1. Kirschbaum X-Plosive Speed
We have tested in preview the X-Plosive Speed, the new monofilament of the German company Kirschbaum, which will soon be launched on the market.
The string is made of copolyester and has a hexagonal section. It is available in black, blue, red, white and yellow and in sizes 1.15, 1.20, 1.25 and 1.30 mm.
2. On court – The pros
The Kirschbaum X-Plosive Speed is a string with outstanding spin generation skills. Access to spin is facilitated by the hexagonal shape of the string, which allows you to “bite” the ball firmly, and the good snapback effect that increases the turns of each shot.
The spin is therefore one of the strengths of this string along with the power back and resilience peak. The power perceived during the shot is very good and the response is elastic and reactive. The result is good ball speed and depth trajectories, both on flat and rolled shots.
The stringbed is elastic and lively, guaranteeing not only an excellent level of comfortbut also a “mellow” and “full” impact when the ball comes out of the stringbed.
The string has a rather low stiffness, which, as mentioned earlier, increases its comfort and allows you to keep the stringbed nice and responsive, especially if you maintain low-medium stringing tensions (20 – 24 kg).
3. On court – The cons
The elasticity and low stiffness of the X-Plosive Speed, while providing comfort and liveliness to the stringbed, penalize the string in terms of control and tension hold. This behaviour causes the performance to decay after the sixth hour of play.
The elastic effect that characterises the X-Plosive Speed and guarantees it a certain liveliness during the string’s life cycle plays slightly against control. Especially on low-covered shots, the “slingshot effect” is perhaps too evident, with the consequent risk of losing control.
4. Who it is indicated for
The X-Plosive Speed is a rather versatile string that adapts to different types of tennis players.
Great for a game “rolled up”, or however covered, which allows you to make the most of the ability to spin and power of the string.
In relation to its low stiffness, the X-Plosive Speed can be recommended for both young and senior players. For example, it is recommended for young competitive players who are starting to have problems with frequent breaks with multifilaments.
5. Testing setups
The tests were performed by stringing the Kirschbaum X-Plosive Speed on:
- Donnay Formula 100 Hexacore (gauge 1.25 pulled to 21kg)
- Wilson Blade 104 custom (gauge 1.25 pulled to 21 kg)
- Babolat Pure Drive 2018 (gauge 1.20 pulled to 23 kg)
6. To conclude
The Kirschbaum X-Plosive Speed is a versatile and lively string that adapts to a variety of tennis players. Good power generation and spin. Soft and elastic, it has a life cycle of about 6 hours.
For instrumental measurements and further information, please refer to the Stringingpedia test page, a portal totally dedicated to the world of tennis strings!
We thank Kirschbaum for the concession of the strings that we have used in our tests.
