DustinW
Professional
I have not tried Max Power Rough. It has been a while since I hit Cyber Flash, but I would put it in the same category as Max Power. My best guess is that Max Power should give you a firmer feel and also last longer.
Dustin's poly reviews
- Thread starter DustinW
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I have not tried Max Power Rough. It has been a while since I hit Cyber Flash, but I would put it in the same category as Max Power. My best guess is that Max Power should give you a firmer feel and also last longer.
DustinW
Professional
I have only hit ALU Power once. Playability of Max Power reminded me of ALU Power but it didn't have that uniquely crisp feel that ALU Power has.
MP vs SPE. They are pretty different. SPE is extra crispy with tons of pop and very little dwell time. MP is still crisp but less power, more control, more dwell time, more feel. Depending on your strokes, SPE will probably give you more ball bite because of the shape.
I liked Razor Code but found it a bit too powerful... kinda like SPE. Although it did have a bit of the ALU Power feel. Razor Code reminded me a lot of Genesis typhoon... loved the crispness and feel, but too much pop.
I keep trying new polys but I usually end up back at Max Power. I am liking tension at 53# in the Graphene Radical MP. I tried it at 43# and it was still really good, but I didn't fully trust it in terms of depth control. I would suggest trying low 50s.
Based on other stiffness ratings, I would guess MP to be around 200. That's how it feels anyway. I wouldn't really call MP a low-powered string. I found it pretty similar to Tour Bite.
DustinW
Professional
Revolve, Max Power Rough, Pro Line X, Super Smash Orange are all in the queue. But I am in the middle of USTA leagues, so not sure how much I will be playtesting these right now.
I am hitting Revolve now, and I've been on court with it a few times. If you hit with a decent amount of topspin, this string will make you a believer in snapback creating topspin. Seriously... its ridiculous... I can't think of another round string that even comes close.
I am hitting Revolve now, and I've been on court with it a few times. If you hit with a decent amount of topspin, this string will make you a believer in snapback creating topspin. Seriously... its ridiculous... I can't think of another round string that even comes close.
Allcourtguy
Semi-Pro
DW,
what racquet and what tension(s) are you using? I assume you are using it in a full bed?
AllCourtGuy
mikeler
Moderator
Revolve sounds interesting. I'm also still in USTA mode. If we get knocked out of Sectionals next month, then I might test out a few new strings.
DustinW
Professional
Head Graphene Radical MP. Always full bed. Usually at 53#.
DustinW
Professional
Revolve (black 1.25) was nice, but I wish it was more crisp. It is comfortable, spin-friendly, and very predictable, with low-medium power. An all around good performer, but I just didn't get the feel that I was looking for.
I hit Kirschbaum Super Smash Orange 1.30 last night. It had that crispness that I was missing with revolve, but it was still comfortable and solid without feeling harsh. It started off with a bit too much pop, but settled in nicely after about 30 min of hitting. More to come later, but I really enjoyed this string on the first time out. And it gets bonus points for looking good in the Radical LTD.
I hit Kirschbaum Super Smash Orange 1.30 last night. It had that crispness that I was missing with revolve, but it was still comfortable and solid without feeling harsh. It started off with a bit too much pop, but settled in nicely after about 30 min of hitting. More to come later, but I really enjoyed this string on the first time out. And it gets bonus points for looking good in the Radical LTD.
EasternRocks
Hall of Fame
Ever play Yonex polyesters or ALU Feel?
DustinW
Professional
Never tried ALU Feel. The only Yonex I tried was Poly Tour Spin, and it was a very brief hit so I don't remember much about it.
DustinW
Professional
I finally decided to splurge for Luxilon 4G 1.25 to see what the fuss is all about. I have it strung at 48# in a Head Graphene Radical MP. Well... so far I have to say is a really great string. But the funny thing is, I find it to be very similar to Max Power. My one knock against MP is that its crispness is the first thing to go, even though it retains its playability for quite some time. I am only about 4 hours into the 4G, but so far it seems to be holding on to that crispness a bit longer than MP.
DustinW
Professional
Luxilon 4G 16L
48# on a Head Graphene Radical MP
4G is a great performer if you like a firm, low-powered feeling stringbed that produces a predictable response. It has a great solid feel that is a bit muted and crisp at the same time.
Power is low-medium and spin is just average. I didn't think 4G was awesome at anything, but it was a solid all-around performer that I could trust.
I thought 4G was great from the first hit, and it played consistently until somewhere around the 7-8 hour mark. Unlike Max Power (which I thought 4G was VERY similar to), 4G kept its crispness during this time period (Max Power got softer and less crisp as time went on). But unfortunately, once 4G started to die, it got really firm and boardy and I also felt like the spin potential decreased.
Like I said, 4G is very similar to Max Power. I give a slight nod to Max Power for the cheaper price and the fact that it stays playable a bit longer.
Summary: predictable, solid feel, great all-around performer
48# on a Head Graphene Radical MP
4G is a great performer if you like a firm, low-powered feeling stringbed that produces a predictable response. It has a great solid feel that is a bit muted and crisp at the same time.
Power is low-medium and spin is just average. I didn't think 4G was awesome at anything, but it was a solid all-around performer that I could trust.
I thought 4G was great from the first hit, and it played consistently until somewhere around the 7-8 hour mark. Unlike Max Power (which I thought 4G was VERY similar to), 4G kept its crispness during this time period (Max Power got softer and less crisp as time went on). But unfortunately, once 4G started to die, it got really firm and boardy and I also felt like the spin potential decreased.
Like I said, 4G is very similar to Max Power. I give a slight nod to Max Power for the cheaper price and the fact that it stays playable a bit longer.
Summary: predictable, solid feel, great all-around performer
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Dutch Mike
New User
Have you already tested the Diadem Solstice Power 16 or 17 and the RS (Robin Söderling) Lyon 1.25? I loved the first one and will be testing the second one soon...
Dutch Mike
New User
Great thread this is, good stuff DustinW!
DustinW
Professional
I have not tried either of those.
Muppet
Legend
Please post your results on the RS Lyon 1.25 when you have them. I got a set and I'm going to hybrid it in the mains with Gutex Ultra 1.35 crosses (@48/53) in my signature racquet. I'm trying to replace Cyberflash, which gave me too much of a pounding after a while.
Dutch Mike
New User
I'll hit with the RS Lyon 1.20 first (cause that's my regular gauge). But as soon as I have tested properly, I will let you know.
Muppet
Legend
Thanks, I look forward to your results.
Dutch Mike
New User
I've fully tested the RS Lyon 1.20 in a full bed at 24/24 kg in my Head Graphene Radical MP. I'd say it's a medium stiff string, a bit low powered, with a tiny bit of extra spin potential. Most of all the comfort of this string is what I really liked. Durability and tension maintenance I liked a bit less, but I am to try the 1.25 gauge soon too. Great comfort for such a string I have to say.
DustinW
Professional
Tour XC has been a good string. Nothing fancy, but just a solid string with good tension maintenance. Although, it is a bit lacking in the feel and crispness departments and I wish it had just a bit more power.
So... I decided to start putting a different poly in the mains. My hope was that putting something in the mains with a bit more pop and playability would increase performance, while the Tour XC in the crosses would keep the mains from getting too lively. So far, so good! I have tried both Cyclone and Quadro Twist in the mains, and both combos were great and did exactly what I was hoping. I am getting a bit more pop while maintaining plenty of control. I never liked Cylcone because I thought it got too springy too quickly, but the Tour XC crosses seem to be keeping it in check.
mikeler
Moderator
I agree with your thoughts on XC. Nothing special in any 1 area but overall a decent string.
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
Completely agree with this review of overhyped Cyclone
mikeler
Moderator
I like Cyclone in 16g, never tried 17g. A string that works for one player won't for another. So keep up the search guys, I love reading new string reviews.
Mareqnyc
Hall of Fame
Good point. It's impossible to discuss other players perception. Technically I can play with ANY string, some do what I intend better, some worse. Tried Cyclone in all gauges and it gets the job done, but I must admit that I had very high expectations that were not met...
WYK
Hall of Fame
The big advantage to top silver and blue is they perform solidly and are dirt cheap. As cheap as PSG sometimes. Good for stiff frames. I tend to use this as a hybrid cross with something more firm/ crisp.
DustinW
Professional
Solinco Hyper-G 16 & 16L
52# on a Head Graphene Radical MP
Hyper-G is hard to categorize... it is firm feeling in response but also very comfortable. It has a hint of crispness (especially for the first few hours) but I would put it in more in the not-crisp-but-not-muted category like Luxilon 4G and Kirschbaum Max Power.
Feel is one of the standout features of this string. Usually I have to go to a soft poly to get feel, but Hyper-G gives you awesome feel in a firmer string. And the touch is outstanding, which is not normally a characteristic you would find in a firmer poly.
Playability during is great. There is no break-in period, and I can easily head toward that 10 hours mark with minimal change in performance. It is definitely on the control side of the power-control curve, but it has just enough pop to keep me happy.
I played both the 16 and 16L gauges. They play very similarly, but I liked the 16L just a bit more, because I thought the stringbed felt a bit more responsive.
This nudges out Max Power as my new favorite! I always wanted a shaped version of Max Power that would give me some grab on the ball, and Hyper-G does just that. It doesn't produce crazy spin like some other strings, but it grabs the ball just enough to be noticeable.
Summary: predictable, firm but comfortable
52# on a Head Graphene Radical MP
Hyper-G is hard to categorize... it is firm feeling in response but also very comfortable. It has a hint of crispness (especially for the first few hours) but I would put it in more in the not-crisp-but-not-muted category like Luxilon 4G and Kirschbaum Max Power.
Feel is one of the standout features of this string. Usually I have to go to a soft poly to get feel, but Hyper-G gives you awesome feel in a firmer string. And the touch is outstanding, which is not normally a characteristic you would find in a firmer poly.
Playability during is great. There is no break-in period, and I can easily head toward that 10 hours mark with minimal change in performance. It is definitely on the control side of the power-control curve, but it has just enough pop to keep me happy.
I played both the 16 and 16L gauges. They play very similarly, but I liked the 16L just a bit more, because I thought the stringbed felt a bit more responsive.
This nudges out Max Power as my new favorite! I always wanted a shaped version of Max Power that would give me some grab on the ball, and Hyper-G does just that. It doesn't produce crazy spin like some other strings, but it grabs the ball just enough to be noticeable.
Summary: predictable, firm but comfortable
njhmusicman
Semi-Pro
I would try Weiss Cannon Ultra Cable. It is the top rated string for spin on TWU and TW just reviewed it and said it is one of the most spin friendly strings, more spin friendly than hyper-g and Tourbite.
Dannyfreed
New User
Def try the WC Ultra Cable, but also the BE5 is a v nice string too.What should I try next?
I've got a reel of UC and I've had to string it really high on my crank to get it to settle at the right spot after 24 hours and 1 hitting session. I've been starting it at 63 m/67 c. Immediately after stringing it's 49 in racket tune and then it's at 43 after my first hitting session. It will gradually settle to 41 after multiple playing days. It's magical if you can keep it above 41. I had to string my racket 3 times before I got up high enough to keep it there.
DustinW
Professional
Weiss Cannon Ultra Cable 17
52# on a Head Graphene Radical MP
I will start off by saying that I probably didn't spend long enough with this one to give it a fair shake, but there was honestly nothing about it that made me want to keep playing with it. I played one set of singles with it and put it back in the bag. I will also note that I hit this only a few hours off the stringer, while I typically let a racket sit for a day or two after stringing.
This string is square.... really square. Tour Bite and other strings are square, but not like Ultra Cable. It has a very defined shaped that you can see and feel. One thing that I noticed while stringing was that it was leaving something slippery feeling on my fingers (felt like a silicon-based lubricant).
On the very first hit, I was like "oh that was weird"... weird sounding and weird feeling. And that I launched the next 2 or 3 balls into the back fence (this is not normal for me). I settled in quickly and I was hitting fine after that.
The thing that really bothered me about this string was that it's feel and response was constantly changing. Sometimes it felt low-powered and boardy, while other times it was launchy and springy and a bit too powerful. I don't know if it was changing over time, or if it was giving a different response across the stringbed... but I never got comfortable with it.
I was expecting monster spin from this string, but I wasn't feeling it. It could have been because I wasn't feeling comfortable enough with it to really swing out on my groundstrokes.
So that's it... one set and I'm done with Ultra Cable. I know the TW playtesters loved it so don't be afraid to give it a shot. But I was not a fan with the brief time that I spent with it.
52# on a Head Graphene Radical MP
I will start off by saying that I probably didn't spend long enough with this one to give it a fair shake, but there was honestly nothing about it that made me want to keep playing with it. I played one set of singles with it and put it back in the bag. I will also note that I hit this only a few hours off the stringer, while I typically let a racket sit for a day or two after stringing.
This string is square.... really square. Tour Bite and other strings are square, but not like Ultra Cable. It has a very defined shaped that you can see and feel. One thing that I noticed while stringing was that it was leaving something slippery feeling on my fingers (felt like a silicon-based lubricant).
On the very first hit, I was like "oh that was weird"... weird sounding and weird feeling. And that I launched the next 2 or 3 balls into the back fence (this is not normal for me). I settled in quickly and I was hitting fine after that.
The thing that really bothered me about this string was that it's feel and response was constantly changing. Sometimes it felt low-powered and boardy, while other times it was launchy and springy and a bit too powerful. I don't know if it was changing over time, or if it was giving a different response across the stringbed... but I never got comfortable with it.
I was expecting monster spin from this string, but I wasn't feeling it. It could have been because I wasn't feeling comfortable enough with it to really swing out on my groundstrokes.
So that's it... one set and I'm done with Ultra Cable. I know the TW playtesters loved it so don't be afraid to give it a shot. But I was not a fan with the brief time that I spent with it.
DustinW
Professional
Tecnifibre Black Code 4S 16
52# on a Head Graphene Radical MP
I was excited to play this string because it was nearly off the charts on spin potential. Plus it is fairly stiff, square shaped, and had numbers that showed it to have good tension maintenance. All of my boxes were checked with this one.
Well, I will start by saying that this is a very firm string... probably one of the firmest strings that I can remember playing with. If you want dwell time or comfort or feel, then look elsewhere. If you want control and consistency, then maybe check it out.
Because of the firmness, comfort was just ok and touch/feel was fairly low. Rackets and strings don't bother my joints very often, but my shoulder really didn't like serving with this. But the funny thing was that I served GREAT with this string.
Although very firm, it had a nice crisp feel that I enjoy. Control was outstanding, spin was better than average, and power was in the medium range for a polyester. With slow swing speeds, I found it to feel somewhat lifeless, but it comes alive the faster you swing.
I put about 8 hours on this string between singles and doubles. It played fairly consistent over time. Somewhere in the middle, I thought it became a little more powerful (but not in a bad springy way), and then at the end it started to go dead (less crisp, less power, more uncomfortable). But overall, it had good tension maintenance.
My favorite thing about this string was serving. I could just hit bombs with it wherever I wanted, but unfortunately my shoulder wasn't a huge fan. Volleys was my least favorite things about this string, because of its lack of touch. Groundstrokes were good, but I was really left wanting more dwell time.
Summary: very firm, great control, good tension maintenance, below average comfort
52# on a Head Graphene Radical MP
I was excited to play this string because it was nearly off the charts on spin potential. Plus it is fairly stiff, square shaped, and had numbers that showed it to have good tension maintenance. All of my boxes were checked with this one.
Well, I will start by saying that this is a very firm string... probably one of the firmest strings that I can remember playing with. If you want dwell time or comfort or feel, then look elsewhere. If you want control and consistency, then maybe check it out.
Because of the firmness, comfort was just ok and touch/feel was fairly low. Rackets and strings don't bother my joints very often, but my shoulder really didn't like serving with this. But the funny thing was that I served GREAT with this string.
Although very firm, it had a nice crisp feel that I enjoy. Control was outstanding, spin was better than average, and power was in the medium range for a polyester. With slow swing speeds, I found it to feel somewhat lifeless, but it comes alive the faster you swing.
I put about 8 hours on this string between singles and doubles. It played fairly consistent over time. Somewhere in the middle, I thought it became a little more powerful (but not in a bad springy way), and then at the end it started to go dead (less crisp, less power, more uncomfortable). But overall, it had good tension maintenance.
My favorite thing about this string was serving. I could just hit bombs with it wherever I wanted, but unfortunately my shoulder wasn't a huge fan. Volleys was my least favorite things about this string, because of its lack of touch. Groundstrokes were good, but I was really left wanting more dwell time.
Summary: very firm, great control, good tension maintenance, below average comfort
DustinW
Professional
I tried it once about 2 years ago. Unfortunately I don't remember too much about it.
DustinW
Professional
Update on Black Code 4S
I dropped the tension 5 pounds (from 52 to 47), and dare I say this string is nearly magical now. The only knock that I had on it in my review was that it was a bit too firm and uncomfortable, and dropping the tension seems to solve those problems.
Everybody searches for that unicorn string that has power, control, spin, and doesn't bag out after a few hours. Black Code 4S is by far the closest I've ever come to meeting that criteria. Every time I hit the ball, I am amazed at how much power I get without feeling like I am losing control.
I dropped the tension 5 pounds (from 52 to 47), and dare I say this string is nearly magical now. The only knock that I had on it in my review was that it was a bit too firm and uncomfortable, and dropping the tension seems to solve those problems.
Everybody searches for that unicorn string that has power, control, spin, and doesn't bag out after a few hours. Black Code 4S is by far the closest I've ever come to meeting that criteria. Every time I hit the ball, I am amazed at how much power I get without feeling like I am losing control.
MarioRich
Rookie
Totally agree with you. I strung my old Head Graphene MP at 50lbs and it worked wonders! The spin, power and ball control was excellent. My only real knock on this string it popped early. My fav string right now!
pabletion
Hall of Fame
How does it fare up against regular Black Code?
MarioRich
Rookie
Normal Black code lasts longer not as spinnier as the 4s.
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