The 7 Best Tennis Strings for Spin (2023 Guide)

When it comes to tennis, spin is extremely important.

A player who can generate a high amount of spin can control the ball better and make it more difficult for their opponent to return the ball effectively.

There are many different ways you can add more spin to your game, but one way is by changing your tennis strings. Some strings are better suited for generating spin than others.

In this guide, we will explore the best tennis strings for spin and what to look out for to help turn you into the next Rafael Nadal.

(P.S. The grunt doesn’t come included with these strings).

Quick Summary

Reviews of the 7 Best Tennis Strings for Spin

1. Solinco Hyper-G

Price: $$ | Type: Polyester | Gauge: 16

The Solinco Hyper-G is my pick for the best tennis string for spin in 2023.

The Solinco Hyper-G is a relatively stiff string that offers a crisp and responsive feel, making it ideal for players who like to hit with a lot of pace and spin. It also features a square-shaped profile that helps to create extra bite on the ball and generate more spin.

Compared to many other polyesters, I found that the Solinco Hyper-G offered a lot more comfort. However, if you have a history of arm injuries or tenderness, you may want to consider an even softer string such as a multifilament or natural gut.

The Solinco Hyper-G is a high-quality string that is perfect for players who value spin and want a string that will help them control their powerful swings.

2. Babolat RPM Blast

Price: $$$ | Type: Polyester | Gauge: 16

Used by Rafael Nadal, the Babolat RPM Blast is an excellent choice if you’re looking to add more spin to your game.

Because of its remarkable spin and control, the Babolat RPM Blast is a very popular polyester tennis string. It also features a unique octagonal shaped profile that I found helped me add more spin to the ball.

The Babolat RPM Blast string outlasts other spin-friendly strings in terms of durability. Paired with its impressive tension maintenance, you have a consistent feel on the ball for many hours on the court.

You won’t be disappointed with the Babolat RPM Blast.

3. Luxilon Alu Power

Price: $$$ | Type: Polyester | Gauge: 16L

The Luxilon Alu Power is one of the most iconic tennis strings with players such as Roger Federer, Grigor Dimitrov, and Sebastian Korda all using it.

Released in 1994, the Luxilon Alu Power was one of the first polyester tennis strings ever invented. This string changed the sport and is the reason why polyester strings are so popular today.

The firm construction allowed me to take big swings at the ball without sacrificing control. The Luxilon Alu Power also has a pentagonal shape, which helps to grab the ball and generate more topspin.

I also found the Luxilon Alu Power felt softer than other polyesters and could generate more power, making it comfortable to use.

However, it is more expensive compared to others on this list.

4. Prince Vortex

Price: $ | Type: Polyester | Gauge: 16

If you’re looking for spin, the Prince Vortex is one of the best value-for-money tennis strings on the market.

The Prince Vortex is a firm polyester that has been manufactured with softening agents to increase elasticity and create a much more arm-friendly string. The softening agents also make this string quite powerful and lively for a polyester.

Paired with the hexagonal-shaped profile that grips the ball, you have a nice combination of power and spin.

If durability is important to you, the Prince Vortex is a great option, as I found it lasted a long period of time before breaking. However, its tension maintenance could be better.

5. Wilson Revolve Spin

Price: $$ | Type: Polyester | Gauge: 16

The Wilson Revolve Spin is a spin-friendly version of the original Wilson Revolve.

With the Revolve Spin, Wilson has shaped the string with five sharp edges that grip the ball more, which I found helped me generate more spin. This string is also made out of a low-friction UHMW material, which Wilson says increases the spin potential.

The downside to this string is tension maintenance. I found that as the string wore down, it would start to lose control. However, at such an affordable price, I would have no problem replacing the strings regularly.

6. Volkl Cyclone

Price: $$ | Type: Polyester | Gauge: 16

The Volkl Cyclone is a polyester string designed to provide players with a blend of feel, control, and spin.

As with many of the strings I’ve reviewed today, the Volkl Cyclone is a shaped string built for spin. However, something unique about the Volkl Cyclone is that it offers a lot more feel and playability compared to most polyester strings. This made me feel like I had a better connection with the ball.

Furthermore, the Volkl Cyclone is surprisingly comfortable making it a good choice for powerful baseliners who want something a bit easier on the arm.

It also comes in a range of colors such as black, pink, orange, and yellow.

7. Head Lynx Tour

Price: $$ | Type: Polyester | Gauge: 16

Head has created some excellent tennis strings over the years, with one of those being the Lynx Tour.

The Head Lynx Tour delivers excellent control, spin, and durability. I also found the string provided a very crisp and responsive feel, which I was a huge fan of.

My favorite feature of this string is its tension maintenance. The string felt consistent all the way through until it broke which is hard to find in a polyester string.

However, it isn’t the softest string, which can be an issue for players who struggle with arm injuries such as tennis elbow.

What to Consider When Choosing the Best Tennis Strings for Spin

There are a few things worth considering when choosing a tennis string for spin.

Type

There are 5 different types of tennis strings out there for you to choose from.

• Polyester: They are stiff and provide more spin and control to your shots but lack comfort and power. They are also a lot more durable.

• Multifilament: They provide an excellent blend of power and control. Although not as durable as polyester strings, they provide more power and comfort.

• Natural Gut: They provide excellent power, feel, comfort, and tension maintenance, but are not as durable as other types of strings. Plus, they are very expensive.

• Synthetic Gut: An affordable string that offers a balance of durability, power, and comfort.

• Hybrid: A combination of two different types of string. The most common combination is a polyester string in the mains and a natural gut in the crosses.

If you’re looking for spin, the best type of string is a polyester. However, polyesters are a lot firmer and tougher on the arm which is not ideal if you frequently get arm injuries.

If you’re looking for something more comfortable without sacrificing too much spin and control, I’d recommend trying a multifilament string.

Gauge

Gauge refers to the thickness of the string.

It is measured on a scale of 13-22, with lower numbers representing thicker strings and higher numbers representing thinner strings. It can also be displayed in millimeters, with a range of 0.60 mm to 1.65 mm.

You’ll find that tennis strings are only available in the most common sizes which are 15L (1.35 mm), 16 (1.30 mm), 16L (1.25 mm), and 17 (1.20 mm). The chart below shows all the different gauge sizes.

Thinner strings create more spin because they dig deeper into the ball when they make contact. But they make it harder to control the ball and break faster.

When you’re starting out, I’d recommend sticking with a 16 or 16L gauge size as these give a good balance between spin and control. Once you have gained more experience, then you can experiment with different gauge sizes to find the one that best suits your game.

Tension

Tension is another factor that will have an effect on the amount of spin you get on the ball.

Tension refers to the amount of pressure that your strings are strung at on your tennis racket. It is measured in pounds or kilograms. String tension ranges from 35 to 70 pounds (15.88 kg to 31.75 kg).

Lower string tensions will generate more spin as the strings can move more freely, creating more friction with the ball. However, with a lower tension, you are sacrificing control.

When choosing a string tension, you should stay within the recommended string tension range printed on the inside of your racket frame, which is usually between 50 and 60 pounds.

String Pattern

String pattern refers to the total number of mains and crosses strings on the racket.

String pattern can have a major effect on the performance of your tennis racket. The most common string patterns are 16×18, 16×19, 16×20, and 18×20.

Here are the two main types of string patterns:

• Open: An open string pattern means that there are fewer strings on the racket head, which creates larger gaps between the strings. This allows for more movement of the strings, resulting in greater spin potential and more power. The most common open string pattern is 16×19.

• Closed: A closed string pattern means that there are more strings on the racket head, creating smaller gaps between them. This results in less movement of the strings, which leads to greater control and precision. The most common closed string pattern is 18×20.

It’s all personal preference when it comes down to what string pattern you use. However, if you’re looking to add more spin to your game then I’d recommend a tennis racket with a 16×19 string pattern.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions related to the best tennis strings for spin.

What Type of String Gives Me Comfort, Power, and Spin?

If you’re looking for a blend of comfort, power, and spin then I’d recommend trying a hybrid string setup.

Generally, this is where you have a stiff polyester in the mains and a softer natural gut in the crosses. This means you get the control and spin benefits of the polyester as well as the power and comfort benefits of the natural gut.

But it’s worth noting that this setup can be quite expensive.

If you’re on a budget, you may want to swap out the natural gut for a synthetic gut or multifilament string.

Is Multifilament Good for Spin?

A multifilament string is a good alternative if you want something softer and more comfortable on your arm than a polyester string.

Multifilament strings won’t provide as much spin and durability as a polyester, but they do provide more power, comfort, and tension maintenance.

If spin isn’t your main focus then I’d recommend giving multifilaments a go.

Do Thinner Strings Give More Spin?

The thickness of a string is referred to as the gauge. The higher the gauge the thinner the string and vice versa.

Thinner strings offer more power and spin, but they break faster, whereas thicker strings have better control and are more durable, but they have less spin potential.

Final Words

Congratulations! You now know the best strings to help add more spin to your game.

But you’re not going to become the next Rafael Nadal just by buying new tennis strings, you need to get out there and practice as well.

So see you on the court!