Advice on Kevlar/Poly ESP Testing

[alpinenut]

Thanks to travlerajm's ESP thread I found my own ESP setup that I'm pretty happy with. But like most everyone else on these boards I am a stringaholic so I'm constantly searching for improvement. My current setup is weighted Head Speed MPs (16x19) w/ Cyclone 1.25/Volkl SG 1.25 at 56/44, both prestretched. I'm looking for more control (less spring), and more spin.

To achieve these goals I thought I'd try a Kevlar/Poly hybrid. No ZX for me because it's too expensive. I will be trying Ashaway Kevlar 1.30 with MSV Co-Focus 1.23, BH Silver 1.26 and Weiss Silverstring 1.25 (3 polys with a range of stiffness).

My question is what would be a good testing approach and tension recommendations? I'd like to start with mains locked in (thinking 54 since Kevlar will be stiffer than Cyclone). For the crosses one frame at 42 and one at 46. First with the BH Silver then I'll try the Co Focus and Weiss at the cross tension I preferred with slight adjustments for the relative stiffness. Or, i could keep both tensions constant and try each string. Maybe with the Co Focus and Weiss first since they are the extremes.

Does this make sense? Recommendations? FWIW, I'm a 4.5 SWOHB all court player.

 

[Bhairava]

My recommendation is: because of you are not using ZX, you really have to use a soft poly on crosses at low tension to counterbalance the high stiffness of kevlar on mains. And still you will get a stiff stringbed, you have to know this.
For example I've used TB 16(very stiff poly but not as stiff as kevlar) on mains and TB 17 soft(very soft poly but not as soft as ZX) on crosses at 46/40 and still I get a stiff, but playable, stringbed.
Kevlar should never be in hybrid with poly; we can try it only with the softest poly and at a very low tension.
Next 2 weeks I'll try kevlar/TB soft. I think I'll prestrech kevlar as travlerjam do, and I'll put kevlar at low tension too(because after prestrech it will not lose any more tension).
So I'll do 46/40 again.

 

[alpinenut]

When you do your TB TBS hybrid does the shape of the TBS cross impact the snap back of the mains? Do you think it increases or decreases? I'm thinking a round poly on the crosses would be better in that aspect?

 

[Bhairava]

Tb ie very slippery even if square shaped. I think it does not slow down snap back of mains. But I cannot be sure, I have never played with round poly this year

 

[purple-n-gold]

Hey Alpine, tried the ESP in a similiar hybrid to your 1st one, a poly multi around the same tension as yours.Really liked it but seemed to go dead really fast. You may not have to go to such an extreme tension differential with kevlar/poly, due to the poly typically losing so much tension in a short period of time.

 

[alpinenut]

Thanks, good suggestion. Bhairava seems to have dialed in around 46/40 with Poly/Poly. My experience too. I tried Cyclone/Cyclone at 56/44 and it was way too loopy and springy (56/50 was better). Whereas, Cyclone and VSG at 56/44 is great. I think I'll start around 52/44 with the Kevlar/Poly tests. Can't wait for the string to come

 

[brokenRPM]

My recommendation is: because of you are not using ZX, you really have to use a soft poly on crosses at low tension to counterbalance the high stiffness of kevlar on mains. And still you will get a stiff stringbed, you have to know this.
For example I've used TB 16(very stiff poly but not as stiff as kevlar) on mains and TB 17 soft(very soft poly but not as soft as ZX) on crosses at 46/40 and still I get a stiff, but playable, stringbed.
Kevlar should never be in hybrid with poly; we can try it only with the softest poly and at a very low tension.
Next 2 weeks I'll try kevlar/TB soft. I think I'll prestrech kevlar as travlerjam do, and I'll put kevlar at low tension too(because after prestrech it will not lose any more tension).
So I'll do 46/40 again.

Bhairava is right. DO NOT hybrid Kevlar with poly unless you know you can handle the stiffness!!! Injuries = medical bills!

I find ESP with Natural gut at 50 and poly crosses at 35 also have tons of spins but with much much less arm issues. of course it's not as nice as kevlar/poly/ZX, which can just let you whack the heck out of a ball.

also, i recommend 18g kevlar from ashaway.

 

[brokenRPM]

i also did esp with:

poly mains at 75 and crosses at 60...good spin there. just ok.

poly mains at 75 and multi 17g at 50...spin was less, just ok, stiff stiff.

trying multi 16g at 70 and multi 17g at 40. will report tomorrow.

 

[brokenRPM]

my favorite is ashaway kevlar 18g at 65 and isospeed 17L at 50. it's good for 1 set only though.

 

[brokenRPM]

multi 16g at 70 and multi 17g at 40. - not that good.

forten 18g kevlar at 40, Ashaway zyex at 20. pretty nice.

 

[Bhairava]

kevlar/zytex at 40/20?it should be an insane pocket. How is launch angle with this setup?
I'm still waiting tb soft to try this type of hybrid, but still I don't know what will be the best tension of kevlar mains. If I'll go at high tension I can suppose it will give me very good spin but low launch angle(only crosses are pushing the ball with this setup, so with spinny shots I will get very low launch angle with high kevlar tension)-
If I go at low kevlar tension I' m worried about not getting enough spin.
Maybe 50/40 instead of 46/40. I still don't know.

 

[brokenRPM]

I think 40/20 won't work with Ashaway 18g because they are really 18g and are so thin. Forten's 18g is more like a 17g so it's ok at 40.