Are my poly strings dead?

[dct693]

Up until recently I've been hitting with the Wilson Steam 99s, using Wilson Revolve 15 (black) or 16g (orange), strung between 52-55 lbs. Been using this set up for about a year. Been through many string changes (which you would expect on a 16x15 frame using poly).

I've recently been trying a different racquet, the Head Graphene Instinct MP. It's 100sq in, 16x19. I also strung it up with Wilson Revolve 16g black at 51 lbs.

I was hitting with both racquets since January, hitting more with the Head as time went on. On the Steam, as the strings got older they got mushier and stopped snapping back into place. That's how I knew they were dead, aside from balls starting to trampoline.

I'm still playing with the same original set of strings on the Head. The strings have NEVER moved out of place after hitting. I can manually move them, but after hitting a tennis ball I don't get strings out of place. So I didn't think they were dead yet. But over time, the strings on the Head seem to have gotten STIFFER - almost uncomfortably so. It's as if someone has tightened up the strings.

I'm confused by the seemingly opposite behavior of the string in the two different frames. Thoughts? Maybe I have a bad set on my Head and just need to change them out?

 

[Thamel90]

Seems like you're getting a locked in string bed on your Head racquet, as opposed to a pretty erratic one when your Steam's strings approach their life end

 

[Uncoil]

They're dead. Change them out.

 

[dct693]

Thanks. Yeah, I think I pretty much answered my own question. But why the differing behavior in the two racquets? Very strange. I'm going to change the strings of the Head racquet in any case, but just wondering.

 

[Mareqnyc]

Up until recently I've been hitting with the Wilson Steam 99s, using Wilson Revolve 15 (black) or 16g (orange), strung between 52-55 lbs. Been using this set up for about a year. Been through many string changes (which you would expect on a 16x15 frame using poly).

I've recently been trying a different racquet, the Head Graphene Instinct MP. It's 100sq in, 16x19. I also strung it up with Wilson Revolve 16g black at 51 lbs.

I was hitting with both racquets since January, hitting more with the Head as time went on. On the Steam, as the strings got older they got mushier and stopped snapping back into place. That's how I knew they were dead, aside from balls starting to trampoline.

I'm still playing with the same original set of strings on the Head. The strings have NEVER moved out of place after hitting. I can manually move them, but after hitting a tennis ball I don't get strings out of place. So I didn't think they were dead yet. But over time, the strings on the Head seem to have gotten STIFFER - almost uncomfortably so. It's as if someone has tightened up the strings.

I'm confused by the seemingly opposite behavior of the string in the two different frames. Thoughts? Maybe I have a bad set on my Head and just need to change them out?

Different polys die in different ways, as a rule of thumb if they dont break I always cut them out before 10hour mark.

 

[dct693]

Different polys die in different ways, as a rule of thumb if they dont break I always cut them out before 10hour mark.

Agreed, but it's the same poly, in different racquets. Any idea why it would die differently?

 

[esgee48]

Several possible reasons. Measure the central 6 or 8 mains. I think you will find that the measurement is smaller on the G Instinct. More hill for the mains to climb. Also the number of crosses restrict the movement of the mains, 19 vs 15. One last reason the Instinct stringbed feels stiffer is possible notching of the mains which restricts overall string movement upon ball impact. 2 cents.

BTW, the strings are probably dead so cut them out and have a wake after their funeral. (I'm drinking to that!)

 

[Thamel90]

Probably has to do with stringbed density. Your Steam has enough space to be a trampoline once your poly starts to die. With your Head's more traditional pattern, once the poly dies, it becomes locked in and unresponsive, even though the tension is at its lowest.

 

[lwto]

They're dead. Change them out.

If you have to question them, they will forever be dead until you chamge them out.. (the walking poly's)

 

[Mareqnyc]

Agreed, but it's the same poly, in different racquets. Any idea why it would die differently?

That 16x15 string pattern eats through strings like crazy. They move a lot more and "age" differently. I usually string 2 different racquets with the same string (both 18x20) and they change playability in a similar way

 

[Booger]

If you have to ask, they are dead.

 

[citybert]

cut em out. also for polys the deader they get the harder they are to pop.

 

[Bender]

Is it older than ten hours?

If yes, then yes.

If no, then still yes (they tend to start dying after the four hour mark).

 

[eelhc]

Agreed, but it's the same poly, in different racquets. Any idea why it would die differently?

Many people mistakenly refer to poly that's lost tension as "dead". This is not really the case. Poly will become "stretchier" and lose tension initially. After a while though... it begins to become brittle. A simple experiment to demonstrate this is to take a piece of plastic material from the recycle bin and start bending it back/forth. At first, you'll see it becomes softer and it's easier to bend back/forth (lose tension). But then it becomes brittle, less resilient and eventually fractures.

IMO the strings on your Wilson is not dead. The balls trampolining indicates the strings have lost tension. The strings moving are probably due to notching and the smooth outer coating wearing off. Very common with spin pattern racquets.
On the Head however... stiffer = dead. Never play with dead strings if you need your arm later on in life.

Most polys for me die around the 10~20Hr mark. I never wait until then.

There are some people with bionic arms who can play with dead poly for years without injury

 

[dct693]

Many people mistakenly refer to poly that's lost tension as "dead". This is not really the case. Poly will become "stretchier" and lose tension initially. After a while though... it begins to become brittle. A simple experiment to demonstrate this is to take a piece of plastic material from the recycle bin and start bending it back/forth. At first, you'll see it becomes softer and it's easier to bend back/forth (lose tension). But then it becomes brittle, less resilient and eventually fractures.

IMO the strings on your Wilson is not dead. The balls trampolining indicates the strings have lost tension. The strings moving are probably due to notching and the smooth outer coating wearing off. Very common with spin pattern racquets.
On the Head however... stiffer = dead. Never play with dead strings if you need your arm later on in life.

Most polys for me die around the 10~20Hr mark. I never wait until then.

There are some people with bionic arms who can play with dead poly for years without injury

Interesting. The strings on the Head never seemed to reach that trampolining stage - but it does feel like playing with a board. I haven't had any issues hitting with poly and I'm not looking to start now. Will get the racquet restrung ASAP.

Thanks everyone for the replies.