What is the ultimate soft thin poly string, 1.20 and lower

[Happi]

I am looking for a thin soft poly for a dense 18x20 string pattern, needs to be 1.20mor lower, so no Cream or YTPA.

I am giving poly another try, now my elbow have been fine for a long time. Perhaps a mistake, so I need the ultimate armfriendly poly string

So far I have narrow it down to

- Ghost Wire 1.17 or 1.10
- Cyclone Tour 1.20
- Signum Pro Outbreak 1.18
- MSV Focus Hex +38 1.15
- Cyber Flash 1.20

Any string I am missing ?

.

 

[tjanev]

what are you looking for? more topsin? shaped poly, but posssibly higher launch angle. round poly, lower launch, more consistent shots but less spin. softer poly, more power, stiffer, less power.

 

[vndesu]

I would definitely give the ghost wire a try. I had the 1.17 on my speed pro at 50 pounds and it was comfy.

 

[Happi]

what are you looking for? more topsin? shaped poly, but posssibly higher launch angle. round poly, lower launch, more consistent shots but less spin. softer poly, more power, stiffer, less power.

Comfort in a thin poly is what I am looking for, arm safety first.

 

[TennisJrDad]

@Happi You could add the following to the list:

• Volkl V-Star Silver 120
• Solinco Hyper-G Green 105
• Solinco Tour Bite Grey 105
• Solinco Tour Bite Soft Grey 120
• Weiss Cannon Turbo Twist 8 Edge White 118
• Weiss Cannon Red Ghost Red 118

 

[jimmy8]

Tier One Strike Force RIP 1.18 - softest poly I've ever tried.

 

[berkyboy]

Yonex rev...only one on these lists that won't bag out in 5 hours at 1.20mm

 

[CosmosMpower]

hyper G 1.15 or thinner

 

[Fighting phoenix]

Tour bite soft at 1.15 I liked a lot, just not sure about longevity/tension maintenance. Hyper G soft feels too muted for me.

 

[Happi]

@Happi You could add the following to the list:

• Volkl V-Star Silver 120
• Solinco Hyper-G Green 105
• Solinco Tour Bite Grey 105
• Solinco Tour Bite Soft Grey 120
• Weiss Cannon Turbo Twist 8 Edge White 118
• Weiss Cannon Red Ghost Red 118

Thanks

I have some sets of Tour Bite 1.05 that I will try. Looking at the strings in RacketPedia to compare, what a great resource.

 

[Happi]

Yonex rev...only one on these lists that won't bag out in 5 hours at 1.20mm

Not too concerned about that, I cut out after 5-6 hours anyway.

 

[Happi]

Tier One Strike Force RIP 1.18 - softest poly I've ever tried.

Yes I have a set of that string too, tried it some years ago in an open 16x19 and there were some string movement. As far as I remember it was as soft as a multi. Thanks.

 

[KC!]

Hawk Touch 1.20, Grapple Snake Tour M8 1.25

 

[TennisJrDad]

With a few reports of people with arm discomfort with Tour M8 and Happi's history of injury, that should be a no-go.

Hawk Touch 1.20, Grapple Snake Tour M8 1.25

 

[Fighting phoenix]

With a few reports of people with arm discomfort with Tour M8 and Happi's history of injury, that should be a no-go.

Tour m8 plays a lot like Lynx tour - both pretty stiff polys.

 

[KC!]

Tour m8 plays a lot like Lynx tour - both pretty stiff polys.

My experience it felt much softer than Lynx Tour. I string it in my Blade Pro & Prestige MPL around 48 lbs. I felt like Tour Sniper felt more like Lynx Tour, tad crisper. My favorite string is S7T , so maybe I’m not best judge though.

 

[socallefty]

I tried Cyclone, Cyclone Tour, Tour Bite Soft and HyperG amongst soft polys and settled on HyperG. Then when HG Soft was released, I switched to it as I like the comfort even better. I generally use 18 gauge strung in the low-mid forties.

 

[veelium]

I've strung up Cyber flash 1.20 this week for the first time and it feels very soft. The only softer poly from stringing was some pro's pro super soft poly (wouldn't recommend, plays not so great).
Have yet to hit with it though.

I tried Cyclone, Cyclone Tour, Tour Bite Soft and HyperG amongst soft polys and settled on HyperG. Then when HG Soft was released, I switched to it as I like the comfort even better. I generally use 18 gauge strung in the low-mid forties.

Hyper G is not a soft poly by any means.

 

[Chairman3]

Head Lynx 18 (not lynx tour)
Yonex Poly Tour Fire (used in a PA, no issues)

 

[KaiserW]

Maybe add Poly Tour Pro 1.20.

 

[GregN]

Volkl V Star is soft and available in 1.10 & 1.15 I also am a fan of Signum Pro Tornado 1.17

 

[Happi]

Thanks a lot guys for your help, there are some interesting options to try out.

I started soft as I strung up MSV +38 1.15 black in my TC95 16x19 version today, and I am afraid that poly addiction kicked in again, and boy I hit some really crisp strokes today. A tiny bit of soreness in my elbow, so I really have to look out for that GE.

Time will tell if my arm can tolerate poly again, I really hope so.

Cheers, H

 

[TennisJrDad]

@Happi Please be careful with the elbow .... I would rather my game suffer some and have a healthy elbow, then GE/TE any day of the week ...

 

[Happi]

@Happi Please be careful with the elbow .... I would rather my game suffer some and have a healthy elbow, then GE/TE any day of the week ...

Thanks and I agree, have been pain free for a long time now and for sure I dont want to be back with TE. If I get any elbow pain I will stop the experiment.

 

[TennisJrDad]

Excellent to hear

 

[fuzz nation]

I am looking for a thin soft poly for a dense 18x20 string pattern, needs to be 1.20mor lower, so no Cream or YTPA.

I am giving poly another try, now my elbow have been fine for a long time. Perhaps a mistake, so I need the ultimate armfriendly poly string

So far I have narrow it down to

- Ghost Wire 1.17 or 1.10
- Cyclone Tour 1.20
- Signum Pro Outbreak 1.18
- MSV Focus Hex +38 1.15
- Cyber Flash 1.20

Any string I am missing ?

.

I'm always ready to promote full syn. gut and Gosen makes some pretty skinny stuff - haven't tried it myself.

If you want the ultimate price tag in a thinner poly, consider getting a reel of Isospeed Baseline 1.20mm. I've been offering this in hybrids (with a syn. gut cross) for several locals for a number of years and it's never caused any wrist or elbow issues for anybody in my circle of "clients". This group includes stronger high school kids, a few college players, and several stronger adults.

 

[tele]

have not tried, but big hitter black 18g might be another to add to the list

 

[Ramjet]

Tecnifibre black code. That feels about as soft as a gut poly hybrid for me. Much softer than tour bite, cyclone.

 

[veelium]

Black code is not soft. It’s the stiffest string in the tecnifibre poly lineup. Stiffer than razor or ice code.

Number wise also stiffer than tour bite and cyclone, can’t speak from personal experience for those.

 

[what_army]

I though you had resigned to living a life without poly! But I get you, I’ve been down the same path. You said cream wasn’t an option but it helped me a lot when I was transitioning away from multis after TE. The 1.23 is slightly thicker than what you’re after but being very slick it will still offer a lot of spin. I don’t love how it feels but it’s very comfortable and the performance is great.

 

[berkyboy]

Thanks a lot guys for your help, there are some interesting options to try out.

I started soft as I strung up MSV +38 1.15 black in my TC95 16x19 version today, and I am afraid that poly addiction kicked in again, and boy I hit some really crisp strokes today. A tiny bit of soreness in my elbow, so I really have to look out for that GE.

Time will tell if my arm can tolerate poly again, I really hope so.

Cheers, H

What did you settle on? I'm using the +38 1.20 mm right now and it feels soft and elastic...great spin and power. No elbow issues so far

 

[Myrko]

Solinco Hyper-G Soft 1.20 (and potentially even lower, although I only used 1.20 and 1.25) - my #1 pick

 

[Casper777]

Hyper G Soft

Ice Code 120 is great too

 

[Happi]

What did you settle on? I'm using the +38 1.20 mm right now and it feels soft and elastic...great spin and power. No elbow issues so far

Yes +38 1.15 is really good. However I have a little time out with poly as my shoulder hurts after a round with Lux Alu 1.15. If your arm can handle Lux Aly 1.15 that string sure has some magic.

I got a reel of +38 so I plan to use that as soon as my shoulder heales up, in the meantime I am on FB multi.

 

[lazyfootwork]

Pacific poly force 17 or Black Code 18

 

[norcal]

Kirschbaum PLII 1.15 is a fantastic softer poly. Hybrid w/OGSM 1.20 and you have an inexpensive, well playing setup.

 

[Humbi_HTX]

Kirschbaum PLII 1.15 is a fantastic softer poly. Hybrid w/OGSM 1.20 and you have an inexpensive, well playing setup.

Absolutely! Altho OGSM 18g is actually 1.15, I keep a reel of that stuff at home.

PL2 1.15 is one of my favorite strings, I recently strung a donor from @gold325 with it crossed with GW 1.10 and is extremely comfortable to hit with plenty of power.

 

[gold325]

Absolutely! Altho OGSM 18g is actually 1.15, I keep a reel of that stuff at home.

PL2 1.15 is one of my favorite strings, I recently strung a donor from @gold325 with it crossed with GW 1.10 and is extremely comfortable to hit with plenty of power.

@Humbi_HTX My new favorite string is Tour Bite - crisp, powerful, nice pocketing a most importantly neither plasticy nor muted. Using Isospeed Baseline Crosses. Sensible Tension selection makes all the difference in the world. I will probably try to trade away all my Black Knight, Hyper-G & other shaped string for it. I'll be curious for your opinion on Tour Bite next time we hit.

 

[berkyboy]

Why is everyone suggesting tour bite in a SOFT poly thread

 

[Trip]

@berkyboy - They did so under the caveat of either extremely thin gauge (TB 1.05) or the thinnest version of TB Soft (1.15), both of which have fairly low static and dynamic stiffness compared to the full gamut of polys. That said, you're still dealing with just a thinner extrusion of the same base polymer mix that in thicker gauges is often very harsh, as we know, so I personally wouldn't recommend any gauge of TB or TBS to those with sensitive arms/shoulders, less so because of stiffness, but rather more so mostly because the material makeup is still the same.

Instead, I'd recommend the likes of Focus Hex +38 1.15, @Happi has already found, or Gamma Jet 1.14, which has an incredibly low 144 lbs/in USRSA rating -- we're talking multi/syn-gut level dynamic stiffness (!).

 

[Doulke]

I liked hyperg soft 1.15 as a soft thin string. More than the normal 1.20 i mostly use.

Comfort was great for poly. Playability and durability very good.

Used it in an e zone tour at 21kg and the combination was the most powerful I have ever used with good control and spin.

Also ezt, even though ra number is on the lower end it is kind of a stiff racket and some times you can feel some sore on the arm the next day, even with poly/multi. With hyperg soft it was ok, so for me it is on the most comfortable side of polys.

Just read previous post. Get well soon. I also have a red set of +38 1.15 that been meaning to try for a long time and just put it in a gravity, did not like the normal even at 1.10 so will see how that compares.

 

[2ndServe]

Do you guys find a loss of control in thin strings? Wonder if you hybrid it with a thick string you’ll get more control. Like 1.30 mains and 1.15 cross

 

[Happi]

Do you guys find a loss of control in thin strings? Wonder if you hybrid it with a thick string you’ll get more control. Like 1.30 mains and 1.15 cross

If you dont break poly fast, then thin strings is the way to go, superior in playability.

 

[Casper777]

Do you guys find a loss of control in thin strings? Wonder if you hybrid it with a thick string you’ll get more control. Like 1.30 mains and 1.15 cross

I would go the opposite... 130 in crosses and the thin most playable one in mains

 

[aaron_h27]

If you dont break poly fast, then thin strings is the way to go, superior in playability.

have you tried poly tour pro 1.15?

 

[Happi]

have you tried poly tour pro 1.15?

No not yet but I have a set in blue and its on my list to try out soon.

 

[Humbi_HTX]

@Humbi_HTX My new favorite string is Tour Bite - crisp, powerful, nice pocketing a most importantly neither plasticy nor muted. Using Isospeed Baseline Crosses. Sensible Tension selection makes all the difference in the world. I will probably try to trade away all my Black Knight, Hyper-G & other shaped string for it. I'll be curious for your opinion on Tour Bite next time we hit.

What gage are you using on TB? I really don't have any experience stringing solinco stuff, only hitting from others frames. I did like J's PS with thin gage HG.

Square-ish or strings with flat sides have been something I have wanted to experiment with but as crosses tho.

 

[Injured Again]

Not mentioned was Tourna Black7. The 17 gauge is basically the same diameter as a Solinco 1.20 string. It holds tension better than Cyclone Tour. If you don't experience shear breaks with this string, it's a very nice, soft poly.

 

[Power Player]

Do you guys find a loss of control in thin strings? Wonder if you hybrid it with a thick string you’ll get more control. Like 1.30 mains and 1.15 cross

I actually have been finding more control. Heavier spin, better feel. Can't go wrong really. Poly is not very long in playability so if you can get 6 hours out of a set of thins and they break, then your arm will probably be spared a lot of bad vibrations.

Using Confidential 1.15 now and going to try Hyper-G Soft 1.15 next. I really like Confidential a lot. Never liked it much in 1.25.

 

[ichaseballs]

Yonex PTP is soft round poly. PT Spin is another good option if you want shaped.
main thing for saving your arm from poly is restringing it often.

Have you considered gut/poly?