The New Babolat XCel Premium

While I am an extremly active proponent of durability strings and hybrid string beds, I am still a sucker for an nice soft string in my feeding racquet. I’ve used all the available comfort strings on the market and I am prepared to say that XCel Premium is (along with Gamma TNT Fat Core) one of the top two strings in its category. XCel Premium is about as close to natural gut as you can possibly get, XCel provides a soft feel, crisp response, and excellent power and no sacrifice in control. The latest version of XCel Premium has the added bonus of increased durability.

XCel Premium is exactly as its name implies, Babolat’s top of the line offering in its synthetic gut line. This multifilament string is the direct competitor of Wilson NXT, Wilson Sensation, Gamma Live Wire Pro, and Prince Premier. Unlike its competitors XCel does not have a glaring hole in its performance traits (NXT- Not Responsive, Sensation- No Durability, Live Wire- Stiff Feel, Premier- Not crisp response & control).

For players with chronic arm problems XCel Premium is, excuse the pun, just what the doctor ordered! The soft multifilament construction provides excellent shock absorbtion creating an unparalled comfort to the string bed. The players who’s racquets I have serviced and strung with XCel have come back with nothing but rave reviews! The most important comment that I hear is “my arm just doesn’t hurt now!”

However, anyone who is thinking that this string is just for older players with tennis elbow is sorely mistaken. Most professionals these days who play with a hybrid string bed us a Natural Gut in their cross strings. As a top tournament player or elite junior who wants to emulate the pros, but in the struggling economy has limited resources, XCel is a near perfect substitute! At half (or less than half in most instances) the price of natural gut you will be able to have two racquets strung with XCel and a good poly for the same price a one racquet with natural gut and recieve the same results!

Teaching professionals can benefit from using XCel as well, as I stated previously I string my feeding racquet with XCel Premium and the benefit is two fold. First, after a nice 8-9 hour day on the court my arm is in much better shape than it would be if I had my normal playing string bed (Pro Red Code mains, Prince Syn. Gut w/Duralex crosses) and I don’t lose any playability in the switch. Second, when I have students (young or old) who are looking for a soft string I can simply hand them my racquet and let them try it out, if they are not sold by the feel alone the fact that I am using it in my racquet usually gets the job done.

The new technique used by Babolat in binding the multifilaments and the replacement of polyurathene fibers with polymide fibers are the foundation for XCel’s increased durability. Along with the durability increase the string seems to hold initial tension about 10-15% better and holds total tension about 5% longer as well. When compared against the Previous version of XCel the new version lasts in the neighborhood of 13-15hrs longer. When compared to its competitors XCel has a 12-20 hour durability advantage. These may not seem like staggering numbers but they really are a big deal. If you are a recreational player and only playing 1-2 hours a week you will find the additional 6-10 weeks that you can play with these strings to be a fairly significant improvement.

For you stringers out there: this string is very easy to use, it uncoils well right out of the box and is smooth to work with. Like other strings of its ilk you will get the fraying and softening ends as you work so you’ll have to trim it down a couple of times as you work. Also like other premium strings you have to watch out for pre-burn and kinking (if it kinks and you pull it WILL break every time). Otherwise this string pulls easily and glides on the weave, is easy to tie off, and rarely slips.

Self stringers can order XCel premium for between $16-18 on the internet.

Non do-it-yourselfers can ask for it by name at your local shop and it will run you between $29-40 depending on where you live.

I recomend XCel premium for any player who has arm trouble or likes a soft string bed. I also recomend it for any player who is looking for gut like performance in their hybrid, but looking to avoid gut like prices!!