| Visits: 4077486 | | Today: 1470 | | Yesterday: 1885 |
|
 |
| Del_Potro88 |
 registered |
20 ratings |
 |
 |
|
male team player lower league
hard strokes with heavy spin, offensive baseline game |
 Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP, 16/19) |
|
|
| Test Pipeline |
|
Del_Potro88 has not yet filled his test pipeline.
|
|
| Date |
2012-04-15 |
| String |
Signum Pro Firestorm® 1.25 |
| Test Conditions |
Tension |
Racquet |
| 51/49 lbs |
Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP, 16/19) |
| Absolute Rating |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Played indoors on fast carpet and outdoors on clay at moderate temperatures both with pressurized and pressureless balls.
If you have played the Poly Plasma, the Firestorm will not be a revelation to you.
Its highlights are its excellent control and the typical Signum Pro tension stability. The string provided a very direct feel, somehow board-like in the beginning. But after 1-2 hours of play the string became significantly livelier. Power increased too.
Biggest drawback for me was the lack of spin potential, same issue as with the SPPP.
This string works best on heavy flat strokes. First serve, heavy shots from the baseline, and net play worked great. On clay court I had some issues with angle shots and long rallies, as well as with my kick serve. The string is not very forgiving.
Conclusion: Good string for players who hit clean and flat with occasional net approaches and who prefer good feedback over spin potential.
If the Firestorm is worth the added money compared to the Poly Plasma should be determined individually in a parallel test. For me the differences were just too small. |
| Satisfied? |
 |
| Compared to:Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 16L |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
| The Firestorm compares favorably to the Alu Power. In the power and control departments, it is at least on the same level. Spin is not the best characteristics of both strings. In the comfort department, the Firestorm is much better. I had much more problems with the Alu Power. Also I prefer the crisp direct feel. The Alu Power seemed almost a bit dull compared to the Firestorm. |
| Similar string(s): |
Signum Pro Poly Plasma |
| StringAdjectives |
explosive, precise |
Comments:
No comments found.
Please log in to be able to post a comment. |
|
| Date |
2011-12-20 |
| String |
Blindtest String15 1.25  |
| Test Conditions |
Tension |
Racquet |
| 51/49 lbs |
Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP, 16/19) |
| Absolute Rating |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The string comes in light silver, feels a bit plastic-like, and has a decent texture to it, similar to Alu Power Rough, but not as strong.
Stringing was no problem, the texture was not an issue.
Played indoors on fast carpet with Head ATP balls.
Initially the stringbed felt quite stiff and low-powered, but with fantastic control. Perfect for the fast indoor court. Power increased with playing time, but the string never got unprecise nor springy. Great power with excellent control.
The spin potential which the slight (untypical) texture is supposed to provide was only evident on heavy strokes, but not on touchy drop shots, lobs, or slice.
Besides the excellent balance of power and control and the great tension stability I particularly enjoyed the extremely direct feel. The string only felt a bit stiff in the beginning but became more lively with time, resulting in a wonderful feedback.
Conclusion: Suitable for athletic players who can create their own power and spin, looking for direct feel.
For me this is the best string I've tried so far and a serious competitor to my current favorite, Signum Pro Poly Plasma. |
| Satisfied? |
|
| Compared to:Signum Pro Poly Plasma 1.23 |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quite similar to the Poly Plasma - same direct feel, similar power level. However the Blindtest15 seems to provide even better tension stability, while the Poly Plasma loses more control with time. Additionally the Blindtest15 provides significantly better spin. This is the only string so far which performs equal or better than the Poly Plasma in all categories. |
| Similar string(s): |
n/a |
| StringAdjectives |
explosive, stiff, crispy, precise, unique |
Comments:
No comments found.
Please log in to be able to post a comment. |
|
| Date |
2011-10-28 |
| String |
Solinco Tour Bite 18 |
| Test Conditions |
Tension |
Racquet |
| 51/49 lbs |
Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP, 16/19) |
| Absolute Rating |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Played outdoors on clay and indoors on carpet with Head ATP balls.
I strung the 1.15 gauge 2 lbs lower than the 1.25 to gain more power. Well the power level was still very low, so you should really string it at your lowest limit. Control is fantastic on the other hand. Especially among all the other profiled strings it can hardly be topped. Spin potential is excellent as expected, maybe a bit better than with the 1.25. And in contrast to many other spin strings, the spin was easy to adjust.
Highlights of this string are its perfect control, outstanding tension stability, and great feedback, which is rather direct, and you need to like that. Drawbacks are lack of power and for me it was also not lively enough.
Durability is surprising for this gauge. When I moved from outdoors to indoors I also had a lot of mishits which the string forgave but my arm didn't. Off-center hits really hurt my arm.
Conclusion: Really interesting string for advanced players. I haven't played any comparable string so far. |
| Satisfied? |
|
| Compared to:Tecnifibre Black Code 1.24 |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
|
 |
|
n.a. |
|
|
|
| Compared to the Black Code, the Tour Bite 1.15 (even though it might be unfair to compare two different gauges) has much better tension stability. Control is much better with the Solinco, even at significantly lower tension. The profile does not wear as quickly either. On the other hand, the Black Code feels more comfortable and provides better touch. |
| Similar string(s): |
n/a |
| StringAdjectives |
stiff, precise, rough |
Comments:
No comments found.
Please log in to be able to post a comment. |
|
| Date |
2011-10-07 |
| String |
Solinco Tour Bite 16L |
| Test Conditions |
Tension |
Racquet |
| 53/51 lbs |
Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP, 16/19) |
| Absolute Rating |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
| (>8 hrs.) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Played outdoors on clay and indoors on carpet.
Highlights of the Tour Bite are without doubt the excellent control and extraordinary tension stability and consistency of playing characteristics. There is just a minimal tension loss. This may be a reason for the low power which does not increase with playing time. Thus you should string at the lower end of your personal tension scale for co-polys. 10% lower than normal is perfect for me. Then the Tour Bite becomes more lively and powerful - without sacrificing control.
Spin and comfort were normal for profiled polys. Off-center hits had a significant impact on my arm.
I think you need to be an advanced player in order to gain the most out of this string. You need to work hard to generate spin and power. There are more "user-friendly" strings on the market. But if you are a heavy hitter you will love the Tour Bite. A string for high-level players. |
| Satisfied? |
|
| Compared to:Tecnifibre Black Code 1.24 |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Among the profiled polys, the Tour Bite is the very opposite of the Black Code. Everything that's lacking in one string is provided by the other string. The Tour Bite provides much better tension stability, maintains its bite, lasts longer and provides perfect control. In terms of feel and power the Black Code is much better. |
| Similar string(s): |
n/a |
| StringAdjectives |
stiff, precise, rough |
Comments:
No comments found.
Please log in to be able to post a comment. |
|
| Date |
2011-09-28 |
| String |
Unique Tourna Poly Big Hitter Blue Rough 1.25 |
| Test Conditions |
Tension |
Racquet |
| 51/49 lbs |
Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP, 16/19) |
| Absolute Rating |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
| (>10 hrs.) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
I stopped playing profiled polys some time ago. Either they felt dead, low-powered, uncomfortable or they lost their great spin potential after a few hours of play. Mostly a combination of all of these disadvantages, with the main problem being the short maintenance of their characteristics.
But through an RSI review my attention was brought to the Big Hitter Blue Rough. Briefly: This profiled and twisted blue high-performance poly plays better than any other string I've played so far.
It comes with the power and comfort of the Topspin Cyber Blue (if you've played it you will know what I'm talking about), and through the "twist" it provides awesome spin and enormous power. There is no string movement and the profile stays sharp until the end. In contrast to MSV Focus-Hex, Tecnifibre Black Code and Signum Pro Tornado, the string bed becomes livelier with time. You might want to string 4 lbs higher in advance. You will enjoy the kick on your serve.
If you are looking for control, especially on heavy flat strokes, you might prefer strings like the Poly Plasma. But if you hit with lots of spin and like textured strings, I can highly recommend this string with the ridiculously long name! |
| Satisfied? |
|
| Compared to:Signum Pro Tornado |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Both strings have a similar strucure (profiled and twisted). However the Big Hitter Blue Rough provides a lot more power than the Tornado. Also in terms of comfort the Tornado cannot compete. However the biggest difference is in the stability of characteristics. While the Tornado dies after around 6 hours, the Big Hitter Blue Rough can be played forever. |
| Similar string(s): |
n/a |
| StringAdjectives |
lively, explosive, crispy, rough |
Comments:
No comments found.
Please log in to be able to post a comment. |
|
| Date |
2011-08-13 |
| String |
Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 16L |
| Test Conditions |
Tension |
Racquet |
| 51/49 lbs |
Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP, 16/19) |
| Absolute Rating |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recently I met a player who was using the Alu Power. He said the string had been on his frame for almost a year, strung at 28/27. And he was wondering where his arm problems came from. Why am I telling this? Because many players who call the Alu Power an arm killer make two basic mistakes: They string too hard, eliminating the string's liveliness (the Alu Power provides good control also at low tensions). And they play the string until it breaks. But that happens long after the string has died and lost all of its elasticity. That's when it starts hurting your arm. That's why many stringers put sort of "best before" date on the Alu Power.
In fact, this string provides great playing characteristics. I especially enjoyed the power level. If you don't hit hard, don't wonder about lack of power. But when you hit hard, it seems like the Alu Power generates additional ball speed. Is that what people call "pop"? At least I thought I felt it. An incredibly solid feel and perfect control.
As an alternative, Topspin Cyber Flash works well too. |
| Satisfied? |
|
| Compared to:Topspin Cyber Flash 1.25 |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| I personally don't see a big difference between Alu Power and Cyber Flash. Except for the price. The Alu Power feels a tad more solid and provides a bit better control on really hard strokes. Spin, feel and comfort werea bit better with the Cyber Flash from my point of view. |
| Similar string(s): |
Topspin Cyber Flash |
| StringAdjectives |
explosive, precise, unique |
Comments:
No comments found.
Please log in to be able to post a comment. |
|
| Date |
2011-07-01 |
| String |
Pro's Pro Black Force 1.14 |
| Test Conditions |
Tension |
Racquet |
| 55/53 lbs |
Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP, 16/19) |
| Absolute Rating |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
| (0.5 hrs.) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Played indoors as well as outdoors on clay during various conditions with various sorts of balls.
I tested it at different tensions. At 25/24 kg I had excellent control and less power, while at the lower end (22/21 kg) control was no longer acceptable but power was great on the other hand. So within this range you can adjust your optimum power/control ratio. Spin and feel are good and comfort is particularly good.
Unfortunately the durability is extremely bad. It lasted me between 5 minutes and 1 hour. One mishit and the string breaks immediately.
Pro's Pro Red Devil, which has similar characteristics but a different feedback, lasts significantly longer, I wonder why. I will try the 1.19 mm version too. It could also be interesting as a cross string for hybrids when you don't want to use a multifilament. Especially because it will certainly last longer in the crosses, provides good comfort, does not negatively affect spin, and adds some stability and control to textured polys. |
| Satisfied? |
 |
| Compared to:Topspin Cyber Flash 1.25 |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| At the same tension I had much better control with the Black Force 1.14 compared to the Cyber Flash (1.20 and 1.25). Power and Spin were a bit less. Biggest difference was in durability, which however is no surprise at this gauge. |
| Similar string(s): |
Pro's Pro Red Devil |
| StringAdjectives |
explosive, precise |
Comments:
No comments found.
Please log in to be able to post a comment. |
|
| Date |
2011-07-01 |
| String |
Pro's Pro Cyber Power 1.20 |
| Test Conditions |
Tension |
Racquet |
| 55/53 lbs |
Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP, 16/19) |
| Absolute Rating |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
| n.a. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Not much to complain about except that it needs a break-in period of about 1 hour of play. After that it provides almost everything you need for 1-2 hours. Very balanced, no special features, but no weakness either.
Good choice for players looking for a low-priced string. Don't expect a miracle from this string. And after 3-4 hours it dies. That's also why I won't use it again. |
| Satisfied? |
n/a |
| Compared to:Topspin Cyber Flash 1.25 |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
| n.a. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Cyber Power plays nice but I like the Cyber Flash a bit better. The Cyber Flash has that typical "pop". The Cyber Power provides less power and overall a lower power/control ratio, which is on the other hand perfect with the Topspin Cyber Flash. |
| Similar string(s): |
Pro's Pro Lethal 5 |
| StringAdjectives |
comfortable, elastic, lively |
Comments:
No comments found.
Please log in to be able to post a comment. |
|
| Date |
2011-04-17 |
| String |
Gamma Zo Verve 17 |
| Test Conditions |
Tension |
Racquet |
| 53/51 lbs |
Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP, 16/19) |
| Absolute Rating |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
| n.a. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Played indoors on carpet and outdoors on clay.
Stringing was not so nice because the string is harsh and stiff, and I hurt my fingers.
However on the court the string performed well. Its blend of a black component for durability and control and a red component for feel and power (if I understood the manufacturer's claims correctly) is definitely unique. However this combination is a compromise which is not suitable for everyone. For me the string felt so strange so I was not entirely happy. I was also a bit irritated by the clanking sound.
I'd recommend the Zo Verve for advanced players and hard hitters looking for good control and maximum power. Players seeking comfort or spin potential might be better off with other strings. |
| Satisfied? |
|
| Compared to:Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 16L |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
| n.a. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The solid unique feel of the Alu Power is unsurpassed. In terms of power and control, the Zo Verve is on the same level. However I had the impression to be able to generate better spin with the Alu Power. |
| Similar string(s): |
n/a |
| StringAdjectives |
explosive, stiff, innovative, unique |
Comments:
No comments found.
Please log in to be able to post a comment. |
|
| Date |
2011-04-03 |
| String |
Pro's Pro Lethal 5 1.27 |
| Test Conditions |
Tension |
Racquet |
| 55/53 lbs |
Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP, 16/19) |
| Absolute Rating |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
| n.a. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Played indoors on fast carpet.
I think this string should be string 2-4 lbs softer than usual. Initially the Lethal 5 played rather stiff. After 2 hours of play it started to provide more power. From that point it was nice to play with, great control and decent power, crisp feel, excellent spin potential. Also comfort was remarkably good.
Unfortunately these great characteristics are maintained for only a few hours. Then it feels increasingly dead and loses control, power and spin. After 6-8 hours of play it is completely dead.
Overall I would say the Lethal 5 is an average, well balanced textured poly with solid but not extraordinary performance. I would prefer the Pro's Pro Blackout in this price segment. |
| Satisfied? |
|
| Compared to:Signum Pro Tornado |
Durability |
Power |
Control |
Feel |
Comfort |
Spin |
Tension Stability |
| n.a. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Lethal 5 resembles the Signum Pro Tornado in its shape and stringing behavior. It's hard to compare because I used to play the Tornado at 4 lbs less tension and 1.23 mm gauge. In this setup the Tornado is much livelier and powerful from the start. Spin potential, control and feel are almost identical. Only comfort is better with the Lethal 5.
Both strings die after around 6-8 hours. |
| Similar string(s): |
n/a |
| StringAdjectives |
comfortable, lively, rough |
Comments:
No comments found.
Please log in to be able to post a comment. |
|
|
