That makes sense. I thought you used a hybrid and had another chance to give it a go, in which case may as well experiment a little. If I went full bed I'd have gone with my usual tension too.
Solinco Prototype Playtest - String "A"
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
That makes sense. I thought you used a hybrid and had another chance to give it a go, in which case may as well experiment a little. If I went full bed I'd have gone with my usual tension too.
Thunderman15
New User
re: Solinco Protype playtest- string A
Overall this play test was okay and kinda not what i like. its cool to get free string though =]. i liked my serves wif it =] also my volly. strokes not that much lol
Overall this play test was okay and kinda not what i like. its cool to get free string though =]. i liked my serves wif it =] also my volly. strokes not that much lol
Your regular string set up
Wilson NG mains @ 56, Solinco Outlast crosses @ 47
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
If hybrid, list the other string used and whether it was in mains or crosses
Tension used for playtest
Hybrid: Playtest A in the mains at 47, Klip Legend NG 17g at 54 crosses
Racquet brand and model used for test
EXO3 Tour 100 16x18
Power level of test string or hybrid
coming from gut mains the power level felt lessened, but it was there to reward aggressive swings.
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
more firm feeling than my usual setup, has kind of a dull thwack feel/sound at impact.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
one thing about stringing poly mains at 47 is the tension holds up better, and there is less impact of the lessening tension. Only played 3 hrs so far but it held up fine.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
Really good control for me due to nice spin. Seemed to have a lower trajectory for me coming off the racquet than with my gut/poly setup.
Spin
I found the spin to be as good as my gut/poly set-up, and probably as good as tourbite which was the last poly I regularly used in the mains.
Compare to the string you use most often
Played in near 100 deg weather today and found the firmness and controlled spin of low tension poly to be helpful compared to the gut mains which get pretty lively in the extreme heat. Feel is firmer than gut mains obviously but the gut crosses helped keep a certain lively softness to the bed. I'll try the other half set crossed with gosen to see how that compares.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
I really believe polys such as this perform best in the 45-47 range, above that, particularly in the low and mid 50's I think they are at their worse (maximum trampoline effect). 47 in the mains feels right to me with this one.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
I like it, though it's heavily textured with indentations all over, it doesn't have sharp edges like Tourbite or hex strings, so it shouldn't cut through the crosses as fast as those others. I'll have to see how many hours I get before it goes dead. I'm getting about 30-35 out of my usual gut/poly set-up, with the poly in the mains the deadness will be much more noticeable so I don't expect to get much more than 15 hrs if that, we'll see. But this string as a main feels very playable and really rewards agressive swings. I found it great for serving too. Very crisp feeling so I felt I was hitting my spots with good control and pop.
Wilson NG mains @ 56, Solinco Outlast crosses @ 47
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
If hybrid, list the other string used and whether it was in mains or crosses
Tension used for playtest
Hybrid: Playtest A in the mains at 47, Klip Legend NG 17g at 54 crosses
Racquet brand and model used for test
EXO3 Tour 100 16x18
Power level of test string or hybrid
coming from gut mains the power level felt lessened, but it was there to reward aggressive swings.
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
more firm feeling than my usual setup, has kind of a dull thwack feel/sound at impact.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
one thing about stringing poly mains at 47 is the tension holds up better, and there is less impact of the lessening tension. Only played 3 hrs so far but it held up fine.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
Really good control for me due to nice spin. Seemed to have a lower trajectory for me coming off the racquet than with my gut/poly setup.
Spin
I found the spin to be as good as my gut/poly set-up, and probably as good as tourbite which was the last poly I regularly used in the mains.
Compare to the string you use most often
Played in near 100 deg weather today and found the firmness and controlled spin of low tension poly to be helpful compared to the gut mains which get pretty lively in the extreme heat. Feel is firmer than gut mains obviously but the gut crosses helped keep a certain lively softness to the bed. I'll try the other half set crossed with gosen to see how that compares.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
I really believe polys such as this perform best in the 45-47 range, above that, particularly in the low and mid 50's I think they are at their worse (maximum trampoline effect). 47 in the mains feels right to me with this one.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
I like it, though it's heavily textured with indentations all over, it doesn't have sharp edges like Tourbite or hex strings, so it shouldn't cut through the crosses as fast as those others. I'll have to see how many hours I get before it goes dead. I'm getting about 30-35 out of my usual gut/poly set-up, with the poly in the mains the deadness will be much more noticeable so I don't expect to get much more than 15 hrs if that, we'll see. But this string as a main feels very playable and really rewards agressive swings. I found it great for serving too. Very crisp feeling so I felt I was hitting my spots with good control and pop.
tension? racquet? usual setup? did you read the first post in the thread? Your comments are pretty useless without refference point.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
i guess he won't be eligible for future playtests then. 8)
yeah I guess. Look at his posting history. only a handful of posts going back 3 years, almost all about asking for playtest strings, none actually reviewing the strings.
Thunderman15
New User
re: Solinco Protype playtest- string A
My bad forgot LOL
My usual:
Racket: Volkl Dnx 10 Mid
Set up full V-pro 16G
Tension: 57-59
String i got: Set A
Racket: Volkl Dnx 10 Mid
Full Set At 57 tension
Spin: Good, alittle similar to my regular set up
Feel: Felt iffy at first (took time to get used to)
Comparison to my usual: alittle different (could get used to it)
My comments on this string: the string was okay ish for me not to my kinda not my favorite. Starting off brand newly strung it felt kinda off for me. It took a couple days for me to start getting used to it sadly. My serves and vollys were good. but strokes in the beginning it wasnt that great.
My bad forgot LOL
My usual:
Racket: Volkl Dnx 10 Mid
Set up full V-pro 16G
Tension: 57-59
String i got: Set A
Racket: Volkl Dnx 10 Mid
Full Set At 57 tension
Spin: Good, alittle similar to my regular set up
Feel: Felt iffy at first (took time to get used to)
Comparison to my usual: alittle different (could get used to it)
My comments on this string: the string was okay ish for me not to my kinda not my favorite. Starting off brand newly strung it felt kinda off for me. It took a couple days for me to start getting used to it sadly. My serves and vollys were good. but strokes in the beginning it wasnt that great.
Doubles
Legend
Could you go a little more indepth? Your review seems to be a little...lacking:???:
Your regular string set up
Wilson NG full set 64/64. lbs.
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
If hybrid, list the other string used and whether it was in mains or crosses
Tension used for playtest
Full set up 47 lbs.
Racquet brand and model used for test
Head Radical Tour OS
Power level of test string or hybrid
Very decent power for a poly, as my usual set up is all nat. gut. I was impressed with power, and glad I strung it up at 47 lbs.
(4 out of 5)
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
Firm feel but then again I am use to a nat. gut.
Good feel for volleys, and did give a good off center feel as well.
Was comfortable string for about 12-14 hours.( 4/5)
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
Was comfortable string for about 12-14 hours then tension maintenance dropped off too much for my liking.12-14 hours is great tension maintenance for a poly for me (4/5)
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
Good control string for fast hitting ground strokes,but not so much with slower swing speeds. Has good feel for volleys without giving too much power for the volleys.I very much prefer my nat. gut for my serves as I get more speed with nat. gut. (3/5)
Spin
I am a relatibvely flat ball old school hitter, so my feed back here here may be different than most , but the spin I feel from this is comparable to the Lux. adrenaline I used a week earlier.Again I am not much of a spin ball hitter.(4/5)
Compare to the string you use most often
Although this poly has good feel and comfort strung at 47 lbs. I still prefer the Wilson Nat. gut as the feel, comfort and power level of the nat. gut is like no other string.(3.5/5)
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
I believe I hit it right at 47 lbs with this string.
Was a comfortable hit coming from a nat. gut hitter.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
Even though I am a nat. gut user,I liked the string. It gave a good feel with decent control.
I liked that it played well for the 12-14 hours.
If this string makes it to market, I would purchase some to hybrid it with nat. gut to give it another round.
Thank you for opportunity to playtest string.
__________________
Wilson NG full set 64/64. lbs.
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
If hybrid, list the other string used and whether it was in mains or crosses
Tension used for playtest
Full set up 47 lbs.
Racquet brand and model used for test
Head Radical Tour OS
Power level of test string or hybrid
Very decent power for a poly, as my usual set up is all nat. gut. I was impressed with power, and glad I strung it up at 47 lbs.
(4 out of 5)
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
Firm feel but then again I am use to a nat. gut.
Good feel for volleys, and did give a good off center feel as well.
Was comfortable string for about 12-14 hours.( 4/5)
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
Was comfortable string for about 12-14 hours then tension maintenance dropped off too much for my liking.12-14 hours is great tension maintenance for a poly for me (4/5)
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
Good control string for fast hitting ground strokes,but not so much with slower swing speeds. Has good feel for volleys without giving too much power for the volleys.I very much prefer my nat. gut for my serves as I get more speed with nat. gut. (3/5)
Spin
I am a relatibvely flat ball old school hitter, so my feed back here here may be different than most , but the spin I feel from this is comparable to the Lux. adrenaline I used a week earlier.Again I am not much of a spin ball hitter.(4/5)
Compare to the string you use most often
Although this poly has good feel and comfort strung at 47 lbs. I still prefer the Wilson Nat. gut as the feel, comfort and power level of the nat. gut is like no other string.(3.5/5)
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
I believe I hit it right at 47 lbs with this string.
Was a comfortable hit coming from a nat. gut hitter.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
Even though I am a nat. gut user,I liked the string. It gave a good feel with decent control.
I liked that it played well for the 12-14 hours.
If this string makes it to market, I would purchase some to hybrid it with nat. gut to give it another round.
Thank you for opportunity to playtest string.
__________________
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Your regular string set up Prince Beast XP 16 or 17 @ high 50's. From what I can tell, I might be the only person in the world that likes Beast/Poly stung high
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest Full Set. I would have loved to have strung this in a hybrid so I could play with the second set tension, but to be fair to the test, I strung full bed since that is my regular set up with Beast XP
If hybrid, list the other string used and whether it was in mains or crosses No Hybrid
Tension used for playtest 53# This is a bit low for me but as I mentioned above- I have found that I'm in a minority and prefer Beast XP high. I wanted to make sure I gave this string a fair test so I strung it lower since its been reccomended to me to drop down on Polys.
Racquet brand and model used for test Prince EXO3 Tour 16X18
Power level of test string or hybrid I felt the power level was medium. I did get a bit of trampoline feel but that was probably attributed to me dropping down in tension. The power level was not something that I couldn't control. I felt it was probably in the middle for other strings I have hit with.
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?) I really enjoyed the feel. It felt a bit soft to me but comfortable. Not mushy at all. Soft would be the best single word description. While I could feel off center shots, it never felt bad in the string bed.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?) I used the string for a couple all out hitting sessions and in a few rally sessions with some of my lesson clients. I received the string about 2 weeks ago and its still in my racquet. At this point it's a bit springy but in a weird way, I actually played better with it in some later sessions as it died. Again, at this point its too loose, but it actually got better for me from the start.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) The control was great after about 15-20 minutes of getting used to. Maybe because of the texture (see below with SPIN) but I went in thinking I could hit higher/deeper shots and control the ball flight. This was true. I hit some heavy arching shots that I may not have had confidence in before. Also, a major factor with control came on the serve. Side-to-Side control was awesome! Took me a bit longer than usual to dial in trajectory and depth of serve but the placement and side to side control stood out to me. I was very happy with this part of the test.
Spin As I mentioned before, with the texture, I expected heavy spin. Not at the fault of the string, but I got no more top spin on regular shots. However, I did feel like I could hit with higher arch on purpose and the spin would help me out. This could have been psycological because of the texture, but it worked.
Now the #1 factor in this string for me was slice. Best slice backhand I have ever hit and it was consistantly good. I could really dive into the ball. The trajectory was line drive low and the amount of spin was awesome. Slice back hands with this string blew me away. This was by far my favorite thing about the string.
Compare to the string you use most often I have been very happy with Beast XP and I have been branching out when stringing just to see what's out there. This test string has been my favorite string compared to Beast XP. Obviously they feel different but I had no problem hitting my shots with this string. I would need to string it a bit higher which leads to the next section...
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?) My tension suggestion for myself would be to string it higher. From the begining I had a bit of trampoline feel because it wasnt as high as what I string my Beast XP at. I hope to find out what string it is and give it another whirl.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes) Nothing bad to say about it. I really enjoyed the test. The highlights again were the side-to-side controls on the serve and the incredible slice on backhand side. While I liked it when in hitting sessions and a few sets I played with, it was a mjor plus durring just rallys with a few of my clients. It was very comfortable on smooth swings. I hope to become a bit more familair with it and see it again in my Tour's.
Thank you TW for the oppertunity. Much appreciated!
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest Full Set. I would have loved to have strung this in a hybrid so I could play with the second set tension, but to be fair to the test, I strung full bed since that is my regular set up with Beast XP
If hybrid, list the other string used and whether it was in mains or crosses No Hybrid
Tension used for playtest 53# This is a bit low for me but as I mentioned above- I have found that I'm in a minority and prefer Beast XP high. I wanted to make sure I gave this string a fair test so I strung it lower since its been reccomended to me to drop down on Polys.
Racquet brand and model used for test Prince EXO3 Tour 16X18
Power level of test string or hybrid I felt the power level was medium. I did get a bit of trampoline feel but that was probably attributed to me dropping down in tension. The power level was not something that I couldn't control. I felt it was probably in the middle for other strings I have hit with.
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?) I really enjoyed the feel. It felt a bit soft to me but comfortable. Not mushy at all. Soft would be the best single word description. While I could feel off center shots, it never felt bad in the string bed.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?) I used the string for a couple all out hitting sessions and in a few rally sessions with some of my lesson clients. I received the string about 2 weeks ago and its still in my racquet. At this point it's a bit springy but in a weird way, I actually played better with it in some later sessions as it died. Again, at this point its too loose, but it actually got better for me from the start.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) The control was great after about 15-20 minutes of getting used to. Maybe because of the texture (see below with SPIN) but I went in thinking I could hit higher/deeper shots and control the ball flight. This was true. I hit some heavy arching shots that I may not have had confidence in before. Also, a major factor with control came on the serve. Side-to-Side control was awesome! Took me a bit longer than usual to dial in trajectory and depth of serve but the placement and side to side control stood out to me. I was very happy with this part of the test.
Spin As I mentioned before, with the texture, I expected heavy spin. Not at the fault of the string, but I got no more top spin on regular shots. However, I did feel like I could hit with higher arch on purpose and the spin would help me out. This could have been psycological because of the texture, but it worked.
Now the #1 factor in this string for me was slice. Best slice backhand I have ever hit and it was consistantly good. I could really dive into the ball. The trajectory was line drive low and the amount of spin was awesome. Slice back hands with this string blew me away. This was by far my favorite thing about the string.
Compare to the string you use most often I have been very happy with Beast XP and I have been branching out when stringing just to see what's out there. This test string has been my favorite string compared to Beast XP. Obviously they feel different but I had no problem hitting my shots with this string. I would need to string it a bit higher which leads to the next section...
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?) My tension suggestion for myself would be to string it higher. From the begining I had a bit of trampoline feel because it wasnt as high as what I string my Beast XP at. I hope to find out what string it is and give it another whirl.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes) Nothing bad to say about it. I really enjoyed the test. The highlights again were the side-to-side controls on the serve and the incredible slice on backhand side. While I liked it when in hitting sessions and a few sets I played with, it was a mjor plus durring just rallys with a few of my clients. It was very comfortable on smooth swings. I hope to become a bit more familair with it and see it again in my Tour's.
Thank you TW for the oppertunity. Much appreciated!
Play Test Results
First off, let me thank TW for including me in this play test. Here is my review.
Your regular string set up: Genesis Typhoon
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B: received prototype A
Used as a full set
Tension used for play test: 56
Racquet brand and model used for test: Prince Diablo Mid
Power level of test string: Fairly powerful, definitely had more out right power than Typhoon, gave more ball speed, seemed to lack some heavieness of shot, but was very close.
Feel: Liked the feel, was soft and crisp at the same time, was softer than typhoon. Seemed very easy on the arm, hit with it for about 6 hours and my arm thanked me.
Tension maintenance: After about 4 or so hours, I noticed a significant drop in tension, ball started flying a little. Before hour 4 I would have said that the tension maintenance was good, but the string seemed to drop off signifigantly after hour 4.
Control: Before the tension dropped, I though that the control was great, a few odd flyers, but that was probably on me. I felt that this string was very accurate early on, depth control was good as well, just had some issues after the tension dropped.
Spin: Great spin, more inherent spin than Typhoon.
Compare to the string you use most often: I have been playing with Genesis Typhoon for several years. Typhoon along with Alu Power gives me a very heavy ball that I haven't been able to replicate with other strings. this prototype string hit either a lot of spin or very fast, but I couldn't seem to get spin and speed working together. That may come with more familiarity.
Tension recommendations: Seemed great at my reference tension of 56 for a full bed.
General comments: I really enjoyed hitting with this string, feels like I could get the heavy ball I want from it if I spent more time with it. I liked the fact that it is very easy on my arm. Only negative to me is that the drop off in tension and play ability that happened at the 4 hour mark, wondering if this string may be a candidate for the JET stringing process?
First off, let me thank TW for including me in this play test. Here is my review.
Your regular string set up: Genesis Typhoon
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B: received prototype A
Used as a full set
Tension used for play test: 56
Racquet brand and model used for test: Prince Diablo Mid
Power level of test string: Fairly powerful, definitely had more out right power than Typhoon, gave more ball speed, seemed to lack some heavieness of shot, but was very close.
Feel: Liked the feel, was soft and crisp at the same time, was softer than typhoon. Seemed very easy on the arm, hit with it for about 6 hours and my arm thanked me.
Tension maintenance: After about 4 or so hours, I noticed a significant drop in tension, ball started flying a little. Before hour 4 I would have said that the tension maintenance was good, but the string seemed to drop off signifigantly after hour 4.
Control: Before the tension dropped, I though that the control was great, a few odd flyers, but that was probably on me. I felt that this string was very accurate early on, depth control was good as well, just had some issues after the tension dropped.
Spin: Great spin, more inherent spin than Typhoon.
Compare to the string you use most often: I have been playing with Genesis Typhoon for several years. Typhoon along with Alu Power gives me a very heavy ball that I haven't been able to replicate with other strings. this prototype string hit either a lot of spin or very fast, but I couldn't seem to get spin and speed working together. That may come with more familiarity.
Tension recommendations: Seemed great at my reference tension of 56 for a full bed.
General comments: I really enjoyed hitting with this string, feels like I could get the heavy ball I want from it if I spent more time with it. I liked the fact that it is very easy on my arm. Only negative to me is that the drop off in tension and play ability that happened at the 4 hour mark, wondering if this string may be a candidate for the JET stringing process?
Slim Pickens
Rookie
Your regular string set up
Solinco Tour-Bite mains at 48 with Vanquish crosses at 50
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
Prototype A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
I strung it as a hybrid with Solinco Vanquish multi on a Klippermate
Tension used for playtest
48/50
Racquet brand and model used for test
Babolate Aero Storm GT
Power level of test string or hybrid
The string bed was more powerful than my regular setup.
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
The string bed felt softer than my normal setup.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
After about 6 hours there had been a considerable loss of tension. I had to begin "straightening" the mains after each point.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
Control was a little off in the begining. Balls on serves and groundstrokes went a little longer than expected with my normal swing. After a few swing adjustments control was much better, but again went away at about the 6 hour mark.
The added power of this string was nice on volleys and overheads.
Spin
Good spin, though a little less than expected for a textured poly
Compare to the string you use most often
I get more spin and control with my normal setup. At identical tensions this string feels softer and more comfortable though.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
This is a soft poly, therefore I would recommend upping the tension 2-3 pounds in order to allow for better control.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
This string has a number of good qualities: good spin, god comfort, and strings easily for a poly. The only negative for me was accuracy. Maybe I was having a few bad days or maybe I should have upped the tension a few poiunds. As I have a 1/2 set left I think I will give it a try at 53/55 and see what happens.
Lastly, I like this string, but not as well as Tour Bite; at least not yet.
Solinco Tour-Bite mains at 48 with Vanquish crosses at 50
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
Prototype A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
I strung it as a hybrid with Solinco Vanquish multi on a Klippermate
Tension used for playtest
48/50
Racquet brand and model used for test
Babolate Aero Storm GT
Power level of test string or hybrid
The string bed was more powerful than my regular setup.
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
The string bed felt softer than my normal setup.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
After about 6 hours there had been a considerable loss of tension. I had to begin "straightening" the mains after each point.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
Control was a little off in the begining. Balls on serves and groundstrokes went a little longer than expected with my normal swing. After a few swing adjustments control was much better, but again went away at about the 6 hour mark.
The added power of this string was nice on volleys and overheads.
Spin
Good spin, though a little less than expected for a textured poly
Compare to the string you use most often
I get more spin and control with my normal setup. At identical tensions this string feels softer and more comfortable though.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
This is a soft poly, therefore I would recommend upping the tension 2-3 pounds in order to allow for better control.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
This string has a number of good qualities: good spin, god comfort, and strings easily for a poly. The only negative for me was accuracy. Maybe I was having a few bad days or maybe I should have upped the tension a few poiunds. As I have a 1/2 set left I think I will give it a try at 53/55 and see what happens.
Lastly, I like this string, but not as well as Tour Bite; at least not yet.
Please report back when you up the tension a couple of pounds. It is my guess that if you go from 48 to 51 or 53 you will actually have LESS control. I'll be curious if you're experiment confirms this.
AC Tennis
Rookie
Playtest "A"
Your regular string set up
Babolat Pro Huricane 16g at 47lbs mains and Pro Supex Titan syn gut 17g at 50lbs crosses
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
Prototype A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
Hybrid with Pro Supex Titan 17g on crosses, sample "A" on mains
Tension used for playtest
47m/50x
Racquet brand and model used for test
Yonex VCore 98 D
Power level of test string or hybrid
The string bed was slightly more powerful than my regular setup.
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
It had a nice soft and "springy" feel. It was comfortable for a poly and initially played like a bit of a stiff multi
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
After about 8-10 hours (mostly doubles with a couple sets of singles) there was a noticable drop in tension. I'm going to play a bit more, but I think I'm going to have to cut them out soon as they feel really dead.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
Control was pretty good. I don't hit with a lot of spin on my groundies, so the extra ball pocketing helped me with control, especially on volleys and overheads (which I hit a lot)
Spin
I noticed good spin on my second serves and my opponent commented on the jump my 2nd serves were getting. On groundies, seemed about the same, or a little less than the Pro Huricane I usually use.
Compare to the string you use most often
More comfort than my normal set up, better ball pocketing leading to more feel, more touch, and a bit more power. A little less spin, and loses tension quicker than normal set up.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
No, tension was about right for me.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
I liked the feel, pocketing and touch. Power was good. Spin was OK. Tension maintenance was not so good. It may work better with a multi cross so that when it goes dead, the multi may prolong the life of the string bed.
Your regular string set up
Babolat Pro Huricane 16g at 47lbs mains and Pro Supex Titan syn gut 17g at 50lbs crosses
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
Prototype A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
Hybrid with Pro Supex Titan 17g on crosses, sample "A" on mains
Tension used for playtest
47m/50x
Racquet brand and model used for test
Yonex VCore 98 D
Power level of test string or hybrid
The string bed was slightly more powerful than my regular setup.
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
It had a nice soft and "springy" feel. It was comfortable for a poly and initially played like a bit of a stiff multi
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
After about 8-10 hours (mostly doubles with a couple sets of singles) there was a noticable drop in tension. I'm going to play a bit more, but I think I'm going to have to cut them out soon as they feel really dead.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
Control was pretty good. I don't hit with a lot of spin on my groundies, so the extra ball pocketing helped me with control, especially on volleys and overheads (which I hit a lot)
Spin
I noticed good spin on my second serves and my opponent commented on the jump my 2nd serves were getting. On groundies, seemed about the same, or a little less than the Pro Huricane I usually use.
Compare to the string you use most often
More comfort than my normal set up, better ball pocketing leading to more feel, more touch, and a bit more power. A little less spin, and loses tension quicker than normal set up.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
No, tension was about right for me.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
I liked the feel, pocketing and touch. Power was good. Spin was OK. Tension maintenance was not so good. It may work better with a multi cross so that when it goes dead, the multi may prolong the life of the string bed.
Doubles
Legend
Okay, review time.
Normal setup: I've been testing a lot of polys recently, but I guess my regular setup is Gut/SPPP
Confirm the prototype you received: I recieved the A set
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest: Hybrid with MCS Crosses
Tension used for playtest: 50/53 and 54/56
Racquet brand and model used for test: IG Prestige Pro
Power level of test string or hybrid: The power level was high on the lower tension hybrid. In the higher tension hybrid, I found the power level to drop considerably, and it's more what I'm comfortable with.
Feel:At the lower tension it felt somewhat mushy, I thought that at the net it was nice, but from the baseline I got too much of a trampoline effect from the string until it "broke in" after a few hours. The hybrid strung at a higher tension felt more crisp and comfortable from the baseline.
Tension maintenance: Fairly poor. I could feel both hybrids losing tension after a few hours. After this point in time I felt an increase in spin and power, however, I felt that the string bed also become somewhat unpredictable.
Control: Control was there at first, but as tension was lost, it became somewhat erratic, even with increased spin.
Spin: Below average for a poly hybrid at both tensions. I felt that spin increased after a few hours, but it was still noticeably less than other hybrids.
Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to gut/poly, I didn't care much for it. It had some positive qualities, such as having a nice feel for a poly, but in the end, I would pass on this if it became available for purchase.
Tension recommendations: (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)I preferred it at the higher tension in the hybrid, if anything I would string it up a little bit tighter, even.
General comments: I liked the feel, but I disliked the tension loss, and the lack of spin for a poly. In the end, if I tried it again, I would playtest it in a full bed. Either way, thanks for the opportunity, TW.
Normal setup: I've been testing a lot of polys recently, but I guess my regular setup is Gut/SPPP
Confirm the prototype you received: I recieved the A set
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest: Hybrid with MCS Crosses
Tension used for playtest: 50/53 and 54/56
Racquet brand and model used for test: IG Prestige Pro
Power level of test string or hybrid: The power level was high on the lower tension hybrid. In the higher tension hybrid, I found the power level to drop considerably, and it's more what I'm comfortable with.
Feel:At the lower tension it felt somewhat mushy, I thought that at the net it was nice, but from the baseline I got too much of a trampoline effect from the string until it "broke in" after a few hours. The hybrid strung at a higher tension felt more crisp and comfortable from the baseline.
Tension maintenance: Fairly poor. I could feel both hybrids losing tension after a few hours. After this point in time I felt an increase in spin and power, however, I felt that the string bed also become somewhat unpredictable.
Control: Control was there at first, but as tension was lost, it became somewhat erratic, even with increased spin.
Spin: Below average for a poly hybrid at both tensions. I felt that spin increased after a few hours, but it was still noticeably less than other hybrids.
Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to gut/poly, I didn't care much for it. It had some positive qualities, such as having a nice feel for a poly, but in the end, I would pass on this if it became available for purchase.
Tension recommendations: (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)I preferred it at the higher tension in the hybrid, if anything I would string it up a little bit tighter, even.
General comments: I liked the feel, but I disliked the tension loss, and the lack of spin for a poly. In the end, if I tried it again, I would playtest it in a full bed. Either way, thanks for the opportunity, TW.
db10s
Hall of Fame
Full Review
Your regular string set up
Dunlop Black Widow 45lbs.
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
Full Set
Tension used for playtest
45lbs, But RT read 39.5lbs for a 1.30 poly
Racquet brand and model used for test
Dunlop Hotmelt 200G leaded to 12.75 oz
Power level of test string or hybrid
I would put it at average/slightly above average for a poly (assuming that its a poly)
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
For the first couple minutes it felt crisp. From there on out it was more of a soft poly feel. Every once in a while I would get a mushyish feel. Overall while the tension was there I liked the softness.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
After the first hour I could notice it losing tension, but not unplayable the until 7 hour point, I played one more hour with it to see how much worse it could get, and by then it had fallen off of a cliff.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) It was really good for a while on some shots and on others it was lacking, but it was acceptable for me. I had some good depth on the ball on both sides, though. I also felt like I had good control on my serves.
Spin
It was not the best, but maybe that is because I was expecting better, or maybe its because I'm used to spin (BW). I was able to get some good slice bh's here and there. What had the most spin was my kick serve, I felt like I had almost too much spin at times. I easily figured out how to control it though. Overall, average for a poly.
Compare to the string you use most often
Serves: Solinco (by a mile)
Forehands: Dunlop
Backhands: Tie (leaning towards Solinco)
Volleys: Dunlop
I prefer the Solinco short term but the Dunlop over a period a time.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
I'm not sure if I would string it higher or lower, but I would be interested to see how it plays at different tensions, if I had more string I would string one set at 55 and another at 35.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
I really liked how my serves came off of the strings with some good pop, yet with control to place my serves with precision. I would probably buy it if it went on sale, just because of how my serves came off. I wouldn't mind having a frame strung with this in the event of a total collapse of my game just to play with something different. I could deal with the tension loss by stringing just a little bit more than normal, and not buying as many pairs of shoes...
Your regular string set up
Dunlop Black Widow 45lbs.
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
Full Set
Tension used for playtest
45lbs, But RT read 39.5lbs for a 1.30 poly
Racquet brand and model used for test
Dunlop Hotmelt 200G leaded to 12.75 oz
Power level of test string or hybrid
I would put it at average/slightly above average for a poly (assuming that its a poly)
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
For the first couple minutes it felt crisp. From there on out it was more of a soft poly feel. Every once in a while I would get a mushyish feel. Overall while the tension was there I liked the softness.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
After the first hour I could notice it losing tension, but not unplayable the until 7 hour point, I played one more hour with it to see how much worse it could get, and by then it had fallen off of a cliff.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) It was really good for a while on some shots and on others it was lacking, but it was acceptable for me. I had some good depth on the ball on both sides, though. I also felt like I had good control on my serves.
Spin
It was not the best, but maybe that is because I was expecting better, or maybe its because I'm used to spin (BW). I was able to get some good slice bh's here and there. What had the most spin was my kick serve, I felt like I had almost too much spin at times. I easily figured out how to control it though. Overall, average for a poly.
Compare to the string you use most often
Serves: Solinco (by a mile)
Forehands: Dunlop
Backhands: Tie (leaning towards Solinco)
Volleys: Dunlop
I prefer the Solinco short term but the Dunlop over a period a time.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
I'm not sure if I would string it higher or lower, but I would be interested to see how it plays at different tensions, if I had more string I would string one set at 55 and another at 35.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
I really liked how my serves came off of the strings with some good pop, yet with control to place my serves with precision. I would probably buy it if it went on sale, just because of how my serves came off. I wouldn't mind having a frame strung with this in the event of a total collapse of my game just to play with something different. I could deal with the tension loss by stringing just a little bit more than normal, and not buying as many pairs of shoes...
Last edited:
Thanks TW for including me in the playtest.
Your regular string set up-
Genesis Black Magic 17g at 52lbs (full bed)
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
Prototype A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
If hybrid, list the other string used and whether it was in mains or crosses
Used a full bed for the playtest
Tension used for playtest
52lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test
Tecnifibre Tfight 320
Power level of test string or hybrid
For a poly the power level was above average. It was a little more powerful than the black magic both off the ground and on serves.
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
The feel was comfortable yet crisp and somewhat stiffer than my regular set up. No problems with any vibrations on off center shots. No arm issues when using this string.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
For a poly i thought it held it's tension just fine. It never became too loose or uncontrollable. It broke after about 8-9 hours of play.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
The string had good control. As far as trajectory it seemed to come off the stringbed at a higher angle than my normal setup but after a a good 10-15 minutes of hitting i adjusted to it. Was able to swing out on groundstrokes without any difficulty controlling the shots. Good power on serves.Able to generate good spin on serves, both kick and slice. Good control when serving and able to hit the spots i was serving to. Volleys were easy to control and place. Good touch for a poly at the net and with dropshots.
Spin
Spin was a little above average for a poly. I was able to generate a little more spin off the ground compared to my usual set up. Slice backhands were easy and had good bite.
A couple of my regular hitting partners felt my shots werent quite as "heavy" with the prototype compared to my usual setup. I thought that seemed a little odd since it felt like the string was a little more powerful than my usual setup and seemed like i was getting a little more spin.
Compare to the string you use most often
Not as comfortable, more power and more spin with the prototype(or so i think)
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
Maybe increase it by 1 to 2 pounds
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
Overall i liked the string. Seems like it's a tad more powerful and a bit more spin than the black magic but not quite as comfortable as the black magic. Maintained tension well for a poly. If the string is released I look forward to trying it again.
Thanks TW
Your regular string set up-
Genesis Black Magic 17g at 52lbs (full bed)
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
Prototype A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
If hybrid, list the other string used and whether it was in mains or crosses
Used a full bed for the playtest
Tension used for playtest
52lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test
Tecnifibre Tfight 320
Power level of test string or hybrid
For a poly the power level was above average. It was a little more powerful than the black magic both off the ground and on serves.
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
The feel was comfortable yet crisp and somewhat stiffer than my regular set up. No problems with any vibrations on off center shots. No arm issues when using this string.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
For a poly i thought it held it's tension just fine. It never became too loose or uncontrollable. It broke after about 8-9 hours of play.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
The string had good control. As far as trajectory it seemed to come off the stringbed at a higher angle than my normal setup but after a a good 10-15 minutes of hitting i adjusted to it. Was able to swing out on groundstrokes without any difficulty controlling the shots. Good power on serves.Able to generate good spin on serves, both kick and slice. Good control when serving and able to hit the spots i was serving to. Volleys were easy to control and place. Good touch for a poly at the net and with dropshots.
Spin
Spin was a little above average for a poly. I was able to generate a little more spin off the ground compared to my usual set up. Slice backhands were easy and had good bite.
A couple of my regular hitting partners felt my shots werent quite as "heavy" with the prototype compared to my usual setup. I thought that seemed a little odd since it felt like the string was a little more powerful than my usual setup and seemed like i was getting a little more spin.
Compare to the string you use most often
Not as comfortable, more power and more spin with the prototype(or so i think)
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
Maybe increase it by 1 to 2 pounds
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
Overall i liked the string. Seems like it's a tad more powerful and a bit more spin than the black magic but not quite as comfortable as the black magic. Maintained tension well for a poly. If the string is released I look forward to trying it again.
Thanks TW
Well, didn't get to give these as thorough of a play test as I had hoped (no tournaments or anything), I still put some hours on them and got a pretty good idea of my thoughts about them:
Your regular string set up - Don't have a regular setup per se, but my most recent was a hybrid with Gamma Zo Twisted mains and OGSM crosses.
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B Prototype A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest - Full Set strung at around 50 pounds.
I'll also throw in stringing thoughts here. As everyone has said, this definitely looks and feels like a poly. It was, however, way stretchier than most poly strings I've strung with. Stringing wasn't particularly difficult, nor was the string really stiff. It didn't have much coil memory compared to something like the Big Hitter strings that I use often.
Racquet brand and model used for test - Head IG Youtek Prestige Pro
Power level of test string or hybrid - Not particularly high or low powered. Very middle of the ground for me.
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?) - Because it's such a stretchy string (in my opinion), I didn't find it really crisp, which is what I prefer. However, it wasn't overly soft or mushy either. Again, very middle of the ground. It was a pretty comfortable string though. I never felt any odd vibrations or any sort of arm discomfort.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?) - I'm usually not the best at recognizing when tension drops too far, and since I've been playing in very hot, humid weather it's even less noticeable. I probably have 8-ish hours on the strings and have not noticed any significant tension drop yet.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) - It was in line with most poly strings I've hit with. I had to put a full swing on the ball to really do much with it.
Spin - Again, middle of the ground. I got enough spin to keep those deep ground strokes in the court, but it wasn't anything out of the normal. Guess the best way to put it is here are definitely strings out there that will give you more spin, but this string doesn't hold you back from being able to hit sufficient spin.
Compare to the string you use most often - Hard to really compare since my last setup was a hybrid. The biggest difference though was DEPTH. If I was just off center, or got a little too wristy, or didn't put a full swing on the ball, it always came up very short, and sometimes just dumped into the net. Hitting balls beyond the service line required a lot more effort than I'm used to. This isn't to say it lacked power. As I mentioned earlier, it was okay there. But the power didn't translate into depth.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?) - I would probably string it a little bit tighter. Try 55 first and then go from there. It needed to be stiffened up a little, in my opinion, since it was a bit stretchy.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes) - All in all a very average string. It definitely is a cool looking string, and it's by far one of the more comfortable polys I've ever used. Power and spin were just okay and didn't blow me away. The biggest hang up I had about the string was the lack of depth. I'm guessing since the Prestige Pro is already quite sensitive to string setup, the string and tension combo I had it strung up at probably suffered from that. It was sweet spot or nothing. All in all, not a bad string, but probably not one I see myself using in the future (although I'd like to try it one more time at a higher tension to see how it changed the play test).
Your regular string set up - Don't have a regular setup per se, but my most recent was a hybrid with Gamma Zo Twisted mains and OGSM crosses.
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B Prototype A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest - Full Set strung at around 50 pounds.
I'll also throw in stringing thoughts here. As everyone has said, this definitely looks and feels like a poly. It was, however, way stretchier than most poly strings I've strung with. Stringing wasn't particularly difficult, nor was the string really stiff. It didn't have much coil memory compared to something like the Big Hitter strings that I use often.
Racquet brand and model used for test - Head IG Youtek Prestige Pro
Power level of test string or hybrid - Not particularly high or low powered. Very middle of the ground for me.
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?) - Because it's such a stretchy string (in my opinion), I didn't find it really crisp, which is what I prefer. However, it wasn't overly soft or mushy either. Again, very middle of the ground. It was a pretty comfortable string though. I never felt any odd vibrations or any sort of arm discomfort.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?) - I'm usually not the best at recognizing when tension drops too far, and since I've been playing in very hot, humid weather it's even less noticeable. I probably have 8-ish hours on the strings and have not noticed any significant tension drop yet.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) - It was in line with most poly strings I've hit with. I had to put a full swing on the ball to really do much with it.
Spin - Again, middle of the ground. I got enough spin to keep those deep ground strokes in the court, but it wasn't anything out of the normal. Guess the best way to put it is here are definitely strings out there that will give you more spin, but this string doesn't hold you back from being able to hit sufficient spin.
Compare to the string you use most often - Hard to really compare since my last setup was a hybrid. The biggest difference though was DEPTH. If I was just off center, or got a little too wristy, or didn't put a full swing on the ball, it always came up very short, and sometimes just dumped into the net. Hitting balls beyond the service line required a lot more effort than I'm used to. This isn't to say it lacked power. As I mentioned earlier, it was okay there. But the power didn't translate into depth.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?) - I would probably string it a little bit tighter. Try 55 first and then go from there. It needed to be stiffened up a little, in my opinion, since it was a bit stretchy.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes) - All in all a very average string. It definitely is a cool looking string, and it's by far one of the more comfortable polys I've ever used. Power and spin were just okay and didn't blow me away. The biggest hang up I had about the string was the lack of depth. I'm guessing since the Prestige Pro is already quite sensitive to string setup, the string and tension combo I had it strung up at probably suffered from that. It was sweet spot or nothing. All in all, not a bad string, but probably not one I see myself using in the future (although I'd like to try it one more time at a higher tension to see how it changed the play test).
Say Chi Sin Lo
G.O.A.T.
Thanks TW, this review will come with a twist: I personally do not use a full bed of polyester, so I thought I wouldn't be the best to review the strings. I gave the strings to a friend who does use a full bed of polyester.
He is a 5.0 - 5.5 player, lots of doubles, but can hold his own in singles.
His equipment is Head Youtek Prestige Mid, this will be compared to his Solinco Tour Bite 18.
He thought the strings played well, but not to his own liking. He thought the strings played too soft but lacked power. Though the strings grabbed the ball, he thought the lack of power producing too many short balls.
Can't speak on the durability, because he ended up cutting the strings out.
He is a 5.0 - 5.5 player, lots of doubles, but can hold his own in singles.
His equipment is Head Youtek Prestige Mid, this will be compared to his Solinco Tour Bite 18.
He thought the strings played well, but not to his own liking. He thought the strings played too soft but lacked power. Though the strings grabbed the ball, he thought the lack of power producing too many short balls.
Can't speak on the durability, because he ended up cutting the strings out.
Larrysümmers
Hall of Fame
Your regular string set up
polylon ice 16
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
If hybrid, list the other string used and whether it was in mains or crosses
full bed
Tension used for playtest
45lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test Wilson K pro tour
Power level of test string or hybrid
for a poly in a full bed there was more power than i expected, but it wasnt uncontrollable
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
had a pretty average poly feel. it was crispy but wasnt harsh. a little boardy. i felt off center shots but they still flew predictably.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
played with it for about 10 hours-a calender week going out 4 times.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
after the first 15 mins i found the 'range' with the string and it was quite controling. with slower swing speeds on some shots i felt like it was landing short. i felt like this string amped my running forehand. i felt like this string would be a fan of doubles players as volleys were pretty deadly with this
Spin
a lot of action with this string. nothing ive not seen before though. very tour bite esque as the string would be flying then just sink down like a baseball pitch.
Compare to the string you use most often
i would call it a slight upgrade. the feel was a lot 'better'. theres a little more spin. power. etc
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
i liked the tension. ive found that for all polys 45 lbs is my wt.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
theres not a whole lot to really say.
-there was plenty of spin
-all the power youre looking for in a poly
-has that general crisp poly feel
-lasted me a good 10 hrs, im not a string popper or that hard of a hitter(compared to the macho men on here), but this looked like a string that could break on a hard hitter relatively fast due to the way its geared or twisted or what ever the proper term is.
polylon ice 16
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
If hybrid, list the other string used and whether it was in mains or crosses
full bed
Tension used for playtest
45lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test Wilson K pro tour
Power level of test string or hybrid
for a poly in a full bed there was more power than i expected, but it wasnt uncontrollable
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
had a pretty average poly feel. it was crispy but wasnt harsh. a little boardy. i felt off center shots but they still flew predictably.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
played with it for about 10 hours-a calender week going out 4 times.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
after the first 15 mins i found the 'range' with the string and it was quite controling. with slower swing speeds on some shots i felt like it was landing short. i felt like this string amped my running forehand. i felt like this string would be a fan of doubles players as volleys were pretty deadly with this
Spin
a lot of action with this string. nothing ive not seen before though. very tour bite esque as the string would be flying then just sink down like a baseball pitch.
Compare to the string you use most often
i would call it a slight upgrade. the feel was a lot 'better'. theres a little more spin. power. etc
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
i liked the tension. ive found that for all polys 45 lbs is my wt.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
theres not a whole lot to really say.
-there was plenty of spin
-all the power youre looking for in a poly
-has that general crisp poly feel
-lasted me a good 10 hrs, im not a string popper or that hard of a hitter(compared to the macho men on here), but this looked like a string that could break on a hard hitter relatively fast due to the way its geared or twisted or what ever the proper term is.
Normal setup: X-One, SPPP
Confirm the prototype you received: A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest: Full bed of Prototype A
Tension used for playtest: 45/45
Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Pure Storm Tour with added weight
Power level of test string or hybrid: I felt that the power was relatively low compared to others that I have tried.
Feel:The string felt a little dull for the first time or two hitting, but after several hours, I started to "warm up" to the feel of the string and I liked it much more. Still not my favorite, but was 100x better than when I first strung it
Tension maintenance: Average. It is a poly so it has a reasonable quick tension loss. I found it to be better than RPM though.
Control: As I began to get used to the string, control got better. I liked the spin generated by the string.
Spin: I liked the spin. Seemed to bite the ball pretty well. I didnt find anything particularly amazing about it but the spin quality was definitely there.
Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to my current setup, I did not like it as much. It had the spin that my setup has but was much more harsh on my arm. It lasted much longer than my current setup!
Tension recommendations: I liked my tension that I used. I wouldnt change it.
General comments: I liked the string as a whole but it just wasnt enough to beat out X-One, and SPPP. Spin was good but I wish tension maintenance was a little better!
Confirm the prototype you received: A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest: Full bed of Prototype A
Tension used for playtest: 45/45
Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Pure Storm Tour with added weight
Power level of test string or hybrid: I felt that the power was relatively low compared to others that I have tried.
Feel:The string felt a little dull for the first time or two hitting, but after several hours, I started to "warm up" to the feel of the string and I liked it much more. Still not my favorite, but was 100x better than when I first strung it
Tension maintenance: Average. It is a poly so it has a reasonable quick tension loss. I found it to be better than RPM though.
Control: As I began to get used to the string, control got better. I liked the spin generated by the string.
Spin: I liked the spin. Seemed to bite the ball pretty well. I didnt find anything particularly amazing about it but the spin quality was definitely there.
Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to my current setup, I did not like it as much. It had the spin that my setup has but was much more harsh on my arm. It lasted much longer than my current setup!
Tension recommendations: I liked my tension that I used. I wouldnt change it.
General comments: I liked the string as a whole but it just wasnt enough to beat out X-One, and SPPP. Spin was good but I wish tension maintenance was a little better!
MarinaHighTennis
Hall of Fame
Your regular string set up
Full Solinco Outlast 16 (52lbs)
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
Full set (54lbs)
Racquet brand and model used for test
Babolat AeroStorm GT
Power level of test string or hybrid
I found the power level to be average, not as powerful as outlast because the outlast had much more pop
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
The feel, imho was pretty stiff compared to outlast. However, it was less stiff than tour bite. It was also very crisp, which i liked because outlast seemed to lack as much crispness in the groundstrokes compared to this. What I disliked were the offcenter shots. It seems like the ball dies on the strings if its not the sweet spot.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
It never felt that it lost tension with playing with it but I've hit with it for 1 day and it snapped on me
but then again I'd break gosen polylons in 2 weeks and tour bite in 2 days
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
sometimes the ball would fly on me but depth control was very good. I found it hard to pop/block returns though as compared to outlast. It seems hard to control when I play against flat hitters or flat serves
Spin
It was decent. At first looking at the string I expected something similar to tourbite with lots of spin... I was disappointed. It had less spin that both tourbite and outlast
Compare to the string you use most often
See above, but I perfer my solinco outlast 16s rather than these for more pop, soft feel, and durability
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
I would tension it at 52lbs instead of 54 because it needed a lil more pop
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
My likes of these strings are that my serves and volleys were like butter and cream. Its groundstrokes were average but it lacked pop compared to my other strings. IMHO it would be a very good string, but I am very happy with my Solinco Outlasts as I find absolutely no problems.
It plays similiar to luxilon big banger rough though
Thanks TW for the opportunity! I will post a video asap
Full Solinco Outlast 16 (52lbs)
Confirm the prototype you received - A or B
A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest
Full set (54lbs)
Racquet brand and model used for test
Babolat AeroStorm GT
Power level of test string or hybrid
I found the power level to be average, not as powerful as outlast because the outlast had much more pop
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?)
The feel, imho was pretty stiff compared to outlast. However, it was less stiff than tour bite. It was also very crisp, which i liked because outlast seemed to lack as much crispness in the groundstrokes compared to this. What I disliked were the offcenter shots. It seems like the ball dies on the strings if its not the sweet spot.
Tension maintenance (how long before it became too loose or unplayable?)
It never felt that it lost tension with playing with it but I've hit with it for 1 day and it snapped on me
but then again I'd break gosen polylons in 2 weeks and tour bite in 2 daysControl (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
sometimes the ball would fly on me but depth control was very good. I found it hard to pop/block returns though as compared to outlast. It seems hard to control when I play against flat hitters or flat serves
Spin
It was decent. At first looking at the string I expected something similar to tourbite with lots of spin... I was disappointed. It had less spin that both tourbite and outlast
Compare to the string you use most often
See above, but I perfer my solinco outlast 16s rather than these for more pop, soft feel, and durability
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?)
I would tension it at 52lbs instead of 54 because it needed a lil more pop
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes)
My likes of these strings are that my serves and volleys were like butter and cream. Its groundstrokes were average but it lacked pop compared to my other strings. IMHO it would be a very good string, but I am very happy with my Solinco Outlasts as I find absolutely no problems.
It plays similiar to luxilon big banger rough though
Thanks TW for the opportunity! I will post a video asap
nalvarado
Semi-Pro
Your regular string set up: RIP Control 17 58lbs
Confirm the prototype you received: A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest: Full set
Tension used for playtest: 54
Racquet brand and model used for test: Gamma RZR 98T
Power level of test string or hybrid: Above average for a poly, possibly due to the profiling of the string. Felt like it was significantly more elastic than other polys.
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?): The string felt mushy to me, strange for a stiff poly. This could be due to the perceived extra elongation/elasticity of the string due to the profile. Felt like there a an unknown variable creating unpredictable hotspots on the bed that I have not perceived with this racquet in the past.
Tension maintenance: I stopped playing with it in between 6 and 8 hours. Felt like I had absolutely no control after this point.
Control:I was not able to dial into this string due to the variables that I described before. Very rarely was I able to really hit the shot I wanted with enough pace and spin to dictate the pace of the game.
Spin: I was hitting pretty loopy spots. Was not able to consistently get the tight spin I desired, keeping the ball low to the net and kicking on contact with the ground.
Compare to the string you use most often. RIP Control is alot more forgiving. I am very familiar with it so I am just more confident with it.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?): Strangely for a poly, I would suggest this string at higher tensions, such as 58-62. This may cause the string to set in a bit quicker at the expense of tension maintenance.
Confirm the prototype you received: A
Whether or not you used a full set or hybrid for the playtest: Full set
Tension used for playtest: 54
Racquet brand and model used for test: Gamma RZR 98T
Power level of test string or hybrid: Above average for a poly, possibly due to the profiling of the string. Felt like it was significantly more elastic than other polys.
Feel (crisp? mushy? soft? stiff? off center feedback?): The string felt mushy to me, strange for a stiff poly. This could be due to the perceived extra elongation/elasticity of the string due to the profile. Felt like there a an unknown variable creating unpredictable hotspots on the bed that I have not perceived with this racquet in the past.
Tension maintenance: I stopped playing with it in between 6 and 8 hours. Felt like I had absolutely no control after this point.
Control:I was not able to dial into this string due to the variables that I described before. Very rarely was I able to really hit the shot I wanted with enough pace and spin to dictate the pace of the game.
Spin: I was hitting pretty loopy spots. Was not able to consistently get the tight spin I desired, keeping the ball low to the net and kicking on contact with the ground.
Compare to the string you use most often. RIP Control is alot more forgiving. I am very familiar with it so I am just more confident with it.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension?): Strangely for a poly, I would suggest this string at higher tensions, such as 58-62. This may cause the string to set in a bit quicker at the expense of tension maintenance.
smittybuckeye
New User
Sonlinco Playtest- A
Like a dummy I sent an email in with review without thinking I should have posted it here Sorry for the delay..
My regular string set up = X-1 BiPhase Red 52 lbs
Prototype received = A
Strung with full set
Tension used for playtest = 47 lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test = Pacific Vacuum 90
Power level of test string or hybrid = Low powered. Much less than what I'm used to with X-1, but wasn't as underpowered as I thought going in.
Feel = No fault of the string I don't think, but such a stiff Poly just doesn't do the frame I threw it in justice.. Pretty Jarring, but may could fix that with looser setup?
Tension maintenance = Spot on, didn't feel any change as I hit.
Control = Very Good. The spin definitely helped to keep the ball between the lines.. Didn't loose any of the laserlike accuracy of the frame..
Spin = Great Spin, Felt like this string had a little more bite than my last go round with Similar products from Tourna and Lux.. Would definitely think about using this string with a larger head more powerful racquet.
Tension recommendations = Definitely would lower the tension in my frame the next go round.. Maybe even low 40's..
Compare to the string you use most often:
Well, I use a very soft powerful multi, so it was apples and oranges.. I am used to buttery feel and soft, this was much stiffer and spin friendly.. Definitely not a bad thing, just not my ideal setup in my current frame.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes):
Overall I felt it to be a very quality hi-end poly.. Probably in a more powerful frame, this string would shine.. Can't imagine what it would feel like in a XFast 100 or Pure Drive.. Probably be a dream spin machine
Thanks for the opportunity to test.. Would love to continue to help!
Like a dummy I sent an email in with review without thinking I should have posted it here Sorry for the delay..
My regular string set up = X-1 BiPhase Red 52 lbs
Prototype received = A
Strung with full set
Tension used for playtest = 47 lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test = Pacific Vacuum 90
Power level of test string or hybrid = Low powered. Much less than what I'm used to with X-1, but wasn't as underpowered as I thought going in.
Feel = No fault of the string I don't think, but such a stiff Poly just doesn't do the frame I threw it in justice.. Pretty Jarring, but may could fix that with looser setup?
Tension maintenance = Spot on, didn't feel any change as I hit.
Control = Very Good. The spin definitely helped to keep the ball between the lines.. Didn't loose any of the laserlike accuracy of the frame..
Spin = Great Spin, Felt like this string had a little more bite than my last go round with Similar products from Tourna and Lux.. Would definitely think about using this string with a larger head more powerful racquet.
Tension recommendations = Definitely would lower the tension in my frame the next go round.. Maybe even low 40's..
Compare to the string you use most often:
Well, I use a very soft powerful multi, so it was apples and oranges.. I am used to buttery feel and soft, this was much stiffer and spin friendly.. Definitely not a bad thing, just not my ideal setup in my current frame.
General comments (please summarize likes and dislikes):
Overall I felt it to be a very quality hi-end poly.. Probably in a more powerful frame, this string would shine.. Can't imagine what it would feel like in a XFast 100 or Pure Drive.. Probably be a dream spin machine
Thanks for the opportunity to test.. Would love to continue to help!
