Poly cross with best combo of slickness, firmness, low dwell, low pocketing, max tension maintenance.

[Trip]

I know this is a pretty specific ask -- venturing squarely into nerd territory here, I get it. But it's Talk Tennis, so lay off!

As the title says, I'm searching for the best poly cross for use with firm, shaped poly mains. Looking for the following qualities, from most important to least:
- SLICK, for as long as possible (ie. not RPM)
- Firm (maybe not 4G-level, but nothing below 200lbs/in on TWU)
- Not too sharp (if shaped)
- Max Tension Maintenance (under 30% loss on TWU)
- Short Dwell Time (around or under 34ms on TWU)
- Low Pocketing (around or under 32mm on TWU)
- Low to Medium Power
- Comes in 16 and 17 gauge

My shortlist so far (alphabetical):
- Dunlop Explosive Speed - Heard good things, haven't tested yet. Those who have: is it super slick? Hopefully?
- Head Hawk - Solid string. Fairly low-powered. Could be a tad bit more slick.
- Kirschbaum Max Power - Ever-so-slightly more power than Hawk, just about as slick, great tension maintenance.
- Tecnifibre 4S - Deader than a doornail in terms of power. Very slippery. Not sure if the corners are too shaped.

Looking for anyone who's gone down this path before and might have some additional suggestions or take-aways to share. Thank you in advance!

 

[esgee48]

The gang in the Racquetholics thread are pretty hiigh on Black Knight, Durafluxx, etc.

KB Max Power is ok, but don’t write off 4G or 4GS 1.30mm. I have also found that SPPP 1.30mm is pretty good.

 

[Trip]

@esgee48 - Thanks. I've been through T1's polys. Good strings, especially full-bed BK, FW as a main and GW as a cross. But none of their stuff is quite firm or slick enough. Absent of any TWU data, their string-to-string CoF feels very Signum Pro like... .08 or .09 ish, so pretty slick, but slightly grabby -- ie. snapback doesn't always happen, and/or not very quickly. I've tried SPPP and love its general playing characteristics but slickness wise, as I described, leaves a bit to be desired. 4G seems to be in the same camp. I may still give it a try though.

Can you expand on why Max Power is just "ok"? Anything about it stand out for you? Anything a bit disappointing?

I know I'm really splitting hairs with this thread, but I just figured if it can help anyone else, might as well write about it. Thanks again, and to anyone else who can chime in.

 

[tennisandtennis]

Wut

 

[Trip]

@tennisandtennis - Solid contribution!!!

 

[TennisJrDad]

Have you looked at:

• Dunlop Explosive Speed (on your list)
• Luxilon 4G Soft
• Solinco Outlast
• Diadem Flash
• Tourna Big Red

 

[tennisandtennis]

This is next level

 

[Trip]

@TennisJrDad - Will check those out, thank you!

 

[legcramp]

I just bought a reel of Tourna Black Zone 16g, I've read on here that it's a super slick cross. I also looked at Yonex Poly Tour Rev but it cost about double the price for each reel from across the pond so I stuck with something I could get on amazon for under $70 shipped so Black Zone it is.

Before this, I was using synthetic gut cross or Ashaway ZX cross but the synthetic gut will lock up my stringbed in 2-3 hours and the Ashaway ZX never lockup the stringbed on my forehand/backhand but it locks it up on my serves since the cross eats into the mains instead of the opposite. Also ZX is a pain to string, I can string almost two racquets vs. one ZX racquet. Using Yonex Poly Tour Spin Non-G mains.

I also just strung up a couple sticks with Super Smash Orange 16g cross and Tourna Big Hitter Silver 16g cross in the meantime to test.

 

[Trip]

@legcramp - Black Zone appears like it may be a shade too soft, but I'll check it out. Thanks for the suggestion. Super Smash Orange is a bit low on tension maintenance for this use. Still a decent string, though.

 

[ryohazuki222]

Unless you already know it isn’t a fit, I think rpm rough as a cross is worth a shot. Ime, the specs are just a guide but with poly poly hybrids you can’t get away with not real world testing the specific combo due to the way they actually react in a hybrid scenario.

I don’t think you specifically mentioned hybrid, but it’s implied in your post that it’s hybrid.

outside of that….4s sucked. On paper I had big hopes for it. In reality it sucked. (For me). It was really sharp… so given what you’d say, I’d walkaway from that one.

 

[Trip]

@ryohazuki222 - Thanks for the RPM suggestion. I might as well give it a try. I've tried 4S full bed, and yes, seems like it might be too sharp.

 

[studpuffin]

It's not offiically released yet but Head Hawk Power might be interesting to try out!

 

[Uncoil]

Seconded for Tourna Black Zone. Medium stiffness with good tension maintenance.

 

[TennisJrDad]

Head Hawk Power checks most of the boxes, but I do not think will be as stiff feeling as the OP is looking for ... if there is wiggle room there on that requirment, Hawk Power would be a definite add to your list to evaluate.

It's not offiically released yet but Head Hawk Power might be interesting to try out!

 

[esgee48]

@Trip : I have clients that were use ‘spin pattern’ frames and among the testing we tried many of the factory pre stretched polys. In hitting with Max Power, it lost tension and playability/feel too quickly compared to regular 4G. These guys could generate spin with either but lost control way too soon for them using the MP. Using 1.30/16 ga, the MP was gone before 10 hours whereas they could get 12-16 hours with the 4G. I’m ok hitting with these guys, but am too old to play matches against them. Anyway, most of the players ended up with 4G because it was consistent until it broke. Most have moved back to 16x19 or 16x20 now but still prefer Lux products tho they know there are cheaper polys out there.

Maybe consider 4G Rough if you are still looking. The string generally does not feel as stiff as the numbers indicate. If you want manufacture a poly with very good tension maintenance, try manual prestretch of any 1st gen poly, ie 6-8” per 20’ length. The poly will play elastically but very controlled cuz it will be very stiff.

 

[JustTennis76]

I have been using Prince Tour XC for a few years. It has a slick coating and lasts for ever. I use gut in the mains and maybe that’s why I am not seeing a significant impact on the tension loss with XC, but nevertheless a great cross string. I also like Tour XP.

 

[Deleted member 781523]

Outlast is a good choice

 

[Aestheticsaboveallelse]

Hm maybe Tecnifibre Ice Code 57+ lbs... just not sure if its low dwell?

 

[Trip]

@esgee48 - Thanks for expanding on Max Power versus 4G and the idea for a manual pre-stretch. I'll add 4G and its variants to the list.

@JustTennis76, @brento1499 and @Aestheticsaboveallelse - Thanks for the suggestions. XC/XP appears mid-upper 30's percent tension loss, a bit too much for what I need here. Ice Code is around 30-ish so it may work. Outlast is high 20's, so may take a look at that one first.

 

[DariaGT]

PPs 1.22mm Concept falls in this category and cheap as chips, lasts forever as a cross and nothing will notch it
like 4G maybe a tad softer but not much yet shinier, slippery and a tad more power

 

[HelenCH]

Try 4G Soft, it's not really soft, but softer than 4G, slick and maintains tension really well.

 

[Aestheticsaboveallelse]

Try 4G Soft, it's not really soft, but softer than 4G, slick and maintains tension really well.

I don't think thats low dwell and maybe not low pocketing either. 4G and 4G rough have a lot of pocketing. 4G soft I noticed grabbed the ball super well a lot of ball friction with maybe some pocketing

 

[Aestheticsaboveallelse]

@esgee48 - Thanks for expanding on Max Power versus 4G and the idea for a manual pre-stretch. I'll add 4G and its variants to the list.

@JustTennis76, @brento1499 and @Aestheticsaboveallelse - Thanks for the suggestions. XC/XP appears mid-upper 30's percent tension loss, a bit too much for what I need here. Ice Code is around 30-ish so it may work. Outlast is high 20's, so may take a look at that one first.

Ice Code might be exactly what you want outside of not perfect tension. But when I had it at 57 lbs for a little while I never noticed any tension drop