String Reviews

I've tested two Grapplesnake strings thoroughly and enjoyed both. I published my Grapplesnake Tour Sniper review on YouTube a while back.

My Grapplesnake Tour Sniper Review impressed me with excellent control, decent spin potential and good feel for a medium-firm polyester string. I always like to point out that although polyester strings are the most popular on tour and among club players by some margin, it's not the choice for everyone. Players who are relatively new to the game or playing on a slightly lower level (up to NTRP 3.5) and are not hitting hard or with a lot of spin, are absolutely fine to use a multifilament or gut string. You get more power and more comfort with a multifilament/syn gut, while you get more control and spin potential with a polyester string.

Grapplesnake Tour Sniper

I have talked to the guys at Grapplesnake and I must say that their passion for strings and tennis in general shines through. It also shows in the products they produce. I have not tried all their strings, but the ones I've tried show some excellent potential. I'm now keen to test more strings in their range. This is what they say about Tour Sniper:

Tour Sniper has been engineered with a known formula in mind. With similar playing characteristics as Luxilon Alu Power, Solinco Tour Bite, and Kirschbaum Max Power, we decided to create a string that was softer, with more control, and pentagonal in shape.

Low-powered, Tour Sniper provides ultimate levels of control. It is ideal for players that enjoy this particular feel, but are not happy with how firm it normally is. It comes partially pre-streched to also minimize the significant initial tension loss normally associated with this family of strings.

Tour Sniper is ideal for heavy-hitters. Its edges are less sharp than our square offerings such as Cube, and launch angles are less dramatic. Very “silky”, it is extremely easy to string.

My review

Grapplesnake Tour Sniper comes in 1.25 gauge and grey color. It instantly reminded me of Alu Power, but with a bit more bite and grab on the ball. I felt like I could hit freely with confidence and the ball would dip in. It's definitely a control string, but I had no issue with string stiffness. I would still not play with a poly if I have arm concerns, but a string like Tour Sniper will likely not create new issues if you don't have any.

Thanks to being pre-stretched, I did not notice that drastic initial tension loss. And like they mention in their marketing text, stringing was not problem as the string feels smooth to the touch despite the pentagonal shape.

I tried the string in my Wilson Six One 95 and the Tecnifibre TF40 305 16×19 and enjoyed in both racquets. It held tension well even in the more open string bed of the TF40 16×19 and it wasn't too stiff for the 18×20 pattern of the 6.1 95.

A very solid control string that's worth a go if you're in the hunt for one.

If you use my link, you get 10% off your first Grapplesnake string purchase.

I've been play-testing a new string from Luxilon, which is a little different. Read on to find out more in this Luxilon Alu Power Vibe string review.

For this Luxilon Alu Power Vibe review I mainly used the string in my perhaps two most-used racquets which I often use for string reviews. The Babolat Soft Drive and the Wilson Six One 95 nCode. I like to use racquets I am familiar with and preferably (if I get more than one set for test) two racquets with a different profile to see how the strings affect the racquet.

What is Luxilon Alu Power Vibe?

Luxilon Alu Power Vibe is an interesting string with a new idea. Luxilon has taken Alu Power and ground down their famous purple Legacy dampener (!) into the mix of the string. The idea is that the rubber in the dampener would apply a more dampened feel to Alu Power. If that is something that sounds appealing to you, I'm sure you'll like this string, because I did.

It only comes in one gauge (1.25) so far and the price is not cheap by poly standards (20+ USD), but it's for sure a high-quality string.

You can purchase a string set or a reel from Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe or Tennis Only.

How does it play?

This string feels more comfortable than Alu Power, but looking at the stiffness rating, it's actually stiffer than Alu. It's in between Alu Power and 4G. It's not a comfort string for players suffering from tennis elbow (use arm-friendly strings), but it offers a pleasant sensation on impact and I did not notice any issues with harshness. Personally, I prefer the slightly dampened feel over this string than Alu Power, because I still felt like I got excellent control and the tension maintenance was more like 4G than Alu (better).

It's not the most spin-friendly string though as the surface of the string is a bit coarse and doesn't allow for a lot of movement or snapback. It almost feels more like a tightly strung natural gut than a poly. I wouldn't say the spin potential is poor, but it's not what this string is for.

I liked the string in both racquets. It killed some of the launch angle of the Soft Drive (OPEN pattern) and maintained good control and feel for the Six One 95. I think it's a better string for me than Alu Power in several respects:

+ I prefer the slightly softer/more dampened feel (this is subjective, some might find it too dampened)
+ It holds tension better
+ I do think it offers better control

Summary

For some reason, there haven't been much fanfare around Luxilon Alu Power Vibe, but for advanced players seeking a controlled string, it's a great option. It all boils down to if you prefer a more dampened feel or a slightly rawer string bed from options like 4G and Alu.

Ps. Video review to come! Ds.

Have you tried Luxilon Alu Power Vibe?

Yesterday I wrote a correction about Taylor Fritz strings. That turned into a video with the topic: “Why pros still use natural gut”.

Natural gut strings were invented in 1875 by Babolat. At first they were made from sheep intestine, but since the 1960s they are made from cow intestine. According to Babolat it takes two cows to make a set of natural gut strings. No wonder they are expensive! Natural gut strings are still around on the WTA and ATP tours, close to 150 years after inception. Why pros still use natural gut? There are two main reasons.

Why pros still use natural gut strings

There are two main reasons why professional tennis players still use natural gut strings:

Natural gut holds tension better than any other string.

The feel of natural gut strings are yet to be copied into a multifilament string.

Natural gut has a unique elasticity to them that allows them to be soft, yet not lose tension, the way polyester or synthetic gut strings do. This is why many professional players still use natural gut in a hybrid string setup.

Which pros use natural gut as a part of their string setup?

There are almost too many players to mention, but let's go for some pretty famous ones.

ATP: Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Alexander Zverev.

WTA: Serena Williams, Ash Barty, Aryna Sabalenka, Emma Raducanu.

There are obviously many more…

Should I string it in the mains or the crosses?

A full bed of natural gut is fine if you're not too picky on generating lots of topspin and like higher tensions to control the ball. If you're a spin player, I'm not sure a full bed of natural gut will do the trick for you, but in a hybrid setup it's a different story.

A general rule of thumb for hybrid strings is that the string in the mains gives the racquet its strongest flavor. Meaning the string bed will play a bit more towards a polyester string with a poly in the mains and more like a natural gut string with gut in the mains.

Poly mains: More control/spin
Gut mains: More power/feel

Summary

Natural gut strings has a place in the modern game because they are still unrivalled in terms of feel and tension maintenance. Yes, they come in at a high price, but if you hit a flatter ball and don't break strings frequently, you should definitely consider natural gut as they hold tension longer and are pretty durable as long as you don't let them get wet or put them in a hot car (you need to put a bit more care when you use gut strings).

Check out natural gut strings at Tennis Warehouse

Our guest contributor Colan Surratt is back. This time he tests Naomi Osaka's string. Here's his Yonex PolyTour Strike Blue review.

Yonex PolyTour Strike Blue Review (1.25 gauge)
by Colan Surratt

Hey, y'all! I'm a big fan of Naomi Osaka and of course, her gear. Check out what racquet Naomi Osaka uses here (-TN) and her string setup here. Seeing that she is using the new blue color of Yonex PolyTour Strike, I wanted to give it a shot when I had the chance! I remember liking the gray and black versions when I tested them a few years ago, so I was looking forward to this test.

I usually play with Solinco Confidential 16L, ALU Power 125, or Head Lynx Tour 17 between 48 and 50 pounds in my 16×19 v8 Blades that I've been using lately – I wrote a piece on the new Ezone 98, but sadly I had some arm issues and went back to the Blade. Accordingly, I strung up PTS Blue 125 at 48 pounds.

It's all about control

Generally, I'm not too fond of the feel of Yonex strings: PolyTour Pro and Spin were horrible for me, but I was pleasantly surprised here. It was firm and controlled right off the stringer but not uncomfortable or without some feel. If you can hit the center of the strings, it's plush and responsive for a controlled polyester string.

I quickly dialed in my strokes and was finding targets with ease. I did feel a slight lack of spin right away, but as the string broke in, I started accessing more than enough bite.

The feel is nice, but the name of the game is CONTROL here with this string. Off the ground, It lets you swing big and hit your targets with ease. I was able to loop rally balls deep and flatten out approaches with ease.

I felt confident knowing I could swing out and keep the ball in on shorter balls. Before breakage at about the 3-hour mark, I might spray a ball or randomly miss a target. There's enough spin to manipulate the ball if you know what you're doing. I didn't get oodles of extra rotation like some of the stiff, shaped strings can provide, but it was there. I can see how a player like Naomi Osaka or Denis Shapovalov grooves with this string on the pro tour – it's the perfect complement for their big-swinging baseline games.

Stroke by Stroke

At the net, this string is pretty no-nonsense. It's got enough feel for touch shots and just enough cushion to block back balls with more pace comfortably. It's not natural gut, but for a poly, it gets the job done without complaint, and that's all I ever really ask from a polyester at the net
.
I did notice a lack of spin on serve right away, but I adjusted quickly as the test wore on. No complaints here. Those who supply their own pace and spin on the serve will be rewarded with good targeting and enough pop. The *CRACK* off of a flat serve is really pleasing too!

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with this string. It has no frills, but it doesn't do anything poorly either. It reminds me of a more controlled (less powerful) ALU Power or a more comfortable version of Luxilon Original. There's good bite, low power, supple feel in the sweetspot, and plenty of spin for a round string. I experienced no issues with comfort at
my usual tension, either. It held its playing characteristics well until near breakage, and I wouldn't hesitate to use it again!

String Ratings:

Power: 5/10
Control: 9/10
Spin: 8/10 (great for a round poly)
Feel: 8/10 (great for a poly)
Playability duration/tension maintenance: 9/10
Comfort: 8/10 (relative to other polys, doesn't mean it won't aggravate any chronic arm issues…stick with multi or gut there)

PolyTour Strike is what PolyTour Pro should play like

It's nice to try a string from Yonex and actually like it. Every time somebody sings the praises of PolyTour Pro, I'm confused. But the way they talk about it (spinny, great feel, power, and control, durable) is how I experience PolyTour Strike. Yonex's flagship strings all have a presence on the pro tour, so there is obviously something good about their products. Even though I don't love them all, it was nice to finally find one that I could use without complaint!

The facts

Tension(s) Used for Playtest: 48 lbs
Regular String Set up & Tension: Head Lynx Tour 125 at 48#, Luxilon ALU 125 at 50#, and Confidential 125 at 48# have all been in my racquet lately – I can play all of these comfortably with no major complaints.
Racquet Used for Test: Wilson Blade 98 16×19 v8

Power/Control

Very controllable string here. Enough spin to keep the ball in the court. Firm, direct-enough feedback to know where the ball is going while still maintaining a little softness. The people that rave about Poly Tour Pro say it's spinny, controllable, great feel, whatever… that's how I experience Strike. There's enough pop to add a little zip to your ball. But really, the name of the game is control. Point and shoot volleys or bashing from the baseline, I never found it lacking. If I wanted to lay into a ball or give a little extra to a put-away I could do so confidently. Targets were found easily, and the string never had any weird “how did THAT go THERE?” moments except just before breakage. It gave out what was put into it and enhanced my shots just enough. If I had to put a number on it: 5/10 for power and 9/10 for control.

Feel

Nice and crisp without being harsh. Kind of like the new Ezone, actually. It took 20 minutes to get used to for me. There's some flex in the string, but it stops quickly on bigger swings. Hitting a ball clean with a round string is just so much more pleasant than a shaped one, and this one is really nice. Up there with ALU – but it's different from ALU – how pleasing it is to smack groundstrokes up the middle. Volleys were nice: point and shoot with some touch when needed. I had no problem adding spin to a shot at the last second or knifing slices through the court either. This string responded well in all “feel” situations. The feedback I was getting from the stringbed helped me hit all of my shots confidently – it's in line with the stiffer, crisper polys I've preferred for years. It's not gut, but I know what's going on, which is all I need.
8/10

Spin

My expectations were low after testing Poly Tour Pro a couple months ago, but I found more than enough spin here. It's not crazy amounts for a poly, but there is plenty of it if you supply it. The stiffer strings dug into the ball, and I was able to sling it back out flat or with lots of spin to move it through the court. It's above average for round polyesters – better than RPM Blast and Lynx Tour for me. I was left wanting on slice backhands but adjusted. Same on kick serves. That might have to do with launch angle – it didn't drop as much tension as ALU (it was quite stiff off the stringer) and as a round string will have a lower trajectory than lynx tour or confidential. I adjusted in a short time and was happy.
8/10 (great for a round poly)

Playability Duration

Maintained playing characteristics through most of the test. I broke it around the 3 hour mark, and the last half hour I could tell it wanted to go. I was working a little harder to keep the ball in the court and a few flew randomly. I would have cut it out after the session had it not broken, but the tension was still there. That's about par for the course for me. ALU starts to go bad after 90 minutes, and so do most Babolat polys and tour bite.
8/10 (top tier for a poly)

Tension Recommendations

I could comfortably go lower in tension to increase comfort, feel, and playability without worrying about losing control. It played well at 48, but it was firmer than everything else I'm used to overall. It could be a very nice cross to natural gut to dampen the launch angle and pop. Very slick and does a great job firming up the stringbed.

Summary

If you need a round poly that offers a good feel, tension maintenance, and control look no further. It's got some ALU-like responsiveness and above-average spin for a round poly. You could comfortably drop the tension down and maintain control or use it to firm up a soft main string while maintaining playability for longer than some other popular polyesters.

I'm happy that I enjoyed this playtest – I usually don't enjoy Yonex strings (poly tour pro is so bad to me and ruined my expectations for their whole line), but this one is a nice little gem. It's an honest string, and if you know how to *Strike* the ball, you'll be happy with it!

Our guest reviewer Ferenc Ferdinand Weisz is back with an Isospeed Cream string review. If you want to create a guest post or review, contact us here.

Ps. I have also tried this Isospeed Cream string in a Babolat Soft Drive and I agree with Ferenc's opinions. Maybe it works better in tighter pattern or hybrid, but I wouldn't use it in an open pattern racquet for the purpose of creating a softer response. / TN DS.

Isospeed Cream String Review

I have tried circa 30 strings during the past few years. I think I have an imagination about what I look and what I want from a tennis string. From these strings around the half I liked, the other half not. I have a go-to string that I like, but I felt motivated to try something new again, and I took out Isospeed Cream from the drawer.

Isospeed is the brand of Austrian sport-purpose plastic manufacturer Isosport. They became a known manufacturer around the nineties from their multifilaments like classic series of Professional and Control, but now they produce nice polyester strings also. Cream is a special string, as you can imagine from the name. This string's specialty comes from the material because polyester combined with elastomer makes a unique result. Definition of string promises a lot: sensational control with excellent arm protection. Isospeed is also notable because they talk about technologies, actually Double Heating, Spring Load, Pre-Stretched and Liquid Wax included, and these technologies offer minimal tension loss and nice snapback.

First impressions

I strung Cream 1.23mm/17 to my Artengo TR 930 Spin Pro, because I wanted to know how a relatively stiff frame compares with a relative soft and highly elastic monofilament. I usually play with Wilson Revolve 1.25mm at 25/24 kg (55/53 lbs), and I stay in this tension. Stringing was a nightmare. I did an ATW pattern, but the long side is curled and tangled, so I recommend a two-piece method for this string.

My first impressions are mixed. I looked at some multifilament style advantages, but I got disadvantages. This string is moving, and I hate string movement. I don't feel it to be comfortable and it doesn't provide a bigger sweet spot than Wilson Revolve. Despite waiting for better elasticity and elongation, I met with the same concrete polyester feel and touch. This is not a bad thing because I like the concrete response. My disappointment comes from my expectations because the product name creates a different impression.

How does it play?

Moving past the first negative impression of Isospeed Cream, this string is nice. Spin is good as I like, hitting sound is clear, and control is also okay. Some sparring with the best youth player of the local tennis club shows what flexibility is in this case. When the ball comes harder and I hit hard, this is flexible and comfortable on the sweet spot, but don't extend it.

After a few hours of playing, tension loss is normal and hitting sound more muted. String movement isn't bigger than the beginning but the feel is less concrete, but not bad. Test was ended after 5-6 hours of play after a forehand return mishit, breaking the string near the throat. I was surprised because this racquet has a really open string pattern and this type of string break isn't typical in these patterns compared to for example Head Graphene Radicals.

Summary

Overall, I'm disappointed. Even though I liked to play with this string I experienced a few things which aren't positive: stringing difficulties, string movement, unextended sweetspot and easy break as a result of a mishit. I can imagine in another type of racquet, it can work better and maybe this is good in a hybrid compared with a stiffer poly, but I didn't get the experience I wanted.

TN notes: Got this comment from fellow tennis player Jordan Schlick, which I think makes sense.

In response to the review of Isospeed Cream, it is a very nice string in a hybrid for those players looking to added control and spin. It is, due to it's softness, a less worthy choice as a full-bed for a player that plays with an open string bed with lots of spin.

Final words from TN

Thanks Ferdinand for the review. You can check out the Isospeed Cream string at Tennis Warehouse Europe, Tennis Warehouse, or Tennis Only. Other soft poly strings I can recommend:

Solinco Hyper-G Soft (lively, but good feel and tension maintenance)
Volkl Cyclone Tour (a bit softer and more powerful than Hyper-G Soft)
Wilson Revolve Spin

If you want even more comfort, check out my top 3 comfort strings here.

I might have found my new favorite string. And it isn't made by a mainstream brand. Here is my Grapplesnake Tour M8 review.

For this Grapplesnake Tour M8 review, I have used the racquet in a bunch of different models such as: Head Boom MP, Babolat Pure Aero RAFA, Head Extreme MP, HEAD Gravity Pro. This string comes only in 1.30 gauge and an olive green color. It's a stiff and control-oriented string targeted towards advanced players. In the Gravity Pro at a “normal” tension of 22 kg or 49 lbs, it gave excellent control, but felt a little stiff. It's when I strung it up in my Pure Aero RAFA at 11 kg or 24 lbs that it really showed its properties of tension maintenance, durability and control. I have also enjoyed the string at 15 kg / 33 lbs in my HEAD Extreme MP or 20 kg / 44 lbs in the HEAD Boom MP without comfort issues.

How does it play?

Grapplesnake Tour M8 feels quite soft when you string it up, so it's definitely not the harshest string on the market. But if you have arm issues, I would still avoid a poly (in general), even at low tensions. It has held tension well and stayed playable even in racquets with LOW tensions like 11 kg / 24 lbs or 15 kg / 33 lbs. I have tried other strings at this tension, but rarely get the same snapback and playability as with Tour M8.

Like I wrote above, the string really came to life at tensions at or below the 20 kg / 44 lbs mark. I tend to prefer thinner gauges and slightly higher tensions. In fact, 51 lbs / 23 kg has been a reference tension for me over the year, but that has been changing in the last couple of months. I feel like polyester strings are made to be played at lower tensions ( anything below 20 kg / 44 lbs I put as “lower”) where you can still get excellent control, ball pocketing and spin.

In short, the Grapplesnake Tour M8 is a high-quality control poly with excellent feel, control and spin properties. It's on the short list of becoming my regular string for match play, that's how good it is.

If you want to try Grapplesnake Tour M8, Tour Sniper or any of their other strings, get 10% off using this link on your first purchase.

About Grapplesnake

Grapplesnake is a German string brand and the strings they produce are not only designed/engineered in Germany, but also made there. This is what they say about themselves on their About Us page:

Grapplesnake was born in Germany, initially experimenting with new polymers and fabrics for the rope industry. There are strong engineering similarities when compared to tennis strings. This is why we decided to apply our knowledge into producing innovative compounds that lead to very high quality tennis strings. Every string we produce is aimed at providing players with unique characteristics for different styles of play, including our dual-poly hybrids.

Our goal is to improve the string industry and the game as a whole.

Have you tried any Grapplesnake strings? Check out Grapplesnake strings and other tennis gear at Tennis Warehouse Europe. They can also be bought through their official website in the US.

The amount of strings on the market can be mindboggling. What is the difference between multifilament and poly strings?

Since the polyester string was introduced a few years before the millenium (most famously it brought Guga Kuerten to French Open victory in 1997), tennis has not been the same. Suddenly players could swing fast and hard and still have the ball land inside the lines thanks to the stiffer composition and the snapback of the strings. The transition to poly strings (so-called monofilament) from multifilament or natural gut was swift and today most pro players use poly strings. Yes, you do find plenty of hybrid setups using either two poly strings or a multi/natural gut and a poly setup. But what is the difference between multifilament and poly strings?

What is a multifilament string?

As you hear from the name, a multifilament string contains several different materials that are put together to create a softer and more powerful response. The idea is to mimic some of the properties of natural gut strings (still the best tension maintenance string out there), while cutting cost and being able to adjust the stiffness of the string in the manufacturing.

What are some characteristics of multifilament strings?

Fray quicker and offer less durability than poly/monofilament strings.
Move without snapping back into place, so needs to be pushed/pulled by your fingers in between points.
Holds tension better than polys.
Softer and more comfortable on the arm.
Offers increase in power, but decrease in control compared to poly strings.
Less spin potential than a monofilament/poly string.
More expensive than poly strings.
Does not benefit from lower tensions (difficult to control)
Lower launch angle.

What are some characteristics of poly strings?

Better durability.
Drops tension quicker than multifilament (and gut strings).
Snaps back into place after your shot for improved spin.
Offers better control.
Stiffer on the arm (less comfort).
Cheaper to make and buy.
Can be used successfully at really low tensions.
Higher launch angle.

Which string should you use?

Like with racquets, what you should use depends on many different factors. For example:

• Playing level
• Playing style
• Possible injuries
• Technique

If you use a lot of top spin for your game, polys are pretty much the only way to go. But if you're a flatter hitter, perhaps with a more traditional technique and style, you're absolutely fine to use a multifilament string. And if you're not sure, why not try a hybrid setup?

Today there are slightly stiffer multifilament strings that try to bridge the gap between polyesters and multis. Such as Tecnifibre Triax, HEAD Velocity MLT or Yonex Rexis Speed to name a few more control-oriented multifilaments.

But there are also softer polyesters such as Solinco Hyper-G Soft, Volkl Cyclone Tour, and Wilson Revolve Spin to name a few. You can check out these strings at one of my affilates: Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe and Tennis Only.

There is also a new softer poly string with a multifilament-style launch angle from HEAD called HEAD Lynx Touch, check out my podcast with its creator Dennis Fabian here.

What strings do you use and why?

I've gotten requests to recommend great budget strings. There are so many different string brands on the market right now…

I am frequently testing new strings of different brands and price ranges. Many good things can be said about the playability of a premium brand such as Luxilon strings (made in Belgium) and I regularly string up my racquets with Alu Power in different hybrids. But the cost of such a string is quite high and not for everyone. That's why I felt like it was important to list some great budget strings.

I found that it's much easier to find quality polyester strings for a lower price, but when it comes to multifilament and natural gut, it makes sense to pay a little more. For natural gut, I like both Luxilon natural gut and Babolat VS Touch for example. You still can't beat natural gut when it comes to tension maintenance.

If you want a multifilament string that is somewhat reminiscent of natural gut, I would consider Tecnifibre X-One Bi-Phase or Isospeed Control as good options.

Budget polys

The most common string type today is a polyester string. You see them come in different shapes, colors, and gauges. A poly string will offer better control and durability than multifilament or gut/syn gut strings, but they are stiffer and drop tension faster. Premium polyesters are made by brands like Luxilon, Babolat, and Solinco, but there are many budget polys out there that do a good job.

If you have any favorite low-cost polyesters, please let me know in the comments below.

MSV

MSV strings are a solid option for budget-conscious players. They have some classics like MSV Focus Hex which is a solid option for a poly user who wants to spend less on strings.

I have reviewed the MSV Go Max string here.

TopSpin

I recently made a post about TopSpin strings, where I really enjoy their Cyberflash and Top Rotation. Video to come! Not quite as cheap as MSV, but good quality.

Signum Pro

Signum Pro offers some excellent poly strings like X-Perience, which is similar to Solinco Hyper-G and a test winner in the German Tennis Magazin. Matthew Berrettini uses Firestorm and many players around the world enjoy Pro Poly Plasma.

Weiss CANNON

Another German string brand, Weiss Cannon, offer an excellent competitor to Alu Power in Silverstring or massive spin in a string called Ultra Cable.

Pros Pro

If you want to go for the cheapest possible option, Pros Pro actually create some decent strings and a friend of mine, ex pro player Jakob Johansson Holm, (who I hit with in this video) uses Pros Pro Blackout in his Babolat Pure Drive. It's a more budget-friendly option of the RPM Blast and Jakob breaks strings during pretty much every hour of hitting.

Mayami

Mayami offers some excellent polys at a decent price. I like both Tour Hex and Magic Twist for example. Check out my post about their strings.

String Project

String Project is another smaller brand that I have enjoyed. I have reviewed their Magic and Gold strings here.

Dyreex

The French brand Dyreex offers many different strings and I did review their offering here.

Pro-String

I have also reviewed the brand Pro-String and their selection of poly strings here.

Summary

As you can see there are PLENTY of budget-friendly poly strings out there. And since the cost of trying different strings is relatively low, you can experiment a bit until you find the right one for you.

Expect more string reviews on Tennisnerd very soon!

I've now tested four different strings from TopSpin: Cyber Flash, Hybro Spin, Top Rotation, Max Rotation. Here is my TopSpin Strings Review.

This TopSpin Strings Review was enjoyable because all strings were of good quality. They all offer something different for different player types, but I would say these four strings are mainly suited for intermediate to advanced players without arm issues. TopSpin does offer a bunch of other interesting strings that could be more suited towards players looking for softer, more powerful alternatives. You can check them out on the TopSpin website.

TopSpin Cyber Flash

This one is a round, silver-colored co-polyester string similar to strings like Weisscannon Silverstring, Luxilon Alu Power and RS Lyon. It's not a spin monster, but an enjoyable string with decent tension maintenance. It competes well with all the strings mentioned and it's a medium to soft stiffness, which is kind of what I prefer when it comes to polyester strings. I tried it in a couple different racquets and it performed well across the board.

Spin: Don't expect massive spin potential or bite from this string, it's round.
Control: Good, typical for this type of medium-firm round poly
Comfort: Slightly above average for a poly
Tension maintenance: Average
Price: 7.49 USD for a set, 75 USD for a reel at Tennis Warehouse, €52.90 at Tennis Warehouse Europe
Verdict: Good round string for players looking to try polyesters.

TopSpin Hybro Spin

A poly hybrid with good spin potential and a softer response. One string is black and the other is turquoise. One is 7-sided for more spin potential and one is round for a softer feel.

Spin: Solid spin potential, I like the idea of an aggressively sided string and a round one together
Control: Very good
Comfort: Average
Tension maintenance: Average
Price: €19.99 on the TopSpin website
Verdict: Interesting combo for players looking for spin but a softer feel

TopSpin Top Rotation

This is a stiffer, grey, five-sided poly, more like in the style of Solinco Tour Bite. Good for spin and control, but too stiff for players with sensitive arms. You need to swing big to get the max potential out of this string.

Spin: Nice spin potential
Control: Yes, lots
Comfort: Not the best
Tension maintenance: Decent
Price: €10.90 on the TopSpin website
Verdict: A good spin/control string, compares well to Tour Bite

TopSpin Max Rotation

The spinniest string from TopSpin and also the stiffest. A seven-sided black string which is great for big hitters that swing fast, not a string giving you lots of feel and comfort though.

Spin: Great spin potential
Control: Very good
Comfort: Nope
Tension maintenance: Average
Price: €9.90 on the TopSpin website
Verdict: Players who hit big will like this one, stringers not (cuts your fingers).

Summary

Cyber Flash is what made TopSpin a notable brand and name on the string market. But they also produce some other high-quality strings. My favorite was Cyber Flash and Hybro Spin, as I'm not a huge fan of stiffer, shaped strings. But both Top and Max Rotation (easy to confuse, sadly) are good options for players that hit big with loads of spin. Nothing to be placed in a more control-oriented racquet, but in your typical power racquet, these strings work great.

I tested these strings in a BUNCH of racquets.

HEAD Extreme Tour
HEAD Prestige MP
Solinco Prototype
HEAD Prestige MP L
Tecnifibre Iga Swiatek 298
Pacific X-Fast LT

All in all, a solid string brand with some interesting strings. Worth considering for poly users.

I've been asked to do string comparisons so here's a Solinco string comparison between Hyper-G Soft, Tour Bite Soft and Confidential.

I'm keen to hear what string comparisons you would like to see next, let me know in the comments below. As you know, I enjoy Solinco strings and have been using especially Hyper-G Soft on a regular basis. I can also expand on this Solinco string comparison because this is not every string they have. There are some interesting strings I haven't tried like Jenson Brookby‘s choice Solinco Outlast for example.

Like always, I think most people prefer to watch the video, but I have also written down some thoughts below to summarize.

Solinco String Comparison Video

For players looking for a livelier and softer feel, I recommend Solinco Hyper-G Soft. It's a string I use regularly, but in more open patterns like 100 sq inch racquets with 16×19 patterns, it can be a little lively and doesn't last quite as long. You can always go up in gauge then, which is a general recommendation. For more open patterns, go for a thicker gauge and/or deader string like Confidential in this case.

Solinco Tour Bite Soft is also a good option for players who don't want to go for a stiff poly. It's a bit more controlled and dead than Hyper-G Soft, but still pretty soft on the arm.

Confidential is another story. It's not a harsh string, but definitely more focused on tension maintenance (softer strings drop tension quicker) and control. If you have a racquet with a lively string bed, I tend to opt for Confidential, which is a bit more comfortable than strings like regular Tour Bite.

Like I said above, you can dial in control using tension and the choice of gauge. Higher tension and/or thicker gauge for more control and lower tension/thinner gauge for a softer feel and better comfort/power. It's all depending on your preferences, playing style, and what you want to achieve.

What strings of these three would you pick?