haqq777
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PLAYTEST Review - HEAD Lynx Spin ²
By @haqq777
By @haqq777
Tension (s) used for playtest:
52 lbs both mains and crosses (Gamma Drop Weight)
Regular string set up:
I generally stick to Volkl Cyclone 16 at 52 lbs because I like the predictable response and familiarity. But mostly it is just whatever strings I have in my stash at the time.
Racquet used for test:
Babolat Aeropro Drive 2013
Control/power of test string:
Control of the string was excellent after the initial maybe ten minutes of strings settling in. I'd venture to say this was the stand out feature of the string for me. I had good directional control even when I took big cuts. Felt confident that the ball will not fly on me. My shots were landing deep and I was feeling the ball well on the string bed. Launch angle for me was fairly neutral. I did not notice any unusual difference in trajectory. Control for serves and volleys was great.
Power level was medium-high (for a poly). I will rate it a bit above average in terms of power levels. Stringbed felt a bit more livelier than what I am used to. It was somewhat erratic in the very beginning for first few minutes, but once strings settled down, the feedback became consistent.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?):
Very typical feel and feedback that one would expect from a medium-soft string. Overall comfortable. There are definitely strings in the market that make for a softer string bed (Hyper-G, Polyfibre TCS, WC Silverstring etc) and then there are clearly crisper feeling ones out there as well (most Luxilons, Kirshbaum Max Power, Volkl Cyclone etc) so I would say this hybrid setup is middle of the road in terms of softness and feedback. Touch shots were dampened/muted but on bigger cuts, I could feel the crispness, but in a good way. Predictable response and overall comfort was great, no complaints whatsoever.
Spin:
I know this is being marketed as a spin string but for me it was bang average and pretty mediocre in spin department. I have modern and somewhat whippy strokes, and I generally hit with moderate spin. I had to try and hit loopier with longer take backs and increase my racquet head speed in order to get more spin. I believe spin is the result of a combination of factors like stroke mechanics, equipment etc but given everything else being the same, I can name a few strings that give me better spin on my my regular strokes.
For the serves, I think flatter first serves were good. Slice and kick serves were decent but nothing extraordinary if I'm being honest. I did feel like I was hitting my spots and had consistent second serves.
Playability Duration:
I give high marks to the string in this particular department. From the beginning (except for the initial few hits where the strings settled in) till very late in the playtest - the feel and response stayed consistent and predictable. In my experience strings that exhibit such consistent traits suddenly fall of the cliff though and I am expecting that to happen here any time now.
As for durability, I could see some dents and notching on the crosses as early as an hour mark. I snapped the cross string close to 6 hour mark. I play with Div II college kids who hit big and heavy so it was expected.
Also, I don't have a way to measure tension maintenance but I go by feel anyway. And for me I had consistent playability throughout. Ball launch angle and trajectory also seem to be pretty consistent.
Tension findings (if you strung it again, would you use same tension? Explain answer):
Yes, I will string again at same tension. I am used to 50-52lbs range and for me that was the ideal tension for this string setup. That said, this is a very comfortable playing setup so I can even recommend going higher towards mid fifties for those wanting a bit more control. In the end, all comes down to personal preference.
OVERALL SCORE: 1 - 5 (1=poor / 5=excellent):
3
List any additional thoughts (optional):
A few observations:
1. I liked the consistent feedback of the string however I felt the dwell time was not as much as I am used to. I did not feel the ball pocketing sensation very much. No big deal, just an observation. Anyway, if you're a player who likes taking big cuts all the time and likes a predictable string bed, definitely try this one.
2. Overall, a good hybrid that was easy on the eyes, comfortable to string up, no kinking minimal coil memory and easy tie-offs. Depending on price, I might recomend to a few people I know. I will positively recomend this string for anyone looking for a comfortable and consistent feedback.
I will now finish my playtest by saying thank you to @TW Staff for this playtest opportunity. Really appreciate it and if anyone has any question please feel free to ask and I'll try to answer as best as I can.
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