Breakdown

Control: 7.8

As a polyester-based monofilament, Element Soft IR is designed to give experienced players the control they need to execute long, fast strokes without having to worry about overhitting. However, given that Element Soft IR is a tad more flexible than the average poly, Michelle found that higher string tensions were required to unlock its charm. She said, "I had a chance to try this string above 50 pounds (at 56) and below 50 pounds (at 48), and I really noticed the plush pocketing at both tensions. However, the lower tension seemed to get a bit too springy and erratic, while the tighter option created the perfect blend of control and power. I was testing Element Soft IR alongside the firmest Luxilon string in the lineup, 4G, and that really helped me appreciate this string's added power and how the ball sank into the stringbed. With 4G, I really have to do all the work to get the ball through the court. With Element Soft IR, at the right tensions, I could swing a bit freer and received nice levels of power without losing control of my shots."

Chris appreciated the response of this string, especially at the beginning of the playtest. He said, "I liked the response of Element Soft IR the most when it was fresh in my racquet. I felt like there was ample control for me to go after my targets and not be fearful of overhitting. I found the control faded toward the end of the test. With that said, I was happy with the power I had on my shots throughout. I was happy with the pace I could generate on groundstrokes, and I also found solid pace on serves."

Spin: 8.0

Like the majority of polys they've playtested, Element Soft IR gave our crew enough spin potential to hit the full range of angles and trajectories. For Chris, however, this string's spin potential came with an expiration date. He explained, "I got solid spin on my shots with Element Soft IR. I was able to roll angles nicely, finding ample topspin to get the ball dipping inside the lines. Likewise, when driving a slice I felt like I was getting good spin on the ball, which allowed me to be aggressive. However, it did not take long for this string to notch, which impacted its snap back. This affected the feel, as well as the amount of spin I was getting, and I had a slight drop off in control as a result."

This co-poly packed more than enough spin potential for Michelle's game. She said, "I'm not looking to add loads of spin to my shots, but because of that pocketing, I did feel like the ball spit out of my stringbed with added RPMs. I felt really confident hitting big and low over the net, but I also had the ability to really ramp up the topspin when needed. I have been working on accelerating through the second part of my kick serves even more lately to get the ball to jump, and I appreciated this string when going for those aggressive kickers."

Feel: 8.0

Unlike the majority of Luxilon co-polys, Element Soft IR is made with Multi-Mono Technology, which is a co-extrusion process designed to create a softer, more comfortable feel. According to Michelle, the design works in spades. She commented, "This string is so comfortable! Period. There is not much more to say here. I'm used to playing with the firm, stiff, dead polys and this one is not that. It is plush and pockets well even when strung on the upper end of the recommended tension. No discomfort at all throughout the playtest! This string would also add some comfort to a poly/poly hybrid!"

Although Chris appreciated the feel initially, some problems developed over time. He said, "When the string was fresh I really enjoyed the feel and response of the string. I liked the sense of the ball pocketing nice and deeply in the stringbed and even off-center shots felt more forgiving than expected. Once the string had lost some tension and started to notch I felt like it had lost a bit of its magic. I had the sense the strings were getting stuck in position resulting in a firmer feel on spin shots. Conversely, the loss of tension had the string feeling flighty on flat shots which resulted in an on or off response for power depending on how I was hitting the ball."

Playability Duration: 6.4

All strings change over time. They lose tension and typically suffer the battle scars of friction, including notching and other surface imperfections that prevent the strings from deflecting and snapping back through impact. This is why the pros often change racquets several times over the course of a single match, and it's also why Chris noticed some significant playability issues as the playtest wore on. He described, "Any issues I had with Element Soft IR came when I kept it in my racquet deep into a couple weeks of hitting. I was ready to cut it out and string up a fresh set by the third week, which is not uncommon for me with co-poly strings. My issues with Element Soft IR came from notching and tension loss."

"While Element Soft IR did a lot of things well, I would say this category is the downside of the string," added Michelle. "I need to see what the lab says to confirm, but it did feel like Element Soft IR dropped tension faster than some of the stiffer polys I typically use. It was tough because I hit it side by side with 4G, a string that has pretty impeccable tension maintenance, for a week of the playtest.There was some notching after a week or so of use, but I didn't have issues with the string getting stuck out of place." 

Breakdown Summary