My Kirschbaum String Experiments and Reviews

[M Pillai]

Just to be clear. I am in not affiliate in anyway with Kirschbaum. But after experimenting with some of their strings, I think these strings are very under-rated and under-appreciated, especially for the price point. It is not just me, I see that Chris from Tennis Warehouse share the same opinion.

Recently I had been going wild with different string experiements, and stuck up on a few Kirschbaum strings along the way, and going to post reviews of my findings on those specifically in this thread. I am sure there are some other threads specifically talking about some Kirschbaum polys, so I will add a link to those threads also in the second post in this thread.

 

[M Pillai]

Saved to post links to other threads, which may have some reviews of Kirschbaum strings.

Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Kirschbaum Flash 1.25

Kirschbaum Flash 1.25 Playtest REVIEW DUE: March 18 NO HYBRIDS Include the following in your review: What color did you review? Tension(s) used for playtest Power/Control Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?) Spin Durability Playability Duration Tension Recommendations (would...

tt.tennis-warehouse.com

2012 Kirschbaum Playtest - Super Smash Orange 17

Attention Talk Tennis Members: We will be sending out sets of Kirschbaum Super Smash Orange 17 for a playtest. We have finished taking requests for this playtest. We will not be sending confirmation emails. Please post your review on or before November 23rd. If you do not post a review...

tt.tennis-warehouse.com

Tennis Warehouse: Kirschbaum Pro Line II Rough Playtest

Attention Talk Tennis Members: We have a limited number of Kirschbaum Pro Line II Rough 1.25mm co-poly strings for a playtest. This playtest is for USA TTW members only. The application period for this playtest has ended. We will notify the selected playtesters by this Friday. If you are not...

tt.tennis-warehouse.com

Tennis Warehouse: Kirschbaum Max Power Playtest

Kirschbaum Max Power 17 Playtest We are no longer taking requests for this playtest. Emails have been sent to the selected participants. The samples are shipping on Thursday 7/24 Reviews are due by Wednesday 8/20 If you do not post a review, you will be excluded from future playtests. No...

tt.tennis-warehouse.com

Tennis Warehouse: Kirschbaum Xplosive Speed playtest!!

Kirschbaum Xplosive Speed Playtest The sign-up period for this has ended. The selected playtesters have been notified by email. The strings will ship starting early next week. Due Date: Tuesday August 20 Include the following in your review: Tension(s) used for playtest Regular string set...

tt.tennis-warehouse.com

Kirschbaum String Playtest

So I'm a devout Kirschbaum fan, been that ever since I started playing their Super Smash Spiky back when I was a junior really. I've experimented a lot with other brands, but I always come back to Kirschbaum, probably due to their pre-stretch process (who knows really haha). Anyways, seeing as...

tt.tennis-warehouse.com

 

[M Pillai]

Here is the summary of my comparison so far.

I guess I may have to add a one line summary of the string at some point. The below table is a work in progress, till I complete all my testing.

 

[Cowboy]

I have pro line ii 18g in my racquet right now and I think I'm about to cut it. I've got around 8 hours on it, and it has played beautifully up until this point. However, I feel like it is going dead and I hurt my arm when I played with Flash too long. For the price point, I feel like I can afford to cut it out before it goes totally dead. I'm half tempted to play it one more time to get the full 10 hours.

I really liked K Flash 17 yellow when I played with it, but I made the mistake of keeping it in too long.

I think Spiky Black Shark 17 is going in next.

 

[AndrewUtz]

i like kirschbaum

 

[Arzivu]

A decade back, I used to play with spiky shark, a decent but stiff 1st gen poly. Nowadays, I like their synthetic gut as a cross, to soften the stringbed.

 

[M Pillai]

I think Spiky Black Shark 17 is going in next.

If you liked Flash17 compared to Proline-II, there is a very good chance that you may dislike BlackShark 17. Nothing wrong with the string, just that preference vary by person.
My logical reasoning is that, you would find BShark to be very underpowered, and having too much bite on the ball along with its pocketing giving you a stiff feel on contact.

 

[M Pillai]

I strongly suggest anyone who is so confused about which of the Kirshbaum strings they may like, should probably start with Proline-II and MaxPower. They pretty sets the baseline, and nothing extreme about these strings.
From there in comparison if you like Maxpower -> you should probably move towards the direction of BShark and test some strings
On the otherhand if you preferred Proline-II -> you should move towards the Flash direction, and even try their synthetic guts and multifilaments.

 

[AndrewUtz]

I strongly suggest anyone who is so confused about which of the Kirshbaum strings they may like, should probably start with Proline-II and MaxPower. They pretty sets the baseline, and nothing extreme about these strings.
From there in comparison if you like Maxpower -> you should probably move towards the direction of BShark and test some strings
On the otherhand if you preferred Proline-II -> you should move towards the Flash direction, and even try their synthetic guts and multifilaments.

max power imo is pretty extreme as far as stiffness goes. awesome string though!

 

[Humbi_HTX]

One of my favorite string is PL Evolution.

 

[StringStrungStrang]

I played and like Krischbaum Flash 1.25 yellow very much, what other similar Kirschbaum (or other strings) would be similar?

 

[M Pillai]

I played and like Krischbaum Flash 1.25 yellow very much, what other similar Kirschbaum (or other strings) would be similar?

I would say stick to it. Flash Yellow is pretty much the end of the spectrum in the softness/pop category. If you feel bored, you could try Evolution, which is essentially a softer version of Proline-II. Now if you are not a string breaker, try a hybrid of TouchMultifibre mains along with Flash 1.25 Yellow Crosses. I would suggest you stay away from BlackShark & MaxPower.

By the way when I say soft, it is what you feel. I see that the "softness feel" sometimes does not correlate with the TWU stiffness rating of the string.

 

[M Pillai]

One of my favorite string is PL Evolution.

Your next assignment is to go and try Flash 1.25 in Yellow, if you have not tried any Flash yet. . But yea.... most of what I said in above post to @StringStrungStrang is applicable for you too.

 

[M Pillai]

max power imo is pretty extreme as far as stiffness goes. awesome string though!

Agree it is a lot more stiffer feeling. But the string "qualities" are great, just like proline-II.
Or in my opinion, if you don't like MaxPower, I am confident that you won't like BlackShark. But reverse I am not confident. If you don't like BlackShark, you still may or may not like MaxPower.
Anyway, it is just my personal opinion, plus I still have to try some other Kirschbaum strings... so my opinion may change in future.

 

[Cowboy]

If you liked Flash17 compared to Proline-II, there is a very good chance that you may dislike BlackShark 17. Nothing wrong with the string, just that preference vary by person.
My logical reasoning is that, you would find BShark to be very underpowered, and having too much bite on the ball along with its pocketing giving you a stiff feel on contact.

I didn't play them back-to-back. In fact, the arm discomfort after playing with the dead Flash kept me away from poly for a bit. Had to go with NG and some multis. I think my absolute favorite poly to date is the Head Hawk Touch 17, but the PLii is a fairly close second with a much more value oriented price tag. I'm half on the fence about getting a reel of PLii in 17g; however, I have a few (okay, too many) other strings to try first....including Max Power, Black Shark, PLii Rough, PLii Evolution, and a handful of other brands.

I'm a sucker for a good sale, and so I've acquired too much string. I'm looking forward to the distant future where I find that magic string that suits my game flawlessly. Until then, I'm enjoying the journey.

 

[Cowboy]

Oh, and I have a reel of Kirshbaum Syn Gut that I use as my default s-gut. So far, everyone who I've strung it for has loved it. Though, I'll admit, I have not played it in one of my racquets. I have hit with it in my wife's racquet, but that is not the same as playing a match with one of my frames.

 

[M Pillai]

I'm a sucker for a good sale, and so I've acquired too much string.

Haha. Tell me about that. This is definitely an addiction. And yes I have that too.

 

[M Pillai]

including Max Power, Black Shark, PLii Rough, PLii Evolution, and a handful of other brands.

I am pretty sure you are going to try them all, because you are a stringaholic like me. But after reading through your findings, I personally think you won't find anything like Head Hawk 17 in Kirschbaum (and as you already figured Flash 17 is the closest you can get). So you maybe one who may not be able to take advantage of the great value of Kirschbaum... except maybe a hubrid with Kirschnaum SynGut or TouchMultifibre multifilament mains, and Hawk17 crosses. All Kirschbaum strings are pre-stretched, and even though this has some advantages, one of the dis-advantage of this is, you miss that "extra" pop fresh out of stringer, which some non-pre-stretched soft polys offer.

 

[forzamr_b]

@M Pillai thanks for starting this thread, looking forward to your detailed reviews.

I’ve tried 3 Kirschbaum offerings so far, starting with Max Power 1.25, then Syn Gut 1.30, then Max Power Rough 1.25.

I mainly play gut/poly hybrid but for wet weather I’ve been experimenting with full poly or non-poly/poly hybrids as alternatives. Just based on feel and minimising the difference between gut/poly, I’ve more or less decided to move away from full poly - but if you can suggest a poly that plays similar to gut/poly, I’ll be open!

But mainly, I’m seeking your thoughts if there’s any Kirschbaum poly better than Max Power / Rough as a cross to gut. Tension maintenance and SnapBack are what I’m looking for in the cross. So far, max power has been tough to beat. Perhaps it’s the best.

Secondly, which Kirschbaum non-poly offering would you suggest trying in a hybrid with poly crosses? Syn gut is great value but a bit too mushy for me, even with max power in the crosses it barely passes my acceptability in terms of firmness. Other non-polys I’ve enjoyed in hybrid for their feel have been AK Pro CX (but playability changes with slick coating is gone), Quasi-Gut Armor (not durable to be cost-effective), while I didn’t like Velocity (too trampoline-y), Syn Gut Armor (terrible durability).

 

[AlexKangaroo]

I was interested in Kirschbaum Super Smash Orange, because it was recommended by Intuitive Tennis. I noticed it's stats on TWU indicate that it has a very big tension loss rating similar to ALU Power. Does this mean this string needs to be changed more often than say other poly's with ratings lower? Does the tension loss mean anything else than actually the tension dropping from let's say 23kg -> 20kg?

 

[M Pillai]

I was interested in Kirschbaum Super Smash Orange, because it was recommended by Intuitive Tennis. I noticed it's stats on TWU indicate that it has a very big tension loss rating similar to ALU Power. Does this mean this string needs to be changed more often than say other poly's with ratings lower? Does the tension loss mean anything else than actually the tension dropping from let's say 23kg -> 20kg?

So.... I am going to take a slightly different approach on this, in my summary table. I will list the TWU data, but then will list what I felt.
So for example, TWU tenision loss data is related to what I felt as the "honeymoon period" of the string (or the usage period where you feel confident). I find that this is a lot different that sometimes the TWU data suggests (not saying the data is wrong). For example in the case of Super Smash Orange irrespective what the actual tension loss maybe, the sweet period is really not bad for a poly, and definitely a lot better than ALU Power.

Now that being said, I don't think Super Smash Orange is a "high energey return" string as the Intuitive tennis suggests. Again there is no way to absolute this, and it is better to compare this. So when compared to Flash the Super smash orange is relatively dead responding.... but when compared to Black Shark, Super Smash Orange is responsive.

Since TWU already has the theoretical tension loss data, I am not going to measure it myself (I believe them). I am just going to list my "felt" data of honeymoon period.

 

[M Pillai]

I was interested in Kirschbaum Super Smash Orange, because it was recommended by Intuitive Tennis.

By the way, frankly, I have no idea why Intutive tennis guy chose to recommend "Super Smash Orange" , instead of some other Kirschbaum string. But I guess there is the "personal preference" come into picture. Nothing wrong with SSO, it is an average string. But why not Flash or Proline, since he is really recommending this for the average rec player.

 

[AlexKangaroo]

Thanks a lot for the detailed explanation. For a inexperienced player (when it comes to strings) its hard to figure out these stuff. So I do try to take online people's advices. SSO has it's very low price point which makes it very tempting as a string. But then again I don't have a own stringer (yet) so the labour cost is still high. That's why I was worried about the tension loss and comparison to ALU Power.

 

[AlexKangaroo]

I strongly suggest anyone who is so confused about which of the Kirshbaum strings they may like, should probably start with Proline-II and MaxPower. They pretty sets the baseline, and nothing extreme about these strings.
From there in comparison if you like Maxpower -> you should probably move towards the direction of BShark and test some strings
On the otherhand if you preferred Proline-II -> you should move towards the Flash direction, and even try their synthetic guts and multifilaments.

I think I had Pro Line II as a junior (I know it was red and Kirschbaum) so it could be good choice once again. Is the ProLine II more arm friendly based on your comment that one could gravitate towards SG/Multi from it?

 

[M Pillai]

I think I had Pro Line II as a junior (I know it was red and Kirschbaum) so it could be good choice once again. Is the ProLine II more arm friendly based on your comment that one could gravitate towards SG/Multi from it?

You are bringing up a good point. Maybe I should in the end have a softness feeling order of theses strings posted somewhere in the summary post. But to give you an idea, I felt below order from softnes point of view.
1. SynGut
2. Flash (softest poly)
3. Proline Evolution
4. Proline II
5. SuperSmash Orange
6. MaxPower
7. BlackShark

Of course I am not listing all strings there.... but just to give you an idea that SSO is kind of in the middle/average. If you like more arm friendly, I would go Evolution or Flash.... the tradeoff is control feel based on your swing / playstyle.

 

[M Pillai]

comparison to ALU Power.

By the way, I should also mention that, the closest to ALU power feel..in Kirschbaum family is Max Power. It is slightly crisper, but it definitely keeps the feeling for longer. I don't really know your style of play or level, but I really won't suggest Max Power as a daily string for a 3.5 with still developing shots (for example). I believe the user need to have a developed swing speed and clean contact to take advantage of the qualities of Max Power.

 

[dyslexical-scope]

Nothing wrong with SSO, it is an average string.

Yeah but it's the most average, and therefore it the best budget polyester string.

 

[AlexKangaroo]

Here is the summary of my comparison so far.

I guess I may have to add a one line summary of the string at some point. The below table is a work in progress, till I complete all my testing.

Could you describe the Honeymoon Period (days) line? Is it days that you played with them, or just standard days on how long the strings were strung into the racquet? Or actual tennis hitting sessions (days)?

 

[Lavs]

You are bringing up a good point. Maybe I should in the end have a softness feeling order of theses strings posted somewhere in the summary post. But to give you an idea, I felt below order from softnes point of view.
1. SynGut
2. Flash (softest poly)
3. Proline Evolution
4. Proline II
5. SuperSmash Orange
6. MaxPower
7. BlackShark

Of course I am not listing all strings there.... but just to give you an idea that SSO is kind of in the middle/average. If you like more arm friendly, I would go Evolution or Flash.... the tradeoff is control feel based on your swing / playstyle.

Add Kirschbaum Competition to the list

 

[SirCraigoryy]

Just to be clear. I am in not affiliate in anyway with Kirschbaum. But after experimenting with some of their strings, I think these strings are very under-rated and under-appreciated, especially for the price point. It is not just me, I see that Chris from Tennis Warehouse share the same opinion.

Recently I had been going wild with different string experiements, and stuck up on a few Kirschbaum strings along the way, and going to post reviews of my findings on those specifically in this thread. I am sure there are some other threads specifically talking about some Kirschbaum polys, so I will add a link to those threads also in the second post in this thread.

Shhhhhhhh don't go around telling people this! I've been using Proline II almost exclusively for the past 8 years. It's dirt cheap (bought a reel on sale for 33% off last year) super comfortable, has good tension maintenance, great pocketing, and good pop and spin at lower tensions. It's basically a budget Yonex PT Strike Black. Kirschbaum strings are one of the best kept secrets if word got out to the masses they wouldn't be as cheap anymore .

 

[M Pillai]

Could you describe the Honeymoon Period (days) line? Is it days that you played with them, or just standard days on how long the strings were strung into the racquet? Or actual tennis hitting sessions (days)?

I am pretty sure the absolute value of this varies by player. So see this as a relative comparison than absolute number of days. To answer your question, this is the the number of days I felt like I would keep this string in my racquet and go play a match confidently. I actually used the strings more than those number of days, and I will if I am just hitting with a buddy.

Now this is based on pure feel when you keep playing frequently. If you go measure the tension loss or compare to a fresh strung racquet you may feel different. So I purposely did not do a compare test between fresh strung vs one I think is still in honeymoon period. I beleive a "gradual" tension loss is less disruptive for most users (may not be for Federer). I think a loss of coating or drastic change in rebounce/pop (going dead) or a change in snapback (stickiness) affects regular users a lot more (at least mentally) than theoretical gradual tension loss on a poly. Most of my string customers cannot stand a sticky poly bed which needs constant adjustment, especially if they were not like that to start with.

One good example is Proline-II vs BlackShark. TWU data suggests that Proline-II loses tension more drastically than BlackShark. But I would not feel it as much in real world for Pro-Line-II. It maybe because it is already a poppy string to start with, and have good snap properties. BlackShark feel dead after 2 weeks, and needs constant adjustment by then, and possibly affects me more mentally. It is still fun to rally around, but I wont take it to a match. If anyone felt the opposite, please comment (so that I know there are users who felt different).

Or in otherwords... if you want theoretical data, TWU tension loss data should be accurate. If you are interested in a "realworld feel" of a single user (me) then look at the input line from me (which of course is subjective).

I will see how to clarify this definision in the original post.

 

[M Pillai]

if there’s any Kirschbaum poly better than Max Power / Rough as a cross to gut. Tension maintenance and SnapBack are what I’m looking for in the cross

I still have some more Kirschbaum stuff to try. But I think Max Power is a unique one, and so you if you like that cross, you may not find a better one in Kirschbaum. But if you feel adventurous try "Flash 1.25", or "Proline-II 1.15". Both have good snapback. But I suspect you may feel them to be too poppy and not maintaining tension.

which Kirschbaum non-poly offering would you suggest trying in a hybrid with poly crosses? Syn gut is great value but a bit too mushy for me

In general, their syn gut and multi are more towards softer/comfort side compared to a typical syngut/multi. Which maybe a good thing or bad thing based on user. I think if you felt Syngut to be "mushy", I think you may feel the same about their multi. By the way, if you used their black syn gut, you could try their natural coloured one. I feel the black one more mushier than natural one. So in summary, I feel like you prefer a crispier non-poly, and I have not found one in Kirschbaum. But you are lucky that most other manufacturers don't over price their syngut offerings, like they do with their polys. I personally have not done enough syngut experiments and I am sure others maybe able to offer better guidance. But I think Babolat Syngut is a bit more crispier and you may like it.

 

[forzamr_b]

I still have some more Kirschbaum stuff to try. But I think Max Power is a unique one, and so you if you like that cross, you may not find a better one in Kirschbaum. But if you feel adventurous try "Flash 1.25", or "Proline-II 1.15". Both have good snapback. But I suspect you may feel them to be too poppy and not maintaining tension.


In general, their syn gut and multi are more towards softer/comfort side compared to a typical syngut/multi. Which maybe a good thing or bad thing based on user. I think if you felt Syngut to be "mushy", I think you may feel the same about their multi. By the way, if you used their black syn gut, you could try their natural coloured one. I feel the black one more mushier than natural one. So in summary, I feel like you prefer a crispier non-poly, and I have not found one in Kirschbaum. But you are lucky that most other manufacturers don't over price their syngut offerings, like they do with their polys. I personally have not done enough syngut experiments and I am sure others maybe able to offer better guidance. But I think Babolat Syngut is a bit more crispier and you may like it.

Thanks! I’ve been using natural colour. Could you describe pro line II and evolution in relation to max power? These were the 2 polys that I had considered trying in full bed, as I generally prefer round strings or at least not too sharp (more than 6-sided) as I don’t like how the string bed becomes inconsistent as the sharp edges wear out at different spots. Max power was definitely too stiff for me. I have not even tried it full bed, just as a main with Ghostwire crosses. Even then it felt a tad too stiff for me. For polys, I don’t like muted or dead feeling strings.

 

[M Pillai]

Could you describe pro line II and evolution in relation to max power?

Max power was definitely too stiff for me.

I think I did list the order of softness "feel" in post#25. So yes both Proline-II and Evolution should feel softer than MaxPower. But Max Power has a unique "string property" when compared to Proline-II or Evolution. Not sure how to explain that in words. If you like thinner crosses, Proline-II goes all the way to 1.15mm. I personally had not tried 1.15, just keep my wildness controlled

 

[mctennis]

How about trying and reviewing Kirschbaum Gut Feeling?

 

[M Pillai]

How about trying and reviewing Kirschbaum Gut Feeling?

Ok. I will add it to the list. You guys are going to drain my credit card.....

Adding this link here anyway from a few years back.

Kirschbaum Gut Feeling 130/16L

Has anyone tried this string ? Couldn't find it's info in the TWU string database.

tt.tennis-warehouse.com

 

[dmtree]

You are bringing up a good point. Maybe I should in the end have a softness feeling order of theses strings posted somewhere in the summary post. But to give you an idea, I felt below order from softnes point of view.
1. SynGut
2. Flash (softest poly)
3. Proline Evolution
4. Proline II
5. SuperSmash Orange
6. MaxPower
7. BlackShark

Of course I am not listing all strings there.... but just to give you an idea that SSO is kind of in the middle/average. If you like more arm friendly, I would go Evolution or Flash.... the tradeoff is control feel based on your swing / playstyle.

I didn't think Black Shark was very stiff, TW numbers seem a little high. It felt very comfortable to me, almost like a shaped version of Pro Line.
My favorite here is Evolution. Played through a reel of it while recovering from TE. So soft with good spin and accuracy, and I just love serving with it.

 

[Arzivu]

Shhhhhhhh don't go around telling people this! Kirschbaum strings are one of the best kept secrets if word got out to the masses they wouldn't be as cheap anymore .

Except their syn gut, I wouldn't consider kirschbaum strings as cheap. They are medium priced.

 

[maksp]

You are bringing up a good point. Maybe I should in the end have a softness feeling order of theses strings posted somewhere in the summary post. But to give you an idea, I felt below order from softnes point of view.
1. SynGut
2. Flash (softest poly)
3. Proline Evolution
4. Proline II
5. SuperSmash Orange
6. MaxPower
7. BlackShark

Of course I am not listing all strings there.... but just to give you an idea that SSO is kind of in the middle/average. If you like more arm friendly, I would go Evolution or Flash.... the tradeoff is control feel based on your swing / playstyle.

Is yellow flash the slickest flash?

 

[M Pillai]

Is yellow flash the slickest flash?

A bit more pop on yellow when compared to black. Also tad more plush/soft feel. I have not tried pink or green though (not really planning to).

 

[SirCraigoryy]

I’ve tried green in my countervail blade 98 18x29 and can answer any questions. Had more of a crisp feel. Good spin, snap back, and targeting too.

 

[Cowboy]

Black Shark is in. It felt very "plasticky" when stringing and the bed is not as stiff as I would have thought. It feels sort of "plush" just from bouncing the ball on it. I'm anxious to hit some with it, but it's been raining here for the last several days.

 

[M Pillai]

Black Shark is in. It felt very "plasticky" when stringing and the bed is not as stiff as I would have thought. It feels sort of "plush" just from bouncing the ball on it. I'm anxious to hit some with it, but it's been raining here for the last several days.

Interesting thoughts. Let me know what you think after hitting. I guess stiff is a relative term. But I felt it it stiff when hitting, mainly because it is a pretty dead and low powered. Also I could definitely feel the edges when contacting the ball. All of this made it a very fun string to rally with, but not trust-worthy for me to take to a close competitive match. I was actually surprised, when learning that it is infact the same composition material as Proline-II (which thought was a lot more livelier)

 

[K1Y]

Kirschbaum Flash plays reaaally good. I was surprised.

 

[M Pillai]

I just re-tested Evolution again, since it had been some time I last played with it, and re-confims my earlier comments.

It is softer version of Proline-II with a bit more ball pocketing. I think if you are looking for a softer fullbed poly with Kirschbaum probably Evolution is the better choice, even though Flash is arguably softer and slicker. But I would prefer Flash as a cross string, for any hybrid setups, compared to Evolution, because of its slickness. I also think Evolution keeps its properties longer than Flash. But both are great soft options, and I think they are the softest in the spectrum for Kirschbaum poly family.

 

[M Pillai]

I was interested in Kirschbaum Super Smash Orange, because it was recommended by Intuitive Tennis

Compared Orange and Max Power in same hitting session... and for me personally Maxpower feels like a more premium string feel, with crisp/accurate feeling. Infact both felt kind of same at the start fresh out of string bed, but the difference in feel became more obvious as the session progressed.

Orange feels an average poly, especially towards the end of the hitting session. Maxpower even though feels a tad stiffer at the beginning, it has a nice pop compared to orange, and so more enjoyable to play over longer period. Again nothing I can really say bad about Orange, just that it is not the most interesting string in Kirschbaum family, like Intutive tennis guy suggests.

 

[maksp]

Compared Orange and Max Power in same hitting session... and for me personally Maxpower feels like a more premium string feel, with crisp/accurate feeling. Infact both felt kind of same at the start fresh out of string bed, but the difference in feel became more obvious as the session progressed.

Orange feels an average poly, especially towards the end of the hitting session. Maxpower even though feels a tad stiffer at the beginning, it has a nice pop compared to orange, and so more enjoyable to play over longer period. Again nothing I can really say bad about Orange, just that it is not the most interesting string in Kirschbaum family, like Intutive tennis guy suggests.

Try max in white...

 

[maksp]

I just re-tested Evolution again, since it had been some time I last played with it, and re-confims my earlier comments.

It is softer version of Proline-II with a bit more ball pocketing. I think if you are looking for a softer fullbed poly with Kirschbaum probably Evolution is the better choice, even though Flash is arguably softer and slicker. But I would prefer Flash as a cross string, for any hybrid setups, compared to Evolution, because of its slickness. I also think Evolution keeps its properties longer than Flash. But both are great soft options, and I think they are the softest in the spectrum for Kirschbaum poly family.

Which color flash is slickest ? Tnx

 

[M Pillai]

Which color flash is slickest ? Tnx

I feel all colors are close in the slickness factor. From the pop or responsiveness factor, yellow is probably on the maximum responsive side and black is on the least responsive side (but still good response when compared to other kirschbaum polys). But just know that even though I tested green recently, only black and yellow I tested side by side... and so there could be some "perception" human error regarding green vs yellow comparison.

 

[Cowboy]

Interesting thoughts. Let me know what you think after hitting. I guess stiff is a relative term. But I felt it it stiff when hitting, mainly because it is a pretty dead and low powered. Also I could definitely feel the edges when contacting the ball. All of this made it a very fun string to rally with, but not trust-worthy for me to take to a close competitive match. I was actually surprised, when learning that it is infact the same composition material as Proline-II (which thought was a lot more livelier)

Had my last Winter Mixed ALTA match this past weekend. My Wilson Blade 100 v8 is my main weapon of choice and the PLII that was installed was at the 8-ish hour mark and it felt like it was nearing end of life. My team needed to take 4 lines in order to guarantee a playoff spot. I didn't want to go into it with any excuse of playing with dead strings, so I cut those and put in the Black Shark.

Quick note: the only drawback I saw with PLII was the durability. What I expect to feel at around hour 10 was starting to be perceived at hour 7. I'm not a string breaker, but they were probably 40-50% notched when I cut them out. I feel like 10-20% notching is normal for me around 10 hours.

Anyway, I didn't want dead strings, and had planned to hit the Black Shark at practice last Tuesday....but then it rained. Pretty much from Monday evening through Friday morning. Then again from Saturday morning through Sunday Morning. Thankfully, the courts dried and we were able to play on Sunday at 2pm. However, that meant I was taking a string that I have no experience with into a match that mattered. I figured I would use it during warmups and switch frames if I just absolutely hated them. I had a sinking feeling that they were going to be too launchy based on the plushness perceived when bouncing the ball on the stringbed and the few practice balls that I hit in the garage (I was going stir crazy being stuck inside with all the rain). Another side note: I do not recommend hitting against drywall .

I gotta say, I was pleasantly surprised when playing. The bed was neither stiff nor launchy. I found them to be pretty comfortable with good pocketing and good return of energy (while still managing to be a low-medium powered string). They definitely grip the ball, and that was giving me good top/back spin. They were not overly powerful, so I could swing out and not have much fear of them going long. Serves were not overly powerful, but I could still put some stank (power) on the ball if needed.

We won the match in 3 sets. Unfortunately, my team only won 2 lines, so we're left out of the playoffs; but I have found another solid offering from Kbaum. I could see making this a regular string. I see your note above about them being the same composition as the PLII, and I have little reason to doubt that statement. I'm interested to see how the durability compares. As far as our difference in perception on stiffness, I string poly at 45 lbs as a baseline and will adjust from there.