Kirschbaum Xplosive Speed Black 17g (1.25 mm) - Full Bed
TENSION USED FOR PLAYTEST - 55 lbs in both the mains and crosses strung on a lockout machine.
REGULAR STRING SETUP - The regular setup of Dunlop Black Widow 17 gauge, 50 lbs x 50 lbs also strung on a lockout machine.
RACQUET BRAND AND MODEL USED FOR TEST - Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 Tour 95.
CONTROl / POWER OF TEST STRING - The power level of this would fall into the above average range for a poly. For a poly player, there is plenty of power available. Of course, the power is very useable. There is enough pop to employ an aggressive, power style of play, but not so much that the ball flies off the string bed. They provide plenty of useable power and the "power" in the name is accurate. A lower string tension would give more power to a player without sacrificing spin or control.
Xplosive Speed also offers outstanding control. For a spin hitter like me, the combination of all of the string attributes come together to produce a very high level of control without any sacrifice in power when compared to some other poly strings. This set of strings had the usual great control that comes with poly and co-poly strings. The spin that these strings produce allow a player to have great control and shot choices hitting to and from all positions on the court.
FEEL SPIN OF TEST STRING - Outstanding. Xplosive Speed has outstanding feel and touch. It has a comfortable, useable amount of touch on every type of shot and has some ball pocketing. The string has a soft feel but was not at all dull or muted. Definitely on the soft side for a co-poly. The co-poly composition in addition to the ball bite that the star shaped surface, provides for a great amount of ball spin. The spin combined with the useable power and nice feel, makes it a very nice string to play with and gives a player plenty of shotmaking options. There is plenty of useable spin on both topspin and slice groundstrokes. There was a also a good amount of jumping action on kick serves.
COMFORT - It felt and played like the name says, very soft. Not at all spongy soft, but still quite comfortable. There was normally very little, no excessive shock, and not an uncomfortable level of shock or vibration coming from of the string bed.
DURABILITY - This particular test was for about eight sets of singles over approximately ten hours of time over an twelve day period. The strings did not break during that time. The shape was clearly beginning to round toward the end of the test. They passed the durability minimum.
PLAYABILITY DURATION (HOW PLAYABILITY CHANGED OVER TIME) - Xplosive Speed started nice, then the power and feel seemed to settle over in initially. There was the normal polyester drop in tension during the first hour or so, then the drop slowed and continued to be quite playable for the duration of the test. Playability was especially good for a shaped poly.
TENSION FINDINGS - The 50 lb. test tension seemed to be a little on the low side for a tension starting point for the test even in this low powered racquet. I would recommend increasing tension a couple of pounds to get even more control.
LIST ANY ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS - Well done Kirschbaum, . What a nice string. I think that most every type of player will be able to make this string work for them. It lacks nothing. This string is following the trend of more balanced, well-rounded playability characteristics. Strings are being produced that incorporate more of each spin, power, comfort, control, and feel, into the same string. They are incorporating all of the positive playability attributes of each polyester, nylon, and natural gut into the same string. Good job Kirschbaum. This Xplosive Speed string is extremely similar in most areas of performance, shape, color, and even playability. To my regular string, Dunlop Black Widow. For any given comparison, one string may perform better than the other at one tension, they may then grade just the opposite at a different tension. In general, Black Widow plays with a bit more spin. Xplosive Speed seemed to have a little more power. They both have very similar levels of comfort, control, and overall playability.
