Review of the Genesis Twisted Razor string

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 2^nd time, the tension loss was only -10.4%. After the 4^th time, -15.3% and the 5^th 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

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Review of the new Head Youtek IG Speed Lite

Here's another playtest I did for tennisexpress.com - the Head Youtek IG Speed Lite.

Review of the Head Youtek IG Speed Lite

The first thing you notice when you pick up this racquet is that it’s light…very light. This racquet weighs in at nearly 2 ounces lighter than its big brother and current stick of Novak Djokovic, the Youtek IG Speed. As I prepared to test this racquet, I was wondering if it’s too light.

Groundstrokes

The overall lightness takes a bit of getting used to, especially if you’re used to a heavy racquet like I am. My current racquet weighs in at over 12 ounces and so there was an adjustment period. However, the adjustment was fairly quick and I found that I was able to generate deep shots with nice spin. This has a firm feel with the stiffness rating in the middle to stiff range (66). I did find that I needed to back off of my current fast swinging style as balls were hitting the back fence for a while. There isn’t much “plough through” like you get with a heavier racquet but if your strokes are short, there’s plenty of power to get the ball where you want it to go. I did find that I could direct the ball very well with a good amount of spin. The sweetspot is small compared to the headsize and shots outside that spot creates some stability issues, due mostly to the weight (or lack of) the frame.

Serves/Returns

Just like groundstrokes, there is an adjustment to this fast-moving racquet during serving. Even with the low weight, I found that I could get lots of power. Spin was good but not outstanding as my kick serves were average. The 102 sq in head gave me lots of confidence that I would find a large sweetspot but the sweetspot isn’t huge and I contribute it to the lack of weight in the frame. I did have a little problem getting the ball in the court on first serves. If I backed off the swing speed some, I could consistently get the ball in on first and second serves. Return power was there and a short backswing is your friend for control.

Volleys/Overheads

As you can imagine, this racquet was excellent around the net. It felt like a feather in my hand and quick reaction shots were a joy. For a minute, I thought I had the hands of McEnroe since my reaction time was so good! I came back to reality as soon as I realized that it’s the racquet, not my quickness. Darn! When struck in the middle of the racquet, volleys were solid and deep but since it’s pretty stiff and powerful, you need to keep it short and sweet. Overheads were solid and as long as I hit the middle of the racquet face, no problems. However, outside the sweetspot and the stability went down substantially.

This is a very light-weight racquet that provides an adequate overall blend of spin, power and control. Beginners through intermediates players will appreciate the strong points of the racquet – maneuverability, power, a firm feel and the 102 sq in size. My question at the beginning of this review about it being too light will depend on the type of player you are and what you’re looking for. If you’re a player that takes short, precise strokes, this could be a good version for you. Players looking for a light racquet with plenty of power and who can find the sweetspot pretty well will also enjoy this stick. If you’re a better player wanting a “player’s racquet”, you might want to step up to the heavier Youtek IG Speed.

Keep hittin'!!!

Dan

Review of the new Babalot Pure Storm Tour Plus

As a regular playtester for tennisexpress.com, I wanted to blog my playtest results here for everyone to see. Thanks for your support!!

Review of the Babolat Pure Storm Tour Plus GT

As the old saying goes, size does matter. With the additional ½” added to the length of the racquet, one might think that power would be the main feature. When you look at the racquet, it looks longer. When you play with it, you can’t tell the difference. As you will see, this racquet has more than size on its side.

Groundstrokes

I expected some loss of control with the plus version but I was very pleased that I didn’t even notice the added length. Groundstrokes were consistent and smooth and I got good results with my usual strokes (long and fast). Topspin was generated easily but it’s not a “topspin racquet”. I must say that this racquet was the best racquet I have ever hit on slice backhands. I was the surgeon and the court was my patient! My opponent frequently complained that the ball never came up and was very difficult to get a play on it. Ohhh, I like that!!

Serves/Returns

As much as I loved the slice backhand with this racquet, I also was in love with the serve. I got excellent kick and I frequently handcuffed my opponent with the jumping ball. I could generate excellent power and control, too. This was a true servers’ racquet. I’m sure the additional ½” helped with all this. On the return, I only needed short strokes to get the ball back with plenty of power and control. Since this is a fairly powerful stick, a shorter stroke on returns is necessary to get the job done. The extra reach came in handy on those wide serve returns. I surprised myself a couple of times on how far I could reach with this racquet.

Volleys/Overheads

With the midsize+ head, getting the racquet on the ball was no problem. Just don’t swing on the volley (you shouldn’t anyway!) because it’ll fly a bit. A short, sharp punch is sufficient for power and control. It was a tiny bit cumbersome on tight shots in close to the body but it’s not a deal-breaker, especially if you don’t visit the net too often. Overheads were a breeze and with the 98 sq in head, I felt confident that I would put the ball away every time.

This is a great racquet for the good to better player. The extra ½” was beneficial on those wide reach shots and serves, and the backhand backspin was like a little “slice” of heaven! As I was looking at the specs, I was surprised to see that it’s not a stiff racquet. However, it plays firm and no matter where the ball hits on the face, it feels very solid and with no elbow issues. A very unusual combination. This racquet has plenty of power, control and spin. If you’re a 4.0+ aggressive player who is looking for solid racquet with a bit of power, here’s your stick. Babalot really got it right with this racquet.

Keep hittin'!!

Dan

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