ChicagoJack
Hall of Fame
Hi All,
I'm on a hunt for a low friction, and most of all, comfortable option for a cross string with gut mains. I've been playing with Gut/Poly for about five years now, and Gut/Co-Focus for a majority of those years. But I'm searching for something a little more comfortable. I've cross referenced the string friction rankings [1] with string stiffness, as well as tension loss. Below is a list of demo possibilities that popped up based on those criteria. My approach is to use the available testing data only to trim the demo pool from the 900 or so commercially available string, down to a more manageable 20-30 to demo. Then I forget about the data entirely once I'm on the court, and I use what works best and feels right. I'll be updating my experience as time permits.
March 17, 2014 Edit : Underlined means I've demoed it. The Grey Font just means it's a non-poly string. One of the surprise discoveries while fishing for slippery poly, was that there are a few nylon based string with very low COF living in the same neighborhood, so I gave them a special pass onto the demo list.
( stiffness lbs/in ) ( actual pre-test tension, reference tension was 62 lbs, fast swing ) ( inter-string friction )
( 086.3 ) ( 54.4 ) ( 0.103 ) .. Pacific Prime 16
( 089.2 ) ( 53.8 ) ( 0.180 ) .. Pacific Classic 16
( 092.6 ) ( 54.2 ) ( 0.173 ) .. Wilson Natural 17
( 097.7 ) ( 53.1 ) ( 0.147 ) .. Babolat VS Team 17
( 099.4 ) ( 51.9 ) ( 0.245 ) .. Wilson Natural 16
( 104.6 ) ( 54.3 ) ( 0.298 ) .. Klip Legend Uncoated 16
( 101.7 ) ( 51.1 ) ( 0.124 ) .. VS Natural ThermoGut 16 Touch
( 105.2 ) ( 54.2 ) ( 0.194 ) .. Klip Armour Pro 16
( 118.3 ) ( 39.0 ) ( 0.088 ) .. Ashaway Zyex MonoGut 16 Nylon/Zyex
( 161.2 ) ( 48.1 ) ( 0.085 ) .. Volk Gripper 17 Nylon
( 166.3 ) ( 27.5 ) ( 0.098 ) .. Topspin Cyber Flash 17L
( 171.5 ) ( 47.6 ) ( 0.079 ) .. Gosen Compositemaster II 16 Nylon
( 176.0 ) ( 50.4 ) ( 0.089 ) .. Head FXP Power 17 Nylon
( 178.9 ) ( 49.3 ) ( 0.080 ) .. Gosen Powermaster II 16 Nylon
( 180.6 ) ( 37.8 ) ( 0.090 ) .. Gosen Sidewinder 17
( 181.2 ) ( 49.1 ) ( 0.082 ) .. Volkl Synthetic Gut 17 Nylon
( 181.2 ) ( 48.8 ) ( 0.088 ) .. Gosen Nanosilver 17 Nylon
( 181.7 ) ( 30.0 ) ( 0.102 ) .. WC Silverstring 120
( 182.9 ) ( 48.5 ) ( 0.075 ) .. Gosen Powermaster I 16 Nylon
( 183.5 ) ( 49.7 ) ( 0.089 ) .. Gosen AK Pro 17 Nylon
( 188.0 ) ( 47.8 ) ( 0.081 ) .. Klip Synth Gut 16 Nylon
( 188.0 ) ( 30.9 ) ( x.xxx ) .. Yonex Poly Tour Pro 1.25
( 000.0 ) ( 00.0 ) ( 0.000 ) .. Weiss CANNON Mosquito Bite 18 (Not In TWU Data Base)
( 189.2 ) ( 44.7 ) ( 0.114 ) .. Technifibre Pro Mix 17Nylon/Poly
( 191.5 ) ( 34.3 ) ( 0.083 ) .. Big Hitter Black 7 17, edged
( 192.0 ) ( 34.2 ) ( 0.083 ) .. Big Hitter Silver 17
( 192.6 ) ( 32.9 ) ( 0.112 ) .. Polyfibre Poly Hitec 18
( 192.6 ) ( 30.2 ) ( 0.070 ) .. IsoSpeed Pulse 16
( 193.2 ) ( 33.3 ) ( 0.071 ) .. Gosen Polyon Polybreak 18
( 193.7 ) ( 33.1 ) ( 0.092 ) .. Head Sonic Pro 16
( 197.2 ) ( 38.3 ) ( 0.120 ) .. Babolat Pro Hurricane 18
( 199.5 ) ( 34.3 ) ( 0.090 ) .. Topspin Cyber Blue 17
( 200.0 ) ( xx.x ) ( 0.089 ) .. MSV Co-Focus 17L .. [estimated stiffness, USRSA digits n/a]
( 200.0 ) ( 30.9 ) ( 0.100 ) .. Polyfibre TCS 17
( 200.6 ) ( 35.3 ) ( 0.097 ) .. Kirschbaum Pro Line II 18
( 203.5 ) ( 33.4 ) ( 0.087 ) .. Head Sonic Pro 17
( 203.5 ) ( 34.9 ) ( 0.079 ) .. Topspin Cyber Blue 16
( 205.0 ) ( xx.x ) ( 0.072 ) .. Solinco Revolution 18 .. [corners estimated data]
( 205.5 ) ( 35.7 ) ( 0.075 ) .. Solinco Tour Bite 17, edged
( 206.3 ) ( 35.6 ) ( 0.085 ) .. Gamma Zo Twist 16
( 206.9 ) ( 34.9 ) ( 0.074 ) .. Gosen PolyMaster II 16, flat
( 210.9 ) ( 35.4 ) ( 0.082 ) .. Volkl Cyclone 18
( 210.3 ) ( 30.0 ) ( 0.085 ) .. Polyfibre Hitec Premium 16
( 211.5 ) ( 35.1 ) ( 0.083 ) .. Gosen Polyon SP 17
( 211.5 ) ( 36.5 ) ( 0.092 ) .. WC Scorpion 1.22
( 213.2 ) ( 36.3 ) ( 0.089 ) .. MSV Co-Focus 16L
( 214.3 ) ( 35.6 ) ( 0.074 ) .. Solinco Outlast 17
( 214.3 ) ( 35.9 ) ( 0.085 ) .. MSV Hepta Twist 17 edged
( 218.3 ) ( 37.4 ) ( 0.090 ) .. Kirschbaum Pro Line II 17L
( 222.3 ) ( 38.7 ) ( x.xxx ) .. Signum Pro Poly Plasma 17L , 1.18
( 227.5 ) ( 38.87 ) ( 0.101 ) .. Kirschbaum Pro Line II 17
( 228.0 ) ( 45.7 ) ( 0.069 ) .. Head Hawk
( 225.0 ) ( 39.6 ) ( x.xxx ) .. Tecnifibre Black Code 18
( 228.6 ) ( 39.6 ) ( x.xxx ) .. Prince Beast XP 16
( 323.6 ) ( 36.8 ) ( x.xxx ) .. Signum Pro Hyperion 17
( 237.0 ) ( 37.3 ) ( 0.098 ) .. MSV Focus Evo 17
( 262.3 ) ( 45.6 ) ( 0.071 ) .. Ltec Premium 4S 16L
( 273.2 ) ( 51.3 ) ( x.xxx ) .. Luxilon 4G 16L, 1.25
Play Testing, String Review Links:
1. 60/52 … Mains: Wilson Natural Gut 16 | X's: Yonex Poly Pro Tour Black (16L / 1.25mm)
2. 60/52 … Mains: Wilson Natural Gut 16 | X's: Wiess CANNON Mosquito Bite (18g / 1.16mm) Red
3. 54/54 … Dunlop Black Widow (18g / 1.21) (Rainy Day Back Up)
4. 60/52 … Mains: Wilson Natural Gut 16 | X's: Gosen SideWinder (17g /1.22-1.24)
5. 60/52 … Mains: Wilson Natural Gut 16 | X's: Gosen PolyMaster I (16g / 1.02-1.46)
6. 60/56 … Mains: Wilson Natural Gut 16 | X's: Ashaway MonoGut Zx Red (16g / 1.27mm)
7. 60/60 … Full Bed : Ashaway MonoGut Zx Red (16g / 1.27mm)
Links: [1] String Friction Rankings , String Movement , Inter-string Friction , String To Ball Friction , Rank Strings By Spin Potential , USRSA String Selector Map 2012 , Gosen Sidewinder Video Review , Big Hitter Black 7 Video Review , Volkl Cyclone Video & Written Review
- Jack
I'm on a hunt for a low friction, and most of all, comfortable option for a cross string with gut mains. I've been playing with Gut/Poly for about five years now, and Gut/Co-Focus for a majority of those years. But I'm searching for something a little more comfortable. I've cross referenced the string friction rankings [1] with string stiffness, as well as tension loss. Below is a list of demo possibilities that popped up based on those criteria. My approach is to use the available testing data only to trim the demo pool from the 900 or so commercially available string, down to a more manageable 20-30 to demo. Then I forget about the data entirely once I'm on the court, and I use what works best and feels right. I'll be updating my experience as time permits.
March 17, 2014 Edit : Underlined means I've demoed it. The Grey Font just means it's a non-poly string. One of the surprise discoveries while fishing for slippery poly, was that there are a few nylon based string with very low COF living in the same neighborhood, so I gave them a special pass onto the demo list.
( stiffness lbs/in ) ( actual pre-test tension, reference tension was 62 lbs, fast swing ) ( inter-string friction )
( 086.3 ) ( 54.4 ) ( 0.103 ) .. Pacific Prime 16
( 089.2 ) ( 53.8 ) ( 0.180 ) .. Pacific Classic 16
( 092.6 ) ( 54.2 ) ( 0.173 ) .. Wilson Natural 17
( 097.7 ) ( 53.1 ) ( 0.147 ) .. Babolat VS Team 17
( 099.4 ) ( 51.9 ) ( 0.245 ) .. Wilson Natural 16
( 104.6 ) ( 54.3 ) ( 0.298 ) .. Klip Legend Uncoated 16
( 101.7 ) ( 51.1 ) ( 0.124 ) .. VS Natural ThermoGut 16 Touch
( 105.2 ) ( 54.2 ) ( 0.194 ) .. Klip Armour Pro 16
( 118.3 ) ( 39.0 ) ( 0.088 ) .. Ashaway Zyex MonoGut 16 Nylon/Zyex
( 161.2 ) ( 48.1 ) ( 0.085 ) .. Volk Gripper 17 Nylon
( 166.3 ) ( 27.5 ) ( 0.098 ) .. Topspin Cyber Flash 17L
( 171.5 ) ( 47.6 ) ( 0.079 ) .. Gosen Compositemaster II 16 Nylon
( 176.0 ) ( 50.4 ) ( 0.089 ) .. Head FXP Power 17 Nylon
( 178.9 ) ( 49.3 ) ( 0.080 ) .. Gosen Powermaster II 16 Nylon
( 180.6 ) ( 37.8 ) ( 0.090 ) .. Gosen Sidewinder 17
( 181.2 ) ( 49.1 ) ( 0.082 ) .. Volkl Synthetic Gut 17 Nylon
( 181.2 ) ( 48.8 ) ( 0.088 ) .. Gosen Nanosilver 17 Nylon
( 181.7 ) ( 30.0 ) ( 0.102 ) .. WC Silverstring 120
( 182.9 ) ( 48.5 ) ( 0.075 ) .. Gosen Powermaster I 16 Nylon
( 183.5 ) ( 49.7 ) ( 0.089 ) .. Gosen AK Pro 17 Nylon
( 188.0 ) ( 47.8 ) ( 0.081 ) .. Klip Synth Gut 16 Nylon
( 188.0 ) ( 30.9 ) ( x.xxx ) .. Yonex Poly Tour Pro 1.25
( 000.0 ) ( 00.0 ) ( 0.000 ) .. Weiss CANNON Mosquito Bite 18 (Not In TWU Data Base)
( 189.2 ) ( 44.7 ) ( 0.114 ) .. Technifibre Pro Mix 17Nylon/Poly
( 191.5 ) ( 34.3 ) ( 0.083 ) .. Big Hitter Black 7 17, edged
( 192.0 ) ( 34.2 ) ( 0.083 ) .. Big Hitter Silver 17
( 192.6 ) ( 32.9 ) ( 0.112 ) .. Polyfibre Poly Hitec 18
( 192.6 ) ( 30.2 ) ( 0.070 ) .. IsoSpeed Pulse 16
( 193.2 ) ( 33.3 ) ( 0.071 ) .. Gosen Polyon Polybreak 18
( 193.7 ) ( 33.1 ) ( 0.092 ) .. Head Sonic Pro 16
( 197.2 ) ( 38.3 ) ( 0.120 ) .. Babolat Pro Hurricane 18
( 199.5 ) ( 34.3 ) ( 0.090 ) .. Topspin Cyber Blue 17
( 200.0 ) ( xx.x ) ( 0.089 ) .. MSV Co-Focus 17L .. [estimated stiffness, USRSA digits n/a]
( 200.0 ) ( 30.9 ) ( 0.100 ) .. Polyfibre TCS 17
( 200.6 ) ( 35.3 ) ( 0.097 ) .. Kirschbaum Pro Line II 18
( 203.5 ) ( 33.4 ) ( 0.087 ) .. Head Sonic Pro 17
( 203.5 ) ( 34.9 ) ( 0.079 ) .. Topspin Cyber Blue 16
( 205.0 ) ( xx.x ) ( 0.072 ) .. Solinco Revolution 18 .. [corners estimated data]
( 205.5 ) ( 35.7 ) ( 0.075 ) .. Solinco Tour Bite 17, edged
( 206.3 ) ( 35.6 ) ( 0.085 ) .. Gamma Zo Twist 16
( 206.9 ) ( 34.9 ) ( 0.074 ) .. Gosen PolyMaster II 16, flat
( 210.9 ) ( 35.4 ) ( 0.082 ) .. Volkl Cyclone 18
( 210.3 ) ( 30.0 ) ( 0.085 ) .. Polyfibre Hitec Premium 16
( 211.5 ) ( 35.1 ) ( 0.083 ) .. Gosen Polyon SP 17
( 211.5 ) ( 36.5 ) ( 0.092 ) .. WC Scorpion 1.22
( 213.2 ) ( 36.3 ) ( 0.089 ) .. MSV Co-Focus 16L
( 214.3 ) ( 35.6 ) ( 0.074 ) .. Solinco Outlast 17
( 214.3 ) ( 35.9 ) ( 0.085 ) .. MSV Hepta Twist 17 edged
( 218.3 ) ( 37.4 ) ( 0.090 ) .. Kirschbaum Pro Line II 17L
( 222.3 ) ( 38.7 ) ( x.xxx ) .. Signum Pro Poly Plasma 17L , 1.18
( 227.5 ) ( 38.87 ) ( 0.101 ) .. Kirschbaum Pro Line II 17
( 228.0 ) ( 45.7 ) ( 0.069 ) .. Head Hawk
( 225.0 ) ( 39.6 ) ( x.xxx ) .. Tecnifibre Black Code 18
( 228.6 ) ( 39.6 ) ( x.xxx ) .. Prince Beast XP 16
( 323.6 ) ( 36.8 ) ( x.xxx ) .. Signum Pro Hyperion 17
( 237.0 ) ( 37.3 ) ( 0.098 ) .. MSV Focus Evo 17
( 262.3 ) ( 45.6 ) ( 0.071 ) .. Ltec Premium 4S 16L
( 273.2 ) ( 51.3 ) ( x.xxx ) .. Luxilon 4G 16L, 1.25
Play Testing, String Review Links:
1. 60/52 … Mains: Wilson Natural Gut 16 | X's: Yonex Poly Pro Tour Black (16L / 1.25mm)
2. 60/52 … Mains: Wilson Natural Gut 16 | X's: Wiess CANNON Mosquito Bite (18g / 1.16mm) Red
3. 54/54 … Dunlop Black Widow (18g / 1.21) (Rainy Day Back Up)
4. 60/52 … Mains: Wilson Natural Gut 16 | X's: Gosen SideWinder (17g /1.22-1.24)
5. 60/52 … Mains: Wilson Natural Gut 16 | X's: Gosen PolyMaster I (16g / 1.02-1.46)
6. 60/56 … Mains: Wilson Natural Gut 16 | X's: Ashaway MonoGut Zx Red (16g / 1.27mm)
7. 60/60 … Full Bed : Ashaway MonoGut Zx Red (16g / 1.27mm)
Links: [1] String Friction Rankings , String Movement , Inter-string Friction , String To Ball Friction , Rank Strings By Spin Potential , USRSA String Selector Map 2012 , Gosen Sidewinder Video Review , Big Hitter Black 7 Video Review , Volkl Cyclone Video & Written Review
- Jack
Last edited: