Tourna Big Hitter Blue Rough 16ga Review

This is an "older" string and not one of the latest strings to come out but I thought it was time to report on this poly string. After all, it got a ton of hype (to us nerd string aficionados!) when it came out a year or so ago. After the Racquet Sports Industry had tested it, they said it was the 2nd best string they tested, losing out only to a premium natural gut. With this in mind, it was way past time to try this string out.

My test racquet and setup are as follows: Volkl PB 10 Mid, Tourna Big Hitter Blue Rough string (BHBR) 16 ga @ 58#. I usually string poly at a little lower than this but I have read that this is a softer string and produces more power than usual polys so I decided to string it up for more control. I had about 1 1/2 hours on court playing indoors on a medium fast hard court.

The Test:

For serves, there's one word, WOW! I felt complete control over every shot (sure, they didn't all go in but it felt like they were going to!). On the deuce and ad sides, I could hit the outside corners better than my beloved Genesis Twisted Razor setup that I have played for 8 months. Spin was better than average and I could kick it with ease.

Running crosscourt forehands were remarkably successful with 2 or 3 outright winners on shots that are usually just "keep 'em in play" shots. I left my opponent looking at me with a "did you really just hit that shot?" look that was completely satisfying. Shots that usually would have been a few inches out landed inside the lines. The feel was excellent and there is absolutely no jarring or shock to my arm, even on mishits. This really IS a soft playing poly. Lots of strings claim softness - BHBR delivered. Power was equally impressive as I hit several balls past my opponent on forehands and backhands. Touch is better than most polys but still not as good as a natural gut or even some synthetics. I dropped a ball over the net that my opponent had no chance in retrieving. I could generate lots of spin and really pin my opponent back with a high spin, looping shot that was difficult to handle. This is definitely in the "spin string" category.

I only hit 1 overhead but it was solid and penetrating. If serves are any indication of how the overheads would go, then I see no reason why this string wouldn't be just as good. This is a soft string with good power and so the ball felt nice on the strings. I felt in complete control and could slice and dice the volleys as well. I'm no longer play a serve and volley game but the time I spent there was pleasant.

I experienced no arm pain but to be fair, I only played less than 2 hours with it. Also, I don't know how long this string will last or how long it will play this well. That's a question to be answered in the days and weeks to come.

But for now...

I loved this string test. It's a soft, powerful poly that gives excellent control, too. Lots of strings claim power and control as their attributes but few deliver. I would rank these in my top 3 polys I have ever played. They would be (in no particular order), Luxilon ALU Power, Genesis Twisted Razor and this string, BHBR. If you want spin, BHBR delivered. If you want power, BHBR delivered. If you want control, BHBR delivered again!

I tried BHBR when it originally came out and liked it but I strung it too low for maximum benefit. This time, I strung it at the proper tension and the result is fantastic. Now I see why this string was rated so high when it first came out. I think that I will be keeping this string in my racquet for a while. At least until something better comes along. However, it's going to take quite a lot to get Big Hitter Blue Rough out of my stick.

Keep hittin'
Dan