Yonex Polytour Pro vs Gosen Sidewinder String Review

[Troy_Chen]

Currently using Solinco Confidential in a Yonex Ezone 98 Tour (2020) version. Thinking about switching to a softer poly/co-poly setup to preventatively maintain my arm so I don't get sidelined with tennis elbow/other arm injuries. I currently don't have any arm pain and love my current setup (I string at 50 lbs full bed) but just want to be proactive about this kind of stuff. I am a 25 year old serious club player (played in college but now just play for fun) and I want to be able to play without preventable injuries for a while

Yonex Polytour Pro and Gosen Sidewinder have come up during my internet research into this topic so I am looking for the advice of people that have used these strings. I am looking for a softer string setup that has good tension maintenance, control, spin, and comfort. I realize no string can achieve all of this but the "non-negotiables" for me are comfort, tension maintenance, and not too significant loss of control compared to Solinco Confidential. I have a reel of multifilament (Solinco Vanquish) but the strings don't last when strung up with Confidential. And non-shaped poly hybrid with multifilament feels like I don't have enough control. So for me, I am thinking softer poly/co-poly setup would be best to retain the control and the comfort.

Also, if you guys have any recommendations for other soft poly/co-poly strings that would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[liftordie]

MSV Swift

 

[TennisJrDad]

Soft Poly/Co-Poly

• IsoSpeed Cream
• Yonex Poly Tour Air
• Signum Pro Triton
• Signum Pro Outbreak
• MSV Swift
• Volkl V-Star
• Head Sonic Pro

 

[Rabbit]

@Troy_Chen is that Murr in your avatar?

As far as strings go, are you susceptible to arm issues? Both of those you list are soft(er). Just watch your tension. Another popular option around here is Volkl Cyclone. Most of the guys I string it for use 52 as their tension.

 

[Steve Huff]

@Troy_Chen is that Murr in your avatar?

As far as strings go, are you susceptible to arm issues? Both of those you list are soft(er). Just watch your tension. Another popular option around here is Volkl Cyclone. Most of the guys I string it for use 52 as their tension.

Kind of funny. That's the string (Volkl Cyclone) I carry, keep in reels, for most of the guys I string for wanting a poly. And, 52 is the most common tension requested too.

As for the original poster, Solinco Revolution Tour is pretty soft, and a little less expensive too.

 

[aaron_h27]

Poly Tour Pro is used by a lot of touring professionals I have not heard of anyone using Sidewinder.

I find that some soft poly's can lack in the performance department but not the case with poly tour pro.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

Poly Tour Pro is used by a lot of touring professionals I have not heard of anyone using Sidewinder.

I find that some soft poly's can lack in the performance department but not the case with poly tour pro.

-gosen.sidewinder was a round/textured early budget string from gosen
-would be a bit too soft for touring pros/college kids, would break too fast
-i think it was gosens answer to the lux.rough craze, as it had some texture to it, not quite round,, more like round twisted,!?!?!
-like you said though, soft polys tend to loose tension maintenance pretty quick
-they become too soft too fast, as in the issues of head.lynx

-but lets get back to gosen.sidewinder, its was a early soft copoly
-i would have committed to a reel back in those days, but i had soo many other pros.pro soft strings to try, i only got to try a few sets

 

[ulunxtns]

Yonex Polytour Pro Yellow
Signum Pro Firestorm
My go-to round soft poly strings

 

[Binatang]

I've used Solinco Confidential & it gave me arm trouble.
I think a good softer replacement would be MSV Focus Hex Soft.
It plays crisp-ish & just a tad stiffer than Hyper G. Its just a very good all-round string & is very affordable.

 

[liftordie]

I've used Solinco Confidential & it gave me arm trouble.
I think a good softer replacement would be MSV Focus Hex Soft.
It plays crisp-ish & just a tad stiffer than Hyper G. Its just a very good all-round string & is very affordable.

I’m agree. If you can handle it, Focus Hex soft is a really good and cheap string.
All MSV strings are great.

 

[FoldingChair]

OP, everyone’s mileage will vary so here’s mine. I feel Yonex PTP is good at everything but a master of none. Sidewinder to me was mushy. Maybe try regular Lynx

 

[Trip]

@Troy_Chen - You never listed the gauge you're using. I'll presume 1.25. Before leaving Confidential, try dropping gauge and tension as low as you can still control. That may increase comfort enough. Presuming you've done that, then yes, maybe it's time to move on.

As for PTP and Sidewinder, I think you're going to find that both, especially Sidewinder, are going to fall short on playable life and tension maintenance, and as @FoldingChair said, coming from Conf, there's a decent chance Sidewinder is going to feel like a mush-fest. Focus Hex Soft may be a it better, but despite the "Soft" designation, comfort won't be that much better, if any better at all.

Instead, I would look at Mayami Tour Hex and Genesis Hexonic 2.0 Yellow. MTH is slightly more comfortable, also about 5-10% lower-powered, so you can string it a bit lower and still retain similar control. GH2.0 is about 10% more comfortable, a bit higher powered, and not quite long-lived at Conf or Hex, but still a solid option. RacketPedia data below (click to enlarge):

 

[Torps]

Currently using Solinco Confidential in a Yonex Ezone 98 Tour (2020) version. Thinking about switching to a softer poly/co-poly setup to preventatively maintain my arm so I don't get sidelined with tennis elbow/other arm injuries. I currently don't have any arm pain and love my current setup (I string at 50 lbs full bed) but just want to be proactive about this kind of stuff. I am a 25 year old serious club player (played in college but now just play for fun) and I want to be able to play without preventable injuries for a while

Yonex Polytour Pro and Gosen Sidewinder have come up during my internet research into this topic so I am looking for the advice of people that have used these strings. I am looking for a softer string setup that has good tension maintenance, control, spin, and comfort. I realize no string can achieve all of this but the "non-negotiables" for me are comfort, tension maintenance, and not too significant loss of control compared to Solinco Confidential. I have a reel of multifilament (Solinco Vanquish) but the strings don't last when strung up with Confidential. And non-shaped poly hybrid with multifilament feels like I don't have enough control. So for me, I am thinking softer poly/co-poly setup would be best to retain the control and the comfort.

Also, if you guys have any recommendations for other soft poly/co-poly strings that would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

Polytour Rev if you already like PTP.. if you want shaped then Solinco confidential full bed is still good, but string it lower than you think you want.

Edit: agree with the above post re: Tour hex.. great string and decently comfortable. Grapplesnake Tour M8 is another great option and even more comfortable. Less spin though.

 

[Troy_Chen]

@Troy_Chen is that Murr in your avatar?

As far as strings go, are you susceptible to arm issues? Both of those you list are soft(er). Just watch your tension. Another popular option around here is Volkl Cyclone. Most of the guys I string it for use 52 as their tension.

haha good eye

 

[Rabbit]

@Troy_Chen - I saw Joe here in town a month or so ago. I hate he left IJ. Hopefully, he'll be back. It's just not the same without him.

 

[kkm]

Sidewinder > PTP

Sidewinder is twisted, but it feels like a round string handling and stringing.

 

[kkm]

Sidewinder has been around for a while, but IMHO it’s one of the best strings around and can work for a pretty wide range of players.

 

[Troy_Chen]

@Troy_Chen - I saw Joe here in town a month or so ago. I hate he left IJ. Hopefully, he'll be back. It's just not the same without him.

So agree, he was the most talented member of IJ. It’s really not the same without him in any of the challengers ☹️

 

[Rabbit]

So agree, he was the most talented member of IJ. It’s really not the same without him in any of the challengers ☹

Although I like the punishments that involve Joe the least and Sal the most.