My tennis string review database

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

YTex Quadro Twist 1.26/16L (23kg) x Diadem Elevate v2 FS98

Soft. Square and twisted profile. Very easy on the arm and very spin friendly.

From the baseline:

The most comfortable tennis string I've played so far! Very small break-in period. The ball sinks into the stringbed and shoots out with power. This results into a noticable trampoline effect. Due to its square-shaped profile, the ball bite and spin potential is one of the best out there! I could find short angles easily, run my hitting partners wide, then approach the net and hit a volley. Top spin shots felt safer than hitting a powerful flat shot, but it has to be the 23 tension playing its part here. Against better hitting partners, several flat shots sailed long. I would l recommend have it strung a couple kgs higher. Being such a comfortable string, I bet there will be a minor sacrifice on comfort, reducing some of the power delivery and gain even better control from the baseline.

At the net:

More powerful than I'd like, but the great underspin balances the books!

Conlcusions:

At low tensions, it's the ideal string for casual playing and practices. You get super easy depth and spin and at the same time, no toll on your joints! At higher tensions you'd get better control for less power. One should take into consideration the stiffness of his/her racket with this string: RA > 67, string below 23kgs, RA < 67, string at 24-26kg.

Now, if you look for maximum comfort, high net clearence and many weeks of playing, this is the string for you. For more advanced players, just have it strung at 24-26kg for more feel from the baseline to be able to return fast balls more safely. Ideal for players who have an history of joint issues!

Comfort: 6
Stiffness: 1
Power: 5
Ball pocketing: 5
Spin: 6
Feel: 4

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Dyreex Cube Max 1.20/17 (23kg) x Diadem Nova FS100

Square-shaped. Very easy access to spin.

From the baseline:

The Cube Max is a square-shaped, medium stiff string that took me a few minutes to get used to. Power delivery is moderate and so is the feel on flat shots as the balls sinks very little into the stringbed and no trampoline effect was noticed at this tension. The material doesn't feel premium, but doesn't feel cheap or "plasticky" either. This is where the price kicks in! Its highlights are the way it grabs and rotates the ball in top-spin and under-spin shots. Starting from the latter, the slices and drop-shots were easily executed as it delivers great underspin. On top-spin shots, I could find short angles, return low balls and return high incoming balls that took me way back from the baseline safely. The ball would always dip down safely inside my opponents' baseline. It was up to me to put my own power into the shots, but didn't feel underpowered.

At the net:

When hitting with descent technique and some underspin it has very good directional control. Blocking shots wasn't too good as the ball sinks very little into the stringbed.

Conclusions:

I wouldn't recommend the Cube Max for doubles-players who play at the net or baseliners who hit flat shots. This string suits best players who most of the time hit with spin, put their own power into the shot and prefer a control-oriented string to power and decent comfort. Giving it 4 stars for "Feel" only because I hit relatively flat on my forehand and needed some time to get used to hitting with it with this not so maneuverable racket.

I can see myself sticking with the Cube Max for a long time! I like the yellow colour on the black Diadem Nova! I like the way it plays and that the fact that very few shots sailed long, the spin assistance and its identity as an inexpensive control oriented string.

Dyreex is a very responsive brand, always there to assist and exchange feedback. They offer a great variety of strings at very reasonable prices.

Comfort 4
Stiffness 4
Power 3
Ball pocketing 4
Spin 5
Feel 4

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

L-Tec Premium Celeste 1.20/17 (23kg) x Diadem Elevate v2 FS98

From the baseline:

The Celeste felt a control oriented string with a larger sweet-spot than usual in this 98 sq inch racket 16*20. After a very small breaking period and till I cut it out, it played super stable, without noticeable tension loss. Using my fingers before I cut it out, the snapback was still very quick. This combined with its round shape results in somewhat better than moderate spin, but most importantly in good ball bite in all shots. It offered a balanced blend of comfort and feel. With this racket it dealt great with low-balls, especially those hit cross court on the run.

At the net:

Significant sweet-spot and medium stiffness made volleys easy to hit with no arm issues afterwards.

Conclusions:

What stood out was its stable and forgiving nature with small sacrifice in control when hitting off-center shots. This made it easier for me to hit the cross court on the run, whereas with other strings I would slice if I was late. I strongly feel that the Celeste fits best flat hitters.

I feel - and will find out very soon - that the 1.25 version would suit my game even better at 24kg on my 100 sq inch 16*19 racket. Its forgiving and stable nature would be a good choice for me if I was about to enter a tournament with at least 2 matches. It would easily last 3 hours of hitting with a couple of practices in between. The price is a bit expensive, but the very good durability balancies the books. One of the best experiences I've had with this frame.

Comfort 4
Stiffness 4
Power 4
Ball bite 5
Spin 3
Feel 5

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Oehms Alu Pearl Rough 1.21/17 (23kg)

The cheapest alternative to the Luxilon Alu Power on the market! Personally, I felt it performed at least at an 80% of Alu Power's playability for the first 3 hours. If you string your rackets yourself - like I do - and want a more consumer-friendly Alu Power alternative, this is the string for you!

From the baseline:

Right from the get go the Alu Pearl Rough offered a new playing experience for me. The complete package of what I wish from a tennis string on this racket: A bit stiff, but definetely not rough and medium powered that allows fast and big swings without fear of overshooting. It was hard not to hit the sweet-spot with the Nova. In addition to that, I could really feel the ball getting grabbed in the stringbed just as much as I want to. Spin assistance was above average and relatively high rpms where noticed in top spin and underspin shots. Nothing extravagant about spin, so I bet flat hitters would like it also. I never hit a shot that I wasn't comfortable with.

At the net:

The same feedback applies here. Super comfortable and predictable.

Conclusions:

The most complete tennis string I've played with so far. A go-to-string for me either for casual or competitive hitting. Durability may be an issue for hard hitters I guess, but the low price is very attractive for European consumers.

*Thanks to Oehms who have sent me a 1.25 gauge version of it, so I have another set to play with in the future.

Comfort 5
Stiffness 4
Power 3
Ball pocketing 5
Spin 4
Feel 6

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Isospeed Rexxxer 1.25 (24 kg) x Diadem Elevate v2 FS98

Arguably, the best fit for this frame. Very similar to the Stringlab Orbitour Gold (both made in Austria got me thinking stuff).

From the baseline:

The string felt slick and of premium quality while stringing. Since it's oval-shaped, I'd suggest it comes with 2 gauges on the package instead of one. One for each dimension. Initially I thought that the break-in period was going to last forever, but actually the string played the same from start to finish. Only the last day of playing, 5th hour, I noticed a very slight drop. The power was quite more above average. That has been my experience with Isospeed Black Fire and even Isospeed Cream on a lightweight racket. I guess it's typical Isospeed then. Because the ball sinked very little into the stringbed, it felt very responsive and precise. Spin was easy to produce, lots of rpms could be seen when using a more vertical swingpath and short angles were easy to find. Very few shots sailed long. It's quite unique this blend of easy depth and control that Isospeed strings offer!

At the net:

Very responsive but not forgiving.

Conclusions:

The Isospeed Rexxxer felt board-like at first. When I got used to it, the stiffness remained high and the ball pocketing very small. This resulted in being very responsive and have great overall control. High stiffness didn't mean discomfort, but a rather small margin for errors. Because it was more powerful than I wanted in this open string pattern, if I was to play with it again, I would string it at 26kg. I'm not a huge fan of green-coloured strings, so I don't like its (faded) green colour. I'd prefer a brown, black or silver colour instead. An advanced player's string, not forgiving, but very precise.

The Isospeed Rexxxer is a great deal for advanced players who want a very resilient string, great feel from everywhere on the court - and like green strings!

Comfort 3
Stiffness 5
Power 5
Ball pocketing 2
Spin 4
Feel 5

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Tier One Black Knight 1.23/17 (24kg) x Diadem Nova FS100

I regret not having played this one with the 98 sq inch Elevate. A very well balanced string, that did everything better than average.

From the baseline:

First time stringing and playing a 6-sided string. It took Black Knight less than 20 minutes a break-in and settle. More forgiving and less stiff than I expected from a pro player's advertized string. The power was just above average. I could hit flat and spin shots with the same ease, the string did the job great. The ball pocketing was a little more than I wanted on flatter shots. It performed really good everywhere. I can't find any serious weakness or something I didn't like. At the same time, nothing really stood-out, but maybe that's the point with this one.

At the net:

Forgiving with good ball pocketing without overshooting. Great at the net, too.

Conclusions:

The Tier One Black Knight is a reliable all-around string, not just for advanced players. No significant weakness noticed. It's a bridge between a square and a round string and does everything really well and with decent precision. On a 98 sq inch I would keep the same tension. On a 100 sq inch I would go 1kg higher for less ball pocketing and a little better feel from the baseline. The hype about this string is justified.

Comfort 4
Stiffness 4
Power 4
Ball pocketing 5
Spin 5
Feel 5

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

MSV Tennis Swift 1.25 (24kg) x Diadem Nova FS100

Very good option for hybrids along with Tier One Ghost Wire and Isospeed Cream.

From the baseline:

While stringing, it felt slick and some adjustments needed to be made to the clamps and the gripper of the Easy Stringer (slippage). During the playtest, its highlights were its low stiffness and high level of comfort. It offered easy depth/penetration even with short swings. At this tension it was more powerful than a string matches my "needs", but the easy power delivery came as advertized. So, at first, several balls sailed long and I made some adjustments like closing the racket face more than I usually do. The ball pocketing was perfect on flat shots. The spin potential was above moderate, but not as much as shaped strings I've played with the same racket at the same tension. In my experience rpms were more effectively produced with a closer racket face upon contact and secondarily with a low-to-high swing motion. Because of the easy power I had some trouble finding short cross court angles near the service line area. That means a higher tension would work better for me. Underspin/slices were just ok.

At the net:

No arm issues (on misshits). Forgiving and comfortable. Easy to guide the ball.

Conclusions:

No discomfort noticed in my arm at any stage. If I would string it again, I would go at 25-26kg to reduce the power delivery and gain more control, because it's by nature a fairly comfortable and powerfull string.

Being this slick it would be great in hybrids in the crosses with an aggresive shaped profiled string in the mains, like the Focus Hex (Ultra test soon). In my opinion, in full-bed it suits better flat hitters, with some arm issues background, who stick behind the baseline and want easy depth even with small swingpaths. Doubles players who like to tsick at the net would appreciate the comfort and good control and blocking ability with minor toll on joints. Austrian-made material ensures good durability.

* the MSV Tennis Cyber Wet overgrip is the best I've tried so far.

Comfort 5
Stiffness 2
Power 5
Ball pocketing 4
Spin 4
Feel 4

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Diadem Pro-X 1.25 (24kg) x Diadem Elevate v2 FS98

String it 1.5kg lower than your usual tension to get the best out of it.

From the baseline:

On the forehand side it felt very stiff, with a small sweet-spot and not forgiving. I had to put a lot of my own power into my shots. It had the lowest power/least penetration I've experienced so far, something I had to spend some time to get used to. So, I had to make some big adjustments with this setup on the forehand side. On the backhand side, it was a completely different story. Very high levels of control and feel in my one-handed backhands. Helped a lot developing my two-handed backhand (I've started hitting those too).

Its highlights were 2:
1) Backhand slices from the baseline. My technique is getting much better. The ball would stay super low and long. Most of the backhand slices I tried ended up better than with any other string I've played so far. Its high level of stiffness must have played some role here.
2) The second one was the way I could find short cross-court angles when I managed to tame it on the forehand side.

At the net:

Small sweet-spot. Not for doubles net players. Good for a "serve and volley" or "approcah slice and volley", but that's it for me.

Conclusions:

Due to its high stiffness at this tension, after 2 consecutive days of 1.5 hours and 2.5 hours straight hitting with it, I cannot but say its toll was a small discomfort in my right forearm. It was the most demanding string I've ever played. A "pro player's string" for sure that my skill level, mainly on my forehand side, is just enough to tame with this racket at this tension. The second set I'd play with the Nova at 22 or 23kg. When I took super clean and powerfull hits on the forehand, I did manage some great ball placement and hit some very short cross-court angles near the service line being wide from my baseline. Winners could be hit only with my one-handed backhand or with flat forehands at chest-high with a very closed racket face cross court not down the line.

Comfort 2
Stiffness 6
Power 2
Ball pocketing 4
Spin 5
Feel 4

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Dyreex Pro Player 1.24 (24kg) x Diadem Elevate v2 FS98

Demanding string for my level right now. I'd suggest having it strung 1.5kg lower than your usual tension.

From the baseline:

A stiff polyester that I needed some time to get used to. It was not comfortable on flat shots, as the sweet-spot felt small, off-center hits would make it over the net, but quite short and with the racket face in a neutral position the launch angle was quite high. I don't feel comfortable hitting flat shots with it. Of course, this racket is not for casual hitting. I was ripping my best forehands with it when I got completely loose and swang my racket fast with a very closed racket face. This resulted in high level groundstroke exchanges, the best I've managed so far on the forehand side. I could hit every angle I wanted as soon as I got to hit the ball super clean. The ball sinked very little into the stringbed. So, one has to play at an advanced level to really appreciate this string with a 98 sq inch racket. On the backhand side, again, I got to hit several aggresive one-handed backhands. Very few sailed long. A few more hit the net, because I didn't hit them quite right (unforgiving). Slices felt quite good, but it was more about my technique. I can't suggest this string had more than above average underspin. It was more difficult to return high incoming balls that bounced near my baseline, than with shaped-profile strings.

At the net:

Being this stiff, it was very responsive when hitting the small sweetspot. Not for doubles net players. I only go to the net to hit one or two volleys at a time. Better at redirecting the ball than blocking it.

Conclusions:

An advanced player's string for sure with which I got to hit the best forehands so far. Needed to be super loose, grip my racket low and swing fast with a very closed racket face, regardless of the hitting zone. I'd like it to give a cleaner sound feedback, as I'm not using a dampener. The sound was not the most reassuring. Maybe it has to do with the hard balls I use. Not a good fit for this open string pattern at this tension.

Comfort 3
Stiffness 5
Power 4
Ball pocketing 2
Spin 4
Feel 4

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

L-Tec Premium 7S Spin 1.25 (24kg)

From the baseline:

Right from the start, it was very easy to hit any type of shot with the 7S Spin with comfort and predictable results. The sweet-spot was large, power came easy with no concerns about overshooting. Flat shots on the forehand and backhand side with the racket face in neutral position led the ball to drop safely inside my partner's baseline. The ball pocketing was just as much as I want when playing with this frame. The rpms produced on top-spin forehands were not as much as I'd expect by a string labelled as a "Spin string". The string's edges are not very sharp, but round. With loose arm movement and a closed racket face more rpms were produced and I could hit short cross court targets.

At the net:

Very comfortable net playing with this one. Good control and ability to block shots without any soreness. I can see it being used at a lower tension from doubles players who stick at the net.

Conclusions:

Another L-Tec Premium string that combines comfort without trampoline effect and overshooting. High levels of control and feel from everywhere on the court. Can't really find any weak attribute about this string, apart from the fact that because of its name I'd expect more spin potential. All in all, I can definetely see this string being used between 20 to 25kg in different frames from beginners to intermediate-more advanced players. Can't say about advanced players with 98 sq inch rackets till I try that combo. I know that this may sound weird, buy I suppose it may be a bit too comfortable for big hitters of pro level. Very good durability, like the Celeste, which I guess is LTec's pride about the very good playability for more hours than the competition.

Comfort 6
Stiffness 4
Power 4
Ball pocketing 5
Spin 4
Feel 5

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

ReString Zero 1.23 (24kg) x Diadem Nova FS100

6 sharp edges. Beautiful light blue electric colour.

Baseline:

Right away it gave me the impression of a stiff pro-player oriented string.

Forehands: medium power/penetration that allowed / demanded the use of my own power, but without the fear of overshooting. I'm settled with over medium stiff strings, so for me this one was in my comfort zone, but definitely on the stiffer side of the spectrum. The ball sinked just a little bit into the stringbed which I found very responsive. Hitting with topspin I could find every angle very predictably. Missed very few shots out of-bounds or at the net. Very easy to hit the cross-court on the run. On flat forehands depth wasn't always predictable. Quite a few shots landed either shorter or farther than I planned to, but being a shaped string I was expecting this to be the case.

Backhands: both 1hbh and 2hbh when hit with some top-spin could find small targets at all angles on the baseline or towards the sidelines. Better than flat ones with which I had some issues landing the ball at the exact depth I aimed for. Where it really made an impression was the backhand slices hit at different heights! Many rpms produced on my slices from the baseline. The ball would stay low and long. Approach slices (steady and slightly open racketface moving forewards to hit a volley next) the ball had a sligh higher launch angle than round-shaped strings. It's been the case for me so far, to hit much more effecient approach slices with round strings. With shaped ones I execute the baseline slices much better though.

Netplay: great directional control and hit many drop-shot volleys with lots of backspin.

Conclusions:

For flat-hitters who want to give it a try, I'd recommend starting at 23kg. Struggling to find any drawback, I'll just mention the slight inconsistency in depth on the flatter shots. At a lower tension I'd feel a little more confident with these, but I'd prefer to make the proper adjustments, rather than sacrificing the great overall feel on spin shots. One of the best strings to execute the finesse shots. It performed really well for my level and frequency of playing, the durability is top-notch. I will try the 1.28 gauge on one of my 98 sq inch rackets. The snapback is insane! Really satisfied with this first string from ReString.

Comfort 4
Stiffness 5
Power 3
Ball pocketing 4
Spin 6
Feel 5

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Luxilon Alu Power 1.25 24kg

Having the Vibe, 4G and Element, I decided to go with this one first, as a benchmark for the rest of the lineup, but also for future string playtests. Played it a day after I strang it. Came to realize why all these pros have been using this for 20 years.

Baseline: right from the get-go / first warmup shots, I enjoyed buttery smooth feel.

Forehands: high levels of comfort with significant sweet-spot. Slight misshits would still land inside the service line on flatter shots. Great ball pocketing but not trampoliny feel at this tension. Great balance of power and control. Stiffness-wise it was a bit higher than moderate. When hitting fast and with spin, the control levels became unparallel! I felt really confident in every shot I hit at least 75%+ right. With the Alu Power I could aim for the sidelines and baseline corners with the same ease. When hit faster and bigger, access to spin was certainly above average and certainly the highest so far from a round-profiled string.

Backhands: same story here. My 1hdh being quite flatter gave predictable results most of the time. 2hdh I could aim for the sidelines better and with more top spin. Slices from the baseline were not successful if not done completely right. Approach slices were just average, meaning that for underspin I didn't find much extra assistance.

Netplay: great at both blocking and guiding the ball.

Conclusions: being in use for 20 years now on top ATP and WTA level, I suggest that every intermediate+ player goes the extra mile and pays the extra price at least once, so that you get a 5+ hour taste of premium playability, maybe less for more advanced players. Performance dropped off the cliff when went out on the last day, but from I've read that has been the story for the Alu Power (I don't read reviews before I play a string. I towards the end to see if I've missed something worth mentioning). You know what you get when fresh and for a certain time-window. Then the high price-tag kicks in. For 4-5 hours the Alu Power Big Banger seems hard to beat!

Comfort: 5
Power: 4
Stiffness: 4
Ball bite: 5
Spin: 4
Feel: 6

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

RS Paris 1.25 24kg

Round-edged, octagonal-shape. Several days (4-6) in between that the string remained unplayed due to bad weather. This could be the case for the generic intermediate+ level player for whom my feedback is for anyway, so here we go:

Baseline: top-notch premium "touch" during the first 2 days (4- hours), then some very slight drop in playability was to be expected, for the reason I mentioned above. On this 100 sq inch racket it felt a control 1st and spin 2nd - oriented string. Very precise when hitting flat or top-spin shots. Power delivery was moderate (* more than the similar Kirschbaum Max Power 1.20, less than the Luxilon Alu Power 1.25), which allows/demands fast and big swings. Stiffness was above medium, but not uncomfortable at any stage.

Forehands: distinctive sweet-spot combined with moderate power resulted into miss-hits being immediately noticed as the ball would not reach my partner's baseline, but would fall shorter than planned. Going back to 100 sq inches, I needed some time to get my swings right, the RS Paris was not forgiving in late or lazy hits. Getting more used to the Nova again, I could hit the flat forehand with the confidence that the ball wouldn't sail long. Top-spin shots were not anything extravagant, but the spin assistance was there for sure when hitting with a more closed racket face or low-to-high motion, so that very few balls launched out. Ball bite was exactly my preference: short dwelling time, responsive stringbed.

Backhands: almost every 2-handed-backhand I hit would find the small targets I aimed for towards the baseline or the sidelines. Underspin was just above moderate (had to be the 100 sq inched racket).

Netplay: This time, I hit only a few driving volleys and executed even less half volleys. My take is that the control was very good and that I didn't feel any discomfort on some misshits I did.

Conclusions: Except for the underspin shots that were just average with the Nova, there was no other noticable weakness. A high-priced string that will endure almost 2 months easily (if not more) of intermediate+ level groundstrokes. This is because no notches occured (maybe I didn't hit with much top-spin overall this time) and very good snapback till I cut it out after almost a month now. True competitor for the other top 2-3 pro player strings on the market, as I bet that apart from the lower power delivery, the generic intermediate+ player wouldn't be able to notice any difference in playability during the first 4 hours and the RS Paris will actually last much - much longer! Big thumbs up again for RS!!!

* I feel this would play even better on a 98 sq inch racket that cuts through the air easier, for more spin assistance.

Comfort: 4
Stiffness: 4
Power: 3
Ball pocketing: 5
Spin: 4
Feel: 5

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Stringlab Hydrogen Revo Hex 1.26 (24kg)

Hexagonal-profiled string. Blend of Power (1st) and Spin (2nd).

Baseline: this Diadem Elevate FS 98 x Stringlab Hydrogen Revo Hex combo offered me, maybe, the easiest blend of easy power (1st) and spin (2nd) I've experienced so far (maybe second to the YTex Quadro Twist). Responsive stringbed with short dwelling time. Above average stiffness, but not uncomfortable. At first, several forehand shots sailed long, but veeeery few went at the net as the net clearence was almost always quite high.

Forehands: I had to keep hitting with topspin so that the ball would land inside my partner's baseline (the Elevate is already quite powerful by nature). The sweet-spot was pretty distictive: more forgiving towards the sides than towards the top of the frame. At this tension I could find targets towards the left sideline when hitting low forehands on the run going right. From the midcourt, I felt more confident going for a powerful shot, than playing the angles with topspin because of the easy power delivery.

Backhands: my 1hbh actually felt much better than my flatter and new 2hbh. Again, depth was easy to find even when backing up. Tried some drop shots and slices. My drop shots bounced higher than I wanted, but the slices kept low and more penetrating than with other strings.

Netplay: being this powerful you better have good technique to drive the volley. Blocking shots didn't work for me, as the ball would bounce quite high on the acrylic court giving easy point to my partner.

Conclusions: Its texture didn't feel as slick/premium as the Orbitour Pro. Snapback was moderate. Tension stability was very good. I'd highly recommend stringing this string 15-20% higher than your normal tension. Personally, I'd go for 26kg without hesitation to see if I could limit the power in favor of more control on flatter shots. I'd like it to be more consistent on flatter forehands, but this could be achieved at a higher tension or different racket (denser pattern). Personally, I'm sure that at 24kg it could give better control results with the Diadem Nova, just for the fact than flatter shots are easier to hit with that one. One thing is for sure, this combo would work great against heavy hitting opponents!

Comfort: 4
Power: 5
Stiffness: 5
Ball pocketing: 4
Spin: 5
Feel: 4

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Diadem Impulse 17 25kg/55lbs x Diadem Premier All Court (Extra Duty)

First time playing with a Multifilament, here are my thoughts (in time, I may get back and edit this review if needed).

Baseline: super comfortable stringbed, huge sweet-spot, but no overshooting which was a pleasant surprise! The ball stayed in the stringbed longer than with a polyester and good penetration could be achieved with medium swings. Topspin potential was moderate. The thin profile helped a bit, but not significantly. Slices stayed low and long, but I could hit them better at low height, with a slighlty open racket face leading my motion forward (right hand in a vertical angle to the net), rather than my prefered motion going across my body.

Forehands: flat shots gave predictable depth and a low net clearence all the time. The ball would land near my partner's baseline, but almost none of them shorter than that. On the last day, I switched to the heavier and slower Diadem Premier All Court balls. With these I had better feedback and could hit better topspin shots, as I could put more power into my motion. Overall, the top-spin assistance was moderate, less than the moderate spin potential of a round polyester.

Backhands: both 2hbh and 1hbh felt excellent when hit flat or going for a strong winner.

Netplay: super comfortable, great at blocking fast balls and on half-volleys. A polyester would guide the ball better.

Conclusions: I would highly recommend the Impulse 17 to:
- a beginner
- someone who has some injury history
- someone returning to the game and tries to rediscover his strokes
- coach or hitting partner feeding balls
- "Players with slow to moderate swing speeds will benefit from the power of Impulse" is spot on!
I bet the thicker gauge would offer better "touch" from the baseline. I see both gauges working great in hybrid setups. Overall, the Impulse suits best someone who uses a 100 sq inch racket, that puts comfort and easy power first and hits relatively flat. I evaluate "feel" so high because I didn't find a considerable weakness when hitting flat.

Comfort: 6
Stiffness: 2
Power: 5
Ball pocketing: 5
Spin: 3
Feel: 5