Well, I posted a thread about DR strings a while back.
http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62450
Reason why is because I was a D'Addario user for approximately 20 years, and I had 3 bad sets in a row. All were bought from separate stores and with quite a bit of time in between. The problem I had with the D'Addario's was that they were leaving dark stains on my frets after only a few hours playing. I posted and asked for people's input on DR, and most people said they liked them. I decided to give them a shot and I was really surprised how good they really are. Unfortunately, the set I got was corroded before I even put them on. How this happened I have no clue, but my conclusion is that the pack seal had maybe a small hole in it and the strings were kept in a damp place. As for the feel and tone of the strings, regardless of the small spots of corrosion, I could tell they were great straight away.
I wrote to DR, they responded quickly and offered to send a replacement pack. I recieved those a few days ago. I restrung with the new ones and they are great. I love these strings. No corrosion. By the way, they are Hi-Beams, 9-42 gauge.
Since I started buying DR, I have recommended them to quite a few people. What I like is how long they last -- bloody AGES! They keep their colour well and don't tarnish or go black quickly, and they feel absolutely spot on. Very bendy, and they don't tire out my fingers like D'Addario or any other string I've used in my 27 years of playing guitar. I was kinda reluctant to take the other set off because they were still fresh after at least 3 weeks, but I wanted a non-corroded set to really see how these strings feel.
I can't really say enough good things about them, the only suggestion I would like to make is that they improve the packaging. This is one area where D'Addario scores an extra point -- bio-degradable packaging, and I have never had a set that was corroded right out of the pack. If DR can come up with something like this, I wouldn't be able to fault them at all.
CityofBlindingLights -- I must give my respect to you for coming here as a DR employee, looking for feedback and ways to improve your products. Bravo.
Oh, I haven't broken one yet, and I can honestly say I've given them a good hammering.
Try the Hi-Beams. They are not coated, just regular nickel wounds on a hex core.