Playing in a cold temperature. Tension

[Adidas_Anderson]

I have a questions on what tension range you usually string under cold circumstances? i play on those concrete hard courts, they are pretty slow and the ball is not coming to you...
I uses a youtek prestige Mp... where i usually string my tension around 57 to 60 , thats my regular set up in hot weather and on fast hard courts. But i have been struggling with the pop on the racket in cold conditions...
I have 3 choices, Full set of alu power or Wilson NXT , or i go for a hybird.
any suggestions ?

[mrmike]

Originally Posted by Adidas_Anderson

I have a questions on what tension range you usually string under cold circumstances? i play on those concrete hard courts, they are pretty slow and the ball is not coming to you...
I uses a youtek prestige Mp... where i usually string my tension around 57 to 60 , thats my regular set up in hot weather and on fast hard courts. But i have been struggling with the pop on the racket in cold conditions...
I have 3 choices, Full set of alu power or Wilson NXT , or i go for a hybird.
any suggestions ?

I would just drop the tension down a bit on whatever string setup you prefer. Wilson NXT (multi) and ALU power (poly) are two totally different string types. All I can say about that is NXT is a lot easier on the arm than ALU but you need to go with what string type works for your game.

[LeeD]

I mostly play in sub 60 degree weather, once every month in 65.
About 50lbs is great for 95-100 sq in rackets. Enough suppleness to hit touch shots, stiff enough for flat first serves.

[Adidas_Anderson]

Really thanks for the comments!
i dont really have problem with better feel on which strings,
but just curious on what strings are preferable to play in cold weathers. I think the tension is the main issue , for the reason i suggested those option is that i only have them on hand

Btw will going below 50 will too low?
Cheers x

[LeeD]

Most current men's pros are using around 50 nowadaze. Obviously, not all.
To me, not everyone else, once I drop into the mid 40's, a different stroke is needed than my normal wild loosely gripped fast swings. I need to use more control, more conservative, more direct swings for the lower tensions. I hate that. I want the ball to come off the racket quickly, but with some feel.
But strings are cheap. Experiment with $2.50 nylon, find the tension you like, then add good strings.

[jonestim]

I think you are going to need to define "cold." I find I can play with a full poly setup with tensions around 45 until it gets below about 50 degrees. I find that a gut/poly setup still works well down to the low 40 degrees. If it is below 40 I am probably playing with no poly in the racquet, and most likely I am using a different frame with more power.

Your racquet should play fine with a poly tension below 50. It is a denser pattern that I use and you may find you end up liking it that low even when you are playing in warm weather.

If the temps are in the 40s I would see how the NXT is by itself.

[3fees]

Lower 50's is good all year around for me, using- copolys.

[Adidas_Anderson]

Originally Posted by jonestim

I think you are going to need to define "cold." I find I can play with a full poly setup with tensions around 45 until it gets below about 50 degrees. I find that a gut/poly setup still works well down to the low 40 degrees. If it is below 40 I am probably playing with no poly in the racquet, and most likely I am using a different frame with more power.

Your racquet should play fine with a poly tension below 50. It is a denser pattern that I use and you may find you end up liking it that low even when you are playing in warm weather.

If the temps are in the 40s I would see how the NXT is by itself.

thing is becoz of the temperature , the ball just doesn't seem have enough pop, Ball feels hard and most of my balls drop short.
Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Probably i will go for a hybird anyway but dropping the tension around 49lbs

[lstewart]

I find a tension drop of 2 or 3 lbs in the winter helps offset all the factors between fast warm weather tennis and cold temp issues.

[KenC]

Technically, the air is less heavy in the colder weather so the ball flies faster through it. This is why many will up the tension a few pounds in the cold months. But you seem to be already playing at a high tension so I would suggest dropping a few lbs. of tension in the summer.

As for strings, things just feel more jarring in the colder temps, so I would suggest using a nice soft multi in a full bed.

[lstewart]

The air is less heavy in the winter, but for me the difference in how the ball and string react to low temps is a much bigger factor. Balls are much harder and don't bounce as well, while the string at the same tension feels tighter / stiffer. Look at golf as an example. Go hit your driver with it 95 degrees and then with it 35 degrees. You lose distance in the winter with the same ball / club combo, if the balls have been in the cold temp for a little while.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by KenC

Technically, the air is less heavy in the colder weather so the ball flies faster through it. This is why many will up the tension a few pounds in the cold months. But you seem to be already playing at a high tension so I would suggest dropping a few lbs. of tension in the summer.

As for strings, things just feel more jarring in the colder temps, so I would suggest using a nice soft multi in a full bed.

Huh? Hot air rises because it is less dense???

[netguy]

The reason why you can't control the ball during the winter is irrelevant, just adjust the tension accordingly to keep the ball as deep as you intend. cheers!

[fortun8son]

What's wrong with the string and tension in your signature?
If you want more power, try the Intellistring @55.

[KenC]

Originally Posted by mikeler

Huh? Hot air rises because it is less dense???

erroneous post....

[KenC]

Wait a minute, I just talked to my coach and he says it is better to lower tension in the winter because the ball is less responsive and this would weigh more than differences in the air.

[chopstic]

Originally Posted by lstewart

The air is less heavy in the winter, but for me the difference in how the ball and string react to low temps is a much bigger factor. Balls are much harder and don't bounce as well, while the string at the same tension feels tighter / stiffer. Look at golf as an example. Go hit your driver with it 95 degrees and then with it 35 degrees. You lose distance in the winter with the same ball / club combo, if the balls have been in the cold temp for a little while.

Actually. Cold air is more dense. And therefor heavier than warm air.

[JT_2eighty]

All I know is when I play outdoors in cold weather (30-40 degrees F), if I use the same racquet setup that I did in the summer heat, it takes a lot more effort to power through the ball and strings feel a lot stiffer in 30-40 degrees while they feel very soft and lively in 80-90 degrees.

I can use full Lux BBO in the summer and it feels great outdoors. In the cold I do that and my arm falls off and balls land way short. The weather, to me, affects the strings (especially poly) more than it may affect the 'ball's movement through the air'. This is just my observation, I'm no scientist.

So, I'd say, lower your tension for cold weather, or use a more powerful string (multi, gut, syn gut, etc).

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by KenC

Wait a minute, I just talked to my coach and he says it is better to lower tension in the winter because the ball is less responsive and this would weigh more than differences in the air.

Your coach is correct.

Originally Posted by chopstic

Actually. Cold air is more dense. And therefor heavier than warm air.

That is how I should have responded. I reread my previous post and it is confusing not erroneous.

[KenC]

Originally Posted by mikeler

I reread my previous post and it is confusing not erroneous.

It had nothing to do with your post. I thought winter air let the ball fly through the air faster because there is less humidity to cut through than on hot muggy days.