Diadem Solstice Black

[Injured Again]

Has anyone hit with the new Diadem Solstice Black string yet? It looks to be the exact same shape as Solstice Power, and the package advertises maximum spin and comfort, the same as Solstice Power. Is this the same base material with a black additive?

 

[Injured Again]

Link is here:

Official Website | World Class Tennis & Pickleball Goods

America's fastest growing tennis and pickleball brand. Diadem helps players elevate their game by designing the most innovative performance gear on the planet. DEMO TODAY. Tennis Rackets, Pickleball Paddles, Diadem Warrior Paddle, and more! Sign up for 10% off first order. Free Shipping Orders $75+

diademsports.com

 

[topspn]

I was also looking at it and concluded it’s just a different color but don’t get the price difference.

 

[Injured Again]

I was also looking at it and concluded it’s just a different color but don’t get the price difference.

Exactly why I thought this was a different string formulation. Otherwise, to charge an extra $1 for a different color additive doesn't make sense.

I used Solstice Power for a couple of years as my go-to string but when I switched racquets and went from 1.35 to 1.20 gauge (due to the denser pattern), the string just felt harsh and didn't have the same spin capability as before. I kind of feel like I've moved on from Diadem strings but am always willing to try it again. The Solstice Power in my previous racquets (Overdrive 110) felt pretty magical.

 

[aehjmeyer]

I’m about to try regular Solstice Power 1.20 in a new K7 Lime once my stringer opens up for business. If I like it and dislike the color, I may try the black version.

 

[lulo]

Just Restrung my racquet today with it. Will give feedback on this maybe by Sunday. I have tried the Solstice Power previously

 

[aehjmeyer]

Finally got my K7 Lime back with regular SP 1.20. Color looks ridiculous so if I like it I might try the black version. Diadem claims it is softer with better tension maintenance...any feedback yet from anyone who has used it??? Doesn't appear to be available in a reel yet.

Diadem Solstice Black is a new generation of a comfortable soft co-poly with a six-pointed star shape. Similar to our Solstice Power flagship string, Solstice Black due to its black pigment will play softer. Also with our improved extrusion process you will find better tension maintenance than with is predecessor. The result is a string that combines a low-friction surface with maximum ball bite. In other words, this string was built for spin - massive spin. Beginner, intermediate and advanced players looking for a comfortable co-poly with pinpoint control have come to the right place.

 

[tiger_ob]

I'm getting ready to try it, myself, but what I can tell, this is supposed to an improvement/update on the original. Many love the original Solstice Power, but it lost tension relatively quickly. The new black version has a slightly different extrusion process that improves tension maintenance. If this is true, this honestly may be my favorite string on the market, as I LOVE everything about the original when it's fresh, but after 10-15 hours, it loses way too much tension.

 

[Injured Again]

Hmm, the Solstice Black is now no longer on Diadem's website, at the link I referenced in post #2.

 

[tiger_ob]

Hmm, the Solstice Black is now no longer on Diadem's website, at the link I referenced in post #2.

It's still up on the website here: https://diademsports.com/collection...cts/diadem-solstice-power-black-tennis-string

 

[Injured Again]

It's still up on the website here: https://diademsports.com/collection...cts/diadem-solstice-power-black-tennis-string

The $20 demo pack sounds like a decent deal! I've never used Elite but worth a try at this price.

Would love to hear actual feedback from anyone who has tried Solstice Black and Solstice Power.

 

[Mr_Zorg]

Does anyone know where you can purchase this string in Europe? The usual Diadem stores don’t seem to have it.

Edit: Good news! I got in touch with hmasport.it and they will order it from Diadem!

 

[Mr_Zorg]

Deleted

 

[Mr_Zorg]

I'm getting ready to try it, myself, but what I can tell, this is supposed to an improvement/update on the original. Many love the original Solstice Power, but it lost tension relatively quickly. The new black version has a slightly different extrusion process that improves tension maintenance. If this is true, this honestly may be my favorite string on the market, as I LOVE everything about the original when it's fresh, but after 10-15 hours, it loses way too much tension.

Have you gotten around to trying it? I’d like to read at least a few user experiences before committing to a reel.

Currently struggling to find much information about the string.

 

[408tennisguy]

Just received my $20 demo pack and a pack of Diadem Solstice Black 17G. Will string up this weekend and will post a review on TW by the middle of next week.

 

[408tennisguy]

With the fires raging here in my area in Northern California, I have to push my review till the end of the week. Can't play until the air quality is better.

 

[408tennisguy]

Just Restrung my racquet today with it. Will give feedback on this maybe by Sunday. I have tried the Solstice Power previously

Can you provide any feedback on the string? It has been some time since you strung it up........ i just want to compare my notes.

I have a detailed review coming, from where I live here in northern california, the lightning fire/smoke is delaying my full review. Can't get out to the courts soon enough.

 

[lulo]

Can you provide any feedback on the string? It has been some time since you strung it up........ i just want to compare my notes.

I have a detailed review coming, from where I live here in northern california, the lightning fire/smoke is delaying my full review. Can't get out to the courts soon enough.

I like it but not as much as my current set up now. It feels to stiff for me actually

 

[408tennisguy]

Here's my in depth review of Diadem Solstice Black 17G.
Diadem Solstice Black 17G strung @ 49lbs in a Prince Phantom Pro 100X 305G with 2G of lead at 12.
USTA rated 4.5

Strung @ 49 lbs on 8/19/20
Relatively easy to string, little to none recoil memory. Strings can easily be notched when pulling the crosses so I "fanned" the crosses when I was weaving them.

String Characteristics
The Diadem Solstice Black has a "Shiny" outer coating which is susceptible to notching even when stringing, compared to regular Diadem Solstice Power Teal which has more of "Matte" outer coating. Black has more of a "plasticky" feel to it when in hand.The "star/gear" shape is also just as pronounced as the teal version.

First day of hitting 8/20/20-2 hours break in
Right away I have noticed that the strings play a bit "softer" than Teal and has more stringbed dwell time on the groundstrokes. Solstice Black is advertised as being softer due to the Black pigment however I believe that "plasticky" feel I mentioned also has something to do with it being softer. Spin production results were about the same as the teal version, Serves and volleys were also about the same.

What I am most curious about is the description that this Black version has better tension maintenance than its predecessor. One thing that prevented me from switching to Teal permanently as my go-to string was that over time, teal became more powerful and more uncontrollable. I managed to somewhat control that with a hybrid setup of teal in the mains and a medium-high stiffness string in the cross (Tourna BHS7T, Luxilon Savage) but even strung at low tensions this setup wasn't ideal, comfort-wise, for me because I also have golfer's elbow. Will continue with my review in my next hitting sessions.

Second day of hitting 8/24/20-2 hours
Once the strings have settled in an and had their initial drop in tension, I could feel an increase in "dwell" time on the stringbed. Solstice Black definitely feels softer than its predecessor. The edges are still defined however, even with the full poly setup there is some string movement now. My hitting partner commented at the end of the session that there is a significant amount more spin and pace coming from my shots than my previous setup of Grapplesnake Tour Sniper Mains and Ghostwire crosses. I didn't experience any arm,wrist, or elbow pain at the end of the session. I have approximately 65% life left on the strings based on the notching on the mains in the sweet spot.

Third day of hitting 8/26/20-3 hours
It appears the stringbed tension has plateaued at this point. I'm still able to hit with as much spin and pace while being able to control the ball as I did during the second day of hitting. Usually Solstice Power Teal would be uncontrollable at this point but I believe what has been advertised is true, that this Solstice Power Black has better tension maintenance than Teal. My Main string snapped towards the end of my hitting session so I clocked in 7 hours with this string before it broke, which was the fastest I have ever popped a string. I usually snap a regular full poly setup within a week and a half.

Conclusion
At $14.95 a set it would be hard decision to choose between Solstice Black and what's in the market in the world of soft, textured, black polys. Lower priced alternatives would include Kirschbaum Pro Line II Rough,Kirschbaum Xplosive Speed, Dunlop Black Widow, Tourna BHB7, Genesis Twisted Razor just to name a few which would be comparable in all of those categories and are lighter on the wallet. At Tennis Warehouse there is a deal for Teal Diadem Solstice Power for $9.99 a set if you buy 3 or more at the time of this review and if I were a first time buyer without ever trying Black, I would choose the Teal just because of its price point. Maybe Diadem can offer a similar promotional deal to see if Black will sell as well or better than the original version so at least the first time buyers would be able to try it to compare and if they make it their go-to setup, then at least they wouldn't have to break the bank doing it. If I were to try Solstice Black again, I would try the 16L or the 16 gauge for better durability. I was happy with the string for the 7 hours I had it in my Phantom 100x 305G but it just didnt last as long as some of the other strings I have hit with so from a price to playability stand point, I wish it were more affordable and then I would make it my permanent setup. I also did not experience any wrist/arm/elbow pain during the entirety of the playtest.

 

[Mr_Zorg]

Thank you so much for this review! My reel of Solstice Black is still in transit, hoping to get it next week. It's definitely nice to hear that their claims are true, that tension maintenance and durability have, indeed, improved.

 

[Paul Y]

This is great to hear that Solstice Black has a higher tension maintenance. We were having issues after 3 hours where it was no longer controllable with teal.

 

[TypeRx]

FYI, Diadem has a 30% off sale right now...reels of Solstice Power Black are coming up ~$145 shipped. That's $8.80/set. 24-hours only; unadvertised unless you are on their mailing list. Discount reflected in the cart.

Solstice Power

America's fastest growing tennis and pickleball brand. Diadem helps players elevate their game by designing the most innovative performance gear on the planet. DEMO TODAY. Tennis Rackets, Pickleball Paddles, Diadem Warrior Paddle, and more! Sign up for 10% off first order. Free Shipping Orders $75+

diademsports.com

 

[Mr_Zorg]

Played my first match with Solstice Black 17 yesterday. It was love at first hit! The string feels very soft, lots of power, spin and (somehow) control. By far the biggest downside is durability. After 1.5h there is severe notching and it's unlikely I can play another full match with it.

Currently looking into soft & durable round polys to extend the life a little bit. A hybrid of Solstice Black + something like Silverstring or Pro Line Evolution should work, in theory.

 

[408tennisguy]

Played my first match with Solstice Black 17 yesterday. It was love at first hit! The string feels very soft, lots of power, spin and (somehow) control. By far the biggest downside is durability. After 1.5h there is severe notching and it's unlikely I can play another full match with it.

Currently looking into soft & durable round polys to extend the life a little bit. A hybrid of Solstice Black + something like Silverstring or Pro Line Evolution should work, in theory.

I would probably try Tier One Ghostwire in the cross. smooth round poly that is soft and crisp. Or Isospeed Cream which is soft but mushy if you dont like crisp

 

[Injured Again]

Got an email with 30% off for a "Teal November" special so I ordered two sets of Solstice Black. Not great timing as our indoor courts will be closed statewide for a minimum of four weeks starting in less than three hours, but what the heck - you only live once.

I used Solstice Power years ago as my go-to string, in a 1.35 gauge in a 16x19 110 square inch racquet. It worked well in that thick gauge and tension loss wasn't as much of a problem. The gear shape did wear smooth over time but it never got launchy or that uncontrollable. Now, I've ordered the 1.20 gauge for use in an 18x19 104 square inch racquet.

 

[Injured Again]

Well, we are at day three of a four week period in which indoor tennis has been shut down, and the very nice mail delivery person dropped off a package.

Not sure when I'll get the opportunity to string it up.

 

[Injured Again]

Our state opened us back up to indoor tennis today so I'll be hitting more regularly. My racquet with Cyclone Tour has about seven hours on it and was also strung prior to our shutdown. It's notched more than half way through and has lost a lot of launch angle so it must be time to try a new string.

As has been said, it's a very plasticky feeling string, kind of like Volkl Cyclone only a bit slicker feeling. My set was 38' 9" long. I cut a one foot section and pulled 50 pounds of tension, letting it sit for one minute. This string is **very** stretchy and elongates a lot pulling tension, about as much as Volkl V-Square or V-Torque. After one minute, repulling 50 pounds of tension required an extra 8-10 mm, so tension loss seems like it will be an issue.

I strung it up in my regular racquet using 51 pounds in the center 8 mains, decreasing to 37 pounds at the outer mains, and 45 pounds in the center five crosses, decreasing to 31 pounds for the top and bottom cross. I used my typical one piece, universal ATW pattern. I pulled tension slowly and repulled on my lockout stringer. Weaving crosses showed it to have slightly more than average interstring friction. Coil memory is minimal to moderate, and I had no problems during any of the stringing process. Right off the stringer, Racquettune says 45.6 pounds.

I'll be comparing to a fairly freshly strung 17 gauge Silver 7 Tour, which RacquetTune says was 42.3 pounds right off the stringer. I hit tomorrow mid-afternoon.

 

[mpournaras]

If Black is so much better than they should amend the teal with a 2.0 version. Cant have your signature string in your signature color being sub par for too long. Especially when you know you can make it better

 

[Injured Again]

After sitting for 12 hours, Racquettune now says 43.1 pounds of tension, so 5.5% drop overnight. This was after a light prestretch prior to starting string, and a slow double-pull with my lockout stringer.

 

[Injured Again]

Had a 90 minute hit today. Because I'm just really getting back to consistent hitting, I'll need to confirm these first impressions, which are that this string is more powerful and more comfortable than a typical co-poly, while also providing very good grip on the ball and a moderately high launch angle. It's moderately crisp and has good pocketing sensation, and isn't overly harsh on mis-hits. After this hit, Racquettune now says the tension is at 40.5 pounds, so right at about the same amount of loss as from right off the stringer to sitting for 12 hours overnight.

So all in all, a very nice string that has been very predictable and consistent even though it has high spin capability. If I had to say, I would compare this very closely to Cyclone Tour but with better bite on the ball by a significant margin.

 

[Injured Again]

I've gotten in another 2 1/2 hours, so four hours total. Racquettune now says tension is 39.1 pounds, so only a 5.5 pound or a 12% loss of tension. Playability has stayed good and it feels as crisp and controlled as when new. Launch angle seems to be gradually decreasing, though spin capability still remains high. I'm getting a lot of shape on my rally shots, and I have very good control and confidence when flattening out the ball. The edges are wearing smooth on the top surfaces of the strings in the sweetspot and there's notching about a third of the way through.

As a reference, Hyper-G Soft in the same gauge lost 16% just before it broke. It's apparent that tension loss is reduced from Solstice Power. It has been a long time since I've played a set of Solstice Power to breaking, and that was in a different racquet and in a 1.35 gauge but I still experienced more playability changes with that thick string than I have seen so far.

I could pretty happily switch to this string from what I've experience so far.

 

[Injured Again]

Just crossed the five hour mark. Play characteristics have changed a bit. Launch angle is noticeably lower, and spin capability has gone down along with power. The string has lost the liveliness it had when new and now feels a bit dull and dead. It's still pretty comfy when missing the sweetspot but that magic when connecting cleanly has significantly diminished.

Racquettune says tension is now 38.9 pounds, so 14.7% tension loss compared to right off the stringer. This is better than average tension stability. Notching is at least 50% through, and the string surfaces have worn smooth. The durability of the shape on the ball contact surfaces seems better than Solstice Power. The mains now are getting stuck out of position consistently.

I don't know why the notches appear assymetrical. They are that way on just about every intersection in the sweetspot. I do have a tendency to hold the racquet in one orientation and so topspin off the forehand and backhand displace the strings in the same direction.

I'm also getting a few balls that just fly unexpectedly despite what feels like a fairly good swing and contact. I was hitting with my son today and because we've only been back to indoor hitting this last week after seven weeks of no indoor courts, my timing wasn't so good against his hard hitting so I was consciously swinging more straight through the ball.

I did hit with a freshly strung Silver 7 Tour and while power levels were pretty similar to Solstice Black prior to today's hitting, S7T is definitely a stiffer feeling and harsher string but it feels like it grabs the ball more securely than Solstice Black did when it was new. And S7T seems to retain playability better, but the price is noticeably worse comfort especially when mis-hitting.

I'll hit with it a bit more to see if it was just me tonight or if the string characteristics have changed.

 

[Paul Y]

We noticed the same thing at the 4 hour mark but by far much better than Solstice Power. It is still very much playable even in this state. Thank you for your feedback @Injured Again

 

[Paul Y]

After about 6 - 7 hours the string bagged out. The stringbed became unpredictable but it was still very comfortable unlike many other polys. We playtested the 16L but my son normally prefers 17 from Diadem so we ordered two reels from them.

I'm guessing the 17 gauge will last about 4 hours before it breaks or bags out. We will see next week.

 

[Injured Again]

I played another 90 minutes with it this morning, on our faster indoor courts. So now at about 6 1/2 hours and it hasn't broken but it is notched maybe 60% of the way through so I'm sure it won't last another full session.

On the faster courts with new Pro Penn Marathon balls, against an opponent who hits hard and flat, it wasn't as much of a problem as the last time I played on our slower hard courts with once-used balls. Here, the much faster ball speed at contact made me go for flatter, more compact swings. Whenever I got a weaker ball that I tried to attack with either heavy spin or higher ball speeds, the string was clearly not performing like it did when it was newer. Heavy spin attempts had lower launch angle and decreased effectiveness of the shot that I created. Trying to hit hard and flat resulted in a mushy feel and what feels like an inconsistent angle off the strings. Some balls would fly and others that felt the same off the strings would end up in the net.

So it sounds like we have almost identical experiences. Strung about 8-10% looser, 1.20 Solstice Power plays pretty similarly to 1.20 Cyclone Tour but with better bite on the ball. Cyclone Tour, because it has less initial grip, seems to change less over time but both strings are really effective for only 5-6 hours. Cyclone Tour is a bit more powerful, and a bit more comfortable.

 

[BallBasher247]

I played another 90 minutes with it this morning, on our faster indoor courts. So now at about 6 1/2 hours and it hasn't broken but it is notched maybe 60% of the way through so I'm sure it won't last another full session.

On the faster courts with new Pro Penn Marathon balls, against an opponent who hits hard and flat, it wasn't as much of a problem as the last time I played on our slower hard courts with once-used balls. Here, the much faster ball speed at contact made me go for flatter, more compact swings. Whenever I got a weaker ball that I tried to attack with either heavy spin or higher ball speeds, the string was clearly not performing like it did when it was newer. Heavy spin attempts had lower launch angle and decreased effectiveness of the shot that I created. Trying to hit hard and flat resulted in a mushy feel and what feels like an inconsistent angle off the strings. Some balls would fly and others that felt the same off the strings would end up in the net.

So it sounds like we have almost identical experiences. Strung about 8-10% looser, 1.20 Solstice Power plays pretty similarly to 1.20 Cyclone Tour but with better bite on the ball. Cyclone Tour, because it has less initial grip, seems to change less over time but both strings are really effective for only 5-6 hours. Cyclone Tour is a bit more powerful, and a bit more comfortable.

Great review, really like how you tracked the tension and tension loss of the strings all the way through. I was interested in trying Cyclone Tour 1.20mm a few months back; I ultimately decided to try MSV Focus Hex 1.18 and really liked it. Here lately though, I've been using MSV Focus Hex Soft 1.20; it's nice too, but gets a little too lively for me after hitting it for 6-8 hours. I don't know if you've tried either of these, but how would you say this black Solstice Power 1.20mm compares to those if you have?

 

[Injured Again]

Great review, really like how you tracked the tension and tension loss of the strings all the way through. I was interested in trying Cyclone Tour 1.20mm a few months back; I ultimately decided to try MSV Focus Hex 1.18 and really liked it. Here lately though, I've been using MSV Focus Hex Soft 1.20; it's nice too, but gets a little too lively for me after hitting it for 6-8 hours. I don't know if you've tried either of these, but how would you say this black Solstice Power 1.20mm compares to those if you have?

I haven't tried with Focus Hex or Focus Hex Soft. Those have been on my list to try for a while but I never got around to them.

After this last session, Racquettune now says 37.8 pounds so tension loss is accelerating right as it nears the breaking point.

I did record some video of the time previous to this last hit, which I talked about in post #32, when I was on our slower courts and playing with once-used and re-pressurized Dunlop ATP Championship balls. In that state, they are very slow and are a good proxy for the slow kind of courts like you'd see at a Indian Wells, for example. The first of the two clips was from about 80 minutes into our session, and the last was the last few balls we hit before our court time expired. The balls still had enough felt for the strings to grab but were getting pretty flat by the time I pulled out the camera. A lot of times when I wasn't concentrating on getting extra shape on my shot, I hit quite a few net skimmers because of the loss of launch angle. Solstice Black did still generate enough spin to pull them down when I did hit it well.

This was a little more than a week into our indoor courts opening after seven weeks of being shut down. I am stiff, don't have great timing, and need to get fit again. If I had any more neoprene on, I'd look like the Michelin Man. Hopefully my nearly 60 year old body will get used to playing tennis again soon.

As an aside, look at the crazy sideswiping forehands my son hits at about 53 seconds in on the first video, and about 59 seconds in on the second clip. He started doing this for fun but **no one** I've seen him play has any success at getting that shot back effectively. There's no knowing what combination of sidespin and underspin it has (he doesn't know either) and it bounces in totally unpredictable ways. It's not really that visible on the video but it curves sideways a foot or two in the air, and then bounces sideways with different amounts of forward carry. I need to learn this shot!

I'm going to go back to using Silver 7 Tour for the next couple of stringjobs, then will string up my second pack of Solstice Black afterwards to get a good comparison between those two.

 

[Paul Y]

We have tried both Focus Hex. The playability is about 3 hours for us. It’s a little better then Diadem’s Elite XT and Solstice Power. Those two strings right now are averaging just under 3 hours since my son switched racquets to the H22.

 

[BallBasher247]

We have tried both Focus Hex. The playability is about 3 hours for us. It’s a little better then Diadem’s Elite XT and Solstice Power. Those two strings right now are averaging just under 3 hours since my son switched racquets to the H22.

Yeah, sounds about right. I usually get a good 5 hours of playability out of Focus Hex (I'm not that hard of a hitter) but the lifespan of Focus Hex Soft is a bit shorter IMO. Lots of feel with both for poly strings. Focus Hex was stiff for a 1.18mm if I remember correctly. Hopefully soon I'll try solstice black; what do you think about a solstice/tourna silver 7 tour hybrid?

 

[Paul Y]

Yeah, sounds about right. I usually get a good 5 hours of playability out of Focus Hex (I'm not that hard of a hitter) but the lifespan of Focus Hex Soft is a bit shorter IMO. Lots of feel with both for poly strings. Focus Hex was stiff for a 1.18mm if I remember correctly. Hopefully soon I'll try solstice black; what do you think about a solstice/tourna silver 7 tour hybrid?

Haven’t tried that hybrid before but since my son has a Diadem discount and he likes there strings we haven’t really test a whole lot in the last 6 months.

 

[Paul Y]

Update on on the string. We got our reels of 17 gauge and have been hitting almost daily. The string is dying around 3 hours or it breaks it. My son does throughly love this string and we might need to just stick with 16L over 17. He strings at 44/41 and generally after 2 hours it’s around 31 lbs according to RacquetTune so 25% drop in tension which isn’t bad.

I say the string will last about 2 hours if he plays in a tournament and 3 hours possibly a little more if he is just doing drills. I’m kind of happy he’s using an 18x20 or it would be almost daily stringing.

 

[blai212]

i’d imagine solstice black mains with diadem flash of slightly thinner gauge would make for a good hybrid and increased durability because there would be no sharp edges from cross to grind against the mains...maybe try 16L or 16 with slightly thinner flash cross

 

[Injured Again]

I've now hit three times with 17 gauge Silver 7 Tour and it is clear that S7T is a better string than Solstice Black for playing offensive tennis. It has more grip on the ball, feels livelier and more powerful, and has a very crisp and rewarding feel when connecting cleanly. It also is much harsher when mis-hitting, and less forgiving when catching a ball high on the stringbed. But from an offensive tennis standpoint, I can shape and place the ball in more ways and more consistently with S7T. As much as it infuriates me when I get shear breaks, the performance always sucks me back in. It's cheaper and more durable, with minimal dropoff in playability up until the hour before it breaks.

 

[Paul Y]

That’s a great comparison on S7T to Solstice Black. We are trying to find a low power string similar to Solstice Black with a higher duration of playtime. My son has gotten really use to Solstice Black and how it feels. The duration on it now is close to two hours.

We are trying not to leave Diadem since we get a good discount from them.

 

[Injured Again]

That’s a great comparison on S7T to Solstice Black. We are trying to find a low power string similar to Solstice Black with a higher duration of playtime. My son has gotten really use to Solstice Black and how it feels. The duration on it now is close to two hours.

We are trying not to leave Diadem since we get a good discount from them.

I've been fortunate to test a number of newer polys that have been released and it seems many of them are designed for higher level players with high racquet head speed capability, which it sounds is where your son is. I don't think Diadem has another string in their line that is similar to those.

It may be worth it just to give them a try to see what your son thinks of them, and if they really give you any advantages in control/consistency or durability. For a low powered string, I'd give Tier One Black Knight a try, and maybe also give something like Yonex PolyTour Rev a try. PT Rev will have a higher power level. Both of those are very control-oriented strings that have relatively minimal shaping so your son won't get that help with spin like Solstice Black provides, but the control levels are noticeably better.

 

[Paul Y]

I've been fortunate to test a number of newer polys that have been released and it seems many of them are designed for higher level players with high racquet head speed capability, which it sounds is where your son is. I don't think Diadem has another string in their line that is similar to those.

It may be worth it just to give them a try to see what your son thinks of them, and if they really give you any advantages in control/consistency or durability. For a low powered string, I'd give Tier One Black Knight a try, and maybe also give something like Yonex PolyTour Rev a try. PT Rev will have a higher power level. Both of those are very control-oriented strings that have relatively minimal shaping so your son won't get that help with spin like Solstice Black provides, but the control levels are noticeably better.

Any thoughts on pre-stretching it to try to get more playability out of the string?

 

[Injured Again]

Any thoughts on pre-stretching it to try to get more playability out of the string?

Sorry - been away from the forum for several days.

I don't know that stretching Solstice Black will help with the playability. It's got the kind of feel that makes me think if I prestretch it, that it will lose that comfort and pop it has when it's new. In that sense, the playability will be more consistent because it starts at a lower level and drops less overall.

I'm on my second stringjob with Silver 7 Tour since Solstice Black, and strung up my other racquet with Cyclone Tour. When one of these sets of strings breaks, I'll get the second set of Solstice Black in there, and will do a moderate pre-stretch to see if it makes it any different.

 

[Paul Y]

Sorry - been away from the forum for several days.

I don't know that stretching Solstice Black will help with the playability. It's got the kind of feel that makes me think if I prestretch it, that it will lose that comfort and pop it has when it's new. In that sense, the playability will be more consistent because it starts at a lower level and drops less overall.

I'm on my second stringjob with Silver 7 Tour since Solstice Black, and strung up my other racquet with Cyclone Tour. When one of these sets of strings breaks, I'll get the second set of Solstice Black in there, and will do a moderate pre-stretch to see if it makes it any different.

I forgot to post it was a bad experience for my son. It did lose its characteristics as you stated in what makes Solstice Black unique.

 

[jomzsky]

i did try few hybrid combo on diadem. The one that works for me and good combo hybrid in my opinion 1st, solstice black mains/flash cross. I also tried using elite xt/flash and solstice power/flash but i keep coming back to solstice black/flash.
The reason i like this hybrid setup is because of you already know the snapback is not great if its full bed. But when i tried using flash (round co-poly) as cross, the snapback is great and i can definitely feel the power/spin and comfort.

Currently using Wilson Blade 98S with string tension 54lbs on both 18G or 52lbs on both 17G.

 

[liftordie]

Can't wait to try my string of choice Focus Hex 16 in my incoming 100X 305!!
I will start at 49lbs (22kg).