Calling All String Experts . . . or anyone else who might know

[tlm]

I agree with a lot of the string suggestions above, but none are going to play good for a very long time. That is just the way poly is great for a while and then goes south quickly.

You say you are hitting 3-4 times with a hard swing, well if you got a week and a half out of hurricane then I would say that is about right. I never use a full poly job for more that a week or so, because not only does it play bad but the shock to the arm goes up the longer you use it.

I know that many players try to play with poly way longer than they should, but to be honest if you don't plan on changing strings often then you should not use poly.

I know that many cannot afford it and they will argue that this poly or that one will play good longer and it is okay to use it for a long time. And some do keep their playability longer than others but not by a huge amount.

My advise is for anyone that plays often and wants to use poly then buy a stringing machine and find a poly you like and purchase a spool and plan on restringing at least once a week. Not only will the fresher strings play better but they will not cause near the shock to your arm like the old stiff poly will.

[winstonplum]

Thanks for the all the suggestions. I ended up buying to more packs of the PR II 17 gauge. I guess if you've found something you like, you should stick with it. Almost every poly I've tried has ended up hurting my shoulder while serving, while PL II has never given me any pain whatsoever. I really think it's a spectacular string. So if it's soft and breaks quicker than BBO, so be it.

[COPEY]

Originally Posted by fortun8son

Ok, let's test it. Big (T)al has Vendetta @ $38.50 a reel!
Hmm... Vendetta/OGSM... $2.65 ??

Ichiban Spin, Red Devil, Plus Power, and Blackout are good, too.
The only issue is tension maintenace, but at that price you can string more often.

Originally Posted by fortun8son

I like Pro's Pro strings. They are a good value, like Sharp and Hyundai.
Are they equal to the best? No.
A good value, nonetheless.

I must say that their multis kick *****
Hi-Tech Multifibre and Gutex Ultra...thumbs up.

Test complete? Did I pass?

[fortun8son]

Well, the posts were not deleted by the mods.
I still think it's not quite kosher to quote prices or sources.
I was feeling a bit feisty.

[COPEY]

In the examples you gave, I agree; that's going overboard. I get what you were trying to do, but my point was and is, if you're discussing strings, it's perfectly reasonable to bring up a string by a manufacturer that isn't represented here at TW. Not trying to convince you, however. It's just my opinion, and apparently it's one that's shared (at least in part) by the mods. I'm not sure what your rationale is with respect to why you feel it's not kosher, but that's cool. All I can say is it's a good thing you're not a mod lol.

[roadworkky]

Take a look at volkyl cyclone. this is a great value poly w great durability. It's 7.99/ pack.

[Rjtennis]

I wouldn't change if you like the way it plays. You can find deals on Pro-line II every so often.

[TennisCJC]

Try Tecnifibre poly's: red code, black code.

Or, try a hybrid with a syn gut cross with your PLII.

[Crisp]

Poly fibre TCS seems to be soft for a poly I have found

[fortun8son]

Sorry for the earlier derail.
Pro's Pro Vendetta is still an excellent low priced sub for PLII.

[JT_2eighty]

Genesis Typhoon is a nice string. It is holding tension among the best I've tried, and while not the softest out there (the softest tend to lose tension fast too), it is comfortable enough that it offers a good blend of control, spin and feel in a poly.

Another good one is Polystar Strike. Great control, nice feel, durable.

Probably the best (also pricey) is Signum Pro Hyperion. Holds tension like a beast, soft on the arm, amazing control. Cost can be prohibitive though.

But in the end, I agree with UCSF that it is best to replace a poly string often for your arm health. Even the best tension holders tend to be bad for your arm after 12-20 hours of court time. Poly just loses its elasticity over time faster than other string types. Even the softest ones will come back to bite you over time. If you start playing more often, you should be restringing that much more often.

[fortun8son]

Hyperion is not so expensive by the reel.
Brings it down to about $9 a set, which is not bad at all.

[JT_2eighty]

Originally Posted by fortun8son

Hyperion is not so expensive by the reel.
Brings it down to about $9 a set, which is not bad at all.

Good call. I was thinking of the price per set of Tornado, but even that one is ok once you go for a reel. I also like Tornado, but it played stiffer than Hyperion.

I also think the best suggestion of this thread was tlm's advice: get a dropweight and self-string. It really is nice to be in control of your own strings, it's not hard to learn, and then you can have fresh stringbeds whenever you like without having to fork out the usual $15-20 for labor that most places charge.

A dropweight will pay for itself in about 8-10 re-stringings, and a little bit of time invested in learning how to do it.