Luxilon 4G String Review
Upsides
- Control
- Spin
- Good comfort for a co-poly
- Exceptional tension maintenance for a co-poly
Downsides
- Little free power
Summary
From the company whose iconic Big Banger strings have become an overwhelming pro tour favourite, comes an ultra-playable co-polyester called Luxilon 4G. Given the almost otherworldly spin and control associated with Luxilon strings, our team was very excited to put 4G to the test. Not surprisingly, the testers reported massive bite and incredible control. Even the comfort level impressed our team, which is uncommon for a co-poly. As for tension loss, 4G was specifically designed to hold tension longer. This likely explains why our team continued to get great spin and control long into the playtest. Ultimately, given the uniquely high level of playability offered by 4G, it looks like Luxilon has done it again!
Luxilon 4G Scores
- Power - 65/100
- Spin - 86/100
- Comfort - 78/100
- Control - 88/100
- Touch - 87/100
- String Movement - 91/100
- Playability Duration - 82/100
- Durability - 86/100
- Overall - 84/100
Power – Score 65/100
Erring on the side of control, Luxilon 4G did not give our team a lot of free power. Some of our players said this higher control allowed them to supply more of their own power and to swing bigger when necessary. One player strung it in a powerful racquet and said that, combination with the string, offered enough power to get full potential out of both.
Spin - Score 86/100
Not surprisingly, our playtesters loved the spin potential of Luxilon 4G. Even our flat ball hitter was surprised with the amount of spin she got out of 4G. Our playtesters found the bite was so good that it allowed them to swing aggressively without worry and having this confidence to swing faster resulted in even more spin. As one of our players said, “4G is a spin monster!”.
Comfort – Score 78/100
While people are not likely to confuse Luxilon 4G with natural gut or Wilson NXT, our team thought it had above average comfort for a co-poly. One of the members of our team found the low power level forced her to swing harder, which also made the racket feel a little heavier by the end of the session. The rest of our playtesters didn’t feel excessive vibration or shock and liked the extra feedback because it allowed them to feel more connected to the ball.
Control – Score 88/100
Our playtesters were more than a little impressed with the control of Luxilon 4G. The low-powered response combined with the spin gave them a sense of powerful precision. Our team found it very easy to measure depth and place their shots, and even when their shots were hit off the center, the ball was still on target. They even dared to say, “Control with this string is simply excellent.
Playability Duration – Score 82/100
While people are not likely to confuse Luxilon 4G with natural gut or Wilson NXT, our team thought it had above average comfort for a co-poly. One of the members of our team found the low power level forced her to swing harder, which also made the racket feel a little heavier by the end of the session. The rest of our playtesters didn’t feel excessive vibration or shock and liked the extra feedback because it allowed them to feel more connected to the ball.
Overall - Score: 84/100
Likes:
Siobhan - "The ability to rip the ball consistently combined with the feel on fast swings."
Chris - "I'm a big fan of polys and an even bigger fan of this string. It is right up there with my favorites for playability."
Brittany - "I really liked the control and the spin of 4G."
Jason - "Everything! But especially the great feel and access to spin."
Dislikes:
Siobhan - "The lack of power on some shots ... (but this is exactly what kept more of my balls in the court, surprisingly)."
Chris - "None. I've hit this string in at least seven different rackets, and it has upped the performance level of each. I love this string."
Brittany - "None, but maybe a little more pop in a low-powered racket."
Jason - "I wish it would have lasted longer before bagging out, but such is the life and hard times of a good co-poly."
Comparing the string to others they've tried, our testers said:
Siobhan - "With its low power and longer lasting playability, 4G reminded me of some of the more playable Kirschbaums."
Chris - "This string reminded me of Polyfibre Cobra for its feel off the stringer, but this one lasted longer. It also felt somewhat similar to my favored Volkl Cyclone and to MSV Focus. Tourna's Big Hitter Blue also gets close to this one in feel. Playability wise it felt a lot softer than ALU Power and even softer then the more forgiving ALU Power Rough, and I thought it had better spin, too."
Brittany - "Luxilon Adrenaline, Polyfibre TCS."
Jason - "This plays a lot like some of my favorites. Polyfibre TCS, Signum Pro Poly Plasma or Kirschbaum P2."
Playtester String Setups:
Siobhan:
Racket: Babolat Pure Drive GT
Usual String: Poly 17g
Tension: 55 lbs
Chris:
Racket: Head Prestige Classic 600 Mid
Usual String: Volkl Cyclone 16
Tension: 52 lbs
Brittany:
Racket: Head IG Youtek Radical S
Usual String: Multifilament/Co-poly hybrid
Tension: 52 lbs
Jason:
Racket: Boris Becker Delta Core NYC
Usual String: Polyfibre TCS 16
Tension: 52 lbs
Review date: July 2012. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us: information.en@tenniswarehouse-europe.com.
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