Pre stretching helps with tension maintenance, you usually do it for natgut, syngut or multifill, almost never on poly. Strings hold tension for a little longer. Since mains are usually longer than crosses, if you string them at same reference tension the mains will be looser, so people use different tensions to fix that, usually more tension on mains since they are longer
hahahaha just Signed In & Subscribed only to ask the EXACT SAME question (pre-stretching) but it's already the first one posted! :) However, would like to know about tension maintenance as it as applies to (co)Poly? Thanks!!
The first time I had a racquet strung, it was done at a tennis pro shop, probably on an old two-point Ektelon manual machine. I think I had either Victor Staytite, or Blue Spiral, then later Victor American Twist (red and blue spiral) all considered "nylon" strings installed in my wooden Wilson Stan Smith Autograph then later an aluminum Rawlings Tie-Breaker (John Newcombe). Eventually, other strings like Toalson Leoina 66 and Ashaway strings were introduced way before the term synthetic gut was ever used. Victor Imperial Gut was the top string back then.
I feel tension loss and have to adjust my game and swing.I decided to string my rackets every match i played in my club champs and won it that year.Makes a huge difference with consistency and technique.
Back in the days I started tennis around mid 1970s, string choices at pro shops were very limited. Victor was probably one of few brands available. I had my Wilson Stan Smith Auto strung with Victor Staytite Blue Spiral then later American Twist (red and blue spiral). Could not afford Victor Imperial Gut...
Yeah. You gotta keep trying strings until you find the one that works for your game and stick with it once you've found that comfort and playability that you enjoy and that helps you play your best. No one really can tell you that you should use a string just because Rafa or Roger uses it. Cheers!
I use full poly and break them in 6-10 hours of use. 16 gauge. I use either Babolat or Luxilon strings (different brands have different thickness on the strings, even for the same gauge).
@@IDontGetTired11 45/42 on my HEAD YOUTEK PRESTIGE PRO..I used it for 7 years til 2019..I usually cut it when it reach between 18 to 20 hours because it lost totally it's playability at that duration..Im a 4.0-4.5 all court player..I play singles and doubles
Alu power is the best poly for the first 2 hours. Nothing beats the feel on that string but after 3 hours it bags out. You might not break it but it feels horrible after playability drops. Ive experimented different string set ups. The best combination of playability and longevity is nat gut/4g for hybrid or solinco tourbite at very low tension for full poly
Solinco tour bite is better sitting in a 18x20 Wilson H22 racket for lets say a couple of weeks instead of Alu power you would say? If i dont use hybrid... Any particular tenison you prefer if it sits for a couple of weeks before breaking it?
I had the exact same experience with Alu Power. When I first put them in and hit, I thought I had found the most amazing strings of all time. By my 3rd hitting session, they were junk. I'll stick to my Solinco Hyper-G's or Confidentials, those last me about 10 hours of great hitting, and then 10 more hours of ok hitting.
strings..great topic for several more videos..... what is the shelf life of strings? the packages of strings I bought last summer.. still as good as today?
Nat gut holds tension best, then it's multifill, then syn guts and polys. Time between string jobs if no breakage Nat gut 5-6 months Multifill 3 months Syngut poly 1 month Hybrid poly multifill 2-3 month Hybrid poly syngut 1-1.5 month That's what i reccomend to my customers when i string. Also i recommend customers buy their own reels, that's more cost effective for them and they can string more often resulting in better game, since you always playing consistently with a fresher racquet and your tension doesn't fluctuate too much from beginning of cycle to end of cycle. Unopened packages try to keep in dark and colder place, since it's nylon/polyester uv rays damage it, and if it's too hot it melts and cooks over time becoming brittle and loses its elasticity properties. You can keep indefinitely, especially if you have reels.
It's very insightful. I'm an avid player and play about 3 times a week. I had one of my RF97A strung with Prince Beast at 56lbs back in Oct19. Ended up using it post pandemic lockdown, so 4-5 months later and it didnt affect my game. This is my general manner of stringing and use. With your info, maybe I'm somewhat losing out on maximising my equipment?
Just had a client stop by to pick up their racquet which I string for them July of last year. I was close to getting rid of it. I guess he doesn’t care about the static tension loss. I thought it was odd I have to say.
I strung my Volkl PB8 with Wilson NXT on mains and crosses using my restored Serrano No Awl foot operated pedestal vintage stringer [there's a mouthfull] that had the upgrade kit to accommodate today's larger frame heads. As an amateur stringer gaining experience on this machine and trying to get tension right it seems some of my stringing efforts were too fearful of being too loose so I erred on the...ahem...tighter side. Three years after my last stringing on this Volkl racquet the string tension measured 57.3 pounds on RacquetTune app. It took three years..but it's FINALLY just right...maybe. It might take another year to ...uh...settle in.
For various reasons, I have to keep my racquet in the car. In Tokyo, that means very hot and humid conditions. Any tips on how to minimize damage to the strings? I play with pure aero tour, usually strung with hyper-g 125 at 50/48
Invest in a good tennis bag with climate control. Park your car in the shade if possible. Also, see if you can rent a locker at your club and leave your rackets there
Super interesting video, thanks! In your opinion how does pre-stretching change tension maintenance and which type of string is it most useful with? Also, how do you actually measure tension over time?
Prestretching is almost exclusively used on gut. It seems to decrease the playability of poly. It does help reduce tension loss, but not that much. Prestretching was really meant to make it easier to install the gut, because it took the coil memory out. Somewhere along the way, people started using it for reducing tension loss. Consider this though - prestretching on the machine pulls about 10%-15% over the tension you're stringing, and manual prestretching applies maybe 40-50 pounds of tension. When you hit a tennis ball fairly hard, the tension jumps to over 100 pounds (according to the studies done by the USRSA). Pulling tension on it one time, at much less tension than hitting a ball subjects it to, is probably fairly insignificant. As far as measuring tension over time, it's not entirely possible inside of a strung racquet. To truly measure tension, one end of the string needs to be attached to the scale, or whatever device you're using to measure it. What we do is measure the firmness of the string bed of a strung racquet. From that, we calculate the tension. Another method does involve measuring the tension, but it's of a single string that is not actually inside of a racquet. There are also devices that measure the pitch of the sound coming from the strings. Those have proven to be a quite accurate method of calculating tension, when used correctly.
@@RobsTennisVids I completely agree, to that I'd just add that there are these dial gauges that you can use to approximate the tension in the strings in a stringbed. It's hard to explain but you insert two prongs into diagonal holes to measure one of the strings that makes the intersection and the spring inside the gauge approximates the tension by you how hard you have to twist it to get the gauge to be orthogonal from "45 degrees" ( really from opposite sides of the string, with both prongs tangent and a set distance). These units are graduated to give a reading of absolute tension, but they're not likely to be super accurate since it only takes into account the gauge of the test string, not the material properties of either string nor the gauge of the cross string, though the effects could be thought of as negligible, but if that were true then it would be no less accurate to test the string without positioning the gauge at an intersection. However, these gauges can be thought of as somewhat reliable at monitoring the approximate tension over time if your method is consistent which is how I use mine.
@@DrEcho I know exactly which gauges you're talking about, and I think your last statement sums up my feeling on them - use them right after a string job, and then use it to track the change you see. One thing I've found about them - they seem to be affected by string stiffness. Since they basically measure the strings resistance to bending while under tension (it would be harder to bend it if the tension is higher), I've found they tend to give a higher reading on a stiffer string.
You have told that natural gut is bit hard for you When you string with natural gut , do you use the per stretch function ? I am playing also with natural gut and i don't have this problem even with my stiff Wilson RF97 Autograph 2018 racket
I use cyclone 17 wolkl or solinco tour bite 17 both are good for durability and spin, luxilon are weary good but lasts a week at most and expensive so if you are a club player stay away . Thanks for the video Really 31 for Socks???
That's how he gets all the RPMs. I think he strings a little tighter these days. Like low 40s and the recommendation of one of his coaches. Especially when playing singles.
Use Racquet Tune to measure string tension. $2.99 on the App Store. Use it on a newly strung racquet and then you can check it everyday or how many times you want.
I really enjoyed this video, it will help guide the tension and timing of when I restring my racquets; recently put in tour bite soft 17 a few days ago.
I enjoyed the video, however I had a few comments. You are kind of generalizing on strings. Every Poly has different tension loss, and will lose that tension at different rates, and will depend some on the tension you strung it. The general suggestions you are making are fine, as to not leaving them in cars, or suggesting to change poly frequently, but generalizing on poly or a hybrid only being for longer life if strings, it’s just not the case. I personally choose polys and nylons to hybridize based on their tension loss as well as the other characteristics I am looking for to help the person’s game - softness, spin, power, control, touch, etc... Ideally, I like the poly and nylon to have the same tension loss, or close- that way I can string them at the same tension. Many will ask to string them at different tensions, but I believe this to be partially what causes hybrids to have an extended break in period. So often with strings at different tensions I found that the first hour or more of play would feel much different than the rest of the playtime. To me it’s a lot like you are playing largely on one string, and tension loss causes them to settle until you play on both or even transition between the two. My best hybrid combinations are similar in tension loss, and are strung at identical tensions. Many of them play the same for me from the beginning to the end of the string life, with the exception of strings losing resilience and losing snap back. Good video, thanks for posting it!
Your findings are probably accurate, BUT, it is based on how you installed the string. There are steps you can take to significantly reduce tension loss with poly based strings. ALU is not as good at holding tension as many others so that contributed to the loss, but a significant amount can be attributed to how the string was installed.
I live in norway, not close to any shop who can string my racquets. I have been playing for a year now and established a decent stroke(with synthetic gut). Ordering the ezone 100, but dont know what string i should go for. I have been playing with a babolat boost D 105sq.in, and switching becouse i need less power and more control. I need a string that holds tension quite well, since i cant string my racquets that often. Should i go for a multifilament? Any tips?
Thanks for the great video. So when like me you like switching rackets (I have a collection lol) you have to use them one at a time and restring before using them….That takes the fun out of owning that many rackets, doesn’t it? :( Any solution to this except for sticking to one racket?
Hi much difference is the play comparing the Babolat Aero Pro( one generation before the current one) to the Gen 3 Pure Strike 98in 16x19...was thinking of changing to the Pure Strike...tks
@@simonguevara5747 I'd argue that Babolat put them out of business. They've done an excellent job of marketing themselves as the leader in natural gut (I'm making no claim that they were the best, just that they convinced people they were).
Rob P Thanks for the reply. You’re right about Babolat’s taking the niche. I happen to the know the former COO of Victor Sports and when synthetics became popular, gut sales on the whole dropped like a stone. The other major factor was the release of synthetic surgical thread.
@@simonguevara5747 I haven't researched this, and I'm too lazy to do it now, but basically I was told this about Luxilon (or some story close to this): They were making underwear, or some similar fabric (the name Luxilon comes from "luxury nylon). Someone approached them to make a surgical thread. Someone then wondered what the new material would play like in a tennis racquet, which we all know pretty much changed tennis forever. I always thought it was interesting that the most desired material for surgical thread has been the most desired material for tennis string, even as technology evolved.
I've used it. 16g. Nice multi, good feel and power. I strung at 53#. have a 103 cm, 16x19 and the movement became annoying. Also had worse feel and/or tension loss over about 1mo. I play 3-4x per week. At 1 mo, cut out.
Does your gut feel stiff the first couple times out I am guessing because you pre-stretch? I prefer Wilson Natural Gut 16 @ +2 lbs more than normal with no prestretch. I keep my racquets that are strung in a gut/poly hybrid in a plastic bag. I guess it is supposed to help protect from moisture.
Next video should be comparing different types of natural gut between models within the same company and vs other companies: ie. klip, pacific, generic brand names, etc
Any comments on LXN Smart? I’m currently using ALU power main /Wilson NXT cross setup, if I swap NXP with Smart to get longer life and can I still maintain the feel? Or using Smart full bed? Thanks,
If you change to a different type of string, it will feel different. That doesn't mean you won't like it, but it will feel different. And try a different string for your crosses either way. NXT is junk that no one would use if Wilson didn't have the largest distribution in the industry. It feels great, but the durability is horrible. Try Head Velocity. One of the most durable multifilaments out there. Or one of the Technifibre multis (they make NXT for Wilson, but their own strings are better).
@Michael Liao That's my exact same setup and I string my own sticks. If nothing else this video (in addition to some extensive googling prior) confirmed my long-held suspicion about the rapid decline in tension I get from my poly mains. I hate cutting strings (feels so wasteful and being used to synthetic gut which played alright pretty much until breaking), but over the last year or so since switching to poly mains (from prince classic synthetic gut + duraflex), I've been doing that more and more frequently. I for a while knew about the 24-hour creep and so I'd always tried to string at least a day before playing, but I didn't fully realize just how much tension is lost over just weeks on its own without play before seeing this video. Recently I didn't have a choice and needed to play fresh out of my machine (a la Jack Sock) and really noticed first that it felt so much better and also that there was a noticeable change over the course of just two consecutive days. What's hard is not knowing what to do with this new information (video and recent experience of playing "fresh"). Ideally, I'd have a solution that basically gives me the same feel and performance of my current setup when it's fresh, but sustained for longer. I'd wondered about pre-stretching but it seems from reading up to be a non-optimal solution for polys. I'm currently labbing my setup and systematically going from easiest to most onerous changes, with pre-stretching being first. Then I would be changing tension and varying my waiting periods and patterns between machine and court, to maybe something like changes to the gauge or strings themselves. Like @Rob P says, changing my mains to a longer-feeling string like 4G (which was already high on my candidate list) or a synthetic gut altogether and/or swapping the multi crosses with another one with better reputation might be a long-term solution, but would require some adjusting which as a stubborn player isn't as desirable. Of course who says 'different' always means 'worse'? I'd be really interested in hearing what others have tried and where they were successful with poly mains and multi crosses to combat the rapid creep. Tips, stringing techniques, string recommendations, etc.
@@DrEcho My personal solution for dealing with tension loss - keep an extra racquet, string it tighter than I want, and let it sit while I use other racquets. Basically, always playing with the oldest strings. Strings lose tension forever, but it's a logarithmic declining rate - the more time passes, the less tension is lost over a given period of time. I don't use mine until the tension has stabilized a bit, so the change is less noticeable. Of course, if money is no option, do like the pros - restring every 7 games. Must be nice....
With a hybrid setup, gut in the mains, poly in the crosses, the poly looses elasticity well before the gut breaks or wears out. So I leave the gut, cut out the poly and install new poly several times. What do u think of this practice? When I cut out the crosses should I first put the frame on the machine so as not to stress the frame?
I am trialling a Wilson Clash after a previous video of yours. What string/tennis would you recommend, given what you said today? I am a good intermediate club player, playing in tournaments and leagues.
From what I've read, there's no reason to pre-stretch polys because usually when people do that, the string ends up feeling basically dead for the remainder of its lifetime. Poly strings are only in a plastic deformation-like state for so long and once that elasticity is gone the string's characteristics are also shot. Usually, there is some time (a short amount, unfortunately) before the elasticity is gone and in that state when it's fresh, it's more powerful, comfortable, has better spin, control, etc. and people tend to prefer that. Dead poly usually feels like the opposite of those things and it's due to that elasticity almost entirely being used up. To understand the plastic deformation I'm referring to, look up the different parts of stress and strain curves on Google images.
@@raderT90 Thanks for the great response! Makes sense...was just wondering if maybe someone had tried it. But thinking about it now, it reasons that any "liveliness" in a poly/plastic string will probably come from the period before complete deformation.
I do it all the time. Kirschbaum pre-stretches all their strings.... Which is why they all feel a little firmer than their counterparts. You can pre-stretche poly to get rid of some of the coil memory. Pre-stretching removes that initial tension loss out of the equation. If you like your poly string best after it's "broken in", then try giving it like a 10% pre-stretche!
It's all about personal preference for the type of string you use and the time and force you apply when prestretching poly. Volkl 18g is my favorite string. I have tried different lengths of prestretch time for experiment. For me, prestretched for 5 min 30 seconds and no more than 5 min 45 seconds gives me the best combination of playability, optimal string bed liveliness and improved tension maintenance. I notice the poly string bed started feeling some "dead" when prestretched past 6 minutes. One time I prestretched close to 7 minutes then the strung my racquet. I took the racquet out on court to play tennis the same day. I felt like playing a woodboard to me. So I cut the new strings and restrung. The length of time for string prestretch sure has to do with the force the person applies to the string when prestretching. So I think the optimal prestretch time is an individual's preference by trial and error. Prestretching a string does firm up the string bed to a degree upon the combination of time and force you apply to prestretch your string. With prestreched strings I lower my string tension by 2 to 3 lb compared to without prestretched. Again this is what I found works out best for me. Everyone's is going to be different.
Great videos! Keep them up. I have a quick question, does it matter what temperature/condition you store unused string sets at? I imagine so but wondering how strick the conditions should be.
If strings lose tension fast and then reaches a point where it kind of plateaus - Can I string my racket 10 ~ 20 pounds higher and then wait for it to plateau at the ideal tension range ?
Is there a world shortage on the Yonex Ezone 98 305 2020? Ive. Managed to buy 1 but you cant get any anywhere in Europe. You didn’t mention multifilaments. I bought a stringing machine in the end, a gamma progression ELS2, I string my rackets every week now
Hello. I got a question about altitude. Our altitude here is 4500ft up and i seems to break strings alot more. Is it because of the altitude and its super dry dessert air here. What strings do you recommend for main and cross. And looks cool like a Orange or Red color?
Hi. I saw you repeatedly mention the yonex quality control on their rackets . What can you say about their strings ?? How about poly your pro 17 and the poly your spin etc. Thanks
I had two DR98s. They were not close in specs. That Yonex is more accurate with specs is a myth. Head racquets from the 90s were pretty similar, but once they stopped being produced in Austria, the QC went away. Recently I purchased 3 Head Graphene Touch Prestige Tours. They were all the same in weight and balance. This is so rare now days. So good luck. I think Babolat Pure Drive VS is really reliable as well, but that racquet is like playing with a 2x4.
simply put they are formed with multiple nylon strands which feel softer, have more power and are easier on your arm. On the downside the durability is not as good as a monofilament (as the thin nylon strands will break a bit quicker). String movement is also worse than with a monofilament, as multifilaments tend to be less slicker which causes the string bed to be 'locked' and therefore you get less snapback as the string don't move (you'll often see pros from the 90s adjusting string spacing after rallies). Today we know that string movement helps with spin (precisely the ability of a string to snapback and the time the ball stays on the string bed is what helps with spin).
@@JosueGonzalez-cn8ce An hybrid stringjob is a combination of two different strings (one in the mains and a different one in the crosses). I think the most popular hybrids today are gut mains with poly crosses (or the other way around), multi mains with poly crosses (again, some people do it the other way around). etc.
Volkl plays a little firmer than other brands. Better control and spin, but not quite as cushy as Pacific or Babolat. Decent durability on the Volkl. Used it a lot. They make a Hybrid with gut and a multi (for the cross). Think it's called V-Blast.
Whats the difference in rounded and shaped strings? i read somewhere that rounded ones are best suited for someone with fast swing, and shaped for slower swing.
The feel of the string is different, I enjoy both but they do feel different especially on slice. The shaped polys grab the ball more to generate spin while the smooth polys rely on snap back to generate the spin. For a hybrid you want to put smooth poly in cross string. I would say if you have a flatter stroke the shaped poly might help you out a little more with spin.
I was wondering what your thoughts were on tension retention for the new Luxilon Smart strings. I believe that they are supposed to hold tension better than past polys but is that "better" a significant amount? I'm a weekend warrior type of player and am almost certainly switching to the Wilson Clash 100 and I keep hearing that the best string for it would be the Lux Smart. But it's a pretty pricey string if I need to re-string every two months whether I play or not. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Great channel btw!!
@@thepatternforms859 Nope. But finally went with a Bolt 100L and it is amazing! I tossed in some Hyper-G which has a great balance between longevity and tension retention and couldn't be happier. Tons of control with truly effortless power. If you're looking at a new racquet, seriously consider Bolt
hI I want to know wich string and tension is better for my daughter ...9 years old.. she play 6 day for 2 hour a day: Luxilon Smart ,Luxilon element Hyper G soft ...or Confidential ...thx you.. best regards sorry for my english
It's great to start tennis at young age. For a 9 years old player, you probably want to be quite cautious for her to use poly strings. Poly strings are stiffer than synthetic guts and poly strings are prone to cause elbow injuries to many people by improper string tentions. I would suggest for her to stay on synthetic gut until 14, 15 or older then she will be more physically fit, and her elbow too, for using poly. If she really likes to use poly, then definitely use a soft poly.
Look on the racquet specs, the the reccomended tension. Calculate what is the middle of the range and that's your answer. Use syn gut for beginners if on a budget, multifill if you care for comfort more. Play and test. If you need more control bump up the tension 1-2#. The better you get you bump a pound or two up as you get better, too get more control from racquet
Sokeresa you shouldn’t always string a poly with mid tension. With a synthetic gut or MF this is fine. Some racquets, although they list their range from say 50-62lbs, may have a stiffness rating which will dictate actual string tension. For instance, a Babolat Pure Aero has a stiffness rating of around 68 to 70. It also has a tension range of 50-60lbs. Stringing that racquet at mid tension can cause arm injury for some. The best thing to do is to look up many reviews and listen to hear what a good tension is to achieve both comfort and control. Of course the brand of string matters as well. More flexible racquets can be strung slightly higher as the frame takes some of the shock as well as the string.
@@chuckfriebe843 you are right. I didn't mention poly at all however. I strongly recommend beginners DO NOT USE POLY AT ALL! Also, beginners would have bought a beginner's racquet, which is middle of the range stiffness and usually a few sq.in on the os side, so no worries there if you string within syngut or multifill at medium range!
My 2 cents here (until the real requested review by Tennis Spin :) : I play with PS 97LS, not the exact 97L... 97LS is 18x16 rather than 16x19...so comparison might be different, i have not tried the 97L 97LS is light but still got feeling of little heavy head that makes you swing at the ball effortlessly. I strung Poly main and Multi cross with 53/51 tension...tried lower but then I start to hit over. Best thing is the feeling/touch of the ball on the string bed, it feels like the string grabs the ball with full fist and just shoots, amazing. I play with both thin and thick frames...this one is on the thick side a little...if you are already used to thick frame, you'll enjoy it lot more. Baseline - lower to mid 50s tension gives both good control and power (int to adv players) Serve - Feels little heavy on overhead (compared to a Yonex Pro 97L) but that could be me Volley/Net - both are pretty solid as you need more of a control shot, else easy to miss target Spin - not much as expected but it works to my advantage as I get better controlled placement top spin shots...else slices work great...
@@pl4851Thank you! I was using a Babolat Pro Drive my Girlfriend had, and I really liked it but I wanted a smaller head. I just bought the 97L after a demo and got it strung with Wilson Sensation 16(what they recommended at the tennis shop in Michigan) at 54lbs. I am loving it. I feel like have enough control with it, and I feel that I get a good amount of power out of it without trying. Thank you again for the comment!
I've had the same Federer six one tour BLX and same Polyester mains and synthetic gut cross strings for the past 10 years. Feels exactly the same as the first day it was strung.
So, if the tension loss plateaus, why don't we just string rackets at a higher tension and wait for it to lose its tension? Assuming the racket and strings can actually handle the tension, of course.
Love your stringing videos. My sons (competitive players) unable to play anything but poly. We tried multi, but the string lasted 1 hour (did not matter if in mains or crosses) in a hybrid setting. Any suggestion on making them last longer?
ognqski try dense string pattern racquet (18x20 in a smaller head size comes to mind), it greatly improves durability. Bear in mind that multi is never about durability. Conclusion: dense > open pattern in durability terms.
Jimmy Margono thanks. Difficult to find the right balance among all of these: 1) racquet the player likes, 2) spin, 3) control, 4) string durability, 5) comfort and arm friendliness, 6) power. I think for the time being we will just do the poly they like. Aware multi never about durability, but 1 to 1.5 hour is just ridiculous. They could break two string sets each practice. Gets to be too much cost and hassle. Appreciate the advice. With poly they get 6-8 hours which to me is fair. The poly breaks before it goes dead which is what I wanted. I was just trying to see about a softer situation by introducing a multi, but mutis just don’t last for them at all.
@@ognqski I would never consider changing the racquet only to play with a specific string, that's insane. If I were on your shoes I would try: 1) making sure the poly you are hybriding is round (otherwise it will saw into the multi) 2) go up in gauge in the multi 3) consider alternative strings TF duramix (multi but with poly strands), velocity, cream, ghostwire
FitDaddy.ro poly or multi fil/synthetic? If poly, not more than 23. If multi fil/synthetic you can bump it up to 25kg. Try it and see what you think if it’s a multi/synthetic. That racquet is stiff and light. You risk elbow/wrist/shoulder problem if you go higher on the poly. You could even go a touch lower on the poly, even though it’s hot outside. Your swing style matters also.
@@chuckfriebe843 I also have a Instinct that was dropped hard and feels like something broke somewhere between the grip and the neck , has a slight move. can anything be done to it or it is toast? Thanks
FitDaddy.ro not really. Those will be cheap on eBay. You’d probably be able to get a decent used one. You should try a racquet that’s a little more flexible and heavier. Your elbow will thank you.
Hi I’m from Poland Europe and here we also watch you on you tube. Can you please measure all the aero racquets and compair them. You have a nice Prince machine. And as for the balance can you please use the black machine. Best wishes
@@javace79 I use poly crosses precisely to curb the power but still I'm not a fan of polys in general and I don't remember ever stringing fullbed poly. I do string my mains at 26-27 which is not far from 60lbs.
Not so low. It depends on the string. I play with that tension. Sock gets his rackets strung 2 hours before the match. He changes them everyday. And remember what he said in the video: your 55lb, after 60 days are probably 32 lbs.
This blokes videos are so slow its like he's in slow motion. I'd like to see if he can actually play or is he all talk. Don't agree that tension goes down so much and I've been stringing for about 40 years even started doing wooden rackets by hand.
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I love this channel. I really enjoy the honesty even though he is trying to move units.
Tell me your thoughts on: pre-stretching and using different tensions between mains and crosses. Also thought of shaped strings vs round
Pre stretching helps with tension maintenance, you usually do it for natgut, syngut or multifill, almost never on poly. Strings hold tension for a little longer.
Since mains are usually longer than crosses, if you string them at same reference tension the mains will be looser, so people use different tensions to fix that, usually more tension on mains since they are longer
hahahaha just Signed In & Subscribed only to ask the EXACT SAME question (pre-stretching) but it's already the first one posted! :)
However, would like to know about tension maintenance as it as applies to (co)Poly? Thanks!!
InstaBlaster
The first time I had a racquet strung, it was done at a tennis pro shop, probably on an old two-point Ektelon manual machine. I think I had either Victor Staytite, or Blue Spiral, then later Victor American Twist (red and blue spiral) all considered "nylon" strings installed in my wooden Wilson Stan Smith Autograph then later an aluminum Rawlings Tie-Breaker (John Newcombe). Eventually, other strings like Toalson Leoina 66 and Ashaway strings were introduced way before the term synthetic gut was ever used. Victor Imperial Gut was the top string back then.
I feel tension loss and have to adjust my game and swing.I decided to string my rackets every match i played in my club champs and won it that year.Makes a huge difference with consistency and technique.
Never leave your racquets in your car, no matter what kind of strings you got in it.
Back in the days I started tennis around mid 1970s, string choices at pro shops were very limited. Victor was probably one of few brands available. I had my Wilson Stan Smith Auto strung with Victor Staytite Blue Spiral then later American Twist (red and blue spiral). Could not afford Victor Imperial Gut...
I really enjoyed this video. Very helpful sharing the information about the racquet strung with poly that just sat for 60 days.
Finally some unbiased analysis to cut through all those tennis shop bums always trying to push that string they get a cut from.
Yeah. You gotta keep trying strings until you find the one that works for your game and stick with it once you've found that comfort and playability that you enjoy and that helps you play your best. No one really can tell you that you should use a string just because Rafa or Roger uses it. Cheers!
I play Alu power 125. Agree: I dont wait for the strings to break cause I feel they are dead well before.
I use full poly and break them in 6-10 hours of use. 16 gauge. I use either Babolat or Luxilon strings (different brands have different thickness on the strings, even for the same gauge).
You must be a hard hitter. I can break luxilon alu power 16L between 22 to 24 hours.
winzerep I mean I hit hard but not super hard. What tension do you use?
@@IDontGetTired11 45/42 on my HEAD YOUTEK PRESTIGE PRO..I used it for 7 years til 2019..I usually cut it when it reach between 18 to 20 hours because it lost totally it's playability at that duration..Im a 4.0-4.5 all court player..I play singles and doubles
Alu power is the best poly for the first 2 hours. Nothing beats the feel on that string but after 3 hours it bags out. You might not break it but it feels horrible after playability drops.
Ive experimented different string set ups. The best combination of playability and longevity is nat gut/4g for hybrid or solinco tourbite at very low tension for full poly
Solinco tour bite is better sitting in a 18x20 Wilson H22 racket for lets say a couple of weeks instead of Alu power you would say? If i dont use hybrid... Any particular tenison you prefer if it sits for a couple of weeks before breaking it?
I had the exact same experience with Alu Power. When I first put them in and hit, I thought I had found the most amazing strings of all time. By my 3rd hitting session, they were junk. I'll stick to my Solinco Hyper-G's or Confidentials, those last me about 10 hours of great hitting, and then 10 more hours of ok hitting.
Yes,i agree
Yes,yry solinco tourbite 16 g,similar to luxillon but playability last much longer
The tire analogy works. If you play high level tennis and break strings often then change to poly.
Interesting video...would love to see more in this vein. Thanks alot.
strings..great topic for several more videos..... what is the shelf life of strings? the packages of strings I bought last summer.. still as good as today?
Nat gut holds tension best, then it's multifill, then syn guts and polys.
Time between string jobs if no breakage
Nat gut 5-6 months
Multifill 3 months
Syngut poly 1 month
Hybrid poly multifill 2-3 month
Hybrid poly syngut 1-1.5 month
That's what i reccomend to my customers when i string. Also i recommend customers buy their own reels, that's more cost effective for them and they can string more often resulting in better game, since you always playing consistently with a fresher racquet and your tension doesn't fluctuate too much from beginning of cycle to end of cycle.
Unopened packages try to keep in dark and colder place, since it's nylon/polyester uv rays damage it, and if it's too hot it melts and cooks over time becoming brittle and loses its elasticity properties. You can keep indefinitely, especially if you have reels.
It's very insightful.
I'm an avid player and play about 3 times a week. I had one of my RF97A strung with Prince Beast at 56lbs back in Oct19. Ended up using it post pandemic lockdown, so 4-5 months later and it didnt affect my game. This is my general manner of stringing and use. With your info, maybe I'm somewhat losing out on maximising my equipment?
Just had a client stop by to pick up their racquet which I string for them July of last year. I was close to getting rid of it. I guess he doesn’t care about the static tension loss. I thought it was odd I have to say.
Lol what?? You mean the guy forgot about his racket for almost a year? 😂
I strung my Volkl PB8 with Wilson NXT on mains and crosses using my restored Serrano No Awl foot operated pedestal vintage stringer [there's a mouthfull] that had the upgrade kit to accommodate today's larger frame heads. As an amateur stringer gaining experience on this machine and trying to get tension right it seems some of my stringing efforts were too fearful of being too loose so I erred on the...ahem...tighter side. Three years after my last stringing on this Volkl racquet the string tension measured 57.3 pounds on RacquetTune app. It took three years..but it's FINALLY just right...maybe. It might take another year to ...uh...settle in.
Maybe do a video on top 10 strings...I would like to hear something about Head Hawk for example. Great videos, learned a lot, keep it up
For various reasons, I have to keep my racquet in the car. In Tokyo, that means very hot and humid conditions. Any tips on how to minimize damage to the strings? I play with pure aero tour, usually strung with hyper-g 125 at 50/48
Invest in a good tennis bag with climate control. Park your car in the shade if possible. Also, see if you can rent a locker at your club and leave your rackets there
These videos are very imformative and helpful. Thanks!
The face expression whanyou said #'' if you just want a strings and doesn't affect the way you play this thing works'' :)))) hilarious
Super interesting video, thanks!
In your opinion how does pre-stretching change tension maintenance and which type of string is it most useful with?
Also, how do you actually measure tension over time?
Prestretching is almost exclusively used on gut. It seems to decrease the playability of poly. It does help reduce tension loss, but not that much. Prestretching was really meant to make it easier to install the gut, because it took the coil memory out. Somewhere along the way, people started using it for reducing tension loss. Consider this though - prestretching on the machine pulls about 10%-15% over the tension you're stringing, and manual prestretching applies maybe 40-50 pounds of tension. When you hit a tennis ball fairly hard, the tension jumps to over 100 pounds (according to the studies done by the USRSA). Pulling tension on it one time, at much less tension than hitting a ball subjects it to, is probably fairly insignificant.
As far as measuring tension over time, it's not entirely possible inside of a strung racquet. To truly measure tension, one end of the string needs to be attached to the scale, or whatever device you're using to measure it. What we do is measure the firmness of the string bed of a strung racquet. From that, we calculate the tension. Another method does involve measuring the tension, but it's of a single string that is not actually inside of a racquet. There are also devices that measure the pitch of the sound coming from the strings. Those have proven to be a quite accurate method of calculating tension, when used correctly.
@@RobsTennisVids I completely agree, to that I'd just add that there are these dial gauges that you can use to approximate the tension in the strings in a stringbed.
It's hard to explain but you insert two prongs into diagonal holes to measure one of the strings that makes the intersection and the spring inside the gauge approximates the tension by you how hard you have to twist it to get the gauge to be orthogonal from "45 degrees" ( really from opposite sides of the string, with both prongs tangent and a set distance). These units are graduated to give a reading of absolute tension, but they're not likely to be super accurate since it only takes into account the gauge of the test string, not the material properties of either string nor the gauge of the cross string, though the effects could be thought of as negligible, but if that were true then it would be no less accurate to test the string without positioning the gauge at an intersection.
However, these gauges can be thought of as somewhat reliable at monitoring the approximate tension over time if your method is consistent which is how I use mine.
@@DrEcho I know exactly which gauges you're talking about, and I think your last statement sums up my feeling on them - use them right after a string job, and then use it to track the change you see.
One thing I've found about them - they seem to be affected by string stiffness. Since they basically measure the strings resistance to bending while under tension (it would be harder to bend it if the tension is higher), I've found they tend to give a higher reading on a stiffer string.
You have told that natural gut is bit hard for you When you string with natural gut , do you use the per stretch function ? I am playing also with natural gut and i don't have this problem even with my stiff Wilson RF97 Autograph 2018 racket
Lols i'm using wilson revolve! And yes after a week in the car or i bring it around the tension will drop!!
I use cyclone 17 wolkl or solinco tour bite 17 both are good for durability and spin, luxilon are weary good but lasts a week at most and expensive so if you are a club player stay away .
Thanks for the video
Really 31 for Socks???
That's how he gets all the RPMs. I think he strings a little tighter these days. Like low 40s and the recommendation of one of his coaches. Especially when playing singles.
Use Racquet Tune to measure string tension. $2.99 on the App Store. Use it on a newly strung racquet and then you can check it everyday or how many times you want.
Do you have a link for that item, i can't find it, thank you
I really enjoyed this video, it will help guide the tension and timing of when I restring my racquets; recently put in tour bite soft 17 a few days ago.
I enjoyed the video, however I had a few comments. You are kind of generalizing on strings. Every Poly has different tension loss, and will lose that tension at different rates, and will depend some on the tension you strung it. The general suggestions you are making are fine, as to not leaving them in cars, or suggesting to change poly frequently, but generalizing on poly or a hybrid only being for longer life if strings, it’s just not the case.
I personally choose polys and nylons to hybridize based on their tension loss as well as the other characteristics I am looking for to help the person’s game - softness, spin, power, control, touch, etc... Ideally, I like the poly and nylon to have the same tension loss, or close- that way I can string them at the same tension. Many will ask to string them at different tensions, but I believe this to be partially what causes hybrids to have an extended break in period. So often with strings at different tensions I found that the first hour or more of play would feel much different than the rest of the playtime. To me it’s a lot like you are playing largely on one string, and tension loss causes them to settle until you play on both or even transition between the two.
My best hybrid combinations are similar in tension loss, and are strung at identical tensions. Many of them play the same for me from the beginning to the end of the string life, with the exception of strings losing resilience and losing snap back.
Good video, thanks for posting it!
Your findings are probably accurate, BUT, it is based on how you installed the string. There are steps you can take to significantly reduce tension loss with poly based strings. ALU is not as good at holding tension as many others so that contributed to the loss, but a significant amount can be attributed to how the string was installed.
You're telling this to a guy that Jack Sock used?
@@radreviewz9482 Yep!
Are you talking about prestretch?
How about a video on altitude and high altitude tennis balls>
I used natural gut only once .. snapped the strings with my first shot.
I live in norway, not close to any shop who can string my racquets. I have been playing for a year now and established a decent stroke(with synthetic gut). Ordering the ezone 100, but dont know what string i should go for. I have been playing with a babolat boost D 105sq.in, and switching becouse i need less power and more control. I need a string that holds tension quite well, since i cant string my racquets that often. Should i go for a multifilament? Any tips?
Thanks for the great video. So when like me you like switching rackets (I have a collection lol) you have to use them one at a time and restring before using them….That takes the fun out of owning that many rackets, doesn’t it? :( Any solution to this except for sticking to one racket?
Hi much difference is the play comparing the Babolat Aero Pro( one generation before the current one) to the Gen 3 Pure Strike 98in 16x19...was thinking of changing to the Pure Strike...tks
That nylon spiral string was from Victor tennis.
Victor, by the way, was the leading manufacturer of natural gut strings made in the US. Synthetics put them out of business in the 90s.
@@simonguevara5747 I'd argue that Babolat put them out of business. They've done an excellent job of marketing themselves as the leader in natural gut (I'm making no claim that they were the best, just that they convinced people they were).
Rob P Thanks for the reply. You’re right about Babolat’s taking the niche. I happen to the know the former COO of Victor Sports and when synthetics became popular, gut sales on the whole dropped like a stone. The other major factor was the release of synthetic surgical thread.
@@simonguevara5747 I haven't researched this, and I'm too lazy to do it now, but basically I was told this about Luxilon (or some story close to this): They were making underwear, or some similar fabric (the name Luxilon comes from "luxury nylon). Someone approached them to make a surgical thread. Someone then wondered what the new material would play like in a tennis racquet, which we all know pretty much changed tennis forever. I always thought it was interesting that the most desired material for surgical thread has been the most desired material for tennis string, even as technology evolved.
Great info. I'm curious how multifilament string (like Head Velocity 16) holds up over time. Thoughts?
I've used it. 16g. Nice multi, good feel and power. I strung at 53#. have a 103 cm, 16x19 and the movement became annoying. Also had worse feel and/or tension loss over about 1mo. I play 3-4x per week. At 1 mo, cut out.
How should you string a Wilson Clash 100?
Does your gut feel stiff the first couple times out I am guessing because you pre-stretch? I prefer Wilson Natural Gut 16 @ +2 lbs more than normal with no prestretch. I keep my racquets that are strung in a gut/poly hybrid in a plastic bag. I guess it is supposed to help protect from moisture.
Great video!!!
Next video should be comparing different types of natural gut between models within the same company and vs other companies: ie. klip, pacific, generic brand names, etc
Can you tell us about strings "Barbed Wire". Also I am curious if string saver increases the spin, by letting strings to slide more
Any comments on LXN Smart? I’m currently using ALU power main /Wilson NXT cross setup, if I swap NXP with Smart to get longer life and can I still maintain the feel? Or using Smart full bed? Thanks,
If you change to a different type of string, it will feel different. That doesn't mean you won't like it, but it will feel different. And try a different string for your crosses either way. NXT is junk that no one would use if Wilson didn't have the largest distribution in the industry. It feels great, but the durability is horrible. Try Head Velocity. One of the most durable multifilaments out there. Or one of the Technifibre multis (they make NXT for Wilson, but their own strings are better).
Rob P thanks
@Michael Liao That's my exact same setup and I string my own sticks. If nothing else this video (in addition to some extensive googling prior) confirmed my long-held suspicion about the rapid decline in tension I get from my poly mains. I hate cutting strings (feels so wasteful and being used to synthetic gut which played alright pretty much until breaking), but over the last year or so since switching to poly mains (from prince classic synthetic gut + duraflex), I've been doing that more and more frequently. I for a while knew about the 24-hour creep and so I'd always tried to string at least a day before playing, but I didn't fully realize just how much tension is lost over just weeks on its own without play before seeing this video.
Recently I didn't have a choice and needed to play fresh out of my machine (a la Jack Sock) and really noticed first that it felt so much better and also that there was a noticeable change over the course of just two consecutive days.
What's hard is not knowing what to do with this new information (video and recent experience of playing "fresh"). Ideally, I'd have a solution that basically gives me the same feel and performance of my current setup when it's fresh, but sustained for longer. I'd wondered about pre-stretching but it seems from reading up to be a non-optimal solution for polys. I'm currently labbing my setup and systematically going from easiest to most onerous changes, with pre-stretching being first. Then I would be changing tension and varying my waiting periods and patterns between machine and court, to maybe something like changes to the gauge or strings themselves. Like @Rob P says, changing my mains to a longer-feeling string like 4G (which was already high on my candidate list) or a synthetic gut altogether and/or swapping the multi crosses with another one with better reputation might be a long-term solution, but would require some adjusting which as a stubborn player isn't as desirable. Of course who says 'different' always means 'worse'?
I'd be really interested in hearing what others have tried and where they were successful with poly mains and multi crosses to combat the rapid creep. Tips, stringing techniques, string recommendations, etc.
@@DrEcho My personal solution for dealing with tension loss - keep an extra racquet, string it tighter than I want, and let it sit while I use other racquets. Basically, always playing with the oldest strings. Strings lose tension forever, but it's a logarithmic declining rate - the more time passes, the less tension is lost over a given period of time. I don't use mine until the tension has stabilized a bit, so the change is less noticeable.
Of course, if money is no option, do like the pros - restring every 7 games. Must be nice....
With a hybrid setup, gut in the mains, poly in the crosses, the poly looses elasticity well before the gut breaks or wears out. So I leave the gut, cut out the poly and install new poly several times. What do u think of this practice? When I cut out the crosses should I first put the frame on the machine so as not to stress the frame?
Where is your shop located?
And multifilamente? Thanks
Prince SynthGut w/DuraFelx is still a good string.
I am trialling a Wilson Clash after a previous video of yours. What string/tennis would you recommend, given what you said today? I am a good intermediate club player, playing in tournaments and leagues.
Did you ever get an answer what did you go with ???
great video!
Can you pre-stretch poly to help decrease some of that steep tension loss?
From what I've read, there's no reason to pre-stretch polys because usually when people do that, the string ends up feeling basically dead for the remainder of its lifetime. Poly strings are only in a plastic deformation-like state for so long and once that elasticity is gone the string's characteristics are also shot. Usually, there is some time (a short amount, unfortunately) before the elasticity is gone and in that state when it's fresh, it's more powerful, comfortable, has better spin, control, etc. and people tend to prefer that. Dead poly usually feels like the opposite of those things and it's due to that elasticity almost entirely being used up. To understand the plastic deformation I'm referring to, look up the different parts of stress and strain curves on Google images.
@@raderT90 Thanks for the great response! Makes sense...was just wondering if maybe someone had tried it. But thinking about it now, it reasons that any "liveliness" in a poly/plastic string will probably come from the period before complete deformation.
I do it all the time. Kirschbaum pre-stretches all their strings.... Which is why they all feel a little firmer than their counterparts. You can pre-stretche poly to get rid of some of the coil memory. Pre-stretching removes that initial tension loss out of the equation. If you like your poly string best after it's "broken in", then try giving it like a 10% pre-stretche!
@@DrumWizard16 I've heard this done as well. Honestly like most setups, it's going to come down to personal preference so this is worth a shot! :)
It's all about personal preference for the type of string you use and the time and force you apply when prestretching poly.
Volkl 18g is my favorite string. I have tried different lengths of prestretch time for experiment. For me, prestretched for 5 min 30 seconds and no more than 5 min 45 seconds gives me the best combination of playability, optimal string bed liveliness and improved tension maintenance. I notice the poly string bed started feeling some "dead" when prestretched past 6 minutes. One time I prestretched close to 7 minutes then the strung my racquet. I took the racquet out on court to play tennis the same day. I felt like playing a woodboard to me. So I cut the new strings and restrung.
The length of time for string prestretch sure has to do with the force the person applies to the string when prestretching. So I think the optimal prestretch time is an individual's preference by trial and error.
Prestretching a string does firm up the string bed to a degree upon the combination of time and force you apply to prestretch your string. With prestreched strings I lower my string tension by 2 to 3 lb compared to without prestretched. Again this is what I found works out best for me. Everyone's is going to be different.
Great videos! Keep them up. I have a quick question, does it matter what temperature/condition you store unused string sets at? I imagine so but wondering how strick the conditions should be.
Try for dark and cool places, low humidity
Maybe for multifilament like synthetic gut nylons. But for poly probably not
Can you give a review of Oehms string available on Amazon. Price is good and so is performance. Thanks
really nice video
If strings lose tension fast and then reaches a point where it kind of plateaus - Can I string my racket 10 ~ 20 pounds higher and then wait for it to plateau at the ideal tension range ?
Did you ever get an answer?
How do you measure tension? Which equipment do you use because I heard they aren't accurate.
Racquet Tune. $2.99 on the App Store.
Out of all the string types I tried I prefer polyester. Syn gut sucks, multifilament doesn't last - I like Luxilon 4G or RPM Blast/Volkl Cyclone
How to you check sting tensions?
Is there a world shortage on the Yonex Ezone 98 305 2020? Ive. Managed to buy 1 but you cant get any anywhere in Europe.
You didn’t mention multifilaments.
I bought a stringing machine in the end, a gamma progression ELS2, I string my rackets every week now
Can you recommend co-poly with the best playability ?
Volkl cyclone & cyclone tour
Compare babolat pure drive with another one....
Hello. I got a question about altitude. Our altitude here is 4500ft up and i seems to break strings alot more. Is it because of the altitude and its super dry dessert air here. What strings do you recommend for main and cross. And looks cool like a Orange or Red color?
Please Kindly, do a video on ( Wilson Clash 100 L ). Thank you.
Please kindly, do a video on 2020 ( Head Graphene 360+ Speed MP Lite ). Thank you . Kamran
Hi. I saw you repeatedly mention the yonex quality control on their rackets . What can you say about their strings ?? How about poly your pro 17 and the poly your spin etc. Thanks
I had two DR98s. They were not close in specs. That Yonex is more accurate with specs is a myth. Head racquets from the 90s were pretty similar, but once they stopped being produced in Austria, the QC went away. Recently I purchased 3 Head Graphene Touch Prestige Tours. They were all the same in weight and balance. This is so rare now days. So good luck. I think Babolat Pure Drive VS is really reliable as well, but that racquet is like playing with a 2x4.
Definately,at night in cool breeze the strings feel dead
How do Multifilament and hybrid strings work or what kind of strings are they exactly??
simply put they are formed with multiple nylon strands which feel softer, have more power and are easier on your arm. On the downside the durability is not as good as a monofilament (as the thin nylon strands will break a bit quicker). String movement is also worse than with a monofilament, as multifilaments tend to be less slicker which causes the string bed to be 'locked' and therefore you get less snapback as the string don't move (you'll often see pros from the 90s adjusting string spacing after rallies). Today we know that string movement helps with spin (precisely the ability of a string to snapback and the time the ball stays on the string bed is what helps with spin).
@@msalvs is thT for the Multifilament or for the hybrid??
@@JosueGonzalez-cn8ce I was talking about multifilaments.
@@JosueGonzalez-cn8ce An hybrid stringjob is a combination of two different strings (one in the mains and a different one in the crosses). I think the most popular hybrids today are gut mains with poly crosses (or the other way around), multi mains with poly crosses (again, some people do it the other way around). etc.
@@msalvs thank you!
What are your thoughts on cheaper natty gut like klip or volkl. Look to do some hybrid setup with a good poly.
Volkl plays a little firmer than other brands. Better control and spin, but not quite as cushy as Pacific or Babolat. Decent durability on the Volkl. Used it a lot. They make a Hybrid with gut and a multi (for the cross). Think it's called V-Blast.
How's the KLIP natural gut compared to Babolat/Wilson/Luxilon Natural gut? KLIP is the cheapest among all of those...
I think volkl is better value natural gut
Whats the difference in rounded and shaped strings? i read somewhere that rounded ones are best suited for someone with fast swing, and shaped for slower swing.
The feel of the string is different, I enjoy both but they do feel different especially on slice. The shaped polys grab the ball more to generate spin while the smooth polys rely on snap back to generate the spin. For a hybrid you want to put smooth poly in cross string. I would say if you have a flatter stroke the shaped poly might help you out a little more with spin.
I've had ALU Power last 2.5 months before with no noticeable tension drop.
@Ricky Voss You must be a super human to be able to swing super hard for 4hrs in 90 degree weather.
I was wondering what your thoughts were on tension retention for the new Luxilon Smart strings. I believe that they are supposed to hold tension better than past polys but is that "better" a significant amount? I'm a weekend warrior type of player and am almost certainly switching to the Wilson Clash 100 and I keep hearing that the best string for it would be the Lux Smart. But it's a pretty pricey string if I need to re-string every two months whether I play or not. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Great channel btw!!
Did you get an answer to this question???
@@thepatternforms859 Nope. But finally went with a Bolt 100L and it is amazing! I tossed in some Hyper-G which has a great balance between longevity and tension retention and couldn't be happier. Tons of control with truly effortless power. If you're looking at a new racquet, seriously consider Bolt
Would you recommend a round polyester in the mains or crosses for spin potential?
Crosses w a shaped in the mains like Hyper G
hI I want to know wich string and tension is better for my daughter ...9 years old.. she play 6 day for 2 hour a day: Luxilon Smart ,Luxilon element Hyper G soft ...or Confidential ...thx you.. best regards sorry for my english
It's great to start tennis at young age. For a 9 years old player, you probably want to be quite cautious for her to use poly strings. Poly strings are stiffer than synthetic guts and poly strings are prone to cause elbow injuries to many people by improper string tentions. I would suggest for her to stay on synthetic gut until 14, 15 or older then she will be more physically fit, and her elbow too, for using poly.
If she really likes to use poly, then definitely use a soft poly.
@@JH-di7hb Thx you very much..
HI! Do a video about hybrid's what do u recomend and what strings durability, spin, tension etc.
"right?"
You missed Kevlar 😆
How do u determine what is the right string tension for a beginner?
Depends on the racquet. Wouldn't recommend poly for a beginner. You'd be asking for arm and elbow problems.
Look on the racquet specs, the the reccomended tension. Calculate what is the middle of the range and that's your answer. Use syn gut for beginners if on a budget, multifill if you care for comfort more. Play and test. If you need more control bump up the tension 1-2#. The better you get you bump a pound or two up as you get better, too get more control from racquet
Sokeresa you shouldn’t always string a poly with mid tension. With a synthetic gut or MF this is fine. Some racquets, although they list their range from say 50-62lbs, may have a stiffness rating which will dictate actual string tension. For instance, a Babolat Pure Aero has a stiffness rating of around 68 to 70. It also has a tension range of 50-60lbs. Stringing that racquet at mid tension can cause arm injury for some. The best thing to do is to look up many reviews and listen to hear what a good tension is to achieve both comfort and control. Of course the brand of string matters as well. More flexible racquets can be strung slightly higher as the frame takes some of the shock as well as the string.
@@chuckfriebe843 you are right. I didn't mention poly at all however. I strongly recommend beginners DO NOT USE POLY AT ALL!
Also, beginners would have bought a beginner's racquet, which is middle of the range stiffness and usually a few sq.in on the os side, so no worries there if you string within syngut or multifill at medium range!
Sokeresa yep. I totally agree. Always best to start with a synthetic. Good point.
Can you review the Wilson Pro Staff 97L?
My 2 cents here (until the real requested review by Tennis Spin :) :
I play with PS 97LS, not the exact 97L... 97LS is 18x16 rather than 16x19...so comparison might be different, i have not tried the 97L
97LS is light but still got feeling of little heavy head that makes you swing at the ball effortlessly.
I strung Poly main and Multi cross with 53/51 tension...tried lower but then I start to hit over.
Best thing is the feeling/touch of the ball on the string bed, it feels like the string grabs the ball with full fist and just shoots, amazing.
I play with both thin and thick frames...this one is on the thick side a little...if you are already used to thick frame, you'll enjoy it lot more.
Baseline - lower to mid 50s tension gives both good control and power (int to adv players)
Serve - Feels little heavy on overhead (compared to a Yonex Pro 97L) but that could be me
Volley/Net - both are pretty solid as you need more of a control shot, else easy to miss target
Spin - not much as expected but it works to my advantage as I get better controlled placement top spin shots...else slices work great...
@@pl4851Thank you! I was using a Babolat Pro Drive my Girlfriend had, and I really liked it but I wanted a smaller head. I just bought the 97L after a demo and got it strung with Wilson Sensation 16(what they recommended at the tennis shop in Michigan) at 54lbs. I am loving it. I feel like have enough control with it, and I feel that I get a good amount of power out of it without trying. Thank you again for the comment!
@@AJL_120 well, if you had any question, you answered it yourself :)... "You're loving it"...
I've had the same Federer six one tour BLX and same Polyester mains and synthetic gut cross strings for the past 10 years. Feels exactly the same as the first day it was strung.
Is Luxilon 4g actually good regarding tension maintenance?
It is the best for that
So, if the tension loss plateaus, why don't we just string rackets at a higher tension and wait for it to lose its tension? Assuming the racket and strings can actually handle the tension, of course.
@Tom R how do they "go dead"? Wouldn't that just be a low tension?
Love your stringing videos. My sons (competitive players) unable to play anything but poly. We tried multi, but the string lasted 1 hour (did not matter if in mains or crosses) in a hybrid setting. Any suggestion on making them last longer?
ognqski try dense string pattern racquet (18x20 in a smaller head size comes to mind), it greatly improves durability. Bear in mind that multi is never about durability. Conclusion: dense > open pattern in durability terms.
Go full bed of poly. That’s the way to go. If you want maximum durability you can try either Kevlar strings or luxilon 4G.
Jimmy Margono thanks. Difficult to find the right balance among all of these: 1) racquet the player likes, 2) spin, 3) control, 4) string durability, 5) comfort and arm friendliness, 6) power. I think for the time being we will just do the poly they like. Aware multi never about durability, but 1 to 1.5 hour is just ridiculous. They could break two string sets each practice. Gets to be too much cost and hassle. Appreciate the advice. With poly they get 6-8 hours which to me is fair. The poly breaks before it goes dead which is what I wanted. I was just trying to see about a softer situation by introducing a multi, but mutis just don’t last for them at all.
@@ognqski I would never consider changing the racquet only to play with a specific string, that's insane. If I were on your shoes I would try:
1) making sure the poly you are hybriding is round (otherwise it will saw into the multi)
2) go up in gauge in the multi
3) consider alternative strings TF duramix (multi but with poly strands), velocity, cream, ghostwire
@@ognqski maybe you can try the soft poly,some polys are comfortable
Does the humidity affects the strings performance?
Everything does.
Only gut will be significantly affected by humidity. All strings are affected by temperature.
So to have a 23 kg tension what tension should I request , playing in 37 to 45 C temperatures....
Will depend on what racquet you're using.
@@chuckfriebe843 Head Instinct S
FitDaddy.ro poly or multi fil/synthetic? If poly, not more than 23. If multi fil/synthetic you can bump it up to 25kg. Try it and see what you think if it’s a multi/synthetic. That racquet is stiff and light. You risk elbow/wrist/shoulder problem if you go higher on the poly. You could even go a touch lower on the poly, even though it’s hot outside. Your swing style matters also.
@@chuckfriebe843 I also have a Instinct that was dropped hard and feels like something broke somewhere between the grip and the neck , has a slight move. can anything be done to it or it is toast? Thanks
FitDaddy.ro not really. Those will be cheap on eBay. You’d probably be able to get a decent used one. You should try a racquet that’s a little more flexible and heavier. Your elbow will thank you.
Whatttt is our boy also a car enthusiast??!!
Hi I’m from Poland Europe and here we also watch you on you tube. Can you please measure all the aero racquets and compair them. You have a nice Prince machine. And as for the balance can you please use the black machine. Best wishes
I counted 9,329,863 “rights”...right...right..right...
never leave the racket in the car.
Nice video, right? Very informative, right? It's interesting, right?..😂😂✌✌...Seriously, great video..Keep it up, okay?Thanks man.
Решил показать нам все свои майки!!?🤣🌺🤣
I use the prince duraflex. They hold tension forever . Poly strings suck . Too thick
You have most polys in gauges ranging from 18 to 15 (some strings come in even thinner gauges). Having said that, polyester does suck.
@@msalvs Unless you hit hard enough that you actually need to add spin and don't want to string into the 60's.
@@javace79 I use poly crosses precisely to curb the power but still I'm not a fan of polys in general and I don't remember ever stringing fullbed poly. I do string my mains at 26-27 which is not far from 60lbs.
GUT like a Good Curry !!!
next Day Tastes Better
Jack strings it at 31lbs? Didn’t think he would string such Low tension!
It's actually quite playable at that tension. The comfort is amazing.
Anyone else think poly only does the “poly” thing for like 3 hits or less then it’s just a board that hurts your arm and doesnt give the extra spin.
Heat and cold will affect poly, but moisture does not. And whatever you do, don't let your "balls fly". Lol!
CAR /SUV Tires Last 2-5 YEARS !!!!!!!!!!!!! MAX if Tread Still Good
31 pounds is so low.
Jack Sock definitely uses one of the lowest tension on tour
Not so low. It depends on the string. I play with that tension. Sock gets his rackets strung 2 hours before the match. He changes them everyday. And remember what he said in the video: your 55lb, after 60 days are probably 32 lbs.
I break Lux after 2 weeks
Pretty stupid to string a racket for a single match or a couple hours. This is not the right direction.
This blokes videos are so slow its like he's in slow motion. I'd like to see if he can actually play or is he all talk. Don't agree that tension goes down so much and I've been stringing for about 40 years even started doing wooden rackets by hand.
Play at 2x speed and your set
@@255132a I play at 1.5x