Soft,lively poly with good tension retention(for AI 98)

A

aadi007

Rookie
All,

I am trying to find out the most suitable string for my Yonex AI 98.

So far, I have played with a few polys and synthetic guts. Here is my experience so far -

RPM Blast@58 lbs - Found it extremely stiff and low on power. Only stirng that gave me some elbow pain. Tension retention was not good as well. Will probably never try it again.

Topspin cyber flash@55 lbs - soft,Lively, powerful with pretty good tension retention. But it is too power and lacks control and spin.

pro hurricane @53 lbs - Pretty soft, decent power, good tension maintenance but spin is less and control is average.

Prince synthetic gut with duraflex@58 lbs - Found it stiff and dead. Good control for a synthetic gut though. Also, generated more spin than Cyber blue.

Forten sweet @55 lbs - Soft, nice playability but lacks spin.

I think poly stirngs suit my game better.
So, I am looking for a ply which is on the softer side, with above average power and good tension maintenance. Something in between a RPM blast and Cyber flash.

So far, I have shortlisted a few -
Head Sonic Pro/Sonic pro edge @50-52 lbs
Solinco tour bite @45 lbs (though it is stiff, I am curious to try it at low tension)
Signum pro poly plasma @50 lbs.



Please provide your suggestions along with the tension.
Since I am from India, I don't have all strings available. But brands like Head, babolat, solinco, wilson etc are available.
 
Wilson Revolve has pretty good tension maintenance in the mid tension range (around 51 lbs) and that's where I'd recommend stringing it.
 
EasternRocks said:
Oops, didn't see the title...just recommended a poly I like.

Soft usually doesn't go with good tension retention. There are a few that aren't as bad as some others.
Click to expand...

May be something which is less worse than others in tension retention :)

How about Sonic Pro/Edge?

I will probably give Tour bite a try at lower tension though it does not fit the bill. But I am curious as I have heard so much about it. Also, it is easily available and pretty cheap as well
 
Not necessarily tension maintenance, but IMO Pro Line II has very good playability duration for a poly. Soft and good pocketing for poly, good control and predictability but only average spin.

BTW, what do you guys mean by "lively" string? Ball grabbing like Tour Bite, or pocketing like multi? Or something else?
 
aadi007 said:
All,

I am trying to find out the most suitable string for my Yonex AI 98.

So far, I have played with a few polys and synthetic guts. Here is my experience so far -

RPM Blast@58 lbs - Found it extremely stiff and low on power. Only stirng that gave me some elbow pain. Tension retention was not good as well. Will probably never try it again.

Topspin cyber flash@55 lbs - soft,Lively, powerful with pretty good tension retention. But it is too power and lacks control and spin.

pro hurricane @53 lbs - Pretty soft, decent power, good tension maintenance but spin is less and control is average.

Prince synthetic gut with duraflex@58 lbs - Found it stiff and dead. Good control for a synthetic gut though. Also, generated more spin than Cyber blue.

Forten sweet @55 lbs - Soft, nice playability but lacks spin.

I think poly stirngs suit my game better.
So, I am looking for a ply which is on the softer side, with above average power and good tension maintenance. Something in between a RPM blast and Cyber flash.

So far, I have shortlisted a few -
Head Sonic Pro/Sonic pro edge @50-52 lbs
Solinco tour bite @45 lbs (though it is stiff, I am curious to try it at low tension)
Signum pro poly plasma @50 lbs.



Please provide your suggestions along with the tension.
Since I am from India, I don't have all strings available. But brands like Head, babolat, solinco, wilson etc are available.
Click to expand...

Try the Blast at 42 pounds and report back. Of course it felt like a board at 58.
 
aadi007 said:
May be something which is less worse than others in tension retention :)

How about Sonic Pro/Edge?

I will probably give Tour bite a try at lower tension though it does not fit the bill. But I am curious as I have heard so much about it. Also, it is easily available and pretty cheap as well
Click to expand...

Quadro Twist if you like muted, Sonic if you like crisp. Both are on the extremes though. Too muted for the QT and too crisp for the SPE.
 
Top Rated Spin Strings
Test Results 2015
Yonex Ai 98
Co-Polyester Strings
Strung at: 46/50

•ISOspeed Touch V18 1.12
Comfort: 7
Power: 7
Spin: 7
Control: 7
Feel: 7
OVERALL: 35
Playtest:
Comments: comfortable, precise, elastic, lively, crispy - compares with WeissCannon Silverstring or Yonex Pro Poly Tour 18


•Tier One FIREWIRE 18
Comfort: 4
Power: 3
Spin: 8
Control: 7
Feel: 5
OVERALL: 27
Playtest: A
Comments: comfortable, precise, crispy, solid, lively - compares to Volkl Cyclone Tour, Gamma Moto, Solinco Tour Bite, MSV Focus Hex, and Yonex PTP 125 (with less power and more spin potential). A very well balanced string.


•Yonex PTP 18
Comfort: 7
Power: 5
Spin: 7
Control: 5
Feel: 6
OVERALL: 30
Playtest: A-
Comments: comfortable, lively, elastic - A very well balanced string. String of the Year on Stringforum.net.


•Solinco TOUR BITE 19
Comfort: 3
Power: 6
Spin: 9
Control: 6
Feel: 6
OVERALL: 30
Playtest: B+
Comments: comfortable, flexible, rough, precise, crispy - feels a bit like Lexicon Big Banger Ace 18 or Signum Pro Tornado 1.17


•Genesis HEXONIC 18
Comfort: 7
Power: 4
Spin: 7
Control: 5
Feel: 6
OVERALL: 29
Playtest:
Comments: comfortable, soft, lively


•Tier One FIREWIRE 17
Comfort: 5
Power: 3
Spin: 8
Control: 7
Feel: 4
OVERALL: 27
Playtest: A
Comments: comfortable, precise, crispy, solid, lively - compares to Volkl Cyclone Tour


•Yonex PTS 17
Comfort: 4
Power: 2
Spin: 9
Control: 8
Feel: 4
OVERALL: 27
Playtest: B+
Comments: solid, precise, comfortable, muted


•Tier One STRATUS 17
Comfort: 5
Power: 3
Spin: 7
Control: 7
Feel: 5
OVERALL: 27
Playtest:
Comments: comfortable, lively, solid, crispy - plays similar to Blackcode, RPM blast, Black Widow (a well balanced string)


•Dyreex BLACK EDGE 1.25
Comfort: 4
Power: 6
Spin: 6
Control: 5
Feel: 4
OVERALL: 25
Playtest:
Comments: comfortable lively, crispy, precise


•Volkl CYCLONE TOUR 17
Comfort: 6
Power: 2
Spin: 7
Control: 6
Feel: 4
OVERALL: 25
Playtest: A-
Comments: comfortable, lively, elastic - compares to Yonex PTP with less pop.


•Volkl CYCLONE 17
Comfort: 1
Power: 6
Spin: 8
Control: 7
Feel: 2
OVERALL: 24
Playtest: B-
Comments: lively, solid, precise (a stiffer string)


•Tier One DURAFLUXX 17
Comfort: 3
Power: 2
Spin: 7
Control: 7
Feel: 4
OVERALL: 23
Playtest: B
Comments: comfortable, lively, solid -plays similar to Solinco Tour Bite, Luxilon Big Banger (a stiffer string)


•Solinco TOUR BITE Diamond Rough 17
Comfort: 3
Power: 3
Spin: 8
Control: 5
Feel: 3
OVERALL: 22

Comments: solid, crispy, precise, lively (a stiffer string)


•Genesis TRUE GRIT
Comfort: 5
Power: 3
Spin: 6
Control: 3
Feel: 4
OVERALL: 21

Comments: comfortable, solid


•Solinco TOUR BITE 17
Comfort: 1
Power: 2
Spin: 8
Control: 7
Feel: 2
OVERALL: 20

Comments: solid, crispy, precise, lively (a stiffer string)

Non-Poly String:

•Solinco X-NATURAL 17
Comfort: 8
Power: 8
Spin: 8
Control: 8
Feel: 8
OVERALL: 40

Comments: Great multifilament! One of the few multifilaments that provide really good spin potential, although the strings move a lot. Feel was typical for a multifilament, with nice pocketing. The X-Natural provided very good power on flat drives, while still maintaining great control. This black multifilament is suitable for advanced spin players. Strung at: 50/52
 
^^

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, most of the strings mentioned above are not available here apart from Solinco tour bite.

What about Signum Pro poly plasma @50 lbs?
 
ai98 string

I read your post and I'm not sure why you want higher power string? I seems like you tried several that had too much power...?

For me I play with same racquet and string with LOW power strings. Typically, if you use high power string you'll wind up with higher tension and a very crisp feel. If you use lower power string you'll wind up with lower tension and a more muted feel. Therefore I string with Volykl v-torque 17g at 54.

Also, generally speaking I don't believe this to be a big spin racquet unless your strong enough to generate a lot of head speed. I generate a lot more spin with a Steam 99, which has very similar specs.
 
Also higher tension will cause the poly string to die earlier, in some cases right after you mount it off the stringer.
 
I think something like a average to above average power string. Not something as powerful as Cyber blue though.

As rightly said, this racket is not a spin machine...it is great for hitting through aggressively or counter punching on aggressive shots.

I will try the Solinco tour bite @48 lbs next and see how it goes.

Up next, are -
Topspin cyber flash
Head Sonic Pro
Signum pro poly plasma
 
Data shows that its not bad. 16 is bad, 16L isn't. Apparently, 17 is the best. Confusing, but only a 22 pounds tension loss there.
 
Last edited:
o0lunatik said:
EasternRocks, were you able to find closer with your stiffness debate of TB16 over the 16L?
Click to expand...

Yes, 16 is softer indeed. Ended up cutting my sets of 16 out of my frames though and am returning my new reel. Need more feel and touch out of my string bed. A bit more power is also needed. Tour Bite 16 is an awesome polyester though and can see why a lot of people use it. You just need to be a big hitter to really use it to its fullest.

I'm back to my gut main poly cross hybrid. Currently, testing a few different setups. I'm actually going to use one setup where I'll be using the 16L TB because it is stiffer and I think it might be worth a try with gut mains.
 
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