To the gut main users

[mrmo1115]

If you have any experience with poly mains can you comment on the durability difference between both hybrids? It takes me a LONG time to pop poly main gut crosses, the gut pops eventually. I've never popped the poly main.

How much quicker will I pop if I put gut in mains

[Love50]

For me, the poly crosses usually flatten out while the gut mains still look fine. Once the crosses flatten, the mains will require a little straightening from time to time. Eventually the flattened crosses will shear but I generally cut out the strings before then.

[mrmo1115]

Originally Posted by Love50

For me, the poly crosses usually flatten out while the gut mains still look fine. Once the crosses flatten, the mains will require a little straightening from time to time. Eventually the flattened crosses will shear but I generally cut out the strings before then.

Flatten? I'm not completely following you. Do they lose its playability? I was hoping that the gut/poly hybrid would give me more spin and playability with just losing some durability with the gut popping sooner. Does the poly die quicker with this hybrid too?

[mad dog1]

Originally Posted by mrmo1115

Flatten? I'm not completely following you. Do they lose its playability? I was hoping that the gut/poly hybrid would give me more spin and playability with just losing some durability with the gut popping sooner. Does the poly die quicker with this hybrid too?

if you hit with enough spin, the crosses will eventually flatten and yes, once they flatten, playability suffer.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by mad dog1

if you hit with enough spin, the crosses will eventually flatten and yes, once they flatten, playability suffer.

I'm still not following you...

You mean when the strings are dead?

[canny]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

I'm still not following you...

You mean when the strings are dead?

he means the strings themselves become flattened I believe. Like how shaped polys become smooth with wear.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by canny

he means the strings themselves become flattened I believe. Like how shaped polys become smooth with wear.

But what about round polys? Shaped anything will get flattened out. Head RIP Control flattens out in like 30minutes of hitting. This much I understand.

Not sure what that has to do with durability like what OP asked.

[mrmo1115]

If by flatten you mean the string dies then does it die faster in the poly cross than the poly main?

And yes the main question I have is the durability difference..was looking for any people who have experience with both hybrids and can comment on how fast they popped the gut mains vs the poly mains

[mad dog1]

the friction of the string brushing up on the ball will cause the cross string to wear down. once the round string profile has worn down, it's flat. just like motorcycle tire where the center tread is worn flat. that's also why some colored strings will leave colored string marks on the ball. you're leaving string material on the ball as you hit. just like tires leaving skid marks on the asphalt.

[mad dog1]

Originally Posted by mrmo1115

If by flatten you mean the string dies then does it die faster in the poly cross than the poly main?

And yes the main question I have is the durability difference..was looking for any people who have experience with both hybrids and can comment on how fast they popped the gut mains vs the poly mains

there's a big difference in durability in a Poly/Gut hybrid vs Gut/Poly hybrid. the Gut is too soft and will never wear through the Poly mains where are the Poly is generally much harder than the Gut and will eventually saw through the Gut mains. Poly/Gut will usually last longer than Gut/Poly. i'm only talking about durability and not playability.

[polytheist]

Flattened poly? How hard must you hit to flatten a poly? I've shredded TiMo 1.10 and CoFocus 18 but never had poly in long enough to notice a ribbon-like profile.

Course you could buy a pre-flattened poly with Gosen PolyMaster. But it wouldn't play "flat", would it?

[mad dog1]

Originally Posted by polytheist

Flattened poly? How hard must you hit to flatten a poly? I've shredded TiMo 1.10 and CoFocus 18 but never had poly in long enough to notice a ribbon-like profile.

Course you could buy a pre-flattened poly with Gosen PolyMaster. But it wouldn't play "flat", would it?

it depends on the poly. some polys leave more 'tire marks' than other. I tried TF Red Code 16 and the crosses were so flat that it did look alot like a ribbon after ~15 hrs of hitting. after 20 hrs of hitting w/ Iontec, the crosses are no longer round, but they're not nearly as ribbon like as TF RC.

when i've used OGSM and NVy for crosses, they end up pretty flat after 6-10 hrs depending on the string pattern of the racquet.

[mrmo1115]

Originally Posted by mad dog1

there's a big difference in durability in a Poly/Gut hybrid vs Gut/Poly hybrid. the Gut is too soft and will never wear through the Poly mains where are the Poly is generally much harder than the Gut and will eventually saw through the Gut mains. Poly/Gut will usually last longer than Gut/Poly. i'm only talking about durability and not playability.

Now if I asked about playability will the answer be different than the durability? Which will have more playability for a longer duration?

[mad dog1]

Originally Posted by mrmo1115

Now if I asked about playability will the answer be different than the durability? Which will have more playability for a longer duration?

playability will depend on which poly you're using. some polys hold tension better than others. naturally, the better a poly holds tension, the longer the playability. if the poly loses too much tension, with the gut mains, you'll end up w/ rocket launcher in your hands in no time.

[Love50]

Thanks mad dog1, you answered all the OP's questions regarding flattened crosses

Now if I asked about playability will the answer be different than the durability? Which will have more playability for a longer duration?

Sorry I can't compare either durability or playability between the two. I cut full bed poly after a few hours, so it is unlikely I will string up gut in the crosses.

For gut/poly playability, I think once the crosses flatten, how long you can play with it depends on you and perhaps your wallet . To me, the string bed is not as precise anymore, so I wouldn't play with it for much longer. However, if your hitting style is not sensitive to that, you can probably play until it breaks.

[mrmo1115]

Originally Posted by mad dog1

playability will depend on which poly you're using. some polys hold tension better than others. naturally, the better a poly holds tension, the longer the playability. if the poly loses too much tension, with the gut mains, you'll end up w/ rocket launcher in your hands in no time.

I see. Which out of the two will I get longer playability without the tension being lost as fast poly mains or poly crosses?