Low, low tensions. 30lbs feels great. 20lbs pretty good, too

C

Chad Parsons

New User
I like the high gauge as well, 18g and even tried 19g once.

I would get a Klippermate stringer and do it yourself. You will save at least $20 every time you string and pay off the investment (100-200) in no time if you play regularly (sounds like you do). Plus you can string your own tension and buy reels of the string you like.
 
v-verb

v-verb

Hall of Fame
50love said:
thanks this really helps, I can't find a stringer, store... that will or can string this low but I stumbled across a setup near the same setup you are describing I could not believe my results... freaking amazing... this is a secret I can't believe everyone or at least more don't do or understand... currently I asked for 40lbs and it's way too tight I believe the stringer just can't?? IMO 4 different stores and still in the 48-52 range IMO... if you can't feel the ball actually cupping in the strings at impact IMO it's to tight lol... I'm 58 a singles 4.0 player #2 in league play, I increased my power with no loss in accuracy and a better serve with a beautiful popping sound at impact... everyone thinks I'm crazy and full of it... now to find someone who can do the job... gonna try 18ga at 35/33
Click to expand...

I asked for a couple of racquets to be strung - one at 30 lbs the other at 35lbs. Got them back - 50 and 60 lbs respectively. I gave up on them and got my own stringer. I typically string between 30-40 lbs depending on the racquet
 
C

Chad Parsons

New User
Don't you get a refund or something? lol

Shouldn't they say they cannot string at that tension instead of doing it 20+ pounds higher? That's like a roofer measuring your roof wrong...
 
v-verb

v-verb

Hall of Fame
Nope not one bit. It's complicated. I even tried one last time. Had a sticky on the frame specifying 2 piece stringing, tubing on split grommets. Yep I got one piece stringing, no tubing. The owner gave me a lame excuse and woudln't refund me.

So I said screw it and got my own machine. They lost out on over $1,000 since based on racquets and Sony Sensor purchased elsewhere
 
D

danotje

Rookie
I recommend to anyone who plays weekly to get their own stringer. I bought a Mutual Power drop weight about 10 years ago for around $300. It has fixed clamps, 6-pt mounting and a table brake. I like Tourna strings, so after buying a reel, my string jobs cost about $4/racquet and they are done to my specs. Perfect for experimenting with tensions and strings. Since ELT isn't widely used, I would seriously consider investing in a machine.
 
emcee

emcee

Semi-Pro
I'm using Yonex Poly Pro Tour 17 at 40 lbs and really liking it. Way better than Signum Pro Poly 17L at 40.
 
A

Aretium

Hall of Fame
I went down to 35lbs and stayed around 40lbs. It didn't work out for me. I went back up to 48lbs. The low tensions were great for serving, but my groundstrokes lacked control but they produced a very spinny and deep ball. I would spray too much however. It does need to be a stiff string imo.
 
M Pillai

M Pillai

Semi-Pro
Aretium said:
It does need to be a stiff string
Click to expand...
Yes. Not all strings give the same good results at low tensions. But you do have to experiment what works for you. My best results for below 40 tensions were with stiff polys. I settled in at mid to low 40 ranges though, since I felt that was better for my overall game. But I still keep a racket with 30 ranges sometimes for the fun/enjoyment, and never felt loosing control when hitting with it.
 
C

Chad Parsons

New User
Played my first match action with 33# setup. Loved my return of serve, volleys, lobs. Serving was not ideal, but I think most of it was the blinding sun right in my toss sweet spot and it got worse as match progressed. I hit a bunch of serves with ELT in practice and loved it, so giving myself a mulligan in that area today. Opponents definitely struggled more with my spin and depth than previous 60+ tension I typically use.
 
5

50love

New User
Chad Parsons said:
Don't you get a refund or something? lol

Shouldn't they say they cannot string at that tension instead of doing it 20+ pounds higher? That's like a roofer measuring your roof wrong...
Click to expand...

one would think that would be a norm, to get a refund or redo.. but I get excuses also, I maintain my mental court game attitude ( I call it the RF) when the manager comes out lol with out going McEnroe on them LOL you gotta be kidding, you can't be serious... amazing that all of the stores so far do not have a string tension measuring tool... I've never used or seen one but would think it would be a norm if they work... just got new string again and we are getting closer did 35m/33c with cheapest synthetic they had much better, but wish I had said 31/29... I'm winning :) peace... hittem hard inside the lines and always where their not... ;)
 
mnttlrg

mnttlrg

Professional
Sorry if this is a repeat question, but it's important to me:

Experts, do you feel like low string tension is most beneficial to open pattern frames or dense patterns? I could see it being either way, since dense patterns could really use the extra spin, but maybe open patterns would exploit it more......?
 
zalive

zalive

Hall of Fame
This thread is huge, I don't have time/willpower to read it through, tho it is quite interesting.
So I'll have to ask for some help.

I got recently this Prince Precision Response 660 MP racquet (supposedly Pat Rafter's racquet - at least he used this mold), 97 sq.in. 16x20 pattern, not that dense in the middle of the string bed. Also I see it has pretty narrow grommet holes.
Currently it's strung with hybrid co-poly/poly (Gamma Moto 22.5 kg / Poly Star Classic 24.5 kg). PSC is less stiff than Moto, but the overall result feels stiff - I like pocketing and I don't get as much of it as I'd like. Whenever I close the racquet's face more, I don't get needed pocketing unless the swing is huge - but I want it for shots that include using some feel and medium speed RHS (and it's not just with this racquet or just with hybrid string beds - seems like pocketing is hard to get with any stiffer co-poly strung tight).

I think a good starting point might be around 30 lbs. For simplicity I can use the full bed of the same co-poly strings (but I'll gladly recieve some other recommendations for hybrid poly beds as well).

Can you recommend me a good string for around 30 lbs tensions? I'll name some strings I have accessible here:
Solinco TB
Solinco TB Soft
Gamma Moto
Signum Pro Hextreme
Signum Pro Hyperion
Tier One Firewire (I ordered a set of both 1.20 and 1.30 black)
Yonex PTP

Anyone have experience how a softer co-poly string like Yonex PTP behaves at 30 lbs tension range?
Is it worth it to use a softer string at as low tensions, or the string has to be a stiffer type for best results?

I appreciate very much your recommendations, and thank you in advance!
 
shamaho

shamaho

Professional
zalive said:
This thread is huge, I don't have time/willpower to read it through, tho it is quite interesting.
So I'll have to ask for some help.

I got recently this Prince Precision Response 660 MP racquet (supposedly Pat Rafter's racquet - at least he used this mold), 97 sq.in. 16x20 pattern, not that dense in the middle of the string bed. Also I see it has pretty narrow grommet holes.
Currently it's strung with hybrid co-poly/poly (Gamma Moto 22.5 kg / Poly Star Classic 24.5 kg). PSC is less stiff than Moto, but the overall result feels stiff - I like pocketing and I don't get as much of it as I'd like. Whenever I close the racquet's face more, I don't get needed pocketing unless the swing is huge - but I want it for shots that include using some feel and medium speed RHS (and it's not just with this racquet or just with hybrid string beds - seems like pocketing is hard to get with any stiffer co-poly strung tight).

I think a good starting point might be around 30 lbs. For simplicity I can use the full bed of the same co-poly strings (but I'll gladly recieve some other recommendations for hybrid poly beds as well).

Can you recommend me a good string for around 30 lbs tensions? I'll name some strings I have accessible here:
Solinco TB
Solinco TB Soft
Gamma Moto
Signum Pro Hextreme
Signum Pro Hyperion
Tier One Firewire (I ordered a set of both 1.20 and 1.30 black)
Yonex PTP

Anyone have experience how a softer co-poly string like Yonex PTP behaves at 30 lbs tension range?
Is it worth it to use a softer string at as low tensions, or the string has to be a stiffer type for best results?

I appreciate very much your recommendations, and thank you in advance!
Click to expand...
If I could highlight major potential cause for lack of pocketing is the 24.5kg especially if it's on the crosses.

I never use higher than 20kg on crosses, and usually use 19kg or even 18kg on crosses.

Excuse my brevity, sent from mobile on puny keyboard and rocking public transport
 
zalive

zalive

Hall of Fame
Might be pretty true. I don't feel Poly Star's resiliency as I counted I would. I was counting on Poly Star Classic losing tension a lot pretty soon (after session or two), which is what regularly happened when I used it in a full bed 13-15 years ago. But I don't feel it lost that much (after three sessions). This is why I suspect Poly Star changed the formula a bit from then - the other possibility is that the stiffness of mains somehow keeps classic poly crosses from losing tensionas much as when in a full bed.

However, I do like when you can pocket the ball even when I slow down the RHS (which I do when I want to hit a short topspin lowish ball, usually the angle).

The difference I'd like to see (feel) from the current setup is huge, but I don't want to sacrifice overall control that much. So two possibilities are either dropping the crosses tension to lower (as you suggest), or going completely to a lower tension range).

I actually don't mind trying both.
 
M Pillai

M Pillai

Semi-Pro
zalive said:
Might be pretty true. I don't feel Poly Star's resiliency as I counted I would. I was counting on Poly Star Classic losing tension a lot pretty soon (after session or two), which is what regularly happened when I used it in a full bed 13-15 years ago. But I don't feel it lost that much (after three sessions). This is why I suspect Poly Star changed the formula a bit from then - the other possibility is that the stiffness of mains somehow keeps classic poly crosses from losing tensionas much as when in a full bed.

However, I do like when you can pocket the ball even when I slow down the RHS (which I do when I want to hit a short topspin lowish ball, usually the angle).

The difference I'd like to see (feel) from the current setup is huge, but I don't want to sacrifice overall control that much. So two possibilities are either dropping the crosses tension to lower (as you suggest), or going completely to a lower tension range).

I actually don't mind trying both.
Click to expand...
In the world of full poly most folks prefer crosses to be not higher tension than mains. But it is debatable and try it and see yourself what you like.


Sent from my LGLS660 using Tapatalk
 
D

danotje

Rookie
mnttlrg said:
Sorry if this is a repeat question, but it's important to me:

Experts, do you feel like low string tension is most beneficial to open pattern frames or dense patterns? I could see it being either way, since dense patterns could really use the extra spin, but maybe open patterns would exploit it more......?
Click to expand...
I've primarily used open patterns--16x18, 16x19 and 16x20. Works great for them. Though I'm pretty stuck on my Prince Classic Graphite (16x18), I've thought about an 18x20 frame and would not hesitate to string at 30lbs. The control would still be there, it would mainly just soften the feel. The thing about ELT is I don't think it is racquet biased. I feel it is more string biased--meaning it is really good for polys, but maybe not much else. I have toyed with the idea of a syn gut/poly hybrid at 30, but feedback suggests that won't be good. Anyway, interested to hear results if you try a dense pattern.
 
D

danotje

Rookie
zalive said:
This thread is huge, I don't have time/willpower to read it through, tho it is quite interesting.
So I'll have to ask for some help.

I got recently this Prince Precision Response 660 MP racquet (supposedly Pat Rafter's racquet - at least he used this mold), 97 sq.in. 16x20 pattern, not that dense in the middle of the string bed. Also I see it has pretty narrow grommet holes.
Currently it's strung with hybrid co-poly/poly (Gamma Moto 22.5 kg / Poly Star Classic 24.5 kg). PSC is less stiff than Moto, but the overall result feels stiff - I like pocketing and I don't get as much of it as I'd like. Whenever I close the racquet's face more, I don't get needed pocketing unless the swing is huge - but I want it for shots that include using some feel and medium speed RHS (and it's not just with this racquet or just with hybrid string beds - seems like pocketing is hard to get with any stiffer co-poly strung tight).

I think a good starting point might be around 30 lbs. For simplicity I can use the full bed of the same co-poly strings (but I'll gladly recieve some other recommendations for hybrid poly beds as well).

Can you recommend me a good string for around 30 lbs tensions? I'll name some strings I have accessible here:
Solinco TB
Solinco TB Soft
Gamma Moto
Signum Pro Hextreme
Signum Pro Hyperion
Tier One Firewire (I ordered a set of both 1.20 and 1.30 black)
Yonex PTP

Anyone have experience how a softer co-poly string like Yonex PTP behaves at 30 lbs tension range?
Is it worth it to use a softer string at as low tensions, or the string has to be a stiffer type for best results?

I appreciate very much your recommendations, and thank you in advance!
Click to expand...
Solinco TB at 30lbs is pretty sick. Ultimately it was still a bit crisp for me, but control and spin were great. I like Tourna strings a lot, particularly Big Hitter Blue Rough. Soft, but good control and spin.
 
5

50love

New User
'Pocketing" the key word, the feeling... I am chasing it like a drug addict... never thought I would spend this much $$ on strings, once I felt the "pocketing" feel I was hooked, control and power... however as stated in a past post I'm struggling with stringers stringing to the lower tension... it's not in there DNA lol... if I get the lower tension lbs closer to 30-33 I think I'm searching for (maybe lower) the strings are so lively it's defeating the purpose... and still haven't felt the pocketing I once did... going out today with a big hitter and hope I'm not spraying balls in everyone else's courts lol.... peace
 
moon shot

moon shot

Hall of Fame
danotje said:
I've primarily used open patterns--16x18, 16x19 and 16x20. Works great for them. Though I'm pretty stuck on my Prince Classic Graphite (16x18), I've thought about an 18x20 frame and would not hesitate to string at 30lbs. The control would still be there, it would mainly just soften the feel. The thing about ELT is I don't think it is racquet biased. I feel it is more string biased--meaning it is really good for polys, but maybe not much else. I have toyed with the idea of a syn gut/poly hybrid at 30, but feedback suggests that won't be good. Anyway, interested to hear results if you try a dense pattern.
Click to expand...

@zalive I found the denser patterns to be happier at low tensions with poly, but mainly because I found a good setup quicker with a Dunlop F2.0 Tour 18x20 than the 16x19 that I tried at low tension. I think the variables being being played with (lower friction, incoming ball speed, string movement, retaining snapback, playability longevity) are similar to any other spin oriented stringjob. I suspect that with more strings involved a lower tension gave me the results I wanted.
 
zalive

zalive

Hall of Fame
Well there's much logic that denser patterns perform better than more open patterns at lower tensions, because of predictability.
However I wanted to know little about preffered type of co-poly strings for lower tensions. Logic again tells me that stiff strings should perform well there, because they will remain being stiff at lower tensions also. However I'm not at all sure what to expect with softer strings at lower tensions.

And I ask this because I'm not especially fond of stiff strings. But if they don't feel stiff at, say, 30 lbs...

Co-poly strings are typically designed with higher tensions in perspective (or perhaps some middle tensions). I wanted to know if there are known good performers among them at lower tensions. I suspect that not all of them perform equally well at tension range they weren't especially designed for. So the result might be accidental and different than result at some widely used tension range.

Also, I forgot to mention but I'm not looking for some uberspin loopy game. Just for a normal game (at 3.5-4.0 level) with decent spin, speed and much control, with much better feel and much less harsh string bed than what's usual with co-poly strings. And with good pocketing because this is what I was once used to.

So what's the experience in this regard: are round shaped (less spinny) strings a better choice at lower tensions for a great control than polygonal profiles strings with high spin? Or it is the other way round?
 
zalive

zalive

Hall of Fame
50love said:
'Pocketing" the key word, the feeling... I am chasing it like a drug addict... never thought I would spend this much $$ on strings, once I felt the "pocketing" feel I was hooked, control and power... however as stated in a past post I'm struggling with stringers stringing to the lower tension... it's not in there DNA lol... if I get the lower tension lbs closer to 30-33 I think I'm searching for (maybe lower) the strings are so lively it's defeating the purpose... and still haven't felt the pocketing I once did... going out today with a big hitter and hope I'm not spraying balls in everyone else's courts lol.... peace
Click to expand...

Perhaps the key here is to pick low powered strings that stay low powered at lower tensions.
Also, how it affects the launch angle?
 
moon shot

moon shot

Hall of Fame
zalive said:
Well there's much logic that denser patterns perform better than more open patterns at lower tensions, because of predictability.
However I wanted to know little about preffered type of co-poly strings for lower tensions. Logic again tells me that stiff strings should perform well there, because they will remain being stiff at lower tensions also. However I'm not at all sure what to expect with softer strings at lower tensions.

And I ask this because I'm not especially fond of stiff strings. But if they don't feel stiff at, say, 30 lbs...

Co-poly strings are typically designed with higher tensions in perspective (or perhaps some middle tensions). I wanted to know if there are known good performers among them at lower tensions. I suspect that not all of them perform equally well at tension range they weren't especially designed for. So the result might be accidental and different than result at some widely used tension range.

Also, I forgot to mention but I'm not looking for some uberspin loopy game. Just for a normal game (at 3.5-4.0 level) with decent spin, speed and much control, with much better feel and much less harsh string bed than what's usual with co-poly strings. And with good pocketing because this is what I was once used to.

So what's the experience in this regard: are round shaped (less spinny) strings a better choice at lower tensions for a great control than polygonal profiles strings with high spin? Or it is the other way round?
Click to expand...

With lower tension its typical to have more tension loss - but it may not be as noticeable. My friend is sold on Yonex PTP 17 @ 36lbs in a Pro Staff 95 (16x19), I liked Tourna Black Zone 16 in my F2.0 Tour (18x20) @ 34lbs, next I plan on trying 4G Soft.

If we look at a poly string compared to multi or synthetic it has a much higher base stiffness, and some poly strings will not proportionally increase stiffness as they increase tension.
Looking at the TWU Database we find:
Solinco Hyper-G
62lbs - stiffness - 264 - tension loss - 20.7%
51lbs - stiffness - 242 - tension loss - 25.6%
40lbs - stiffness - 214 - tension loss - 45.3%

Babolat RPM Team 16
62lbs - stiffness - 333 - tension loss - 16.9%
51lbs - stiffness - 306 - tension loss - 21.6%
40lbs - stiffness - 269.2 - tension loss - 40.2%

So if you like Prince Synthetic Gut at 62lbs (stiffness of 212) then you could reasonably try Hyper-G at 40lbs, or RPM Team around the upper 20s and retain a similar firmness at impact.
 
Shroud

Shroud

G.O.A.T.
moon shot said:
With lower tension its typical to have more tension loss - but it may not be as noticeable. My friend is sold on Yonex PTP 17 @ 36lbs in a Pro Staff 95 (16x19), I liked Tourna Black Zone 16 in my F2.0 Tour (18x20) @ 34lbs, next I plan on trying 4G Soft.

If we look at a poly string compared to multi or synthetic it has a much higher base stiffness, and some poly strings will not proportionally increase stiffness as they increase tension.
Looking at the TWU Database we find:
Solinco Hyper-G
62lbs - stiffness - 264 - tension loss - 20.7%
51lbs - stiffness - 242 - tension loss - 25.6%
40lbs - stiffness - 214 - tension loss - 45.3%

Babolat RPM Team 16
62lbs - stiffness - 333 - tension loss - 16.9%
51lbs - stiffness - 306 - tension loss - 21.6%
40lbs - stiffness - 269.2 - tension loss - 40.2%

So if you like Prince Synthetic Gut at 62lbs (stiffness of 212) then you could reasonably try Hyper-G at 40lbs, or RPM Team around the upper 20s and retain a similar firmness at impact.
Click to expand...
do you know their methodology for the tension loss. I cant seem to find it from the link. Was it over a period of time, actually hitting, from a hammer and not even strung, etc.?
 
Christian Olsson

Christian Olsson

Professional
M Pillai said:
Yes. Not all strings give the same good results at low tensions. But you do have to experiment what works for you. My best results for below 40 tensions were with stiff polys. I settled in at mid to low 40 ranges though, since I felt that was better for my overall game. But I still keep a racket with 30 ranges sometimes for the fun/enjoyment, and never felt loosing control when hitting with it.
Click to expand...
Yes, that is my conclusion as well, stiffer poly works well low tension. Like Babolat hurricane pro tour 17.
 
5

50love

New User
zalive said:
Perhaps the key here is to pick low powered strings that stay low powered at lower tensions.
Also, how it affects the launch angle?
Click to expand...

thanks, as I'm not getting much help in that exact thought process... do you have some strings in mind or just go with any that say spin and stay away from all others that say power that been my thoughts so far... I have tried several different stringers using a digital stringer but all have issues with lower tension, strange? also what are your thought on string gage for low tension...tyia
 
L

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Thicker gauges can be played with lower tensions, while thinner gauges need some tension to maintain play level. Thicker is usually stiffer also.
STBite 16 works great at mid 30 tensions. STB is a stiff poly, and I use 16 gauge.
 
zalive

zalive

Hall of Fame
50love said:
thanks, as I'm not getting much help in that exact thought process... do you have some strings in mind or just go with any that say spin and stay away from all others that say power that been my thoughts so far... I have tried several different stringers using a digital stringer but all have issues with lower tension, strange? also what are your thought on string gage for low tension...tyia
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I know less than you about low tensions, mate. Just wanted to share a thought with you, but I'm sure some guys here can help both of us.
 
Last edited:
moon shot

moon shot

Hall of Fame
Shroud said:
do you know their methodology for the tension loss. I cant seem to find it from the link. Was it over a period of time, actually hitting, from a hammer and not even strung, etc.?
Click to expand...

That's a good question, if I don't find I'll have to summon TW Professor. I do think it generally correlates to changes in power level, though some strings like big banger I still like when they are super dead in a hybrid. It seems more accurate than spin potential, but hopefully we'll see the methodology soon.
 
D

danotje

Rookie
I've tried a number of different strings at 30lbs, some softer, some stiff. What I've found is that one isn't necessarily better, they just play differently and it comes down to personal preference. Stiff strings feel much better, and their playability is greatly enhanced. Could be why some say they are better. Soft strings (I'm assuming all polys, no syn gut or natural) get a really muted feel and tend to really "throw" the ball. Control is better with the stiff strings, but touch and comfort better with the soft. Also, softer strings seem to up the launch angle slightly, yet produce more spin to control it. Go figure, right?

What I eventually settled on is a hybrid. Big Hitter Blue Rough 17g in the mains give me a soft, spinny string bed. They remove any harshness and have always produced terrific spin. Blackzone 16g in the crosses shore up the control and keep power in check. I ran this for a few weeks by buying packs of each from TW, and eventually got a reel of each since it suited me so well.

Haven't run into the stringer issue as I bought a tabletop machine years ago. If you're serious about tennis (i.e. it will be a part of your life for the foreseeable future), and you are interested in experimenting with strings and tensions, I wholeheartedly recommend picking up a machine. It's remarkably cheaper long term and pretty fun to do.
 
M Pillai

M Pillai

Semi-Pro
That is a totally different world itself (Kevlar hybdrids). Low tensions on full poly vs Low tensions on Kevlar hybrid are very different scenarios.

I happened to be a Kevlar user for a long period, and had tried all different tensions to finally settle on 15% less tension on Kevlar mains than synthetic crosses (it was not ZX that I used). But a lot of other folks seem to like high tensions on Kevlar mains and really low tensions on the ZX crosses(see the thread on ESP). I never liked high tensions on Kevlar mains. But the moment I reduced the tension on the synthetic crosses, it was giving me bad control on short angle shots. Either way I did not go below 45lb on the Kevlar mains, and Kevlars, even though stiffer than poly in theory, does not snap back quickly at low tensions (probably because of the relative string friction for the combination I used). Let me know how low tensions work for you on Kevlar/ZX. Maybe ZX being slick have a different feel/experience.

When I moved to poly world, following my Kevlar habit, at the start I used 10% lower tension poly on mains, than a synthetic crosses, and I hated it, and almost moved back to Kevlar. But then I found that for Poly it is not that bad to use full poly, and then reduce the tension on crosses, that worked for me in the poly world, and then went ahead to reduce the tensions on both mains and crosses in slight steps.

In summary, even though in theory Kevlar and Poly are stiff strings, in my experience they work in different ways, and that is probably one of the reasons why the "Kevlar world hates Poly world" and "Poly world hates the Kevlar world". I still love both worlds :) .... but sticking to poly for now since I have tons of options to fill my eagerness to try new things in poly world.


Dimcorner said:
Any recommendations for Kevlar and ZX cross on a PS97 and a Vcore Tour G 310?
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Shroud

Shroud

G.O.A.T.
M Pillai said:
That is a totally different world itself (Kevlar hybdrids). Low tensions on full poly vs Low tensions on Kevlar hybrid are very different scenarios.

I happened to be a Kevlar user for a long period, and had tried all different tensions to finally settle on 15% less tension on Kevlar mains than synthetic crosses (it was not ZX that I used). But a lot of other folks seem to like high tensions on Kevlar mains and really low tensions on the ZX crosses(see the thread on ESP). I never liked high tensions on Kevlar mains. But the moment I reduced the tension on the synthetic crosses, it was giving me bad control on short angle shots. Either way I did not go below 45lb on the Kevlar mains, and Kevlars, even though stiffer than poly in theory, does not snap back quickly at low tensions (probably because of the relative string friction for the combination I used). Let me know how low tensions work for you on Kevlar/ZX. Maybe ZX being slick have a different feel/experience.

When I moved to poly world, following my Kevlar habit, at the start I used 10% lower tension poly on mains, than a synthetic crosses, and I hated it, and almost moved back to Kevlar. But then I found that for Poly it is not that bad to use full poly, and then reduce the tension on crosses, that worked for me in the poly world, and then went ahead to reduce the tensions on both mains and crosses in slight steps.

In summary, even though in theory Kevlar and Poly are stiff strings, in my experience they work in different ways, and that is probably one of the reasons why the "Kevlar world hates Poly world" and "Poly world hates the Kevlar world". I still love both worlds :) .... but sticking to poly for now since I have tons of options to fill my eagerness to try new things in poly world.
Click to expand...
You are right that the snygut crosses were limiting the kevlar snapping back. Now it all changes if you have a smooth cross like zx or any poly. Then the kevlar DOES snapback and while I dont think its poly spin, its close and well it lasts a lot longer. Not sure but being a staunch proponent of the kevlar world I don't hate the poly world at all. If it works then great. I just wish people who do kevlar would do it with a smooth cross. Its a whole different animal. But what happens is some one tries syngut and doesnt like it or worse tried it like 15 years ago and hurt their arm and no kevlar is bad...That kind of experience IS something I hate.

So give kevlar/ poly a try. And FWIW, one of the spinniest string beds I ever had had kevlar mains at 15lbs.
 
Shroud

Shroud

G.O.A.T.
Dimcorner said:
Any recommendations for Kevlar and ZX cross on a PS97 and a Vcore Tour G 310?
Click to expand...
A decent rule I think is to choose your normal tension for poly or what you are currently using. Lets say its 55. Then string the kevlar 10lbs higher and the zx 10 lbs lower, so in this example, 65/45. I think thats a good starting approach. I used to do that and it worked well. Nowadays I string the mains always at 86, and the crosses are at 46 or 86 depending on the racket.
 
P

plum

Rookie
I'm starting to get frustrated reading all the posts on all the various low-tension threads and it seems more often than not the Size of the frame being strung is "Not" mentioned"!
Do you see why this is a problem? Assuming a basic surface area relationship is an effective way to gauge varying tensions in different sized racquets, then for example, 47.5 pounds in a 95 would be equivalent to 53.5 in a 107. That's getting close to 10 pounds. Anyway, I have a free set of Power Burst Rough that came with my Klippermate. Would someone like to recommend a tension I was thinking of trying 44. Also, I am not sure if this sting is stiff enough to meet the criteria for good playing low tension poly brings? Thanks for your time...

Ah Ha, my racket is a 107 POG, hopefully this information will help lol...
 
L

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Why don't you just ask?
I use 35 lbs in a 18x20 97, SpikyShark16 Yellow, and it feels just a bit tight.
I use 35 lbs. in a 16x18 100, STBite16, and it feels very balanced.
I use 35 lbs. on a 16x19 100, STBite16, and it feels just a bit too tight.
I use 40 lbs. on a 16x19 105, STbite16 and it feel too tight by quite a bit.
I use 47 lbs. on a 16.19 98, STBite16, and it feels just a bit too tight.
 
P

plum

Rookie
LeeD said:
Why don't you just ask?
I use 35 lbs in a 18x20 97, SpikyShark16 Yellow, and it feels just a bit tight.
I use 35 lbs. in a 16x18 100, STBite16, and it feels very balanced.
I use 35 lbs. on a 16x19 100, STBite16, and it feels just a bit too tight.
I use 40 lbs. on a 16x19 105, STbite16 and it feel too tight by quite a bit.
I use 47 lbs. on a 16.19 98, STBite16, and it feels just a bit too tight.
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That's my kind of response! Thanks a lot for your time...
P.S. Do you have any idea if Klippermate's Power Burst Rough is stiff enough to perform in this regard?
They state its equivalent is:
Big Banger® ALU Power Rough

Not sure if this is soft or stiff...
 
moon shot

moon shot

Hall of Fame
Shroud said:
do you know their methodology for the tension loss. I cant seem to find it from the link. Was it over a period of time, actually hitting, from a hammer and not even strung, etc.?
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TW Professor said:
The static measurement part of the test is simply a 60 second wait after the string is pulled to tension. This is when most of the tension loss due simply to existing occurs. The rate of static loss slows dramatically after that. That is followed by 20 stabilization impacts. These also cause a lot of loss, but again, the rate of loss slows dramatically after several hits (comparable to your warmup hitting with a new string job). Then the stiffness test is performed. The stiffness number is thus a realistic representation of the playing properties you are most likely to experience on court.

There is not currently a list of explanations of all the testing terms. It is on the to do list.
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@Shroud - this is as much as I've found about tension loss from TWU. Between the lines I have to assume this is done on the test rig described here - http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/learning_center/deadstrings.php
 
moon shot

moon shot

Hall of Fame
Erik van der Laan said:
Has someone played with Yonex Poly Pro Tour 1.20....

My racket is Prince Exo 3 Tour 16x18

Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G928F met Tapatalk
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I have a friend who plays YPTP 17 @ 36lbs in a Pro Staff 95 for about a year. it has a real nice feel, but durability will vary quite a bit with how hard you and your opponent hit and how long your rallys are
 
mike84

mike84

Professional
Anyone play with Yonex AI 98 with lower tension?

If so what string would you recommend trying?

I have never played below 52 pounds tension on any racquet.

Wanted to experiment with something around 40 pounds for starter to see how it goes.

I was thinking of Volkl cyclone at 40 pounds full bed.
 
Chotobaka

Chotobaka

Hall of Fame
mike84 said:
Anyone play with Yonex AI 98 with lower tension?

If so what string would you recommend trying?

I have never played below 52 pounds tension on any racquet.

Wanted to experiment with something around 40 pounds for starter to see how it goes.

I was thinking of Volkl cyclone at 40 pounds full bed.
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What kind of machine? I have used full Cyclone 18 @35 on an eCP machine with excellent results. This would roughly be equivalent to 40 on a lockout.
 
GuilhermeG

GuilhermeG

Rookie
Does anyone use MSV Focus Hex 1.23 on low tensions? I've been using 53 pounds for a long time, but last week I tried one of my racquets and it had lost lots of tension, but performed really well. Since then I'm considering a drop in tension, though I'm not sure I'd be able to manage ball depth on stress (tough point, hitting on the run, winner down the line etc). Thoughts?
 
mike84

mike84

Professional
Chotobaka said:
What kind of machine? I have used full Cyclone 18 @35 on an eCP machine with excellent results. This would roughly be equivalent to 40 on a lockout.
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Gamma 6004 at my local tennis club.
Friend works there so he strings my racquets.

I think anything below 40 would be too far for me to start with. As I am usually in mid 50's.

Would it be better to go with Cyclone 18 or 16 gauge?
 
Chotobaka

Chotobaka

Hall of Fame
mike84 said:
Gamma 6004 at my local tennis club.
Friend works there so he strings my racquets.

I think anything below 40 would be too far for me to start with. As I am usually in mid 50's.

Would it be better to go with Cyclone 18 or 16 gauge?
Click to expand...

40 will work fine as a starting point on a lock out, but do not discount even lower tension. I have really enjoyed thinner gauge poly in full beds at low tension, so I recommend you give the 18g a try. Experimenting with different set ups is well worth the effort.
 
Karma Tennis

Karma Tennis

Legend
Chotobaka said:
40 will work fine as a starting point on a lock out, but do not discount even lower tension. I have really enjoyed thinner gauge poly in full beds at low tension, so I recommend you give the 18g a try. Experimenting with different set ups is well worth the effort.
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@Chotobaka, how quickly do you churn through a set of this in terms of playing hours. Do you hit with a lot of spin?

We've been experimenting with full bed PP Black Out at 36lbs in a 16x19 pattern. It loses a lot of its performance at around the 2 hour mark. Play's very nicely till then but then falls off the cliff. (We get about 5 hours out of it at 50lbs - 52lbs). I'm thinking Black Out works a lot better at higher tensions.

Very familiar with Cyclone 16 but never tried Cylone 18. Might have to give it a go.
 
Chotobaka

Chotobaka

Hall of Fame
Karma Tennis said:
@Chotobaka, how quickly do you churn through a set of this in terms of playing hours. Do you hit with a lot of spin?

We've been experimenting with full bed PP Black Out at 36lbs in a 16x19 pattern. It loses a lot of its performance at around the 2 hour mark. Play's very nicely till then but then falls off the cliff. (We get about 5 hours out of it at 50lbs - 52lbs). I'm thinking Black Out works a lot better at higher tensions.

Very familiar with Cyclone 16 but never tried Cylone 18. Might have to give it a go.
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I haven't played with Black Out, so I cannot offer a direct comparison and I do not really accurately keep track of use in hours, but would guesstimate at least 5-6 hours. Cyclone 18g does not exhibit much of the "falling off the cliff" experience for me. There is a definite performance curve with Cyclone, including a slight break-in, but is not as extreme for me as the hybrid set-ups I use or some other soft co-poly strings in terms of losing performance suddenly. I would more likely be the culprit in those cases.

I hit with mostly moderate spin these days, but still hit high spin shots selectively. I am not a big string breaker, so the issue for me with strings at end-of-life is control. I definitely do have to re-string more frequently since I have gone to lower tension/thin gauge, but the trade off is well worth it to me. In the uber-thin gauges, I find that Tour Bite holds up longer than other strings I have tried, but more $$ and I still wind up re-stringing frequently. It is solid down to the 18g, but can break easily on a shank in 19g and 20g (which I would reserve for very closed patterns). Cyclone is still one of the really good bang for the buck strings out there.
 
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Karma Tennis

Karma Tennis

Legend
Thanks @Chotobaka. Will have to try getting my hands on the 18g in some of the different colors and see how they go at lower tensions in full beds, and perhaps as crosses in a hybrid with Black Out mains.
 
Chotobaka

Chotobaka

Hall of Fame
Karma Tennis said:
Thanks @Chotobaka. Will have to try getting my hands on the 18g in some of the different colors and see how they go at lower tensions in full beds, and perhaps as crosses in a hybrid with Black Out mains.
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You are welcome. Although Cyclone doesn't break the bank, I almost always wait for one of their frequent deals at TW (like buy 2 get 3) which really drops the price down. I hope it works out for you.
 
G

gvsbdisco

Semi-Pro
Hi Everyone.
Advice sought.

I am using a Prince Textreme 100T (16x18) with some lead at 3&9 and weighting in the handle. I also have a sensitive wrist (ulnar side). I wanted to try some polys at lower tension. I started with Proline II 18 at 44 lbs and it was comfortable but underpowered and I thought the stringbed got a little erratic after 3-4 hours. Next I tried Tour Bite at 34 lbs (drop weight stringer). I thought this played fantastic. Explosive power, and rewarded a nice smooth swing. I liked it alot. However, after playing I felt some discomfort in my wrist so it has to get cut out. On hand I have the following strings:

- cyclone 16 (firm)
- spiky black shark 16 (firm)
- golden power cord 16 (soft and lively co-poly)
- Pro Line II 18 (soft and low powered)

I have played cyclone and spiky black shark comfortably at 55 lbs but in a 16x16 ported Prince Tour 100T ESP. However, that frame seems absorb every possible shock and is ridiculously comfortable.

Looking for tension recommendations for the above strings based on the information above. Also curious about comfort comparisons between the stiffer strings at low tensions (TB, Cyclone, Spiky BS) and whether people have had luck going low tension with the soft co-polys (power cord, pro line II)

thanks for any information you can provide.
 
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