Forten Sweet 16,17. Are they any good?

tennisguyak

Semi-Pro
I've heard some good reviews of Forten Sweet on here, but not too many people have mentioned it. I'm really not too sure what to think of it, but if it is a good string, then its an absolute steal at $2.99. How good is it as far as durability, spin, control, string feedback, and tension maintenance.

Here are some more strings I've tried if you can compare it to any.

Wilson Hollowcore 16
Kirschbaum P2 16
Prince Premier Softflex 17
Head RIP Control 17
Dunlop Max Comfort 17
Gamma LiveWire XP 16
Gamma Synthetic Gut 16
Gamma Poly x tra 16

I was thinking about stocking up on some cheaper strings that don't necessarily last too long but play well for a few weeks because I'll soon be buying a stringing machine and I'll be able to replace them for free by myself.
 
I currently use Forten Sweet 16 as a cross with Cyberflash mains. I switched from Head RIP Control 16 as my mains. While the stringbed isn't as soft with the RIP Control, I find that Sweet is plenty soft for use in a hybrid and lasts a lot longer than RIP Control. Sweet is definitely softer than any other synthetic gut I have tried. You can't go wrong when it is this cheap. I haven't tried it as a full set though.
 

tennisguyak

Semi-Pro
asts a lot longer than RIP Control.
Yeah, when I used it in my crosses it became extremely mushy and eventually just RIPped (as in tore). I guess it suits the name.

But it's crazy-stretchy and a ***** to string with a drop-weight.

Are you saying its stretchy while stringing, or stretches out quickly in the racket. BTW, how well does this string hold tension? I usually string multis and synthetics at 65.
 

Nanshiki

Hall of Fame
It stretches while stringing... a lot. It's so stretch I can stretch a 2-foot length of it with my bare hands (well, with a foot or two wrapped around each hand...).

I don't know how well it holds tension since I haven't used a full job yet.
 

tennisguyak

Semi-Pro
17g good cross for poly. 17g pro supex titan better cross if you want a crisper hybrid setup.

Good to know. And its actually just as cheep. I was thinking about trying PS Titan 17 in the crosses with MSV Focus Hex 16 or signum pro plasma hextreme 16 in the mains. Do you guys think this would be good? I'm mainly looking for more spin and a crisp, yet softer setup with good tension maintenance.
 

hoodjem

G.O.A.T.
I used Sweet 17 in a cross with CF 1.20. It was pretty good. . . maybe softened up the crispness of the CF a little too much (for me).

Seemed plenty durable, and not bad at all. I would say it tends to be muted more than soft. Definitely a good deal if you want a non-crisp synth.

But I would recommend against using it with a soft poly (like SPPP 1.18 ): in that combination it was mush!
 

PROTENNIS63

Hall of Fame
Forten Sweet is a terrific synthetic gut. I personally find it better to cross it in a hybrid with a stiffer poly as Sweet is nice and soft (mushy) and can really help soften up those stiff stringbeds. I would get it- like you said at $2.99 a set it is a great value.
 

aussie

Professional
Strange how most use the Sweet as a cross in a hybrid (I have as well), but not too many use it as a full setup. Well, for the last 2 weeks I have been. Strung up my TT Scream OS with full Forten Sweet 17 at 67/65 and am very happy with it. The Scream is a very control oriented frame and strung with Sweet at the high tensions I prefer, it offers control plus. The soft nature of this string softens the tightly strung stringbed and gives me a comfortable feel even at 67/65.

It is easy to string despite being very elastic, although I find it has an unusual "sticky" feel to it. After about 10 hours of play with the Sweet 17, there appears to be little evident wear, and minimal movement to mains or crosses (the high tension would assist in this regard). Tension still feels good.

All in all, I've used most syn guts and rate Sweet 17 as good as any others I have used and when you factor in the cost of a set, it is the best bang for buck syn gut available. Just a shame that reels are a little overpriced - 16 sets are cheaper than a reel which is fairly ordinary.

All in all, a great syn gut in a full or hybrid setup.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
I've heard some good reviews of Forten Sweet on here, but not too many people have mentioned it. I'm really not too sure what to think of it, but if it is a good string, then its an absolute steal at $2.99. How good is it as far as durability, spin, control, string feedback, and tension maintenance.

Here are some more strings I've tried if you can compare it to any.

Wilson Hollowcore 16
Kirschbaum P2 16
Prince Premier Softflex 17
Head RIP Control 17
Dunlop Max Comfort 17
Gamma LiveWire XP 16
Gamma Synthetic Gut 16
Gamma Poly x tra 16

I was thinking about stocking up on some cheaper strings that don't necessarily last too long but play well for a few weeks because I'll soon be buying a stringing machine and I'll be able to replace them for free by myself.

Forten Sweet works as a nice soft and inexpensive cross for Poly mains. If you go with a full stringbed... it's rather soft, IMO.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
However, don't use it with Kevlar mains if you hit with moderate to heavy topspin. The slight texture of the Forten Sweet saws right through Kevlar.
 

goosala

Hall of Fame
I use Sweet 17 as a full job in my Yonex RDS001 90. It really helps absorb impact and has awesome feel. If you want a softer string to help with arm pain then the Sweet is great to use. What is even better about Sweet 17 is that it breaks BEFORE it goes stale so you never have to deal with losing control. I like the old school syn guts like PSGO and Forten Sweet.
 

tennisguyak

Semi-Pro
I use Sweet 17 as a full job in my Yonex RDS001 90. It really helps absorb impact and has awesome feel. If you want a softer string to help with arm pain then the Sweet is great to use. What is even better about Sweet 17 is that it breaks BEFORE it goes stale so you never have to deal with losing control. I like the old school syn guts like PSGO and Forten Sweet.

I'm glad to here that, but how soon does it break. Also, I'm already using a pretty flexy frame, so I don't know if the Sweet would be any good for me in a full job. But I'll ask again, what do you guys think of Pro Supex Titan in the crosses and MSV Hex in the mains? I think that might feel a bit crisper than the Forten Sweet.
 

maui boy

New User
soft - 17g forten sweet poly hybrid crosses; good for stiffer mains like cyber flash.

use 17g pro supex titan crosses for a crisper setup; another alternative is gosen 17g micro in the crosses; both are good with the softer copolys (less than 240 lbs/inch stiffness range)
 

origmarm

Hall of Fame
I am playing at the moment with a full job of Sweet 17 (Vantage 95' at 60lbs) to try it and generally find it good for a syn. It's softer than I like but it's definitely better than Gosen OG Micro I find which just felt dull to me. I prefer PSGD overall but only because of the crisper feel. Any looser than 60lbs though and I think I wouldn't like it. For me a definite higher tension string.

Tension maintenance is average to good for a syn gut if you believe my little tension tester, I use the Gamma one. They recommend a restring after a loss of 5 STI points (their scale). Currently after 6hrs of play it stands at 2 STI units lost from when I strung it. This is a relative scale so you can't extrapolate to lbs lost but I find that the 5 STI points for a restring corresponds to what I feel, especially for the few poly setups that I have tried.

So far durability seems good, some notching after 6hrs but not huge. At present I expect similar like to PSGD given the wear

As others have mentioned its stretchy and as such a little strange to string, not a problem though. It has a slight "gummy" texture for want of a better phrase, a little tacky or sticky if you will. Fades a little with play but definitely there.

Overall a good syn, definitely in my top 5. I can see how this would make an excellent cross for softening a stiff stringjob.

Cheers, Orig
 

Spatula

Semi-Pro
I've heard some good reviews of Forten Sweet on here, but not too many people have mentioned it. I'm really not too sure what to think of it, but if it is a good string, then its an absolute steal at $2.99. How good is it as far as durability, spin, control, string feedback, and tension maintenance.

Here are some more strings I've tried if you can compare it to any.

Wilson Hollowcore 16
Kirschbaum P2 16
Prince Premier Softflex 17
Head RIP Control 17
Dunlop Max Comfort 17
Gamma LiveWire XP 16
Gamma Synthetic Gut 16
Gamma Poly x tra 16

I was thinking about stocking up on some cheaper strings that don't necessarily last too long but play well for a few weeks because I'll soon be buying a stringing machine and I'll be able to replace them for free by myself.


For 2.99 a pack how can you not simply just try a pack in both applications (full/hybrid)? It's so cheap, give it a try.

I've used only as a cross against Cyberflash (both 17g) and have been quite pleased with it.
 

goosala

Hall of Fame
In a full setup Forten Sweet is what its names says: Sweet. The feel is cushy not mushy. It lasts as long as other syn guts but will break as soon as you can tell it has lost tension. I like that better than PSGO which is a fine string but is too durable for its own good.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
In a full setup Forten Sweet is what its names says: Sweet. The feel is cushy not mushy. It lasts as long as other syn guts but will break as soon as you can tell it has lost tension. I like that better than PSGO which is a fine string but is too durable for its own good.

"Cushy... not Mushy!"

They should place that on the reel :)
 

tennisguyak

Semi-Pro
Thanks for the help everybody. I'm definitely going to give it a try. From what I hear I think it will work best in my racket maybe against MSV HEX in the mains. I will also soon be trying all of the pro supex strings since they are very well priced too
 

tennisbike

Professional
Off Topic: Some compare Ashaway Liberty 16 with Foreten Sweet 16, said that they play very similar. I would say Liberty 16 is one of the cheapest reel out there @ $35 for 720'. Forten Sweet 16 reel of 600' is priced higher at $59.95. Forten Nylon 600' is $21.95. I love the softness of Liberty 16 and would buy Liberty 16 reel over Forten Sweet 16 reel. And I would by Forten Nylon too. I am cheap, so..
I prefer to buy reels rather than packs. I think measuring out string length from a reel is less fussy than using a pack of string. Just personal preference.
 

LoanStar

Rookie
I’m undecided on these strings. I played with the 16 (57/55) the past few weeks and liked it except I was constantly having to adjust the strings. Played with the 17 yesterday (same tension) and the ball was flying and even more string movement.
 
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