Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Luxilon Element Rough 1.30mm

[McLovin]

@TW Staff, loving this string so far. Do you know if it will be offered in 16L/1.25mm?

 

[M Pillai]

Don't let the "rough" name fool you. RPM Blast Rough and Luxilon Element Rough are totally different categories. I think, if you like RPM-Blast-Rough, I dont think you would like the Element-Rough, and if you like the Element-Rough you wont like RPM-Blast-Rough. Probably the common feature is that both provide good depth and spin, kind of baseline topspin bashers strings. But they do feel totally different on racket even though both are relatively lively for a poly. Element-Rough feels a bit more lively with less feedback (some call it forgiving, since slight mishits does not feel bad)... and RPM-Blast-Rough provide a bit more feedback. In fact Element-Rough has a lot similar feel of regular Element in the racket, just that the slight roughness on surface provides a good ball grab on fast swings, helping with the loop to baseline. I will save further details for the full review.

how does it compare on spin to Alu power rough or Babolat RPM blast or RPM blast rough ?? Thanks

 

[Nostradamus]

Don't let the "rough" name fool you. RPM Blast Rough and Luxilon Element Rough are totally different categories. I think, if you like RPM-Blast-Rough, I dont think you would like the Element-Rough, and if you like the Element-Rough you wont like RPM-Blast-Rough. Probably the common feature is that both provide good depth and spin, kind of baseline topspin bashers strings. But they do feel totally different on racket even though both are relatively lively for a poly. Element-Rough feels a bit more lively with less feedback (some call it forgiving, since slight mishits does not feel bad)... and RPM-Blast-Rough provide a bit more feedback. In fact Element-Rough has a lot similar feel of regular Element in the racket, just that the slight roughness on surface provides a good ball grab on fast swings, helping with the loop to baseline. I will save further details for the full review.

I already know what Element feels like.... I acutally like the feel of Element compared to RPM blast rough. Rpm blast rough felt like paper,, poor feel, just weird.... I thought Element provided very nice feel for the ball with ball pocketing.... when the string pockets the ball,, that is when you feel the ball. and element did much better job. and I am hoping element rough does the same with much added spin. I always felt like Rough version with carved out string surface really didn't add that much spin...............like the shaped strings do. that is why I had suspicions about how much more spin the Element rough will have.....

 

[M Pillai]

That exactly is the idea behind element rough, and it does provide extra spin. But I am a huge believer that the spin/shape of the ball is 99% from the swing path. If you are not already getting a good loop from regular element, you are not going to see much difference with rough.

I am hoping element rough does the same with much added spin. I always felt like Rough version with carved out string surface really didn't add that much spin

 

[Nostradamus]

That exactly is the idea behind element rough, and it does provide extra spin. But I am a huge believer that the spin/shape of the ball is 99% from the swing path. If you are not already getting a good loop from regular element, you are not going to see much difference with rough.

I get 3000 RPM with RPM blast rough... can poor swing path do that ?

 

[M Pillai]

Hei... who says less RPM is a poor swing path. In fact some of the best players I know hit though the opponent flat, and that is a an extremely good swing path. Just that not a path where "rough" is going to be any benefit to their overall game.

By the way 3000 RPM is unbelievably good, and I think you should try the rough version.

I get 3000 RPM with RPM blast rough... can poor swing path do that ?

 

[McLovin]

@M Pillai, you're relatively new here, so its only fair to warn you that anything Nostradamus says should be taken with a grain of salt. And by 'a grain' I mean a 5lb bag of it.

No one here has ever met him/seen him play, and he's been known to make extremely outrageous statements, most of which have absolutely no basis in fact. But, don't take my word for it, just review his over 23,000 posts and see for yourself.

 

[swfh]

strung it up last night. felt kinda soft. going out to hit in an hour. will report initial thoughts when i get back

 

[MisterP]

So far I'm a big fan of the soft, yet crisp feel I'm getting from the string

Yes. I'm getting that same weird mixture as well. Flat strokes have a nice crispness to them. Like ALU Power. I hit one of the hardest forehands I've ever hit with this string today.

But if you brush it, the feel is plush. I like it so far. Tension is going down pretty quick. We'll see how it does when it drops into the low 40s high 30s.

 

[MisterP]

@TW Staff, loving this string so far. Do you know if it will be offered in 16L/1.25mm?

What do you think about how this string compares to Black Code 4S 17?

 

[McLovin]

What do you think about how this string compares to Black Code 4S 17?

I feel that it is superior in every category, other than tension maintenance. I was surprised to see it had dropped 6lbs from my first hit. I'll post the actual pictures from RacquetTune in my review, but my 'fresh off the machine' reading was 47 (45 was the setting, but I did a 10% pre-stretch). 1 set and 48 hours later, it was down to 41.

But, I agree w/ @samprasbackhand: soft, crisp, but slightly muted. The big difference between it & Black Code 4S is the ball pocketing. I really feel as it the ball is staying on my strings longer.

I'm just disappointed that is only offered in 1.30mm (this according to their site: http://www.luxilon.com/en-us/strings?tennis_racket_string_category=2505).

Has anyone in the playtest hit w/ 'normal' Element? Can you compare if you have?

 

[MisterP]

I feel that it is superior in every category, other than tension maintenance. I was surprised to see it had dropped 6lbs from my first hit. I'll post the actual pictures from RacquetTune in my review, but my 'fresh off the machine' reading was 47 (45 was the setting, but I did a 10% pre-stretch). 1 set and 48 hours later, it was down to 41.

But, I agree w/ @samprasbackhand: soft, crisp, but slightly muted. The big difference between it & Black Code 4S is the ball pocketing. I really feel as it the ball is staying on my strings longer.

I'm just disappointed that is only offered in 1.30mm (this according to their site: http://www.luxilon.com/en-us/strings?tennis_racket_string_category=2505).

Has anyone in the playtest hit w/ 'normal' Element? Can you compare if you have?

Totally agree on the ball pocketing. It feels great. I went back and forth today between BC4S and Element Rough and I really do like the Element feel more. It's way more comfortable. But it has so much power sometimes I had a hard time keeping it from going long on flat balls. Shapes the ball very nice though.

 

[mhkeuns]

Will be posting a full review later, but my initial impression is that Element Rough 16G feels like a Luxilon string but softer in feel. I’ve used Alu Power, 4G and Natural gut, so I could say I am somewhat familiar with the feel of Luxilon strings, but as mentioned before, I liked that it had a familar feel but felt softer. This string offered nice crisp, yet cushioned feel on impact. Strung it on my Pure Strike Tour @ 52lbs. I think the 16G Element Rough is a great in rackets like the Pure Strike Tour that does not have the best feel and could use more spin.

Only other rough poly I’ve tried was RPM Blast Rough, and I only liked that string on plush feeling rackets like the Textreme Tour 95. My initial feeling for this string after having hit for a couple of hours was that it can go on any rackets and wouldn’t negatively affect the feel. Definitely prefer the feel and overall playability of this string over Hawk Touch that I have been using.

More to follow.

 

[haqq777]

I feel that it is superior in every category, other than tension maintenance. I was surprised to see it had dropped 6lbs from my first hit. I'll post the actual pictures from RacquetTune in my review, but my 'fresh off the machine' reading was 47 (45 was the setting, but I did a 10% pre-stretch). 1 set and 48 hours later, it was down to 41.

But, I agree w/ @samprasbackhand: soft, crisp, but slightly muted. The big difference between it & Black Code 4S is the ball pocketing. I really feel as it the ball is staying on my strings longer.

I'm just disappointed that is only offered in 1.30mm (this according to their site: http://www.luxilon.com/en-us/strings?tennis_racket_string_category=2505).

Has anyone in the playtest hit w/ 'normal' Element? Can you compare if you have?

Will note down full details in my review but my initial thoughts are that Element Rough plays very similar to regular Element. Where it differs is that it is softer than regular Element, and has marginally more spin. Same level of power (I would consider both higher powered) and similar sort of muted feedback. Very similar pocketing feel where you feel ball stays on strings for longer. Also, regular Element had terrible tension maintenance as well, and it lost the Luxilon magic after maybe 4-5 hours for me.

 

[tennisreflectslife]

Had a hit with it today, rf97@55lbs. First thought was, comfort, feel and liveliness. Considering alu power as a reference, definitely had more of a "springiness" to it. But I felt that translated to a bit higher launch angle and loss of control for me. The spin enhancement due to rough version was evident when I had some good topspin on my shots. One thing that affected me though was the 130 gauge. RF97 already being on the hefty side, with this thicker gauge hampered the maneuverability for me. So something to keep in mind for people going with this one, if the racket is on the edge of being just maneuverable enough for you, this string might push it in the slightly sluggish category. Overall I would definitely call it a good string, would be interesting to try in a faster swinging racket like a pure drive. I remember when I was using hyper-g in rf97, the ball would similarly "dip" suddenly near the baseline due to extra spin, like with this string. But hyper-g was a little deader string, so flat shots also have real good control with it, where this string lacked a bit for me. But maybe this is bit more comfortable than hyper-g I feel. Would need to play a bit more to judge the playability duration. Wanted to write initial impressions, but will play some more and write a more comprehensive review in a few days.

 

[MisterP]

Tension(s) used for playtest: Mains – 50#, Crosses – 50#

Regular string set up: Tecnifibre Black Code 4S 17 (1.25mm) at 52#

Racquet used for test: Prince Textreme Tour 95 (AKA Green Arrow!)

Power of test string: 70 – Wow. This is a really powerful copoly string. My typical string setup is Black Code 4S 17, which is a lively poly, but nothing compared to this. Initially, I was a little bit worried that the thicker gauge would require me to drop tension from my normal tension of 52, but in hindsight I would keep it the same or possibly even go up a pound to dial back the power. After about 45 minutes I got used to the power level and started to really enjoy the powerful yet controlled ball. The extra pop from Element Rough is really noticeable, and provides the ability to get extra depth on my shots.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): 90 – My usual string is stiffer feeling, so Element Rough was a breath of fresh air. It’s got a cushioned feel that’s akin to a really plush hybrid setup, but when you flatten out your strokes it also has a crispness to it that reminds me of ALU Power. It’s this duality that makes this string so addictive. The comfortable, soft feel that also manages to be crisp and lively was so rewarding and really kept me connected to the ball. This is the best feeling copoly string I’ve ever played with, hands down.

Spin: 88 - This string bites! It doesn’t need shaped edges or an extra slick coating to create spin. The bottomless ball pocketing gives a feeling of extended dwell time on the strings, which makes you feel like you can shape the ball really nicely. My hitting partners consistently complained of extra kick on the forehand side from the Element Rough setup. Slice backhand was butter!

Durability: 80 – I didn’t have any issues with durability, but that is primarily because it lost tension before I could break it.

Playability Duration (did feel/control decline over time?): 65 – Ok, the lovefest is over. I had low expectations when it came to playability duration and those low expectations were met. I got about 4-5 hours on this string before I felt it open up on me. By hour 6, I had to adjust my strokes so much that I couldn’t really play my game anymore. This was really evident on serve. The power level just got so uncontrollable that I had to start hitting spin serves for first serves, which is no bueno.

Control: 85 - Despite the soft feel, this Element Rough is a very good control string, provided I am within the 4 hour mark. It had a low launch angle, which I really value because it makes me feel like I can place aggressive shots with confidence – without worry that the ball will launch and fly long/wide.

Overall: 80 – I have to think there is something to the multi-mono construction of Element Rough that makes the feel of this string so satisfying. For my game, Luxilon succeeded in creating a lively, yet comfortable string with the best feel of any string this side of VS Gut. The biggest takeaway for me for Element Rough is the beautiful ball pocketing/dwell time and exceptional comfort. If I had the time and money to restring my racquet every 4-6 hours, I would make the switch today - without hesitation. My question is, if Luxilon can make a string that is plush and crisp, comfortable yet controlled - why can’t other manufacturers do the same thing?

Compare to string used most often: I had a few exchanges with another TT playtester who also uses Black Code 4S 17, and we both agreed that Element Rough is superior in every way except playability duration. The spin and control are similar to BC4S 17, but the power and feel are off-the-charts better. The only issue is relatively short playability duration.

List any additional thoughts (optional): Overall, this was a super fun playtest – thanks to @TW Staff and Luxilon for the opportunity. Looking forward to the next one!

 

[haqq777]

Review: Luxilon Element Rough 1.30

Tension(s) used for playtest: 50 lbs

Regular string set up: RS Lyon 1.25mm

Racquet used for test: Angell Custom TC100 (332grams, 6pts HL strung)

Power of test string: Definitely on the powerful side compared to other Luxilon offerings such as ALU, BBO and 4G. I thought it was quite a lively string (just like regular Luxilon Element) immediately as I started hitting.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Felt quite muted and soft. Not at all like ALU and ALU Rough which feel crisper, or most other Luxilon offerings. I had good dwell time on string bed and very nice ball pocketing as well.

Spin: Found it lacking in this department. It is definitely better than regular Luxilon Element in spin, but overall, not its forte. Certainly no match for other spin oriented polys like say Hyper-G, RPM Blast or Cyclone.

Comfort: This is where this string stood out. It was extremly comfortable but not mushy. For a poly string, it played very soft. I would not hesitate to recommend stringing tighter (even though I don't like poly strung at high tensions) and that too in a full bed.

Durability: No issues with durability. I typically have no problems in breaking any strings thicker than 17G and this seemed to do ok. I had to cut it out after 6 hours as the magic was gone and I knew string had died. I did do heavy hitting in those first 6 hours or so that included drills, free hitting and match play. For a string that is soft like this, it held its own in durability.

Playability Duration (did feel/comfort decline over time?): Definitely typical Luxilon string in that department. Not good. I get 8-10 hours from other polys but just like ALU and regular Element, this string was only good for first 4-5 hours. The performance of the string stayed pretty even right until the 4 hour mark. Then, I started spraying balls and everything started going long. The string lost its magic. By the 5th hour I knew it was gone. I played another hour to make sure, and cut it out at exact 6th hour.

Control: I found the control to be excellent on groundstrokes and serves for the first 4 hours. After that the balls started going long and I had to adjust. The shot trajectory was very consistent and predictable in the first few hours and I found that it was easy to take big swings and keep ball deep. Played similar to regular Luxilon Element which I thought was also great in control department.

Compare to the string used most often: I have used a wide variety of strings in my tennis life, and these days I am using RS Lyon in my Angell racquets. I found Luxilon Element Rough to be quite a bit more lively than RS Lyon. Comfort, spin and control, while great, were lacking compared to LS Lyon as well.

List any additional thoughts (optional):
A few observations:

1. I string my own racquets most of the time using a basic drop weight and I found Luxilon Element Rough easier to string compared to most, as it is soft and did not kink when stringing.

2. Nice balance of power, control and comfort. Softer and marginally more spin than regular Element. All other attribues were very similar to regular Element.

3. For first time users coming from low powered polys, I will also recommend stringing this string couple of pounds tighter to tame the power and increase control as this is on the livelier side.

Finally, thanks @TW Staff for giving me the opportunity to playtest this string. I always appreciate it.

 

[tennisaddict03]

It's happened with ALU Rough too

Errr how tight are you stringing it? I've never had ALU Power Rough snap on me.

 

[MisterP]

Errr how tight are you stringing it? I've never had ALU Power Rough snap on me.

Yeah seems weird. I'm saying something is up with the gripper on the stringing machine or the grommets are worn out and cutting into the string. Or possibly the clamps are too tight.

 

[McLovin]

@MisterP and @haqq777, nice reviews. I have this sneaky suspicion that my review is going to be quite similar:

The James Dean of poly: plays great for the first 4-6 hours, then leaves a good looking corpse, as you have to cut it out before it breaks.​

 

[10sGearHead]

Will the string's ratings be in the database soon or can you post them? Stiffness, peak force, tension loss, power, etc.

 

[Nostradamus]

Review: Luxilon Element Rough 1.30

Tension(s) used for playtest: 50 lbs

Regular string set up: RS Lyon 1.25mm

Racquet used for test: Angell Custom TC100 (332grams, 6pts HL strung)

Power of test string: Definitely on the powerful side compared to other Luxilon offerings such as ALU, BBO and 4G. I thought it was quite a lively string (just like regular Luxilon Element) immediately as I started hitting.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Felt quite muted and soft. Not at all like ALU and ALU Rough which feel crisper, or most other Luxilon offerings. I had good dwell time on string bed and very nice ball pocketing as well.

Spin: Found it lacking in this department. It is definitely better than regular Luxilon Element in spin, but overall, not its forte. Certainly no match for other spin oriented polys like say Hyper-G, RPM Blast or Cyclone.

Comfort: This is where this string stood out. It was extremly comfortable but not mushy. For a poly string, it played very soft. I would not hesitate to recommend stringing tighter (even though I don't like poly strung at high tensions) and that too in a full bed.

Durability: No issues with durability. I typically have no problems in breaking any strings thicker than 17G and this seemed to do ok. I had to cut it out after 6 hours as the magic was gone and I knew string had died. I did do heavy hitting in those first 6 hours or so that included drills, free hitting and match play. For a string that is soft like this, it held its own in durability.

Playability Duration (did feel/comfort decline over time?): Definitely typical Luxilon string in that department. Not good. I get 8-10 hours from other polys but just like ALU and regular Element, this string was only good for first 4-5 hours. The performance of the string stayed pretty even right until the 4 hour mark. Then, I started spraying balls and everything started going long. The string lost its magic. By the 5th hour I knew it was gone. I played another hour to make sure, and cut it out at exact 6th hour.

Control: I found the control to be excellent on groundstrokes and serves for the first 4 hours. After that the balls started going long and I had to adjust. The shot trajectory was very consistent and predictable in the first few hours and I found that it was easy to take big swings and keep ball deep. Played similar to regular Luxilon Element which I thought was also great in control department.

Compare to the string used most often: I have used a wide variety of strings in my tennis life, and these days I am using RS Lyon in my Angell racquets. I found Luxilon Element Rough to be quite a bit more lively than RS Lyon. Comfort, spin and control, while great, were lacking compared to LS Lyon as well.

List any additional thoughts (optional):
A few observations:

1. I string my own racquets most of the time using a basic drop weight and I found Luxilon Element Rough easier to string compared to most, as it is soft and did not kink when stringing.

2. Nice balance of power, control and comfort. Softer and marginally more spin than regular Element. All other attribues were very similar to regular Element.

3. For first time users coming from low powered polys, I will also recommend stringing this string couple of pounds tighter to tame the power and increase control as this is on the livelier side.

Finally, thanks @TW Staff for giving me the opportunity to playtest this string. I always appreciate it.

RS Lyon has More spin than this string ? that is very disappointing. I really did think there was no way element rough could match the spin potential of strings like solico tourbite. element rough is dimpled out string where as tourbite is sharp razor edge like string

 

[Wldarsp]

Luxilon Element Rough 1.30mm (16g)

• Tension(s) used for playtest: 50lbs

• Regular string set up: Solinco Tour Bite, 16L (1.25mm), 50lbs (22.7kg)

• Racquet used for test: Wilson Burn 100S, Modified

• Power of test string: 80 – Luxilon Element Rough 1.30 mm is a very lively, high power co-poly that on occasion ventured into “Too Powerful” territory. However, I was generally surprised at how controllable the power was. The greater power wasn’t appreciated by returners of my huge serves and deep skidding volleys. Ground strokes were always deep with pace.

• Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?) Comfort 90 - This string is definitely comfortable and that is where it shined! I’ve been working through some shoulder tenderness (probably from my usual combination of stiff racket, stiff string, huge game) and this string offered “Best In Class” comfort with co-poly playing characteristics.

• Spin: 70 - I felt like the Element Rough 1.30mm has average spin for a co-poly. I could never get good hops out of kick serves, nor dip when hitting cross court angle ground strokes. I felt like this type of spin might be accessible in a 16L (1.25mm) gauge. I was surprised to find a higher amount of spin right in the center of the string bed. I had a few looping forehands that had hop and some backhand slices that stayed a bit lower. In general, the spin is not comparable to a shaped co-poly, or a co-poly in 16L or 17 gauges.

• Durability: 80 – After playing this string for 8 hours it did not break nor was the string in any danger of breaking despite beatings from my punishing ground strokes and serve.

• Playability Duration (did feel/control decline over time?): 60 - This string played great for the 1st hour, then died quickly! The string did not have any significant notching and continued to be comfortable until I cut it out, after about 8hrs.

• Control: 70 - I feel that control was average for a co-poly and at times control was an issue. I definitely had to dial back my big ground strokes to keep the ball inside the baseline. Also, I was never able to get pin-point passing shots. When playing doubles, my partner (that usually loves me because he gets to win so much) hated me after I left a few returns, and ground-stroke passes, a bit high for the net player! Not good.

• Compare to string used most often. Element Rough 1.30mm plays like a comfortable big round co-poly, not like a stiff, shaped co-poly.

• List any additional thoughts (optional): Overall 70 - I’m surprisingly pleased by this string and I would recommend it for 1st time poly users and advanced players looking to give their shoulder/elbow/wrist a bit of a rest. I am definitely looking forward to trying Element Rough 1.25mm. I could see using that string, at a higher tension, in a tournament. For a tournament however, I would need to come prepared with 6 to 8 sets of string to get me through Sunday. This typically isn’t a problem for most players since they don’t have my huge game nor win like I do.

Thank you Tennis Warehouse and Luxilon for this playtest! It was fun hitting with Luxilon Element Rough 1.30mm!

Pete "Not Sampras"

 

[RVAtennisaddict]

Tension: Element Rough 1.30mm @52lbs Mains x 52lbs Crosses

Regular String Set Up: Babolat RPM Blast 18 (1.20 mm)gauge @52lbs Mains x 52lbs Crosses

Racket: 2014 Babolat PureStrike 18x20

Power: For me this string is a mixed bag. The spin and pocketing really helped control my natural power (which is reported as high), but there were times in where the ball would explode off the racket. I think that I am usually close to the sweet spot, but it was like a sweet spot within a sweet spot. Most of the time the extra spin would help bring it down (albeit much closer to the back line than planned), but at times it was hard to control.

Feel: Despite the heavier gage (1.3), this string definitely had more feel to me. It pockets the ball so well that I felt like I was playing with my old Wilson Sting 85 or ProStaff 85 with synthetic gut. It really give my PureStrike a different feel.

Spin: Like the RPM, when the strings were new I had great Spin potential. Initially, all of my shots were falling inside the service line and it too some time to adjust both the launch angle and power to get the balls to fall where they normally do. After about 30 min the spin dropped a little, but stabilized. At that point I was able to adjust my launch angle and depth, to hit a very predictable and reliable heavy ball. Interestingly, the shots felt heavier to me but not my hitting partners.

Durability: For me this is where this string shined. The durability – i.e. consistency of play compared to a fresh string job, was excellent. There was some initial adjustment/drop in the strings in the first 30 minutes, but then the string seemed to stabilize and hold for the remainder of the playtest to date.

Play Duration: For me, this string helps it consistency of initial play much longer than any of the other textured poly’s that I have tried. I am about 8 hours into heavy hitting with this string at this time (singles) and it is still playing about the same as it did after about 30 minutes of play time. I agree with some of the other reviewers that this string seems to lose its tension a little faster, but it also stabilizes.

Control: The string because of the feel and spin associated with the string the control was high* except for that occasional shot that would seem to explode off the racket.

Compared to RPM Blast 18 (1.20mm): With the RPM Blast, for the first hour the string makes all kinds of noises like a dying cat and the spin is insane. Then the strings get a little less lively/dead and play the same for about 10-20 hours before breaking. I have stayed with the 18g RPM because I like the consistency from hour 1 to 10+, even though it is significantly deader. I guess if I was a pro I would restring every 1-2 hours of play. At this point, I will only use new strings for practice or when I am hitting very long and need to bring the spin in.

The luxilon “break in” is only about 30 minutes. I suspect that this is because it drops the tension significantly more initially and in amount, but maintains playing characteristics much longer. Being softer, I think I could increase the tension by 5lbs initially (maybe as much as 10) to make that better. I don’t think the string will lose the feel/soft feeling but may correct the trampoline power for the ultrasweetspot. I liked that the spin was maintained well out to 8 hours.


Other Thoughts/Intangibles: Unlike my RPM Blast or Tour bite (two poly’s like the most), and other textured strings I have tried this one did not seem to “wear smooth” or lose its bite as fast. For me the other textured poly’s I have tried seem to lose the spinniness (sic) after about 1 hour.


Conclusion: So it is very interesting. I like the feel and play with the Luxilon element Rough much more, but I find myself trying to over hit and tap into that power/spin too much which then pulls away from my consistency. I think changing (increase) the tension may help a little with this, and I would interested in trying a 1.25 if one is offered. It is a fun string. Playtest completed, but plan on playing with it tomorrow (or at least starting with it).

 

[martyr444]

· Tension(s) used for playtest – 65# M 57# C

·

· Regular string set up – 60# M Cyclone Tour 56# C Black Magic

·

· Racquet used for test – Prince Tour 100T ESP

·

· Power of test string – Just like the regular luxilon Element it packs a lot of power. I can control it with my topspin, but I have more flyers when I try to hit full power flat shots.

·

· Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?) – Very comfortable even at high tensions. It would be a good choice if you need some extra power and softness in a poly.

·

· Spin – Not much more than the regular Luxilon Element. It is more comparable to some smooth polys verses those that help to bring spin to one’s strokes.

·

· Durability – At the 5-6-hour mark it is notched to where it will break on any further use so I’m going to cut it out. It was getting harder for me to control after the 4-hour mark. If it wasn’t for the loss of control this would be considered very good durability for me as I break most of my strings well before this.

·

· Playability Duration (did feel/control decline over time?) – I can of answered that already. I felt more loss of control around the 4-hour mark. Over all feel didn't change much during the play test as it was just average for me in that area. I didn't need any extra break in time once actual play began after the initial warm up period of around 10 minutes.

·

· Control – Directional control was good. Heavy top spin was good and deep. Flat shots were somewhat of an issue when I went full bore.

·

· Compare to string used most often- This was the same comfort level as my normal set up. It was a little less spin and tougher to control on full out flat shots. I also felt the need to put extra spin on my serves to maintain control of the extra power. During the summer this string probably wouldn’t work for me because then the temps would bring on more power and more loss of control.

·

· List any additional thoughts (optional) – It’s a good string but not a great string for me. A hybrid setup may help control this extra power that I don’t need.


A big thanks to TW for the opportunity to test the string even though it may not fit my game at least with my current Racket.

 

[Red001]

This playtest completed by 12 years old girl playing full time academy tennis, top 20 ranking in Texas section (aggressive baseliner style).
I only added tension drop measurements.

Review of the co-poly string Luxilon Element Rough 1.30:
Gauge received - 1.30
Tension(s) used for play test - 43 lbs.
Regular string set up - 43 lbs, one piece stringing.
Racquet brand and model used for test - Wilson Ultra 100CV.
Power of test string - Low powered compared to T-1 Firewire 1.25.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) - Very mushy and soft. Constantly felt that I loose the sensation of the ball- no idea if I hit it heavy topspin or not.

Spin - Does not generate enough spin. Similar stokes with my regular strings produce higher clearance ball.

Comfort - Too soft. String moves a lot during play test and constantly has to be fixed.

Durability - The string seems to be average durability with notable notching after 6 hours of hard hitting.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) - Quite playable, tension dropped 7% after first 1 hour, with 15% drop after 6 hours of active hitting.

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) - Takes an effort to hit deeper shots, requires fast racquet head speed to generate more topspin, slices are good, serve is decent but lacking some energy.

Compare to the string you use most often - Compared to T-1 Firewire 1.25 this string loosing in power and feel.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) - I would recommend higher tension at 47 lb. for the advanced junior player. However I would replace after 10 hours of active play.

List any additional thoughts (optional) - The string was not appealing to me. I constantly was losing the sensation of the ball. The string is overall very soft and comfortable at the expense of the feel and sensation.

 

[QuadCam]

I'm surprised by all the "great ball pocketing" comments. I'm still in the midst of my playtest but I have very little sense of pocketing with this string. The ball feels lost on the stringbed and it rockets off the strings before I know it.... Especially during service returns.

 

[haqq777]

I'm surprised by all the "great ball pocketing" comments. I'm still in the midst of my playtest but I have very little sense of pocketing with this string. The ball feels lost on the stringbed and it rockets off the strings before I know it.... Especially during service returns.

That's very interesting. What is your tension?

 

[QuadCam]

That's very interesting. What is your tension?

48 m / 52 c on a constant pull.

 

[swfh]

initial impressions are interesting:
I dont usually play with this thick of a string - I've been hitting with 1.24 for the last couple of years. Hence I didn't expect much spin, even though it is a rough string. Was shocked to find that spin was there, but not the same 'grabbing the ball' feeling I am used to.

Feel was also kind of interesting. It's there when I'm hitting from the back, but not so much at the net. I guess we can call this pocketing, but I usually group pocketing and feel in the same category.

Otherwise, the string was soft while stringing, so I wasn't too surprised about the power. More thoughts to come in my final review

 

[M Pillai]

Luxilon Element Rough 1.30 String Playtest

================================================

• Tension(s) used for playtest
  • 54lb mains & 52lb crosses

• Regular string set up
  • Ashaway Kevlar 16 mains @ 56lbs and Topspin Concept Pure 17 crosses @ 48lbs
    Also goes around a lot of different stiffer polys in full bed
• Racquet used for test
  • BB Delta Core Melbourne 18x20
• Power of test string
  • Towards the lively/powerful side for a typical co-poly string. I tested it side-by-side with a non-rough version of Luxilon Element and is pretty much in the same breed for power. Pretty easy depth. I do not think there is a reason for folks who hit flat to go for the rough version instead of the non-rough version of element. But for folks who play mostly spin from baseline, but want some penetration out of the down the line flat finishers of short high ball, it does provide enough power (almost same as non-rough version).
• Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?)
  • It does provide a lot of ball-pocketing, just like the regular element. So it is definitely not stiff/muted. I wont categorize it as too crisp as well. Pretty comfortable for a poly, and takes a bit of time to adjust to the newly provided power/feel, if you are coming from a stiff poly. But once you give get the timing tuned in, it is pretty easy to play with. I still struggled with touch shots like drop-shots, and they mostly landed deeper than I wanted.
• Spin
  • The rough version is obviously made with spin in mind. It definitely provide extra ball grab and along with pocketing it does provide a lot of spin. In fact it felt a lot easier to generate high loopier spin. Some call this “higher launch angle”. The snap-back goes away pretty quick, but I felt like I could generate good spin at will, and had no issue of launching the ball long. But I do not think this string is made to compete with the spinniest strings. It is made to find the sweetspot for a majority.
• Durability
  • Some other playtesters commented that the string die pretty quick. I personally felt that the string did retain its liveliness even after the fresh strung period. I do agree that the snap-back was a lot more fresh out of stringing. But compared to some other poly strings which becomes too plasticky to play with, element did retain its pocketting feel and liveliness for a good amount of time. In summary even though it is not the same feel of the first hour after stringing, the string is very playable for the next 10 hours or so. I did not break the string after 12hrs of play, but had a good amount of notching.
• Playability Duration (did feel/control decline over time?)
  • Yes. It did.
    
    The first hour is a pretty different feel, with good snapback. I personally was still in catchup mode during this time.
    
    Hours 2-6 is good amount of loopy spin. Very different than first hour though. But I personally felt it peaks its good pocketing, spin, and playability during this time.
    
    Hours 6-9 retains a good amount of liveliness, and pocketting. Drastically reduced snapback. Spin and feel does reduce gradually over this period, and you can see some compromise in directional control. You may not want to take it to a tournament at this stage.
    
    Hours 9-12 probably stretching it. Still playable, and ok for casual hitting or sets. But may not give you the confidence for a serious match.
• Control
  • For such a lively string, it does provide very good directional and depth control. I personally felt not natural to generate shots which needed extreme depth control like, drop-shots using this string, but other than that I had no issue in general depth/direction control. It did pass my extreme short angle tests. Easy depth even when you are stretching/defensive. Deep volleys were good, but was not happy enough on my performance on the angle volley placements using this.
• Compare to string used most often
  • A lot more livier and powerful than the strings I usually use. Even though I like the peformance when in defensive situations, I felt like there was some lack of heaviness on the spin, on offensive play, compared to my usual strings. I am glad to recommend this string for a baseline aggressive player. It definitely is a fun string for me to play with, but with the wide selection available now, I probably may not chose this string as my daily runner, especially at this price range.
• List any additional thoughts (optional)
  • A very good performing string for baseline to baseline play. Excellent pocketing and spin. Very comfortable on arm for a poly. A good overall peformer for a large range of re-creational tennis players. Juniors will benefit from added power and penetration. I personally do not like the color of the string, but does give a unique look, personality and appeal. I did test the rough version side by side with the regular version of element, and felt like the rough version does provide a bit more ball-grabing and feel, but have retained most of the properties of regular version of element. Not the spinniest poly string in the market, but does a good job in finding that right trade-offs to make it usable for a good majority.

 

[Getting_Closer]

Luxilon Element Rough 1.30mm (16g)

My background: Solid 4.0 player, aggressive baseliner, tend to finish points at net.

• Tension(s) used for playtest: 52/50lbs

• Regular string set up: Gut/poly 54/51

• Racquet used for test: Prince Ozone Tour 16*18 modified to 12.4oz

• Power of test string: The string is relatively powerful for a copoly… It feels more like the poly/ synthetic gut hybrid set up to me. I occasionally struggle a bit with the passing shots as I am used to the gut hybrid set up. With appropriate preparation, my ground strokes were deep with pace, which reminds me the reasons why co-poly are popular among players.

• Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?) The feel is great for a copoly, perhaps even better than the regular Element. I think this is due to the way this rough version is constructed. If you look closely, you will see that the tiny portions of the string are crafted out to make it rough, which may also explains why it has similar power as the regular Element, if not more. Most of the rough version of any given poly string is stiffer than the regular, but not this one. The feel is more toward poly hybrid with stiff synth guts, not very crisp but not mushy either.

• Spin: Decent spin potential, comparable to my gut/poly set up. I suppose the stiffness of this string is lower than most of the shaped poly. Thus, you don’t see the crazy spin from this string. As I continued playing, the string gets loosened up, I had to adjust myself to brush the back of ball thinner and harder, in hope that the spin will bring down the ball. Overall, the spin potential might not be the best selling point of this string, even it has rough in its name.

• Durability: I don’t easily break poly, and I cut out the string bed when the poly string moves. For this particular poly, I feel that it has characteristics of multifilament… it gets stretched and loosened as I play. By 8 hours, it is just not that much of fun to play with.

• Playability Duration (did feel/control decline over time?): Somehow, it reminds me of M2 from Luxilon, but much improved. With M2, you lost control quickly and with no warning. The element rough is that it is progressing gradually.

• Control: It goes back to its playability. When fresh, it has great control as 4G or any other premium copoly, comfortable and directional. You can place the ball to exactly where you want to. Then, it gets loosened up, and the control is harder to get by.

• Compare to string used most often. It plays like hybrid setup with hard core synth guts initially, a much improved version of M2. Overall, 4G might be a better choice in all departments, except for liveliness and power. This string might be a really good choice for someone whom never played with poly and wants to try it the first time as it really shines in comfort department.

• List any additional thoughts (optional): You have to give credit to Luxilon. All their products look and feel high premium with class. The playability duration of most of their products may be another story, but they just look really good in the rackets and play really well in first a couple hours… Once again, thanks you TW and Luxilon for this fun play-test.

 

[jason n]

TENSION- 56lbs

REGULAR STRING SETUP- Volkl V-star 54m/52c

RACQUET BRAND- Dunlop 4D 300 tour

POWER- I read a few reviews before I strung this up and noticed that most people said it was a powerful string so I strung it a few pounds tighter than I normally do. Still at 56lbs it had a good amount of pop. I felt that I got more mph's on my serve and the ground strokes didn't need as much effort to generate power as my regular set up does.

FEEL- This string felt pretty good. I got decent response and was not stiff. At net I noticed I had better touch with this string.

SPIN- For me this string had good spin, on par with V-Star that I use. I could take full fast swings and was able to put enough spin to drop it in the court. My slice was low and fast, didn't float in the air long.

COMFORT- Was very comfortable, good dwell time. Off center shots were not harsh. Much softer than my regular string even at higher tension.

DURABILITY-Didn't notice any notching for the 5 hours I played with it. Tension seemed to maintain. There was some slight movement in the strings.

PLAYABILITY DURATION- Played the same for the 5 hours I used it. Slight string movement and the tension maintenance was good.

CONTROL- Being on the high side of power I think this string being the rough version definitely made the difference between balls flying out or staying in.

COMPARE TO REGULAR STRING- Way more feel and touch with this string. Power was nice but sometime to much and not enough spin. Maybe a higher tension would help with the power. This has better dwell time as well.

TENSION RECOMMENDATIONS- I would like to try again at 58lbs and see how it would be. 56 had just a little to much power to control.

 

[samprasbackhand]

• Tension(s) used for playtest - 55 lbs, strung at a local pro shop
• 
  
• Regular string set up - I'm actually trying out different strings and have found a lot of strings I like but not one I'm fully committed to yet. Some strings I've tried lately are Yonex PTP, Luxilon 4G, ALU power (20th anniversary edition), and Hyper-G. Out of those ones I like 4G the most for it's all-around playability. I'm looking to try other popular polys soon such as Cyclone, Cream, and Hyper-G in other gauges. So far I've been stringing all of them at around 53lbs. If I don't end up finding a poly I like enough to use full time, I'll probably go back to doing Isospeed pulse mains & PSGD crosses in the high 50's
• 
  
• Racquet used for test - Yonex EZONE DR 98
• 
  
• Power of test string - I definitely felt like there was a nice pop and very lively feel on the strings. I saw that the string had a high power rating on the back so I strung it higher at 55lbs but would go higher next time to tame the power even more.
• 
  
• Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?) - Very comfortable but had a nice crisp feeling that I liked a lot. As others have said you can feel the ball sink in nicely when you make clean contact with the ball. Definitely great for shots where you just have to make clean contact and guide the ball into the open court for a winner.
• 
  
• Spin - Solid, but a bit lacking compared to other polys. I generally play heavy topspin shots with high net clearance so I found that a lot of those shots were going long when playing with this racket. When that happened, I would slow down the swing which would result in short, attackable balls.
• 
  
• Durability - I got about 9 hours out of this string, which is not too shabby but I would prefer more durability considering the price of this string. I got about 3 sets in which probably accounted for 2 hours or so of play, and the remaining hours were heavy hitting and drill sessions. The string probably would've lasted longer if I had only been playing sets with it though.
• 
  
• Playability Duration (did feel/control decline over time?) - It took a solid half hour or so to really get the string dialed in, then it played very well for another 3 hours or so before I started noticing a considerable drop off. Shots became harder to control and the strings had to be constantly adjusted seeing as the strings weren't snapping back into place as well. The string remained playable at least for hitting sessions all the way until it broke, but I probably wouldn't have wanted to keep using it for competitive matches.
• 
  
• Control - For me, spin is control. So like I mentioned above, control is solid but lacking compared to other polys.
• 
  
• Compare to string used most often - I am still looking for my go-to poly, but so far my favorites are 4G or Hyper-G. I enjoy the additional spin and control I get from those polys and thus would prefer to play with those strings. Element Rough was definitely a very nice feeling string but would be very difficult for me to use if I am not dialed in and swinging with confidence. I like the string well enough to play with it but wouldn't make it my go-to due to the price point and fast loss in playability.
• 
  
• Many thanks to TW and Luxilon for the opportunity!

 

[El_Yotamo]

• Tension(s) used for playtest: 50/48 in my PSL (wanted to try it in my Six.One 90 but I didn't feel I had enough experience with the racquet to give a proper review)
• 
  
• Regular string set up: as usual, I don't generally have a regular setup. I like to try new things all time, especially poly/poly hybrids. Recently I was having a rough string playtest with Max Power Rough and Pro Line Rough and I also used the original Element in my nBlade 98 though, so I'll have decent comparisons to make.
• 
  
• Power of test string: this string is very powerful. I feel like I got almost more pop and launch angle from this string than from many of the syngut/poly hybrids I've tried. Really was hard to control at times, but it made things pretty easy at net and my extreme slides barely getting to the ball were easier than usual to control because I had a ton of power to work with in order to bring the ball back into the court.
• 
  
• Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): not really as soft a feel as it played. Not crisp really, but certainly not mushy. Comfort was great like any string, I've said before that my arms have had a month of full kevlar with no issues. Overall, it had that same response of the stringbed that rough strings often have, that feeling of the texture sliding up against itself.
• 
  
• Spin: an improvement over the original, although not quite to a high standard. Less spin than the other rough strings I mentioned above, and overall I'm used to playing more spin friendly setups than this (which sort of affected control, especially with how powerful it is.
• 
  
• Durability: same as the original. Both broke in about 6 hours. Not as durable as what I'm usually into but it's not bad either. Certainly better than syngut/poly.
• 
  
• Playability Duration (did feel/control decline over time?): tension maintenance and playability duration was a huge knock of mine on the original Element. It's pretty similar here, except the texture wears off as well so I was disappointed after the first couple of hits. Plastic deformation, increased inter-string friction, and decreased feel and string-ball friction are all side-effects of playing this string more and more.
• 
  
• Control: with the high power level and less than average spin potential, control was difficult on most shots. The exception occurred at net and on extreme defense, where the high pop would allow me to just direct the ball where I wanted it to go. Still, while my sliding and high level of defense are important to my level of play, being able to control the point and hit aggressive shots consistently are just as key to my game's success, and that element (pun intended) of my game was lacking.
• 
  
• Compare to string used most often: Element Rough compared to Element very much like Max Power Rough and Pro Line Rough compare to Max Power and Pro Line II, while Element Rough compares to those strings in the same way they compare to their derivative strings. Basically, compared to what I've been using, this string has below-average spin potential, tons of pop, and less durability, control, tension maintenance, and playability duration.
• 
  
• List any additional thoughts (optional): for those of you actually reading this, I'd recommend this string to players who don't mind drops in tension and playability, and want a soft-playing string that doesn't feel mushy and has lots of pop without high spin potential. Mostly, players who want to experience the world of polys, and especially textured ones with their unique feel, without sacrificing power and the ability to redirect pace flatly. I feel like serve-volley players could certainly enjoy this string, as well as players who rely on their opponents pace (as I do) but prefer to hit the ball flatly and without much racquet-head acceleration (unlike me) and try to get to the net by advancing up through the court throughout the point while using their opponent's pace to do so.

Thanks @TW Staff for the opportunity to playtest this string. I may not have given it the best review because I'm an honest reviewer, but I certainly enjoy these playtests each time because I love trying new things, especially when there's no preconceptions as a result of the fact that they're always fresh on the market and not much is known about them before the test.

 

[Nostradamus]

From reviews so far,, this is bit disappointing on the spin department. if I do switch, it will be because this seem to be very arm friendly poly

 

[M Pillai]

Again, I believe, spin is 90+% you and less than 10% string. I believe what really matters in practical world, is that the string should allow player to hit at full confidence, and that would generate maximum spin, for the right person. For the same reason, the optimal max spin generating string would be different for different persons.

disappointing on the spin department

 

[QuadCam]

Element Rough 1.30mm Playtest

• Tension(s) used for playtest

48 Lbs Mains / 52 Lbs Crosses
Used the JET method (48# reference tension) on the main strings
Stringer is an Alpha REVO with WISE Electronic Tension Head set to constant pull

• Regular string set up

Solinco Hyper G 1.25mm
44 Lbs Main / 48 Lbs Crosses
Same stringing method and machine as used on the Playtest String

• Racquet used for test

Babolat Pro Stock Aero Storm (2012 Painjob)
16x20 Pattern / 355 grm / 8 Pt Hl (lead in head, Leather grip, silicone injected handle, overgrip, vibe dampener)

• Power of test string

High Powered Poly! This is the highest powered poly I’ve ever played with. Fresh Alu Power can be powerful but this has a very fast repulsion off the stringbed. Knowing that this string had more power than most, I strung it 4 Lbs higher than my usual poly tension.

• Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?)

I think “cushioned” is the best way to describe Element Rough. It’s not soft or spongy, but it’s not crispy or stiff, either. It didn’t cause any arm pain, but I also got different feelings depending on how I hit the ball. On reaction shots, like return of serve, I had very little sense of what the string was doing. It felt like the ball just rocketed off the stringbed before I could impart direction. But, with more time to wind up and really rip a topspin shot, I could feel the ball sink in and come off smoothly.

• Spin

Heavy spin is my game of choice….Spin was solid on this string. During stringing, you can feel that slick Luxilon coating that Alu Power also has. That coating gives the string great snapback. Even after that slickness wears off, I could really get the ball jumping. I was able to get a lot of kick on serves even getting some upwards of 7 feet high. Additionally, I was able to hit some nasty dipping passing shots. I really liked driving slices with this string. They would be laser straight and just bite into the clay and not come up. I never worried about over spinning and floating a slice, either. Of course, the spin did diminish as the playtest went on but this is a sold spin string. Spin has always been a great Luxilon trait and Element Rough wears the Luxilon name well.

• Durability

I was have a hard time gauging durability as spin is such a big part of my game. I will notch every string in the 1st hour or 2 (exception being Ultra Cable.) Even though the string looked like it was sawn about halfway through by the 6 hour mark, it continued to play on. Snapback was diminishing as I could see the strings were getting a bit out of place after each rally. Nothing terrible but the usual as the string notched and interstring friction got higher.

• Playability Duration (did feel/control decline over time?)

The cushioned response of this string never wavered throughout the string test, once I was through an initial break in period. I think the tension maintenance is excellent on this string! It may be the best of any poly I’ve experienced. Usually, you get a sense of the poly dying and getting harsher. Element Rough keeps on going like the Energizer Bunny.

• Control

This is the most interesting part of the string. It was like a dual personality string. If I was swinging slowly (like in a warmup), I found the string had great control. Was soft and gave you easy depth on your shots. Once I amped up the swing speed, the string was very different. Flat shots were like rocket launchers….with no sights. I was spraying balls everywhere…..but rarely in the court. I played some of the worst tennis of my life when hitting flat with this string. On the flip side, major topspin shots were impressive, in power, control and spin. If I got caught late, forget it…I was losing the point. But if I got a sitter, I could do what I wanted with it.

Volleys were good. Punch volleys were powerful and deep. I did run the risk of overhitting them though, constantly. Also, touch volley, drop volleys and angle volleys were pretty sick. Hit one dropper than bounced backwards into the net. Great spin!

Serves…….another mixed bag for me. Flat serves were fairly weak (for me) but kicks and slices had great action. I was surprised by the lack of power on serves. Thought that might be the best aspect for this string, but it was one of my least favorite shots with Element Rough.

• Compare to string used most often

This is nothing like my usual Hyper G 1.25. Hyper G is a good all around string but isn’t the best at any one thing. Hyper G appeals to those looking for a deader poly with really good spin and low power. In my opinion, Element Rough is better suited to a player in need of power and depth. Perhaps a player with a slow to medium swingspeed. I can see this string being loved by both older players and rising junior players looking to transition to poly strings. Another area of difference was the launch angle. I found my shots with Element Rough had much lower net clearance than with Hyper G.

• List any additional thoughts (optional)

I really appreciated the opportunity to participate in this playtest. As a huge fan of Alu Power, I always look forward to new Luxilon products. Element Rough didn’t mesh well with my game, but I can see how it would be great for a large segment of the tennis population. I’m always looking to play first strike tennis. Grinding isn’t my game. Where Element Rough didn’t work for me was when my opponent had me on defense and I tried to go back at them with an offensive shot. Return of 1st serves was particularly awful for me when trying to hit through a return. I often wondered during this playtest what a really low tension (sub 40) or a high tension (60ish) would have done for my playtest. Perhaps, I strung this string up in the perfect sweet spot for max power and ball repulsion. I hope that someone went super low and someone went super high; I look forward to their reviews.

 

[El_Yotamo]

Again, I believe, spin is 90+% you and less than 10% string. I believe what really matters in practical world, is that the string should allow player to hit at full confidence, and that would generate maximum spin, for the right person. For the same reason, the optimal max spin generating string would be different for different persons.

Yes that is a very good point. This string's high launch angle coupled with the fact that even at full swing speed spin wasn't very impressive didn't allow me to get much rotation on the ball in general.

 

[McLovin]

Luxilon Element Rough (16g)

Background: 4.5/5.0, played D3 college (many years ago), Eastern forehand, 2-handed backhand

Tension used for playtest: 45lbs strung on a constant pull (WISE 2086) with a 10% prestretch

Fresh off the machine, it registered at 47lbs, which is close enough given that (a) I don't have a 'string factor' to calibrate against, and (b) there was a 10% prestretch, which normally results in a higher initial tension.

​

Regular string set up:

Indoor/Hardcourts: 17g Pacific Tough Gut main, 1.25mm YPTP crosses, strung at 54/52
Clay: 1.25mm Tecnifibre BLack Code 4S, strung at 48​

Racquet used for test: Fischer Black Granite Pro No 1

Power of test string:

It had an average amount of power as compared to my normal setup of gut/poly, but slightly more than my usual full poly setup. From the start I felt comfortable swinging my 'normal' swing, as many times I struggle to get depth in a full poly setup. Not sure if that's due to the added spin, or just the nature of a poly, but I had no issues keeping the ball deep off both sides, but still retaining decent net clearance.
​

Feel:

I fell in love w/ the feel from the very first swing. I had to do a double take to make sure I grabbed the right frame. Crisp yet very comfortable. No odd 'ping', no harshness at all. I could really feel the increased dwell time, as if the ball was stuck to the frame for an added second. Felt like I was hitting the sweet spot every time, which I know isn't possible (at least for me). I could easily find myself using this string in a full bed year-round.​

Spin:

My strokes are fairly flat, but I definitely saw an increase in spin. When I took a huge cut at the ball and saw its trajectory, I would think "well, that's 5ft out", and it would drop in almost every time. Kinda felt like I was cheating... Second serves definitely had a bit more bite on them.

One experiment I did was to play a set with my normal gut/poly setup, then another with the Element Rough (same racquet). Immediately I noticed my returns and serves were either clipping the tape, or going into the net. They seemed to have the same amount of pace, so I assumed this was due to the increased spin. Once I adjusted the swing path to give the ball more clearance, I was back to getting good depth & net clearance.
​

Durability:

Once again, I don't break gut/poly, so I'm not going to break 1.30mm full poly. The biggest concern will be playability duration as I'd bet my house this becomes unplayable well before it breaks, at least for my game.​

Playability Duration:

Unlike others, I didn't notice much of a drop-off throughout the playtest. 2 singles matches and 2 doubles matches, as well as a few hours of just hitting/drilling for a total of around 7 hours, and it still plays nicely for me. Maybe a slight increase of power due to the drop off in tension, but even that wasn't as bad as I had expected. The following photos are from (1) 24 hours after stringing, (2) after the first hit, and (3) after approx. 7 hours of play:

You can see there was a fairly large initial drop after just 24 hours (approx 15%), but after that, it settled in and stayed fairly consistent.
​

Control:

Again, unlike some others, I had no problems controlling the ball with this string. I never felt as though the ball was 'flying' on me, and my only issue was my one experiment switching between setups mid-match when I had issues taking the net out of play. Power was still there when I needed it, but I really had to swing badly to miss by 4-5ft or more. Volleys were 'spot on', and I was able to move my serve around with confidence.
​

Compare to string used most often:

While it doesn't have the feel of a gut/poly hybrid (really, what full poly setup does?), it is the most comfortable poly I've ever hit with. Compared to my Black Code 4S/YPTP clay setup, it is essentially better in every category, and I really like that setup.​

List any additional thoughts:

Really loved this string from the start. While I play full poly on clay, its really a 'price' thing as I don't want to burn through my gut quicker. But this is a poly I could use on all surfaces. My only complaint is that it is not offered in a thinner gauge. Hopefully they will offer it in at least a 1.25mm.

Having said that, I'm a convert...almost. I'm ordering a pack of the Element Rough 1.30 and a pack of Element 'regular' 1.25mm. I'm going to hybrid, using the Rough in the mains, to see if I can get over the thicker string mental block. I'll be heading to Florida mid-March, so I'll get a good test on clay. Really looking forward to hitting w/ some of my clay court specialist friends with this string (unfortunately, @mikeler is sidelined from knee surgery, so that will have to wait until the fall).

Thanks again to TW and Luxilon for the opportunity to playtest this string. You got at least one new customer from this...​

 

[mpournaras]

Luxilon Element Rough (16g)

Background: 4.5/5.0, played D3 college (many years ago), Eastern forehand, 2-handed backhand

Tension used for playtest: 45lbs strung on a constant pull (WISE 2086) with a 10% prestretch

Fresh off the machine, it registered at 47lbs, which is close enough given that (a) I don't have a 'string factor' to calibrate against, and (b) there was a 10% prestretch, which normally results in a higher initial tension.

​

Regular string set up:

Indoor/Hardcourts: 17g Pacific Tough Gut main, 1.25mm YPTP crosses, strung at 54/52
Clay: 1.25mm Tecnifibre BLack Code 4S, strung at 48​

Racquet used for test: Fischer Black Granite Pro No 1

Power of test string:

It had an average amount of power as compared to my normal setup of gut/poly, but slightly more than my usual full poly setup. From the start I felt comfortable swinging my 'normal' swing, as many times I struggle to get depth in a full poly setup. Not sure if that's due to the added spin, or just the nature of a poly, but I had no issues keeping the ball deep off both sides, but still retaining decent net clearance.
​

Feel:

I fell in love w/ the feel from the very first swing. I had to do a double take to make sure I grabbed the right frame. Crisp yet very comfortable. No odd 'ping', no harshness at all. I could really feel the increased dwell time, as if the ball was stuck to the frame for an added second. Felt like I was hitting the sweet spot every time, which I know isn't possible (at least for me). I could easily find myself using this string in a full bed year-round.​

Spin:

My strokes are fairly flat, but I definitely saw an increase in spin. When I took a huge cut at the ball and saw its trajectory, I would think "well, that's 5ft out", and it would drop in almost every time. Kinda felt like I was cheating... Second serves definitely had a bit more bite on them.

One experiment I did was to play a set with my normal gut/poly setup, then another with the Element Rough (same racquet). Immediately I noticed my returns and serves were either clipping the tape, or going into the net. They seemed to have the same amount of pace, so I assumed this was due to the increased spin. Once I adjusted the swing path to give the ball more clearance, I was back to getting good depth & net clearance.
​

Durability:

Once again, I don't break gut/poly, so I'm not going to break 1.30mm full poly. The biggest concern will be playability duration as I'd bet my house this becomes unplayable well before it breaks, at least for my game.​

Playability Duration:

Unlike others, I didn't notice much of a drop-off throughout the playtest. 2 singles matches and 2 doubles matches, as well as a few hours of just hitting/drilling for a total of around 7 hours, and it still plays nicely for me. Maybe a slight increase of power due to the drop off in tension, but even that wasn't as bad as I had expected. The following photos are from (1) 24 hours after stringing, (2) after the first hit, and (3) after approx. 7 hours of play:

You can see there was a fairly large initial drop after just 24 hours (approx 15%), but after that, it settled in and stayed fairly consistent.
​

Control:

Again, unlike some others, I had no problems controlling the ball with this string. I never felt as though the ball was 'flying' on me, and my only issue was my one experiment switching between setups mid-match when I had issues taking the net out of play. Power was still there when I needed it, but I really had to swing badly to miss by 4-5ft or more. Volleys were 'spot on', and I was able to move my serve around with confidence.
​

Compare to string used most often:

While it doesn't have the feel of a gut/poly hybrid (really, what full poly setup does?), it is the most comfortable poly I've ever hit with. Compared to my Black Code 4S/YPTP clay setup, it is essentially better in every category, and I really like that setup.​

List any additional thoughts:

Really loved this string from the start. While I play full poly on clay, its really a 'price' thing as I don't want to burn through my gut quicker. But this is a poly I could use on all surfaces. My only complaint is that it is not offered in a thinner gauge. Hopefully they will offer it in at least a 1.25mm.

Having said that, I'm a convert...almost. I'm ordering a pack of the Element Rough 1.30 and a pack of Element 'regular' 1.25mm. I'm going to hybrid, using the Rough in the mains, to see if I can get over the thicker string mental block. I'll be heading to Florida mid-March, so I'll get a good test on clay. Really looking forward to hitting w/ some of my clay court specialist friends with this string (unfortunately, @mikeler is sidelined from knee surgery, so that will have to wait until the fall).

Thanks again to TW and Luxilon for the opportunity to playtest this string. You got at least one new customer from this...​

Yeah I wish I pre=stretched mine.

 

[mhkeuns]

Luxilon Element Rough 16G Playtest


· Tension(s) used for playtest: 52lbs. Upped the tension a couple of pounds after reading the package with its power potential.


· Regular string set up: Usually full poly at 50lbs. Current string of choice – Head Hawk Touch 17G


· Racquet used for test: Babolat Pure Strike Tour


· Power of test string: The string provided ample power on serves and groundstrokes. The volleys had nice pop, even on slightly off center hits. I think the power level is somewhat similar to Prince Warrior & Volkl V-Pro.


The Luxilon Element Rough 16G definitely provided more power than my current string, Head Hawk Touch 17G.


· Feel: The feel is subjective, but I felt that it provided interesting feel. The first impression was that the string felt softer than most poly strings I have tried but still had that crisp poly feel. It did feel like the string did the better job of ball pocketing than other Luxilon strings I have tried. Also, loved the sound it created with Pure Strike Tour.


Of the Luxilon strings I have tried, it is close, but I prefer the overall feel of the Alu Power the most with its crisp (*yet not harsh), connected & ball-crushing feel. I also felt the 4G had the similar connected feel but was a bit too rough, and this string was in the opposite spectrum of 4G. It felt softer but still connected with familiar Luxilon feel. I did not find it mushy.


· Spin: This is somewhat interesting because I thought it was great for hitting heavy slices & drop shots when it was just strung. What was weird was that it did not seem to offer any more topspin than round poly strings without texture. However, it still provided a good amount of spin being a poly string.


One noticeable thing was that ability to hit topspin with control was evident, even after the string lost most of its life – where flat strokes and slices were sailing long but topspin strokes remained controllable.



· Durability: I was not able to break the string even after 10 hours of hitting.


· Playability Duration: First two hitting session with the string almost made me want to switch strings (*I mean switching to this string in all my rackets). It offered power and control on my flat forehand, which is the biggest weapon, as well as offering deep and heavy slices that were skidding off the ground. Though I do not try drop shots often (*almost never), I even attempted a few drop shots within 3 sets of play. It was around 2-3 hours of play of singles and about 2 hours of double.


Began with my third session with the string, I kind of felt that my flat forehands were getting a bit harder to control and had to pull back on my flat shots after a few sailed way long. The slice was still very potent. Though I did not notice more topspin on my groundstrokes, the string had nice power and control on my topspin shots. This was a leisurely played singles for around an hour and a half with around 30 minutes of rallying.


Around 8-9 hours of hitting with the string, I no longer feel confident in ripping flat forehands. The slices were floating and had to concentrate on not hitting long. Control was there for hitting topspin strokes, but I began to think whether I should cut the strings out. I was also having some issues with returning serves.


· Control: When it’s freshly strung, I think Element Rough 16G is one of the best strings available. Fell in love with its controllable power and nice feel. I felt confident enough to go after every ball due to having that predictable response and control. I just think it only lasts around 4-5 hours of peak playing time, and after that, it loses the effectiveness.


· Compare to string used most often: I really like the feel of Head Hawk Touch 17G. I really like almost everything about it, except for its durability. Just like Element Rough 16G, it loses the effectiveness after around 4-5 hours of hitting. To me, this is where poly strings really could improve.


· List any additional thoughts (optional): I thought Element Rough 16G was a fantastic playing string. If I were able to cut out the string after every hitting session, this would be my string of choice. Really liked the power and soft feel. However, if I could make a little suggestive improvement, I would make the feel somewhat of a hybrid between the Alu Power and Element Rough. I thought Element Rough 16G could use a bit of crisper feel.

Thank you TW & Luxilon for the opportunity to participate in this playtest.

 

[lidoazndiabloboi]

Background: I'm a 4.5 player with an all-court game. I utilize my speed to try to take the ball as early as I can, and move into the net whenever the opportunity is there. I took this string out for playtest 5-6 sessions.

Tension(s) used for playtest: 55lbs

Regular string set up: Solinco Tour Bite between 52-55lbs

Racquet used for test: Wilson RF97

Power of test string: The Element Rough is definitely one of the more powerful strings in the Luxilon lineup. It feels a little softer than regular Element, so the power level is not as high as the regular Element.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): Crisp and very comfortable. The thing I love about this string is the feel and sound right upon contact with the ball. You don't get this type of crisp feeling from 4G or ALU.

Spin: I feel my shots were more flat and less spinny. The trade off of having more power, is less opportunity for spin. For people that love a dead string at gives your lots and lots of spin, this would be the total opposite.

Durability: The durability seems right along the lines of regular Element, which I would get 5-6 long sessions with. I'm at session 7 now, and the strings are very notched, should be breaking soon.

Playability Duration (did feel/control decline over time?): By around the 3rd-4th session, the ball really started to fly off the strings. The dwell time was a little longer, and the strings were much less crisp. The comfort and feel level was always there but, controlling my shots became more difficult.

Control: The control felt great, when I was fitting flatter shots. The ball did not dwell too long on the strings, which made for pin point accuracy. When going for more spinny shots, thats when i would overshoot my target a bit more.

Compare to string used most often: This string definitely reminds me very much of regular Element, but being slightly more dampened in terms of crispness. This would be on the opposite spectrum of 4G, ALU, or RPM Blast. It feels closer to a multifilament, but without the constant string moving.

List any additional thoughts (optional): I loved the Element line but because of the durability, my pocketbook wouldnt allow me to use it. I had to substitute a much more dead and durable string like Tour Bite. But Element Rough, if the durability can last a little longer for me, I can consider making a switch to it. I'll probably try out the strings a couple more times at different tension before making a decision.

Thank you to @TW Staff and Luxilon for this great opportunity to playtest!

 

[Nostradamus]

When is this coming out ? should I buy this and try it ? I currently use solico hyper G 17G

 

[tennisreflectslife]

Review: Luxilon element rough 130

• Tension(s) used for playtest: 55lbs
• Regular string set up: 55lbs of Solinco hyper g in Wilson Prostaff rf97A, 57 lbs of Kirschbaum max power 17 in Angell TC97 16x19.
• Racquet used for test: Wilson Prostaff rf97A first edition(red and black)
• Power of test string: String has tons of power, actually too much for me. But if someone is just starting to try poly strings or want to hybrid a powerful poly with a natural/multi gut this can be a good option. Maybe some younger juniors? If they struggle to get depth with regular polys, this can help them get that depth a little easier. For me the problem was that power came because of a type of trampoline effect from the string. First I thought my shots were going out because of a higher launch angle from the string. But later I felt the launch angle is actually not that high, the balls just sort of “jumps” of the strings.
• Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?): The string feels quite good. It is soft but not mushy or muted, one can feel the ball quite well. This again makes it a good option for someone getting just into polys to try. There were no vibrations or shock which can be there quite apparently for some harsher polys (like RPM blast). Overall, I really cannot criticize this string in feel department. While feel can be subjective, I would say most people probably won’t complain about feel of this string.
• Spin: With this being a specific spin enhancing version, after the overall playtest I feel I kind of expected a little more. For the first 1 hour the spin was actually decent, but it deteriorated from then. And even when it was there, I had to work hard to find that spin. Maybe it was my strokes, as I like to go through the ball on most shots, I felt getting spin from this string required a thin contact with the ball. When I focused on brushing I could feel the spin effect version of the string, like it is on the ALU power spin version. But when my swing trajectory was not as steep spin was difficult to come by. But I distinctly know that I get more spin with the same swing trajectory with something deader like a hyper g. Another reason might be that I subconsciously stopped accelerating naturally into my swing due to the fear of balls going long. Maybe a thinner gauge of this string will be better in spin department.
• Durability: The string sustained over two weeks, so durability cannot be complained. Which is kind of expected as it is thick gauge. I also didn’t get several extended periods of hard hitting, but I still feel durability won’t be problem unless you absolutely crush the ball every single time. In that case this string is not a good option anyways.
• Playability Duration (did feel/control decline over time?): I think the soft feel sort of maintained over time, but the control definitely stared declining for me right from the second hitting session (so around after 1.5 hours). And it kept getting worse, with me not wanting to play with it after 6-7 hours. Maybe people can string it tighter than their usual setup to get more playability duration? I also feel the playability duration of this string will depend on who is playing with it. Someone who doesn’t hit that hard or has very spinny shots will probably find it do well in this department, so good string for juniors again. For me the control was a problem with this string from ball one, so I knew it was going to be challenge in this department.
• Control: As I have mentioned above, this string lacked control for me from the beginning. But I think this might not be the case for everyone. People who don’t always play with very dead polys should not have as much of an issue here.
• Compare to string used most often: I tried this string in rf97A, on which I usually put hyper g. With hyper g I get more spin and because it is deader I can go all out on flatter shots too and ball doesn’t fly that much. I also really like ALU power, rs lyon and my current string kirschbaum max power 17 (which I use in my current stick angell tc97 16x19). Overall I enjoy the low powered polys more as they suit my playing style and shots more. People wanting a lively and comfortable poly with good feel should try this one.
• List any additional thoughts (optional): I think trying this string in a thinner gauge and/or lighter racket, will yield different (and for me personally, probably better) results. The thicker gauge and hefty rf97 wasn’t exactly conducive for racket head speed when I tried to brush heavily for spin production (high twistweight of rf97 hurts there too). And I had to rein in my flat shots, so overall couldn’t feel comfortable with this string. A fun experience nonetheless, and helped me realize why I like low powered strings again.

 

[bigserving]

Luxilon Element Rough 130 - Full Bed

TENSION USED FOR PLAYTEST - 45 lbs in both the mains and crosses strung on a lockout machine.

REGULAR STRING SETUP - The regular setup of Dunlop Black Widow 17 gauge, 45 lbs x 45 lbs also strung on a lockout machine.

RACQUET USED FOR TEST - Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 Tour 95.

POWER OF TEST STRING - This string provides plenty of power for any poly string using player. Also, like most co-polys, the power is very useable. There is enough pop off the stringed to employ an aggressive, power style of play. This co-poly string will not challenge natural gut or nylon in the category of power. However, the power level of this would easily fall into the above average range for a poly even in such a low powered racquet.

FEEL OF TEST STRING - Luxilon co-poly strings tend to run on the stiffer side. This string is definitely on the soft side for a Luxilon co-polyester string. This Luxilon product has a comfortable, useable amount of touch on every type of shot and has the feel of ball pocketing. The string has a soft feel but was not at all dull or muted. Good balance.

SPIN - The spin available is plentiful as is with most co-polys. For a spin oriented Luxilon rough style string, the spin potential of Element Rough definitely does not disappoint. The spin aspect felt even greater than some of their more popular strings and would be rated amongst the highest rated spin strings. The spin combined with the useable power and nice feel, makes it a very nice string to play with and will give players huge variety of useable shotmaking options.

DURABILITY - The strings did not break during the playtest. This particular test was for approximately eight sets of singles, plus practice, for about twelve hours of playing time over a twelve day period.There was an expected small amount of notching beginning toward the end of the test.

PLAYABILITY DURATION (HOW PLAYABILITY CHANGED OVER TIME) - Not at all horrible but this was the lowest performance aspect of this string. This Element string started off playing a little stiff. Then, a different feel seemed to settle in after a very short period of time. There was the normal polyester drop in tension during the first half an hour or so. The strings then offered consistent playability for a period of play time that was less than what I am used to and what I expected. After about eight to ten hours, the strings began to feel a little slick and a little spongy.

CONTROL - The useable combination of power and spin produce a high level of control. This set of strings had the usual great control that comes with poly and co-poly strings with the addition of the textured surface. That combination allows a player to have great control and shot choices hitting to and from every position on the court. This string offers outstanding control. It probably even offers pinpoint control for players better than me.

COMPARE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF LUXILON TEST STRING TO DUNLOP BLACK WIDOW - One of these strings may perform better than the other at a given tension, they may then grade just the opposite at a different tension. In general, the shaped Black Widow plays softer with a little more comfort, spin, and power but not by much at all. The Luxilon seemed to have a little more feel and they both have very similar levels of control. The least desirability of both strings is the limited playability duration with Luxilon getting the nod by a little. Both very good playing and quality strings.

LIST ANY ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS - This Luxilon string is quite a playable, control oriented string with very useable power. The string offers outstanding control. During the test, this string was begging me to hit harder in order to use the full range of the performance that it offers. I think that many types of players with different types of games will be able to make this string work for them. It is not weak in any particular area of play or feel. Polyester and co-polyester string technology is continuing its evolution. This string is following the trend of more balanced, well-rounded playability characteristics. It is my observation that strings are being produced that incorporate a greater cross-section of each spin, power, comfort, control, and feel, into the same string. Very good string that is quite easy to recommend.

 

[mhkeuns]

When is this coming out ? should I buy this and try it ? I currently use solico hyper G 17G

I’m not quite sure if it’s the right string for the racket in your sig. The string actually felt and played excellent, but I think it’s more suited for the player’s rackets with dense string pattern that could use more power.

 

[Pronate]

ALU Rough 1.30 Review

• Tension(s) used for playtest

45lb for both mains and cross

• Regular string set up

45lb for both mains and cross with Yonex Poly Pro 1.25

• Racquet used for test

Wilson Prostaff 95 (2013) 16x19

-modified with +4g (lead tape at 3 and 9)

-Tournagrip over leather replacement grip

• Power of test string

-Like most strings the first couple of hours, the setup was very powerful. It felt lively, and in addition to the freshness before any ‘dead poly’ vibes there was good snapback.

• Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?)

-As a co-poly this is very comfortable. The elastic like feel helps provide a lot of pocketing. I did not feel serious straining in my wrist when hitting closed forehands or any other wrist involved shot making. This is a big relief compared to the ALU Big Banger I used to hit with at 57lb! This string has given me a better impression of Luxilon offerings in terms of comfort.

• Spin

-Compared to the recent dead poly’s I have been using, these have an insane amount of spinning. This really helped the heavy I was not used to initially. I just had to adjust my swing path to utilize the spin more, but as some play testers and general forum members stated the swing path definitely makes the difference in spin. (it’s always nice though to use equipment as an excuse otherwise )

• Durability

They are solid in this department. There are not signs of wear or friction across strings. Their durability will definitely outlast their prime playability.

• Playability Duration (did feel/control decline over time?)

Having only played with the set for 4 hours, I thought the spin felt a little less evident over time. Given that I haven’t tested the strings for 10-15 hours. I will update my thoughts.

• Control

The control is the part of the playtest where the string does not really excel. Given how much action it gives, the string couldn’t have as big of a strength. With the spin action, I felt comfortable hitting deep around the baseline, but it felt harder to hit drop shots. My down the line forehand was not as consistent given the better preparation needed to set up earlier.

• Compare to string used most often

This string reminds me a lot like the Laserfibre string previously offered for playtesters last year. Both offered a lot of action on the ball while not having a whole lot of control. It is worlds better than the dead MSV strings I have been using (got to get rid of them, have a lot of reels)

• List any additional thoughts (optional)

I am honored to be part of a third string test. Thank you so much Tennis Warehouse for the opportunity to be part of this. Thank you, Talk Tennis, for making this possible! I would have to try this a couple more times in different tensions to see if it is a versatile string that I would buy in a reel. I still find it hard to find a string better than Yonex Poly Pro and Weiss Cannon Ultra Cable.


Have a great day everyone!

 

[RVAtennisaddict]

When is this coming out ? should I buy this and try it ? I currently use solico hyper G 17G

My thoughts vs Hyper G is very similar, little more pocketing with this string (despite thicker gage) and softer. I thought playable life similar.

 

[mpournaras]

I did not get to use this string as much as I would have liked due to vacation and awful weather. But here goes. Luxilon as we know is not always great after the first 5-10 hours. That is kind of why I was excited to try this string as I REALLY like the original Element. And I liked ALU but NOT ALU Rough... so I was wondering if this could get me to like it rough

Unfortunately, all opinions said here will be after really only one multi-hour hitting session.

Tension used for playtest: 50 lbs all around
Regular string set up: ALU Soft Hybrids (various multis)
Racquet used for test: YT Radical MP 18x20

Power: 8/10 in comparison to other polys. It is certainly a powerful poly. Especially for a thicker gauge. I almost never go thicker than a 17g but the rough crimpled factor of this string made me feel like I could handle it. Power-wise with the Lux strings I have hit with I would go in this order (From lowest to highest power):

4G... Adrenaline... Savage... ALU... Element... ALU Soft. With the rough version of each being slightly more powerful than the smooth counterpart.

Feel: It felt great. The rough strings always do pocket much better and feel "softer". I miss the comfort of my hybrid and I am sure this would feel AMAZING in a hybrid... as long as it lasted of course. I would say it is a very slightly more elastic ALU Rough. Nothing to hate here.

Spin: Enough for me. As a 4.0 player I wouldn't rate it any higher than ALU Rough or original Element. I think my strokes have maxed out their spin until I can get more racket head speed.

Durability: Didn't break it! I would assume it is slightly worse than the smooth version of the same string. It would simply EAT up hybrids though so maybe stick to full poly for this string.

Playability Duration: I do not have immediate off the stringer tension and after-use tension data.... but In my short time using it I experienced minimal playability decline. I usually use poly for a month or more and I would expect it to decline drastically by the end of this time. Perhaps I will update with more data in the future.

Control: 7/10 in such a way that if you keep even a decent low-to-high stroke mechanic you will be able to reign in the slight increase in power you would get from the rough version of this string. I suspect many people looking at rough string have such a stroke so I feel that you would be fine in that regard. My issue came with flattening out shots. It wasn't too bad... but I am used to dense pattern hybrids and when I hit flatter shots they really don't sail. This one i was missing probably a third of my "kill shots" that I went for. It could be other factors but I felt like I was swinging fine so I am going to chalk this one up to the string. Maybe it could be reigned in with a higher tension as this is a fairly comfy string... but having suffered from tennis elbow in the past I have no interest in going over 50lbs with any full poly.

With my moderate spin game and lack of playing time lately, I am very happy with the spin, durability, and most importantly tension maintenance I get with my hybrid set up. Even if I were to go full poly I think I would prefer the smooth version of this string in the 125 gauge. I tried it in an ai98 when it first came out and loved it. The comfort and feel I sacrifice going full poly just is not worth it in my eyes. I can simply sum it up by saying I like the smooth version more. It is more consistent and it would slot in better with my hybrid string preference.

I think this would work well with a talented junior who can afford to replace strings every 2-3 weeks. There were plenty of such kids in my hometown and I am sure they would love this string. So would their elbows. I look forward to seeing what Luxilon tries next though as I was very happy with the introduction of the Element formula in general

As always, thanks TW and thanks Luxilon. NO THANKS to the winter storms we have been having. These playtests are a great opportunity to try strings you would likely never buy just for the fun of it and I hope more people get to try fun stuff from TW in the future.

Y'all are the best