The Mantis Tri-Poly Spin tennis string is the newest offer from a very up and coming tennis company. Although Mantis is not a household name in tennis (yet), the company is producing some solid products that are making waves. I was able to snag a few sample sets of this semi-firm triangular shaped tennis string.
Stringing the Mantis Tri-Poly Spin 17 tennis string
There are many polyester tennis strings that are more difficult than others to install. The coil memory of some stiffer strings make it so weaving can become difficult and, more importantly, frustrating. Thankfully the Mantis Tri-Poly Spin is soft enough to maintain some coil yet weave easily and comfortably. I opted to string at 44 pounds of tension; anticipating low power, I went slightly lower than some other strings. The string installed painlessly in my customized Mantis Pro 295 racquet and my knots tied off nicely and close to the frame. Installation tip: Try not to twist the string too much during installation, if you do, you will be taking away the design of the string.
Mantis Tri-Poly Spin playtest
When I got out to the courts to review this string, I started with my normal routine: short court, full court, gradual increase to full speed hitting.
During my warm-up, I was able to feel a nice response from the stringbed, soft strings but just the right amount of firmness to not agitate my arm. I was confident knowing that I could swing for the fences and I would not sacrifice my arm.
Once I got around to full speed hitting, the strings came alive! At the lower tension I was using, I was able to get the right amount of depth from my strokes, regardless of hitting flat or with spin. The spin production of this Mantis Tri-Poly Spin string was slightly above average, it wasn’t crazy amounts of spin coming off the racquet, but it was enough to get the ball to dip deep at the last possible second to drop in on the baseline. The strings provided me with the option to gain additional spin by slightly changing my grip and swing; going from semi-western to full/extreme-western and brushing up more on the ball during impact produced greater amount of spin. Though I regularly produced a heavier ball (according to my hitting partner that is) when I hit with my normal forehand and backhand.
When it came to power and control, the Mantis Tri-Poly Spin tennis string produced a nice even blend of the two characteristics. The power was middle of the road, slightly below average but the control made up for the lack of pop. The power shined when I flattened out my strokes a bit; allowing for deep penetrating groundstrokes. I did really enjoy the control of the Mantis Tri-Poly Spin string; placing shots and directional changes came with ease. I particularly enjoyed the “inside-out” crosscourt forehand, I was easily able to place that tennis ball, literally, within inches of where I previously hit it before.
Probably the most thrilling characteristic of this string is that the Mantis Tri-Poly Spin is incredibly comfortable and arm friendly! I’ve been known to have a little tenderness in my elbow from reviewing so many different tennis racquets and strings; so having a tennis string that is comfortable is worth mentioning. The softness of the string provided a nice and soft stringbed. Never did I feel that I was going to hit too hard that I was going to do some damage. The strings played soft for the duration of the playtest. Especially at the lower tension, the strings give an added element of comfort.
There was very little I didn’t like about the Mantis Tri-Poly Spin tennis string; first off, the strings didn’t last nearly as long as a I would prefer. The tension maintained pretty well but I ended up breaking a string after about 5 hours of play time. During the last hitting session, the strings began to move all over the place; however, I didn’t lose much control which was a pleasant surprise. I was just a little disappointed that the strings broke prematurely (thankfully the strings are at a reasonable price).
Final thoughts on Mantis Tri-Poly Spin 17 tennis string
Though triangular tennis strings aren’t as popular as other tennis strings on the market right now, this string definitely is a stakeholder in the market for shaped tennis strings.
The Mantis Tri-Poly Spin is ideal for tennis player who not only seeks comfort, but also expects good to great spin from his or her setup. These strings would go well either in a full bed or in a hybrid with a traditional round multi or syngut.
It was a lot of fun reviewing this string, as the spin and control alone are well worth a try.
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