Solinco Confidential Soft is a five-sided co-polyester tennis string designed to preserve the spin and directional control of standard Confidential while adding a livelier, more forgiving response. It launched in 2026 as the first string in Solinco’s Prizm Project and is identified by its Electric Pink color.
The word “Soft” is relative to the Confidential family and the polyester category. Confidential Soft remains a monofilament for players who generate racket-head speed. It does not provide the elasticity or impact comfort of natural gut or a multifilament.
The string targets intermediate and advanced players who like shaped-polyester control but find standard Confidential too firm or underpowered. The Tennis String Finder can help compare it with softer constructions.
Solinco Confidential Soft Rating
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Power | 7/10 |
| Spin | 8.5/10 |
| Comfort | 7.5/10 |
| Control | 8.5/10 |
These ratings account for Confidential Soft’s position within the full string market and its softer, livelier response relative to standard Confidential.
Solinco Confidential Soft Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| String type | Co-polyester monofilament |
| Shape | Five-sided |
| Surface | Low-friction exterior |
| Formulation | Proprietary softening formula |
| Gauges | 16 / 1.30mm, 16L / 1.25mm, 17 / 1.20mm and 18 / 1.15mm |
| Color | Electric Pink |
| Set length | Approximately 12.2m |
| Reel length | Approximately 200m |
| Release | 2026 Prizm Project introduction |
Confidential Soft is a distinct string, not simply a new color of standard Confidential. Solinco states that the formulation was changed to influence softness, pop and playability.
Material and Construction
Confidential Soft uses a co-polyester monofilament with a proprietary softening formula. Solinco developed it to increase plushness and response while retaining the controlled identity of the original string.
The string has five sides. Each edge can contribute to ball bite, while the low-friction surface supports movement and snapback at the intersections. Describing it as square is inaccurate because a square profile has four sides.
Solinco connects the Electric Pink color with its Prizm Project, which treats color formulation as a performance variable rather than only a visual change. The official material explanation does not disclose the complete chemical recipe, so claims about specific additives beyond the softening formula would be speculative.
The design remains polyester based. Its improved flexibility and liveliness should be understood in comparison with standard Confidential, not as proof that it behaves like a nylon multifilament.
Solinco Confidential Soft Performance
Power
Confidential Soft is livelier than standard Confidential. Solinco positions the revised formulation around added pop, and early independent retail evaluation also describes a more responsive launch.
The string can produce easier depth than a traditional low-powered control poly, especially in 1.20mm or 1.15mm. It still performs best with committed strokes and does not match the easy rebound of natural gut or a powerful multifilament.
Players using a powerful racket or open pattern may need time to adjust to the higher launch. Thicker gauges provide a more restrained response.
Power rating: 7/10
Spin
The five-sided profile and low-friction surface give Confidential Soft strong spin potential. Its edges provide bite, while snapback can help the mains return after sliding across the crosses.
The slightly more responsive stringbed may help some players create depth and a heavier trajectory without swinging as forcefully as they would with standard Confidential. Technique and racket-head speed remain essential.
Spin performance can decline as the intersections notch and the strings stop moving freely. Physical breakage is not required for that change to occur.
Spin rating: 8.5/10
Control
Confidential Soft retains very good directional control, but it is less locked in than the standard version. The additional pop creates a more accessible response at the cost of some absolute restraint.
Intermediate and advanced players should find enough predictability to attack from the baseline, redirect pace and use spin to bring aggressive shots down. Flatter hitters may prefer the thicker gauges to moderate launch.
Calling it effortless power and pinpoint control without context would overstate marketing language. The balance is strong for a softer polyester, but setup and swing style determine whether it feels controlled.
Control rating: 8.5/10
Comfort and Feel
Comfort is the main reason to choose this version over standard Confidential. The softening formula creates more pocketing and a plusher response by polyester standards.
The feel should remain connected rather than mushy, with less of the rigid impact associated with the original string. The Electric Pink formulation is part of the intended performance change, although individual perception will vary by gauge, tension and racket.
Confidential Soft is not an arm-care product. Players with current pain should consider natural gut, multifilament or professional advice rather than assuming any polyester labeled Soft is suitable.
Comfort rating: 7.5/10
Durability and Tension Maintenance
Physical resistance should be good because Confidential Soft remains a co-polyester monofilament. The 1.30mm and 1.25mm gauges contain more material and should resist breakage better than the thin versions.
Solinco also claims improved tension stability, but long-term independent testing is limited because the string is new. That claim should therefore remain attributed to the manufacturer rather than presented as a settled fact.
Useful playability can finish before breakage. A softer formulation may become too lively, too firm or less consistent as elasticity and snapback change. Players should monitor launch, string movement and impact feel instead of using an arbitrary number of hours.
Choosing the Right Gauge
| Gauge | General characteristics |
|---|---|
| 16 / 1.30mm | Maximum stability and physical resistance with the lowest launch |
| 16L / 1.25mm | Balanced spin, control, response and durability |
| 17 / 1.20mm | More pocketing, launch and spin access |
| 18 / 1.15mm | Most responsive and least resistant to wear |
The 16L / 1.25mm version is the broadest starting point. Open patterns and frequent breakers may suit 1.30mm, while dense patterns can benefit from 1.20mm.
Full Bed or Hybrid Setup
Full Bed
A full bed makes the shaped profile, pop and controlled response most apparent. It suits established polyester users who want more forgiveness than standard Confidential provides.
Players unfamiliar with polyester should not assume the Soft name makes a full bed equivalent to nylon.
Solinco Confidential Soft in the Mains With Softer Crosses
Confidential Soft mains emphasize shaped bite and control. Natural gut, multifilament or synthetic-gut crosses add power and pocketing.
The five-sided mains can notch a soft cross. This setup should be inspected regularly, particularly for players who create heavy spin.
Softer Mains With Solinco Confidential Soft in the Crosses
Soft mains prioritize comfort, elasticity and feel. Confidential Soft crosses lower the launch and add a firmer response.
Its geometric edges may abrade soft mains more than a round polyester cross. Players who want maximum main-string movement may prefer a smooth cross.
General Tension Guidance
Confidential Soft should generally start below a nylon or multifilament reference. Its increased pop may justify beginning near a player’s familiar polyester range instead of dropping dramatically.
Lower tension adds pocketing and easier depth. Higher tension reduces launch but can remove the comfort advantage that distinguishes this version.
Gauge, head size, pattern and frame stiffness must be considered together. Use the Tennis String Tension Calculator for broad guidance and adjust one variable at a time.
Who Should Use Solinco Confidential Soft?
Confidential Soft is best suited to:
- Intermediate and advanced players with developed swings
- Standard Confidential users wanting more comfort and pop
- Shaped-polyester users seeking above-average category comfort
- Aggressive baseliners who combine pace and spin
- Players who want four useful gauge options
- Hybrid users seeking a lively shaped component
Who Should Avoid Solinco Confidential Soft?
Confidential Soft is less suitable for:
- Beginners who do not need polyester
- Players seeking natural-gut or multifilament comfort
- Users with current arm pain
- Flat hitters wanting the lowest possible launch
- Players who prefer a crisp, firm stringbed
- Anyone expecting independent long-term data for a newly released product
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| More forgiving than standard Confidential | Still firmer than genuinely soft string types |
| Strong spin from five-sided shape and snapback | More launch than the original may reduce absolute control |
| Good directional control | Long-term independent data remains limited |
| Four gauges | Shaped profile can abrade soft hybrid partners |
| More accessible power than many control polyesters | Not intended for beginners or current arm pain |
| Distinct Electric Pink color | Useful life can end before breakage |
Solinco Confidential Soft Compared With Other Strings
Confidential Soft vs Solinco Confidential
Solinco Confidential is firmer, lower powered and more restrained. Confidential Soft adds pocketing and pop while keeping the same five-sided performance concept.
Confidential Soft vs Solinco Mach-10
Solinco Mach-10 is another five-sided, feel-driven co-polyester. Mach-10 uses CloudFORM and emphasizes responsive power, while Confidential Soft evolves the existing Confidential formula.
Confidential Soft vs Solinco Tour Bite
Solinco Tour Bite is a firmer square string with lower power and more direct control. Confidential Soft is the more forgiving and lively option.
Confidential Soft vs Solinco Hyper-G
Solinco Hyper-G uses a square profile and offers an unusually broad gauge range. Confidential Soft has five sides and a plusher, more responsive family position.
Final Verdict
Solinco Confidential Soft offers a sensible alternative for players who like the original string’s spin and directional control but want more pocketing and easier depth. Its five-sided profile, low-friction surface and softening formula create a lively shaped-polyester package.
The Soft label needs context. This remains a performance co-polyester, not a substitute for multifilament or natural gut when maximum comfort is required. Its increased launch also means that the original Confidential remains better for players seeking the most restrained response.
The 16L / 1.25mm version provides the best general balance. Because Confidential Soft is a recent release, claims about long-term tension stability should be revisited as more independent testing becomes available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Solinco Confidential Soft actually soft?
It is softer and more forgiving than standard Confidential, but it remains a co-polyester monofilament and is firm compared with multifilament or natural gut.
How many sides does Confidential Soft have?
It has five sides. Describing it as square is inaccurate.
Is Confidential Soft just a pink version of Confidential?
No. Solinco states that it uses a proprietary softening formula designed to change comfort, pop and playability as part of the Prizm Project.
Which gauge is the best starting point?
The 16L / 1.25mm gauge provides the most balanced combination of response, spin, control and physical durability.
Does it hold tension better than standard Confidential?
Solinco claims improved tension stability, but the product is new and independent long-term evidence remains limited. Monitor actual response rather than assuming a fixed lifespan.