Tecnifibre Triax String Review

Control - Score: 81 / Power - Score: 80

With its flexible multifilament construction, Triax is definitely more powerful than the ultra-firm monofilament strings that our playtesters typically use. However, according to Michelle, this unique multifilament string also packs surprisingly good control. She explained, "I normally play with stiff, dead polys, so naturally this new multifilament from Tecnifibre had a bit more power than I am used to, but nothing too crazy. I was shocked at how much control the string had built into it. I was able to swing without having to worry about the ball launching unpredictably, which is not always the case when I use softer, more powerful strings. And because it was such a comfortable option, I could achieve even more control by stringing at higher tensions."

For Chris, Triax delivered an impressive balance of power and control. He said, "Triax had an interesting response. The string pocketed the ball nicely, like a more powerful multifilament, but I found it more control oriented. I was able to take full cuts at the ball and still keep my shots inside the lines. I had more control from this string than I have from soft, lively co-polys such as Volkl Cyclone Tour or Gosen Sidewinder. There was still ample power, which helped me get the ball away, yet it was never so much that I felt like I was losing control."

Spin - Score: 76

Although not quite as grippy and spin-friendly as our team's favorite shaped polys, Triax earned a great spin score for a multifilament. Chris, who typically uses a shaped poly, had no complaints. He said, "I got decent spin from Triax. This was impressive since spin was the missing element for me when I previously tested Tecnifibre's HDMX string, which features a similar construction. With Triax, the string was snapping back into position after each hit and replicating the behavior of a co-poly. Even when Triax started to fray and get worn, it still offered good snapback to help give my shots a little kick."

Michelle was surprised by the level of spin she got from Triax. She said, "It's no secret that my longer, flatter strokes don't need much spin, and I was not expecting much spin out of Triax. I was surprised by the spin I could squeeze out of this string, especially compared to the synthetic gut I was testing at the same time. While this multifilament doesn't have the same bite as most of the polys I use, it worked for me since I really only rely on extra spin when going for sharp dippers or praying for my long ball to drop inside the baseline. There's definitely not as much spin as a shaped poly, but if you have the mechanics to enhance your shots with RPMs, I think you will be happy with what this string offers. It also had better snapback than I anticipated, which seemed to help with spin."

Comfort - Score: 85 / Feel - Score: 86

Given its flexible multifilament construction, Triax received an outstanding score for comfort. It also managed to deliver the crisp and "connected" feel that is more common with poly-based monofilaments. Chris, who prefers the feel he gets from firm polys, was impressed with the feel of Triax. He said, "I liked the crisp feel of Triax. Compared to a multi, it offers a firmer, crisper feel. For co-poly players looking to break away from the unforgiving nature of those strings, they should find much better comfort here without having to give up too much control and spin. I also found I could switch between racquets strung with polys and my racquet strung with Triax and not really miss a beat, yet I got to enjoy more comfort every time I did so."

"Ahhh, I forgot what it was like to hit with a comfortable string," said Michelle, who definitely appreciated this string's comfort, but had to adjust to the sound at impact. "No arm pain! No tension issues! No complaints! It's definitely a softer experience than my typical poly setup. Now when we talk about feel, this is a point I'm happy to discuss, as the 'feel' and sound at impact were a bit different from what I’m used to with my tightly strung dead polys. If I started a hitting session with a poly and switched to Triax, whether it was more mental or just adjusting, I didn't love the transition and could be pickier with the string. However, if I started with Triax from the first ball, I had no issues with the sound or playability."

Playability Duration - Score: 86

According to our team, Triax held its optimal playing characteristics longer than the polyester monofilaments they typically use. Granted, it breaks easier than a polyester, but Michelle couldn't argue with the playability or snapback. She said, "In terms of playability, I was impressed with how long Triax held up. It definitely breaks faster than my typical poly, but I still got a solid 10 hours of hitting before I noticed some fraying. The strings shocked me since they never got stuck out of position. Even when I tried to break the strings by shifting them out of position, they snapped back without fail."

Although the Triax in his racquet eventually frayed like a typical multifilament, Chris appreciated its tension maintenance, especially compared to his usual co-poly setup. He described, "I found decent durability from Triax. I know my colleagues over at TWE did not find as much durability when hitting on the clay courts, but Triax held up for me. I did start to see some fraying after about seven hours of hitting, but it didn’t seem to hinder the string's performance at all. I still found ample spin and control at the end of the test, and the string was still sliding and snapping back nicely. I found tension hold to be way, way better than co-poly strings, and I would highly recommend Triax to players who aren't string breakers but want co-poly-like playability."

Overall - Score: 81