Babolat string savers - do you use them on your gut/poly?

[IowaGuy]

Hello, if you use a gut/poly setup, do you also use Babolat ElastoCross string savers?

If so, how many and what pattern do you use?

I have never used them before, but my poly crosses are sawing through my gut mains and I'm hoping to get more longevity (and maybe a little more spin) by trying the string savers. Thanks for any feedback!

 

[Imago]

I use between 30 and 40 with open pattern frames for the said reasons, plus increased tension.

 

[Yoneyama]

Yes.

After I first used them with Gut/Poly, I started to use them in all my string setups. I don't think they have any effect on spin at all positively or negatively, but they do increase stringbed tension which as I like to put it 'tames the power'. It helps me keep the ball in easier with the same stroke style.

 

[dnguyen]

Yes, I do on PS85 and Fische Vacumm Pro 90 but need to get rid of All power rough at crosses. Will try Big Banger Ace 18 at crosses.

 

[IowaGuy]

I use between 30 and 40 with open pattern frames for the said reasons, plus increased tension.

Do you put these on immediately after stringing?

Do you have a particular pattern? Do you skip strings in your pattern, or do you use a string saver on every node within a particular area?

 

[Nostradamus]

Hello, if you use a gut/poly setup, do you also use Babolat ElastoCross string savers?

If so, how many and what pattern do you use?

I have never used them before, but my poly crosses are sawing through my gut mains and I'm hoping to get more longevity (and maybe a little more spin) by trying the string savers. Thanks for any feedback!

Roger Federer uses it as well. and it isn't so that String last longer.....lol

 

[IowaGuy]

Here's the pattern I'm experimenting with, on my 16x19 ProStaff. X's denote string savers, 30 total:

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[IowaGuy]

That didn't post so well, will try to get jpg posted showing pattern...

 

[Imago]

Do you put these on immediately after stringing?

Do you have a particular pattern? Do you skip strings in your pattern, or do you use a string saver on every node within a particular area?

Mostly when the tension turns out to be too low.

 

[2ndServe]

Don't use the yellow tourna? ones they are super plasticy feeling and just feel awful IMO

 

[Crashbaby]

Watched a recent video interview with Roger (in German) with subtitles and he talks about the string savers, he said any more than 10 and the string bed starts to feel mushy.

 

[LaZeR]

Watched a recent video interview with Roger (in German) with subtitles and he talks about the string savers, he said any more than 10 and the string bed starts to feel mushy.

Hey @ Crashbaby, I've ALWAYS wanted to hear this ~ can you post the URL?

Also, don't quite understand the "mushy" part ~ the more string savers you install, the stringbed gets & feels wayyy stiffer & tighter.

With natural gut mains hybrid with (co)Poly crosses I use around 20 string savers in an evenly spaced out pattern and this totally elongates playability A LOT.

With (co)Poly mains, I use around 16 ss, and this slows down the deterioration of less durable syn gut crosses.

 

[Crashbaby]

https://youtu.be/Sny-3i8GgW

Really good interview if you are a fed fan.
String savers reduce string friction, so it sounds like fed likes a certain amount of friction for feel.

 

[LaZeR]

https://youtu.be/Sny-3i8GgW Really good interview if you are a fed fan.
String savers reduce string friction, so it sounds like fed likes a certain amount of friction for feel.

THANKS!! Too bad YouTube can't translate video dialogue... anyone care to translate?? lol

Surprised to see at 5:55 that Federer ALSO uses those Pojie things in the throat. Anyone know how many pros use those Pojie things?

 

[Zoolander]

THANKS!! Too bad YouTube can't translate video dialogue... anyone care to translate?

Think youtube can translate dialogue, it just does it very, very badly.....

Here's the pattern I'm experimenting with, on my 16x19 ProStaff. X's denote string savers, 30 total:

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| | | | | | | X X | | | | | | |
| | | | | | X | | X | | | | | |
| | | | | X | X X | X | | | | |
| | | | X | X | | X | X | | | |
| | | X | X | X X | X | X | | |
| | | | X | X | | X | X | | | |
| | | | | X | X X | X | | | | |
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Im sorry but i cant help saying it....... that looks like a lot of work for a terrible looking result!

 

[LaZeR]

Here's what I try to do. Natural Gut on the left, (co)Poly on the right.

 

[phanker]

Tried it on every other mains/crosses intersections in the sweetspot.
Didn't last very long I find as thin material sitting between the mains/crosses wears out within a few hours. After that, the mains are getting sawed by the crosses even though the stringsaver is still attached.
I did like the additional grab on the ball provided by the stringsaver's edges though which wears out pretty quick also.
Not worth the hassle I thought.

 

[LaZeR]

Tried it on every other mains/crosses intersections in the sweetspot.
Didn't last very long I find as thin material sitting between the mains/crosses wears out within a few hours. After that, the mains are getting sawed by the crosses even though the stringsaver is still attached.

Did you use the Babolat string savers?

 

[phanker]

Can't recall the brand.

Did you use the Babolat string savers?

 

[alpenglo]

They *greatly* increase the life of my 17ga poly (I use a lot, at least 50 at all sweet spot intersections). Perhaps lengthens life too much as they say poly goes "dead" after a while. That said, I don't see much of a change after the unavoidable initial tension loss...but I'm no string connoisseur.

 

[alpenglo]

Just a quick update. Babolat Elasto Cross SS on a full bed of Hyper G prevents notching entirely and has no effect on spin that I can discern (I'm a string-breaker). Due to elbow sensitivity I'm now trying Hyper G hybrided with TNT2 syn gut crosses. Here I was hoping that the BSS would prevent the crosses from fraying and keep the poly mains snapping back. The results are mixed. Clearly the BSS don't slide as well on the gut as on slick poly (as evidenced by the mains not fully returning to parallel). That said, as fraying/notching is clearly being prevented (entirely, after 8+ hours of play--checked under a microscope), I suspect I'm getting better spin than I would have without the BSS. YMMV.

 

[CornOnTheCob]

THANKS!! Too bad YouTube can't translate video dialogue... anyone care to translate?? lol

Surprised to see at 5:55 that Federer ALSO uses those Pojie things in the throat. Anyone know how many pros use those Pojie things?

If you haven't gotten an answer yet I think what you are referring to on the throat are power pads. They're just leather pads that used to be used to help natural gut not get sawed by the sharp edges on wooden racquets. I think that they're not needed now with modern grommets, but a lot of people like how they feel. I've read that they offer some dampening of the string bed and also "elongate" the mains, which may or may not affect the snapback of the strings.

 

[arteddie]

I use between 30 and 40 with open pattern frames for the said reasons, plus increased tension.

sounds like overkill. why not just string at a higher tension?