Luxilon Element Rough String Review

Control - Score: 87 / Power - Score: 55

Make no mistake, Element Rough is a control string, and it's designed for players who make their own power with long, fast strokes. However, unlike many control strings we've tested, Element Rough isn't overly stiff or dead off-center. For Chris, this string not only had great control, but the somewhat flexible construction also translated into easier depth. He explained, "I liked the blend of power and control this string offered. Element Rough felt a tad livelier than regular Element — much in the same way I've always found ALU Power Rough to feel livelier than ALU Power. It felt like the ball was pocketing in the stringbed more, which offered a slightly higher launch angle for more net clearance, depth and a loopier shot compared to regular Element. I felt very connected to my shots and got great spin, which combined nicely to give me a great sense of control."

Like Chris, Brittany got great control from Element Rough, and she too detected some power under the hood. She said, "Polyesters are almost always control-oriented strings, and Element Rough definitely offered me that control I was looking for. I had it strung up in my new Yonex EZONE 100 (300g), and I thought they complemented each other well. However, I did find that Element Rough also had a livelier response compared to other polyester strings, resulting in a little more power than I was expecting. This translated into easy depth on my groundstrokes and serves, so I had nothing to complain about."

Spin - Score: 93

The highest score for this playtest was awarded for spin. With its excellent bite and predictable response, Element Rough helped our crew bring the ball down effectively. Needless to say, Brittany was impressed. She said, "The spin potential from this string was top notch. I loved how the rough texture was really gripping the ball. Although I generally hit flat shots, I do use a lot of topspin when hitting shorter, angled groundstrokes to pull my opponents off the court, and this string allowed me to do this successfully time and time again. I could hit sharp angles that would drop just inside the sidelines. I also noticed a difference when hitting dipping, passing shots in doubles that were landing perfectly at my opponents' feet, forcing them to pop the ball up."

Finding plenty of bite with this textured string, Chris said, "I like the spin I found with Element Rough. I got the sense the string was grabbing the ball well, and I felt confident enough to take big swings with this string in my racquets. I wouldn't sayElement Rough was the best at snapping back into position to give the ball some extra kick, but I felt like it gripped the ball very well, so the level of spin was still very good."

Comfort - Score: 77

Element Rough is specially engineered to be softer and more flexible than your typical Luxilon co-poly. This plusher construction paid off for Chris, who appreciated this string's comfort level. He said, "Element Rough offered a softer and more comfortable feel compared to Element. I never had a comfort issue with the original, so obviously this Rough version was just fine. I liked the way the ball pocketed in the stringbed, and I'd say Element Rough is a decently comfortable offering in the world of poly strings."

"I've never had any arm or wrist issues in the past, so I'm not super sensitive when it comes to comfort," said Brittany. "Element Rough felt pretty comfortable at 52 to 53 lbs strung up in my racquet. It offered a soft, plush response, and I didn't have any issues with vibrations or shock. I would definitely say it is one of the most comfortable, if not the softest, polyester string offered by Luxilon."

Feel - Score: 86

Unlike strings with similar levels of control, Element Rough never felt "boardy" or overly stiff. For Brittany, Element Rough felt relatively soft without making her feel disconnected from the ball. She explained, "I found Element Rough to play softer than I expected for a polyester string. However, I also felt very connected to the stringbed and had a lot of confidence knowing exactly where the ball was going off my strings. I appreciated the consistent response I received throughout the stringbed. This allowed me to be very precise with my aim."

Chris also liked Element Rough's feel and response, especially early in the playtest. He said, "When freshly strung, Element Rough offered a decently soft feel, and I got a sense the ball was pocketing nicely in the stringbed. As time wore on, it felt even softer and livelier. I preferred the feel of the string when it was fresh because I felt more connected to my shots."

Playability Duration - Score: 70

A short playability duration was our playtesters' one real sticking point with Element Rough. As with nearly every co-poly we've tested, this string's feel and response changed noticeably with tension loss. Chris explained, "My one downside with Element Rough was how long it lasted in my racquets. The tension dropped out too much in two weeks, whether I hit with the racquet a lot or not. Once the tension had dropped, I found the string getting too lively. The launch angle got higher, and I was missing shots long. I much preferred to keep it fresh because I got more control and feel for my shots."

"The first two weeks with this string were great," said Brittany. "The playability was consistent from the first hit to about 10 hours. After around two and a half weeks I noticed a slight drop in playability and was losing a little of the control I loved at the beginning. By three weeks in the string had noticeably dropped in tension and I could feel a more trampoline-like effect as the ball was launching off the strings — especially when I was hitting aggressive, attacking shots. After three weeks I was ready to cut the string out of my racquet. I can sometimes get by a little longer with other strings, like Volkl Cyclone."

Overall - Score: 85