Cowboy Ropes (Strings)

[Cowboy]

I contemplated on whether I should create a thread for my own personal string journey. On one hand, I don't expect anyone to care what strings I've tried. On the other hand, someone else might find this beneficial, and I need to store my notes about various strings somewhere.....so why not here?

I started playing tennis when I was young. Think elementary school age. I competed on school teams through middle school, but stopped playing in high school. Some time after college, I purchased a Wilson nCode nTour 95 and played with it recreationally on and off. More off than on. My wife is fairly frugal, so when I said that I wanted to get it restrung (after 10+ years on the original string) she said no. I played with the old strings for a while longer and then started talking about getting a new racquet. She said "That's too expensive. Why don't you try getting it restrung first?" .....great idea, honey.

So the next time she went into town, she dropped it off at a local pro shop and described my play. The dude put in a set of unknown hybrid strings, and I played with it a few more seasons. The sweet spot was still quite small and off hits were unforgiving. So I researched and decided that a 100 sq. in. racquet is what I needed. I found a larger shop further away from home that mostly focuses on golf, but has a good tennis section to do a few demos for free. I, having only ever played with Wilson racquets, was pretty set on sticking with Wilson. I tried out a Blade 100L v8 and a Clash 100L (whatever version is red). Both were strung with Wilson Duo Control (Luxilon 4G Rough mains @ 48lbs and NXT Control crosses @ 53lbs). I played phenomenally, by my standards, with the Blade and felt like I was competing in the special olympics with the Clash. I can't imagine playing any better with any other racquet, so I made up my mind to purchase a Blade 100L v8.

I was curious on the string though, so I called up another locally owned small pro shop and talked with the owner. He convinced me that he could make an excellent recommendation on string type and tension if I took a lesson. He also said that he would match the price of the racquet to anything I found online. So I get to support a local business and I don't over pay.....win, win. He recommended Wilson NXT Comfort 16 and strung it "somewhere between 55 and 60" to give me good control. I hated it and played awful. I lost the next 3 matches....all in 2 sets. The difference in how this racquet felt with Duo Control vs NXT Comfort was astounding. How could the same racquet (at least model. I know specs vary by individual racquet) play so differently with different strings?!?!?

So I did what any logical individual would do.....I bought a stringing machine. Well, first, I contacted the shop owner and explained that I hated the strings he recommended in hopes that he would offer to restring for just the cost of the string. Nope. No such offer. He did offer for me to pound sand, so I won't be supporting his shop any more. It's also not convenient to get a racquet restrung around me. The closest shop has weird hours and is often closed when they are supposed to be open. We had my wife's racquet restrung there and they were closed when she went to pick it up during business hours. That's no bueno in my book. The next nearest shop is 30 minutes each way. Between dropping it off and picking it up, I'm not trying to drive 2 hours just to get a racquet restrung. With me and my wife both playing, and kids that are starting to show interest as they are becoming of age to play....getting the stringer, an Ektelon Model H that had recently been refurbished by a shop in Arizona (or so the seller tells me), seemed like a no brainer.

A little about my play:
I joined a neighborhood ALTA team about 2 years ago. I first played on the B-2 team and did not feel outmatched at line 5. After the first season, we had too many players, so the team split and I was elected to join the C-1 team. I feel outmatched at line 1 most times, so I typically play around line 3. I'm also now the Team captain.
This past summer, I played Ultimate Tennis doubles, and won the division (but lost in the playoffs).
I decided that I need to play some singles to improve my game. I want to touch the ball more and have better shots. I'm in a singles league at a 3.0 NTRP level at the time of starting this thread.

I'm actively getting better and trying to compete at a higher level. I've heard people, both in person and instructors on YT, state that they have talked with 5.0 players who feel like it doesn't matter what string they use, and then there are 3.0 level players who are convinced that they need a specific string and tension to win. I'm self-aware enough to know that the strings aren't the biggest contributor to my play, but I also have experienced enough differences to know that they do matter. So I'm currently in the boat of the 3.0 player who swears that I need a specific string to win Wimbledon.

 

[Cowboy]

Let's go back in time a bit. My first "real" racquet was a Wilson Profile 2.7. I absolutely loved playing with that racquet. I found it in my mom's basement the last time I went home. My grandpa strung racquets. He was also the last person to string it....with Prince Synthetic Gut.

I'm not sure what strings came on the Wilson nCode nTour that I played with when I started getting back into it. Nor do I know what kind of strings were put in it when it was restrung with the hybrid setup.

I do know that I LOVED the way the Blade played with the Duo Control strings, and I HATED the way the same racquet played with NXT Comfort. After 3 straight losses, which I realize isn't many, I cut them out and ordered a pack of Duo Control. Magically, I won my next match! Was it the strings? Maybe. Probably not, but I could feel the difference. I won 5 of the next 9 matches. The NXT Comfort earned the honor of being the first string I cut out because I didn't like the way it felt. I realize that this is a bit contradictory to what most people look for in a string. Comfort is not high on my priority list. I want spin, power, and accuracy. I also don't want to hurt my arm, but that hasn't really been an issue up to this point.

Wilson Duo Control is my current default, what I play best when using, string. The 4G Rough goes in the mains at 48lbs and the NXT Control in the crosses at 53lbs.

 

[Cowboy]

Wilson Duo Control

I mimicked the demo racquet setup. I find this setup to be an excellent blend of spin, power, and accuracy, while still offering moderate arm comfort. In fact, I don't recall any arm pain through the 9 matches (3 of which went to 3rd sets) I played on the same strings. They were in the racquet for about 90 days before I started to perceive trampoline effect and cut them out. I was shocked at how much tension remained in the mains, because everything I read said that they should be dead after that amount of time and number of matches.

This is also around the time I decided that I needed a backup racquet and ordered a second Blade 100L v8.

To this point, these strings are the most consistent playing strings that I've found with good all-around qualities. I don't think I should have cut them out when I did. I cut them because I perceived trampoline effect and felt like they were too bouncy. In hindsight, I think I was just fatigued from playing in two leagues simultaneously and my form was off.

Tension: 4G mains @ 48 lbs / NXT Control @ 52 lbs

Power: 8/10. Power is not lacking.
Feel: 8/10. Touch shots are on point
Spin: 8/10. Spin shots were very effective.
Comfort: 6/10. I'm going to consider a 5 to be average here. So I'm rating this as better than average.
Tension Maintenance: 8/10.

Serve / Return of Serve: Excellent. One of my teammates remarked "Where has this serve been since I've been playing you?" I was able to hit hard flat serves or spin serves that would draw the opponent way outside of position. Return of serve was also very good. I had a few toward the end where I was basically hitting a very open OHBH and just popping them up. This was a result of poor form, and not the string.

Touch shots: Drop shots and spin shots are on point.

Overall: 8/10. (Just leaving room in case something else "Wow's" me)

As I stated, this is my go-to preferred string setup. I find it to be an excellent all-around string that doesn't disappoint. I've strung this up for 3 other players with wildly varying styles of play and everyone has had good things to say.

 

[Cowboy]

I mentioned that I purchased a second racquet in my above post. At the time, I was still in the early pages of Mikeler's Multis. My first outing with a multi-filament in a full bed was the NXT Comfort, and that didn't go very well for me. Head RIP Control was generally spoken of pretty highly, and it was on sale at TW at the time.

HEAD RIP Control

Gauge: 16
Tension: 55lbs

Power: 4/10. Slightly below average. I could take full swings at the ball and almost nothing went long.
Feel: 4/10. Very muted. Again, full swings and little ball movement. I had to put a little more "umph" behind touch shots than what I would consider normal.
Spin: 9/10. Spin production was superb. OHBH and spin serves would just skip sideways after making contact with the ground.
Comfort: 7/10. It's a touch on the stiff side for a multifilament string, but it's still a multi. No complaints on comfort.
Tension Maintenance: 5/10. This seemed to hold tension good. It was probably about average. It was like a tale of two strings. Somewhat stiff and muted at first, but lively and powerful toward the end.

Serve / Return of Serve: Power serves were lacking, but spin serves were lethal. I played a few guys who have really hard serves, and this string was good at getting the ball back without too much trampoline effect. I would describe it as "adequate" in these categories....unless you're asking about spin serves....then it was downright stellar.

Touch shots: Drop shots and spin shots were very good. I had one opponent ask me to stop spinning the ball because they couldn't judge where it was going to go....which was typically just outside of their reach. I wouldn't say this is normal, but it highlights the spin potential.

Overall: 7.5/10. It's a good string with excellent spin generation. Tension maintenance could be a little better.

This one falls into the category of "either you love it or hate it" with little middle ground. I've got two more packs of it in each 16 and 17 gauge (4 total). I'll definitely be back, but will probably drop the tension to 50 or so to get a little more power initially.

 

[Cowboy]

While I probably should have gone back to Duo Control in the first racquet, I had also purchased a few other Hybrid packs to test.

Wilson Duo Power Rolland Garros

Gauge: 16
Tension: Alu Power RG mains @ 50lbs / NXT Power crosses @ 55lbs

Power: 7/10. I'd put this one above average in the power category.
Feel: 5/10
Spin: 5/10
Comfort: 7/10
Tension Maintenance: 6/10. Based on how differently it impacted my serves between the first and second outing, I could tell that the tension dropped quite a bit. Once it dropped though, it seemed to hold fairly consistently until it was cut out.

Serve / Return of Serve: I actually struggled to get serves in with this string initially. So much so, that I switched racquets the first outing because I was putting everything into the net. However, the second outing was much better. I had some serves that were stupid fast, low and flat. Spin serves were at or slightly above average.

Touch shots: This was a fairly soft string setup, especially the multi. I was surprised at how much the string stretched before the machine reached the desired tension. The poly is a poly...probably on the softer side. Touch shots were "meh" in my experience. I didn't have to work at them very hard, but I had to cut a little more to get them to drop over the net. If I didn't cut hard, they would go to the back of the service box.

Overall: I didn't play with this one long enough to give a complete report. In fact, I played zero matches with this string. I mostly used it during practice and had varying results. The first time I played with it, I was fully disappointed....mainly because of how expensive it is as a pack. I started to enjoy it a lot more as time went on. This must be because it was losing tension and becoming more playable for me. I ultimately cut this one out to participate in the ECO Rough / ECO Power playtest.

I didn't love these strings enough to pay the premium price tag again. If I ever find myself with another pack, I'll probably drop the tension by 2 lbs each.

 

[Cowboy]

Luxilon ECO Rough

IIRC, I cut out the Head RIP Control to put these in. Mainly because the RIP Control was the cheaper of the two options in my racquets and it had been strung longer.

Gauge: 17
Tension: 48

Power: I didn't find these to be the most powerful on the first outing. They were decent, but didn't wow me in the power aspect. I had quite a few balls hit the top of the net and drop on my side. I didn't have many that sailed long either. I was not able to dial in my touch shots on the first day. Shots that I intended to drop right over the net either hit the net, or went back to the baseline. This settled down as the playtest progressed and control became good.

Feel: They were a little on the muted side on my first outing. I definitely didn't feel like they are a power string. I could take full cuts at the ball and not sail them long. That changed as time went on. I was sailing everything long by the 3.5 hour mark. However, by 5 hours, they were performing predictably.

Spin: Spin generation was somewhere between "good" and "pretty good." Spin wasn't "great," but it was pretty good. Again, I struggled with topspin on my first outing with the string, but 1HBH and serves were exactly where they needed to be. The spin generation seemed consistent throughout the playtest.

Comfort: I did start to feel my elbow after several uses. Not anything that hurt beyond the next day, but I was conscious of my elbow more than I ever had been before (which was never).

Tension Maintenance: They played great at first, had a perceived (not measured) big tension drop off, and then stabilized. The strings, in my experience, were wildly unpredictable during the drop off. However, once they settled into their final tension, they became my go-to string between the two. (The other being ECO Power)

Serve / Return of Serve: Adequate on both sides of the net. They didn't wow me, but they were still good.

Touch shots: Again, adequate. Touch shots weren't winning me any matches, but these strings didn't necessarily leave me wanting more.

Overall: They are an excellent string overall. I was frustrated with them a few times. They were great, then they were not, then they were good again. At no point did I think that they were a recycled string. If it weren't for the packaging, I wouldn't know. I have another pack, and I think these would make an excellent string for a hybrid. I will probable use these in the mains with NXT Control in the crosses.

Full review here: https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...o-power-eco-rough.755336/page-4#post-17689378

Oh, and a final post review observation: tension maintenance was non-existent when they were cut out. Virtually zero snap back. The strings just stayed where they were when I cut them.

 

[Cowboy]

Luxilon ECO Power

I had a decision to make. Cut out the Duo Power, or the ECO Control. I wanted to keep the Duo Power in because of the cost of them, but I ultimately decided to cut those out so that I could test the ECO Power alongside the ECO Rough.

Gauge: 17
Tension: 48

Power: Power and control are there. My serves were coming in hot and flat when I wanted them to hit them that way. They seemed to be moving faster than my normal setup. The ball went where I wanted it to, so control also seems to be above average.

Feel: ECO Power felt amazing. I felt connected to the ball when I made good contact, and off center shots were forgiving. I seemed to have good ball pocketing and no trampoline effect. Touch shots were on point. This is the "just right" bowl of pourage for the three bears.

Spin: I would classify these as "pretty good" to "pretty good+". They didn't quite make the "great" category. The spin generated with these strings was better than expected, and certainly exceeded that of ECO Rough.

Comfort: I had no issues with arm pain the first several outings; however, as the playtest continued, I started to notice my elbow.

Tension Maintenance: I didn't notice any dropoff in performance during the playtest. They seemed to play consistent...even later in the review when my elbow started to hurt. They were predictable and reliable all the way until they were cut out.

Serve / Return of Serve: Great! Plenty of power when I wanted to hit flat, and plenty of kick when I wanted to draw the returner up and out. Return of serve was also very good.

Touch shots: Felt on point. Again, the "just right" bowl of pourage.

Overall: This is an excellent all-around string. Power, control, feel. I felt like it did it all well. There was no aspect of this string where I felt "I wish it did ____ better." This string played very consistent for me. I didn't perceive any real drop off in tension or performance throughout the playtest. Added bonus: No elbow pain....at least not at first. I think this is an excellent string to use in a full bed. I would probably make a good hybrid as well, but it plays great by itself! I'll likely pick up several more sets the next time it goes on sale.

Full review here: https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...o-power-eco-rough.755336/page-4#post-17689419

 

[Cowboy]

Pics of the ECO Rough and ECO Power in the dueling Blades.

 

[Cowboy]

At some point along the way, I picked up a reel of Kirchbaum synthetic gut to have as a cheap string for when someone wanted the cheapest possible restring. I'll get around to testing that, but I figured I might need to get a cheap reel of something in a 17 gauge as well.

So when I finally cut the ECO Rough, it was replaced with...

Gosen OG-Sheep Micro

Gauge: 17
Tension: 55lbs

Power: 4/10. Slightly below average. I could take full swings at the ball and almost nothing went long.
Feel: 4/10. Very muted. Again, full swings and little ball movement. Touch shots don't feel super controlled, but aren't wild either.
Spin: 1/10. This is hands down the worst string I've ever tried in terms of spin generation. You could argue that it is form, and I would agree to disagree. It doesn't matter how hard I try to slice, the spin generation is awful.
Comfort: 7/10. The string absorbs impact pretty well. It's actually a really comfortable string.
Tension Maintenance: 8/10. This seemed to hold tension good. There was a very short lived break-in period, but it has had a few practices and a few matches and it holding very consistent.
Control: 8/10. This string has excellent control. The muted feel seems to add to the control factor. Ball pocketing is good.

Serve / Return of Serve: Power serves are in the medium range. These strings don't seem to help or hurt serve power. Spin serves are a joke. I have to cut the ball very hard to generate any spin. Return of serve is good. My last match, the challenger commented that he was surprised I was able to return some of his serves with such precision.

Touch shots: Again, lacking.

Overall: Despite my negative comments on spin, this is actually a surprisingly good string. I'm not sure what I expected with the first synthetic gut that I've played with since adolescence. I've found myself putting down a racquet with much more expensive multifilament stings in favor of the OG-Sheep Micro.

Final thoughts: overall, this is a pretty good synthetic gut. I had this strung up in my racquet opposite X-1 Biphase. It totally depended on my opponent as to which racquet I played better with. The X-1 is more comfortable and generated better spin. Both strung at 55lbs. The OGSM was more muted, and therefore kept more balls in bounds when it mattered. I had some pretty good string movement right before I cut it out.

Total time in racquet was about 2.5 months, and I played at least 5 sets with it in addition to many more practices. One thing that probably isn't worth noting is that I had a lot of felt stuck to the strings. Not really where the strings met, which was odd...just random patches of felt attached to the strings.

 

[Cowboy]

I sincerely enjoyed the playtest with Lxn Eco Power, and planned to keep it in my racquet longer. The benefit of having a stringing machine is that I can be impatient and switch strings regularly. The downside of having a stringing machine is that I can be impatient and switch strings regularly. Someone in the playtest thread asked me about the ECO Power tension maintenance compared to ECO Rough. I was going to play with it at practice the next day and then started thinking about how my elbow hurt after the last outing with it. Since I had the OGSM in my one racquet, I decided to go with an expensive string in the other. The ECO Power had much better tension maintenance than ECO Rough. They had the same amount of play time despite the Power being installed for two fewer weeks.

Technifibre X-1 Biphase

Gauge: 17
Tension: 55lbs

Power: I feel like this is one of the more powerful multi strings that I've used. Flat shots have a tendency to go long. I let someone else on my team hit with it a few times and she described the string bed as feeling "heavy." I thought she was saying that the racquet felt head heavy, but upon further questioning, she said that it felt like the balls were coming off the strings a little too hot.

Feel: Very good and very consistent. At the time of writing this, I've had this string in one racquet while doing several playtests and matches with other strings and frames. Even with the amount of time the string has been installed, it has maintained good feel. The added power helps touch shots float over the net instead of into it. Seems to have good dwell time and ball pocketing without being a rocket laucher.

Spin: Spin is a little lacking. Probably on-par with other comfortable multifilament strings. There is nothing to write home about, but it is notably better than the OGSM17 that was strung around the same time.

Comfort: This is one of the most comfortable strings that I've played with. It's soft and comfortable with a good amount of power. If there is a pendulum of spin and comfort, this one definitely sways to the comfortable side.

Tension Maintenance: Tension maintenance seems great. I've had this strung in a racquet for quite a long time and it still hits great. The strings now do not seem to be an launchier (err...more launchy) than when they were fresh. I think this is a "play til it breaks" kind of string.

Control: Point and shoot. I haven't felt that any shots were errant. I did have a few that went long if I hit flat instead of topspin.

Serve / Return of Serve: On par with any other power / comfort oriented multi. Good ball pocketing and dwell time lead me to some good solid returns as well as some really powerful flat serves.

Touch shots: Felt great. The little bit of (perceived) extra power helped get touch shots to float just enough over the net. Not many that went longer than intended. Had a few drop shot winners that felt really good.

Overall: Seems like every multi manufacturer wants to tout how similar their premium multi is to Natural Gut in terms of comfort and playability. I had this string in side-by-side with a lot of different strings (incl: hybrids, Xalt, NXT Comfort, Kirschbaum Flash, RPM Rough, etc.). By the time I felt like I had enough experience playing with it - both in matches and in practice - I had it next to Wilson Natural Gut 17. Both strung at 55 lbs. As sensitive as I think I am to perceiving differences / variations in play characteristics, this one feels really darn close to NG. That that NG should be considered a gold standard by any sense, but this is a really comfortable and powerful string that has good control, good ball pocketing, good dwell time, and mediocre spin.

This is currently in my racquet and I'm not ready to really comment on any aspect of it yet. I will update accordingly as time goes on. During practice the day after stringing, I would play 4 games with OGSM and then 4 games with TX1B. I'd alternate every 4 games. The X-1 Biphase won out in just about every category. HOWEVER, I lost my first set in singles 0-6. Everything was going just a touch long. There's part of me that thinks my opponent was calling some shots out that really weren't, but I just wasn't able to pull them in. This was also my first non-doubles match in 25 years, so some of my shots were going into the alley. I switched back to the OGSM for the 2nd and 3rd sets and those balls that were slightly long in the first set were landing just inside the baseline. This could have been a combination of me getting dialed in to singles (none went into the alley), and the more muted feel of the OGSM being what I needed against my opponent (who was a pusher).

 

[Cowboy]

While I wasn't quite ready to cut out the Gosen OGSM17, I applied for - and was selected to participate in - the Babolat Xalt playest. What I mean by "I wasn't quite ready to cut them out" is that they hadn't snapped yet. There was considerable string movement and I just couldn't get over the lack of spin. They were the easy choice to cut out for the playtest.

I decided to start the playtest with the hybrid setup. My go-to being Luxilon 4G Rough / Wilson NXT Control, and having played with 4 sets of full bed (2 poly, 1 s-gut, 1 multi)....I was ready for some hybrid back in my life.

Babolat RPM Rough 17 / Babolat Xalt 16

Gauge: RPM Rough 17 Mains / Babolat Xalt 16 Crosses
Tension: M 48 / C 53 lbs

Power: Moderate. I'm not blasting things long or with any major velocity. That said, the balls aren't just floating through the air either. I can take some bigger swings and still feel like I'm in total control of the ball.

Feel: They feel great. The longest match that I've had while playing with these was won in 3 sets (6-7, 6-4, 6-4) over 3 hours. We went to Deuce almost every game. Touch shots were maybe just a hair under where I'd like them to be; but overall, I feel like the touch shots are in the "pretty good" range.

Spin: Average. Truly middle of the road. They aren't bad, but I'm not making much difference on the trajectory of the ball. 1HBH slice shots don't significantly change direction. Forehand topspin shots don't appear to be very heavy or have much pop, but I can tell by the trajectory that the topspin is helping to keep the ball in bounds.

Comfort: No arm pain after that 3 hour match. Comfort is as good as anything else that I've played with. They aren't as soft as, say, NXT Comfort (which I hated because it was just too mushy); but they are still very comfortable in my book. Again, another middle of the road. This time, middle of the road is a good thing.

Tension Maintenance: They seem to be holding tension great! My first time hitting with them actually ended up being more of an hour tennis lesson to some friends who had never played before. I hated them that night, as I felt like I was playing with steel reinforced cardboard. I also didn't get to hit anything with pace. When I actually got to play "real" tennis in a match, they felt perfect. I'll update as time goes on, but I'm afraid that I'm going to have to cut these out before I'm ready for the sake of the playtest. Through 6.5 hours, they feel consistent with no discernable change in play performance. I cut them out after 8 hours. The energy stored in the mains was not a lot. It was still there, but not a lot of snap back when cut. I would say that the 4G / NXT holds tension significantly better.

Control: Control is good. I feel like I'm keeping things well in play. For the most part, the ball seems to go exactly where I want it. The only way I could get better control is with lessons. These feel like they are improving my game with the amount of control they have. In my head, I usually equate spin to some level of control....which I'm trying to separate here. So my comments on control do not account for any spin.

Serve / Return of Serve: Serve is "pretty good" to "great." I might like a little more power on my serves, but I haven't played an opponent yet (with these strings) that allowed me to put full power on a serve. Each opponent that I've played with these strings has been great at returning fast serves. The 3-hour-match guy absolutely punished me when I put pace on my serves. I had to abandon that serve and hit him with some harder spin serves to stay in the game. Again, the spin wasn't overly impressive, but it was enough to slow him down and force him to hit me a returnable ball. That's when the control came into play.

Return of serve was phenomenal. Ball pocketing was excellent and allowed me to redirect pace with ease. I don't think I could ask for anything more when it comes to return of serve.

Touch shots: These were in the "good" to "pretty good" range. I wasn't able to be as surgical as I would like with touch shots. I had to float them a little more than I would like ordinarily. This gave my opponents more time to get to them; however, I was still able to get them pretty close to where I was aiming

Overall: I have another contender for normal setup. I feel like I'm playing my best tennis with these strings. The spin generation is a little lacking. That's the one area where I feel like they should be better....especially for a rough poly. I feel like my normal 4G/NXT combo can stop a ball on a dime, or totally change the trajectory. That's not the case here; but where they lack in spin, they make up in just about every other category. Did I mention that I feel like I'm playing my best tennis with these?

Eventually, I'm going to have to do a side-by-side playtest with this setup and my normal. I have a feeling that these will win out, but it will be darn close. I also realize that I still need to go back up and update the Technifibre X-1 review. I'm not done with those strings, as I feel they were put on hold for the playtest.

Final Thought: I played with these for a total of 8 hours of "official" matches with a few practice sessions in between. Overall, I REALLY like these strings. In all honesty, I felt like I was playing my best tennis with them. The tradeoff might be longevity. Nothing even came close to breaking...even with several mishits at the top of the hoop in my last match. With that being said, my last match was not near as good as the first (or really the second!). On one hand, that could be based on several factors...the temperature was colder, it was a night game, and my opponent was less competitive, etc.. On the other hand, the strings had more time on them and could have been getting worn out. So I don't know if they reached end of life, or the other factors came into play. I didn't feel like I was near in control at the end, but they never got "launchy" (aka trampoline effect) either.

I'm definitely going to be playing with this setup again. I have another hybrid set leftover from the playtest. Even with that, I purchased another set of RPM Rough 17 (this time in yellow) along with Xalt in both 16 and 17 gauge.

 

[Cowboy]

I'm slacking over here. I never included my review of Xalt....which I think is an excellent string.

TL;DR: I think it embodies the best qualities of both a traditional multi in terms of power and arm comfort, but also very good spin potential and control.

Since it's been a minute and they aren't fresh in my head, here's pretty much a direct copy/paste of my playtest review (with a few modifications).

Babolat Xalt 16 - full bed

Include the following in your review:

Tension(s) used for playtest: 55 lbs.
Regular string set-up & tension: Luxilon 4G / NXT Control Hybrid (aka Wilson Duo Control)
Racquet used for test: Wilson Blade 100L v8

Many have said "Love at first strike." I was sort of on the fence after first strike.


Power/Control: I found this to be a pretty low powered multi. I was taking what felt like pretty solid cuts and they weren't flying long. I did have a few fliers, but not many. Control is where it needs to be. I didn't have any errant shots....or if I did, it wasn't because of the strings. I had some touch shots that were absolutely surgical....dropping on a dime just over the net. The "killshot" as I started calling it (which is really just a short dropshot). On the flip side to that, as some matches went long, I had a few that I just couldn't place where I wanted.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): Others have said it felt crisp to them. I didn't get that. I can definitely agree that it feels like a soft poly when striking the ball. It definitely isn't mushy, but I would say it was a bit more muted than other multi strings that I've used. Off-center shots were not harsh, but you could definitely feel a very rewarding sensation when you hit the sweetspot.

Spin: This is one of the best spinning multis that I've used. There's one other that seems to generate more when it is new (Head RIP Control), but I generally try to avoid direct comparisons in reviews. There are just too many strings available to expect that info to be useful for all. So with that being said, I found spin to be excellent for a multi. Yes, I added the "for a multi" qualifier. Even without the qualifier, it still does a good job at assisting with spin generation.

Durability: I'm not a string breaker, so I'm going to be limited in how I can speak to durability. That said, I have a little notching, but the outer coating is still in tact. As others have said, the outer coating seems to be the special sauce. I would say that this is a very durable string...it might not even need the "for a multi" qualifier.

Playability Duration: As with most multifilament strings, they play good until they break....or at least I'm assuming that is the case, as I'm not a string breaker. They might have a slight break-in period. They were a little on the stiff side when I first strung them up, but I haven't really perceived any change in play characteristics. Given the expectation of a multi playing good until breakage, and these seemingly more durable than the competition, I expect a long playability life.

Tension Recommendations (would you string it differently next time - why): I will probably drop it down a little. Maybe 53lbs. I don't have a real fast swing, so a little extra power from the strings helps my game. I do like to spin, so I'd be curious to see how the spin and control change with a slightly lower tension.

List any additional thoughts (optional):
I had more movement in the mains after just 1 hour than I've had on any other string that I've played with. I assume that is a result of the outer coating. It wasn't terrible. I didn't feel the need to straighten them out more than once, but I found it odd that there was much movement at all.

This feels kind of weird to say, but I feel like these are an advanced string. What I mean by that, is these seem like a string for a more advanced player. I would highly recommend this to someone who is a seasoned player, and probably not someone who is just starting out. This string seems to have all the characteristics to be an absolute weapon for someone at a 3.5 or higher level. I would probably not recommend this to someone in the 3.0 or lower range. I'm a 3.0 player and trying to break into the 3.5 (or 3.5-) level. I had some points where it just played beautifully. I'm pretty sure there were times where my opponent thought I should be playing at a higher level. However, I also had a few points where I felt like I didn't know how to play tennis. Those came late in my match where fatigue started to set in and my form was probably suffering. So in short, if you know what you are doing, these can be a VERY REWARDING string. However, they are not the most forgiving, so take that for what it's worth.

I expect to return to these as my game improves. I'm also going to try them in 17 gauge.

 

[Cowboy]

I cut out the Xalt 16 to string up Kirschbaum Flash 17 in Yellow. I'm coming to realize that I don't think I'm a full bed poly player. That said, I think these are a great string for 2 types of players.

Kirschbaum Flash 17 (Yellow)

What color did you review? Yellow
Tension(s) used for playtest: 48 lbs.

I think it is also worth noting that I've been moved up to a 3.5 level player in Ultimate Tennis.

Power/Control: This is what you make of it. In my opinion, this is neither a power nor control string. It is an all around string with good control and good power. The break-in period was very apparent to me. The control was outstanding when fresh, but they lacked power. Once they settled in, they started to get lots of power while maintaining control. The added power made them feel less controlled than when fresh, but they never lost the control.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): Muted toward the beginning (after first being strung) with a slight shift toward crisp at around the 2 hour mark. Ball pocketing was very good. Not too much, not too little.

Spin: Spin was - in my very American rating - "good" to "very good". I felt like my topspin forehand was visually more shaped...as in I could see more of an arch than normal. I don't know that my shots felt any heavier than normal as I didn't play against any familiar opponents. OHBH slice was also good. I would not consider these strings to be "spin monsters," but they did generate more spin than any of the other strings I've played with recently.

Durability: I'm not a string breaker, so this is a tough one for me to answer. I feel like they will last - as with any poly - indefinitely. Think Buzz Lightyear...."To infinity AND BEYOND!" I can say that I have very little notching after 7+ hours of play. This allows for them to continue to have good snap back. Slight notching is present, but the strings are not locked into place.

Playability Duration: After the break-in, these played extremely consistently. I didn't perceive any change in playability from hours 2 to 7.

Tension Recommendations (would you string it differently next time - why):
I think I would go higher with anticipation of the tension loss. I'd like a touch more control, and I think stringing these just a little higher would allow for them to find the perfect balance of power and control after they settle in.

List any additional thoughts (optional): I love the color. I have a few other poly strings to try out before making a commitment to any one in particular, but this one will get a second look. Probably at a higher tension. Overall, I really liked it and think that I could get dialed in with a few more hitting sessions at different tensions.

During the first 4 hours, I totally forgot that I hadn't installed a dampener. I put one on before my second match and really didn't notice a huge difference in feel.

Log:
2/20/24 30 minutes (practice)- hitting serves shortly after stringing. String bed felt very tight with little movement. Strings felt more on the muted side and serves felt like they lacked power. Spin serves and kick serves had good spin.

2/21/24 3 hours and 15 minutes (match play) - strings maintained a muted feel at the beginning of the match. Spin was great and I was able to take good cuts at the ball. As the match went on, they lost some of the control and started demonstrating more power. In the back of my mind, I know that I shouldn't compare how the strings played at the end of the match, as I know my form starts to suffer. However, I lost some confidence in my ability to place the ball at the end. Serves were consistent throughout the entire match, but I definitely had more power toward the end. Good pace on both flat and spin serves. Return of serve was excellent. At the time of writing, I'm definitely feeling my arm, but I'm not sure if it is mild TE or just soreness from a long and hard fought match. I have very little notching at this point and the mains still move relatively freely. Honestly, I can see why people like this string. I'm thinking the magical sweet spot was between a half hour and an hour and a half. Weather was perfect. About 62* with no wind.

2/26/24 3 hours and 30 minutes (match play) - The biggest difference here was the consistency. There was no real change in play characteristics throughout this match. Lots of power and good control with proper form. My swing path is what really made the difference. If I hit flat, it was 50/50 on whether it was staying in or going long. If I got under the ball and hit a clean topspin forehand, the ball really had a nice trajectory and landed in 95% of the time. The sweet spot is generous, and I had a few balls that were too sweet...meaning you could feel that they were going long before they ever left the string bed. Off centered shots were not harsh. I didn't have as many during the match as I normally would. The ones that I did have...I didn't feel. So big plus there. This string continues to impress me during volleys and rallies. My opponent, whom I've never played before, commented that my serve was really hard. I hit mostly flat powerful serves and did not resort to spin much. The flat serves had plenty of speed and my first serve felt great. Return of serve was also good. Oh, and I got quite a few overhead volleys that I was able to crush and win points. Weather was again perfect. Around 70* and no wind. My elbow was not happy during the match, but it was another long 3 setter; so I'm not sure how much of it was the string vs. playing hard for 3.5 hours. It feels fine at the time of this writing (the following morning).

 

[Cowboy]

Well, my elbow has been hurting quite badly after the Kirschbaum Flash review. In fairness, I don't think the string is what caused it, but I can't say for certain that it didn't cause it either. It was bad enough that I essentially took 2 weeks off to let it heal (after the Blade v9 playtest). It has felt better when just resting, but I can still feel it when playing.

I was selected for the Blade v9 playtest immediately following the K-Flash playtest. I was stoked, but there was the issue of my elbow. I have played a neighbors Blade v8 18x20 w/ NXT Comfort 17, and liked it a lot more than I liked the NXT Comfort 16 in my Blade v8 100L. So, having a frame of reference (both for string and racquet), and a tender elbow, I elected to do the playtest with NXT Comfort 16.

I'm going to start including racquet used for these updates, as I've added the Blade v9 and a 2024 Babolat Pure Strike 16x20 to my bag. All previous reviews were in a BLADE v8 100L.

NXT Comfort 16

Gauge: 16
Tension: 55lbs
Racquet: Wilson Blade v9 18x20

Power: This is all in the tension. The power felt above average when compared to other multifilament strings. No issues generating pace. Flatter balls might sail a little longer than desired, but that's a more of an issue with my swing than it is with the string.

Feel: Feel was much better than what I remembered the first time around. This time, I felt much more connected to the ball and was able to put it where, and how, I wanted.

Spin: This is not a spin monster. It's a comfort string that generates enough spin to keep balls in play. Spin wasn't necessarily lacking, but it did leave a little bit to be desired...if that makes sense. Topspin forehand shots would drop, but not always in. See comment above about balls sailing just a tad long. More spin would have kept more balls in play.

Comfort: This is the selling point for this string. After a hitting session where I was feeling pretty good about me elbow, I picked up the Pure Strike with a full bed of RPM Rough 17. The first hit sent shockwaves through my elbow. Immediately put that down and finished playing with the v9 Blade / NXT Comf combo. At the end of the day, this string allowed me to stay in the game and not feel like my control was lacking.

Tension Maintenance: The strings played very consistently and I never perceived a loss of tension.

Control: I found it to be well controlled in the 18x20 frame, but not the 16x19. This could be due to my skill level improving dramatically since I used it in the 16x19, or it could have been substantial difference in the frame performance and string pattern. It felt very controlled, and I felt as connected to the ball as I could with such a comfortable string.

Serve / Return of Serve: Serves were pretty good. I probably didn't go full speed on several due to the elbow. I found myself playing more spin and less power. That said, it was adequate and I never felt like I needed more from the strings on serves. Return of serve was also good. Felt solid and stable...again, could have been more the racquet, but the strings certainly did not detract here.

Touch shots: Touch shots were pretty good. I had a few that seemed to float longer than I wanted; however, I didn't put many into the net. The launch angle was very close to where I expected it and required only minor adjustments to get the ball to land where I wanted.

Overall: I've got to say that this was night and day difference between the v8 16x19 100L and v9 18x20. I felt that it was too powerful and lacked control in the v8, but was sort of in the "just right" camp on the v9. The string pattern and head size are the two obvious differences. This is likely going to be a string that I keep around. Not necessarily for constant use, but for when I need a need an arm friendly option. That said, I didn't see any real standout qualities that would give it the nod over TF X1 Biphase. I've got a few more multis to try in a full bed, so it'll be a while before I come back to this one. If/when I do, it'll be because I found it at a better price than the competition. In the right racquet, this is a solid choice. Especially if your game is dependent on spin.

 

[devoker]

I don't understand why a 3.0 player would play with 4G mains at all (and a quite stiff multi in crosses). Stiffest string on the planet and it requires tremendous amounts of racquethead speed to perform. If you hit with a lot of topspin just play with a soft poly or a soft poly hybrid, if you are a flat hitter get a quality multi or nat gut.

Well, first, I contacted the shop owner and explained that I hated the strings he recommended in hopes that he would offer to restring for just the cost of the string. Nope. No such offer. He did offer for me to pound sand, so I won't be supporting his shop any more.

Why would they restring for the cost of the string. They did their job but you didn't like it. Do you request a refund when you don't like a food although everything was ok about it? Strings are personal choices.

 

[Cowboy]

I don't understand why a 3.0 player would play with 4G mains at all (and a quite stiff multi in crosses). Stiffest string on the planet and it requires tremendous amounts of racquethead speed to perform. If you hit with a lot of topspin just play with a soft poly or a soft poly hybrid, if you are a flat hitter get a quality multi or nat gut.

It's what was in the demo racquet that I tried. I loved the way it played. Simple as that.

I've since been on a journey, as you can tell by this thread. When I set that as my baseline, i didn't care about stiffness. However, I've been playing a lot more frequently, and the comfort of the string has started to matter.

Why would they restring for the cost of the string. They did their job but you didn't like it. Do you request a refund when you don't like a food although everything was ok about it? Strings are personal choices

You can make that argument.

1st: I went with the shop owner's recommendation, and not the string that I wanted. This was after paying him for a "lesson" where he would "watch my play style and recommend a string that would most compliment my game."

2nd: I didn't ask for a refund.

I now string for several of my neighbors. If someone comes to me and has no clue what they want, I will make a suggestion. I'll even tell them that if they don't like the recommendation, I'll redo the racquet for the cost of the string. I realize that I don't have the same overhead as the shop, but I view that as good customer service. Happy customers are usually repeat clients.

This shop is not swarming with business. The shop owner is usually sitting near the window where he can look outside when there are no customers. You can see him sitting there from the outside. He has downtime.

I paid him for his opinion, and didn't like his recommendation.

He could have sold me another set of strings and kept a happy customer. He'd have made a small profit on the strings. This would also require another trip to his store where he would have an opportunity to sell additional accessories. This would also lead to a positive (instead of negative) word of mouth feedback.

 

[GAS]

I don't understand why a 3.0 player would play with 4G mains at all (and a quite stiff multi in crosses). Stiffest string on the planet and it requires tremendous amounts of racquethead speed to perform. If you hit with a lot of topspin just play with a soft poly or a soft poly hybrid, if you are a flat hitter get a quality multi or nat gut.


Why would they restring for the cost of the string. They did their job but you didn't like it. Do you request a refund when you don't like a food although everything was ok about it? Strings are personal choices.

Do you know how many of us were enjoying this thread having no replies from people other than the OP???

YOU BLEW IT FOR THE REST OF US!!!

 

[Cowboy]

Do you know how many of us were enjoying this thread having no replies from people other than the OP???

YOU BLEW IT FOR THE REST OF US!!!

Lol. I appreciate the support, but his points are valid, and I appreciate the discussion.

On that note, I forgot to comment on @devoker 's point about using a high quality multi or natural gut. I've been working on my swing technique and building in some topspin. I still have tecnifibre x-1 in the one racquet, and i strung Wilson natural gut in the other yesterday. I've also ordered some soft poly sets to try in hybrid setups.

 

[stapletonj]

Cowboy, I think you are gonna try gut mains poly cross and fall in love......

 

[Cowboy]

Cowboy, I think you are gonna try gut mains poly cross and fall in love......

I have a feeling that you are right. I'll need to order another set of gut before I can try that combination.

I already know that I like the way poly main / multi cross plays. I have two identical racquets, so I kind of hope to break the Tecnifibre X1 and Wilson NG around the same time. An ambitious goal considering I've never broken a string. But with the added topspin, I suspect that'll happen sooner or later. I figure I'll do each racquet with a hybrid, but in different orientations, so that I can see how they compare on the court.

 

[Cowboy]

I played a match today against a much better player. I played one set with the Natural Gut 17 in a Blade v8 100L, and the other with NXT Comfort 16 in a Blade v9 18x20. I lost both sets, but both felt very similar in terms of touch and comfort.

I've read so much that "nothing compares to NG in terms of comfort and playability." That wasn't necessarily my experience. The good news is that I don't see the need to spend the extra money on NG going forward. Maybe it'll be different when I play someone at my same level. We'll see tomorrow night.

I also ordered a Blade v8 100 (non-L) to test. I really liked the balance and stiffness of the Pure Strike obtained during the playtest. However, I am still playing better tennis with the Blade 100L. The Blade 100 should, at least in my own theory, have the same launch angle and string pattern as the 100L; but give me a little less stiffness and more weight.

 

[Coolhwip]

I played a match today against a much better player. I played one set with the Natural Gut 17 in a Blade v8 100L, and the other with NXT Comfort 16 in a Blade v9 18x20. I lost both sets, but both felt very similar in terms of touch and comfort.

I've read so much that "nothing compares to NG in terms of comfort and playability." That wasn't necessarily my experience. The good news is that I don't see the need to spend the extra money on NG going forward. Maybe it'll be different when I play someone at my same level. We'll see tomorrow night.

I also ordered a Blade v8 100 (non-L) to test. I really liked the balance and stiffness of the Pure Strike obtained during the playtest. However, I am still playing better tennis with the Blade 100L. The Blade 100 should, at least in my own theory, have the same launch angle and string pattern as the 100L; but give me a little less stiffness and more weight.

The thing is is that gut will play/maintain its high performance for its entire lifetime. NXT Comfort will fray faster, lose tension faster, lose snapback faster, and lose it playability/comfort much faster. However, there's no real reason to play with gut unless you have arm issues and/or you're at the level where its performance can give you that extra edge due its price. Most players I've seen that play with a Blade are happy with Hyper G strung at 47-52lbs and cut it out after 2 weeks of consistent play.

 

[Cowboy]

The thing is is that gut will play/maintain its high performance for its entire lifetime. NXT Comfort will fray faster, lose tension faster, lose snapback faster, and lose it playability/comfort much faster. However, there's no real reason to play with gut unless you have arm issues and/or you're at the level where its performance can give you that extra edge due its price. Most players I've seen that play with a Blade are happy with Hyper G strung at 47-52lbs and cut it out after 2 weeks of consistent play.

That's interesting, specifically about the snapback, because I had more mains out of place after just one set than I think I've ever had on any other string job. I remember Xalt mains being out of place after the first outting, but snapping back pretty good after that. I don't know what to really call it, as the strings aren't really "sticky," but the sticky nature of the string is what seems to hold them out of place instead of snapping back.

I've also heard/read that NG maintains playability for it's entire life, so you are pretty much confirming that. FWIW, the NXT has enough hours on it that it is starting to fray.

Eventually, I want to try hyper-g. But I'm still recovering from some odd arm pain. Not TE or GE, as I understand them.

My goal (more or less) at this point is to snap a string in both 100L frames. I'm hitting with enough topspin now that I'm thinking it should start to happen. Not that I want to snap strings...that's not the point, but rather that I don't want to cut out expensive strings before it's time. I'd rather know that it is time because they can't be played with anymore. Once that happens, I want to string each frame up in a hybrid. One with poly mains, multi cross; and the other with multi mains and poly crosses. I want to see how they play side-by-side.

 

[Cowboy]

Everyone on the forum, and in person, seems to say that Natural Gut it the best possible option in every scenario. The comfort, control, and playability cannot be matched.

So I broke down and forked out the cash to pick some up to try. I actually purchased it at the end of fall. Then I read some stories of NG breaking without being played because it couldn't handle the cold temperatures. I have no idea how cold is cold to the writer of that post, but I knew that I didn't want to risk breaking such expensive string any way other than hitting it....so it sat in my office for a few months and got strung up in early spring. I actually opted to leave that racquet at home for my first match after stringing it because it was forecast to be in the low 30s. Well, I don't think it got below 45* that day, so I could have brought it with my anyway.

Wilson Natural Gut 17

Gauge: 17
Tension: 55lbs
Racquet: Wilson Blade v8 100L

Power: This is going to largely be dictated by string tension, but there is no lack of power. I have sailed several just past the baseline, so it has a bit more power than what I like when strung at 55lbs on my lock-out machine. To me, comfort and power seem to go hand-in-hand.

Feel: Plush. Plain and simple. I haven't had many opportunities to hit drop shots or other touch shots, so that is kind of hard to comment on. However, I've been pleased with the few that I have attempted to execute. The launch angle seems to be just about right for executing them...though I would like a bit more spin for the ideal setup.

Spin: Speaking of spin, this is where, I personally feel, these strings are lacking. My last opponent commented to his partner that I was "hitting with plenty of spin" and he only really received topspin forehand shots, so maybe the spin generation is better than what I perceived. That said, backhand slice shots weren't anything special.

Comfort: Again, comfort and power, to me, go hand-in-hand. Even though I've had some elbow pain, I haven't felt much discomfort with these strings. In fact, my arm has felt no worse after playing than before. While strings like Wilson NXT Comfort and Tecnifibre X-1 Biphase offer similar levels of comfort, I don't think I've played with anything that exceeds the comfort of the NG.

Tension Maintenance: As expected, has been great. I suspect these will hold constant until breakage. I plan to keep them in until they break....which could be a first for me, as I'm not a string breaker.

Control: I found the control to be very good. It is much better than I expected. For the record, I expected loads of power and little control. Shots went where I aimed for the most part...though some did have a little more power than anticipated. I'm still working to perfect my topspin forehand, so more brush on the ball would probably correct that; but overall, I was pleased with the accuracy / control offered.

Serve / Return of Serve: That pesky elbow injury sort of prevents me from fully commenting here. I've had to pretty much drop my hard flat serve, as it was giving immediate feedback in my elbow. I don't seem to have the same level of pain with spin serves, so I've pretty much gone exclusive to the spin. The downside is that the spin isn't anything to write home about (as stated above), so my opponents for the most part are getting a softer serve than what I'd like to give them. If I tried to go hard spin, that pretty much left me open to get killed cross court. Return of serve was very good....again, plush.

Touch shots: See above comments in the "feel" section.

Overall: At the time of writing, I have 3 matches and several practice / hitting sessions under my belt. It might play slightly different than when it was fresh off the stringer, but it has remained extremely consistent to this point. I'm not one to generally prefer comfort over other traits, as I want to feel more connected to the ball. However, due to an elbow injury - that may or may not be related to tennis - I have found myself playing with comfort strings. So saving this string for the spring ended up being a blessing in disguise.

If these had more perceivable spin, they'd be darn near perfect. My next go with NG will either be in a hybrid setup or slightly higher tension.

I'm already on the lookout for more to purchase either with coupon/promo code, or otherwise on sale. I'll pick some more up at that time. Are all NG strings considered equal? If I find Luxilon to be in stock, for example, should I pick it up with expectation that it will play the same as Wilson? What about Babolat or others?

 

[Cowboy]

(This is a copy/paste of my review from the playtest)

Solinco Hyper-G / HG Round Hybrid Review

Tennis background/skill level/playing style: 3.5 all court
Current string set-up(s) and preferred tension(s): 17g Rough Poly Main (RPM Rough or 4G Rough) with 16 multi crosses (Xalt or NXT Control)
What racquet did you use for this playtest? Wilson Blade v8 100 (16x19)

(Nevermind the dog slobber on the handle. He decided to inspect the racquet when I set it down to take the pic)

How many hours did you play with the test string? 10
Which string did you use for the mains? Hyper-G Mains, Hyper-G Round Crosses
Tension(s) used for playtest? 45 M/C

Power/Control of test string?
I tend to think of power and control as mutually exclusive. As you move toward more power, the control goes down and vice versa. These strings had an excellent blend of power and control. I never felt that they lost control. The power did seem to increase around the 5 hour mark, and drop back off around the 8/9 hour mark.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?)
The first four hours felt boardy. Since that isn't one of the suggested feel descriptors, I'd have to lean toward a muted stiffness. Comfort was okay. As the playtest progressed, they got a lot softer and comfort went up. They never felt mushy, and by hour 5 they had a nice blend of not-too-much ball pocketing and what I would consider to be a very good dwell time. Hours 5-8, at least for me, was the sweet spot where everything came together and these strings were PHENOMENAL. Spin was great, power and control were great, and touch shots were very good. After that, they played well enough, but not like they did in that window. The touch shots are what really dropped off.

Spin?
These strings can be absolute spin monsters; however, I didn't feel that they really gave me any additional spin most of the time. I had a few topspin shots that would nose-dive on the line (where my opponent thought they would go long), but I really had to focus on making a proper swing to make that happen. I didn't feel that these aided in spin production at the beginning of the playtest, but it improved. I was really impressed with how much they grabbed the ball on high loopy topspin shots. Backspin was okay, but didn't leave my mind blown.

Durability & playability duration?
Through the first four hours, I had no discernable change in string performance characteristics. Normally, I would say that poly changes significantly between the 1-3 hour mark; so these seem to be more durable than expected. These were right on the money from hour 5-8. I'm not willing to push poly much beyond 10 hours as I fear arm injury. That said, these are absolutely good through 10 hours. Durability seems better than many of the other poly strings that I've used.

Tension Recommendations. Would you string it differently next time? Explain why
I thought I would go higher during the first 4 hours, but then they really settled into a good spot around hour 5. I went lower than normal with the expectation that these would be stiff. My normal tension for poly is probably closer to 48lbs. The 10 hour minimum playtime requirement got in my head. I went with 45lbs for comfort reasons, as I had elbow issues the last time I went 10 hours on poly at 48lbs. I think I would probably either string them even lower, or have two racquets with them ready to go....one to break in at practice and the other match ready. I don't want to have to use them for 5 hours before I feel that they are ready for match play.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
It's incredible how your perception can change of the course of the playtest. Reading my initial notes, it's like I got two totally different strings out of the same string job. At first, they weren't for me. I figured they would be "the cat's pajamas" for higher level players, but that I didn't get much benefit. I don't know if I got dialed into the setup better, or if they just loosened up after about 5 hours, but I felt like I started playing "lights out" toward the end.

At the end of the day, I think these are great strings. I'm going to have to come back to these, as I'm really curious to see how they do at different tensions. I'm curious how these rounds pairded with Hyper-G soft would perform.

 

[Cowboy]

(This is a copy/paste of my review from the playtest)

Head Velocity Power 1.3

I don't need to wait until the deadline. My review is ready.

I play between a 3.0 and 3.5 USTA level. My play style mostly resembles that of an all-court player.

Tension(s) used for playtest: 55lbs
Regular string set up: Normal setup is a hybrid (RPM Rough / Xalt or 4G Rough / NXT Control), but I've been playing mostly with Tecnifibre X-1 Biphase and Wilson Natural Gut 17 for the last several months to aid in elbow recovery.
Racquet used for test: Babolat Pure Strike (4th gen) 100 16x20

Control/Power of test string: Despite power being in the name, I feel like this string is more control oriented. I never felt like it provided extra power, but I felt like the control was very good. To be clear, it never felt muted. HVP straddles the balance between control and power very well.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): It isn't stiff, but it isn't mushy. It's not muted, but I wouldn't consider it crisp. It isn't too hot, but it's not too cold either. I would say that it is more on the crisp side, but not by much. I generally hate when people, especially marketers, say that a string is gut-like. I have a full bed of Wilson NG 17 in one of my Blades and the difference in impact felt in the arm is almost indestinguishable between the two. I feel like I'm extra sensitive to that at the moment, as I'm on the tail end of an elbow injury. So if I have to go with one of the "feel" categories, I'd say that this is a mildly crisp string with excellent comfort.

Another "feel" category is touch. I've been able to execute some touch shots beautifully. Whether that is a softer cross court shot to try and pull my opponent way outside, or a dropshot, the touch on these strings is superb.

Spin: This is where I feel like the string really shines. I was really impressed with the spin generated by this string. I'm guessing many will disagree with me, but I felt the spin was as good (if not slightly better) than the RPM Rough that I cut out before installing this string. Slice serves had good arc, 1hbh slice shots were on point, and topspin was also very good. Only form could make any of those shots better.

Playability Duration (did the playability change over time? How? Did it notch and/or stop snapping back into position?): This is an odd one because it never snapped back into position for me. The mains moved a LOT and did not return back to original position. I have no notching with 8+ hours.

Tension findings (would you use the same tension if you strung it again? Why? Why not?): I will keep it at 55lbs. This was a nice blend of control and power, and I see no reason to make any adjustment.

List any additional thoughts (optional): The launch angle is perfect! I first played with this racquet with my normal hybrid setup and the launch angle was too low. Second string job on this frame was also a hybrid. Then I played with a full bed poly in a Blade and got injured. I avoided this racquet for a bit because it also had a full bed of poly. The launch angle on the other strings was too low. I hit WAY too many balls that would slap the top of the net and drop on my side. I'm so glad I decided to use this frame for this playtest. Those shots that were dropping on my side are now floating over exactly as intended. This string is a really nice compliment to the 16x20 string pattern of my Pure Strike 100.

Stringing it was easy. I didn't have any slipping in the clamps like I sometimes do with NXT. Admittedly, I tighten clamps down a little more than I think I should to prevent slipping. I've read that "ghosting" of the strings isn't necessarily bad for them. I'd rather them ghost a little bit than slip. I've had string break on a mishit where it slipped in a clamp. I've not had the same experience from a string that was clamped a little tighter. While it was easy to weave and string, it ghosts similar to that of Xcel (which is worse than NXT).

I'm trying not to let the cost of the playtest impact my review. I don't normally consider Head strings because of bad word of mouth referrals, but I do like RIP Control. I'm definitely going to be buying a few more sets (or maybe even a reel if I find the right sale) of Head Velocity Power. It's a SOLID all-around option with no glaring weakness.

Oh, and the smell! IDK what it is, but I like the smell of it. Weird as that may be. A friend, who is a doctor, said it smelled like formalahyde or some kind of preservative.

What am I saying? Comfort similar to that of natural gut and spin that rivals poly? Has Cowboy lost his mind? Y'all have me questioning myself, but it is what it is. I cut out poly for this playtest, and have NG in another racquet; so both are fresh in my mind. I think they hit the nail on the "Head" with this one (see what I did there?!?)! This is a string that I liked more and more every time I stepped foot on the court.

 

[Cowboy]

I cut the Solinco Hyper-G / Hyper-G Round strings to try out some Tecnifibre 4s

Tecnifibre 4S 18g

Installed 8/5/2024.

Tension(s) used for playtest: 45lbs

Racquet used for test: Wilson Blade v8 100

Control/Power of test string: If the control and power aspect were a spectrum, I would put these more towards power. I didn't find that I had pinpoint accuracy with them, and I did have a few that sailed long.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): They never felt stiff and the comfort is above average for a poly.

Spin: As with any string, spin depends on technique. I didn't feel like these were spin monsters, despite the 4 sided / square shape of the string. That said, I did have a few shots where I was amazed at the spin. This tells me that I need to spend some time working on technique. That said, I'd say the spin was above average.

Playability Duration (did the playability change over time? How? Did it notch and/or stop snapping back into position?): I didn't realize that I went over the 10 hour mark. It probably took them 4 hours or so to loosen up and find the sweet spot. Notching was minimal and snapback seemed to remain good up to the point of being cut out.

Tension findings (would you use the same tension if you strung it again? Why? Why not?): I think 45 is my new poly tension. I might go up or down a few pounds just to try them out. A little more control would have been nice, but I don't want to crank up the tension to the point of injury.

List any additional thoughts (optional): I had these in for 12-14 hours. I didn't realize it at the time, as I feel like 10 hours is what I expect from a poly.

I think I could dial these in by playing with the tension a little. Overall, I liked them. I'll pick up another set if I find them on a good sale.

 

[Cowboy]

Head Hawk Power 17

I play between a 3.0 and 3.5 USTA level. My play style mostly resembles that of an all-court player.

Tension(s) used for playtest: 45lbs
Regular string set up: Whatever TW is playtesting
Racquet used for test: Wilson Blade v8 100

Before you continue reading, I need to warn you that my review is going to be a little on the negative side. I think this is a fine string, but I did not like it at the tension it was installed.

Control/Power of test string: WAY TOO MUCH POWER. It took me longer than expected to get dialed in with this one. Serves were very hard to get dialed in and many sailed long. I also found control to be sub-par.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): It is very comfortable for a poly. At the tension I chose, it was too soft; but that's how it generates so much power. It took a while to get touch shots relatively consistent. I almost never felt in control of the point and found myself taking more defensive shots than normal.

Spin: I also found spin to be sub-par. To keep my serves in play, I generally had to try to put extra spin on the ball. I did have at least one serve where my partner exclaimed that the spin on the ball was "unreal," but that was a rare occasion. Shots that I normally can spin pretty heavily just didn't with these strings.

Playability Duration (did the playability change over time? How? Did it notch and/or stop snapping back into position?): I had more notching at 5 hours than I typically will with any other poly at 10. In fact, this seems to be the least durable poly that I've tested.

Tension findings (would you use the same tension if you strung it again? Why? Why not?): Go higher. I'm a subtle changer, usually, so I would probably go incrementally. I'd start at 48, but expect to work my way up from there.

List any additional thoughts (optional):
This is not the string for me. I think this would be good for someone with a very slow swing speed who needs the extra power and just wants to play with poly.

I did really like the color. It was comfortable to hit and relatively easy to string. However, that's about where the positives end. I'm not sure if there is a shot called the "punch volley," but if there is, that's the shot where these strings really shone. Volleys at the net came off the strings with a little extra velocity, which did help win some points.

 

[Cowboy]

Head Hawk Touch 17

I play between a 3.0 and 3.5 USTA level. My play style mostly resembles that of an all-court player.

Tension(s) used for playtest: 45lbs
Regular string set up: Whatever TW is playtesting
Racquet used for test: Wilson Blade v8 100

This is a tale of two opposites. Many of the playtesters found these strings to be very similar to the Power (reviewed above), but I did not find them similar at all. While I did not like Head Hawk Power, I may have fallen in love with Hawk Touch.

Control/Power of test string: Initial hitting sessions felt very controlled. I could swing out and had no concern about balls flying long. These felt like I could hit with "good" to "great" accuracy. The term "point and shoot," which I think is generally reserved for photography, comes to mind. It seemed like I could hit balls with pinpoint accuracy. Power was right where it needed to be. I could take full swings without fear of shooting them long, so I was able to put very good velocity on the ball while keeping my shots controlled..

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): Crisp and lively! Maybe a touch on the stiff side of the spectrum. They were relatively comfortable, but I would avoid them if you are dealing with arm pain already. Touch shots were on point and they had a good launch angle. Ball pocketing and dwell time also seemed to be right where it needed to be. Not too much, not too little.

Spin: Above average for me when it comes to round poly. Spin serves were great, as were drop shots, OHBH slice and forehand topspin.

Playability Duration (did the playability change over time? How? Did it notch and/or stop snapping back into position?): There was no break-in period and play remained fairly consistent through the entire 10 hours of play. I had very little notching at 10 hours. I'd recommend these to someone who doesn't want to restring often, but enjoys high levels of control.

Tension findings (would you use the same tension if you strung it again? Why? Why not?): 45 lbs was on the money!

List any additional thoughts (optional):
Since I commented on color of Hawk Power, I found the color of Hawk Touch to be on the boring side. It's a universal color that won't bring attention in any frame. While I really liked playing with it, stringing it was a totally different story. It has very strong coil memory and tried to kink constantly when pulling crosses.

 

[Cowboy]

Luxilon ECO Spin 17

I play between a 3.0 and 3.5 USTA level. My play style mostly resembles that of an all-court player.

Tension(s) used for playtest: 45lbs
Regular string set up: Whatever TW is playtesting
Racquet used for test: Wilson Blade v8 100



Control/Power of test string: If control/power is a spectrum, these are definitely more on the control side. I can take full cuts at the ball with little fear of sending them long. I'd like a little more power on serve, but the control is good enough to keep them in play.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): Muted, but not mushy. I'm getting decent ball pocketing and good spin. It feels, from what I remember, very similar to that of Tecnifibre 4S. Comfort is about average from my experience with poly.

Spin: Spin is somewhere between good and very good, but I wouldn't consider it great. I'm getting good spin on spin serves and good backspin. My biggest issue with topspin is form, but I can see the ball arc slightly when I get it right. So while I wouldn't consider these to be spin monsters, I do consider them to be above average.

Playability Duration (did the playability change over time? How? Did it notch and/or stop snapping back into position?):
For this being produced from recycled material, I expected durability to be lacking. My expectations have been far exceeded and these strings are playing remarkably well at approx. 12 hours. Notching it minimal, maybe 10-15%, but the mains are fairly locked into place. I ended up cutting them around the 14 hour mark.

Tension findings (would you use the same tension if you strung it again? Why? Why not?):
I liked it at 45, which is my current standard tension for poly. No change from where I would normally start adjusting.

List any additional thoughts (optional): It's a good all around string. I'm honestly impressed with it, but I don't think I love it enough to make it a staple in my bag. That said, this is the first string that I've stung back-to-back in a while. That's partly due to a playoff match and not wanting to have to adjust to a string; however, that should tell you that I was liking them enough to give them the nod for an important match. You would never know that this is a recycled string, and feels nearly identical to TF 4S.

 

[Cowboy]

Eco Spin was the first string that I've strung back-to-back in a while. I have not yet found the string I like the most.

After 8+ hours of match play and who-knows-how-many practice sessions, I cut out the second batch. I was noticing my elbow on my last match and decided it was time to cut it out. Notching was at about 50%, which is more than I normally see when I cut poly.

 

[Cowboy]

Current strings in rotation:
Wilson Blade 100 v8: Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.20
Babolat Pure Strike 100 16x20 (2024): Wilson NXT Control
Wilson Blade 100L v8: Wilson Natural Gut 17
Wilson Blade v9 18x20: Xalt 16g M / RPM Rough 17 C

 

[Cowboy]

Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.20

I play between a 3.0 and 3.5 USTA level. My play style mostly resembles that of an all-court player. I'm not waiting to cut these out before posting my review. I think my opinion of this string is pretty set, and it's positive overall.



Tension(s) used for playtest: 45 lbs
Regular string set up: Whatever TW is playtesting
Racquet used for test: Wilson Blade v8 100



Control/Power of test string: If power and control are on a pendulum, this one teeters toward the control. That said, I felt like I had pretty good power, but not overly so. This was most notable on my serve. I could hit hard balls and not fear that they would sail long.


Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): These were on the stiffer side while stringing, but not the most stiff that I have strung. They are pretty crisp overall. I have not noticed any arm pain during the first 5 hours. I would consider them to be more comfortable than similarly stiff strings....if that makes any sense.


Spin: Spin is above average, and I would consider it to be "good" to "very good." I had some really good topspin shots and some really nice backhand slice.


Playability Duration (did the playability change over time? How? Did it notch and/or stop snapping back into position?): The thing I noticed immediately is the break-in period...or lack thereof. These played great right off the stringer and I did not notice much change through the first 5 hours. If I were to only get 5 hours out of these, I'd be happy because they are less than half the cost of other (seemingly) comparable strings. At this point, I see no reason why I wouldn't expect to get a full 10-12 hours out of this before even considering a restring. My general rule of thumb is 10 hours, but I suspect it will go beyond that point. If that changes, I'll come back and update here.

Edit/Update: Durability is the one area I found them lacking. I cut them out around the 8 hour mark with 40-50% notching. Normally, I find about 10-20% notching at the 10 hour mark. I still think they are a good value for the money.


Tension findings (would you use the same tension if you strung it again? Why? Why not?): Keep it at 45. This seems to be a good poly tension for me, and I saw no reason to try anything different.



List any additional thoughts (optional): These might be the string that balances performance and cost. I can't imagine a less expensive string playing this nicely. I absolutely loved the feel and playability of the Head Hawk Touch in 17g; but I'm probably picking up a reel of this (PLII) over that (HHT) based solely on cost. This is a close second, and the cost makes it an excellent value. The reel is currently on sale, and the only reason I haven't purchased it yet is the backlog of other strings I have ready to go in. I need to clear out some inventory before I go buying more....even if it is on sale.

 

[Cowboy]

Kirshbaum Black Shark 17

Tension(s) used for playtest: 45lbs
Racquet used for test: Wilson Blade v8 100

I failed to take notes after each session, so I had to think back over the time that I played with these.

Control/Power of test string: I found these to be a lower powered more control oriented string. I had better pop on my serve than a lot of the other control oriented poly, but rarely did I feel that the strings provided any power. The benefit here is that I could swing out and not feel like they were going to go long.


Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): More muted with above average comfort for a poly.


Spin: This is what they are designed to do. At least, that is my understanding, that they are spin monters. I'd put spin in the "well above average" category


Playability Duration (did the playability change over time? How? Did it notch and/or stop snapping back into position?): This is where I found the strings to be most lacking. They played great immediately off the stringer. I recorded 8 sets with these, and a handful of practices in between. I'm probably right around the 10 hour mark and that's as far as I'm willing to go with them. I was really noticing my elbow after my last match, and that's my indication that it's time to change. I would estimate around 20% notching at this point.


Tension findings (would you use the same tension if you strung it again? Why? Why not?): 45 was a good tension. I see no reason to adjust them.


List any additional thoughts (optional):
This seems to be pretty standard for Kirshbaum strings. Good off the stringer with "at or below" average durability. I won more sets than I lost with these strings installed, so there's that!

 

[Cowboy]

So far, I am NOT loving the Yonex Polytour Drive Soft 1.25.

It's not soft. It lacks touch/feel. There is no power or comfort. I'm only 2 hours in and these might be coming out rather quickly. I'll play with them one more time to see if they get better after being broken in, but I can confidently say that I will not be returning to these.