Prince Lightning Pro String Review

Control - Score: 73 / Power - Score: 83

According to our team, Lightning Pro is definitely on the powerful side of the spectrum, especially compared to the stiff and low-powered polyester strings we typically use. As a result, Chris needed to experiment with different string tensions. He explained, "When I first tried Lightning Pro in my Tecnifibre TFlash 300PS at 52 lbs I found it to play too lively. I struggled to control the depth of my shots. We subsequently installed the string at 55 lbs and also gave it a little pre-stretch. Control problems solved! I got a much firmer and more controlled response from the stringbed. I was able to take full cuts at the ball and find the control I needed to get my shots to drop inside the lines. Interestingly, I had to play this string at a higher tension than many multifilaments to dial in its power."

For Mark, Lightning Pro's high power level worked best in a racquet with a tight string pattern. He explained, "Compared to my typical polyester strings, Lightning Pro added a noticeable boost in power to both my Phantom 100P and Blade SW104. Control wise, I had an easier time manipulating the ball with the Blade SW104, which I think had to do with its tighter 18x19 string pattern. In fact, after one or two sessions , I felt almost right at home with it. By contrast, I had a harder time with the Phantom 100P, which I felt had something to do with its open 16x18 pattern. When I switched from a polyester to Lighting Pro I couldn't confidently control the launch angle or predict how the ball was going to react to my swing."

Spin - Score: 63

Lightning Pro is not designed with the sharp bite of a polyester string. It also has a high power level, which makes it harder to achieve the vicious stroke speed required for effective spin. Those challenges aside, Mark was able to squeeze some decent ball rotation from this string. He explained, "Access to spin was easy with both racquets I had this string in, but over the long haul, it was the tighter spaced Blade SW104 that allowed the Lightning Pro string to move less and benefit me more. The result for me was a more predictable level of spin, especially over the span of longer rallies. My strings didn't end up anywhere near parallel If I had a 10-shot rally with the Lightning Pro in the Phantom 100P, and I could tell that the exit angle of the ball was changing."

Although Chris got decent spin from Lightning Pro, his inner poly player could have used a tad more bite. He commented, "The amount of spin I managed to muster with this string was just OK. The higher tension helped me add more racquet head speed to my shots, which helped me get the ball rotating better. However, the string lacked the needed bite and grab to really get the ball kicking off the court."

Comfort - Score: 82

Lightning Pro posted a low stiffness score in our Tennis Warehouse String Lab. In fact, it is one of the softest solid core strings we've ever tested. This helps explain why our team gave it such a high comfort score. Needless to say, Chris was impressed. He said, "I was very happy with the response of Lightning Pro in regards to comfort. Even at the higher tension I used the string felt pretty forgiving. I wouldn't say the string pocketed the ball like an ultra soft multi or natural gut, but it felt a lot more forgiving compared to the poly based strings I usually play."

Also finding plenty of comfort was Mark, who said, "I played with three sets of the Prince Lighting Pro at two different tensions, and not once did I experience any sort of pain during or post play. This is a comfortable string."

Feel - Score: 75

Our team gave Lightning Pro a decent score for feel. It was on the soft side of the spectrum, but it still managed to deliver the kind of direct feedback that makes the player feel connected to the ball. For Mark, tension was key to getting the optimal feel. He explained, "For me, this ties into the comfort level of a string, and the Lightning Pro multifilament provided the sort of feel that I love. I can drop tension on it for a very high degree of comfort and take advantage of the extra power that goes along with a drop in tension on this type of string. The extra power was effectively harnessed with the Blade SW104's 18x19 pattern, allowing me to play the way I want to. However, the 16x18 pattern of the Prince Phantom 100P made it more challenging for me to be consistent (the way I typically play), and I found myself trying to end points sooner than I prefer."

For Chris, the feel of Lightning Pro was adequate, but it didn't measure up to the crisp and spin-friendly precision he gets from his typical poly setup. He commented, "I found Lightning Pro to offer a decent level of feel. Once I had the tension dialed in I felt connected to my shots. I was able to flirt with the lines and get the feel needed to be confident when doing so. My drop shots worked pretty well, too. I didn't get the added spin on backspin drop shots that I get with a poly, but I had enough feel to judge my depth and direction."

Playability Duration - Score: 73

In our String Lab, Lightning Pro posted above average tension maintenance for a solid core string. However, Chris discovered some other issues. He explained, "Tension maintenance was very good from this string. I thought it stayed nice and crisp. My issues were more with how the surface of the string wore. It didn't take long for the surface to get roughed up, which made the strings get stuck out of position a lot. I was constantly straightening my strings with Lightning Pro and missed the snap back I got from the Tecnifibre Multifeel string we recently tested. When the strings were out of place the launch angle got harder to predict, which was most noticeable on longer rallies."

"I broke through the Phantom 100P's stringbed after 12 hours of play," said Mark. "The Lightning Pro in the Blade SW104 has about the same amount of play time on it, but I think I will get closer to 15-16 hours of play before it breaks. The feel and responsiveness hasn't change dramatically over time, so control has remained fairly high."

Overall - Score: 73