TOROLINE STEVIE Hybrid String Review

Neither too stiff nor too flexible, the STEVIE Hybrid balances control and power. For Michelle, who has long preferred a stiff bed of full polyester, the added kick of this hybrid proved perfect. She said, "It has been really fun testing the TOROLINE strings, and I particularly enjoy testing the hybrids that use my favorite TOROLINE string, O-TORO Tour. I had heard about Truffle X and had a chance to test it in some hybrids long before the STEVIE Hybrid came to market, so I was aware of how soft it plays as a cross and what it can do to unlock some power in a hybrid. As someone who is coming back from some physical obstacles, it has sometimes been challenging to generate power, so I have really been leaning into anything that offers easier power, and the Truffle X gave it to me no matter what racquet I used. A full bed of O-TORO Tour is much more controlled, but I really appreciated the extra comfort and pop of this hybrid, and I never felt like I didn't have enough control."

Troy, who typically plays with a full bed of low powered polyester, immediately noticed the softer feel and increased power of this hybrid. He explained, "The power level is what really stood out to me with this STEVIE Hybrid. I am very familiar with the feel and control that O-TORO Tour offers, but what really made this STEVIE Hybrid standout was that unique feel and energy return that the Truffle X supplied. I noticed that whenever I went for a big forehand or serve, the ball felt like it would sink in to the stringbed more and shoot out with some added zip, zing, pop or pace, whatever you want to call it. Would I say that this string has the same energy return that I have found when playing with a natural gut/poly hybrid? Maybe not, but I would say this is a good alternative when it came to power/control."

With its sharply shaped main strings and slippery, soft crosses, the STEVIE Hybrid is built for spin, with decent levels of bite, snapback and pocketing. The STEVIE Hybrid was plenty spin-friendly for Troy, even though it didn't measure up to a full bed of poly. He said, "When it came to spin potential, I would rate this Stevie Hybrid slightly lower than a full bed of a shaped co-poly, such as the O-TORO Tour or O-TORO Spin, but it was still pretty good overall. When hitting my groundstrokes, I was able to shape the ball and hit my cross-court angles rather effectively. I noticed that I wasn’t getting the maximum bite on the ball like a I do with a full bed of a shaped co-poly, but I thought I was getting more spin compared to a traditional poly/multi hybrid. I did feel like the Truffle X in the crosses allowed the main strings to snap back well. Another aspect that stood out to me was the pocketing of that Truffle X in the crosses."

Although her game doesn't rely heavily on spin, Michelle had no issues shaping her shots with this hybrid. She commented, "As I always say, I'm never hitting with the most spin, but I do like having access to it if needed. This hybrid never felt limiting when it came to spin. The Truffle X seems to have a good amount of snapback, and even that extra pocketing let me feel like I could add some roll into my shots to generate more RPMs!"

Although the main strings are quite stiff, the cross strings in the STEVIE Hybrid boast a lower stiffness than the majority of multifilaments on the market. This explains why our playtesters were so impressed with the pocketing and comfort, and why they never found the response underpowered. For Michelle, this hybrid's response came with some real benefits. She explained, "I think the old-me would say this setup was too soft and too comfortable, but 2026 Michelle is appreciating extra comfort and feel. This allows me to go big for longer, and the lively feel means I'm not working so hard to hit penetrating shots. I have really been appreciating Steve Johnson and his commentating; he's such a smart guy and knows this sport so well. Hearing him talk about this hybrid and the benefits of it in HIS racquet made me realize how much I can benefit from this setup. He tends to like pretty beefy racquets too, and I think the softer feel and better comfort really helps keep the tendons happy."

Although he typically plays with a much stiffer setup, Troy appreciated the softer feel of this hybrid. He explained, "The feel and the comfort were both big advantages of this STEVIE Hybrid over my usual full bed of poly. The Truffle X in the crosses has a unique feel to it; it definitely adds some elasticity, and it feels like it increases the pocketing and dwell time. The comfort of this hybrid is very good, although that is coming from a guy who plays with a full bed of poly. The feel was pretty unique, and I enjoyed that aspect. Truffle X added some comfort and pocketing, but unlike a multifilament, it didn’t feel too muted or gummy, as I like to say. It added some zip and power to the poly in the mains, but it still had a somewhat crisp feel to it."

All strings lose tension over time, typically resulting in compromises to the feel and control. Although TOROLINE's STEVIE Hybrid lost its fair share of tension, Michelle found it held its playability exceptionally well over time. She said, "I think Truffle X really has that natural gut vibe when it comes to playability duration, because I felt like the string played so consistently from Day 1 to Day 30, and beyond. This setup seemed solid, and I never felt like the string dropped off in its playability."

"In terms of playability duration and tension maintenance, I would rate this STEVIE Hybrid somewhere in between a full bed of poly, like O-TORO Tour, and a natural gut/poly hybrid like Wilson Champion's Choice," said Troy. "The tension maintenance of the STEVIE Hybrid held up a bit better than most full beds of poly, but not quite as good as a gut/poly hybrid. Compared to my usual full bed of poly, I was pretty content with the tension maintenance."