Does lower tension adds ''pocketing'' ro a racquet?

[DonDiego]

...Or does is simply adds ''trampoline effect''?

In other words, do you get roughly the same control but with more pocketing going from 52 to 42 with a poly, or is it a 1 for 1 tradeoff between pocketing and control?

I'm trying to see if I can add some pocketing feel to my F3.0 Tour to make the feel closer to my Aerogel 4d 300 Tour, without losing too much control or make the frame overpowered for my taste. I usually string both racquets with a poly at 52. F3.0 Tour is more stable and solid overall, but I like the dwell time I get with my Aerogel.

 

[eaglesburg]

...Or does is simply adds ''trampoline effect''?

In other words, do you get roughly the same control but with more pocketing going from 52 to 42 with a poly, or is it a 1 for 1 tradeoff between pocketing and control?

I'm trying to see if I can add some pocketing feel to my F3.0 Tour to make the feel closer to my Aerogel 4d 300 Tour, without losing too much control or make the frame overpowered for my taste. I usually string both racquets with a poly at 52. F3.0 Tour is more stable and solid overall, but I like the dwell time I get with my Aerogel.

For me, no. Just the trampoline.

 

[torpantennis]

Troll whatever you like. The fact is, lower tension definitely does add dwell time.

TWU objective facts: http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/learning_center/reporter.php
(medium swing speed)

Solinco Tour Bite 16 (40 lbs) dwell time: 41.9ms
Solinco Tour Bite 16 (51 lbs) dwell time: 37.7ms
Solinco Tour Bite 16 (62 lbs) dwell time: 35.4ms

Lower tension giving more trampoline effect is a myth. There was a scientific proof that decreasing tension a lot only increased the power about 2%. The change in dwell time however is very significant.

The sole reason why some people feel "more trampoline effect" with lower tensions is that their technique sucks. Longer dwell time is more sensitive to technique. If you hit off-center, which possibly opens up the racquet face, then your balls will fly long more with a longer dwell time.

 

[GioV]

I like the pocketing of full poly in the 40s... I thought it was more of a feeling for me, but as torpatennis points out, it has been shown to add dwell time.

I have been wanting to try poly in the 30s.

 

[SpinToWin]

It adds pocketing and dwell time and you should feel it.

You get a different feel altogether though. The lower tension has a higher launch angle and produces more spin. If you adjust your strokes you should be able to get at least the same control with the lower tension by using the added access to spin to your benefit.

The feedback is less direct though, so you will need some time to adjust.

 

[Aretium]

I'm gonna say it again and people will attack me again. There is no point in stringing poly above 50. This is just lack of understanding of what poly is. The only reason people string them high is because they are used to it and listened to the old school of thought. There are however certain co-polys that lose control and certain rackets that need higher tensions (IMO its not a racket if its 100sq inches its a butterfly net).

With a control/stiff string, you can pretty much go as low as you want if you are using a mid head size racket. It gives you longer, and better quality playability, feel, and I get better directional control due to the pocketing.

There are theories that stringing at low tension reduces the amount of elasticity lost during stringing, elasticity=playability.

 

[Aretium]

The feedback is less direct though, so you will need some time to adjust.

This is potentially the only drawback for dropping tensions. You need a really stiff and crisp string for playing low tensions. In my experience they stay crisp at low tensions. The feedback is actually better because you are not playing with a board.

 

[RetroSpin]

For me, no. Just the trampoline.

Not my experience with poly at all. With syn gut or multi, yes.

 

[torpantennis]

This is how "much" lower tension adds "trampoline effect": http://www.tennisindustrymag.com/articles/2005/02/outlook_2005_string.html

Crawford Lindsey: "If you drop string tension by 10 pounds, the percentage gain in ball velocity will be less than 1 percent (about .7 percent), or about .4 mph on a 60 mph ground stroke."

The power increase of lower tension is totally insignificant. It's all about dwell time, and dwell time only.

 

[Lukhas]

I'm also a believer that it adds dwell time. In the end it's a matter of personal "sensations" more than "control vs. power" which as explained above isn't that relevant. Some like a boardy feel; I don't even string multi over 50lbs anymore except when it's ridiculously hot in the summer.

 

[LeeD]

Increase dwell time with lower tensions, but also smooths the sweetspot, making it seem bigger, as mishit's don't jar nearly as much.
Down to 35 lbs., STBite16 seems fine for hard flat shots (mainly first serves), to normal groundies and volleys, overheads and half volleys. No sure about second serve reliablility, it could just be MY problem.
35 lbs STB 16 on an Aero500.
38 lbs SpikyShark16 on a Bio300T.
40 lbs STB 16 on a RedOS.
47 lbs STB 16 on two 4DAero300's now around 40.
All except for the 4D can serve well over 100.

 

[Shroud]

It adds pocketing and dwell time and you should feel it.

You get a different feel altogether though. The lower tension has a higher launch angle and produces more spin. If you adjust your strokes you should be able to get at least the same control with the lower tension by using the added access to spin to your benefit.

The feedback is less direct though, so you will need some time to adjust.

Totally agree and its the launch angle that makes it all seem more powerful.

I play with kevlar and if you go low enough you can even get ball pocketing with that.

Though I dont know what you mean by feedback being less direct. You mean less immediate (because of the pocketing)?

 

[DonDiego]

The lower tension has a higher launch angle and produces more spin.

This is an important point. It is something that can be confused (by myself included) with trampoline effect, since your ball ''jumps'' higher.

Does it mean lower control? Yes, in certain racquets that already have a high launch angle. For thight 18x20 patterns, probably not.

 

[Shroud]

This is an important point. It is something that can be confused (by myself included) with trampoline effect, since your ball ''jumps'' higher.

Does it mean lower control? Yes, in certain racquets that already have a high launch angle. For thight 18x20 patterns, probably not.

Its just relative. So even in an 18x20 relatively speaking less tension has a higher launch. Not as extreme on an 18x20 but IME if you gravitate to the 18x20s launch angle is still going to mess with you initially until you adapt.

I probably have had more extreme launch angle variation than most going from a 15lbs 14/10 racket to a 30lb 14/18 racket. The angle difference was so extreme that the same stroke that hit deep controlled shots on the 14/10 produced a shot that hit the ground 3 FEET in front of me on the 14/18. The rackets were the same except that I had lower tension and had skipped half the crosses. I could adapt. But if I was reversing it and going from the one that was tighter to the one with the higher launch angle the balls would be over the fence initially...

 

[torpantennis]

This is an important point. It is something that can be confused (by myself included) with trampoline effect, since your ball ''jumps'' higher.

Does it mean lower control? Yes, in certain racquets that already have a high launch angle. For thight 18x20 patterns, probably not.

Exactly! Low tension on a "normal" racquet behaves a lot like normal tension on an ultra-open spin effect pattern racquet. But there are some differences. The string life, directional accuracy and launch angle consistency are superior on low tension normal racquet.

TBH, I'm quite tempted to try low tension poly on my 18x20 Prestige, after gut/poly goes dead. My test of low tension poly at 38 on a 102sq.in. 16x19 racquet worked really well. I was able to hit great spin, but also to flatten out the strokes.

 

[mad dog1]

Not my experience with poly at all. With syn gut or multi, yes.

my experience mirrors yours