MSV Focus Hex 1.10
- Thread starter netman
- Start date
That's due to poor ten. main. Should have asked me beforehand, now you have to sell the reel. Ten. does not last 20min., and you go long, and the nubs wear off fast. If I were you, I would have bought blackcode instead, at $10/set per reel, ten. main. is far better, esp. in hybrid with vs main.
Um, it's not a particularly brilliant string, but it's not uncontrollable and senseless like Pro Line II. If you're a 6.0, then you should be able to keep a ball in even if you're playing with a walmart racquet.
I've seen lots of guys playing opens, who were only 4.0 or fetchers without weapons. Seen some big gun types, gunned down by the same type of hackers, with fast feet, no serve, and good fh. When the hackers come up against a true 6.0, they get crushed, and they find out defense is only half the picture.
MSV and their US distributor/pimp, Guts and Glory, protected themselves from exposure by barring the USRSA from doing objective testing of their strings. This is why USRSA doesn't have any data on MSV. Guts and Glory also protected Weisscannon in this way.
But TW University is now testing both MSV and Weisscannon, along with all other strings sold by TW, here: http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/learning_center/stringselector/stringselector.php
These tools let you compare strings with much more data than USRSA ever offered.
MSV has been one of the companies that really pumped the "improved tension loss" and "soft" propaganda. And without any data to check, consumers were forced to swallow it.
TW University hasn't tested Focus Hex yet, but you can see from the data on Co Focus and Focus Evo that MSV strings ain't so hot at holding tension, nor are they particularly soft.
I don't have anything against these companies, in fact I've got packs of Focus Hex, Silverstring and Turbotwist on-deck, but the marketing claims of string companies generally are really obnoxious, and pretty much nonsense.
But TW University is now testing both MSV and Weisscannon, along with all other strings sold by TW, here: http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/learning_center/stringselector/stringselector.php
These tools let you compare strings with much more data than USRSA ever offered.
MSV has been one of the companies that really pumped the "improved tension loss" and "soft" propaganda. And without any data to check, consumers were forced to swallow it.
TW University hasn't tested Focus Hex yet, but you can see from the data on Co Focus and Focus Evo that MSV strings ain't so hot at holding tension, nor are they particularly soft.
I don't have anything against these companies, in fact I've got packs of Focus Hex, Silverstring and Turbotwist on-deck, but the marketing claims of string companies generally are really obnoxious, and pretty much nonsense.
Doubles
Legend
Black Code is good, and at $10 a set, it does seem worth the price.. But once you include VS into that, the price sky rockets, and it goes from being an inexpensive choice, to a ridiculously overpriced one...
ClubHoUno
Banned
I'm sorry, but you don't know what you are talking about. Babolat VS Team 17 nat gut is the king of strings, like a Ferrari - is Ferrari overpriced, maybe so, but the car is in a category, which can be named 'out of category'. The same with VS Team 17 nat gut. It's the best string in the world, and as such should have a steep price. Ok I would like it to be cheaper for sure, but you get what you pay for in this world, and VS Team is just the best string money can buy !!
No, I'm afraid that's not entirely true. Just because it's gut doesn't mean that it's the best in the world. Not everyone likes gut strings, so for them, VS cannot possibly be the best.
netman
Hall of Fame
I tend to agree. Gut was the ultimate string when racquets had small heads and high flex. Gut added a lot of power and comfort to wood and early small head graphite frames. Gut in a Jack Kramer Autograph or Dunlop Maxply Fort was the ticket.
Today I find gut is almost uncontrollable in a midplus, open string pattern frame. Racquets are so powerful these days, we have seen a movement in the opposite direction on strings, to low power polys to help tame the racquet power and add spin.
-k-
bad_call
Legend
yup...technology changes things. :wink: wake up and smell the Blackberries...
Doubles
Legend
I have to disagree. I am a string breaker, do from my perspective, gut is a waste of money. Is it comfy? Yes. Is if powerful? Too much so for my taste. 15L VS Gut only lasted my 4 hours in a hybrid with stringsavers put in, and I had that set up done over a year ago, when I broke strings at half the rate that I do now...
$55 for two jobs of vs/bc, and you can restring the bc crosses to bring it back up to perfect. IF you want dur., and are a string breaker, use ashaway kev. 16g/alu combos if you like a stiff frame and hit hard from the line as most breakers do. Vs team is the best Main I've ever used, of thousands I've tried, but it has to be strung right, in the right config, with the right frame, to really sing perfectly. Of the top ten: Fed, Joker, Roddick, Cilic, Murray, all use some form of vs. Becker uses gut, and said: "I use gut, and my arm and shoulder are fine." Top juniors can get sponsored at half price for vs as well.
Thanks for pointing this out. I am shocked to hear that Guts and Glory has hidden the objective results of the USRSA from the public. Shame on you John. Turns out you are shady as the people you speak of in Orlando.
MSV Hex Focus has terrible feel, aweful tension maintenance, hot spots in the stringbed, and the texture wears off. In summary it sucks.
bad_call
Legend
what are some of those "right" frames and some of those not "right" frames?
Stormcrow
New User
It is amazing how different views can be on a particular product. I have had the same set of focus hex in my racquet going on 3 weeks and can't believe how good it still plays. Haven't noticed the texture of the string wearing off or the spin changing. I use it in a K Pro Tour at 48 lbs. I need to experiment with more poly, as I am relatively new to it. If there is better stuff out there that sounds great.
The larger sq. in, stiffer frames open string patterns, (babs, prince, etc.) where the power of gut is taken up too high, are more suited to poly/ashaway for topspin/string breakers. The more closed string patterns, all court sticks, more control oriented, are better for vs team if it's strung at 57-62 range to tame the power.
Anyone who hits hard would be able to tell you that msv does not hold ten. well, esp. the 1.10mm. Plasticy feel is not too good. Shear breaks are common as well.
Stormcrow
New User
I have tried Lux BB and thought the tension maintenance and feel was poor, same with Babolat and Wilsons cheaper polys. Hex seems to hang in there better than those do as far as tension loss. That is really as far as I have experimented. I have used a multi for the last 10 years, but love the control and spin I am getting from Hex. You are saying Hex is a poor poly. That must mean there is a whole different level of poly I haven't tried yet. Suggestions?
Yes a smooth poly. Pro Supex Big Ace Micro, Weiss Cannon Scorpion.
Doubles
Legend
You can't do that though. That puts unnecessary stress on the frame, and will eventually damage your rackets. But, oh well, they're yours, not mine...
RyanRF
Professional
Just a few days ago I strung my microgel radical mp with MSV Focus Hex 17L (1.18 ) at 55 in the mains and Gosen OG Sheep Micro 17 at 57 in the crosses.
On the first time out I got plenty of spin, but the strings felt pretty stiff and underpowered. After about 4 hours of hitting though, everything softened up and I noticed much better pocketing. From there on out, the setup has been one of my favorites.
I don't really know if any of this applies to the focus hex 1.10, but I'm just saying I had a good experience with a similar string.
On the first time out I got plenty of spin, but the strings felt pretty stiff and underpowered. After about 4 hours of hitting though, everything softened up and I noticed much better pocketing. From there on out, the setup has been one of my favorites.
I don't really know if any of this applies to the focus hex 1.10, but I'm just saying I had a good experience with a similar string.
If you do it right you can, as I have done for many years.
It's not a poor poly if you don't exp. ten. loss. Blackcode is better, so is tour bite, barb wire. Sppp is better for ten. loss, but is low powered. Tour bite is high powered, soft pocketing, not as plasticy. The 1.10mm focus hex is poor for ten. loss. 1.18mm not as bad, ok with sppp as main/hex cross.
acer4tennis
Rookie
I need some help. I'm ready to test a few textured strings. I was wondering if TW ran test on Focus Hex, Kirschbaum Spiky Shark and Signum Pro Tornado. Also, I was curious in differences between USRSA test and TW data. It seems like you cannot ignore one and take another one for granted. Am I correct?
origmarm
Hall of Fame
I've been saying MSV is plastic feeling and has terrible feel and tension loss for ages. Interesting to hear that the USRA were barred from testing it. My feeling is it will come out poorly. I feel the same re Spiky Shark.
Weisscannon on the other hand I think are excellent. I have played with Scorpion, Silverstring, Explosiv! and one other whose name I can't recall. All were excellent in their respective categories. Scorpion is a favourite of mine. Intrigued to see why they were also withheld from USRA....
Orig
Weisscannon on the other hand I think are excellent. I have played with Scorpion, Silverstring, Explosiv! and one other whose name I can't recall. All were excellent in their respective categories. Scorpion is a favourite of mine. Intrigued to see why they were also withheld from USRA....
Orig
Dude you missed the thread where somebody brought to light that Guts and Glory Tennis somehow got the strings exempted from the testing. Pretty lame character huh? I was looking forward to see how they performed. I bet the MSV would test terrible and most of the Weiss Cannon strings would test well. Just my opinion.
origmarm
Hall of Fame
Yes I did miss it. I tend to miss a few months a year of posting due to jobs sometimes unfortunately
....I'll do a search for it now as I've a little time. I agree totally with you re MSV and Weisscannon. Kirschbaum is one that I found very variable, Spiky was terrible but Pro Line II is passable imo.
Bartelby
Bionic Poster
I tried the 1.18 in a kblade 98 at 48/45 and it was excellent from the beginning, but I don't think a smaller guage is at all necessary or advisable.
acer4tennis
Rookie
I think it is up to MSV not to share this information and it's up to us to seek the truth. They maybe thought that these tests are not sufficient enough. That's why, I would like to confirm with TW Professor.
I also read on this forum that MSV made in Taiwan and Weiss Cannon manufactured their strings at their factory in Germany. And that's why you maybe prefer Weiss Cannon to MSV.
Thats because the tension go down for the firsts 3 hours of use. After get stabilized until dead. The same as MSV Focus 1.10
My experience:
Is my favourite string but I have 2 problems because de tension manteniance with it. I explain:
Just strung (Iphone´s Racquetune): 25,7 kilos
24 hours after (no use): 24,4 kilos
0,5 hours use: 23, 8 kilos (stiff and bad. Too much tension)
1:15 hours use: 23,4 kilos (stiff and bad. Too much tension)
2 hours use: 23,0 kilos (well)
4 hours use: 22,7 kilos (fantastic)
5 hours use: 22,6 kilos (fantastic)
8 hours use: 22,4 kilos (fantastic)
11 hours use: 22,2 kilos (fantastic)
13 hours use: 22,2 kilos (fantastic)
After this tension become lower and lower (unplayable) until it breaks at about 20-25 hours use. Recomendation to cut when became loss tension (at about 15 hours)
Racquet: TGT 293.2 cosmetic HEAD Prestige MP 18x20
2 problems:
-Firts 3 or 4 hours is stiff and too much tension
-After 15 hours is dead (tension lost), but no break
I like thin gauges but the tension problem is a problem, mainly the first hours.
String with pre-strech could be better???
(Sorry for my bad english)
Is my favourite string but I have 2 problems because de tension manteniance with it. I explain:
Just strung (Iphone´s Racquetune): 25,7 kilos
24 hours after (no use): 24,4 kilos
0,5 hours use: 23, 8 kilos (stiff and bad. Too much tension)
1:15 hours use: 23,4 kilos (stiff and bad. Too much tension)
2 hours use: 23,0 kilos (well)
4 hours use: 22,7 kilos (fantastic)
5 hours use: 22,6 kilos (fantastic)
8 hours use: 22,4 kilos (fantastic)
11 hours use: 22,2 kilos (fantastic)
13 hours use: 22,2 kilos (fantastic)
After this tension become lower and lower (unplayable) until it breaks at about 20-25 hours use. Recomendation to cut when became loss tension (at about 15 hours)
Racquet: TGT 293.2 cosmetic HEAD Prestige MP 18x20
2 problems:
-Firts 3 or 4 hours is stiff and too much tension
-After 15 hours is dead (tension lost), but no break
I like thin gauges but the tension problem is a problem, mainly the first hours.
String with pre-strech could be better???
(Sorry for my bad english)
MarkSolaris
New User
Wandering about that myself. Anyone?
SpinToWin
Talk Tennis Guru
Regular Co Focus will probabaly be better. The shaped feature of Focus Hex will cut into the gut, reducing durability significantly, which is a great shame really.
I've tested many different poly crosses with gut mains including the usual/popular suspects from Luxilon, Babolat, etc.
Nothing comes close to Focus Hex in long term performance and spin production.
4G is great for tension maintenance and control but spin potential falls rapidly with use.
I don'r like either string full bed but for a cross with gut mains they're both outstanding. FH for spin and pop, 4G for extra control.
1.1 and 1.18 tend to be higher energy. But I strongly recommend the thicker versions for improved tension maintenance and control. You can also pre-stretch any of the versions. Some pros have their poly crosses pre-stretched (eg Federer) and some manufacturers factory pre-stretch some strings as noted in various TW reviews.
MarkSolaris
New User
Didn't think about that when I bought it, was looking for thinnest gauge string for 18x20 dense pattern and small head racquet as crosses, to generate more topspin. I have Kirschbaum Pro Line II 18 (1.15) Black String, do you think that would be better with gut mains instead of Focus Hex?
