Solinco Hyper-G Soft String Review

Control - Score: 93 / Power - Score: 57

Although Hyper-G Soft has a lower stiffness level than the standard Hyper-G, it is by no means as soft and lively as a natural gut or nylon multifilament. With its firm monofilament construction, this co-poly errs heavily on the side of control, which means it was perfect for Chris. He said, "Going into this test, I expected a bump in power and perhaps a dip in control comparing this soft version with regular Hyper-G. However, I'm happy to report Hyper-G Soft still retains a ton of control. Some softer poly-based strings can get a bit flighty, meaning the ball flies long or wide too easily, but Hyper-G Soft still had me swinging confidently and getting all the control needed to drop my shots inside the lines. It felt like the ball sat on the strings a tad longer, and perhaps my stroke carried the ball for a little more depth, but frankly I could switch between this and regular Hyper-G and be fully dialed in within a couple of strokes. In terms of how much each string helped me with power, the amount of energy return I got from both felt pretty similar. If you want a slightly softer response than Hyper-G without sacrificing much (if any) control, this is as good as it gets."

With her penchant for stiff, low-powered polys, Michelle wasn't sure this string would provide her with sufficient control. It didn't take long for that worry to evaporate. She said, "It's no secret, I lean on my strings to provide the control I am searching for on the court. Because of that, I normally gravitate toward lower-powered, more control-oriented strings. Hyper-G has been doing just that for me for years now, but when I heard there was a soft version, I was concerned it would play springy and have too much power for my liking. Luckily for me, that wasn't the case. I would say Hyper-G Soft has a similar power level to its firmer counterpart with a less jarring feel at contact. I was pleasantly surprised that the stringbed still felt firm, yet softer at impact. Right off the stringer, I would say the power and control levels were similar, and as the playtest went on, the softer version of Hyper-G did feel slightly more powerful. This string checks all the boxes for me and allows me to feel confident hitting out and attacking balls close to the lines. Especially for day-to-day practice and hitting sessions, Hyper-G Soft felt great in my racquet throughout the playtest and allowed me to hit deep into the court without being afraid of overhitting."

Spin - Score: 92

With its sharp edges, slippery snapback and ability to accommodate explosive upward cuts, Hyper-G Soft proved extremely spin-friendly. Needless to say, Chris was impressed. He said, "I really liked the amount of spin I was getting on my shots with Hyper-G Soft. I find regular Hyper-G to be spin-friendly, and I had similar results here. Thanks to the controlled response, I was able to carry a lot of racquet head speed and turn my fast swings into lots of spin."

"I found no difference in bite between the soft and standard version of Hyper-G," said Michelle, who got all the spin she needed from this co-poly. "Maybe I would note some differences if I were hitting with the most aggressive, speedy swings to get the ball hopping off the court, but with my long, flat strokes, the spin was everything I needed."

Comfort - Score: 79 / Feel - Score: 88

Although Hyper-G Soft is less stiff and more comfortable than the standard Hyper-G, and it did post a very respectable score for comfort, it is not the softest co-poly our playtesters have hit. This turned out to be a good thing because the softest co-polys can become mushy and erratic too quickly, making it harder for the player to control the ball's trajectory on full swings. For Michelle, who uses regular Hyper-G, this string's slightly softer feel turned out to be the perfect compromise. It gave her a little added comfort while still delivering the outstanding control and laser-like trajectory that her flat mechanics require. She explained, "While it would be easy to say this string was SO soft and SO comfortable, it was not the most plush or the most powerful co-poly string I have hit with, and I am OK with that since really soft strings can be harder to control. This string did feel softer at impact than the standard version, but it never got too springy. It felt very predictable and allowed me to drive the ball confidently through the court. I also appreciated having a little extra comfort because I do string a bit high, which can sometimes take a toll on my joints and tendons. As a player who has dealt with wrist and shoulder injuries in the past, it's tough to argue with a more comfortable option."

Chris had zero complaints with the feel of Hyper-G Soft. He said, "Despite having 'soft' in its name, this string felt pretty middle of the road in terms of stiffness for monofilament co-poly strings. It did feel softer than regular Hyper-G, and I don't have any comfort issues with that string, so obviously there were none here either. I felt decently connected to the ball and was dialed in on my touch shots."

Playability Duration - Score: 69

All strings lose tension over time, and Hyper-G Soft is no exception. This is why professional tennis players often change their racquets several times during the course of a single match. On the upside, Hyper-G Soft stayed playable longer than the softest co-polys, which tend to get mushy and erratic too quickly. For Chris, it held up pretty well during the playtest, but time eventually took its toll. He described, "I found Hyper-G Soft to last well for me. Even after two weeks in my racquet, the string felt very playable. By the end of the third week, the surface was roughed up enough to prohibit snapback, and the tension had dropped enough for me to want a fresh set, which is pretty typical for me. I probably only get 4 to 5 hours on court total in that timeframe since I'm also testing lots of other racquets and strings, so if I were hitting this string exclusively, I'd expect to be restringing earlier."

"If there were a tiny knock on this softer version, it would be that the playability dropped a little quicker compared to the standard version," said Michelle. "I have a bad habit of letting strings that should get cut out stay in my racquet, and Hyper-G is always one of those that I don't mind after a month of use. Hyper-G Soft felt like it may have lost tension a bit faster. Maybe this is just because it starts off less stiff. It wasn't a problem for me, but it's worth noting."

Overall - Score: 88