Most of my experiences with textured strings have been less than exciting. The strings I have tested have had underwhelming results. Usually, they’re hyped and used as a great marketing tool but the texture makes little difference. Enter Genesis Twisted Razor 16L (1.27mm). Is this just another in the long line of twisted, shaped, textured, etc. strings? I took it to the court to experience it during a week-long playtest.
The setup racquet is my usual: the Volkl PB 10 Mid. I strung it near the middle of the racquet’s range at 55#. My usual setup is Kirschbaum PL II 17ga (mains) at 57# and Natural Gut 16ga (crosses) at 60#.
The first time I went for a playtest I actually hated the string. It felt boardy and had no feel. As time went on, however, I realized that it was my fault because I started out at too high of a tension. I nearly cut them out and thought that it’s the usual over-hyped string but thought twice and decided to give it one more try. I’m glad I did because it turned out to be one of the best, if not the best, string I have ever tested.
The test:
Feel:
Touch shots were very nice. I could feel the ball on the strings and drop shots, touch shots and those little feel shots were there for me. The ball pocketing is noticeable and appreciated. Not quite natural gut but it was getting close. 8.5/10
Power:
My playing partner remained the same for the 5 times I played with this string. He commented that the ball was getting to him quickly and it was difficult for him to do much with the ball. My serves were going through the court with excellent pace and I could tell the ball was traveling as fast as any other “power” strings I have played before. I can’t give this string a 10 because I have tested some rocket launchers. Those strings will get a 10 for power but a 2 for control. The Twisted Razor is the perfect blend of power with control. 9/10
Control:
I felt like I was in complete control on every shot and my confidence was riding high. I was placing the ball with an accuracy that usually only comes in streaks. Every time I played with this string I was placing it where I was aiming. I rarely lost control on anything within reach. My opponent really didn’t like how I kept hitting great shots but I loved it! 10/10
Spin:
This is where it got crazy. My opponent said that he had almost no chance on balls I could set up on and came over with heavy topspin. The ball would leave my racquet with its usual trajectory but would come down violently on the other side. It was quite remarkable to see the ball dive! My kick serves were jumping high and my backhand slice was staying so low that my opponent frequently couldn’t dig them out. I have a picture of one of the balls after 3 sets and the nap was coming through. I guess Razor is the perfect word for it. One word for the spin it produces: WOW! 10/10
Durability/Tension Maintenance:
After 5 playtests, there is virtually no wear on the strings and they haven’t moved. I have never had to straighten them during play. This isn’t that unusual for poly strings. I forgot to check the tension after the first time out but after the 2nd time, the tension loss was only -10.4%. After the 4th time, -15.3% and the 5th time, -17.3%. Overall, tension maintenance is excellent and well within acceptable range. Like a fine wine, the feel, control and spin just keep getting better with time. 9/10
Arm Issues:
I have seen a slight increase in arm pain during this playtest, but certainly not alarming. I suffered a wrist injury from a few years ago and so polys in general do have a tendency to cause a flare-up. This is why I usually play with a poly/natural gut hybrid. It softens the blow. However, I’m not concerned since this has been very minor and seemed to go away after the first couple of times of play. I would contribute this to the tension loss and finding my personal best tension. Personally, I am planning to string this up at around 48-50# next time. This should take care of any arm/wrist issues in the future. 7.5/10
Overall, I’m am very impressed with this string. Luckily, I stayed with the string through that first time out and went back on the court to keep trying. I am getting great control, spin and feel from the ball. If you are a better player and are looking to increase power, spin and control (who isn’t?!), this might be your string. I would suggest that you string it a bit lower than a normal poly, especially if you have any arm twinges. This string comes highly recommended (except to my opponents! – shhh, don’t tell ‘em). Genesis keeps cranking out great strings dating back from their initial offering, Black Magic, all the way through to this string. They’re all winners.
Keep hittin’,
Dan
PS Make sure to check out my facebook page for more tennis stuff:
facebook.com/advantagestringing
Posts
