11 Best Tennis Strings For Spin
Players at different levels are always looking for opportunities to add as much spin as possible. Not only does topspin help a lot with kicking a ball up and giving a player an advantage, but it helps to keep the ball inside the court as well.
Any tennis coach will tell a player that the biggest key to spin is knowing how to hit the ball the right way. With that being said, certain strings help out individual players more than others.
Before we go into the review. These are the 11 best tennis strings for spin.
- Babolat RPM Blast
- Luxilon ALU Power Spin
- Solinco Tour Bite 19
- Technifiber Black Code 4S 16
- Volkl Cyclone 16
- Kirschbaum Xplosive Speed 16
- Wilson Revolve Spin 16
- Turna Poly Big Hitter Black 7
- Gamma AMP Moto 16
- Head Sonic Pro Edge 16
- Yonex Poly Tour Spin
It’s very tough to recommend one specific string for all players, but some help with spin more than others. Below is a look at some of those best options, and from there, players should try at least a few that are interesting once before fully committing.
1. Babolat RPM Blast
Rpm Blast is arguably the most popular string on both the ATP and WTA tour right now. It seems like at least every other player is using this co-polyester monofilament option. It comes in 15, 16, 17, and 18 gauge, allowing a player to get the perfect thickness for their style of play. Generally speaking, the thicker the gauge, the longer the strings will last from a durability standpoint.
What makes RPM blast stand out so much compared to other strings? Part of it comes down to marketing for sure, but Bob lot is a strain company first and foremost. They were making string long before they were making racquets, and now they are putting out a killer combination.
RPM Blast offers basically everything a person could ask for out of a spin-friendly string. The eight-sided string is very slick to touch, which is designed to help improve the spin-off of the string bed. It’s very durable, Allowing players to hit a little longer without losing tension compared to most other co-polys.
What To Expect
With the proper topspin strokes, a player can hit a very heavy ball that stays on the court. Increasing the RPM on the ball allows it to jump off the court and put the opposition in a very tough position. It’s one of the best ways to turn defense into offense.
If there is one negative to RPM Blast, it is the stiffness of the string. Players who have arm trouble feel like it is next to impossible to jump to something like RPM Blast. There is a learning curve for sure when first trying it out, but most people are willing to go through the adjustment.
For some added spin, try the RPM Blast Rough. It is a variation of the same string, but with a roughness to it that helps grab the ball and spin it a little bit more. You can read our full review of the Babolat RPM Blast in this post.
2. Luxilon ALU Power Spin 127
With a lot of different Luxilon ALU Power strings available, the spin option is obviously the best to get that extra amount of RPM on the ball. Some people will use the string in their entire racquet, while others will only use it as part of a hybrid option.
What makes this a little more spin-friendly? It comes down to the shape of the string, which is pentagonal. After every stroke, players will notice the strings doing a lot of extra work. They feel pretty much the exact same as other ALU Power options, but players generally feel like they can swing a little bigger without worrying about the ball going out.
Durability is once again not much of a concern at all with the string. Some people feel that it lacks just a little bit of power, but most people using this string will have a fast swing anyway. They may not necessarily need extra power, but instead extra spin and control.
If this is used as part of a hybrid, look for a softer and more powerful string to pair with it. This will help to balance out the racquet a little more and give a player more feel. The one tough thing about any co-polyester is that it is pretty tough on the arm. Having half of the racquet strong with a softer string will keep things comfortable.
3. Solinco Tour Bite 19
Solanco has a number of different gauges for people to try out, but they are one of the few companies to offer a 19 gauge of co-polyester. This might be entirely too thin for some people, but those looking for the ultimate amount of spin will enjoy an even more open string pattern thanks to this thin option.
This string has really taken off at the college level, as players have the ability to tinker with different strings a little more than the casual player. Even though this is a more affordable option compared to Babolat and Luxilon, a 19 gauge string is only going to last a few hours of play at best. After that, the string might need cut out, or it might just snap.
If a player gets a very little spin on their shots right now, and they don’t necessarily break a lot of strings, this is an option worth looking into. Be prepared to notice the difference from the very first stroke. A 19 gauge string is one of the thinnest options on the market.
4. Tecnifibre Black Code 4S 16
Another square-shaped string designed specifically for developing spin, Tecnifibre has been producing some variation of their Black Code string for quite a while. It is a very low-powered string that does a very good job of holding its tension a little longer than most competitors.
Another thing that stands out with Black Code 4S is the string is a little softer than most of its competition. It’s very difficult to find a truly soft string made of co-polyester monofilament, but the company uses Thermal Core Technology to soften things up a bit. They do this by using a heating technique that softens the string ever so slightly and helps reduce vibrations with every single shot.
The 16 gauge version is probably the best one to try out since it will offer the best durability. It also helps that Technifiber is a little cheaper than Babolat and Luxilon, which allows people to try it out and compare on their own.
5. Volkl Cyclone 16
The Volkl company has slept on quite a bit when it comes to the rackets, and the same goes for the string. They don’t quite have the same presence as some of the other big names in tennis at the highest level, but they produce a lot of great products the people have grown to trust.
For under $10 a lot of times, a person can purchase Volkl Cyclone 16 string for a single racquet. That is considerably less than some of the top options on the market, allowing for people to easily sample the string and see if it is a good fit for them.
Volkl has a slightly different shape of string that they use, going for a gear-inspired look. It is extremely friendly for those first making the switch to a co-polyester multifilament. Players can sit behind the baseline all day long and hit powerful strokes without struggling at all. There is enough power behind the strokes to penetrate the court, and the spin prevents The opposition from moving up without paying dearly.
The field is above average with a strain, and doubles players, in particular, seem to really love this option. If looking for a new type of string to try out, now is the time to do so.
6. Kirschbaum Xplosive Speed 16
Kirschbaum is a well-respected name in the stringing industry, and this latest release from them is already proving to be a very popular option among players of all ages. It has a pentagon old profile, and it allows for the strings to grab the ball with each stroke and load up with a lot of spin. The company spent a lot of time making sure that they still offer one of the most comfortable co-polyester multifilaments in the game.
Their Thermal Fusion Technology allows them to soften up the string just enough to make it a little more friendly for the arms of players around the world. This is good news for anyone moving to a co-polyester, because a string that is too stiff can do some serious damage.
Kirschbaum has a number of other options available for people who are looking for Spain, but this new release is very promising. It seems like they have focused on feedback from customers in the past, and they have put together one of the finest options for people to use now. The best news is they are still firmly in the below-average price range for people in need of string that fits their game.
7. Wilson Revolve Spin 16
Wilson isn’t known too much for their branded strings, but the Revolve Spin is a budget option for anyone looking to try a new option out. The UHMW material that the company uses allows for the string to give a ball that extra snap for added spin. Many people who try it for the first time are pleasantly surprised.
A lot of intermediate players enjoy using this string because it is affordable, and the playability is pretty high. It has a good amount of control, and it’s a little more powerful than a lot of other similar options. Most tennis players seem to overlook Wilson as a stringing company, but this is one option to check out and see what it provides.
8. Tourna Big Hitter Black 7
Seven different edges on the string make for a pretty spinny option for heavy hitters. The company is known mostly for its overgrips, but they have developed an affordable string that is comfortable for any type of player.
Spin is something that just comes very easy with the string overall. Flat hitters with a little bit of adjustment will notice that they can add some additional spin to their service and their groundstrokes. This is very beneficial for someone who needs to add a different level to their plate.
One thing to note is that the string does very well for any player who likes to string their racquets at very low tensions. It will still perform at a high level, and comfort will never be sacrificed. Players should always be tinkering with what they can to get the perfect fit for them.
9. Gamma AMP Moto 16
Currently, this string is perhaps the most affordable, spin-friendly polyester out there for players to consider. It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to get great spin on the ball with the proper strain.
The string is very firm and is generally not recommended to people who have any type of arm issues currently. With seven different sharp edges, there is a lot of bite to every ball that is hit. It also does very well at lowering tensions, not losing any of the playability that people love about it in the first place.
This might not be the first option for people to turn to when they are trying polyester strings out initially, but it’s a move to make to save some money and try a seven-sided string option. It performs as well as many of the other strings in this list, and at a fraction of the price.
10. Head Sonic Pro Edge 16
There is some obvious spin potential with the string, but as far as its main selling feature, it has to be controlled. Out of every string listed in this article, the Head Sonic Pro Edge 16 might have the best control on any type of shot.
Another added bonus for players at any level s\is the overall comfort level. Players can put the ball where they want to, and their arm doesn’t pay the price for it. Some players take advantage of all the spin potential, while others simply like to capitalize on the control feature. It really is a good option for multiple reasons.
Jumping to polyester is always a bit of a gamble for any type of tennis player. Consider this option a perfect way to enter the world. Nobody wants to mess up their arm with the very first type of strain, but the softer option will generally be just fine.
This string works very well with any Head racquet, but it also works perfectly fine with other companies as well. Head doesn’t always get the attention it deserves when it comes to putting out quality strings, but it is worth looking into for anyone attempting something new.
11. Yonex Poly Tour Spin
The final string to make this list is a fairly popular option on the ATP and WTA tours. It plays a lot like several other options listed above that are pentagon shape, but yeah nexus found a way to provide just a little bit more durability. If a player is burning through strings left and right, this might be an option worth looking into. The 16 gauge option is perfect for a lot of people for durability, but the thinner options will provide slightly more spin.
It is somewhat of a low-powered string, so it might not be the best for any player who doesn’t hit the ball particularly hard currently. It’s meant more for the ability to take risks and really take strong swings at the ball. Trusting that the ball will stay in with added control means that the string is doing its job.
How To Do A Proper String Test
Finding the right string that fits a person’s game might not seem like the biggest task in the world, but there are a lot of quality options to choose from. Where does a person begin? A lot of it comes down to self-analyzing.
Is the amount of spin already high? How powerful are the strokes off the ground and serves? Are balls actually staying in the court? Certain spin-friendly strings also focus on other aspects of the game.
After that, usually, people are left with a handful of different string options to try out. Polyester strings don’t last all that long, so trying out a few different options makes a lot of sense. Buying one set and then putting them in multiple racquets at the same time, if possible, will speed up the trial process. Most people will have the string of their choice figured out in just a few months.
The name of the game in tennis is spin, but never sacrifice long-term health for it. Jumping right into using polyester and playing a lot can lead to elbow problems that will be a major setback. Ease into everything and it will work out just fine.
