Poly String Testing Completed : Verdict?

[monologuist]

Well...I've finished testing poly string...at least until a new contender comes along...I was in search of a poly that possessed excellent control and spin capabilities while retaining reasonable comfort and tension maintenance. I skipped Luxilon Timo for this reason, as it didn't seem to be a contender for the "comfort" category.

What I have tried this time around :
Babolat Pro Hurricane 17
Babolat Pro Hurricane 18
Signum Pro Poly Plasma 17
Volkl V-Rex 16L
Klip K-Boom 17 (seems to be a carbon copy of ALU Power)
Luxilon ALU Power
Luxilon Big Banger Ace 18
Kirschbaum Touch Turbo 17

I had these all in the mains with gut crosses over the last several months @58 lbs. in my Yonex MP Tour-5's, a 98 sq. in head, 27.5" long, 12.1 oz. racqet that is about 10 pts. headlight., 59 flex. to give you a point of reference.

Here's how I'd rate them in the following categories :
Power :
1.Touch Turbo 17 (too powerful!)
2. Pro Hurricane 18
3. Signum Pro Plasma 17
3. Big Banger Ace 18
5. ALU Power

Touch :
1. Big Banger Ace 18 (Wow! Can't believe it's a poly!)
2. Pro Hurricane 18
3. ALU Power/Klip K-Boom
4. Volkl V-REx
5. Pro Hurricane 17

Comfort :
1. Touch Turbo 17
1.. Signum Pro PLasma 17
1.. Big Banger Ace
2.. Pro Hurricane 18
5. Pro Hurricane 17

Control :
1. Volkl V-Rex
2. Pro Hurricane 17
3. ALU Power
4. Big Banger Ace
5. Pro Hurricane 18

Spin :
1. Big Banger Ace
2. Pro Hurricane 18
3. ALU POwer
4. Pro Hurricane 17
5. Volkl V-Vrex

Tension Maintenance :
1. Pro Hurricane 17
2. Volkl V-Rex
3. Big Banger Ace 18
4. Signum Pro Plasma 17 (not as good tension-hold as people say)
5. ALU Power

My favorite?
Without a doubt, Luxilon Big Banger Ace 18. It had far and away the best touch of any poly I've tried...in fact I forgot at times that it actually was a poly. It was also near the very top of the list for most arm-friendly, spin-friendly, and it had the perfect balance of power and control for me. It has held tension pretty well for me for the last couple outings, but to be fair, I can't really give a final word on that until I leave it in just a little longer....also, I am not a big string breaker, so I couldn't really comment on durability...it's likely that with any poly, I'd cut it out due to tension drop or it going dead before it broke. I've also never tried Big Banger Ace full on, just as a hybrid...but lemme tell ya', with gut crosses, it is SWEET. just wish it wasn't so darn expensive!

Overall :
1. Big Banger Ace 18
2. ALU Power
3. Pro Hurricane 18
4. Signum Pro Plasma 17

 

[man-walking]

Pro Hurricane better than ALU Power for tension maintenance?

 

[Fatmike]

I would have like to hear you on Timo 18 too...

Tried them last week end and loved them.... I was hesitant between timo 18 and big banger ace 18

 

[steve s]

Great review!!! I am a poly user. I now know which new ones to try.

Thank you

 

[ragnaROK]

Some good numbers for the Volkl V-Rex, I havent seen any individual reviews on Rex, how did it compare with the other polys? What makes it unique?

 

[moosryan]

ordering some bb ace 18 and v rex is definitely on my list!

 

[monologuist]

well...to be honest..I didn't like the Volkl Vrex that much...it was too stiff and boardy for my tastes...but it's a good control string ...anyway, I was looking for a softer poly, and the Vrex doesn't really match some of these others in that category....but it does offer good feedback and would be worth trying if you like a firmer string.

In regards to the Hurricane 17...yes..it has excellent tension holding abilities...significantly better than ALU I'd say.

It's all about the ACE though!

 

[Fatmike]

well...to be honest..I didn't like the Volkl Vrex that much...it was too stiff and boardy for my tastes...but it's a good control string ...anyway, I was looking for a softer poly, and the Vrex doesn't really match some of these others in that category....but it does offer good feedback and would be worth trying if you like a firmer string.

In regards to the Hurricane 17...yes..it has excellent tension holding abilities...significantly better than ALU I'd say.

It's all about the ACE though!

Will you try Timo 18 to compare it to the ace ?

 

[thejackal]

What are your overall thoughts comparing Alu to Hurricane 18?

 

[Gaines Hillix]

Pro Hurricane better than ALU Power for tension maintenance?

The USRSA string test data agrees with this assesment. Pro Hurricane is one of the top polys for tension maintenance. ALU is in the top 1/3.

 

[monologuist]

ALU to Hurricane 18?...hmm...they are pretty different. The Hurricane 18 is gonna feel softer...the sweetspot will probably feel smaller with the Hurricane 18 too....I don't think I'd ever go back to the Hurricane 18 though as the BB ACe is just overall a better 18g. poly to me...the ALU on the other hand is probably the best 17-16 g. poly I've tried.

 

[monologuist]

btw...I never tried the 18g. Signum Plasma...uhoh..guess I may need to try one more! I have a feeling I won't like it more than the BB Ace though, extrapolating from the way the 17g. played. I'm gonna stay clear of the Timo though...just sounds a recipe for arm problems down the road.

also...2 more tidbits FYI:
1. I found with many of these polys, you can't judge them based on the first time out....they often need a few hours of hitting to break in.
2. I tired hybridding these polys with synthetic monos, multis, and gut, and foudn that it actually makes a pretty big difference contrary to what I had heard. Many people had told me that I should just go the route of a cheap "soft" mono....but after trying Gosen OG Micro and PSG as crosses, I found that they did very little to soften the stringbed...the only benefit was that they are cheap. Using Tecnifibre X-One Biphase as a cross yielded better results, but natural gut was so much better! With gut crosses, the overall stringbed tension held up better, the feel was improved, useful increase in controllable power, and this was the best thing : gut crosses improved spin, especially on my kickserves. The gut crosses just seemed to allow for a "ball-cupping" effect that I never thought was possible with poly strings, allowing that split second for you to catch the ball, while the stiffer poly mains sent the ball spinning immediately after....works wonderfully in a flexy frame like my Yonex, where if you're not careful, things can get too mushy.

 

[ShooterMcMarco]

2. I tired hybridding these polys with synthetic monos, multis, and gut, and foudn that it actually makes a pretty big difference contrary to what I had heard. Many people had told me that I should just go the route of a cheap "soft" mono....but after trying Gosen OG Micro and PSG as crosses, I found that they did very little to soften the stringbed...the only benefit was that they are cheap. Using Tecnifibre X-One Biphase as a cross yielded better results, but natural gut was so much better! With gut crosses, the overall stringbed tension held up better, the feel was improved, useful increase in controllable power, and this was the best thing : gut crosses improved spin, especially on my kickserves. The gut crosses just seemed to allow for a "ball-cupping" effect that I never thought was possible with poly strings, allowing that split second for you to catch the ball, while the stiffer poly mains sent the ball spinning immediately after....works wonderfully in a flexy frame like my Yonex, where if you're not careful, things can get too mushy.

so for someone who is going to do their first poly string job, they shouldn't do it in a hybrid with a cheap synthetic gut because it barely makes any difference in stiffness? I was planning to do hurricane 17 w/ psg 16 dura
but if you say it makes little difference....

 

[Dopke]

ALU was least powerful?! I played with TT and I thought it was about average, maybe just a bit more powerful than SSH.