to 4G and Poly Tour Strike, but different of course. Can give you an injury, just like 4G and PTS. More of an old school stiff poly for old school heavy flexy frames.
 
@J011yroger The Rexxxer played very precise. 24kg on the Diadem Elevate FS 98. The only thing I didn't like really is the colour.
There's another string from Stringlab Italia, also made in Austria, called Orbitour. I've played the Gold version. It's oval shaped too. Very similar to the Rexxxer.
I've played that at 22kg a few months ago. Can't do a head-to-head comparison because of the tension difference.
 

Trip

Hall of Fame
Bumping this. For those who've played both GF and Head Hawk, specifically as a cross in a poly-poly hybrid, how do they compare?

TL;DR - I like Hawk's low dwell time, control and durability, but would like better slickness / long-lasting snapback if at all possible. Would Grey Fire deliver?
 
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Mischko

Professional
They aren't directly comparable. GF has elasticity that you can feel, and will give you power, and some give and dampening, when you put it in crosses with Hawk or similar stiff control strings in mains. Hawk is low powered but great, needs to be strung 1kg lower, GF is the opposite. GF isn't springy like maybe Tf Razor Code, but the power is definitely there. GF in crosses would be comparable to gut in crosses, of course it's not the same, but you get what I mean

If you string full bed GF then you need to string it 1 or maybe even 2kg tighter, and it can feel stiff in a weird boardy way when new, not enough string movement and snap back, but half an hour later you'll arrive at the "ooh the powerr.." point, and then you need to focus on keeping your balls in the court, if you're a hard hitter. So it's a much better string as a cross than full bed. It's also very thick, both 1.25 and 1.30 feel thicker than other 1.25 or 1.30 strings

Hawk is good for a cross but in a different setup, LT in mains will work for grinding and spinny tennis, but I actually prefer Hawk 1.30 in mains and LT 1.25 - super slick until it breaks - in crosses for clean hitting. Gut or other power string - maybe GF, haven't tried - will go well in mains, with Hawk in crosses, but in thin flat beam racquets that don't lift the ball too much. That setup won't work so well in racquets with elliptical profile, like Aero or Ezone, racquets that already lift the ball a lot
 

Trip

Hall of Fame
@Mischko - Thanks for the info. I play Hawk Silver 1.30 as a cross for Tier One Firewire Black 1.30 mains in a Prestige MP-L (customized to 340/31.5/327), and love the control, spin and feel. In that application I don't need more pocketing, so GF is probably not the right fit, but will definitely keep it in mind for other frames. I do agree on Hawk being a better cross to shaped/crisp mains when more launch angle and spin are desired, and better with that hybrid flipped if you want to flatten out the trajectory on more elliptical beam / open-pattern frames. Thanks for your help again.
 

Aretium

Hall of Fame
Anyone tried signum pro firestorm? Feels very similar to grey fire and though it’s a slight different colour, feels similar to it. People also saying head lynx tour is similar?
 

J011yroger

Talk Tennis Guru
Anyone tried signum pro firestorm? Feels very similar to grey fire and though it’s a slight different colour, feels similar to it. People also saying head lynx tour is similar?

Lynx tour is great, a little softer, less brittle. Doesn't have the crispness of gf.

Have not tried firestorm.

J
 

veelium

Hall of Fame
Anyone tried signum pro firestorm? Feels very similar to grey fire and though it’s a slight different colour, feels similar to it. People also saying head lynx tour is similar?
I heard firestorm loses tension really quickly. Not for you?
 
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