Best synthetic string
- Thread starter danman155
- Start date
I just tried x-one biphase by tecnifibre in 18g, and it is absolutely the best i've ever hit with. Really nice combo of pop and feel. Too bad the price is ridiculous.
In the thin gauge, it gives me everything my natural gut on my other mpro gives me, plus added spin. I used to be a big believer in live wire xp, but this is way better.
In the thin gauge, it gives me everything my natural gut on my other mpro gives me, plus added spin. I used to be a big believer in live wire xp, but this is way better.
SteveI
Legend
The x-1 is really the best I have ever used.. but as you say "the price is ridiculous". I won a couple of sets.. and really enjoyed the time with the string.. but no way the price/performace is a go.
The best price/performace for me is either Gosen OG 17 or the Pro Form Tuff in 16. The Pro Form Tuff 16 plays like a poly in many ways.. but is very easy on the arm and wallet. The OG 17 has more power and is well regarded on is site. X-1 if you have the game and the money for it to make sense. Not for this guy..
Steve
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Applesauceman
Semi-Pro
The OP asked about syn gut, not polys.
My best selling syn gut is Prince Synthetic Gut Duraflex, followed by Gosen Micro.
Valjean
Hall of Fame
What characterisitics are you looking for?I was wondering what your opinions are on the best synthetic string on the market. Thank you for the replys
Even in the cheaper synthetic gut realm there are variations.
P
Parker512
Guest
Dunlop synthetic 17.
Centered
Hall of Fame
Incorrect. Polyester is a synthetic string material, too.
The best synthetic strings:
1. Gut-like playability (dynamic stiffness):
Most likely Ashaway Dynamite Soft 18, followed by the 17
However, with the data available: Ashaway Dynamite 17
TW only tested the very thick 1.41mm Dynamite WB 16 and it still was closer to gut's dynamic stiffness than other synthetics.
Compare for stiffness, for instance:
Ashaway Dynamite WB 16, strung at 51 lbs, 1.41mm, 109.7
Pacific Tough Gut 16, strung at 51 lbs, 1.39mm, 110.3
Now, the Dynamite loses more tension than the Pacific Gut, which explains why it beats it in softness, but it's still the closest competitor to gut. The new Dynamite Soft uses thinner filaments of Zyex so it should be even closer.
RSI's numbers are slightly different, putting the following strings close together (62 lbs fast swing):
Head Perfect Power 17, Nylon, 1.22, 144, 14.8, lbs lost
Gamma Professional 18, Nylon/Zyex, 1.22, 144, 15.15, lbs lost
Alpha Gut 2000 18, Nylon, 1.21, 146, 14.67, lbs lost
Ashaway Dynamite 17 , Zyex/Nylon, 1.24, 147, 13.72 lbs lost
Dynamite exhibits its gut-like dynamic stiffness more and more as stringing tension is reduced, so it's not super surprising that its high tension numbers from RSI are about the same as the softest nylon multis. Keep in mind that Dynamite tends to be even thicker than its reference gauge, so it still is likely the softest among these strings at high tension with a fast swing.
Unfortunately, every one of these strings is missing from the TW Database.
Worst: Prince Problend w/Duraflex 16 (Main). Or, if you don't want to count hybrids: Gosen Arammix Pro 16.
2. Tension retention:
62 lbs fast swing (pre-stretched): Gamma Synthetic Gut 16, 3.3 lbs lost
pre-stretched 62 lbs medium swing (pre-stretched): Prince Topspin Duraflex 15L, 3.1 lbs lost
pre-stretched 62 lbs slow swing (pre-stretched): Prince Topspin Duraflex 15L, 2.6 lbs lost
62 lbs fast swing (no pre-stretch)(no pre-stretch): IsoSpeed Professional Classic 17 and X-One Biphase 16, 9.0 lbs lost
62 lbs medium swing (no pre-stretch): X-One Biphase 17, 8.8 lbs lost
62 lbs slow swing (no pre-stretch): X-One Biphase 16, 8.4 lbs lost
51 lbs fast: X-One Biphase 17, 7.7 lbs lost
51 lbs medium: X-One Biphase 17, 7.5 lbs lost
51 lbs slow: X-One Biphase 17, 7.1 lbs lost
40 lbs fast: X-One Biphase 17, 6.2 lbs lost
40 lbs medium: X-One Biphase 17, 6.0 lbs lost
40 lbs slow: X-One Biphase 17, 5.7 lbs lost
Note that I don't think TW pre-stretched every string they tested at high tension. I don't think Dynamite was pre-stretched, for instance.
Worst (RSI): Ashaway (braided) Kevlar 17, 1.22mm, 28.37 lbs lost
Note that there are no TW numbers of Kevlar strings – who knows why.
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masterxfob
Semi-Pro
stop trolling :roll:
Centered
Hall of Fame
Excuse me?
Do you know what "best synthetic string" refers to? Obviously not.
It refers to any string that is synthetic.
OP said:
SteveI
Legend
Move on dude... we all know what he meant.
masterxfob
Semi-Pro
nice, i bet you're a real crowd pleaser...
Centered
Hall of Fame
This is what a substantive response looks like.
Thinking that hassling people for responding to someone's actual question is good forum etiquette is quite misguided. We're not all psychics who can be expected to read questions and posts that don't exist.
The question of what is the best synthetic string is a good one. Moreover, it's more useful than asking what the best "synthetic gut" is since "synthetic gut" is an example of archaic terminology. This is because materials like Zyex offer a better imitation of actual gut than monofilament nylon. Even most nylon multifilaments offer a better imitation of gut and are more deserving of the name "synthetic gut".
Furthermore, there are aspects of synthetic strings that people choose because they are not like gut. For instance, people who choose Kevlar don't choose it because of its similarity to gut. Rather, they choose it due to its dissimilarity.
Therefore, when someone asks what is the best synthetic string, the best way to answer the question is to look at the properties of strings, classify them in a useful manner, and then highlight the specific strings that are the best examples of those categories.
Or, you can thumb your nose at people like goons for taking the time to write a substantive accuracy-oriented contribution.
And finally, if you had bothered to read what I posted you would have seen a partial answer to the "synthetic gut" fantasy query, since I posted about two of them that topped tension retention tests done by TW. One may have also thought a bit and noticed that pre-stretching gave "synthetic gut" strings better tension holding results than the top multifilaments were able to obtain, while without pre-stretching certain multifilaments did better – a useful thing to discover.
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