Prince Beast XP string review

In 2010, Prince began distributing this string to playtesters with no information accompanying the string samples. They even set up a website (beastxp.com) but no one knew for sure who the company was or anything about the string. Upon inspection, it was apparent that it was a poly and it was green, but nothing else. What they did was brilliant because it allowed Prince to find out what playtesters actually thought of the string with no pre-conceived notions.

I received my sample after all the hoopla was over (for the most part) and decided it was time to string it up and see if it lives up to the hype Prince generated. Prince claims that their string is the world’s first thermo-poly string, featuring a secret alloy additive, that delivers improved trajectory control and feel for extreme precision. Ok, every company claims their string is either the first or the best at this or that but the proof is on court, not in the ad campaigns.

Prince claims 5 basic points - trajectory control, spin, tension maintenance, power and feel. Aren't these the same claims as every string, or racquet or anything else related to tennis makes? As a stringer, I get tons of string samples wanting me to test drive their "new" technology but rarely do they deliver on their claims. Let's take it on the court to see how the Beast xp stacks up to their hype.

The test racquet setup is as follows: Volkl Powerbridge 10 Mid; Prince Beast xp 16ga (mains) at 57# and Gaucho natural gut 16ga (crosses) at 60#. Natural gut in the crosses is my favorite setup because it's simply the best at nearly everything. But, it's expensive so I keep it in the crosses only. I realize that this may be cheating a bit on the overall playability of the string by hybriding it, but that's the way I usually play, so it's a fair test as a comparison.

The playtest: I started the test by playing a total of 4 sets of singles. The first thing I noticed is that my groundstrokes felt very comfortable and reliable. By reliable, I mean that the length of stroke was very predictible. I felt I could take full strokes and the ball would stay in. Now, I have played with other strings that would do this too but they were generally very stiff and harsh and potentially hard on your arm. The Beast xp strings had the predictiblity and they felt firm but not harsh. I would say that they leaned toward the soft side without being "mushy".

I finished the test with 5 sets of doubles and I must say that the Beast xp performed as good or better as a doubles setup. Again, the serve, volley and returns were outstanding and I felt in complete control. In doubles, you need to be precise with returns and this was fitting the bill.

While at the net, the strings controlled the ball beautifully. I was shocked how consistently I was hitting the ball deep into the court and with good punch. It is probably some of the best volleying I have done in quite some time. Feel at the net was the most outstanding characteristic of the string. Not something that you usually find in a poly. I was placing the ball with amazing precision. I was checking to make sure I was the one hitting those volleys!!

I felt completely confident at the baseline as my full strokes felt wonderful. The spin potential is very good but it's not outstanding. I have found that usually the best spinning strings are the stiffest but they're also the hardest on your arm. The Beast xp is a good feeling string with good spin.

My serve and overhead had lots of pop, spin and control and I was putting the serve in the spot I was aiming with excellent consistency. The ball just felt good coming off the stringbed.

What I was most surprised about this string is that I didn't find any real weaknesses. I forgot to measure the stringbed stiffness with my meter before hitting but it felt like there was very little tension loss.

The 1 downside (or maybe 2). This string is a bit pricey. It's up there with some Luxilon strings on price. The other possible downside to some might be the green color. Actually, I quite liked it and it didn't clash with the color of my racquet. ;) No one pointed or laughed (at least not to my face!). One thing I was initially disapointed about was that it's currently only available in a 16ga. I always play with a 17ga string as I feel it provides more "bite" However, this playtest dispelled any issues I had with it only being a 16ga.

Ok, let's sum this up. Prince claims 5 things - trajectory control, spin, tension maintenance, power and feel. Does the Beast xp deliver on any of these claims? My answer is yes on all 5 counts. Unlike most of the other string demos I get, this string actually delivered on their ad campaign. Refreshing! I think this string will be a great addition to the better player who wants to add better feel, power and control to their game vs the ordinary poly they currently use. Personally, I may have found a new string to go in my racquet!

Thanks,
Dan

Keep hittin'!!

Learning my craft

I know that I usually review strings here but my experience below is related to strings and how I can help you make the best decision on what strings you use. Back to strings next time!

I recently attended the Grand Slam Stringer's Symposium in Orlando, Fl where some of the world's top stringers and racquet technicians gathered to learn and teach. This was a 4 day event that was jam packed with seminars and workshops where I was engulfed with string stuff. There were workshops on stringing, racquet customization, racquet technologies, string technologies, among other string-related topics. Frankly, this was a string nerds paradise where the talk was about strings, racquets and everything tennis. Sure, maybe not everyone would like to spend their time in Orlando doing this, but I felt like a sponge. Actually, I rarely left the hotel because I was so engrossed with the subjects inside.

While I was there, I decided to take the test for the Master Racquet Technician (MRT) certification. Actually, I had began studying weeks before the symposium so I could have a chance to pass this thing! This is a thorough exam testing everything from stringing, grip replacement and buildup, grommet replacement and an comprehensive exam on the racquet itself. Needless to say, this was a tough test and one that made me (and the other 6 test-takers) nervous and anxious to get it done. Nervously, we all went through the "hands on" portion (stringing, grip buildup, grommet replacement) and then it was on to the written test. This was a 90 minute exam that I completed with seconds to spare! Whew!

The next step was to wait on the results. I found out that I passed the hands on section with flying colors while in Orlando but I was nervous about the written exam. My results would come in about 10 days through the mail. I was quite happy to open that envelope and find that I had passed! I write this to you all being proud of the fact that this is a certification that is not easy and only about 600 or people in the world are MRT's. I wanted to get this certification proving to my customers that I am committed to providing superior service and providing good information about their strings and racquets.

As we all know, the strings are the only thing that hits the ball (well, that's the idea, anyway!) and the racquet you use DOES make a difference. I want to help you get the best strings for your racquet and enjoy this great game the way I do!

Keep hittin'

Dan

New String Test - Pro Supex Big Ace 17 gauge

Strung up the Pro Supex Big Ace 17 (red) at 55# yesterday for a hit with the ball machine for an initial test. This is a much talked about string and is used by lots of players. After this initial hit, I can see why.

As you can see, I have a little different test format as I have a score based on a score of 1 to 10. Hope you like it!!

Groundstrokes

I felt I couldn't miss with this string. There wasn't a lot of power and spin was somewhere in the middle of what I have tested but control was outstanding. It's a bit mushy but not offensive and I could feel the ball on the strings nicely. I had no problem keeping the ball in and frankly, the ball landed a bit short at times. After a brief adjustment period, I re-adjusted and could get the ball deep regularly. Many times, the ball dropped in when I thought it was going out.
9/10

Serves

Again, control was there but I didn't feel any real "pop" on the serve. The spin was adequate but nothing special. I could direct the ball pretty well but it didn't feel like I was getting a lot of mph's. If you need more zip on your serves, these strings aren't it. However, if your serve needs reeled in a bit, this IS your string.
7/10

Volleys-O/H

Volleys felt real nice. Touch was excellent and control was evident. This is a very nice volleying string and I could direct the ball very nicely. This string is better than most poly strings I have tested because generally, feel isn't very good with poly strings. Big Ace is the exception. O/H's were solid and I felt confident placing them where I wanted.
9/10

Arm Issues

None. I never felt a twinge at any point during the hit. It felt soft and I feel that it would never cause any arm problems with me.
10/10

Initial Impressions - Overall

Even though I only hit for about an hour, I feel like I know this string. It's definitely a control string with a moderate amount of spin. A solid string that is for hard hitters and players who like to volley. One thing I really liked - the color! This is a beautiful red and never turned pink(ish). I could see myself using this string if I felt that I had started losing control. This string would reel me back in, I think.
8/10

My advice: if you want/need more control over your game and like poly, this may be your string. It's a solid choice for hard hitters and players who supply their own power.

I really want to see how this plays during an actual match. Weather permitting, that test will happen soon. More on that later.

Keep hittin'!!

Dan

Update on Genesis Black Magic and new tests

Wow! 15+ hours with the Black Magic/Wilson Sensation hybrid test and it's still going strong. I've worked out with my ball machine and played singles and doubles with this string and it's preforming as good or better than ANY string combo I've ever tried. And I've tried a bunch, believe me. Everywhere from the cheapest string all the way through VS Natural Gut. Black Magic is soft, powerful and the harder you swing, the better the spin and control. It's a big hitter's dream. If you're a touch player, it may not be quite as good for your game but my volleying, touch and control has been more than adequate with this string.

The problem with most Poly string is that many are stiff, dead feeling and they wear out pretty quickly. Also, they have a tendancy to be hard on your arm and wrist. With the stringing cost being in the $20-$30 range (or more at some shops), getting only 4-6 hours (or less) isn't budget friendly. The trade-off is that tremendous spin and control can be achieved with them. Almost every pro uses poly but they can afford it. So, the question has been, spend the money and get great preformance for a short time and risk arm problems or continue to struggle with other types of strings where the preformance isn't as good but is more budget friendly?

Hmm...enter so-called 2nd and 3rd generation poly strings. Many of them are showing excellent preformance and many have very good longevity. The string costs are about the same but there are several strings that are entering the budget-friendly zone.

Well, this is the reason for my testing. I want to find an excellent selection of strings for you at a low cost that will last a reasonable amount of time without wrecking your arm.

Right now, Genesis Black Magic is leading the pack in these categories but the testing continues!! As of today, I have 2 new tests coming up: Genesis Spin-X, reported to be like Black Magic with enhanced spin and MSV Focus Hex, reported to be a soft, powerful string with great spin potential based on the hexagonal shape. Stay tuned for more on these strings!!

Keep Hittin'

Dan

That Old Black Magic

In the latest in a series of string tests, I tested Genesis' offering of Black Magic poly string. Genesis is a relatively new company (started in 2009) that currently offers two strings. "Black Magic", in a 16 or 17gauge and "Spin-X", also in a 16 or 17gauge. I tested the 17gauge string. Of course, it's black! The Spin-X comes in either a red or silver color.

I used this in a hybrid set up using black magic in the mains at 57 pounds and Wilson sensation 16gauge in the crosses at 60 pounds. This proved to be a very powerful set up and was very easy on my arm. All through the testing period of about six hours of hitting, I never felt any pain in my arm, wrist or shoulder. As many of you know, some polys can cause pain to your arm depending on which string you use and the tension. My advice with polys is to be careful.

Now for the testing...

Forehands, backhands and serves seem to explode off of the racquet face. This seems to be a very powerful string but yet spin was very adequate. When I originally strung this, I waited two days before testing (due to weather and other factors). Sometimes with polys, there is a break-in period but not with this string. It felt comfortable from the start and the characteristics did not change through the testing period. There was only a minor drop in tension of about 3-4% during the testing. That's terrific!

My playing partner commented that my shots were coming across much faster but with a bit less spin than normal. I found myself hitting the ball flatter but when I was wanting to generate spin, I could do so with ease. Even though groundies were very good, this string seemed to shine on serves. My opponent said that he had to guess because the ball was coming at a pace he could not handle. I generally hit the ball hard but not usually this hard!

Overall, this string was soft, easy on the arm, powerful and predictable. This is a string that I would not only recommend but one that I would also be more than happy to play full-time. I will be adding this to my inventory for my customers in the near future.

This string was, in a word..."Magic"!!

Keep hitting,
Dan

All new string tests - Poly only

I just ordered a few strings for testing. They are:

Genesis Spin X 17 gauge
Genesis Black Magic 17 gauge
Pro Supex Big Ace 17 gauge
Signum Pro Poly Plasma 17 gauge
Topspin Cyber Flash 17 gauge
Kirschbaum Pro Line II 17 gauge

Genesis is a fairly new line of strings and have been getting rave reviews. The rest are very well-received by players of all types. You'll notice that these are all thinner gauge strings (17) and they should offer a higher level of performance but may sacrifice a bit of durability. My hope is that, since these are poly strings, they will still have good lasting ability. My quest continues for the best strings to review and carry for my customers (and me, of course!).

On another note, I have begun testing of the new Mantis strings and have found them to be solid but not too exciting. This is only after a couple hours of testing and the full review will be forthcoming.

Well, the winter has set in and the cold is here. Hopefully, you (and I) can get out a bit this winter and hold on 'til warmer weather. Hang in there, spring's coming!!!

Keep hittin',

Dan

New Strings from Mantis

I'm looking forward to a shipment of test strings from a new company named Mantis. Looks like I'll be getting 2 polys and 2 synthetic gut strings to review. Mantis is a company from Europe that is mostly in the UK and they are attempting to break in to the US market. If you want to check them out for yourself, dial up http://www.mantis-sport.com/us/string.html and read all about them. However, if you want something other than the marketing spin, keep checking back here and see my unbiased review and testing.

I should be getting these strings soon along with a few others. It's going to be a busy winter league season this year as I am testing a bunch of strings!

Thanks for looking in!
Dan