Grapplesnake Tour Mako is one of those strings that quickly gets you hooked. I tried it out in a Wilson Blade 98, and for the first few hours, I really thought I had found a new favorite. It had a lot of spin, controlled power, a comfortable feel, and a very clean response. The Tour Mako makes a very strong first impression, especially with its unique green color, which I loved.
Then the drop in tension hit hard. What happened next was one of the most frustrating playtests I’ve had in a while, precisely because of how good the string felt early on.
Tech & specs
- Profile: Round
- Gauge: 1.25mm / 17
- Material: Co-polyester
- Available Colors: Green
Playtest Impressions
First Impressions (0–3 hours)
Tour Mako is great at first. The stringbed is surprisingly comfortable for a poly that leans toward control. It doesn’t have the harshness you might expect from a low-powered round co-poly. The spin access is very good, not because of aggressive bite, but because of clean snapback and predictable friction.
The main point here is control. It is easy to take full cuts without worrying about overhitting because the balls come off with a low to medium launch. The power is nicely muted, which goes well with the Blade’s natural feel and rewards fast, confident swings. I never felt disconnected from the ball early on; volleys and touch shots felt connected and responsive.
At this point, Tour Mako seemed like a string I could easily recommend.
The Drop-Off (after about four hours)
Then the loss of tension came, and it was sudden.
The stringbed quickly went from being controlled and lively to being tinny, unresponsive, and strangely deadened. The spin went away, the depth control went away, and the string stopped giving any useful feedback. The ball didn’t bite or jump anymore; it just came off flat and dull.
What made me the most angry was not just the loss of tension, but also how much the playability changed. It wasn’t a slow fade; it felt like the string hit a wall. No amount of adjustment could bring it back once it got there.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Excellent spin and control when fresh
- Comfortable feel for a control-focused poly
- Underpowered, confidence-inspiring response
- Clean, predictable launch early on
- Great colour and strong aesthetic appeal
Cons
- Very short playability window (4–6 hours feels accurate)
- Abrupt tension drop rather than gradual fade
- Becomes tinny and unresponsive late
- Loses spin and control quickly once dead
- Frustrating inconsistency across sessions
Who this suits
Best For:
- Aggressive baseliners who restring frequently
- Players chasing maximum performance in short sessions
- Those who value feel and comfort early on
- Players who like underpowered, control-first setups
Not For:
- Anyone who wants long tension stability
- Players who don’t cut strings out early
- Those sensitive to sudden changes in string response
- Set-and-forget string users
Comparable strings
If you’re considering Grapplesnake Tour Mako, these are the closest real-world alternatives worth comparing it to:
- Head Lynx – Classic round co-poly with stronger tension stability and smoother late-session feel. Less initially lively than Tour Mako, but holds response much better.
- Yonex Poly Tour Pro – Similar tension holding, but more consistent control and feel over the life of the string.
- Luxilon Alu Power – Classic round poly with cleaner, crisper feel; steadier tension retention and control late in sessions.
- Professional Strings Control – Far stronger tension holding and playability window; more predictable and stable through hours of play.
The Grapplesnake Tour Mako strings are now available for purchase at Tennis Warehouse Europe here (enter code TNERD10 for 10% discount).
Final verdict
Grapplesnake Tour Mako is the kind of string that sweeps you off your feet, then ghosts you. For the first few hours, it’s genuinely fantastic: plenty of spin, surprisingly easy on the arm, nicely controlled, and just really enjoyable to play with. Early on, I loved how it felt and, honestly, how it looked (love the green colour in the Blade V9).
Then the bottom falls out. The tension drop hits hard, the performance falls away just as quickly, and you really can’t pretend it isn’t happening. Once it goes, it really goes, which makes it tough to recommend unless you’re okay restringing frequently or mostly playing in short bursts.
I finished my playtest wanting to love this string outright, and in some ways I still do but the inconsistency overshadows the early magic. If Grapplesnake can stretch out that playability window, Tour Mako could be something special. Right now, it’s a reminder that in tennis strings, as in life, first impressions don’t always last.