Prince ProBlend String Review

Control - Score: 93 / Power - Score: 23

With its ultra-stiff Kevlar mains, Prince ProBlend fits the dictionary definition of a dead string. It places the burden of power (and depth) squarely on the player's shoulders. For some players, ProBlend's anemic response equates to a never-ending series of short and underpowered balls that sit up perfectly for the opposing player. However, for Michelle, ProBlend's dead response was key to unlocking her most powerful shots. She explained, "What I love most about this string is it did EXACTLY what I told it to. I could hit out and not hold back, and the ball would drop within inches of the baseline. I had no fear of overhitting, which enabled me to take very large cuts at the ball. The string was super nostalgic for me. Back in the '90s, I remember switching to ProBlend because of how often I was popping strings, and the experience of straightening the crosses against the tough Kevlar mains took me right back to my days of grinding away as a younger player. My game is built on big swings and lots of power, and hitting with this string reminded me why it works for me. I can accelerate without fear of spraying. I even felt I could get back to my longer stroke mechanics because I was rewarded when I hit harder. I found myself targeting big, flat shots just inches off the top of the net and inches inside the baseline. The control was everything I crave from my stringbed. I tried it in my RF97 and the Pure Drive Tour and was super happy with the low power levels and massive amounts of control. In a dream world, this is the level of power and control I have every time I step on the court."

As a longtime string playtester and gear guru, Mark has sampled more strings than most tennis players. For him, ProBlend is singular in its control. He described, "Relative to any polyester I have tested, and even compared to other Kevlar hybrids, Prince ProBlend is by far the most control-oriented, lowest-powered string setup I know of. This hybrid was extremely obedient to my swing path. The ball left the strings at exactly the angle I anticipated, giving me full confidence to ramp up my stroke speed. Whatever I asked of it, the predictable and low-powered effect of this stringbed delivered the goods and nothing more."

For Sage, ProBlend's low-powered response definitely required an adjustment period. He said, "This was the lowest powered string I've ever hit with. As far as control is concerned, I had issues producing consistent depth early in the playtest. Sound footwork was required, and it took full commitment to drive the ball deep in the court. After a few hours of hitting, I dialed in the depth a bit more and felt I could control the ball properly. This was not an 'out of the box' string for me, but as soon as I accepted that I could swing big without fear of overhitting, I did settle in nicely."

Spin - Score: 78

The reason many advanced players like ProBlend is because it enables them to maximize stroke speed without losing control. This feature makes ProBlend quite spin-friendly, and it earned a good score from our playtesters in this category. However, according to Sage, ProBlend is far from perfect in the spin department. He described, "Initially, I found less access to spin than I anticipated going into testing. I would place it far above multifilaments, but it's not quite as spin-friendly as most shaped polys. There was almost no snapback, even with fresh string. The low launch angle should be noted as well. When paired with a super-open 14x16 string pattern, the lack of snapback made this setup far too erratic. However, when paired with a tighter pattern, the strings were locked in, and the trajectory was reliable enough for taking bigger, more spin-friendly cuts at the ball."

For Mark, ProBlend's exceptional spin potential was never in doubt. He said, "In short, Prince ProBlend is one of the most spin-friendly string setups I know of. My thoughts on the spin potential for ProBlend are sort of tied into the control aspect of these materials, which helped me address the ball with extra racquet speed. The dwell time was also very generous, which made me feel like the ball was sticking to the stringbed. I try to shape my shots with spin. To develop a point, I look for a vacant spot on the court and then aim a more offensive shot to that area. The ProBlend hybrid definitely improves my aim and enhances that game strategy."

ProBlend offered Michelle excellent access to spin. She said, "There was nothing missing for me when it came to finding the spin I needed. Angles were great, and mixing up the pace with higher trajectories was simple. I never craved anything more in the spin department. I think this is where mechanics come into play. ProBlend isn't going to automatically offer you tons of spin, and if you hit with a bunch of arch, this string setup isn't going to magically take that away either."

Comfort - Score: 47 / Feel - Score: 62

The Kevlar main strings in ProBlend make this hybrid the stiffest setup our team has ever tested. That said, heavier racquets do a much better job absorbing the higher shock levels that come with Kevlar. For this reason, a player like Michelle, who uses a weighty player's racquet, didn't have any problems with discomfort. She did, however, provide some words of caution. "This is not the most comfortable string setup. I'd even go as far as to say I really wouldn't recommend it to anyone who has ever struggled with comfort from a poly string. For me, the more something feels like a board, the better. But I'm pretty sure I'm the exception here and not the rule. While I rarely experience comfort issues with my racquets, I know this is not a comfortable setup and would caution anyone before trying it. I could also see players dropping the tension on the Kevlar to help with the feel and comfort. This is not a string players turn to when they are looking for feel; it's a string for players who want ultimate control and durability."

Like Michelle, Mark had no issues with the stiff feel of ProBlend. He said, "Similar to monofilaments, lower tension ranges are the way to go here. However, unlike with a full bed of polyester, I felt as though I could keep dropping tension on the ProBlend and still get a great ball pocket without an erratic flight off the stringbed. Keep in mind, this was all relating to a tight-patterned frame. Overall, I like the feel; it was dampened, spin-friendly and very predictable."

"ProBlend provides an extremely stiff stringbed," added Sage, who struggled with this setup's unforgiving response. "This hybrid is not arm-friendly. My forearm felt the impact after about one hour of hitting. I wouldn't go so far as citing this as a cause for injury, but long-term, it would certainly require a transition period for my arm to adjust. This string is not for a beginner or the majority of intermediate players. I should note that this concern is bigger for players with lighter racquets."

Playability Duration - Score: 92

Although ProBlend loses tension over time, it never loses the low-powered control that separates it from other strings. On the downside, ProBlend's Kevlar mains do get stuck out of place, which can compromise performance for those who fail to manually straighten the offending strings. For Mark, ProBlend actually got better with age. He explained, "In terms of performance longevity, the ProBlend hybrid lasted the longest of any string setup I have tested. I typically play with full beds of monofilament strings, so I am used to the inevitable tension drop, albeit in a rather short amount of time. That said, the ProBlend hybrid is the first string setup where I actually preferred it as the stringbed aged. I had not played with my ProBlend racquet for a couple of weeks, and when I picked it up again, I noticed the stringbed just felt like it had broken in, becoming even more obedient to my swing path."

For Michelle, ProBlend's control never wavered. She said, "One of the first things I noticed about this hybrid was that the Kevlar mains got stuck out of position. However, if you are like me and instantly revert to your old rituals of string straightening, this won't be a problem. If you hate straightening strings after each point, avoid this setup. As far as the duration of string playability, ProBlend played dead from the first hit to the last. Given the durability of the Kevlar, you will likely have to cut these strings out before they snap (unless the synthetic gut crosses pop)."

Sage tested ProBlend in a few different racquets, and he found that some string patterns worked much better than others. He described, "I tried this hybrid in the Prince Warrior 100 ESP prototype (14x16), Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph (16x19) and a Babolat Pure Strike 18x20 3rd Gen. With the super-open 14x16 string pattern, I experienced excessive string displacement, and the playability went from bad to worse in short order. My shot trajectory was uncontrollable. For me, ProBlend held up best in a dense 18x20 string pattern. The strings stayed in place significantly better, and a flatter shot felt easier to guide over the net. I've put in two hours of court time, and thus far it is showing positive signs of longevity."

Overall - Score: 79