String comparison
Tornado vs Tour Bite
Signum Pro Tornado against Solinco Tour Bite: ratings, specs and which one fits your junior.
The short answer
Both are polyester strings. Tornado leads on power and comfort. Tour Bite leads on spin, control, durability and tension hold. For a junior with arm concerns, Tornado is the safer choice. Tour Bite costs less per set.
Ratings
Power
Spin
Control
Comfort
Durability
Tension hold
Ratings are on a 1–10 scale. The higher score is in bold when they differ.
Pick Tornado if…
- You want more power (6 vs 5 out of 10)
- You want more comfort (5 vs 3 out of 10)
- Arm comfort comes first (arm friendliness 2/5 vs 1/5)
- Your player is younger (recommended from age 14 vs 15)
- Best for: spin-oriented advanced juniors
- Best for: players who like a textured, grippy string
- Best for: heavy topspin baseliners
Pick Tour Bite if…
- You want more spin (10 vs 9 out of 10)
- You want more control (10 vs 8 out of 10)
- You want more durability (9 vs 6 out of 10)
- You want more tension hold (7 vs 5 out of 10)
- You want to spend less (from $10 vs $15 a set)
- Best for: control-obsessed advanced players
- Best for: aggressive topspin baseliners
- Best for: string breakers (excellent durability)
Specs side by side
| Spec | Tornado | Tour Bite |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Polyester | Polyester |
| Construction | Heptagonal (7-sided) co-polyester with an axial twist, extruded, cooled, then reheated and twisted | Square-shaped co-polyester with sharp edges |
| Gauges | 16, 17, 18 | 16, 16L, 17, 19, 20 |
| Stiffness | Medium high | High |
| Set price | $15–15 | $10–12 |
| Reel price | $160–160 | $130–150 |
| Arm friendliness | 2/5 · Low | 1/5 · Not arm friendly |
| Cost to maintain | 3/5 | 5/5 |
| Recommended from | Age 14 | Age 15 |
| Levels | Advanced, Elite | Advanced, Elite |
| Play styles | Baseliner, Big hitter | Baseliner, Big hitter |
| Junior tension | 44-50 lbs for juniors. Signum suggests about 10% lower than usual. | 44-48 lbs for juniors. String low due to stiffness - string feels firmer than it strings. |
Tornado in short
Signum Pro Tornado is a seven-sided co-poly with an axial twist, made by extruding a straight string, cooling it, then reheating and twisting it. Signum says the rough surface gives maximum bite on the ball and recommends stringing about 10% lower. Tennis Warehouse customers describe it as stiff and less arm-friendly. The TWU lab measured moderate-to-high stiffness and a fairly high tension loss, so expect it to need regular restrings.
Tour Bite in short
Launched in 2009, Tour Bite not only became a staple with collegiate level players, but it also helped vault Solinco into a top-tier string brand. This firm co-polyester is designed for advanced players who demand the ultimate in control, durability and spin. The square profile with sharp edges is ideal for aggressive topspin players who like to rip the felt off the ball. With its stiff response, slippery surface and grippy edges, Tour Bite specializes in hitting spin-loaded balls that drop hard and hop powerfully off the court. One of the very best polys out there with the best combination of spin, price, durability and feel.
Tornado vs Tour Bite: quick answers
Which has more spin, Tornado or Tour Bite?
Solinco Tour Bite, with a spin rating of 10/10 against 9/10.
Which is more arm-friendly for a junior?
Signum Pro Tornado scores 2/5 for arm friendliness, against 1/5 for Tour Bite. It is recommended from age 14.
Which lasts longer?
Solinco Tour Bite rates 9/10 for durability against 6/10.
Which is cheaper?
Tornado costs about $15–15 a set and Tour Bite about $10–12, at typical retail.
The short answer and the "pick if" lists are generated from our ratings and junior data only. Data verified 2026-10 (Tornado) and 2025-01 (Tour Bite).