Calling ClubHoUno and other 'stringophiles' – Can I use VS Team Natural Gut?

[Indiana Puffed]

I have a couple of related questions regarding the use of Nat Gut, and know there are a good few regular users who I would love to have chime in with their opinion.

Firstly, ClubHoUno, I see you use BLX 18x20s. As you’ll see from my sig, I have a collection of Pro Staff 18x20, so pretty much an identical mold. With your VS team, can you use 1 packet for two hybrids on these sticks?
http://www.stringforum.net/patterns.php lists my stick (goto Wilson nCode nSix-One 95 18x20) as having 6.10m mains (20 feet), while VS team is 12m in total, which would leave my 2nd string job short. What’s your take on this? I have also noticed some places list it as 40feet, which might allow my stringer to squeeze two out. Pardon the expression!

Second question- I play in Scotland, outdoors most often, on a carpet surface that can stay damp, and thus the balls will often get damp. Will this quickly damage VS Team 17 with its Thermoguard surface, or with care do you think I can make the gut last a while?

Nat gut has a reputation for having poor durability. However, the opinion of users such as ClubHoUno, and other reviewers on these boards etc often state they find tension stability to be good, and with care (using string savers, use silica gel sachets when is bag/storage, don’t play in rain and not keep in car boots etc) the nat gut can often outlast and outperform multis, synth guts and polys.

If anybody has direct experience of playing in such conditions, then their opinion would be greatly valued. I’m probably gonna bite the bullet and try it out myself anyway, but I’m not exactly sweating money so like to hear from experience first before I splash the cash.

FYI, I am considering using Lux Power Rough 1.27 in the crosses, and if Adrenaline starts to get good reviews, maybe that.

PS, If nat gut is a big no, what do you think I should use instead? My fallback is something like Mains- Adrenaline 1.20, Cross- Power Rough 1.25, or maybe Biphase Mains, Lux cross. Cos of my dense string pattern I want to keep the gauge thinner where possible, I’m not a string breaker but want more spin. Had a hit with my friends PD cortex with Biphase/Lux today, was hilarious how much easier it dropped in court with topspin. My current strings are probably too thick in tandem with my 18x20.

Thanks folks, appreciate your time – please help, my brain has been frazzled thinking of string combos!

Indiana

 

[meowmix]

Luxilon Alu Rough crosses are not a good idea- being "rough", they'll saw through your mains and decrease the longevity of your gut.

As for the humidity of the court, it shouldn't be too major a consideration. VS has an excellent coating, which should make it last pretty long. Depending on how damp we're talking about, you should be fine.

Consider applying some stringsavers, and also consider applying a thin (key word: THIN) layer of baby oil after you play to keep the gut in prime condition.

 

[Nanshiki]

Last time I saw ALU ROUGH, all it was was a slightly darker version of ALU with a few indentations printed into it...

ALU ROUGH is 1.25 though.

Although, there's no particular reason to actually use ROUGH... I'd just go with regular since you'll get better spin that way anyway (more sliding = more spin).

FWIW, Federer uses ALU ROUGH as a cross for Wilson natural gut...

 

[chaddles]

Luxilon Alu Rough crosses are not a good idea- being "rough", they'll saw through your mains and decrease the longevity of your gut.

As for the humidity of the court, it shouldn't be too major a consideration. VS has an excellent coating, which should make it last pretty long. Depending on how damp we're talking about, you should be fine.

Consider applying some stringsavers, and also consider applying a thin (key word: THIN) layer of baby oil after you play to keep the gut in prime condition.

Alu Rough is a great idea, as long as you use string savers there is no drama - they also provide a bit more bight onto the ball which is an added plus, considering gut isn't spin friendly compared to poly's. IMO there are much better alternatives out there which out perform gut in most aspects.

Try M2 Pro - love that string..

 

[ClubHoUno]

I have a couple of related questions regarding the use of Nat Gut, and know there are a good few regular users who I would love to have chime in with their opinion.

Firstly, ClubHoUno, I see you use BLX 18x20s. As you’ll see from my sig, I have a collection of Pro Staff 18x20, so pretty much an identical mold. With your VS team, can you use 1 packet for two hybrids on these sticks?
http://www.stringforum.net/patterns.php lists my stick (goto Wilson nCode nSix-One 95 18x20) as having 6.10m mains (20 feet), while VS team is 12m in total, which would leave my 2nd string job short. What’s your take on this? I have also noticed some places list it as 40feet, which might allow my stringer to squeeze two out. Pardon the expression!

Second question- I play in Scotland, outdoors most often, on a carpet surface that can stay damp, and thus the balls will often get damp. Will this quickly damage VS Team 17 with its Thermoguard surface, or with care do you think I can make the gut last a while?

Nat gut has a reputation for having poor durability. However, the opinion of users such as ClubHoUno, and other reviewers on these boards etc often state they find tension stability to be good, and with care (using string savers, use silica gel sachets when is bag/storage, don’t play in rain and not keep in car boots etc) the nat gut can often outlast and outperform multis, synth guts and polys.

If anybody has direct experience of playing in such conditions, then their opinion would be greatly valued. I’m probably gonna bite the bullet and try it out myself anyway, but I’m not exactly sweating money so like to hear from experience first before I splash the cash.

FYI, I am considering using Lux Power Rough 1.27 in the crosses, and if Adrenaline starts to get good reviews, maybe that.

PS, If nat gut is a big no, what do you think I should use instead? My fallback is something like Mains- Adrenaline 1.20, Cross- Power Rough 1.25, or maybe Biphase Mains, Lux cross. Cos of my dense string pattern I want to keep the gauge thinner where possible, I’m not a string breaker but want more spin. Had a hit with my friends PD cortex with Biphase/Lux today, was hilarious how much easier it dropped in court with topspin. My current strings are probably too thick in tandem with my 18x20.

Thanks folks, appreciate your time – please help, my brain has been frazzled thinking of string combos!

Indiana

Hey

You can use the VS TEAM 17 SET in a hybrid with no problems.
12 meters is enough.

Unless the court is soaking wet, you should be able to use the nat gut with no problems. The Thermogut Protection will protect the gut.

ROUGH in the crosses is the Federer hybrid, and because the ROUGH is not edged or TWISTED, the idea of using this in the crosses is GREAT. However if you're not a string breaker, the ROUGH will die in 5 hours time, and this will affect the feel of the nat gut mains..... You should test how much you think it will affect you and your game and then maybe look for other poly's with better tension stability.

I prefer Signum Pro Hyperion as my goto SMOOTH cross CoPoly string in my nat gut hybrid, because it has better tension stability than Alu ROUGH and Alu Power.

 

[Indiana Puffed]

Thanks folks for your suggestions, sounds positive.

As for the humidity of the court, it shouldn't be too major a consideration. VS has an excellent coating, which should make it last pretty long. Depending on how damp we're talking about, you should be fine.

Consider applying some stringsavers, and also consider applying a thin (key word: THIN) layer of baby oil after you play to keep the gut in prime condition.

I will definately use stringsavers, i've seem the results of my mates x1 being shredded in one hitting session, was ugly. I have a book by Pancho Segura that also recommends using talcum powder post match, but it seems baby oil is popular. Do you use that on your Wilson & global?

Last time I saw ALU ROUGH, all it was was a slightly darker version of ALU with a few indentations printed into it...

ALU ROUGH is 1.25 though.

Both gauges are 1.25, so with added stringsavers hopefully there wouldn't be too much cutting. I suppose the bummer side is my wish for using thinner gauges for spin, but I guess I will have to weigh up durability and cost vs spin and feel. In the UK, the VS 17/1.25 does seem to be most common to purchase.

Alu Rough is a great idea, as long as you use string savers there is no drama - they also provide a bit more bight onto the ball which is an added plus, considering gut isn't spin friendly compared to poly's. IMO there are much better alternatives out there which out perform gut in most aspects.

Try M2 Pro - love that string..

So if I was to stick to a Alu power 1.25 in crosses, what would you put as the mains? Excel Power, biphase, another poly? Depending on the feedback adrenanline gets onces its released, I might consider that, maybe in 1.20g. It is true that I don't have arm problems, so I suppose my interest in gut is mainly for feel, and the possibilty of it being more durable than often said, even with my weather conditions.

Hey

You can use the VS TEAM 17 SET in a hybrid with no problems.
12 meters is enough.

Unless the court is soaking wet, you should be able to use the nat gut with no problems. The Thermogut Protection will protect the gut.

ROUGH in the crosses is the Federer hybrid, and because the ROUGH is not edged or TWISTED, the idea of using this in the crosses is GREAT. However if you're not a string breaker, the ROUGH will die in 5 hours time, and this will affect the feel of the nat gut mains..... You should test how much you think it will affect you and your game and then maybe look for other poly's with better tension stability.

I prefer Signum Pro Hyperion as my goto SMOOTH cross CoPoly string in my nat gut hybrid, because it has better tension stability than Alu ROUGH and Alu Power.

Good news on the length, had me sweating a bit, thinking maybe I should have picked up 16x18 in the past year I've been buying them! Love the control and ability to hit flatter with the 18x20s though. How do you find the BLX 18x20s. Ever hit with the original classic? If so, how do they compare?

Re VS -so it comes down to the fact that gut can, when cared for, actually outlasts polys- cool!! So as you mention, a more durable poly should be in there. What do you think of using a cross poly that is a thinner gauge than the VS 1.25 mains in my 18x20? Normally I have the rule that the thicker gauge should be in the cross, as crosses cut into mains, so thicker cross won't cut as much. But with string savers, do you think I can still protect the gut?
I've read your opinions on Hyperion, does sound interesting. As above, I've got an eye on the Lux adrenaline, I think Tennis Warehouse Europe has it out on the 28th Jan. You ordered some reels of it right? I'd love to hear the feedback when you get those in your sticks.

Cheers again everybody!