Best soft, smooth poly

[maggmaster]

Polystar energy is very low powered for the first 3 or 4 hours, then stuff starts floating a bit and it gets more powerful. I have to adjust my strokes to be flatter after that. Still a great string, I get 2 matches out of a hybrid setup.

 

[parasailing]

How is Polystar Energy's power level? I want lower powered for better control.
Some feel and pocketing would be a plus.

For a poly, Energy has good feel and pocketing, surprising for a poly. I would recommend you past on this if you are looking for low powered as it actually has plenty of power. I find this to have power close to the multi X1.

 

[parasailing]

Polystar energy is very low powered for the first 3 or 4 hours, then stuff starts floating a bit and it gets more powerful. I have to adjust my strokes to be flatter after that. Still a great string, I get 2 matches out of a hybrid setup.

Interesting, I find that from the get go, it has quite a bit of pop. I string it around 52lbs the first time when I usually string multis and natural gut at 57lbs. I wanted to start at a lower range just to make sure it didn't hurt my arm and I think I will go up to 54lbs next time seeing that is a very soft poly.

I agree with you that after a few hours, tension maintenance goes and this thing becomes way too powerful and that's when I cut them out and put a new set in. If you have your own stringing machine plus some time, price wise, this is a great string at a great price if you buy a reel of it.

 

[maggmaster]

I also started down around 50, I am up to 60 now, still no problems. I bought a reel and hybrid with Mantis Comfort.

 

[parasailing]

I also started down around 50, I am up to 60 now, still no problems. I bought a reel and hybrid with Mantis Comfort.

Did you find that at 60lbs it was a bit too stiff? I string around 57lbs for a multis and initially started at 52lbs but will up it to 54lbs to see if I can get a little more tension stability.

 

[hoodjem]

Babolat Pro Hurricane 18 Polyester 1.21 187
Tecnifibre Promix 17 (1.25) Polyester 1.27 199
Head Sonic Pro 17 Polyester 1.23 199
Pacific Poly Power 18 Polyester 1.09 201

Of these, I have tried Pacific Poly Power. It is indeed very soft for a smooth poly.

 

[DavidNERODease]

Head Sonic Pro 17 is very soft, smooth and slippery and even has some pop. Great, long lasting "snap back" with this string. Decent price and 3 colours to choose from.

 

[Don't Let It Bounce]

Topspin Cyber Blue, already been mentioned, but its super soft too, softest i've come across.

Is Cyber Flash not being mentioned here because it isn't smooth (product description doesn't specify whether it is textured) or because it isn't soft? (TW numbers suggest VERY soft, softer even than Blue, but RSI numbers and some forum descriptions don't.)

 

[OldButGame]

Is Cyber Flash not being mentioned here because it isn't smooth (product description doesn't specify whether it is textured) or because it isn't soft? (TW numbers suggest VERY soft, softer even than Blue, but RSI numbers and some forum descriptions don't.)

I haven't used cyberflash yet,...but ive'heard' on these boards that it can be stiff/harsh,..and heard suggestions to string it low. I have a set soon to go in,...and i got 18g for that reason,...and i fgure i'll string it around 48lbs.--The cyber blue is super soft as i said.

 

[MuscleWeave]

It does, I doubt Davydenko would use a full of it if it didn't.

It is very smooth, feels almost greasy when you string it... However at the risk of repeating myself it makes no sense using it on mains with a textured poly cross. Unless you have a frying pan serve and you want to get some wicked backspin how is a textured cross going to help you?

Now a textured string in mains with PS energy in crosses sounds like a nice combo to me.

In another thread, a poster claimed that the lower amount of surface area on a shaped cross string would allow it to slide against the main string more easily. I can see your point of view about shaped mains/PS energy crosses too. That makes a little more sense to me.

MW

 

[The Notorious V.I.G.]

In another thread, a poster claimed that the lower amount of surface area on a shaped cross string would allow it to slide against the main string more easily. I can see your point of view about shaped mains/PS energy crosses too. That makes a little more sense to me.

MW

What does the sliding have to do with the string's performance? Does it increase spin or something? I'm honestly curious.

 

[MuscleWeave]

What does the sliding have to do with the string's performance? Does it increase spin or something? I'm honestly curious.

If the main string can slide further while in contact with the ball, it can impart spin more during that time. Low sliding friction between strings allows for this.

MW

 

[thebuffman]

yeah, i am really curious as to why the OP wants the string with all of the preferred attributes in the CROSS?? i would think typhoon in the main and a nice smooth textured poly, that maintains tension well, in the cross would be the optimal setup. this way you get all of the playability desired from typhoon being in the main with the added bonus of a minor attribute from the cross whether that be to help firm up or soften the bed, promote spin, enhance tension maintenance...

any insight?

 

[airman88]

It definitely goes against conventional wisdom. I just had a thought with all the new insight on sliding strings producing massive spin. And also the typhoon has been bothering my arm a bit even thoiugh its fairly soft in full bed.

 

[JT_2eighty]

How about soft + Tension Maintenance??

OP: poly star energy, black magic, hyperion, touch turbo, cyber blue, any polyfibre string should work well for you

Head Sonic Pro was the softest of any smooth poly I've tried.

Poly star energy and sonic pro

Polystar Energy doesn't feel great after 1 week of play.

Polystar energy easily beats it [Hyperion]. I would also suggest big hitter blue.

Ok, so based on posts in this thread and others that I've been following, it seems the "usual suspects" of Soft polys again and again are:

Polystar Energy
Polyfibre TCS
Tourna Big Hitter Blue
Big Ace Micro
Head Sonic Pro

However, adding tension maintenance to the equation... Energy seems to drift down on the list, Sonic Pro then drifts up. My experience with BHB is also pretty good so far. WC MB is nice and soft, also having decent tension hold. BAM for me was soft, but not as good as some others with tension. Sonic Pro is actually not mentioned too often, but it did show up a few times in this thread, and whenever it does get mentioned, tension maintenance is always a plus.

Question is, if everyone had to rate both softness + tension hold, how do your "soft lists" change?

 

[gflyer]

for me black magic and energy. but energy loses tension too quickly.

 

[parasailing]

Aside from what JT has posted regarding those 5 strings, I am hoping someone can chime in on whether Polyfibre Black Venom and Viper are close to TCS in comfort but adds more spin.

 

[rodrigoamaral]

Aside from what JT has posted regarding those 5 strings, I am hoping someone can chime in on whether Polyfibre Black Venom and Viper are close to TCS in comfort but adds more spin.

Black venom is pretty close to TCS in playing characteristics, never tried the viper though

 

[DavidNERODease]

For me, I no longer worry about actual tension loss but instead whether or not the string remains playable - can I still hit the same shots I could hit last week for example. Some string such as Sonic Pro 17, seems to retain it's playability despite the tension loss. I'm looking for more string that can do exactly that.

 

[JT_2eighty]

For me, I no longer worry about actual tension loss but instead whether or not the string remains playable - can I still hit the same shots I could hit last week for example. Some string such as Sonic Pro 17, seems to retain it's playability despite the tension loss. I'm looking for more string that can do exactly that.

Good point. That's basically what I'm looking for too. I guess Sonic Pro is now on my short list. BHB is so far proving to fit the bill as well.

 

[Bear2014]

Yup, Pro Line 2

Plays very soft in a hybrid with multi/syn gut

agreed I am just going back to PL2 and PSGD hybrid. my strings arrive today

 

[bfactor61]

what are the benefits of playing with pl2 in a hybrid when it is already soft and it has good feel?

 

[JackB1]

Polyfibre Black Venom!

 

[Specky]

Black Code or Solinco Tour Bite
Also hear Sonic Pro is soft but never played with it.

 

[hoodjem]

The softest polys:

Babolat Pro Hurricane 18 Polyester 1.21 187
Tecnifibre Promix 17 (1.25) Polyester 1.27 199
Head Sonic Pro 17 Polyester 1.23 199
Pacific Poly Power 18 Polyester 1.09 201
Tecnifibre Promix 16 (1.30) Polyester 1.29 204
Polyfibre Poly Hightec 1.10 Polyester 1.09 206
Isospeed Pulse 1.20 Polyester 1.23 209

 

[parasailing]

Dunlop Black Widow has an even lower RSI stiffness rating than those listed above.

 

[hoodjem]

Dunlop Black Widow has an even lower RSI stiffness rating than those listed above.

Really!! When, where?

 

[Djokolate]

Red code,
I've had a little hit with and looked at Sonic Pro (friends racquet) and it was quite soft.

 

[Don't Let It Bounce]

Really!! When, where?

Go to the TWU String Database. You can compare all polys, just the ones found to be soft by RSI testing, or whatever. The TWU settings that seem to correspond most closely to the RSI test results are "High Tension (62 lb)" and "Fast Swing". For example, for these three strings at those settings:

Pro Hurricane 18 High (62 lbs) Fast 197.2
Black Widow 16 High (62 lbs) Fast 168.6
Sonic Pro 16 High (62 lbs) Fast 193.7

It's a fun tool to play around with, and the results are sometimes surprising. (Compare, for example, the stiffness of the silver versions of the Tourna Big Hitter and and Topspin Cyber strings with their blue counterparts.)

 

[Ross K]

Re a few of the references to BHBR... am I the only one who didn't find it actually played that soft???

R.

 

[parasailing]

Really!! When, where?

Actually it is rated the same as PHT 18 at 187 for the 17 gauge and 192 for 16 gauge so if they made a 18 gauge version, it would take the cake .

 

[Boricua]

Lots of positive comments regarding Polystar Energy. It seems if you want a round smooth soft copoly, there's really only a handful of choices.

here are some choices:
-polystar energy
-sp hyperion
-wc scorpion
-wc silverstring
-lux bb alu power flurou
-volkl pro-v
-head sonic pro

Am I missing any good choices?

I have not used it yet, but a good friend that is playtester from TW says Polyfibre Black Venom is top of the list.

 

[parasailing]

Yeah that Black Venom has been getting pretty good reviews on here and I plan on buying a set and testing it out against Viper. I think I have about 3 or 4 more soft polys to try and hopefully settle on one of them though I can't say this hasn't been a fun experiment.