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Here are my recommendations, based on thousands of hybrids/string jobs, I have tested for my own sticks!
Best string jobs for spin players, big hitters:
Spin durability: ashaway kevlar 16g/alu power 1.25mm or rpm blast 16g cross
Spin low power: spiky shark 16g/sppp 16g
Spin feel/control/playability:vs team 17g/Black code 17g. Some prefer alu or rpm blast 18-16g as the cross with vs for the best feel/control!
spin cost: msv hex 1.23mm, which is cheap and durable and gives great spin. 1.10mm has the most spin, but too much power/trampoline, and is less durable. Some prefer solinco tour bite, or barb wire, but it is more expensive.
Best tension: Most manufacturers state the rec. range to be between 52-63lbs, and if you go over or under, you violate their warranty. Higher tensions will cause arm/shoulder injuries. Lower tensions will give you more power, and less control, unless you only play 1/2hr. with them, as the pros do! Msv users have an edge here, due to its $74.90/reel cost. If you buy lots of reels, and refer them to others, Guts and Glory will give you a break on the uber string reels.
Best sticks for your game: Bashers/grinders like stiff frames, like the babolats. All courters like the players sticks, like the Head mg mp pt57a/e, tgk line, or Wilson h22, which have better touch/control used in volleying. 40 of the top 100 atp use Head. 32 use Wilson, 15 babolat, and so on. Why is that? Head and Wilson have customization rooms, and will custom weight, balance, mold pallets, for each top pro. Babolat does not.
Customizing your own sticks: Most top pros inject 25g of clear silicone into the handle near the butt cap, to reduce arm shock and increase feel. Most top pros also place lead under the bumper guard, between 2-10 oclock. Some also place lead at 7" up from the butt cap, and 1" up from the butt cap. Soderling, has a custom molded pallet, lead all the way under the capped grommets, and uses a pt57a, with alu power, strung at only 21kg! The pallet also has an indentation for his pinky finger on the bottom of the stick!
soderling pallet
My own personal rec. For bashers/grinders with stiff frames: Ashaway 16g/alu power 1.25mm
My own personal rec. for: For all courters with flexy sticks: Vs team 17g/blackcode 17g.
My rec. for bashers who love power frames: The non cortex babolat lines
For touch/control/all courters: Pt57a/e, Wilson H22 (stiffer, more power on serves/volleys, yet still great control)
December 3 - 22, 2009 : From joes string forum!
The String of the Year 2009 survey is finished. 147 members participated in this survey in order to vote for their favorite strings. Many thanks to all people who submitted their votes!
There was actually no surprise in the Non-Poly department: Babolat VS Team is still dominating in all categories except durability and won the title "Non-Poly of the Year" for the third time in a row. Also when looking at the best performing non-poly, non-gut string, Tecnifibre X-One Biphase defeated its position by becoming second only to natural gut in 6 categories and winning the durability category.
In the Poly department, we see the return of a legend: Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power won the title "Poly of the Year", defeating newcomer Tecnifibre Black Code which was clearly voted "Newcomer of the Year". While Alu Power also won the "Control" and "Durability" categories, Black Code topped the "Comfort" and "Spin" departments. Signum Pro Poly Plasma 1.23 is still the number one tension holding poly while its thinner gauge 1.18 won the "Feel" category.
Other top newcomers of 2009 like Signum Pro Tornado and Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power Spin have not yet established a leading position in the corresponding categories, but let's watch them closely in 2010!
Please note that the result of this survey is based on opinion, not on testing. To see the strings with the best test results, please go to the Top5 Lists in the ratings database.
Final result (most popular strings in 2009): From joes string forum!
Poly of the Year 2009 Poly
Rank String Score
1 Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 161
2 Tecnifibre Black Code 140
3 Signum Pro Poly Plasma 123
4 MSV Focus - HEX® 121
5 Signum Pro Tornado 79
6 Topspin Cyber Flash 76
7 Kirschbaum Pro Line No. II 66
8 WeissCANNON Silverstring 65
9 Topspin Cyber Blue 64
10 Luxilon Big Banger Original 48
11 Polystar Energy 23
12 Luxilon Big Banger Ace 22
13 MSV Co-Focus 17
14 Pro's Pro Plus Power 13
15 Unique Tourna Poly Big Hitter 7
Non-Poly of the Year 2009 Non-Poly
Rank String Score
1 Babolat VS Team 214
2 Tecnifibre X-One Biphase 199
3 Babolat VS Touch 128
4 Wilson NXT Tour 68
5 Gamma Live Wire Professional 46
6 Head Rip Control 39
7 Babolat VS Tonic+ Ball Feel 34
8 Pacific Classic Gut 33
9 Tecnifibre Multifeel 30
10 WeissCANNON Explosiv! 27
11 Signum Pro Fiber High Tec EXP 22
12 Isospeed Professional 19
Head IntelliTour 19
14 Isospeed Professional+ 14
15 Isospeed Control 13
Best string jobs for spin players, big hitters:
Spin durability: ashaway kevlar 16g/alu power 1.25mm or rpm blast 16g cross
Spin low power: spiky shark 16g/sppp 16g
Spin feel/control/playability:vs team 17g/Black code 17g. Some prefer alu or rpm blast 18-16g as the cross with vs for the best feel/control!
spin cost: msv hex 1.23mm, which is cheap and durable and gives great spin. 1.10mm has the most spin, but too much power/trampoline, and is less durable. Some prefer solinco tour bite, or barb wire, but it is more expensive.
Best tension: Most manufacturers state the rec. range to be between 52-63lbs, and if you go over or under, you violate their warranty. Higher tensions will cause arm/shoulder injuries. Lower tensions will give you more power, and less control, unless you only play 1/2hr. with them, as the pros do! Msv users have an edge here, due to its $74.90/reel cost. If you buy lots of reels, and refer them to others, Guts and Glory will give you a break on the uber string reels.
Best sticks for your game: Bashers/grinders like stiff frames, like the babolats. All courters like the players sticks, like the Head mg mp pt57a/e, tgk line, or Wilson h22, which have better touch/control used in volleying. 40 of the top 100 atp use Head. 32 use Wilson, 15 babolat, and so on. Why is that? Head and Wilson have customization rooms, and will custom weight, balance, mold pallets, for each top pro. Babolat does not.
Customizing your own sticks: Most top pros inject 25g of clear silicone into the handle near the butt cap, to reduce arm shock and increase feel. Most top pros also place lead under the bumper guard, between 2-10 oclock. Some also place lead at 7" up from the butt cap, and 1" up from the butt cap. Soderling, has a custom molded pallet, lead all the way under the capped grommets, and uses a pt57a, with alu power, strung at only 21kg! The pallet also has an indentation for his pinky finger on the bottom of the stick!
soderling pallet
My own personal rec. For bashers/grinders with stiff frames: Ashaway 16g/alu power 1.25mm
My own personal rec. for: For all courters with flexy sticks: Vs team 17g/blackcode 17g.
My rec. for bashers who love power frames: The non cortex babolat lines
For touch/control/all courters: Pt57a/e, Wilson H22 (stiffer, more power on serves/volleys, yet still great control)
December 3 - 22, 2009 : From joes string forum!
The String of the Year 2009 survey is finished. 147 members participated in this survey in order to vote for their favorite strings. Many thanks to all people who submitted their votes!
There was actually no surprise in the Non-Poly department: Babolat VS Team is still dominating in all categories except durability and won the title "Non-Poly of the Year" for the third time in a row. Also when looking at the best performing non-poly, non-gut string, Tecnifibre X-One Biphase defeated its position by becoming second only to natural gut in 6 categories and winning the durability category.
In the Poly department, we see the return of a legend: Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power won the title "Poly of the Year", defeating newcomer Tecnifibre Black Code which was clearly voted "Newcomer of the Year". While Alu Power also won the "Control" and "Durability" categories, Black Code topped the "Comfort" and "Spin" departments. Signum Pro Poly Plasma 1.23 is still the number one tension holding poly while its thinner gauge 1.18 won the "Feel" category.
Other top newcomers of 2009 like Signum Pro Tornado and Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power Spin have not yet established a leading position in the corresponding categories, but let's watch them closely in 2010!
Please note that the result of this survey is based on opinion, not on testing. To see the strings with the best test results, please go to the Top5 Lists in the ratings database.
Final result (most popular strings in 2009): From joes string forum!
Poly of the Year 2009 Poly
Rank String Score
1 Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 161
2 Tecnifibre Black Code 140
3 Signum Pro Poly Plasma 123
4 MSV Focus - HEX® 121
5 Signum Pro Tornado 79
6 Topspin Cyber Flash 76
7 Kirschbaum Pro Line No. II 66
8 WeissCANNON Silverstring 65
9 Topspin Cyber Blue 64
10 Luxilon Big Banger Original 48
11 Polystar Energy 23
12 Luxilon Big Banger Ace 22
13 MSV Co-Focus 17
14 Pro's Pro Plus Power 13
15 Unique Tourna Poly Big Hitter 7
Non-Poly of the Year 2009 Non-Poly
Rank String Score
1 Babolat VS Team 214
2 Tecnifibre X-One Biphase 199
3 Babolat VS Touch 128
4 Wilson NXT Tour 68
5 Gamma Live Wire Professional 46
6 Head Rip Control 39
7 Babolat VS Tonic+ Ball Feel 34
8 Pacific Classic Gut 33
9 Tecnifibre Multifeel 30
10 WeissCANNON Explosiv! 27
11 Signum Pro Fiber High Tec EXP 22
12 Isospeed Professional 19
Head IntelliTour 19
14 Isospeed Professional+ 14
15 Isospeed Control 13
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