Solinco is the brand that I restring more than almost any other. Big bite on the ball and a stringbed that doesn’t go dead after a couple of sessions. Those are the two reasons that Juniors, college players and club hitters all come back to it. The hard part is the roster is much bigger. Between the square polys, the “Soft” versions, the round options and the multis, not always clear which one really fits your game.
So instead of another straight top five, I’ve put the main Solinco strings on a sliding scale from the out-and-out spin monsters to the most comfortable options. I have strung all of this for clients, and have played full bed in my own frames (mostly the Pure Aero 98 and Blade 98) at a variety of tensions. I’ve given you the honest pros and cons of each one because every string on this list is a trade-off of some kind.
| Rank | String | Type / Shape | Gauges | Spin | Comfort | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solinco Tour Bite | Sharp square co-poly | 15L to 20 (1.35 to 1.05 mm) | 10 / 10 | Low | Fast swingers who make their own power and want maximum bite |
| 2 | Solinco Hyper-G | Square co-poly | 16 to 20 (1.30 to 1.05 mm) | 9.5 / 10 | Medium | Aggressive baseliners wanting heavy topspin with predictable depth |
| 3 | Solinco Confidential | Shaped co-poly (rounded square) | 16 to 18 (1.30 to 1.15 mm) | 9 / 10 | Medium | Big hitters who want pinpoint control and the best tension hold in the range |
| 4 | Solinco Mach-10 | Shaped co-poly | 16 to 18 (1.30 to 1.15 mm) | 9 / 10 | Medium-High | All-court players wanting a livelier poly with easier depth |
| 5 | Solinco Hyper-G Soft | Soft square co-poly | 16 to 18 (1.30 to 1.15 mm) | 8.5 / 10 | High | Players wanting Hyper-G spin with an easier launch and less shock |
| 6 | Solinco Confidential Soft | Soft shaped co-poly | 16 to 18 (1.30 to 1.15 mm) | 8.5 / 10 | High | Control players who want a plusher poly that still holds tension well |
| 7 | Solinco Vanquish | Multifilament | 16 and 17 (1.30 and 1.25 mm) | 6 / 10 | Very High | Arm-sensitive players, or as a comfy cross in a poly hybrid |
1. Solinco Tour Bite
Tech & Specs:
Specs:
- Type: Sharp-edged square co-poly
- Gauges: 15L, 16, 16L, 17, 18, 19 and 20 (1.35 to 1.05 mm)
- Feel: Firm, crisp and very direct
Solinco Tour Bite is the string that put Solinco on the map and it’s still the most aggressive string in the line. The sharp square edges grab the felt like nothing else, and the stringbed is crisp, firm and very low powered. If you have fast racquet head speed and want to swing at 100% without fear of the ball going long, this is the one.
The upside is you get the most bite in the whole lineup, brilliant kick serves and the widest gage range Solinco makes including a durable 15L for string breakers. The downside is that it is firm and demanding on the arm, needs clean contact to shine and the bed can start to feel a little rigid once the tension drops after 8 to 10 hours.
Best for: Advanced, fast-swinging players who generate all their own power.
2. Solinco Hyper-G
Specs:
- Type: Square co-poly
- Gauges: 16, 16L, 17, 18, 19 and 20 (1.30 to 1.05 mm), plus 100 m and 200 m reels
- Feel: Medium-firm, crisp and controlled
Hyper-G is the benchmark modern square co-poly and the string I’d point most competitive players to first. It has a medium-firm feel, a high and dipping launch and a very predictable release, so you can attack with full swings and trust where the ball is going. It gives you a touch more feel and life than Tour Bite without losing much spin.
Its big strengths are huge spin with a predictable launch, excellent tension maintenance well past the 8 to 10 hour mark, and easy availability in reels, which keeps the cost down for regular restringers. It’s still a firm, low-to-medium powered poly though, so it can feel harsh in stiff frames at higher tensions and won’t hand you free depth if you have shorter swings.
Best for: Aggressive baseliners who want heavy topspin with predictable depth.
3. Solinco Confidential
Specs:
- Type: Shaped co-poly (square with rounded edges)
- Gauges: 16, 16L, 17 and 18 (1.30 to 1.15 mm)
- Feel: Medium-firm, solid and well dampened
The string I end up ordering the most for clients is confidential and they are very loyal to it. It sits between the stiffness of the Tour Bite and the liveliness of the Hyper-G, with a slightly lower launch offering laser-like control on serves and inside-out forehands. The flater drives really show off the pocketing.
In my experience it has the best tension holding in the lineup, great directional control and a composed feel on off-centre hits. The trade-off is lower launch and low power, so players who rely on net clearance or need help with pace may find it too flat, and it usually costs a little more per set than Hyper-G or Tour Bite.
Best for: Big hitters looking for pinpoint control and maximum tension stability. It is also a great main string in a hybrid with a round cross.
4. Solinco Mach-10
Specs:
- Type: Shaped co-poly
- Gauges: 16, 16L, 17 and 18 (1.30 to 1.15 mm), plus a 200 m reel in 17
- Feel: Medium, lively and crisp
Mach-10 is Solinco’s attempt at a livelier more responsive poly. It was much more elastic in testing than Tour Bite or Confidential, with a snap off the stringbed giving you extra depth on defense while still biting well on angles. The word that keeps coming up for this string is “crisp”.
You get more power and easier depth than the firmer Solinco polys, a noticeably kinder feel on the arm and good snapback with above average tension holding for a lively string. However, even though it doesn’t really excel in any one category, big hitters may find it a touch too lively in an open-pattern power frame and it’s one of the pricer sets in the range.
Who It’s For: The modern all-court player looking for Solinco spin, but a livelier, easier response.
5. Solinco Hyper-G Soft
Specs:
- Type: Soft square co-poly
- Gauges: 16, 16L, 17 and 18 (1.30 to 1.15 mm)
- Feel: Softer, more muted and more elastic than regular Hyper-G
Hyper-G Soft takes the shape and spin of the Hyper-G and puts them into a more pliable, more forgiving package. It’s the easier string to hit straight away, especially for players coming off firmer control polys. On the Pure Aero 98 it was lively and spin-friendly, while on the Blade 98 it opened up the frame nicely.
Keeps most of the Hyper-G spin with much less shock, easier launch and nicer feel on touch volleys. The catch is it loses tension faster than standard Hyper-G and feels less locked-in than Confidential Soft, and it’s still a poly so very sensitive arms should drop the tension into the mid 40s.
Best for: Intermediate to expert players seeking easier spin and comfort from a shaped poly.
6. Solinco Confidential Soft
Specs:
- Type: Soft shaped co-poly
- Gauges: 16, 16L, 17 and 18 (1.30 to 1.15 mm)
- Feel: Plush, dense and controlled
Confidential Soft is the slicker of the two soft options. It retains the directional, control-led DNA of Confidential but adds plushness and a little bit of pop. And importantly, it doesn’t feel squishy. There’s comfort, but underneath there’s a structure that’s defined.
It’s comfortable without sacrificing too much precision. It retains tension better than Hyper-G Soft, and works with control frames like the Blade instead of altering their personality. The more contained launch does mean less free spin and depth than Hyper-G Soft, and like the other soft versions it gives up a little crispness over time compared to the original.
Best for: Players looking for a softer control poly with a stable and predictable response.
7. Solinco Vanquish
Specs:
- Type: Multifilament
- Gauges: 16 and 17 (1.30 and 1.25 mm)
- Feel: Plush, soft and powerful
Vanquish is the premium multifilament from Solinco and the comfort end of the scale. It has a plush, gut-like feel that plays well as a full bed for players with arm trouble, and a nice cross string to soften a shaped-poly main.
It’s the most arm friendly string in the Solinco lineup by a long mile, with great feel and easy power and it softens a poly hybrid without killing the spin from the mains. But as a full bed, it offers much less spin and control than the polys above, frays quickly for heavy topspin players, and loses its fresh feel sooner once the coating wears.
Best for: Sensitive arms, or as a hybrid cross with Hyper-G Round.
Want to buy any of these strings, find all available Solinco strings at Tennis Warehouse Europe (code TNERD10 for a 10% discount) or at Tennis Warehouse US here.
Other notables
Hyper-G Round: Smooth, round version of Hyper-G (16 to 18). Less string on string friction, silky snap back. One of my favorite crosses for a shaped poly hybrid. Solinco also offer Hyper-G and Hyper-G Round together as a ready to go hybrid pack.
Tour Bite Soft: For players who love the control and spin of Tour Bite but want a more forgiving ride. A nice compromise between Tour Bite and Mach-10.
Tour Bite Diamond Rough: A textured version of Tour Bite, in 16L and 17, for those players who want even more grip on the ball.
Outlast: A low-friction co-poly that offers good durability and a consistent feel for a budget price. Good value for frequent stringers
Revolution: Another economical choice, a hexagonal co-poly that provides good bite and durability and performs well in hybrids.
Final thoughts
Solinco’s line-up really does have the full spectrum covered, from the raw bite of Tour Bite to the plush comfort of Vanquish. If I was picking based on where you rank on that scale, I’d go:
- Tour Bite for maximum spin and control if you generate your own power.
- Hyper-G for the best all-round blend of spin, control and tension maintenance.
- Confidential for precision and the longest-lasting stringbed.
- Mach-10 for a livelier, more powerful poly with Solinco bite.
- Hyper-G Soft for easier spin and comfort.
- Confidential Soft for a comfortable poly that still keeps things controlled.
- Vanquish for maximum arm comfort, as a full bed or in a hybrid.
