v-verb
Hall of Fame
Good advice many thanks 2nd Serve Ace!
In praise of Kevlar/ZX hybrid!!!
- Thread starter marsh
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Good advice many thanks 2nd Serve Ace!
v-verb
Hall of Fame
Same here - that's why I'm stuck at 95 mph and can't hit the hundy.
I shall practice 2nd Serve Ace's advice
Oddly enough I've taken a hiatus from my 13-14 ounce frames and am hitting a Wilson Ultra XP 100S - 10.7 oz strung. I can hit a tad faster with the Ultra XP 100LS 9.9 oz strung.
The Ultra XPs are light but hit like heavier frames
graycrait
Legend
I get to hit with a young gal (21) who hits a one hand backhand with serious pace and direction who uses a 10.4oz racket. She told me I don't get enough RHS with my 12.3 oz rackets. I've tried the "light" rackets and my volleys and serves seem to suffer. But maybe at my age I need to heed what the young guns are using. Do any "power confernece" D1 kids use 12+ oz rackets? Or are those weights only for dinosaurs?
v-verb
Hall of Fame
If you want to have some serious fun - not as a usual stick but as an experiment - string up an Wilson Profile 110 (16/18 pattern) with Kev/ZX at 30 lbs. You will get some serious power and solid groundstrokes and volleys. Also serves if you can get some RHS going. Profiles aren't pricey at all
I know they are totally outside your comfort zone but you may be surprised pleasantly
graycrait
Legend
Which Profile? It does matter because a lot those vintage Wilson Profiles have brittle grommets and I need to find one with good grommets. 2.7, 3.0 or what?
v-verb
Hall of Fame
2.7 Profile. honestly it's fun. With the low tension you can get some serious spin as well. Just have to watch the ball like a hawk or it will be shank city with the thick beam.
graycrait
Legend
Thanks. Just wanted to make sure what I needed to look for. There are quite a number of Profiles with a wide range of number designations.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
Whatever you are using on the tennis court, I’d continue using it. I mean... for a guy in his 60s, you sure seem to spend a lot of time hitting tennis balls with young female tennis aces!
v-verb
Hall of Fame
I wish I knew his secret!!
Injured Again
Hall of Fame
As a 57 year old, I have way more strength now than in my 20's, but explosive power and flexibility are way down. I can't throw a baseball as fast as I used to, nor can I serve as hard or swing a groundstroke as fast. So to keep my power levels, I use a heavier racquet. I still swing at 70-80% just as I did four decades ago, just now the racquet is heavier and racquet head speed is slower.
I'm still using low powered strings and that is my "reserve" for the years to come. I won't be able to get any stronger than I am now so my racquets are as heavy as they will ever be, but at some point my ability to swing a racquet as fast will decline, as will my flexibility. I'll then move to more and more powerful strings and I probably also gradually lighten the frame.
BounceHitBounceHit
Legend
There are multiple serious players here (SEC) that use 12oz.+ frames. JC’s match-played Sandgren H22 is 345grams with an even balance.
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2nd Serve Ace
Hall of Fame
Ok, it's been a very productive winter season for me. A few notes:
1. Recycled ashkev from last summer (40 hours+ usage) seems to have good snapback and playability installed at just 55 lbs. For comparison, I would normally do new Ashkev @ 75 lbs. 55 lbs still bent the frame about 1/8 of an inch.
2. Recycled ZXP has been very problematic as it won't install even at 40 lbs without breaking! Seriously considering a switch to Prince premier touch as my go-to cross with Ashkev.
3. The Prince beast 100 is a great frame to put Ashkev on. With a full bed of syn gut, it was hard to control and the string noise absolutely required a damp. (I do not like having to put damps on frames.) Put ashkev mains in, it had the control and feel of a players frame but with the forgiveness and spin of a game improvement frame combined with hardly any string noise!
Bottom line: broken in ashkev is just as comfortable as any multi or natural gut.
1. Recycled ashkev from last summer (40 hours+ usage) seems to have good snapback and playability installed at just 55 lbs. For comparison, I would normally do new Ashkev @ 75 lbs. 55 lbs still bent the frame about 1/8 of an inch.
2. Recycled ZXP has been very problematic as it won't install even at 40 lbs without breaking! Seriously considering a switch to Prince premier touch as my go-to cross with Ashkev.
3. The Prince beast 100 is a great frame to put Ashkev on. With a full bed of syn gut, it was hard to control and the string noise absolutely required a damp. (I do not like having to put damps on frames.) Put ashkev mains in, it had the control and feel of a players frame but with the forgiveness and spin of a game improvement frame combined with hardly any string noise!
Bottom line: broken in ashkev is just as comfortable as any multi or natural gut.
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Shroud
G.O.A.T.
I use that stick but no way could I string it so low. Think you sent me one. Yeah notes show I traded an autographed Sampras Ps88 worth 2.2 million for a Profile...
How are you able to hit hard with low tensions ans not have it SAIL?
Graycrait,
All of my frames are 12.3-12.5. 51 years old myself so looking to generate more racquet head Speed is probably not my best plan. Using powerful strings and lower tensions in a RF97 and Wilson 6.1 95 assist in generating power + plow through which is extremely important hitting with upper level players. With these frames and set up I am generating the pace by playing smooth and using softer strings to make it easy on the arm. At 51, my years of playing 5.0 tennis and training with collegiate and open level players are limited. Embracing the lower tensions and strings that provide easy power has been the saving grace for the arm and mph’s are there on the serve and off of the ground. I’ve learned to play smarter as opposed to playing harder with more racquet head speed.
The D1 players that I have had the opportunity to hit and spend time with in the last year or so are weighting their frames with lead tape and playing lower tensions with full poly. (47-52lbs.) See frames like Wilson Blades, Yonex, and Babolats that are mid range weight with lead added.
As a young man trained on the court with Rick Macci as a player/coach but awareness is that there is no way to push through the riggers of training like I once did without causing injury. Every aspect of training looks different now. No one beats Father Time.
All of my frames are 12.3-12.5. 51 years old myself so looking to generate more racquet head Speed is probably not my best plan. Using powerful strings and lower tensions in a RF97 and Wilson 6.1 95 assist in generating power + plow through which is extremely important hitting with upper level players. With these frames and set up I am generating the pace by playing smooth and using softer strings to make it easy on the arm. At 51, my years of playing 5.0 tennis and training with collegiate and open level players are limited. Embracing the lower tensions and strings that provide easy power has been the saving grace for the arm and mph’s are there on the serve and off of the ground. I’ve learned to play smarter as opposed to playing harder with more racquet head speed.
The D1 players that I have had the opportunity to hit and spend time with in the last year or so are weighting their frames with lead tape and playing lower tensions with full poly. (47-52lbs.) See frames like Wilson Blades, Yonex, and Babolats that are mid range weight with lead added.
As a young man trained on the court with Rick Macci as a player/coach but awareness is that there is no way to push through the riggers of training like I once did without causing injury. Every aspect of training looks different now. No one beats Father Time.
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BounceHitBounceHit
Legend
We are on the very same trajectory. [emoji123]
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graycrait
Legend
I agree with your first statement especially watching fit vigorous friends hit their late 70s and beyond. Although I know a local guy who plays in the 85s tennis and is on a national champ softball team. All of us admire and respect this guy. When asked what he did in his 30's - 60's to achieve this in diet, training, etc., he says nothing special, just don't stop.
As to your second statement: I sort of envy those who had good early training and good competition, which I think is critical for upper level performance later. But I am having a blast figuring this out in my retirement and I enjoy the time I get to spend playing tennis with both age peers and these college players. One Aussie girl remarked one day when I was having some trouble figuring something out, "Are we having a bit of a cry today?" I laugh so hard.
Now some young guys want me to start competing in another sport that is resource intensive and I'm not sure I want to commit. I just strung up 3 rackets last night to try out today hitting with this 40yr old former college athlete who is climbing his own tennis "mountain."
v-verb
Hall of Fame
LOL Shroud I did ask if you wanted extra $$ but you didn't answer. (I still have the emails somewhere) anyhow I still use the stick I got from you. Love it!
And low poly or kevlar is the only way I can use the Profile. Otherwise for me the ball launches like crazy
TypeRx
Semi-Pro
FYI -- demo'd a Wilson Clash Tour a couple weeks ago with Sensation 16g multi (55 lbs) and loved the feel but had trouble managing the power when swinging out. Ended up purchasing one and strung it up with Volkl Cyclone 17g 50 lbs thinking it would help tame the power. It did, but funny enough it still felt a bit too powerful and didn't generate as much spin as I thought it might. So, strung with Kev 17g/ZXP 17g at 75/45 lbs last week. I've since played 6-7 hours with it and it feels absolutely great. Not only can I now swing out and control things, I also am getting more spin than I do with the same string setup in my Volkl VS-8 rackets. It is noticeable by me and my opponents. And, things are as comfortable as ever.
That all said, I am still not 100% sure I will keep this racket but it is just one more example of Kev/ZXP being a winning combination for me.
That all said, I am still not 100% sure I will keep this racket but it is just one more example of Kev/ZXP being a winning combination for me.
52-54lbs full poly with Luxilon strings is where players find stability as well as power with that frame. Also saw a video with Dimitrov,Halep, Monfils, TsiTsipas testing the frame.
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Shroud
G.O.A.T.
Just hazzling you man. Not a score keeper or anything. If I was i would not how i pawned that horribly balanced halloween stick off on you and got a pure gold racquet
Fwiw high tension kevlar launches too...
v-verb
Hall of Fame
Thanks my friend! LOL Haloween stick is a good description of it
Interesting on the high tension Kevlar. Odd thing, the first day I used it I was hitting unbelievable shots! Even since just merely really good. Is it possible that the spin decreases somehow after the first 3-4 hours?
Shroud
G.O.A.T.
Weird. Bet its just notching. That would do it and I could see it notching pretty fast.
By launch I was just saying that I can be counted on to find a way to hit the fence at the most in opportune time.
v-verb
Hall of Fame
Thanks could be Shroud, although it's still snapping back I think . Could be just me being sloppy.
And I'm the same way on the launching. I changed my forehand stroke per my coach and it can fly on me. But when it works watch out - tons of pop and spin
Talk soon
Username_
Hall of Fame
Do you think the tension differential is more important in a Kevlar/zyex hybrid compared to a Kevlar/poly hybrid?
I don't use zyex and don't plan to
Shroud
G.O.A.T.
well it depends on what you are trying to accomplish. monogut zx is very tough in terms of standing up to mains. Its pretty slippy and the differential really helps with that and will increase spin. Because poly is stiffer than monogutzx the kevlar will lose less tension so with poly crosses the same differential should create a stiffer stringbed.
Horses for courses I suppose.
Kev/4g at 86/56...Natural Gut/4g in the 50’s is borderline too stiff. Your going to need an orthopedic surgeon when you get older.
Shroud
G.O.A.T.
What is your swing weight??
What do you think that differential does to the overall tension?
360g roughly with 330ish swingweight. They aren’t all exact. I’m sure the 30lb differential lowers the overall stringbed tension but not without squashing the frame to do so. Playing RF97 with Klip Legend 1.30/TBZ 1.25 @ 58/55. Have played a good bit with VS Touch 1.30/4g 1.25.
In your estimation to make the latter set up softer you would replace the VS Gut mains with Kevlar and go up 30lbs for an easy on the arm set up?
In your estimation to make the latter set up softer you would replace the VS Gut mains with Kevlar and go up 30lbs for an easy on the arm set up?
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Shroud
G.O.A.T.
I would replace the TBZ and 4g with monogut zx. That would make it softer. Though I would make sure it was prestretched. Gut/zx is super soft while still spinny. Though zx will probably saw through the gut faster than the other crosses, but the pocket will be amazing if you like pocketing.
If you do kevlar I would keep the mains the same and string the crosses lower preferably with zx crosses. No need to specify an amount because well I have read your posts...
But also would suggest 5-6g of lead tape at say 10 & 2 with a similar amount or more on the handle as needed to get the balance where you like it- at the 7" spot. That should make it easy on the arm. You could go slowly, like 1-2g to start and then build up to the 5-6g over a few weeks.
Also I played the RF97a stock with kev/zx at 60/50 IIRC and it certainly wasnt harsh. Can't imagine Vs Touch 4g being harsh at those tensions in that stick, but I guess we are different. Looks like one day I will be able to ask my orthopedic surgeon why that is.
Great info thanks. VS/4g isn’t harsh I just can’t imagine Kevlar mains and 4g crosses in the RF97.
How much play did you get out of Kev/Zx in the RF97?
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Shroud
G.O.A.T.
I don't know. It was a playtest and I just strung it once. The strings never broke. I had maybe 5-6 hours on it then sent it back. It wasnt for me. Too flexy and not a consistent flex at that. Some shots were great others it just got noodly. Maybe it was the weight I added to get it the SW high...ended up at 422g I think.
FWIW you can take strings that arent harsh and shed swing weight and the same strings are now hurting. Its why my answer to make a racquet arm friendly is to up the sw. I had a bab that I didnt weight up and strung in a locked bed and it hurt my wrist. Never ever have wrist pain. Never. Added weight to my norm and the pain went away. It was nylon mains with poly crosses.
If you have an issue with zx because your 2 favorite internet trolls reco it, then maybe you could look at gamma glide. I think that is trying to be like zx. Or some string they are touting as not a multi but super soft. @ByeByePoly can splain which one is stretchy...
Playing about as well as I can play with Gut/poly in a RF and low tension poly in a 6.1 95 18x20. Arm is great and performance is excellent so not really needing to make a change.
Have you noticed that Crossfire Zx 16g isn’t available anywhere? See 17g but no 16g.
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Taveren
Professional
I have used Kevlar/Zyex at 65/45 in my RF97 for a couple years, the longest it lasted me before I restring it was around 6 months. Thats with 4 hours of tennis a week.
Problem is balls dont survive a 2 hour hitting session because felt has been sheared. Using US Open balls.
That is a great deal of play from one stringbed.
Taveren
Professional
Would have kept using it if not for the kevlar visibly fraying, though there are times that I switch to my other sticks (with poly) when I win a set just to change things up but it RF97 with kevlar/zyex at hight tension differential was my go to setup until I fell in love with my Angells.
QuadCam
Professional
Played around with hybriding 18 ga Ash Kevlar with 18 ga WeissCannon Red Ghost.
I fully prestretched both strings. The snapback is so much better than when using ZX crosses but the power is way down! Also, the stringbed is super light. I lost about 10 swingweight units as the racquet is 5gms lighter than using a full bed of 16L poly. To compensate, i ended up adding 2 gms of lead at 12 o'clock. Once i added the lead to the head, the power was better but still far below using Zyex crosses. I like the snapback better with the poly crosses as the stringbed isn't all whacked out of place after every rally.
I don't think red ghost is the right cross for use with the kevlar, though.
I'm going to try the zx crosses again as i can't seem to get anything resembling good snapback from the zx, like others on here. What am i doing wrong? I'm stretching the hell out of the zx.... More than a foot of extra length from a 20' section. I've tried various tensions ( and differentials, too).
I'm open to suggestions.
Thanks.
I fully prestretched both strings. The snapback is so much better than when using ZX crosses but the power is way down! Also, the stringbed is super light. I lost about 10 swingweight units as the racquet is 5gms lighter than using a full bed of 16L poly. To compensate, i ended up adding 2 gms of lead at 12 o'clock. Once i added the lead to the head, the power was better but still far below using Zyex crosses. I like the snapback better with the poly crosses as the stringbed isn't all whacked out of place after every rally.
I don't think red ghost is the right cross for use with the kevlar, though.
I'm going to try the zx crosses again as i can't seem to get anything resembling good snapback from the zx, like others on here. What am i doing wrong? I'm stretching the hell out of the zx.... More than a foot of extra length from a 20' section. I've tried various tensions ( and differentials, too).
I'm open to suggestions.
Thanks.
If you are looking for performance try Natural Gut/poly. Sounds like you are looking for power out of the deadest string available. Kevlar.
TypeRx
Semi-Pro
Do you define "snapback" as the mains staying straight (e.g., not requiring any straightening) in between points/games? If so, I have found that increasing the tension on the Kev should help keep the mains straighter. The ZX crosses move up and down a little here and there, but the mains should stay relatively straight. On my frames, only the outer Kev mains bow out a little (probably due to reduced tension on my end mains -- I don't increase tension on those) but are easily straightened, not that they need to be straight.
Try going 10 lbs higher the next time you string Kev up and can leave the ZX at the same tension. I am using 75/45 with very good results, no discomfort, and no main straightening required on 3 16x18 rackets (Volkl VS8-315g) and different 16x19 rackets (Wilson Clash Tour, Volkl VS10-325g, Babolat Pure Drive+ 2015).
Finally, I set my target at 10% pre-stretch for ZXP. On a 20' run I can get 22-24". I also pre-stretch the Kev (takes <30 seconds and one hard pull) and get ~3-4" on a 20' run.
TypeRx
Semi-Pro
Either it never existed (my guess) or was discontinued. The Ashaway brochure doesn't list anything for Crossfire ZX other than 17g (see link). If you are truly interested in finding out more, you can contact Steve C. at Ashaway via sales@ashawayusa.com. I have historically used Ashaway Kevlar 16g (not the Aramid-PTFE Kev in Crossfire) but have recently switched to 17g due to better availability. I perceive no difference. I've always used Monogut ZX Pro which is also 17g.
http://www.ashawayusa.com/StringBrochures/CrossfireZXV2.pdf and http://www.ashawayusa.com/CrossfireZX.php
TypeRx
Semi-Pro
PS -- Ashaway used to run a promo whereby if you order one set of Monogut ZXP at full price ($15.50), they will send you another for free. They even covered the cost of shipping and there was no sales tax outside of RI. This is how I first tried Monogut ZXP and recommend black over natural (I have mini-reels of both). I am not sure if they still run this but you can email sales@ashawayusa.com and ask.
You can get 1/2 sets of Ashaway Kev 17g from Tennis Warehouse for <$5. https://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Ashaway_Kevlar_17_1_2_Set/descpageAC-AK7H.html
You can get 1/2 sets of Ashaway Kev 17g from Tennis Warehouse for <$5. https://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Ashaway_Kevlar_17_1_2_Set/descpageAC-AK7H.html
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
I don’t think it ever existed. Also, I’ve never tried crossfire zx (which is a different string than the regular Kevlar).
graycrait
Legend
@USPTARF97, I will prestretch a half set of Ash Kev 16g and a half set of Zyex Pro 17g and send it to you. String it up at 62-65 Ash Kev mains and 55-58 Zyex crosses. Hit it for an hour and then over the next couple of hours make your assessment.
Shroud
G.O.A.T.
Hey man that half set I linked years ago and FWIW I think they dont sell it. Its an option for you to create your own hybrid when you buy a stick from them.
Sorry for the confusion. I didnt know that till recently.
v-verb
Hall of Fame
I got 5 1/2 sets from TW of Ash Kev 18 - $5 each - while I was waiting for my 110 M reel of Ash Kev 18 from the UK (took slightly over a month)
At that price 1/2 sets are a darn good deal I think
Thanks, will send you an address.
2nd Serve Ace
Hall of Fame
Right. I see that as basically at cost for those half sets (cut from a reel).
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