Tar Heel Tennis
Professional
In a Blade 98S spin effect racket. 18x16 string pattern. Anything similar that may be more durable? TIA
Blowing through Hyper-G 16....
- Thread starter Tar Heel Tennis
- Start date
Tar Heel Tennis
Professional
One week.
CosmosMpower
Hall of Fame
Those racquets eat strings. I have only broken 2 sets of strings in my entire life, one of them was in that frame. Maybe try 4G or something that's round which won't saw against itself as much or try a 15L gauge. Otherwise you'll have to go to a kevlar.
esgee48
G.O.A.T.
One week equals how many hours? The last set of clients using Steam 99S or 105S frames were happy to get about 10 hours from 4G 16 Ga. They have since switched to patterns that do not abuse the strings so much and get about 16 hours from copolys. If you wish to experiment, try Kevlar mains [not Kevlar +] and ZX crosses. Ashaway sells this as a hybrid pack.
15L Gut with a slick, round 15L poly would last between 12-20 hours for me in the Blade 98S at 57 lbs.. For reference, in my RF97A that I used to hit with, I would get about 12 hours with a 16g full poly setup at 51M/49X and about 25 hours from a Gut/poly setup at 55/53. I have moved on to a Graphene 360 Pro and I can get 20 hours from a 1g or 17g full poly setup. Trying gut/poly on the next restring and will hopefully get about 30 hours from that setup although I will be happy if I get a really consistent 20 hours out of it. I should also add that in my full poly setups, I use VERY dead polys. I never use lively poly except a full 15L setup in the Blade 98S. If I were using a 15L setup in a denser pattern, I would probably use a lively poly, but I get more benefit from the gut poly over a soft poly that quickly loses tension.
LOBALOT
Hall of Fame
I would go nowhere near Hyper G but I have posted elsewhere my son plays with Hyper G and the stuff doesn't last at all. It is cheaper--er--er... and softer-er--er... and more powerful---er-er... than the 4G he was using but it doesn't lost longer-er-er.
I have seen some threads about potential other options for Hyper G so perhaps the OP can search for those discussions. I just think with few exceptions as poly gets softer the playability gets less so that is the trade off until the next big development in string.
I have seen some threads about potential other options for Hyper G so perhaps the OP can search for those discussions. I just think with few exceptions as poly gets softer the playability gets less so that is the trade off until the next big development in string.
antony
Hall of Fame
Hyper G at 16G was good... while it lasted. It lasted just a little at 57 lbs (from TW) and now it’s like 44lbs a month later, testing using TennisTension. I stopped playing with it a few weeks ago (handful of playing hours) because it was getting bad (bouncy and out of control) and I just tested it today. Will not use Solinco again.
I’ve played with 4G 16g on another racquet for longer and harder and it has only gone down from 59-55 and still hits pretty well.
Will try Kirschbaum Max Power in 16, 17 and 18, and Tier One sampler in 17 next
I’ve played with 4G 16g on another racquet for longer and harder and it has only gone down from 59-55 and still hits pretty well.
Will try Kirschbaum Max Power in 16, 17 and 18, and Tier One sampler in 17 next
Folsom_Stringer_Musa
Professional
That equals to how many hours?
May be try some 15L round poly.
HG is $14 (if you buy a set). It is medium priced poly not cheap (like Cyclone) or super cheap (Pros Pro, ISO Speed etc.)
LOBALOT
Hall of Fame
Right, I buy reels. It is cheaper than 4G that is for sure. Frankly, my son has been using it as he needed a tad more pop in his game and we are willing to sacrifice the longevity as I string his racquets for him.
If I didn't string his racquets or cost were more an issue I would for sure be looking elsewhere for a string with similar characteristics but more longevity.
CosmosMpower
Hall of Fame
You can get reels of HG for 120-130ish
antony
Hall of Fame
After my one play test, I wouldn't
Getting a good month from a poly is excellent. Hyper G has very good tension maintenance. And Solinco Confidential also holds tension great. If you had your racquet strung by TW at 57, then shipped over a few days ... by the time you got it, tension would have dropped a couple of lbs as well. I use both Hyper G and Confidential, and get a few weeks out of them. I change strings after about 15to 20 hrs of play with Solinco.
antony
Hall of Fame
Yeah idk it’s weird, I’m surprised it dropped that much. I’ve played with my slightly newer 6.1 95 @59lbs with 4G more and its tension is still like 55
I would give the Hyper G another try. This time check the tension with the meter right after stringing so you know where you are starting. After a few hours of playing, you should find a tension loss of less than 10% or so. Then is should stay there for for few more hours. Of course, there are many factors, including how hard you are hitting. But I would expect the tension maintenance to be a lot closer to what you got with your 4G.
antony
Hall of Fame
So it’s not just me!!! Maybe it needs to be prestretched or something. It did hit nice at the beginning.
Folsom_Stringer_Musa
Professional
HG 16 has Tension loss at 26.3% which is not that bad.
Regular GG 16:
| Solinco Hyper-G 16 | 51 | Fast | Polyester | 219.5 | 26.3 | 7.0 |
LOBALOT
Hall of Fame
I agree it is not bad compared to some but it is not great and it certainly is not a month of play.
The example I provided has been my experiences with the racquet sitting in the bag not used for 24 hours. I am not sure what goes into the factor listed above.
My son uses it because he gets some additional pop compared to the 4G he used to use. It does go away quickly in competitive match play and when really needed he will reach for a freshly strung racquet after a couple of sets and for sure between matches. I guess that is the trade off in going from a deader / prestretched type string like 4G and Hyper G.
Edit---- I just tested one of his racquets I restrung yesterday and right off the stringer RT said 53.1 lbs. My son just hit with it for an hour with a pal. I just tested it and RT said it is at 45.3 lbs.
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antony
Hall of Fame
screw hyper g
Folsom_Stringer_Musa
Professional
That type of tension loss will be an issue for high level player.
I thought 4G offers more pop than HG. I don't use 4G but I string 4G for others.
LOBALOT
Hall of Fame
4G is a good bit stiffer/control oriented than Hyper G (259 lb/in vs 218 lb/in) but I don't think that tells the whole story. It plays quite a bit stiffer at a given tension probably due to better tension maintenance than Hyper G as one hits with it.
Folsom_Stringer_Musa
Professional
4G is pre-stretched (better tension maintenance as you mentioned) whereas HG is not.
LOBALOT
Hall of Fame
Exactly, which is probably why it holds tension better with the trade off that it plays firmer.
The other issue with Hyper G is its edges wearing out which also causes it to lose playability. Again, a trade off as while the edges are there I think it helps grip the ball a bit better but when they fade at the same time as the tension drop....
Folsom_Stringer_Musa
Professional
Pretty much all shaped poly wears out in the sweet spot.
I can feel that area getting smoother and smoother as I play longer.
I am not a string breaker or cut string after 6-8 hours, so it is clear to me.
Although wearing depends on ball type/quality and level of playing.
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sandmammal
New User
I tried hyper G soft 17g at 48 lb in my 6.1 95. Was the first time using Hyper G and did Tour Bite 17g with another of my 6.1 95s at 48lb. Much preferred Hyper G to Tour bit but the Hyper G lost a good deal of tension after 1.5 practice sessions to the point where it simply performed differently after tension lost, such that it plays completely differently vs. freshly strung. It wasn't tension loss to the tune of what happens with Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power, which I love freshly strung, but it was enough for me to make the decision to avoid Hyper G going forward. I'm trying out Lux 4G next which I'm hopeful plays like a slight downgrade from freshly strung Big Banger Original but with greater tension maintenance, a trade off if close enough on playability I'll happily settle on.
am1899
Legend
^^ I concur. For me Lynx Tour is just a *tad* crisper, too.
Edit: as I read a little closer, dang...breaking Hyper G 16 in a week? That presents a pretty big problem. I honestly don’t know if you’ll move the durability needle that much by switching to a different 16g poly. It might help if the poly you replace HG with isn’t shaped. But then again, the resulting feel would probably be quite a bit different.
For me then your options are fairly limited...and none of them are that great TBH:
1. Stick with poly and increase gauge (RPM Blast comes in 15L, for example).
2. Try Kevlar
3. Try string savers. (This would suck with a string that snaps back a lot...but IME HG doesn’t snap back much, so it might be worth a try).
4. Ditch the racquet for something that doesn’t eat string as bad.
Edit: as I read a little closer, dang...breaking Hyper G 16 in a week? That presents a pretty big problem. I honestly don’t know if you’ll move the durability needle that much by switching to a different 16g poly. It might help if the poly you replace HG with isn’t shaped. But then again, the resulting feel would probably be quite a bit different.
For me then your options are fairly limited...and none of them are that great TBH:
1. Stick with poly and increase gauge (RPM Blast comes in 15L, for example).
2. Try Kevlar
3. Try string savers. (This would suck with a string that snaps back a lot...but IME HG doesn’t snap back much, so it might be worth a try).
4. Ditch the racquet for something that doesn’t eat string as bad.
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Folsom_Stringer_Musa
Professional
1 and 2: Both are on the very stiff side of strings. Your comfort will suffer.
3: Not all string savers are same. I tried Tourna but just crap.
4. Sounds like better option to me.
I have seen rec player breaking strings in 3 rackets in a match (all during serves).
I now realize how much I $aved for not being a string breaker.
am1899
Legend
Respectfully, OP is already playing with and breaking HG 16 gauge in a week. (How comfortable do you think Hyper G 16 is)??? My guess is comfort isn't a top priority for OP. Regardless, switching to 15L RPM isn't going to result in a huge difference in the comfort department. And sorry, but kevlar just isn't the bogeyman you're making it out to be - in particular for someone who has the kind of RHS capable of breaking 16g poly in a week. Just prior to going off to college, I was stringing with kevlar mains at 60lbs with synthetic gut crosses at 64lbs (and breaking that setup more often than my parents hoped). Didn't have any arm problems to speak of.
As far as string savers, the only string savers that exist for me are the ones made by Babolat. Anything else is garbage, which it sounds like you found out the hard way.
It happens. Many years ago, I was playing a 3/4 playoff in our high school state qualifying tournament in my sophomore year. The winner got to go to the state tournament, the loser stayed home. I brought 6 strung racquets to that match, 4 of which were freshly strung. Naturally the match went to 3 sets, and eventually I broke the strings in all every one of those 6 racquets. Ended up using my coaches racquet to finish the match. It was the same racquet, but strung about 15lbs looser than mine, with an entirely different string. Somehow I still managed to win the match. Off to states I went. (By the way, that match was one reason i eventually switched to the Kevlar setup I mentioned above).
Yes, must be nice.
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g4driver
Legend
Spot on. This is a guy who needs something like 1.40 mm Lux 4G, Kevlar mains, or 1.35mm Gut/1.35mm slick smooth poly cross in an 18X16 frame. Babolat string savers are the only ones that found to work all. Babolat are the only ones I stock.
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Folsom_Stringer_Musa
Professional
I agree with your point on breaking 16G HG.
Given it is 1.30mm thick and tough to break, OP might have bigger and heavier stroke.
I never experienced Kevlar from fear of injury. From your experience, looks like it is worth a try.
Thank you!
am1899
Legend
It isn’t for everyone (Kevlar). But for me it still has its place, in the right application (as narrow a place as that may be these days).
Frankly, if used improperly, polyester is arguably as dangerous as Kevlar. Specifically, for most players, playing with polyester until it breaks is a recipe for disaster.
