One correction from a materials scientist. Co-poly actually refers to the material on the molecular level and monofilament refers to the construction of the string. They are not mutually exclusive. You can create a co-poly monofilament, and many strings in the market are such.
Thanks for this video Jonas. I use TW University comparison tool often to compare strings but I don't always agree with their ratings (particularly on stiffness and tension loss) from my perceived experience. This may have to do with the fact that I string at 49 lbs in my 18*20 TF40. I do have a reel of the Kirschbaum Super Smash Orange in 1.28mm and find it to be very comfortable, responsive, controllable and reasonably spin friendly at my tension. Tension maintenance is very reasonable and remains playable for quite long. This may be due to Kirschbaum pre-stretching the string or the fact that I string low to begin with.
That's how it's done by Jonas! Not agreeing with someone doesn't mean you have to call him out! Instead he gives his own view in a calm manner while respecting that Nikolas has been in the game for a long time!
Regardless of stiffness, my arm hurts most from "dead" strings. I think I overhit with dead strings trying to find or feel the ball. So, I do think the responsive description is useful. I use Lynx Tour 17 in full bed or hybrid with Velocity MLT. I love Gut/poly hybrid but too pricey.
I deal with mostly seasonal, recreational, high school kids. They play with low end racquets mostly. Can’t believe the basic Prince or Wilson synthetic gut does not make it into this conversation. It’s cheap, durable, and when the racquet sits in the closet all winter long it still has some life in the next season. I use Prince synthetic gut with duraflex and pull it at the high side of the racquet’s recommended tension to give these animals some control. A $20+ set of string is not going to make a difference for these players. I think this is one of those “law of diminishing returns “ situations.
Prince synthetic gut duraflex would probably be my #1 for rec players, particularly in the beginner to intermediate levels and players like you described. I disagree with him entirely on his opinions on multi and syn gut strings.
Hyper G, Hyper G soft , Volkl Cyclone are my favorites. Surprised they are not in list and i tried lot of the strings mentioned. I guess strings are personal.
I like the Hyper G, but prefer the Confidential and Tour Bite Soft even more. Solinco needs another couple years to get the attention :-). That's not a bad thing, so hopefully prices will stay at that level.
Interesting reaction video but it seems like it could become tricky reacting to friends opinions publicly. As a recreational player I have found that a hybrid of two softer polyesters works really well. I’m using Solinco Hyper G Soft(pentagonal shape) in the mains and Head Lynx Touch(cylindrical shape) in the crosses and have found a nice combination of comfort and durability. I’m surprised that Nikola didn’t mention any soft polys and didn’t really talk too much about the benefits of hybrids for rec players. It was pretty clear he personally preferred mono filament polys but I agree with you that a lot of them are too stiff for most rec players. I really enjoy your scientific approach to reviewing tennis gear and you seem fairly unbiased for a human being :) Keep up the great work and I’ll keep listening/watching!
Both of you forgot to mention the choice of string depends a lot on the racquet. You can get away with (may even be preferable) using a stiffer string, even slightly higher tension, in a racquet with a lower RA. For eg., RPM blast feels ok with Blade v8 but could kill your arm when used in a Pure strike
You just perfectly described me… I went from a blade 98 305g, whichever strings I used I had no trouble. Then I used a pure drive team with hyper g and whoops…. Been suffering with golfers elbow pretty bad since, not to mention the lack of volley control with a stiff light racket + poly strings omg. I’ve since moved to a head speed mp, leather grip, strung looser and it’s so much better.
@@scissorsharp9032 Fair play to you for switching racquets. I went the other way from a Pure strike to a Blade 98 and the change is remarkable. I use Tecnifibre Razor soft (endorsed by Medvedev) at 25kg tension and the setup is fantastic. This, for me is one of the best strings on the market.
@@vinay4886 I’ve been on the hunt for an ideal string so perhaps I’ll try the razorsoft… I’ve got a reel of confidential to get through but hopefully it’s not to good 😂
@@scissorsharp9032For strings, stiffer or higher tension results in lower power. But for racquets, it's the opposite: stiffer racquets have more power. If you pair a stiff string at high tension with a flexible racquet, your setup may have too little power. If you have very fast swing speed like the pros, that may work the best for you. But if not, you may struggle with lack of power.
Rpm blast is amazing for about 2 sets of singles. Im around a 4.5utr and i can feel it go off in the 3rd set. 4 sets its unplayable and i cut them out. I used to use kirschbaum spiky gold back in early 2000s and i remeber using bug banger orignal for the first time. Wow! What a difference, i could go full power mode
I thought Kasatkina only recently switched to BB original? She showed it recently in her vlog that she switched to it. She had a white string before that from tecnifibre.
for a rec player a hybrid would work. Even a full bed of Head Velocity MLT or Technifibre NRG2 would seem betyter for the rec player. Check out TF Triax which is a co-poly and works well in a hybrid. Another string that is unique and i had played with it for years is the ISOSPEEED Professional original .. sort of a co-poly/multi. Thoughts?
I use the MLT in a hybrid with the Voelkl Cyclone in the mains, as Fullbed I´d say it depends on the racket, if it´s a power frame it can be too much or you have to go high with the tension, then almost all of the good abilities you get from the MLT are almost gone.
confidential 1.25mm great string, was plyaing with tour bite but my wrist was getting too painfull sometimes. Now i feel great and the string is more crispy
I think Nikola is right. I found many super stiff strings really comfortable, powerful and with ball pocketing compare to others with much softer rating. I think also there some science behind matching the right racket with the right string and how weight is distributed on the racket for me is night and day with comfort compared to stiffness on the racket. I tried the same rackets changing the place of the lead and is cracy how from uncomfortable and painful goes to super comfortable and pocketing feeling. I see this all the time, reviews talking about racket stiffness, string stiffness etc when how weigh is on the racket is not talked and much more important
He made many incorrect statements, hard to take him seriously. 4G is a particularly atrocious recommendation. It’s an arm killer especially if you’re not having it restrung every couple hours like pros. Guga used ice blue alu power.
The best and most accurate string reviews I've seen on TH-cam are from that OpenCourt tennis guy in Haiwaii. Players should take a steer from him, not the most common strings used by pros.
I used BB Original in the past and it was great, not so dead if you lower the tension. Actually has a nice feel with control. Felt more elastic than Alu power but creates less spin.
In terms of rating, such will be valid if strings are rated compared to other strings in a controlled group. That is, string "A" is rated 7.5 against the other strings that are tested in that group. And apples with apples, oranges with oranges.
I agree what what hes saying. Its the greatest strings by impact on the game. Very few players use big banger original anymore but it really did change the game
I don't need a scoring system but I like comments on: feel, tension maintenance, when the strings go dead (for polys), spin, cost, control and arm health. I've used ALU Power since 2005 to 2022 and love it if cost is not a factor. The problem with it is I have to restring frequently. Feel is just so sweet. So I've used Hyper-G for the past year and miss the feel but it's great in everything else. I string it at 55 and it's perfect for me at this tension. I have tried BB in the past but ALU Power has always been easier to get.
Why do you suggest to have higher tension for gut than poly in a hybrid setting? The university ranking table showing the poly losing its tension faster. So isn’t it better to put it on higher tension so overtime they both balance?
Jonas, you should study the TWU work on "dead" strings. Strings do NOT (sorry for the caps) lose their elasticity. Rather, friction between the strings increases over time leading to reduced lateral movement and increased dynamic stiffness in that plane. That's why the strings feel stiffer AND lose spin potential. These are both consequences of the same phenomenon.
Yeah, this explains why poly string can lose both power and spin when "dead". Power loss because the string just becomes stiffer. Spin loss because the slick coating has worn out. With synthetic gut, I only notice the spin loss when the coating wears out. But never power loss because the string doesn't really change its stiffness.
Saw Nik's video yesterday as well. Thought I would buy a reel based on Nik's recommendation. My enthusiasm died right away after I checked TW database on tension maintenance, as each poly string that Nik recommended have very poor tension maintenance (around 50%). To be fair though, if you read TW review carefully, the "compare string" page is for "mid tension" of about 50lb. At low tension (e.g., 40 or lower) that Nik recommended, most poly strings have pretty steep drop, and the tension maintenance difference is not as great between Goson Polygon and Hyper G.
Great video! I had seen nikolas video and was pretty surprised about his view of rpm blast vs Alu power, since I think it plays deader than most polys I’ve tried. I like your approach, but I think it would be fun to do a top five soft poly list, top five hybrid setups, etc
I love this. 1) A "top 10" or whatever ranking grabs my attention, because I'm human, but then in the video, what I really want is nuance and caveats, 2) yes, LOVE the reaction video format because it gets me seeing how top opinions are similar and differ.
I tried a lot of strings and the one that works for me the best is Volkl Cyclone. I find it strange that not many people use this string because it is an awesome string.
Wilson Revolve 17 ga has tension loss of 36%. More important for hybrids the string to string friction is .066 very comparable to Blast Rough at .07. Blast Rough is widely used in hybrid setups. I've used revolve for many years as the main with Prince Premier Power in the crosses. I'm still surprised at how many players use full poly with the tension loss. As you mentioned, once they go dead it is very harsh on your arm.
For the Pros, I would look at Tennisnerd vids with actual string logs from tournaments to get an idea. wilson players =Alu, babolat = rpm, vs gut for hybrid, head = hawk/lynx etc Nikola is sponsored by Kirchbaum so probably not going to mention any Solinco.
Definitely use the natural gut in the mains to get the full experience. Putting gut in the crosses doesn't change the feel that much, so for me it just feels like a waste of money...
what copoly string would you recomend for a baseline clay-court rec player who doesnt break many strings per year (maybe 1 or 2 times per year), my main problem with some copolys is that the loos tension way too fast.
All polys lose tension fast. Some that last slightly longer are hyper G, 4G, Confidential 16 & Tourna Big Hitter Silver 16. I would try Babolat Xcel 16 mid/mid upper tension.
when i was a kid i used to play a lot with a string called Duralast from babolat it was one of the cheapest strings and i loved it's feel, but i guess they dropped it over the years, i stopped playing tennis for around 8 years due to work and studies and now that i'm back i just can't find anything close to that. Right now i'm playing with Inni Blackbird 17l 1.25mm at 47 lbs and i feel i extract the best of the string between the 4th - 10th match
Not all polyester strings go dead. Some actually start behaving like the opposite. Like most of the Luxilon I’ve tryed, after two hours of continuous play the Luxilon strings got more like a trampoline. It’s for those players that are restringing after every play. The strings I’ve tryed are Trampoline effect: Alu power Alu power rough Element Broke after two hours at 23-24kg 4G 4G rough That in mind and how expensive Luxilon strings are compared to others brands, for me it’s not worth buying. I would rather spend my money on, Head hawk touch Goosen tour 3 Solinco confidential Yonex polytour pro
What would you string Wasabi Pro at? I have tennis elbow and I am using Toroline wasabi mains 48 and Velocity MLT 50 crosses. Worried if the Wasabi Pro will be more stiff and continue to hurt my arm?
He's 100% right about kbss. It's a super responsive and crisp string, has incredible snapback, that's why the spin is very good for a round polly. Good directional control as well especially on serve and volleys. Tention maintenance isn't the best but still playable after tention loss as it never losses snapback. And Jonas it's nothing like Alu power or volkl cyclone, those are dead and boardy comparing to kbss. This is why tw string data doesn't give you the correct idea about a string. You can measure mass and resistance but you can not measure feel :)
I am not huge fan of scores or the term responsive. In this context responsive seems to mean a combination of power and control over the life the string. Essentially the string provides you with a little help. Unfortunately what one player needs from a string is different to another. I try to look for a string set up will enhance my playstyle. Maybe a better way to review racquets and strings is to say what type of player or what type of shots the string will be best suited for. For example the strings recommended for recreational players on this list are those players looking for a string that provides a combination of control and power. If you are looking for a combination of power and touch, and not focused on spin or control as much then multis or gut suit those players, while stiffer textured strings are for players looking to hit out at balls with spin. Maybe something to think about.
I would say that his scoring system helped me to understand the dead side of Alu Power and I understand now much better, even if I still feel unsure about the rating according to my experience and your comments but if he felt that way I will reconsider my evaluation. I always thought Alu Power and Wilson Revolve would give me more power, but I am not sure it was the case. So yes it's risky and not always including all parameters but I found it useful
Enjoyed your commentary. Very technical. Tennis Warehouse University string info is useful but incomplete. Many newer strings are not in their database. Try Gosen G-Spin 3 (1.23 and six 6-sided). My favorite co-poly string currently. Easy on the arm and nice spin with low launch.
It’s also not consistent. Look at yonex poly tour rev and the stats are completely different for the thicker gauge (more stretchy) which should be the opposite
Anyone who says there are 'Top 5 strings' and tries to cite what pros use as supposed evidence is completely clueless. It's pointless not least because usage is influenced by $$$ sponsorship and commercial dominance of certain manufacturers. Pay me $1m a year and I'll use whatever string you want from your catalogue. Its like saying there are Top 5 tennis racquets etc. It's all subjective, what suits one person doesn't suit another. And that's not even taking into account the fact that pros have 10 racquets, play completely differently to amateur players and will cut out whatever strings they use after only a couple of hours of play.
The 2nd list supposedly for amateurs doesn't make sense either. Polylon (generic poly), 4G (stiff A.F), Hawk (no spin), Wilson Gut (expensive and over powered), Supersmash Redf (garbage poly with horrible feel) are just silly suggestions for recreational players @@christianteves809
Hi Jonas, Nick seems to have some strange (at least different from everything I've read or heard before about strings) views on what a monofilament means, as opposed to co-polys instead of multifilaments, and also about "pure polyester monofilaments" being actually pretty reactive/responsive/powerful strings. In fact I had understood that some of the "co-"s added to polyester are meant to increase its power (for example, aluminium fibers), or that just for having silicon coating to increase slippage, and hence snapnack and durability (reducing wear), would already technically make them co-polys. He also says that multis are low powered BECAUSE they are soft, and even if they may seem comfortable, they will end up hurting your arm because you need to swing harder (iirc)... You seem to have overlooked of these views, not sure if because they don't caught your attention or because you think they may make some sense. Do you agree with any of this?
I'm not a fan of numbered ratings. Stick with descriptions of what works well, who the product is for, and how it differs from the previous version. I also find "Top 5 of all time" lists a bit self congratulatory because, without extensive research or some other way to objectively benchmark it, it is basically just the reviewer's own opinion. Might be a very qualified reviewer, but it is still personal opinion - "All Time" is a big call 🙂
In an 18 x 20 string bed, once full gut settles, it plays beautifully with minimal tension loss till it breaks. It's the Cadillac of all strings in my humble opinion.
In an 18 x 20 fraying is minimal. And yes it still plays beautifully until it breaks. You can use string savers to minimize excessive movement.@@akbarberlian
4G should only be strung on crosses with gut on mains, its the setup De Minaur, Tsitsipas, Serena Williams and Dimitrov uses, its too stiff for me so I am going to try RPM blast on the crosses instead.
What stood out is he said this: "Alu Power is not a monofilament". Then what is it? Co-polymer doesn't mean mono, mono means extrusion, co-polymer means material. IMHO it's monofilament. Another issue, he said: "Alu Power is co-polyester". It's wrong, the material is poly-ether-ether. Maybe it's PEEK blend. Looks like nobody knows the chemistry of strings out there. Even marketing of Luxilon used a word polyester in the "user friendly" official highlights.
You interpretate TWU "tension loss" in a wrong way. It is actually the initial loss just before stringing, and it is independant from the following tension stability. This is used combined with the stiffness to have an idea of the actual strung stiffness you will get. They dont have a metric for real tension stability unfortunately
Nah, stay away from the scoring. I like your format, explaining what the pros and cons are of a string or any other piece of gear. This allows us to decide whether a piece of gear is worth trying out or not.
I Agree Jonas. The scale of 10 relating to a specific aspect would be very difficult over time of your only reviewing Poly's. 5 stars system would be better. And comparing poly's to syn's and multi's is difficult. Ugh Nikola, your first 2 rec strings - Polyon is terribly plastic feeling. 4G a great string but an arm killer. And regarding Karue at 60, that guy is a beast !
No string on this planet is just "the best". It may suit one player the best, but thats it. I came from a soft poly on an underpowered racquet (18/20), it was the only string that worked on that frame, changed the racquet (16/19 now) and found out that suddenly it is the worst possible string, way too powerful for me. So I had to firm up a little. Also, rating NG at 7/10 and a poly at 9/10 sounds counter-intuitive. Isn't NG the single most powerful string out there?
If your scoring system is well described, it can absolutely make your subjective feeling/opinion about something more well understood. Points of reference are important for understanding imo.
I dont think any of you understood Nick. Best strings of all times mean not something popped up 2yrs ago. Sure there are many versions of many strings but what he ranked are already proven to be the choice of millions of players.
Hey, not yet, I am lending out my stringing machine to Nikki because he is running the stringing service in the Challenger in Malaga this week. But when I get it back, I will start testing!
The Alu Power is so overrated. It loses tension very quickly and breaks after a 4-6 hours in my case. In addition, Luxilon has doubled the price of their strings within a few years. If you're a fan of the Babolat RPM Blast, try the MSV Focus Hex Ultra 1.25mm. Keeps tension much better, feels better and holds forever.
Also like the long form, everything doesn’t need to appeal to the short attention span audience. Besides, you’re reacting to his video. How do react without actually showing the video and then popping in when you have something substaitive to say? Anyway, just another viewer’s two cents worth.
tour bite, incredible feel and control, no power...confidential, more power, nice feel, not as tour bite, less control than tour bite, but holds tension better...@@chuckdeless9891
Don't score equipment. But comparing them to other brands, or positioning them in a range of others can be helpful. For example, in terms of comfort/stiffness of a string or racquet tell us where it sits between two other products. What's more stiff? What's less stiff? etc.
4G is around 25% stiffer than the ALU power... 259 points against 209 for the 1.25 caliber, i think that says it all, recreational player should stay away from it !
I agree scoring doesn't work for this channel. We are here for a subjective view of tennis equipment and I feel like scoring wouldn't do it justice and would tempered review with personal view.
Funny how he had 2 different natural guts on the pro list but crapped on it when he tried playing on it. Dude can play but he's to full of BD when it comes to equipment
One correction from a materials scientist. Co-poly actually refers to the material on the molecular level and monofilament refers to the construction of the string. They are not mutually exclusive. You can create a co-poly monofilament, and many strings in the market are such.
totally agree and correct - they use these terms a bit by extension but it is not totally accurate indeed
YEAH Science!!!!
Thanks for this video Jonas. I use TW University comparison tool often to compare strings but I don't always agree with their ratings (particularly on stiffness and tension loss) from my perceived experience. This may have to do with the fact that I string at 49 lbs in my 18*20 TF40. I do have a reel of the Kirschbaum Super Smash Orange in 1.28mm and find it to be very comfortable, responsive, controllable and reasonably spin friendly at my tension. Tension maintenance is very reasonable and remains playable for quite long. This may be due to Kirschbaum pre-stretching the string or the fact that I string low to begin with.
That's how it's done by Jonas! Not agreeing with someone doesn't mean you have to call him out! Instead he gives his own view in a calm manner while respecting that Nikolas has been in the game for a long time!
Regardless of stiffness, my arm hurts most from "dead" strings. I think I overhit with dead strings trying to find or feel the ball. So, I do think the responsive description is useful. I use Lynx Tour 17 in full bed or hybrid with Velocity MLT. I love Gut/poly hybrid but too pricey.
I deal with mostly seasonal, recreational, high school kids. They play with low end racquets mostly. Can’t believe the basic Prince or Wilson synthetic gut does not make it into this conversation. It’s cheap, durable, and when the racquet sits in the closet all winter long it still has some life in the next season. I use Prince synthetic gut with duraflex and pull it at the high side of the racquet’s recommended tension to give these animals some control. A $20+ set of string is not going to make a difference for these players. I think this is one of those “law of diminishing returns “ situations.
Prince synthetic gut duraflex would probably be my #1 for rec players, particularly in the beginner to intermediate levels and players like you described. I disagree with him entirely on his opinions on multi and syn gut strings.
Same here
Hyper G, Hyper G soft , Volkl Cyclone are my favorites. Surprised they are not in list and i tried lot of the strings mentioned. I guess strings are personal.
I like the Hyper G, but prefer the Confidential and Tour Bite Soft even more. Solinco needs another couple years to get the attention :-). That's not a bad thing, so hopefully prices will stay at that level.
Interesting reaction video but it seems like it could become tricky reacting to friends opinions publicly. As a recreational player I have found that a hybrid of two softer polyesters works really well. I’m using Solinco Hyper G Soft(pentagonal shape) in the mains and Head Lynx Touch(cylindrical shape) in the crosses and have found a nice combination of comfort and durability. I’m surprised that Nikola didn’t mention any soft polys and didn’t really talk too much about the benefits of hybrids for rec players. It was pretty clear he personally preferred mono filament polys but I agree with you that a lot of them are too stiff for most rec players. I really enjoy your scientific approach to reviewing tennis gear and you seem fairly unbiased for a human being :) Keep up the great work and I’ll keep listening/watching!
Both of you forgot to mention the choice of string depends a lot on the racquet. You can get away with (may even be preferable) using a stiffer string, even slightly higher tension, in a racquet with a lower RA.
For eg., RPM blast feels ok with Blade v8 but could kill your arm when used in a Pure strike
You just perfectly described me… I went from a blade 98 305g, whichever strings I used I had no trouble. Then I used a pure drive team with hyper g and whoops…. Been suffering with golfers elbow pretty bad since, not to mention the lack of volley control with a stiff light racket + poly strings omg. I’ve since moved to a head speed mp, leather grip, strung looser and it’s so much better.
@@scissorsharp9032 Fair play to you for switching racquets. I went the other way from a Pure strike to a Blade 98 and the change is remarkable. I use Tecnifibre Razor soft (endorsed by Medvedev) at 25kg tension and the setup is fantastic. This, for me is one of the best strings on the market.
@@vinay4886 I’ve been on the hunt for an ideal string so perhaps I’ll try the razorsoft… I’ve got a reel of confidential to get through but hopefully it’s not to good 😂
@@scissorsharp9032For strings, stiffer or higher tension results in lower power. But for racquets, it's the opposite: stiffer racquets have more power. If you pair a stiff string at high tension with a flexible racquet, your setup may have too little power. If you have very fast swing speed like the pros, that may work the best for you. But if not, you may struggle with lack of power.
can't wait to have your review of the Kirshbauw
Rpm blast is amazing for about 2 sets of singles. Im around a 4.5utr and i can feel it go off in the 3rd set. 4 sets its unplayable and i cut them out. I used to use kirschbaum spiky gold back in early 2000s and i remeber using bug banger orignal for the first time. Wow! What a difference, i could go full power mode
I thought Kasatkina only recently switched to BB original? She showed it recently in her vlog that she switched to it. She had a white string before that from tecnifibre.
Please do a video for club/rec players strings recommendations
for a rec player a hybrid would work. Even a full bed of Head Velocity MLT or Technifibre NRG2 would seem betyter for the rec player. Check out TF Triax which is a co-poly and works well in a hybrid. Another string that is unique and i had played with it for years is the ISOSPEEED Professional original .. sort of a co-poly/multi. Thoughts?
I use the MLT in a hybrid with the Voelkl Cyclone in the mains, as Fullbed I´d say it depends on the racket, if it´s a power frame it can be too much or you have to go high with the tension, then almost all of the good abilities you get from the MLT are almost gone.
confidential 1.25mm great string, was plyaing with tour bite but my wrist was getting too painfull sometimes. Now i feel great and the string is more crispy
Jonas, I am such a fan of your and Nikola's YT channels. Very helpful tennis instruction and analysis.
great video also.... how i can get info about the grappensnake strings, they are not in the warehouse table... cany you help me !!!
I think Nikola is right. I found many super stiff strings really comfortable, powerful and with ball pocketing compare to others with much softer rating. I think also there some science behind matching the right racket with the right string and how weight is distributed on the racket for me is night and day with comfort compared to stiffness on the racket. I tried the same rackets changing the place of the lead and is cracy how from uncomfortable and painful goes to super comfortable and pocketing feeling. I see this all the time, reviews talking about racket stiffness, string stiffness etc when how weigh is on the racket is not talked and much more important
He made many incorrect statements, hard to take him seriously. 4G is a particularly atrocious recommendation. It’s an arm killer especially if you’re not having it restrung every couple hours like pros. Guga used ice blue alu power.
Listen to what he said bro, and then write a comment…
4G soft is really nice
Yes, Tsitsi can tell you a thing or two about it.
also he seems confused about the terms power and responsiveness.
Can’t wait to hear your opinion on confidential! I really like it but have always wanted to try Toroline as well.
The best and most accurate string reviews I've seen on TH-cam are from that OpenCourt tennis guy in Haiwaii. Players should take a steer from him, not the most common strings used by pros.
I used BB Original in the past and it was great, not so dead if you lower the tension. Actually has a nice feel with control. Felt more elastic than Alu power but creates less spin.
In terms of rating, such will be valid if strings are rated compared to other strings in a controlled group. That is, string "A" is rated 7.5 against the other strings that are tested in that group. And apples with apples, oranges with oranges.
I agree what what hes saying. Its the greatest strings by impact on the game. Very few players use big banger original anymore but it really did change the game
Any difference between Toroline ENSO PRO and Restring Sync to be used as a cross for Gut or Multi mains?
I don't need a scoring system but I like comments on: feel, tension maintenance, when the strings go dead (for polys), spin, cost, control and arm health. I've used ALU Power since 2005 to 2022 and love it if cost is not a factor. The problem with it is I have to restring frequently. Feel is just so sweet. So I've used Hyper-G for the past year and miss the feel but it's great in everything else. I string it at 55 and it's perfect for me at this tension. I have tried BB in the past but ALU Power has always been easier to get.
Why do you suggest to have higher tension for gut than poly in a hybrid setting?
The university ranking table showing the poly losing its tension faster. So isn’t it better to put it on higher tension so overtime they both balance?
Jonas, you should study the TWU work on "dead" strings. Strings do NOT (sorry for the caps) lose their elasticity. Rather, friction between the strings increases over time leading to reduced lateral movement and increased dynamic stiffness in that plane. That's why the strings feel stiffer AND lose spin potential. These are both consequences of the same phenomenon.
Yeah, this explains why poly string can lose both power and spin when "dead". Power loss because the string just becomes stiffer. Spin loss because the slick coating has worn out.
With synthetic gut, I only notice the spin loss when the coating wears out. But never power loss because the string doesn't really change its stiffness.
Saw Nik's video yesterday as well. Thought I would buy a reel based on Nik's recommendation. My enthusiasm died right away after I checked TW database on tension maintenance, as each poly string that Nik recommended have very poor tension maintenance (around 50%). To be fair though, if you read TW review carefully, the "compare string" page is for "mid tension" of about 50lb. At low tension (e.g., 40 or lower) that Nik recommended, most poly strings have pretty steep drop, and the tension maintenance difference is not as great between Goson Polygon and Hyper G.
Any different between regular luxilon Alu Power and Alu Power RG series? Despite of it colour?
Great video! I had seen nikolas video and was pretty surprised about his view of rpm blast vs Alu power, since I think it plays deader than most polys I’ve tried. I like your approach, but I think it would be fun to do a top five soft poly list, top five hybrid setups, etc
I love this. 1) A "top 10" or whatever ranking grabs my attention, because I'm human, but then in the video, what I really want is nuance and caveats, 2) yes, LOVE the reaction video format because it gets me seeing how top opinions are similar and differ.
I tried a lot of strings and the one that works for me the best is Volkl Cyclone. I find it strange that not many people use this string because it is an awesome string.
Volkl Cyclone is pretty popular among rec players. It is also one of my favorites.
It’s probably because the tension drops like 10 lb in an hr or two
What gauge that you use? On which racket?
@@akbarberlian Technifibre TF40 305 18x20 with 1.25mm at around 24kg. Works great for me. Also used it with a Babolat pure strike.
Lasts maybe 3 hitting sessions
Wilson Revolve 17 ga has tension loss of 36%. More important for hybrids the string to string friction is .066 very comparable to Blast Rough at .07. Blast Rough is widely used in hybrid setups. I've used revolve for many years as the main with Prince Premier Power in the crosses. I'm still surprised at how many players use full poly with the tension loss. As you mentioned, once they go dead it is very harsh on your arm.
For the Pros, I would look at Tennisnerd vids with actual string logs from tournaments to get an idea. wilson players =Alu, babolat = rpm, vs gut for hybrid, head = hawk/lynx etc
Nikola is sponsored by Kirchbaum so probably not going to mention any Solinco.
I like Head velocity mains / Head Hawk crosses!
Does velocity mlt grips the ball well?
Definitely use the natural gut in the mains to get the full experience. Putting gut in the crosses doesn't change the feel that much, so for me it just feels like a waste of money...
what copoly string would you recomend for a baseline clay-court rec player who doesnt break many strings per year (maybe 1 or 2 times per year), my main problem with some copolys is that the loos tension way too fast.
All polys lose tension fast. Some that last slightly longer are hyper G, 4G, Confidential 16 & Tourna Big Hitter Silver 16. I would try Babolat Xcel 16 mid/mid upper tension.
when i was a kid i used to play a lot with a string called Duralast from babolat it was one of the cheapest strings and i loved it's feel, but i guess they dropped it over the years, i stopped playing tennis for around 8 years due to work and studies and now that i'm back i just can't find anything close to that. Right now i'm playing with Inni Blackbird 17l 1.25mm at 47 lbs and i feel i extract the best of the string between the 4th - 10th match
Hi Jonas 😊 Please do not rate… I like the way you are talking about the strings already 🎾
Thanks Alain!
+1, scores won't matter much
Not all polyester strings go dead. Some actually start behaving like the opposite. Like most of the Luxilon I’ve tryed, after two hours of continuous play the Luxilon strings got more like a trampoline.
It’s for those players that are restringing after every play.
The strings I’ve tryed are
Trampoline effect:
Alu power
Alu power rough
Element
Broke after two hours at 23-24kg
4G
4G rough
That in mind and how expensive Luxilon strings are compared to others brands, for me it’s not worth buying.
I would rather spend my money on,
Head hawk touch
Goosen tour 3
Solinco confidential
Yonex polytour pro
Dude Nerd, My eyes are glued to your hair man. It's looking so good. I'm jealous.
What would you string Wasabi Pro at? I have tennis elbow and I am using Toroline wasabi mains 48 and Velocity MLT 50 crosses. Worried if the Wasabi Pro will be more stiff and continue to hurt my arm?
He's 100% right about kbss. It's a super responsive and crisp string, has incredible snapback, that's why the spin is very good for a round polly. Good directional control as well especially on serve and volleys. Tention maintenance isn't the best but still playable after tention loss as it never losses snapback.
And Jonas it's nothing like Alu power or volkl cyclone, those are dead and boardy comparing to kbss. This is why tw string data doesn't give you the correct idea about a string. You can measure mass and resistance but you can not measure feel :)
What string tension would you recommend for a hyper g 1.15 or 18 gauge?
I find RPM harder and stiffer that the Luxilons. i use a hyrbid of alu power and a soft poly.
The poly that mimics guts comfort power and control.?
Hey Jonas, I was wondering if you know what racquet Nik is currently using. I’m thinking it’s a Wilson Shift but I’m not too sure
Enjoyed both!
I am not huge fan of scores or the term responsive. In this context responsive seems to mean a combination of power and control over the life the string. Essentially the string provides you with a little help.
Unfortunately what one player needs from a string is different to another. I try to look for a string set up will enhance my playstyle.
Maybe a better way to review racquets and strings is to say what type of player or what type of shots the string will be best suited for.
For example the strings recommended for recreational players on this list are those players looking for a string that provides a combination of control and power.
If you are looking for a combination of power and touch, and not focused on spin or control as much then multis or gut suit those players, while stiffer textured strings are for players looking to hit out at balls with spin.
Maybe something to think about.
What do you think of Tecnifibre Black Code as a recreational string?
good luck for your match Jonas !!! vamoooos !!!
I would say that his scoring system helped me to understand the dead side of Alu Power and I understand now much better, even if I still feel unsure about the rating according to my experience and your comments but if he felt that way I will reconsider my evaluation. I always thought Alu Power and Wilson Revolve would give me more power, but I am not sure it was the case. So yes it's risky and not always including all parameters but I found it useful
Those are his specific top 5 strings, I don’t think he meant those were the actual top 5 popular strings
Enjoyed your commentary. Very technical. Tennis Warehouse University string info is useful but incomplete. Many newer strings are not in their database. Try Gosen G-Spin 3 (1.23 and six 6-sided). My favorite co-poly string currently. Easy on the arm and nice spin with low launch.
It’s also not consistent. Look at yonex poly tour rev and the stats are completely different for the thicker gauge (more stretchy) which should be the opposite
Anyone who says there are 'Top 5 strings' and tries to cite what pros use as supposed evidence is completely clueless. It's pointless not least because usage is influenced by $$$ sponsorship and commercial dominance of certain manufacturers. Pay me $1m a year and I'll use whatever string you want from your catalogue. Its like saying there are Top 5 tennis racquets etc. It's all subjective, what suits one person doesn't suit another. And that's not even taking into account the fact that pros have 10 racquets, play completely differently to amateur players and will cut out whatever strings they use after only a couple of hours of play.
Yeah, that’s why he made two lists💀
The 2nd list supposedly for amateurs doesn't make sense either. Polylon (generic poly), 4G (stiff A.F), Hawk (no spin), Wilson Gut (expensive and over powered), Supersmash Redf (garbage poly with horrible feel) are just silly suggestions for recreational players @@christianteves809
I like the in-depth review. Thanks!
I also use Solinco Confidential. Would you rank it high?
Any opinions on restring zero?
@tennisnerd, have you tried any strings from tier one / Trupro?
Hi Jonas, Nick seems to have some strange (at least different from everything I've read or heard before about strings) views on what a monofilament means, as opposed to co-polys instead of multifilaments, and also about "pure polyester monofilaments" being actually pretty reactive/responsive/powerful strings. In fact I had understood that some of the "co-"s added to polyester are meant to increase its power (for example, aluminium fibers), or that just for having silicon coating to increase slippage, and hence snapnack and durability (reducing wear), would already technically make them co-polys.
He also says that multis are low powered BECAUSE they are soft, and even if they may seem comfortable, they will end up hurting your arm because you need to swing harder (iirc)...
You seem to have overlooked of these views, not sure if because they don't caught your attention or because you think they may make some sense. Do you agree with any of this?
alu is a lot more responsive than rpm blast
I'm not a fan of numbered ratings. Stick with descriptions of what works well, who the product is for, and how it differs from the previous version. I also find "Top 5 of all time" lists a bit self congratulatory because, without extensive research or some other way to objectively benchmark it, it is basically just the reviewer's own opinion. Might be a very qualified reviewer, but it is still personal opinion - "All Time" is a big call 🙂
Hi mate, what strings do you recommend for someone who has a history of tennis elbow?
Hi, a multifilament like HEAD Velocity MLT 1.30
What do you think about head hawk power?
In an 18 x 20 string bed, once full gut settles, it plays beautifully with minimal tension loss till it breaks. It's the Cadillac of all strings in my humble opinion.
When it frays/ stuck, do you think it still producing good spin?
In an 18 x 20 fraying is minimal. And yes it still plays beautifully until it breaks. You can use string savers to minimize excessive movement.@@akbarberlian
What should we use then as rec players?
4G should only be strung on crosses with gut on mains, its the setup De Minaur, Tsitsipas, Serena Williams and Dimitrov uses, its too stiff for me so I am going to try RPM blast on the crosses instead.
Hey Jonas I’m 13 I play with a radical mp what are some good polys or hybrids for me
What stood out is he said this: "Alu Power is not a monofilament". Then what is it? Co-polymer doesn't mean mono, mono means extrusion, co-polymer means material. IMHO it's monofilament. Another issue, he said: "Alu Power is co-polyester". It's wrong, the material is poly-ether-ether. Maybe it's PEEK blend. Looks like nobody knows the chemistry of strings out there. Even marketing of Luxilon used a word polyester in the "user friendly" official highlights.
Rpm blast feels very nice but only last 1 hr hitting most. Maybe 30 min for pro?
You interpretate TWU "tension loss" in a wrong way. It is actually the initial loss just before stringing, and it is independant from the following tension stability. This is used combined with the stiffness to have an idea of the actual strung stiffness you will get. They dont have a metric for real tension stability unfortunately
shame there is no multifilament options in the video
Nah, stay away from the scoring. I like your format, explaining what the pros and cons are of a string or any other piece of gear. This allows us to decide whether a piece of gear is worth trying out or not.
not so sure about Nikolas opinions lol. Multifilaments are definitely easier on the arm.
NXT mains/ Adrenaline crosses all day. Only issue is they wear fairly quickly
Hi Jonas, really enjoy the way you review strings and racquets....far prefer your approach to a rating system!
I Agree Jonas. The scale of 10 relating to a specific aspect would be very difficult over time of your only reviewing Poly's. 5 stars system would be better. And comparing poly's to syn's and multi's is difficult. Ugh Nikola, your first 2 rec strings - Polyon is terribly plastic feeling. 4G a great string but an arm killer.
And regarding Karue at 60, that guy is a beast !
i feel like kevlar deserved a mention
No string on this planet is just "the best". It may suit one player the best, but thats it.
I came from a soft poly on an underpowered racquet (18/20), it was the only string that worked on that frame, changed the racquet (16/19 now) and found out that suddenly it is the worst possible string, way too powerful for me. So I had to firm up a little.
Also, rating NG at 7/10 and a poly at 9/10 sounds counter-intuitive. Isn't NG the single most powerful string out there?
If your scoring system is well described, it can absolutely make your subjective feeling/opinion about something more well understood. Points of reference are important for understanding imo.
Solinco Confidential, Head Hawk Rough, Head Lynx Tour, Luxilon Element, RPM Blast Rough
@@msalvs Why? That's the best string for my 10yo kid. Anyway, LE is great soft string if you restring it once a week. ))
I use Volkl Cyclone18 gauge at 40lbs. Its arm friendly, good control, durable and about £7.50p a set.
@@weyman4317using same string, quite happy with it unless the snapback (cross section)
I dont think any of you understood Nick. Best strings of all times mean not something popped up 2yrs ago. Sure there are many versions of many strings but what he ranked are already proven to be the choice of millions of players.
What do you think Of Yonex Poly Pro Tour?
He has a video on it look it up
Hi Jonas :), did you have the chance to try Karue's new string?
Hey, not yet, I am lending out my stringing machine to Nikki because he is running the stringing service in the Challenger in Malaga this week. But when I get it back, I will start testing!
Technifibre Triax is best string 😅
The strings recommended y that Intuitive Tennis guy are terrible! Harsh arm wreckers!
Qualitative over quantitative reviews !
I am trying to do that :)
I like this! Good video!
I'm glad you like it
I got super smash 1.23 and I am happy with it :) confidencial is also cheating string - all the ball goes in the court the last moment :)
Ratings r often rubbish esp on the tennis warehouse website. Don’t mean much
4G.... my man. Hahah
The Alu Power is so overrated. It loses tension very quickly and breaks after a 4-6 hours in my case. In addition, Luxilon has doubled the price of their strings within a few years. If you're a fan of the Babolat RPM Blast, try the MSV Focus Hex Ultra 1.25mm. Keeps tension much better, feels better and holds forever.
I’m a fan of your videos but a 45 response video is far too long. We can watch his video if we want to see his full version. U just need to summarise.
This I will learn for next time, was a first time react video
I love a long video response !@@Tennisnerd
I really like the new content @@Tennisnerd
Also like the long form, everything doesn’t need to appeal to the short attention span audience. Besides, you’re reacting to his video. How do react without actually showing the video and then popping in when you have something substaitive to say? Anyway, just another viewer’s two cents worth.
volkl cyclone, solinco confidential and tour bite should be here...in that order, in mo
no hyperG?
I didnt like hyper g...its too dead, dont feel the ball...lots of control, no power@@chuckdeless9891
its a very nice string, but i liked confidential and tour bite more...also cyclone@@chuckdeless9891
tour bite, incredible feel and control, no power...confidential, more power, nice feel, not as tour bite, less control than tour bite, but holds tension better...@@chuckdeless9891
Don't score equipment. But comparing them to other brands, or positioning them in a range of others can be helpful.
For example, in terms of comfort/stiffness of a string or racquet tell us where it sits between two other products. What's more stiff? What's less stiff? etc.
multis dont do the job man....get a poly at 40lb instead of multis....they last 2 hours of incredible felling, but just that
4G is around 25% stiffer than the ALU power... 259 points against 209 for the 1.25 caliber, i think that says it all, recreational player should stay away from it !
I agree scoring doesn't work for this channel. We are here for a subjective view of tennis equipment and I feel like scoring wouldn't do it justice and would tempered review with personal view.
Funny how he had 2 different natural guts on the pro list but crapped on it when he tried playing on it. Dude can play but he's to full of BD when it comes to equipment
Nik’s comments on strings tend to challenge conventional wisdom.
It’s tough to reconcile Nik vs almost everyone else on the planet in this respect.