Expert Picks: Solinco Strings
Solinco entered the US string market in 2011, and in the span of a few short years, it became one of the game's most revered string brands. Boasting a seasoned advisory staff with deep industry roots, Solinco typically develops its strings through a lengthy process of trial and error, often with extensive feedback from collegiate and professional players.
Solinco’s meticulous approach has not only yielded some of the game’s best monofilaments, but it has also resulted in some impressive multifilaments, a fact not lost on those who prefer high comfort and easy power. Given the number of strings in Solinco’s line, we thought it might be helpful to provide a short list of staff favorites.
Solinco Expert Picks
Polyester
Polyester tennis strings are synonymous with the explosive mechanics of the modern tennis era. Although too stiff and underpowered for beginners, polyester monofilaments give experienced players the needed control to maximize stroke speed, resulting in viscious levels of pace and spin. As one of the game's most celebrated polyester brands, Solinco has no shortage of great polys, starting with Hyper-G.
Hyper-G "The Gold Standard"
"I really enjoy the control from this string. It is low powered and firm without ever feeling overly stiff or uncomfortable. It also has great tension maintenance for a poly. I love pairing powerful racquets with lower powered strings to gain some control, and Hyper-G is just what my game needs. Plus, my arm never suffers. I can hit out and be rewarded with a controlled response. There is just the right blend of power from my racquet and control from the strings that I get enough mass and depth to dictate points and put balls away."
-Michelle, TW Playtester
Confidential "The Secret Weapon"
"After playing with Hyper-G and Tour Bite for many years, and loving both, it’s hard to imagine that Solinco could make yet another great shaped co-poly. Somehow, they pulled it off. Of course, how they did it remains confidential. As with Solinco’s best co-polys, Confidential offers great feel and consistent performance over time. On the stiffness scale, Confidential sits between the softer Hyper-G and firmer/crisper Tour Bite, making it a great compromise for those who want performance aspects of both. When compared to what are likely the two most popular co-polys on the market, RPM Blast and ALU Power, Confidential has the very controlled response and high spin potential of RPM Blast but with some of that crisp feel and ball-pocketing that comes with the ALU Power. I would definitely rank Confidential amongst the best co-polys on the market, and you don't have to pay a premium price to get it into your racquet!"
-Troy, TW Playtester
Tour Bite "The Sharpest Knife"
"Firmer than both Hyper-G and Confidential, this co-poly gives big hitters the needed control to go nuclear from the baseline. Tour Bite also comes with a low-friction surface and reinforced construction, giving it both the ability to snap back during impact (think big spin) along with the durability to withstand advanced ball striking. If that isn’t enough to tip your scales, consider this string’s grippy edges, which deliver the kind of spin-friendly precision that brings the ball down on a dime."
- Jonathan, TW String Guru
Solinco's Soft Polys
Though they are renowned for their stiff, control-oriented polyester offerings that helped define the modern game, Solinco makes an excellent variety of soft polyester options for the poly player craving more comfort without sacrificing spin or control. Confidential Soft in particular has turned heads not only with its eye-catching color, but also with its highly playable nature.
Multifilament
Built from an army of ultra pliable microfibers, multifilament strings specialize in comfort and power. In addition to being great at reducing the impact shock of lighter racquets, multis are ideal for any player who wants a more arm-friendly hitting experience. Although best suited to beginners and intermediates, multifilament strings are also great for the advanced player or string breaker who is looking for a soft hybrid cross. Here are some of our favorite Solinco multifilaments.
Solinco X-Natural
"Built from an army of flexible filaments and bathed in stretchy polyurethane, Solinco’s X-Natural delivers a plush and powerful ride. What separates it from the pack is Solinco’s Diamond Rough texture, giving it above average spin-potential for a multifilament. Did I mention the comfort?"
- Jonathan, TW String Guru
Solinco Vanquish
Vanquish is well-named in the sense that it wil help you vanquish away harsh impacts from your sensitive arm areas. This multifilament has excellent feel and maintains its playability quite well over time.
Hybrids
Tennis strings almost always come with trade-offs. If you want the plush comfort and raw power of a multifilament, you typically have to give up a little control and spin. On the other hand, if you crave the precision and durability of a stiff polyester, you usually have to sacrifice some comfort and power. If you want a string that delivers the best of both worlds, you should try a hybrid, which combines two different string types to give you an expanded range of features. Here is a hybrid from Solinco that checks all the right boxes.
Solinco Tour Bite & Vanquish Hybrid
“By combining the crisp and surgical accuracy of Tour Bite with the soft and responsive feel of Vanquish, Solinco delivers a hybrid with outstanding playability. In addition to its controllable power and pillowy comfort, this ultra spin-friendly combo comes at price that is too good to refuse.”
- Jonathan, TW String Guru
Solinco BD Mach-10 & Hyper-G Round Hybrid
This innovative poly-poly hybrid offers exceptional feel and a high ceiling in terms of performance attributes. The Mach-10 softens up the stringbed while adding a tad more power access, and the Hyper-G Round increases stiffness for more control and facilitates easy string movement for increased spin production.
