Luxilon ALU Power first hit the shelves in 1994, and thanks to early adopters such as Gustavo Kuerten, it has been long since established as the market leader in the packed field of high-tech, polyester strings.
It’s a no-nonsense, tough, high-control poly manufactured to the highest standard in Belgium, and has been the polyester string of choice for some of tennis’s biggest names ever, including Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray.
However, that premium offering comes at a price. At $20 a set on Tennis Warehouse (and that’s before stringing fees!) Luxilon ALU Power can prove expensive for regular string-breakers. Thankfully, there are a few cost-effective alternatives out there.
Number One: Gosen Polylon
This similarly old-fashioned, straightforward polyester string won’t provide any on-court miracles, but then again, it doesn’t have to. It’s a low-powered string that offers a heavy-hitting players a high degree of control and solid offering of spin just like a poly should.
Gosen have been producing strings in Japan for over 70 years, and Polylon, like many Japanese- made strings, is of excellent quality, and a big reason why it makes this list. The string feels good to work with on the machine, and feels very solid on the court.
Polylon does appear to notch more than ALU Power before breaking, but this won’t affect durability drastically. Plus, at just $5.99 a set from Tennis Warehouse, any durability concerns are negated when the cost is less than half of ALU Power.
Gosen Polylon comes in three colours: Black, Natural, and – the coolest version – clear.
Number Two: MSV Focus-Hex Ultra
MSV has produced some great strings in the last decade, and Focus-Hex Ultra is no different. With its higher stiffness and increased access to spin, Focus-Hex Ultra is perhaps a slightly livelier, modern-day alternative to ALU Power.
Additional benefits include the fact that Focus-Hex Ultra will hang on to tension better than ALU Power, and it also comes in a wider range of string gauges, from as thin as 1.10mm all the way to 1.30mm.
This should help individual players dial in performance from this string that is right for their game and their particular racket. These factors, as well as the hexagonal shape of the string, will mean Focus-Hex Ultra will feel a bit different to ALU Power, so while it’s not a straight-up substitute for the Belgian string, it is one worth trying.
It earns a kind of, “if you liked Luxilon ALU Power, perhaps you’ll enjoy Focus-Hex Ultra” recommendation. Being a German company, MSV strings are more widely and cheaply available for European customers, but Focus-Hex Ultra is available in black from Tennis Warehouse for $11.90.
Number Three: Kirschbaum Max Power
Straightaway, one of the principal advantages of Kirschbaum Max Power is the fact it looks like ALU Power. And in addition to the sleek, dark grey colour, there are a few other similarities that bring it into the conversation.
This is another low-powered, control-focused string for hard-hitting players. Compared to the two other strings recommended in this article, the performance of Max Power is probably closer to ALU Power than either of them.
It’s less muted in feel than the straightforward offering of Polylon, but is not as explosive and modern as Focus-hex Ultra. For this ALU Power alternative, a racket’s worth of string will set you back $10.00 on Tennis Warehouse and is available in a variety of gauges.
It should also be noted Kirschbaum Max Power is currently being used by Argentinian player Francisco Cerúndolo, who achieved a career-high rank of 23 in the world as recently as May 2023.
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