Courier quotes Agassi about poly strings...

[Craig Sheppard]

Did anyone hear Jim Courier's quote last night about what Agassi said about poly strings? When they were testing out new Luxilon strings back in the day, Agassi strung some up for the first time, took it for a test drive, and told whoever (I believe he said the ATP), "You have to either make sure everyone plays with this string, or outlaw it entirely..." Pretty amazing commentary IMO on the new strings effects on the game.

 

[tennisdarren]

I heard it also. I agree its amazing the difference the strings make but to say make sure everyone or no one plays with this type of string is a bit of an overreaching statement. Andre was somewhat open, especially toward the end of his carrer, to experiment with his frame and it's setup. However, can you imagine Sampras, with how resistant he was to change, being told by the ATP that he must use a different string from what he personally desired?

But could you imagine whatta' beast Muster would have been with Lux strings?

(unless he used it, I left the game for a period of time while he was on top)

 

[Clarinetist]

When Courier said that, I wondered if he might get in trouble for talking about a specific brand of string--do networks have something against that?

It's definitely the first time I've heard a commentator specifically mention a brand of string/racquet.

 

[herosol]

about sampras not changing anything is crazy.
if you watched his Center Court with Chris Myers on the Tennis Channel,
he never once changed his exercise and practice routine.

eh. improvements. i guess these string technological advancements are seen very overpowered at the pro level.

 

[BreakPoint]

I don't know why, but every time I've tried poly strings the results were disasterous for me. I keep trying but it never works and I usually end up cutting it out after less than an hour's play. I don't get more spin, even the supposedly softest polys feel harsh, there's not as much feel, they are uncomfortable, and it's given me golfer's elbow before. Maybe it's just because I hit the ball relatively flat and poly is only for those that hit extreme topspin? Or because I use a 90 sq. in. racquet and poly is for people that use bigger racquets? I don't know but I hate the stuff. :-(

BTW, yes, I did hear the conversation between Courier and Robinson on ploy and Luxilon last night and foundit to be quite interesting. Courier said he's hitting backhands now with poly that he was never able to before when he was on the tour.

 

[tennisdarren]

BP, I had the same type of experience with poly' untill this last time I severly dropped my tension, I typically go with PSGD - 65 lbs in my O3 tour MP (I know thats over the rec. tension). I followed the 10% rule and went to 59, that wasn't enough my shoulder still hurt. I dropped the bottom out of my tension just as an experiment and went down to BB alu power - 53 lbs(mains) NXT - 55lbs(crosses). and I seem to really like it now. I don't know if you have tried the bottom end of your tension range, but for me it worked.

Clarinetist, Roddick even mentioned Lux strings by name in an interview a while back, wonder what Babolat thought about that? I believe that a lot of players are throwing around the name Luxilon like the public uses the term Coke or Pepsi for cola and Kleenex for tissue.

 

[Pro_Tour_630]

JC should stick to styling his hair cut.

 

[slice bh compliment]

...But could you imagine whatta' beast Muster would have been with Lux strings?....

Ja, Muster used a string made by Iso SPeed, an older generation polyester that was not as good as Hurricane or Luxilon or some of the other high-end polies popular today.

BTW, I use gut mains and Hurricane. TO me, that feels so good, it's not even fair that some of my friends use cheap nylons or just gut or whatever. To each his own, though, I guess.

 

[crosscourt]

I don't know why, but every time I've tried poly strings the results were disasterous for me. I keep tying but it never works and I susually end up cutting it out after less than an hour's play. I don't get more spin, even the supposedly softest polys feel harsh, there's not as much feel, they are uncomfortable, and it's given me golfer's elbow before. Maybe it's just because I hit the ball relatively flat and poly is only for those that hit extreme topspin? Or because I use a 90 dq. in. racquet and poly is for people that use bigger racquets? I don't know but I hate the stuff. :-(

Have you tried the gut mains/alu power hybrid? It revolutionised the AG200s that I have been playing with. The grip on the ball is phenomenal.

 

[nickb]

I don't know why, but every time I've tried poly strings the results were disasterous for me. I keep tying but it never works and I susually end up cutting it out after less than an hour's play. I don't get more spin, even the supposedly softest polys feel harsh, there's not as much feel, they are uncomfortable, and it's given me golfer's elbow before. Maybe it's just because I hit the ball relatively flat and poly is only for those that hit extreme topspin? Or because I use a 90 dq. in. racquet and poly is for people that use bigger racquets? I don't know but I hate the stuff. :-(

I do the same...im always trying polys but hate them. They hurt my arm and have no feel....not to mention they go dead very quick. The lack of feel is what gets me most....volleys are a nightmare with poly. I will be sticking with my syn gut...

 

[Craig Sheppard]

I do the same...im always trying polys but hate them. They hurt my arm and have no feel....not to mention they go dead very quick. The lack of feel is what gets me most....volleys are a nightmare with poly. I will be sticking with my syn gut...

This is what I always wonder w/ the pros... Obviously there are pros that volley with poly. Yet I find poly doesn't give you much control and has an awful springy feeling (SPROING!) when you volley. I wonder if they just get used to it and adjust, or are doing something different w/ their string?

 

[Steve Huff]

Courier said that poly's came out in around 97. I believe there were poly's out way before that. Leoina Poly 7 and Poly X were out in the late 80's, maybe early 90's. I really couldn't say they played a lot differently than today's polys, although they squeaked when you moved them back and forth with your fingers. Also, I think JC did the average league player a great disservice by not mentioning that poly's can be extremely hard on your arm. At least he did say "drop the tension 5#..."

 

[Hessam]

I started using polysters 3 years ago, and I cannot go back to anything else.

Everytime I try something like X-one, or natural gut, or even a gut (main)/poly hybrid, the ball flies on me.

But as soon as I pick up one of my rackets strung with full poly, my swings feel completely natural, and I can keep all of my balls in play, no matter how hard, or fast I swing.

That is a great feeling knowing that you don't have to hold back on your swings in fear of the ball flying long.

I can't imagine playing with anything else aside from poly

 

[BreakPoint]

BP, I had the same type of experience with poly' untill this last time I severly dropped my tension, I typically go with PSGD - 65 lbs in my O3 tour MP (I know thats over the rec. tension). I followed the 10% rule and went to 59, that wasn't enough my shoulder still hurt. I dropped the bottom out of my tension just as an experiment and went down to BB alu power - 53 lbs(mains) NXT - 55lbs(crosses). and I seem to really like it now. I don't know if you have tried the bottom end of your tension range, but for me it worked.

Yes, I do drop the tension whenever I try poly. This last time around, I used SPPP 16 (which is supposed to be a very soft poly) in the mains at 52 lbs. and to soften the stringbed even more, I did the cross with Dunlop Max Comfort 16 also at 52 lbs. I usually string with a mono syn gut like Gosen OG Sheep Micro 16 at around 58-59lbs for the full stringbed.

Well, I hated this set-up. No feel, too much trampoline effect, not much spin, and poor control. I hit a volley like 5 feet wide which I never do. I also noticed while stringing that the SPPP had no resiliency whatsoever. When I dropped the dropweight, it didn't drop at all - no movement whatsoever. Usually with a syn gut, I have to drop the weight twice as it stretches. I can only imagine what the poly is doing to my arm as it's as stiff as steel wire when stringing it.

I have to admit that I haven't tried the Luxilon Big Banger ALU that a lot of people like, simply because it's a bit pricey for something that loses tension and becomes unplayable so quickly. I've always used cheap strings under $10 a set and it's hard to me to mentally get over paying more than $10 for a set of strings.

 

[wally]

. I also noticed while stringing that the SPPP had no resiliency whatsoever. When I dropped the dropweight, it didn't drop at all - no movement whatsoever. Usually with a syn gut, I have to drop the weight twice as it stretches. I can only imagine what the poly is doing to my arm as it's as stiff as steel wire when stringing it.

I'll add my $.02 here. I have a couple of guys I string for that love TF Redcode 17g. That stuff barely stretches on a CP electronic mahine
I cant imagine what that would do to my arm shoulder etc...

 

[insiderman]

Jimbo never used gut on Tour - he experimented a few times, but NEVER so in a match - it was always GOSEN O.G. Sheep 1.27mm - labeled; 'JC 1.27 OG Sheep'.

Same day-to-day common synthetic-gut anyone can/could purchase. Please don't make a statement that you are not sure of - only creates confusion.

 

[BreakPoint]

I think you're right. Courier was talking about "most players when he was on tour using gut", but he himself probably stuck to the OG Sheep Micro. However, he definitely did say that he's hitting shots with poly now, especially backhands, that he could never hit before when he was on tour.

 

[AJK1]

Luxilon Original or BB is not poly.

 

[Texas21]

BTW, yes, I did hear the conversation between Courier and Robinson on ploy and Luxilon last night and foundit to be quite interesting. Courier said he's hitting backhands now with poly that he was never able to before when he was on the tour.

On tour, Courier never even actually HIT a backhand haha. Run-arounds FTW!

 

[MTXR]

i noticed when i tried the Lux BB Ace, i didn't like it at first. Once the string settled i was ripping groundstrokes like no other. But like someone mentioned earlier... Going back to other non poly strings everything under the sun flies...

I will be going back to poly after i use up all my syn gut.

 

[BreakPoint]

Luxilon Original or BB is not poly.

Luxilon Original and BB are "co-polys", as is SPPP. Luxilon popularized the use of polys and brought on the poly revolution in pro tennis. That's why both McEnroe and Courier (and Roman Prokes of ****) refer to Luxilon by name.

 

[scotus]

When Courier said that, I wondered if he might get in trouble for talking about a specific brand of string--do networks have something against that?

It's definitely the first time I've heard a commentator specifically mention a brand of string/racquet.

John McEnroe talks about Luxilon quite often.

 

[jetlee2k]

I ever since picked up ALU Power 3 years ago.. My game just went to another level.. Then i tried the hybrid setup it's awesome.. The strings are the most improvement for tennis industry.. but the rackets step a few step backwards. I tried the hybrid setup at very loose tension in Wilson Ultra, Adidas Pro-T.. and etc.. wooww.. I got lots of power & spin and the best part is pin point accuracy..

 

[ChiefAce]

I use a full poly job and would never go back to synthetic, but I don't use Luxy.

 

[Mickey Finn]

Pros restring their Luxilon and other polys constantly. If you are not a pro, the expense of always cutting and restringing would be annoying at best. My understanding is that polys lose tension very quickly.

Polys last because they don't break easily, but tension loss makes them unplayable quickly. What polys hold tension the best?

 

[slice bh compliment]

I think Hurricane is great.

...What polys hold tension the best?

Amazing control, some power, great bite.

Tension loss is not bad at all, but it is an an issue. Less so since I use it on the crosses....the mains break at the right time.

 

[bluegrasser]

I don't know why, but every time I've tried poly strings the results were disasterous for me. I keep trying but it never works and I usually end up cutting it out after less than an hour's play. I don't get more spin, even the supposedly softest polys feel harsh, there's not as much feel, they are uncomfortable, and it's given me golfer's elbow before. Maybe it's just because I hit the ball relatively flat and poly is only for those that hit extreme topspin? Or because I use a 90 sq. in. racquet and poly is for people that use bigger racquets? I don't know but I hate the stuff. :-(

BTW, yes, I did hear the conversation between Courier and Robinson on ploy and Luxilon last night and foundit to be quite interesting. Courier said he's hitting backhands now with poly that he was never able to before when he was on the tour.

I think that's because you use a smaller frame and very low powered. I think it works best ( for us hacks) with a stiffer more powerful frame like a PD etc..

 

[Lendl's Forehand]

Can anyone comment on the quote I heard the color commentator make yesterday (it might have been PMac). He said the biggest techologoical advancement in tennis in the last 15 years was the advent of polyester strings. He said that is what has led to the huge improvements in the ground game-players can basically increase their racquet speeds immensely without losing control. Is this true? Thx.

 

[Cruzer]

I'll add my $.02 here. I have a couple of guys I string for that love TF Redcode 17g. That stuff barely stretches on a CP electronic mahine. I cant imagine what that would do to my arm shoulder etc...

Ain't that the truth. Every poly/co-poly string I have put in someone's racquet has very little if any stretch when I try to pre-stretch it either by hand or on my electronic CP machine. I appreciate that many players rave about poly/co-poly strings and that they are very popular on the ATP tour however a certain P. Sampras had a reasonably good career without going near the stuff for his PS 85.

 

[BreakPoint]

Can anyone comment on the quote I heard the color commentator make yesterday (it might have been PMac). He said the biggest techologoical advancement in tennis in the last 15 years was the advent of polyester strings. He said that is what has led to the huge improvements in the ground game-players can basically increase their racquet speeds immensely without losing control. Is this true? Thx.

Yes, that is true.

 

[rosenstar]

I don't know why, but every time I've tried poly strings the results were disasterous for me. I keep trying but it never works and I usually end up cutting it out after less than an hour's play. I don't get more spin, even the supposedly softest polys feel harsh, there's not as much feel, they are uncomfortable, and it's given me golfer's elbow before. Maybe it's just because I hit the ball relatively flat and poly is only for those that hit extreme topspin? Or because I use a 90 sq. in. racquet and poly is for people that use bigger racquets? I don't know but I hate the stuff. :-(

try the polly in the crosses, maybe you'll like it a bit more...

 

[stormholloway]

I heard it also. I agree its amazing the difference the strings make but to say make sure everyone or no one plays with this type of string is a bit of an overreaching statement. Andre was somewhat open, especially toward the end of his carrer, to experiment with his frame and it's setup. However, can you imagine Sampras, with how resistant he was to change, being told by the ATP that he must use a different string from what he personally desired?

But could you imagine whatta' beast Muster would have been with Lux strings?

(unless he used it, I left the game for a period of time while he was on top)

Obviously you can't make someone use a certain kind of string. What he means is that the strings are an advantage, and if they're not outlawed, everyone should use them or suffer dramatic ranking loss.

As for Sampras, keep in mind he uses polyester strings now and he says there's a huge difference.

 

[ohplease]

Ain't that the truth. Every poly/co-poly string I have put in someone's racquet has very little if any stretch when I try to pre-stretch it either by hand or on my electronic CP machine. I appreciate that many players rave about poly/co-poly strings and that they are very popular on the ATP tour however a certain P. Sampras had a reasonably good career without going near the stuff for his PS 85.

And yet, even Sampras is using Luxilon nowadays.

The latest co-poly strings hold tension very, very well. To the point that I really don't see the point of wasting time with nylon monocores or multis, anymore. Some of them are also surprisingly resilient and playable for long periods of time. Both of these developments have made the more recent co-polys very legitimate choices for club players, especially ones with a tendency to break strings.

Personally, with co-poly, for the price of slightly less feel and absolute power, I find my rackets to have more controllable power on tap, a more even sensation of control across the face, a noticeably bigger sweetspot, and at least as comfortable a response (maybe even more so) when strung low, in comparison to my old tightly strung natural/synthetic gut hybrid.

Put it all together, and the end result is just a more trustworthy setup, with fewer hot and/or dead spots. Natural gut is still sweeter, and frankly a better string overall, but in terms of day-to-day and shot-to-shot repeatability, I've found recent co-polys to be better performers.

 

[stormholloway]

I don't know why, but every time I've tried poly strings the results were disasterous for me. I keep trying but it never works and I usually end up cutting it out after less than an hour's play. I don't get more spin, even the supposedly softest polys feel harsh, there's not as much feel, they are uncomfortable, and it's given me golfer's elbow before. Maybe it's just because I hit the ball relatively flat and poly is only for those that hit extreme topspin? Or because I use a 90 sq. in. racquet and poly is for people that use bigger racquets? I don't know but I hate the stuff. :-(

My problem has been dramatic tension loss too shortly after stringing. This has been with Luxilon strings. Keep in mind you can string these strings at a much lower tension than a gut or multi. If it's too harsh and there's no feel then you should definitely hybrid the rig with gut if you haven't.

I've tried hybrids with gut in the mains but I'm going to switch on my next round of stringings and put the poly in the mains since it will have a significantly larger effect as far as spin goes.

Hitting flat as you do, it may not matter as much but keep in mind it will boost your kick and slice serves considerably. I can't imagine what kind of serves Edberg would be knocking out with some poly in the mains.

I've got some Kirschbaum Pro Line II arriving today, and I hear it's the absolute best stuff out there, leaps and bounds over Luxilon products, especially concerning feel and tension maintenance.

 

[BreakPoint]

try the polly in the crosses, maybe you'll like it a bit more...

I think I did try that once and it also didn't work. It also ate through the multi I had in the mains in no time. :-(

 

[Al Czervik]

Can anyone comment on the quote I heard the color commentator make yesterday (it might have been PMac). He said the biggest techologoical advancement in tennis in the last 15 years was the advent of polyester strings. He said that is what has led to the huge improvements in the ground game-players can basically increase their racquet speeds immensely without losing control. Is this true? Thx.

All I know is last night Federer hit a typical passing shot that looked like it would go way long and was almost a semi-lob, but dipped in comfortably. Johnny Mac said something on the replay to the extent of "this is one of those guys that plays with the Luxilon and gut combo and can get this tremendous spin." I didn't know if Mac meant polys generically or Luxilon specifically, but I think the main point was that hybrid stringing was revolutionizing the game.

 

[bad_call]

I think that's because you use a smaller frame and very low powered. I think it works best ( for us hacks) with a stiffer more powerful frame like a PD etc..

you definitely see quite a few babs with poly but it still works pretty well in smaller head low powered frames when strung in a hybrid. i definitely like the action poly puts on the ball.

 

[stormholloway]

My last batch of K90s were strung all gut at 60 lbs. and I was still hitting some shots long. I feel like there's a certain point when gut strung too high contradicts the point of the softness of gut and I might as well use a poly in the mains.

 

[kumat63]

Sorry for double post!

 

[kumat63]

I'd have to agree with Courier--poly has really helped me hit shots I couldn't hit before. I played D. I college tennis in the early 80's with wood then with small, flexy graphite racquets strung with gut (a very short and undistinguished playing career I can assure you!). Gave up the game in the early 90's, then took it up again a couple years ago. I'd given away my old racquets (Head players frames mostly, with a POG oversize I stole from my dad--wish I still had those frames--they were cool!) so I had to buy a new racquet. I got a pair of LM Prestige MPs and strung them up with gut. Felt good, but more lively than I remembered/wanted. So my stringer recommended I try a fully poly (co-poly?) job--Head Ultra Tour 17 which I put in one frame. Loved it! The poly solved the control problem with my new Prestiges instantly. Much more spin! Much more control! Best of all, I could really swing out and still keep it in the court. Here's the weird thing--I find Ultra Tour poly "deader" than gut for blocking shots and volleys and bunt returns. But I find it more powerful than gut if I swing out on full groundstrokes and first serves. I think this is a great combo--dead when you want dead and lively when you want lively. So it really helped my (admittedly very rusty and pretty mundane) game. I had no arm issues whatsoever with poly, but then I've never had tennis or golfer's elbow in my life. Maybe I just don't swing hard enough to get it? (I'm not a big hitter at all, more of a retriever then as now).

I heard that Luxilon was the bomb, so I strung up my back-up frame with BB Alu Power 16L. I also thought that was better than gut, and nice stuff but I didn't find quite the same precise control I had with the Ultra Tour 17. The BB ALU Power had a bit more power than Ultra Tour, but the control loss didn't allow me to exploit that extra pop very well. I probably could play with the tension and find the sweet spot with BB ALU (I didn't drop the tension at all from gut to be honest--59 lbs with gut and poly alike) but the Ultra Tour works for me and is cheaper than BB ALU Power, so I've stayed with Ultra Tour. I tried Kirschbaum Touch Turbo and thought it played just like Ultra Tour, but it went dead after a few weeks.

That's the other strange thing about Ultra Tour. I've had it in a frame as long as 10 months and it still plays well for me! It measures like 44 lbs now, but it dropped to that after a month and has stayed there consistently. I think the very low tension gives some extra pop but the fatigue in the strings deadens it too, so overall it plays pretty much like when freshly strung--maybe even softer feeling. In some ways I actually like Ultra Tour best after a few weeks and 10 or 12 sets. Tried stringing it low at 52 for starters, but didn't like that at all. Too lively new and old.

Just my $.02. Those of you who were looking for poly recommendations and haven't tried Head Ultra Tour--maybe give it a shot. It's pretty cheap if you don't like it... and seems to have gotten a fair bit of love on these boards...

 

[ChiefAce]

I'd have to agree with Courier--poly has really helped me hit shots I couldn't hit before. I played D. I college tennis in the early 80's with wood then small, flexy graphite racquets strung with gut (a very short and undistinguished playing career I can assure you!). Gave up the game in the early 90's then took it up again a couple years ago. I'd given away my old racquets (Head players frames mostly, with a ) so I had to buy a new racquet. I got a pair of LM Prestige MPs and strung them up with gut. Felt good. But then I tried a fully poly (co-poly?) job--Head Ultra Tour 17 in one frame. Loved it! I found the new Prestiges much more powerful than the old ones and had trouble with control. The poly solved that problem instantly. Much more spin! Much more control! Best of all, I could really swing out and still keep it in the court. Here's the weird thing--I find Ultra Tour poly "deader" than gut for blocking shots and volleys and bunt returns. But I find it more powerful than gut if I swing out on full groundstrokes and first serves. I think this is a great combo--dead when you want dead and lively when you want lively. So it really helped my (admittedly very rusty and pretty mundane) game. I had no arm issues whatsoever with poly, but then I've never had tennis or golfer's elbow in my life.

I heard that Luxilon was the bomb, so I strung up my back-up frame with BB Alu Power 16L. I also thought that was better than gut, and nice stuff but I didn't find quite the same precise control I had with the Ultra Tour 17. The BB ALU Power had a bit more power than Ultra Tour, but the control loss didn't allow me to exploit that extra pop very well. I probably could play with the tension (I didn't drop the tension at all from gut to be honest--59 lbs with gut and poly alike) but the Ultra Tour works for me and is cheaper than BB ALU Power, so I've stayed with Ultra Tour. I tried Kirschbaum Touch Turbo and thought it played just like Ultra Tour, but it went dead after a few weeks.

That's the other strange thing about Ultra Tour. I've had it in a frame as long as 10 months and it still plays well for me! It measures like 44 lbs now, but it dropped to that after a month and has stayed there consistently. I think the very low tension gives some extra pop but the fatigue in the strings deadens it too, so overall it plays pretty much like when freshly strung--maybe even softer feeling though. In some ways I actually like Ultra Tour best after a few weeks and 10 or 12 sets. Tried stringing it low at 52 for starters, but didn't like that at all. Too lively new and old.

Just my $.02. Those of you who were looking for poly recommendations and haven't tried Head Ultra Tour--maybe give it a shot. It's very cheap if you don't like it... and seems to have gotten a fair bit of love on these boards...

I loved Ultratour but snapped it after 10 hours of play so I had to say buh bye to it. It plays really well though.

 

[NoBadMojo]

Ja, Muster used a string made by Iso SPeed, an older generation polyester that was not as good as Hurricane or Luxilon or some of the other high-end polies popular today.

BTW, I use gut mains and Hurricane. TO me, that feels so good, it's not even fair that some of my friends use cheap nylons or just gut or whatever. To each his own, though, I guess.

actually, the iso-speed pro is a newer generation poly not the old. it's a polyolefin and it has multiple ribons so it gives you ball feel, doesnt transmit nearly as much shock as regular poly's, yet you get the poly type of spin and <unlike poly> it holds tension well after an initial loss. poly has been around since the 80's, and when it came out was the cheapest string you could buy by a goodly margin.....they can charge a lot for it now because the pros use it. Muster used to have them string up his frames at the max tension the machine would go...try playing that tension with a reg poly and count the minutes until your arm falls off....

the gut mains and hurricane x setup would play great for a couple hours or so...gut holds tension great and poly's are really glood at dumping tensions really quickly making for a very mismatched stringbed. pros dont care as they mostly change to a freshly strung frame every 9 games.

 

[NoBadMojo]

I think Courier did a bad job at explaining poly and it encourages players to use poly who shouldnt be using poly,,namely less than advanced players.

Poly is a dead playing string that spins the ball like crazy <provided the operator is an advanced player who creates tons of bat speed and has the technique to spin the ball>. this makes it pair up perfectly with frames like PureDrives. It also shrinks the sweetspot. The pros love this string because it essentially takes hitting long out of the equation for them. If people dont have good technique, arent fit, dont create tons of bat speed, and arent advanced players, they shouldnt use poly.....this represents most of the tennis playing public..they simply wont get the benefit of the poly and are putting their arms, wrists, and shoulders at risk. You really have to be able to compress the strings to get the benefit and that's why it is notoriously bad at the volley because the volley is a precision feel type of stroke

 

[scotus]

actually, the iso-speed pro is a newer generation poly not the old. it's a polyolefin and it has multiple ribons so it gives you ball feel, doesnt transmit nearly as much shock as regular poly's, yet you get the poly type of spin and <unlike poly> it holds tension well after an initial loss.

I never would have guessed that Iso-Speed Pro is a poly. It feels so comfortable. In fact, it feels more comfortable to me than Klip Legend natural gut 17 g.

As far as spin goes, the Legend/Iso combo is very good, but not as good as some of the polys I have tried.

 

[rosenstar]

I think I did try that once and it also didn't work. It also ate through the multi I had in the mains in no time. :-(

I gotcha. I guess I'd drop it if I were you. No one's really forcing you to use it, so unless it's saving you alot of money, I wouldn't bother.

 

[ohplease]

I never would have guessed that Iso-Speed Pro is a poly. It feels so comfortable. In fact, it feels more comfortable to me than Klip Legend natural gut 17 g.

As far as spin goes, the Legend/Iso combo is very good, but not as good as some of the polys I have tried.

That's cause it's not a poly, which has become synonymous with Luxilon-like co-polymer monofilament strings. Isospeed is completely different in that it's a polyolefin, like Head Rip (which is a better value, anyway). Confusing the two is like saying natural gut and sythetic gut are both "gut."

And, having tried polyolefin, there's really no point to polyolefin ribbon strings, unless you made a poor racket choice and now need dead, low-powered AND soft strings.

Either go dense and more demanding and use gut mains, or go open and more lively and use poly mains. Anything else, and you're really just wasting your time and money.

 

[Bottle Rocket]

Well, I hated this set-up. No feel, too much trampoline effect, not much spin, and poor control. I hit a volley like 5 feet wide which I never do.
I have to admit that I haven't tried the Luxilon Big Banger ALU that a lot of people like, simply because it's a bit pricey for something that loses tension and becomes unplayable so quickly.

So you missed one volley 5 feet wide?

I remember doing that once too. Now that I think about it... I was also using a poly hybrid at the time...

I also admire your knowledge of ALU without ever using it.

 

[BreakPoint]

So you missed one volley 5 feet wide?

I remember doing that once too. Now that I think about it... I was also using a poly hybrid at the time...

Yes, I strung the poly at 10% looser than my normal tension which resulted in a loss of control. I guess you didn't know that lower tensions give you more power and less control. :-(

Polys are also terrible for volleys because they have no feel.

I also admire your knowledge of ALU without ever using it.

Why, thank you. I have hit with ALU. I've just never used it in my own racquets. And I think you have to have been living in a cave not to know that ALU loses tension quickly and becomes unplayable.

 

[BreakPoint]

I gotcha. I guess I'd drop it if I were you. No one's really forcing you to use it, so unless it's saving you alot of money, I wouldn't bother.

I think I keep trying poly because I would like to get more spin and to be able keep the ball in easier. Also, not having the strings move around would also be great.

 

[stormholloway]

Keep in mind ALU isn't the only poly out there. I find it didn't hold tension well also. It makes sense for pros who get as much as they want but not for us. Personally, I liked the feel of Kirsch. Comp. more than any of the Luxilon strings I tried. Lux. Fluoro felt good but again, the tension didn't hold well at all.

I think Luxilon is riding on their name.