Comfortable alternative to Solinco Revolution

[Dragy]

Hey guys, I've been using Solinco Revolution 17 in my leaded up Ultra Tours for half a year now. Settled with 21x20kg tension. I like the playability and longevity of the setup quite a bit. Cut it out before 10h mark.
I feel comfortable hitting off the ground all day long, but serving, and to some degree volleying gives me soreness on the inside of my elbow. Well, I get there're issues with execution and clean hitting on those shots, which I'm after. However, until it heals (if I actually don't quit for several months) it would be nice to alter the setup. Could you suggest options please? I love moderately shaped poly.

PS. I tried multi, I can play with it, but it really isn't best for my game... and again, no issues on groundies, after full GS session. I didn't try gut or gut hybrid.
PPS. I do rehab workout with flexbar, it helps to get tension off the forearm.
PPPS. I booked a visit to doctor to see if we can get clear diagnosis and schedule some treatment.

 

[happyandbob]

here is everything with stiffness at or lower than revolution 17 AND with energy return in the same ballpark as revolution 17. maybe one of these is worth trying out.

String	Gauge	Stiffness	Tension Loss Pct	Energy Return Pct	Spin Potential
Solinco Revolution 17	1.2	188.6	50	83.4	6.6
Diadem Solstice Blace 17 (1.20)	1.2	161.7	52.7	83.9	NA
Double AR Diablo (1.31)	1.31	169.7	55.7	81	7.7
Double AR Twice Dragon(1.30)	1.3	170.9	51.2	83.2	7.2
Gosen Polylon PolyBreak 18 (1.20)	1.2	165.2	53.3	82.8	4.8
Head Sonic Pro 16	1.3	160.6	57	81.2	4.2
Head Sonic Pro 17	1.251	164.6	54.9	83.9	3.9
IsoSpeed Pulse 16	1.3	164.6	56.9	81.5	4.7
IsoSpeed Pulse 17	1.2	159.4	55.6	83	NA
IsoSpeed Pyramid 16	1.3	174.9	58	83.5	7
Luxilon M2 Pro 125/16	1.25	181.7	53	83.2	3.6
MSV Focus-Hex +38 16L (1.25)	1.25	173.2	53.5	81.5	7.7
One Strings Carbon NRG 16	1.3	180	42.3	83.4	5.1
Poly Star Classic 16 (1.30)	1.3	185.7	55.8	81.5	4.2
Poly Star Classic 16L (1.25)	1.25	174.9	54.5	81.7	4.4
Poly Star Strike 16L (1.25)	1.25	184	51.4	82.1	4.8
Polyfibre Poly Hightec 18	1.1	150.3	61	81	3.9
Polyfibre TCS 18 (1.15)	1.15	156	61.1	81.4	NA
Signum Pro Firestorm 16 (1.30)	1.3	185.7	43	83.9	5.5
Solinco Outlast 17	1.2	182.9	50.4	83.9	5.5
Solinco Tour Bite 16 Soft	1.3	184	50.3	83.7	6.9
Topspin Cyber Blue 17	1.25	183.5	46.1	83.9	5.1
Topspin Cyber Flash 17	1.25	158.9	54.9	83.4	4.2
Topspin Cyber Flash 17L	1.2	144	59.1	83.2	4.6
Volkl Cyclone Tour 16 (1.30)	1.3	167.4	52.1	83.2	8.7
Volkl Cyclone Tour 17 (1.25)	1.25	170.9	52.6	82.6	6.1
Volkl V-Star 16 (1.30)	1.3	172.6	54.5	82.8	6.9
Weiss Cannon Silverstring 120	1.2	167.4	50.6	82.6	3.7
Weiss Cannon Ultra Cable 17 (1.23)	1.23	174.9	47.7	82.8	11.9
Wilson Enduro Tour 18	1.21	159.4	63.7	81.2	NA

 

[fullwesternforehand]

From personal experience, I can tell you that Weiss Cannon ultra cable js a good comparable alternative. Revolution is good, but I have a love hate relationship with it. Another pick of mine to replace it is hexonic

 

[Sir Faultalot]

You could try the poly tour rev from yonex. I found it to be a little different than revolution, but much more comfortable. I would be surprised if you had arm pain the poly tour rev. Revolution gave me great overall playability and touch, which I felt were the same qualities of PTR even though it accomplished those traits in different ways

 

[Dragy]

You could try the poly tour rev from yonex. I found it to be a little different than revolution, but much more comfortable. I would be surprised if you had arm pain the poly tour rev. Revolution gave me great overall playability and touch, which I felt were the same qualities of PTR even though it accomplished those traits in different ways

Was thinking about some Yonex option, even if round one... Thanks, and to other responds as well!

 

[happyandbob]

Was thinking about some Yonex option, even if round one... Thanks, and to other responds as well!

looking at the list, Cyclone Tour has measurables really close to Revolution only with lower stiffness, and VCT seems to get a lot of love from folks here

 

[Dragy]

looking at the list, Cyclone Tour has measurables really close to Revolution only with lower stiffness, and VCT seems to get a lot of love from folks here

I’m deeply into flat edged options as I believe those resist notching longer (flat bevels move against each other). So not sure with twisted ones. But I got VCT 1.30 strung once in Ai98, back in 2015, was ok. Moved to VC 1.20 and used it until the reel was done.

 

[happyandbob]

I’m deeply into flat edged options as I believe those resist notching longer (flat bevels move against each other). So not sure with twisted ones. But I got VCT 1.30 strung once in Ai98, back in 2015, was ok. Moved to VC 1.20 and used it until the reel was done.

I agree completely, which is why I don't quite understand the love for VC or VCT here. For me, VC mains start sticking after only a couple of hours of hitting because it's grinding whatever I put in the crosses, it drives me nuts. One of the reasons why I like Hyper-G is for the flat edge.

 

[g4driver]

VCT 1.30mm in a full bed works for many male players at the 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0 level who very consistent. Maybe that's the missing piece? I find VCT 1.30mm suits the 4.5 male players better than any other group I string for. All of these players all string VCT in the low to high 50s, not in the 40s and almost all of them turned down Alu Power 1.25mm and Hyper G 1.25mm in full beds and picked VCT over Hyper G. Several of them simply asked me to give them the strings Steve Cohen, a former D1 Player and brutally consistent 5.0

VCT 1.30mm plays consistently well after the initial tension loss all the way to breakage for these players. I have dozens of 4.5 men using VCT 1.30mm until breakage. The lowest tension I string VCT at is 50lbs for a Cohen in his 374-gram Pure Control Tours, and the highest tension is 58M/54X for the 4.5 guy using the Aero Pro Drives. Most of these guys are in the 54-57 lb range on an Alpha Ghost. Yet, I wonder for those who complain about tension loss string your frames, do you add tension to the top/bottom crosses and outer mains? If not perhaps you should or ask your stringer to do this for you. There are valid reasons for adding tension to those strings.

If you don't know who Richard Parnell is, you probably don't string frames for clients. This is just one technique Richard Parnell uses and he addresses adding tension to the outer two mains (yes adding tension to 4 main strings) in this video.

Post #184 Two 4.5A (appeal down from 5.0 ) playing another 4.5A (appeal down from 5.0) and an unbeaten 4.5 teaching pro in a USTA match). Sure the two 4.5A guys both using VCT lost in a 10 PT TB to the other guys. Two unbeaten 4.5A playing against each other in a doubles match. One was going to lose, and it was one break per set. Just proof VCT works well for some 4.5 guys.

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/introducing-the-tecnifibre-triax.674630/page-4

 

[c-had]

I'd take TWU data for Revolution 17 with a grain of salt. If you look at all gauges of Revolution in TWU, you see this:

String	Stiffness	Tension loss	Energy return	Spin potential
Revolution 18	195.5	28.7	88.9	6.3
Revolution 17	188.6	50.0	83.4	6.6
Revolution 16L	212.6	28.4	88.5	8.0
Revolution 16	215.5	47.4	84.3	6.4

The stiffness from 17 seems way too low compared with the other gauges. Makes me think something went wrong in the test, or they got a bad batch. I've played with Revolution 17 a lot (and love it), but I'd put it's stiffness above 200, which would be inline with the other gauges.

 

[Dragy]

I'd take TWU data for Revolution 17 with a grain of salt. If you look at all gauges of Revolution in TWU, you see this:

String	Stiffness	Tension loss	Energy return	Spin potential
Revolution 18	195.5	28.7	88.9	6.3
Revolution 17	188.6	50.0	83.4	6.6
Revolution 16L	212.6	28.4	88.5	8.0
Revolution 16	215.5	47.4	84.3	6.4

The stiffness from 17 seems way too low compared with the other gauges. Makes me think something went wrong in the test, or they got a bad batch. I've played with Revolution 17 a lot (and love it), but I'd put it's stiffness above 200, which would be inline with the other gauges.

Yeah, and the 50 tension loss, while in practice it seems to barely loose any tension...

 

[Dragy]

A brief report:
Played through 2 stringjobs of Volkl Cyclone Tour 1.25 @22/21kg. Really good experience - softer, good spin and feel. Didn't lock up or loosen any significantly in 10h.
What bothered be more, after getting Revolution back in it felt really stiff and soon uncomfortable. I played on faster surface than one I was grooved to during last couple of weeks, so will try it again and again. But really think about abandoning 80m left in the reel for the good.

PS as minor detail, full 18x20 bed of Solinco Revolution 1.20 weighs 1.5g heavier than Cyclone Tour 1.25.

 

[LOBALOT]

A friend of mine I string for and hit with all the time likes 16L Revolution. About 2 years ago she switch to using it with Weiss Cannon Silverstring as a cross and she really likes the setup. You could find a softer round poly you like and use that as a cross to soften up the response and use up the rest of the Revolution.

Actually, for an older type string quite a few more advanced players I string for seem to like the performance of Revolution.

 

[Yamin]

Honestly, Solinco strings all play similar for me. I liked revolution but the tension maintenance was pretty unpredictable. Tour bite and hyper g both play well in 17 gauge, are softer, and have more predictable tension loss.

 

[blai212]

A friend of mine I string for and hit with all the time likes 16L Revolution. About 2 years ago she switch to using it with Weiss Cannon Silverstring as a cross and she really likes the setup. You could find a softer round poly you like and use that as a cross to soften up the response and use up the rest of the Revolution.

Actually, for an older type string quite a few more advanced players I string for seem to like the performance of Revolution.

+1 I like to soften my HG string beds with slick smooth round crosses such as ghostwire, cream, SPPP, polaris. Usually the black strings will play deader while silver strings play crispier and bright color strings play more lively. It all comes down to personal preference but I have found great success with signum pro polaris (updated version of firestorm)

 

[ron schaap]

here is everything with stiffness at or lower than revolution 17 AND with energy return in the same ballpark as revolution 17. maybe one of these is worth trying out.

String	Gauge	Stiffness	Tension Loss Pct	Energy Return Pct	Spin Potential
Solinco Revolution 17	1.2	188.6	50	83.4	6.6
Diadem Solstice Blace 17 (1.20)	1.2	161.7	52.7	83.9	NA
Double AR Diablo (1.31)	1.31	169.7	55.7	81	7.7
Double AR Twice Dragon(1.30)	1.3	170.9	51.2	83.2	7.2
Gosen Polylon PolyBreak 18 (1.20)	1.2	165.2	53.3	82.8	4.8
Head Sonic Pro 16	1.3	160.6	57	81.2	4.2
Head Sonic Pro 17	1.251	164.6	54.9	83.9	3.9
IsoSpeed Pulse 16	1.3	164.6	56.9	81.5	4.7
IsoSpeed Pulse 17	1.2	159.4	55.6	83	NA
IsoSpeed Pyramid 16	1.3	174.9	58	83.5	7
Luxilon M2 Pro 125/16	1.25	181.7	53	83.2	3.6
MSV Focus-Hex +38 16L (1.25)	1.25	173.2	53.5	81.5	7.7
One Strings Carbon NRG 16	1.3	180	42.3	83.4	5.1
Poly Star Classic 16 (1.30)	1.3	185.7	55.8	81.5	4.2
Poly Star Classic 16L (1.25)	1.25	174.9	54.5	81.7	4.4
Poly Star Strike 16L (1.25)	1.25	184	51.4	82.1	4.8
Polyfibre Poly Hightec 18	1.1	150.3	61	81	3.9
Polyfibre TCS 18 (1.15)	1.15	156	61.1	81.4	NA
Signum Pro Firestorm 16 (1.30)	1.3	185.7	43	83.9	5.5
Solinco Outlast 17	1.2	182.9	50.4	83.9	5.5
Solinco Tour Bite 16 Soft	1.3	184	50.3	83.7	6.9
Topspin Cyber Blue 17	1.25	183.5	46.1	83.9	5.1
Topspin Cyber Flash 17	1.25	158.9	54.9	83.4	4.2
Topspin Cyber Flash 17L	1.2	144	59.1	83.2	4.6
Volkl Cyclone Tour 16 (1.30)	1.3	167.4	52.1	83.2	8.7
Volkl Cyclone Tour 17 (1.25)	1.25	170.9	52.6	82.6	6.1
Volkl V-Star 16 (1.30)	1.3	172.6	54.5	82.8	6.9
Weiss Cannon Silverstring 120	1.2	167.4	50.6	82.6	3.7
Weiss Cannon Ultra Cable 17 (1.23)	1.23	174.9	47.7	82.8	11.9
Wilson Enduro Tour 18	1.21	159.4	63.7	81.2	NA

however weisscanon uc does not feel soft at normal tension of 22kg

 

[Slapper]

Solinco Revolution feels nice for an hour or two and then quickly loses all of its elasticity and turns into a stiff board resulting in severe racquet twisting and jarring on off centre hits, which might explain your arm pain.

Try Yonex Poly Tour Strike instead. It's similar to Revolution in terms of the mix of power/control/spin and the very good durability, but with better tension maintenance and much much longer playability duration as it doesn't turn into a board after a few hours.