Best Multifilament that acts as a Natural Gut replacement

Crie

Rookie
What is the best multifilament string that acts similarly like natural gut? Nat gut is really expensive and I don't want to put that much money into stings so I want a cheaper alternative to it. I know NXT, Xcel, NRG2 are good multis, but which one acts most similar to a nat gut? I will be putting the multi in the mains with a 16 gauge and ALU Power 16L in the crosses. Im thinking of stringing the multi at 52 lbs and the poly at 49.5.
 

Taveren

Professional
I have using Babolat Origin mains and MSV Co-focus cross and liking it more and more. Check your local pricing though as I get it relatively cheaper than nat gut but if the cost difference is small then nat gut is still best IMO.
 

g4driver

Legend
What is the best multifilament string that acts similarly like natural gut? Nat gut is really expensive and I don't want to put that much money into stings so I want a cheaper alternative to it. I know NXT, Xcel, NRG2 are good multis, but which one acts most similar to a nat gut? I will be putting the multi in the mains with a 16 gauge and ALU Power 16L in the crosses. Im thinking of stringing the multi at 52 lbs and the poly at 49.5.

There is no multi that acts similar to gut. That's right there isn't a substitute.

By the time you restring your frame three times with X1 mains because they have frayed, you will have spent two extra stringing fees and you have paid for an extra pack of both X1 and and an extra pack of ALU Power 16L.

Cost for pacific tough gut/ ALU 16L and one stringing ?

or

Cost of three 1/2 packs of X1 and three 1/2 packs ALU Power plus three stringing fees - even if you string yourself which you should learn to do if start breaking a lot of strings, you are still better off with Gut/ALU Power ?

It cost just $12 more to put Pacific Tough Gut in the mains vs X1 BiPhase. (1/2 pack of each for the mains)

I purchased four reels of X1 16g and three reels of NRG2- finally when Technifibre got stupid with their pricing, I left never to return. Prince Premier Control is just as good or better for $10 a pack than X1 or NRG2 but if you want something that acts like natural gut, don't buy a multi and think it will play like gut. It doesn't.

Multi Mains/ Poly Crosses isn't durable for string breakers and gets rather expensive quickly when you factor in stringing fees. Don't think short term- one string job- think long term- which is set up is gonna cost me more in the long run- Gut is cheaper in the long run. Been there done that. The only problem with gut is when playing very humid what places like the southeast United States.
 
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FedBeckRas

Rookie
Tecnifibre NRG2. It even frays like natural gut. Never used it as a main with poly crosses. Gut/poly was a durable hybrid for me(the two times I used it) but the general consensus is that multi/poly is not durable. Staying with gut/poly may be more cost effective when factoring durability vs stringing costs.
 

jim e

Legend
Klip Legend 16g is only $9.00 more per set than NXT,
and since you hybrid with a poly string and only use 1/2 set,
you will only be paying approx. $4.50 per string job more than NXT,
and you will be hitting with real gut that hits like real gut.
Multi strings can come somewhat close but, as said no string synthetic really hits truly like nat. gut.
 

wabbit

New User
I'm not a big spin hitter but I've found that a set of VS Touch will last me much longer than X1 by far. I'd guesstimate a set of VS will go 3-4 times longer than most multis and as others have said there's no substitute for natural gut. If you hit with a lot of spin that will of course change the equation.
 

Crie

Rookie
There is no multi that acts similar to gut. That's right there isn't a substitute.

By the time you restring your frame three times with X1 mains because they have frayed, you will have spent two extra stringing fees and you have paid for an extra pack of both X1 and and an extra pack of ALU Power 16L.

Cost for pacific tough gut/ ALU 16L and one stringing ?

or

Cost of three 1/2 packs of X1 and three 1/2 packs ALU Power plus three stringing fees - even if you string yourself which you should learn to do if start breaking a lot of strings, you are still better off with Gut/ALU Power ?

It cost just $12 more to put Pacific Tough Gut in the mains vs X1 BiPhase. (1/2 pack of each for the mains)

I purchased four reels of X1 16g and three reels of NRG2- finally when Technifibre got stupid with their pricing, I left never to return. Prince Premier Control is just as good or better for $10 a pack than X1 or NRG2 but if you want something that acts like natural gut, don't buy a multi and think it will play like gut. It doesn't.

Multi Mains/ Poly Crosses isn't durable for string breakers and gets rather expensive quickly when you factor in stringing fees. Don't think short term- one string job- think long term- which is set up is gonna cost me more in the long run- Gut is cheaper in the long run. Been there done that. The only problem with gut is when playing very humid what places like the southeast United States.
But doesn't natural gut have really bad tension maintenance and low durability?
 

KaiserW

Hall of Fame
If you are buying a premium multi you are better off with Klip Legend it should be cheaper in the long run. I have never tried multi/poly but I have read about its awful durability. Natural gut is unique in that it holds it's tension better than any other string and it is crisp but arm friendly. Gut/poly really is a fantastic combo.
 

topspn

G.O.A.T.
X one biphase would be the standard for playability in multis. Of course gut is still a different level of playability.
 

graycrait

Legend
I'm not trying to pick a fight. X-One BiPhase is a rocket launcher compared to a good Nat Gut like Bab or Wilson. It plays nothing like a good gut. However, in my old PS85 or R22 I think a multi at 60lbs is nice to have fun with in those old "smaller" headed racquets. At 60lbs a multi works pretty well in these older heavy classics. The only non gut string that plays sort of like gut in my experience is Ashaway Kevlar in the mains x Ashaway Zyex in the crosses.

I do think multis work nicely in those light stiff 115-137 headed racquets where the goal is to win at doubles as one is over 75. I played against a guy who is over 80 in a fund raiser and was happily surprised at how well he played using the best equipment that complimented his advantages/shortcomings. That guy is me in not so many years.
 
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PittsburghDad

Guest
Absolutely none play like gut. Any other answer is nonsense. Multi can be great. And some like it better. But it's completely different stuff. And you will go through three sets of multi before you break gut. Full bed or hybrid.
 

frank52

Semi-Pro
Babolat Origin is somewhat like gut. Decent power level, long lasting, and good tension holding. Like gut, the spin level is on the lower end. I use the Spingen pliers (metal - version 1) to put a textured surface on the Origin strings. I find this to help with spin and control. Mostly, I use Origin in the mains around #57 and Ashaway Mongut ZX in crosses at #54.
 

TennisCJC

Legend
I use nrg2 in the mains with poly crosses for last couple of years and like it a lot. I also use TF multi feel mains with poly from time to time but like nrg2 better.

I've tried x1 bp but like nrg2 better. X1 bp is too lively and notches easier than nrg2. Multifeel doesn't last as long as NRG2 and is a little less lively.

nrg2, x1 bp and multifeel are all tecnifibre and tecnifibre strings maintain tension very well according to me and TW string DB. nrg2 is my favorite as it has the best feel, control and I think it last a little longer than x1 bp and multifeel.

but, none of these are quite as good as gut. babolat tonic ball feel is a good medium priced gut and it has better performance than all of these but i can get nrg2 on sale for under $13 and multifell for $10 while bab tonic is $36 last time i bought it. Gut holds tension best, is a little softer, has a touch more power and spin. If I had unlimited $, i would play gut/poly hybrids.

I've also tried NXT and a few other multi. NRG2 is most like gut to me.
 

Noisy Ninja

Semi-Pro
Although not technically a multifilament...I think Babolat Origin is the closest synthetic alternative to natural gut that I have tried...and I've used most of the multis that have been mentioned in prior posts (X1Biphase, NRG2, Excel, Maxim Touch). The power level and softness of Origin is up there with the multis that have been mentioned...but what separates it from all the others is the tension maintenance and crisp feel.
 

bigserving

Hall of Fame
There is no other string, or type of string that replicates the ball pocketing or the playability longevity of natural gut.
 

Noisy Ninja

Semi-Pro
There is no other string, or type of string that replicates the ball pocketing or the playability longevity of natural gut.

True.
Vice versa, there is no other string, or type of string that costs as much as natural gut...that requires as much care when stringing...that is as adversely affected by high humidity...that is as powerful...as natural gut.
There are a multitude of reasons to use natural gut...but there are also a multitude of viable reasons why people may be seeking alternatives to natural gut.
Cost is probably one of the biggest deterrent for many...and the OP did clearly spell that out in the initial post.

I sometimes use a natural gut-poly hybrid setups in my frames. It's one of the best performing setup in my experience...but the longevity is not as good as I had hoped for.
Natural gut is simply very powerful and in my experience...I've had to use high string tensions combined with a lower powered poly...to keep the power in check. For the particular string setup that I utilize natural gut...the longevity simply isn't as good as I would hope for. Even when using Luxilon 4G (which is known to hold tension well) the poly crosses lose tension at a much faster rate than the natural gut mains; at some point, there is a wide disparity in tension between mains & crosses; the immense power of the natural gut mains is no longer held in check by the poly cross strings...and I have a setup that lacks control.

I feel that the playability longevity of natural gut is often overrated. Unless you are using it in a full setup, in a hybrid setup, the playability longevity is compromised. And the value involved in using natural gut declines somewhat when you factor in the high cost. IMHO, natural gut is not the holy grail in strings that some make them out to be. It's akin to a double edged sword and you have to be fully aware of both the advantages and disadvantages.
 

mctennis

Legend
Absolutely none play like gut. Any other answer is nonsense. Multi can be great. And some like it better. But it's completely different stuff. And you will go through three sets of multi before you break gut. Full bed or hybrid.
DITTO!!!! Put gut in and it will last longer than any multi. Of course you always have to say IF YOU ARE NOT A STRING BREAKER! I'm not sure why so many people are string breakers with so little time on their string. That is a whole different thread discussion. I've used gut for years and I've always had great luck with a quality gut. NOT THE CHEAP ECO GUT ( the $10 a set gut- it's junk).
 

oble

Hall of Fame
Although not technically a multifilament...I think Babolat Origin is the closest synthetic alternative to natural gut that I have tried...and I've used most of the multis that have been mentioned in prior posts (X1Biphase, NRG2, Excel, Maxim Touch). The power level and softness of Origin is up there with the multis that have been mentioned...but what separates it from all the others is the tension maintenance and crisp feel.
Origin is at the top of my to-try list. Funny thing is, Klip Legend only costs $1 more than Babolat Origin over here so it's a no-brainer for me to just get nat gut.
 

kimguroo

Legend
There is no multi that acts similar to gut. That's right there isn't a substitute.
Strongly agree. Nothing like natural gut.
Best multi string??? It might be tough to call which is the best because many people will have different opinions.
multi is more expensive than natural gut in my case.
Since I am not a string breaker, natural gut also last longer than multi so natural gut cost is almost same or slightly less.
 

ultradr

Legend
Since I am not a string breaker, natural gut also last longer than multi so natural gut cost is almost same or slightly less.

me neither. I use pretty dense 18x20 and 15 - 16 gauge strings.
I pop multi in half of gut's longevity on the bed.
although subjective, playability life span of gut is "at least" 3-4 times.
gut was no-brainer value in my set up.

p.s. in case i hybrid gut as a cross, i would go with multi.
i rarely break crosses. and crosses contribute only marginally unless you string them super tight, imho.
 

hotasice

Semi-Pro
me neither. I use pretty dense 18x20 and 15 - 16 gauge strings.
I pop multi in half of gut's longevity on the bed.
although subjective, playability life span of gut is "at least" 3-4 times.
gut was no-brainer value in my set up.

p.s. in case i hybrid gut as a cross, i would go with multi.
i rarely break crosses. and crosses contribute only marginally unless you string them super tight, imho.

I used to like to hybrid poly with a multi in the crosses---loved the feel and extra power the multi added, but I would shred through the multi about 4 hours tops and I'm normally not a string breaker.

Klip legend is even more comfortable and powerful than multi, but it will last me at least 25 hours before it frays and breaks, so it is no contest in terms of cost for stringing and more strings---gut is the way to go for me.
 
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