Construction: Co-polymer Monofilament

Color: Gray or Red

Gauge: 16G (1.30 mm) or 17G (1.25 mm)

Length: 40' and 660'

Test Racquet / Tension
Yonex EZone DR98 @ 49lbs

Intro

It’s official, spin is in! The modern game is built on the ability to put loads of spin on the ball, driving opponents crazy. Wilson originally offered their Revolve polyester string to cater to the spin hungry masses and now the family as expanded once again. The new Revolve Twist takes some of the tried and true Revolve formula and turns it up a notch. The string retains the same slick Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMW) coating for outstanding snapback on contact. This new version adds 3 raised ridges along with a twisted profile for increased grip and ball rotation. Having played and enjoyed both Revolve and Revolve Spin in the past, I was eager to see how the newest addition to the family would play on court.

Power/Spin/Control

Much like other versions of the Revolve family, Revolve Twist was relatively low powered. It provided a consistent level of power on all my shots and played with predictable depth off the ground. This lower power level allowed me to swing aggressively without fear of sending the ball sailing. The low power nature also gave the string solid directional accuracy. I was able to move the ball around to different areas of the court easily and picked aggressive targets to hit to. Spin production was fantastic but I found it to be slightly different than Revolve and Revolve Spin. Twist grabbed the ball in a different way. It didn’t generate as much topspin as the sharp edged Spin version (although it still had plenty!). The ridged profile of Revolve Twist really stood out on slice shots. The string gripped the ball in a way that slices stayed really low and went skidding through the court. The UHMW coating promoted plenty of string snapback on contact which helped keep the topspin level above average.

Feel / Comfort

Revolve Twist still retained a firmer feel on contact. I thought it had a bit more flex to it than the original version of the string but wouldn’t classify it as a “soft” poly. It played with a crisp but clean response. The positive was that the string played with uniform feel across the string bed and I didn’t notice any hot spots or additional bussing outside the sweet spot. The slight increase in flex gave me a bit more feel at net and on drop shots which I was more successful with using this string as compared to the other versions of Revolve. Its firm response may not be ideal for players with sensitive arms. The low powered nature made it a candidate to be played at lower tensions which should help with comfort for those players concerned about it.

Durability/Playability

Durability was a strong point of my time with Revolve Twist. The UHMW coating did an admirable job of reducing friction on the string bed, helping to extend the life of the string. It was relatively resistant to notching despite the ridged profile, with minimal notching apparent until about the 6 hour mark. I tested the 16G version which likely aided in the string’s overall durability. The thinner 17G would trade some durability for improved feel and a touch more spin. I broke the string at about the 11 hour mark and I am usually happy if I can reach double digit court hours with a poly prior to it breaking. Revolve Twist also did an impressive job of staying consistent from a playability standpoint throughout its life. Even at the tail end, it played with consistent response and performance, never taking a nose dive and turning into a rocket launcher like some polys can.

Overall

Players who have a variety of spins in their arsenal should be impressed with Wilson’s latest string offering. It offers controllable power, plenty of grip for both topspin and slices and enough flex for more delicate shotmaking. Durability and playability are also above average, making sure players squeeze maximum value from the string. Wilson’s Revolve Twist brings spin to the masses without compromising on control or playability and is worthy of a trial by any poly user looking to maximize variety and value with their string.

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.