RF_PRO_STAFF
Professional
I use Volkl Cyclone Tour 1.20 red at 22.5kg mains, 21kg crosses. Before this, I used Yonex Poly Tour Pro grey/black 1.25 at different tensions.
I would say YPTP is the superior string in general with great durability, tension maintenance, spin and comfort. At lower tensions though, I was hitting the fence too much and going up in tension, the comfort wasn't enough for me. I have a shoulder injury so at this point comfort really important to me.
With Cyclone Tour I have even a little more comfort and I can play as aggressive as I want with this one. The string does die out much quicker though. Tension loss is also significantly worse compared to YPTP. But Cyclone Tour is a pretty cheap string so I don't mind.
Next up is trying hybrids.
I would say YPTP is the superior string in general with great durability, tension maintenance, spin and comfort. At lower tensions though, I was hitting the fence too much and going up in tension, the comfort wasn't enough for me. I have a shoulder injury so at this point comfort really important to me.
With Cyclone Tour I have even a little more comfort and I can play as aggressive as I want with this one. The string does die out much quicker though. Tension loss is also significantly worse compared to YPTP. But Cyclone Tour is a pretty cheap string so I don't mind.
Next up is trying hybrids.
tsamo
Semi-Pro
I've been playing with it this past month, as I wanted something more maneuverable than my RF97/DR98+.
I have it strung with Yomex Poly Tour Strike 1.20 at 23kgs. I have tried Yonex Poly Tour Pro, Volkl Cyclone, Soninco Confidential and Hyper-g with this frame but I keep coming back to the Strike. Plenty of control, that allows me to swing as fast as I want, with some pretty decent durability.
I have it strung with Yomex Poly Tour Strike 1.20 at 23kgs. I have tried Yonex Poly Tour Pro, Volkl Cyclone, Soninco Confidential and Hyper-g with this frame but I keep coming back to the Strike. Plenty of control, that allows me to swing as fast as I want, with some pretty decent durability.
Mitch_1979
Rookie
mains: Black Knight 18
cross: Gosen Sheep Micro 18
both ~50lbs
I used to string full poly Black Knight 18, but for this low-powered frame the Gosen gives it a little more needed gas.
The crosses snap pretty consistently on me after ~10hrs though.
cross: Gosen Sheep Micro 18
both ~50lbs
I used to string full poly Black Knight 18, but for this low-powered frame the Gosen gives it a little more needed gas.
The crosses snap pretty consistently on me after ~10hrs though.
RF_PRO_STAFF
Professional
I have made butt cap flares with part of an overgrip wrapped five times around the butt cap which weighs 4 or 5 grams, can't remember. Have it written down somewhere.
Total of 4 grams of leadtape at 3&9.
I have Wilson Sublime replacement grips on them and use Wilson Pro overgrips. Including overgrips they both weigh 320g. One has 31,4cm balance and the other 31,5cm. I can feel that the second one has a very little bit higher swingweight but can't measure it accurately. Will hopefully get them matched soon.
Total of 4 grams of leadtape at 3&9.
I have Wilson Sublime replacement grips on them and use Wilson Pro overgrips. Including overgrips they both weigh 320g. One has 31,4cm balance and the other 31,5cm. I can feel that the second one has a very little bit higher swingweight but can't measure it accurately. Will hopefully get them matched soon.
Crashbaby
Semi-Pro
Leather grip and 2 grams at both 10 & 2. Weighs 349 strung with overgrip and no dampener. Very head light, around 315mm.
1HBHfanatic
Legend
-FIRST HIT
-ill test very quickly as is, at every impact with the ball i am already trying to feel for where the mods need to happen
-i wont hit too much on first hit, doing this without MODS hurts my arm and flares the TE!!
-i get home and use my balance board to get the racquet to 10pts HL!!
-add any minor lead at the usual spots, 3/9
-ill add the buttcap-bump at the end of the grip (using folder overgrip and electrical tape, about 3x or so, depending on manufacturer; yonex usually needs more than wilson racquets)
-SECOND HIT
-ill go hit and see/feel where lead is needed in the head
-less is more!!, when dealing with lead (specially in the head area)
-THIRD HIT
-ill install new strings, at the tension/combination i would like to try the racquet at
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tsamo
Semi-Pro
Currently have it at 341 grams strung with a leather grip, overgrip and dampener. 2,5 grams at 3 and 9 respectively. Balance is at about 32 cm (~7 points HL).
Had some lead at 12 o'clock in the past, but it made the racket kinda unwieldy so I removed it.
Very happy with my current setup.
2g at 12 and 2g in the butt cap.
pico
Hall of Fame
Interesting. How did you get it to 341g with all that? Hihi. I am at 340 and i dont have a leather grip. I do use an overgrip as well and 2g lead at 12 and 1g each at 3 n 9.
tsamo
Semi-Pro
The grip is way too big for a L2(as big as my RF97's L3), so I am using Kimony techni leather grip to cut down the thickness and as a result the weight as well.
edit: Also it weighs 344 not 341 as I remembered...
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CosmosMpower
Hall of Fame
Hyper G 1.15 at 47 or Revolution 1.25 at 45
williamthurman
New User
I have done BK 18 a lot (50/48), loved it, but indeed lacked a bit of power for me, did you try any other crosses by any chance? I will try Gosen, but if anybody has other ideas on crosses with BK being mains? I love BK's neutral consistency on this frame as it gives you good confidence to swing it out.
Poly Tour Strike as mentioned is a very good string for this racket (mostly strung around 55-57) as it has plenty of control and crispiness and holds tension very well over the 10 hour mark
forehandbackagain
Rookie
6 grams of lead at 12 o'clock
1 gram of lead spread across 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock
6 grams of putty in the handle
Head leather grip
Final specs with overgrip and dampener: 356 grams / 9 points headlight / 345 sw
Strung with volkl cyclone tour 17 red at 56 lbs
1 gram of lead spread across 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock
6 grams of putty in the handle
Head leather grip
Final specs with overgrip and dampener: 356 grams / 9 points headlight / 345 sw
Strung with volkl cyclone tour 17 red at 56 lbs
El_Yotamo
Hall of Fame
Why not a poly cross to enhance snapback? Something like ghost wire 18 or 19 should be almost as soft as syngut but with the snapback properties of a poly cross so you don't lose spin and control. My 2¢...
dr. godmode
Hall of Fame
My match ready set up: 3x VCORE 95 with 6g at 12 under the bumper and a leather grip. Working specs are about 350g, 335SW and 31.5 cm balance point.
String of choice is GrappleSnake Tour Sniper @ 49/46lbs. Have also tried a variety of string setups, but none combine lasting playability, slightly softer feel and an extremely predictable response as well as Tour Sniper.
Here are other things I've tried (that I can remember), in order of preference:
1. Solinco Confidential 125 - (very similar to Tour Sniper)
2. Babolat RPM Power 125 - (love this string but launch angle is a bit low for this racquet and it's kinda expensive)
3. Solinco Hyper-G 120 - (just don't love the feel but everything else very good)
4. Yonex Polytour Pro 125 - (great ball pocketing but a bit disconnected. would like more spin)
5. Tonic 15L/Tecnifibre Redcode Wax 125 at 55/52lbs - (awesome until the coating on the gut wears off and spin goes away. surprising durable thought)
6. Grapple Snake Neon Hybrid - (awesome feel and spin, but the launch angle was a bit crazy at times due to the square main)
7. Head Lynx Tour 125 - (great string, but stiffer than I like, felt it in my wrist after playing with hard hitters)
8. Tecnifibre Triax 1.30 - (very good, but I need more spin to really play my game)
9. ALU Power Red 125 - (this was terrible in every way, except looks)
String of choice is GrappleSnake Tour Sniper @ 49/46lbs. Have also tried a variety of string setups, but none combine lasting playability, slightly softer feel and an extremely predictable response as well as Tour Sniper.
Here are other things I've tried (that I can remember), in order of preference:
1. Solinco Confidential 125 - (very similar to Tour Sniper)
2. Babolat RPM Power 125 - (love this string but launch angle is a bit low for this racquet and it's kinda expensive)
3. Solinco Hyper-G 120 - (just don't love the feel but everything else very good)
4. Yonex Polytour Pro 125 - (great ball pocketing but a bit disconnected. would like more spin)
5. Tonic 15L/Tecnifibre Redcode Wax 125 at 55/52lbs - (awesome until the coating on the gut wears off and spin goes away. surprising durable thought)
6. Grapple Snake Neon Hybrid - (awesome feel and spin, but the launch angle was a bit crazy at times due to the square main)
7. Head Lynx Tour 125 - (great string, but stiffer than I like, felt it in my wrist after playing with hard hitters)
8. Tecnifibre Triax 1.30 - (very good, but I need more spin to really play my game)
9. ALU Power Red 125 - (this was terrible in every way, except looks)
Mitch_1979
Rookie
I also tried Prince Duraflex 17, but it added a little too much power.
Re; the other customization Q, I'm using 6g lead total (starting at 3/9 line extending toward the tip), 2g under the butt cap. 346g, 31.7 cm bal.
williamthurman
New User
I agree poly does sound better to me, I have tried GW on crosses with BK, great feeling and tension maintenance (and a bit more spin I felt) but was still underpowered for me and BK 118 (at low tension) is still quite comfy by itself.
Would love to hear some poly ideas for crosses to add a bit of power as the frames needs a tad more
pico
Hall of Fame
Never tried the Grapplesnake string. You got me curious now.
dr. godmode
Hall of Fame
I would definitely try Tour Sniper. I saw you were interested in WC Ultra Cable, which I'd probably avoid. Similar to GrappleSnake Neon Hybrid in shape, so I'd guess you have the same inconsistent launch angle. You can get pretty hilarious spin, but I dont think its worth the loss in control. I also used to string lots of customer racquets with UC and it does definitely tear through grommets which is annoying.
pico
Hall of Fame
I live in Canada. Any recommendations on how to get Tour Sniper?
forehandbackagain
Rookie
Has anyone on here tried extending their vcore 95?
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
My coach plays with Poly Tour Pro mains and Poly Tour Strike crosses on this racquet. He coaches some lower-ranked Russian pros when they play tournaments in California and he told me that this is a common hybrid amongst Yonex pros.
Recoveringhobo
Rookie
Hyper G @ 52 lbs on a cheap SV 95 I just picked up.
Crashbaby
Semi-Pro
Interesting, mains and crosses both in the same gauge? Both 1.25? I’m keen to give it a try.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
I’m not sure if he plays the same gauge.Interesting, mains and crosses both in the same gauge? Both 1.25? I’m keen to give it a try.
pico
Hall of Fame
Those are great strings but would be pricey for me for sure. I wonder if the use them as part of a Yonex sponsorship.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
Yes, he also owns the pro shop at my club and they have a sponsorship deal with Yonex. He has five or six assistant coaches working with him at his tennis academy mostly focusing on developing juniors. He’s hard-working and quite a success for someone in his late twenties who quit the Futures tour just seven years ago.
pico
Hall of Fame
Late twenties only???? Man, thats amazing!
Papa Mango
Professional
When the Vcore 95 was my main stick. Gut/Poly- 52/48. Lux gut with a whatever poly cross I was testing on a lightly modded 95.
Sweet hitting set up which I do miss sometimes.
Sweet hitting set up which I do miss sometimes.
Yes I have and it’s terrible. I cut it out after a week. No feel. I think UC does better in more open patterns
RF_PRO_STAFF
Professional
I have 3 grams at 3&9 at both rackets and one of them has 1 gram at 12. The other one has 2 grams at 12. Trying to finetune what I like best. In stock form they are matched, I only had to add 1 gram somewhere on the handle on one of the rackets.
At this point I think I'll end up with 3 grams at 3&9 and 1 gram at 12. Does the job for me really nicely on the OHB.
At this point I think I'll end up with 3 grams at 3&9 and 1 gram at 12. Does the job for me really nicely on the OHB.
pico
Hall of Fame
Is that 3g at 3 and 3g at 9? Did you add weight at the handle to maintain the balance?
RF_PRO_STAFF
Professional
It's 3 gram in total at 3&9, so 1.5 grams at 3 and 1.5 grams at 9.
I have a relatively heavy replacement grips on them and use thin strings. I'm playing around with getting a butt cap flare on them that I like, so that changes the balance depending on what material I use and how much of it.
Getting Kimony Original Leather grips and Yonex AC128EX Excel Pro Synthetic Leather grips in next week. Will try both of those to see which feels best for me.
The balance point now varies between 31,4 cm and 31,7 cm depending on what kind of butt cap flare I have and how much lead there is at 12. When I make final decisions on what replacement grip and how much lead at 12 (or rather which swingweight), I'll always target 31,4cm or 31,5cm balance with these sticks. That is what I feel most at home with.
Were they matched as far as SW also stock or did you have to make adjustments?
RF_PRO_STAFF
Professional
I don't have access to a swingweight machine. I'm sensitive to minor differences but they swing exactly the same for me. So I think they should be at least really, really close or the same on swingweight.
In the end, I ended up with 2 grams at 3&9 and 1 gram at 12. Also have a butt cap flare that weighs something.
