Construction: Co-polymer 

Color: Lava

Gauge: 15L (1.35 mm), 16G (1.30 mm), 17G (1.25 mm), 18G (1.20 mm), 19G (1.10 mm)

Length: 40 feet (12.2 M) and 660 feet (200 M)

Test Racquet / Tension
Yonex EZone DR98/19G (1.10 mm) @ 50lbs

Intro

Volkl has a reputation for not only making high quality frames, but strings as well. Whether it’s the instantly recognizable yellow of their V-Icon natural gut or the cult favorite spin machine that is Cyclone Tour, they have an option for virtually every player. For 2019 Volkl is offering a new spin focused poly with the introduction of V-Square. This string has a pronounced square profile for aggressive bite and spin production. Its co-poly makeup also provides better flex and feel than traditional polyesters. Volkl is also putting an emphasis on thinner gauges with this string to produce more action and improved feel. I was lucky enough to hit with this string early and see how it performed.

Power/Spin/Control

V-Square is a medium powered poly string. It didn’t have the cannon like nature of some of the softer polys on the market, but it brought a bit more pop to the table that some of the ultra low power offerings that are out today. I found enough power to keep the ball deep into the court and get plenty of pace on the ball. The power level was easy to control and I had no issue changing up depths, creating angles and hitting aggressively to small targets and lines. As promised, this string delivered in the spin department. The aggressive square shape had a sharp edge to it that really gripped the ball and kicked it over on groundstrokes. The shape also provided a very flat surface for the mains to sit on. This created less friction and allowed the mains to move more freely. And as we all know, more string movement = MORE SPIN. I was impressed with the height of my shots coming off the court and multiple opponents commented on the challenge they had adjusting to the way the ball moved off the court.

Feel/Comfort

I enjoyed the feel that V-Square offered. It had a nice blend of flex on contact without feeling overly springy like a lot of soft polyester strings do. I could feel the string pocket the ball on contact before launching it back across the net. The thinner 1.10 mm gauge also helped provide a clean, responsive feel. The solid flexibility of the string also gave me confidence when executing delicate shots as I felt connected enough to the ball to feel what it was doing off the string bed. V-Square played quite comfortable for a polyester string and I didn’t run into any comfort issues, even on balls hit off center. Players should be able to use this string at a variety of tensions with minimal concerns about long term comfort.

Durability/Playability

Depending on the player, durability would likely be the weak point of this string. While I was surprised by how resistant to notching it was initially (compared to similar thin, shaped polys), the thinner gauge was simply not designed to stand up to higher level swing speeds and play. The string started notching heavily around 4 hours and I broke them at about 5.5 hours of total court time. The string also did not seem to hold tension very well. It only took a couple sessions before the strings felt noticeable softer and weren’t snapping back into place as much as they were early on. The positive aspect of this was that despite the tension loss and wear, V-Square’s playability was incredibly consistent from start to finish. While I could feel the string bed softening up, it never suffered a major loss of control or had its power level become erratic. I felt confident in the response of the string from first hit through breaking it.

Overall

Fans of spin focused string that want something that plays with feel and consistency are going to enjoy Volkl’s new offering. It produces impressive spin levels, has a controlled power level and enough flex/feel to be dangerous anywhere on court. The focus on thinner gauges means it will have a short lifespan for big hitters and it isn’t a market leader in tension maintenance. Volkl V-Square offers a unique blend of incredible spin and consistency that will have players of any level swinging confidently for as long as the string will last.

About the Reviewer: Matt Locke formerly served for 3 years as the Junior Programs & Development Coordinator for USTA-Idaho. He is a PTR certified coach and is an active USTA 4.5+ League and Tournament player.