Tennis Warehouse: Kirschbaum Pro Line II Rough Playtest

TW Staff

TW Staff

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Attention Talk Tennis Members:

We have a limited number of Kirschbaum Pro Line II Rough 1.25mm co-poly strings for a playtest. This playtest is for USA TTW members only.

The application period for this playtest has ended. We will notify the selected playtesters by this Friday. If you are not selected for this playtest, keep your eyes out for the next one - we have several coming up!

We have a very limited quantity of strings to playtest. We select playtesters based on a number of factors.

In order to remain in good standing for all the playtests coming up, you must post your findings in this thread by Friday March 18



*No Hybrids*
Include the following in your review:
Tension(s) used for playtest
Regular string set up
Racquet brand and model used for test
Power of test string
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
Spin
Comfort
Durability
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
Control
Compare to the string you use most often
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
List any additional thoughts (optional)
 
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String is a bit firm in hand but I've found that it doesn't mean it is harsh. I wonder if this is pre-stretched like Kirschbaum usually does. No hybrids allowed but if it was I'd consider with a slick syn guy or a round poly. Target range will probably be 45#. I'm not sure what racquet I'll put it in. It's a toss up between TC100/i.PrestigeMP/POG Mid. The TC100 has a slight edge if this string plays low powered like it's round version.

Anyone in the play test that has used the Non-Rough version of this string?
 
s1uhw7.jpg


Just strung it up. Feels a bit stiffer than regular Pro Line II, not sure if it is because the "roughness". The texture reminds me of Max Power rough version, perhaps it is even the same process. Will report soon!
 
djNEiGht said:
String is a bit firm in hand but I've found that it doesn't mean it is harsh. I wonder if this is pre-stretched like Kirschbaum usually does. No hybrids allowed but if it was I'd consider with a slick syn guy or a round poly. Target range will probably be 45#. I'm not sure what racquet I'll put it in. It's a toss up between TC100/i.PrestigeMP/POG Mid. The TC100 has a slight edge if this string plays low powered like it's round version.

Anyone in the play test that has used the Non-Rough version of this string?
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I'm a fan of the regular pro line II. I use it in hybrids and in a full bed with my gpps. I'm also part of this playtest so I'm really excited to see if this can replace my go to string TBS.
 
Just strung it up in my Pure Strike 16x19. I'm familiar with shaped polys, but haven't had too much experience with rough ones, so it'll be interesting to see how it hits tonight.
 
Tension(s) used for playtest
52lbs strung on a WISE 2086 with a 10% prestretch.​

Regular string set up
On hard courts I use 17g Pacific Tough Gut mains @ 54 and YPTP 1.25mm crosses @ 52. On clay, Solinco Hyper-G 1.25mm strung at 48lbs w/ a 10% prestretch.​

Racquet brand and model used for test
Fischer Black Granite Pro No 1​

Power of test string
Initial Hit: Medium to low powered. Of course I'm comparing this to my guy/poly frame, so its going to feel lower powered, but I definitely had to swing through the ball to get some pace. Hopefully once it loosens up a bit the power will increase a tad.

Second Hit: Ok, this second outing needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Or in my case, about 600mg of Ibuprofen. Played doubles tonight, and this was after a full weekend of singles and my shoulder was dead. During the warmup it felt as if it had settled in nicely. Ground strokes felt solid, and volleys were crisp and controlled. However, once I started serving I noticed the lack of power. I was able to get good placement and spin, but there was at least a 7-10MPH drop, which for me is significant since I only really serve in the high 90s. By the end of the set I was struggling to hold serve. In the string's defense, changing to my normal setup of gut/YPTP for the 2nd set didn't help much...

Third Hit: I played a full 3 sets of doubles and it was a Jekyll and Hyde experience. I started out ripping shots: returns, serves, overheads. Everything was coming off the strings nicely, good power, hitting my spots on my serve, and simply laying into my returns. After the first set, I started seeing most of my returns fly long. I didn't feel as if anything had changed stroke-wise, but my shots just started to sail long. Serves didn't seem affected by the change, in fact, they improved a bit, as did my volleys. But most groundstrokes were uncontrollable from that point forward. I did look down between the 2nd & 3rd sets and noticed the notches were rubbed off in the sweet spot. Whether they were like that in the 1st set I cannot say.
​
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
Initial Hit: Decent feel. I'd say a mix of Muted and Crisp. I could feel it pocketing the ball, which was nice. Many times, for me, a full poly setup feels like the ball is jumping off the frame. Not so w/ this string.

Second Hit: Not much change in the feel. Maybe a little more dead, but that could also have been my arm.
​
Spin
Initial Hit: Excellent spin. Serves seems to have a little more kick and weight behind them. However, combined w/ the low power, I did find many of my shots dropping short. Hoping once the tension settles in I will get a bit more depth.

Second Hit: Still excellent spin, even with my tired shoulder. I was able to dip the shots effectively on my returns, and even caught a good topspin lob. But I really need to swing through, or my shots will land short. I can get away with it in doubles (in fact, it actually helps dip shots when they're at the net), but in a singles match I will pay dearly for it.​

Third Hit: Spin in the 1st set was really good. And for a moment I felt as if the string was really coming into its own, and somewhere between the 1st and 2nd sets it changed and suddenly I was struggling to produce enough spin to bring the ball back down. Granted I don't hit heavy topspin, but I do rely on some spin to bring the ball back into the court, and that just was not happening.
​
Comfort
Initial Hit: Fairly comfortable. I didn't notice any jarring or any soreness/pain after two sets (other than old age pains...).

Second Hit: I'm going to plead the 5th on this one. My shoulder is sore, but I really don't think that's due to the string...just too much tennis.

Third Hit: No change here. I actually believe it got more comfortable after the ridges wore off.
​
Durability
Initial Hit: This is not going to be an issue for me as I don't even break gut/poly. I'm not going to break full poly.​

Second Hit: See Initial Hit...

Third Hit: See Initial Hit...​

Playability Duration
I'd say it lasted a whole 4-5 hours. Once the ridges wore off, things started to fly on me, and was not really worth the time. Really disappointed as I when it started to settle in, it was a really nice playing string. But that was probably after the first 1-2 hours.

Also, I can only assume big hitters will wear this down even quicker. A friend of mine breaks 15L poly in two matches, so I assume he'd wear the ridges off after a set...
​
Control
Initial Hit: Excellent control. The low power combined w/ the spin gives me the confidence to swing through the ball. Hit some nice dipping passing shots today as well as some biting slice shots. Felt the ball was going where I wanted it to.

Second Hit: Again, nothing different form the first outing. Even with the slight tension drop I still had excellent control.

Third Hit: Was great for a set, then the wheel came off. But for that first set...I could do no wrong. Returns (which is the cornerstone of my doubles play) were excellent. Great dipping cross-court shots, and I even drilled a few up the line. Serves went where I aimed, and the few volleys I hit felt solid & in control. But things started to go downhill early in the 2nd set, when my returns started to fly long. This was doubles, so I really didn't get into many rallies, but I can only assume I would have had a hard time keeping a rally going past the 3rd or 4th shot.​

Compare to the string you use most often
Given that this is a full-poly playtest, I'll compare to the Hyper-G that I've been using on clay:
  • In the first 1/3 of play, Pro Line II had more spin, but less power than the Hyper-G. It was firmer off the stringbed and lacked that 'pop' I got off Hyper-G.
  • In the middle 1/3 of play, it was at or above the Hyper-G in all categories, giving me that euphoria of swinging for the fences and everything dropping in.
  • For the middle 1/3, it became less controllable and less predictable. While is wasn't mushy, it also wasn't as firm as the beginning.
While the string's feel may have change throughout the playtest, I found it comfortable to hit with at all moments, if just a bit unpredictable.
​

Tension recommendations
Normally I string full poly looser, but I thought I'd give this string a try at a tighter tension. Sos far it feels as if I should have gone w/ 50, but we'll see how it does w/ the tension maintenance. Here are the readings from RacquetTune immediately off the machine, and after my 1st two sets (likely reads higher due to guesstimated string factor):

8f3f1ef8-ed97-4d03-aae8-94c1b9a6aef3_zpssdyeemhr.png
251e068f-ef31-45dd-88bc-a697a783e243_zps9ermdgd1.png


After Second Hit:

1932dfd5-cb7f-49a2-8536-08b6bd180585_zpsegncx53t.png


After Third Hit:

3effc36f-80d7-4dd8-ac47-ceeb9c2a13b0_zpsxxy3yxei.png


Surprisingly, I only experienced a 10% drop in tension over the test period. This could possibly be due to me pre-stretching it, but I'd have to run a test with a pre-stretched and a non-pre-stretched to see how they compare over time.
​
List any additional thoughts
If Kirschbaum could figure out a way to prevent the ridges from rubbing off, I think they'd have a much better product. I can always adjust tension up/down to compensate for too much/lack of power. But when it changes in the middle of the set, its hard to trust in the string.​
 
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First of all, thanks to TW and Kirschbaum for the opportunity to take part in this playtest.

A little about me:

SW Forehand. OHBH with an Extreme Eastern grip. Serves are mostly topspin or topslice. I’ll flatten out wide to the Ad side and up the middle on Deuce. Playstyle is aggressive first strike baseliner. 5’9” 200lbs. Been playing tennis since I was 10. Played varsity tennis in high school but fell out of playing until a few years ago. I’m an avid golfer and fanatical about my gear, my car, my food, my job, my family, you get the picture. Data driven decisions are KING (which is funny because data in tennis are hard to come by).


Tension(s) used for playtest 52lbs which is my reference tension. Strung on a Gamma 6004 6pt L.O. Calibrated once a month.
Regular string set up Solinco Tour Bite Soft (TBS for the rest of this review) 17G is the first setup I go for, especially on clay. TBS and Lux 4G for max spin and control.
Racquet brand and model used for test Angell TC97. 350g/12pts HL/327 SW. This has been the racquet of choice since November.
Power of test string Off the stringer and for the first hour, it was average to above average for a poly. Good depth and launch angle. It didn’t feel low powered like 4G. After the first hour, however, I was routinely missing the baseline. Some defensive blocked shots were also sailing long. See comments on Spin below.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) Initial hits were nice. I wouldn’t call it crisp like fresh TBS but it was definitely firm and muted. Feedback was good. No weird pings or odd impact noises. I did use a rubber band like I do for all my racquets.
Spin This is where I was a bit disappointed with the string. Spin production just wasn’t where I thought it would be, especially for a textured string. NOTE: I differentiate a textured string (like PLII Rough) from a shaped string (like TBS). While I didn’t think I would get ball action like I do with TBS, I didn’t think I would have had such a tough time getting the ball to dip at the baseline. Again, this only happened after about 2 hours. I did inspect the strings themselves and it looked like the groove in the string which gives it its rough texture had worn off. I also think that the string’s inherent texture increases the friction between the mains and crosses. While the string bed didn’t exactly “lockup” like some other strings, the mains and crosses were not moving freely. At one point, I had to put the PLII Rough down and go back to my TBS/4G in order to keep balls in and I could immediately tell a difference in ball action as well as hear the strings grabbing the ball. Hours 4-8 no difference in that spin was still lacking. I took a close look at the actual portions of the string that come in contact with the ball (i.e raised section of mains where the weave passes) and noticed that the groove cut into the string had worn and the string was essentially a smooth poly.
Comfort Good for a poly. Then again, I haven’t had issues with string induced elbow problems. No unexpected sounds (a la Monogut).
Durability I’m not a string breaker and don’t expect this to be a problem.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) Off the stringer, as measured with my Tourna String Meter on the center “x” tension showed 47lbs. After 24 hours it read 40lbs. So about a 15% drop. I suspect that the tension settled out even lower than that after the first hour as the string bed loosened up which contributed to my experience with spin and control. The string on string friction due to the string’s gear shape probably exacerbates the tension loss despite anything the factory may do in terms of pre-stretching.

Control I equate control with spin production so again, a bit of a let down here. That said, I had no issue with directional control as every time I looked up after a stroke the ball was going where I thought it would. If anything, the ball came off the string bed a touch lower than what I’m used to. Volleys were solid however as I was able to punch deep and flat with no problem. Serves were just ok with not a whole lot of action that would cause problems. I’m using my TBS/4G string as the gold standard for spin production and I would estimate the body slice serve on the Deuce side slides 3 feet. I could only see about half of that with PLII Rough.


Compare to the string you use most often Compared to TBS, Pro Line II Rough is in a lower tier of performance. Tension maintenance and spin production were poor but I believe those two things to be the byproduct of the strings inherent friction with itself. In fact, I don’t think this string provides any meaningful benefit over PLII.


Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I would string this up at least 10% higher for a full bed OR be very deliberate about the stringing and pull twice or let the string dwell just a bit longer, especially on the crosses. I would definitely use the pre-stretch function on CP machines if available.

List any additional thoughts (optional) Overall, this string was an interesting test as I could see it being used in a hybrid with a slick cross. The actual texture of the string is like a smooth poly with a spiral groove running the length of the string. Coil memory was about average and it strung up easily. However, as one other poster pointed out, it sounded terrible as the string on string friction was pretty loud. It wasn’t loud like a full bed of Tough Gut which is a lower frequency “skreee skree skree” but more like a high pitched “zwooo zwooo zwooo”.

All in all, out of 10 with 10 being the best and 1 being the worst, I’d give the following scores.

Comfort: 7 (not bad for a poly)

Spin: 5 (terrible for a poly). I actually think some round smooth polys generate more spin like YPTP or PL II.

Power: 6 but combined with the above not a good result

Control: first hour 7. Thereafter 5.

Durability: Did not snap on me during the 8 hours of testing. I had to put it away as I just could not keep the ball in. If anyone has hit TBS after 8 hours, it’s a similar feeling but with less spin.
 
I really wanted to try this string because I normally use Kirschbaum ProLine II and was really excited when I was picked.

Tension(s) used for playtest: 52 lb, my normal tension

Regular string set up: Kirschbaum ProLine II at 52 lbs.

Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Pure Drive 2012 version.

Power of test string: Same as ProLine II. Low power, control oriented string. Could take big swings and keep ball in play.

Feel: Really good feel for poly. Could hit dropshots and volleys with great feel and control.

Spin: Nothing extra ordinary compared to pro line II. Maybe a bit more spin but not a different level of spin.

Comfort: Excellent comfort. No arm pain or shoulder pain for the duration of the playtest.

Durability: Not a string breaker so it stayed in my racket the whole time. Had to cut it out after about 14 hours of play.

Playability Duration: Lasted 14 hours of play on my racket. Which is pretty good. Maintained playability during that time maybe a bit dropoff after 12 hours.

Control: Great control as usual with polys. Could take big swings and ball stayed in the court.

Compare to the string you use most often: This is very similar to regular pro line II. I did not feel I was getting another increase in level of performance from this string.

Tension recommendations: 52 lb in a 100 sq. in 16 by 19 string pattern racket was right for me.

List any additional thoughts (optional): It would be tough to justify buying this string if it was a significant price increase over regular proline II.

Thanks to TW for letting me be a part of this test.
 
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I gave this string a solid beatdown. 1hr ball machine to figure out how it plays and let it settle followed by 4 sets with a couple of short warmups.

Tension(s) used for playtest - 53lbs

Regular string set up - WeissCannon Silverstring 1.20 53lbs or Solinco Revolution 18g 55/53/lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test - Babolat PureAero

Power of test string - I found The Pro Line II Rough above average in terms of power from the get-go. The fact the PureAero is a quite powerful stick did not help. Power increased dramatically over the life of the string to the point I needed to significantly adjust my strokes to keep the ball in which made me less and less confident to go for my shots - more on that under tension maintenance.

Feel - it has a slightly muted feel at impact, it gives a nice "thwack" sound when you really go for your shots and pockets ok. I've hit with strings that felt a lot better, I can't say I felt really connected to the ball.

Spin - Not as great as expected. The rough texture was gone in less than 2 hours and it became just an average poly in terms of spin. The spin is adequate at the beginning but much less than some other "rough" strings I have tried in the past and definitely much less than any shaped poly. Overall a disappointment in this area.

Comfort - My wrist can be sensitive specifically when using firmer racquets. This string caused no pain or discomfort at all even when hit really hard or mishit a few times.

Durability - The string did not break which surprised me because it looked like it was good to go after the 3rd set. It started moving after 5 hrs, the rough surface disappeared after 2 hrs. It became unplayable after 6hrs and I cut it out.

Playability Duration - some poly will lose some tension and settle, some just dies in 2hrs other just keeps on losing tension. I feel like Pro Line II rough is in the 3rd group. It had a good start and played ok when it was fresh but quickly things went downhill. It still felt ok and wasn't dead but lost a lot of tension and quickly turned into a rocket launcher, depth control suffered, I had trouble keeping the ball in after 2 hrs. I did not feel confident with this string at all.

Control - Directional control above average. Trajectory control changed dramatically after 2hrs and got worse over time - I had trouble keeping the ball in court.

Compare to the string you use most often - WeissCannon Silverstring has better feel and control, much better tension maintenance and less spin. Solinco Revolution plays a lot more solid and has tons of spin in comparison. It is also very predictable throughout it's lifetime.


Tension recommendations - If I tried this again I would have to go up 4-5 lbs maybe even more, but I never string poly more than 55lbs due to arm/wrist problems in the past. It does lose tension quickly and starts moving after about 5 hrs.

List any additional thoughts - Comfort is probably the only things about this string that stands out. Overall I must admit I am disappointed with it. When I test new strings I usually ask myself "what are the odds that I would buy a reel of this thing?" and in the case of Pro Line II the odds are very low. My hopes and expectations of a newly marketed product are that it would be superior to its predecessor but it turns out it is not the case. After trying many polyesters over the years I can tell you that you can easily find much better performing strings both new and ones that have been on the market for a very long time.

Looking forward to TW review
 
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Mareqnyc said:
I gave this string a solid beatdown. 1hr min ball machine to figure out how it plays and let it settle followed by 4 sets with a couple of short warmups.

Tension(s) used for playtest - 53lbs

Regular string set up - WeissCannon Silverstring 1.20 53lbs or Solinco Revolution 18g 55/53/lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test - Babolat PureAero

Power of test string - I found The Pro Line II Rough above average in terms of power from the get-go. The fact the PureAero is a quite powerful stick did not help. Power increased dramatically over the life of the string to the point I needed to significantly adjust my strokes to keep the ball in which made me less and less confident to go for my shots - more on that under tension maintenance.

Feel - it has a slightly muted feel at impact, it gives a nice "thwack" sound when you really go for your shots and pockets ok. I've hit with strings that felt a lot better, I can't say I felt really connected to the ball.

Spin - Not as great as expected. The rough texture was gone in less than 2 hours and it became just an average poly in terms of spin. The spin is adequate at the beginning but much less than some other "rough" strings I have tried in the past and definitely much less than any shaped poly. Overall a disappointment in this area.

Comfort - My wrist can be sensitive specifically when using firmer racquets. This string caused no pain or discomfort at all even when hit really hard or mishit a few times.

Durability - The string did not break which surprised me because it looked like it was good to go after the 3rd set. It started moving after 5 hrs, the rough surface disappeared after 2 hrs. It became unplayable after 6hrs and I cut it out.

Playability Duration - some poly will lose some tension and settle, some just dies in 2hrs other just keeps on losing tension. I feel like Pro Line II rough is in the 3rd group. It had a good start and played ok when it was fresh but quickly things went downhill. It still felt ok and wasn't dead but lost a lot of tension and quickly turned into a rocket launcher, depth control suffered, I had trouble keeping the ball in after 2 hrs. I did not feel confident with this string at all.

Control - Directional control above average. Trajectory control changed dramatically after 2hrs and got worse over time - I had trouble keeping the ball in court.

Compare to the string you use most often - WeissCannon Silverstring has better feel and control, much better tension maintenance and less spin. Solinco Revolution plays a lot more solid and has tons of spin in comparison. It is also very predictable throughout it's lifetime.


Tension recommendations - If I tried this again I would have to go up 4-5 lbs maybe even more, but I never string poly more than 55lbs due to arm/wrist problems in the past. It does lose tension quickly and starts moving after about 5 hrs.

List any additional thoughts - Comfort is probably the only things about this string that stands out. Overall I must admit I am disappointed with it. When I test new strings I usually ask myself "what are the odds that I would buy a reel of this thing?" and in the case of Pro Line II the odds are very low. My hopes and expectations of a newly marketed product are that it would be superior to its predecessor but it turns out it is not the case. After trying many polyesters over the years I can tell you that you can easily find much better performing strings both new and ones that have been on the market for a very long time.

Looking forward to TW review
Click to expand...
Looks like our experiences were pretty darn close.
Back to the drawing board.
 
Mareqnyc said:
Right. Maybe with different racquet, higher tension but I don't think I will ever come back to it.
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The fact that we both had trouble with spin and control with vastly different racquets tells me that the string is the likely culprit.
I am not even sure higher tensions would help. If anything it would lock up the string bed quicker.
Maybe i'll give it another go with lower tension and with a slick cross, but not in a full bed.
 
teekaywhy said:
The fact that we both had trouble with spin and control with vastly different racquets tells me that the string is the likely culprit.
I am not even sure higher tensions would help. If anything it would lock up the string bed quicker.
Maybe i'll give it another go with lower tension and with a slick cross, but not in a full bed.
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Good point
 
@Mareqnyc and @teekaywhy, I hit with my string tonight for the 3rd time and also noticed the notches were gone. It hit great for the first set, but after that became essentially unplayable. There was more power, but all the spin I had experienced in the first two outings was pretty much gone. Still 'felt' OK to me, but the ball was just flying.

I'm guessing it probably lasted me a tad longer because my strokes are flatter (eastern forehand and 2-handed backhand). I wonder if it would last longer in a gut/poly mix. I can get 3-4 weeks out of Tough Gut/YPTP.
 
McLovin said:
@Mareqnyc and @teekaywhy, I hit with my string tonight for the 3rd time and also noticed the notches were gone. It hit great for the first set, but after that became essentially unplayable. There was more power, but all the spin I had experienced in the first two outings was pretty much gone. Still 'felt' OK to me, but the ball was just flying.

I'm guessing it probably lasted me a tad longer because my strokes are flatter (eastern forehand and 2-handed backhand). I wonder if it would last longer in a gut/poly mix. I can get 3-4 weeks out of Tough Gut/YPTP.
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no love for for pro line 2 rough so far... :/ I used to own a reel of regular pro line 2 and it was solid in all areas. This one seems like a completely different animal, which is strange since the name suggests it is the same string with rough surface. Would "roughness" affect playability by that much?
 
Mareqnyc, I have played two matches so far with Pro Line II Rough. "Love" may be a relative term that gets caught up in one's expectations. Smooth slick poly strings and shaped poly strings carry with them a certain set of expectations (snap back for one and grippyness with the other). This particular rough string is not super textured (like Tour Bite Diamond Rough is). It is almost like the rough pattern is an indention into the round string. That may have something to do with its playability characteristics. So far, I don't think the string has a downside. It may be lacking the snap back of a smooth poly and the grip of a shaped poly though.
 
therecanbeonlyone said:
Mareqnyc, I have played two matches so far with Pro Line II Rough. "Love" may be a relative term that gets caught up in one's expectations. Smooth slick poly strings and shaped poly strings carry with them a certain set of expectations (snap back for one and grippyness with the other). This particular rough string is not super textured (like Tour Bite Diamond Rough is). It is almost like the rough pattern is an indention into the round string. That may have something to do with its playability characteristics. So far, I don't think the string has a downside. It may be lacking the snap back of a smooth poly and the grip of a shaped poly though.
Click to expand...

It sure is very subjective. I know what I like in my string setup and this one just did not deliver. I am glad it worked out for you
 
Tension(s) used for playlets: 50 lbs strung on Neos

Regular string set up: Topspin Cyberflash 17 gauge at 50lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test: Yonex Vcore Tour 89

Power: Power of test string Low to medium but more to the low side for the first 2 hours after that power went to medium and slowly increased as I put more hours on the string.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) Fairly crisp but a little muted as well, while the ball does jump off the string bed, you do get the feeling of a slight pocket but not much

Spin: Spin was average to above average. While topspin shots didn’t seem to have anymore spin than my regular string on slices the texture of the string grabbed resulting in slices that stayed low to the ground. While I was expecting more spin due to the texture the difference in ball bounces from slice with cyberflash to proline 2 rough was nominal. After the texture wore off around 4 hrs spin decreased and was comparable to cyberflash.

Comfort: While initially it felt stiff after about an hour it did loosen a little. Not super comfortable but not as stiff as tour bite or alu power

Durability: Durability of the texture diminished quickly but the string held on even past the strings playability duration. Even after 10 hours the string has not popped but it is heavily notched.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) While playability did last fairly long for a poly around 10 hrs the power level of the string was too high for me to control and balls started to sail long. As well as playability decreasing after 8-10 hour range the texture of the string disappeared after 4 hrs.

Control: Control was excellent, because it is medium low powered I was able to control the placement every easily but depth has been a challenge during the first 4 hours. If I’m not really swinging out on my topspin forehand the ball lands short and close to the service line. After about 8 hrs ball began to sail long and control and spin decreased.

Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to cyberflash it is stiffer, and less comfortable. Along with being lower powered but the directional control is much better as I was able to aim for smaller targets.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) After hitting I feel like I should have went up a few pounds to get some more control and while decreasing power Next time I would probably string at 54 lb

List any additional thoughts (optional): Thanks you to tennis warehouse and kirschbaum for the opportunity to be apart of the playtest.
 
Strung this last night to prepare for a tournament I'm playing in this weekend.
I strung this myself on a Klippermate drop weight machine.

Initial Impression: This string's texture is very pronounced, much more than other textured strings I have used in the past. It reminded me of a similar texture to picture hanging wire I've used in the past, kind of like a braided texture TBH.
It was relatively easy to string with and it took me less than 40 minutes to complete while watching TV.
Even though I strung at 53lbs, when I took it off the stringer and checked, it I felt like it had already lost more tension that what my RPM blast does. I feel like it may have been better to string @55lbs or pre-stretch the string.

********** Updated with full review *****************

Tension used for playtest: 53lbs

Regular string set up: RPM Blast full bed 52lbs.

Racquet used for test: Babloat Pure Aero

Power of test string: 6/10 This string provided just mid level power and relied on me to generate the rest. This turned out to be great as I was able to swing out without fear of over hitting the ball. If I swung out this string allowed me to hit a massive heavy ball, if I decelerated shots would fall short in the court.

Feel: 8.5/10 The feel with this string is exceptional. I feel like it literally cups the ball on impact and gives me an extra fraction of a second to decide what to do with the ball when I swing. The string is not overly firm which gave me confidence in volleys and touch shots.

Spin: 7/10 I found the spin generation to be actually a tad lower than my smooth RPM blast. I came in expecting this string to be a spin monster but surprised by how subtle it was on spin generation. By no means was it a struggle to generate spin but I did not feel like I was getting any "extra" spin from the string itself.

Comfort: 9.5/10 I find my regular string (RPM blast) comfortable but this string blows it away. No pain, no harshness, no vibration. Its odd because I never really liked the regular Pro Line II strings to be honest. I always felt those were a tad harsh. It could be the texture of the string is providing that bit extra needed comfort.

Durability: 8/10 I played 4 matches with this string before I stopped using it. I noticed some slight notching but that was about it. The string did not break while I was playing with it.

Playability Duration: 7/10 I was able to play 4 matches with it before I felt the string went dead and lost too much tension to be usable. I noticed after my 4th match the string had stopped snapping back into place, spin went noticeably down, and my control was impaired. I played about 1 game of a 5th match (doubles) and put the stick away for a fresh one and my game returned to normal.

Control: 9/10 Probably my favorite attribute of this string was its control. Its lower power combined with its feel allowed me to hit hard but control the ball quite well. I was placing my forehands and backhands on a dime and going for all my shots without fear. My kick serve was easy to place in the corner or down the T.

Compare to the string you use most often: Comparing it to RPM blast is a good one.
I feel confident with both strings but in different ways.
This string does not have the spin of RPM blast and it definitely has less power BUT I feel like since I get more control with it I actually hit a bigger ball and go for more aggressive shots.
With RPM blast that string has so much power and spin that I have to dial back trying to hit through the court and rely more on hitting shots with a lot of spin.
I definitely give the comfort edge to this string over RPM blast.
Both strings last about the same amount of time when it comes to play-ability duration. Somewhere between 3-4 matches and then the string will go dead. Its quick and distinct when it dies so you know when to switch out racquets.

Tension recommendations: I strung at 53lbs and feel like it was perfect from the start. 53lbs is what I string my RPM blast with so its my reference for any new string.

List any additional thoughts: I really really like this string a lot. I felt completely comfortable with it from my very first stroke and this was totally unexpected from my past experience with the regular Pro Line II. I was crushing balls in this tournament with no fear and this string was a majority of the reason. Using a brand new string and taking out the 1 and 2 seeds in route to a title win is a good indicator that a string works well for me.
Just to make sure there is no "honeymoon" effect going on I plan on buying 2-3 packs of this and if my opinion stays the same I'll be buying a reel of it and saying goodbye to RPM blast.

Thank you Tennis Warehouse and Kirschbaum for letting me be part of this playtest.
 
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Tension(s) used for playtest: 44 lbs. with electronic CP machine

Regular string set up:Wilson Nat. gut 16g. 65lbs. normal hitting racquet and also alternating with different poly strings in low 40 lb range over last few months.

Racquet brand and model used for test; Head Radical

Power of test string: Seemed a tad bit low for a poly, but that's okay once use to it, then like others commented increased over time, would probably increase tension if used again.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Volleys had good feel with control, but I am a more baseline hitter. the big baseline shots seemed a bit muted.

Spin: I hit a relatively flat ball, but was able to produce spin as needed, just took a little getting use to.

Comfort: No problems with comfort. Hit very comfortable at 44lbs.

Durability; String broke at about the 6th hour of singles hitting.( This was a solid 6 hours of singles hitting with hard swings ) , Took a big baseline swing and it snapped. I would have suspected it to break near grommet, but was more in middle of string bed.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): String broke at about the 6th hour, and during that short time, had to adjust for balls going a little longer, as properties changed.

Control: Good control, but had to adjust for tension loss with this string. The nat gut I hit with seems to give me a more controlled power, as gut is powerful, but I string it in mid 60 lb range and that gives it the control I like.

Compare to the string you use most often; the nat. gut I hit with stays more stable over the life of the string. This was a comfortable hit at tension used. I get more feel with the nat. gut along with a more controlled power. Also the nat. gut gives me more hitting hours and is playable until it breaks.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): seems like more tension loss with this string, I would go with a higher tension next time to see if better tension maintenance would occur, although I would not know if the comfort would still be similar.

List any additional thoughts (optional) Thank you TW for the opportunity to test.
 
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Tension(s) used for playtest:
49 lbs


Regular string set up:
As of late I’ve been using Volkl Cyclone 18 / Gosen OG-Sheep 18 hybrid


Racquet brand and model used for test:
My normal racquet is a Pro Kennex 93 but for this test I used a pair of Volkl Organix 10 Mids since a full bed of the poly was required.

Pro Line II used to my string of choice, so for this test I strung up one Volkl with Pro Line II 17 and the other with Pro Line II Rough. I played roughly 12 hours on each setup, alternating the racquets in each session, that is, one day I would play the first set using the regular Pro Line II and the second set with the Rough. On the next session I would play the first set with the Rough and the second with the regular Pro Line II. Most of my play was on hard-courts, although I did get a couple sets on Har-Tru clay.

In my initial test I also did a ‘blind test’ since both strings are black, I couldn't tell which strings I was using (I purposely tried not to straighten the strings during my testing so that I wouldn't be able to feel the texture of the strings). I hit for 15 minutes with one racquet and hit with the other for another 15 minutes.


Power of test string:
The Rough is a typical low powered poly. I could take good rips at the ball without much worry about it flying long. It was slightly less powered than the Volkl Cyclone. Compared to the regular Pro Line II setup I could not really tell the difference.


Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?):
The Rough felt muted not much different than any other poly that I’ve tried. This is one of the characteristics that I like in the Pro Line II strings – good touch around the net for a poly. Again, not dissimilar to the regular Pro Line II.


Spin:
Average spin for a poly, nothing remarkable considering the ‘rough’ texture’. I was able to generate enough spin off of groundstrokes and second serves.

This is where I was expecting a difference between the two Pro Line II strings. However, I was disappointed. I was not able to discern any difference. Although my hitting partners told me that they noticed slightly more spin on my serves and groundstrokes when hitting with the regular Pro Line II…


Comfort:
The Rough is a fairly comfortable poly, not as soft as some other polys I’ve tried such as Volkl Cyclone, Signum Pro Plasma, etc...

Again, I was expecting the Rough and the regular Pro Line II to be identical in comfort but I did notice that the regular Pro Line II was a bit softer on my arm.


Durability:
I noticed that the ‘rough’ texture did start to smooth out after a couple of hours. Beyond that, the durability was no different than other smooth poly’s I’ve tried – stared to develop notching in the mains after a few sets.


Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time):
I really didn’t notice much of a difference in playability over the time I played with it besides the typical degradation in tension. The Rough probably felt the best after the initial 2 hours of hitting till it started feeling a little too mushy, 10th hour or so.


Control:
This is one thing that I always enjoyed about the Pro Line II, control. I was able to control my serves and volleys much better with the Pro Line II setups. Again, not a discernable difference between the two Pro Line II setups.


Compare to the string you use most often:
I’ve been using the Volkl Cyclone for the past 6 months or so. After hitting with the Pro Line II setups I will be going back to Pro Line II, not the Rough though…


Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?):
Probably not, I’ve already experimented with different tensions with the Pro Line II on this racquet and settled in at 49 lbs. Since I really didn’t notice much difference at all between the Rough and regular Pro Line II, I would keep it at 49.


Thanks TW for the opportunity to test out the string.
 
Tension(s) used for playtest
53 pounds.

Regular string set up
CyberFlash 17 mains with Gosen OGSM 16 crosses, both at 55 pounds. The string felt pretty stiff in hand, and the first few comments were about its stiffness, so I decided to drop a couple of pounds from my usual setup.

Racquet brand and model used for test
Prince Warrior OS

Power of test string
Typical low-powered for a poly when first strung. You get what you put into the shot with no free power. After a couple of sets, it loosened up a bit and felt somewhat springier, but still playable for awhile after that.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
Crisp. Like most polys, you need to swing out to get a bit of feeling from the string. Soft shots and touch volleys just came off the string too fast to give the sensation of pocketing for me. After a few hours, this loosened up, and I lost some of that crispness.

Spin
I’m always expecting that textured or rough versions of strings will have lots more spin than my basic round, smooth CyberFlash, and I’m usually disappointed. This one had maybe a bit more spin potential at the start, but after a couple of hours, I honestly couldn’t see any extra spin. I do rely on spin to control depth, and there was no benefit in that department for me.

Comfort
While I would hardly call this a comfort string, I didn’t experience any pain with it. If you’re OK with the usual poly lack-of-comfort, this one is no worse than you would expect. If you have arm problems, this isn’t a very soft feel, so probably not the string you want.

Durability
I haven’t been a string breaker since switching to poly years ago, so maybe I’m not the best judge here. The strings did notch after a couple of hours like most polys, but were still playable for awhile. Typical poly good durability, from a breakage standpoint.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
This string was all over the map for me. Initially stiff but with good spin. After a couple of hours it loosened up a bit to feel more powerful and still spinny. After that, the spin started wearing off and the power ramped up, and the control dropped off as tension fell. I’m OK with some strings that settle into their main playing characteristics after an hour or two, but this one was a moving target. There wasn’t a long enough plateau that I could get used to.

Control
Pretty good control in the string’s initial crisp-spinny phase, but as it loosened up and lost its spin characteristics, this became too unpredictable for me after about 8 hours. Normally, I’d leave a poly string in the frame for 10-15 hours, but I just lost confidence in my ability to control this one after 8 hours, and cut it out.

Compare to the string you use most often
At first, it was more crisp with slightly more spin than CyberFlash. I’d give the nod on comfort to CF at first, but as this string loosened, it became pretty comparable to CF. Control was similar on both strings at first, but this string dropped off for me, where CF plateaus and maintains control longer after its initial drop-off. There’s not much here to make me think this would be a good replacement for me.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
Tough call here. To fight the drop-off in tension and keep it in control for a longer time, I’d probably go up a few pounds, but that might make it too harsh for that initial hour. 55 pounds, if I were going to string this again.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
I’m wondering how this string might fare in a hybrid situation with a smooth, elastic cross string. Perhaps that could extend its playing duration and keep it in control longer. But that could just as easily backfire, if the rough texture saws into the cross. It needs some experimenting. This might also benefit from some periodic application of silicone or some other lubricant. I generally do that, but since this was a rough string that gets some of its characteristics from its texture, I wanted to give it a fair test without interfering with it's friction coefficient.

As always, thanks to Tennis Warehouse and Kirschbaum for giving us the opportunity to try out this new string.
 
Tension(s) used for playlets
53/50

Regular string set up
I've been experimenting recently with various string, but I have most predominantly used a full bed of Solinco Tour bite 16 at 53/50.

Racquet brand and model used for test
Babolat Pure Strike 16x19

Power of test string
Low powered and I felt like I could swing quickly and without restraint. The string loosened up a bit after a while and I had to be slightly more conscious of my strokes, but nothing crazy. This string didn't help me out on serve—I could tell during my service games that there wasn't any free power to be had, where I can usually rely on my serves for a few easy points, and I wasn't.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
This string felt pretty stiff and crisp. I felt a bit of jarring on the outskirts of the stringed, but that may be more so because of my switch from a C10 Pro to the PS 16x19. I liked the string, surprisingly, on touch shots as my stick volleys and drop shots were finding their places on the court nicely. It's a personal opinion, but I like a softer poly for the most part.

Spin
Not impressed at all for a "rough" string. I'm used to shaped polys and I feel like shaped is the way to go for real spin. I've never felt great amounts of spin with purely textured polys, and have always leaned toward smooth polys like SPPP rather than textured ones if I had the choice between those two. There was no crazy dipping of the ball or good kick on second serves. Middle of the road for a poly in the spin category, for me.

Comfort
I don't experience arm problems, but I found this string a bit jarring, as mentioned earlier. If you have a history of arm pain, I would stay away from a full bed of this stuff. Otherwise, I had no issues. No short-term effects of using PII Rough.

Durability
I've been hitting with this for 10+ hours and it's near the end of its life. No premature breakage, so that's good enough for me.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
I enjoy most polys more after an initial break in period, where the initial stiffness settles in. This was no different, and I found the string to play best during my second and third hitting sessions. The "rough" patches on the string have largely faded, leaving a smoother surface remaining. As I never got that great spin out of this string, the fading really didn't make a huge difference in the playability. Just don't expect it to improve, of course.

Control
Best characteristic of this string by far. Good directional control, and felt dialed-in on my volleys. Slices felt good and I wasn't spraying with my groundies. I could place my serves well with the string as well. Depth was also easy to control, though power had to be generated from my swing, rather than the string.

Compare to the string you use most often
Less spin, and slightly stiffer feel in comparison to TB. This string wasn't my usual cup of tea considering it's not shaped, and because it's rough. I would also consider pro line II to be lower powered with maybe a tad bit more directional control, which I enjoyed.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
I might drop it a few pounds to open up the racquet a bit more, and supply a bit more pop. Maybe something like 50/48. I felt, though, that 53/50 was plenty playable, and I liked it for the most part.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
I'd definitely want to try this out with a multi or soft synthetic gut in the crosses. It might help with the feel of the string, while maintaining the great control that you can find in the full bed of this stuff. I haven't played with regular pro line II, and might have to give that a go as well. If you're not a big spin player and want durability and awesome directional control, try this for sure.

Thanks to TW and Kirschbaum for the opportunity to playtest!
 
Tension(s) used for playtest: 53/53

Regular string set up: Volkl Cyclone

Racquet brand and model used for test: Wilson K-six.one tour

Power of test string: medium-powered, I had to adjust a bit for the added power. It is very easy to inject some added pace on the shots. It especially feels good on a good flat forehand since these strings pocket really nicely.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): I enjoyed the feel. It wasn’t sharp crispness but a more gradual crispness.

Spin: Spin was above average but not the best.

Comfort: Comfort was above average but not the most plush strings I have tried in this category.

Durability: Durability is average. There is a decent amount of notching that I usually see so it isn’t out of the ordinary.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): The first day is always an adjustment for me and I found the strings a bit more powerful than I was accustomed too. But I feel the character of the strings emerges or maybe I just understand it more on the second hitting session. On later days, I felt more dialed in and adjusted for the power. The comfort was consistent. Power seemed to increase slightly later in the playtest. Spin maintained but the control became a bit more erratic as time went on.

Control: Control was good with this string in the beginning but I found it more erratic as the playtest continued. I think it might be attributed to the rough aspect of the string wearing down.

Compare to the string you use most often: This string definitely has a lot to offer compare to Volkl Cyclone which is more geared toward spin. Although PL2 lacks in spin, it makes up for it in other categories like comfort, feel, and power. I found that I do not have to take as huge of a swing with the PL2 rough string compared to VC. The comfort and feel is superior on the PL2 roughs in my opinion. Definitely a string to consider.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)

I do not think I would of changed my string setup. I think I was close to the ideal mark on this one. Probably because this is what I strung the original PL2.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
 
Tension(s) used for playtest
53m/51x

Regular string set up
Tour Bite 17 at 53/51.

Racquet brand and model used for test
Yonex Ezone Ai98

Power of test string
Very low powered. No freebies with this string at all. I would go down on tension next time by 2 pounds to find a little extra power, especially on serves.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
Stiff but muted. Definitely not the crisp response I'm used to with Tour Bite. Similar in feel to Yonex Poly Tour Pro 125.

Spin
I would say this string has low-medium spin potential for a stiff poly. I have had to change my swing a little bit to get more out of it. And the more I hit with this string, the less spin it generated. Now, at about 12 hours I'm getting almost no spin whatsoever. I will have to cut this string out.

Comfort
Probably the defining characteristic of this string for me so far is the good level of comfort. I wasn't sure about it when I was stringing it, as it felt a little wiry but it's above average from a comfort perspective. It maintains a comfortable feel throughout the 12 hour mark. Definitely an arm friendly poly.

Durability
Average amount of notching, though I will say that the rough texture does wear off rather quickly. At 12 hours there is almost none left in the middle of the stringbed.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
This string starts off with very low power, very good control and slightly below average spin. There was a sweet spot at about 6-8 hours where it all came together nicely, but the duration was short. After that, the strings opened up and I started spraying balls like crazy. No more spin. Very little control after 12 hours.

Control
Very good control string for about 8 hours.

Compare to the string you use most often
So far, I get better comfort from this string than I do with Tour Bite and that's about it. The amount of power, spin and control I get from Tour Bite is much, much higher. Tension maintenance was also not as good as it was with Tour Bite.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
I'd go down a couple of pounds to get better ball pocketing. I feel like the ball is just sort of flattening out on the string bed and not really getting much grip on the string. Also, I wonder if the rough coating inhibits string movement to its detriment. If so, dropping tension a pound or two would help mitigate this issue.

List any additional thoughts (optional)

Thanks, TW and Kirschbaum, for the opportunity to playtest!
 
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Tension(s) used for playtest: 43.5lbs on constant pull

Regular string set up: genesis hexonic 18g @43.5lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat aero pro drive orignal

Power of test string: low to mid power. Even thought the string is not low powered, I would like to have a bit more power in shots that in defensive power. On shot that I can setup and have time, I noticed the shots landed a bit shorter than my usual setup.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): firm. I have it string pretty low tension and the string bed felt very firm. I like the feel of the string bed. Good feel for the touch shot and volley.

Spin: about average. It does have good spin but nothing exceptional. I do not feel the ball grab for some more spin friendly string.

Comfort: Very comfortable for a poly. through out the play test, I felt no discomfort at all using this string. definitely one of the good thing about this string.

Durability: holds up pretty well for me. I am not a string break and do not break strings. This definitely no exception here.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): In addition to the bit of low powered, I felt the playability change after 6-8 hours. First 6-8 hours was very nice and live, it played really well. After that, it start to settle down and I noticed it play differently.

Control: pretty good on that. I am able to create spin. create trajectory that I wanted if I brush up more steep. easy to change direction in rally and able to control the shot. This is another good thing about this string.

Compare to the string you use most often: Compare the genesis hexonic, the spin is about the same. it is very live string in first 6-8 hours and very enjoyable. Control is good and very comfortable.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I will give it a try to lower few more lbs to around 41lbs if I use this string again. I hope that will provide me a bit more power.

List any additional thoughts (optional): This is another very nice string offer from kischbaum. The string performed pretty well over all. very comfortable, control is great, I also liked the feel a lot. It will be a good choice for double player who play a lot on net.
It is also a good choice for player who play more control oriented game instead of heavy topspin.

Thanks tw for the play testing.
 
Tension(s) used for playtest 48 lbs on a lockout machine

Regular string set up Volkl Cyclone 18 at 48 lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test Volkl Organix V1 Pro

Power of test string probably medium/low for poly. From the first hit, the power felt just as expected if not just a tiny bit low (which is alright with me).

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) This string had a muted feel for me. Certainly not stiff or mushy, but nicely in between.

Spin Here is where my expectations played a roll. The spin was normal if not a little below what i would consider normal for a typical poly. With a rough string, I expected a bit more spin. I found myself having to focus on spinning the ball as the playtest went on past the 4 hour mark.

Comfort I'd say this string was pretty comfortable. I really had no issues with my wrist, arm, or shoulder when using PLII Rough.

Durability Durability of the string was fine. I am not a string breaker, so didn't run into that or even serious notching in about 12 hours of hitting, which included 2 league singles matches, three league doubles matches and some serving practice sprinkled in as well.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) The first time out I was on fire. Probably didn't make an unforced error until the 2nd set of my doubles match. Slices were low and biting, and serve was able to dictate. Two singles matches later balls started to sail a little more than expected and I had to focus on spinning the ball for control. It was around this 5 hour mark that the rough surface became smoothed out. This match was in cooler weather too (around 53 degrees), so I didn't expect the ball to sail as much as it did.

Control Control was fine during those first 5 hours or so. After that it took more effort and concentration to get the spin that I wanted for control. As the rough surface smoothed and the tension dropped, control suffered a bit, but was still playable for another 5 hours or so.

Compare to the string you use most often Comfort is better than Cyclone 18. Spin and playability was won out by Cyclone though. During my last doubles match I had already been thinking about abandoning the playtest for a while, so i went back to a racquet with an old set of Cyclone in it. I liked my shots better during that set, and felt more in control than with the PLII Rough. The next day though my arm and wrist told me that I shouldn't do that again. To be clear, I put the blame for the arm discomfort on the old cyclone, however I also know that i preferred the cyclone when fresh.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I might either go up to 50 lbs or try a pre-stretch. Knowing that Kirschbaum pre-stretches many of its strings, I might go up in tension. Maybe even try a 50/48 set up to maybe help with spin production and tighten up the stringbed at the same time.

List any additional thoughts (optional) I have not had the best of luck with rough strings. I prefer shaped poly, and may have to adjust my expectations with the rough ones. Either way, Pro Line II Rough is a nice offering from Kirschbaum and I appreciate the opportunity to test it out.
 
Tension(s) used for playtest - 51M/49C, prestretched

Regular string set up - Luxilon 4G Soft at 51M/49C, prestretched

Racquet brand and model used for test - Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph

Power of test string - Very low powered. A lot of the groundstrokes were coming off shorter than I've expected during the first hitting session. After the breakin period and getting used to the string, I was able to hit deep easily and the string remained very controllable.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) - Felt crisp throughout the playtest.

Spin - Excellent spin. The rough version of this string bites the ball really hard and generates tons of spin with ease. The spin on groundstrokes seemed same as my usual setup but I was amazed with the kick on my second serves. It's a great string to play as an aggressive topspin baseliner. The spin didn't dramatically decrease even after the string notched and the texture smoothed out.

Comfort - My usual setup is definitely more comfortable than this string, but Pro Line II Rough isn't uncomfortable enough to feel pain. I've never had an arm injury before from playing tennis.

Durability - Good durability. After playing for about 4 - 5 hours, the texture of the string smoothed out and started to see minimal notches. The string broke around 12 - 13 hours of hitting. I break my usual set up between 16 - 18 hours.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) - During the first single's set, I had to put a bit more effort to get the ball deep into the court. At the second set, the string settled in and I was able to play very comfortably. I noticed minimal notches and texture smoothing out after the 3rd set, which was when I was getting a bit more unforced errors than usual.

Control - Very controllable string for 3 matches. I was able to rip through the ball intensely with confidence. Serves and volleys remained consistent and predictable throughout the playtest.

Compare to the string you use most often - Kirschbaum Pro Line II Rough seemed to provide more spin on the ball than Luxilon 4G Soft. However, 4G Soft seems far more superior than Pro Line II Rough in terms of playability duration, control, feel, and durability.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) - I enjoyed playing with this tension so I wouldn't want to change it.

List any additional thoughts (optional) - Kirschbaum did a great job coming up with the rough version of Pro Line II. It is also very economical right now, so I'm going to string it up few more times.
Thank you TW and Kirschbaum for the opportunity to playtest.
 
Luckily it worked out that I had one AI98 strung fresh with Cyclone when I received this string. So during last 2 weeks I played by alternating sets between 2 string jobs.

Tension(s) used for playtest 50 lbs on a Gamma X2 stringer

Regular string set up Volkl Cyclone 17 at 52 lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test Yonex Ezone AI 98

Power of test string Low to medium for poly. From previous experience with Kirschbaum strings I expected this to have lower power than Cyclone and it was what I expected. Still it is slightly more than ProLine X.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) Muted feel. I think it works in AI98. I would not have liked this feel in X10 mid.

Spin Of all the rough, shaped strings I have tried (very few) this one had the least spin. It's much lesser than the Cyclone. I can compare this string for spin with Tourna Black Zone.

Comfort String is very comfortable. Stringbed does not feel boardy and I think it would have been the case even if I went up another 3-4 pounds. In AI98 I have so far tried Cyclone tour, Cyclone, MSV Focus Hex and PL2 rough is up there with Cyclone Tour in terms of comfort.

Durability Durability of string is very good. I have so far used it for 6 hours and strings are not even notched to 50%. I may be able to play another 6-8 hours.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) I would have preferred to write this after 12 hours of use or so, but by the time I will play next, review deadline would have passed.
When I started playing with this, I was kind of taken aback as some cross strings were moving but not snapping back. I was straightening them out after a point. This got fixed after about an hour.
Being a lower powered than my usual set up, I initially had to go little bigger to get same depth on my shots. I was able to adjust on ground strokes easily, but on serve I could not get same depth/kick. After about 3 hours I gave up trying to hit kick serves and just hit flat and slice serves. Very few flat serves came back in play with this string than with others on AI98. I can generate good enough spin on ground strokes, but cannot get last second dipping shots that I would get with Cyclone. Performance has stayed the same after first hour until now.

Control Control is great with string (best in all my AI98 set ups to date), though I have only played for what would be first half of poly life. I am able to flatten out my ground strokes like how I used to with full multi set ups few years ago. Due to added control I was able to take lot more second serves returns down the line. PL2 rough is also very good for drop shots.

Compare to the string you use most often Here is my comparison against other AI98 string jobs (Repeating > for bigger difference).
Comfort: Cyclone Tour > PL2 Rough >>> Cyclone
Spin: Cyclone > Cyclone Tour >>> PL2 Rough
Power: Cyclone Tour >> Cyclone >> PL2 Rough
Playability: PL2 Rough >> Cyclone >> Cyclone Tour
Durability: PL2 Rough > Cyclone > Cyclone Tour
Points won: PL2 Rough >> Cyclone > Cyclone Tour

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) So tension changes measured (on RacquetTune) so far are
Strung at 50 lbs --> Tension after 48 hrs and no play 46.4 lbs --> Tension after 5 days and 2 hours of play 45.8 lbs
I perfectly like where the tension is right now due to the control I am getting. Sure dropping tension by 2-3 pounds may allow for more spin/power, but it is not going to go up drastically. Also feel of the string is very muted, so tension is lowered it may not feel so good.

List any additional thoughts (optional) Feel of thing string will definitely limit which racquets I can use this string. It would work great in racquets with crisp response and even in stiff racquets if one's arm can handle it. I would not use this in super soft racquets. I am (happily) surprised with string's performance when hitting flat. At its current price point ($12 a set) it does not outdo Cyclone in value for money, but I would buy when it is on BOGO.

Thanks TW and Kirschbaum for this playtest opportunity!
 
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Tension(s) used for playtest 52lbs.

Regular string set up Volkl V-star @ 56lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test Dunlop 4D 300 Tour

Power of test string Low to medium powered. I dropped my normal tension based on the reviews about it being low powered and stringing at 52lbs was still low powered but i think dropping 2 more lbs would give it that little extra it needs.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) Right from the start it felt soft with a good dwell time and there was no trampoline effect. There was good feel at the net and on volleys.

Spin Spin was less that normal for a rough string. If i was looking for a sting with spin being the key factor this would not be the string to buy.

Comfort I found it to be very comfortable. I played two days after stringing and it was comfortable right off the bat. Should be a key selling point.

Durability I noticed no change in play during the 5 hours of time I hit with this string. The texture did seem to diminish a little bit.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) From start to finish it played the about the same, maybe a tad more power.

Control I felt that my backhand had better placement, could have been me playing better or the strings, volleys where placed well and all shots had good control possibly due to the low power.

Compare to the string you use most often The v-star is a little stiffer, more spin, more power, about the same control.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I would drop down to 50lbs to get a little more power. I played in 65 degree weather so adjustments would be needed in the summer heat.

List any additional thoughts (optional) For the price right now it is a great string. If i didnt have 20 packs of v-star I would pick a couple of these up. I dont know why they put in the description that its a firm string because it is not firm at all.

Thanks to TW and Kirschbaum!
 
Tension(s) used for playtest: 57 mains, 55 crosses
Regular string set up: 56/54 tension, but experimenting with different strings, Pro Line 2 being favorite
Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Pure Control 98
Power of test string: Just like PL2, initially it was a little stiff, but once it settled power was nice and easy.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Initially a little stiff, but it softened up after the first couple hours
Spin: Spin was nice, but i felt like i could get just as much spin if not more from regular PL2. The spin was more noticeable on serves for me.
Comfort: Nice and comfortable just like PL2, maybe a teeny bit stiffer IMO
Durability: after around 8 hours of play, strings look like they will be breaking in the next few hours, which is about average for me (string breaking depends on how serious the hitting is)
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): initially, it was a little stiff, softened up after a few hours, played really great, but after the 8th hour its starting to get a little difficult to keep the ball in on big shots.
Control: good amount of control, a little more powerful than most strings though.
Compare to the string you use most often: about the same as PL2, if i had to pick i'd go with the regular version (not a fan of "rough" strings)
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I strung a little tighter just to experiment, but i would probably settle on my usual tension 56/54.
 
Tension used for playtest
50 lbs, strung on a Klippermate with no issues.

Regular string set up
Mains: Kirschbaum Super Smash Orange 17 at 52 lbs
Crosses: Wilson Synthetic Gut 17 at 52 lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test
Yonex RDiS 200

Power of test string
Medium power, it didn't feel low powered but it didn't feel like I could all of a sudden hit winners left and right either. At first I thought it had uncontrollable power on groundstrokes but that may be due to not enough spin production, more on that in the spin section.

Feel
Crisp feeling and felt great on slices but for some reason, didn't get very good ball pocketing when hitting groundstrokes. I have a semi-western forehand with an extreme uppercut swing.

Spin
This was the biggest negative for me with this string. The "rough" aspect added nothing and as others have mentioned, it begins to smooth out very quickly. I normally hit with a smooth poly (Kirschbaum's own Super Smash Orange) and got even less spin with this string than I normally do. Most of my groundstrokes were landing out by a couple feet. However, my slices and serves had my usual action and felt great.

Comfort
Good comfort, no harshness at all on mishits and there were a lot! I didn't play much in the last couple of months due to the cold/rain so I've been rusty. I also had a wrist issues last year that hasn't healed 100% but didn't feel any worse while using this string.

Durability
No issues here either but I'm not a string breaker. I usually cut out my strings after a month and it doesn't look like these will break before then, probably won't break even after two months.

Playability Duration
No regressions over the duration of the playtest. They've played consistently for me so even though I'm not getting the spin I want/need, I don't feel the spin production got worse.

Control
The lack of spin really hurt the control of my groundstrokes but I started getting used to it as the playtest wore on and just hit a little bit flatter. Oddly enough, slices and serves felt great as mentioned in the spin section of this review. Maybe it's the extreme uppercut swing of mine and the ball pocketing not being there.

Compare to the string you use most often
Serves, volleys, and slices were just as good but definitely not the spin production. Actually, I felt like my serves were better with this string. I definitely prefer Super Smash Orange (switched to this after the playtest over three years ago!) over the Pro Line II Rough though.

Tension recommendations
I'd like to try these strings at 54 lbs for a little less power and more control. I'm sure it'd play better then.

List any additional thoughts
While I don't plan to switch, I think this string would work well for players that hit flatter groundstrokes and/or doubles specialists. The first few sessions, I was mainly doing a lot of singles rallying and not playing points so I wasn't hitting serves or going up to the net. The last couple of sessions (including Thursday night), I played several doubles sets and since I serve and volley as well as chip and charge a majority of the time, the string was a lot more enjoyable then.

Thanks again Kirschbaum and TW!
 
Tension(s) used for playtest
55lbs

Regular string set up
Volkl Cyclone 17g

Racquet brand and model used for test
Babolat Pure Drive

Power of test string
String feels about medium strength, the depth I was achieving was very consistent and deep. Power was not overwhelming which made it easier to control the shots and hit with different variety.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
Good mix of crisp and comfort, I have it in a Pure Drive at 55lbs which is known for its stiffness but the string felt relatively comfortable even when freshly strung. The crispness of the string is very refreshing as it gives the feel of a lively string bed, lots of fun to play with!

Spin
It has decent spin, nothing exceptional but just the right amount to control my shots and still hit a penetrating ball. I was cautious with all the negative reviews I've seen in regard to spin but I must say, the spin on PL II Rough did not disappoint me at all. I actually thought it had the right amount.

Comfort
It felt quite comfortable to me, did not feel stiff and harsh. While hitting against some of the big hitters, the string bed felt plush with a bit of give to it at contact which provided a high comfort level with a touch of crispness. I'd give this an above average for comfort.

Durability
Remain to be seen but so far so good. After spending more time with it, durability is holding up nicely. It is on par or slightly better than my regular setup Cyclone. Snap back is still very evident, string bed remained lively so far.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
Remain to be seen but so far so good. After a few sessions with it, the string bed remains very playable, strings snapping back is still very evident and the feel of a dead poly is still very far far away.

Control
I liked the control aspect of it, balls seems to go where I want it to go, nothing more nothing less, control is certainly one of its strengths. Some would say the lack of spin is causing them to lose control over some of their shots, I beg the differ. The low to medium response in power allows me to control my shots with enough spin to hit all areas of the court with different shot selections.

Compare to the string you use most often
It played just as well if not better then my regular setup Cyclone 17g to my surprise, maybe its because these are newly strung and mine are a nearing the end. The PLIIR is a very good all around string, the one area where Cyclone may have an advantage is in spin, but I'd say PLIIR without a doubt has the upper hand in control, so its a give and take.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
I would recommend these be strung at normal tension for polys, nothing about this is requiring higher or lower tension

List any additional thoughts (optional)
I thought I would be disappointed with all the below par reviews I've seen but after hitting with it, I really enjoyed my time spent with this string, the ball did what I wanted it to do and most of the time I felt I was in full control, when I did lose control it was my problem not the equipment's. For those that were PL II fans before, I'd definitely give this a try.
 
Tension(s) used for playtest

#50 on electronic rig

Regular string set up

Tier One T1 Firewire 1.25 or Diadem Solistice Power 1.25

*Just experimented with Diadem Impulse / Volkl vStar hybrid prior to this play test

Racquet brand and model used for test

Angell TC100

Power of test string

Medium to medium low

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)


Muted

Spin

Compared to my regular poly set up it was not producing as much RPMs but still delivered. Definitely more that my multi/poly hybrid

Comfort

Pretty much on par versus T1Firewire. Compared to Solstice Power it was a bit more firm


Durability

I don’t play with poly till it breaks. It seems to be fairly durable but the “rough” started to sear a little bit


Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)

What I enjoy with Kirshbaum polys are how they pre-stretch it at the factory. IMO this helps the string play more consistent for the majority of it’s time in the racquet. Initially break in/settling/adjustment period was fairly quick. When the “rough” started to disappear it was still okay but felt the ball was going a bit long.


Control

Control was very nice. Reminded me a bit of Luxilon Element


Compare to the string you use most often

T1 Firewire has more spin, power, feel

Solstice Power has more spin, power, comfort


Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)

I think that I hit the right tension for this particular racquet. The racquet I have seems to have plenty of power and sometimes I feel needs to be tamed. If I put this in my iPrestige MP which has a dense string bed I would go to 45#


List any additional thoughts (optional)


Kirschbaum seems to have great polys but nothing that has really knocked my socks off. I have used Super Smash Orange, Spikey Shark, and Black Shark. All of which I liked and revisit from time to time. Having the name “rough” in it to me felt misleading when comparing it to other spin oriented strings. Might be because the polys I have been using are not “rough” but “shaped”.


I think the comfort of this string will play into the crowd that wants a poly but needs something that isn’t as firm. This also seems to have decent playability.


Thank you Kirschbaum and Tennis Warehouse.
 
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