non-poly, non−gut mains/smooth poly crosses review thread

[tele]

@tele how many hours with hdmx/tpp until it lost playability?

It is unfortunately hard to tell, because I have been playing with two different racquets and variable numbers of people on the same court (I live in a very crowded city). I also haven't been vigilant about tracking the number of hours. I think it (hdmx/tpp at 47/44) played well for 3-4 hours and slowly dropped off in feel after that. I would guess I am about 8-10 hours of actual play time in.

On the other hand, (repeating what I said in the previous post just in case) hdmx/tpp (51/48) played well until it broke (I guess around 10 hours in, but maybe slightly more or less) in my ats 98. It seemed to gradually lose tension and then level off after about 2-4 hours in that racquet, after which I think I actually liked it better than when it was fresh.

 

[Trip]

@tele - So it sounds like hdmx/tpp has the best and longest playability when reference tension is above a particular minimum number, in this upper 40's-50ish perhaps?

 

[tele]

@tele - So it sounds like hdmx/tpp has the best and longest playability when reference tension is above a particular minimum number, in this upper 40's-50ish perhaps?

yes, that is my current guess, though I have only tried hdmx/tpp twice and in different racquets each time, so I will have a better idea when I try the higher tension in the rebel 95. ideally, I would also want.to try a lowrer tension in the ats to see if it mushes out, but I have no plans to do that because the higher tension worked comfort-wise.

 

[tele]

(this post does not include poly) I hit with an hdmx full bed at 50lbs in an ig prestige mid tonight, and the sound and feel definitely reminded me of nxt control. I could not believe how much power the ig mid had (it was weighted up to around 330 sw, and it was my first time hitting it). spin was very good with fb hdmx, though I think I am going to go with poly crosses once I break the hdmx to further improve what was already very good precision. The ig mid showed me how much feel i was missing with the rebel 95, a racquet I still think is great. the ig mid was really, really fun to play with. It is, of course, unforgiving, but I loved it. I definitely want to try the pc 2.0 now.

 

[tele]

(this post does not include poly) I hit with an hdmx full bed at 50lbs in an ig prestige mid tonight, and the sound and feel definitely reminded me of nxt control. I could not believe how much power the ig mid had (it was weighted up to around 330 sw, and it was my first time hitting it). spin was very good with fb hdmx, though I think I am going to go with poly crosses once I break the hdmx to further improve what was already very good precision. The ig mid showed me how much feel i was missing with the rebel 95, a racquet I still think is great. the ig mid was really, really fun to play with. It is, of course, unforgiving, but I loved it. I definitely want to try the pc 2.0 now.

I hit again with the ig mid with fb hdmx tonight. The spin is surprisingly good, and touch shots were great. However, on groundstrokes, it felt just a little wild, and I found myself holding back a bit compared to my rebel 95 with hdmx/tpp. If I were to go fb again, I would probably go up 2 or 3 pounds, but after I break it, I am going to try tcs crosses. I love the ig mid btw(so much that I am going to get a pc 2.0). I was worried the 18x20 would be too dense in an 89inch head, but spin is surprisingly easy to generate, perhaps even moreso than with my rebel 95. i will get back to poly crosses for the next post!

 

[tele]

I am dealing with a back injury but hopefully returning to tennis in a couple of weeks. these combos are up next:

hdmx/tcs
tcs/hdmx
hdmx/monogut zx(maybe)
edit: tcs/isospeed professional classic

 

[Shroud]

I am dealing with a back injury but hopefully returning to tennis in a couple of weeks. these combos are up next:

hdmx/tcs
tcs/hdmx
hdmx/monogut zx(maybe)

And ashaway dynamite/ monogut or monogut zx would be like hitting with a cloud

 

[Trip]

@tele - Another combo to add to the list:

Tecnifibre Multifeel Black 1.30 / Diadem Flash Navy 1.20 (@ 52/48 in a customized Dunlop CZ Revo 98D, at a strung spec of 325g/32.7cm/329.5sw – a total sleeper of a platform 98, but we'll save that for another thread).

This combo played almost as non-stop spinny as the MF Black / Wasabi-X combo I detailed previously in the thread. Initial spin and kick up off the court were NUTS. I was playing a guy today with a Rafa Origin with full-bed RPM Rough (Orange 1.25) who hits that spinny, deep, plunging ball and I was easily countering it with equal, if not better depth and pace, kicking even 1-2 feet higher than his, especially before the snapback got a bit grindy after the first 30-45 minutes, I think because the Flash Navy didn't stay quite as slick as I presumed it would. Wasabi-X might take the cake there. Overall touch and playability were excellent, though. I would say a "smooth feedback" type of feel (crispness of the Multifeel mains cut a bit by the slight muted-ness of the Flash crosses). Not sure how long this combo will last, though. In 2 hours, the MF Black 1.30 around the sweet spot is probably notched 25-30%, so I'm expecting breakage around 6-8 hours. Which won't be enough longevity for me to consider the hybrid for routine use. And that's a shame because I really enjoy MF Black as a main. It's just so easy to displace and snapback, while also remaining grippy to the ball. Just a crazy combination of those two qualities that not a lot of other multi's seem to have together at the same time.

Thinking I may try MSV Bussard as a cross with MF Black mains, then move to something that lasts a bit longer in the mains, perhaps Velocity Power Black. I also have yet to test Micronite. Really want to play that multi in the mains as well. Don't think it will snap as well, but just want to experience the feel.

 

[tele]

Thinking I may try MSV Bussard as a cross with MF Black mains, then move to something that lasts a bit longer in the mains, perhaps Velocity Power Black. I also have yet to test Micronite. Really want to play that multi in the mains as well. Don't think it will snap as well, but just want to experience the feel.

I have said this before, but based on the one time I tried it, the feel of micronite mains is relatively nice and crisp while it lasts. If you found a cross that micronite continues sliding against, I would love to know.

The short lifespan of multifeel is indeed a shame. I broke it quickly in a fb the few times I used it years ago, so it has not been a candidate for my hybrid experiments so far. I might try it in one of my prestige mids down the line to see if it holds up better in a denser pattern.

Looking forward to your next review.

 

[Trip]

If you found a cross that micronite continues sliding against, I would love to know.

Yeah, I'm trying to find the most permanently-slick co-poly cross for use with non-poly/non-gut mains. And I'm typically excluding the silicone-covered stuff that wears off fairly quickly (RPM, G-Tour, YPT Fire, etc). I'm looking mostly at cross-link esters like Revolve, certain Toroline stuff (Was-X, maybe Snapper), possibly Restring Zero, maybe MSV Bussard. Was hoping Flash would have stayed as slick as it initially was but doesn't look to be the case. Oh well. Can only really know by trying. Will update again as soon as I try Micronite next. Possibly with Wasabi-X or Snapper crosses. We'll see.

 

[EggSalad]

Yeah, I'm trying to find the most permanently-slick co-poly cross for use with non-poly/non-gut mains. And I'm typically excluding the silicone-covered stuff that wears off fairly quickly (RPM, G-Tour, YPT Fire, etc). I'm looking mostly at cross-link esters like Revolve, certain Toroline stuff (Was-X, maybe Snapper), possibly Restring Zero, maybe MSV Bussard. Was hoping Flash would have stayed as slick as it initially was but doesn't look to be the case. Oh well. Can only really know by trying. Will update again as soon as I try Micronite next. Possibly with Wasabi-X or Snapper crosses. We'll see.

I’ve been using Bussard as my poly cross to natural gut this year and love it. It’s really slick and has great snap back and playability duration. It’s really cheap as well.

 

[Trip]

I’ve been using Bussard as my poly cross to natural gut this year and love it. It’s really slick and has great snap back and playability duration. It’s really cheap as well.

Yeah I've been using it as a cross to BHS7T mains in a Strike 100 16x20 and that combo is super impressive, so I'm thinking it will work really well to both control higher-power mains and also promote snapback. Will report back once I have the chance to try more.

 

[Trip]

So an update on the Tecnifibre Multifeel Black 1.30 / Diadem Flash Navy 1.20 setup.

Playability was excellent in the first hour, solid in the second hour, decent to good in the third hour, but beyond hour 3, consistency started to waver, with the MF Black mains sticking out of place and heavily notched beyond 50% in the sweet spot, and general predictability of the bed started to take a nose dive. Huge playability variation inside of just 3-4 hours, to the point where I don't even think I'm going to wait for the strings to break and will be cutting them now. So, I probably won't be playing MF Black mains again with poly crosses. Just not enough durability and playable consistency. It either needs to be crossed with something way softer in surface hardness (probably not a poly or even partial-poly, but more so a slick synthetic, like itself, or Lightning Pro or similar) or used only as a cross for select mains that won't shred it too fast. A shame, as initial playability as a main is so, so good!

As for Diadem Flash Navy as a non-p hybrid cross, it didn't fair too badly, with excellent initial playability as well, though tension maintenance and that general feeling of controlled "tightness" faded faster and to a higher degree that I'd ideally would have liked. Also, I'd say the level of permanent slickness is a notch below that of Toroline Wasabi-X, so at least for duty as a cross not non-poly/non-gut mains for maximum and longest-lasting snapback, Was-X is in the lead. I have a feeling that Diadem Flash will be most effective as a cross in a poly/poly hybrid instead.

Next experiment I think is going to be either Velocity Power or Micronite in the mains, and MSV Bussard in the crosses. Should be a much more controlled string bed from the more firm Bussard crosses.

Will update again once I've had a chance to test further.

 

[maksp]

So an update on the Tecnifibre Multifeel Black 1.30 / Diadem Flash Navy 1.20 setup.

Playability was excellent in the first hour, solid in the second hour, decent to good in the third hour, but beyond hour 3, consistency started to waver, with the MF Black mains sticking out of place and heavily notched beyond 50% in the sweet spot, and general predictability of the bed started to take a nose dive. Huge playability variation inside of just 3-4 hours, to the point where I don't even think I'm going to wait for the strings to break and will be cutting them now. So, I probably won't be playing MF Black mains again with poly crosses. Just not enough durability and playable consistency. It either needs to be crossed with something way softer in surface hardness (probably not a poly or even partial-poly, but more so a slick synthetic, like itself, or Lightning Pro or similar) or used only as a cross for select mains that won't shred it too fast. A shame, as initial playability as a main is so, so good!

As for Diadem Flash Navy as a non-p hybrid cross, it didn't fair too badly, with excellent initial playability as well, though tension maintenance and that general feeling of controlled "tightness" faded faster and to a higher degree that I'd ideally would have liked. Also, I'd say the level of permanent slickness is a notch below that of Toroline Wasabi-X, so at least for duty as a cross not non-poly/non-gut mains for maximum and longest-lasting snapback, Was-X is in the lead. I have a feeling that Diadem Flash will be most effective as a cross in a poly/poly hybrid instead.

Next experiment I think is going to be either Velocity Power or Micronite in the mains, and MSV Bussard in the crosses. Should be a much more controlled string bed from the more firm Bussard crosses.

Will update again once I've had a chance to test further.

Have you tried micronite yet? What's you best multi main so far with poly cross

 

[Trip]

Have you tried micronite yet? What's you best multi main so far with poly cross

Still haven't gotten it into a frame yet, but it's likely next up. Probably going to go into a '21 CX 200, crossed with Wasabi-X or Bussard 1.25.

With the onset of winter firmly here, court time will be slim, so I'd be stretching the truth if I said I think I can get a hit in with it before Christmas. We'll see though.

 

[tele]

getting back on the court in the near future and if all goes well, my next test will be hdmx/tcs in my prestige mid. I also got some really cheap gosen "us hyper soft 16", a discontinued string that is reported to be almost identical to ak pro, so I will be trying out that as a mains in a 16×19 racquet.

update：

prestige at the stringer for hdmx/tcs hybrid, and I am soon going to throw the hyper soft in my dr 98 with either warrior response or tpp crosses.

 

[Fuzzy]

I'm rocking x-one biphase 17 and Wasabi X both @51 right now and absolutely loving it.

 

[Trip]

@Fuzzy:
1) What frame(s)?
2) Are the X1 mains continuously snapping back, or do they eventually get stuck out of place, and if so, around what hour mark (even a rough guess)?
3) How much longevity (in hours) are you getting out of a single string job?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Fuzzy]

This is on a yonex percept 100.

Snapback has been great, no stickage.

I’ll have to follow up on longevity, still in the honeymoon phase.

I’m also playing with one that’s the same strings but 52/48 instead of 51 on both…haven’t decided which one i like better yet.

 

[tele]

HDMX/TCS (52/50 in an ig prestige mid with unstrung SW around 305) first impressions:

TCS feels kind of crisp in a full bed, but as a cross with HDMX, it felt more muted to me than HDMX/TPP or a full bed of HDMX. The string bed felt pretty low-powered without being anemic. Control was great, spin was better than a full bed of HDMX, and although the sweetspot felt miniscule at first, it quickly opened up and felt really nice on volleys. I think this is probably at least as arm-friendly as HDMX/TPP. Will update this post after a few hours of playtime.

 

[Topspin7]

Ive been digging triax mains and poly crosses. But triax is expensive. Any comparable strings to triax but cheaper?

 

[Trip]

Ive been digging triax mains and poly crosses. But triax is expensive. Any comparable strings to triax but cheaper?

Previous to this year, at least if you're in North America, I would have suggested RPX, which is basically cheaper Triax, but Tecnifibre discontinued it (planned from the get-go, of course). That said, you might be able to find some leftover stock, potentially discounted, in enough places.

Beyond that, I would say one of the better cost-conscious alternatives might be Volkl Power Fiber Pro (Michelle of TW actually liked it more than Triax during their comparison of several multi/poly fusion strings). That said, the feel will be more muted and playability may not be as quite as consistent when you're getting close to breakage, but it's at least an option worth trying. Another is Prince Lightning Pro, which is technically a "syn-gut-ester", but it plays with a lot of multi/poly fusion like behavior to it, and is an outstanding value.

Hope that helps.

 

[tele]

Ive been digging triax mains and poly crosses. But triax is expensive. Any comparable strings to triax but cheaper?

hdmx is a slightly softer, more powerful string with a similar construction(a bit less poly in it). It has been a while since I hit with triax, but they are not that dissimilar iirc. It is five bucks cheaper. if you want a significantly cheaper "control-oriented" multi, you could look at prince premier control, velocity mlt, or head rip control.

edit：trip's post appeared as I was writing this. also good suggestions

 

[forzamr_b]

Gut/poly user here but still in search of a secondary string setup for wet weather or when my gut snaps mid session. Have shared my non-poly main, poly cross experiences here a few times. Most recently, I tested AK Pro CX and Velocity (natural) in matched rackets, same tension. Both in 1.30mm and with 1.27mm Ghostwire crosses.

I much preferred AK. So much so that I clocked 22.75 hrs (till breakage) with it vs 2.5hrs with Velocity. I just don’t like the feel of Velocity. It’s too trampoline-y. I can barely feel the ball on the strings. I’ve come to realise I much prefer a firm, responsive feel. I need that feedback to guide my hitting.

AK along with Quasi-gut are the most similar to gut in terms of having that feel. AK is firmer than Quasi but has less snap back. AK is also way more durable although my test with Quasi was with a different racket. In fact AK was nearly as durable as gut, but I think it was durable only because snap back was greatly reduced after the slick coating wore off around 9hrs of singles (less sawing effect).

This is my only complaint for AK at the moment. It plays great until the coating wears off (9 hrs for me), then you need some time to adjust to this loss of snap back, then it remains consistent at this above average playability till breakage.

I’m pretty close to committing to a reel because it has high performance to cost ratio, but at the same time I’m wondering if I can find something which plays great for longer, say 15 hrs even if it is not as durable. I’ll definitely retest Quasi at some point, but I’m not optimistic over its durability and performance to cost ratio.

Thus far besides these 3 multi/syn guts, I’ve also tried Tourna Syn gut armor and Kirschbaum syn gut. Syn gut armor was the worst, no durability and just an average string. Kirschbaum is a bit too soft and mushy for me, and lacks snap back.

What others do you recommend I try? That would be similar to AK? These are the characteristics I would prioritise:

1. Firmness, responsive feel. I need to know where the ball lands on the stringbed for sweet spot feedback.
2. Snap back
3. Consistent playability/characteristics over its lifespan
4. Tension maintenance

Strings I’ve shortlisted so far but have no clue whether their characteristics align with my preferences:

• X-one Biphase (since it’s often referred to as the most gut like string). Cost has deterred me so far.
• Triax (my gut tells me it might be similar to AK)
• Multi-feel Natural (I read that black is more muted so I suspect I’ll prefer natural even though black is lauded for its slickness)
• Ocho TNT (can’t remember why I shortlisted it)
• Head Syn Gut PPS (seems popular on this forum)
• TNT2

 

[Trip]

I much preferred AK. So much so that I clocked 22.75 hrs (till breakage) with it vs 2.5hrs with Velocity.

Wow. That's quite telling, in and of itself.

I just don’t like the feel of Velocity. It’s too trampoline-y. I can barely feel the ball on the strings. I’ve come to realise I much prefer a firm, responsive feel.

I don't blame you. Neither do I. I'll take as much feel and crispness as I can get these days, especially in all these excessively muted frames being pumped out left and right.

As for the rest of your ask, I would say you'd want to add the following to your list of strings to try:
- Prince Lightning Pro (ie. as much as I can gather, it's more or less whitelabeled Gosen AK Pro (non-CX) made for Prince) - probably the most permanently-slick, tension-retaining and almost gut-like syn gut out there
- Tecnifibre HDMX - Fairly crisp like Triax, but a bit less poly percentage (~33%, versus of ~50% in Triax), for more easy string displacement and pop, potentially giving you even better snapback-based spin and more syn-gut like behavior in general.

As for some of the strings you've listed, I would pass on the following:
- Gamma Ocho TNT - Not sure if you're aware, but coming out of 2023, Gamma discontinued roughly 50+% of their tennis strings (as they're divesting out of tennis and into pickleball... barf!), including all of the synthetic Ocho strings (funny thing is, you can still find a good portion of their discontinued strings still made by Toalson (who has made all of Gamma's synthetics), sold under the Toalson brand with different model names (example: Ocho TNT is basically Asterista Armored, save for the "asterisk"-shaped center core), but they're not for direct sale in the US (yet, anyways), likely due to a geographic non-compete agreement with Gamma; not sure how long that agreement will last, but I can't see Toalson's strings some to USA any time soon unfortunately.
- Tecnifibre Multifeel, either color - Black is actually still very crisp, but also way more slick than Natural. Actually it's very likely the most slick synthetic in existence. The problem is lack of durability. Very often reported to shred and break before Velocity, which didn't gold a candle to AKPCX in your testing, so one can only infer that it won't hold up for your needs. A shame, as it's a great string, especially in denser patterns.

Hope some of that helps

 

[veelium]

Gut/poly user here but still in search of a secondary string setup for wet weather or when my gut snaps mid session. Have shared my non-poly main, poly cross experiences here a few times. Most recently, I tested AK Pro CX and Velocity (natural) in matched rackets, same tension. Both in 1.30mm and with 1.27mm Ghostwire crosses.

I much preferred AK. So much so that I clocked 22.75 hrs (till breakage) with it vs 2.5hrs with Velocity. I just don’t like the feel of Velocity. It’s too trampoline-y. I can barely feel the ball on the strings. I’ve come to realise I much prefer a firm, responsive feel. I need that feedback to guide my hitting.

AK along with Quasi-gut are the most similar to gut in terms of having that feel. AK is firmer than Quasi but has less snap back. AK is also way more durable although my test with Quasi was with a different racket. In fact AK was nearly as durable as gut, but I think it was durable only because snap back was greatly reduced after the slick coating wore off around 9hrs of singles (less sawing effect).

This is my only complaint for AK at the moment. It plays great until the coating wears off (9 hrs for me), then you need some time to adjust to this loss of snap back, then it remains consistent at this above average playability till breakage.

I’m pretty close to committing to a reel because it has high performance to cost ratio, but at the same time I’m wondering if I can find something which plays great for longer, say 15 hrs even if it is not as durable. I’ll definitely retest Quasi at some point, but I’m not optimistic over its durability and performance to cost ratio.

Thus far besides these 3 multi/syn guts, I’ve also tried Tourna Syn gut armor and Kirschbaum syn gut. Syn gut armor was the worst, no durability and just an average string. Kirschbaum is a bit too soft and mushy for me, and lacks snap back.

What others do you recommend I try? That would be similar to AK? These are the characteristics I would prioritise:

1. Firmness, responsive feel. I need to know where the ball lands on the stringbed for sweet spot feedback.
2. Snap back
3. Consistent playability/characteristics over its lifespan
4. Tension maintenance

Strings I’ve shortlisted so far but have no clue whether their characteristics align with my preferences:

• X-one Biphase (since it’s often referred to as the most gut like string). Cost has deterred me so far.
• Triax (my gut tells me it might be similar to AK)
• Multi-feel Natural (I read that black is more muted so I suspect I’ll prefer natural even though black is lauded for its slickness)
• Ocho TNT (can’t remember why I shortlisted it)
• Head Syn Gut PPS (seems popular on this forum)
• TNT2

So I've never tried AK but if you dislike the velocity feel (so do I) I can give some opinions on the strings you listed.
X-One is pretty nice honestly crossed with poly. I've only tried (in recent memory) the 1.24 orange with poly crosses(orbitour red).
Has that nice free power like gut, good spin and feels great. Durability/price is the issue (but then again I've only tried the 1.24) but I'd get the thickest gauge and give it a go.

Triax is firmer but crisp, stiffer so I'd go down in tension compared to X-One.
Multifeel I personally like a lot but haven't tried it with poly crosses yet. I'll put this in once the current X-One breaks.
For firmer strings, Xalt might also be worth a try. It's not as crisp as the tecnifibre offerings but also not as muted as velocity.
Haven't played enough with it to judge durability but my guess is that this lasts longer than X-one or triax.

 

[forzamr_b]

Wow. That's quite telling, in and of itself.


I don't blame you. Neither do I. I'll take as much feel and crispness as I can get these days, especially in all these excessively muted frames being pumped out left and right.

As for the rest of your ask, I would say you'd want to add the following to your list of strings to try:
- Prince Lightning Pro (ie. as much as I can gather, it's more or less whitelabeled Gosen AK Pro (non-CX) made for Prince) - probably the most permanently-slick, tension-retaining and almost gut-like syn gut out there
- Tecnifibre HDMX - Fairly crisp like Triax, but a bit less poly percentage (~33%, versus of ~50% in Triax), for more easy string displacement and pop, potentially giving you even better snapback-based spin and more syn-gut like behavior in general.

As for some of the strings you've listed, I would pass on the following:
- Gamma Ocho TNT - Not sure if you're aware, but coming out of 2023, Gamma discontinued roughly 50+% of their tennis strings (as they're divesting out of tennis and into pickleball... barf!), including all of the synthetic Ocho strings (funny thing is, you can still find a good portion of their discontinued strings still made by Toalson (who has made all of Gamma's synthetics), sold under the Toalson brand with different model names (example: Ocho TNT is basically Asterista Armored, save for the "asterisk"-shaped center core), but they're not for direct sale in the US (yet, anyways), likely due to a geographic non-compete agreement with Gamma; not sure how long that agreement will last, but I can't see Toalson's strings some to USA any time soon unfortunately.
- Tecnifibre Multifeel, either color - Black is actually still very crisp, but also way more slick than Natural. Actually it's very likely the most slick synthetic in existence. The problem is lack of durability. Very often reported to shred and break before Velocity, which didn't gold a candle to AKPCX in your testing, so one can only infer that it won't hold up for your needs. A shame, as it's a great string, especially in denser patterns.

Hope some of that helps

Thanks for the recommendations in both threads!

To clarify, Velocity didn’t break in 2.5hrs. I just haven’t hit with it as much . Performance and feel wise it wasn’t all that bad, just not as great as AK Pro CX or Quasi-gut Armor. I’ll probably play it till breaks just so I don’t waste the strings.

I might still give Multi-feel a try, especially if it’s more durable than Quasi-gut. Anyone has played with both?

 

[tele]

might still give Multi-feel a try, especially if it’s more durable than Quasi-gut. Anyone has played with both?

I have played both, although I did not use poly crosses with multifeeI. I do not think you will get much more durability, if any, out of multifeel. I was usong a more open racquet with the multifeel than woth quasi gut armor, so ymmv, but it was significantly less durable than velocity (whose feel I also do not like much) in that racquet.

if you try hdmx, I recommend the 16 gauge for crispness. The 17 gets a little soft as time goes by IME.

 

[veelium]

How much longevity are people getting out of X-One 1.34/ poly vs X-One 1.24 / poly?
Enjoyed the 1.24 combo quite a bit but it's breaking in 2-3hours which is a bit too little time for how expensive the string is.

 

[Trip]

So, unfortunately it's been weeks since I've been on court, but got back out there today, without having any time to restring any frames, and just used one of my '21 CX 200's, that had Lightning Pro 1.30 / Wasabi-X 1.23 @ 55/50 in it (which by now is probably down well into the low 40's), and it played really well. And Lightning Pro as a main has been way more durable than expected. Probably a good 8-10 hours on the bed, and it's only maybe 15-20% notched in/around the sweet spot. And Wasabi-X is turning into a GOAT hybrid cross. Excellent combo.

Interestingly enough, I had another '21 CX 200 with Multifeel Black 1.30 / Wasabi-X 1.23 in it, with similar hours on it, most of which were put on in the early fall, and the mains in/around the sweet spot were worn down through the outer jacket, through the inner multifilaments, with just the central core remaining, and at some point in the last few weeks it actually snapped just sitting in my bag. So while Multilfeel Black is wonderfully crisp and has arguably even more snapback but also ball grip than Lightning Pro, it just isn't quite durable enough as a main, at least not for my needs with even the slickest of poly crosses. If TF could make a multi that had as much feel and action on it as MF but just lasted longer, in that role as least, I'd be all over it. I've already tried Triax, and while good, it isn't quite as supple/powerful as Multifeel. As such, I'm probably going to make HDMX the next multi (really multi-ester) I try from Tec.

So, I'm now looking at stringing the one CX 200 with a new non-poly/poly combo. This time it's probably going to be Signum Pro Micronite / Wasabi-X. Have never played Micronite, but have heard really good things, though also that it's grindy. So I suppose pairing it up with arguably the most permanently slick poly in existence is probably the best test to see how permanently fluid and snappy it can be. Once I get some court time with it, I will report back.

 

[Trip]

So, just strung up Micronite 1.27 / Wasabi-X 1.23 at 56/51 lbs (lockout, so ~54/49 eCP) in a '21 CX 200 last night, with a strung spec of 335g/31.6cm/324sw (customization: 1.3mm TW leather base grip, Dunlop Super Tac over grip and 2.5g of lead at 12). Already I can tell it's not going to have the level of displacement and snap-back of Lightning Pro, and definitely not Multifeel Black. Feel-wise, given its reputation here, I was expecting a level of crispness on par with Multifeel, but the initial bouncy ball test indicates one notch less, closer to Lightning Pro, though both Micronite and Lightning Pro are certainly crisp enough. The overall feel though is pretty darn good. And the bouncy ball test also indicates a higher level of pop than Lightning Pro or Multifeel, which I'll probably welcome. Can't wait to get out on court with it later this week. Will report back once I do!

 

[tele]

I had my first wall hit with one of my old blue DR 98s strung up with Gosen US Hyper Soft 16 mains (53 lbs) / TPP clear crosses (50 lbs). USHS16 is virtually identical to AK Pro (non-CX) but with an extra urethane coating that emits an intense odor. I decided on the DR because I want a racquet that is easier to handle for days when need some help against my opponent, and although I like my ATS 98, I am hoping the lower launch of the DR will make it less jarring to switch between it an my prestige mid/rebel 95. Anyway, first impressions:

power: close to HDMX/TPP, but maybe a little more. Also similar to Kirschbaum SG/TPP, but I would say less than QGA/TPP.

hitting sensation: nice and comfy, and an especially pleasant sensation in the sweet spot. I'd say USHS16 feels more like a syn gut than a multi, but it has a nice pocketing sensation—more similar to Kirschbaum than OGSM, but perhaps a little firmer than Kirschbaum. Off-center hits were clearly felt, but I think the USHS16/TPP combo was just as comfortable as the super old velocity black fb that was in there before.

(updated from here on following a hitting session)
control: good. spin was great and it was easy to flatten out the ball. It definitely had a springy feel that hdmx does not, but it was not launchy.

spin: on par with the other combos I have tried. ushs16 givws a clearer feeling of grabbing the ball, though snapback may eventually be an issue, as the crosses were already coming a little out of place

I am going to have to shelve this playtest, as my elbow started hurting any time I struck the ball off center, and I do not want to go down that road again. I do not think this was due to the strings, as I felt similar twinges when hitting it with the previous full bed of velocity. The dr 98 feels remarkably "sweet" in the sizeable sweetspot, but much less so outside of it. off center hits on my ig mid, which I switched back to during today’s session after a little under a half hour, are far less jarring(I also had no issues with the ats 98). Anyway, I liked the sensation of the string combo and will be trying it in my prestige in the near future.

 

[Trip]

Finally had a chance to get out and test Micronite 1.27 / Wasabi-X 1.23 @ 56/51 in one of my '21 CX 200's yesterday, and unfortunately it was on probably the fastest court I've ever played on in my life – a converted gymnasium with a very weird, partially-textured rubber floor, that is probably best used as an indoor track surface than anything else (certainly not tennis). The balls were barely bouncing and skidding low and fast, with tons of preserved forward momentum, so incoming shots felt like bricks, accentuating the feeling of any string bed being too boardy. So I'll need to get onto a normal court before I really start evaluating, but so far I can tell that snapback is nowhere near that of Lightning Pro or Multifeel Black mains. Durability is questionable. Even just sitting in the racquet for a couple days, Wasabi-X already notched a few percent into Micronite, and inside of just 20 minutes of semi-hard hitting, Micronite already started to notch maybe 5-10% around the sweet spot. So early signs aren't looking too promising, but we'll see. Another update to come soon.

 

[Solemn]

@tele - Another combo to add to the list:

Tecnifibre Multifeel Black 1.30 / Diadem Flash Navy 1.20 (@ 52/48 in a customized Dunlop CZ Revo 98D, at a strung spec of 325g/32.7cm/329.5sw – a total sleeper of a platform 98, but we'll save that for another thread).

This combo played almost as non-stop spinny as the MF Black / Wasabi-X combo I detailed previously in the thread. Initial spin and kick up off the court were NUTS. I was playing a guy today with a Rafa Origin with full-bed RPM Rough (Orange 1.25) who hits that spinny, deep, plunging ball and I was easily countering it with equal, if not better depth and pace, kicking even 1-2 feet higher than his, especially before the snapback got a bit grindy after the first 30-45 minutes, I think because the Flash Navy didn't stay quite as slick as I presumed it would. Wasabi-X might take the cake there. Overall touch and playability were excellent, though. I would say a "smooth feedback" type of feel (crispness of the Multifeel mains cut a bit by the slight muted-ness of the Flash crosses). Not sure how long this combo will last, though. In 2 hours, the MF Black 1.30 around the sweet spot is probably notched 25-30%, so I'm expecting breakage around 6-8 hours. Which won't be enough longevity for me to consider the hybrid for routine use. And that's a shame because I really enjoy MF Black as a main. It's just so easy to displace and snapback, while also remaining grippy to the ball. Just a crazy combination of those two qualities that not a lot of other multi's seem to have together at the same time.

Thinking I may try MSV Bussard as a cross with MF Black mains, then move to something that lasts a bit longer in the mains, perhaps Velocity Power Black. I also have yet to test Micronite. Really want to play that multi in the mains as well. Don't think it will snap as well, but just want to experience the feel.

Did you ever get a chance to try the MF black with the Bussard crosses (or Swift Black for the matter)? Looking for a crisper cross to go with my MF black mains in the 22EZ98

 

[Trip]

Did you ever get a chance to try the MF black with the Bussard crosses (or Swift Black for the matter)? Looking for a crisper cross to go with my MF black mains in the 22EZ98

Not yet, but I plan on it very soon, either in my TFight 305S playtest frame (18x19 98, so will probably do MF Black 1.25 / Bussard 1.20) or one of my 16x19 98" or 99" frames (would probably do MF Black 1.30 / Bussard 1.25 or Swift Black 1.25). Any or all of that might be happening as soon as next week, maybe the week after, whereupon I will update this thread with feedback.

 

[tele]

I recently hit with a friend's racquet that had a fb of ak pro 17, and it felt so nice I ordered a pack. Will be using ak pro 17 (natural) mains and tpp crosses in my ig mid for the next test.

 

[maksp]

Not yet, but I plan on it very soon, either in my TFight 305S playtest frame (18x19 98, so will probably do MF Black 1.25 / Bussard 1.20) or one of my 16x19 98" or 99" frames (would probably do MF Black 1.30 / Bussard 1.25 or Swift Black 1.25). Any or all of that might be happening as soon as next week, maybe the week after, whereupon I will update this thread with feedback.

Why swift black as cross? White is slicker

 

[Trip]

Why swift black as cross? White is slicker

Only because @Solemn asked, and not that I don't believe you, but I've heard conflicting reports on the slickness of Swift White vs Swift Black, so I'd like to double-check for myself, with a few different mains.

 

[tele]

a pack of toalson asterista armored is on the way. Looking forward to trying that after ak pro.

 

[Trip]

@tele - 2 sets of Asterista Armored 1.30 on the way to me as well. It is available here in the USA, albeit it's kind of hidden away in smaller shops for the time being, so you need to be savvy at searching it out.

Will be putting it in the mains with the most permanently-slick and crisp poly I've got; probably Restring Sync, MSV Bussard or Head Hawk Silver/White.

Will be interested to see how it plays vs Ocho TNT 1.30, which in the mains with a poly cross was somewhat firm, stiff, beefy, medium grip, decent spin, though durability was on the low side. Will be interested to see if AA offers any more noticeable snap/pop and/or durability. Will update in the coming weeks.

 

[calmlyTryin]

In case anyone is wondering about diadem evolution.

As a main with poly crosses, this string feels really soft but wears up extremely fast.

It does seem to open up the sweet spot a lot though

 

[Trip]

In case anyone is wondering about diadem evolution.

As a main with poly crosses, this string feels really soft but wears up extremely fast

Not super surprising. IMHO, Diadem Evo is best used as a higher-power cross, when a poly would otherwise not offer enough pop. In that role, though, I think Prince Lightning Pro is slightly better, as the feel is more crisp/transmissive, pocketing is a bit nicer and the slickness and slickness longevity are at least similar, if not even a bit longer-lived.

 

[tele]

@tele - 2 sets of Asterista Armored 1.30 on the way to me as well. It is available here in the USA, albeit it's kind of hidden away in smaller shops for the time being, so you need to be savvy at searching it out.

Will be putting it in the mains with the most permanently-slick and crisp poly I've got; probably Restring Sync, MSV Bussard or Head Hawk Silver/White.

Will be interested to see how it plays vs Ocho TNT 1.30, which in the mains with a poly cross was somewhat firm, stiff, beefy, medium grip, decent spin, though durability was on the low side. Will be interested to see if AA offers any more noticeable snap/pop and/or durability. Will update in the coming weeks.

I have 2 packs of the 1.25 in black waiting for my hdmx mains to break. What color did you go with？ Looking forward to hearing what you think about it.

 

[Trip]

I have 2 packs of the 1.25 in black waiting for my hdmx mains to break. What color did you go with？ Looking forward to hearing what you think about it.

I went with Black as well, only 1.30 gauge, as most of my patterns are at least medium-density, or more open, and I figured, if I'm going to test durability, might as well go straight to the thickest gauge available.

 

[calmlyTryin]

Not super surprising. IMHO, Diadem Evo is best used as a higher-power cross, when a poly would otherwise not offer enough pop. In that role, though, I think Prince Lightning Pro is slightly better, as the feel is more crisp/transmissive, pocketing is a bit nicer and the slickness and slickness longevity are at least similar, if not even a bit longer-lived.

It's surprising as it doesn't wear out fast as a main with kevlar

 

[tele]

I recently acquired a 2023 Prestige MP as a contender for a more forgiving option I can use in matches. The syn gut it came strung with (50 lbs, but I wonder if it was lower) felt mushy to me, so I went with HDMX 16/TPP(clear) at 53/50. It provides a nice, comfortably crisp sensation with good power, so I think I might experiment with HDMX/TPP at even higher tensions if this stays arm-friendly.

 

[NotSoProStaff]

Hi, I've been following this and a few other threads and wanted to get some advice/recommendations about potential hybrid setups and wanted to see if anyone could help me out. I used to play with gut/poly (usually ghostwire cross) in my PS97, but looking for alternative cheaper options.

I thought about purchasing a couple packs of the following to hybrid
Prince Premier Control / Prince Warrior Response
Dynawire / Ghostwire
A multi or syn gut main to pair with Cream as a cross. Any recommendation would be appreciated.

 

[tele]

Hi, I've been following this and a few other threads and wanted to get some advice/recommendations about potential hybrid setups and wanted to see if anyone could help me out. I used to play with gut/poly (usually ghostwire cross) in my PS97, but looking for alternative cheaper options.

I thought about purchasing a couple packs of the following to hybrid
Prince Premier Control / Prince Warrior Response
Dynawire / Ghostwire
A multi or syn gut main to pair with Cream as a cross. Any recommendation would be appreciated.

As you can probably guess from the thread, I think HDMX is a choice worth trying in the mains (as long as it doesn't break too soon for you), for its blend of control and snapback. If you want a springier string with more gut-like power, I would consider something like ak pro cx, x-one biphase, quasi gut armor, or multifeel. @Trip has used numerous strings (e.g. lightning pro) that I have not, so you might want to consult him about his experience.

 

[Trip]

@NotSoProStaff - I'd probably make the change in phases, keeping GW in place in the crosses, but swap out the gut for a synthetic that will keep snapping back. In that role, I personally like Tecnifibre Multifeel Black (which is like 80% multi, 20% syn-gut, with a small solid core), and has just about the best snapback and spin potential of any synthetic, or if durability isn't high enough on Multifeel (its only real weakness), then Prince Lightning Pro (very close to a clone of Gosen AK Pro – about 70% syn gut, 30% multi), with a very slick construction, plus PET poly ribbons for durability, which kind of act like cow gut sinew in a way, resisting snapping for an extra long amount of time. Either one of those would probably do very well with Ghostwire or Cream as a cross.

 

[NotSoProStaff]

Thank you both for your guidance! I'll try it out and let you know how it goes.