Looking for the best mid-priced poly

Fugazi

Fugazi

Professional
Hello, I'm a 5.0-5.5 player and want a good poly, but Luxilon and Babolat RPM blast are a bit expensive. Looking for good tension maintenance, feel, and spin. 16L or 17 gauge preferably, because I'm a string breaker. I liked Tourna big hitter silver rough 17 for about 30 minutes, then I started losing tension/control. Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour 16 is fine, but the feel and liveliness are a bit disappointing. Any suggestions?
 
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drgchen

Rookie
I have been using Solinco tour bite as a possible alternative to Luxilon.

Not sure about tension maintenance, but the string is stiff and it plays ok even as it loses tension. Recently experimenting with several other polys (SPPP, BHB7, Polystar) which are less expensive by the reel- no conclusions as of now. Some people have been recommending Genesis black magic, have yet to try because I didn't like Genesis spin x.
 
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JT_2eighty

JT_2eighty

Hall of Fame
Tour Bite for best spin and control

Genesis Typhoon for tension maintenance and feel

Tour bite main / Typhoon cross for best of both
 
Fugazi

Fugazi

Professional
Thanks, never heard about Genesis, I'll look into it. I'll definitely give the Tour Bite a try, heard good things about that one. How about Kirschbaum?
 
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Rjtennis

Hall of Fame
I'd try Kirschbaum Pro-Line II, it's a great string. I've heard some really good things about the Yonex Poly Pro which is also reasonable. Tour Bite is going to to stiff like Pro Hurricane. If you didn't care for that, I'd pass on the Tour Bite and go for something softer.
 
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dhdriver

Rookie
I recommend Kirschbaum Pro Line II and Pro Line X

I also recommend Yonex Poly Tour Spin. Great string.

You should also try Volkl Cyclone!
 
J

jman32

Rookie
Fugazi said:
Thanks, never heard about Genesis, I'll look into it. I'll definitely give the Tour Bite a try, heard good things about that one. How about Kirschbaum?
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it sounds like we have similar interest in strings. i like Alu power and BHSR 16gg as well. prefer control and like a crisp but not too stiff feel.

typhoon plays well similar to (even a little better than) BH Silver Rough. however performance drops quickly. you might only get 1-2 hours of good performance.

try yonex poly tour HS 125. this is crisp but not harsh. really great control, able to go after the ball similar to Alu Power with better tension control. this string performs better the harder you hit. i would string this on the looser side of your preferred tension range. very durable, difficult to "notch" but will lose power as you play and will retain control as power drops. have not tried poly tour pro.

silverstring is a good all around string: good at everything, becomes much cheaper on a reel.

i have played pro line X and did not care for it. mushy feel, high powered and limited control. i have not played PL2, but i get the feeling it is also mushy from reviews.
 
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dabudabuda

Rookie
I like the Silverstring suggestions for tension maintenance and spin. Feel is pretty subjective.

SPPP is a classic known for its tension stability.
 
Fugazi

Fugazi

Professional
I already have Volkl Cyclone and MSV Focus Hex, will try them soon. SPPP is tempting, and so are Yonex Poly Tour and Silverstring.
 
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Shangri La

Shangri La

Hall of Fame
Another vote for the Silverstring. Nice all-around performance and lasts a long time, which keeps $ per hour low.
 
O

Oz_Rocket

Professional
spinovic said:
I really liked Sonic Pro, but I don't see many fans on here.
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I'm a big fan of Sonic Pro as well as it is very soft for my ageing arms and plays well in my frame (Graphene Speed Pro). But I wouldn't say it has good tension maintenance.

Another vote for SPPP. It maintains tension a lot better and is reasonably priced. Well worth a try for the OP.
 
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duffman

Rookie
Another vote for Yonex Pro Poly Tour. Has a crisp feel with some pop and also grabs the ball nicely. I string it at 50 lbs in my bab pure storm tour. Very comfortable as well.
 
T

TennisCJC

Legend
Tecnifibre RuffCode
Signum Pro Tornado
Signum Pro Hyperion
Kirshbaum Pro Line II
Tecnifibre RedCode
Tecnifibre BlackCode
Weiss Cannon Silver String

All in 16L or 17 gauge - all are good and worth a demo
 
W

wmilas

Rookie
I like BHB7. Great bang for the buck by the reel. The 17 is more like an 18 so if you are a breaker, try the 16. Its shaped, softish, moderately powerful. I cross it with TCS but it crosses well with any smooth poly.

I like it better than Silverstring and Tour bite. I break poly in under 8 hours usually around 6 so I have no idea what its like after that. It has pretty good tension maintenance but the shape does wear of at around hour 4 and spin lessens a bit, but still very good. For the price of a reel you could just restring every 4 hours if that's an issue.

Btw this stuff feels nothing like MSV co-Focus or hex. Those feel mushy to me where this feels soft yet crisp.

Hope that helps.
 
N

NLBwell

Legend
Kirsh Pro Line X is a very good string. It is very stiff, however, so even though I play well with it, it does bother my elbow (I'm playing with a tear in my elbow tendon).
 
S

spinovic

Hall of Fame
Fugazi said:
I already have Volkl Cyclone and MSV Focus Hex, will try them soon. SPPP is tempting, and so are Yonex Poly Tour and Silverstring.
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Granted, I haven't tried a huge number of polys...

Sonic Pro
Tour Bite Soft
Boris Becker Bomber
Luxilon M2 Pro
Cyclone
Gamma Poly Z


Out of those, Cyclone was easily the best with regards to price/performance, IMO.
 
S

sovertennis

Professional
I used SPPP for years and liked it a lot. Have since moved on to Tour Bite (and now to Tour Bite Soft). I got the most spin from TB 17 and find that TB Soft 16 and SPPP have similar play characteristics--softer than TB 17, a bit more feel and tension maintenance. If you have not arm troubles and don't mind restringing frequently, I'd go to the TB 17 and string is in the mid-40's.
 
Fugazi

Fugazi

Professional
I strung my Babolat APD at 57 with Big Hitter silver rough, and it was a bit too loose. I have no idea how some of you guys can play with tensions below 50... I string with an old weight machine, so maybe my 57 isn't truly 57, I dunno. Or maybe the APD is just a powerful racquet.
 
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ASH1485

ASH1485

Semi-Pro
alu power felt firmer and more rough , plays little better and generates more power, but loses tension quicker.

i got more control from the YPP and it felt much softer.

for the price i would go for the YPP
 
D

dknotty

Semi-Pro
ASH1485 said:
alu power felt firmer and more rough , plays little better and generates more power, but loses tension quicker.

i got more control from the YPP and it felt much softer.

for the price i would go for the YPP
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Thanks for that, sounds like I should give it a go!
 
S

Sundan

Rookie
How is MSV focus hex/soft compared to Yonex pro tour ?
Also the Topspin Cyber blue ? According to the String selector 2012 it shows as really low on tension loss at about 13%,most polys have about 18-22%.
 
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jman32

Rookie
Fugazi said:
Difference between Yonex Poly Tour Pro and Poly Tour HS?
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Played with hs 1.25 (thougt it was closer to 1.30 from its feel). Have not tried tour pro,

From what I have read the hs is stiffer/crisper, less power and more control

If you like alu you will like hs. Hs Performs better as you swing harder.
 
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