I’ve spent the last several weeks extensively testing Solinco strings for a review, and in that video, I mentioned that one of my favourite setups was Hyper G in the mains paired with Hyper G Round in the crosses. The string bed bit into the ball well thanks to the shaped Hyper G mains, but without that launchy, sticky feel I sometimes get from a full bed of shaped string.

That got me thinking: why not explore more poly-poly hybrids?

Today, I've put together five hybrid setups that complement each other well, and also solve some of the drawbacks players run into with a full bed of the same string.

Why Poly-Poly Hybrids?

Strings are an extremely useful tool in finding the perfect racket setup and hybrids can help you fine tune the feel of your string bed even further. This Hyper G and Hyper G Round combo fixed problems I didn't even realize I had with a full bed of either string. Because of that, pairing a shaped poly in the mains with a round poly in the crosses gives you a best-of-both-worlds combination that a lot of players could benefit from.

Shaped strings adds bite to the ball, which gives you extra purchase to spin it and a level of confidence that the ball is going to dip down into the court. I've always liked shaped strings for that reason, but I kept going back to round strings because I prefer their consistency and neutral effect on launch angle.

After two weeks of testing poly/poly hybrids, this is my big takeaway: the right pairing can almost eliminate the inconsistent feel you get from a full bed of shaped string, while still keeping that extra bite.

It's also worth noting that plenty of pros have been using shaped-main, round-cross hybrids recently. Casper Ruud was one of the first to popularize the combo, Ben Shelton used it for a stretch, and I strung several setups like this for pros at the Van Open a few weeks back. If it’s proven to work at the highest level, I think a lot of lower-level players can also stand to gain from it.

5. Solinco Mach 10 (Mains) / Yonex Poly Tour Pro (Crosses)

This is the setup I'd recommend if you want the most user-friendly take on a shaped-and-round hybrid. Mach 10 is one of the softest shaped polys on the market, and Poly Tour Pro is one of the original soft round polys. They are both comfortable, forgiving, and more powerful than the stiffer strings further down this list.

Part of why these two work so well together is that they closely match each other's feel profile. Not only are they similar in terms of stiffness, but they are also both muted and quite mushy. That mushiness is exactly what makes this string bed so forgiving on off-centre hits; the strings flex more outside the sweet spot. Neither feels especially crisp on a perfect shot, but together they widen the sweet spot very well.

Compared to a full bed of Poly Tour Pro, what you gain here is spin. Poly Tour Pro is a great string, but it's low on spin potential, even among round polys. Mach 10 is sharp so it adds significant bite while keeping a similar overall feel on contact.

The one drawback to this setup is that, compared to the others on this list, it has the stickiest, most launchy feel. At the highest level, this combo might feel a touch too launchy to fully trust, but that’s a normal tradeoff when you use softer strings like this.

4. Babolat RPM Blast (Mains) / Babolat RPM Rough (Crosses)

I'm bending the rules a little bit with this one. RPM Blast is technically shaped, but it doesn't play like a typical shaped string. It doesn't add much bite and also doesn’t suffer from that sticky, shaped string feel. Still, I needed to include this hybrid because of how phenomenal it is for snapback.

RPM Rough is the snappiest string I've ever used. If you've played it in a full bed, you’ll know the explosive, spinny feeling that this much string movement creates, but my issue with a full bed of RPM Rough is that the snapback is so extreme that it can feel artificial on contact. It’s almost like you're overly spinning the ball rather than feeling it through the stroke. Also, RPM Rough is quite a stiff, uncomfortable string. RPM Blast adds a bit of plushness and tones down that snapback just enough to give you more grip and a more natural feel, without sacrificing much of that explosive snpapback.

The two strings also complement each other on feel. RPM Blast is fairly muted, while RPM Rough is noticeably crisper. In full beds, RPM Blast can feel a bit too muted for some, and RPM Rough's artificial snap keeps you from really benefiting from its feel. In a hybrid, you get that signature RPM Blast control, with a crisper, more satisfying feel and extra snapback.

Pair this with a racket that lacks some string movement and you'll boost spin potential without any major drawbacks.

The only downsides to note are that this is still a stiff setup, and it lacks durability. RPM Rough moves so much, that its rough texture notches the RPM Blast fairly quickly. If that's not a dealbreaker and you like the feel of round string, this is going to be the best pick on the list.

3. Solinco Mach 10 (Mains) / Solinco Hyper G Round (Crosses)

Here we have another Mach 10 setup, this time paired with Hyper G Round. It's similar to the Mach 10 / Poly Tour Pro combo, but you trade some power and forgiveness for more control and a significantly more connected overall feel.

Instead of two muted, mushy strings, you pair a softer string (Mach 10) with a string that delivers a crisp, satisfying feel (Hyper G Round). Since Mach 10 is in the mains, this setup still leans more muted than not, but it's noticeably more solid and feedback-oriented than Mach 10 and Poly Tour Pro. Hyper G Round is also much stiffer than Poly Tour Pro, so you get better snapback, more spin potential, and more consistency.

What I like most is that despite being more solid and usable at a higher level, this setup stays comfortable thanks to the Mach 10 mains. The next two setups on this list use a stiffer main, which adds control but sacrifices comfort. This is the best blend of the two I've found: more control than Mach 10 / Poly Tour Pro, more comfort than the stiffer setups ahead. By that same logic, it's also a bit more powerful and forgiving than the next two, so if you want some help generating power, this is a great option.

The only real drawback to this setup is a slight lack of cohesion. Because of the stark difference in feel between Mach 10 and Hyper G Round, you may need some time to get used to the two paired together, but overall, this is a well-balanced setup that I'd recommend to anyone looking for a versatile hybrid.

2. Head Lynx Tour (Mains) / Head Hawk Touch (Crosses)

Before getting into why this hybrid works so well, it's worth talking about each string individually, since both are among my favourites in full beds too.

Lynx Tour is one of my favourite shaped polys thanks to its excellent feel, incredible control, and slightly lower texture than other shaped strings, which gives it good snapback and consistency. And then, Hawk Touch is almost like the "Head Speed" of strings. It has good feel, good spin, good control, good comfort, and a bit of extra power. It doesn't have one standout trait like insane snapback or bite, but it's excellent across the board.

These two work so well together because Hawk Touch eliminates nearly all the small flaws I have with Lynx Tour. Lynx Tour is stiff and can be punishing on off-centre hits; Hawk Touch's softness helps open up that sweet spot, similar to the Poly Tour Pro effect I mentioned earlier, but on a smaller scale. My other minor issue with Lynx Tour is the slight stickiness that comes with any shaped string in a full bed. Since Hawk Touch is round and slick, it boosts snapback without making the sensation of snapback too intense or artificial.

Lynx Tour and Hawk Touch also feel like they were made to be used together in a hybrid. It's a symbiotic setup: Lynx Tour adds bite and grip, Hawk Touch smooths everything out with a plusher response, more feel, more comfort, and more consistency.

There isn't much to criticize here. It only lands at number two because it feels a bit more "standard" than number one, in that, it provides less of a wow factor. That could be exactly what some players want, though. Nothing about this setup screams out at you, it just delivers everything you'd expect from this style of hybrid without adding anything unnecessary.

1. Solinco Hyper G (Mains) / Solinco Hyper G Round (Crosses)

Coming in at number one is my current favourite string setup: Hyper G in the mains, Hyper G Round in the crosses.

I've always been a fan of Hyper G because it's the only shaped poly that provides a similarly magical sensation to Alu Power. But like I mentioned earlier, I've never fully trusted a full bed of shaped strings. This hybrid keeps that same magical pop and feel you get from a full bed of Hyper G, but it's less launchy and far more consistent.

That consistency is genuinely quite remarkable. Standard Hyper G already has great snapback for a shaped string, and pairing it with its round counterpart amplifies that even further, to the point where it nearly plays like a full bed of round string. You still get the shape and bite from the Hyper G main, but you almost entirely eliminate the stickiness associated with that shape.

Possibly the best part of this setup is how cohesive the whole string bed feels. One of the usual drawbacks of a poly hybrid is that you're combining two different polyester makeups, which can create a slight disconnect between the strings. Sometimes that's an advantage, like with Mach 10 and Hyper G Round, where you're deliberately balancing playability, but, it can also lead to a loss in connection between the two strings. But because Hyper G and Hyper G Round share the same polyester makeup, the sting bed feels uniform, further adding to its consistent feel.

As for drawbacks, there's really only one worth mentioning, and it may not even apply to you. Since Hyper G uses a stiff polyester formula, this is a firm setup. For some players, that could mean less comfort, but for others, it also means excellent control. That’s the usual trade-off with stiffer strings, and this is the most controlled setup on the entire list.

This is my new favourite string setup, and I'll be using it a lot going forward. It’s pretty much perfect for what I'm looking for right now.

Final Thoughts

If you want to try any of these strings for yourself, come visit us in store, or shop online at racketsandrunners.ca.