Tennis Warehouse: red co-poly playtest (Tourna Prototype)
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
thebigz
Semi-Pro
Color of string received: Red
Tension used for playtest: 38 lbs.
Regular string setup: Solinco Tour Bite 1.20 at 36lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test: Aero Pro Drive Plus 2013
Power of test string: The string has a lot of pop in low tension. The ball is shooting off from the string bed. Easy depth on my shots but at times its too much to contain. I feel like I need to put extra spin to keep the ball in.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): muted, dampened, comfortable. At low tension, I find trouble feeling connected to the ball. It doesn't give enough feedback so many times I don't know where my shot is going.
Spin: Average for a poly, does not grab the ball like Tour Bite does.
Comfort: Very comfortable for a poly. I have no arm issue or any jarring feel throughout the playtest. Superb comfort.
Durability: Not a sting breaker myself, so Durability = Playability Duration.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): Playability duration is above average for a poly. There's no noticeable change in playability toward the 10 hour mark for me. Again, at low tension less thing can go wrong. However, I do feel some lost of control and less feel from the ball.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): This is the area I struggled. I think I strung it too loose so that the string provides more pop than I needed. Also the muted feel of string offers less connection to the ball. Many time I don't know where my shots are going so I can only up the swing speed and hope the spin will keep the ball in.
Compare to the string you use most often: This string provides me with more pop, better comfort. The control, spin is less than Tour Bite and the string has a less direct feel.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would suggest stringing this at a higher tension. I can see it plays well at high 40s or low to mid 50s depends on the racquet. It has more downs than up at low tension and I think it will still be comfortable enough at higher tension with much crisper feel and more control.
I enjoyed playing with it. Actually on serves I don't have anything negative to say about it despite lack of control off the ground. Perfect power, spin and feel on first and second serves. I was booming them and this is what's keeping me using it.
Tension used for playtest: 38 lbs.
Regular string setup: Solinco Tour Bite 1.20 at 36lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test: Aero Pro Drive Plus 2013
Power of test string: The string has a lot of pop in low tension. The ball is shooting off from the string bed. Easy depth on my shots but at times its too much to contain. I feel like I need to put extra spin to keep the ball in.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): muted, dampened, comfortable. At low tension, I find trouble feeling connected to the ball. It doesn't give enough feedback so many times I don't know where my shot is going.
Spin: Average for a poly, does not grab the ball like Tour Bite does.
Comfort: Very comfortable for a poly. I have no arm issue or any jarring feel throughout the playtest. Superb comfort.
Durability: Not a sting breaker myself, so Durability = Playability Duration.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): Playability duration is above average for a poly. There's no noticeable change in playability toward the 10 hour mark for me. Again, at low tension less thing can go wrong. However, I do feel some lost of control and less feel from the ball.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): This is the area I struggled. I think I strung it too loose so that the string provides more pop than I needed. Also the muted feel of string offers less connection to the ball. Many time I don't know where my shots are going so I can only up the swing speed and hope the spin will keep the ball in.
Compare to the string you use most often: This string provides me with more pop, better comfort. The control, spin is less than Tour Bite and the string has a less direct feel.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would suggest stringing this at a higher tension. I can see it plays well at high 40s or low to mid 50s depends on the racquet. It has more downs than up at low tension and I think it will still be comfortable enough at higher tension with much crisper feel and more control.
I enjoyed playing with it. Actually on serves I don't have anything negative to say about it despite lack of control off the ground. Perfect power, spin and feel on first and second serves. I was booming them and this is what's keeping me using it.
Color of string received: Red
Tension used for playtest: 60 lbs.
Regular string setup: Softer polys 16G @ 60lbs (STBS, BW, CT)
Racquet brand and model used for test: Wilson Six.One 95s
Power of test string: Decent power, very similar to Cyclone Tour IMO.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Somewhere in between muted and crisp.
Spin: Average spin compared to other polys I've tried.
Comfort: Felt very comfortable.
Durability: The string seems to be holding up well. Minimal notching after 5-6 hours of play.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): String is still playing the same as it did the first time I hit with it. Tension maintenance seems to be fairly good and better than others I have tried.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): Control was excellent but probably because I strung it at a higher tension that most. I thought it was easy to control depth and change up the pace when necessary.
Compare to the string you use most often: This string seemed to hold tension better than a lot of the softer polys I've been testing.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would drop my tension down to around 56 lbs to accommodate for higher gauge of string and cooler weather.
Thanks TW for letting me test this string. I hope to be able to test more in the future. Love the red color!
Tension used for playtest: 60 lbs.
Regular string setup: Softer polys 16G @ 60lbs (STBS, BW, CT)
Racquet brand and model used for test: Wilson Six.One 95s
Power of test string: Decent power, very similar to Cyclone Tour IMO.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Somewhere in between muted and crisp.
Spin: Average spin compared to other polys I've tried.
Comfort: Felt very comfortable.
Durability: The string seems to be holding up well. Minimal notching after 5-6 hours of play.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): String is still playing the same as it did the first time I hit with it. Tension maintenance seems to be fairly good and better than others I have tried.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): Control was excellent but probably because I strung it at a higher tension that most. I thought it was easy to control depth and change up the pace when necessary.
Compare to the string you use most often: This string seemed to hold tension better than a lot of the softer polys I've been testing.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would drop my tension down to around 56 lbs to accommodate for higher gauge of string and cooler weather.
Thanks TW for letting me test this string. I hope to be able to test more in the future. Love the red color!
Color of string received: Red
Tension(s) used for playtest: 53/53 Strung on Gamma Progression ELS (CP)
Regular string set up: Solinco Tour Bite 18 @ 53/53
Racquet brand and model used for test: Technifibre 315 LTD 16x19
Power of test string: 6/10 Power was there, but has no comparison to syn or multi.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): This string was really stretchy on my machine, almost like some of Iso Speeds strings. It felt too mushy for me, but I usually prefer fairly stiff strings.
Spin: 5/10 I found the that the pin was average for ground strokes a round poly, but slightly better for serves. This makes me believe that I might not have enough racket head speed to take full advantage of what this string has to offer.
Comfort: 10/10 Very comfortable even for a poly, probably due to how stretchy the string was.
Durability: 7/10 There was some mild notching on the string, but I did not break it.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): There was a "settling in" period for the first 2 hours or so for this sting before it became stable for me.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): 6/10 I enjoyed how the string played at net and on serves as the spin was not there when I hit volleys and was there when I took a full cut at kick serves. Again, the string lacked a little for me on groundies as I usually use spin as my primary way to control the ball.
Compare to the string you use most often: There isn't much of a comparison here. This string was at the opposite end of the spectrum in almost every aspect compared to TB. They are geared to completely different types of players.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would keep the tension the same, but would use a machine pre-stretch next time to avoid the lengthy break in period.
Tension(s) used for playtest: 53/53 Strung on Gamma Progression ELS (CP)
Regular string set up: Solinco Tour Bite 18 @ 53/53
Racquet brand and model used for test: Technifibre 315 LTD 16x19
Power of test string: 6/10 Power was there, but has no comparison to syn or multi.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): This string was really stretchy on my machine, almost like some of Iso Speeds strings. It felt too mushy for me, but I usually prefer fairly stiff strings.
Spin: 5/10 I found the that the pin was average for ground strokes a round poly, but slightly better for serves. This makes me believe that I might not have enough racket head speed to take full advantage of what this string has to offer.
Comfort: 10/10 Very comfortable even for a poly, probably due to how stretchy the string was.
Durability: 7/10 There was some mild notching on the string, but I did not break it.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): There was a "settling in" period for the first 2 hours or so for this sting before it became stable for me.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): 6/10 I enjoyed how the string played at net and on serves as the spin was not there when I hit volleys and was there when I took a full cut at kick serves. Again, the string lacked a little for me on groundies as I usually use spin as my primary way to control the ball.
Compare to the string you use most often: There isn't much of a comparison here. This string was at the opposite end of the spectrum in almost every aspect compared to TB. They are geared to completely different types of players.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would keep the tension the same, but would use a machine pre-stretch next time to avoid the lengthy break in period.
Blade0324
Hall of Fame
I am a 4.5 player that plays mostly doubles. I rely on mixing things up on my shots and using different spins and speeds. I don't care for many of the popular poly's on the market such as Luxilon or any of the Wilson and Head strings. I prefer Volkl and Solinco in addition to my Black Mamba String.
Color of string received: Red
Tension(s) used for playtest: 47 mains, 49 crosses
Regular string set up: Black Mamba, 47-49 mains, 49-51 crosses
Racquet brand and model used for test: Head Prestige TGK238.2
Power of test string: Seems pretty average for a poly especially a 17g. I didn't find any real pop off the string bed with this if felt relatively dead from the beginning.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) I find this to feel dead and a bit mushy without very much feel of the ball on the strings or off the stringbed.
Spin: Spin was average at best, my normal hitting partner commented that my ball was not as heavy as normal. Not very good in this area for me.
Comfort: Seemed comfortable and didn't feel at all harsh to me but nothing exceptional here.
Durability: Broke this after 4 sets so not great.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) I found the string to be very consistent over the life before it broke. No decline that I noticed.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) Control was good with this. Predictability off the strings was good as well but not as consistent as most other similar poly's for me. performance on different swings was not very different. I felt that no matter if I went after the ball or was a bit more reserved the spin was about the same. As for variety of shots, slice seemed to be very good with this string. The ball really seemed to bite into the court. Volleys were lacking with this for me due to the lack of feel of the ball on the stringbed.
Compare to the string you use most often: I use Black Mamba as well as Volkl Cyclone Tour. This string did not perform anywhere near as good as either of these. Not as much pop on the serve, no where near as much kick on second serves. Topspin off both sides was lacking and feel was not good. This string felt very dead to me and I was not ever able to bring it alive in my game.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) Not sure that I would change the tension really as I'm not sure that would do anything to give this string life.
List any additional thoughts (optional) For me this string was lacking in excitement, life, spin and feel. It just seemed that it was a very flat string that perhaps would suite a flat hitter but certainly not someone that likes to play with spin and variety. Even if this string were to sell at about an $8.00 per set price point I would not buy it nor would I recommend it. Not a very good offering for me and I have tried many different strings in my playing career.
Color of string received: Red
Tension(s) used for playtest: 47 mains, 49 crosses
Regular string set up: Black Mamba, 47-49 mains, 49-51 crosses
Racquet brand and model used for test: Head Prestige TGK238.2
Power of test string: Seems pretty average for a poly especially a 17g. I didn't find any real pop off the string bed with this if felt relatively dead from the beginning.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) I find this to feel dead and a bit mushy without very much feel of the ball on the strings or off the stringbed.
Spin: Spin was average at best, my normal hitting partner commented that my ball was not as heavy as normal. Not very good in this area for me.
Comfort: Seemed comfortable and didn't feel at all harsh to me but nothing exceptional here.
Durability: Broke this after 4 sets so not great.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) I found the string to be very consistent over the life before it broke. No decline that I noticed.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) Control was good with this. Predictability off the strings was good as well but not as consistent as most other similar poly's for me. performance on different swings was not very different. I felt that no matter if I went after the ball or was a bit more reserved the spin was about the same. As for variety of shots, slice seemed to be very good with this string. The ball really seemed to bite into the court. Volleys were lacking with this for me due to the lack of feel of the ball on the stringbed.
Compare to the string you use most often: I use Black Mamba as well as Volkl Cyclone Tour. This string did not perform anywhere near as good as either of these. Not as much pop on the serve, no where near as much kick on second serves. Topspin off both sides was lacking and feel was not good. This string felt very dead to me and I was not ever able to bring it alive in my game.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) Not sure that I would change the tension really as I'm not sure that would do anything to give this string life.
List any additional thoughts (optional) For me this string was lacking in excitement, life, spin and feel. It just seemed that it was a very flat string that perhaps would suite a flat hitter but certainly not someone that likes to play with spin and variety. Even if this string were to sell at about an $8.00 per set price point I would not buy it nor would I recommend it. Not a very good offering for me and I have tried many different strings in my playing career.
Blade0324
Hall of Fame
I really enjoyed reading through the other testers reviews. While is seems like I am in the minority here in that I really did not like this string I enjoyed all the comments and reviews from different types of players. Confirms for me why there are so many strings out there so that we can all find something that we like.
Blitzball
Professional
I'm a 4.0 player who hits with 4.5 players with an eastern forehand, a one-handed backhand, and a decent kick serve. I like to hit a hard forehand and I use a lot of spin on my backhand.
Color of string received: Red
Tension(s) used for playtest: 54lbs
Regular string set up: Wilson Champions Choice 56lbs/53lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test: Wilson Prostaff RF97
Power of test string: Average. I couldn’t really discern any extra pop I was getting. Not as powerful as Cyclone Tour, but not as low powered as Big Banger Original. Definitely in the medium range. In the latter stages of the test, my shots started spraying a bit, but that’s expected with polyester. 6.5/10
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Fairly soft and muted. It’s a little crisp as well, but compared to Wilson Revolve (which is extremely crisp), it’s definitely more muted and on the soft side. There was an initial tension drop about an hour in where it softened up nicely. After about 6 hours of hitting, it started feeling mushy. 7.5/10
Spin: Average for a poly. Not as much spin as Revolve or RPM Blast, but more spin than a few other sub-par polys I’ve tried. I would have hoped for better spin generation, but it was okay. 7.5/10
Comfort: No comfort issues, and this comes from a guy who prefers a set up with soft strings in the mains due to the weight and stiffness of my racquet of choice. With some full beds of polys like Luxilon 4G and Solinco Outlast, my wrist started hurting, but I didn’t have any of that with this string after 8+ hours of hitting. Definitely above average comfort. 8.5/10
Durability: The strings are just now notching after almost 10 hours of play-time. I would expect nothing less out of a decent polyester string. 8/10
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): There was an initial tension drop an hour into the test, which was nice because it felt pretty stiff at first. Then for maybe 5 or so hours it was a steady and slow drop in tension until it started feeling mushy and my shots were spraying a bit and spin potency was just slightly reduced. This is not up to par with Lux 4G’s awesome tension maintenance, but it’s about even with RPM Blast and some other premium polyester strings. 7.5/10
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): No issues here really. I had no trouble with depth and unpredictable trajectory until about 6 hours in, but that happens with virtually every poly on the market. 8.5/10
Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to my gut/poly hybrid, this is obviously much stiffer, lower powered, and more spin friendly. It’s less forgiving comfort and feel-wise, though. Compared to the poly string I’ve used a lot of in the past, Revolve, this string is less spin-friendly, a tad softer and more muted, maybe a bit more comfortable too, but it doesn’t have as much pop. Overall: 7.8/10
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I liked the tension where it was at. I might try dropping the tension by a pound or two to get a little more pop next time.
List any additional thoughts (optional): Good polyester, but not great. I would absolutely consider using it as a cross string in a gut/poly hybrid if the price is reasonable.
Thank you TW for this playtest!
Color of string received: Red
Tension(s) used for playtest: 54lbs
Regular string set up: Wilson Champions Choice 56lbs/53lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test: Wilson Prostaff RF97
Power of test string: Average. I couldn’t really discern any extra pop I was getting. Not as powerful as Cyclone Tour, but not as low powered as Big Banger Original. Definitely in the medium range. In the latter stages of the test, my shots started spraying a bit, but that’s expected with polyester. 6.5/10
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Fairly soft and muted. It’s a little crisp as well, but compared to Wilson Revolve (which is extremely crisp), it’s definitely more muted and on the soft side. There was an initial tension drop about an hour in where it softened up nicely. After about 6 hours of hitting, it started feeling mushy. 7.5/10
Spin: Average for a poly. Not as much spin as Revolve or RPM Blast, but more spin than a few other sub-par polys I’ve tried. I would have hoped for better spin generation, but it was okay. 7.5/10
Comfort: No comfort issues, and this comes from a guy who prefers a set up with soft strings in the mains due to the weight and stiffness of my racquet of choice. With some full beds of polys like Luxilon 4G and Solinco Outlast, my wrist started hurting, but I didn’t have any of that with this string after 8+ hours of hitting. Definitely above average comfort. 8.5/10
Durability: The strings are just now notching after almost 10 hours of play-time. I would expect nothing less out of a decent polyester string. 8/10
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): There was an initial tension drop an hour into the test, which was nice because it felt pretty stiff at first. Then for maybe 5 or so hours it was a steady and slow drop in tension until it started feeling mushy and my shots were spraying a bit and spin potency was just slightly reduced. This is not up to par with Lux 4G’s awesome tension maintenance, but it’s about even with RPM Blast and some other premium polyester strings. 7.5/10
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): No issues here really. I had no trouble with depth and unpredictable trajectory until about 6 hours in, but that happens with virtually every poly on the market. 8.5/10
Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to my gut/poly hybrid, this is obviously much stiffer, lower powered, and more spin friendly. It’s less forgiving comfort and feel-wise, though. Compared to the poly string I’ve used a lot of in the past, Revolve, this string is less spin-friendly, a tad softer and more muted, maybe a bit more comfortable too, but it doesn’t have as much pop. Overall: 7.8/10
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I liked the tension where it was at. I might try dropping the tension by a pound or two to get a little more pop next time.
List any additional thoughts (optional): Good polyester, but not great. I would absolutely consider using it as a cross string in a gut/poly hybrid if the price is reasonable.
Thank you TW for this playtest!
tennis_nut
Rookie
Color of string received: red
Tension(s) used for playtest: 50 lbs constant pull
Regular string set up: Babolat RPM Blast 17
Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Pure Aero
Power of test string: medium powered for a poly
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): muted and a little mushy
Spin: average for a round poly, less than RPM Blast
Comfort: felt a little stiff immediately after stringing but was nice and comfortable by the time I got to hit with it (2 days later)
Durability: pretty durable, I ended up cutting it out before I could break it (around 8 hours of play)
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): I felt like it held tension well for a poly, it played pretty consistent for the first 5-6 hours then it got springy and powerful over the last couple of hours before I cut it out
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): trajectory was ok, the ball seemed to pocket more with these strings so it launched a little higher than I was used to but I adjusted to it pretty quickly, depth was easy to control as long as spin was applied, flat shots were a little unpredictable because of the more powerful nature of the string, the nice pocketing made it great for net play but I didn't like it that much for serves and groundstrokes because I like a crisper stringbed that shoots the ball out quicker for those shots
Compare to the string you use most often: this string held tension better and is probably less expensive than my regular string but I preferred my regular string more when it came to spin and feel
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would up the tension a couple of pounds to maybe get a little less pocketing and to get a crisper stringbed
List any additional thoughts (optional): Overall, I think that this is a good round poly that does everything well. It doesn't excel in certain areas but it doesn't disappoint either. Knowing Tourna, it is probably going to be priced pretty well so that in itself will probably make it attractive to lots of players.
Once again, I would like to thank Tennis Warehouse for letting me test this string. You guys rock!
Tension(s) used for playtest: 50 lbs constant pull
Regular string set up: Babolat RPM Blast 17
Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Pure Aero
Power of test string: medium powered for a poly
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): muted and a little mushy
Spin: average for a round poly, less than RPM Blast
Comfort: felt a little stiff immediately after stringing but was nice and comfortable by the time I got to hit with it (2 days later)
Durability: pretty durable, I ended up cutting it out before I could break it (around 8 hours of play)
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): I felt like it held tension well for a poly, it played pretty consistent for the first 5-6 hours then it got springy and powerful over the last couple of hours before I cut it out
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): trajectory was ok, the ball seemed to pocket more with these strings so it launched a little higher than I was used to but I adjusted to it pretty quickly, depth was easy to control as long as spin was applied, flat shots were a little unpredictable because of the more powerful nature of the string, the nice pocketing made it great for net play but I didn't like it that much for serves and groundstrokes because I like a crisper stringbed that shoots the ball out quicker for those shots
Compare to the string you use most often: this string held tension better and is probably less expensive than my regular string but I preferred my regular string more when it came to spin and feel
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would up the tension a couple of pounds to maybe get a little less pocketing and to get a crisper stringbed
List any additional thoughts (optional): Overall, I think that this is a good round poly that does everything well. It doesn't excel in certain areas but it doesn't disappoint either. Knowing Tourna, it is probably going to be priced pretty well so that in itself will probably make it attractive to lots of players.
Once again, I would like to thank Tennis Warehouse for letting me test this string. You guys rock!
Color of string received - Red
Tension(s) used for playtest - 48 lbs
Regular string set up - Babolat RPM Blast 16G at 48 lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test - Babolat Pure Aero
Power of test string - Above average power for a poly. It produced good pop with accuracy throughout the playtest.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) - It had a very good feel on the ball impact. With tension 48, it started crisp at first, then felt muted after the breakin.
Spin - Generated average spin for a poly. My regular set up definitely provides more spin.
Comfort - Very comfortable string. Even contacting the ball outside of the sweetspot didn't give harsh feeling on the wrist. No arm issue during the playtest.
Durability - Average durability for a 17G. String started notching during the second singles set.The string broke at the center of the frame after hitting for about 8 hours, same for most of the 17G poly strings I've used.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) - Great tension maintenance. After the breakin, the tension maintained the same throughout the playtest.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) - Excellent control with fast full swings. No issues hitting short angles with topspin groundstrokes to deep with flat groundstrokes. Volleying and drop shots were easy to control. Most of the serves went exactly where I've predicted.
Compare to the string you use most often - Tourna Prototype and Babolat RPM Blast both have outstanding control and feel.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) - No, I liked the feel of the strings at tension 48.
Tension(s) used for playtest - 48 lbs
Regular string set up - Babolat RPM Blast 16G at 48 lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test - Babolat Pure Aero
Power of test string - Above average power for a poly. It produced good pop with accuracy throughout the playtest.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) - It had a very good feel on the ball impact. With tension 48, it started crisp at first, then felt muted after the breakin.
Spin - Generated average spin for a poly. My regular set up definitely provides more spin.
Comfort - Very comfortable string. Even contacting the ball outside of the sweetspot didn't give harsh feeling on the wrist. No arm issue during the playtest.
Durability - Average durability for a 17G. String started notching during the second singles set.The string broke at the center of the frame after hitting for about 8 hours, same for most of the 17G poly strings I've used.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) - Great tension maintenance. After the breakin, the tension maintained the same throughout the playtest.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) - Excellent control with fast full swings. No issues hitting short angles with topspin groundstrokes to deep with flat groundstrokes. Volleying and drop shots were easy to control. Most of the serves went exactly where I've predicted.
Compare to the string you use most often - Tourna Prototype and Babolat RPM Blast both have outstanding control and feel.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) - No, I liked the feel of the strings at tension 48.
therecanbeonlyone
Semi-Pro
Color of string received: Red
Tension(s) used for playtest: 51 lbs on a lockout machine. Nothing stood out during the stringing process. Was easy to string and tie off.
Regular string set up: I have been playing full beds of different polys all summer until now. Most used is Volkl Cyclone 18 at 48-50 depending on temperature.
Racquet brand and model used for test: POG mid (the tour version)
Power of test string: This Tourna string had good power. Maybe slightly above average for a poly. This type of power level is right up my alley.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Muted. This string reminded me of Head RIP Control 17, actually. It might not have been quite as muted as RIP, but close.
Spin: Spin was good for a round poly, not exceptional, but good. For example, i noted a few instances where i had to come in to get to a short angled shot in a doubles match. I was able to generate spin to bring my forehand up over the net and back down each of those times. So, for me, you had access to spin if you needed it and committed to it.
Comfort: Comfort gets high marks here. My arm felt just fine using this string even in back to back matches. This is another instance where the string reminded me of a non-poly. That is good praise from a guy who plays with torn shoulder ligaments from an old non-tennis injury.
Durability: I am not a string breaker (even in the POG), so didn't have any problems here. String movement was not an issue. I don't see notching as much as denting after having the string in the racquet for several league doubles matches and hitting sessions over almost a month, which is about my limit for poly.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): This string started out right where i wanted it to. I did start to see some decline in playability around the 8-9 hour mark, but certainly not enough to fault the string (lighting was horrendous for that match, so it could have been that my timing was just off. Regardless, spin levels on my serve started to suffer a bit during that match and that is not affected by the lighting. Like i said, i kept the string in afterwards, so obviously i am not unhappy with the playability, i just fondly remember the first 2 or 3 matches.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): For my game, depth control is one of the most important factors. This string provided that control and predictably too. Launch angle was not an issue. I served really well with this string the first few times out. Groundstrokes and returns were satisfying. I like to use variety and was able to hit all the shots with this string: top, slice, and touch when needed. Volleys felt pretty solid as well. Volleys are where polys seem to have the most variance for me, but Tourna's red offering is right up there with the best.
Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to Volkl Cylcone 18, it has less spin, slightly less power, longer playability duration, great comfort and a more solid feeling. Like i mentioned, this string actually feels like Head RIP Control's half-brother. Similar power, comfort, muted feeling, slightly more spin.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I tried this at 51 pounds on a lockout and might drop down to 48 or 49 to try to gain a little more spin and see if the playability hangs on a few hours longer. 51 was great, but I'm just wondering if the grass is even greener.
List any additional thoughts (optional): Thanks for the playtest opportunity, Tourna and TW!
Tension(s) used for playtest: 51 lbs on a lockout machine. Nothing stood out during the stringing process. Was easy to string and tie off.
Regular string set up: I have been playing full beds of different polys all summer until now. Most used is Volkl Cyclone 18 at 48-50 depending on temperature.
Racquet brand and model used for test: POG mid (the tour version)
Power of test string: This Tourna string had good power. Maybe slightly above average for a poly. This type of power level is right up my alley.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Muted. This string reminded me of Head RIP Control 17, actually. It might not have been quite as muted as RIP, but close.
Spin: Spin was good for a round poly, not exceptional, but good. For example, i noted a few instances where i had to come in to get to a short angled shot in a doubles match. I was able to generate spin to bring my forehand up over the net and back down each of those times. So, for me, you had access to spin if you needed it and committed to it.
Comfort: Comfort gets high marks here. My arm felt just fine using this string even in back to back matches. This is another instance where the string reminded me of a non-poly. That is good praise from a guy who plays with torn shoulder ligaments from an old non-tennis injury.
Durability: I am not a string breaker (even in the POG), so didn't have any problems here. String movement was not an issue. I don't see notching as much as denting after having the string in the racquet for several league doubles matches and hitting sessions over almost a month, which is about my limit for poly.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): This string started out right where i wanted it to. I did start to see some decline in playability around the 8-9 hour mark, but certainly not enough to fault the string (lighting was horrendous for that match, so it could have been that my timing was just off. Regardless, spin levels on my serve started to suffer a bit during that match and that is not affected by the lighting. Like i said, i kept the string in afterwards, so obviously i am not unhappy with the playability, i just fondly remember the first 2 or 3 matches.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): For my game, depth control is one of the most important factors. This string provided that control and predictably too. Launch angle was not an issue. I served really well with this string the first few times out. Groundstrokes and returns were satisfying. I like to use variety and was able to hit all the shots with this string: top, slice, and touch when needed. Volleys felt pretty solid as well. Volleys are where polys seem to have the most variance for me, but Tourna's red offering is right up there with the best.
Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to Volkl Cylcone 18, it has less spin, slightly less power, longer playability duration, great comfort and a more solid feeling. Like i mentioned, this string actually feels like Head RIP Control's half-brother. Similar power, comfort, muted feeling, slightly more spin.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I tried this at 51 pounds on a lockout and might drop down to 48 or 49 to try to gain a little more spin and see if the playability hangs on a few hours longer. 51 was great, but I'm just wondering if the grass is even greener.
List any additional thoughts (optional): Thanks for the playtest opportunity, Tourna and TW!
bigserving
Hall of Fame
Tourna RED colored Co-Poly Prototype - Full Bed
TENSION USED FOR PLAYTEST - 50 lbs in both the mains and crosses strung on a lockout machine.
REGULAR STRING SETUP - The regular setup of Dunlop Black Widow 17 gauge, 50 lbs x 50 lbs also strung on a lockout machine.
RACQUET BRAND AND MODEL USED FOR TEST - Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 Tour 95.
POWER OF TEST STRING - This string has about an average level of power, as modern co-polys go. There was no problem with balls with any balls, or shots, trampolining and flying off of the string bed. There is plenty of power to plow through to control points and offer resistance against aggressive players and a heavy hitter.
FEEL OF TEST STRING - Very nice feel. I was easily able to control pace and depth on volleys, return of serves, and drop shots.
SPIN - The spin available is always plentiful as is with most co-polys. I would rate the spin as "co-poly average." There was plenty of topspin available on groundstrokes off of both sides. My kick serve was easy to place and had plenty of action on it.
COMFORT - There was very little if any shock coming from of the string bed. It is not spongy or pillowy soft, but still quite comfortable. There was no lingering discomfort at any time during, or after the test. Very good in the area of comfort during play.
DURABILITY - This particular test was for approximately five sets of singles and two sets of doubles during about eight hours of play over a seven day period. The strings did not break during that time. There was some definite notching at the end of the test period.
PLAYABILITY DURATION (HOW PLAYABILITY CHANGED OVER TIME) - These strings started out good, then a different feel seemed to settle in after about a long warmup period. It was a different, but they still had good playability and feel. There was the normal polyester drop in tension during the first half an hour or so, then was smooth sailing with consistent playability. The level of comfort remained very high throughout the entire test.
CONTROL (PREDICTABLE TRAJECTORY) - The level of power and feel give these strings very good control. The useable combination of power and spin also contribute to a great level of control. Pace, direction, depth were all good and quite predictable on most shots. It took a bit of time, and I did struggle a little to get great accuracy of depth on my first serve.
COMPARE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TOURNA TEST STRING TO DUNLOP BLACK WIDOW - Both strings play in a similar fashion. For any given comparison, one string may perform better than the other at one tension, or in a different frame or, for a different style of play. In general, Black Widow plays with more spin, and power but not by a lot. The Tourna prototype string seemed to have a little more feel and and comfort. They both have very similar levels of control, and overall playability duration.
TENSION RECOMMENDATION - The 50 lb. test tension seemed to be a solid introductory tension in my low-powered racquet. At a bit of a lower tension, the control and feel should not be diminished and it should remain quite playable. I might try, or recommend trying the tension a pound or two lower to attempt to increase the power and see how the overall playability of the string might be effected.
LIST ANY ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS - This Tourna prototype string is a very comfortable, control string with a serviceable amount of power. I think that many types of players with different styles of play will be able to make this string work for their type of game. It is not excessively weak in any particular area, and solid in most. This string is following the trend of more balanced, well-rounded playability characteristics in polyester and co-polyester strings. String companies seemed to be attempting to incorporate all of the positive playability attributes of each polyester, nylon, and natural gut into the same string. This string plays along those lines.
I am assuming that since this review is due on WEDNESDAY, October 20, that this is still on time! I only read the WEDNESDAY part. Thanks TW.
TENSION USED FOR PLAYTEST - 50 lbs in both the mains and crosses strung on a lockout machine.
REGULAR STRING SETUP - The regular setup of Dunlop Black Widow 17 gauge, 50 lbs x 50 lbs also strung on a lockout machine.
RACQUET BRAND AND MODEL USED FOR TEST - Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 Tour 95.
POWER OF TEST STRING - This string has about an average level of power, as modern co-polys go. There was no problem with balls with any balls, or shots, trampolining and flying off of the string bed. There is plenty of power to plow through to control points and offer resistance against aggressive players and a heavy hitter.
FEEL OF TEST STRING - Very nice feel. I was easily able to control pace and depth on volleys, return of serves, and drop shots.
SPIN - The spin available is always plentiful as is with most co-polys. I would rate the spin as "co-poly average." There was plenty of topspin available on groundstrokes off of both sides. My kick serve was easy to place and had plenty of action on it.
COMFORT - There was very little if any shock coming from of the string bed. It is not spongy or pillowy soft, but still quite comfortable. There was no lingering discomfort at any time during, or after the test. Very good in the area of comfort during play.
DURABILITY - This particular test was for approximately five sets of singles and two sets of doubles during about eight hours of play over a seven day period. The strings did not break during that time. There was some definite notching at the end of the test period.
PLAYABILITY DURATION (HOW PLAYABILITY CHANGED OVER TIME) - These strings started out good, then a different feel seemed to settle in after about a long warmup period. It was a different, but they still had good playability and feel. There was the normal polyester drop in tension during the first half an hour or so, then was smooth sailing with consistent playability. The level of comfort remained very high throughout the entire test.
CONTROL (PREDICTABLE TRAJECTORY) - The level of power and feel give these strings very good control. The useable combination of power and spin also contribute to a great level of control. Pace, direction, depth were all good and quite predictable on most shots. It took a bit of time, and I did struggle a little to get great accuracy of depth on my first serve.
COMPARE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TOURNA TEST STRING TO DUNLOP BLACK WIDOW - Both strings play in a similar fashion. For any given comparison, one string may perform better than the other at one tension, or in a different frame or, for a different style of play. In general, Black Widow plays with more spin, and power but not by a lot. The Tourna prototype string seemed to have a little more feel and and comfort. They both have very similar levels of control, and overall playability duration.
TENSION RECOMMENDATION - The 50 lb. test tension seemed to be a solid introductory tension in my low-powered racquet. At a bit of a lower tension, the control and feel should not be diminished and it should remain quite playable. I might try, or recommend trying the tension a pound or two lower to attempt to increase the power and see how the overall playability of the string might be effected.
LIST ANY ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS - This Tourna prototype string is a very comfortable, control string with a serviceable amount of power. I think that many types of players with different styles of play will be able to make this string work for their type of game. It is not excessively weak in any particular area, and solid in most. This string is following the trend of more balanced, well-rounded playability characteristics in polyester and co-polyester strings. String companies seemed to be attempting to incorporate all of the positive playability attributes of each polyester, nylon, and natural gut into the same string. This string plays along those lines.
I am assuming that since this review is due on WEDNESDAY, October 20, that this is still on time! I only read the WEDNESDAY part. Thanks TW.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
can you expand on this? nice feel can mean different things to different players. does nice mean soft & mushy? or does nice mean stiff, firm and pingy?
String received: Tourna Red Prototype
Tension(s) used for playtest: 52/50 on a CP machine
Racquet used for playtest: Yonex DR 100
Regular string set up: VS 16/ProLine II (54/52 lbs)
Power: The string has nice power. Similar to ProLine II and Cyber Blue which I consider medium to high powered polys.
Feel: Nice and soft. Doesn't feel boardy or too stiff even in a full bed.
Spin: Spin is pretty average for a round poly. Nothing spectacular, but certainly not bad.
Comfort: The string is soft and comfortable. That should be a selling point for this string.
Durability: I'm coming back from an arm injury so I wasn't able to test the string as long as I would have liked to. However, there is no significant notching after 3 hours of hitting.
Playability Duration: Same as above. The string softened after an hour of play, but that is to be expected.
Control: I don't think this is a control oriented poly, but I was satisfied with the control the string provided for the test period.
Compare to the string you use most often: I found it pretty similar to ProLine2 which I enjoy. I also string and I would buy a reel of this red Tourna string as I think a variety of players would enjoy it. It has enough control for big hitters and offers enough power for everybody else. Like ProLine 2, I think this is a great middle of the spectrum string.
Tension recommendations: I'd stay where I strung it, but I'd probably increase the tension a bit in the summer months.
Additional thoughts: Sorry if my post was late. The due date said Wednesday the 20th and I got confused.
Tension(s) used for playtest: 52/50 on a CP machine
Racquet used for playtest: Yonex DR 100
Regular string set up: VS 16/ProLine II (54/52 lbs)
Power: The string has nice power. Similar to ProLine II and Cyber Blue which I consider medium to high powered polys.
Feel: Nice and soft. Doesn't feel boardy or too stiff even in a full bed.
Spin: Spin is pretty average for a round poly. Nothing spectacular, but certainly not bad.
Comfort: The string is soft and comfortable. That should be a selling point for this string.
Durability: I'm coming back from an arm injury so I wasn't able to test the string as long as I would have liked to. However, there is no significant notching after 3 hours of hitting.
Playability Duration: Same as above. The string softened after an hour of play, but that is to be expected.
Control: I don't think this is a control oriented poly, but I was satisfied with the control the string provided for the test period.
Compare to the string you use most often: I found it pretty similar to ProLine2 which I enjoy. I also string and I would buy a reel of this red Tourna string as I think a variety of players would enjoy it. It has enough control for big hitters and offers enough power for everybody else. Like ProLine 2, I think this is a great middle of the spectrum string.
Tension recommendations: I'd stay where I strung it, but I'd probably increase the tension a bit in the summer months.
Additional thoughts: Sorry if my post was late. The due date said Wednesday the 20th and I got confused.
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MIKEPANTELAKIS
Rookie
***I too got a little bit confused by the due date being labeled Wednesday the 20th. Sorry for being a day late TW.
Color of string received--Tourna Red String
Tension(s) used for playtest--52 mains/50 crosses on a Babolat Star 5
Regular string set up--Diadem Solstice @ 52/50
Racquet brand and model used for test--Babolat Aerostorm Tour
Power of test string--for a poly, 3.5/5. to me, this poly seemed rather lively almost like a Head Lynx.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)--Muted
Spin--3.5/5. I am a bit spoiled by Diadem Solstice, but this wasn't too bad when it came to spin. It doesn't get NEAR the spin of Solstice, RPM, Gravity, or Cyclone, but it did give pretty decent rotation.
Comfort--5.5/5...This might be my most comfortable poly I've ever hit with. I've been hitting a lot lately to the point where occasionally, I'll get a bit of tenderness in my arm. In the duration of this playtest, I had absolutely NO DISCOMFORT.
Durability--Hard for me to judge. Durability is never really an issue for me as it takes quite the bit of time for me to break a string.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)--For me, there was an initial drop in tension after about 3 hours, followed by a consistent level of play for about 2.5-3 weeks before it seemed uncontrollable.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)--As with any poly, I got great control from this string. Nothing to complain about here.
Compare to the string you use most often--Compared to Solstice: more power, more comfort, less spin, and what seemed like less of a playability duration.
Tension recommendations--I would want to drop the tension a few pounds to try to get a bit more spin out of this set up.
As always, thanks for the playtest opportunity TW!!!
Color of string received--Tourna Red String
Tension(s) used for playtest--52 mains/50 crosses on a Babolat Star 5
Regular string set up--Diadem Solstice @ 52/50
Racquet brand and model used for test--Babolat Aerostorm Tour
Power of test string--for a poly, 3.5/5. to me, this poly seemed rather lively almost like a Head Lynx.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)--Muted
Spin--3.5/5. I am a bit spoiled by Diadem Solstice, but this wasn't too bad when it came to spin. It doesn't get NEAR the spin of Solstice, RPM, Gravity, or Cyclone, but it did give pretty decent rotation.
Comfort--5.5/5...This might be my most comfortable poly I've ever hit with. I've been hitting a lot lately to the point where occasionally, I'll get a bit of tenderness in my arm. In the duration of this playtest, I had absolutely NO DISCOMFORT.
Durability--Hard for me to judge. Durability is never really an issue for me as it takes quite the bit of time for me to break a string.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)--For me, there was an initial drop in tension after about 3 hours, followed by a consistent level of play for about 2.5-3 weeks before it seemed uncontrollable.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)--As with any poly, I got great control from this string. Nothing to complain about here.
Compare to the string you use most often--Compared to Solstice: more power, more comfort, less spin, and what seemed like less of a playability duration.
Tension recommendations--I would want to drop the tension a few pounds to try to get a bit more spin out of this set up.
As always, thanks for the playtest opportunity TW!!!
bigserving
Hall of Fame
I guess that I am equating feel to "touch." Sometimes the string bed can feel soft like a mattress. It is soft, but leaves a player with less command of or "feel" for the ball. I have played with stiffer, less comfortable strings that still give a good feel for the ball overall and even more so on touch shots. Of course, it is always very subjective.
There is already a category for overall "comfort" so this it what I am referring to when describing feel. Hope that makes sense.
bigserving
Hall of Fame
Is the actual name and availability of this string going to be announced any time soon??
If you could let us know when this is coming out that would be great. Thanks!
SteveI
Legend
Tourna is in the process of building a new website.. I would expect the string to be released about that time.
If I was to guess it will be either... Big Hitter Red or Red Zone.
Doc Hollidae
Hall of Fame
According to their website the new string is called Big Red.
SteveI
Legend
Thanks... is that not a chewing gum name!!!
I guess they did not want to call it Big Hitter Red... or Red Zone
SteveI
Legend
SteveI
Legend
BTW it is in the Feb Issue.
String is priced about the other Toura Poly offerings.
Just read the review.. now I have to go back and read what I wrote.. We tested the 17G while RSI did the 16G
