PLAYTEST - HEAD Lynx Spin ²

haqq777

Legend
PLAYTEST Review - HEAD Lynx Spin ²
By @haqq777



Tension (s) used for playtest:
52 lbs both mains and crosses (Gamma Drop Weight)

Regular string set up:
I generally stick to Volkl Cyclone 16 at 52 lbs because I like the predictable response and familiarity. But mostly it is just whatever strings I have in my stash at the time.

Racquet used for test:
Babolat Aeropro Drive 2013

Control/power of test string:
Control of the string was excellent after the initial maybe ten minutes of strings settling in. I'd venture to say this was the stand out feature of the string for me. I had good directional control even when I took big cuts. Felt confident that the ball will not fly on me. My shots were landing deep and I was feeling the ball well on the string bed. Launch angle for me was fairly neutral. I did not notice any unusual difference in trajectory. Control for serves and volleys was great.

Power level was medium-high (for a poly). I will rate it a bit above average in terms of power levels. Stringbed felt a bit more livelier than what I am used to. It was somewhat erratic in the very beginning for first few minutes, but once strings settled down, the feedback became consistent.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?):
Very typical feel and feedback that one would expect from a medium-soft string. Overall comfortable. There are definitely strings in the market that make for a softer string bed (Hyper-G, Polyfibre TCS, WC Silverstring etc) and then there are clearly crisper feeling ones out there as well (most Luxilons, Kirshbaum Max Power, Volkl Cyclone etc) so I would say this hybrid setup is middle of the road in terms of softness and feedback. Touch shots were dampened/muted but on bigger cuts, I could feel the crispness, but in a good way. Predictable response and overall comfort was great, no complaints whatsoever.

Spin:
I know this is being marketed as a spin string but for me it was bang average and pretty mediocre in spin department. I have modern and somewhat whippy strokes, and I generally hit with moderate spin. I had to try and hit loopier with longer take backs and increase my racquet head speed in order to get more spin. I believe spin is the result of a combination of factors like stroke mechanics, equipment etc but given everything else being the same, I can name a few strings that give me better spin on my my regular strokes.

For the serves, I think flatter first serves were good. Slice and kick serves were decent but nothing extraordinary if I'm being honest. I did feel like I was hitting my spots and had consistent second serves.

Playability Duration:
I give high marks to the string in this particular department. From the beginning (except for the initial few hits where the strings settled in) till very late in the playtest - the feel and response stayed consistent and predictable. In my experience strings that exhibit such consistent traits suddenly fall of the cliff though and I am expecting that to happen here any time now.

As for durability, I could see some dents and notching on the crosses as early as an hour mark. I snapped the cross string close to 6 hour mark. I play with Div II college kids who hit big and heavy so it was expected.

Also, I don't have a way to measure tension maintenance but I go by feel anyway. And for me I had consistent playability throughout. Ball launch angle and trajectory also seem to be pretty consistent.

Tension findings (if you strung it again, would you use same tension? Explain answer):
Yes, I will string again at same tension. I am used to 50-52lbs range and for me that was the ideal tension for this string setup. That said, this is a very comfortable playing setup so I can even recommend going higher towards mid fifties for those wanting a bit more control. In the end, all comes down to personal preference.

OVERALL SCORE: 1 - 5 (1=poor / 5=excellent):
3

List any additional thoughts (optional):
A few observations:

1. I liked the consistent feedback of the string however I felt the dwell time was not as much as I am used to. I did not feel the ball pocketing sensation very much. No big deal, just an observation. Anyway, if you're a player who likes taking big cuts all the time and likes a predictable string bed, definitely try this one.

2. Overall, a good hybrid that was easy on the eyes, comfortable to string up, no kinking minimal coil memory and easy tie-offs. Depending on price, I might recomend to a few people I know. I will positively recomend this string for anyone looking for a comfortable and consistent feedback.

I will now finish my playtest by saying thank you to @TW Staff for this playtest opportunity. Really appreciate it and if anyone has any question please feel free to ask and I'll try to answer as best as I can.
 
Last edited:

Vicious49

Legend
Played with this in my VC95 tonight. Quick summary so far is
- it felt soft and comfortable to me. Similar to HGS
- it was more powerful than I was expecting. It felt almost as powerful as my other frame that had NRG2 mains in it.
- spin seemed average to me.

The power and the comfortable feel is what stood out to me the most. Im really hoping they make this string in different colors, maybe a red and black combo.
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
Tension(s) used for playtest: 45/43# strung on a Babolat Sensor machine utilizing a modified version of the JC stringing method
Regular string set ups: Head Lynx Tour 1.25/1.30 @ 45/43, Solinco Tour Bite 1.25/Solinco Outlast 1.25 @ 45/43, Solinco Tour Bite 1.25/Prince Tour XP 1.30 @ 45/43
Racquet used for test: Babolat 2012 Pure Drive customized to 321-324SW depending on string set up
Control/Power of test string: both directional and depth control was excellent. power was on the higher end of the spectrum when compared to other polys that offer higher levels of control.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): Crisp and dampened similar to Lynx Tour (LT is a bit more muted and less crisp, but both have a nice dampened feel), very substantial and meaty feeling string like Head Lynx Tour. good comfort for me. Lynx Tour is a little stiffer feeling.
Spin: I did not notice any increase in spin levels over any of my other regular string set ups. The spin this string generated was on par with my other set ups.
Playability Duration: ~4 hours. For the first 3 hours, the strings felt great. By the end of the second hitting session beyond 3 hours, the crosses started showing significant signs of wear and flattening out which was evident by the blue tattoos the crosses were leaving on the balls. On the third session 5 days after the second session, the string bed felt a bit rubbery. Mains stopped snapping back. Still played ok. I continued to hit with the strings for another 60 mins and the wear in the crosses continued to accelerate leaving more prominent blue marks on the tennis balls. The mains were slightly notched but the crosses were very close to being done. If I want to push it, I could probably get another hour of play out of the string bed, but the grip on the ball is now greatly reduced.
Tension findings (if you strung it again, would you use same tension? Explain answer): 45/43# was perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing if I used the string again.
OVERALL SCORE: 1 - 5 (1=poor / 5=excellent) 3.5
List any additional thoughts (optional): this string performed very well for me. The one area where it fell short compared to my string setups is durability. I normally get 6-10 hours from my other string setups so ~4-5 hours is a bit surprising. Lynx Tour is considerably more resistant to abrasion and getting flattened out.
Playability Duration: ~4-5 hours

Thank you, TW and Head for making this playtest available! :)
 
Last edited:

GummiiBear

Semi-Pro
So... I am new to stringing, and this time was my ~10th.

I wasn't really thinking - when it came to tying off the mains, I noticed I'd left too much string, or hadn't pulled properly/enough. The knot wasn't cinched up sufficiently.
In futzing about, trying to undo the first part of the knot, I ended up breaking the string. Such that what was leftover wasn't long enough for me to manage to tie a new knot. Not to mention I'd pulled sufficiently hard such that manipulating the ~1 inch left on that side was nigh impossible. I did try with pliers, but that just made things worse.

In hindsight I don't think it was stupid per se, more like... yeah, I just wasn't thinking. Was in a bit "in the zone".
Especially considering poly (along with synthetic gut) is one of the strings I've strung with more often, I think I should've known better.

So, uhhh... I cannot participate in this playtest. :notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:
I still have the blue string, and could try it out in place of a round poly in another hybrid setup of mine (reducing my test to one variable), though I don't know how much use that could be, given that I imagine this hybrid will be packaged/sold together...?

I don't think I should participate in future string playtests until I feel confident enough in my stringing ability, haha. :X3:
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
So... I am new to stringing, and this time was my ~10th.

I wasn't really thinking - when it came to tying off the mains, I noticed I'd left too much string, or hadn't pulled properly/enough. The knot wasn't cinched up sufficiently.
In futzing about, trying to undo the first part of the knot, I ended up breaking the string. Such that what was leftover wasn't long enough for me to manage to tie a new knot. Not to mention I'd pulled sufficiently hard such that manipulating the ~1 inch left on that side was nigh impossible. I did try with pliers, but that just made things worse.

In hindsight I don't think it was stupid per se, more like... yeah, I just wasn't thinking. Was in a bit "in the zone".
Especially considering poly (along with synthetic gut) is one of the strings I've strung with more often, I think I should've known better.

So, uhhh... I cannot participate in this playtest. :notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:
I still have the blue string, and could try it out in place of a round poly in another hybrid setup of mine (reducing my test to one variable), though I don't know how much use that could be, given that I imagine this hybrid will be packaged/sold together...?

I don't think I should participate in future string playtests until I feel confident enough in my stringing ability, haha. :X3:
Nice review.
 

SlowTiger

Professional
I just strung this up at 45 and the bed feels softer than most polys. Makes me think I should have bumped it up 48 but 45 is my standard so we will see. Also, it kind of reminded me of cyclone or solinco revolution when I first unpackaged it but feeling it strung up, it feels plasticy and not as hefty as I thought it would be. Reminds me of ytex poly power but with a super slick coating.
 

dak95_00

Hall of Fame
The string arrived today and I put it in my Head Gravity S at 48lbs strung with “my pig” machine with the Wise tension head.

I’m going to leave an initial review in the format but this is NOT my final review.


Tension(s) used for playtest - 48 lbs

Regular string set up - either Wilson Synthetic Gut Power 17 at 48 or Prince Synthetic Gut with Duraflex 17 at 48

Racquet used for test - Head Gravity S

Control/Power of test string - I would consider upon my first impression that it’s more control oriented but has enough power to zip shots through the court. I didn’t find it to be producing amazing spin.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp Comfortable?) This is the most challenging part for me because I was hitting off of a ball machine with two year old Tretorn Micro X balls. I’d say it was crisp but muted and comfortable.

Spin - spin was okay but not amazing like a shaped, thin poly

Playability Duration - obviously I cannot say after one outing. I can say after 150 balls there was no notching. After 300 balls they started notching. The notching was more prominent on the mains and less on the crosses.

Tension findings (if you strung it again, would you use same tension? Explain answer) I’ll know more tomorrow about the tension when I play against live hitting and I play some sets with real balls on hartru. My initial thought is that 48 is darn near perfect for me. The flight was great. The comfort was good. The power and control felt exactly what I like.

OVERALL SCORE: 1 - 5 (1=poor / 5=excellent) - LATER!!!

List any additional thoughts (optional)
While I was just practicing, my serve was on fire with these strings. I was smashing bombs. I’m looking forward to a set or two of doubles tomorrow. I’ll update and renew my review then. This was just an initial review and thoughts.

This is my final review.

THANK YOU TENNIS WAREHOUSE and HEAD TENNIS for allowing me to participate in this playtest. I find new things enjoyable.

Tension(s) used for playtest - 48 lbs

Regular string set up - either Wilson Synthetic Gut Power 17 at 48 or Prince Synthetic Gut with Duraflex 17 at 48

Racquet used for test - Head Gravity S no modifications

Control/Power of test string - I would consider upon my first impression that it’s more control oriented but has enough power to zip shots through the court. I didn’t find it to be producing amazing spin. I will add after about 5-6 hours of play the string became more and more powerful.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp Comfortable?) This is the most challenging part for me because I was hitting off of a ball machine with two year old Tretorn Micro X balls. I’d say it was crisp but muted and comfortable on my first hit. The second hit was with a very powerful 4.5 player and we used balls that had been played. The strings settled in and became more and more comfortable and less crisp. Keep in ming I like synthetic gut. They felt on the softer side and definitely softer than most poly strings. On the third hit, I played a competitive doubles match on hartru. The strings were very lively at this point and I felt as though I was losing my ability to play my normal precise shots consistently.

Spin - spin was okay but not amazing like a shaped, thin poly. I'm not sure why these are called spin strings. I really think their best attribute was comfort.

Playability Duration - obviously I cannot say after one outing. I can say after 150 balls there was no notching. After 300 balls they started notching. The notching was more prominent on the mains and less on the crosses. For me, they were good for the 10 hours I played. They definitely settled in after the first couple of hours and gained comfort and power.

Tension findings (if you strung it again, would you use same tension? Explain answer) I’ll know more tomorrow about the tension when I play against live hitting and I play some sets with real balls on hartru. My initial thought is that 48 is darn near perfect for me. The flight was great. The comfort was good. The power and control felt exactly what I like. This is where I would change. When I try these strings again, I would go 2-4 pounds tighter. This is odd for me because I like comfortable and tighter is usually not my thing but these strings should really shine for someone in a more densely patterned racquet at their normal tension. In a more open pattern, they likely need at least a couple pounds tighter to harness the power and enjoy the comfort. I struggled at my normal tension after the first few hours finding the pace of swing and control. A few pounds tighter and I believe I could swing away and not miss. COMFORT AND POWER were the shining traits of this string.



OVERALL SCORE: 1 - 5 (1=poor / 5=excellent) - 4.5


List any additional thoughts (optional)
While I was just practicing, my serve was on fire with these strings. I was smashing bombs. I’m looking forward to a set or two of doubles tomorrow. I’ll update and renew my review then. This was just an initial review and thoughts. This is unusual but I did not double fault once with these strings. The control was fine for the serve. It was likely my own timing mistakes and lack of confidence that caused me to not enjoy the power of these strings at my normal tension. I just couldn't dial in the amount I had to roll over my forehands and backhands to go for the hard winners.

I would try these strings again
and that's not something I say very often. I don't give many things second chances. These strings deserve another go from me but I would definitely enjoy them at 52 lbs next time.
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
@TW Staff I've generally had the most success using thicker poly cross strings paired to shaped poly mains (1.20/1.25 or 1.25/1.30) in playability and durability. The round cross being thicker doesn’t notch the main as easily because the cross section is wider and also has more material so takes longer to shave down. I think the Spin Squared could be even better with a cross string that has a thicker gauge than the shaped main. Just an idea to share with Head.
 
Last edited:
@TW Staff I've generally had the most success using thicker poly cross strings paired to shaped poly mains (1.20/1.25 or 1.25/1.30) in playability and durability. The round cross being thicker doesn’t notch the main as easily because the cross section is wider and also has more material so takes longer to shave down. I think the Spin Squared could be even better with a cross string that has a thicker gauge than the shaped main. Just an idea to share with Head.
Weren't they? Mine was 17g main 16g cross
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
Weren't they? Mine was 17g main 16g cross
IIRC, the mains (orange) were thicker than the crosses (blue). I just went back and re-watched the video. At the 1:20 mark, Dennis Fabian states that the main string is 16g while the cross string is 17g.
 
Last edited:

Chairman3

Hall of Fame
IIRC, the mains (orange) were thicker than the crosses (blue). I just went back and re-watched the video. At the 1:20 mark, Dennis Fabian states that the main string is 16g while the cross string is 17g.
Their theory stands to reason...assuming their theory is this...
Thicker (probably stiffer) main string will resist notching from a thinner (likely softer) cross string.
Your theory also seems reasonable though.
I think string stiffness probably has the biggest impact.
Ideally they'd offer this hybrid in a 17/18g combo too.
 
IIRC, the mains (orange) were thicker than the crosses (blue). I just went back and re-watched the video. At the 1:20 mark, Dennis Fabian states that the main string is 16g while the cross string is 17g.
You are correct. I just found I scrap piece of the orange mains in the trash and it said 16g
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
Their theory stands to reason...assuming their theory is this...
Thicker (probably stiffer) main string will resist notching from a thinner (likely softer) cross string.
Your theory also seems reasonable though.
I think string stiffness probably has the biggest impact.
Ideally they'd offer this hybrid in a 17/18g combo too.
according to Dennis Fabian in the video, the main string is SOFTER while the cross string is STIFFER. He said the theory behind a stiff cross and softer main is to allow for the main to move around more and snap back to allow for more spin, provide a nice sound and offer good feel. Interestingly, I didn't find the cross to be that stiff since it was leaving blue marks on the balls like crazy. Generally softer strings will leave more color marks on balls in my experience.
 

Chairman3

Hall of Fame
according to Dennis Fabian in the video, the main string is SOFTER while the cross string is STIFFER. He said the theory behind a stiff cross and softer main is to allow for the main to move around more and snap back to allow for more spin, provide a nice sound and offer good feel. Interestingly, I didn't find the cross to be that stiff since it was leaving blue marks on the balls like crazy. Generally softer strings will leave more color marks on balls in my experience.
Clearly I did not do my homework :-D
His explanation makes perfect sense.
These things are not always intuitive, at least not to me.
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
Clearly I did not do my homework :-D
His explanation makes perfect sense.
These things are not always intuitive, at least not to me.
that's ok. you're still ok in my book. ;) :laughing:

his explanation does make sense but my experience with the strings didn't seem to actually correlate with Dennis's description. Usually hard, stiff crosses will saw into a softer main and notch the mains quicker. A harder, stiffer cross will resist flattening since the harder surface will allow the mains to slide back and forth with less friction and heat so it is less susceptible to flattening. I believe the flattening is the result of the mains moving back and forth and shaving the crosses down as well as the due to the heat generated by the friction as the crosses brush up the backside of the ball. the orange mains didn't exhibit much notching, yet the blue cross flattened out rather quickly. it did play and feel fantastic with the only con for me being shorter string life.
 
Last edited:

SlowTiger

Professional
I just strung this up at 45 and the bed feels softer than most polys. Makes me think I should have bumped it up 48 but 45 is my standard so we will see. Also, it kind of reminded me of cyclone or solinco revolution when I first unpackaged it but feeling it strung up, it feels plasticy and not as hefty as I thought it would be. Reminds me of ytex poly power but with a super slick coating.

I hit with it today and I stand by what I said. Soft, nice pocketing. Great feeling string when plowing some balls in the sweet spot but on certain hits I got a really plasticy feeling that I didn't like. I also deff should have strung it @48 instead. Slight notching in the mains like any normal poly set up. Had some downs too that I'll add in my full write up
 

dak95_00

Hall of Fame
I hit with it today and I stand by what I said. Soft, nice pocketing. Great feeling string when plowing some balls in the sweet spot but on certain hits I got a really plasticy feeling that I didn't like. I also deff should have strung it @48 instead. Slight notching in the mains like any normal poly set up. Had some downs too that I'll add in my full write up

I agree.

I'm awaiting what others say who play with a more closed string pattern. I think this would feel great in a Head Prestige or other 18x20 racquet.
 

Chairman3

Hall of Fame
I agree.

I'm awaiting what others say who play with a more closed string pattern. I think this would feel great in a Head Prestige or other 18x20 racquet.
Mine is going in the Pure Strike VS which has a 16x20 and so far it plays more like an 18x20. Pretty flat trajectory, excited to see the spin I can get. Review won't be for a few weeks as I am playing the racquet with my string of choice as a baseline, currently.
But I will have this string in my racquet for a tournament, so that'll be fun.
 

dak95_00

Hall of Fame
Mine is going in the Pure Strike VS which has a 16x20 and so far it plays more like an 18x20. Pretty flat trajectory, excited to see the spin I can get. Review won't be for a few weeks as I am playing the racquet with my string of choice as a baseline, currently.
But I will have this string in my racquet for a tournament, so that'll be fun.

As @SlowTiger and I both recommend, you should string it maybe 2 pounds higher than usual. I think the first 30 minutes might feel firm but after that it'll soften up and have a nice feel to it. I think this will be a nice string in a racquet such as the Pure Strike VS. I'll look forward to your review.
 
Finally got a few more hours on this string with most of the time being drills or doubles. Only about 1.5 hours of singles.



Tension(s) used for playtest -
45/43
Regular string set up -
Luxilon Gut / Tourna Big Hitter silver 53/51
Racquet used for test -
Prince Synergy 98 modified
Control/Power of test string -
I normally don't use full poly, but the 2 setups I've used most recently have been this new hybrid from Head and the new Lynx Touch. I would say this string had less power than lynx touch, but more power than Lynx Tour (haven't tested it in about a year or so). I definitely did not have the same power from Lynx Spin as I do with my regular setup.
I really liked just drilling from the baseline with this string setup. It allowed me to hit out on the ball and see some higher arcing, loopier balls. However, I did not like going into match play in singles or doubles with this setup. To me, I wasn't confident enough in the "control" to just go for my normal shots. I always felt like I had to hit that "loopy" ball for it to go where I was aiming.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?) -
Interesting that this spin oriented string didn't feel stiffer. I normally stay away from full poly setups because I get golfers elbow super easy using it. However, it was a decently comfy setup. Not near as comfy as Lynx Touch, but didn't feel as stiff as Lynx Tour. It definitely felt more muted than my regular setup.
Spin -
Like I mentioned above, I loved just baseline drilling with this string. I could keep balls in all day just looping it back. But to me, this doesn't really translate to more or better spin in match play. Using my regular setup, my balls are heavier and more penetrating vs the loopy topspin I got with these strings. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it just doesn't fit my game very well.
Playability Duration -
Strings never broke, but the coating started to wear down at about the 8 hour mark. I played through another 5-7 hours and could tell the string had lost its life. If I were to make the switch to this string, I would restring about the 7-8 hour mark for practice and about every 4 hours for tournament play.
Tension findings -
45/43 was just about perfect for me. I don't think I would want to go any lower. If I just had a supply of this string, I could probably try around 50/48 just to see if the balls were less loopy and more penetrating.
OVERALL SCORE: 1 - 5 (1=poor / 5=excellent) -
4/5.


List any additional thoughts (optional)
I really enjoyed the spin and control from this string. However, it just doesn't fit my playstyle or preference. I really think anyone who has a spin oriented game or looking for more spin would benefit from this string.

Thanks to TW and Head for this playtest opportunity!!!
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
Tension(s) used for playtest: 45/43# strung on a Babolat Sensor machine utilizing a modified version of the JC stringing method
Regular string set ups: Head Lynx Tour 1.25/1.30 @ 45/43, Solinco Tour Bite 1.25/Solinco Outlast 1.25 @ 45/43, Solinco Tour Bite 1.25/Prince Tour XP 1.30 @ 45/43
Racquet used for test: Babolat 2012 Pure Drive customized to 321-324SW depending on string set up
Control/Power of test string: both directional and depth control was excellent. power was on the higher end of the spectrum when compared to other polys that offer higher levels of control.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): Crisp and dampened similar to Lynx Tour (LT is a bit more muted and less crisp, but both have a nice dampened feel), very substantial and meaty feeling string like Head Lynx Tour. good comfort for me. Lynx Tour is a little stiffer feeling.
Spin: I did not notice any increase in spin levels over any of my other regular string set ups. The spin this string generated was on par with my other set ups.
Playability Duration: ~4 hours. For the first 3 hours, the strings felt great. By the end of the second hitting session beyond 3 hours, the crosses started showing significant signs of wear and flattening out which was evident by the blue tattoos the crosses were leaving on the balls. On the third session 5 days after the second session, the string bed felt a bit rubbery. Mains stopped snapping back. Still played ok. I continued to hit with the strings for another 60 mins and the wear in the crosses continued to accelerate leaving more prominent blue marks on the tennis balls. The mains were slightly notched but the crosses were very close to being done. If I want to push it, I could probably get another hour of play out of the string bed, but the grip on the ball is now greatly reduced.
Tension findings (if you strung it again, would you use same tension? Explain answer): 45/43# was perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing if I used the string again.
OVERALL SCORE: 1 - 5 (1=poor / 5=excellent) 3.5
List any additional thoughts (optional): this string performed very well for me. The one area where it fell short compared to my string setups is durability. I normally get 6-10 hours from my other string setups so ~4-5 hours is a bit surprising. Lynx Tour is considerably more resistant to abrasion and getting flattened out.
Playability Duration: ~4-5 hours

Thank you, TW and Head for making this playtest available! :)
Kept using the Lynx Spin ² for another hour of casual rallying and drilling to bring the total time up to 5 hours. By the end, the crosses were completely flat and the string bed wasn't gripping the ball at all. Enjoyed hitting with the strings for the first 3 hours. Performance during the 4th hour was acceptable still. During the 5th hour, there was no elasticity left and the strings felt dead.
 

shadow01

Professional
Got my stick strung up and it looks good! Looking forward to see how this plays. I’ll be hitting with it starting tomorrow morning for 1.5 hours and then through the week into next.
stringing it was easy enough. The orange mains measured 1.3mm and the blue is 1.2mm.

I measured the racquetune string factor with the sound method and orange is 1.78 and blue is 1.68.

I strung at 48 pounds and racquetune reported at 48.3 pounds - I’ll monitor the tension drop from here.
Some pics:
71-F075-AB-7303-4-DCD-A4-E3-FB8-C9-DC2-C6-CE.jpg


7-A5-F3078-D199-40-EE-978-B-038-C783-CCCC9.png
 

shadow01

Professional
Got my stick strung up and it looks good! Looking forward to see how this plays. I’ll be hitting with it starting tomorrow morning for 1.5 hours and then through the week into next.
stringing it was easy enough. The orange mains measured 1.3mm and the blue is 1.2mm.

I measured the racquetune string factor with the sound method and orange is 1.78 and blue is 1.68.

I strung at 48 pounds and racquetune reported at 48.3 pounds - I’ll monitor the tension drop from here.
Some pics:
71-F075-AB-7303-4-DCD-A4-E3-FB8-C9-DC2-C6-CE.jpg


7-A5-F3078-D199-40-EE-978-B-038-C783-CCCC9.png
9.5 hours after stringing, right before first hitting session - racquetune reported a tension of 45.5. After 1.5 hours of hitting the tension was reported at 43.8. On par with most polys from my experience. Quick initial reactions were that the string was surprisingly comfortable and had some ball pocketing. Spin was there. Definitely noticeable difference from my usual setup of rpm blast. More to come as I progress with playing on them.
 

SlowTiger

Professional
PLAYTEST

Head Lynx Spin ²



Tension(s) used for playtest: 45
Regular string set up: Full poly @45
Racquet used for test: Wilson Kobra Team FX
Control/Power of test string: Power was good. Real good for a poly. Gave my balls a real nice zip and some extra pace that I haven't found in other polys. Downside is the control. I felt like it lacked the extra margin for error that I find from a typical poly. I actually wished that I strung the racquet @48 instead for a little extra control. I'd feel a lot more comfortable if I could tell my balls were dropping 2' in instead of me wondering if it was 1' in or out. I strung it up in the Kobra as I read one of the playtester said the string helped control his clash and I was hoping it may do the same for the Kobra... May have been a mistake listening to that comment.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?) Muted and comfortable. Really easy on the arm but I want to say about 15% of my shots had these plasticy feel to it like it was a cheap string.
Spin: This is what actually disappointed me the most. I was expecting this to be a spin monster and almost like a pure baseliner's string but it isn't. The orange mains had dull sides and didn't grip the ball and expected. It isn't a string meant for brushing. What I really had to do was increase my racquet headspeed and hit through the ball or whipping the hell out of it. The balls played very well with the altered swing style but if I'm already using that type of racquet head speed to get spin, I might as well use round polys and get a bit more predictability. It also didn't have crazy spin as some of the more sharp shaped poly stings like diadem solstice power. This kind of fell in the middle of everything for me. I recently tried a poly/poly hybrid of solstice power mains and spin x crosses. Man that first session I felt like I could go pro. No matter what I hit, everything was landing half way into no man's land and just kicking. That's kind of what I was hoping from this playtest. The spin is there for Lynx Spin ² depending on your game but because of that I wouldn't call it a spin string.
Playability Duration: I got 3 hitting sessions out of it so like 8-9 hours. While still playable, the lack of confidence made me go and grab another racquet from my bag when I felt like there was more pressure to perform. I could prob get another 1-2 playable session out of it before all my balls start spraying but it's not going to be a comfortable session if I keep doubting myself esp on shots that need a certain finesse like drops and volleying. The ball just kept sliding off my string on a few of those shots when I was trying to do those because it wasn't catching like I'm used to and needed that racquet head speed to produce spin. Maybe the magic is the slick crosses?!? I may leave them in my racquet as rally/practice strings or as a spare for the time being.
Tension findings (if you strung it again, would you use same tension? Explain answer) NOPE!!! I'd string higher by a few pounds for reasons stated above. May give it a higher score at a higher tension.
OVERALL SCORE: 1 - 5 (1=poor / 5=excellent) 3.5

List any additional thoughts (optional)



It's a good string for all court players and maybe for a specific spin style but it just doesn't click with my game. The cross string was super slick tho. I would love to see head try packaging that string with others to see how it turns out. I'd love to try that with a blue set of head velocity or NG in the mains.



Very important fact I might add is that I would come back to this string @48 in the Kobra again if I had tennis elbow and still really wanted to play with poly. It's not cyclone tour soft but that's how easy it felt on my arm while playing with it. Not advising this to others but this is just a thought that I came up multiple times when hitting with it. One of my set ups caused me some elbow and shoulder pain (another new string I was trying ended up being too stiff for me) and I played with this set up the next day without adding any discomfort. I suggest people who have fast swings and people who like round polys but looking for some extra spin. This may be up your alley.

Thanks TW and HEAD for the playtest!!!!
 
NuiRRc.jpg

Received. It has an interesting color choice. Blue is almost directly opposite of Orange on the color wheel. Will string it up this weekend.
Interested to see how it will look on a racquet.
m1Yhln.jpg


Tension(s) used for playtest: 51 Mains 49 Cross
Regular string set up: Klip Natural gut and ghost wire hybrid or Hyper-G
Racquet used for test: Head Extreme MP

Control/Power of test string:
The strings are quite lively and powerful. The control is quite lacking. I would describe it as confused. What I mean by that is that it has similar feeling of a control as a round poly, but it is has the inconsistent string bed (similar to a shaped poly). Generally a round poly's feature is the consistency of the string bed while a shaped poly's feature is an inconsistent string bed. The inconsistency from the shaped poly is mitigated by the spin that is generated, allowing someone to control it well. The round polys don't have as much spin, but it has a consistent string bed providing control in that way. This string is the unfortunate blend of both. The non-spin feel of a round poly, but the inconsistency of a shaped poly. So it is quite difficult to dial in on the control of the string.

Feel: The stiffness of the strings should be described as 7/10 with 10 being the most stiff strings and 5 being just about middle of the stiffness scale for a poly. comparatively it feels a lot stiffer than Hyper-G. However, you can feel the ball pocketing on the racquet a lot more than Hyper-G. Feel of the strings were that if I were to swing hard at the string the strings would stiffen up and become low powered, but if I were to swing not as fast it would feel lively. Yet, I would say THE characteristics of this string is in it's ball pocketing. The pocketing feel of the string is actually quite nice.

Spin: There was no noticeable spin gain from this string. I would not describe the string as a spin string. It has perhaps ~15% less spin than a normal round poly like Wilson Revolve and considerable less spin than a shaped poly like Hyper-G. I would say similar spin to a Gut/Poly hybrid type combo

Playability Duration: Playability duration is 10 hours+. Surprisingly quite good in this regard.

Tension findings: If I were to use the strings again I am not sure what tension I would use. I would like to string it perhaps 48 since the strings are stiffer than an average poly, yet the characteristics of the strings are that it is a lively string so in order to get more control, what might be best would be to string the strings tighter. If you have a comfortable/powerful racquet like the Clash string tighter. If you have a stiff racquet string the strings around 48.

OVERALL SCORE: 1/5. The reason is that it seems like the industry is moving towards a more comfortable or spin strings yet this string feels more stiffer than the new strings that are coming out, without the benefits. It is okay to have a slightly more stiffer string, there is nothing wrong with that, but there has to be some advantages that comes with it. However, this string does not have the spin you would expect and the control is quite lacking because it is a lively string. So I am not sure where this string fits in. Is it comfortable? No.. Then is it spin friendly? No. Then does it have a lot of control? No.. it is quite lively. Where this string excels is in the playability and the pocketing. Those 2 are THE Features for this string.

Unfortunate review, I apologize, but I tried to be honest. Thank you Tennis Warehouse for this opportunity!
 
Last edited:

brooksgbanks

New User
Received the string last Friday, but was packing to go out of town for a week, so left it with my stringer to have him string up yesterday. Picked up today. Had it strung up in a Solinco Blackout, given that the string's claim to fame is increased spin. I've been playing primarily with Solinco's not-yet-released "Confidential 3.0 LB5" either 16G or 17G, crossed with 18G Ghostwire, since I started playtesting it several months ago. Went with the same tension I've been playing with the LB5/GW combo, to maintain a common reference point (although given that it's now roughly 20 degrees warmer than it was just 3 weeks ago, I probably should have gone up a pound or so each way). Have a friendly doubles game set up for tomorrow, where we'll probably play 2.5-3 hours, and plan to use this the entire time.
s0MvQb.jpg
 

SlowTiger

Professional
Received the string last Friday, but was packing to go out of town for a week, so left it with my stringer to have him string up yesterday. Picked up today. Had it strung up in a Solinco Blackout, given that the string's claim to fame is increased spin. I've been playing primarily with Solinco's not-yet-released "Confidential 3.0 LB5" either 16G or 17G, crossed with 18G Ghostwire, since I started playtesting it several months ago. Went with the same tension I've been playing with the LB5/GW combo, to maintain a common reference point (although given that it's now roughly 20 degrees warmer than it was just 3 weeks ago, I probably should have gone up a pound or so each way). Have a friendly doubles game set up for tomorrow, where we'll probably play 2.5-3 hours, and plan to use this the entire time.
s0MvQb.jpg

Where you getting this unreleased confidential in a wonderful sexy blue!?!
 

brooksgbanks

New User
Where you getting this unreleased confidential in a wonderful sexy blue!?!
Same solinco rep who sent me the racquets. I've been testing the various versions of the LB (5, 6, and R) since late last year. My favorite so fare is LB5 16g full bed, but haven't had enough time with the LB6 yet to rule it out. Using GW as a cross in most cases to save string until I can get a reel.
 

brooksgbanks

New User
So, after stupidly playing 4.5 hours through the hottest part of the day here in Atlanta (even doubles, playing 5 sets in 90 degree GA heat is a stupid, stupid idea), I thought I'd jot down my initial impressions. Just a bit about my game: played high school and college, then about 10 years off completely after graduating to do the whole family thing. Picked back up when I moved to Atlanta, and found all the recreational options (have done USTA, Peach, and ALTA, now primarly ALTA) and given my apparent desire not to lose all the weight I gained doing the family thing, I play almost exclusively doubles. Semi-western to full western forehand, lots of topspin and pace. Primarily 2-handed backhand, flat, now more control oriented than in my youth, with some slice mixed in. Go more variety with my serve, mixing slice and heavy kickers which I can control to both sides of the box, and only going for hard flat serves if I'm feeling really tuned in serving.

Initial thoughts.... As many have already commented, I did not notice any difference in spin as compared to my normal setup (5-sided poly crossed with round poly). I didn't have quite the directional control on my forehand when I was hitting out as I normally do, needing to aim for larger targets, but when I was blocking back short-hops or transitioning to net and hitting low volleys from mid-court, it took no effort at all to control depth and angle and I noticed exceptional control. I had no issues with volleys at all, able to easily control placement (well, until the 5th set when the legs go tired and I was more reaching than stepping into the volleys). My flatter 2-handed backhand was where I found the most overall improvement as compared to my normal setup, as I could hit with more pace yet keep the ball in, and also hit better angles.

The single biggest thing I noticed, however, was the comfort. Ball pocketing was really nice (which only penalized me when I was being lazy on a forehand and not following through, which always resulted in the ball floating long), and even after 4.5 hours, not the first twinge of any arm pain (and given my job and recent bout with TE, any time I play for 3+ hours I typically have some small amount of discomfort in my wrist or elbow).

Should get more time with it this week and hopefully some extra tennis over the holiday weekend coming up. That should be enough time to give the full review.
 

Chairman3

Hall of Fame
958oYS.jpg

Strung up at 48lbs, and playing in the morning.
My plan is to play until it's dead then I have some 19g V-Square lying around that I'll string up as a comparison.
Since they're both spin oriented strings I think it'll be worthwhile.
 

Mmazzoni

New User
Will follow up with a full review, but was able to get out yesterday and start hitting at #47 in a TF40 315 16x19. I had a difficult time connecting with this string but i think it may have been more of the near triple digit temps and its effect on my energy level. I couldn't keep my forehand on the court as a lot of balls were sailing long on me. Spin on my slice with these was fantastic much better than my typical setup, both forehand and backhand placement was surgical. Flat serve had good power and did seem to be getting a little extra jump on my kick, does typically happen when the temps start rising. I think if i can get my forehand dialed in this would be a pretty good string setup. I did feel some slight discomfort but I think that was more of me hitting outside the sweet spot. Optimistic about getting some more time in this week.
 

Crimsonchen

Rookie
PLAYTEST: Head Lynx Spin ²


Tension(s) used for playtest: 55 lbs
Regular string set up: PTP mains at 57 lbs/Wilson Sensation at 59 lbs
Racquet used for test: Head Speed Pro 2021 model
Control/Power of test string:
This string definitely felt more of a power string for me. It had a higher launch angle than what I'm used to and there were times where I struggled a bit with control. I generally prefer strings with a lower launch angle, but something I'd consider next time I use this string would be to string it a few lbs higher. Overall, the power was very easy with this string, but the control was a bit lacking.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): One aspect that I did enjoy about this string was the feel. For a full bed of poly, this string is very comfortable. I didn't notice any wrist pain or soreness so that it always a plus in terms of feel. I think it helped that it was a blend of 16g and 17g, the 17g really softens up the bed.
Spin: As many of the others have said, the spin on this string was a little disappointing for having spin in the name. It did give me vibes of Poly Tour Rev in that it had a slick texture and decent snapback. I wasn't getting the spin that I would expect from a shaped poly by any means but for a round poly, it was giving me decent spin.
Playability Duration: I didn't notice a huge drop off in playability even after 9 hours. It played pretty consistent throughout the playtest for me so I have no complaints here. In terms of durability, I had some minor notching but the durability is what I would expect from any poly string.
Tension findings (if you strung it again, would you use same tension? Explain answer): As I said earlier, I strung this one at 55 lbs as I generally string my polys and I felt that the launch angle was a little too high for me. I probably would do 57 lbs next time I use this string.
OVERALL SCORE: 1 - 5 (1=poor / 5=excellent): 3.5 I don't think that this is the string for my play style, however, I did like certain aspects of the string and would try it again with a higher tension. The comfort alone is a good selling point for me. I just felt that it was lacking in control and spin.
List any additional thoughts (optional): Big thanks to Head and Tennis Warehouse for this playtest!
 

Bloviator

New User
PLAYTEST: Head Lynx Spin ²

Tension(s) used for playtest –
50 lbs main 48 crosses


Regular string set up –
Ashaway Crossfire ZX (kevlar / ZX) or Prince Diablo Pro / Tour XC. I have arm issues and am value conscious.


Racquet used for test –
Prince Diablo XP


Control/Power of test string –
A control-oriented string. I did not notice a large boost in power that is an instant turn off for many strings of that style. Perhaps a little more pop than the median polyester string. Good directional control on big cuts and did not have balls flying long on account of the string. Also did not notice any big change in launch angle / trajectory


Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?) –
Better feedback than I would have expected for the softness on the arm. Definitely crisper than my regular softish strings. I like that feeling but find it often associated with huge power and arm pain. There was not enough crispness to be felt on touch shots, but it was there from the baseline and put-aways. Would typically anticipate a response like this to hurt the arm, here I was pleasantly surprised.


Spin –
Spin was OK. Certainly, on par with the category of string. I for a standard flat-topspin hitter this is more than adequate. For my game I primarily go for extra spin on second serves, and it was not as crazy as others. Nothing that would detract from the string.


Playability Duration –
For me it was about 10 hours. Slightly longer than Prince Diablo Pro. I do suffer from arm problems and will replace stiffer strings at about this point regardless of performance. Here I replaced not because for fear of arm problems, but because the strings were worn and out of life. No special resistance to notching.


Tension findings (if you strung it again, would you use same tension? Explain answer) –
This tension worked well for me. If I strung again I might tempt faith in going a little higher to get more of that crisp response and see if it resulted in arm discomfort. At this tension it is comfortable to play many days in a row.


OVERALL SCORE: 1 - 5 (1=poor / 5=excellent) -
4/5


List any additional thoughts (optional) – Really enjoyed these strings. Could be worth a premium price over prince’s discount strings because it lasted substantially longer in the racquet. The response was consistent and solid in every area. Have never tried a poly poly hybrid before and like that a manufacturer did the work of finding a good one for me.

Also that color! Looks sweet. More fun than a solid color and not as wild as Diablo Prism. Hope to see more strings like this.
 

HeavyHitter

Rookie
PLAYTEST: Head Lynx Spin ²


Tension(s) used for playtest: 26kg/25 kg
Regular string set up: Babolat RPM Blast 1.30mm
Racquet used for test: Babolat Pure Aero VS
Control/Power of test string:
The main orange strings are very elastic/soft. I did a test pull on my constant pull stringer and noticed how much it stretched at tension, so I knew right away that I needed to go higher in tension than my normal setup. Even the cross blue strings didn't seem that stiff when pulling. As expected the stringbed felt pretty lively but at the same time, it didn't seem too powerful where control was lacking. Nothing really stood out for me here, pretty mediocre in terms of power or control.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): They should change the name of this string to Arm Saver strings. Reminds me of a very mushy version of Tecnifibre Ice code, has that rubbery feel with really good dampening. I could feel the strings really stretch on hard flat shots, good pocketing and dwell time. I did feel disconnected to the ball sometimes, as I normally gravitate towards more crisp feeling strings. It didn't give me that grab feeling on the ball that I normally get from firmer strings.
Overall, someone looking for a softer string bed with muted damped feel will enjoy it.

Spin: In theory, this setup should give more spin without having to invest extra into your strokes but I was getting negative spin compared to my normal setup. I wasn't getting the good scratch sensation on impact and the strings just weren't grabbing the ball. I like the idea and it does make sense but it might be for a different racquet or a player. I did 2 test sessions, and in both sessions, I had to switch back to my normal setup as I was not enjoying it.

Playability Duration: String bed DT measured at 36 right off of the stringer at 26kg. RPM Blast 1.30 strung at 24kg right off the stringer measures at DT 37. Pretty soft combo. I did 2 hitting sessions in 2days with about 10-15mins of hitting each session, DT measured at 33 on second day. Seems on par with most current polys. I didn't enjoy the strings so will not invest too much more time so can't say much for durability.

Tension findings (if you strung it again, would you use same tension? Explain answer): I would try the combo again but with the Blue strings in the mains or try it in a different racquet.

OVERALL SCORE: 1 - 5 (1=poor / 5=excellent): 2

List any additional thoughts (optional):
Much respect to Head for trying something new but it didn't work for me.
 
Last edited:

Bloviator

New User
Looks like many people also had the blue string painting the balls.
Not sure it means anything, just rather entertaining.
 

SlowTiger

Professional
Looks like many people also had the blue string painting the balls.
Not sure it means anything, just rather entertaining.

It was a lighter blue. I thought it was my friend's strings doing it. If it's coming off on the balls, no wonder everybody's crosses are getting thin and breaking before the mains. Lol
 

gold325

Hall of Fame
I didn’t experience this nor have I read reviews of others writing this. Where did you get this information?

Here you go.

 

dak95_00

Hall of Fame
Here you go.

Thanks. I must’ve missed that. I wonder if temperature made a difference. It was still cooler here when I was playing them so I didn’t experience this. I played them for at least a few hours and hit harder than most too.

That would’ve bothered me. I’m not a fan of the string color getting onto the balls. It’s why I don’t stencil.
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
Thanks. I must’ve missed that. I wonder if temperature made a difference. It was still cooler here when I was playing them so I didn’t experience this. I played them for at least a few hours and hit harder than most too.

That would’ve bothered me. I’m not
@lidoazndiabloboi is also on this playtest and was using these strings to hit with me last weekend. He was leaving blue marks all over the balls as well and it wasn’t hot at all.
 

dak95_00

Hall of Fame
@lidoazndiabloboi is also on this playtest and was using these strings to hit with me last weekend. He was leaving blue marks all over the balls as well and it wasn’t hot at all.
What’s not a hot temperature? For me, above 70 is hot. I was playing in the 50s/60s. These values are subjective. I’ll play in shorts as long as it’s above 20 F.
 
Top