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Clarifying my thoughts on Solinco Confidential

"It's sharp, it's wirey, it's stiff - and it's doing everything that I want it to do"

With the state on lockdown and the courts closed, I had some extra time on my hands to go all out on the Solinco Confidential review video . 

What a relief to be done with that.

A lot of the subscribers want me to crank out more videos - and trust me I wish I could too. In reality, the Confidential episode took a full month to complete in my spare time.

Don’t get me wrong. Staying up late and getting up early to crank out a few extra hours editing was worth it, but yeah, it feels good to wrap up a project like that.

But the case wasn't closed.

If you watched the episode, you’ll know that time wasn’t on our side - and we ran out of it. Just when I was ready to wrap my head around this string, everything shuttered.

One instagrammer even commented “doesn’t sound like you were too into Confidential?”

I mean, he was partially right. I never even had a chance to get into it - to really wrap my head around it.

That’s when I realized I needed to clarify my recent findings. 

Two weeks after that final night in the video, the outdoor courts opened back up - and I’ve been able to get an additional 8 or 9 sessions on Solinco Confidential 18.

Here is what I found. 

Make no mistake - this isn’t a comfort string, so be careful. But comfort was never an issue, either. I never got a twinge of anything in my arm. 

At about 10 hours on the string, it still feels good. 

I've pushed it to about 16 hours, a formidable number for 18 gauge, and it's probably time to call it quits.

You guys know I love a powerful string, I need a little extra help in that category. The power showed its head more and more as time went on. 

And I liked it. 

I noticed balls started to get bigger, heavier, and bounce higher. 

Launch Angle

Compared to my normal setup of Tour Bite Soft - Confidential had an impressively low launch angle. 

The biggest benefit of a low launch angle in my opinion is more forward momentum of the ball - translating into better penetration through the court.

It also helped keep things more in control when getting closer to the net where I often blow a topspin forehand long because it's too loopy.

What about that notching?

In the video I was worried about the notching.

Notching causes the string bed to lock which can bring out a harshness in strings.

But even with the notching, Confidential in the thin 18 gauge is still going after 10 hours.

If I made one thing clear in the video it was control. 

“It’s sharp, it’s wirey, it’s stiff - and it’s doing everything I want it to do.”

Control, without a doubt, is one of the highlight features of Confidential.

'Nuff said about that.

This 4 sided string is straight up lethal. 

"What are you playing with?", was something I heard over and over.

But it was seen and felt most on the topspin serve. I was able to really get into it and swing with no fear of it going long.

It almost felt like it couldn't go long.

Coming fresh off of Tour Bite - one of the livelier polys in Solinco’s line - it was easy to spot the more muted feel of Confidential right from the start.

No, it wasn’t close to the extreme muted feel of Poly Tour Spin G, but it had a muted profile. 

But, it was balanced .

And that’s one of the things I praise Solinco for is balance.

Their high performance poly strings like Tour Bite, Hyper-G, and now Confidential still have “Power” written on the front of the package as one of the main features - and they deliver on the promise.

What's the key to this string?

As time passed, balls started to get bigger. Jump higher, and cause more mishits for my opponent. 

I was swinging bigger, and more free .

Finally, I was starting to unlock this string - and it made me think.

After 10 episodes of The String Bar, Solinco Confidential in 18 gauge is one of the best and won't be forgotten.

The thing with Confidential, if I had to narrow it down to one thing. Is that even at the thin 18 gauge and the low tension of 43 lbs - this string still held it together beautifully.

It was confidence inspiring.

Confid-ence. Maybe that’s what they named the string after.

What do you think?

Hope to see everyone back out there, soon.

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Colors : Silver

Gauge : 16G (1.30 mm), 16L (1.25 mm), 17G (1.20 mm), 18G (1.15 mm)

Length : 40 feet (12.2 M) or 656 feet (200 M)

Test Racquet / Tension Tecnifibre T-Fight XTC 305g/18G (1.15 mm) @ 47 lbs

After a couple years of extensive testing with the best players around the globe, Solinco has brought Confidential to the market. The makers of the popular Tour Bite and Hyper-G tennis strings maintain the four-sided shape for spin generation. Tour Bite has many fans out there, and it is definitely a firmer feeling control-oriented polyester. It is probably too firm for a lot of players, which is why Solinco released Hyper-G. Most would agree Hyper-G is on the more comfortable side of polyesters. So where does Solinco Confidential fit in? That is the ultimate question.

Feel & Comfort

My first few swings with Confidential were incredibly firm and had a dead feeling, similar to Tour Bite. This was pretty shocking to me as my racquet was strung at 47 pounds. I was just about to write off Confidential as another version of Tour Bite, when after about an hour of hitting, the strings seemingly “unlocked” their potential. The feel softened enough to be more comfortable, but still maintained the control that Solinco is known for.

Power & Spin

Lately, I have gravitated towards lower tensions with polyester strings. I used to be in the low to mid 50 pound range, but now I am more comfortable just under 50 pounds. The main drawback when playing lower tensions is fast tension loss. In my opinion, Confidential separates itself from the multitude of polyester strings because it maintains tension well even at lower tension. Solinco Confidential played more powerful than Tour Bite, and slightly less powerful than Hyper-G. I am happy to report the string’s square shape produces a solid amount of topspin on groundstrokes, and it was explosive enough that I enjoyed hitting through the court on put-away shots.

Confidential slides against itself well, and despite its fairly-sharp square profile, it doesn’t notch prematurely. For my playtest, I sampled the 18g version in a dense 18 x 20 pattern, and even after several hours the performance was striking. After a short break-in period, the playability of Confidential lasts longer than the average polyester by a long shot.

I think I found the Solinco string for me! Confidential offers a controlled, and more comfortable response than the famous Tour Bite. Those who thought Hyper-G was too mushy, would really enjoy the middle ground Confidential provides. I had great success with a lower tension, but don’t write off stringing at a higher tension. One of our playtesters, Max Ziegler , strung much tighter and had good results as well.

Max says “It felt really good! The strings felt much softer, pretty comfortable, and not as stiff as Alu Power. Definitely got more depth to my shots with less effort so overall I'd say a bit more powerful than Alu Power. If I would have to compare it I'd probably say it was somewhere in the middle between LXN Smart and Alu Power. I strung it at 55 lbs (2 lbs less than I usually do) in my Wilson Blade 98 CV 18 x 20.”

Chris Virk-Brown echoed positive vibes about Confidential as well. Chris states “I have played with Solinco Hyper-G and Tour Bite before, so I was very excited to try out Confidential especially given its unique characteristics. Right out the gate I found it to be on the crisp side with very little give, not much free power or spin. However, it didn’t take long for the stringbed to settle in and quickly adapt to my game. Over time, the spin and power levels increased allowing me to hit the ball deep into the court, but I found it to start loosing the crisp feel that I enjoyed. Also I loved the sound the ball made when it hit off the string bed. It gives you a nice "pop" sound that makes you feel like you’re a pro. Overall, it was a great co-poly string that I could certainly see myself playing with for years to come. I strung Confidential at 48 lbs in my Wilson Ultra 100 CV Reverse.”

About the Reviewer: Sam Jones currently works at Tennis Express on the Content Marketing team. He previously played at Southwestern University, taught tennis for 10+ years and earned his USRSA Master Racquet Technician Certification in 2011. He is an active NTRP 5.0 League and Tournament player.

Copyright 2024 . Tennis Express ©

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Solinco Tour Bite String Review

Solinco has become one of the most popular brands on the string market and their best-seller is the square-shaped spin machine, Solinco Tour Bite. Here is my Solinco Tour Bite string review that deals with both Tour Bite and Tour Bite Soft strings.

For this review, I tested Solinco Tour Bite in both a HEAD pro stock TGT 293.2 (IG Prestige MP mold) and the Wilson Clash Tour . In a more control-oriented string bed, I string it at 22 kg and in the 100 sq inches of the Clash, I went for 25 kg for better control. I have tested Solinco Tour Bite Soft in several different racquets, but prefer it in a slightly tighter string bed. It played great in my HEAD Graphene 360 Radical Pro for example.

Solinco Tour Bite String Review – How does it play?

Solinco Tour Bite is a firm poly for players looking for control and spin. If you struggle to generate your own pace or suffer from some kind of elbow/wrist concern, it is not the string for you. But if you are an advanced player who likes to swing hard but still retain good control, the Solinco Tour Bite is one of the best strings on the market.

Personally, I like firm and controlled strings so the Tour Bite works great for me. I liked it both in the Clash Tour and the HEAD pro stock I was testing it in. The low stiffness of the Clash and the firmness of the Tour Bite string is simply an excellent combo that makes you feel connected on every shot. Also, Tour Bite has above average durability for shaped poly strings and with a string-breaker such as the Clash racquet, it still played okay after the 8-hour mark.

In the more controlled Prestige racquet, you definitely need to string it lower to open up better power and feel. At 22 kg, I felt like I could place the ball on a dime and I could see why the pro player I was hitting with uses it as his go-to setup. Even with the tighter 18×20 pattern, the ball gets some decent spin thanks to the shape of the Tour Bite string.

Durability is slightly above average for a poly string. Stiffer strings tend to last longer and Solinco Tour Bite is definitely crisp enough to remain playable in your racquet for around 10-12 hours. This all depends on how hard you hit, how much spin you put on the ball and how open the string pattern on your racquet is.

Solinco Tour Bite String Review – Solinco Tour Bite Soft

If you think that the regular Solinco Tour Bite might be too firm for you, you can always try Solinco Tour Bite Soft, which is a far more comfortable and slightly more powerful string. It does not have quite the durability of the original Tour Bite, but it gives you good spin and control and a far more comfortable response.

Solinco Tour Bite Soft is a perfect string in a crisper, control-oriented racquet such as the HEAD Graphene 360 Radical Pro I reviewed last week. It gave the racquet some extra pop and comfort that I thought it needed and still retained the control that I really appreciated about the racquet. I could string it low and get a nice arch on the ball with consistent delivery.

I think the Solinco Tour Bite Soft is a great choice for players looking for a control-oriented string that is more gentle on the arm than firmer polys.

The durability depends on the racquet, the conditions, how hard and with how much spin you hit. I would say Solinco Tour Bite Soft is not the most durable and plays kind of like a multifilament string when it comes to tension maintenance.

Solinco Tour Bite String Review – Summary

Solinco create some of my favorite strings. I previously reviewed Solinco Hyper-G very positively and this time I am happy to have written about both Solinco Tour Bite and Solinco Tour Bite Soft. Tour Bite is a great choice for the more advanced player looking for spin and control, while Tour Bite Soft is the more comfortable but less durable option. I would say Tour Bite Soft has a large audience from intermediate to advanced players.

My choice of string depends a lot on the racquet, but in the Wilson Clash Tour I really appreciated the control and spin that Solinco Tour Bite gave me. Simply a top string!

Solinco Tour Bite String Review – Video

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Jonas Eriksson

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Building temporary sports halls and structures, you may also like, dyreex strings overview, luxilon eco spin, kirschbaum super smash orange review, mayami string review, gamma verve soft review, tecnifibre razor code hybrid review, kirschbaum strings, string project sirius, get the right string for your game with..., restring sync, 16 comments.

Hi Jonas, between Solinco tour bite soft and Volkl Cyclone tour, would yo say they are similar?

Hi Lucas, I think you get more control with the Tour Bite and that is why I prefer it. But you do get more power with the Cyclone Tour.

Hi! Could you do a review of angell hallo 2 string? It would be nice! Hugs

I’ve been using Tour bite in the crosses with HDX Tour in the mains on a Wilson Ultra Tour at about 51Lbs. I have to beg the stringer carefully distribute the crosses so as to avoid notching the mains. If Solinco could engineer a hybrid setup with Tour Bite, that would be great.

There is a Tour Bite + Vanquish Hybrid out there! :)

Hi Jonas, I discovered your blog while I was looking for news on the new Radical Pro. I had the chance to test it for 3 days, and it definitely became my racquet! I came from a Speed ??Pro Graphene 360 ??but with Radical I felt more at ease, and I gained in power with less effort, and without losing anything in control.

Curiosity on the strings that you recommend: the Tour Bite Soft with what caliber? 1.20 or 1.25?

Hi Jonas. Love your content! I play with RS Lyon 1.25 in Blade 98 18×20. If I want same feel but more spin, should I try TB Soft 1.25 or TB in thinner gauge?

Hi, Yes, try it in 1.20 and you will feel a difference! Cheers / J

Hi Jonas, I very much appreciate your reviews ? After reading your review I bought the Wilson Ultra Tour. Would you recommend the Tour Bite Soft for the Wilson Ultra Tour?

Hi Stephan, Thanks! Yes, the Tour Bite Soft would be a good choice for the Ultra Tour!

PS. If you feel like my advice is really useful, please consider becoming a patron for $2 or more at patreon.com/tennisnerd DS.

I tried for the first time the Radical Pro with Head Lynx 1.25 strings: excellent feedback, great power (without too much effort as instead the Speed ??Pro required me) combined with control and a good spin. Then try your setup – Solinco Tour Bite Soft – but at 1.25 and not 1.20 as you suggest now. And compared to the Lynx the racquet seemed to me, as it were, more dull, less reactive and less powerful. They are only subjective sensations that depend on my tennis, or instead to go from 1.25 to 1.20 would fill the differences I felt with the Lynx?

PS: it must be said that with the Lynx I felt a little discomfort in my arm, perhaps it made me feel all the rigidity of my racquet …

I think you will feel a difference with a different gauge of string. You have to experiment a bit and see what works for you. The best way to mute vibrations from a racquet is by using a stiff and heavy racquet with a low string tension.

Thanks for the answer … Following the hypothesis of experimenting, how do you see the Solinco Hyper G? Still on the new Radical Pro of course. And possibly what gauge? I am also tempted to try Head Velocity to gain in power and comfort…

Love Hyper-G. Try it in 1.20 gauge.

Jonas, Love your reviews. Thanks for doing them. Just finished testing the Wilson Clash Tour from TW and believe I am ready to go with it. The demo had Luxilon 4G at 51 lb. When I called them yesterday, they recommended the new Technifibre Ice Code White -16g. Do you know anything about this string and how it might compare to the Tourbite and Tourbite Soft?

Thanks a lot! I have heard good things about Ice Code White and one of my tennis friends are doing a review for Tennisnerd as we speak. I haven’t tested it myself so can’t really comment on the playability, but seems like a good string!

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Solinco Confidential String Review

Polyester strings have become incredibly popular in recent years and it is easy to see why. They offer superior durability, spin and control and one of the major players in the polyester string space is Solinco. Their Confidential string has become very popular thanks to its high degree of spin, control and playability.

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5 out of 10

Solinco were keen to play on the name of this string’s name, making out it is a secret weapon that needed to be kept quiet when the string came out.

This is all a bit of fun but it does ring true to a certain extent, because Solinco Confidential is a bit of a secret recipe. Solinco were keen to keep the construction of the string, the materials used and the players that were involved in developing it strictly confidential, adding to the allure of the string.

That being said, the string is built to produce spin and control thanks to its four edged construction. Solinco’s polyester strings are renowned for being a little on the firm side, and this is definitely the case with the Confidential.

You definitely won’t get any easy power from this string like you would do with a softer multifilament or natural gut .

Confidential is the type of string that encourages you to hit the ball big and take big cuts at your swings.

You get rewarded for imparting as much energy into your shots as possible when using this string, but if you do things by half measures, the string doesn’t give you much power at all.

Confidential is a string that rewards intensity, thanks to its spin and control. In the power department, it is somewhat lacking and this is to be expected from a shaped poly.

It is on the stiffer side of the polyester string spectrum, so if you have suffered from arm issues in the past or simply prefer a more plush feel, it is definitely worth supplementing Solinco Confidential with a multifilament.

If you are a big hitter looking for an under powered string that will tame your raw power, Solinco confidential could well be the string for you.

9 out of 10

Control is an area in which Solinco Confidential really excels. The stiffness and spin friendly nature of the string makes it ideal for placing the ball exactly where you want to, and the firmness also adds to how crisp the string feels.

The ball pings off the string bed but is not overwhelming from a power perspective, so you can focus on ripping ground strokes with huge racket head speed and trusting that the string will take care of keeping the ball in the court.

The edged surface gives you plenty of access to spin, and Confidential sits somewhere in between Solinco’s popular Hyper G and Tour Bite Soft models in terms of control.

This is a real point and shoot string that you can trust will deliver a consistent response and allow you to hit with pace whilst keeping the ball well inside the lines.

If you are after a little extra pop from the string but still want to benefit from the spin and control that it offers, then try stringing it down a few pounds to free up some power. This will also help with ball pocketing.

7.5 out of 10

Given this is a stiffer string, the tactility of it compared to a softer string like a multifilament or natural gut was not amazing.

You do get a good feel from the string in terms of knowing where the ball is going to go, but it is a little bit ‘dead’ feeling due to the stiffness. This is pretty typical of most polyester strings, and Solinco Confidential definitely follows this trend.

Once you start to dial in and get used to the string, you can carve out some nice angles and get your drop shots and stop volleys checking nicely with plenty of side spin.

You also get a pretty crisp response when slicing the ball, which is an element of the string that I really like.

Polyester strings do tend to lose their tension and have a fairly big performance drop off after a few hours of hitting, which is why a lot of advanced level players opt for a pre-stretch on their strings.

The tenison did drop off a little as time wore on with Solinco Confidential, but it was not so pronounced that it ruined the experience.

The string does feel crisp and is responsive, but at the same time it is very firm and I would not recommend it for a player that has previously suffered from arm issues like tennis elbow .

However, when it comes to out and out feel and touch, Solinco confidential is not the most communicative string out there.

Spin is an area that Solinco Confidential really excels in. Like most shaped polys, it grips the ball exceptionally well and produces a lot of spin. It is comparable to Tour Bite or Alu Power Rough in terms of how much spin it produces, making it one of the most rippable strings out there.

You can really feel the string bed catching the ball and spitting it out with tonnes of spin when you rip a big forehand.

Confidential is the type of string that really rewards heavy hitters that like to take big cuts at the ball and generate a lot of racket head speed.

This is one of the string’s major assets, and you can carve out both slice and kick serves really well with it. As I’ve mentioned, Confidential felt great on slices and this was an area of my game I felt comfortable with when using the string.

It was nice to be able to rip a heavy topspin forehand and then cut a nice short slice around the service line with confidence to send my opponent off balance. You can attack the ball with aggressive swings and be confident that the ball will not only land inside the court, but also be difficult to return thanks to the spin.

This spin and control also means players that like to swing at their volleys can do so without having to worry the ball will fly on them every time!

Unlike powerful multifilament or even some of the softer polyester strings out there, the fact that Solinco Confidential is so stiff means you can swing at the ball and it will reward you for it, rather than having to tame the power of the string bed.

8.5 out of 10

The Durability of Solinco Confidential is definitely a strong suit. The stiffness of the string lends itself to lasting a long time, so you won’t need to re-string it too often.

In terms of the duration of the performance, Confidential does have a tendency to drop its tension slightly over time. However, this is no bad thing as it does make the string a little bit more supple which actually balances out the feel of it nicely.

After a few hours of play, you still get the heavy spin and control that the string is so renowned for, but the ball pocketing and comfort of the string also improves slightly too.

As with most stiffer strings, Solinco Confidential did feel a little tinny at times, but this didn’t detract from its performance and again was easy to get used to.

6.5 out of 10

Comfort wise, Solinco Confidential was a little bit lacking it’s fair to say. This is not something that we would expect this type of string to be particularly good at, given it is geared towards big hitters that want to add more control and spin to their game.

After a couple of hours hitting with a full bed of Confidential, don’t be too surprised if your arms are a little tender.

If you are used to hitting with a relatively stiff poly string, Confidential won’t feel too out of the ordinary. However, if you are more familiar with a softer setup, it may well be worth using this string as part of a hybrid or dropping the tension by a few pounds to soften it up.

Overall, Solinco Confidential is a great control oriented string that has been designed from the ground up to offer as much spin and precision as possible.

It is a low powered string that is best suited to big hitters that need a control focussed string to tame their raw punch.

The comfort of the string is not necessarily its strongest suit, but it does pair well with a softer multifilament like Wilson NXT for example. The spin from Solinco Confidential gives you a great deal of confidence and means that players that like to take big cuts at the ball can do so freely.

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Aug 15, 2022 • Polyester Strings Yonex Strings

Yonex PolyTour Air String Review

Polyester tennis strings are incredibly popular due to their immense adaptability and playing characteristics that suit the modern game. Many poly strings are designed primarily for spin and control, but this can come at the cost of being harsh on the arm and unforgiving. However, big manufacturers have cottoned onto…

Jul 16, 2022 • Polyester Strings Yonex Strings

Yonex PolyTour Fire String Review

Spin friendly tennis strings have become more and more popular in recent years due to the increased power of modern rackets. Athletic, well built players with powerful sticks create a recipe for spraying balls unless a control oriented string is introduced to the party. This is where Yonex PolyTour Fire…

Solinco Tour Bite Review

A subtle grey string that promises real spin on the ball. does it play like heaven or hell.

Solinco was a brand I had only recently heard of, and it was refreshing to try something different apart from the mainstream options of Head, Yonex and Wilson I had become so accustomed to.

Voted “poly of the year” and “number 1 spin” product on StringForum, Solinco’s Tour Bite appears to have good credentials when it comes to spin and power.

It is also used by several ATP Pro’s, including Prajnesh Gunneswaran, a top 150 ATP singles player. Does the string live up to expectations?

Solinco Tour Bite Specification

Utilises an innovative high-powered co-polyester monofilament fibre designed and shaped to generate maximum power while amplifying the spin and intensity of the ball. Solinco’s Tour Bite Sales Pitch

String specs:

• Co-poly monofilament
• Square cross-section
• Gauges – 1.05 mm, 1.10 mm, 1.15 mm, 1.20 mm, 1.25 mm, 1.30 mm, 1.35 mm
• Colour – Light grey

Racquet Setup for Testing

I play with a Head Prestige S from 2018. Prestige racquets are Head’s series for precision and control and typically come with a smaller head size as a result. Mine has a 95 square-inch head with a 295 g unstrung weight.

It also has a 16×19 string pattern and is 0.66 points head-light. Tour Bite was strung at 55 lb with a 1.25 mm gauge, on which I also placed Head’s medium-level dampener – Pro Damp.

Solinco Tour Bite Playtest

So how did Tour Bite Rev play? Let’s take a look with a full playtest and review.

Initial Thoughts and How It Felt

I stepped onto the court with a friend to warm up in the service boxes. Even at close range, the ball had a great shape and arc over the net. My wrist relaxed, and my mind steadied as I enjoyed the easy access to topspin, hypnotically watching the gentle rise and fall.

Coincidentally the sports shop in town had run out of the white Head grip I usually bought, only having the grey version to hand, which matched nicely with the string colour.

It didn’t seem as slick as the other strings I had tested and was considerably more matt and grainy in appearance and touch.

However, stepping back onto the baseline, I noticed a lack of power.

At first, I thought it was the balls my opponent had brought. But after testing with my fresher ones, I realised the string was missing speed in a normal rally situation.

As much as I tried to swing faster or hit flatter, the impact on power was limited. The string also felt slightly stiff, and I found it more difficult to pull off delicate strokes like a soft drop-shot or pickups around the net.

It wasn’t uncomfortable, but I noticed a distinct lack in responsiveness, and at times it had the sensation of hitting with a plastic board.

Resultantly with the minimal feedback, I didn’t feel a strong connection between body and racket. The accuracy in my groundstrokes diminished as I couldn’t sense too well which part of the racket the ball had struck.

The topspin remained, though, and I was able to hit with good net clearance behind the baseline, with a satisfyingly high bounce afterwards.

Another thing I was impressed by was the amount of backspin the string generated. The ball dug into the ground and stayed low.

It made for a piercing shot, using the backhand slice to go deep into my opponent’s side of the court, whereas before the stroke would have been used more in a defensive scenario.

How It Played

On the forehand side, the extra topspin was useful in defensive and neutral scenarios. It bided me time if I was fatigued to send a higher shot over the net and gather myself for the next shot.

The taller bounce also made it difficult for my opponent to rally and build momentum. The weaker responses from the high topspin enabled me to come forward and volley the ball away or step inside the baseline and take the ball on the rise for an aggressive play.

I rarely found myself making an error by hitting the ball beyond the baseline, as the spin kept my shots in nicely.

However, if I wanted to hit a flat ball or create a sharper angle with less topspin, the lack of power meant that my opponent could instead come forward and attack.

The extra effort I put in trying to add more speed to the ball sometimes tired me out and made me make unforced errors out-wide, with power overcoming accuracy.

Essentially, I only had one rally speed to play at. It was not impossible to hit a hard, flat shot, but it was nowhere near as fast with other strings and occasionally did not end the point; my opponent had time to make a get and extend the rally.

On the backhand side, it was a similar story, where a topspin shot bounced high and kept me in the rally, but a flatter shot sucked the power out and put me at a disadvantage.

One pleasant surprise was the impact of the extra backhand spin on tactical variation. Whereas before, I had only used the slice for mostly defence, the spin on the backhand side was so aggressive I felt more confident to really go for the shot, landing the ball deep in my opponent’s side and keeping low, making for an attacking play.

This gave me additional opportunities to win the point outright or make further trips to the net and end with a volley.

With volleying itself, I found no significant advantage or disadvantage that noticeably impacted the game. Slice volleys were perhaps slightly more effective than their punch counterparts, again due to the low bounce.

Though there was a problem with accuracy from the baseline, it did not arise at the net because the targets were closer and more open to hit at.

Despite the boost in spin, the lack of feel made drop-shots and softer volleys a risky play – either landing on my side of the net or overshooting and sitting up for my opponent to attack.

A flat serve was decent, though if there were a slight error in technique, it would result in a short, soft ball that immediately put me on the defensive.

When it came to serving, a slice or a kick out-wide were rewarded again with the extra spin and are probably your best bet when playing with this string.

Durability and Price

The string’s snapback was slightly below average – the absence of slickness meant I had to move the strings back into position at times but not frequently so despite a small diminishment in snapback, the square cross-section appears to have maintained and boosted topspin.

I noticed no loss of tension, and it was consistent in its play over the two days. The cost of the string is $11.99 (£8.95) for a 12 m set which is great value to an advanced player looking for more spin and reasonably affordable for an intermediate or beginner player seeking a hybrid setup.

Beginners or intermediates with a non-hybrid setup may find the string is not worth purchasing unless bought out of curiosity.

Who Is This String For?

The easy access to spin, diminishment in power and loss of accuracy all point to the same conclusion – this string is really meant for professional or advanced players.

While the technology of the string provides extra bite, the deficiencies are made up by the features of an advanced player’s game. Strength and conditioning, heavier racquets and looser tensions supply the speed, while practice, training and raw talent provide the accuracy.

This helps to explain why Tour Bite has been well received in the past but has been found difficult to play with by an intermediate club player like myself.

That is not to say that club players should be afraid of trying out the string. If you are of a big build and play frequently, you may well have the power and accuracy to make this string an effective way to increase spin without limiting other parts of your game.

Intermediate or beginner players might benefit from having a hybrid setup by putting Tour Bite in the crosses and having an all-around string in the mains for balance.

Find Your Ideal Tennis String

Are you looking for a new string to try in your racket? Use our easy to use tennis string finder tool . It lets you filter by string type, gauge, colour, price, stiffness and shape.

Final Thoughts

Though most string packets have “power” as a feature for marketability, this string does not deliver on that promise.

It is really meant for advanced players as Solinco Tour Bite can add a great amount of spin to your game as long as power and accuracy can be found elsewhere.

This string also looks to be an interesting option when considering hybrid setups for all levels.

• Great spin on both wings, useful for defence and tactical variation
• Price is very reasonable
• Underpowered
• Loss of accuracy
• Feedback is minimal

Other Solinco Strings

• Solinco Confidential Review
• Solinco Hyper G Review

Have you tried Solinco Tour Bite? Have any questions about it? Let me know in the comments below.

Control - 5

Comfort - 6, touch / feedback - 5, snapback - 7, durability and tension maintenance - 8.

Solinco Tour Bite delivers on big spin with advanced players benefiting most from this string.

Alex Nulliah

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13 comments.

So it’s rather a warning “don’t buy or you are a brand collector? The article tells much about your player’s competence, so I would rely on your experience and never buy Solinco. I guess, you just bought it out of curiosity and to have a material for an article, right?

Solinco is the brand, they make some great strings. Confidential is one of my favourites.

Tour Bite is a pretty stiff poly so I wouldn’t recommend it for most players in a full bed, tbh I don’t think many players should use polyester, it’s just been a trend.

They do a Tour Bite Soft which is more arm friendly…

@Jonathan Some news about Fed’s surgery? Who will play Fed’s role at RLC? I heard recently, Medvedev will play RLC, but who else? And will Medvedev be the team leader? No Fed. No Rafa. No Thiem. Who will follow the tournament in Europe?

SRF published an article today, he is just rehabbing and says the worst is behind him…

Europe is Medvedev, Ruud, Tsistipas, Zverev, Rublev and Berrettini.

It will be interesting to see if it does well with crowds and tv ratings. It’s a good lineup but none of the big three. Maybe Fed fans will watch out of loyalty/fear of it flopping because he’s not there.

I think I will watch some of it, bit of a time difference which means night sessions are not possible. It is not clashing with anything though.

Who is SRF??? 😉 Sir Roger Federer? Well, just hit the right day to ask 🙂 Re RLC Strong team Europe. The leader in terms in terms of relation with Fed and own carisma should be Zverev, no? If exciting matches are to be expected, depends more on who will play for World. If Fed is just rehabbing, he could somehow appear there to play his usual master role 🙂 Crutches don’t make his appearance impossible. Could even use crutches to hold discipline in the team 😉

Damn! Who is “Jio´nathan”??? Can’t you add the very very small plugin to give the author of the comment to edit his/her crazy spelling errors???

Cheers for the review Alex.

I put Tour Bite on the crosses with a Gamma string on the mains in the Blade 98 v8 I demoed recently .

I think it will work ok in a hybrid setup, not my favourite as Luxilon ALU Power just feels nicer. Maybe I should have put it on the mains though.

Absolutely – I think for the price, if a player was looking for a bit more spin, Tour Bite would be a no-brainer in a hybrid.

And my pleasure! 🙂

@PRF – https://twitter.com/ThiemDomi/status/1441402070188367872

What does Thiem mean about the media here?

One thing is official. Alex Stober does not work for Thiem anymore. I’m rather cautious with news coming from media known from publishing gossips. One of such gossips was just published of late, allegedly coming from interview given by Stober to tennis.com about unfair way of splitting. But … I could not find this interview on tennis.com. So actually only secondary information about the issue. What I can guess only is, there was something weird during Thiem’s recovery, as he was allowed to take off the splint and start to hit. In few days after next news was, he felt pain and after consultation with doctors it was decided to wear splint over many weeks more , surgery not excluded. This was a huge setback, making him end the season. And this could eventually be a matter of conflict with Stober, because probably he was just expected to decide, if Thiem can start hitting or not. Right now only insiders could tell, what’s going on, but you know how many call themselves “insiders”, while only speculating. I can may speculate but would never present myself as an insider. I don’t have a source for such information. As this resulted in secondary comments even in rather serious Austrian media, Thiem decided, he will explain the whole thing to the media (after wanting to keep the thing private), so maybe we will get this explanation. It was similar with Bresnik split. Lots of speculative comments, presented like they had a hard background. But nobody knows, maybe even Bresnik and Thiem, what actually happened. Thiem is a strong family man. And Bresnik wrote in his book himself, the main factor of Thiem’s starting pro career, were just parents, not him. Thiem’s family seems to be a good one and in case of doubts Thiem would always stay with the family. We will never know deepest details, because Thiem is not eager for the world to know his privacy. IMO Thiem has outstanding integrity, but nobody i perfect. That’s all I know so far and m only trouble is, who will replace Stober. Because it seemed to be a very good and deep relation and Stober is meant to be one of the best physios worldwide. In the meantime Thiem also replaced Mike Reinprecht by Jez Green as a fitness conditioner. It’s all additionally complicated by pandemic travelling restrictions, because actually Thiem’s favorite fitness coach is Duglas Cordero (friend of Massú). That’s quite all I can speculate. I’m not very excited about the thing. More important is, if and when he would have the surgery, but I hope, this is in the hands of independent doctors 🙂

As I expected, Federer came to Boston and makes the atmosphere in Team Europe. Not sure it still using crutches, probably no more 🙂 So a kind of good news! Do you know who streams RLC in Europe?

Well, just found, it’s available on Eurosport. So I will watch later a bit from replies to see Federer there 🙂

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• Search forums
• Tennis Equipment

Yonex Polytour Pro vs. Solinco Confidential

• Thread starter Troy_Chen
• Start date Feb 9, 2022
• Tags feedback solinco strings tennis equipment yonex

• Feb 9, 2022

Hey guys, looking for a string to go with my Yonex Ezone 98 Tour (2020 version) and settled on either Yonex Polytour Pro or Solinco Confidential (both 17 gauge). Just kind of looking for some opinions on the power, comfort, feel, spin potential, durability, and any other characteristics of the strings compared to each other. As a background, I am a 24-year old about 4.5 level player using a two-handed backhand. I am not like a super strong guy but I can get a good amount of power on my shots. So what I am really looking for is a comfortable more controlled polyester string that can contain the natural power of my strokes and the racquet power. Thanks guys!  

VacationTennis

Confidential isn't very comfortable in comparison to PTP, and has more of a dead type of feel compared to a springier feel of ptp. Confidential is more of the aggressive sharp string experience, where ptp is more approachable. If you are still swaying towards Confi, keep Tour Bite in mind as another option.  

VacationTennis said: Confidential isn't very comfortable in comparison to PTP, and has more of a dead type of feel compared to a springier feel of ptp. Confidential is more of the aggressive sharp string experience, where ptp is more approachable. If you are still swaying towards Confi, keep Tour Bite in mind as another option. Click to expand...

For me Tour Bite has more of a crisp kind of pop feel, with decent power, where Confidential was deader and lower power feel more suited for higher swing speeds or people who don't like pop. A ton of people play with Hyper-G and it's a fun string, maybe a little more well rounded than the two above. I don't think it's "gut-like" like many people describe, it's still a pretty solid string with power potential. PTP can be softish in 17 at lower tensions, great power compared to the above. I guess it's soft but plays more like a non-soft poly? I'm currently playing around with 1.15 and it's surprising. I'll let others chime in on Confidential, not quite sure where it falls. I would suggest trying them all and seeing what's right for your setup!  

Aestheticsaboveallelse

VacationTennis said: For me Tour Bite has more of a crisp kind of pop feel, with decent power, where Confidential was deader and lower power feel more suited for higher swing speeds or people who don't like pop. Click to expand...

• Feb 10, 2022

It's still in the stiffer, deader more advanced category of strings - but within that category I think it still has a good bit of power that is noticeable. Power is a callout feature on the labeling as well, and I think is why a player will gravitate towards that string because they still crave a bit of power and haven't yet gone completely to the dark side of low power strings. You are right, for an aggressive sharp string which have a less consistent feel and wild on the bed, it has a more consistent output than others.  

I've hit with full beds of both. Full bed of Yonex Polytour Pro (YPP) provides a soft feel for poly and good ball pocketing. Full bed of Confidential provides crisp feel with good spin but I felt I didn't have the same control that I did with the YPP. Why not try doing a hybrid with both strings?! Put the YPP in the mains if you want a softer feeling string bed or put the Confidential in the mains if you want a more crisper response. Regardless, a hybrid with the YPP in the mains or crosses will definitely give you more feel vs a full bed of Confidential.  

EasternRocks

Hall of fame.

• Feb 11, 2022

Mircat said: Confi fell off a cliff for me after 5 hours. PTP is made in Japan, and one hell of a string. I'm loving it in my blade 98 and I have gone through everything. Click to expand...

Troy_Chen said: Hey guys, looking for a string to go with my Yonex Ezone 98 Tour (2020 version) and settled on either Yonex Polytour Pro or Solinco Confidential (both 17 gauge). Just kind of looking for some opinions on the power, comfort, feel, spin potential, durability, and any other characteristics of the strings compared to each other. As a background, I am a 24-year old about 4.5 level player using a two-handed backhand. I am not like a super strong guy but I can get a good amount of power on my shots. So what I am really looking for is a comfortable more controlled polyester string that can contain the natural power of my strokes and the racquet power. Thanks guys! Click to expand...

Professional

• Feb 12, 2022

But PTP is a total opposite of Confidential. Solinco is stiffer, crisper with less power but better spin. YPTP is soft, mushy, springy and powerful and not so spin friendly. So it is like a different category. Hyper G would be like a mix of both strings.  

fox said: But PTP is a total opposite of Confidential. Solinco is stiffer, crisper with less power but better spin. YPTP is soft, mushy, springy and powerful and not so spin friendly. So it is like a different category. Hyper G would be like a mix of both strings. Click to expand...

• Feb 15, 2022

Mircat said: Weird, I got 10 hours + from PTP (1.25) and bout 6 from Confi. Click to expand...

• Mar 3, 2022

Aestheticsaboveallelse said: PTP is a very slick string is it not? I think what he's seeing is slickness tends to decrease pretty rapidly I think so although the string isn't dead yet it won't play as well Click to expand...

• Mar 4, 2022

What'sABackhand

• Mar 6, 2022

Funny, I've had the opposite experience. PTP last max 4 hours for me then feels like a dead trampoline and I lose all spin and control. With Confidential I regularly get between 15-25 hours with it still feeling good. Confidential does get a bit more lively, as does pretty much every string, but for me it doesn't lose playability like PTP. Only problem I have with confidential is it's a bit hard on my arm if I play too much, even when it's freshly strung. If I wanted to restring every week or 2 though, I might choose PTP.  

What'sABackhand said: Funny, I've had the opposite experience. PTP last max 4 hours for me then feels like a dead trampoline and I lose all spin and control. With Confidential I regularly get between 15-25 hours with it still feeling good. Confidential does get a bit more lively, as does pretty much every string, but for me it doesn't lose playability like PTP. Only problem I have with confidential is it's a bit hard on my arm if I play too much, even when it's freshly strung. If I wanted to restring every week or 2 though, I might choose PTP. Click to expand...

1HBHfanatic

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Tennis Tips for Seniors and Every Tennis Lovers

Solinco Confidential vs Hyper-G Tennis String

Solinco Confidential vs Hyper-G , which of these strings is the best fit for my play style and my racquet? When it comes to choosing a string setup, it tends to get quite confusing, but do not worry because we are here to help!

Solinco is a brand that specializes in producing very high quality tennis equipment, including tennis strings which we’re going to cover. In order to decide which tennis string to buy, the best option is to demo the particular one that you are interested in.

Note: Solinco Confidential in this article is version 2.0 (gray)

Key takeaways: Solinco Confidential vs Hyper-G

Both Solinco Confidential and Solinco Hyper-G are co-polyester strings with great overall string score rating. Solinco Confidential 2.0 is a solid string with plenty of control and ball pocketing effect, whilst Solinco Hyper-G is also a superb string with great spin potential and lower stiffness than the Solinco Confidential 2.0.

The specific characteristics between these two strings translate into different feel and playability on the racquet.

In the following text we will cover their characteristics as well as their fit on some of the most popular racquets.

Solinco Confidential 2.0 Characteristics

Solinco Confidential 2.0 is a shaped co-polyester string made by Solinco. Just like probably the most famous string by Solinco, Tour Bite, it has four edges which provide great spin-effect. It is a very durable and control-oriented string with almost pinpoint precision. The durability and control features come from the stiff monofilament construction of the aforementioned string shape. It is also a decently comfortable string.  

The Solinco Confidential 2.0 is a very reliable string, as it holds great scores across the rating board, especially in the categories of: control, playtime duration, durability and spin-effect.

The only downside to the Confidential 2.0 would be the lack of power which tends to drive away younger and more inexperienced players.

Solinco Hyper-G Characteristics

Solinco Hyper-G is also a co-poly string made by Solinco and in general it’s quite similar to the Solinco Confidential 2.0. The Hyper-G shares the same four-edged shape and monofilament structure which give it an almost immaculate control rating as well as superb spin-effect rating. The rating for the comfort of the Solinco Hyper-G is also decent.

Solinco Hyper-G is a very unique and noticeable string with its bright green color and equally great and complementary stats. The Hyper-G excels in the areas of top-spin, feel, durability and especially control.

However, just like the Solinco Confidential 2.0, the Solinco Hyper-G might lack the power needed for younger players to get the ball across the net consistently. Admittedly, the Hyper-G does provide more power than the Confidential 2.0, but still it might not be quite enough for inexperienced players.

Additionally, it worth to mention that there is a softer version of the Solinco Hyper-G called Hyper-G Soft which might be better suited for players looking for the Hyper-G effect but with more comfort.

Solinco Confidential vs Hyper-G on Popular Racquets

As we all know, string preference is very subjective and thus we cannot certainly state which string is will suit you the best. The key is to demo the strings of interest and then make your decision.

Additionally, we’ve created a list of the most popular tennis racquets, as seen below. For each of the racquets, we’ve chosen either Solinco Confidential 2.0 or Solinco Hyper-G, depending on which one suits best. This does not exclude other strings by a different manufacturer that might also be great on these racquets, but we will only be focusing on these two.

1.    Wilson Blade 98

Wilson Blade 98 is one of the most popular racquets made by Wilson. It is an all-round exquisite tennis racquet with superb precision and control, however it is not the most spin-friendly racquet out there. In order to increase the spin potential of your Blade 98 we suggest using the Solinco Hyper-G which thrives in the top spin domain.

2.    Wilson Pro Staff 97

Just like the Blade series, the Wilson Pro Staff is also a legendary series by Wilson, especially the Wilson Pro Staff 97 which is endorsed by Roger Federer himself. This racquet is a masterpiece, but again, just like the Blade, it lacks a little top spin, therefore we suggest using the Solinco Hyper-G , as it will provide you with the necessary top spin to take your game to the next level.

3.    Babolat Pure Drive

Babolat Pure Drive is a great tennis racquet made by the French company Babolat. Admittedly, it is a great racquet for flat-hitters, therefore meaning that it tends to lack in the top spin domain. Due to this fact, we would recommend using the Solinco Hyper-G , as it is the more suitable string when compared to the Solinco Confidential 2.0.

4.    Babolat Pure Aero

Babolat Pure Aero, endorsed by Rafael Nadal is really an outstanding racquet loved by many. It is a top spin machine due to the combination of its power and spin effect. 

However, it is a little on the stiffer side and it doesn’t provide the player with as much feeling as some other tennis racquets might. Therefore, we suggest using the Solinco Confidential 2.0 16L to increase the touch and feel of ball pocketing effect.

5.    Babolat Pure Strike

Babolat Pure Strike is an excellent racquet for players with an aggressive play style as it offers a lot of power and the ability to get the ball straight down the line (think of Dominic Thiem ’s one-handed backhand as an example). As great as it might be, it could use a little more top spin effect. Knowing this, we would recommend using the Solinco Hyper-G for the additional top spin potential.

6.    Head Speed MP

Head Speed MP is an exquisite tennis racquet made by Head. It is a great overall choice for players of all caliber due to its characteristics of being a player’s racquet. When it comes to string choice however, the Head Speed MP is quite a “sensitive” racquet in that regard.

It is generally better to opt for a firmer string when it comes to this racquet, so we suggest using the Solinco Condifential 2.0 16L due to its overall stats.

7.    Head Extreme

The Head Extreme is a series of very spin-friendly racquets. In regards of string choice for the Head Extreme it would be a better option to go for the Solinco Hyper-G , as it offers more top spin potential. Additionally, another viable option also by Solinco is the Solinco Tour Bite which is commonly used by players specifically on this racquet.

8.    Head Gravity

Head Gravity is a fairly new addition to the Head tennis racquet fleet. That being said, it is generally a control-oriented racquet which is relatively low on power. Therefore, our suggesting would be to go for the Solinco Hyper-G for the additional increased power output capability when compared to the Solinco Confidential 2.0, also the spin potential tends to be quite useful.

9.    Head Radical

Head Radical is an overall great choice for a lot of players as it tends to be a very flexible racquet. Having that in mind, the logical solution to a “springy” racquet is a stiffer string to maintain the balance, so the Solinco Confidential 2.0 is the way to go as it offers the player great stability with a prolonged playtime duration.

10.  Yonex Ezone

Yonex Ezone is a well renowned tennis racquet series made by Yonex. It a superb tennis racquet with a lot of ball pocketing touch and great control due to its unique shape. Despite these great stats, it is not the most spin-friendly racquet out there and it has only moderate power output.

In conclusion, the Solinco Hyper-G would be a better choice for Yonex Ezone when compared to the Solinco Confidential 2.0. However, another great option would be Tour Bite (both Standard and Soft) also made by Solinco.

11.  Yonex VCore 98

Yonex VCore 98 is a racquet which is best suited for players with an affinity for top spin. The racquet is built to display the player’s affinity onto the court with the frame being supportive of this kind of play style. Therefore, the obvious choice here would be the Solinco Confidential 2.0.  

12. Yonex VCore Pro 97

Almost the exact opposite of the Yonex VCore 98, the Yonex VCore Pro 97 is an amazing tennis racquet which is more well-suited for flat-hitter rather than spin-hitters. Due to the frame being quite mute, you might want to extract more feel out of the racquet.

This can be achieved by going for the Solinco Confidential 2.0 , but if you’re looking to get more top spin out of your game, the obvious choice is to go for the Solinco Hyper-G. If you opt for the Hyper-G, do consider the Soft version as it might drastically improve your feel of the game.

Solinco Confidential vs Hyper-G Summary

As you can see, there is a significant difference when it comes to which string works best on which racquet.

If you are considering either of the two aforementioned strings, Solinco Confidential 2.0 or Solinco Hyper-G , you must ask yourself the following questions;

Which string gauge? What about the tension? Full bed or Hybrid with another string?

When looking for answers to your questions, a great option is to consult your stringer which will surely help you to, at least, narrow down your choice.

In addition to this, every player is different with specific swings, strength and most importantly preference, which is why a word of advice from your stringer could go a long way.

Nevertheless, the general rule is to demo the string on your racquet and then proceed to make your final decision.

Choose carefully because the combination of the right racquet paired with the right string has the potential to elevate your game to the next level.

Have you ever strung with Solinco Confidential or Hyper-G? Let me know the outcome.

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Solinco Tour Bite Soft String Review

• Tension Maintenance

Tour Bite Soft , a co-poly from Solinco, is an offshoot of the original Tour Bite, a shaped spin monster with a well deserved following among advanced players. For our playtest team, Tour Bite Soft definitely lived up to its name. In addition to being noticeably softer than the original Tour Bite, this string is one of the most arm-friendly co-polys we've playtested. Another impressive feature was the spin potential. Although not quite on the level of RPM Blast or the original Tour Bite, this co-poly definitely puts a tight grip on the ball, making it easy to load the ball with spin. The biggest downside was poor tension maintenance, a problem that afflicts the majority of poly-based strings, especially softer co-polys. Ultimately, though, Tour Bite Soft, with its impressive blend of spin and comfort, looks like a great option for anyone in need of a more tendon friendly control string.

Power: 40 / Control: 80

Finding less power than Troy, Mark said, "As with any monofilament, Tour Bite Soft offered a high degree of control with low power. My point of reference to the Tour Bite Soft was Prince Tour XC 15 gauge. When I compared the power levels of those strings in my Wilson Pro Staff 95S the thinner Tour Bite Soft felt like it lowered my racquet's power level a little."

With its multiple edges and impressive snap back, Tour Bite Soft gave our team very easy access to spin. Playing with a very open string pattern, Mark noticed how effectively this string grabbed the ball. He said, "With the 16x15 pattern in my racquet Tour Bite Soft grabbed hold of the ball extremely well, which let me hit with lots of predictable pace, depth and spin. I really felt like I was barely skimming over the top of the ball and achieving lots of topspin."

Appreciating the bite and snapback of Tour Bite Soft, Troy said, "Initially I played with this string in my Wilson Six.One 95 (18x20), and I noticed that this string had a bit more bite compared to the Head Lynx that I had just finished testing. When I tried this string in the Wilson Pro Staff 97, with its open string pattern, I found lots of bite and snap-back string movement. The original Tour Bite has very sharp edges, and I find it bites the ball more than this soft version. Tour Bite Soft seems to possess a bit better string movement and/or snap back, however. I would rate the spin of this string as good but not quite as good as Babolat RPM Blast."

Comfort: 78

Tour Bite Soft received an outstanding comfort score for a poly-based string. Not surprisingly, Troy found it more comfortable than the original Tour Bite. He said, "This string definitely has much better comfort than the original Tour Bite. For the consumer who is interested in soft polys, this string definitely hits the mark. I wouldn't say it has the same level of softness as a string like Polyfibre TCS, but it's similar to Volkl V-Torque or Topspin Delta. The only time I felt comfort declined was after it began to lose significant tension, but this is common with all strings once they lose their elastic qualities."

For Mark , this comfy co-poly definitely lived up to its name. He said, "Occasionally you find a product (not just in tennis) with a name that sounds great, but after using the product you end up feeling that the name was a stretch, so to speak. The name Solinco Tour Bite Soft fits this string perfectly, whether you are comparing it to the standard Tour Bite or most other monofilaments. So far I have about 10 hours of play on my set, and the level of comfort has been great."

Both playtesters found Tour Bite Soft to have a very pliable, elastic feel, especially in comparison to their preferred polys. The softer feel actually helped Mark with spin. He said, "It's definitely not mushy, but without a doubt, it feels soft. I almost felt like part of the reason I had such easy access to spin with the Tour Bite Soft was due to how soft the string is. Polyfibre TCS and a few other polys in our rotation are a little softer, but there is no way you will feel that the Tour Bite Soft string is as stiff as Luxilon 4G or Babolat RPM Blast."

Because he plays with a much stiffer poly, Troy had to adjust to the softer, more muted feel of Tour Bite Soft. He said, "I definitely felt this string stretch and pocket the ball more than original Tour Bite, which is very firm. This string didn't feel crisp like Volkl Cyclone. Tour Bite Soft has good elasticity for a poly, which provided me a soft and muted feel. I prefer the stiffer feel in my polys, such as Luxilon 4G. Tour Bite Soft felt a bit foreign initially, but it grew on me after a week or so."

Playability Duration: 53

Like most of the softer co-polys we've hit, Tour Bite Soft loses its fair share of tension over time. This typically results in a loss in performance. For Mark , however, the playability remained fairly high. He said, "Like I mentioned earlier, I have around 10 hours of play on Tour Bite Soft, and despite the tension loss the playability has not changed noticeably. I suppose it is relevant that I mention that I have a medium to fast swing style, but I don't crush the ball."

"In comparison to other soft and textured polys, such as Volkl Cyclone Tour, Volkl V-Torque and Dunlop Black Widow, I found the tension maintenance to be average," said Troy . "I have found that most soft co-poly strings tend to provide added comfort, but also tend to drop tension faster than some of the stiffer ones. The original Tour Bite was a stiff poly, but it had pretty good tension maintenance. Luxilon 4G is the best when it comes to tension maintenance for a poly string, although it is about as stiff as they come. It really comes down to what you prefer in a string."

Overall: 62

What type of player would you recommend this to.

Troy - "The player who is looking for a more comfortable option within the poly string family. Someone who swings fast and likes a pocketing string with good spin potential. The player who breaks strings often or restrings often and is more concerned with comfort over tension maintenance should like this one."

Mark - "Players who have never played with a poly, Players who want a monofilament that is on the softer side and players who wants a premium poly without the premium price will love Tour Bite Soft."

Troy - " Tour Bite Soft provides a softer feel compared to most polys. Spin potential was good, especially in racquets with open string patterns that let this string grip the ball."

Mark - "I benefited from this string in terms of easy access to spin, comfort and predictable low power/ high control. It is hard to ask for much more from a string. I would like to see a 15L or 15 gauge option since I love the thicker ropes in the newer wide open patterned frames."

Troy - "The tension seemed to drop off after banging the ball around for a few hours, like many other soft polys. I'm accustomed to Luxilon 4G, so I am a bit spoiled in terms of tension maintenance."

Mark - "At first I had a little trouble with the ball actually sticking to the strings more than I would have liked, which is why I mentioned my desire to play this string in a thicker gauge. This was more of an issue relative to the string pattern (not the string itself); if my string pattern was at least a 16x18 I think I would have had to make less of an adjustment to my swing."

Comparing the string to others they've tried, our testers said:

Troy - " Tour Bite Soft is similar to Volkl V-Torque, Topspin Delta and Tourna Big Hitter Silver Rough. These strings all have good spin potential with a soft feel, but they drop tension faster than I would like."

Mark - " Solinco Tour Bite Soft is like Topspin CyberFlash, and it also feels similar to Tourna Big Hitter Silver, Weiss CANNON Silverstring, Luxilon Adrenaline and Klip K-Boom."

(Scores are determined by averaging individual play test scores)

Playtester String Setups

Troy: Racquet: Wilson Six.One 95 (18x20) Usual String: Luxilon 4G 16L Tension: 50 lbs

Mark: Racquet: Wilson Pro Staff 95S Usual String: Luxilon Alu Power 15 Tension: 56 lbs

Review date: November 2014. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

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