Any "multiester" string from Babolat?

[New Daddy]

I'm in the process of trying out different "multiester" strings - strings containing both nylon and polyester in the same strand.
So far I've tried Wilson NXT Control, Tecnifibre Triax and Yonex Rexis Speed.

Does Babolat make any multiesters?
My favorite multifilament was Babolat's Xalt, and I would like to try their multiester if there is any.

 

[Trip]

Nope. Babolat doesn't have any synthetic-esters at the moment. Here's the current list (will update with any overlooked or newly discovered):

Multi-Ester:

IsoSpeed Axon
IsoSpeed Energetic
ProTennis EDRA
Tecnifibre HDMX
Tecnifibre Triax
Tourna Quasi Gut Armor
Volkl Power Fiber Pro
Wilson NXT Control
Yonex Rexis Speed


Syn-Gut-Ester:

Prince Lightning Pro
ProTennis Prodigy
Tourna Syn Gut Armor

 

[tele]

Nope. Babolat doesn't have any synthetic-esters at the moment. Here's the current list (will update with any overlooked or newly discovered):

Multi-Ester:

IsoSpeed Axon
IsoSpeed Energetic
ProTennis EDRA
Tecnifibre HDMX
Tecnifibre Triax
Tourna Quasi Gut Armor
Volkl Power Fiber Pro
Wilson NXT Control (ie.whitelabeled Tecnifibre HDX Tour)
Yonex Rexis Speed


Syn-Gut-Ester:

Prince Lightning Pro (ie. whitelabeled Gosen AK Pro, non-CX)
ProTennis Prodigy
Tourna Syn Gut Armor

a great reference list, but to be nitpicky, although nxt control and hdx tour are indeed similar, hdx tour (which hdmx replaced) was significantly less stiff than nxt control(assuming accurate twu numbers), sugggesting differences in construction. in addition, unlike lightning pro, regular ak pro does not contain polyester, and ak pro in a full bed sticks to itself like a syn gut before too long in an open pattern (i think i readlightning pro does well sliding over itself. The two pairs are clearly closely related, however.

 

[Trip]

a great reference list, but to be nitpicky, although nxt control and hdx tour are indeed similar, hdx tour (which hdmx replaced) was significantly less stiff than nxt control(assuming accurate twu numbers), sugggesting differences in construction. in addition, unlike lightning pro, regular ak pro does not contain polyester, and ak pro in a full bed sticks to itself like a syn gut before too long in an open pattern (i think i readlightning pro does well sliding over itself. The two pairs are clearly closely related, however.

Thanks for the refinements @tele! Mistaken identical-ness aside for NXT Control and HDX Tour (as we all know Tec makes all of Wilson's NXT multis), I am pretty certain that's it's Gosen who makes Lightning Pro for Prince, as they smell nearly identical coming out of the package, and although slightly different in the layering, AK Pro and PLP are eerily close in construction, with the tri-core, multiple tri-core mini filaments, etc. Regardless, I will amend my initial list accordingly. Ty!

 

[Mungo]

Of these, both Triax and HDMX both felt uncomfortable to me while Prince Lightning Pro and Power Fiber Pro were very nice. And I didn’t know they were “esters”,

 

[tele]

Thanks for the refinements @tele! Mistaken identical-ness aside for NXT Control and HDX Tour (as we all know Tec makes all of Wilson's NXT multis), I am pretty certain that's it's Gosen who makes Lightning Pro for Prince, as they smell nearly identical coming out of the package, and although slightly different in the layering, AK Pro and PLP are eerily close in construction, with the tri-core, multiple tri-core mini filaments, etc. Regardless, I will amend my initial list accordingly. Ty!

my guess is also that gosen makes plp, as looks like an "umishima" construction.

 

[Trip]

Of these, both Triax and HDMX both felt uncomfortable to me while Prince Lightning Pro and Power Fiber Pro were very nice. And I didn’t know they were “esters”,

That would make sense, as both Triax and HDMX have actual polyester filaments in their core weaves (Triax ~50%, HDMX ~33%), whereas Power Fiber Pro ("PFP") has a 100%-nylon/PU multifilament core, with just a bit of co-polymer in its outer jacket/sheath, and Prince Lightning Pro ("PLP") has a nylon tri-core with just a pair of PET "ribbon" wraps under its outermost layer. Both are noticeably less poly by percent makeup and stiffness on impact – PFP a notch below HDMX, PLP a couple notches below that.

 

[Irvin]

Nope. Babolat doesn't have any synthetic-esters at the moment. Here's the current list (will update with any overlooked or newly discovered):

Multi-Ester:

IsoSpeed Axon
IsoSpeed Energetic
ProTennis EDRA
Tecnifibre HDMX
Tecnifibre Triax
Tourna Quasi Gut Armor
Volkl Power Fiber Pro
Wilson NXT Control
Yonex Rexis Speed


Syn-Gut-Ester:

Prince Lightning Pro
ProTennis Prodigy
Tourna Syn Gut Armor

Tecnifibre X-One, TGV, and Multifeel are ‘multiester

Babolat RPM Team is nylon / polyester

There are other nylon / zyex strings not sure if that’s considered a multiester or not.

EDIT: Head RIP Control is a nylon/polyolefin

 

[Trip]

Tecnifibre X-One, TGV, and Multifeel are ‘multiester

Ughhh... are you sure about that, Irvin? Last I checked, neither X-One, nor TGV, nor Multifeel, had any polyester in them.

 

[Irvin]

You can use the String Performance Database tool to identify strings with different composition

https://imgur.com/y79YwlP

 

[Trip]

You can use the String Performance Database tool to identify strings with different composition

https://imgur.com/y79YwlP

Ah. I think I found the issue. You were looking at "Nylon/Polyurethane", not "Nylon/Polyester", which is what we're talking about in this thread. Polyurethane ≠ Polyester.

 

[maksp]

Ah. I think I found the issue. You were looking at "Nylon/Polyurethane", not "Nylon/Polyester", which is what we're talking about in this thread. Polyurethane ≠ Polyester.

Isn't polyurethane just a soft flexible poly ? Is Polyurethane better then hard nylon like ogsm?

 

[Irvin]

Ughhh... are you sure about that, Irvin? Last I checked, neither X-One, nor TGV, nor Multifeel, had any polyester in them.

Yes

 

[Irvin]

Ah. I think I found the issue. You were looking at "Nylon/Polyurethane", not "Nylon/Polyester", which is what we're talking about in this thread. Polyurethane ≠ Polyester.

Polyurethane is broader class of polymers, including polyester-based.

 

[Irvin]

Yes

Actually I believe TGV has polyamide fibers which is not a polyester

 

[Trip]

Polyurethane is broader class of polymers, including polyester-based.

Yeah, we're talking about the sub-category here: polyester. Thus "multi-ester" and "syn-gut-ester". Pretty sure that excludes X-One, TGV and Multifeel.

 

[ichaseballs]

polyurethane (PU) is commonly used in multifilament strings, but not all multifilament strings are made with polyurethane.
Similarly, polyurethane is not the same as polyester (poly) strings.


polyurethane (PU) is a broader class of polymers, and it is chemically distinct from polyester, though both belong to the family of synthetic polymers.

Polyurethane vs. Polyester: The Chemical Difference​

• Polyurethane (PU) is formed by reacting diisocyanates with polyols, creating a versatile polymer that can be soft and elastic (like in foams and multifilament strings) or rigid (like in coatings and wheels).
• Polyester is a category of polymers that contain ester functional groups in their backbone. Polyester can be used alone (as in polyester tennis strings) or as a component in other materials, including some types of polyurethane.

Is Polyester a Type of Polyurethane?​

• No, polyester is not a type of polyurethane, but polyester can be used to create polyurethane-based materials.
• Some polyurethanes are made using polyester-based polyols, which means they contain polyester components but still have different properties from pure polyester.

In Tennis Strings:​

• Polyester Strings (Poly): Made of stiff, durable polyester monofilaments (e.g., Luxilon ALU Power, Babolat RPM Blast).
• Polyurethane-Based Multifilament Strings: Made of thousands of microfibers (usually nylon) bonded with polyurethane for elasticity and comfort (e.g., Tecnifibre X-One Biphase, Wilson NXT).

So, while polyurethane is a broader class of polymers that can include polyester components, polyurethane-based multifilaments and polyester monofilaments are completely different materials with different playing characteristics.