I am a fan of Toroline Caviar (check out my review) and got excited to hear about the four-sided Wasabi. Here is my Toroline Wasabi review.

Toroline Wasabi Review

Toroline Wasabi is a square-shaped co-poly string focused on spin potential. It is available in three colors:

• Wasabi Pomegranate Red (1.23MM)
• Wasabi Neon Green (1.23MM/1.25MM)
• Wasabi Neon Pink (1.23MM)

I tested Wasabi Neon Pink in a few different racquets. The Wilson Shift 300, the HEAD Radical MP Auxetic and the Furi Arma Pro 98. My tensions hovered around 23-24 kg or 51-53 lbs.

How does it play?

This string is relatively soft for a shaped string, and playing it in different racquets also informed me about the string sensitivity of the various racquets. In the Shift, it played brilliantly. It accentuated the spin and gave me excellent control. The neon pink also looked pretty funky in the pearl white Shift racquet.

On the other hand, it felt a little plasticky (possibly not a word) in the Radical. I think that is more the racquet that is very string sensitive. It still played with good spin and control but felt a little stiffer in the Radical than in the Shift.

Wasabi was also great in the Furi Arma Pro 98. It was actually so good that my father has switched to this setup in his Furi's. It feels good on the arm, has decent pocketing, and provides good spin potential. It might not be the string for you if you want max control, as the string is a little lively, but at 53 lbs, I thought it played with enough control in my game.

By Category

Tension maintenance I would say is around average. It's not bad, but not much better than other polyester strings in the category.

Spin potential is excellent. The ball seems to dip in over and over again. I felt like the more open string patterns worked better in this respect.

Comfort is very good. I had no issue with it in any of the racquets. I think Toroline's poly are generally arm-friendly co-polys.

Control is good. It's a softer poly, so it can't compete with stiffer strings in the control category, but compared to other softer poly strings, it's great.

Feel is good, nothing outstanding, but as expected.

Overall, I really like this string. Not sure if it beats Caviar for me, I just loved the feel of that string, which is perhaps a tiny bit softer still. But the tension maintenance and control seem slightly better with Wasabi.

Another strong competitor from Toroline. Definitely a brand worth checking out. Sadly, they don't seem available easily in Europe from distributors. They seem to be sold exclusively through their website.

Tennis players always look for the latest and greatest equipment to give them an edge on the court. So what about Luxilon Eco Power?

Luxilon Eco Power

Luxilon, a leader in the tennis string industry, has created Luxilon Eco Power with sustainability in mind. The string is made with upcycled nylon, meaning it's created from waste material (a combination of 90% recycled PET bottles and other plastic packing materials) that would otherwise end up in landfills. This makes Eco Power an environmentally friendly option for players who want to reduce their carbon footprint.

Eco Power has a hexagonal shape with grippy edges for extra spin. The string is ranked as medium on the firmness scale and is not for players with a tennis elbow history, but for hard-hitting attackers.

You can compare it to strings like Solinco Hyper-G and HEAD Lynx Tour.

I have a few test sets of this string in Spain and will start testing it when I return from Malta. I talk about this string in my recent Mixed bag video because I also have loads of other gear to test besides this string.

But I am curious if a sustainability-themed string can meet playability demands. If you have tried Eco Power, please feel free to comment on your experiences below.

You can check out Luxilon Eco Power at Tennis Warehouse and Tennis Warehouse Europe. If you use my links to purchase anything, Tennisnerd gets a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you want discounts with specific brands or products, check out our Tennisnerd Deals page.

Upcoming reviews

Besides Eco Power, I also have the following upcoming reviews:

Nike Vapor Tour 9.5 returns
Wilson Burn V5
Tecnifibre Razor Soft
Nike Vapor 11
Lacoste AG 23
Solinco Whiteout 18×20
Toroline Wasabi
Grapplesnake Neon Dust
Babolat Pure Drive 98

And probably more stuff that I forget at the moment.

Stay tuned! And make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for daily videos.

Today we have a guest review from Stefan Kornitzky, a fellow tennis nerd from Germany. He has written a Babolat RPM Team Review.

Babolat RPM Team Review

I have been using the black Babolat RPM TEAM string (link to check it out at Tennis Warehouse Europe) in my 2021 Babolat Pure Drive for quite a while now. In addition to black color, the string is also available in blue and pink and in 1.25 or 1.30 mm – diameters. However, I only tested and played the black 1.25 mm version.

The Setup

I have been using the Babolat Pure Drive rackets (100 sq. inch, 300 g) since I started playing tennis 18 years ago. I use the newest racket version in its black and blue shades and had it customized to 310 g, 31.9 cm balance and 297 swing weight (unstrung). I string the RPM TEAM using a Gamma X-ELS machine, usually at 24/23 kg. My playing style is very aggressive, with lots of topspin, fast swings, and a single-handed backhand. I am rated 3.5 in the German tennis performance ranking (so-called “Leistungsklasse”), which is quite ok, I guess.

The String

Due to Nadal’s success, Babolat’s RPM (short for “rotations per minute,” a.k.a. SPIN) – string line is quite well known. However, most of the time, people talk about RPM Blast, RPM Rough or RPM HURRICANE when mentioning Babolat’s monofilament strings. As I am stringing my rackets, I tried out all these options but stuck with the less often mentioned RPM TEAM for quite some time now. Why?

First, I like the black color because it looks great with the Pure Drive and a white logo stenciled onto the string bed. But the look, of course, would be the same with e.g. black RPM BLAST. Second, and quite obviously I like the way the string plays. Babolat endorses the string as being eight-sided, more flexible and more comfortable as compared to other poly strings because of enclosed micro-air-bubbles. Additionally, the company markets it as durable. When comparing it to other eight-sided strings like the Gamma Ocho, you almost do not notice the shape. Threading RPM TEAM through your fingers gives you the impression and feeling of a round string, making it easy to string and weave. So, in my opinion, RPM TEAM’s octagonal shape is not that pronounced and certainly less pronounced than GAMMA OCHO’s.

Playing

When playing with a newly-strung full bed of RPM TEAM I basically like everything about it. I get a lot of acceleration and spin on each ball. You can feel the somewhat softer material, and, in my estimation, this makes the string more arm-friendly, more explosive and at the same time gives you good feedback from the ball.

As the Pure Drive is known for being quite stiff, the more elastic and softer string fits the setup like a treat. Yet, despite being a bit softer than RPM BLAST, RPM TEAM does not lean into the RPM SOFT-like direction of being mushy. Thus, I do not miss control when hitting heavy. The sound, which in my opinion differs between and matters quite a lot when testing different strings, is also nice (at least to my ears ????). The playability is great for several hours of play until you feel the tension drop and the string starts to move across the string bed.

I can also confirm Babolat’s characterization of RPM TEAM being durable. Usually, I break strings regularly due to heavy spin. However, I can use RPM TEAM in 1.25 mm-diameter significantly longer as compared to e.g. RPM BLAST in 1.20 mm- or RPM SOFT in 1.25mm-diameters until the string breaks. Usually, you observe the string wearing thin at the intersection of mains and crosses in the sweet spot for some time until the string finally snaps.

Downsides

I’d like to say: None in my setup. The only slight “disadvantage” (only for me due to stringing on my own) is the durability. I – believe it or not – like strings to break quite soon, because then I can use a freshly-strung racket again. Thus, I would love it if Babolat offered RPM TEAM in a thinner gauge. However, 1.25 mm is the lowest available.

Summary

Babolat’s RPM-range is quite well known to tennis enthusiasts around the world. In my opinion, RPM TEAM is probably the most underrated and under-used string of the RPM line-up. I like it being a bit softer and more explosive than other monofilaments (like RPM BLAST) and would recommend RPM TEAM for stiffer frames and players with fast swings looking for a lot of speed and spin. The price tag at about 110 Euro for a 200 m-reel is also reasonable.

Thanks Stefan for this excellent review! /TN

Let's have a closer look at some new MSV Strings! They tend to offer quality products and Buzzard and Swift are not exceptions.

New MSV Strings – Bussard and Swift

MSV is a string brand that needs no further introduction. They have been offering a large selection of tennis products for many years and currently carry about 130 high-performance strings in various materials, profiles, gauges and colors. The entire spectrum of benefits e.g., power, spin, control, comfort and durability, is covered to meet the needs of ATP /WTA players and beginners. I know several pro players that use MSV strings recreational players due to the quality you get for the price point. That is why I was keen to test a few new MSV strings, Bussard and Swift.

I have previously tested several MSV products because I was always attracted to their price point and the positive feedback they got on string forums and among high-level players. You can check out some of my reviews here:

MSV Go Max String Review
MSV Focus Hex Ultra (I have used this one quite a lot as it is dependable and a bit softer than the most popular Focus Hex)

 MSV Bussard

These are the specifications of the MSV Bussard string, according to the MSV website. (Click the link to go there).

PLAYER PROFILE

Ideal for intermediate to advanced players attacking the ball with full swing and topspin.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS
•    A crisp monofilament co-poly string with high control and spin potential.
•    Special additives provide very good tension maintenance and durability.
•    Made in Germany

RECOMMENDED TENSION 20-24 kg / 44-53 lbs (reference medium gauge and midsize racquet).

LENGTH 12m/39ft

DIAMETER/GAUGE AVAILABLE 1.20mm/17 and 1.25mm/16L and 1.30mm/16

How does MSV Bussard play?

I strung up the MSV Buzzard in my Wilson Blade 98 pro stock at 23 kg or 51 lbs, and straight away from the first hit, I felt confident in my shots, while the string didn't feel harsh on my arm. It reminded me of something that lands in between RS Lyon and Luxilon Alu Power. It is perhaps a tad softer than Alu. Unsure if it is the additives or something else. The snapback is good. The string happily jumps back into place after impact.

This is perhaps not a soft poly in the style of the more powerful MSV Hepta Twist or the Swift (which we will get to below), but a dependable option for big strikers who like round strings. I think this is an excellent option in a hybrid setup, for example. The round and coated string won't cut into the gut or multifilament string, and the additive will make it move easier for spin potential.

Sadly, I only had one test set so I couldn't try it in a hybrid, but after many years of testing strings and racquets, my gut feeling (no pun intended) is that it would work well as such.

In a full bed, I enjoyed this one. I am a fan of round strings, and this one competes well with the likes of Alu Power, Hawk Power, RS Lyon and Top Spin Cyberflash.

Tension maintenance was slightly better than Alu, and more similar to RS Lyon. Big top spin hitters will break it after a few hours, but they break everything after a few hours! 🙂

In short, a nice round co-poly string with solid durability and excellent control.

MSV Swift

This is a softer string that I strung up and enjoyed in the Wilson Shift 300. These are the specifications of the MSV Swift string, according to the MSV website. (Click the link to go there).

PLAYER PROFILE

Ideal for players who look for an arm-friendly, well-balanced co-poly string.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

A complex mix of 6 different materials is processed in 3 steps to produce a very soft, monofilament co-poly string with a high level of comfort.

Compared to other co-polyester strings with a similar characteristics profile (such as the Luxilon Alu Power), the MSV SWIFT offers above-average comfort (+10% points), tension stability (+8% points), power (5% points) and control (3% points, all values come from racketpedia.com). The absolute value for control is 95%.

The round shape of the MSV SWIFT makes it a good choice for hybrid stringing.

The MSV SWIFT was tested by 20 players (members) of the European Stringers Association (ERSA). The result has now been published in the Pro Stringer Magazine (Nov. 2022). A clear recommendation is given for the string. It scores above average in almost all important parameters.

It is recommended for normal and narrow string bed patterns. Pre-stretch is not necessary.

Made in Austria

RECOMMENDED TENSION

20-24 kg / 44-53 lbs (ref: medium gauge and midsize racquet).

LENGTH

12m/39ft

VARIANTS AVAILABLE

1.25mm/16L and 1.30mm/16

How does MSV Swift play?

Another round string, this time softer than Bussard. Still, despite putting it in the 99 sq inch Shift, I did not lack control with MSV Swift at 23.5 kg (52 lbs). I thought it would lose tension relatively quickly since it felt soft on impact, but I got eight hours of pretty hard-hitting from it before I started to see signs that it was time to restring.

Despite the thick beam and powerful frame, I felt I could get enough control and spin to get the ball to land in. This quickly became my favorite MSV string to date. I loved the sound when striking the ball with this string. I don't hit as hard as some of my high-level hitting partners, but with this combination of Shift and Swift, I felt I could do some damage.

I had a few of my friends try this string setup as well, and they loved it. A soft round, yet spin and arm-friendly string, what's not to like?

Most white strings like Wilson Revolve or even Tecnifibre Ice Code are nice, but seem to drop tension quickly. I was worried about MSV Swift in a relatively open patterned racquet, but it worked well!

I enjoyed both MSV Bussard and Swift, but this was the winner for my game. Very impressed by MSV Swift and hope to try it in other racquets in the future.

Alex Mann is back with the interesting history of natural gut tennis strings. Still used on tour today by players like Djokovic and Murray.

The History of Natural Gut Tennis Strings

In 1874, Major Walter Clopton Wingfield founded the modern game of tennis we are most familiar with today, lawn tennis.

As the game began to spread across the globe, there became a need for high-quality tennis strings that could support the wooden frame of the racquets.

Babolat and Monnier, a musical instrument business specializing in making strings for instruments, sought to develop the first modern-day natural gut tennis string.

In 1875, a year after the invention of the modern game, Pierre Babolat produced a tennis string made from sheep’s gut.

It didn’t take long for Babolat to become the leading tennis string brand.

Babolat VS

In 1925 Pierre’s son, Albert Babolat, launched the new and improved natural gut string, VS. You can read the history of Babolat on their official website.

Babolat sought the help of France’s golden generation of tennis players, collectively known as the Four Musketeers, to sample and test the string.

Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon, Henri Cochet and Rene Lacoste were all impressed, and it didn’t take long for VS to become the choice of string for the world’s best players.

Two of the biggest stars of the 1920s, Rene Lacoste and Suzanne Lenglen, became the first players to win the French Open with the string.

Until the 1960s, Babolat strings were made entirely from sheep gut before being replaced by the more tensile and longer cow gut.

To this day, Babolat remains one of the biggest tennis string brands in the world. Pierre Babolat’s great-grandson, Eric Babolat, has led the family-owned business since 1998.

As the game has evolved, natural gut strings have followed suit. Over the years, Babolat has tinkered with the VS string to improve its overall playability.

To this day, the VS is arguably the most used natural gut on the market, with many club and professional players opting for it as their choice of string.

How Are Natural Gut Strings Made?

The cow gut is salted to preserve it before being stored inside cold containers to maintain its natural properties before it’s used to make tennis strings.

Once the gut is ready to be used, the gut is washed in water to remove the salt. The gut is then quality checked and any fatty strands are discarded.

Next, the gut strands are separated by hand and the longest fibers are kept for strength and elasticity.

The gut is then quality-checked using UltraViolet technology to ensure the strands are undamaged.

Once this has been done, the strands are laid onto a table and measured to ensure they are long enough for stringing a racquet.

The strands are placed into a curing tank to be cleaned, sterilized. After the gut has been cleaned, the gut strands are spun together, creating twists.

The gust strands are left to dry on a drying rack. They are twisted for a second time at regular intervals to improve strength and elasticity.

Due to the sensitivity of the natural gut, the strings are left to dry for at least two weeks.

The strings are then quality tested again to ensure there are no uneven or damaged strings.

The strings are then sanded and polished down to the desired thickness before being vanished to ensure smoothness and maintain consistency and playability of the gut.

A final process of cleaning and coating occurs before the strings are packaged.The strings are then quality checked once again to ensure no cracks or damage to the strings.

The strings are then wrapped and packaged ready to be shipped out to tennis suppliers across the world.

Why Use Natural Gut?

There are many reasons why players choose natural gut strings. Watch this video to find out why pros still use natural gut.

As the ball hits the stringbed of the racquet, the softness and elasticity of the gut creates a trampoline-like effect, giving players unmatched amounts of power.

The softness of the material also gives the string the ability to retain tension for longer than modern, polyester strings, while maintaining power and reducing shock from the impact of the ball.

The drawbacks of natural gut is its expensive price tag. Manufacturing a product out of an animal's intestine takes time and money.

Add in the fact that the string is more sensitive in adverse weather conditions due to the properties of the natural material and that its overall life is considerably lower in comparison to polyester strings, it’s unsurprising that it is one of the most expensive strings on the tennis market.

You can purchase natural gut tennis strings from our friends at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe or Tennis Only.

I know many of you have been waiting for this HEAD Hawk Power review, but due to a flooding of the factory it took a while to get samples.

HEAD Hawk Power Review

What is HEAD Hawk Power? It is a petrol-colored, round polyester string. Like its source of inspiration, Luxilon Alu Power, It puts a premium on control without making the string unnecessarily stiff and firm on the arm. Compared to Luxilon's flagship string, I would say that Hawk Power is a tad softer in feel. I have used it in a full bed in a variety of different racquets, such as the new HEAD Radical Pro Auxetic, the Dunlop FX 500, the HEAD Speed Pro, the HEAD Extreme Tour and a few other racquets. And it has performed well in all of them.

Strangely, I wouldn't say I liked it as much in a hybrid setup. I don't know why. But in the Radical Pro, for example, the full bed was played much better than a natural gut, Hawk Power hybrid. Sometimes it is hard to understand why that is the case, but I was not alone in experiencing it. I tried it in a hybrid in both the Gravity Pro and Radical Pro.

How does it play?

HEAD Hawk Power is only available in 1.25 gauge and petrol color. I have heard a few pros already switching to this string, so I am sure more options will be available in the future. If you'd like to know more about HEAD Hawk Power, I suggest you listen to the podcast I did with HEAD's Dennis Fabian.

I like this string a lot, and I think it competes on equal terms with the famous Alu Power. It seems a bit softer, which I think many players will enjoy, but I did not notice worse durability/tension maintenance than the Luxilon counterpart. This is a string that also plays nice at lower tensions, for example, try it around 20 kg (44 lbs) or lower and it will respond well with good spin and control.

I felt like I could swing out with confidence and the ball would drop in over and over again. It played equally well in a power racquet like the Dunlop FX 500, to a control racquet like the Radical Pro 2023.

If you're a fan of Alu Power or similar strings, HEAD now has an offering you must try. Check out HEAD Hawk Power as soon as it is back in stock with our friends at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe or Tennis Only.

The Grapplesnake Game Changer is a four-sided neon green polyester string. It is focused on creating lots of spin without hurting your arm.

Grapplesnake is an up-and-coming string brand from Germany. I have tested several of their strings in the past and the overall experience has been very positive. For previous reviews, look at the list below, and then you can move along to the Grapplesnake Game Changer string review.

Grapplesnake Tour Sniper string review
Grapplesnake Tour M8 string review
Grapplesnake Alpha string review

Grapplesnake Game Changer String Review

Four-sided strings (cube-shaped) are not the most fun to string, but they can produce excellent spin and control on your shots. It is not fun because the sharp edges make it a bit more demanding to work with, but luckily, Game Changer has minimal coil effect, making it easier to string than most other 4-sided strings.

I tested Game Changer in two racquets: the Yonex Ezone Tour 98 and my customized Wilson Six One 95 nCode 16×18. A few advanced (ex-tour) players tested the string alongside me in the Ezone and the response was very positive. It is far softer than you would expect but still produces excellent control and spin potential. It was so soft, it almost felt a bit too soft at times (I tend to enjoy slightly stiffer strings myself), but most elbows would be happy about that.

This string can be useful in racquets with denser patterns where you want to open up for more bite and elevation on the ball. I happily noticed this effect in the 95 sq inch Six One. In the Ezone Tour, it felt like a natural complement, and it lasted longer than I expected. I felt ready to cut it out after 8-10 hours of play, but this is a good stat for an aggressively shaped string.

Summary

Overall, a very good 4-sided string for advanced players looking for spin and control. My friend Miguel actually liked it so much that he asked me where to get a reel.

You can get the Grapplesnake Game Changer at 10% off using my link on your first purchase. Tennis Warehouse Europe carries their Cube string, which I used in my Wilson Clash 98 V1 and also enjoyed, but I have only seen Game Changer on the official website.

Video review to come! Please make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.