Co-focus, a lot people really like this especially as a cross with gut mains
For kicks try what Fed uses. You only live once.
I'm using a Vantage 95 at 63 flex. What does 4g cross play like? I was thinking of trying pro line II with gut. What do you think?
Just got done with this set up. Plays great, was a little too soft for me but I can see why others love it.
Right now Pacific Classic/B5E is my go to.
Agree on the 4G and Co focus. The Co focus is softer, but the 4G is OK for me and seems to last longer.
Fed's setup as last I read about it was Wilson NG with ALU rough at something like 49 mains and 47 crosses, depending on which article you read. Wilson sells this as Champions Choice. I tried it and like the 4G better.
I would try the co focus first, and if its life is too short, try the 4G. I string at 50/48 and these are the most delicious stringbeds I have ever felt when I manage to find the sweet spot.
Harry
I'm a 4.5/5.0 level player looking for a cross with Wilson gut. Didn't want anything too stiff because of a sensitive arm. Any suggestions?
You could always just cross it with a good syn gut of your choice.
The benefit to either an Isospeed Classic or a Synthetic Gut is that your tension & playability over time will be much more consistent than any poly. Even the best tension maintenance polys lose their luster over time. MSV co-focus is the only one I tried that remains soft over time, but even that one gets a little too powerful if you don't break it after a few weeks.
What string pattern / racquet do you use?
What's your standard tension?
Here's what I like:
Best: Tour Bite, Hurricane Feel. Both have good spin and pop
OK: 4G--maintains tension well, otherwise a little dull. Hepta-Twist--great spin, decent power, lousy plastic feel.
No thanks: RPM Blast--great performance for a couple hours, then dies horribly. I've never had my arm hurt as much as when hitting with this stuff after it died (about 4 hrs).
Now trying: Big Hitter Blue Rough, Volkl Cyclone.
After these two, I'm done screwing around with crosses for my gut.
I'm concerned about the 4g stiffness rating from tennis warehouse. Perhaps I'll try it thinking that it may be softer than the rating.
Babolat VS Team Gut actually, the good stuff :wink:
There is cause to be concerned about 4G's stiffness but it really depends on several factors.
Your own arm sensitivity is paramount. For some it will just be too stiff no matter the other factors. For others it will work in any situation. For everyone else we're talking shades of gray. My arm is sensitive and I can handle 4G in certain situations.
- in my Dunlop 200s (18x20, 95") I found 4G way too stiff even at lower tensions in the 40a. Ouch!
- in my Dunlop 200 Tours it's wonderful in the low 50s as a cross with gut mains.
- in my Pure Storm GTs I dislike it in the low 50s as a cross with gut. But in the mid 40s as a cross with gut it's perfectly fine for me. Hit with it again tonight and switched between my frame with Wilson Gut/4G @ 49/45 and my frame with VS Touch/4G @ 55/51. Both were comfy as I've added even more lead to the head upping my SW but the 49/45 frame was extremely confortable and still extremely precise. I played with my wife tonight and she was so angry at my touch shots she threw her frame...twice. There's just nothing that compares to 4G for accuracy over time.
Babolat VS Team and Wilson 17 use to be identical (babolat makes the string for wilson). However, When Babolat decided to change their layup of the string this year to the BT7, Wilson gut stayed the same. In other words, it is the same as the old Babolat VS Team, which is hands down a better string than Babolat's BT7.
The BT7 plays stiffer, and is not as "smooth" as the Wilson.
BTW, Fed's strings comes in the Wilson package.
As for the OP question, black magic 17 is nice, Pro Supex Big Ace, Adrenaline, etc. Lot of nice softer poly strings out there.
The 4G is nice and holds tension fairly well, but as someone else said, does tend to feel a bit on the stiffer side.
How do the crosses you mention compare with Co-focus or Pro Line II? Thanks
Can't give opinion on co-focus, but pro line 2 in my opinion is doo-doo. Doesn't hold tension at all, which is why some feel it plays "soft". Feels like playing with wet cardboard.
The BT7 plays stiffer, and is not as "smooth" as the Wilson.
BTW, Fed's strings comes in the Wilson package.
Interesting how the feel changes with different rackets. Sounds appealing though. THanks for the info.
Ahh, thanks for correcting me. Does he use a stock champion's pack or does he use a pack of nat. gut and a reel of luxilon?
I use a Vantage 95, 63 flex and 16x19 string pattern. I have been using Wilson 17g gut with 18g Co-Focus at 50/47. The combo is nice and comfortable, but MSV seems to get powerful over time. I'm looking for a combo that is comfortable, retains tension and has great feel. I am more of a touch than power player.
What do black magic 17 is nice, Pro Supex Big Ace, Adrenaline play like as crosses with gut?
Ahh, thanks for correcting me. Does he use a stock champion's pack or does he use a pack of nat. gut and a reel of luxilon?
They provide a nice "shock system" to the gut in where they tame the power, yet don't take away from it, nor do their attributes drown out the great feel and performance of the gut.
You're welcome. He doesn't use the champions choice packs. he uses gut from a pack of wilson, and the lux rough from a reel. In this thread there are a bunch of photos I took when stringing with P1 this year.
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=438964
You could see his pack of gut strings on the floor next to his frame:
Ok, well then if you are already using a thin cross with good results, you definitely want to give WeissCannon Mosquito Bite a shot as your cross. It only comes in 1.16mm (18g), so it is not for everyone.
It is Comfy, Retains amazing tension, and by far, the Best Feel poly you will find. Nothing comes close, IMO, for a touch-oriented poly.
I think it has to do with two factors: frame stiffness and string pattern.
The PSGT is a little stiffer than the 4D 200 Tour. So a string comfortable in the 200 Tour might not be as comfortable in the stiffer PSGT.
The 4D 200's dense string bed means less flex in the string bed which means a stiffer string will feel more harsh compared to how it feels in an open string bed.
It's definitely not binary and instead you have many different factors which influence one another in subtle and dynamic ways that can even change over time.
True, this constant experimentation with strings (and previously rackets) can be both fun and frustrating. When I was demoing rackets, my game really went downhill.
Yeah, I play better when I stick to one setup for an extended period. I've learned a ton from experiments. And hardware with a better "fit" determined by trying new stuff makes for a more enjoyable playing experience. But for competition you need "confident consistency" and that means a stable stroke which means you can't keeping hitting with a new setup every week with different power levels, swingweights, spin potential, etc.
Last year I hit with the Speed 300 for everything. This time I gave myself until December 31 to settle on a frame and string setup which I'll use throughout 2013. It's part of my evolving policy to stick to one setup spring through fall for competition and use winter to try new stuff. So I won't play league matches in the winter. By Dec 31 I'll have my final setup, play with it casually and in practice through late winter, and then use it for competition starting in the spring.
Totally love this set up!!! I have been using both Wilson and VS gut with 4G and it's awesome.
Interesting choice. What do you string gut/mosquito bite at?
whats it like after 10-15 hours?
am using wilson ng/co-focus and its nice until the co-focus gets to powerful.
52 lb pacific tough gut mains
49 lb wc mosquito bite cross
18x20 midplus pt280 (similar to prestige MP, with more flex)
At least twice as long as co-focus. WC strings are amazing at holding tension, and MB fits their lineup in terms of tension hold.
Exactly my problem with cofocus
whats it like after 10-15 hours?
am using wilson ng/co-focus and its nice until the co-focus gets to powerful.
I use VS/4G and it's almost like full bed gut in that it plays great until it breaks. The 4G starts out sort of stiff and then gets pillow soft for an extended period. I had it in one frame for roughly 8 weeks before I felt it became anything close to unplayable. When it does finally die it becomes boardy and dull instead of more springy and powerful.
I would say it's best from 1-20 hours in comfort. Very slow decline from there.
At least twice as long as co-focus. WC strings are amazing at holding tension, and MB fits their lineup in terms of tension hold.