Automatix
Legend
Interesting read. Keep 'em coming!
non-poly, non−gut mains/smooth poly crosses review thread
- Thread starter tele
- Start date
tele
Hall of Fame
played for the first time in about 10 days with the micronite/tpp combo, and it felt like a locked string bed(reminded me of what ak control felt like after locking up) unless I was hitting hard, in which case it softened up. spin was fine but less than when the.strings were fresh, and the crosses were all over the place. though the mains pretty much stayed put, friction has clearly increased. It was still comfy enough not to cause any pain, and the feedback was possibly better than ever, but the feeling was not particularly pleasant.
I also hit with the qga/tpp combo, which despite being older still slides well and feels soft. based on these results, I am going to abandon micronite as a mains for the time being. if it does not break pretty soon, I am probably going to cut it out
I also hit with the qga/tpp combo, which despite being older still slides well and feels soft. based on these results, I am going to abandon micronite as a mains for the time being. if it does not break pretty soon, I am probably going to cut it out
Last edited:
tele
Hall of Fame
hdmx ordered
tele
Hall of Fame
Good news regarding comfort on the tpp crosses. I played for 3 hours 5-degree(celsius) weather today and comfort was not an issue with either my rebel 95 or my tour 98. the micronite/tpp setup is starting to get pretty vague and mushy feeling, kind of like an older multi or syn gut, whereas the qga tpp setup still feels and plays pretty similar. Though I can't definitively say because the mains are different, I think tpp might be a better match for closed patterns that are already kind of boardy. It is a winner in my 95. Once micronite breaks (it is already notched and fraying), I am going to use warrior response crosses with HDMX mains (both 16g) in the 98 to see if I can get things a little crisper while keeping comfort.
tele
Hall of Fame
HDMX/Warrior Response (49/46) first impression:
I had a brief hit in near freezing weather today.
Spin: I didn't feel like it really grabbed the ball, but I had no issues generating plenty of spin. Mains snapback was the best of the hybrids I have tried, but I will have to see if it lasts.
Comfort:The stringbed was definitely firmer than micronite/tpp, but no comfort issues. It felt a little more muted, but feedback was sufficient, and I found the feel more pleasant than micronite/tpp. I am currently attributing that to the micronite rather than the tpp, but I need to try HDMX/tpp next.
Power: This combo felt really intuitive to me. I did not feel like I had to adjust much to the stringbed, but I am accustomed to playing with non-poly mains, so YMMV. With micronite/tpp, I had to be careful about adding more spin to keep the ball in play. It also makes a nice, loud thwack on hard serves and groundstrokes.
Durability: TBD
I had a brief hit in near freezing weather today.
Spin: I didn't feel like it really grabbed the ball, but I had no issues generating plenty of spin. Mains snapback was the best of the hybrids I have tried, but I will have to see if it lasts.
Comfort:The stringbed was definitely firmer than micronite/tpp, but no comfort issues. It felt a little more muted, but feedback was sufficient, and I found the feel more pleasant than micronite/tpp. I am currently attributing that to the micronite rather than the tpp, but I need to try HDMX/tpp next.
Power: This combo felt really intuitive to me. I did not feel like I had to adjust much to the stringbed, but I am accustomed to playing with non-poly mains, so YMMV. With micronite/tpp, I had to be careful about adding more spin to keep the ball in play. It also makes a nice, loud thwack on hard serves and groundstrokes.
Durability: TBD
Automatix
Legend
Was going to suggest just that.
I think Prince Warrior Response will go down hill quickly due to outer getting sawed through/breaking. Seen this with Lynx Touch.
tele
Hall of Fame
I have heard that Warrior Response is pretty hard on itself in a full bed, but in my hybrids, Warrior has notched the mains rather than the other way around. HDMX might be harder on the crosses than the others I have used b/c of its poly component. Will just have to see.
I also wanted to get a crisper/more solid feel out of my tour 98, so I switched both strings from 17g to 16g. Feels good now, but hoping hdmx/tpp will feel similarly solid.
Last edited:
Automatix
Legend
You've ditched those Still in Black X8-X12s?
forzamr_b
Rookie
Just tried Kirschbaum Syn Gut 1.30 mains with Ghostwire 1.27 crosses. Very plush with good ball-pocketing. Definitely worth a try if that’s what you like. Unfortunately, too soft for me. Will test with a stiff poly cross, Max Power, next to see if that improves the responsiveness of the stringbed.
tele
Hall of Fame
Played HDMX/Warrior response for the fourth time today. HDMX is already notched but still glides easily back into place when pulled. Unlike Tourna Quasi Gut Armor, it is not hard to adjust the crosses if they do get pulled out of place. With the current combo, I felt like I didn't have to think much about changing strokes to suit the stringbed, so barring some sudden change in playability, I am going to settle on HDMX as the mains in my Tour 98 and (try to) sell the remainder my reel of QGA. I might try HDMX 1.25 with tpp in my rebel 95 at some point. Either way, I will try HDMX 1.30/tpp in the tour 98 after this set breaks.
update: around 6 hours in, and tension has started dropping a bit. Notches are deeper in hdmx, and dents have appeared in warrior response. Spin is still very good, and both crosses and mains slide pretty freely. Pocketing and comfort have increased, but not to an overly mushy or uncontrollable extent.
update 2: 10 hours(?) in. HDMX is fraying on one side and deeply notched on the other. Remarkably, it still slides well. HDMX is definitely the best main multi string I have used so far in terms of retaining its slickness in a hybrid. I have noticed a fair amount of tension loss in the string bed, though. It is still manageable, but I have to be careful about imparting enough spin to keep the ball in.
update: around 6 hours in, and tension has started dropping a bit. Notches are deeper in hdmx, and dents have appeared in warrior response. Spin is still very good, and both crosses and mains slide pretty freely. Pocketing and comfort have increased, but not to an overly mushy or uncontrollable extent.
update 2: 10 hours(?) in. HDMX is fraying on one side and deeply notched on the other. Remarkably, it still slides well. HDMX is definitely the best main multi string I have used so far in terms of retaining its slickness in a hybrid. I have noticed a fair amount of tension loss in the string bed, though. It is still manageable, but I have to be careful about imparting enough spin to keep the ball in.
Last edited:
tele
Hall of Fame
Hit with hdmx/tpp today at 51/48. was very comfy but still felt a little stiffer than fb multi. spin was good, and the sweetspot felt nice. This may have been the ats 98, but I felt like I had a better idea where my touch shots were going as they left the stringbed, so my guess is tpp has slightly more feedback than warrior response. I am going to try warrior response next in this racquet, but the two seem pretty interchangeable as cross strings. I used cream in two different racquets, so I cannot say definitively, but based on my experience so far, I would say both warrior response and tpp are more comfortable than cream in the high 40s.
update: 4 hours in and the stringbed's feel has remained crisp, presumably giving tpp the edge over warrior response, which progressively got softer, in terms of tension maintenance. i need to try this combo in another racquet to be sure how much the strings are contributing vs the new racquet, but touch shots and slice have been great so far. Spin overall is good. comfort remains high. The notching In hdmx is also less compared with warrior response.
Last edited:
@tele - Nice thread here.
The more non-poly/non-gut strings I test, the more I appreciate what Tecnifibre has achieved with their PU400 matrix (used on almost all of their multi's/multiesters). Even notched, it very often retains nearly-100% of its sliding ability, and does so against more types of opposing string surfaces as well -- unlike many (most?) other initially-slick synthetics, whose surfaces tend to be a separate coating, polish or jacket/sheath, where even the slightest bit of wear often kills snapback entirely. On the other hand, the PU400-based strings with that surrounding matrix being the same material all the way from the surface to deep within the string, tends to retain its snap way more effectively and for much longer (kind of in the same vein in the world of poly of how high-percentage cross-link esters like Wilson Revolve and Grapplesnake Tour M8 derive more of their slickness from the core co-polymer material itself, and retain the same coefficient of friction even as the material notches all the way to the core).
On that note, I see very few combos that offer both poly/poly like snapback and high snapback longevity. In my case, one of the best has been RPX/Cream, which has a bit higher-percentage poly overall than your setup of HDMX/TPP, but exhibits incredible snapback for pretty much the entire life of the string bed (I was stringing it for a 4.0-ish client who would routinely get 50+ hours out of a single string job, with full snapback all the way to the end). I think that result is owed to how well the PU400 interacts with the wax-infused finish and softer surface hardness of Cream.
TL;DR - On the flip side, a recent example of an initially-outstanding combo that just didn't last -- very depressingly so -- was AK Pro CX / RPM Rough (in my playtest Strike 100 16x20). For the first 90 minutes or so, oh my god, I thought I had discovered the holy grail. I'm not exaggerating when I say it had the most snapback-inducing spin of any string combo I've ever tried, including poly/poly and gut/poly hybrids. Like, illegal levels of spin -- curve and kick on my serves that I've simply never seen and ground strokes that were bouncing over head-level, routinely. But at about the 2 hour mark, once the silicone coatings on both strings started wearing off, snapback pretty much ground to a halt, and the hybrid became mediocre at best. Which is the frustrating part of so many of these combos, that start off with incredible characteristics, but usually lose them in very short order; typically 3-5 hours, or less.
As such, I've come to a point where I tend to prefer the most "sustainable" setup, where the performance may be lower to begin with, but can be sustained to a much greater degree and longer amount of hours (preferably 10-20 hours, at minimum).
All said, I'm with you on the hunt, and will post any further discoveries here, both good and bad, as I make them.
Current strings on my radar as potential mains to a poly cross:
- Volkl Power Fiber Pro
- Yonex Dynawire
- YTEX Sintex
Potential poly crosses to evaluate:
- MSV Swift (White and Black)
- Toroline Snapper
- Toroline Wasabi X
The more non-poly/non-gut strings I test, the more I appreciate what Tecnifibre has achieved with their PU400 matrix (used on almost all of their multi's/multiesters). Even notched, it very often retains nearly-100% of its sliding ability, and does so against more types of opposing string surfaces as well -- unlike many (most?) other initially-slick synthetics, whose surfaces tend to be a separate coating, polish or jacket/sheath, where even the slightest bit of wear often kills snapback entirely. On the other hand, the PU400-based strings with that surrounding matrix being the same material all the way from the surface to deep within the string, tends to retain its snap way more effectively and for much longer (kind of in the same vein in the world of poly of how high-percentage cross-link esters like Wilson Revolve and Grapplesnake Tour M8 derive more of their slickness from the core co-polymer material itself, and retain the same coefficient of friction even as the material notches all the way to the core).
On that note, I see very few combos that offer both poly/poly like snapback and high snapback longevity. In my case, one of the best has been RPX/Cream, which has a bit higher-percentage poly overall than your setup of HDMX/TPP, but exhibits incredible snapback for pretty much the entire life of the string bed (I was stringing it for a 4.0-ish client who would routinely get 50+ hours out of a single string job, with full snapback all the way to the end). I think that result is owed to how well the PU400 interacts with the wax-infused finish and softer surface hardness of Cream.
TL;DR - On the flip side, a recent example of an initially-outstanding combo that just didn't last -- very depressingly so -- was AK Pro CX / RPM Rough (in my playtest Strike 100 16x20). For the first 90 minutes or so, oh my god, I thought I had discovered the holy grail. I'm not exaggerating when I say it had the most snapback-inducing spin of any string combo I've ever tried, including poly/poly and gut/poly hybrids. Like, illegal levels of spin -- curve and kick on my serves that I've simply never seen and ground strokes that were bouncing over head-level, routinely. But at about the 2 hour mark, once the silicone coatings on both strings started wearing off, snapback pretty much ground to a halt, and the hybrid became mediocre at best. Which is the frustrating part of so many of these combos, that start off with incredible characteristics, but usually lose them in very short order; typically 3-5 hours, or less.
As such, I've come to a point where I tend to prefer the most "sustainable" setup, where the performance may be lower to begin with, but can be sustained to a much greater degree and longer amount of hours (preferably 10-20 hours, at minimum).
All said, I'm with you on the hunt, and will post any further discoveries here, both good and bad, as I make them.
Current strings on my radar as potential mains to a poly cross:
- Volkl Power Fiber Pro
- Yonex Dynawire
- YTEX Sintex
Potential poly crosses to evaluate:
- MSV Swift (White and Black)
- Toroline Snapper
- Toroline Wasabi X
Last edited:
tele
Hall of Fame
will be interested to hear about how those combos end up working, especially in terms of how long both playability and comfort last.
i have tried a number of tecnifibre multis(biphase, multifeel, triax) in fb, but only hdmx as a main string with poly crosses. nice to hear the others should also slide well. cream is a great cross, though I felt like it developed a slightly unpleasant edge as tension dropped around the 10 hr(i think) mark in 2 of 3 setups I tried. maybe the mains were developing higher friction as they notched−really do not know. Also, each setup was in a different racquet, so don't know for sure what I was feeling. Cream crosses in my rebel 95 felt comfy well past 10 hrs.
Automatix
Legend
Recent experience as in you dropped TPP?
I took a gamble and got one of my racquets strung with full TPP and maybe it's in my head but it does seem softer than Cream...
Sadly still not soft enough for me to use as a full bed at least in an 18x20 pattern... next stop, Origin mains and TPP crosses!
tele
Hall of Fame
tpp and warrior response are my primary cross strings and I plan to keep using tpp regularly. i actually ended up getting a reel of blue just in case they stop selling it.
my experience with cream was pre-tpp. sorry to hear a full bed was too harsh, and I hope you find better luck with origin in the mains!
Automatix
Legend
Still, I think this will be THE CROSS for hybrids. Love the translucent option. I know it shouldn't matter but it goes well with any color of mains.
Update - Ocho TNT 1.30 / Hawk Black 1.30 @ 52/49 lockout (so ~50/47 eCP) in a '21 CX 200. ~2 hours already on the string bed. Sring bed tension was probably 40-ish to low 40's.
Played well. Snapback/spin probably 3.5/5. Power 4/5. Control 4/5. Unfortunately, due such a difference in surface hardness (Hawk never, ever dents or notches -- from poly mains -- so that tells you how hard it is...), the Ocho TNT is notched through by about 30% around the sweet spot, after about 3-4 hours of play. So I'd anticipate maybe 8-10 playable hours from this hybrid. Nice combo overall, though. I'd give it about a 7.5 out of 10. Kind of sad to see Gamma pull the plug on all their Ocho shaped multi's/syn-guts, as they were a unique offering, but overall, didn't give enough actual spin/snapback production to warrant being used over a round but more slick synthetic.
@tele - How is the surface slickness of TPP as a cross to non-poly mains? Does TPP tend to allow full snapback that lasts at least a few hours, with certain non-poly mains?
Played well. Snapback/spin probably 3.5/5. Power 4/5. Control 4/5. Unfortunately, due such a difference in surface hardness (Hawk never, ever dents or notches -- from poly mains -- so that tells you how hard it is...), the Ocho TNT is notched through by about 30% around the sweet spot, after about 3-4 hours of play. So I'd anticipate maybe 8-10 playable hours from this hybrid. Nice combo overall, though. I'd give it about a 7.5 out of 10. Kind of sad to see Gamma pull the plug on all their Ocho shaped multi's/syn-guts, as they were a unique offering, but overall, didn't give enough actual spin/snapback production to warrant being used over a round but more slick synthetic.
@tele - How is the surface slickness of TPP as a cross to non-poly mains? Does TPP tend to allow full snapback that lasts at least a few hours, with certain non-poly mains?
tele
Hall of Fame
i can say yes for at least 4 hours with hdmx and quasi gut armor but not signum pro micronite, which got sticky. It is possible cream is a slicker cross, but the difference in slickness, at least with some non-poly mains, is small enough that i would need to test them side by side to be sure.
@Casper777 - How did Vanquish/Ice Code work out for you? How was the feel (crisp to muted) and any appreciable amount of snapback? If so, how long did it last? TIA!
So quick update on a combo -- Gamma Ocho TNT 1.30 / Head Hawk Black 1.30 @ 52/49 in a '21 CX200 (all-black limited edition, string/frame combo looked sick!). Nice combo, albeit the string bed mesh felt a little on the thick/clunky side of things, but touch, spin and feel were all excellent, especially feel -- I really enjoyed the crisp "crunch" when I nailed the sweet spot. Snapback was only mediocre, though, as Gamma's outer material structure on Ocho TNT isn't the most slippery, and got progressively less slidey as notching got deeper. On that note, playability was on the shorter side of things -- the string bed started to get a bit loose and less predictable around hours 6-7, as the central mains were notching well beyond 50% around the sweet spot, and I could feel through the course of a couple games that it had lost most of its playable potential. No real surprise, though, as the difference in surface hardness between Hawk, which is one of the most dent-resistant polys out there, and even as "beefy" a synthetic as most of Gamma's TNT stuff tends to be, was just too much. Plus, it was a bit of a fleeting relationship anyways, as I just found out that Gamma/Toalson have discontinued the whole line of Ocho synthetics, plus a lot more synthetic variants as well. A bit depressing, but not entirely surprising, given their relatively poor sales and push into pickleball. Alas, I probably also need to find a cross besides Hawk, that isn't so hard on the synthetic mains, but that still is super slick and plays fairly controlled. Think I'll be trying Toroline Wasabi X next. We'll see how that goes. I may try Multifeel Black 1.30 / Wasabi X, at like 53/49. Will report back soon!
Last edited:
tele
Hall of Fame
toalson has their own recently released multi-sided syn gut called asterista armored that has not been canceled afaik. i do not know if they plan to make it available in us/europe, though.
Automatix
Legend
Tension?
tele
Hall of Fame
current setup was strung at 51/48. I might drop the tension a pound with warrior response, as it is a little firmer at first.
not sure on the hdx/tpp tension yet. maybe around 48/45.
tele
Hall of Fame
1. no
2. no, though the only racquet I have left it in for a super long time(months) is my second rebel 95, which is a very soft racquet. I hit with it recently and it was not jarring to me, though it (qga/tpp) feels slightly firmer than the one with kirschbaum syn gut and warrior response in it, which has become almost too mushy over time. Not sure if that is due to the difference in mains or crosses.
I think having a main string that keeps sliding is important, as micronite/tpp was less comfy once micronite locked up.
It is worth noting that the firmest racquet I have used tpp in is an ats 98, and I have not gone above 50 pounds.
3. I have only used natural multifeel in a full bed(I have read black is noticeably different. . .) long ago in a dr 98. I thought it was a pretty good string, but it breaks more easily than other multis I have used. My guess is snapback would be good with tpp, but durability would not be fantastic.
2. no, though the only racquet I have left it in for a super long time(months) is my second rebel 95, which is a very soft racquet. I hit with it recently and it was not jarring to me, though it (qga/tpp) feels slightly firmer than the one with kirschbaum syn gut and warrior response in it, which has become almost too mushy over time. Not sure if that is due to the difference in mains or crosses.
I think having a main string that keeps sliding is important, as micronite/tpp was less comfy once micronite locked up.
It is worth noting that the firmest racquet I have used tpp in is an ats 98, and I have not gone above 50 pounds.
3. I have only used natural multifeel in a full bed(I have read black is noticeably different. . .) long ago in a dr 98. I thought it was a pretty good string, but it breaks more easily than other multis I have used. My guess is snapback would be good with tpp, but durability would not be fantastic.
tele
Hall of Fame
update. another 2 hours with the ats today, and hdmx/tpp had no drop in comfort
Update.
TF Multifeel Black 1.30 / Toroline Wasabi-X 1.23 @ 55/50 lbs lockout (~52/47 lbs CP) in a 2020 CX 200. Very interesting combo. Good power-to-control balance. The bed has pop, but itsn't too overly flexy/wavy. MF Black both grabs the ball very well, but also slides across Was-X very well. Some of the most snapback-derived spin I've ever seen from a non-gut-non-poly/poly hybrid, including silicone-coated stuff (AKPCX/RPM). Achilles heel is durability of the MF mains -- pretty poor. 4-5 hours in and MF mains in/around the sweet spot are notched at ~75% and shredding pretty badly. Looks like breakage will come next session. Was-X continues to remain slippery, hold tension well and play well. Reminds me of MSV Co-Focus, but perhaps slightly more rubbery/shiny. Was-X is a bit more muted than I typically prefer, but blends well with the crispness of MF.
Prince Lightning Pro Black 1.30 / Toroline Wasabi-X 1.23 @ 55/50 in another 2020 CX 200. Also very nice. A tad more solid and composed/tight feeling string bed than the MF Black / Was-X combo, I think mainly due to Lightning Pro's thicker center core and slightly beefier outer wraps. LP isn't quite as crisp as MF Black, but close. Feel in combination w/ Was-X is still more on the crisp side than muted, which I prefer. Durability of Lightning Pro also seems a bit better than MF Black. Also intriguing is its origin. It's made in Japan, and straight out of the package smells and feels very similar to most of Gosen's syn guts, especially AK Pro CX, so I'm thinking it's Gosen who makes it for Prince (if it's a synthetic coming out of Japan, I'm pretty sure it has to be either Gosen or Toalson who is making it). The outer layer has a silicone finish, but unlike AK Pro CX, it seems to be permeated with silicone down deeper into the string (more like the classic behavior of natural oils oozing out of real gut, that keep it sliding), for even with 10-20% notching, it's still sliding on the crosses pretty much unimpeded, which is not something AK Pro CX did as well, at least not in my experience. That said, LP isn't quite as snappy/elastic as Multifeel, nor does it grab the ball quite as well, so snapback-based spin is not quite to the level of MF Black / Was-X, but it's close. On the plus side, as I said, the overall string bed feels beefier and slightly more reliable in its rebound response, and if LP lasts longer, then it could very well be the winner, and one of the better hybrids of this type that I've tried in quite some time, potentially ever.
Will be back with more updates as I try more stuff. Any questions, feel free.
TF Multifeel Black 1.30 / Toroline Wasabi-X 1.23 @ 55/50 lbs lockout (~52/47 lbs CP) in a 2020 CX 200. Very interesting combo. Good power-to-control balance. The bed has pop, but itsn't too overly flexy/wavy. MF Black both grabs the ball very well, but also slides across Was-X very well. Some of the most snapback-derived spin I've ever seen from a non-gut-non-poly/poly hybrid, including silicone-coated stuff (AKPCX/RPM). Achilles heel is durability of the MF mains -- pretty poor. 4-5 hours in and MF mains in/around the sweet spot are notched at ~75% and shredding pretty badly. Looks like breakage will come next session. Was-X continues to remain slippery, hold tension well and play well. Reminds me of MSV Co-Focus, but perhaps slightly more rubbery/shiny. Was-X is a bit more muted than I typically prefer, but blends well with the crispness of MF.
Prince Lightning Pro Black 1.30 / Toroline Wasabi-X 1.23 @ 55/50 in another 2020 CX 200. Also very nice. A tad more solid and composed/tight feeling string bed than the MF Black / Was-X combo, I think mainly due to Lightning Pro's thicker center core and slightly beefier outer wraps. LP isn't quite as crisp as MF Black, but close. Feel in combination w/ Was-X is still more on the crisp side than muted, which I prefer. Durability of Lightning Pro also seems a bit better than MF Black. Also intriguing is its origin. It's made in Japan, and straight out of the package smells and feels very similar to most of Gosen's syn guts, especially AK Pro CX, so I'm thinking it's Gosen who makes it for Prince (if it's a synthetic coming out of Japan, I'm pretty sure it has to be either Gosen or Toalson who is making it). The outer layer has a silicone finish, but unlike AK Pro CX, it seems to be permeated with silicone down deeper into the string (more like the classic behavior of natural oils oozing out of real gut, that keep it sliding), for even with 10-20% notching, it's still sliding on the crosses pretty much unimpeded, which is not something AK Pro CX did as well, at least not in my experience. That said, LP isn't quite as snappy/elastic as Multifeel, nor does it grab the ball quite as well, so snapback-based spin is not quite to the level of MF Black / Was-X, but it's close. On the plus side, as I said, the overall string bed feels beefier and slightly more reliable in its rebound response, and if LP lasts longer, then it could very well be the winner, and one of the better hybrids of this type that I've tried in quite some time, potentially ever.
Will be back with more updates as I try more stuff. Any questions, feel free.
Last edited:
I've been using TF NRG2 16G mains/Kirschbaum Max Power 17G (125) cross, or TF MultiFeel 16G mains/Kirschbaum Max Power 17G for most of last 10 years or more. I string the mains 4 lbs higher than the crosses. Tensions are in the 48/44 to 54/50 range. In 98 inch heads, I tended to go with 50/46 or 52/48 lbs. I am using 100" head now and use 52/48 lbs. Obviously, I like this setup a lot. The NRG2 is slightly softer than the MultiFeel but they are similar. I like the NRG2 slightly more but difference is negligible. I went these strings because I like the TF strings and NRG2, MultiFeel and Max Power are close in tension loss according to TWU string DB. Max Power is a stiff poly so beware if you have arm issues. Stiff poly strings tend to hold tension better than soft poly and NRG2 and MF are both good at holding tension. For me, this setup is very comfortable and I usually string the poly at 48 lbs or less. The MF frays a little faster than the NRG2. I get about 10 hours of very excellent playability and then it drops off a little but is still playable for another 10 hours or so. After about 20+ hours, the mains usually snap or are very notched and frayed and it's time to cut them out.
KungfuTennis
Semi-Pro
You might think I'm crazy, but one of the best setups I've ever used was Foten Sweet 16 in the mains and Gosen Polymaster II in the crosses. Polymaster is basically a two sided string, almost totally flat, so that mains just sit on top of the flat string and slides however it wants. I really really really really really really really really like this setup.
tele
Hall of Fame
Another update on HDMX/TPP: I have been trading between my ATS 98 and Rebel 95 for the past two months, so I am not sure how many hours I have put on the ATS 98, but I would say it is over 10, with at least 5 of those actually being singles play. The HDMX is heavily frayed in the sweetspot and has severe notching (by ~50% or more slightly above the center), so I cannot imagine it will last much longer. There is finally a little friction in the stringbed, but the mains are still staying mostly in place and pretty much still slide back into position, albeit a little slower, when pulled out of place manually. The notches are so deep that the crosses are trapped in place. Comfort is still just as good as it has been, so I *think* this is a combo that would be safe for most to play until broken. I hit my old dr 98 with 5-year old velocity in it the other day, and the ATS 98 was more comfortable, though that could have more to do with the layup or other variables than the strings.
I am now getting my Rebel 95 strung with HDMX 1.25/TPP now (47lbs/44 lbs). Will update with how it goes.
I am now getting my Rebel 95 strung with HDMX 1.25/TPP now (47lbs/44 lbs). Will update with how it goes.
Last edited:
tele
Hall of Fame
How was playability duration/comfort with the Polymaster II?
Automatix
Legend
I think it should be close to Irukandji about which you'll find a lot more.
Gosen introduced rectangular strings a lot earlier.
Polymaster I, Powermaster I and Composite Master I - flat strings, polyester monofilament, syngut and multifilament (island construction) respectively.
Polymaster II, Powermaster II and Composite Master II - same as above just slightly thinner on the "longer" dimension.
Sorry. Just remembered you're from Japan so you probably know all of this.
BTW, the above were introduced about 2010.
Last edited:
tele
Hall of Fame
Thanks! I am very content with TPP at the moment, but Polymaster II is super cheap over here, so I thought I might try it if it doesn't crap out quickly, as I have heard some(all?) polys from that era can do.
Automatix
Legend
FWIW I updated my post because I've completely forgot about the Compositemaster.
KungfuTennis
Semi-Pro
Yep thats the one!
tele
Hall of Fame
I broke hdmx/tpp in the ats 98 and started playing with hdmx1.25/tpp1.25 (47/44) in my rebel 95. The low tension really opened up the sweet spot without increasing power over kirschbaum syn gut1.3/warrior response1.3. Spin was very good, and I felt really comfortable playing aggressively, whereas the previous setup made me a little hesitant at times. Comfort was outstanding, I would say equivalent to fb velocity in low 50s. Both hdmx and tpp lose some crispness at these tensions, though. Will update on playability duration.
BPlain
Professional
I played a couple hours of HDMX 1.30 mains / MultiFeel Black 1.30 crosses yesterday. This was my first time dipping back into any poly-ish strings due to long time GE issues.
Still early but loved this combo out of the gate. I play a lot of spin, especially on har-tru, and the poly part of HDMX definitely had the ball hopping more than my gut / syn gut setups I’ve been using.
Hoping arm continues to feel good and durability is there. Will update as I play more with it.
EDIT: Sorry, I missed the "smooth poly cross" of the thread title here.
Still early but loved this combo out of the gate. I play a lot of spin, especially on har-tru, and the poly part of HDMX definitely had the ball hopping more than my gut / syn gut setups I’ve been using.
Hoping arm continues to feel good and durability is there. Will update as I play more with it.
EDIT: Sorry, I missed the "smooth poly cross" of the thread title here.
Last edited:
tele
Hall of Fame
haha, no worries! Glad to hear hdmx works as a main with a non-poly in the crosses. Despite its poly fibers, I do not find hdmx any less comfy than many multis and syn guts and prefer the hitting sensation and performance it provides. It is not super durable, but my guess is that it would outlast multifeel.
BPlain
Professional
Thanks and good to know re: HDMX. I only get about 4 hours out of MF 1.30. I'd love to be able to get back to smooth poly crosses someday too but taking it slow and prioritizing my arm health over all else.
tele
Hall of Fame
good choice. After developing TE and being forced to take time off, I spent a long time with a full bed of isospeed control classic, a flexbar, and technique tweaks before I considered adding poly into the mix. If you ever do try poly crosses again, prince warrior response in the mid 40s is surprisingly comfy, at least in a soft and fairly heavy frame.
tele
Hall of Fame
i have been playing with the ats tour 98 with hdmx/harrier response for 2 hours.or so, and the string bed feels a little firmer than hdmx/tpp without being.uncomfortable at all. interestingly, the tpp crosses provide more feedback and pocketing at the same time. Spin probably better with harrier response, if only a little. I also get more power on serve with warrior response, and I have noticed this in multiple frames.
hdmx/tpp is working so well in my rebel 95, the racquet is getting back into rotation a lot.more. If you can get your hands on tpp, I recommend this hybrid to anyone looking to liven up a flexy 18x20 without getting into wildly uncontrollable territory
hdmx/tpp is working so well in my rebel 95, the racquet is getting back into rotation a lot.more. If you can get your hands on tpp, I recommend this hybrid to anyone looking to liven up a flexy 18x20 without getting into wildly uncontrollable territory
Last edited:
tele
Hall of Fame
I recently bought another used rebel 95 that came with old polyfibre tcs in it. I hit it for the first time today a little just to see how it swung and actually liked the strings, so tcs/tpp is coming up next!
the full bed felt comfy despite being (i think) years old, and tcs is apparently not made from polyester but polyethylene, so i am going to brave using it in the mains. will report back.
the full bed felt comfy despite being (i think) years old, and tcs is apparently not made from polyester but polyethylene, so i am going to brave using it in the mains. will report back.
Last edited:
tele
Hall of Fame
I drilled and played some tiebreakers with two other players yesterday and alternated between the Rebel 95 with old TCS and the one with hdmx/tpp. The TCS racquet had a nicer "brick wall" sensation when hitting hard and offered slightly more control and spin, but I did not notice a major advantage when it came to point play. It was very comfy overall, but I did feel a twinge in my wrist with the TCS racquet after a mishit. Although it was only momentary, it was strong enough that it made me wary of trying TCS with tpp crosses as a regular setup (I previously had a TFCC injury that took months to fully recover from). Instead, I am going to try TCS as a cross to HDMX, and perhaps as a mains with HDMX crosses.
tele
Hall of Fame
The hdmx 17/tpp 47lbs/44lbs combo in my rebel 95 is fraying pretty heavily, and I honestly hope it breaks pretty soon. It felt really nice at the beginning, but it seems to have increased in mush and actually decreased in power. Comfort is not an issue, and volleys still feel really nice, but I don't like the way it now lacks feel on groundstorkes. I don't know if this is due to the hdmx or the tpp, but I am going to keep hdmx above 50 and tpp in the upper 40s next time I use the combo. In my prince ats 98, I actually liked the way hdmx 16/tpp at 51/48 felt right before the mains broke, although that was in a different racquet, so it is hard to generalize. Next up will be hdmx 17(51 or 52 lbs)/tcs 1.25 (50 lbs) in the rebel 95.
On a related note I recently strung up a prestige ig mid with hdmx 17 at 50 lbs. I have never hit with a full bed of hdmx, so am curious to see how it performs. Will integrate that into a future post.
On a related note I recently strung up a prestige ig mid with hdmx 17 at 50 lbs. I have never hit with a full bed of hdmx, so am curious to see how it performs. Will integrate that into a future post.
