Head Lynx Tour vs Yonex Poly Tour Pro

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Equipment used:

Racquet: Yonex Vcore Pro 97 330 (2018 model)
Gauge of strings: Head Lynx Tour was 1.25 mm and Yonex Poly Tour Pro was 1.20 mm
Tension: Both strings were strung at 55 lbs mains and crosses.
Time played: 12 hours for both

Yonex poly tour pro is $16 ( a set)
Head Lynx Tour is $12 (a set)

Racquet Specs:

Weight: 356 g
Balance: 31.77 cm
Swingweight: 333.8 kg-cm^2
Recoilweight: 165
Mgr/I: 21.147

General Thoughts (Will update the comparison in the upcoming days) :

The Head Lynx tour is a lot more powerful and forgiving than the Yonex poly tour pro on off-center hits. The Head lynx tour has less spin potential and adds more weight to the head of the racquet (pretty thick for a 1.25mm, seems like a 1.30)... Stay tuned for the comparison!

Edit: I took the time and tried the Yonex poly tour pro in 1.25mm at 55 pounds for the matter of control and consistency in the comparison. It wasn't much different from the 1.20 mm but screw it. I used it for 12 hours like the other two.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Back to the Actual Comparison Between the Head Lynx Tour 1.25mm at 55 pounds and the Yonex Poly Tour Pro 1.25mm at 55 pounds!

Power: The lynx tour completely destroyed the poly tour pro in terms of power for both the 1.25mm and the 1.20mm. It was easier to hit deeper balls with the lynx tour than with the Yonex(s). Also, it was much easier to block balls and slice them back with the lynx tour. The Yonex was somewhat powerful but not even close to the head lynx tour. Faster swing speed was required to acquire the depth I got with the lynx tour. Lastly, the power of the lynx tour allowed for a better redirection of fall incoming balls.

Feel: This category was also dominated by the lynx tour. It resembled natural gut in a way. It was soft in contact, weird for a supposedly stiff string. Played more like a gut/poly hybrid rather than a regular poly. The Yonex was soft but stiffen with time. The feel of the Yonex was not the most pleasant. Slices felt weird and powerless. I'll end this category with this: The lynx tour felt like I could get away with any shot but the Yonex allowed for less foul play. The Yonex felt more traditional, offered a smaller sweet zone than the head lynx tour.

Spin: The Yonex dominated this category. It had a great kick on serves and forehands, while the lynx tour allowed for more flat play. If you play with loppy swings, I would recommend the Yonex but if you hit the ball on the meat/center (flatter play), I would recommend the head lynx tour. However, the head lynx tour did have a lot of spin, enough to do all needed on the court. It simply had everything and lacked nothing. A decent string that never let you down. I would say that these strings are better adaptable to your style of play and could very well be used for anything. Regardless, if you hit a little flatter but want more spin, these both could work for you.

Durability: The head lynx tour dominated this category. I used all the strings tested for 12 hours, but the lynx tour just kept going. I would only recommend using the Yonex strings if you string more often than usual, or at least once every two weeks. The Yonex was stiff for the first hour but then settled. The head lynx tour always played the same. It literally never changed. I was very surprised!

THE FINAL VERDICT!

In my opinion, the Head Lynx Tour is the better string here (it's also cheaper!!). It is far more powerful, forgiving, durable, and better feeling than the Yonex string (16 dollars for the Yonex is a bit too much). If you have access to the lynx tour, have it. It is a much better string than hyper g, tour bite, and even the fan-favorite, Volkl Cyclone. Head lynx tour is a quality string. Use it.

P.S. The lynx tour string was created not Head but by Isospeed. Coming from a smaller company, we know this must be of good quality ( Volkl is a great example). The lynx tour was made to win the competition over hype g, being a blend of head lynx and head hawk touch. This is a good string for those who want to improve their level. Once again, Give it a try, you might like it!!

Peace ;)
 
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Great review thank you. I have been playing with the Yonex Vcore 95 ('18 version) and used Poly Tour Pro 1.20mm. I agree, has good spin however feel and pocketing are not there. Also has an odd hard, wire-like feel although still comfortable. I have Head's Lynx Tour queued next. You mentioned ISO Speed developed the string. Can you share where you got that info from? Will report back on how I go with the Lynx Tour.
 
Exactly my thoughts. I tried yppt once but cut it out after 15 minutes. The spin was decent but it lacked feel and power. Head lynx tour is really good in every department except free spin. I use it in a hybrid with NG. After trying many strings including hyper g, volkl cyclone, Alu power, confidential, tour bite and some others, nothing feels as good and predictable as lynx tour. I’m so convinced about this string that after months of testing I’ll finally buy a couple of reels.
 
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kipek said:
Great review thank you. I have been playing with the Yonex Vcore 95 ('18 version) and used Poly Tour Pro 1.20mm. I agree, has good spin however feel and pocketing are not there. Also has an odd hard, wire-like feel although still comfortable. I have Head's Lynx Tour queued next. You mentioned ISO Speed developed the string. Can you share where you got that info from? Will report back on how I go with the Lynx Tour.
Click to expand...
I watched a podcast that @tennisnerd did with one of the Head ambassadors. This is the link to the podcast :
 
kipek said:
Great review thank you. I have been playing with the Yonex Vcore 95 ('18 version) and used Poly Tour Pro 1.20mm. I agree, has good spin however feel and pocketing are not there. Also has an odd hard, wire-like feel although still comfortable. I have Head's Lynx Tour queued next. You mentioned ISO Speed developed the string. Can you share where you got that info from? Will report back on how I go with the Lynx Tour.
Click to expand...
Did you ever try Lynx Tour?
 
I am having the opposite experience in the same racquet at a similar tension. I don't think the vcore pro 330 plays well at all with lynx tour. To me it just feels stiff/boardy, is giving me arm pain and I can't do anything with the ball. YPTP feels much better but it only lasts a few hours before turning into a trampoline. I prefer solinco confidential, although I'm testing other strings too. Maybe after a few more hours the Lynx Tour will play better, but I can't hit with it for more than 15 minutes at a time before wanting to cut it out and switching to my other racquet.
 
What'sABackhand said:
I am having the opposite experience in the same racquet at a similar tension. I don't think the vcore pro 330 plays well at all with lynx tour. To me it just feels stiff/boardy, is giving me arm pain and I can't do anything with the ball. YPTP feels much better but it only lasts a few hours before turning into a trampoline. I prefer solinco confidential, although I'm testing other strings too. Maybe after a few more hours the Lynx Tour will play better, but I can't hit with it for more than 15 minutes at a time before wanting to cut it out and switching to my other racquet.
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Confidential is slightly stiffer than Lynx Tour. I'm a bit confused at why you feel the way you do. What tension are you using with Lynx Tour?
 
52x50 lbs. One racquet has confidential and the other has lynx tour. To me lynx tour feels like a board but confidential feels more wirey and has some give/pocketing to it, so it's a different type of stiffness and feeling.
 
What'sABackhand said:
52x50 lbs. One racquet has confidential and the other has lynx tour. To me lynx tour feels like a board but confidential feels more wirey and has some give/pocketing to it, so it's a different type of stiffness and feeling.
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Lynx Tour should be strung somewhere between 42 and 46 depending on the head size and string pattern. 50 to 52 is waaaaay too tight. There lies your problem.
 
One point you make is price - PTP is about $30 cheaper by reel depending where you buy. Havent tried lynx tour but love PTP
 
swfh said:
One point you make is price - PTP is about $30 cheaper by reel depending where you buy. Havent tried lynx tour but love PTP
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I've tried PTP in non-Yonex racquets in different tensions and never found it to be as harmonious of a pairing as with my Ezones
 
TennisManiac said:
Did you ever try Lynx Tour?
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hey, yes I did try it and played with it on and off for a few months. A few have noted its stiffness and I must say I agree. I strung it at 50lbs - it was stiff and I felt pain in my elbow after 90mins hitting sessions. I only enjoyed it on hot days (it's summer where I am) so when looser feel was nice, good pop from the centre of the racquet and decent spin. Overall preferred the YPTP. More comfort, just as good feel, more forgiving for off-centre shots similar power and spin.

I would say Head lynx tour needs an elite player to maximise its potential, have cut it out and now planning on using Lux 4G, as I love it in my VCP 310.
 
alpenglo said:
Anybody tried crossing Lynx Tour with Lynx Touch? My elbow is leery of a full bed of LT!
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No but that's a good idea. Alternatively, I have tried it crossed with Hawk Touch, and the feel is amazing (there's a thread on it) - highly recommend that option as well.
 
String lynx tour low. It is comfortable at lower tensions. There's a pretty big delta between lynx tour and lynx touch - I would think it would be a little inconsistent (and the strings will age differently).
 
HLT17 / HHT17 hybrid is probably the most comfortable poly setup I've tried yet. It is amazingly similar to a gut/poly setup with really good ball pocketing and feel. Just need to dial in the tension.
HLT17 playability lasts forever too somehow with very little notching.
My only complaint is that it's a heavier string than normal so expect an increase of SW with it strung.
 
dave t said:
String lynx tour low. It is comfortable at lower tensions. There's a pretty big delta between lynx tour and lynx touch - I would think it would be a little inconsistent (and the strings will age differently).
Click to expand...

Definitely agree... anything above 20 kg with Lynx Tour 125 is way too much and too stiff. With so much tension maintenance, 18-20 kg is the way to go!

Have it at 18kg in my Gravity Tour and it's pretty amazing
 
String colour seems to play slightly different also with the 2. I like the champagne HLT more than the grey for the better pockety feel. The yellow YPTP feels softer than the blue also.
 
Ryebread said:
I always thought lynx tour was a little bit to stiff, am I mistaken?
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1.25 can be stiff if strung too tight for sure, especially a full bed. I like the 1.2 gauge, better comfort, feel and spin than the 1.25, less weight too. With 1.25 I wouldn’t go more than ~48-50. I like 1.2 at 50-52 (eCP) crossed with hawk touch 1.25
 
Fighting phoenix said:
No but that's a good idea. Alternatively, I have tried it crossed with Hawk Touch, and the feel is amazing (there's a thread on it) - highly recommend that option as well.
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I'll have to try Hawk Touch. I did go ahead and string my Boom Pro with Lynx Tour mains and Lynx Touch Crosses and am thus far (two matches, 5 sets in) pretty happy with the results. Prior to this I was using Lynx Tour crossed with Velocity MLT and the difference is really surprising and almost all positive. Compared to an identical racquet with LTour and Velocity the LTouch created a much more forgiving stringbed with about he same power as the MLT and better spin. About the only knock I have on it is that my touch shots are not quite working with this new setup. Anyway, if this holds up I am a convert to soft poly crosses!
 
dave t said:
String lynx tour low. It is comfortable at lower tensions. There's a pretty big delta between lynx tour and lynx touch - I would think it would be a little inconsistent (and the strings will age differently).
Click to expand...
I will report back on how they age together but so far, at 46lbs both ways, the LTouch is a wonderful cross. I will say that the last time I tried LTouch I had Confidential in the mains and the LTouch sawed through it, and quickly! Very surprising for a smooth poly. It must have weird frictional properties. If it does that with my LTour I may try it agian with Babolat String savers...
 
alpenglo said:
I will report back on how they age together but so far, at 46lbs both ways, the LTouch is a wonderful cross. I will say that the last time I tried LTouch I had Confidential in the mains and the LTouch sawed through it, and quickly! Very surprising for a smooth poly. It must have weird frictional properties. If it does that with my LTour I may try it agian with Babolat String savers...
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Okay, I have played several matches (about 8 hours) on LTour/LTouch and have yet to see any noticeable notching. What I have noticed is that the racquet is getting pretty launchy compared to the same mains at the same tension with Velocity rather than Lynx Touch as the cross. Wondering if LTouch tension loss is exceptionally high? Anyway, so far so good. Although I may have to up the tension on the next string job to cure the launchiness, the forgiveness and consistency of the stringbed are confidence-inspiring on my FH, OHBH, and serve. There has been one weird, head-scratching negative with the LTouch crosses, though: my touch shots are falling dead (usually into the net). I have hit maybe one successful drop shot since trying this string when ususally I'll have 4 or 5 per match. Just odd.
 
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gebruikershaes said:
Exactly my thoughts. I tried yppt once but cut it out after 15 minutes. The spin was decent but it lacked feel and power. Head lynx tour is really good in every department except free spin. I use it in a hybrid with NG. After trying many strings including hyper g, volkl cyclone, Alu power, confidential, tour bite and some others, nothing feels as good and predictable as lynx tour. I’m so convinced about this string that after months of testing I’ll finally buy a couple of reels.
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What color did you use? I think most even the pro prefer this in yellow. I thought yellow played far more power and spin than the blue/black.
 
alpenglo said:
Okay, I have played several matches (about 8 hours) on LTour/LTouch and have yet to see any noticeable notching. What I have noticed is that the racquet is getting pretty launchy compared to the same mains at the same tension with Velocity rather than Lynx Touch as the cross. Wondering if LTouch tension loss is exceptionally high? Anyway, so far so good. Although I may have to up the tension on the next string job to cure the launchiness, the forgiveness and plushness of the stringbed are confidence-inspiring on my FH, OHBH, and serve. There has been one weird, head-scratching negative with the LTouch crosses, though: my touch shots are falling dead (usually into the net). I have hit maybe one successful drop shot since trying this string when ususally I'll have 4 or 5 per match. YMMV.
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Try Hawk touch instead as a cross. Much better IMO
 
I’ve never used the ezone.. but I prefer Lynx tour 17 over the strings mentioned (have not tried rpm rough though). Do not like the feel of confidential, ptp loses tension very fast. LT 17 feels more solid than 18 to me. I would use18 if I had a denser pattern racquet.
 
Alex7778 said:
So would you say that for an ezone 98 16x19, that lynx tour 18 is better than ptp 1.25, solinco confidential 17 and RPM rough 17? If so, why might I ask?
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LT 1.2 has more feel and is more comfortable than Confidential. PTP 1.25 Is excellent in that frame as well, especially when fresh. Don’t know about rpm rough. LT 1.25 is too stiff for me in the denser pattern of EZ98 and Blades. Like the 1.2 much better.
 
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dave t said:
I’ve never used the ezone.. but I prefer Lynx tour 17 over the strings mentioned (have not tried rpm rough though). Do not like the feel of confidential, ptp loses tension very fast. LT 17 feels more solid than 18 to me. I would use18 if I had a denser pattern racquet.
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What racket do you use the lynx tour in? Totally agree that lynx tour has the best feel out of the lot. When I used the 17 previously it was a bit too much for the arm. Have been trying to get 18 here in the uk but had no luck. Really like ptp for the first 2 hours and then tension is gone.
 
I find that PTP works quite well in dense string patterns like Ezone / Vcore Pro . The tension loss is not a big problem with frames like those.
 
ClownCar96 said:
LT 1.2 has more feel and is more comfortable than Confidential. PTP 1.25 Is excellent in that frame as well, especially when fresh. Don’t know about rpm rough. LT 1.25 is too stiff for me in the denser pattern of EZ98 and Blades. Like the 1.2 much better.
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If I could get hold of lynx tour 1.2, I would probably stick with it. Lynx tour feel is so good. The problem with ptp is the drop off in tension after a few hours. 1.25 lynx tour I liked but was too much for the arm. Did you notice much difference between 1.2 and 1.25 lynx tour other than comfortability?
 
Alex7778 said:
Do you not notice the tension drop quickly in the ezones after a couple of hours using them?
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I noticed it using PTP Yellow 1.25 at 50lbs in my Ezone 100. Lasted me about 6.5 hours before the balls started flying and my elbow and shoulder were sore the next day. Cut them out and strung with Lynx Tour 17 and enjoying the tension maintenance and feel so far. My second Ezone 100 is strung with Toroline Caviar 16L at 50lbs and (based on TennComm's recommendation) it feels like PTP Yellow freshly strung where it's a bit more crisp and firm. I will have to see how long it lasts but if I had to pick one of the two it would be the HLT.

Next two string jobs to try are Grapplesnake Alpha and Kirschbaum Pro Line II black just to see if I like either better than HLT.
 
snahzje said:
I noticed it using PTP Yellow 1.25 at 50lbs in my Ezone 100. Lasted me about 6.5 hours before the balls started flying and my elbow and shoulder were sore the next day. Cut them out and strung with Lynx Tour 17 and enjoying the tension maintenance and feel so far. My second Ezone 100 is strung with Toroline Caviar 16L at 50lbs and (based on TennComm's recommendation) it feels like PTP Yellow freshly strung where it's a bit more crisp and firm. I will have to see how long it lasts but if I had to pick one of the two it would be the HLT.

Next two string jobs to try are Grapplesnake Alpha and Kirschbaum Pro Line II black just to see if I like either better than HLT.
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It’s so annoying that the tension drops off so much after a short period of time with ptp. For me that’s probably the main con with that string because other than that it’s pretty good. How does the lynx tour 17 compare to your ptp in the ezone 100? If your arm can withstand the stiffness then lynx tour feels like a better option because of the tension maintenance.
 
Alex7778 said:
It’s so annoying that the tension drops off so much after a short period of time with ptp. For me that’s probably the main con with that string because other than that it’s pretty good. How does the lynx tour 17 compare to your ptp in the ezone 100? If your arm can withstand the stiffness then lynx tour feels like a better option because of the tension maintenance.
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Agreed: I have moved on from PTP because the life was so short. HLT is a bit different as the 17g feels more like 16g so I am finding I like the additional swing weight a bit more + it feels more controlled. It's also shaped vs. round so I get a bit more bite on the ball. It's not as soft as PTP so if you have elbow discomfort it might be a bit jarring for you but so far it's been easier on my arm than the Toroline Caviar (but just general fatigue, no pain).

I don't have a final tally on hours with HLT since I am still mid-playtest but it feels pretty much the same after ~5 hours as it did when I strung it up which is a good sign.
 
snahzje said:
Agreed: I have moved on from PTP because the life was so short. HLT is a bit different as the 17g feels more like 16g so I am finding I like the additional swing weight a bit more + it feels more controlled. It's also shaped vs. round so I get a bit more bite on the ball. It's not as soft as PTP so if you have elbow discomfort it might be a bit jarring for you but so far it's been easier on my arm than the Toroline Caviar (but just general fatigue, no pain).

I don't have a final tally on hours with HLT since I am still mid-playtest but it feels pretty much the same after ~5 hours as it did when I strung it up which is a good sign.
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The extra bit of swingweight is very nice and noticeable on certain shots. Have you tried 18 HLT? I used 17 and felt a bit of discomfort so had to stop using it. Ptp is best as a full bed as when it’s in a hybrid it doesn’t play that well imo. I know a lot of people like the pt strike or pt spin with it but something feels missing with both those 2 set ups. If you have managed to get 5+ hours and there isn’t much difference in tension with HLT that’s pretty good. What other strings have you found to work with your ezone 100? Tour bite soft is good as is confidential. Hyper g is always a love/ hate for most people. Caviar plays well in most rackets and is a little underrated.
 
Alex7778 said:
The extra bit of swingweight is very nice and noticeable on certain shots. Have you tried 18 HLT? I used 17 and felt a bit of discomfort so had to stop using it. Ptp is best as a full bed as when it’s in a hybrid it doesn’t play that well imo. I know a lot of people like the pt strike or pt spin with it but something feels missing with both those 2 set ups. If you have managed to get 5+ hours and there isn’t much difference in tension with HLT that’s pretty good. What other strings have you found to work with your ezone 100? Tour bite soft is good as is confidential. Hyper g is always a love/ hate for most people. Caviar plays well in most rackets and is a little underrated.
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My Ezone 100 frames are pretty new to me so I had been using PTP pretty much exclusively since I got them. Previously I was using a pair of 2016 Pure Aeros and had preferred 18g HyperG in those. I have found as my game evolves that I prefer a much more controlled stringbed with a lower launch angle which is why I switched (and probably why I am liking 17g HLT since it feels like 16g).
 
snahzje said:
My Ezone 100 frames are pretty new to me so I had been using PTP pretty much exclusively since I got them. Previously I was using a pair of 2016 Pure Aeros and had preferred 18g HyperG in those. I have found as my game evolves that I prefer a much more controlled stringbed with a lower launch angle which is why I switched (and probably why I am liking 17g HLT since it feels like 16g).
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Have you tried hyper g in the ezone since you used it with the aero? Yeah the lynx tour and ezone combo is very good and offers more than hyper g or ptp. Hopefully the 1.2 lynx tour is easier on the arm and performs just as well. What colour string of HLT do you use?
 
Alex7778 said:
Have you tried hyper g in the ezone since you used it with the aero? Yeah the lynx tour and ezone combo is very good and offers more than hyper g or ptp. Hopefully the 1.2 lynx tour is easier on the arm and performs just as well. What colour string of HLT do you use?
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I haven't yet! I used the opportunity to branch out to different strings. I should probably throw some Hyper G in the frame to see how it plays.

I use champagne HLT and I like it.
 
snahzje said:
I haven't yet! I used the opportunity to branch out to different strings. I should probably throw some Hyper G in the frame to see how it plays.

I use champagne HLT and I like it.
Click to expand...
Ahh I thought that would’ve been one of the first strings you tried when moving to the ezone but it makes sense to try other strings when testing out new rackets as you could find a set up that’s better. Champagne has the best feel and touch out of all the colours imo.
 
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