Tennis Warehouse: Klip Legend 16g & 17g playtest

TW Staff

TW Staff

Administrator
Attention Talk Tennis Members:

We have an extremely limited number of Klip Legend Natural Gut 16 and 17g strings for a playtest. This playtest is for USA TTW members only

The application period is closed.

Playtesters have been notified

We have a very limited quantity of strings to playtest. We select playtesters based on a number of factors, including past performance on playtests as well as contributions to the String Forum in general.

In order to participate and remain in good standing for all upcoming playtests you must post your findings in this thread by the due date.

Due Date for Review - Friday June 14

Hybrids are okay.

Include the following in your review:
  • What gauge did you receive?
  • Tension(s) used for playtest
  • Regular string set up
  • Racquet used for test
  • Power/Control of test string
  • Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?)
  • Spin
  • Durability
  • Playability Duration
  • Tension Recommendations (would you string it differently next time - why)
  • List any additional thoughts (optional)
 
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TW has decided to treat me! Happy thing too, since I love my 360 speed pros but want more pop out of them.

So what would be a good cross for legend? My available polys are cream 1.28, solinco outlast 1.25, ghostwire 1.22, or poly tour fire 1.2.

For reference, the current strings are forten sweet 16/cream 1.28 @ 52/50.

Leaning towards outlast for least power since I remember Vs gut being so powerful when I tried it years ago. Haven't used a natural gut since.

Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk
 
Oh boy oh boy, I got selected and boy am I excited! Depending on the gauge I get, I'll use different setups, should be interesting to test two different hybrids and see which I like more and why.
 
What I'd like is to revisit Legend vs Guru. I've always liked the uncoated Klip, didn't like the Armor or the coated Legend. I also wish Klip USA would just call uncoated Legend: 'Guru', as per their website, instead of having to distinguish them both with an extra word.
 
I got in as well. Can't wait to try it. I have always played VS, Tonic and now Lux Natural Gut every now and then whenever I want the gut/poly feel. I know Klip has a got reputation. Lets see. Will follow up soon with initial impressions.
 
Happy to have been selected for my first TW Playtest! Not sure if I'll do a full bed review or a couple hybrids... I've got a few days to decide at least! I've only used VS Touch and Wilson NG in the past so this should be very informative!
 
2nd Serve Ace said:
TW has decided to treat me! Happy thing too, since I love my 360 speed pros but want more pop out of them.

So what would be a good cross for legend? My available polys are cream 1.28, solinco outlast 1.25, ghostwire 1.22, or poly tour fire 1.2.

For reference, the current strings are forten sweet 16/cream 1.28 @ 52/50.

Leaning towards outlast for least power since I remember Vs gut being so powerful when I tried it years ago. Haven't used a natural gut since.

Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I would say try Outlast as cross first and then any of other three that you have. I have tried Outlast and Cream as crosses before with NG mains. Cream cross hybrid just has too much pop for me. I did not try other two in your list.
 
Guys who are planning to hybrid them, what are you going to hybrid them with? It probably may not last much in mains, but I guess mains is the way to go to get a full feel of this premium string.
 
I am debating whether to use a poly as cross or use a zyex cross. Any poly would work, but it just cuts through the gut very fast. Trying to find ways to extend the life of the Legend mains, but still have a non-locked string bed.

2nd Serve Ace said:
So what would be a good cross for legend?
Click to expand...
 
M Pillai said:
Guys who are planning to hybrid them, what are you going to hybrid them with? It probably may not last much in mains, but I guess mains is the way to go to get a full feel of this premium string.
Click to expand...
I've got a bunch of ALU Power (red), as well as Solinco Tour Bite... It will probably depend on if I get the 16 or 17g
 
M Pillai said:
Guys who are planning to hybrid them, what are you going to hybrid them with? It probably may not last much in mains, but I guess mains is the way to go to get a full feel of this premium string.
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Plan on using tourbite diamond rough and regular tourbite 17 so that I have two solid reference points. I usually use the two of those with Babolat VS 16 in the winter. I will be using the gut as a main.
 
Got mine today and strung it up 54-52 hybrid with solinco outlast 16l on a 360 speed pro.

Just did a little hitting against the wall and some drop hitting on court but a few salient points were clear:

Natural gut mains have got lots of power and a very high launch when paired with poly. To be successful with it you need to minimize the force with your big muscles and instead let the small muscles of the forearm wrist and hand deliver the "hit" on the ball.

Update: played with it some tonight and actually it was firm and low powered to my suprise. The feel I would describe as very "clean" and precise, but not really plush. Fairly certain that the solinco outlast is not the answer for me on the X.
 
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Got my set last night. They sent me the 17g, so I think I'll probably just hybrid it in two frames, one in the mains the other in the crosses, with ALU Power 16 Red.
 
Got my set yesterday. Have sent it to the stringer and should get it back by tonight. I will ask him how he felt about stringing it and give feedback. I will be hybriding with RS Lyon 17. Klip will be mains and RS Lyon crosses. Stringing at 50/48 in my new Graphene 360 Speed Pro.
 
Just finished string up the 17g in my Pro Staff 97 CV. Alu Power mains (53 lbs), with the Klip Legend 17 in the crosses (57 lbs). I usually pre-stretch the gut, but I decided not to for this because I wanted to see how it would string straight out of the package. It was great! One of the easiest gut installations I've ever done. The strings look perfect in the racquet, no ghosting, no cloudy spots. The string was very easy to weave, with hardly any tangling, and no kinking. The strings slid across the mains very easily, and knotting was painless.

If these strings play as well as they install, I'll be very happy!
 
Just received my set today. UPS would not even take it to the front door. Instead they must have threw it at my garage door, and I first thought it was a scrap of paper in a puddle of water, until I picked it up. Glad TW had it in plastic wrap package, as it would have gotten soaked. Way to go UPS .You would think they would have dropped it off at front door as it is under cover. Most delivery people leave packages on bench next to door.Never had one delivered to garage door on driveway before.
 
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Had a little hit around with legend and now ghostwire 1.22 Xs and it was far better.

Total registration of the ball against the stringbed, but with a very controllable launch!

Don't want to speak too much without more match conditions.

Update: this looks to be a notch string, not a fraying one. I guess due to the coating.

Update II: completely new install of klip/GW on my 2nd speed 360 @ 50 and this is totally klicking for me now. Power and spin aren't really any different from a syngut main, but touch and comfort are much better. Hoping my shoulder tendonitis is a thing of the past.
 
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jim e said:
Just received my set today. UPS would not even take it to the front door. Instead they must have threw it at my garage door, and I first thought it was a scrap of paper in a puddle of water, until I picked it up. Glad TW had it in plastic wrap package, as it would have gotten soaked. Way to go UPS .You would think they would have dropped it off at front door as it is under cover. Most delivery people leave packages on bench next to door.Never had one delivered to garage door on driveway before.
Click to expand...
Understood and distributed. Let's hope UPS speaks to its drivers.

I had a small package from TW sent by UPS that was very dirty and crumpled. It had ZX black 17 in it. I hope it wasn't damaged. But they did leave it on the porch, by the front door.
 
2nd Serve Ace said:
Update: this looks to be a notch string, not a fraying one. I guess due to the coating.
Click to expand...

I'm starting to see this as well. The strings play very crisp compared to my most recent set up of ALU Power/NXT 17 strung at the exact same tension. I haven't had a chance to really go out and have a solid hit with them yet, so far just some advanced juniors and playing in with some A-/B+ ladies dubs.
 
Strung mine up at 62 with Lux Element crosses at 58 in a customized Clash 100. Been using full poly at 56 or 58, depending on how I'm feeling lately. Man, this is a treat. I haven't played gut mains since last summer when I had a wrist injury. The amount of help and forgiveness from the strings is great, and I still have tons of spin potential when I want to loop the ball through the court. It's about what I expected, but I am pleasantly reminded how great a setup like this is each time. My two cents: I like this Klip gut better than the VS gut I played last time. It's smoother in response and seems to be more resilient than the VS after a little play, but it's tough to say for sure since I'm not doing a side by side test.
 
Why wasn't the 18g play-tested?. i just got my racket strung with Klip Legend 18g, However I think I strung It to low at 54lbs, I have only played one match with it so far and kept hitting the ball to long even though i was trying to give it a lot of top spin, I switched back to my other racket that is strung with VS touch strung at 58bs and had much more control. Maybe I just need to get used to it ,Its the first time I have used Klip. I heard it was stiffer than VS touch so strung lower. if I use it again i think i will string higher..I am not sure if I like it or not yet, I like to play a few games before I jump to conclusions.
 
Luke Yonex said:
Why wasn't the 18g play-tested?. i just got my racket strung with Klip Legend 18g, However I think I strung It to low at 54lbs, I have only played one match with it so far and kept hitting the ball to long even though i was trying to give it a lot of top spin, I switched back to my other racket that is strung with VS touch strung at 58bs and had much more control. Maybe I just need to get used to it ,Its the first time I have used Klip. I heard it was stiffer than VS touch so strung lower. if I use it again i think i will string higher..I am not sure if I like it or not yet, I like to play a few games before I jump to conclusions.
Click to expand...
Were you playing a full bed? 18 g @ 54 would be kinda low.

A poly cross with it would help generate more top spin and bring the ball down faster.

Feel would be changed somewhat, but not much.

Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk
 
2nd Serve Ace said:
Were you playing a full bed? 18 g @ 54 would be kinda low.

A poly cross with it would help generate more top spin and bring the ball down faster.

Feel would be changed somewhat, but not much.

Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Yes full bed, I would love to cross it with a poly however I have TE so avoid the polys . Hence me buying gut in the first place. I was thinking if I like Klip then i might cross it with NRG-2 , Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Cheers
 
Luke Yonex said:
Yes full bed, I would love to cross it with a poly however I have TE so avoid the polys . Hence me buying gut in the first place. I was thinking if I like Klip then i might cross it with NRG-2 , Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Cheers
Click to expand...
Prince original syn would be my choice for a good cross.

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk
 
Luke Yonex said:
. I was thinking if I like Klip then i might cross it with NRG-2 , Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Cheers
Click to expand...
If you like Klip then why hybrid it?
If it is to save a little $, for a half set you are only saving $6.00. If you like Klip then use it full bed.
It hits nice strung up on the mid 60 lb range
 
jim e said:
If you like Klip then why hybrid it?
If it is to save a little $, for a half set you are only saving $6.00. If you like Klip then use it full bed.
It hits nice strung up on the mid 60 lb range
Click to expand...
I was thinking to reduce the power and maybe help with spin. However you may be right
 
jim e said:
Stringing it at higher tension will give more control.
Click to expand...
Yes I I think so, I don't want to go to high because then it may hurt my elbow. However I think because its gut 60 or below should be ok. I am not sure if I will be hybrid or not I will think about it some more, Maybe its not worth it.
 
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Luke Yonex said:
Yes I I think so, I don't want to go to high because then it may hurt my elbow. However I think because its gut 60 or below should be ok. I am not sure if I will be hybrid or not I will think about it some more, Maybe its not worth it.
Click to expand...
I have elbow issues and my set up is all gut strung at 63, and some at 64 lbs. Still a comfortable hit.
That's the beauty of nat gut, unlike synthetics.
 
jim e said:
I have elbow issues and my set up is all gut strung at 63, and some at 64 lbs. Still a comfortable hit.
That's the beauty of nat gut, unlike synthetics.
Click to expand...
What gut do you use, Do you think there is much difference between the different types of Guts? I went lower than my VS touch gut because I saw reviews that said Klip was more stiff than VS, I cant notice much difference however I am not a expert.
 
I use Klip uncoated that is a very soft hit, strung at 64, and Luxilon gut that's a firmer feel strung at 61 lbs. Older Wilson gut I used 63 lbs. I stopped using Pacific gut for other reasons.
 
jim e said:
I use Klip uncoated that is a very soft hit, strung at 64, and Luxilon gut that's a firmer feel strung at 61 lbs. Older Wilson gut I used 63 lbs. I stopped using Pacific gut for other reasons.
Click to expand...
Have you used a full multi and how did that compare to the gut, I suppose they go dead pretty fast. I don't know how long I can afford gut,
 
Gut is only a little higher price than a high quality multi. Especially Klip as it is a quality gut ay a decent price point.
 
i was meaning to play with, I have never played with a full multi, I have crossed muti's with a poly in the past, However I suppose even a high quality multi cant come close to gut, so I suppose it was a silly question. Yeah I see what you saying if you are buying a good multi you may as will pay a little extra and get some cheap good quality gut. I am just left wondering if its that simple then why do so many people use expensive multis instead of cheaper gut,
 
They don't know any better. Klip uncoated is a very plush hit at any tension. Very economical as well as it hits great up till it breaks.
 
Review: Klip Legend 16​

Hello folk. Here is my review of Klip Legend 16 gauge. A big thank you to @TW Staff for providing this opportunity.

Pr3K5c2.jpg


What gauge did you receive?
16G

Tension used for playtest:
I put Klip Legend in my mains @50lbs and RS Lyon 17g @48lbs in my crosses.

Regular string set up:
I use RS Lyon full bed @50lbs in my HEAD Speed Pro these days but I like trying new strings too every now and then.

Racquet brand and model used for test:
Just recently picked up HEAD Graphene 360 Speed Pro. I like to try new things all the time, have not played with these Speeds for more than a few weeks so far.

Power/Control of test string:
I usually play with full bed poly and do not use hybrids as much. This gut/poly hybrid is obviously more powerful than a full bed of RS Lyon. I felt that at times there was a little too much power but that is simply because I’m so used to my full bed polys. It took me a session to get used to the pop in stringbed but I was fine after that.

For control, the ball was coming off the string bed lower than I am used to but that was nothing major once I adjusted. Control was excellent with all my strokes. I noticed similar results (depth) with longer and shorter takebacks. Had to adjust swing speed in the beginning too because of the power I had on tap. I was hitting deep shots and I could feel the ball really well as well. Volleys were great with excellent touch and feel. Flatter serves had excellent pop. Moderate spin in serves (both kick and slice). I was getting great control and more power than I am used to, as expected from a gut/poly hybrid.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable? Brassy?):
Feel was comfortable for sure. Not as soft as VS gut, but more along the lines of Luxilon Natural Gut which is slightly crisper, lower power yet comfy. Very comfortable on the arm compared to full bed poly, that is for sure. This playtest setup did feel crisp for a gut/poly at first but settled in nicely after a few rallies. The overall feel was excellent, needless to say. Touch shots and slices came out nicely every time. Tons of feel in volleys. Nice combination of pop and spin overall. Nothing bad to say here, really.

Spin:
Average marks here. That said, I get more spin out full bed of copolys any day of the week, but still decent enough. I generally hit with moderate spin ground strokes. Brushing consciously against the ball gave me more spin but otherwise stringbed lacked that full poly grab and ripping the fuzz of the ball at times. Lots of pop in flatter first serves. Moderate spin in kick and slice second serves. BH slices were low and deep.

Durability:
Durability has never been a huge concern for me because I’m not a chronic string breaker. But only when it comes to poly. I snap gut easily. I strung up my Graphene 360 Speed Pro with this string combo and so far have played about 8 hours with it of solid hitting. I can see lots of gut fraying in the center. By this time my full bed copoly is usually dead or broken so for me this hybrid setup held its own. I think the coating on the string definitely works for durability. Pretty sure I would have snapped uncoated gut by now.

Playability Duration:
After roughly 8 hours of play, this hybrid setup has started showing a lot of fraying along mains and will most likely snap in my next session. Still minimal string movement, and I am still getting same pop and spin. Feels similar to how it felt in the beginning. I did notice a slight increase in power after a couple of hours of play, but it has remained constant since. Must be because of strings settling in.

List any additional thoughts (optional):
Here are a few observations:

1. The playtest string was easy to string I am told (I had my stringer string it up for me). To me, the string seemed thicker than it’s advertised gauge. No kinking while stringing I was told, and that there was consistency throughout in gauge.

2. Good quality packaging.

3. I felt that there was a very clear power differential between this and my regular setup. This hybrid setup was more powerful but with less spin potential, in simpler words. But that was expected from gut/poly setup.

Finally, I was happy with the performance too. If you're a player who likes a good balance of spin, power and comfort, definitely try hybriding Klip Legend with a nice round poly. You will like it.

Thanks again Tennis Warehouse for this playtest opportunity. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask away.
 
I have my thoughts just need to organize and form them into the template. Hopefully in the next few days I will have my final review up as well. As always very nicely done @haqq777
 
  • Tension(s) used for playtest 64 lbs. Received 17 g.
  • Strung as full set gut

  • Regular string set up Klip 16g uncoated 64 lbs, and lux Nat gut 16 L g. 61 lbs full set

  • Racquet used for test Head Radical

  • Power/Control of test string. Very good power for Nat gut. as to be expected. The control / Power falls somewhere between the uncoated Klip and the Lux gut I use
  • Has good control for my baseline hitting, with still a comfortable hit.Very good for control with serving as well .

  • Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?)The uncoated Klip has a very soft plush hit but does lack the feel, as it is more muted. Where the Luxilon gut is a firmer hit, but gives added control. This string fits right in between the two strings. It has more feel than the uncoated version, along with added control, just not quite as plush of a hit which is not a bad thing, as it give a little more control over the uncoated version.I liked this especially with serving.

  • Spin I hit an old school flat style hit but use spin when needed, and string performance was fine in this area

  • Durability Hit 9 hours singles and 6 hours doubles, some fraying, but that's typical of gut, as strings last me a long time even after they start to fray. I expect these strings to last for a good deal more hitting.

  • Playability Duration After the 9 hours singles and 6 hours doubles , strings still hit very well. I found that Nat. Gut strings in general hit well and are very playable until they break
  • Tension Recommendations (would you string it differently next time - why). I enjoy the hit at 64 lbs.For me I would keep the same
  • I have been a Nat gut hitter for years and realize that Nat gut hits well at higher tensions, that is one of the added benefits of nat gut, at least a quality Nat gut Like Klip is, (where those cheap guts on some auction sites are not able to handle higher tensions like the quality ones) . Klip is a quality Nat gut and comes at a very reasonable price point as well.You are getting a great string at a decent price.
  • List any additional thoughts (optional)
  • I typically hit with all Nat. Gut and have for many years, and hit with most of them.
  • Since I had same racquets strung with Klip uncoated and Luxilon gut I was able to go between the racquets and compare the feel. No doubt the uncoated was a more plush hit, but it was more muted feel along with it.Where the Lux. Gut was more firmer feel, it gave benefits of more control. The Klip coated of this playtest fell right in between the two strings, as it was a little more firmer feel, but not as muted as the uncoated, and gave a little more control while still a very comfortable hit.
  • For someone thinking of a quality multi string, they may wish to try this Klip legend string as it has great benefits of feel, power and control, and comes in at a decent price point as well.
  • Another bit of information I can add is, most Nat gut strings can be temperamental to shank shots, or mis hits. The string may not snap at the mis hit but later at next time you remove racquet from bag, as string gets stressed at mis hit and later snaps.
  • If you just place a very small amount of a lubricant like tri flow (I use a very small micro brush) and place lube in main string grommets before you string it up, it will greatly help reduce those Mis hit strings from snapping. I have used this technique for last few years with Nat gut strings and it has helped greatly.I have not had issue with Nat gut snapping early since doing this.
  • Only downside to the lube is it takes a little more time to clean up machine clamps when finished
 
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Playtest Review: Klip Legend 16
By @tennisgurl​

First of all, a big thank you to @TW Staff for this opportunity. Here is my review:

What gauge did you receive?
16G

Tension(s) used for playtest:
I tested this string at 52 lbs, my regular string tension. I used it as full bed and did not hybrid as I do not have enough experience with hybrids and I wanted to give the best possible review minimizing the variables.

Regular string set up:
I usually play with Solinco Hyper G 16 at 52 pounds.

Racquet used for test:
Yonex Ezone 100

Power/Control of test string:
Well, since I regularly play with polyester strings, I knew I would have to expect a big increase in power. And I was not wrong. At same tension, this string is definitely more powerful than Solinco Hyper G. I definitely am not complaining though. I was able to keep the ball in and not spray it all over. Even the balls that usually die if hit outside of sweet spot (using poly string) had depth and weren't sitters or easy put aways for opponents.

Now coming over to control, because of the strint bed consistency, my shots were vert predictable. This made it easy for me to control the ball and put it anywhere I wanted. I was surprised because mostly control strings do not have this much power. However Klip Legend 16 did. I was getting the control without sacrificing comfort or power. Please keep in mind, I am a 4.0 female so it is not like I am ripping the ball fuzz off. This gut experience really did open my eyes to strings other than polyester strings. For those who haven't played gut, I highly recommend you do.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?Comfortable?):
Definitely comfortable. It felt crisp at the same time so a great combo. Wasn't mushy or stiff at all. No jarring feedback at any point. And as I mentioned above, very consistent feel from start to end of the playtest. Excellent string for volleying and touch shots. No wonder old school serve and volley players preferred gut strings.

Spin:
Compared to polyester strings especially Solinco Hyper G, it falls behind in this department by quite a lot. This is where I feel the string lacks a bit for me. In full bed, this string did not provide spin that I am used to but really it is understandable. I am more of a flat hitter so I did not feel lack of spin on groundstrokes as much as I did on serves. I slice and spin balls in on serve and it was definitely lacking there. I felt it did not have the snapback that some poly strings. Either way, I will not deduct too much marks here since I feel this string made it up in other departments.

Comfort:
The best feature of this string for me, period. Absolutely no wrist, elbow or arm pain or irritation of any sort. I am a believer now that there is nothing better than gut for a comfortable hit. Even on my hard hit off center hits, I did not get any buzzing or jarring feedback. Loved it. Balls hit in the sweetspot were money. Smooth and controlled power. Addictive feel.

Durability:
I rarely break strings. The string is still in my racquet and plays like how it was playing at the start of the string bed. I have very little notching and no fraying. Definitely the coating on it helps. I am a flattish hitter anyway so really durability is least of my concerns.

Playability Duration:
No doubt this is where gut has its advantage over any other kind of string. The string has had a consistent response and playabilty from the very first day. Tension maintenance was excellent all throughout. I have had it in my racquet for 3 weeks almost and it still feels fresh and the plays like the day it was strung up.

Tension recommendations (would you string it differently next time - why):
I strung it at 52 lbs because that is my regular string tension, but since this is more powerful in full bed obviously, I would string it about 5 pounds tighter for a little better controlled power. In the end, it all depends on what you are used to.

List any additional thoughts (optional):
I want to say thanks again to the awesome people at Tennis Warehouse for giving me the chance to try this string out. Was a fun experience and I will not hesitate to recommend this string to my friends and playing community.
 
My klip/poly at 11 hours. Mains super resilient and staying straight. Some notching starting to come through. Update: hours 12 and 13 were my best singles match of the year! Could do anything with the ball. Notching really accelerates when the coating cuts through to the gut. Resiliency of the mains remains superb.
.
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  • What gauge did you receive?
17 Gauge
  • Tension(s) used for playtest
52 / 52 on a drop weight crossed with Ghostwire 1.22 poly.
Compared to VS gut, the Klip is less cloudy, more smooth, less kinky but also has less stretch to it. It strings up similar to most synguts.
  • Regular string set up
Forten Sweet 16 and Ghostwire 1.22 @ 54/52 (however the Klip will be my new regular main!)
  • Racquet used for test
Head 360 Speed Pro
  • Power/Control of test string
Having only used VS gut in the past, this coated Klip was honestly a big surprise to me in how moderate the power level was. I am finding it to be comparable to the stiffer synguts or the softer polys I've played in terms of power.
The moderate power level is in no way a strength or weakness in my book, as I just made a bit of a tension adjustment to account for it. The power is nicely linear in response to the ball.

Control with this string is off the charts excellent. Trajectory, depth, directional control, speed, spins, super clean feedback all made it the best control string I've used. The control shows up for me most on midcourt and net shots, in particular.
  • Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?)
To me, the feel is smooth but firm. I don't find a lot of ball pocketing, but the feedback is still very "clean" to me, and I do feel connected to the ball. Although firm, the Klip delivers hardly any shock to my arm at all even on mishits. I've been dealing with shoulder tendonitis for over a year. Happy to report that during this playtest, the shoulder has been feeling great!
  • Spin
Spin is 90% technique. Poly strings fool people because they launch the ball high which gives an exaggerated "drop" at the end and thus the impression of big topspin. The Klip gut, by comparison, offers great rotation AND excellent penetration into the court, thereby taking time away from your opponent. The backspin shots (slices and droppers) have been solid for me as well: the slices don't float on me as much and dropshots are landing closer to my target spot. Spin on serves has been nice also. Using a lot of subtle changes to my serves(a little slice here, some overspin there) to keep the opponent off balance.
  • Durability
Well, I've got 14 hours of use on an 18x20 100 and I would estimate at least another 7-10 hours left. The coating does a good job of denting for a long period before cutting through to the gut. But once into the gut, the notching has seemed to accelerate. I haven't seen any fraying of this string at all, just notching like a poly of syngut would. The coating also does a great job of eliminating the "fragility" that natural gut has when it come to moisture and also off center hits.
  • Playability Duration
Tremendously good. Tension maintenance has been great. The Klip gut continues to have great resiliency and snapback. I would say its playing better at 14 hours then it did at 14 minutes. Isn't that what they always say about natural gut? Your last shot with it will be your best.
  • Tension Recommendations (would you string it differently next time - why)
The 52/52 with a soft poly was perfect. I had actually tried 54/52 with a stiffer poly on my other speed pro and immediately knew that wasn't right.
  • List any additional thoughts (optional)
Would recommend a short 10-15 minute topspin rally to break this string in.
Have ordered some uncoated Klip 16 gut to see how that works.

Conclusion: the tennis string market is super saturated, but I believe Klip has got a good thing going in the "control gut" niche with its Legend offerings.

ALL THE BEST TO TW AND TT USERS. YOU FOLKS ARE GREAT!!!!
 
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