I haven't used Luxilon strings, and I probably never will....it really, really seems like you give up wayyy too much (feel, comfort, volleying) for one big plus (hitting the ball um...really hard? who cares?)

Polys feel great and work great for a couple of hours tops. If i was a pro and could have all my racquets restrung every day then sure i'd use luxilon too. problem is it plays like crap and hurts your arm after it goes dead.

I'd have to say for me, it has helped. I have always taken big cuts at the ball since juniors, with lots of topspin (extreme western grip forehand), so string breaking became a sad regular thing for me.

For comfort, I have tried some of Luxilons Poly Monofilament competitors, like the Babolat Hurricane, and its a bit softer. I rather like it, but only in 16 gauge. I just restrung with the 17, and its not as comfy at the same tension.

Oh, and you can get the Hurricane a LOT cheaper than the Luxilon for the same performance and more comfort.

To those who judge these strings without using them - don't assume you suddenly won't be able to hit volleys or feel the ball at all. If that is the case - it is you not the string. Sure the string detracts from these categories and adds to others. Its just like any other string. Personally, I can't imagine using anything else simply because I have become reliant on the spin generation. There is a reason nearly all of the pros use this string, but as the article states, it is really not for people who don't have a lot of racquet head speed.

The one time I experimented with Luxilon was about a year ago when I was still playing with a Wilson nCode 90. I used Big Banger Alu Power 17g in my mains in conjunction with a soft multifilament (Babo Xcel Prem 17g) in my crosses. HATED it. Absolutely no feel, super stiff and boardy and my game degraded to the point that I had to cut it out and restring with my regular hybrid setup. An expensive lesson learned, though, as Luxilon strings are some of the most expensive on the market.

From the tech reports I have read, these strings keep the ball in due to their relative lack of liveliness compared with natural gut. I am too old and have too many arm problems to use them even though I tried them for a brief time.

Why does Federer play with a racket much like Sampras' with a sweet spot the size of the ball? Why are most racquets on the market called player improvement racquets? Most pros have too much power to keep the ball in on mishits. Commentators rarely mention it, but all the top pros mishit balls and many of them fall in with little penalty since few opponents are at the net. These pros are strong enough to have a relatively harsh racquet and harsh strings still keep the ball in on mishits and yet give them plenty of power when they hit it right. Even Federer's racquet is large enough to allow the enormous top spin with a closed racquet face.

There is a similarity in golf. I talked with a guy who was a decent golfer who won a set of Fred Couples' clubs. Wonderful, he thought, really fine clubs. Until he hit them. He said they almost killed his arm. Occasionally, he hit one perfect and it was sweet, but on anything just off center, the club and shaft were so stiff that he vibrated throughout his body.

Yes, when you are 15 with pliable joints, nothing hurts you. I grew up with wood racquets and did not even think of arm problems. But I doubt I could still be playing with them, even with gut. Having had a wrist tendon problem since my 20's, I have become quite sensitive to string jobs and they are more important than the racquet.

To reiterate, nothing I have seen indicates they grip the ball better and this gives them more spin. It is their relative lack of elasticity that, combined with pro swings and rackets, enables more top spin.

From the tech reports I have read, these strings keep the ball in due to their relative lack of liveliness compared with natural gut. I am too old and have too many arm problems to use them even though I tried them for a brief time.

Why does Federer play with a racket much like Sampras' with a sweet spot the size of the ball? Why are most racquets on the market called player improvement racquets? Most pros have too much power to keep the ball in on mishits. Commentators rarely mention it, but all the top pros mishit balls and many of them fall in with little penalty since few opponents are at the net. These pros are strong enough to have a relatively harsh racquet and harsh strings still keep the ball in on mishits and yet give them plenty of power when they hit it right. Even Federer's racquet is large enough to allow the enormous top spin with a closed racquet face.

There is a similarity in golf. I talked with a guy who was a decent golfer who won a set of Fred Couples' clubs. Wonderful, he thought, really fine clubs. Until he hit them. He said they almost killed his arm. Occasionally, he hit one perfect and it was sweet, but on anything just off center, the club and shaft were so stiff that he vibrated throughout his body.

Yes, when you are 15 with pliable joints, nothing hurts you. I grew up with wood racquets and did not even think of arm problems. But I doubt I could still be playing with them, even with gut. Having had a wrist tendon problem since my 20's, I have become quite sensitive to string jobs and they are more important than the racquet.

To reiterate, nothing I have seen indicates they grip the ball better and this gives them more spin. It is their relative lack of elasticity that, combined with pro swings and rackets, enables more top spin.

Pentagon shaped strings might make a difference in spin.

I suppose they could wrap strings with barbed wire. They did outlaw the spaghetti string jobs way back after Nastase broke Vilas' clay streak.

Golf continues to struggle with the square grooves which enable a player to get more spin even out of the rough or high grass. Many contend that this artifically lessens the penalty for hitting a drive off course.

From the tech reports I have read, these strings keep the ball in due to their relative lack of liveliness compared with natural gut. I am too old and have too many arm problems to use them even though I tried them for a brief time.

Why does Federer play with a racket much like Sampras' with a sweet spot the size of the ball? Why are most racquets on the market called player improvement racquets? Most pros have too much power to keep the ball in on mishits. Commentators rarely mention it, but all the top pros mishit balls and many of them fall in with little penalty since few opponents are at the net. These pros are strong enough to have a relatively harsh racquet and harsh strings still keep the ball in on mishits and yet give them plenty of power when they hit it right. Even Federer's racquet is large enough to allow the enormous top spin with a closed racquet face.

There is a similarity in golf. I talked with a guy who was a decent golfer who won a set of Fred Couples' clubs. Wonderful, he thought, really fine clubs. Until he hit them. He said they almost killed his arm. Occasionally, he hit one perfect and it was sweet, but on anything just off center, the club and shaft were so stiff that he vibrated throughout his body.

Yes, when you are 15 with pliable joints, nothing hurts you. I grew up with wood racquets and did not even think of arm problems. But I doubt I could still be playing with them, even with gut. Having had a wrist tendon problem since my 20's, I have become quite sensitive to string jobs and they are more important than the racquet.

To reiterate, nothing I have seen indicates they grip the ball better and this gives them more spin. It is their relative lack of elasticity that, combined with pro swings and rackets, enables more top spin.

I use a hybrid set up with poly in the crosses and synthetic in the mains. I would say that if you can afford it go with a good synthetic throughout the entire racquet. Unfortunately, I brake my crosses alone with such frequency that a more durable string has been a must for me. As for playability poly is not as good as synthetic. Oh, what I'd do for more feel. That being said, if you're using a babolat with a cortex system, you probably won't feel a difference anyway with those dead racquets. I've also never really experienced any extra topspin on my groundies, and I use a very extreme grip for my backhand. This may be due to my reversed set up, but I don't think the average weekend warrior will get any huge benefit from luxilon or any other poly.

Oh, if anyone can answer this one question I do have. Are poly strings heavier than synthetic, because I feel like they changed the balance on my racquet to make it slightly more even.

To be honest, luxilon has helped my game. I tried it for the first time 2 years ago when I was less experienced and when I would hit all my strokes flat. Those strings actually forced me to teach myself how to use spin.

But since I'm a more accomplished player now, it feels like using poly is a bit of handicap. I want to branch out and test my abilities so I can become more efficient. I'll probably switch to a hybrid, then to nylon with a natural gut feel.

I'm 53, have a medium swing speed, and use Luxilon mains with multifilament crosses. The main benefit to me is they don't lose any tension. I used to replace strings much more often due to lost tension, but now I only need to replace when the multis begin to fray too much (the Luxis never will). The feel is not like a softer string, but I've gotten used to it. I really think that upper body injury results more from poor technique than from the type of string or racquet.

I used Luxilon in the cross, gut main for a while and since I hit a lot of topspin, they really helped make my ball jump...till my arm got hurt...though the racquet I was using also contributed. But till then...it sure helped my game. Of course 2 months of an injury afterwards didn't so I won't be using Luxilon again. But I see why the pros do. I'm a 5.0/5.5 player but over 50.

I used the alu power rough a couple of months ago strung at 59lbs. The only thing wrong with these strings are that they kill your arms.
You really need to spend time playing with the strings to get used to them. After a few weeks, my arm just adjusted with the strings and they feel great. To use these strings to maximum playability, you really need to generate lots of racquet head speed. Lots of pop and spin come with the strings and it will definately improve your game. I can really see why pros would choose this string over other competitors.

I used the alu power rough a couple of months ago strung at 59lbs. The only thing wrong with these strings are that they kill your arms.
You really need to spend time playing with the strings to get used to them. After a few weeks, my arm just adjusted with the strings and they feel great. To use these strings to maximum playability, you really need to generate lots of racquet head speed. Lots of pop and spin come with the strings and it will definately improve your game. I can really see why pros would choose this string over other competitors.

Luxilon does help your game. This string will assist in topspin production, add a tad more pace to your shots, remove worries about string movement and string breakage (the average rec player would never be able to snap luxilon even after playing for a month or more), and also the name is super cool: "Big Banger RRRROUGH!!!"

Although there are substatial benefits, there are also serious drawbacks to playing with Luxilon:

1.)The string is HARSH on your arm. Many players I know that try it develop arm problems. This is because the string has no give, and while that may be a plus in granting more spin and power, it also means that your arm will be taking in almost all the shock of your (now more powerful) hits. This problem is much worse if you are using a stiff racquet which is what most "game improvement" frames are. This is why rec players are more susceptible to tennis elbow and other injuries while on Luxilon. (stiff racquets, unforgiving string, and poor technique)

2.)Its durability will make rec players lax about restringing. While Luxilon strings hold tension better than almost anything else, it still loosens up over time. This means that players who leave it on for months at a time are slowly changing their strokes to compensate for the tension loss. This has led to some "WTF?!" moments when they finally do restring or change racquets, and realize that their usual forehand has now been "ruined". When something like this happens to a pro, its highly unlikely that the cause will be not stringing often enough, but still if their shot has been "changed", it'll take a long time of retraining in order to get their weapon back, usually at a cost of tournaments lost and confidence gone forever. If pros experience so much frustration when a stroke fails, how much more devastating will a "changed" shot be to a rec player?

3.)Luxilon will "deaden" your frame, (will make it like a Babolat, NO FEEL) this means that it will be tougher to produce "touch shots" (delicately placed lobs, drop shots, some volleys) effectively. While the pros aren't really affected by this since they already know how to do touch shots properly and can adjust to the "dead" sensation, most rec players will find that they are "encouraged" to abandon more tactical ball placement in favor of a power bludgeoning style of play. This narrows down the focus of a rec player's game and decreases his/her overall potential in terms of stroke variety. Its like gaining one tool at the expense of losing three others. I call it "tunnel vision tennis".

Bottom Line: For the rec player, the cost-benefit ratio of using Luxilon is really horrible. At this level of the game, gaining power and spin should be done through the use of proper technique rather than equipment change. Non string breakers should really use this stage of their tennis career/experience/development using multifilaments (of if you can afford it, natural gut) which offer the most amazing playability and sublime feel coupled with superior arm protection. I'd recommend rec players to enjoy using multifilaments while you still can because as you get better and start hitting harder and with more spin using your technique, using gut and multifilaments start being non-cost effective and you end up being kind of "forced" to use polys and co-polys (like luxilon) which really any good in terms of comfort, playability, and feel.

There is a kind of oxymoron in tennis in that the non-pro players are always looking for a multifilament doesn't move, while the pros and other co-poly users are resigned to hoping for a string that plays like Luxilon, but feels as good as gut or a multifilament.

ERROR:The last sentence of my 2nd to the last paragraph should be "...which really AREN'T any good in terms of comfort, playability, and feel."

darthhelmethead(lurkerinreform): Luxilon, and other co-polys are way heavier than multifilaments and gut

Luxilon actually does not hold tension longer than other strings. It actually loses it faster. All poly strings do this which is another disadvantage to them.

LUXILON ROUGH is the best string I've ever use. Had slight problems with my elbow in the first few weeks but it is worth using this string. I'm an average player, decent swing, good volley and quite good with my forehand and backhand.

For those average players like me, Iwould suggest using pure luxilon rough with tension between 58 to 60 and you'll love playing tennis like never before. Using luxilon is cheaper in the long run since this string will last more than six months or more.

By the way, the next time you play tennis, don't tell anybody that you are using luxilon. 100% they will notice your improvements and don't worry about tennis elbow, it will go away as you get use to playing with this string. e-mail me at Zeebee412@aol.com

LUXILON ROUGH is the best string I've ever use. Had slight problems with my elbow in the first few weeks but it is worth using this string. I'm an average player, decent swing, good volley and quite good with my forehand and backhand.

For those average players like me, Iwould suggest using pure luxilon rough with tension between 58 to 60 and you'll love playing tennis like never before. Using luxilon is cheaper in the long run since this string will last more than six months or more.

By the way, the next time you play tennis, don't tell anybody that you are using luxilon. 100% they will notice your improvements and don't worry about tennis elbow, it will go away as you get use to playing with this string. e-mail me at Zeebee412@aol.com

I am a 45 year old 3.5 female player with semi-western topspin forehand. I have already had rotator cuff problems (tore on an overhead- needed surgery). I think Luxilon is out of the question for me. Any suggestions on a string job that is soft on the arm/shoulder yet enhances topspin. Would an all gut string be a good idea? I am at this moment having my racket restrung with Technifibre X One Bi-phase. Any thoughts?

darthhelmethead, I have strung many racquets with Luxilon and other strings and one thing that I have always noticed is that the set of Luxilon (or other poly type string) always feels a tiny bit heavier in my hand than a set of synthetic or gut. You must be very sensitive though because I don't know whether I could notice such a small difference on the court.

As for playing. I like Luxilon alone or in a hybrid for singles (i.e. from the baseline) -- in my Prince O3 Tour (not overly stiff). However, arm pain over the past 2 years has forced me back to softer synthetic and sometimes gut.

If you restring Luxilon after several hours before it goes "dead", it can quickly become as expensive or more expensive than natural gut.

Hingisfan: I would try gut if you don't break an inordinate amount of strings. Nothing compares for my arm and it is not bad for spin.

Babolat makes a nice gut called Tonic+ that costs only $24.99 (string only...no stringing labor) at one of the major online tennis retailers and in my experience, plays almost as well as their more expensive VS.

Preserving your shoulder is much more important than adding a tiny bit of spin to your forehand!