Tennis Warehouse Playtest: NEW colors of Yonex POLYTOUR REV!!!

[McLovin]

any guesses on how the different colors will play? taking into consideration on other strings that have multiple colors in their line up...

First hit tonight with the strings. I played 3 sets of doubles on clay, switching frames on the changeover. While it's still early, I'd have to say the White feels slightly softer than the Purple. Power and spin seem the same, but again: it was doubles. Rarely did I hit more than 2 groundstrokes in a point, so there wasn't much time to get a feel off the ground.

Serves seemed to have decent kick, and power was similar to my normal string. Volleys were atrocious, but that had nothing to do w/ the string. I have issues volleying in doubles on clay. My shoes may as well have been made from concrete...

 

[CosmosMpower]

I got to hit the orange rev in my VC95 playtest and it was decent but curious what the purple plays like.

 

[jmacdaununder2]

Purple Rev mains with YPTP blue - or YPTA - crosses.

 

[JOSHL]

https://imgur.com/a/CVrwmNb

Not much time with the white, 3 sets of doubles. They play very similar.

 

[mogo]

Strung my Blade v7 18x20 and I love the colors. It looks amazing!! Stringing was very easy and also I like the slick coating, it feels awesome hitting with the string. I am not sure if I will string another blade or a different stick. Hopefully I will decide in the next couple of days. Tension is 40pds and it is the same great feel and last time I used the Orange Polytour Rev strings. Thanks Yonex and TW!!!!

 

[tomato123]

I played with the orange poly tour rev today for the first time and it was pretty interesting. It "hits" a crisp ball and makes the sound of a crisp string, but the feel on contact is on the muted side so I liked it and disliked it at the same time. I hit quite well with the strings on a 2013 APD but just did not gel with it as much as I would have liked. Hope to get some helpful comparisons on this review thread if either the purple or white is less muted than the orange. Thanks in advance, and these talk tennis reviews are always appreciated.

 

[djNEiGht]

Purple Rev strung 1 week and White strung 1 day. I try and keep that in mind when playing them side by side in the VC95. Getting much more ball action with the white PTR. Will chime in more later

 

[McLovin]

Played three sets of singles on clay this morning. Heavy, heavy conditions. This is normally when I do poorly as I'm having to generate pace, and I prefer to feed off someone else's. Add to it that my opponent was a decent 4.5 who likes to chip a lot of balls short w/ not much pace (think early Federer, but at the 4.5 level), and I wasn't expecting much.

Surprisingly, I played really well. I did the same thing as my doubles, changing white -> purple -> white on the changeover, and didn't notice much difference between the two. They must be keeping tension similarly, as I haven't had any issues flipping back & forth. Getting good pace & depth off the ground. Serves were kicking up nicely, giving my opponent a tough time w/ his "chip 'n charge" style.

Two hits in and I'm really liking this string.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

.....
Two hits in and I'm really liking this string.

- sooo,, how's the string now??!
-i don't like the initial tension loss (first 2 days; noticeable like all strings!) but then it is a steady playing racquet
-any notable differences between the colors ??

 

[Yamin]

-i don't like the initial tension loss (first 2 days; noticeable like all strings!) but then it is a steady playing racquet
-any notable differences between the colors ??

I'm going to put my review up by this week, but I thought the white had excellent tension maintenance. I don't have a tool to measure, but didn't notice a dramatic drop at any point... even after first two days.

 

[McLovin]

- sooo,, how's the string now??!
-i don't like the initial tension loss (first 2 days; noticeable like all strings!) but then it is a steady playing racquet
-any notable differences between the colors ??

I'm going to put my review up by this week, but I thought the white had excellent tension maintenance. I don't have a tool to measure, but didn't notice a dramatic drop at any point... even after first two days.

I suspect my 'tension loss' timeframe will be slightly behind most as I'm literally using each individual string half as much, given that I'm playing 2 games, then switching.

To answer @1HBHfanatic directly, I haven't played since Sunday, but I am playing doubles tomorrow (Wednesday) evening, and I'm also going indoors (Ida is heading our way), so maybe I'll have an update.

Also, I am using RacquetTune to measure (a) fresh off the machine, (b) after my 1st outing, and I'll do (c) end of playtest.

 

[Znak]

https://imgur.com/a/CVrwmNb

Not much time with the white, 3 sets of doubles. They play very similar.

That buttcap! Very Gasquet!

 

[djNEiGht]

That buttcap! Very Gasquet!

@JOSHL even has a 1HBH

 

[djNEiGht]

Also, I am using RacquetTune to measure (a) fresh off the machine, (b) after my 1st outing, and I'll do (c) end of playtest.

I like that you put your RT screen shots in your review. I used to RT all the time but lately I forget that I even have it. It's a useful tool to monitor tension loss (according to RT).

I used to do
1-freshly strung
2-24 hrs/1st hit which ever comes first
4-1 week
5-after significant change in play or stings not snapping back
6-at end of play test
7-after every serve
8-after every winner
9-after every shot my partner missed

 

[McLovin]

6-at end of play test
7-after every serve
8-after every winner
9-after every shot my partner missed

Hahahahahaha.

 

[djNEiGht]

Hahahahahaha.

forgot one...
10-after strings are cut out

 

[Yamin]

Finally completed the playtest for White Poly Tour Rev. Thank you very much to TW for the opportunity!

I recently switched to the Wilson Clash 98 from the 18x20 blade and have found that this racket is very string sensitive. Some strings that may be good in other rackets are abysmal in this one. I have purchased 10 different strings to demo on this racket, and Yonex Poly Tour Rev was one of the sets I was very interested in, but didn't purchase due to mixed reviews and price.

The Clash really needs a string that provides predictable response and control. Two strings that work great in the Clash are Hyper G Soft and Wilson Revolve. I feel these strings have been used by most people (Hyper g soft has less spin/bite than hyper g to put it simply) so I will be comparing to these.

I found Poly Tour Rev was a very good string. Had seen some mixed opinions on it before but this is a great quality string that delivers in all performance aspects. I played for 9 hours with this string until I had to give my arm a break (temp dropped 20 degrees). 1 on ball machine, 6 hours of doubles, and 2 of singles with players 3.5 to 4.5 for the playing duration. I hit with heavy topspin and power with a low to high swing path and western grip.

String Color: White

Tension(s): 50 lbs. I strung this myself. The string was very smooth and the sides were not very pronounced. Very easy to string. The string reminded me of Wilson revolve but multi sided which is something I had been searching for.

Racquet used for playtest: Wilson Clash 98

Regular string set up: Hyper G Soft 16L 50 lbs

Power: I found this string to be lower, low-medium power wise. It has less power than Hyper G's, and about equivalent to revolve. I never had any problem with overhitting at this equivalent tension of 50 compared to my usual setup. I wouldn't say it had much pop.

Spin: Spin was high in this racket! I don't know who said this string isn't very spin friendly but on full or fast strokes I was getting those sharp dipping balls at the last second into the court. In doubles I had no issue driving it into the feet of the net player. or blasting a sharply dipping moon ball over the net player. People were having so much fun calling the ball out only for it to dive in from 10 feet high well into the baseline. Slice serve had extreme arc. I had numerous compliments on the level of spin. It was also pretty linear when considering the swing path to launch angle/spin ratio which I highly value in this racket.

This string does not give you the most however on lower swing speeds, digging up low balls, and backhand slice because the BITE is certainly much lower than most shaped/sided strings. I believe this might be what contributes to the "lower spin" people mentioned. It's better to think of this string as a Revolve + spin wise rather than compare to more pronounced square strings.

Spin was overall greater than Hyper G Soft and Wilson Revolve but lower than Hyper G when considering all swing speeds. Hyper G has easier access to the spin.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): On the first outing (which was the same day it was strung), the string was stiff and crisp. It later settled into a stiff and slightly muted feel. The feel was kind of like Hyper G soft but a lot stiffer.

This string was stiffer than HGS and Revolve by quite a bit. Closer to a Hyper G 16l/17 (but less "plastic"/muted than it)

Comfort: On the first hitting session the stiffness did cause some discomfort... I generally don't play with strings the same day I string them but wanted to have the frame of reference. As the play-test went on the string was more comfortable after some slight tension loss but nothing dramatic. This isn't too important as the string is a bit stiffer than my usual stiffness (low to medium). I definitely wouldn't consider this a "stiff" string, just higher than what I remember something like Cyclone being. This string didn't feel good on off center hits, which would be the primary takeaway. Comfort was lower than both Hyper G, Hyper G Soft, and Wilson Revolve.

Durability: I found these strings to be quite durable. I didn't find significant notching after the playtest. I would usually need a new set of Hyper G Soft much earlier. For this playtest I didn't really play against any hard hitters, but durability was well above expectation.

Durability was much greater than HGS.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): The playability of the string has been incredibly consistent. It was a bit stiff and crisp feel to begin with, then became a bit muted. I didn't find any issues with degrading spin potential, just the usual slight tension loss. With that being said, the tension stability on this string excellent. It was very linear, and suffered from very little tension loss over the week that I got my hours in.

This string had superior tension stability to Hyper G and Revolve. Hyper G loses more upfront while I found the Poly Tour Rev to be more linear.

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): This string is very consistent at this tension. I’m able to control the depth, spin, and trajectory on all strokes. Really enjoy using the ball machine to ensure control. I aim for both corners from all areas of the court consistently, and if I don't get past that I usually move on. The clash creates a very erratic inconsistent ball with some strings, but this string did not disappoint. The control was very high. Only place I had trouble was digging up lower balls due to less bite (and western grip), but this isn't really a control issue as it's my technique. Switched to reverse follow throughs to overcome this. For all other swing paths/shots the results were very linear with what you'd expect with spin ramping up and the shape taking the same form of your swing path. I was able to hit my spots with volleys but I have the touch of a giant when it comes to those..

Overall I'd consider the control between YRev, Revolve, Hyper G Soft, and Hyper G to be very equivalent, but they are delivered in different ways.

Compare to the string you used most often: Compared to Hyper G soft, I get much more spin at the sacrifice of bite. Launch angle is lower, stiffness is higher, durability is higher, and tension maintenance is better.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would go down 2lbs strictly for the comfort. I had no power/control issues but towards the end of the playtest our temperature dropped from the usual 90+ degrees to 70's and it's staying here. With the great tension maintenance I see no problem with lowering tension a bit for comfort.

List any additional thoughts : I had been wondering what a string like Revolve would play like if it had some bite/shape. I didn't know it already existed as Poly Tour Rev. If you've ever loved revolve and wanted a bit more bite/spin/stiffness/tension maintenance then this string is exactly that. The string gives you confidence, which for me is very important.

I highly recommend this string to advanced players who are looking for essentially revolve +. For lower game pace/swing speeds however, I feel there are strings that give you more for less (and that includes price).

Thanks again to TW for this forum and the play test!

 

[McLovin]

I don't know who said this string isn't very spin friendly

My findings from December were that "I didn't see a huge increase in spin", and so far that still holds true for the white & purple. But, to put it in context, my strokes are fairly flat, so I'm not expecting Nadal-like RPMs out of it. I think for me it was simply the branding of the string. Compared to my normal round poly, any increase in spin was negligible, but throwing 'REV' in name gives me the impression I'll see considerably more spin as compared to a 'non-spin' marketed string.

But, again, what would someone consider a 'huge' increase in spin? 10%? 20%? Because a 20% increase of 10 RPMs is only 12 RPMs... (I kid...my strokes aren't that flat, but you get my point).

 

[Yamin]

Compared to my normal round poly, any increase in spin was negligible, but throwing 'REV' in name gives me the impression I'll see considerably more spin as compared to a 'non-spin' marketed string.

But, again, what would someone consider a 'huge' increase in spin? 10%? 20%? Because a 20% increase of 10 RPMs is only 12 RPMs... (I kid...my strokes aren't that flat, but you get my point).

The string isn't too far from being round.. The sides aren't pronounced. What's your normal round string? I find BBO, Revolve, Lynx, Alu all to be good for spin. Rev has less penetration and more shape compared to those. I wouldn't call it a "huge increase" in spin comparing to those but spin was high.

 

[McLovin]

What's your normal round string?

Laserfibre Native Tour 1.25mm.

 

[tomato123]

Any word on when the new colors will be available for purchase? Only one online retailer has it as a purchase option in sets while another retailer has just reels. I have a few other things I’d like to order with this string from TW.

 

[mogo]

Decided to string up a Speed Pro with the white version to see how it plays. I also went up to 44pds as this is 100 sq. inch head size.

 

[McLovin]

As far as tension maintenance goes, these two colors seem to be spot on w/ the Orange. I just took a reading after my 6th outing, or approximately 12 hours (2 singles, 4 doubles), and they've both settled in around 43lbs (42.8 and 43.1). Starting to see a little bit of string movement, but they're still playing nicely. And I'm still swapping white & purple frames on my changeovers, so they're getting the same amount of play. I suspect I have ~ 2-3 more matches before the ball starts to fly on me.

 

[djNEiGht]

As far as tension maintenance goes, these two colors seem to be spot on w/ the Orange. I just took a reading after my 6th outing, or approximately 12 hours (2 singles, 4 doubles), and they've both settled in around 43lbs (42.8 and 43.1). Starting to see a little bit of string movement, but they're still playing nicely. And I'm still swapping white & purple frames on my changeovers, so they're getting the same amount of play. I suspect I have ~ 2-3 more matches before the ball starts to fly on me.

any notice on the differences in feel/pocketing? I played Friday with just the purple. Will hit again tomorrow with one or the other

 

[McLovin]

any notice on the differences in feel/pocketing? I played Friday with just the purple. Will hit again tomorrow with one or the other

I keep wanting to say the White feels a bit softer, but by the 2nd game after the switch, I can barely tell a difference. What I should do is get out on the practice court and hit one color for 10-15 min, then switch. Changing every two games, and focusing more on winning the point than how it feels coming off the frame, makes it hard to draw a real comparison.

But, if anything, the takeaway for me is: I can play w/ either color.

 

[JOSHL]

any notice on the differences in feel/pocketing? I played Friday with just the purple. Will hit again tomorrow with one or the other

For me yes. The white feels softer and more pocketing. And I strung it 1 pound higher than the purple.

 

[Injured Again]

Just back earlier today after 2+ weeks of no tennis, other than watching the US Open at night. Threw the laundry into the washer and started stringing up my racquets. Here's the end result:

Well, if you look closely, you can see **three** knots on the white stringjob, with two at the throat. The long and sad story is that I had pulled the string across my living room to measure the length and as I turned around to grab my yardstick, I whacked my funny bone into my stringer, hard. In a spasm, I kind of semi-threw the pair of string cutter pliers I was holding and the open end landed right on the string about four feet from the end, putting a pretty deep notch into the white set of string. After teaching my wife some colorful new words, and after the feeling had returned to my fingers, I decided to try and string it up anyway, hoping that the cut would be in one of the lower crosses and therefore not under a lot of tension. Of course, life is never that easy. I strung as I always do, one-piece using a universal ATW pattern. As I pulled tension where it was damaged, the string broke at the notch, leaving me one cross short from finishing the string job. So I undid the second and third crosses from the bottom, tied it off, and used the remaining four foot length to string those two remaining crosses. I used a starting knot on the outside of the frame and tied off on the opposite side on the inside at the throat. Not bad improvisation if I say so myself.

In any event, the purple string pack was 38'6" long and the white string pack was 38'8" long. When I had tested the orange PolyTour Rev, that was a 1.20 gauge and it was also during the winter of 2020 when the pandemic was raging and we were not allowed to play indoors. These strings are 1.25 gauge but it's much warmer than when I was testing the 1.20 orange PT Rev, so I strung it at the exact same tension: 48 pounds in the center eight mains and 44 pounds in the center five crosses, decreasing in tension towards the edges. Despite the funky two piece string job, the tension readings I got were almost identical. Right off the stringer RacquetTune said the purple string was at 44.7 pounds and the white string was at 44.6 pounds. I strung the purple string first and as it sat two hours before I finished the white string job, the tension dropped to 43.4 pounds.

While I was stringing, it felt like the purple string was a bit more supple and seemed to have a very slight bit more elongation when pulling tension. Both were very slick and weaving crosses was easy. There was minimal coil memory. The string feels basically round - the shape that is there is so minor it might as well be round.

I grabbed a ball machine to get back into the groove. Amazingly, timing wasn't too bad. I hit with both racquets, changing every 50 shots or so. Contact on the sweetspot feels identical - moderately crisp and a bit cushioned, with medium to medium-low power and a lower launch angle than I get with thinner shaped strings. In my 18x19 pattern racquet, it's more suited for flatter swing trajectories. There's not that sense of biting into the ball when trying to hit heavy spin. But since I'm just starting back in and was swinging pretty flat, both colors were immediately friendly to use and gave me very high confidence that the ball would do exactly what the swing puts into it. The response is very linear with both colors.

Kind of similar but also kind of different to what @McLovin and @JOSHL seemed to feel, I thought the white was a very little bit more muted but also a bit more harsh when missing the sweetspot. This was missing high on the stringbed, not where I had to patch the crosses, so the tensions there were identical. Overall, in my SW104, the purple string had a very slight edge in both being more crisp to counteract the Countervail, and also a bit more forgiving when contact wasn't perfect. The reality is that the strings are so close in feel and performance that it could have just been the wide range in ball quality that caused what I felt.

After hitting for about 20-25 minutes with each, doing groundstrokes, volleys, and overheads, RacquetTune now says the purple string is at 42.1 pounds and the white string is at 42.2 pounds. That's a loss of 2.6 pounds or 5.8%, and the two hour newer but two-piece white string lost 2.4 pounds or 5.4%.

The racquets will sit overnight and I'm hitting against live players tomorrow morning with new balls. It should be better test than against the widely varying ball machine balls.

 

[Yamin]

I thought the white was a very little bit more muted but also a bit more harsh when missing the sweetspot. This was missing high on the stringbed, not where I had to patch the crosses, so the tensions there were identical.

The off-center shock was my main gripe with this string. I'm having to switch to something softer for a few weeks before getting the purple in, but good to hear purple is a bit better.

 

[tlsmikey]

OK, Completed my playtest last night and want to summarize my thoughts.

I'm a 40+ year old 4.5 with a 7.5UTR. I play mostly singles but doubles as well from time to time. I have a full western forehand with a one-handed backhand. Game style is more along the lines of aggressive baseliner. I'm currently using a Yonex VCore 98 with Yonex Poly Tour Spin (pretty blue color) at 52lbs.

Let me also start off by saying that I am a very big fan of Yonex products in general and I probably own more than a dozen of their racquets between myself and one of my daughters (Vcore Pro 97, VCore 98, VCore 100, EZone 98..etc).

What color are you reviewing? Purple and the White
Tension(s) used for playtest Strung at 52lbs
Regular string set up Poly Tour Spin at 52lbs

Control/Power/Spin: OK, so I'm going to be honest here. In theory, spin is created through the strings sliding and snapping into place and/or through the shape of strings that help bite or grab onto the ball when you hit. Pulling these out of the package, you can immediately tell they are super slick. In addition, the package says they are shaped although I found it very difficult to feel the shape or roughness (especially compared to Solinco Hyper G, Tour Bite or Yonex Tour Spin). However, the slickness combined with the shape would make me think this is going to be an absolute spin machine.

Unfortunately, I have to report that spin was mediocre at best. The ball feels like it literally slides off the strings instead of grabbing them. Control was average as well. These strings feel like they have a bit more pop than I would normally like for a poly and I would say the power is on-par if not more than Hyper G. The biggest downside for me though is the lack of spin combined with an above average amount of power from these strings. If you hit fairly softly, the ball does come off the racquet very predictably, however the moment I cranked up the power I felt like I was not in control anymore. I could tell that spin was way down from me compared to my other string choices and when I switched to confirm it was immediately noticeable how much more spin I was getting from other string packages. Like I said "theoretically" this should be an absolute spin machine, but the reality didn't pan out that way for me. I suspect the edges are not defined enough because holding them next to Poly Tour Spin, it was much smoother and rounder.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?) I would say on the stiff side, but not uncomfortable. The first few minutes of the hit felt stiff, but they break in quickly and after a bit I didn't notice the stiffness anymore.

Playability Duration (did the string lose playability over time?) I played for about 10 hours with each string and I didn't notice any significant drop off compared to other strings. The initial break-in period was more noticeable but occurred very quickly. I would say they provide average to above average tension maintenance.

Tension findings (would you use a different tension next time? Why?) Maybe a pound or two higher due to the increased power

Additional thoughts? So, being a Yonex fan I really wanted to like these strings but I didn't find them to provide significant amounts of control nor spin. Forehand shots from me normally have a very large amount of spin due to the western grip, but when I started flattening it out a bit the control seemed a bit better. I suspect folks with flatter strokes may like this string more than those of us that utilize a lot of spin. Color-wise, I didn't notice much between the purple and the white. Perhaps the purple was a tad higher powered, but if you blindfolded me I doubt I could tell the difference.

The other interesting thing about this string is the sound. It has a very dampened and muted sound. Usually, you can hear the thump of a ball during the rally. The Poly Tour Rev is very quiet and almost makes a "hush" sound when you hit it.

Extra Credit: I had my daughter (USTA Junior, 6 UTR) hit with this in her racquet as well (VCore 98) and she had a similar feeling. The ball would fly on her when she didn't finish shots and the spin didn't impress compared to her normal string package (Tour Bite).

 

[Injured Again]

Hit this morning for 90 minutes and finished up against a 4.5/5.0 age group player. As I continue to get back to playing, I'm gradually transitioning back from flatter stroke trajectories to my normal strokes. I don't recall having this same problem when I was testing the 1.20 orange PT Rev, but both the purple and white strings don't have the grip on the ball that my normal S7T does. It affected me most when I was run out wide on the forehand and I tried to hit a loopy topspin shot back to stay in the point. On those shots, I'm trying for about six to eight feet of net clearance and not too much forward velocity, and the 1.25 PT Rev in my 18x19 pattern doesn't grip the ball well. I netted a few of those and the ones that went over were short and had little net clearance.

At the end, we played 10 points a side, twice, and so those 40 points were all with the white string. Serving was decent - there's enough pop to make flatter serves effective but second serves required aiming at larger targets due to less ball bite and lower launch angle. Spin serves I'd aim wide in the deuce court or down the middle in the ad court were faults wide to my left, and when aiming for the backhand corner on the ad side, the balls tended to land in the middle of the box. I wondered if it was just that I hadn't served in a couple of weeks so I pulled out my third racquet that has S7T and the launch angle change was immediate and significant. The flip side of a lower launch angle is that volleys are easy to accurately direct. The more muted nature seemed to make hitting short angles and drop volleys easier and I was able to do a couple of them with the string's feedback giving me high levels of confidence.

We were outdoors and there was a bit of wind across the court so hitting flatter was the way to go, especially with the harder adjustment I'd have to make on spinny shots with the low launch angle.

The purple string still feels a little bit softer and a bit more forgiving than the white string, though the differences are only noticeable in direct back-to-back play. If I were to just pick up one or the other and hit, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to tell which color it is. Tensions are so close they might as well be the same, and the tension loss between the two colors seems basically identical. Both have the start of some notching. It's kind of just beyond the point of denting of the string, and the start of a real notch caused by wear.

So after another 30-35 minutes with the purple string and about 55-60 minutes with the white string, RacquetTune says the purple is now at 41.3 and the white is at 40.9. That's a tension loss of 7.6% for the purple and 8.3% for the white. Both numbers indicate good tension maintenance, and a bit better than the 1.20 orange PT Rev which had 10.9% tension loss after two hours of play.

 

[Injured Again]

Played twice on Thursday. First in the morning was about an hour in practice competition settings, and I used primarily the purple string. Did some more extensive serving and point playing against the former #1 player at the largest D1 school in our state, who has been so kind the last couple of years to have taken me under his wing and has been helping me become more competitive. Because he can get me into trouble on basically any shot at any time, I was more tested playing defense. The very predictable nature of the string gave me confidence that if I could make good contact, that I could put the ball very close to where I was aiming it. The same was true when I actually had an opportunity to transition to offense. No surprises from the string at all. Just like with the 1.20 orange PT Rev, the 1.25 gauge is very linear in its response.

That being said, spin generation is still difficult. I found that if I accentuated the wrist lag and pronation through the contact zone, I could generate decent spin at the expense of some consistency. Any penetrating shot requires a more forward swing trajectory and more racquet head speed than would be required with a sharply shaped string like Silver 7 Tour.

Later in the afternoon, I hit with my son. I exclusively used the white string and here, the goal is to meet the ball in front and to counter the high ball speeds he generates. Similar to the feel when I was on defense in the morning, the predictable string behavior let me just put a smooth swing on the ball knowing that good contact would put the ball very close to where I wanted. If I were the type of player who consistently aimed for smaller targets, this string would be high on the list.

At the end, I switched to the purple string to see if I could notice any difference. I think because I felt the white string was a little more harsh in previous hits, I might be imagining that it is still a bit more harsh than the purple string. Any difference is pretty slight.

I didn't play today but I did use RacquetTune to measure the stringbed tension. After about 100 minutes with the purple string, it measures 40.3 pounds, a 4.4 pound loss or 9.8%. The white string after two hours measures 39.7 pounds, a 4.7 pound loss or 10.5%. This amount of tension loss is good to very good among the poly strings I've tested.

 

[Mischko]

while I'm not on this playtest and I haven't tried the new white and purple PTR, I wrote my opinion on 1.25 bright orange PTR elsewhere so I'm just pasteing it here, slightly edited. I was asked how the feel was with Poly Tour Rev:

well feel is subjective, I'm not that sensitive to "muted" etc, but I am sensitive to mushy, launchy, too much bite hence inconsistent launch angle. PTR will be a bit muted for some I suspect, but it has crispness to it as well. allow me to describe it as a well dampened and forgiving but still crisp string.

similar wording would apply to S7T actually, but they are not that similar. S7T is low powered and grippy, so while I like the control and feel, I also lack power and dislike the occasional high launch. for example, with S7T or other sharp strings if I try to return a fast serve with a blocked slice backhand it can land in the bottom of the net or long because it's not linear over the whole stringbed, just too grippy. if I try to pick up a low fast ball with a full hit, it can go into the net cord or long, depending on were on the stringbed I grab the ball. so then I hesitate and miss even more, or just bunt the ball back, but I'm not the kind of player that wouldn't attack the ball, so it's a no go.

PTR and many other strings are intentionally made not to be grippy but linear with a controlled launch angle. luxilon 4G, all head hawks, lynx tour, PT fire and pro etc are all linear in response and not launchy, you get a predictable trajectory so that you can swing mindlessly and without hesitation. for players who think they can't get spin with slick but not grippy strings, my advice is swing wider and hit harder.

both ALU and S7T were harder on my arm than PTR. I'm going to try them in the VC95 with a lower tension and in hybrids, element would be too soft for me, but S7T with lynx tour is very nice, but I don't have high expectations there. I swing hard, and VC95 needs it, and I can't just play with a lower tension, balls simply dwell and sink into the strings too much and I lose control so they fly out. even if I go for a lower tension sometimes, often I am regretting it already on the second session when I just want to cut the string out already, because by then it's too loose. that forces me to cover the ball more, or just brush up, then I lose the clean drive, which is the best VC95 has to offer - maneuvrability, precision AND punching through the court. usually if you get the latter you lose the former. best tension for VC95 with PTR for me is 25/24kg (55lb), summer temps, stock 311g racquet, no lead yet.

the fact that PTR is well dampened and has a well controlled launch angle but slick with a lot of spin and snap back, allows me to really stretch my take back on practically all shots, without a care how will the impact go. no harshness or stiffness, no unexpected high launch. that's very relaxing, especially on one handed backhand, and it's crucial for many modern attacking racquets, because they really require that you swing as fast as you can on practically all shots, because blocking doesn't really work below ~320g dry weight with a higher SW, you have to swing back fully even on most backhand slices and returns with a ligher racquet.

that high racquet head speed is the key factor why strings and racquets are getting dampening and flex these days. stiff impact at high swing speed is a no go for competitors, and good coaches wont even allow their players to play a stiff setup. they can profit from some defensive shots and blocks, but long term they lose because they can't freely swing with all they have. well, not without injury. so, stiff(er) frame with a forgiving string, or a forgiving racquet with a stiff(er) string.

VC95 is slightly stiffer and at the same time requires super high swing speeds, so it needs a well dampened/forgiving string setup. gravity pro is a forgiving frame, so you can string it with whatever string for example. both are frames that absolutely require that you swing with all you have. blade is not going to be stiff again for the same reason. stiff enough and stable in the hoop yes, but with flex in the throat or thereabouts, so when you put 4G in it, you can swing like a maniac. newer balls are all becoming dead and noticeably slow too, that also goes into the hard hitting equation as you just have to bludgeon them.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

........
That being said, spin generation is still difficult. I found that if I accentuated the wrist lag and pronation through the contact zone, I could generate decent spin at the expense of some consistency. Any penetrating shot requires a more forward swing trajectory and more racquet head speed than would be required with a sharply shaped string like Silver 7 Tour.
......

-agree here!!
-i also don't think this string gives you "FREE spin", it is a 8-sided string after all
-i think this is a bit better than a ROUND poly ,(for spin) but as you also point out, not as good as a 7, 6, 5 sided poly
-i do like its consistent predictable nature though
-the feel and power can be modified with string thickness and tension
-the color ways of this string are "sick!!"
-yonex continues to make good strings IMO/IME

 

[Injured Again]

I've looked at this string under the highest magnification my phone can generate and the shape is not well defined. It might as well be a round string in my mind.

I looked back to my review on the 1.20 orange PT Rev and I notched the string 50% of the way through after six hours. With these thicker strings in my 18x19 racquet, spin capability and launch angle when trying to generate spin have lowered to the point that I've kind of given up trying to put anything more than just very moderate spin so I'm primarily hitting flat. The strings are barely notched after a little more than two hours of play. After playing primarily with the purple string, RacquetTune now says 39.9 pounds and the white string is now 39.5 pounds. The purple string has 10.7% tension loss, and the white string has 11.4% tension loss.

I still think the white string is a little bit harsher than the purple string, despite it being a small amount lower in tension. I'm going to have my son play with them on Tuesday to see if he notices any difference.

 

[Injured Again]

I played a competitive match this morning using the white string. My patched string job let loose when I was up 40-0 and tried to hit a highlight reel putaway, only the ball had a bit of sidespin I didn't anticipate and I caught the ball right on the patched strings. The knot on the outside of the hoop broke the grommet and pulled through.

That was almost exactly half way through. I pulled out the purple string and finished the match. The purple string is a very slightly but noticeable amount softer and more muted, despite it having started the day a very small amount tighter. Once I switched, it felt like it had a very slight amount more pop as well as a very little bit higher launch angle.

First real chance to do a lot of serving with the string and I just don't have the aim down to hit a lot of spin. In general, slice serves miss wide and kickers miss towards the middle of the box - both indications that the launch angle isn't as high as I'm used to. Conservative aiming saved my second serves, though they just don't have the movement or bounce height that I can get from my normal string. Flat serves feel good. There's enough power to make flat serves feel worth going after.

So, the white string is now kaput, due to an error on my part prior to the initial stringing. The purple string has about 3-3.5 hours on it and RacquetTune now says 39.2 pounds, a 5.5 or 12.3% tension loss. That's very good among poly strings I've tried. The racquet that had the white strings now has my normal string in it - Silver 7 Tour strung at 48/43 which came off the stringer with RacquetTune measuring 46.6 pounds. I consider S7T to be among the best strings in tension maintenance so I'll keep track of it as I continue to use both racquets.

 

[mogo]

Trying out both versions still. I broke the white version today so will be working with the Purple version on my Blade. The strings played well but the last couple hours the strings were dead as they were about to break.

 

[Injured Again]

Got another two hours on the purple PT Rev, so now at about 5-5.5 hours. Launch angle is decreasing a little bit and it feels harder to get the spin levels that it provided when new. String tension according to RacquetTune is now 37.8 pounds, a 6.9 pound or 15.4% tension loss. The mains are now getting stuck out of position, although not by a large amount. Notching is nearing 50% of the way through the string and has accelerated the last couple of hours. Pulling a main out of position now results in it pretty much staying out of position.

Our club tournament starts mid-week and I've been playing with my normal S7T string as well. The differences are pretty stark. The S7T definitely has greater impact forces, both on the sweetspot but especially when missing the sweetspot. It has a crisp feel that is largely missing from PT Rev, and there is always the feeling that the strings grip the ball. The shape of the ball flight is different - with the same stroke the S7T ball goes a foot or more higher over the net, lands a bit deeper but still in, and bounces noticeably higher. On the flip side, the PT Rev is more linear. The ball speed matches racquet speeds more closely, and that sometimes and unexpected hot response when volleying a hard hit ball with S7T isn't there.

I have about two hours on S7T and RacquetTune says 43.0 pounds, a loss of 3.6 pounds or 7.7%. At roughly the same stage, PT Rev lost 9.8% and 10.5% for the purple and white strings, respectively.

My wrist definitely feels better after playing with the PT Rev, and now that I have a combined eight to ten hours on both colors of PT Rev, switching back and forth between it and S7T isn't as hard as I thought. The one thing that play with PT Rev has made me think about is if I want to try going down in tension for S7T to give me a little bit more cushioning on impact.

 

[McLovin]

Just had my last hit with the strings. Have approximately 8-10 hours on each color and they’re no longer snapping back. However…

Has anyone experienced an odd sound? I hit a few ground strokes in warmup w/ the white and it sounded as if my frame was cracked. I actually stopped hitting to take a close look at my frame. No visible cracks. I played the whole set w/ it, and while the sound wasn’t on every swing, it was certainly was noticeable when it happened.

 

[Injured Again]

Never had an odd sound but the impact noise is getting lower in frequency and has lost a lot of the higher frequency harmonics. I guess an accurate scientific description would be that it is now more "thuddier" than when new, and especially compared to S7T. It seems the frequency and more muted response with aging of the string kind of go hand in hand.

 

[McLovin]

Yonex Poly Tour REV Review

• What color are you reviewing?
  • Both white and purple
• Tension(s) used for playtest
  • 48 lbs on Wise 2086 w/ a 10% prestretch
  • String was very slick, and if I hadn't known in advance, I'd have thought it a round poly.
• Regular string set up
  • Laserfibre Native Tour at 54lbs (w/ 10% prestretch)
• Overview
  • For the playtest, I strung both of my VCORE 98 +s at the same tension, one with the White, one with the Purple:

​

To be consistent, I used the same tension as I did for the Orange Poly Tour REV playtest back in December. Up until my final outing, I played one color on one side of the net, and then changed to the other color during my changeover (my final outing I played 1 full set w/ each color). Almost all of my play was on outdoor clay, although bad weather did push me indoors once, and I did some drilling on outdoor hard.​

• Control/Power/Spin
  • Control: For me, the control with this string is like any other poly: when I committed to the stroke and accelerated through the point of contact, I found the ball going not only where I wanted it, but how I wanted it. Most of my play was on clay, so I was using more angles than swinging for the fence, and I felt quite confident with the string from the start. I had Paul Annacone consistently in my head saying "heavy shots to big targets", and it worked... No discernible difference between the White and Purple in the control department.
  • Power: Like the Orange I playtested back in December, I found this to be on the medium-to-higher side of the power spectrum. I'd like to say the White version felt a bit more lively than the Purple, but it's very slight. I was hitting serves with good pace, and ripping some good returns. From the ground I'm not going to hit winners, but on the clay I was able to hit strong enough shots to split sets w/ my good friend who's a 5.0. He even commented after our match that he'd been winning all summer fairly easily, but against me I made him work, and didn't let him get away with "pushing" the ball. I must say that I felt confident on my "serve + 1" points, which really isn't my normal style of play.
  • Spin: Again, like with the Orange playtest, this string is not the spin-monster the name implies. It's very smooth and slick to the touch, and the snap-back is definitely there, but if you're looking for something to really enhance your normal spin, this probably won't do it. I'd put it at the medium spin-enhancement level.
• Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?)
  • To me, this is the best aspect of the string. Looking back at my Orange review, I called it "muted, crisp, but comfortable", and I see no reason to change that description. I really gel with the feel coming off the frame. Also, I was slightly concerned how this would play in a VDM-enhanced frame (I did the previous playtest w/ the 2018 VCORE 98, but this one w/ the new 2021 VCORE 98)...I was concerned it would feel too dampened. But it really blends well w/ the feel of the new VCORE, maybe even better. If I had to pick one, I'd say the White is slightly softer, with a smidge more ball pocketing, but again, it is miniscule.
  • I have only had tennis elbow once in my life (failed experiment w/ 4G Rough), but I think there's even less chance of getting it with this poly. Absolutely no twinges or pain/discomfort of any kind after playing with this for ~ a month.
• Playability Duration (did the string lose playability over time?)
  • I got about 8-10 hours off each color. At that point, the strings stopped snapping back, which is my indicator that it is time to cut them out. They still "felt" good, but I was beginning to see a few shots fly long that hadn't been flying long earlier in the playtest. It could be (and most probably was) me, and not the string, but I've found it best to just throw in the towel once they stop snapping back. I suspect indoors I could get an additional 2-3 hours off each frame as high humidity + heat + clay courts are normally not a good combo for tennis strings in general.
• Tension findings (would you use a different tension next time? Why?)
  • I think when I use these strings again (note that I said 'when' and not 'if'), I'll bump up to 50 just to see how it plays. I've been increasing my tensions lately with these newer polys as they're softer, and I feel I can get a bit more control (allowing me to swing more freely). Not surprisingly, the tension numbers were quite similar to the Orange:

White REV (a) Immediately off the machine, (b) after my first hit, and (c) after 10 hours:​

​

​

Purple REV (a) Immediately off the machine, (b) after my first hit, and (c) after 10 hours:​

​

​

• Additional thoughts?
  • Once again I'm left with nothing but good vibes from this string. The feel is great, and power and spin are on par with what I use now. While I like the color choices, I'll likely snag a reel of the "boring" white (which really looks like an off-white or smoke-white to me) once I go through my current reel.
  • Hopefully there will be a Christmas sale of some sort this December

Thanks again to TW and Yonex for the opportunity to playtest these strings. Now I can have Yonex strings in a Yonex frame w/ Yonex overwrap...and a Sampras dampener...

 

[jmacdaununder2]

Thanks very much for the detailed but concise chronology; it’s been enjoyable reading. Going to have to try the purple Rev with purple Prince DSG crosses because of my golden rule: ‘Learn everything there is to learn about strings and then choose based solely on colour...’

 

[Injured Again]

Surprising, the purple PT Rev broke on me when I was practicing overheads today. It looked like a clean break that started from a notch, which is surprising because it wasn't notched that deeply.

I had somewhere between 6-7 hours on it. I'll post a review soon.

 

[Crimsonchen]

• To provide a little background, I am a 4.5 player who hits very flat balls. I'd say I'm an aggressive baseliner with a two handed backhand. I'm currently using the Vcore 95 (2018) and generally hit shots with a low trajectory that often clip the net. Over the last year I've had some wrist issues so I generally use soft polys and multis in a hybrid.

• I want to thank Tennis Warehouse and Yonex for allowing me to playtest this string!

• What color are you reviewing?
- Purple/White
• Tension(s) used for playtest
- 49 lbs. I generally use hybrids so I decided to tone down the tension for a full bed of poly. Also because I had wrist pain issues previously and didn't want to aggravate the wrist
• Regular string set up
- My string set up changes but have mostly consisted of Poly Tour Pro (Mains at 56 lbs) and Dunlop Silk Spin (Crosses at 58 lbs)
• Control/Spin
- I generally hit very flat for both the forehand and backhand but with Poly Tour Rev, all of my shots were dropping in with pretty good spin. For having strung my racquet at 49 lbs, I was thinking that a lot of my balls would fly long and that the launch angle would be much too high, but I was wrong. A lot of my balls were well in or hitting the line and the launch angle was not too high over the net so that was a plus for me. One thing that I noticed was that I had to swing full pace to create the spin, so at lower swing speeds, I felt that the control and spin was not all there. To bounce off of what some others were saying, I don't think this string bites as well as other strings but the strings slide very well with the slick texture. The volleys and serves were great with this string as well. If you're looking for a poly that really spins, I'd recommend hyper g soft. But the spin on this string wasn't too bad and was enough for me to hit deep shots. My volleys (the shot that I usually struggle with) were all dropping in and I felt that I could hit drop volleys easily or put away volleys with great precision. Serves were also great with this string as I felt like my serves had a good dip and side spin. On top of that, my serves did seem to have added pace with Poly Tour Rev
• Power
- I felt that this string was a low-medium powered string. If I wanted to hit deep, I'd have to swing a bit harder. Even at 49 lbs, I felt like the ball trajectory was pretty low compared to other polys I've hit with. Again, I do feel like I was getting a bit more power on the serve with this string.
• Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?)
- I'm honestly impressed with the feel of this poly. I gave up full poly a long time ago because of the wrist issues I had. Even though the package says firm, at 49 lbs I didn't have any wrist issues. It's actually a pretty comfortable poly in terms of stiffness. The feel was between muted and crisp for me as I was able to hit the ball as hard as I could without blowing out my wrist. Testing this string out has persuaded me to give polys another chance as my main concern for polys was the feel.
• Playability Duration (did the string lose playability over time?)
- At about 9-10 hours of play time, I did feel like my balls were starting to go long and I was losing a bit of predictability in my shots.
• Tension findings (would you use a different tension next time? Why?)
- As mentioned above, my normal set up usually consists of a poly in the mains, multi in the crosses at about 56/58 lbs. Having strung the Polytour Rev at 49 lbs, I honestly felt like I had a great amount of control on my shots. Some shots sailed long if I hit sloppy but all in all, I was getting great control at a lower tension than what I'm used to. I think next time I will take it up a notch to about 52-53 lbs but I felt like 49 lbs played solid, had great feel and control.


Extra Credit (for players who hit with both)
• Did you detect any differences in feel and/or playability between the colors?
- I didn't really notice a difference between the two. The White version may have felt a little less stiff, but both colors break in very well after initial hitting.

 

[mogo]

Broke strings today. Review soon to come. The purple Polytour Rev seemed to have more dwell time than the white version in my opinion after hitting and breaking both sets.

 

[Casper777]

@twe
When will those 2 new colors be available on TWE???

 

[flyfshrmn98]

What color are you reviewing? White and Purple

Tension(s) used for playtest: 50 lb

Regular string set up

Recently have been playing with black knight/velocity MLT hybrid in my Angell TC95 16x19. To preface playing style, I am a 5.0 all-court player with medium spin and power. I usually get 8-10 hours out of my hybrid setup and more for straight poly.

Control/Power/Spin

Both the white and purple were similar in these categories. I would say this has similar control and spin as most regular polys on the market. It almost feels round even though it is an 8-sided poly. Definitely less bite on the ball compared to my black knight, hyper g, and other sharper co-polys out there. I would say the power level is low to medium. Obviously, all of these are going to be racket, player, and tension dependent.

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

The string is listed as firm on the packaging and I would agree with that. I did feel that the purple was softer than the white. I’d describe both as slightly stiff, moderately comfortable, not mushy or muted. After about 30-60 min break-in period the feel softened up a bit and was more comfortable. I wouldn’t say either are harsh strings but I did start to feel it in my wrist and arm at the end, more prevalent with the white than purple. Could be that I played the purple first and then the white and it was too much poly for my arm since I’ve been using hybrid for a while. If you are used to playing all poly there should be no problem with this string.

Playability Duration (did the string lose playability over time?)

The snapback and feel of these strings was good for the first 3-4 hours then they started notching and not snapping back. Control started decreasing at that point. Tension starting decreasing at that point as well. At about the 8-hour mark the strings were significantly notched and dead on me so cut out at that point.

Tension findings (would you use a different tension next time? Why?)

As stated above, the tension starting falling at the 3-4-hour mark for me. Initial tension was fine and I don’t think I would change tensions if using again.

Additional thoughts?

Stringing with this string was easy for a shaped poly. It has a very slick coating and almost feels round like mentioned above. I wouldn’t say anything stands out or is special about the string and this isn’t a string for me.

Thanks for letting me take part in testing.

 

[ttgrinder]

Yonex POLYTOUR REV Purple 1.25 and White 1.25 review

white:
purple :

• What color are you reviewing?
  • Both purple and white.
  • I already had done a review of the orange color at the end of last year. So I will also try to compare with that when relevant.
• Tension(s) used for playtest
  • 54lb mains x 52lb crosses on a Wilson RF97
• Regular string set up
  • Volkl Cyclone17 54lb mains x 52lb crosses
• Control/Power/Spin
  • Spin : Excellent. Both white and purple provided tons of bite on the ball. I remember it was the same experience I had with orange. So there is tons of spin potential, and good dip on the high trajectory balls. If you have been using round polys, it may take a few hits before you get used to the extra bite provided.
  • Power : Excellent. Again I felt both White and Purple both oriented towards more power for a poly category string. I felt like purple provided a slightly more power, but they were really close. Easy depth, combined with easy short angles because of the spin was really fun.
  • Control : Good. There is good control on the shots, because of spin. But if you are more of a flat hitter, you may feel a slight lack of control, especially if you are used to more dead poly setups. But I think this is intended by design.
• Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?)
  • Above average feel. Fresh out of the stringing machine, both purple and white felt Crisp and slightly firm. Just like the orange in the past, both performed very well from the first hour. I think there is some more improvement in the touch shots on the new colors. I never felt anything spectacular on touch shots or volleys with the orange, but both white and purple, especially the purple felt really good on touch shots and drop volleys. Also some of those lazy shots, when you caught up not moving your feets, but used the wristy touch to get the ball in, felt great. There are no comfort issues with either colors, and both perform the same in comfort level.
• Playability Duration (did the string lose playability over time?)
  • Average. I find that the sweet zone of performance for both these strings are around the 8hr-10hr mark. White kept the feel till about 10hr mark before deteriorating rapidly, and purple started its rapid decline at about 8hr mark. Both had a steady decline of tension even before that, but it was not really affecting the game/shots till the 8hr mark. At around 12hrs both were not providing any confidence to take to any serious match. All the snap-back was gone by then. By that time the notches on mains ate though more than half of the width. I kept the white for a bit longer to see when it would break, but I was surprised that it did not break even at 18hr mark for me. But by then I lost all the confidence in the string, and ended up cutting it.
• Tension findings (would you use a different tension next time? Why?)
  • From the way it performed fresh out of the stringing machine, I wouldn’t change a thing (except in some crazy experiment mode). Just loved the way it performed fresh.
• Additional thoughts?
  • This was a really fun playtest. Really enjoyed hitting with two very similar strings and trying to pick any small differences from them. Overall, this would be a string I would definitely be happy to switch to, if I am getting a really good price on them or being sponsored . But I personally don’t find myself spending $20 per string pack to restring my rackets every week. I did buy another pack of orange, and that is when I found that these strings are costly. Yonex please consider making price point of these great string offerings attractive to a wider pool of tennis players.

Extra Credit (for players who hit with both)

• Did you detect any differences in feel and/or playability between the colors?
  • I tried really hard to find the differences, and to me the differences are very subtle. What I am describing is what I felt during the playtest, and since these differences are very subtle, I won’t be surprised if another tennis player disagrees with me.
  • Feel/Touch was slightly better with the purple.
  • Power purple provided slightly more power than white.
  • Playability duration and tension maintenance was slightly better with white.
  • Spin/Control felt the same for both purple and white.
  • Purple felt a bit more crisper than white fresh out of stringbed.
  • I generally liked the neutral look white provided, rather than purple strings on my racket, but I guess purple does provide a distinctive look.

Thanks a lot, Yonex and TW, for giving me the opportunity to be part of this excellent playtest. It was a really fun playtest.

Yonex POLYTOUR REV Purple 1.25 and White 1.25
TALK TENNIS STRING PLAYTEST

 

[jwocky]

Thank you @TW Staff and Yonex for such a fun play test of the Poly Tour Rev 1.25mm in White and in Lavender / Purple!

What color are you reviewing?
Both - white and lavender/purple

Tension(s) used for playtest
24.5M/23.5X in kg (~54M/52X in lb) - both colors

I had planned on using the Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 Tour (16x18) weighted to 365gm (12.9oz), balance 305mm (12 HL). However, to do the side-by-side I opted for the 18x20 4D 200 instead with similar specs. I had used the 16x18 Tour for the 1.30mm Orange YPT Rev TW play test of Fall 2020.

Regular string set up
Recently: 1.30mm Tourna BH Silver 7 Tour Mains/ Kirschbaum Super Smash Orange 1.28mm in my Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 (18x20, 365g, 31cm) at 23 kg M/X (~50.6 lbs)

Overall Rating of test string (added by reviewer)
9
I am already a fan of the 1.30mm orange and not so sure that I would personally change to the 1.25mm in any color. I played with both the colors white and purple in separate full beds, did not perceive significant difference in playing characteristics.

Stringing (added by reviewer)
9
Given the 1.25mm diameter, the shape is even less noticeable than on the 1.30mm orange. The Poly Tour Rev 1.25mm sets have a very nice feel out of the retail pack. They are supple, but flexibly firm, easy to handle, and a joy to string. The silicone oil infused filament (SIF) technology seems to work and I have become a fan of some other Yonex strings - PY Fire (round).

Control/Power/Spin
9
The temperature conditions were warm to hot from 85-95F during the play test. With the dense 18x20 95 sq in head of the 4D 200, there was plenty of control and power available on demand for the duration of the play test. Each racquet has 15 hours on it over the last month. I felt the strings played better with a 48 hour break in between outings versus playing consecutive days.

As with the orange, I feel the white and purple perform well from all over the court.

I could vary the spin generated by adjusting angle of attack and racquet head speed on a variety of shots from baseline rallies, forehand and backhand cross court short dipping shots, backhand slices, and forehand squash shots when pulled wide. The PT Rev, and Yonex strings in general, provide reliably consistent results. As noted in my play test notes for the orange, “the reward for controlled racquet head speed/swing path/racquet face angle of attack was deep balls with good power behind them that landed in uncomfortable positions for my opponents”.

Feel
9
These are super comfortable strings and more muted than crisp. There was no discomfort even in a week where I went overboard and played almost every day. Towards the end of the play test the string bed felt a bit softer, but not mushy.

Play-ability Duration
9
The playability during the first 10 hours was excellent. By hour 15 (with outdoor playing temp in the 90F), the string bed started to feel soft. However, it is still playable with a pretty consistent response after 9 hours of doubles and 6 singles.

Tension Findings
No, I would not string Yonex PolyTour Rev 1.25mm any lower in the same racquets as I fear control would be lost, and the string bed felt “dialed in”.

Did you detect any differences in feel and/or playability between the colors?
I was not able to discern any material differences between the playability or other performance characteristics of the two strings while on a court.

Additional thoughts
I am a convert to Yonex strings.

I will send a separate email to info@ about some inconsistencies in the PT Rev product pages.

Thank you again @TW Staff and Yonex!

 

[Daddy's]

• I've come to the end of life with these string so I'll post my review of the Yonex Poly Tour Rev strings
• What color are you reviewing?
• Reviewing both colors The white in my RS 300 so I can experience the feel of it while I play it
• The purple in my wifes Ripstick so that I can see how someone who’s game I'm familiar with hits with it. How does it affect their pace ,spin, volleys, placement, serves? There's a difference in perspective between what you think your shot is like and what the shot feels like on the other end.
• 
  
• Tension(s) used for playtest
• 52 in my 300RS and 55 in her Ripstick 300
• 
  
• Regular string set up
• I try lots of stuff. So far in the RS :Ice Code 17,Lynx tour 17,Lynx Tour 16, Tourna Tour 7,Explosive 17, SynGut17, SG/poly,Poly/sg, NG/Poly
• The Ripstick is newer just Lynx Tour 16
• 
  
• Control/Power/Spin
• The White had good control while playing in its tension sweetspot. A little harsh during break in but then great. As it ages it loses power causing me to swing harder for same effect and that leads to overswing and less accuracy
• I felt it was just about right for poly power in its prime but for me old poly is no fun and I dump it.
• Spin was very controllable. I tend to hit flatter and lower over the net but with a looser wrist, more brush up I could definitely get more height over the net and jump off the court.
• The Purple in my wifes racket definitely improved her game in all phases over what was admittedly tired Lynx Tour. She was immediately hitting with more power, spin and control to the point where it was irritating hitting against her. I did enjoy it when she was on my side though.
• 
  
• Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?)
• Very good Poly feel. Firm but not harsh. Not mushy at al. More to the muted side of things not what I’d call crisp. l found it to be a very comfortable poly after initial break in until it was exhausted.
• 
  
• Playability Duration (did the string lose playability over time?)
• All polys lose playability over time. I was happy with it for around 12 hrs. My wife who’s less fussy than me about equipment is complaining about hers at approximately the same hrs. It’s still in the racquets but it’s notched enough that the strings don’t slide well and click back in when you slide them back.
• 
  
• Tension findings (would you use a different tension next time? Why?)
• Tension was fine. I thought it was a little stiff, sweet spot a little small for the first 1-2 hrs but then felt great for the next 8-10 hrs. Then I lost resilience, feel and touch. They were still playable but lifes too short for old strings.
• 
  
• Additional thoughts?
• We’re lucky that there are so many good strings available that it is hard to pick one that is truly different. The Poly Tour Rev is a top quality string no doubt.
• Compared to:
• Kirshbaum Explosive: Rev has better Tension maintenance,maybe more pop,same stiffness and spin.
• Head Lynx Tour: Rev is a little softer, maybe more spin, same power,not as good at tension maintenance
• Tourna Silver 7 Tour: Rev is much softer, loses more tension less power much less spin

Like all Yonex stuff, these were top quality strings. Easy to string, fine in use, interesting Purple color. They are priced right at the top of the market with Babolat. I didn't, however, find any wow factor to distinguish them from many middle market strings.

Thanks TW and Yonex for a chance to playtest these strings.

 

[mogo]

Official Review
Yonex POLYTOUR REV Purple 1.25 and White 1.25
TALK TENNIS STRING PLAYTEST​

• What color are you reviewing? Purple
• Tension(s) used for playtest: 40pds
• Regular string set up: Solinco Hyper G 17 40pds
• Control: I love the control with this string you can hit out and not worry about directional control. It has a great feel and I never felt I was over hitting or that balls were sailing on me.
• Power: I would say this is a low powered string in comparison to a lot of other strings. It will not give you free power on contact, but more of a plush feeling as the ball absorbs into the strings.
• Spin: Spin is not something I noticed in comparison to Hyper G. I would say overall it is a flatter trajectory and if you know how to impart spin then you will be able to gel with this string as I did. I think the snap back is increased in the first 3 or 4 hitting sessions as the slick surface helps to slide the strings back. After it gets worn out it is harder to get that snappy feeling.
• Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?) Feel was definitely comfortable. This is one of the most comfortable strings out there. Just a solid soft feel without jarring or harsh stiffness. With Hyper G I do need a couple hours for the string to lose tension before I feel like I gel with comfort as the strings set. With PTR Purple it was plug and play so to speak. If you want a soft and comfortable feel this is worth the money. It absorbs on contact and you can relax and follow through with a smooth transition.
• Playability Duration (did the string lose playability over time?) After about 8hours you do notice a drop off in tension. Honestly, I liked it throughout the playtest. When the string is about to pop you do notice the string dies and get a little brittle feeling. You have to really swing with more intend to get the ball moving. I recommend cutting the strings out when this happens to avoid arm issues.
• Tension findings (would you use a different tension next time? Why?) I like the 40pds tension for a 98 sq. inch head size frame. I tried 44 with the white version and thought I should have stuck with 40pds.
• Additional thoughts? For stringers this is a great and easy string, but you will most likely have to clean your stringing clamps as I noticed after stringing the slick coating did stay on my clamps. I am not sure exactly what it is but if I strung frequently, I would clean after every 2 or 3 string jobs so the clamps would not slip. With all the PTR strings, when stringing this is just butter on the weaving and pulling. That slick coating makes it so easy on the fingers.
  
  Extra Credit (for players who hit with both)
• Did you detect any differences in feel and/or playability between the colors? Could be me but I liked the Purple better. I felt it was softer overall, but I did also string 4pds higher too. I absolutely love the Purple color and on the blade it just looks like a racquet the Joker would use to play Batman! Great color and because of it I will end up buying more. The white string was great and smooth too but felt a bit stiffer from my playtest. Overall, I don’t think you can go wrong with any PolyTour Rev string. It just is an incredible string if you want a soft and comfortable feel. After using the Orange, Purple, and White versions. I would say Purple would have to be my favorite.

Thank you to Yonex and TW for letting me be on this playtest. I loved using all 3 sets for my playtest. It was a great playtest and I really cannot say enough about this great string.