schenkelini
Semi-Pro
I have tried many of their strings and keep coming back to Blackout.
Ive tested (if tested isn't too strong a word) Intense Heat vs. Wilson Revolve as far as tension loss as reported by Racquetune, and they are both nearly the same. Both of them seem to plateau (in other words settle out) ~15% lower than what they pinged at right off the stringer. Unfortunately, in an open patterned racquet like mine, they break pretty close to when they plateau.You were not kidding about the tension drop! Pretty good string so far though just need to string on the high end.
IH is better at lower tensions I find. The spin the string produces then becomes rather obsceneIve tested (if tested isn't too strong a word) Intense Heat vs. Wilson Revolve as far as tension loss as reported by Racquetune, and they are both nearly the same. Both of them seem to plateau (in other words settle out) ~15% lower than what they pinged at right off the stringer. Unfortunately, in an open patterned racquet like mine, they break pretty close to when they plateau.
I was hoping that IH would be an uber-cheap Revolve substitute, but Im finding it is not. Ive used Revolve (and the previous Ripspin) countless times, and IH does not play the same. It is slick like Revolve, but does not have the same resilient feeling upon ball impact. Its a much more "plasticky" feeling. On the stringer, it also does not elongate at all similarly to Revolve. Revolve of course isn't super stretchy, but its noticeably more so than IH.
But, IH is ~$35/reel and Revolve is ~$150 (and the life of any of them is very short in my racquets) so I am trying to learn to like IH!
Ive tried it anywhere from 30 to 70!IH is better at lower tensions I find. The spin the string produces then becomes rather obscene
Have you tried it between 40 and 50? Not sure about S string patterns, but that's where I liked it in my PS 95 back in the day.Ive tried it anywhere from 30 to 70!
30 was a "loose cannon" and 70 was too firm (although my regular string/tension is Revolve at 67-68 and its my go to setup).
At 60, IH was OK, but I wasn't convinced enough to switch from Revolve (although I can tell you that ~$2/frame vs. $9/frame can make me overlook a lot of flaws).
Im trying 60/50 differential with the mains and crosses next to see if things improve. If not, Ill probably either try another Pros Pro string (a softer more resilent one....maybe Red Devil or Vendetta?), or just suck it up and pay for the Revolve. The only reason Im even fooling around with these other strings is because my frames (16x16) and my stupid western grip eat strings (3-4 hrs and they pop).
I'd be curious as to the answer to this question as well.Are there other similar pros pro strings to Revolve or is that the only one? How about concept?
I haven't tried that range yet, but hey, at about two bucks a string job maybe I'll throw some in thereHave you tried it between 40 and 50? Not sure about S string patterns, but that's where I liked it in my PS 95 back in the day.
Ive tried it anywhere from 30 to 70!
30 was a "loose cannon" and 70 was too firm (although my regular string/tension is Revolve at 67-68 and its my go to setup).
At 60, IH was OK, but I wasn't convinced enough to switch from Revolve (although I can tell you that ~$2/frame vs. $9/frame can make me overlook a lot of flaws).
Im trying 60/50 differential with the mains and crosses next to see if things improve. If not, Ill probably either try another Pros Pro string (a softer more resilent one....maybe Red Devil or Vendetta?), or just suck it up and pay for the Revolve. The only reason Im even fooling around with these other strings is because my frames (16x16) and my stupid western grip eat strings (3-4 hrs and they pop).
I see that you are using the Tour 100T....I have switched to the older Tour 100T ESP.I've never played IH or Revolve, but I've been playing with Red Devil for a while now. It plays softer for me than the multis I used to play (albeit at 50lbs rather than 60). It stretches like a syn gut on my drop weight stringer.
Feels like plastic and produces multi level spin though IMOI've never played IH or Revolve, but I've been playing with Red Devil for a while now. It plays softer for me than the multis I used to play (albeit at 50lbs rather than 60). It stretches like a syn gut on my drop weight stringer.
Im trying 60/50 differential with the mains and crosses next to see if things improve.
I see that you are using the Tour 100T....I have switched to the older Tour 100T ESP.
Do you get reasonable life out of RD in your frame?
I liked Red Devil 1.19 a lot better than the 1.24. Very good performance for the price.Not too bad. I get 7-9 hours out of a set and then balls start sailing a little long and I feel like cutting it out. I've never broken it.
How was the tension maintenance and durability for you?Been testing some thinner polys lately and played a few ground stroke games and a set with newer Strategem 8 1.20 (4th generation) the other day. First off the the strings have sharp edges like a Solinco Hyper-G or Rev which I really like. The spin was better than any other poly I've tried from PP. In comparison to Black Out(my go to) S8 has more power and spin. These aren't touchy feely strings like gut or multis! These were made for one thing....bashing from the baseline!! Not that you can't bash from baseline with gut or multis but just don't look for a ton of feel out of these. I believe that's why I like playing with stiffer racquets because I get the feedback from even dead strings. BO has better control and I'd give BO the nod in the comfort department. S8 and BO both have very little give on the stringer as compared to the soft PP strings like Red Devil or Black Force. Another little thing I like about S8 is how shiny the black strings are! I'm assuming that's due to the silicone coating on the strings. Next up I'll drop the tension couple lbs. in S8 and see if I can't get a similar comfort level like I get in BO. Peace from the BIEST!
@tennisBIEST, Please keep us posted re: your experience with Strategem 8 1.20. Also do you have any further comments about the 1.18 PPPP?
At the end of the day, if you were playing an important match, which of the 3 strings are you most likely to use? It would take something really huge to move us away from 1.24mm BO but anything is possible esp. if there is another decent value option available from PP.
If the spin wasn't mediocre for a co-poly, I would've switched to Red Devil. After a decent number of hours I played a match on clay with it... and it just died on the spot. The clay prevented it from snapping back. I've bee eyeing on Black Out (as well as a completely different animal in Max Power Rough) but never bit the bullet.I've never played IH or Revolve, but I've been playing with Red Devil for a while now. It plays softer for me than the multis I used to play (albeit at 50lbs rather than 60). It stretches like a syn gut on my drop weight stringer.
My racquet has a pretty open pattern so generating spin hasn't been an issue for me. I liked BO too, but the comfort and control were better with RD and it lasted a little longer for me.If the spin wasn't mediocre for a co-poly, I would've switched to Red Devil. After a decent number of hours I played a match on clay with it... and it just died on the spot. The clay prevented it from snapping back. I've bee eyeing on Black Out (as well as a completely different animal in Max Power Rough) but never bit the bullet.
I'll get a set next week and can compare those two, I've been a user of SPPP now for some time. Suspect they are the same thingHas anyone tried Pro's Pro plus power? Is it similar/how does it compare to Signum Pro Poly Plasma
I haven't tried SPPP yet, but Plus Power drops tension pretty fast. SPPP is known for holding tension well.Has anyone tried Pro's Pro plus power? Is it similar/how does it compare to Signum Pro Poly Plasma
I haven't tried SPPP yet, but Plus Power drops tension pretty fast. SPPP is known for holding tension well.
Hmmm I've never tried a twisted poly with a smooth poly before. In my opinion, twisted polys don't snap back all that well in general. Give it a try tho. Also, another good set up could be strategem 8 in the mains bc it's pretty slick and pros pros concept in the crosses, also pretty slick and keeps tension well. It may be a bit firmer than the lethal 5/red devil combo tho. Instead of strategem 8, you could use strategem 10. Anyone try that one yet?Anybody have any opinions on Lethal 5 and Red Devil as a hybrid? I'm loving my current setup of Tour Bite mains and Outlast crosses. I'm really interested in giving Pros Pro a chance.
I heard from a sales rep that Lethal 5 is being phased out and will be discontinued soonHmmm I've never tried a twisted poly with a smooth poly before. In my opinion, twisted polys don't snap back all that well in general. Give it a try tho. Also, another good set up could be strategem 8 in the mains bc it's pretty slick and pros pros concept in the crosses, also pretty slick and keeps tension well. It may be a bit firmer than the lethal 5/red devil combo tho. Instead of strategem 8, you could use strategem 10. Anyone try that one yet?
I heard from a sales rep that Lethal 5 is being phased out and will be discontinued soon
Haha I don't know. I asked the UK racquetdepot website, and that's what they told me.Pro's Pro sales rep? Do they really exist?
I'm hesitant to say this because of my long time run with BlackOut but Devil Spin/Black Force will be my new go to for the spring. It has better power, spin, comfort and control. Only knock is the tension maintenance but I was restringing BlackOut every 2 hits due to it short playability. So in the end I'm enjoying the extra power/spin on serves and groundies.
OH NO!
I'm down to my final reel of Black Out and wondering whether to stick with what we know, or to try something different. And now I hear this from the BIEST!
@tennisBIEST, are you stringing crosses lower than mains with this hybrid?
Please let us know how it works out for you. I've got a few weeks left before I have to order my next few rolls of string.
Ee Borise. I thought the same last year, but I don't think so anymore. Anyway, here's the list:I have heard that some of the PP strings should be clones from more expensive brand strings. For example, Black out = Tecnifibre Black Code, Red Devil = Tecnifibre Red Code. Could that be? Anf if so, what are other clones?
I have heard that some of the PP strings should be clones from more expensive brand strings. For example, Black out = Tecnifibre Black Code, Red Devil = Tecnifibre Red Code. Could that be? Anf if so, what are other clones?
I have heard that some of the PP strings should be clones from more expensive brand strings. For example, Black out = Tecnifibre Black Code, Red Devil = Tecnifibre Red Code. Could that be? Anf if so, what are other clones?
@majstore: Thanks for the list. Have you tested any of the PP / original brands pairs ? Can you confirm anything from the list?
Yes and no. I am not able to test everything by myself so the forum helps me to prioritize and identify the most promising options. I do not have to compare the PP strings against the supposed original if others have done so already and thed did not match
I understand your position. If you have the time and money to do so, more power to you.
You probably don't need to test everything though. What are you looking for in a string? What is your current racquet spec? What is your playing style? What string tension do you prefer? Are you looking for mainly spin potential, depth potential, control potential, or a combination? Do you prefer crisp or muted feel? Do you prefer Poly, Multi or SG? Do you prefer stiff or soft strings? Do you prefer thick or thin gauge strings? Do you prefer round or shaped strings? Do you want playability or durability? How many playing hours do you want before a restring?
If you answer those questions, you will be able to narrow down the PP offerings to two or three pretty quickly. And then test from there, either full bed or hybrid.
Pros pro concept from my experience has the best combo of tension maintenance, control, and power. Spin is above average for a smooth poly. Not overly stiff; has nice solid feel to it. I tried the 1.22 mm. I'd give the 1.25 or 1.28 in your pure aeroGood point. I am currently playing a Babolat Pure Aero strung with a Isospeed Black Fire in 23/22 kg. Since the racquet is already stiff itself, the string should be not too stiff itself. I rarely break strings so durability is not an issue but tension maintenance is as I do not want to restring too often. Regarding the playing characteristics like spin, control, power etc. I am looking for a good balance